News 2-4
Winter Sports Recap 5
Opinions 6-8
International 10-11
Center Spread 12-13
La Marea 14
Arts 16-17
Features 18-20
Sports 22-24
“Field of dreams” finished after years Race to the Oval Office by Ryan Choi
“It’s about time.” Those were the words in the mind of RM baseball coach Codey Fear when news broke of the creation of a new baseball field. After years of long drives to Montgomery College (MC) for practice and the constant hassle of misusing the term “home games,” the baseball teams will be ready to gain from this new addition to their team and hope to add on to their past successes. And yes, it is about time. For at least the past five years, RM’s baseball teams have suffered the inconvenience of never playing on their own field, one that had many of its own blemishes. After the rebuilding of the school in 2006, it was found that the field was built upon what was originally planned to be a parking lot. This key flaw led to drainage problems and inevitably, the baseball field was shut down after only a season’s worth of use. The renovations were completed just this past year. “Instead of a quick fix, there was a big saga over the renovations -- with all kinds of unfortunate delays in getting the field fixed. It should have been repaired and ready following that first season, but it wasn’t able to be completed until this past year,” said Rob Perks, vice president of the RM Athletic Booster Club, and an avid
supporter of the baseball team. Some players like junior Garrett Santiago were confused at first about exactly how long the repairs would take. “It was supposed to be done by the end of my freshman year so it’s an issue that was brought up before I got here,” he said. The baseball team compensated for this
RM to MC every time we had practice or a game.” To expand upon this, teammate and sophomore Ethan Cohen, recalled that “It was a waste of time that could be used practicing, and a bit of an organizational problem, but for us it wasn’t a hassle. It was more of a problem for the parents. They drove us and took time out of their day, for
PHOTO BY MADDIE FRANKE
Senior Ryan Din and freshman Andy Zabinski are two student-athletes excited for the field. turmoil through carpools to and from MC. which we are very grateful.” For both JV and varsity, the commute from The players are overjoyed that the field RM to MC has been rough, but nothing that has finally been repaired. They hope that would cause their ends to split or cause the struggles that their team experienced great concern. will be cast away by the newfangled, stateFor sophomore player, Max Webster, “It of-the-art field in RM’s very own backyard. was difficult but manageable to travel from BASEBALL, cont. page 24
by Natalie Chartrove and Angela Sun As parties prepare to choose their presidential nominees, the race to become the next president of the United States grows fiercer. Both the Democratic and Republican Parties have held primaries in Iowa, New Hampshire, Nevada, and South Carolina. On the Democratic side as of press time, Hillary Clinton has won 17 out of the 26 primaries, but Bernie Sanders is quickly catching up. The Republican side delved into the primaries with 12 candidates, but the group has since narrowed down to just three: Donald Trump, Ted Cruz, and John Kasich at press time. So far, this race has been unusual. Bernie Sanders, a far-left democratic socialist, has started a revolution among young people, and done surprisingly well considering that he was relatively unknown when he began his campaign. Despite Sanders’ momentum, Clinton is leading the Democratic race as a result of support among key voting groups such as minorities and women. In a surprising twist no one would have predicted a year ago, Donald Trump continues to be the frontrunner of the Republican party, with Ted Cruz beating out Marco Rubio for second place. In spite of all this, nothing is certain and anything can happen. For more on the race, its media coverage, and how to register to vote, turn to pages 12-13.
The value of a gap year Smith is unanimous choice for MCPS superintendent by Andrew Liu and Angela Sun
So often these days, students are led into thinking that getting into college is the only thing there is to do after high school. Most will either head off to college or join the workforce without even considering a gap year as a possibility. Nonetheless, gap years provide students with valuable life experiences that should not be overlooked. A popular custom in Europe, gap years are “break” years that students take after high school graduation, giving them the chance to take a brief hiatus after going through twelve years of conventional education. Twelve whole years of assignment after assignment can take a toll on just about any student’s mind. Sometimes, students think it is best to just stop and do something else for a while. Gap years offer students chances to travel, work, and obtain a totally unique learning experience. “Taking a gap year to live in a different country and do service work is a truly humbling experience that will change you and how you see humanity and the world. You will learn lessons and have experiences and memories that you will carry with you for the rest of your life and not just look fondly back on them like an old picture in a photo album, but this experience will be a living part of you that actively shapes your worldview even once it is over,” said Nathan Poland, a RM alumnus who is spending nine months of his gap year in Brazil.
Furthermore, gap years can help students better prepare for their futures. According to Parke Muth, a long-time college admissions consultant, kids who have taken gap years are usually better prepared and more matured by the time they attend college. They are also better able to handle the transition into college life and cope with the increased workload, certainly not an easy experience for anyone. Of course, not only does the workload tend to be higher than what students typically receive in their secondary
“This experience will be a living part of you that actively shapes your worldview even once it is over.”
by Emily Tian Dr. Jack Smith was unanimously confirmed by Montgomery County's Board of Education members on February 4 as the new county superintendent. The Board of Education's decision concluded the yearlong search for a superintendent after Dr. Joshua Starr resigned amid lack of support from the Board. Dr. Starr, who became superintendent in 2011, faced a rapidly developing county and difficult economic circumstances. Although he had expressed interest in renewing his four-year contract in 2015, a majority of the Board of Education disapproved. Dr. Starr,
-Nathan Poland education, it is also the first time many high school students are truly separated from their parents. By taking a gap year, young people are better equipped to deal with the hardships that come with independence, having already spent time on their own. GAP YEAR, cont. page 6
PHOTO COURTESY OF MARYLAND STATE
Dr. Smith will start his tenure on July 1
without the approval of a majority of the Board of Education, chose to resign. In reflection of Dr. Starr's tenure as superintendent, sophomore Vlady Guttenberg said, "Honestly, I don't know that much about him, and maybe that just reflects on how little he interacted with us as students." Senior Daniel Feshbach also weighed in, saying, "I applauded his commitment to opposing excessive standardized testing and his advocacy for the district on the state level." Dr. Smith has held teaching and administrative roles throughout his career in education. He was appointed Calvert County's Superintendent of Schools in 2006 and served as the superintendent for seven years. During his tenure, he was selected as Maryland Superintendent of the Year. He is currently Maryland's interim state superintendent. As Calvert County's superintendent, Calvert County educators praised his leadership skills and efforts to modernize technology and create new STEM programs. However, many Calvert County teachers were dismayed with his high salary and benefits while their salaries were not being raised. The Board's decision to appoint Dr. Smith arrived at an essential time. Throughout the year, the Board considered the applications of more than 70 candidates nationally and interviewed 11 candidates. EDUCATION, cont. page 2
News, 3
Opinions, 7
International, 11
Arts, 16
Features, 18
Sports, 23
Pennies for Patients
Grading in-class debates
IB Western Curriculum
AP/IB Art Show
Fahrner’s RM Legacy
Football beats concussions
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NEWS
The Tide
MCPS superintendent elected EDUCATION, cont. from page 1 Board of Education member Patricia O’Neill announced Dr. Andrew Houlihan, the chief academic officer for the Houston Independent School District, as the “preferred candidate” for the position on May 14, 2015. However, he withdrew from consideration several days later. Dr. Smith’s term will begin on July 1. While Montgomery County’s school system is well-reputed, Dr. Smith said in an interview with Fox 5, “You don’t have to be sick to get better. Montgomery County is a strong, healthy, vibrant school system. But there are areas we can improve like in the disparities that exist.” Dr. Smith has examined several fractures in the school system. He said, according to WTOP, “One of the things I noticed in your data is that you have quite a significant range — a distribution — of graduation rates across 25 schools. I think that’s something that I think we should talk about right away.” As a new superintendent, Dr.
Post, he said, “I won’t wait months or years to start talking about what needs to happen on behalf of children and students.” Dr. Smith will inherit a 156,000-student school district plagued with budget insufficiencies, rising poverty rates, and increasing enrollment. However, board members are confident in Dr. Smith’s abilities. Board of Education president, Michael A. Durso, said to the Washington Post, “His whole wealth of knowledge as a curriculum director, principal, teacher — state level, local — I think he just brings a lot to the table.” The Board of Education is planning a series of public meetings whrere community members can meet Dr. Smith and learn more about his agenda as superintendent. Feshbach said that the superintendent should be “someone with experience and with a vision for what education can be like.” Guttenberg seeks “someone who is really involved with the students, who tries to get to know us before making
PHOTO COURTESY OF AARON KRAUT
Dr. Smith has considerable experience with public school systems. Smith said to WTOP, “I think that it’s important that you not come in and take everything apart. I think you look, and you talk, and you listen, but you also look for short term successes.” According to the Washington
change.” RM students suggested various improvements to the Montgomery County school system that should be addressed by Dr. Smith. Sophomore Sue Lee said,
“I feel like the budget should be more equally distributed to the schools that require more funding.” Freshman Nimah Nayel said, “Bus routes. People that are two miles away need to walk all the way.” Guttenberg said, “I think that location rental is a big issue, especially for after-school clubs
“You don’t have to be sick to get better. Montgomery County is a strong, healthy, vibrant school system. But there are areas we can improve...” -Dr. Jack Smith that rent their own space from the school. Also, it sometimes is difficult for students to take the courses that they want to take.” “We should focus on narrowing the achievement gap, expanding counseling and mental health services, dramatically raising teacher pay and removing ineffective teachers, and advocating for adequate funding from the county and the state” Feshbach said. “Oh, and expanding access to high-quality pre-K programs!” he emphatically added. Whether or not Dr. Smith will fulfill the expectations set by the Montgomery County community cannot be determined until he begins his tenure. However, as stated by Dr. Smith, “It’s the future of our community, our state and our society that we get this right.”
March/April
March 17
Saint Patrick’s Day Irish you a lucky day!
Mar. 25-31
Spring Break Take more days off!
March 27
Easter Sunday Have an egg-cellent day!
April 1
April Fools Watch your back, “buddy.”
April 8
End of Third Marking Period Just one quarter left...
April 22
Passover begins
March 2016
NEWS IN BRIEF
Weeklong snowstorm brings closures and costly damage The snowstorm lasting the full week of Jan. 22 to Jan. 29 came with a large price tag, according to county officials. While students were rejoicing for their “second winter break” as a full week of school was taken off for the purposes of clearing snow, county officials were receiving complaints, clearing snow off roads, and sorting out the situation. According to County Council President Nancy Floreen, each inch of snow can cost up to one million dollars, giving last month’s snowstorm a hefty price tag of $30 million. Many locals complained of the delay in clearing secondary or neighborhood roads while others complained of the terrible condition of state roads. Many of the state roads, although plowed, were only cleared in one lane. Thus, commuters trying to drive to work on Wednesday or Thursday met with poor road conditions and massive traffic. After the plowing of the snow, county workers found it harder to find places to move the snow, so workers were brought in to remove the snow from the areas around the roads in order to make more space to clear roads. On Feb. 7, Floreen held a county meeting in order to discuss the efficiency of clearing roads and plan the effectiveness of the plows for any upcoming snowstorms ahead. By Isabelle Zhou
MCPS FY2017 operating budget adopted by Board of Ed The Montgomery County Board of Education recently adopted Interim Superintendent Bowers’ operating budget for fiscal year 2017 with a six to one vote. The $2.5 billion budget is a $180.2 million increase from last year’s budget. Since 2009, there has been an increase in student enrollment by about 17,000 new students, a 12.4% increase, while there has been a 3.3% increase in terms of staffing, according to an MCPS report. “There is a breaking point and I very strongly feel that we have reached our breaking point” board member Rebecca Smondrowski remarked. Jill Ortman-Fouse, also a member of the Board of Education, expressed her concern for the lack of counselors. “The American Psychological Association recommends one psychologist to 700-100 students, we’ve got double the amount [of students] recommended,” she said. The increased budget is designed to focus on smaller class sizes, increased teacher and staff positions, and closing the achievement gap. The budget also includes a $45 million amendment, which is designed to strengthen MCPS’s foundation. “I don’t think enough of the budget was allocated to increased teacher hiring to reduce class sizes and access to counselors needs to be a higher priority,” said MCR President David Edimo. The Board of Education will meet again in June to vote for the final budget for the next fiscal year. By Grace Wu
RM offers new variety of classes for 2016-2017 school year During the recent class registration process, students may have noticed the introduction of new classes available for the 2016-2017 school year, as well as the removal and changing of some popular classes. Being introduced are Sociology 1 and 2, Yoga and Stretching, Foundations of Computer Science, Designing Technology Solutions A/B, Introduction to Business, and Introduction to Human Communication. Sociology’s reintroduction after being cut last year also follows a change in IB Philosophy, where low enrollment prompted RM to offer the class once every other year. A similar situation will occur with AP Advanced Music and IB Music. One surprising addition is the Yoga and Stretching class. After initial student interest was shown, the class, while not yet approved, was added to the course offering in order to judge the true level of student interest. Two of the most popular technology classes in the school are being forced out of offerings by MCPS. Introduction to Engineering and Design (IED) and Principles of Engineering (POE) both follow the Project Lead the Way curriculum, which consists of five courses. Replacing these courses as technology offerings are Foundations of Computer Science, which provides a conceptual understanding of programming through a partnership with Code. org, and Designing Technology Solutions, which uses software engineering and robotics to instill an understanding of the design process. RM is also introducing two Montgomery College courses next year. Introduction to Business and Introduction to Human Communication will both be taught at RM by Montgomery College staff. The classes are each a semester long; business in the fall, communication in the spring. Finally, Production and Performance will also be removed from the schedule. Mrs. Heidler stressed the need to “focus staffing on building a pathway from Theater to IB Theater and IB Film”. By Matthew VanBronkhorst
AWARDS
Congratulations to the RM Debate Team for winning the team championship. Also congratulations to senior Raja Ramesh and junior Alisa Yan for winning the tournament. Congratulations to RM Boys Swim and Dive for winning the 2015-2016 4A/3A Swimming State Championship Meet .
