The Pitch
Walter Johnson High School
Volume 59, Issue 4
January 10, 2014
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6400 Rock Spring Drive, Bethesda, MD 20814
Photo from Flickr Creative Commons
Photo from Flickr Creative Commons
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Issue
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Photo courtesy of Eggerton Cambell
Photo from Britannica ImageQuest
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EDITORIAL pages 5-8
Filibustering is unneccessary in the eyes of many, and as a result Congress has voted to remove it.
FEATURE pages 9-12
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT pages 13-16
A day in the life of active student Sizhe Xie.
Student Michelle Pineda and her artwork are featured.
Photo from Flickr Creative Commons
SPORTS pages 17-20
Athletes who stay up late studying deprive their bodies of necessary sleep they need in order to preform.
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NEWS
JANUARY 10, 2014
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Movie Review: “The Hobbit: Desolation of Smaug” By Nico Bonetta It’s here! The face-meltingly awesome sequel to the first “Hobbit” movie is here and, oh my god, I love it. “Desolation” is a huge improvement over the first movie, which was mostly exposition. But “Desolation” is pretty much nonstop excitement; it hardly ever slows down or becomes boring. It’s as if the first movie was just a primer for this, the real meat of the trilogy. The heroes are on the way to the lonely mountain, to confront Smaug, the dragon. Speaking of Smaug, I hear you cry, “is he a good villain?” Yes, oh yes he is. Smaug is huge, and the way he moves through the piles of gold in his lair really gives an impression of how mind-bogglingly big he is. Also, Benedict Cumberbatch absolutely kills it as Smaug. He just sounds… evil. He always sounds like he’s just completed his master plan, and he’s thinking about how to cook and eat Bilbo. I also have to give serious props to whoever animated him. He looks like a dragon, which was great, after all the first movie showed was his eye opening at the end. Smaug just strikes me as one of the best dragons ever. He is a terrifying, conniving, scheming monster and really, really, loves gold. But for the scenes that aren’t being completely dominated by Smaug, Ian McKellen easily delivers as Gandalf once again. However, his spotlight is stolen by Martin Freeman’s Bilbo. Not only does he completely own the role, he seems like he was made for the job. He really does seem completely out of his element as Bilbo, from showing
how scared he is of pretty much everything, to how extremely spoiled he is. But on to the thing that I loved more than dragons and wizards: the pacing of the film.I don’t really understand pacing all that well, but what I do know is that this movie kept my attention for pretty much the entire time it ran. “Desolation” does this by always having something awesome on the screen . It’s actually impossible to look away, because every second of this movie is awesome. The scence with the dwarves going down some waterfalls in barrels is actually one of the most memorable scences for me, because despite how boring it sounds, it’s about 2000 times more interesting when you’re actually seeing it for yourself. The scene with the spiders, on the other hand, is one of the few times that you may actually be able to leave the theater, because it really didn’t entertain me that much. Maybe it’s because I hate spiders. It’s still a good scene, but Bilbo eavesdropping on how the spiders are going to eat him and his friends just feels so boring compared to everything else...
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LETTER FROM THE EDITORS Dear Pitch Readers, Welcome back to school! Although we did not have a December paper, we promise that this issue will more than make up for it. In this new year, we will continue to bring you the latest news on all things WJ. In our News section, we have a year-inreview of 2013 in addition to covering the issue of overcrowding on school buses. Our Editorial section covers a variety of issues, including an opinion on the elevated standards for students in leadership positions. Feature shadowed student Sizhe Xie, and his unique perspective is presented in the spread. Additionally, Arts and Entertainment has a few special profiles on WJ student and alumni artists. Lastly, Sports includes updates on winter sports teams as well as an article covering sleep deprivation in student athletes. As you gear up for the second semester, remember that The Pitch is always open to your ideas and feedback. Please feel free to email us at thepitch@ walterjohnson.com, message us on Facebook or tweet us @thewjpitch.
Photo courtesy of Meghan Donaldson
Sincerely, Print Editors-in-Chief Emily Cosentino, Claudia Nguyen, and Online Editor-in Chief Megan Chun
New(s) Year in review
Corrections from Last Issue
Pope Francis Selected March 13
George Zimmerman Trial July 14
By Izzy Salant
After Pope Benedict resigned from the papacy in February, the cardinals gathered to vote on a new pope. Argentinian cardinal, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, was elected, and he changed his name to Francis upon assuming the papacy. He has made controversial decisions within the Catholic church, such as his stance on gay marriage, but nonetheless people admire him and he was named Time magazine’s person of the year.
Page 4- The Supreme Court did not rule in favore of Hazelwood, the principal was allowed to censor the paper.
Trayvon Martin’s killer, George Zimmerman, was tried and accused of murder, but claimed it was in self-defense, and was acquitted by a jury due to Florida’s “stand your ground” law.This sparked major controversy among the black community, and Zimmerman was later tried for other crimes such as domestic disputes with his girlfriend. Photo from Britannica ImageQuest
Continued on page 3
Boston Marathon Bombing April 15 Terror struck Boston as two explosions thundered around 2:50 p.m. during the Boston Marathon.The city was put into lockdown as families prayed that their loved ones were safe.The two bombers, brothers Tamerlan and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev were eventually apprehended, and Boston remained strong.
Photo from Flickr,Christus Vincit
Photo from Flickr,zennie62
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JANUARY 10, 2014
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Crowded buses call for change: MCPS school buses are overcrowded By Anna Hovey In a busy town with a huge school comprised of over of 2200 students, hectic hallways and crowded classrooms are a given. One side effect of a full school that many may overlook is the overcrowding and packing of buses. In the beginning of the school year, finding enough room on the buses to seat all the students necessary is frequently a struggle. School administrator Micah Wiggins oversees the transportation issues facing WJ, such as safety concerns and other administrative problems. According to Wiggins, problems of overcrowding most frequently occur at the beginning of the school year. This is because the exact number of students in need of bus services each year is unknown, therefore transportation does not have this information and the school must estimate according to ridership in past years and new students who show up to orientation. In some situations, over-packed buses are a result of students riding buses they were not assigned. “We did have two buses this year that were overcrowded,” said Wiggins. “In one particular case, members of the swim team were riding a bus after school to get to their practice, but they were not supposed to be on the bus.” Not all buses are equally impacted by this dilemma. Buses with riders who reside in high-density housing frequently experience overcrowding more often and more intensely than others. This includes buses with routes that stop off at apartments, condominiums and town house developments. The number of students can increase and decrease much more quickly according to how many people live in the particular community. Principal Jennifer Baker said that students are often affected by overcrowded buses.When buses have absolutely no room to fit all of the riders, a second bus may be sent out, which could cause students to arrive late. Baker explained that the effects of bus overcrowding on the school include the need to work with transportation to fix the problem accordingly.
Photo courtesy of Krista Smith-Hanke
Due to a number of students needing transportation to school, buses tend to be highly overcrowded, causing problems for staff, students and administrators.
Baker said she recognized that as student population increases, more buses and drivers may be needed. This may imply budgetary changes for MCPS in the future. “[Transportation is] very responsive,” said Baker. ”They may reorganize the stops [of overcrowded buses] and change a couple of things to adjust for the problems.” Wiggins stated that overcrowding can also have a large impact on the drivers of these buses- they must consider whether or not their buses have enough room to accommodate all riders and, if not, act accordingly; for example determining whether or not all the students are on the correct bus and/or reporting this information to their supervisors for assistance on how to take action. In addition, other drivers sharing the road may become irritated waiting for the many students to
board when buses are so full. Baker added that when buses are overcrowded, drivers may report possible safety concerns (i.e. students having to stand) due to lack of room. “This overcrowding is not unique to [the] Walter Johnson cluster,” said Wiggins. “It is very common in areas closer to the city, or where there is ongoing construction and development.” Fortunately, solutions to the problem are being pursued according to Wiggins. A new bus route was added to the WJ community, and changes were made to various other routes to accommodate the increasing number of riders coming to Walter Johnson.
New(s) Year in review Syrian Civil War August 31
President Obama addressed the nation about Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s use of chemical weapons, though the civil war had been raging on since 2011. Obama called for a military strike instead of sending soldiers, and the call to get involved sparked controversy and questioning of Obama’s leadership, as less than 50 percent of Americans supported the decision to attack Syria. Continued from page 2
Nelson Mandela’s Death December 5 South Africa mourned the loss of its first black president, Nelson Mandela, who passed away at 95. Mandela was a symbol of hope, freedom and the struggle against racial oppression, and was admired by many throughout the world. Photo from Britannica ImageQuest
Government Shutdown October 1-16
Photo from Flickr, PanARMENIAN_Photo
Due to a dispute between Republicans and Democrats in Congress, the government couldn’t reach a budget agreement. As a result, the government shut down for 16 days, affecting thousands of Americans with government jobs, putting them out of work. Although members of Congress still were paid, some generously donated their salaries. President Obama was upset by the event and tried to work with Congress to make sure another shutdown wouldn’t occur in the future. Photo from Britannica ImageQuest
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Pitch 4 News Briefs: What’s going on at WJ NEWS
JANUARY 10, 2014
WiFi expected to take effect in February for MCPS By Chizobam Nwagwu
As technology continues to advance, MCPS still falls behind. Despite the recent installment of Promethean boards in several schools, the simple ability to access wireless connection is still denied to MCPS students. In early April, the MCPS Board of Education (BOE) voted to grant all students open access to WiFi connection for the 2013-14 academic school year.
Since then, MCPS has released little information regarding its decision. According to Principal Jennifer Baker, the MCPS Chief Technology officer, Sherwin Collette, stated that WiFi is available, but many access points differ in stages of development depending on whether the connection was installed recently or several years ago. MCPS is currently assessing the wireless connec-
tion at each school and will then proceed to rewire to ensure it will be able to handle the large capacity of students and teachers using their mobile devices. They anticipate the project won’t finish until February. Despite this prolonged process, the installment of WiFi is expected to have positive impact. “For me it’s huge,” said Baker. “I just
think that is where people are now. We use our devices in a way that’s different from the way we used to. As a society, we are constantly seeking information.” Once the system is implemented, Baker believes it will allow teachers to provide more interactive lessons, creating a more engaging and comprehensive learning experience for students.
Stick it to sickness, avoid the flu Varying temperature in classrooms By Amanda Gross When most students think of winter, they think: holidays, hot chocolate and snow days, but many people forget that winter is also famous for being flu season. According to the National Public Health Institute, aka Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the flu is a contagious illness caused by influenza viruses that infect a victim’s respiratory system, resulting in mild to severe illness and, in extreme cases, death. With exams ahead, students may be worried about catching the illness and missing class. However, there are many ways people can protect themselves from the flu.
Photo by Amanda Gross
Symptoms of the flu include a fever. If there is no fever, it may not be the flu but rather just a common winter cold.
“Get antiviral medicine to minimize symptoms. It works very well. Some doctors don’t even want you to come in and infect others, just to call in for medication,” said WJ nurse Ki Nam Kim. “WJ doesn’t have one set policy regarding students with the flu, but the school requires students to be fever-free for 24 hours before returning to school.” She also suggested that students wash their hands, sleep well, avoid sharing food and stay hydrated and warm. It is easy to spread the flu from person to person. Cdc.gov states that healthy adults can infect others one day before their symptoms develop and five to seven days after becoming sick. ”The symptoms of the flu start with fever, achiness and lethargy,” said Kim. “A fever always accompanies the flu. If you don’t have a fever, it may just be a common cold.” Cdc.gov states that the best way to prevent the flu is to get a flu vaccine each season, which starts as early as October, and tends to peak in January. The nasal-spray flu vaccine is another option for healthy individuals ages two to 49. “For young people, the mist has been really reliable for four to five years. It has good results,” said Kim. According to Kim, the number of WJ students who are inflicted with the flu changes each year. She said there have not been horrible flu outbreaks within the past two years, possibly because more students are getting vaccinated. “So far so good,” she said, explaining that there has been little flu spotted so far this season.
By NickWilliamson
Throughout the school day, students may complain of being hot in one class, but freezing in another. Shouldn’t the heating and cooling system keep all the rooms at the same temperature? Principal Jennifer Baker and Business Manager Kathy Cosgrove explained that the AC system is controlled by the MCPS Dept. of Energy Management; sometimes the system needs repairs, but the school works closely with the department to keep the system working. The AC system needs time in the morning to start working like it’s supposed to, meaning that it takes a while before the system releases hot or cold air each day. “Sometimes the rooms are cooler in the winter or warmer in the summer, as the system starts up for the day,” said Cosgrove. The county switches the system from cold air to hot air at a certain point during the year. “The county spends two weeks each year switching over 200 schools from
heat to AC, in a time frame that they tell us,” said Baker. The Department also plays a role in day to day management of classroom temperatures, although the school seems to have a larger role regarding the issue than the Department. “There is a target temperature we monitor on a system that the Plant Operations manager and Building Services manager can pull up on their computer. We also get feedback from staff as to current temperatures,” said Baker. Cosgrove said that the system does need maintenance, and that a plant operator comes to replace filters and belts monthly or more often if needed. The operator also makes other necessary repairs, and ensures that the system runs smoothly.
Illustration by Adriana Del Grosso
Each classroom in the school can either make students heat up or freeze depending on the varying temperature.
Lights, camera, act- sorry, we’re experiencing technical difficulties By Joshua Lang
At the beginning of second period, teachers power on their Promethean boards and flip to the analog channel for the morning announcements, which provide students with information about clubs and other school events. With most TV providers switching to digital, the Walter Johnson News Network (WJNN) is being plagued by technical difficulties. By the beginning of the next school year, these video issues will no longer be a problem. The main technical difficulty WJNN has had to deal with is the software prob-
lems, which cause the screen to appear too bright or the sound to shut off midshow. However, there is nothing wrong with the WJNN equipment itself, but rather the analog connection that has been used for years currently does not work smoothly with the technology being used in computers to broadcast the TV show, as it used to in the past. When WJ’s cable provider, Comcast, switched to digital, WJ remained on analog. “To get a TV picture on a computer, you input the signal into the back of it. It goes through a card, then through software, [and] then to a screen,” said
TV club sponsor and technical director Ty Huber. “The software had a minor error. When you divide it by 200 plus channels, it’s negligible. [However] when Comcast went digital that minor error was divided by [only] three TV channels. It became a real issue.” In order to fix this problem, WJNN would have to switch over to a digital connection, which is expensive. The computers in the school would need to have a special software image update in order to handle the digital signal. Unfortunately, the school’s current computers do not have these them. How-
ever, if they were to be obtained, staff would have to undergo the tedious and expensive task of individually installing one on every single computer in the school. Next summer, MCPS is rolling out new computers for the school year that will have these special adapters. The WJNN was also able to obtain a digital modulator which converts the signals from the show to digital and was a lot cheaper than revamping the entire studio’s setup.
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JANUARY 10, 2014 Editors-in-Chief Emily Cosentino Claudia Nguyen Megan Chun* News Editors Izzy Salant Tenni Idler* Elizabeth Winter* Asst. News Editor Anna Hovey Editorial Editors Wahid Ishrar Anders Norberg* Asst. Editorial Editor Adriana Del Grosso
Collective Success Photo courtesy of Wahid Ishrar
ByWahid Ishrar
America is currently in a recession. 27 percent of Americans are living with their parents. While many think this indicates the country’s overall decline, that isn’t necessarily so. A 2001 London School of Economics research project led to the discovery that non-Western countries generally rank higher in terms of happiness than Western countries. In the countries ranked highest, living in close-knit families is the norm. A 2004 World Health Organization study found that about 10 percent of Americans and 8.5 percent of French citizens suffer from depression or mental disorders, compared to Nigerians, who utilize a nuclear familial structure and have a 0.8 percent depression rate. Ronald C. Kessler, a professor who worked on the study, suggested that high depression and suicide rates stem from the pressure to achieve perfection and live better than the previous generation. Although not the only reason, living in a collective community has an effect on how satisfied people are. Humans crave love and social interaction; just knowing that we are surrounded by people who support us can be a confidence boost. When members of multiple generations live together, the desire to be better off than the previous generation does not arise. Instead, the next generation works to incorporate their own accomplishments to those already in existence, rather than trying to start over. If the entire extended family works as one unit, there are more people to fulfill certain roles, as opposed to only one person. If a maternal figure falls ill, the others can temporarily take over her responsibilities. While this is possible in individualistic societies, relatives or friends may become annoyed if these requests come in regularly. Collectivist countries also had significantly lower divorce rates. A study conducted by divorcerates.org found that, in America, half of all first marriages and two-thirds of all second marriages end in divorce, as opposed to the one percent and .5 percent in India. Although some divorces are unavoidable, some occur because couples lose interest in each other. Children who come from broken families may face many long-lasting psychological effects, and a decreased number of divorces has the potential to lessen these effects. In countries like India, having a close extended family puts pressure on these couples’ shoulders, making them consider fixing their issues as opposed to splitting for minor problems. In order to raise the levels of happiness and decrease the levels of depression and divorce, individualistic societies should take some tips from collectivist societies.
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EDITORIAL
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Feature Editors Selma Stearns Julieta Gozalo- The Pitch is published eight times a year by the students of Walter Johnson High School, Michaud* 6400 Rock Spring Drive, Bethesda, Md. 20814. Advertising and subscription rates are available by calling 301-803-7184. Editorial opinions represent those of The Pitch staff Asst. Feature and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the staff, faculty or student body. We Editor welcome letters, articles, photographs and artwork, to be submitted to room 193 or Michael Godfrey e-mailed to thepitch@walterjohnson.com. The Pitch is an award-winning paper that works towards Arts & providing the student body with accurate, as well as credible, information. Entertainment Editor Audrey Marek American Scholastic Columbia Scholastic Nico Bonetta-Misteli* Press Association Bronze Medalist Asst. Arts & Ent. First Place 2010-2011 Editor Columbia Scholastic Columbia Scholastic Press 2010-2011 Annika La Vina Association Press Association Advisor Marylander Award Gold Medalist Sylvie Ellen Newspaper Division C
2009
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Sports Editors Social Media Ben Resnick Consultant Zeke Green* Sabrina Greene Josh Greenberg* Staff Writers Sabrina Greene* Asst. Sports Editor Nick Williamson Amanda Gross Josh Greenberg Zack Shapiro Artists Joshua Lang Adriana Del Grosso Jake Weinischke Alex Alavi Chizobam Nwagwu Copy Editors Layout Editor Anna Hovey Adriana Del Grosso Marissa Nardella Business Manager Claudia Nguyen
*Online Editors
Consequence of a digital age Increased use of technology in classrooms leads to divide in education opportunity
By Adriana Del Grosso
For many Montgomery County students, it is difficult to imagine a school day without technology such as Promethean boards and sites such as Edline. Use of technology by students has become more prevalent over the past few years. However, as more students and teachers turn towards technological aides, the difference between tech-savvy middle and upper-class homes and families with less income which lack internet connection becomes more obvious when differences in performance emerge. MCPS is beginning to expand its use of technology through the 2014-2016 Strategic Technology Plan. This plan aims to install wireless internet and create sites which will allow members of the school community to connect. These additions aim to ultimately “prepare them with the knowledge and skills to excel…in an evolving digital age” according to the memorandum by Superintendent Joshua Starr which details the plan. According to a survey by the Federal Communications Commission, 60 percent of homes with incomes under $20,000 lack internet access. Especially in urban areas, families with lower incomes may not be able to support the education of their children with the same caliber of support through technology. If a student is not able to access the internet at home, for example, they may not be able to research class topics as readily as the course demands them to. It is becoming increasingly common for classes to demand routine use of technology and the internet. Since 2004 the Department of Education has supported a digital presence in the
classroom. They state, “[education tech- courage students to participate and to nologies] empower students to learn as delve deeper into topics discussed in active scientists rather than as passive class. Accommodations are occasionally consumers of textbook-based curriprovided when students do not have cula.” Textbooks are generally loaned to access to internet at home so that they students and are to be returned when can participate when classes require the course is finished. An education cur- computer use. Schools generally suprently requires more than loaned text- ply computers which can be used by books. Instead the curriculum neces- students regularly and companies such sitates a certain level of technological as Verizon offer discounted internet for practicality that has not been observed students. If a student lacks the resources at home in past years. This means if a student cannot meet the requirements they may to meet the demands of the course they struggle in the class. A student in a poor will fall behind. A class that requires inurban area who has not had much ex- ternet research to complete an assignperience with a computer, for example, ment is neglecting to acknowledge that may have difficulty researching a topic some students don’t have the resources available at home. The current educahis peers can easily look up at home. Schools seek greater usage of edu- tion system strives for technology usage that does not take into accation technologies because they can count the limitations have a positive presence in the income gap classrooms. Assistive presents. Technology Services may use devices to aid students who have limited verbal or written communication skills due to disabilities. In eve r y d ay classr o o m activity interactive whiteboards and assignments “Since when is a computer on the that require interschool supply list?” net research can enIllustration by Alex Alavi
The Pitch Opinion
While school administrators have struggled to communicate with students in the past, with the rise of popular social media applications, such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, they have found new allies. Now, schools are able to relay information to students quickly and more efficiently, through the internet or through smartphones. Students are also able to provide feedback with the click of a button, rather than with a mailed letter or a carefully prescribed email. However, social media has also created a face of anonymity for its users, which in turn, may create more opportunities for cyberbullying;
people are more likely to say something vicious over the web than in person. Montgomery County was subject to bouts of inclement weather throughout December, and in the hopes of school closure, many students took to social media to voice their opinions. On Dec. 13, MCPS superintendent Joshua Starr released an open letter to parents, informing them of “offensive” and “disturbing” tweets he received regarding school cancellation, some of which were “threatening” in nature. Starr went on to discuss the inappropriate use of social media in general, and urged par-
ents to be more involved with their children’s online behavior. Although many of the tweets in question may have been written in a playful or joking manner, it’s important to remember that it is nearly impossible to interpret ‘tone’ virtually. Furthermore, it is difficult to take back anything said online; things deleted from the internet are never truly erased. Students simply need to be more cautious about what they say on the web; statements that are meant to be taken one way may be misinterpreted, resulting in serious consequences and repercussions.