The Tide
NEWS
March 2016
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David Edimo chosen as a finalist for state SMOB by Michelle Ling and Alice Zhu Dedicated, outspoken, and passionate. These are just some words that describe junior David Edimo, who currently serves as the Montgomery County Regional (MCR) president and now, along with Veeraj Shah of Anne Arundel County, is one of the two finalists for Maryland’s 2016-2017 Student Member of the Board (SMOB). The state SMOB votes on policies that best fit the interests of the students, but these voting privileges do not extend to matters of personnel or appeals. The position is similar to the county SMOB. However, students are more likely to be affected by the county BOE in their everyday lives, while the state BOE creates statewide policies and guidelines for how schools operate. Edimo has worked persistently on communicating to students and with his campaign team in order to prepare for this election at legislative session. In the state SMOB election process, each high school is allowed to nominate one person. After an interview with a panel from the Maryland Association of Student Councils (MASC), the five remaining candidates campaign at legislative session, a day-long event where students from around the state get together to hear from the candidates and vote on the final two. The final two nominees are then sent forward to the governor, who chooses one candidate to become the state SMOB. “I feel really honored that students thought I was capable with doing the job. I am just really excited at the prospect of being chosen,” Edimo commented. Edimo has participated in student government for six years, starting out in
Montgomery County Junior Council (MCJC), the middle school countywide student government, and is now the president of MCR, the high school countywide SGA, leading SGAs from
clubs around our county which are doing innovative things and engaging students.” He is also working on a countywide TED Talk, targeted towards adolescents, that discusses mental health and suicide
PHOTO COURTESY OF MARYLAND ASSOCIATION OF STUDENT COUNCILS
David Edimo spoke to student leaders across Maryland at nominating convention. around the county in general assemblies awareness. “It’s a platform to really make and other events. He has trained student a difference and improvements that can leaders for MASC and has been involved in be made to our system, and I think that a number of committees and commissions serving on the state board of education around the county. is a good way to get those improvements “I have the experience that has made done,” said Edimo. me familiar with the system that we live He believes that one of the major in,” Edimo explained, “especially with the problems in our school system is the structure of the Maryland school system.” lack of school choice, including charter In MCR, Edimo created a grant program schools, magnet programs, and alternative for innovative school clubs: “We set aside programs. Charter schools in Maryland three thousand dollars to distribute to serve about two percent of the entire
student population, and Edimo hopes to make progress with that number. “I don’t think it’s a choice between having flexibility and accountability, we can have both, and that’s an improvement that we need to make,” he said. Edimo says that, in voting for him, students have agreed with his platform of innovation and his viewpoint on the major issues that should be addressed, such as tackling the achievement gap. “The way you can predict a student’s achievement based on their income and race is a huge problem in our system. I think we need to be more aggressive in finding new ways to tackle that issue,” he said. In order to better represent the student voice, Edimo plans to create a SMOB advisory council with students from all over the state to hear their issues. Edimo explained, “It’s important to note that your jobs isn’t just to poll students and vote that way; I think there’s a level of judgement involved. You’re not just representing students, you’re thinking about how it will ultimately affect the system.” “I would love for him to ensure that some of the counties that are more on the eastern side of Maryland that are not as involved are represented as well,” said freshman Ananya Tadikonda, also a member of MCR. Sophomore Grace Wu, who is on the MASC executive board, commented, “one of the things that I think is important for the state SMOB is communicating with the students about student issues, so the students are more educated about what’s going on in Maryland.” In May, Governor Larry Hogan will select Maryland’s next state SMOB. “I think at the end of the day, it is about how we can best serve students,” Edimo said, “and I trust that the governor will make a good, informed choice.”
Pennies for Patients take change to make change by Laura Chang Do you have some spare change weighing you down? During the annual Pennies for Patients drive, students from RM all have the perfect opportunity to unload the burden while helping those in need. Every year, the SGA hosts the Pennies for Patients drive and the very popular Mr. RM pageant. The donations and proceeds from the two events go to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Since its inception in 1949, the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society has been
“ You know what’s more of a hassle than spare change? Cancer. Chemo. Pain. IV’s. Medical Bills. Needles. Underfunded research to stop these things...It’s our duty to help each other out.” -Nimah Nayel dedicated to promoting awareness, raising funds, and conducting research in order to help find a cure for blood cancers such as leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease, and myeloma. These diseases are highly debilitating, and they can drastically alter someone’s life. Thus, the research can provide patients with a new hope to continue leading normal lives.
The National Cancer Institute places leukemia and lymphoma among the most common child and adolescent cancers. Leukemia takes the prize in this devastating hall of fame; it affects more than 3,000 American youths each year. The outlook for cancer patients has brightened over the last half-century thanks to efforts made by organizations like the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, but there are still no known cures for these blood cancers. Freshman class president Nimah Nayel said, “Cancer is a tragic disease that affects 41% of Americans. 21% die. When we chip in with something as easy as spare change, we are funding a bigger project whose main goal is finding cures and [treatments] for different strains of cancer.” The RM SGA runs the Pennies for Patients drive from Mar. 7 to 11. Over 10 million schools across the nation raise money and awareness for the cause. “Pennies for Patients and Richard Montgomery have had a very strong partnership over the past few years,” school president Zack Khan remarked. The drive is organized in order to encourage everyone to take part. On top of each contestant, many RM students had their own cardboard boxes to collect donations for the cause. Every student is encouraged to participate, and every donation is valued. The name of the drive says it all. “It’s called Pennies for Patients for a [reason],” Khan said, “the idea is that any contribution, no matter how small, is significant, as long as we donate collectively as a school.” “We accept anything from dimes up to Ben Franklins as well. I hope that we can double what we raised last year. I know it’s ambitious, but I think we can manage to do it if we all pitch in,” sophomore class
president Alex Abrosimov said. During the drive, the hallways of RM are filled with the satisfying jingle of coins and the rustle o f
GRAPHIC BY KERN LEE
crinkled dollar bills students walk to class.
as
If making a difference in someone’s life is not r e a s o n enough to donate, the SGA provides incentives too. The fourth period class that raises the most money will get a pizza party. Other than first prize, any classes that raise over $100 can also receive ice cream sandwiches. Khan and Nayel are confident that RM can raise over $5,000 this year. Everyone can pitch in, even those who can’t make a donation; “If you lack the financial means,” Khan added, “you can always encourage your friends and peers to donate.” Raising awareness is as important as making a donation yourself. Mr. RM, an annual pageant among senior boys, also contributes to blood cancer treatment and research. Although the night is full of excitement, it also supports a very important cause. “The money we collect from ticket
sales…[goes] towards Pennies for Patients, which in turn is donated to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society,” Khan said. “During the Mr. RM show, we have cancer survivors share their stories with the audience, which serves to spread awareness and encourage audience members to donate.” Mr. RM candidates are also some of the most highprofile fundraisers during the Pennies for Patients drive. Each year, Mr. RM candidates are the first to begin fundraising, using specially decorated boxes to raise money and spread awareness for the drive, as well as to promote the show. The pageant has played a big part to promote the cause in previous years. The event, which is often sold out, inspires both laughter and altruism. Students are enouraged to come through the incentives of helping charity and enjoying an entertaining show. Khan said, “I’m sure we can keep this momentum alive this year as well. The amount of money collected has been increasing tremendously, as Mr. RM has become such a favorite for the RM community.” Anyone can contribute in this fight against cancer, and the need for people to raise awareness and raise funds for reserach is urgent. Abrosimov urged all RM students to step up. “These patients need your help. Please help out in any way that you can.” he said. An important part of this battle that is often overlooked is standing up to spread awareness. Even the smallest contribution can help, and Pennies for Patients highlights that. Nayel said, “You know what’s more of a hassle than spare change? Cancer. Chemo. Pain. IV’s. Medical Bills. Needles. Underfunded research to stop these things. And even if you can’t donate, get others to. It’s our duty to help each other out.”
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The Tide
NEWS
March 2016
MR. RM unites school in the fight against cancer by Christina You On the evening of Mar. 4, RM students packed into the auditorium to watch as 13 senior boys danced, sang, and smooth talked their way into everyone’s hearts. The 14th annual MR. RM competition, hosted by PJ Corr and Sara Van Dyke, was a highly anticipated event. In the weeks leading up to it, the contestants work hard to ensure that the spectators would get their money’s worth of entertainment and laughter. “We had lunch practices for about two months, and these past two weeks, we’ve been having practices from 5-9, so we’ve been spending a lot of time on this,” contestant Zach Khan said. “We all gave our best effort to make sure it was going to be the best possible show.” Juan Pablo Correa added. The competition kicked off with an opening dance number where the boys displayed their abilities to whip and dab. The hosts then called each contestant forward and read out personal anecdotes as contestants hilariously mimed along. Every candidate donned special stage names that reflected their personalities and interests. For example, Khan’s pseudonym, Mr. Khanye, was a play on the famous rapper’s name. Despite technical difficulties with the video player during the talent portion of the show, all contestants were able to show off their comedic skits, artistic flair, or ability to pick up girls. Judah Canizares (Mr. Aznteddybear) crooned a flawless rendition of Mulan’s “I’ll Make a Man Out of You,” Correa (Mr. Juan-in-a-million) charmed the ladies with his firefighter costume and his K-pop dance moves, and Perry Simon (Mr. Good Vibes) stunned the
crowd by reciting an original poem. Promptly after an intermission, the boys entered the stage again, this time looking dapper with their formal wear. Each contestant had a special lady (whether it be his mom, sister, best friend, or girlfriend) escort them off the stage and onto the next part of the program: pickup lines.
waddled on stage donning a winter jacket and flippers. Energy from the spectators picked up as the competition whittled down to five: Jack Blitz (Mr. Momma’s Boy), Simon, Canizares, Rachit Agrawal (Mr. Rachit Montgomery), and Irie Jefferson (Mr. Poison Iry).
PHOTO BY KEVIN PAN
The top five of the MR. RM candidates wait excitedly for the next round of interviews. The audience chuckled and cooed as the contestants delivered their corny oneliners. Then the guys stripped down to their beachwear for the last section before the final five was announced. While some dressed in typical swim trunks and towels for the swimsuit section, others took a more humorous approach. When it was his turn to impress the judges, Michael Silver (Mr. Extraordinary)
To take home the title, each boy was required to answer a silly question and a serious one. Jefferson wowed the crowd with a spontaneous backflip when asked what his favorite dance move was, and Canizares earned some sighs from the ladies when he described his ideal date- a dinner, movie, and a nice walk in the park. The night was not just for entertainment, however. Nearing the conclusion of the show, the hosts announced that ticket
sales and the $845 dollars that the 13 boys collected were donated to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. In the end, Canizares was crowned MR. RM and Blitz won the title of Mr. “Coingeniality” for raising $187.32 for the Pennies for Patients drive, the most out of all candidates, Canizares’ fellow candidates carried the new MR.RM to the crown as the crowd cheered. The performers and audience members were all smiles when they exited the auditorium later that evening. “When I am an adult, I will be able to say ‘I did this!’. It’s going to be one of those special things from high school that I will cherish for the rest of my life,” Canizares said. “I thought this year’s MR. RM was really good! Those who performed did really well,” junior Carrie Smith said. “That’s what I like about this event. You can just come to it with all your friends, enjoy the comedic acts, and just have a night off from the stress and worries that come from being a student,” sophomore Sue Lee added. Everyone seemed to agree that, all- inall, MR. RM was a success, and many left with the intent of seeing next year’s show. So for the people interested in participating in the competition next year? “Be you, and do what you’re good at,” Canizares advised. “Show off your best qualities to people. Don’t try to be someone you’re not, and just have fun!” “Stay motivated and dedicated to it. It is a lot of work, but at the same time, you have to learn to appreciate it every step of the way because everyone in it is just such a great person and you really will come together as a family. At the end of the day, it’s not about who wins, it’s about what you do together and how much fun you have,” Blitz said.
RM student serves as page for Maryland Senate by Ummara Khan Montgomery County provides a large variety of opportunities to students, from school and county student governments, to the chance to participate in state and national government. Since 1970, The Maryland General Assembly has implemented a page program, where the state chooses 105 students and 36 alternatives to represent their schools and counties in Annapolis. Senior Jared Stolove is one of the students who benefitted from this opportunity. As a Congressional Page for the Maryland Senate, Stolove got the opportunity to see the workings of government in action. “I first heard about the program through RMBC, on one of those written announcements that few people pay attention to,” Stolove said, “I was interested in the program because of my interest in politics and because I thought it would be a really unique experience.” The thirteen week session runs from January to April. Pages serve two nonconsecutive terms, working either in the House of Delegates, or the Senate. Each term lasts a week. Pages are paid fifty five dollars per day to help cover the costs of food and lodging, as they are expected to stay in Annapolis for the entire week. “While missing two weeks of school as a senior can be pretty tough,” Stolove said, “it’s a great experience and wonderful way to learn more about our state government.” “Essentially, my job was to help make full session meetings of the Maryland Senate run smoothly” Stolove said. Other duties included running errands, distributing material on the floor to members and delivering messages on behalf of the members.” “There were very specific rules about how to pass out and organize bills, how to move about the room, and even how to make coffee. The job may not sound
particularly exciting, and it wasn’t,” Stolove admitted. “The real value of the program came from being in the chambers
“Honestly, my most memorable moments were hanging out with the other pages in the Page Lounge.” Stolove said.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ERIC GUERCI
Applicants are also expected to “exhibit an interest in government and history; have a record of good conduct; be competent, courteous, reliable, and efficient, and have an average or above average scholastic record.” “The application process for Montgomery County” said Stolove, “was to write about five short essays about why you want to be a page, your interests in politics, some issues you are passionate
“The real value of the program came from being in the chambers during sessions and being able to watch the workings of government.”
Senior Jared Stolove ran into SMOB Eric Guerci outside of the Maryland State House. during sessions and being able to watch the workings of government.” Sophomore Matthew Joseph Pease, who is the secretary for the Montgomery County Regional Council, said that opportunities like the Student Page program and MCR are beneficial to students. “You get the experience.” Pease said “You get a glimpse in seeing how [the government] works. On an individual level, it’s a very rewarding experience and when you actually have the right to vote, or when you want to work in a government office, you have that little bit of experience.” Another great aspect of Stolove’s experience as a page, was that he interacted with some interesting people, like Vinton Cerf, one of the so-called “fathers of the Internet,” and the Jamaican Ambassador to the United States. He also got the chance to meet other students who shared similar interests.
They were all fun, intelligent people, and they were from all over the state.” “As someone who has spent his entire life in Rockville, I was astonished by how different people’s lives are in different parts of Maryland,” Stolove said. “I think I learned a lot about the value of being outgoing and taking advantage of opportunities.” Stolove remarked, “If I came to Annapolis for a week and simply did the job I was prescribed, I wouldn’t have gotten much out of the experience. But because I went out of my way to go to every event and meet all of the people I could, I ended up having a great experience.” Students who want to be a part of the program can apply through their school, every year in September. Selections are made by Oct. 31. According to the Maryland Department of Legislative Services, applicants have to be seniors and at least 16 years of age.
-Jared Stolove about, and why you think you would be a good candidate.” Pease thinks that MCR and the Page Program are both vital programs to introduce Maryland students to the workings of government. “Any experience,” Pease said, “amounts to something. It’s not like you do anything for nothing…everything has a purpose. And the purpose of programs like MCR and the Page program are to give experience and leadership.” Stolove said that he would definitely encourage students who are interested in the program to apply, because there are some great things you get from the experience.
5
Winter Sports Recap
The Tide
March 2016
PHOTO BY KEVIN PAN
Above: Swimmer Nathan Kim swims butterfly at the swim and dive state championship.
PHOTO BY KEVIN PAN
Above: Julian Stover blocks a defender during their game against St. Andrew’s Academy.
PHOTO BY ARIELLE ETEDGI
Above: The RM poms form a kickline at the poms competition at Northwest on January 9.
PHOTO BY KEVIN PAN
Above: David Hoddinott passes the puck to a teammate while skating down the ice.
PHOTO BY KEVIN PAN
Above: Senior Devon Goetz runs down the court with the ball at a girls basketball game.
PHOTO BY KEVIN PAN
Above: Kellie Zhang swims butterfly at the Regionals Meet at the MLK, Jr. Swim Center.