EDITORIAL
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Busting the filibuster
JANUARY 10, 2014
Senate’s disposal of filibusters could do long term damage for both parties By Nick Williamson Recently, a new filibuster rule was passed in the Senate, which prohibits its use on most nominations to the judicial and executive branch. Now, a simple majority can approve or fail a nomination. Some legislators who led the charge to get this bill passed are already looking to do the same for legislation. As Maryland is a largely Democratic state, many people are going to be happy about this legislation, since Democratic nominees such as Patricia A. Millett and Robert L.Wilkins, two Washington Appeals Court nominees, are being held up by filibusters. However, while it will be easier to get nominations through, should the Democrats lose control of the Senate, Republicans will find it easier to get their nominations through as well.While this is a short-run solution for the party in control of the Senate, in the long run, it will do more harm than good. The Senate is the house in the legislature that should be stable and balanced. The filibuster, while probably overused, is important to maintaining this balance and stability. It keeps legislation and appointments more centrist so that they appeal to parties on both sides of the aisle. While it hasn’t seemed like it recently, the filibuster is ultimately a tool for compromise. It prevents the minority from being steamrolled by the majority, and creates more centrist legislation that works for both sides. While some feel the minority shouldn’t have this power, they need to realize that they represent people too, and all of those senators have constituents at
home expecting them to defend their interests. And if the minority is large enough that the majority cannot invoke cloture (which ends a filibuster), they represent a large portion of the American population. With the approval of this legislation, the trend of today’s politics continues: parties want to try and dominate one another and avoid working together instead of compromising. With the filibuster, parties are forced to work together, and while neither party gets everything they want, they reach a middle ground, actually accomplish things, and walk away with some satisfaction. However, they have been attempting to compromise less, and some legislators are actually elected because of their determination to not compromise. Eliminating the filibuster is another step towards solidifying this position in American politics, and people will find themselves less content with what happens on Capitol Hill as the party in the majority keeps changing, and the lack of the filibuster prevents those represented by the minority from being heard. While this is important for legislation, it is equally important regarding nominations. The filibuster places more centrist people in positions of power, which means officials will be more focused on the job in front of them, instead of how party allegiance has bought a job. While the filibuster wasn’t originally a part of American politics, over the years, it has become an important and necessary part of the way our government works.
While [the eradication of “the filibuster] is a short-run solution for the party in control of the Senate, in the long run, it will do more harm than good.
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Illustration by Adriana Del Grosso
Texas Senator Wendy Davis (D) stood for over 10 hours to stall the passing of an abortion bill. Other senators perform similar actions and sometimes abuse their power. As a result, legislation is being passed to limit said power.
With great power comes great responsibility
Students in leadership positions should be held to a higher standard than the average student By Emily Cosentino In the realm of high school, there are no celebrities, politicians or famous people. There are just cliques, teachers, administration and gossip. Being elected to the Student Government Association (SGA) is as close to reaching fame as realistically possible in high school. With that being said, what happens when a member of the SGA misbehaves? Are students in leadership positions held to the same conduct standards as the rest of the student body, or are they held to a higher standard? When the winter pep rally began, chants throughout the audience of “Where is Max” echoed through the auditorium. This is because the senior class president was missing from the second to last pep rally for the senior class. Seniors who logged onto Facebook on Dec. 1 already knew why he was missing. There was a long apologetic post in the WJ Senior Class of 2014 Facebook group announcing his suspension from duties for the next month. There was a group of students who stormed the football field on Senior Night, and among them was the senior class president. He took responsibility the following Monday, and this along with other reasons ultimately lead to his suspension from his position from Dec. 1 until Jan. 2. There were other students who participated in the storming of the football field, but the only consequence dealt was the suspension of the president’s duties. As a role model to the students, he had to take responsibility for not only his actions, but any actions he might have incited. When students take on leadership roles, they are expected to be aware of the re-
sponsibilities they have as role models. interested parties including students, parents, and ap“It might have been different if I was just another stu- propriate staff and administration in order to come dent, but as the class president, [administration] take[s] to a joint decision. If the situation is really serious problems much more [seriously],” said the and the student is senior class president. recommended for Consequences are not always the same, expulsion, then a duties of officers there are situational factors that have to number of outside be considered, one of which is if a stuhearings will take dent is in a leadership role. Being a part place in order to of leadership gives a student the power to decide what ultiencourage students and their behavior, for mately happens. better or for worse. Students elected “I think [students in leadership posito leadership potions] are held to a higher standard, just sitions that give like politicians are held to a higher stanthem the power to dard.When your constituents elect you… persuade and influthere is a certain expectation that you are ence others, need going to…perform the duties that you are to seriously take elected for,” said Principal Jennifer Baker. into account their All students in leadership positions are actions, both posinot necessarily held to a higher standard. tive and negative. The Montgomery County Board of EduAdministration is SGA CONSTITUTION cation does not completely support extra correct in taking disciplinary actions for students who are these students to captains or presidents of teams or clubs. task for their beAccording to Baker, dealing with student discipline havioral decisions. Leaders who accept these positions is the least favorite part of her job. In order to decide should be aware of the effects their actions can have on on what consequences are appropriate for a student others and how they are perceived in the public eye. infraction, administration has to put time, effort and “[If I could redo the situation] I would have thought a money into the situation, along with having unpleas- bit more about the position I have and who is watching ant interactions with students and parents. There are me and how much I am under the spotlight,” said the usually multiple conversations that take place with all class president.
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JANUARY 10, 2014
EDITORIAL
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A new year means a clean slate to accomplish goals. We asked students, “What are your New Year’s resolutions?”
Graphic by Adriana Del Grosso
On Jan.6, The Pitch went to classes and asked questions about topics covered in this issue. Here are the results. * Polls conducted by The Pitch on Jan. 6 on 66 students.
Editorial
What kind of parents do you have?
Meghan Donaldson
Senior
“Wear more black and care less.”
Easy-going 15.6% Authoritarian(strict) 18.8% A balance between the two 65.6%
To read about the different styles of parenting, go to page 6 and read “Green vs. Greene” by Zeke Green and Sabrina Greene.
All photos by Wahid Ishrar
Angie Lyubimova Junior
“Put school in front of other things, #apexlife.”
Ryan Cirillo Sophomore
“My New Year’s resolution is to take more risks.”
Alan Reich Freshman
“Beat people in arm wrestling matches.”
Feature
Which of these winter date ideas sound most romantic? Snow-related activities Hanging out Going to a movie Dining out at a restaurant
35.8% For information on how to heat up your love life despite the 26.4% winter, go to page 8 and read 20.8% “Cold, but not alone” by 17.0%
Anders Norberg.
Arts and Entertainment
Which New Year’s broadcast was the best? FOX MSNBC ABC CNN
33.3% 24.1% 24.1% 18.5%
To reflect on New Year’s Eve broadcasts, turn to page 16 and read “New Year’s Eve in Review” by Audrey Marek.
Sports What is your favorite winter sport? Basketball Swim and Dive Track and Field Wrestling
37.9% 27.3% 22.7% 12.1%
To get updates on the winter sports teams, turn to pages 18-19.