6 The Tide
March 2016
OPINIONS
The merits of senior superlatives By Jenny Chen and Nikita Sardana With the arrival of spring comes the overwhelming flood of “senior activities:” banquets, dances, awards ceremonies, and yearbook photos--all symbolically commemorating the departure of this year’s graduating class. The coordinators of these events invite the input and participation of all seniors--or so they claim. The business of senior superlatives is in theory a simple one: fill out a form voting one boy and one girl of your class for dozens of categories of praise: “Cutest Couple,” “Best Laugh,” “Most Likely to Become a Billionaire.” It seems harmless; in fact, it seems empowering. But is it? The forms on which students can submit their votes are supposed to be handed out to all seniors via their English classes. Sponsored by the yearbook staff, who publishes the winners on a special page of the book, senior superlatives candidates should be contributed by all students. But a glance at the stack that actually gets handed in tells a very different story. Cliques are a natural part of
high school, or any major social or academic institution, for that matter. It’s expected that students would fill their forms out based on their own personal vantage points. There’s no doubt that the names on any given student’s sheet are some of that student’s best friends. What’s also natural about this tradition, however, is more unsettling: logically, the students who have the “most friends”
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are the ones who end up being crowned the winners. “Senior superlatives are a fun way to bond with classmates over who to [vote for], and they’re really funny, but I don’t think they represent our whole class. So many people are involved in their own friend groups that
they overlook people who really fit [the categories],” said senior and yearbook staff member Colleen Adams. It’s also a question of who hands in their form in the first place. It’s no secret that the students involved in school-sponsored activities are the ones who have the power to boost the involvement of everyone else: “everyone else” ultimately becoming their own group of friends. It’s a classic case of the “herd mentality”--the frenzy of forms littering the closed-off circles of cross-legged students at lunch leaves the so-called “popular crowd” under immense pressure to vote. So after all of this calculation, who ends up winning? The results are almost always unsurprising. The announcement of the “victors” echoes the plotline of a 2002 Disney Channel Original Movie. The cheers from the loudest cliques hide the underlying but palpable sense that a few went unnoticed. It’s not to say that the winners are undeserving, or that their superlatives are inaccurate. We should note, however, in the back of our minds, that there were endless other qualified candidates whose forms never made it into the pile, for better or for worse. It’s my hope that the Class of 2016 is different.
Gap years provide opportunities GAP YEAR, cont. from page 1 In addition, a gap year can also help students discover their interests. “People take gap years to try to understand themselves and figure out what kind of life they want to have when they are older,” said senior Nadia Klymenko. French teacher Gerard Giblin, who took a gap year after his senior year, described how his experience in Latin America inspired him to get his first college degree in anthropology: ”I learned different cultures and in fact, when I was there, I went to a lot of archaeological sites, not
returned,” said Spanish teacher Roxanne Hodges. Another valid reason for opting out of a gap year is that students may feel it is unnecessary. Junior Isabel Knudson said, “One of the main reasons I’m not doing it is because I already know what I want to do and also because it kind of isolates you from your high school class and age group.” For students who are already sure of what they really want to study and where their passions lie, gap years might not be the best choice. “Really think about where you are and what you’re doing, because some kids will benefit
PHOTO COURTESY OF NATHAN POLAND
RM alumnus (Class of 2015) Nathan Poland bonds with his host family.
just in cities, but little villages, and this eventually inspired me to study anthropology.” Of course, a gap year is not for everyone. The costs can be quite high for certain special programs, sometimes at upwards of $30,000. “Due to the economic downturn, few of my classmates had the funding to solely travel after high school, and then also attend college/university when they
from having that gap year. It’ll give them a chance to regenerate, rejuvenate, be able to come back stronger than before, whereas for others it might slow down their momentum,” said social studies teacher Bethany Stevenson. If you do plan to take a gap year, it’s important that you have an idea of what you intend on accomplishing through the experience. “Definitely have
a plan for what you want to do during your gap year, as you would make a plan for going to college,” sophomore Yirong Moh said. One option is to simply join one of the many gap year programs offered in the U.S. Such programs include Thinking Beyond Borders and Where There Be Dragons, which offer international trips to students who wish to travel to another country and possibly learn another language. Others, such as Dynamy Internship Year, offer an independent learning environment where you can pursue your interests with more freedom than you could at a college or university. A gap year is a chance to have the experience of a lifetime. Your education is definitely important, but as Poland said, “You have already achieved so much and you are prepared to take on college, but this is the time when you are the most full of potential and free of commitment, and there might never be another time in your life when you are free to take that trip to Asia or Africa or South America that you always wanted. College, the perfect job, your ambitions--the tame dreams--will always be there, so do your life a favor and seize your wildest dreams.” With all this emphasis on getting education, it’s very common for students to lose sight of just what it is they are working for, as well as why they are working so hard to begin with. In many cases, it would be beneficial to take some time off and ponder the bigger questions of life, before moving on a committing to something one might not really like or understand. Not many students will choose to take a gap year, but for those that do take this route, it can be a valuable experience that helps them find what they love to do.
Letters to the Editor
Seniors’ absence in May is detrimental Although students are being prepared for college through AP tests, the policy of not having to attend school for a whole month is not effective for most seniors who are taking many AP tests. I would not use that time to study. Projects are nice, but they do not really prepare students for college exams. Replacing semester exams with quarterly test-like assessments is not viable in terms of preparing students, but it is better than nothing. -Mac Morgan, 12th grade
RM should host a Sadie Hawkins dance While I like the idea of a winter dance, I think they have not been properly carried out. To make the dance unique, I would make it a Sadie Hawkins dance! We do not have any of those, and everyone I have talked to is up for it. While there are girls who ask out guys to dances these days, it’s more typical for guys to ask out girls. I think a Sadie Hawkins dance would be a cool event to go to. The weeks leading up to it would be a lot of fun! -Isabel Knudson, 11th grade
Clubs deserve publicity through RMBC I have noticed something about RMBC, the school publicity. Some of my fellow students have told me that their teachers do not bother putting it up. This is a big problem at RM. Even though the morning announcements are informative, they are sometimes broadcasted too late. Students lose interest, and therefore lots of events and programs do not get the attention they deserve. -Eisha, 10th grade
Outdoor events energize student body Since the temperature is warmer and the days are getting nicer, more outdoor school events would be awesome. I wish that we could have a lot of events outside where I could hang out with my friends. I do not think planning these events would be as hard either, as we are so close to places like Rockville Town Center. I really wish that we can have more outdoor events in the spring! -Derek Yao, 9th grade
Please send any comments as letters to the editor to tide.opinions@gmail.com. Submissions may be edited for length and/or clarity.
The Tide
250 Richard Montgomery Drive Rockville, Maryland 20852 www.thermtide.com 301-610-8000 The Tide is the student newspaper of Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville, Maryland. The Tide is dedicated to keeping the Richard Montgomery school community accurately informed and to providing a forum for student expression. 1,000 copies of the newspaper are printed and distributed among students. Any corrections are printed in the following issue on page 2. The opinions presented in The Tide do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff and administration at Richard Montgomery. The Tide is affliated with ASPA, CSPA, and NSPA. Questions, concerns, and suggestions on articles, advertisements, and photos can be submitted to thetideeditors@gmail.com. Editors-in-Chief...................Grace Cheung, Andy Kostka, Nikita Sardana, Cynthia Song News........................................................................Jared Stolove, Emily Zhang, Phil Zhang Opinions.........................................................................................Jenny Chen, Darian Garcia International........................................................................Akanksha Girish, Jisue Gonzalez Center Spread..............................................................................Cynthia Wang, Muye Wang La Marea............................................................................................................Lisa Hernandez Features..........................................................Liz Choi, Anna Lavrentieva, Victoria Priester Arts................................................................................Michelle Dubovitsky, Cathleen Kong Sports.............................................................Anders Alilio, Madeleine Cheng, Daisy Grant Photo...................................................Taylor Balfour, Maddie Franke, Jessica Ji, Mona Lee Graphics..................................................................................................Valencia Fu, Kern Lee Online.................................................Sofia Bhalwani, Hana Huie, Kevin Pan, Fonda Shen Sponsors......................................................................Ms. Laurie Brown, Mrs. Bonnie Peyer
The Tide
OPINIONS
March 2016
7
Black & Gold
Are presentations and debates necessary for a modern education?
G
Presenting results in anxiety Strong speakers are needed by Kyle Zhu and Daniel Yeh The beginning of the new semester brings a new wave of stress for many students. New teachers, classes, and expectations all come into play. This is especially true with regards to some of the course requirements, including mandatory and graded class presentations and debates. While in high school, a lot of students jump with excitement at the opportunity to be able to present in front of their
applications. As sophomore Elvin Liu said, “As someone who’s pretty introverted, presentation and just public speaking skills in general are really important, simply because they’re real world skills that are basically necessities to be or do anything.” This is not to say that students should not have interactive experience at all. There are many alternative solutions to incorporate teamwork and speaking skills. A common learning tool that teachers use is the socratic seminar. This creates a much more comfortable environment where each student can have their own moment to share their ideas.
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classmates. However, for those who tend to be more shy and less outgoing, it is more difficult for them to express their ideas in front of others. Being forced to do so, and being graded based on this criteria, does not only make it difficult for the presenter, it also skews the grading in favor of the naturally eloquent and outgoing. Though presentations can be largely helpful in the professional world, they penalize students who tend to be more shy. From the first day of class, those who are introverted and socially anxious are immediately disadvantaged. In some classes, these presentations can comprise a large percentage of graded assignments. For those who have diffuculty with public speaking, they could potentially lose many points, detrimentally impacting their grades. This brings us to the question: Why are shy people punished as a result of their personalities? “Grades should be given on the content of the presentation,” freshman Gillian Smith said. In fact, many shy students are engaged in class, pay attention and have outstanding ideas, but are not comfortable with being forced to share. Consequently, while encouraging discussion is a clear and effective means to improve student’s public speaking skills, by no means is it acceptable to penalize introverts by requiring such discussion as a condition for succeeding. Even more importantly, we must also look at the necessity of public speaking skills. There are countless jobs that do not include speaking to such a large group of people. Some believe that public speaking should be required because of its real world
B
Black
With a socratic seminar, students may interact with their classmates, but with much less anxiety than what is usually gained from a presentation. It is also important to consider what is really gained from presentations. While someone is presenting, does the class and the person presenting actually learn the material? Usually, a class is paying less attention and gives less respect towards a student that is presenting as opposed to a teacher. They are simply another one of the twenty or thirty kids presenting about a specific topic. Students do not usually give the same amount of respect to a classmate as to their teacher and consequently, do not learn the material. The person presenting may have an even worse experience. Although they learn their own material for their presentation, as Gillian stated, “When assignments make students feel unsafe and uncomfortable, they negatively affect the classroom environment and the ability to learn.” Presentations are known to make students feel vulnerable, so are they really helpful learning experiences if they are accompanied with anxiety? When class participation is included, the issue of grades becomes even more complicated. Grades are supposed to provide evidence of student achievement and when participation becomes a factor in grading, this issue becomes distorted. If teachers were to encourage class participation and engage students in activities such as seminars, but did not grade them on who speaks the most or speaks effectively, then that would clearly be a more feasible option. Stepping into the shoes of the students themselves is also important. Some may be quiet learners. Others might value listening and thinking by themselves rather than actively engaging in class. Forced participation can turn into an obstacle for these students—for those who tend to be more anxious about public speaking but are interested, passionate, and very knowledgeable learners.
by Alex Hu and Cindy Song As the forces of history churn on and on, the material conditions of society are becoming increasingly more complex than they have ever been in the past. In order to continue the development of human civilization as well as to simply survive in a changing and interconnected world, human beings have been interacting with each other with ever increasing frequency and scale. Social skills, the ability to work in a team and effectively communicate ideas, have never been more important in any other time in history. In nearly all professions, the tasks that need to be completed have become so complex that it has become necessary to assemble together teams of individuals, each with specialized skills, to complete the most mundane of workplace assignments. Teamwork is crucial to our modern world, and as a result, “group learning” has been gradually implemented into more and more school classrooms. Within RM, a greater emphasis on presentations and student-led seminars is helping students cultivate stronger interpersonal skills that will prove useful in our globalized society. Senior Betsy Wang offered, “It’s helpful to be able to share your ideas with other people and listen to what they have to say about a certain subject.” Discussions such as socratic seminars help students become more open-minded, reflective and generally tolerant of differing opinions, virtues that form the bedrock of American democracy. Disagreement between students is inevitable, but is what ultimately strengthens students’ abilities to work together as they argue, reconcile, and compromise. Many students, such as sophomore Sue Lee, fully understand the relevance of classroom discussions to a modern education. Lee said, “A big part of life and the real world is communication and being able to clearly portray your thoughts in a detailed manner. I feel like socratic
Gold they are venturing into a pre-medical or biology related field? Communication and presentation skills, however, can be and are utilized every day in most modern professions. “Content is important, but more often than not, content is not necessarily what’s going to help kids in situations in their future. Everybody, regardless of what job or profession they go into, needs to know how to communicate effectively, and everybody needs to know how to work with other people,” said English teacher Michael Oakes. Some may be concerned that the grades given for class discussions lean unfavorably away from students who are more softspoken or introverted. However, the problem with this reasoning is that public speaking is such a basic life skill that to not engage students in such environments is even more irresponsible. Although it’s true that timid students may be reluctant to speak, teachers implement a variety of techniques like speaking quotas to draw them out of their comfort zones. Lee again emphasized the importance of public speaking: “[Presenting] is similar to writing. Do you think commentaries or essays are unfair to people who don’t like to write? I think you have to adapt to school. No one likes school, but you have to do it because it helps you with your future.” Public speaking can admittedly be tough for some people. Junior Aidan Graver said, “Debates and seminars and presentations are all super helpful, and student leaders can show off their talents, but I think that it can also be exclusionary and detrimental to those who don’t have the skills, or are averse to it.” However,
PHOTO BY MADDIE FRANKE
Students often participate in presentations in order to foster debate and increased interest.
seminars really prepare you for this.” International trade is expanding. Businesses are going multinational. To suggest that practicing communication skills somehow takes away from students’ education is to not understand reality. Furthermore, a lot of material taught in schools will be absolutely useless to their future career choices anyway. Take, for example, the infamous expression: “mitochondria is the powerhouse of the cell”. What are the chances that students will ever utilize this information, unless
if teachers can foster discourse between students in an encouraging and helpful way, then those students can be eased into the discussion with less apprehension. There should be no controversy over whether more class discussions and public speaking opportunities are beneficial to a student’s learning process. As communication skills form the basis of modern human society, to not set aside class time for students to develop these skills is as irresponsible as neglecting to teach students basic arithmetic.
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The Tide
OPINIONS
March 2016
Finance classes help prepare students for adult life by Syllia Newstead and Alex Hu Every year, students are graduating from high school unprepared for life in the real world. Despite going through twelve whole years of education and learning many academic concepts, they leave with almost little or no understanding of personal finance. Not everyone needs to learn how to factor a polynomial to survive, but
country’s tax system. Math teacher Stephanie Chaney said, “I think all of [the students] should learn how to do taxes, write checks, and pay your bills. I think it would be good across the board to understand personal finance, not just taxes.” Schools already require a certain amount of credits in math, science, social studies, arts, English, physical education/ health, and technology in order for students to graduate. As only 22 credits are required for graduation and students can take up
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everyone needs to know how to pay taxes and balance their budget. Why is it that only the former is taught to students in public schools? In college, many students take jobs to help pay for their tuition or to make some pocket money. Regardless, they are joining the workforce, making money, and must also share in the burden of paying taxes. Focusing on the subject of taxes, citizens of the United States should graduate from public education understanding their own
to 28 classes throughout across all 4 years, why do we not require a credit in personal finance? Students ought to be taking classes that are directly relevant to living and surviving in the real world. A personal finance class will teach important life skills that will definitely be utilized throughout their futures. Senior Truc Nguyen said, “[Managing finances] is a life skill that we all need to learn. We cannot expect our parents to
do them for us, especially when we are working and expecting people to treat us like adults. Doing taxes is just another part of being an adult that students should know how to do.” Teaching students how to pay taxes and manage finances would not only foster greater independence, but it would also make students more aware of their future responsibilities. Students should never find themselves in a position where they fret over whether or not they will have enough money to be able to pay their rent. They ought to be prepared to deal with these kinds of problems in their futures. However, opposition in the government remains an obstacle for advancing financial literacy. In 2012, there was a petition drive for the Maryland General Assembly to pass a bill requiring all Maryland high school students to complete a course in financial literacy prior to graduation. It was unable to pass. To those who may disagree with the idea that it is the responsibility of the public educational system to foster anything beyond academic learning, let us not forget that health is a required course for this very reason. This has already been an established purpose of public education. Students cannot suddenly become financially responsible in one day; it is a process that takes knowledge and practice to perfect. There are many different forms that must be filled when filing taxes, and students may be unaware of where they can get help. Furthermore, although students may be interested in finance managment, they may not be aware of the opportunities offered at RM. Personal finanace is the primary focus of Ms. Gaffney’s Quantitative Literacy class. This class teaches more than just how to file taxes. It covers many aspects of how to handle different financial situations. For example, students can learn smaller scale issues like how to purchase a car at
a reasonable price as well as issues on a larger scale like paying various bills. “It would be resourceful to have a class that prepares me for life after high school. Right now, I have a job, and I do not know how to file taxes so I had to burden my mother to fill out my W-2 form. High school has not prepared me with regards to finances,” said senior Cristina Arbaiza. The fact that many students are not
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even informed about the opportunities to learn about personal finance is alarming. Quantitative Literacy, although not required, is one of the most relevant classes that will prepare students for the future, and isn’t that one of the main goals of high school? College is a time period when students really need to be able to manage their money effectively and smartly. Students need to save money in order to pay for college, textbooks, living costs, and more. They need to know when, where, and how to use their money wisely. Throughout college and beyond, the ability to manage money and be fiscally responsible is a vital skill for everyone to have. Learning how to do taxes is a wonderful starting point for high school students, and schools should implement more classes that teach students these skills.