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JANUARY 10, 2014
Graphic by Adriana Del Grosso
Graphic by Adriana Del Grosso Photo by Sarah Schecker
Everyone’s a Winner
By Claudia Nguyen
During the holidays, my entire family gathers together to celebrate with food, gifts and roaring conversation. It’s fascinating to watch everyone interact, especially because certain values held by each generation differ. This past Christmas, my grandfather and I were talking about the swim meet my younger cousins had just participated in, and he said something that struck me: “Back in my day there were always winners and losers. Not everyone got a prize just for trying.” He was referring to how every participant in the meet got a participation ribbon, regardless of whether or not they placed or earned points. Similar practices are evident throughout modern American culture. Some kids’ soccer games no longer keep score for fear of tearing down the morale of the young players. In certain high schools, dozens of seniors are given the honor of being Valedictorian of the same graduating class. Even at WJ, we do not have class ranks because we’re afraid that it may foster over-competitiveness among students and lower the self-esteem of others. My grandfather’s point of view surrounding these practices is not unique. I’ve heard this view many times from adults, usually parents and grandparents, about how this generation will grow up naive, thinking that “everyone is a winner.” Some claim that it does not give kids an accurate depiction of reality, often resulting in spoiled children. However, in our society where kids are told they can be whatever they want, others say that recognizing kids that put in the effort will help to boost their selfesteem. But there is such a thing as too much confidence and too much pride. When we constantly bombard kids with ‘good jobs’ and ‘well dones,’ the standard is lowered. It’s no longer as rare or special to be a winner, and the motivation to be one is decreased. The honor of being recognized should be reserved for those that put in the time and effort to reach such an exceptional level. When there are clear and specific winners, it allows kids the opportunity to aspire to reach a certain goal. Those that don’t win the first time around are then much more inclined to achieve that same level, and earn their spot in the limelight. On the other hand, injecting kids with too much self-esteem will not encourage them to try harder, but rather it will tell them that it’s okay to be mediocre.
Which style of parenting is better? By Sabrina Greene Compared to other parents, my parents are what you might call “strict.” They nag me about homework and college apps and laundry and dishes and cleaning and pretty much everything else. They have high expectations for my performance in school. They enforce manners, expect me to write thank-you notes and to handle myself in any situation. Parents like mine put a lot of pressure on their kids. There is pressure to do well at everything, to always be composed and to be successful. One beneficial part of having strict parents is that these kids are often pushed to their limits. Because their parents have pushed them, they have exercised their abilities their whole lives. This makes them aware of their potential and comfortable in venturing into the unknown. These kids know what they are
capable of and aren’t afraid to push their limits. Kids with relaxed parents are often unaware of their potential and abilities because they haven’t been encouraged to attempt new things. They can be on their own for the most part, without someone to guide them or turn to for help. So maybe they can go out on Friday, and they don’t have to tell their parents where they are, and they can sleep wherever they want. As a result, these kids definitely have a lot of carefree fun.
By Zeke Green My parents are possibly one of the most relaxed set of parents at this school.They trust me to complete my own responsibilities and as a result, give me complete freedom to make my decisions. Parents such as mine put few rules on their children and trust their offspring to make good decisions. This helps prepare their kids better for the real world, even if that involves receiving a few worse grades or missing a few deadlines. In the real world, there are no curfews or constant reminders to manage time well. In a year, current seniors are going to experience freedom for the first time in college and many will rebel, doing things their parents would never allow. As a result, their lives will suffer. Without their helicopter parents around to micromanage their every move, their lives will drastically change. For children with more relaxed par-
ents, this change is not as massive and dramatic. In the short term, strict parents could help students improve their grades, SAT scores and other superficial measures of “college readiness.” However, these parents cling to a control that they will soon lose. Their kids will realize what they enjoy in their teens, as opposed to what their parents want them to enjoy. Rules like “no friends until homework is done” and “no boys over” serve only to limit children in their social development. While some regulations are necessary, at the end of the day, teens
But I think “strict” parents are strict for a reason. They want the best for their child, which usually entails discipline and hard work so that their child will be able to achieve their potential and be independent, confident adults. Having parents who hover isn’t all bad; sometimes it means a lot of fun, as well. My mom is known for spontaneous family movie or game nights. Sometimes I’m not allowed to go out with friends for dinner, but it’s because I’m fortunate enough to have a home-cooked, sit-down meal almost every night. Even though my parents read over my college essays eight times each, it’s only because they want the best of me to shine through. So, although they may be a bit overbearing, I’m lucky enough to have parents who pay attention to me and have my best interest in mind. It feels good to know that they care.
are going to do what they want to do. Rules meant to protect may actually endanger kids when they end up sneaking out of their houses instead of being honest with parents about where they are going. The true problem is when these kids graduate, their parents lose the ability to monitor them.They will experience a hole in their lives. Students will be freed from the cage they have been trapped in their whole lives and will not trust parents enough to tell them what actually happens to them, since their previous lives together consisted of little trust and much suspicion. Maybe if parents allowed their kids to be honest with them about what they are really doing, students would feel more comfortable waking up in their own bed on Sunday morning.
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Students consider priorities when choosing between on-level and honors By Joshua Lang Every January, students are faced with the difficult decision of what classes to take the following school year. With a multitude of choices, the process can be confusing, especially when trying to decide whether or not to take honors classes. Students may be scared of what an honors class may bring for them. Honors classes are usually considered to be difficult, requiring much more work than on-level classes, but can be worth taking to improve a weighted GPA (WGPA). There is also a belief that taking on-level classes looks worse on report cards and that college admission officers don’t like it when that’s all that students take. Students also need to take into considAt WJ, the following eration whether it academic classes are will be worth taking an honors class only offered for honors if they aren’t going to do as well as if credit: they take an onEnglish 11 level class. According to English 12 the MCPS website, “The curriculum in Matter/Energy each honors course includes appropriChinese 3 ate adaptations for accelerated and Chinese 4 enriched learning French 3 for pursuing indepth studies that French 4 require abstract and higher-order Italian 3 thinking skills.” In other words, an Italian 4 honors course is Latin 3 focused on teaching at a faster pace Latin 4 than an on-level class and also givSpanish 3 ing work that requires students to Spanish 4 consider what they are studying more
deeply. This could include reading more texts during class in an on-level versus in an honors English class where students are expected to read more at home. In honors classes, teachers also expect students to be ready for what is to come. They expect that students will complete all of their work on time and that if they need help they will come and ask for it. The tests students take will sometimes cover more topics than in an on-level class. Honors and on-level English classes differ greatly in the ways class is taught and how the topics are addressed. “Really what you see [in an honors class] is pacing being much different,” said honors English teacher Aishling McGinty. “It’s faster than an on-level class. There’s a lot more opportunity for different ways of critical thinking. A lot of the instruction in on-level classes can be more along the lines of [memorization and production].” Honors class teachers may expect their students to work at the peak of their abilities, but that is not to say on-level teachers do not expect the same effort from their students.Teachers have the expectation that if students are struggling in a class that they would come in and ask for help. On-level classes are not taking anything away from students’ learning experiences but are simply not going at the same pace as honors classes. In some cases, an on-level class does not cover all the same topics an honors class may cover but does cover all the essential topics a student needs. “A difference in an [on-level] classroom is the [onlevel] classroom will read a lot of the text,” said onlevel English Teacher Bill Griffiths. “We’ll go over it line by line. We still try to talk about particular passages in depth, but we probably move a little bit slower. But what we do is deal with almost every line of everything so that’s actually a good thing.” Students may choose an honors class over the onlevel option to raise their WGPA. WGPA is the same concept as GPA (grade point average) except it is calculated differently based on the honors and on-level courses students are taking. An “A” in an honors class is the equivalent of a 5.00 WGPA while an “A” in an onlevel class is the equivalent of a 4.00 GPA. An on-level class is added to the WGPA and is weighted lower than
an honors class. Honors classes and Advanced Placement (AP) classes are weighted more heavily than onlevel classes. Colleges do look at applicants’ WGPAs, especially since these classes are supposed to be more challenging than on-level classes. Naviance.com lists universities located all over the country with the required WGPA and GPA that is typically needed to get into these schools. Depending on the schools, the average GPA and WGPA can be as high as a 3.81 GPA and a 4.54 WGPA. Students also should take into account that the more honors classes they take, the more it raises their WGPAs. The WGPA is calculated by adding up all of a person’s grades. In an honors class, an “A”: is the equivalent of a 5, a “B” is a 4, a “C” is a 3, a “D” is a 1, and an “E” is a 0. For on-level classes, an “A” is the equivalent of a 4, a “B” is a 3, a “C” is a 2 and a“D” is a 1. Based on a person’s grades, these numbers are added up and then divided by the number of credits the student is earning. “I think colleges want to see that weighted GPA,” said McGinty. “However, I think colleges would expect then if you are saying you were successful in an honors class that you actually come to them with the necessary skills to perform in a college class. You do not want to start yourself at a deficit.” If a college sees that a student only took one honors class, it may look as if the person did not attempt to be challenged. Although, not taking honors classes may seem like the easy way out, on-level courses can be just as challenging, except they do not move at the same pace as an honors class. When getting ready to decide on what classes to take the following year, students should keep in mind that the number of honors classes they take could be considered in colloge admissions. On-level classes may be a better option in some cases, but one needs to find a balance between the two. “[One thing] I’ll teach [my on-level] kids is that you do what you love in life,” said Griffiths. “Follow what you love and work really hard at what you love to the point that work isn’t work; it’s play.”
One Acts give theater students an opportunity to shine
By Zack Shapiro
When most people think about drama at WJ, they think about the big production shows from WJ’s S*T*A*G*E* department. Main S*T*A*G*E* productions are very competitive, and it is difficult to get a principle role. Winter One Acts were created to give students who haven’t been awarded a main role in a main production their chance in the spotlight. This year’s One Acts feature six different plays, “An Adult Evening of Shel Silversteen,” “Neville’s Island,” “Spotlight,” “Louder, I Can’t Hear You,” “Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead,” and “Bobby’s Brain.” Though there are some exceptions, for the most part the actors in the One Acts have never held roles in main WJ productions. WJ S*T*A*G*E* veterans are still encouraged to participate in the One Acts by di-
Photo by Izzy Salant
Students rehearse for their one act, “Louder, I Can’t Hear You,” directed by senior Margot Cohen.
recting and assisting with the production. Unlike main S*T*A*G*E* productions, the One Acts don’t have elaborate and expensive sets, in fact most One Acts don’t have any set at all. “If there’s something absolutely essential for the play like a door or a couch then we’ll have that,” said One Act director and senior Coty Novak, “but otherwise there is very little.” Students in charge of One Acts work hard to advertise the program to students who have an interest in theater. “Leading up to auditions we did a lot of advertising on Facebook and in theater classes,” said Novak. At the auditions, students were asked to read scenes from the one acts to let the directors get a feel for
Photo by Izzy Salant
“Spotlight” is a one act directed by senior Charlie Rubinovitz.
their acting ability. Afterwards the directors discussed who they thought would be the best for the roles they needed. After directors chose their actors, they held rehearsals to get the play ready for opening night. The number of rehearsals a week is up to the director of each particular one act. The WJ One Acts offers a unique chance to allow students not usually in the spotlight a turn there. Also, unlike the main S*T*A*G*E* productions, these are completely run by students. Students choose which plays to perform, hold auditions and even direct the plays.This team of first-time actors and amateur directors hope to continue entertaining audiences this year as they did last year.