School spring break trips inspire new adventures Latin America, notably the 2014 trip to Peru, 2015 trips to China and Greece, 2016 trip to Japan and 2017 trip to Cuba. The trips come with hefty price tags between $1000-$4000 per student, depending on the destination and other circumstances. The fee covers air travel and lodging expenses, as well as the costs of the activities and experiences students will get to enjoy. Additional fees serve the optional trip insurance, adult supplement and, in certain cases, departure and private group fees or optional trip extensions to one more city. It is apparent that while the trips seems like an interesting endeavor at first glance, a student has to consider many factors before they decide to commit. Both cost and having other activities over spring break are likely to be major factors for those who choose not to go, even
if they have a great interest. Senior Cassie Ulvick agreed, but also commented that by Emmanuel Corporal people who “usually just like to explore out on their own and have a chill trip with no structure” would not feel catered to since Spring break is a time all students look the new EF trips are “pretty organized.” forward to in the school year. Some find While there are many reasons someone it relaxing to take the time to just stay at wouldn’t consider going on the trip, those home and relax. Others, however, try to who choose to go have just as many reasons be more active and ambitious with their as to why they did. Freshman Simone spring break plans. And of course, RM has Koning said that she wanted to go on the those students covered. upcoming 2016 Japan trip since she has RM offers spring break trips to been “interested in [Japanese] culture from international locations, organized and a very young age.” sponsored by EF (Education First) Haddad also said that with the 2015 Educational Tours, to every student. China trip, she “never had a chance to Space is limited, however, to around 20travel to East Asia before and [the trip] 30 students trip, taking into account the seemed like the perfect way to hit up every students from other high schools that come major cultural landmark.” In regards to the along. 2014 Peru trip, Ulvick noted that she had In recent years, the tour destinations “been on one of these EF tours before in 8th have mainly been focused on Asia and grade,” and thought that since she had a lot of fun that “[the Peru trip too] would be a lot of fun.” While having attended a previous EF trip may make the decision process easier, especially considering the dedication to both the schedule and the experience during the trip, I believe it is not necessary. According to Koning, however, previous experience is not a huge factor because “every experience is different.” One important thing for students to consider is that the trips RM offers usually have service components to them in addition to the typical relaxing tourist opportunities given. While it seem like a burden, the service components appear to be a better opportunity to interact with the cultures visited, since they are more hands on, and it can feel quite rewarding to help people or an environment you didn’t know you would be able to have contact with. From a logistic standpoint, the entire process of organizing and executing the spring break trips appears pretty daunting PHOTO COURTESY OF LISA HERNANDEZ for both students and organizers alike. The students have to work the trips RM students on the 2015 spring break trip enjoy a scenic day on the rocky shores of Greece.
into their schedule and prepare, and the organizers need to maintain schedules and information, guiding everyone once they have reached the destination. Haddad knew the students had their own responsibilities, since she remembered having to “keep track of passports and budgets for the trip, and be where [they were] needed to be on time.”
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Koning believed EF Tours and the organizers had more of the work, since “the company does a lot to make this go as smoothly as possibly. But no matter the destination, having the school organize and offer a trip is still a benefit to the students.“ A spring break venture offered by the school allows students who want to go somewhere the opportunity to do so without dragging along the rest of their family, especially if not everyone else wants to go. Haddad remarked that “you get to become super close with the people you travel with – teachers, other students, the other families, even your tour guide!” So even after a long journey with immense planning, travelling and service work, there is still definitely an awesome reward at the end.
The Tide
ADVERTISEMENTS
March 2016
9
10 The Tide
INTERNATIONAL
March 2016
Candidates offer different foreign policy plans by Stephanie Zhang and Naomi Kebede
Hillary Clinton (D)
“As president I will take whatever actions are necessary to protect the U.S. and its allies. I will not hesitate to take military action.” In order to distance herself from the policies of President Obama, Clinton has attempted to take a stronger stand in foreign policies. “She has a solid foreign policy, but her relaxed attitude towards ISIS
option for younger voters. “He definitely listens to the people, and he actually has plans for everything,” noted freshman Yana Sadeghi.. “Other candidates are generally talking about their ideas but Sanders explicitly explains his actions.” The candidate opposes war in general, believing it to be a last resort, and has expressed a distaste for Russian leader Vladimir Putin. In Sanders’ opinion, the U.S.’s primary goal in Syria should be to fight ISIS and President of Syria Bashar al-Assad. In response to the pressing migrant crisis, Sanders (as well as his opponent Clinton) argues that the U.S. must take greater measures to help refugees relocate. Sanders is eager to find peaceful alternatives to immediate military action in troubled areas.
Donald Trump (R)
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is worrisome,” observed sophomore Adam Howlett about the front running Democratic candidate, currently leading in the primaries. In addition to supporting a no-fly zone in Syria and stronger international relations with Israel, she also intends to reform the U.S. Department of Veteran’s Affairs. Clintion is strongly in favor of reinforcing American leadership in the Middle East.
Bernie Sanders (D)
“It is my firm belief that the test of a great nation with the most powerful military on earth is not how many wars it can engage in, but how it can use our strength and our capabilities to resolve international conflicts in a peaceful way.” Idealist candidate Sanders, at 74, is increasingly becoming the more popular
“The decisions we face are too monumental, too consequential, to just let slide. I have answers for the problems that confront us. I know how to make America rich again.” Trump contines to show aggression and conviction in articulating his foreign policy propositions. However, many are skeptical of his claims. “I don’t believe that Trump is a serious politician whose ideas we can believe or attach any value to,” said senior Colleen Adams. His strategy for the crisis in the Middle East as of now is to let ISIS, Russia, and President al-Assad handle the issue. He then believes that the U.S. will have a clear path to destroy ISIS in Iraq. One of Trump’s more controversial plans has been the construction of a 50 foot wide wall that will span 1,954 miles across the Mexican-American border in order to keep immigrants from entering America. Incidentally, former Mexican President Vincente Fox has already rejected Trump’s proposal to pay for the construction of the wall. The presidential candidate will have to find endorsements from other institutions.
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Over the course of the high-stakes 2016 election, no candidate has been left unmocked.
Marco Rubio (R)
“When I’m President, we won’t just reverse President Obama’s dangerous Iran deal. We will increase sanctions on Iran.” Rubio blames President Obama for not having a clear strategy in the Middle East, claiming his irresponsible actions gave Russia the upper hand in negotiations. He envisions U.S. policy resting on three crucial pillars: preserving U.S. strength, protecting the U.S. economy, and maintaining clarity on U.S. values. His solution is for the U.S. government to increase military involvement in areas plagued by civic unrest and political turmoil.
Ted Cruz (R)
“President Obama and Hillary Clinton’s idea that we should bring tens of thousands of Syrian Muslim refugees to America—it is nothing less than lunacy.” Cruz wants to implement a religious test to permit only Christian refugees seeking safety in the country. “I think he’s more of a show horse than a workhorse—he holds several discredited positions that seem mainly intended to get publicity,” stated sophomore Tadhg Larabee. Cruz is wary of allowing Muslim refugees to enter America because he believes that they are more likely to pose a
meaningful threat to national security. Cruz believes the most reasonable answer is for Muslim refugees from Syria to go to other Islamic countries. “However, we should probably get used to him. Between his debating ability and his ambition, I would expect him to remain a political star for some time,” speculated Larabee.
John Kasich (R)
“Look, we don’t know what’s going to happen in ten months. And if I were president of the United States right now, I’d be lining up our allies to say that, if one crossed T or one dotted I does not occur, they are -- violate the agreement, we slap back on sanctions.” Despite having no articulated stance on the Iran Nuclear Deal, Kasich is certain in his goal for ISIS to be destroyed, although comfortable with leaving Bashar al-Assad alone. In general, he deems military action necessary, and supports Israel’s attempts to strengthen relations with Pakistan. “John Kasich would be the best president amongst all the candidates. He is the only candidate that is moderate. All the others are either way to the left or way to the right, or a tyrant, like Trump. Kasich is the only one who will compromise with Congress for the benefit of the United States, not for the benefit of a certain political party,” said senior Drew Avery.
Looming threat of Zika virus causes international stir by Matthew Van Bronkhorst and Rebecca Huang The Zika virus has made headlines in the past nine months as it spread up the South American continent and into the United States through infected mosquitoes, the transfusion of infected blood, and transmission from mother to child. With over 100 documented cases in the U.S., the population is curious to learn about the virus and prepare for the imminent threat. The cases that have been reported in the U.S. have all been acquired through foreign travel, meaning that the mosquitoes from which the disease originates have not yet been infected in the U.S. Although Zika seems relatively mild compared to other prevalent diseases in South America, the predominant fear for expecting parents has been microcephaly, a birth defect that causes birth defects, such as smaller heads in infants. Microcephaly can cause seizures, developmental delays, hearing or vision loss, and, in extreme cases, death among fetuses and infants. Freshman Emily Tian commented, “It just goes to show how dangerous this virus could potentially be. It is of grave importance that the world works together to find a cure immediately.” The Center for Disease Control has activated its Emergency Operations Center in order to conduct research concerning the virus’s link to microcephaly and other
GRAPHIC BY KERN LEE
Mosquito borne Zika virus worries expecting mothers as it continues to spread rapidly. diseases. Caroline Coffey, “it is a very dangerous Accompanying the spread of this virus, and it does need to be controlled dangerous virus is a controversy regarding somehow, but on the other hand, you could stringent abortion laws and women’s rights consider these steps to be human rights in conservative countries. violations. There are definitely two sides to In an attempt to quell the sudden this story that need to be considered.” outbreak of affected children, governments However, there are some who are in El Salvador and Columbia have advised strongly opposed to government actions. women to delay pregnancy for up to Freshman Elaine Han vehemently two years, a statement that has caused stated, “The actions of the government substantial controversy. are a complete destruction of the people’s The United States has also discouraged rights and freedoms. It cannot be justified women who are currently pregnant or hope ethically and it just inherently wrong.“ to conceieve in the future from travelling to “The mother is entitled to her choice South America, Latin America, and many because it is her body and her baby. No one of the Caribbean islands. has the authority to tell a mother what to “On the one hand,” said sophomore do with her own child,”continued Han.
The government has attempted to take action to slow the destructive trail of the Zika virus, although some have doubted the effectiveness of the approach, and the government’s authority over the issue. Junior Faaiq Zarger elaborated, “In order to enforce such a law, governments would have to reach a level of involvement in the personal lives of each person that would violate their privacy.” “Additionally, the government would have to invest billions to ensure every woman isn’t at risk of becoming pregnant. That money could definitely be better spent on researching the virus itself and creating a vaccine to treat it,”expressed Zarger. While dealing with an issue as contentious as women’s rights, governments try to strike a balance the safety of the future generations with the traditional beliefs of their countries. Tian stated, “I think that these governments must start to face the laws that they have held for so long. They must decide if it is more important to preserve their pro-life stances or if they are willing to set that aside for the mothers and babies that might be impacted by the disease.” “When they see the real issue, they will not be able to deny what they have been denying thus far: that it is time for change,” Tian continued. While the Zika virus ravages the American continent, politicians and scientists alike must learn to work in tandem to stop the spread of this dangerous infection and provide aid to those who have fallen under its deadly grasp.
The Tide
INTERNATIONAL
March 2016
11
IB students question westernized history classes by Sindhu Iyer The International Baccalaureate Programme emphasizes on the importance of establishing global contexts and connection when learning about history, language, culture, and literature from all around the world. While it is true that recognizing and analyzing the political philosophies of enlightenment thinkers like Kant and Rousseau is relevant in this day and age, RM students feel like the IB has a westernminded approach to history. The Diploma Programme offers one track with many different foci for IB History. Here at RM, there tends to be a focus on 20th century world history with emphasis on the causes, practices, and effects of war, and the Cold War. Many students want to change the westernized focus of the course, but also recognize that it is a necessity in some ways. The program is designed in a way that can be followed by students and teachers all over the globe. Junior David Edimo does not believe that the curriculum is exclusively western minded, but lamented that the history classes definitely lack discussion of other prominent regions around the world. “In my anthropology class we have extensively studied certain African societies, so I don’t think [the IB curriculum] is exclusively western minded. But the history classes that I’ve taken at RM have definitely lacked discussion of Asian and African history,” said Edimo. “There is a very rich non-European history that is just as relevant,” he explained, “especially in an increasingly globalized world in which I am just as likely to interact with a Chinese person or company as I am a European one.” Senior Kai Dempsey also agreed that she has only been allowed to explore a limited number of subject areas during her time in the Diploma Programme.
PHOTO BY MADDIE FRANKE
IB students are passionate about establishing a global connection in thier history class. “In our experience from 2012-2016, we in studying Latin American history and haven’t had the opportunity to explore culture, but the semester long course was Africa, the Middle East, and Asia in detail. taken away a few years ago. Their cultures are extremely rich and I “Latin American History is only in the definitely would have liked to devote at process of being considered to be brought least one quarter to one of those topics,” back as an elective. The fact that it it’s not said Dempsey. an option speaks for itself and is a major To obtain an IB diploma, one of the disappointment,” said Davidson. many requisites is testing in a course from Many students along with Davidson the “Individuals and Societies” group express frustration over the lack of diversity (more commonly known as Group 4), in history classes; however, others, such under which classes like history fall. as Dempsey, believe that teachers and The IB offers many other courses in administration should not shoulder all the this group, such as Social and Cultural blame for the classes offered. Anthropology, Economics, and even “We only have so many teachers, and Turkey in the 20th Century, but the classes kids would choose the western-focused offered differ from school to school and courses because those are the ones that AP region to region around the world. credit is handed out for [AP World History Even the foci within certain classes like and European History], so of course the history tend to vary due to the variety of program is westernized,” she said. topics offered by the IB. Dempsey continued, “The classes Though some students dislike the that Mrs. Hoover incorporates are those westernized way that IB History is taught that we choose, as seen with the newly at RM, they also understand that the classes implemented Global Politics course.” that are offered and the way they are taught Additionally, it is very difficult to focus are greatly influenced by students. on specific areas of history when there are IB junior Tatiana Davidson is interested so many students with varied interests.