Photo by Izzy Salant
Actors practice a scene from “Neville’s Island,” directed by senior Coty Novak.
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All About Sizhe By Selma Stearns
Sizhe Xie is a WJ student who participates in many clubs and activities, such as participating in S*T*A*G*E, playing for the Bocce team, attending WJ Best Buddies and managing the girls’ varsity basketball team. Xie is well-known for his bubbly personality and informative tweets. “I’m a popular guy,” said Xie. “[I would describe myself as] the guy who always wants to be nice and friendly.” @XieSizhe, Xie’s twitter account, has 414 followers. He is an active user of the site, tweeting frequently about current events, weather conditions and sports scores. Recently, Xie has kept his followers up to date with information on the winter weather, the New Year’s Eve countdown, the death of Nelson Mandela, and in the past year has posted timely information about the Boston bombing, the civil war in Syria and the Superbowl. “I also tweet about what is going on in our area, such as [events] in New York City,” said Xie. Monday through Thursday, Xie leaves school to work in the community with local Boy Scouts, and he has done many internship jobs in and around WJ such as working in the school cafeteria and the counseling office. He has an interview for an internship at NIH this week. Xie enjoys his work, but he said that sometimes (like all high school kids) he would rather spend time with his friends. Xie loves being a member of Best Buddies, and his buddy, senior Lina Kastanos, is one of his dearest friends. “He’s a really sweet boy,” said Kastanos. “I love being around him...I can really learn from him. He is different because he is always very straight-forward. You always know that he is being honest with you. He is the purest person I know.” Xie said his other close friends include Jonathan Feifer and Haley Cleaves. On Sundays, Xie attends a Chinese school where he is learning the language his extended family speaks. “I speak Chinese a little bit with my grandparents...I’m still learning,” said Xie. “Chinese class is hard.” This year is Xie’s fourth year at WJ, and he will be attending Montgomery College in the fall of 2015. He hopes to study computer repairs and photography. Xie enjoys working with technology and is talented at repairing equipment. At home, he likes to help out his family by cleaning around the house and taking care of his younger brother. Another hobby of his is playing video games on the Wii and Xbox 360 Kinect such as Fifa, Need for Speed and dancing games. His favorite classes in school are Health and P.E., and despite all the stress that comes with being a high schooler, Xie enjoys attending classes at WJ. “High School is both easy and hard; sometimes I am stressed when I have classwork Photo by Emily Cosentino but I am improving a little bit,” said Xie.
JANUARY 10, 2014
Period one is English with Christine McArdle and Lori Record for speech.
Photo by Selma Stea
Sizhe goes to the board to answer questions about grammar and spellin
“My favorite thing [in English class] is when we do story activities.”
(From left to right:) Record, Sizhe and M class.
Period eight is General with Jason Campbell.
Sizhe plays frisbee in P.E. class.
“Frisbee activ basketball [ favorite sp
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A Day in the Life of Sizhe Xie Period two is Health with Tom Wheeler.
“[My favorite things in heath class] are when we watch videos and presentations; it’s a little easier.” Photo by Selma Stearns
Sizhe works on a powerpoint, filling out vocabulary in the Family Life unit.
Photo by Selma Stearns
Wheeler has been Sizhe’s teacher for many years and the two have bonded.
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From period three to period six, Sizhe goes out to work in the community. Photo by Selma Stearns
McArdle pose in English
l P.E.
When Sizhe gets back from work, he has math during period seven with Ms. B. Liens
“Learning how to pay tax[es] [is my favorite thing about math class.”
A teacher helps Sizhe work on a worksheet.
Photo by Emily Cosentino
Photo by Michael Godfrey
vites and [are my ports].” Photo by Emily Cosentino
Sizhe poses at his desk while the teacher helps another student.
Sizhe and friend Jonathan Feifer work on math problems.
Photo by Emily Cosentino
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FEATURE
JANUARY 10, 2014
Cold, but not alone: Winter date ideas
By Anders Norberg
Movie
The most obvious choice for wintertime dating is going to see a movie in a warm, crowded theater. It can be a great way to spend an evening, and with so many movies available there is guaranteed to be something that both people will enjoy, whether it is romance, action, comedy or horror. Movies inspire a number of topics for conversation; so even after the show there is something to talk about. Movies can also be relatively cheap, with Regal Cinemas in Bethesda charging only nine dollars during the week and $12.50 over the weekend. Food and candy can cost a little more, but you can head to a restaurant after the movie instead. This will give you a good opportunity to hang out and talk after the movie.
Ice Skating
It’s cold outside, so why not take advantage of the weather by going skating? Skating is a great way to be active without being competitive. Plus, what’s more romantic than teaching your date how to skate and then falling on your face? Afterwards you can go to Montgomery Mall to eat or Photo by Audrey Marek get some hot chocolate so that holding you can still hang out and not Between hands and having fun, embarrass yourself any further. ice skating is bound Cabin John Ice Rink is only $10 to be a sucessful date. for a good two hours of skating. If outdoors is more your style, there is another ice rink in Rockville Town Square that charges about the same price. The only difference is that it’s outside and it is one big rink instead of two smaller ones.
Snowball Fight/Sledding/Building a Snowman
Coffee and Talk
If you would rather do something less expensive, just go and get a cup of coffee. The best dates involve If you would rather try some- actually getting to know the person you’re taking out. thing a little more casual in the Coffee is cheap and simple, and will give you and your snow, then just go outside and date plenty of time to chat and learn about each other. explore. Do something together. Go to Starbucks or Quartermaine and get a drink that Build a snowman, or maybe take costs anywhere from four to 10 bucks. Or, try somesome sleds out and speed down thing a little more elegant and go to La Madeleine a local snowy hill. If there is Country French Café or Caribou Coffee in Bethesda. Photo from © Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. enough snow, there is a huge hill On your next date, use at Takoma Park Middle School. Go Out to Eat the cold weather to If you and your date are more Food is great. Dates are great. Put them together and your advantage. interested in messing around, you’ve got something better. These dates can happen start a snowball fight. The snow has an abundance of anywhere and can range from a super casual burger activities just waiting to be done by you and your date. joint to a formal dinner place. Get food, talk and enjoy Just a warning, don’t do this on a first date…because eating a good meal for once. It can also be a meaningyou probably won’t get a second one. Scratch that, you ful moment, since this restaurant could hold a place in DEFINITELY won’t get a second one. Also, make sure your relationship. Food can be expensive depending on where you are eating and how much you order, so to dress warmly because frostbite isn’t “hot”. make sure you’ve got enough money for dessert. HowJust Hang Out ever, this date isn’t about the food, it’s about the subNot for the first date, stance of the date and can give a good idea of how your but a great way to spend relationship will be. For a cheap eat, go to a fast food a night is to just hang place like Five Guys or Chipotle for about 10 bucks. If out. Nothing has to be you would rather have a formal date, there are plenty planned, but anything of restaurants in Bethesda that start from about 20 can be done. Sitting at dollars. There home, watching TV and are also cafés talking can be an enjoyand breakfast Photo by Wahid Ishrar able way to be with that Hanging out and talking can places like The special someone. It can be as fun as any activity. Silver Diner on be casual, and everyone Rockville Pike, involved gets to be happy. You can do anything from that provide just watching TV, to baking something to playing video cheap food and games. Totally relaxed and a great way to see how your Photo by Anders Norberg an intimate atBeing at a restaurant will give you and date acts in a casual setting. mosphere. your date a long time to sit together and chat.
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JANUARY 10, 2014
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
The sounds of Music Honor Society
By Joshua Lang
The Music Honor Society has arrived at WJ. It was created for the purpose of enriching students’ skills and further nurturing their love of music. In order to be eligible to join, students will need to have prior skills as well as several other requirements. Students must be either in their junior or senior year, and be enrolled in at least one curricular music ensemble for both semesters. They must have an “A” average in their music classes as well as a “B” average in all their other academic subjects. In addition, according to the Music Honor Society requirement sheet, candidates must demonstrate respect, responsibility, trustworthiness, fairness, caring and citizenship within music classes and Music Honor Society activities. “When [the Music Honor Society] had its first meeting, we ran out [of requirement sheets]. We had made 200 copies…and we were out,” said music teacher Kelly Butler. “The [choir room] was wall to wall packed.” The Music Honor Society encourages students to take on challenges and activities that they may never have thought of trying to do. Students are required to complete at least five separate activities by the end of their senior year. One of these requirements is auditioning for
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one of the very prestigious All-County or the All-State ensembles. Students can also assist at WJ community concerts as ushers, running crew, and house crew. By completing the Music Honor Society requirements, students receive a pink silk cord to wear with their graduation gowns. Pink is the academic color for music. “[The Music Honor Society] gets [the students] more involved,” said Butler. “The more involved they are, the more they are participating in different activities. For example, since we started [the Music Honor Society] we have had some of the band and orchestra kids help out at the choir concert and choir kids helping out at the band and orchestra concerts. [The students] might never have gone to those concerts had they not been working [there]. It’s great to see the entire music department supporting one another.” The teachers of Music Honor Society are extremely passionate about music and will help students out in any way possible. By taking advantage of this great opportunity, students can improve their musical and academic prowess. The Music Honor Society will be having its first official meeting at the beginning of 2014. Butler, Christopher Kosmaceski and Meghan Davis can provide more information.