IB History teacher Todd Stillman believes that the IB program at RM does the best it can to accommodate the different interests of its diverse group of students. The shortcomings of IB History can be attributed in part to the regional focus requirements set by the IB. “The majority of IB schools in the US take the History of the Americas route which is US history with a smattering of Canada and Latin America. Some IB schools [like RM] do a Europe route because of the way their local school district sequencing and requirements work or because they’re interested in being less America-centric,” explained Mr. Stillman. Despite the complaints from students about the western focus of history classes, Mr. Stillman praises the IB Diploma Programme and IB History for its ability to evolve and adapt to the changing world as an international program. “The international and multicultural story has become more central to our understanding of the world and ourselves,” explained Mr. Stillman. “Now that the new curriculum makes room for it, we intend to include more Asian history components ranging from the 19th to the 20th century parts of the course,” he added. Senior year IB History beginning next year onward will spend time drawing a comparison between elements of German and Japanese expansionism in the 1930s. However, even Dempsey is convinced that the IB places a strong emphasis on the West for a specific reason. “The IB does try, but I admit that the push is towards the West because it is rich in ideologies--communism, fascism, nazism, nationalism, colonialism-- that still fuel the world today, and as anyone can tell from the news, the Western interests continue to monopolize international politics,” explained Dempsey. Although RM and the IB program are more focused on Western ideas and values, students continue to push for the study of cultures in all parts of the world.
RM students share hidden wonders of the world by Vlady Guttenberg Besides the Seven Wonders of the World, there are many more pockets of culture, history, and art that are often overlooked by travelers. From all edges of the globe, RM students have found a way to make the vast world seem like home. Sophomore Irene Guggenheim was born in Mexico, and has lived in Colombia on and off over the years, occasionally returning to Mexico over the summer. “My family used to own a villa in a small town called La Mesa. The whole family chipped in to get it. Grandparents, children, grandchildren, et cetera. And we’d go every weekend. The house
PHOTO COURTESY OF IRENE GUGGENHEIM
Guggenheim plays in La Mesa, Colombia.
was big enought to fit all of us, and it really helped bring our family together,” Guggenheim recounted. La Mesa was beautifully preserved from a location that was not tainted by the new American developments in other parts of Mexico. Guggenheim said," The town looked like something out of a movie. There were a lot of homemade buildings, and random fruit trees. It was a beautiful town, and going there made me so happy.” Guggenheim's family later sold their villa, but her family reunions in the town remain some of her fondest childhood memories. Heading northwest from Colombia sits the picturesque country of Venezuela and home to senior Matias Cardinale for four years. “Come Christmas time we always have a few people come over to play Cuatro, which is basically a guitar with four strings that is very common in Venezuelan music. We all sing and laugh around the fireplace,” Cardinale recalled. Many families feel that the beauty of their town has an infectious energy, adding spirit to the songs and traditions of their culture. This sense of community is also typical halfway across the globe in Sierra Leone, home of senior Syllia Newstead’s parents. “One tradition I like is that they have a block party where everyone comes together. There are people with bed sheets over them, and they are dancing around,” Newstead recalled. Festive times like these invoke sentimental memories of fun times and good company. Newstead continued, “Everyone is just having a good time, even if they do not really know each other.” Traveling to yet another continent, senior Jacob Klosowski's family is Polish.
PHOTO COURTESY OF JACOB KLOSOWSKI
Klosowski during a yearly visit to Poland. “Poland has a very proud Catholic heritage," explained senior Jacob Klosowski. "Many of its customs are tied to that culture.” Klosowski's family has had a tradition for the past 10 years of visiting Poland every year over the summer. “My mom’s side of the family is related to the Cossacks, and they are famous for their dances. In one, a group of guys form a circle, and dance around a girl who is holding an axe. The girl actually swings the axe in a circle while the men jump," he said. The same unity can be found a couple thousand miles away in Algeria, where sophomore twins Selma and Rym Benhassine visit every summer. “We are like a clan,” Selma Benhassine reflected, “Even if we don't really know
each other we are always welcome in each other’s houses. In fact, while we're in Algeria we often go to other families’ houses for tea and biscuits.” Her sister, Rym, is especially sentimental about her home in Algeria, where she feels at home and connected to her culture. “It has a beautiful view of the Algiers, and there are always flowers everywhere, and animals running around,” Rym Benhassine said. “I also love the history of the house; you can still find holes in the walls and in the base of the house where the French army put sticks of dynamite because they wanted to blow the house up!” But these nostalgic locations are at risk of remaining forever undiscovered. The recent trend among this generation's youth of assimilating with American culture means stories and traditions are in danger of being left behind by immigrants coming to the U.S. “In the United States, we barely do anything [we do in Algeria], which is rather sad," Selma Benhassine said. “In general, our entire family feels more isolated from our culture, and we treasure every minute that we spend back in Algeria.” A place is only as unique as the story behind it, the special memories made in it, and the dynamic people who created those moments. Outside influences pose no threat to society provided its members keep opening up to the ideas of other groups. As long as students with ties all over the world continue to share stories about their non-American homes, the RM community itself will continue to be a vibrant location for cultivating and preserving rich cultural memories.
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CENTERSPREAD
The Tide
March 2016
Donald Trump
began his career in the real estate industry and has since expanded to sports, beauty pageants, the stock market, and more recently, politics. His campaign is enhanced by a constant media spotlight on his frequent political incorrectness. He is pro-life, opposed to gun control, calls climate change “a hoax,� and insists on mass deportations and the creation of a wall at the United States-Mexico border.
Ted Cruz
GRAPHICS BY VALENCIA FU AND KERN LEE ARTICLES BY LAURA CHANG, TESIA SHI, AND DASH YEATTS-LONSKE
served as Solicitor General of Texas and argued nine cases in front of the Supreme Court. Since the beginning of his campaign, his Canadian birthright has been criticized despite his lifelong American citizenship. He believes in downsizing the United States government and has conservative views on to immigration, climate change, abortion, and LGBT rights. Like Trump, Cruz advocates for building a wall between the United States and Mexico.
621 pledged delegates* John Kasich has served nine terms in the House of
Representatives and is considered moderately conservative. While an opponent of abortion, he believes that there are reasonable exceptions. Likewise, although he does not personally support same-sex marriage, he has stated that he respects the Supreme Court decision and LGBT+ people. Kasich acknowledges climate change as a legitimate problem, but does not support the regulation of carbon emissions.
396 Alaska Idaho Iowa Kansas Maine Oklahoma Texas
138 Ohio
Wyoming
Alabama Arkansas Florida Georgia Hawaii Illinois Kentucky Louisiana Massachu. Michigan Mississippi Nevada N. Hampshire N. Carolina S. Carolina Tennessee Vermont Virginia
The Tide
Hillary Clinton
became known as the most empowered First Lady in American history, during her husband’s term, before then serving as Senator of New York. This isn’t her first time in the ring for the title of President of the United States; Clinton also ran for the Democratic nomination in the election of 2008 but was defeated by Obama. She is liberal, pro-choice, and supportive of comprehensive immigration and gun reform.
CENTERSPREAD
March 2016
13
Mudslinging Attracts the Media
November is still eight months away, and this election is already proving to be one of the most bizarre, groundbreaking elections in history. A significant part of that is the changing nature of technology and communications. Chris Christie recently joked that the reason why he made a series of horrified expressions during Donald Trump’s victory speech on Super Tuesday was that he was secretly being held hostage. An edited viral video which featured Trump repeatedly saying “Jeb is a mess” and “Jeb is a big fat mistake” encapsulated the fundamental issues which plagued Bush’s campaign: a continued perception of him as, in Trump’s words, “low-energy.” Candidates have been further mocked through parody Facebook accounts such as “Barnie Sandlers“and Dolan J. Tramp.” One of the most pervasive political gags of this election cycle is that Ted Cruz is actually the Zodiac Killer, despite the fact that almost all of the Zodiac killings occurred before Ted Cruz was born. However, not everything has been perceived as all fun and games. Some have accused a popular meme comparing Sanders and Clinton “on the issues” as being sexist, since it categorically accuses Clinton of being ingenuine. In the most recent Republican debate, Trump crudely responded to an allegation from Rubio that he had “small hands” by referencing the size of his genitals. This kind of lewd, vaguely misogynistic language has been a constant feature of Trump’s campaign; he has graphically described Barack Obama’s defeat of Hillary Clinton in the primary and generated a great deal of controversy over callous remarks about Megyn Kelly. These methods, while entertaining, can be both offensive and dangerous, because they expand the scope of what is considered acceptable. And although heavily criticized, these controversial comments increase Trump’s dominant media exposure and ensure that he is discussed more than any of the other candidates. This limits his is a self-proclaimed democratic socialist. rivals’ traction and means that he continues to control the narrative. While his “common man” appeal is On the other hand, although his disparaging words may contribute nothing new, his approach to solving to the lowering of the standard of discourse on the campaign problems is uniquely progressive and trail, they also help expose a wider range of young people to liberal. He has plans for extensive financial politics. Mockery has always been an integral and important part reform to address wealth inequality, is of American politics; the internet has simply democratized the pro-choice in terms of abortion, and is process. a strong advocate for LGBT rights. A unique aspect of his campaign has been V is for Vote his ability to fundraise through only individual donations rather than super As the 2016 November presidential election draws closer, PACs, as most candidates do. voting is on the forefront of all of our minds. As senior Judah Canizares, who plans to vote in both Maryland’s primaries and the presidential election, said, “[Voting is] the basis of democracy.” However in 2014, only 39.1% of people aged 18-24 were registered. Luckily, registering to vote has never been easier. If you are a U.S. citizen and Maryland resident, you can register when you hit 16. Unfortunately, you can only vote in this race’s primaries and general election if you will be 18 by the time of the election. But still, make sure to register as soon as you are eligible “so it’s all set—you turn 18, and you’re ready to go, you’re eligible to vote,” said social studies teacher Mr. Vicari. An opportunity to register that many take advantage of is while receiving your driver’s license or permit. Additionally, RM has occasionally hosted a voting registration station for students. If you missed these, however, you can always register online at Maryland’s Online Voter Registration System or fill out a form at city hall. Be sure to register by April 5 in order to be eligible to vote. Mark on your calendars April 26 for the primaries and November 8 for the general election. While it is not mandatory for you to vote, your vote can improve our quality of leadership, the direction of policy, and the future of America.
Bernie Sanders
1,094
pledged delegates*
Alabama A. Samoa Arkansas Florida Georgia Illinois Iowa Louisiana Massachu. Mississippi Nevada N. Carolina Ohio S. Carolina Tennessee Texas
774 Colorado Kansas Maine Michigan Minnesota Nebraska N. Hampshire Oklahoma Vermont
Virginia * At press time (March 16). Information taken from Politico.
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The Tide
LA MAREA
Marzo del 2016
Hollywood bajo crítica por falta de diversidad por Jean Espinosa Hoy en día, la falta de diversidad en la industria de entretenimiento y medios de comunicación es algo que no puede ser ignorado. De acuerdo a un estudio llevado a cabo por Media Matters, 88 % de los invitados de Fox News son blancos. Muchos lo encuentran irónico que la industria del entretenimiento de uno de los países más diversos racialmente demuestra preferencia hacia la raza blanca. La diversidad y representación en el entretenimiento es muy importante ya que tiene el poder de influir la percepción y comprensión de cuestiones como los perfiles raciales, la reforma migratoria, los derechos de los discapacitados, y la igualdad de los sexos. Su impacto puede ser político y cultural. Además, esto define los problemas del país. El estudiante de doceavo grado, Luis Orellana opinó, “la falta de diversidad y representación en la media muestra la realidad de América. Gente blanca arriba, y los afroamericanos y las minorías hasta abajo.” De acuerdo con Media Matters, un sitio de internet dedicado a la publicación de problemas en los medios de comunicación, los hispanos componen 2.7 por ciento de los invitados en programas de televisión mensualmente. Una estudiante de raíces asiáticas de duodécimo grado, Zeina
Estrada habló sobre este problema, “la gente falta más mujeres en los medios de asiática no tiene la misma representation comunicación. Cuando las mujeres si que las otras razas. No es justo que las aparecen en la tele están muy expuestas razas no sean representadas igualmente. con mini faldas y vestidos muy pegados, Es bueno que estamos haciendo progreso esto nos da una mala imagen, causa que con problemas de raza, pero se necesita hombres pierdan respeto por nosotras.” hacer más.” Uno de los problemas más sobresalientes Hay organizaciones como es que la mayoría de mujeres en Coalición Nacional de Media revistas están semi desnudas, sobre Hispana (CNMH) que se enfocan maquilladas, o muy retocadas. Esto crea en la defensa de los derechos un estándar no realista para las mujeres civiles para el avance de minorías, y hombres espectadores. Estas imágenes trabajando para hacer los medios tienen un efecto negativo justos y universales. en la autopercepción y el La desigualdad de autoestima. représentation de sexos La industria del también es un problema muy e n t r e t e n i m i e n t o importante en la industria de estadounidense es una de las entretenimiento. De acuerdo más influenciales y populares a Media Matters, en el canal del mundo. De acuerdo a Select de noticias MSNBC sólo 30 USA, la industria de medios y por ciento de las personas que entretenimiento de Estados Unidos aparecieron en el aire fueron es la más grande del mundo y su mujeres, comparado con 70 por mercado internacional alcanza ciento de hombres. un valor de 546 millones de Pero ¿y detrás de las cámaras? Un dólares. Es por estas razones que estudio llevado a cabo por el Centro de la diversidad en el entretenimiento Media de Mujeres concluyó que en el debería aumentar ya que el poder periodismo deportivo, 90 por ciento de del entretenimiento estadounidense los artículos son escritos por hombres. es enorme. Esto muestra el profundo sexismo Es grandemente importante que no solo enfrente de las cámaras, todos tipos de personas se vean pero también detrás de ellas. representados en el mundo del La estudiante de duodécimo entretenimiento. Un aumento GRÁFICO POR KERN LEE grado, Kateland Ferraz, en representación positiva expresó su preocupación al decir, “hacen podría tener el poder de cambiar actitudes
Zika: un nuevo tipo de guerra contra la salud
acuerdo con un sondeo por RIWI Corp. En Guatemala, hay .9 doctores por cada 1000 ciudadanos. En comparación con los Estados Unidos donde hay 2.5 doctores El 26, Brasil desplegó 220,000 soldados por cada 1000 ciudadanos de acuerdo al para combatir una nueva amenaza a la Banco Mundial. salud brasileña: los mosquitos. Debido No es sorprendente que los países que Zika, un virus transmitido por el mosquito gastan más dinero para el cuidado de salud Aedes, la Organización Mundial de Salud tienen tengan ciudadanos que tienen más (OMS) declaró un estado de emergencia en confianza en su gobierno durante la crisis 20 países latinoamericanos y en los Estados de Zika. Argentina gasta 8 % de su PBI en Unidos. El OMS presume que van a ver tres cuidado de salud y 40 % de la población a cuatro millones de casos de Zika en toda piensa que su gobierno puede resolver la América. epidemia. Cuba y Paraguay son los únicos Síntomas del virus incluyen fiebres, países en Latinoamérica que permiten erupciones, y dolor de músculos y abortos mientras la práctica del aborto articulación. Solo una en cuatro personas es ilegal en Chile, Nicaragua, República con Zika desarrolla síntomas, pero él OMS Dominicana, y El Salvador. le aconseja a las mujeres embarazadas El problema con estas leyes contra el de no viajar a países infectados. En la aborto es que causan más clandestinos, actualidad. no hay vacuna o cura para poniendo a las mujeres en mucho peligro. detener el crecimiento de la enfermedad. Activistas por los derechos de las Desde el comienzo de la epidemia, los mujeres están viendo cómo legalizar Centros para el Control y la Prevención de el aborto durante esta epidemia. Países Enfermedades (CDC) han reportado 5 mil donde Zika es de alto riesgo aconsejan a nuevos casos de microcefalia en Brasil. La las mujeres de evitar embarazos por los microcefalia es una condición caracterizada siguientes dos años o hasta que la gravedad por la falla de desarrollo cerebral en el feto de la epidemia baje. Estas son las opciones y los fetos que contratan esta condición disponibles las mujeres de estos países: corren el riesgo de morir joven. abstención o esterilización permanente. Los recursos para diagnosticar Zika son En El Salvador, una mujer puede ir a priorizados para las mujeres embarazadas la cárcel por tener un aborto espontáneo. porque tienen el riesgo de tener hijos con En este país tampoco se permiten abortos microcefalia. No se ha podido medir el cuando la mamá o hijo están en peligro o daño que Zika puede causar hasta el verano en casos de violación. Activistas esperan cuando científicos y médicos presumen que la Zika comience discurso sobre los que el virus va a impulsar. derechos de mujeres. Lo que sí se sabe de Zika L a s agencias de turismo también es que su impacto ha sido corren riesgos con el nuevo sentido mayormente virus. Organizaciones en países rurales en los como la CDA cuales la educación y la CDD sobre los mosquitos advierten y la prevención de a padres enfermedades potenciales de no no es avanzada. visitar países con la Zika por B r a s i l el temor de microcefalia. “Si desplego 220 mil los Estados Unidos va ser soldados para que ellos infectado, tú no vas a mudarte GRÁFICO POR KATHERINE WANG eduquen la población al Polo Norte para invadir el sobre Zika. nuevo virus. Es ridículo si Un 20 % de guatemaltecos tienen fe que esto afecta el turismo,” dijo profesora de su gobierno puede controlar la crisis de Francés, señora Falloux. por Daniela Moreira
sobre ciertos grupos marginalizados. La estudiante de undécimo grado, Sofia Bhalwani, opinó, “la diversidad deja que todos se vean representados en el entretenimiento sea por su raza, religión, sexualidad, o cultura. La diversidad puede en verdad tener un efecto positivo en los jóvenes especialmente.” Bhalwani explicó, “si so hubiera una raza representada en los shows y las películas que yo veo, no estaría interesada en verlos. No sería tan entretenido.” Esto saca a la luz un punto interesante sobre la ventaja económica que un aumento en representación y diversidad podría proveer. ¿Si hubiera mejor representación minoritaria, más personas verían ciertas películas o shows si ellas se vieran representadas? ¿Podrían los shows y las películas con un elenco muy diverso hacer la misma cantidad de dinero, o aún más, que aquellos con un elenco no diverso? La respuesta a estas preguntas puede ser revelada en el futuro no tan distante, ya que cada día se puede ver más y más diversidad en todos los tipos de entretenimiento. Shows como How To get Away With Murder, Quantico, Empire, y Scandal han demonstrado que elencos con muchas mujeres, con mucha diversidad racial, y con varias sexualidades y religiones representadas pueden tener mucho éxito. Por ahora la lucha por más diversidad continua y tal vez en unos 50 años estos mismos temas no causarán tanta polémica.
Puerto Rico se inunda bajo un mar de deudas
como Puerto Rico tienen que resolver estos problemas entre ellos mismos, sin la opción de pedir ayuda federal. Esto ha resultado en una situación donde Puerto Rico tiene Culturalmente, Puerto Rico se considera muchas de las mismas responsabilidades más caribeño y latino que estadounidense que tienen los estados, pero poco de los y por eso a muchos estadounidenses les derechos. Además de los problemas causados por cuesta un poco darse cuenta que Puerto Rico sí es parte de los EEUU, como Capítulo 9, el estatus de Puerto Rico lo somete a diferentes leyes comerciales. Minnesota o California. La crisis fue causada por muchos La definición legal ha presentado muchos problemas para Puerto Rico en diferentes factores como unas rigurosas los últimos años, ya que su crisis de deuda restricciones comerciales, un gobierno sigue empeorándose sin una solución clara local ineficaz, unos costes altos de importar en vista. El gobierno ha fallado cumplir combustibles fósiles que no se encuentran los pagos de devolución de préstamos dos por ningún lado en la isla, y una serie de veces ya, y no se ve cómo harán unos pagos depresiones económicas comenzaron en 2000. Todos estos factores han creado en mayo. una deuda nacional que A pesar de todas estas grandes sobrepasa $70 billones, dificultades, la crisis de deuda es un número impensable mencionada muy poco en las noticias para un territorio que estadounidenses. “Estamos tiene una población de demasiado distraídos por los menos de cuatro millones. candidatos presidenciales Diferentes soluciones han para darnos cuenta de lo sido consideradas. que está pasando en El apoyo público para cambiar Puerto Rico,” dijo Joselyn el estatus de Puerto Rico a uno de Padilla, estudiante de estado en vez de territorio ha ganado duodécimo grado en Richard favor mucha tracción en los últimos Montgomery. Ella añadió, años. “esta crisis económica Por otro lado, se podría añadir eventualmente un enmidenda al Capítulo impactará a los 9, dejando que se aplique EEUU, y seria mejor también a territorios, evitando actuar ahora que GRÁFICO POR VALENCIA FU el proceso largo y complicado de esperar para que las cosas unir un nuevo estado a los EEUU. También empeoren.” El problema yace del hecho que Puerto se ha hablado de reformar o quitar el Acto Rico, como territorio, tiene acceso a Jones, dando a Puerto Rico más derechos diferentes derechos y ayuda federal que comerciales. También se ha propuesto la los otros cincuenta estados. El debate sobre posibilidad de un rescate financiero con si los EEUU debe hacer Puerto Rico el dinero federal, como el de 2008. Hay más posibilidades, pero el tema estado número 51 ha existido desde 1967, pero la crisis de deuda ha puesto el debate común de todos es que requiere ayuda al primer plano ya que cuando un estado federal. La administración de Obama se queda sin dinero, se puede declarar la ha favorecido cambiar los términos bancarrota y pedir que el gobierno federal del Capítulo 9, y Paul Ryan, el líder de reestructure sus deudas. Los territorios no los Republicanos en el Congreso, ha prometido que tendrán un proyecto de tienen acceso a esa opción. Este acto es el Capítulo 9 del ley listo a finales de marzo, pero ahora es Código de Bancarrota, y es accesible a demasiado pronto para saber si la ley final municipalidades, ciudades, condados, y dará suficiente apoyo para verdaderamente estados, pero no a los territorios. Lugares cambiar la crisis de deuda puertorriqueña. por Sara Garcia-Beech
March 2016 15
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16
The Tide
March 2016
ARTS ov e r v i e w
A glimpse of a masked face, shining lights, and a clock ticking towards midnight — the first thing that comes to mind is Cinderella at a ball, but the exact same things will be coming to Richard Montgomery in the form of the AP/IB art show. Opening on March 20, this year’s theme, decided by the show’s curators, is “00:00 Midnight Masquerade.” The show undeniably promises to be every bit as spectacular as an actual ball. In the simplest terms, the exhibit is a showcase of the AP and IB Art students’ work from two extensive years of study. However, it is much more elaborate than the typical show displayed nearly year-round in the RM gallery. According to IB Art teacher Kara Stanton, “The show is an entire event in and of itself. It’s on Sunday, it’s a reception, it’s supposed to be fancy, there’s plenty of food, there’s probably dressing up involved, and we have live music.” PHOTO COURTESY OF CATHLEEN KONG
PHOTO COURTESY OF KATHY LI
Cathleen Kong’s “Perspective” shows a St. Petersburg church.
“Cinderella’s Reflection” by Kathy Li embodies the theme.
the theme
s ta n d o u t p i e c e s
“00:00 Midnight Masquerade” juxtaposes the modernity of “00:00” with, as Rei put it, “the magical, classy feeling” of a masquerade. Likewise, many of the works on display will play on contrasts and reflect the myriad possible interpretations of the theme. As she explained, senior Kathy Li’s pieces perfectly encapsulate the theme by exploring “the idea of a state of transition between one thing and another, just like how midnight is considered the turning point between night and day.” Senior Mahya Abedi offered another interpretation of the theme. She commented, “The faces of people in my artwork entice the curiosity of the viewer, similar to how the masked faces of the people in a masquerade attract attention and interest.” However, senior Zoe Goldenberg-Hart remarked that “Most of my pieces - as well as those of my classmates actually have very little to do with the show’s theme. What will really bring the theme to focus is in our presentation and decoration of the show.” In fact, in tune with the masquerade aspect of the theme, the artists will wear masks.
The works exhibited reveal the huge range of interests that participants in the show have outside of art. A stellar example of this is senior Aashna Pradhan’s painting “Maroon Desires,” which “conveys my desire to learn guitar and to learn how to play “She Will Be Loved” by Maroon 5,” as she said. Senior Cassie Ulvick’s favorite piece is her mixed media portrait “Involuntary,” because, she stated, “it’s the first piece I created in IB Art my junior year, so it holds a lot of sentimental value.” The work closest to the theme and the most iconic image of midnight is possibly “Cinderella’s Reflection,” a painting by senior Kathy Li. The piece is described by her as “a twist on the classic fairy tale and a portrayal of Cinderella’s two distinct identities, at home and at the ball.” Goldenberg-Hart’s favorite piece is a portrait titled “Imminent.” Despite the fact that its subject matter has nothing to do with either midnight or a masquerade, the piece holds sentimental value for the artist. She related that “the subject’s face is like a patchwork of different colors and shapes on a black background.”
a s ta n d o u t s h o w
PHOTO COURTESY OF ZOE GOLDENBERG-HART
Zoe Goldenberg-Hart’s “Imminent” is her personal favorite.
The show’s large scale this year makes it stand out from previous shows. Not only is this only the second year both AP and IB work will be showcased, but the number of students participating is also unprecedented. The exhibit will be on Main Street (as opposed to the basement), so “it will be completely different from how we’ve done it in the past,” commented Ms. Stanton. What truly makes the show unique, though, is that “it is the only art show that is student-led,” remarked senior Yi-Hsuan Rei. “It’s a really rewarding experience because we’re able to shine a light (literally!) on our personal achievements.” Rei is one of the show’s five student-elected curators, who design and mail out invitations, do all the organizational work, and make the important decisions. One of these crucial decisions included deciding on the pivotal theme of a “midnight masquerade.” In a way, this theme is the perfect send off for the seniors, as the show itself is a transition into the future. Their extraordinary artwork will be like Cinderella’s glass slipper the most beautiful, tangible remnant of a magical experience.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CASSIE ULVICK
Cassie Ulvick’s “Involuntary” was one of her very first pieces.
Artists win big at Johns Hopkins and Scholastic events by Katherine Wang
So many art students at Richard Montgomery High School have already received national awards and displayed their work in exhibitions, including the Johns Hopkins University “Grab Bag” Art Exhibit and the 2016 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. This year, Johns Hopkins celebrated the tenth anniversary of its art show, which assigns a new theme each year to participating high schools. The 2016 competition incorporated a new theme titled “Grab Bag” that randomly assigned a previously used theme to different high schools. The theme “Conundrum” was assigned to Richard Montgomery, inspiring several students to share their interpretations of the topic. After being selected by teachers and a panel of judges, seniors Amy Chen with “Walls Upon Walls,” Amanda
PHOTO COURTESY OF MRS. STANTON
The proud winners and their art teachers pose by the recognized artwork on display. Lilienfield with “A Beautiful Facade,” and These artists competed against students sophomores Zi Wang with “Behind the from 16 other high schools, with their QR Code” and Alexandra Mao with “The works selected to be displayed at an art Puzzle of Space” entered the county-wide exhibit at John Hopkins University from competition. January 25 to March 25.
Similarly, the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards serve to recognize exemplary artists around the nation, with 29 categories of art and writing that teens compete in. Around 70,000 submissions are given the title of a “Gold Key.” Junior Kern Lee’s artwork “The Prizefighter,” senior Hannah McQuaid’s poem “rising alterations,” and sophomore Magali Ngouabou’s personal essay “The American Dream” all received Gold Keys. Their work is currently being judged on a national level with the potential to achieve nationwide recognition as part of a group of 2,000 medalists. Scholarships are also offered as awards, giving awardees a stronger candidacy for further art scholarships. “It helps put your work out on the national stage,” said junior Kern Lee. Although both the John Hopkins and the Scholastic competitions offer actual awards, they also offer budding artists the chance to express themselves. As Lee said, “It’s a good opportunity to receive prestige and recognition at an early point of your career, especially after all your hard work.”
ARTS
The Tide
March 2016
17
Artist and leader: Alexa Young by Stella Ho
“When I was a little kid, I loved to draw,” reminisced senior Alexa Young. So many children start out with this same passion, but few actually pursue it as they move into the future. Unlike those who move away from art, Alexa has allowed her artistic inclination to thrive. Since then, she has explored a number of media, but one thing is constant: her creativity and passion for the arts. Her greatest love is for ceramics. “I find
er Michael McDermott thought that “The greatest thing about her is the energy that she brings when she walks into the room.” This is hardly surprising, as Young has stated that she “loves the environment in which she works.” She also loves not only doing art herself but also assisting others. Her peers have noticed her kindness as well. “I like Alexa because she’s a great leader. She always gives constructive criticism without making us feel bad,” praised senior Emily Newcombe. As a curator for the AP and IB art show, Young has shown her leadership and creativity for the show’s themes and decorations. When Young leaves RM, she will have
# 1 M o o n r i s e M u s i c F e s t i va l August 6 and 7 P i m l i c o R a c e C o u r s e, B a l t i m o re. Moonrise Music Festival is a must-see for any local EDM fan. Previous year’s lineups have included hit artists such as Porter Robinson, Bassnectar, The Glitch Mob, and Dillon Francis. Although this year’s lineup has not yet been released, it promises to be at least as exciting.
# 2 T w e n t y o n e p i lo t s Ju n e 1 0 M e r r i we at h e r Po s t Pav i l i o n Tyler Joseph and Josh Dun are perhaps two of the most energetic performers when it comes to live music. After playing two sold-out shows at Echostage last year, the duo will return to the DMV once again, this time to Merriweather Post Pavilion, as one of the stops on their Emotional Roadshow Tour. This event is open to all ages.
# 3 L o g i c f e at . D i z z y W r i g h t M a rc h 3 1 Echostage Having just released one of the most successful hip-hop albums of 2015, Logic will be making a stop at the popular DC music venue Echostage for his “Incredible World Tour.” Teaming up with another rapper, Dizzy Wright, this is a concert that will surely satisfy any hip hop fan.
#4 Justin Bieber PHOTO BY SYLLIA NEWSTEAD
A watercolor by Young is multifaceted, using color and pattern to convey her message. ceramics to be more challenging and [it] requires a lot of passion and hard work,” she said. According to Young, her favorite artist is “Mucha, who was a feminist artist that painted very gracefully.” This highlights her diverse interests and abilities. All this is aimed at one goal - “I plan on going to art school and [becoming] an animator,” Young said. With such an array of skills, she seems almost destined to find success in that field. Despite her undeniable talent, art teach-
left both a substantial body of work, as well as many important lessons for other students. She advised other artists, “What I think of as my biggest mistakes are actually what people really appreciate about my artwork. Even when you make a mistake, you should keep going.” But what those around her know is that she exemplifies what the best type of person, artist or not, should be like. Not only does she pursue her own dreams, but she helps others do the same for themselves.
April 29 Ve r i z o n C e n t e r After releasing his fourth studio album, Purpose, Canadian pop artist Justin Bieber will be making a stop in DC as part of his Purpose World Tour. The tour was announced in late 2015 and will include over 114 stops spanning North America and Europe.