Artistic achievement gets honored
Graphic by Audrey Marek
By Amanda Gross
WJ is home to many talented and gifted students interested in the arts, many of whom belong to the Art Club and the Art National Honor Society, two groups that go hand-in-hand. The society is sponsored by art teacher Liz Stafford, and requires students to have an unweighted GPA of 3.0 and attend regular meetings Thursdays at lunch in G83. Senior Ronit Feifer is president of both the Art Club and the Art National Honor Society. “Art Honor Society is a subclub part of WJ Art Club. Art Club...meets every Thursday at lunch in the art department. We meet and work on a variety of projects that are done in order to enhance the beauty of the school,” she said. Students can become a part of Art Honor Society if they have been in the Art Club for at least one semester and have attended the club regularly. Senior Daniel Kosogof decided to join because he enjoys art and was curious to see what the club involved. “We accomplish so much in every meeting, [that] it’s amazing,” said Kosogof. At each meeting, students break into separate groups depending on their projects. For example, one group is
All art courtesy of Ronit Feifer
Senior president of the Art Club and Art National Honor Society, Ronit Feifer, has been doing art every year at WJ. Above are some examples of her work from art classes.
currently working on using tin cans to create a tapestry to decorate the school and another is cutting cans for a curtain. Senior Liana Berlin-Fischer’s favorite part of the club is planning all the projects and being able to make art that will stay in the school and promote art. “[I joined the club because] I saw the murals and thought, ‘Hmmm, I [want to] do that,’” she said. Feifer has learned a lot from being in the society, including leadership skills and how to work with large groups, both of which are skills she expects to need later in life. “[The Art National Honor Society] is a great way to get involved at WJ by getting creative and meeting new people and it’s fun to work on cool art projects,” said Kosogof. Past projects of the society include a WJ athletics mural and Halloween face painting. Current projects include a mural for the yoga studio and an upcoming photography project that will document the everyday lives of students within the school. “I think the best part [about being in the club] is being able to have the opportunity to talk [about] different things about art, [and]whether it’s the newest art movement in Europe or a new exhibit in D.C., it’s pretty awesome to be able to find people who share the same interests as you,” said Feifer.
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JANUARY 10, 2014
Wildcat artists get creative
Beyond WJ: Alumna Defne Dilsiz pursues the arts in college By Emily Cosentino With widely renowned theater, music, and art programs at WJ, it is not surprising to have alumni who are very successful in these fields. Defne Dilsiz, a 2013 graduate, is now attending the New School in New York City, working towards a major in drama with a minor in fine arts. “Coming to the New School and studying drama, I felt that I was much more prepared than a lot of people in my small program,” said Dilsiz. “There [were] simple tactics and practices that I picked up during high school that really put me ahead.” According to Dilsiz, of WJ S*T*A*G*E’s level of professionalism is one of the qualities that has aided her during college. “Being in NewYork City, where the scene is so intimidating and competitive, I was glad that S*T*A*G*E prepared me for the level of professionalism that I would be seeing [in] the real world,” said Dilsiz. New York can be a harsh, busy and unforgiving place. It is hard to get back up on your feet once you fall down. Dilsiz has already seen many students drop out. According to the U.S. News and World report, the New School has a graduation rate (within four years) of a mere 49 percent of their students. Along with selfmotivation, the education she received in high school has given her an advantage over other students. WJ’s teachers have also impacted Dilsiz, specifically S*T*A*G*E director, Colleen McAdory, S*T*A*G*E Producer, Jonathan Bos, “Mac”, and Spectator advisor, Bill Griffiths. “[It’s] the most inspiring thing that these two already busy teachers/miracle workers [Bos and Mac] are fully dedicated to the well-being of the show and will do whatever you need to make sure that you portray the best of your ability on stage.” Dilsiz was also editor of the Spectator for two years. “Mr. Griffiths really allows you to put your vision of the magazine to life. He has high hopes for his team and trusts our judgment,” she said. Yet with that independence, also comes a lot of responsibility and work. “That was definitely tough… [the staff] had to evaluate all of the art pieces infiltrating in the Art Department every year,” she said. Being on Spectator taught Dilsiz a lot about the programs and skills needed for her fine arts minor.
“Coming to the New School and studying drama, I felt that I was much more prepared than a lot of people in my small program.” “I became unbelievably involved in graphic design throughout the process, editing, [using] Photoshop and basically putting together a magazine from scratch,” said Dilsiz. The clubs and classes that WJ has to offer are a privilege that is often overlooked. These opportunities can really have an impact on a student’s education and life after high school. “Coming here and realizing that a lot of students never had solid clubs or opportunities in high school [is] saddening,” said Dilsiz. “I definitely thought that it was [our] right to have all these things, but it’s a privilege, so I’m grateful for that.”
All photos courtesy of MichellePineda
Pineda uses digital mediums to create surreal scenes like the one depicted above.
Pineda also works with physical mediums (such as paint), like in the woodland scene depicted above, in traditional art.
Digital, studio artist Michelle Pineda looks toward college By Marissa Nardella
She also enjoys walks in the woods and sightseeing as Senior Michelle Pineda first became seriously inter- sources of inspiration. One of her favorite parts of being an artist is the ested in art when her mom bought her a tablet, which variety of assignments given in her art classes. For exallowed her to work more with digital art, but to still ample, one assignment entitled “Big Things” requires incorporate skills from her traditional art training. the artist to enlarge something that is typically small, She prefers digital over traditional which often produces an art, but has continued her studies unexpected product. in both. “[The most enjoyable “I always loved drawing… [and] part is] the form of exyou can do a lot more digitally,” pression… you can mess said Pineda, “since I was a kid, I rearound with color. You ally liked character design, [which don’t have to follow any led to] drawing, [and then] paintrules… [you] can create ing, [and then] story board[s].” [your] own rules,” said She is currently enrolled in AP Pineda. Studio Art, a traditional art course, But like many enjoyand AP 2D, a digital art course. able things in life, there is Both are double periods. She is ina slight downside to art. Above is an example of Pineda’s digital work from terested in pursuing art profession“When perfectionism WJ’s digital art program. ally, and is in the process of creating kicks in… [and you] have a portfolio to send to colleges. She to start over and over [again,… it] can get frustrating,” also recently turned in some of her artwork for the said Pineda. Spectator’s fundraiser. Pineda finds the technical aspect to be the most With such an intense commitment to art, inspirachallenging. tion is essential for Pineda. She browses other artwork “Complet[ing projects] in the most complex details and pictures of different landscapes to identify the can get really time-consuming,” said Pineda. concepts illustrated and “get into the flow of things”.
Photo, studio artist Ofri Shmul expiriments with new styles
All photos by Marissa Nardella
Shmul enjoys both photography and studio art, as shown in one of photographs above.
Sophomore Ofri Shmul enjoyed studio art from a young age, but as she grew older, she became more interested in photography. She described herself as an “artistic child” and began drawing and painting at a young age. “I’ve always done it, so it’s kind of…a habit [of mine],” she said. Shmul attended the Green Acres School prior to coming to WJ, and photography was a required class there. She took it, and gradually became much more interested in photography. As a result, she does both studio art, or traditional art, and photography. Shmul is definitely interested in pursuing her art, especially photography, on a professional level. Her goal is to probably double major, with photography being one of her majorsand business & management being the other.
Shmul submitted art, including the piece above, to a Spectator fundraiser.
“Studio art [and photography are]… a way to forget about everything,” said Shmul. “It’s amazing how with a painting [or photograph] you can show someone what’s going on in your head.” Studio art is a lot of work, but she hasn’t found anything about photography to be negative yet. “[If you’re] not willing to put [effort into studio art], [it can become] hard to keep up,” said Shmul. “Getting things to look the way you want them to [is also challenging].”
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JANUARY 10, 2014
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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Beauty Break:How to style boots this winter
By Annika LaVina
With temperatures dropping, boots serve as a practical and stylish choice for the winter. Students complement their outfits with a vast array of brands, and new fashion ideas are always popping up around the school. Draw attention to your shoes with these trendy accessories. Same-Color Pants Boyfriend Jeans Want to give the appearance of longer Dig up some distressed, boxy-fit legs? Pair some same color pants with jeans and pull them on with a white your riding boots in order to give the tee to show up to school with an illusion of added length. Keep this look edge. Fold the hem of the jeans until simple by pairing it with a plain colored the shoes are fully visible, and lightly tee. tuck in your top for a fresh urban look. Leg Warmers Stay extra warm this winter by pairThigh Highs Courtesy of Emily Roe ing these long boots with a pair of croEven though it’s still too cold to put cheted leg warmers. These accessories on your favorite summer dress, it Photo by Annika La Vina look great with some dark colored jeans doesn’t have to go straight into the and a scarf. back of the closet just yet. Throw on a pair of colored thigh high socks with Doc Martens and slip into that pretty dress. If the weather gets too White/Bleached Jeans cold, accessorize with a big sweater, Make a statement by tucking in a pair cardigan, or denim blouse. of skinny bleached or white jeans. The Patterned Tights/Leggings light color of the bottoms will contrast Contrast a pair of plain colored Uggs with the dark shade of the boots, creatwith bright, eye-catching tights or leging an eye-catching look. Top the outfit gings. Complete the look with bold off by pulling on a sheer blouse to concolored sweater to bring the outfit trast with the jeans, like black or dark together. The sweater will supply a brown, to create a bright, earthy feel. comfortable feel, and the bottoms will make legs look longer and leaner. Knit Socks Steve Madden boots look great with a Winter Ready pair of crocheted, warm socks. Untie Uggs don’t always have to project a rethe first few knots of the boots, slip on laxed style.Try incorporating them into some fuzzy socks, and complete it with a preppy look by throwing on a pair of a pair of leggings. This look provides dark leggings, buttoned blouse, and extra warmth and is still fashionable. To vest. look more edgy, add a motorcycle or leather jacket to your ensemble. Photo by Annika La Vina
Uggs
Dr. Martens
Steve Madden Riding Boots
Photo by Annika La Vina
Sudoku
Word Search
By Audrey Marek
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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
New Year’s Eve in Review
JANUARY 10, 2014
Every year at Midnight. on Jan 1, the iconic crystal ball drop occurs in New York City’s Times Square. This year, over a million people converged to see the event live. But for most people, a television broadcast was the only way to experience the moment. The last 10 seconds before the dawn of the New Year are the most anticipated of the evening, and are fairly standard across the channels, but which television broadcast was the best up until those final moments?