# 5 D i p lo Ju n e 1 8 t h Echostage One half of Jack Ü, and one half of Major Lazer, famous EDM producer Diplo will be coming to DC this summer to perform at Echostage. With new music rumored to be in the works, this show will definitely be one fans will not want to miss. This event is only open to those 18 or older.
Mrs. Weaver passes lifelong love of ceramics to classes by Albert Zhang
The moment you step into room 45 in the basement of Richard Montgomery, you will hear the indistinct chatter of students and comfortable music in the background, and smell the earthy aroma of clay. Welcome to Mrs. Weaver’s ceramics classroom. Mrs. Weaver has taught students ceramics for over 15 years, but her first experience with clay was less than pleasant. “I have a funny story about ceramics. I took a ceramics class in college, and I hated it. It was 15 weeks and it was the worst class I had taken,” she admitted. “The teacher didn’t teach us really, we had to work on the wheel, so we had to create a set of dishes and it was really difficult because there was no instruction on how to get better. When I walked out of that class, I said to myself, ‘I never want to touch clay again.’” However, during one eventful summer, Mrs. Weaver returned to ceramics — not as a college student, but as a teacher. The year before she began teaching, Mrs. Weaver worked as a nanny. “In the summer I needed something to do because the kids went away for camp, so I started teaching at the Holton Arms School, teaching ceramics and the potter’s wheel,” she said. Along the way, the more she taught those students, the more she learned herself, and the more she fell in love with ceramics. “I like clay because it is a more immediate form of art — everything is in stages — but I feel I can get the result quicker with clay. I like organic and geometric shapes, I’m always looking for those shapes as I’m driving,” said Mrs. Weaver. “I would have rather been an artist, but I couldn’t support myself, and my parents were not about supporting me, so I needed
to pick something where I would be able around a table, and demonstrates how to or just the freedom of molding clay into any to do art and also support myself,” she do a certain technique at the beginning of shape or form, ceramics can be a cathartic remarked. Teaching was the solution that each class, such as multi-faceted slab-vases, form of relaxation. she could use to immerse herself in the or the “tumor method,” where massive Mrs. Weaver used to teach at VisArts, world of ceramics while being able to make bubbles are pushed out from the inside of an art center, where she taught adults the a living. regular bowls or vases. basics of ceramics. She noted that, “These Soon after her summer at Holton Arms, Sophomore Mady Corrigan professionals that work for the government, Mrs. Weaver earned a masters in ceramics said, “I was signed up for doctors, nurses, they would come back to from Towson University, and became chorus at the beginning ceramics for stress release.” officially certified to teach at colleges freshman year, went for Corrigan put it this way: “I liked how and high schools. Something she ended a day, and disliked it. So free we were to be creative, but my favorite up hating in college is now what she I went to my counselor, part is probably just seeing something I’ve does for a living. “I’ve now taught and said, ‘Hey, why not built up with my fingies become something ceramics for 17 years,” she said. ceramics!’ As I took the tangible. I’m not sure how to put it… it’s Most students enter Mrs. Weaver’s class, I realized how meditative.” ceramics class unsure of what pottery much I really enjoyed Above all, Mrs. Weaver’s favorite part of holds in store for them. working with clay.” teaching ceramics is interacting with her Senior Mac Morgan, who Ceramics, for those who students. According to Corrigan, “Mrs. has taken ceramics with Mrs. learn its craft, is another Weaver is harsh because she wants our Weaver for over two way for people to projects to turn out well, but she’s funny years now, said, express themselves. and has great artistic sense.” “I was convinced Whether it is the Morgan said, ”If you’re ever struggling anything I touched pottery smoothly with anything she’ll come over and was going to be taking form over the personally help you. She’s enthusiastic, complete trash, spinning and crazy at the same time.” but over the last wheel, “It’s the kids,” Mrs. Weaver said with a two years I’ve smile. “It’s all the crazy things they say and become do. Just the other day, they referred to me pretty good as ‘the goat’. As a joke, I made a tile that at it! I’ve says, ‘The Goat’. I was hesitant in asking come to them what it meant but I asked them appreciate anyway, and they said: ‘Greatest Of art more.” All Time.’” As a teacher, Mrs. Weaver not only inspires an increased appreciation for art, but she also helps students discover their own artistic talent. On a regular day, Mrs. Weaver PHOTO BY SAMARA LANGSAM gathers all the students together Mrs. Weaver has spent years cultivating her ceramics skills, resulting in many pieces as creative as these pots.
18
The Tide
FEATURES
March 2016
From the gym to the office, Fahrner legacy lives on by Fatmata Barrie From Roy Lester to the Mr. RM competition, RM has developed traditions and nurtured legends that have shaped the school’s history and have had a positive impact on the lives of current students. One of these legends is Mr. John Fahrner, a current health teacher, coach, and RM alumnus, most known for leading the school’s spirited pep rallies. Mr. Fahrner translates this enthusiasm into his daily life at school by giving students high fives and being constantly decked out in black and gold apparel. Just one floor above the gym is where his daughter, Mrs. Julie Fahrner-Swenson, works in the main office as a secretary. Students often hear her voice every day giving the morning or afternoon announcements. Their relationship is known throughout the school due to the long line of Fahrners that have walked the schools of Rockville. “We aren’t the only Fahrners. There’s dad’s dad,” Mrs. Fahrner-Swenson pointed out. “My father was the vice principal of Julius West Middle School,” Mr. Fahrner said.
“1956 was my first day at RM. I was three years old and my dad had to be here. It was the first day I ran onto that gym floor.” - Mr. Fahrner
by Hallie Kay and Charlotte Hirsch The student government at RM is an exceptional and integral part of our school. They work behind the scenes to produce school events, plan fundraisers, and help the school administrators. As a collective body, the SGA and its members strive for excellence and work tirelessly to make necessary as well as beneficial changes. Without them, our school would be missing a vital part. The SGA has been making great strides to better our community both inside and outside of RM. “We’ve organized numerous community service projects, pep rallies, and school events,” sophomore Treasurer Kyle Zhu noted. “Among our largest project is our fundraiser for the Polkadot Library in Kenya, which is an effort to create a physical library location in Kenya for which we were able to raise more than 2000 books under a school competition.” Unfortunately, many SGA members feel that their work is going unnoticed by the student body. “So far, the SGA has done a decent job, with a very successful Senior Unity Day,” junior class President Veeraj Majethia remarked. “However, it is my perception that most of the school has still not seen changes made, such as my proposed dress code revision and an improvement in locks on stalls.” The SGA wants to make sure the students both know what they are planning and
In fact, it was because of Mr. Fahrner’s father that he first came to the home of the Rockets. “Basically, 1956 was my first day at RM. I was three years old and my dad had to be here. It was the first day I ran onto that gym floor.” After elementary and middle school, Mr. Fahrner attended RM, where he played basketball. “In 1971, I played on that floor. Then I got to coach basketball on that floor. So that floor is very important to me,” he said. “I’ve been involved with Richard Montgomery off and on since 1956. That was a long time ago. And I know every sports team and every person that’s ever done anything with sports. I’m an RM historian because I’ve been here. We are black and gold. I am black and gold. And so is she.” Despite being a self-proclaimed Rocket herself, Mrs. Fahrner-Swenson never actually attended RM. “I went to Seneca Valley. But I always felt a part of Richard Montgomery even though I didn’t go there,” she explained. “I got to hear stories about my dad being at RM and all the cool things he would do and all the cool people he met, but I never got to see that in person. Like the pep rallies, I always heard that he would MC them but I never got to see that in person until I started working here. Now, I not only get hang out with my dad for longer, but I get to see what he’s talking about I think it makes things better.” One of the things that Mrs. FahrnerSwenson has waited for years to be a part of is the St. Patrick’s Day celebration at RM. “That’s one of the things I was really looking forward to by being in the same school as Dad: actually seeing what he did on St. Patrick’s Day,” she recalled. “He would always call me and go ‘Jules, I’m dancing in the hall!’ And I never got to see it, but now, I can be a part of it.” “I would always have my boombox and security is chasing me all over the place. But I only stay four minutes, that’s my
secret,” said Mr. Fahrner of his role in the celebration. “By the time teachers call for security, I’m gone. The key is to pick a four minute song.” Even though the Fahrners have traditions that are popular among RM students, between themselves, they can both agree that their favorite moments occur during their day-to-day lives. “Inside of school, my favorite moments are any moments I got to share with people, with kids,” said Mr. Fahrner. They both have a genuine love for both staff and students at RM and a desire to help them. For Mrs. Fahrner-Swenson, this may be because of how vividly she remembers the highs and lows of her own high school experience. “If I could go back [to high school], I would just be myself. I don’t have to care much about what everyone else thought,” she said. “Working at a school, I
can tell there are people who feel the same way and I just want to tell them to be you, be unique, be who you are.” Of course, the Fahrners’ caring nature had blossomed long before coming to RM. Their love for students came from adventures that they experienced, and wanting to give those same adventure opportunities to other students. They could both agree that their favorite memories were born with Mr. Fahrner’s simple question: “You wanna go for a ride?” “From the earliest time, [my kids] chose to take adventures over mundane things because they knew it would always be an adventure,” Mr. Fahrner said about his family’s trips to the arcade, park, or even just 7-Eleven. “The daily adventures we’ve had since she was a kid, and the adventures today, and the adventures we are going to have are the best memories. Treasure the
feel like they are involved in the school’s events. “Our goals [for the rest of this year] include organizing more fundraisers, planning for the talent show and dances, such as the RM Whiteout Dance on March 18, and more,” Zhu explained. “I am also
with the school’s administrative team. Representatives work with administration to put change into effect and to get support of the faculty. “Without the help of our beloved Ms. Furr and Mrs. Kellinger, absolutely none of what we do would
why they joined the student government. “I found out just by talking to fellow classmates that they think SGA does very little these days in regards to actual change, and often these people are unintentionally excluded from SGA. I ran to be the apathetic majority’s voice, because I just was always a part of it,” Majethia explained. Sophomore class president Alex Abrosimov had a similar backstory. “I ran for SGA at first because I thought it was just a fun thing to do,” he explained. “I took it lightheartedly, but when I got in and saw the systematic problems I stepped up to the challenge. I’ve been working to reform the SGA ever since.” SGA would be incomplete without our beloved mascot: Richie the Rocket. A cloud of mystery and intrigue surrounds Richie the Rocket, provoking the question asked time and time again: Who is really inside that that costume? Lee humorously remarked, “Nobody has ever seen the man/ woman behind the costume, but there are rumors that the inside smells like unicorn hair, tears of the sun, and Axe body spray.” Junior Proma Rahman wishes to keep the mystery alive: “I will not reveal who I believe is in the mascot, but I will say that the mascot is doing an amazing job, is very devoted and shows a lot of spirit. I commend the person in the mascot costume to devote his or her time and effort to our school.” The SGA clearly plays a crucial role in our Rocket pride and spirit. We have the SGA to thank for our dances, fundraisers, pep rallies, and Richie the Rocket legends.
PHOTO BY MADDIE FRANKE
Coach Fahrner and Mrs. Fahrner-Swenson continue their adventures together at RM.
PHOTO COURTESY OF RM SGA
The SGA organized a successful canned food drive in October to help those in need. working on a project to have a 2016 outdoor spring pep rally for the first time in many years to bring attention to our spring sports and get hyped.” A crucial part of SGA is their everyday interaction and cooperation
be possible,” Lee pointed out. “They’re really the glue that keeps us organized and on task, along with the help of our class advisors and other staff members who help us out here and there.” Different officers have different stories of
FEATURES
The Tide
March 2016
19
Pi Day brings out math department’s competitive spirit by Rachel Li
If you walk the halls of RM on Mar. 14, you can witness teachers in a hands-free pie-eating contest on Main Street, students running around RM attempting to solve math puzzles, and staff wearing crazy pi paraphernalia. This seemingly irrational mathematical holiday is known as Pi Day, since 3, 1, and 4, are the first three significant digits of pi. Pi Day originated in 1988 at the San Francisco Exploratorium, when physicist Larry Shaw and other staff marched around one of the exploratorium’s circular spaces and consumed fruit pies. Pi Day has since become an international celebration. At RM, one of the most interesting Pi Day activities is the pie-eating contest on Main Street run by the RM Math Honor Society. A bunch of teachers dress up in pi gear, gather on Main Street and attempt to eat quarter pieces of pie with no hands. The teacher who finishes their slice first gets a crown and major bragging rights. Any teacher can join, but the main math teachers who participate are Mr. Goetz, Mr. Chase, and Mrs. McDonald. Mr. Chase has won the pie-eating contest twice, Mr. Mallory, a science teacher, won once, and Mr. Monteleone won in 2015. “Mr. Monteleone came out and wasted us all last year, it was amazing,” explained math teacher John Chase. “So he’s the one to beat this year. “ The first year of the pie-eating contest in 2010 was marked by mistakes that the RM Math Honor Society then corrected for future years. That year, they used whole pies, which Mr. Chase called “the worst mistake ever.” Eating a whole pie took about ten minutes, and some of the teachers felt sick afterwards. Since then, RM has switched to using quarter pies, which has been much more effective and time-efficient, with the contest lasting about two minutes. Another mistake that year was using
custard pies. “Mr. Chase, Mrs. McDonald, and Mr. Goetz just about hurled,” math teacher Laura Goetz explained. “It was really difficult for them to teach, they all had stomachaches.” The pie-eating contest brings out a fun, competitive edge to our favorite RM math
Of course, racing to scarf down pie before your enemies can make you feel queasy. “It doesn’t make you feel great,” complained Mr. Chase. “It’s a sacrifice really, for the sake of mathematical awareness.” The pie-eating contest is definitely an RM tradition. “It doesn’t matter what
PHOTO COURTESY OF LAURA GOETZ
Every year since 2010, the Math Honor Society has held a Pi Day eating contest on Mar. 14. teachers. “One year, Mrs. McDonald, Mr. math level or grade you’re in,” Girish said. Chase, and Mr. Goetz threw pie at each “Everybody just goes down and watches other and tried to interrupt each other,” it.” recounted senior and Math Honor Society In addition to the pie-eating contest, Mr. officer Akanksha Girish. “It showed how Chase, seniors Kevin Ying and Chris Lee, the teachers are just as friendly as the and junior Jason Zhao run a Pi Day Puzzle students, and it brings a different side Hunt. Inspired by MIT’s puzzle hunt, the to them that we don’t really see in the Washington Post hunt, and Montgomery classroom. They’re a lot of fun,” she added. Blair High School’s puzzle challenge, RM Mrs. McDonald is notoriously known organized its first pi day puzzle hunt in for bending the rules. Some of her most 2015. The hunt consists of 6 to 8 puzzles notable shenanigans have been throwing that take teams of 4 all over the school and pie at and spraying whipped cream on on the Internet to solve math puzzles. other participants, using a candelabra, and The puzzle hunt does not in fact require wearing a smock. “To be fair, at that point higher level math skills; in fact, people of she’s so far behind that there’s no way she any grade and math level can participate. can catch up,” Girish joked. “It’s meant to make you think laterally,
make you think about puzzles, not just about mathematics,” Mr. Chase explained. “People from a bunch of different grade levels come in groups. It just brings the whole school together,” Girish added. Due to the success of the 2015 puzzle hunt, the leaders are planning on expanding the hunt for this year. Last year we had 33 teams, I think, so hopefully we’ll get 50 teams this year. We’ll get like the whole school doing it,” Mr. Chase said optimistically. As if the pie-eating contest and the Pi Day Puzzle Hunt weren’t enough to foster a competitive spirit, RM also runs another Pi Day competition. Math Honor Society has a competition between first period classes on RMBC. As you might have guessed, the prize is pie. A lot of math teachers at RM will invite their students to bring edible round items to class, especially pie. In addition to bringing in food, students and teachers celebrate when the clock reaches 1:59 PM and 26 seconds, which are the next five digits after 3.14. “We don’t mess around in the math department,” Mr. Chase said. Many teachers also show a video made by Mrs. McDonald about interesting pi facts. Pi Day is one of the only mathematical holidays. “There’s not too many days that we get as math people, to celebrate,” Mrs. Goetz explained. “It gives us an opportunity to advertise mathematics since it’s in the public eye so much,” Mr. Chase added. While Pi Day can be a serious educational event, it also gives teachers an excuse to have even more fun with their favorite subject. “It’s a chance to be silly in a mathematical way,” Mrs. McDonald commented. The Goetzes do not save their pi enthusiasm just for Mar. 14. “When we were on a softball team pi was my number,” Mrs. Goetz explained. “And Mr. Goetz was 3.14 because he’s really close to pi.” Whether it’s watching the pie-eating contest, solving math puzzles, or simply celebrating in class, there is something to do on Pi Day for everyone at RM.