NBC
The NBC broadcast, featuring Carson Daly as the main host, ran from 10 p.m. until after midnight, with the exception of the half hour recess from 11 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Guest stars throughout the evening in Times Square included co-host Jane Lynch, actor Anthony Anderson and comedian Natasha Leggero. There were several musical guests, Blake Shelton and Mariah Carey being the most prominent, but winners of “The Voice” Cassadee Pope and Danielle Bradbery also made an appearance singing backup for Shelton. The broadcast was entertaining and the live tweeting and responses kept things moving, but overall it seemed a little sparse. The four hosts were on a podium in Times Square, but you didn’t get much of a sense of the atmosphere around them. Carey was also in Times Square. Shelton, Pope and Bradbery were there via satellite, as they were in fact performing on “The Voice” stage. This, combined with the fact that the numerous performances from ABC’s broadcast were audible behind the NBC hosts, made it seem more like an ad for “The Voice” than a musical guest’s performance. In the end, the highlights of the broadcast were Jane Lynch’s opening 2013 recap, and the final half hour leading up to midnight.
ABC “Dick Clarke’s New Years Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest” topped the ratings this year, and with good reason. It began at 8 p.m. with a two hour lead in special recapping the “30 greatest women in music,” and went on to begin in earnest at 10 p.m. This special was broadcast live from Times Square, featuring a similar layout to that of NBC’s, in that there was a recess from 11:00-11:30 p.m. for the local news. ABC brought out the big names, including Miley Cyrus, Justin Bieber, Blondie, Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, Billy Joel, Icona Pop, Capital Cities, and Ariana Grande with Mac Miller and Big Sean. The broadcast also took field trips to Miami with Pitbull, and to Hollywood with Fergie for performances by Daughtry and Robin Thicke. While many of these stars have recieved horrible press over the course of 2013, it was not so much the quality, as the quantity, that made ABC’s offering so great. There was enough variety that there was at least one performance everyone could enjoy, and the sheer number of stars kept the party going, there by preventing any awkward lulls. Seacrest was joined by Jenny McCarthy and Donnie Wahlberg, who were fairly superfluous and rather ridiculous as hosts, but were innocuous enough. Overall, “Dick Clarke’s NewYears Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest” is a horrendously long name, but the broadcast was well worth your time.
Photo from Flickr, Anthony Quintano
Carson Daly covers the Times Square action for NBC in front of the ball drop tower.
CNN
CNN’s New Year’s special, hosted by Anderson Cooper and Kathy Griffin for the seventh year running, has the broadest spectrum geographically of any network. The show, starting at 9 p.m., was simulcast internationally and covered New Year’s traditions from all over the country. While the coverage of places like New Orleans and Florida did add variety and interest to the broadcast, it made it seem slightly scattered and took occasion and interest out of local midnight. Griffin and Cooper were fairly predictable, though there were handcuffs involved at one point for a barely apparent reason.
FOX
Fox’s New Year’s Eve with Mario Lopez was the shortest of the specials, not beginning until 11 p.m. Also differentiating it from the other specials was the fact that it was based in Las Vegas as opposed to the traditional New York. Lopez was unique in that he was cohost free, and there were not as many guest stars as other networks. While the broadcast was festive enough to have in the background of a party or anywhere where people would not necessarily be paying attention to it, Fox’s effort fell short in comparison to those of the other major networks.
Students: Donate your old books and earn SSL Hours at the Booster Used Book Sale! The WJ Booster Club Used Book Sale is set for March 1-2 in the WJ Cafeteria. The Booster Used Book Sale raises money for all WJ sports and clubs. We will start accepting used books after winter break at the Walter Johnson loading dock beginning Jan. 2. Please box or bag your books for easy transport. Community members may also drop off used books in the WJ cafeteria between 9-11am on the following Saturdays: Jan. 11, Jan. 18, Jan. 25, Feb. 8 and Feb. 22. Students can earn SSL hours by volunteering for the event. For questions and a link to the sign up sheet for SSL hours, contact Barbara Ferry: bferry@ngs.org or Gail Gleeson: gkglee@verizon.net
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JANUARY 10, 2014
SPORTS
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18 Swimming hopes to make a splash at Metros the
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SPORTS
JANUARY 10, 2014
Jamie Grimes
By Zack Shapiro As one of WJ’s most successful teams, Swim and Dive hopes to continue its streak and capture another state championship this season. To achieve this goal, Swim and Dive will have to overcome the loss of strong senior talent last year. Last year’s boys team was guided to a second state championship in a row by a talented group of seniors. This year the team is depending on a much smaller group of six seniors, who are hoping to step up and get the job done. “[Last year’s seniors] left some big shoes to fill,” said head coach Jamie Grimes, “The team is working really hard this season, but I can’t replace what I lost.” The main difference between the current team and last year’s is the lack of senior leadership, due to the small group. “This year’s team is similar [to last year’s team],” said sophomore swimmer Jeff Cirillo, “But it is somewhat lacking the strong leadership of the seniors.” Knowing how important they are to the team, the seniors are determined to step up and help the team in any way they can. While for some swimmers this means working extra hard at practice to make sure they win their race, for others it means improving their spirit. “I’m finally learning the words to all the cheers [this
Robert Yi
Photo by Claudia Nguyen
Photo by Emily Cosentino
“The goal for the swim team is to do really well at Metros and place top five for the boys and girls. At States, is top three [or] four for the boys and probably top three for the girls.” -Jamie Grimes
Winter Sports Updates
season],” said senior swimmer, Alex Klyuev, “I have to improve on leading the team out of the water because I sure as hell can’t lead them in the water.” While Alex may be focusing on cheering on the team and encouraging them to do their best, he knows that the key to winning another state championship is having strong swimmers. After losing so much talent last season, there’s more pressure than ever on the team’s top swimmers. “[The boys team] is counting on Jean Marc and his eight foot wingspan,” said Klyuev. Jean Marc is the team’s fastest swimmer this season, and has worked extra hard to shave down his time. With a weakened team this year, he is needed more than ever. “Jean Marc has done a really good job of stepping up,” said Grimes, “he’s swimming really fast.” While the boys team is struggling to make up for their loss of talent, the girls team is finding new success with a strong crop of freshman. “On the girls team we are much stronger than we were last year,” said senior swimmer Natsumi Horikawa, “we got an amazing group of freshman this year, one of the best ever.” According to Grimes, the focus of the season is all about doing well at States and finishing in the top five, but his coaching style hasn’t changed.
Tom Wheeler Photo by Claudia Nguyen
“We have a very young team this year… and generally inexperience translates into tough times, [but] this year is their chance to show what they can do.” - Tom Wheeler
“Build and continue to get better so we can make a serious run at the division title and the regional dual tournament, [with the] top four teams in the 25 team region.” -Robert Yi
Young wrestling team pins down victories
By Claudia Nguyen
Over the past three years, the wrestling team has been a force in the county, amassing a 32-10 record and winning a Divisional Championship in 2012. However, unlike previous years, coaches Tom Wheeler and Robert Yi now face the challenge of coaching a very young team. This year there are only two seniors on the team. One of them is Chris Crawford, who made States last year and will be returning to wrestle on varsity. However, the majority of the team consists of underclassmen. “This year we have the youngest team we have fielded since I have been a coach here,” said Yi. “We had seven wrestlers make it to states [last year], which is almost unheard of, but six of them graduated,” added Wheeler. “We’re not starting over, but we have a lot of sophomores and juniors.” Although many team members have wrestled on JV in years past, they have had to wait their turn due to
upperclassmen who filled spots on the varsity team. Wheeler said this year would be their chance to prove themselves.The coaches have high expectations for the team, and have entered the season with several goals in mind. Already the team has reached one of Yi’s goals by finishing ninth out of 22 teams at the Mad Mats Tournament on Dec. 14. “They’re talented, but they’re just young,” said Wheeler. “As the season wears on, we’ll get better and better, and by the end of the season we’ll be very competitive.” Although having many young wrestlers on the team could be a challenge this year, Yi mentioned that it could be an advantage in the future. “We only graduate two seniors this year, so we should be quite formidable next year,” he said. On top of a young team, another challenge Wheeler and Yi face is a tough schedule. Wheeler said that be-
cause WJ’s impressive winning record last year, the team is set to wrestle many competitive opponents. “There are only five matches on [our schedule] that I can say we would be favored in,” said Wheeler. At the beginning of the season, the team faced some teams that Wheeler mentioned would be tough rivals. Although the team suffered losses against Northwest and Sherwood, it was able to seize victories in matches against Wootton and Springbrook. Wheeler also said that Sherwood, which the team faces at the 4A West Regional Championships on March 1 and 2, would be a tough competitor later on in the season. “[Sherwood] returns almost their whole team from a very good team last year,” said Wheeler. Upcoming matches to look out for are the “Big Train” dual meet on Jan. 10 and 11 and the “Best of the Nest” dual meet the following week on Jan. 17 and 18.
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Pitch Boys basketball aims to finish strong JANUARY 10, 2014
19 Girls basketball shoots for another SPORTS
successful season “[My goals are to] win the strategy when making her lineups. Most Division and to improve every By Zeke Green coaches go with one lineup no matter WJ varsity girls basketball came into the opponent in order to build chemisday and every game.” the season with tons of confidence, try, but Zegowitz trusts her team to play which is to be expected after coming off well, no matter who is on the court. -Mark Karver such a successful year. After graduating
Mark Karver Photo by Josh Greenberg
By Josh Greenberg The boys basketball team is ready to improve on last year’s 10-13 record with aspirations of a division title. Heading into his third season as coach, Mark Karver is optimistic despite just one returning player who saw significant playing time from last year. Senior forward Alex Horick is the returner coming off of a season shooting 40 percent from three point range and had standout games against Whitman and BCC. “[Games against] division opponents always have a different atmosphere, I try to play my best in those games,” said Horick. Last year’s team had a surplus of forwards and centers. Senior center Gabe Forman came off the bench last year and had a limited role, but this year’s team will rely on Forman to play a big role for the team. “Forman will be the focus of the offense in the low post,” said Karver “Junior Chris Espejo will be our other low post threat.” Seniors Matt Konapelsky, Horick and Alan Roberts, and juniors Paul Green and Harris Argyriadis are all big threats in the offense, according to Karver. Additionally, Karver is hoping for lots of production from his bench.
Captain Konapelsky is expected to play a large role in the offense with a pure shot and solid ball handling skills. “Konapelsky will need to make plays and hit open shots when defenses key on Gabe [Forman],” said Karver. The team has a very tough schedule with over half of their opponents posting winning records last year but this doesn’t intimidate Karver. The team has been working hard since early in the season and Karver believes this team is the hardest-working team he’s ever coached and that the results will show later in the season. Karver also believes this is a close knit team that will work hard to achieve greatness. “They are the most coachable team I have ever coached; 16 amazing young student athletes that share a common goal,” said Karver. This season’s schedule consists of many difficult opponents. The team will need game experience as they go along, and might take a few losses early in the season, a few growing pains, but Karver believes the team will continue to improve, and never give up. Karver believes his team can achieve greatness not only on the court, but also in the classroom. “[My goals are to] win the division and to improve every day and every game, to be playing our best basketball come mid-February, and to be role models in the classroom and on the court,” said Karver. Despite having a slow start to the season, students should expect big things out of the boys basketball team come playoff time.
Indoor Track looks to peak for states Tom Martin
Tom Rodgers Photo by Izzy Salant
“We will compete at the highest level.”- Tom Martin By Izzy Salant The winter season brings snow, school closures and holiday festivities. It also indicates the start of indoor track. As the weather turns for the cold, the WJ indoor track teams bundles up and braces for the cold as they train for an intense season. Indoor track is slightly different than outdoor track and field and cross country, due to the fact that it’s indoors and
Photo by Izzy Salant
“[My goals are to] qualify as many people as possible for the state championship.” - Tom Rodgers
the track is only 200m instead of 400m. Still, it gives students who love running for pleasure a chance to run during the cold months. The team is led by co- head coaches Tom Rodgers and Tom Martin. Rodgers explained that he collaborates with Martin on their coaching techniques because they both have simi-
a very decorated senior class, the team may be in what some call a “rebuilding stage,” but coach Lindsay Zegowitz disagrees. “We graduated six seniors last year, but have a lot of great returners back this year, and some wonderful newcomers,” said Zegowitz. She expects their success to translate into this year’s team with strong senior leadership. Zegowitz expects all the seniors to help lead this younger team. Senior players include Sam Lee, Taylor Boyd, Kristen Scott, Jilly Mahoney and Melanie Ackerman. Zegowitz employs an unfamiliar
Lindsay Zegowitz Photo by Zeke Green
“I do not have captains this year and my starting five changes according to the team we play,” said Zegowitz. Her unique coaching strategy may be questioned by some, but the results have shown in her success at WJ. “We have had 18 wins in the last two seasons and expect to do it again this season,” said Zegowitz. Zegowitz, who has been coaching for three years, knows her team has changed. Their star center from last year, Kristen Larrick, graduated, and now the team lacks a player of that size and dominance. The team’s playing style has had to change without a dominant threat in the post. “We are playing more of an up-tempo game this year, and our games should be exciting to watch,” Zegowitz said. This year’s team plays more of a fastpaced game. Zegowitz has her team rely heavily on outside shots and running fast breaks. The two returning starters for the Wildcats are senior guards Ackerman and Lee. These guards will no longer be feeding the ball into the post regularly. Among those getting increased playing time will be junior forwards Kate and Maggie Howie, and junior point guard Erica Boyd along side her sister, senior Taylor Boyd. Senior forward Mahoney will team up with the Howie twins down low to try and establish a post presence. The girls hope to establish themselves as a force in the county. Their big games are against Whitman on Feb. 7 and against rival Churchill on Feb. 11.
“We have had 18 wins in the last two seasons and expect to do it again this season.” -Lindsay Zegowitz lar philosophies, but each has his own unique perspective. “We have good, focused workouts,” said Rodgers. “We try to develop commitment and a good work ethic that lets runners get the most out of themselves, both physically and mentally.” Martin also explained how the team prepares its runners for competition. “We will try to build strength and endurance in preparation for the meet,” said Martin. “We will compete at the highest level.” Rodgers also spoke about the first meet of the season, expressing the fact that the entries were limited, so not many runners ran, but they did see good things from the new runners as well as the returning ones. Martin expressed his excitement about this year’s team, while also praising last year’s. “We have some new strength this season, primarily in some sprint events that we didn’t have before,” said Martin. “However, our focus is no different.” Rodgers also expressed his enthusiasm toward the coming season. “We have a lot of new runners who
show promise and we always have a good returning nucleus of veteran runners,” said Rodgers. “The nice thing is we have two volunteer assistant coaches who are former athletes and WJ record holders.” The volunteer coaches are WJ alumni Ian Francis, ’08, who still holds the record in the long and triple jump and Alex Le, ’06, who formerly held the record in the 55m and the 4 by 100m relay. Looking onto this year, Rodgers continues to have high goals for his runners. “Qualify as many people as possible for the state championship,” said Rodgers. Rodgers’ other goal is to build and develop the program further, which means getting new runners excited to compete. Rodgers elaborated on how he plans to have a successful season. “There are three factors,” Rodgers said. “In order of importance, number one is the amount of enjoyment, number two is the amount of team bonding, and number three is the amount of success on the track. We can’t do it if we’re not having fun; fun equals success.”
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What’s Inside
18 + 19
A look at the winter sports teams and the coaches’ goals for the season
JANUARY 10, 2014
Athletes’health concern: Sleep Deprivation Expectation... Reality...
Photos by Emily Cosentino
“Every teenager feels that they need more sleep,” said Ship. “And so do I.” With the limited amount of available pool time, Ship as well as many other swimmers, are required to wake at 4:20 a.m. for practice on Tuesdays and Thursdays and 5:30 a.m. for practices on Sundays. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, Ship often sleeps fewer than six hours. Ship feels this lack of sleep may affect her in the classroom but does not feel it affects her swimming performance. “If I have a test and [I] am tired, it’s harder for me to focus,” said Ship, “[But in the pool] the cold water wakes me up and does not affect my performance.” Junior Danny Parker, co-captain of the wrestling team, takes five AP classes and spends at least three hours a night completing homework for these classes. “Lack of sleep affected school and wrestling my freshman year, but now I have gotten used to the amount of sleep I am able to get,” said Parker. Parker spends seven hours a night sleeping, and although he sometimes believes he needs more, he feels he makes up for it on weekends. Parker reiterated Ship’s thoughts indicating that they feel like they could use more sleep but also believe that this is a common feeling shared among teenagers. Athletes spend hours a day sculpting their bodies for their sports. These athletes diet and only put the best in their bodies for optimal performance. But one thing these athletes often forget is letting their bodies sleep. Sleep deprivation is a major issue for athletes and leads to a worse performances and an increase in the chance of injury.
By Ben Resnick
For many, lack of sleep is a nuisance and may affect their studies. But for athletes, lack of sleep can be physically dangerous. “Lack of sleep is associated with increased risk of injury in adolescent athletes,” according to an abstract presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics National Conference and Exhibition. With rigorous academic expectations and packed schedules, sleep is often a second thought for some athletes. As Montgomery County mulls over whether or not to push high school start times back, an important aspect that needs to be considered is the health of the student athletes. The National Sleep Foundation claims teens need around nine hours and 15 minutes of sleep each night to function best, while for some, eight and a half hours is sufficient. Students who are active often need even more sleep than this. Many student athletes do not return home from practice until 5 p.m. or 6 p.m. Then they have to complete hours of homework, along with other evening routines, before finally going to bed at an unreasonable hour. This creates a significant issue as these athletes require significant amounts of sleep to perform well in the classroom and on the field, but are unable to receive it due to serious time constraints. Junior Hannah Ship is a member of the WJ swim and dive team and she also competes for a club swim team. Ship practices five days a week and is in the pool seven times a week. She says on a week night she averages about seven and a half hours of sleep a night, over an hour less than the recommended amount for teens.
JakeWeinischke
What is the definition of success?
As I meandered into the living room on a Saturday afternoon at my sister’s apartment in Herzliya, Israel, I plopped down on the couch and searched for the Twitter app on my phone. My Twitter feed was infiltrated by copious amounts of ACT related tweets. Some merely expressed anxiety and stress while others articulated more severe messages, going as far as saying their lives depended on their performance. This led me to ask, what does it mean to be successful? We lack a definitive answer to this question and consequently become absorbed and corrupted by the many pressures of school, sports and life in general. This is particularly evident in sports. Nowadays, we often are told that anything less than the best is insufficient. At the high school level it seems as if the only way of measuring success is by being the best at whatever it is you do. However, success is not a benchmark, it is a relationship, a relationship with yourself. Before I had to stop playing hockey and baseball due to a concussion, I was privileged enough to have a coach who recognized true success. Before each game he stated
that if you did everything in your power to give the team a chance to win, win or lose, you had succeeded. All we can ask of ourselves is our own, personal best. After most major sporting events, one athlete is antagonized for “choking” or underperforming. Local star Alex Ovechkin has been labeled a “choker” due to his lack of success in the playoffs despite his fantastic regular seasons. Fans escalate these incidents in fury, failing to recognize their own stupidity. You win some, you lose some and some are rained out. There’s always room for improvement, but in reality, you can’t always win. Success on the field is very much intertwined with success off of the field. At school, we are often confronted with the message that we must be a straight A student. We must go to college and unless we miraculously luck out with the college admissions process and get selected over equally qualified students to at-
tend our dream university, we are considered failures. We must earn 75 SSL hours to graduate. Let us not forget that unless we earn straight A’s, we’re also just average. And lastly, we must force ourselves to believe that somewhere down the line, all of this might actually matter. I firmly believe in this one quote: “We all live and we all die but in between we dream the reality of who we want to be.” People who set their priorities, achieve what they want to achieve in life, and those are the individuals who are ultimately content with their effort and productivity and this defines a successful person. Life is too precious to be influenced by irrelevant opinions. Do what you want, whether that is attending Harvard and becoming a lawyer, moving directly into the workforce, etc. The only thing that matters is that you are happy because only you measure your own success, not anyone else. If you are content with your life and the path you choose, you are successful.
“ However, success is
not a benchmark, it is a relationship...”