Building services team on their families and passions by Irene Park Behind a set of heavy black doors in the corner of the cafeteria, you can find the building services office, furnished like a living room where anyone can immediately feel at home. It is a place that not many students know exist, but it is here that you can find some of the most valuable members of the Richard Montgomery community: our building service team members. Throughout the day, the building service team works hard to ensure that the quality of the building matches the quality of the people it houses. However, few of us know them for more than what they do at RM. Unbeknownst to the general community, they have had business
PHOTO BY MONA LEE
Mr. Collin Smith played cricket in Jamaica.
careers in the past, come from El Salvador, jam out to Bob Marley, and love bike riding. Mr. Guillermo Palacios is just one of the many building service members that have lived a life outside the United States. A native of Peru, Mr. Palacios immigrated to the U.S. after his children grew up. However, he is planning to retire in a few months and move back. “Especially in this area, it’s very expensive,” he explained. “When you retire, it’s very difficult. In my case, I’m going back to Peru because my children are there and they need me.” Back in Peru, Mr. Palacios worked as a manager at a car shop for 27 years and is considering picking up on business again once he returns. “I’m 67 right now, but I still have my hands full with things to do. It’s good because you always need to think ahead to the future,” he said. Likewise, Mrs. Rosa Fuentes is also a native of Latin America -- El Salvador to be specific. “I loved the fish, the mountains, the nature, the culture there,” she said. However, Mrs. Fuentes and her family immigrated to the U.S. in hopes of a better future. “When I was younger, everything was bright and happy,” she said. “But now everything is chaotic and there’s war, so many people are coming to America. And the education is a lot better here.” Education played a large role in her decision, because aside from her job at RM, Mrs. Fuentes serves full-time as the proud mother of four boys. The oldest is set to graduate from Montgomery College this May, while the other three boys still attend grade school: Northwood High School, Col. E. Brooke Lee Middle School, and Arcola Elementary School, respectively. Meanwhile, Mr. Tyrone Lee, another one of our building service workers, is as devoted to his own family as Mrs. Fuentes is to hers. Spending time with his two daughters, in addition to bike riding, is his
PHOTO BY MONA LEE
Mrs. Fuentes chose to immigrate to the US for access to better education for her four sons. favorite pastime. Nevertheless, Mr. Lee is just as enthusiastic about what he does in school as outside of it. In fact, he labels being employed by MCPS the most memorable thing that has happened to him. “[I started working for MCPS] back in the early 90s, and I tried to do the best I could when it came to supporting staff and students,” he said. Mr. Lee says he sometimes puts on a front that does not quite match his personality .“Something interesting about myself that not many people know is that I’m a really understanding person,” he said. “I believe in doing the right thing and being fair and honest.” For Mr. Collin Smith, working at RM is great, but so is everything about his home
country. Eighteen years ago, Mr. Smith was living in Jamaica, which he calls “the land of the Reggae.” As a boy in Jamaica, Mr. Smith did not partake in the normal baseball or football culture known here in America, but played cricket instead. However, he is really into quintessential American sports now and enjoys watching them in his free time. Mr. Smith’s favorite part about RM? “How respectful the kids are and how they interact with our building service staff,” he said. And about Jamaica? “Our coolness and our sunshine, mon.” After years at this school, many of us have never held a conversation with a building service member before. It seems about time to change that.
20 The Tide
FEATURES
March 2016
Rocket TAs discuss program’s successful launch by Laura Chang and Aneeta Ashton Teachers do not nearly get enough credit for all the work they do. Dedicating countless hours to ensuring that students are engaged and ready to learn is a lofty task, and they often need a helping hand to shoulder some of the weight. But who are these people working alongside teachers, making sure that all students are accounted for? Teaching assistants and student aides. “A student aide is someone who provides assistance to the teacher,” said Junior Bryony Hollingsworth, who aides for Mr. Rogers’ personal fitness class. “They help them out with things that they may not have time for.” Student aides often help teachers with administrative and organizational duties. “I pass out papers from time to time, collect papers when she needs me to, and put away books or other classroom equipment,” said junior Rohann Asfaw, who is an aide for Ms. Contino’s health class.
GRAPHIC BY VALENCIA FU
Anyone can become a student aid, as long as they have a gap in their schedule. Most often, student aides are juniors or seniors who have already fulfilled their necessary credits. Although aides do not receive graduation credit for their work, they get 10 SSL hours for each semester.
Even though their assigned tasks may be simple., student aides often have a close bond with their teachers and a passion for the class they support. Sophie ElMasry, who is an aide with Hollingsworth, explained, “I’ve been an athlete for all four years of my high school career, so I really love to see people love fitness as much as I do and encourage them to become better.” Student aides also find that assisting in for a class can pique their interest in the subject, or make them enjoy it even more than they did before. Junior Isis Corbett is an aide for social studies teacher Mrs. Lyons, and her interest in the subject area has not diminished at all. “I’m really interested in the functions of the government and the ways that I can be a part of it.” People often mix up student aides and teaching assistants, but Rocket Teaching Assistants, also known as RTAs, are part of a separate program that began just this year. Assistant principal Ms. Heidler, along with Ms. O’Brien, spearhead the program at RM. “We created program materials for the RTA model based on similar programs at other high schools in the MCPS,” said Mrs. Heidler. Originally, they planned for a staff member to coordinate the program, but due to the staffing allocation last year that resulted in the loss of 10 to 15 classes, Ms. Heidler took over the role of coordinator,. Ms. O’Brien continues to assist her with the implementation of the program. The RMHS TA program introduces teaching as a profession to upperclassmen. The requirements for becoming an RTA are more rigorous than those for student aides -- RTAs are selected through an application process requiring two teacher recommendations and a GPA of 3.5 or higher. They, like student aides, have to be passionate about the subject they help out in, but they also must have previously passed the class with an A or B and passed any state assessments for that course. “In all cases I have observed with feedback from teachers [and] students,
RTAs consistently contribute in a positive way to the classroom environment,” Ms. Heidler said. “They circulate to answer questions, provide [one-to-one] assistance and feedback, and check in with students to get to know them better.”
PHOTO BY TAYLOR BALFOUR
Rocket TAs and student aides provide valuable assistance to teachers in classes. Senior Devin Bajaj, an RTA in Ms. Starks’ Principles of Engineering class, noted, “I look over all of the assignments, actively help with classwork and lessons, and I’ve even written a few test questions.” In addition to assisting teachers during class, RTAs must complete additional training requirements. “I attend seminars about teaching and write weekly logs and reflections about their activities,” Bajaj said. RTAs certainly take on a challenging role, and they earn a grade since the experience counts as an internship with 0.5 credit each semester. The level of collaboration
with their cooperating teacher has been outstanding as they work together to make lessons more engaging, experiment with new strategies, and support individual student learning needs and styles. “I hope that many other students at RMHS will give this program a try,” Ms. Heidler said. Both teaching assistants and student aides are valuable assets to the classroom., as chemistry teacher Jerry Turner is pleased with both programs. “They have a direct impact on the quality of my instruction,” he said. “Both TAs and SAs afford me the time to provide immediate meaningful feedback and develop more individualized instruction,” Mr. Turner added. “When I don’t have an aide, I have to use more of my personal time to complete all that’s asked of me.” Ms. Contino agreed: “I find them useful since I am the yearbook advisor and senior sponsor with lots of responsibilities. They help contribute to class talks with their own life experiences and make us laugh at times. I truly appreciate their help since I have a lot of different activities that I need to accomplish for the school.” These supportive students walk away feeling like they have left their class a little better than they found it. Bajaj explained, “I struggled with [POE] a lot. With extra help, I know I could’ve grasped a lot more of the material, so I wanted to see if I could make things easier for students like me.” Bajaj plans to study engineering in college and being an RTA in an engineering class helps him become more familiar with the concepts, which will give him a great start in college. “It’s a fulfilling thing [to see] a student who’s confused and helping them get it right,” Bajaj reflected. Being an RTA or a student aide is also a positive change from the normal school schedule. Hollingsworth said, “In school, you’re always using the same skills, so it’s a refreshing part of your school day.” Both programs give students a chance to lend a hand to teachers and enrich others’ learning experiences.
Forensics members investigate invaluable life skills by Maureen Zeufack Forensics is a club drawing students from all walks of life. Participants compete in a diverse array of speaking events ranging from persuasive and informative speeches, to dramatic interpretation of plays and monologues. For freshman Rose Kelly, it was through drama club that she chose to try forensics. “I started with drama because I have a background in theater and when I did well in that I tried humor and prose,” she said. On the other hand, freshman Ummara Khan discovered her passion through her love of children’s literature. “It’s always fun reading books from your childhood with funny voices,” she explained. Thursday afternoons during lunch, the forensics team gathers in Room 248, Ms. Christine Kraus’ room. As the team gets farther into the season, the reasons for their meetings change: recently, club members who were finalists for the upcoming competition met to discuss details. During the meeting, a smiling Ms. Kraus walked to the front of the classroom, briefing the students on the competition. She then goes into the specifics such as who was competing in which competition, and at what time. Assistant coach Mr. Wright pitched in too, making little comments as Ms. Kraus spoke. Ms. Kraus and one or two of experienced team members urged the other students to prepare, but also to take a deep breath and relax, as they’ve gotten this far. The hard work and dedication of the club has clearly paid off in their season so far. Ms. Kraus spoke of the team’s stellar rise in ranking: “We are currently ranked third in the county,” she said proudly. This is a major difference from when she
first became coach. “In my four years as coach, we have gone from ranking 12th in the county competition, with only two students at Awards Night, to having a club membership of around 70 students, with 11 students competing in 20 events at this year’s finals competition this weekend,” she explained. Mirroring the growth in club size and accolades are the increasing benefits that come from competing in forensics. “I’ve grown as a performer, and it’s encouraged me to take risks,” said Kelly. Junior William Wong echoed this sentiment. “[I] make better use of eye contact, [use] hand gestures effectively to emphasize a point without being overly dramatic, and [know] how to create a presentation so that it hooks in the listener,” he said. Khan mentioned that the club has taught her how to better conduct herself in everyday life as well. “I think I’m so much more comfortable speaking in front of people now, which is a really valuable skill in high school and life.” Seniors who have been a part of the club for years continue to see its benefits. “I’ve taken the deconstructive approach I learned in forensics and applied it to every major problem I’ve faced since,” added senior Raja Ramesh. While each member had a different favorite part of their experiences in Forensics club, it was evident that every one of them had discovered something valuable. “I am competitive and really enjoy working with students who are excellent competitors,” said Ms. Kraus. “It’s the performing aspect,” said Kelly. “It’s wonderful. I’ve really started to adopt the characters. The ten minutes performing feels like two.” However, it was Khan’s response that truly conveyed the value of Forensics as not just a club, but as a team of friends, and
PHOTO COURTESY OF VALENCIA FU
Forensics members work together to prepare eloquent presentations and performances. even a family. “My favorite thing about forensics, aside from competing, is the people,” she said. “All the upperclassmen are super supportive and there is just a really friendly feel around everyone.” Freshmen and seniors alike have the chance to become close and learn from one another. “My favorite thing about this club would be having the opportunity to hang out with friends at tournaments and to talk to and meet new people during and in between competition rounds,” said Wong. Forensics is definitely an enjoyable experience, but it also requires hard work and dedication. “I am always preparing potentially interesting topics by noting potential topics on my phone as I read various things,” Ramesh stated. “At the beginning of the year, I point
them at books we have in the Media Center as well as web sites,” explained Ms. Kraus. “I may guide them into choosing a category. I coach them as well.” Ms. Kraus commended Mr. Wright as well, an experienced judge and excellent coach from RM. Besides the adult sponsors, the Forensics officers play a large role in the success of their members. “In regards to preparation, the officers do a good job with reaching out to members, especially new members, and offering help,” said Wong. It is clear that the Forensics club is a tightly knit unit. They work independently and together to prepare eloquent presentations. Forensics is an amazing for these students to express themselves, meet others, and learn invaluable life lessons.
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March 2016
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The Tide
SPORTS
March 2016
Volleyball teams get set for upcoming season by Hannah Greco and Philip Miljanic In the world of high school sports, football and basketball typically receive most of the attention from the community, while other sports fade into the background. Despite this, both of RM’s volleyball teams compete at a high level, making it to playoffs on a seemingly annual basis. The two teams vary in subtle ways, but both are looking forward to the upcoming season. The boys volleyball team anticipates a successful season this year, working to improve team communication and unity on the court. Senior captain Jeffrey Chang remarked, “This is the first year we’re returning most of our starting line up. We all played with each other last year, so we should be able to understand our play styles and connect with each other very fluidly this year.” Although the team dynamic may shift minutely, the team will likely maintain its continued quality play. “You can definitely expect a better team than last year, as we didn’t lose many players and have some new talent coming in,” junior Eric Tao agreed. In contrast, without a strong returning base to support it, the coed volleyball team is looking forward to a season of new faces and changing dynamics.
Senior Matt Manco commented, “Players are constantly changing. We lost a great amount of players last year as they graduated and moved on to the future.” However, senior Abigail Hernandez is confident in the team’s resilience and adaptability to these new changes. “From previous years we always have a great group of guys and girls who bond and work together to make each other better,” Hernandez said. Regardless of the shift in team members, the two teams remain confident as they continue to display support and unity. Hernandez noted, “The girls who have played on varsity in the fall and also play coed always try to help those who might be new to the sport to make them feel welcome and better their skills.” Tao echoed this sentiment with regards to the boys team, saying, “As we get to know each other and play with each other more often, I think the team environment definitely improve[s]. We always manage to incorporate the newer players into the group.” Though neither team has any preseason workouts, both teams possess a strong determination that pushes them to improve their skills. “We’ve been trying to improve general work ethic as we were kind of lax last year. A lot of our players have joined club and play volleyball outside the school
to improve their own skills in order to make a strong showing this year,” Tao said. While the assumption may be that the gender differences between the two teams would affect the level of play, this is not the case. Manco explained, “Both [the coed and the boys] teams put in just the same amount of work and devote [them]selves completely to the sport... the girls are equally as talented, if not more, than some of the guys.” In terms of rules, subtle differences exist between the two sports. With six players on the court, in both sports, the ball can be touched three times before being returned over the net. For the boys team there are no rules about who can be on the court at one time. However, on the coed team, three of the six people on the court must be girls. Additionally, a girl must be one of the three touches before the ball before it is sent over the net. With fierce competition in the sport, the Rockets continue to demonstrate a high standard of excellence. The boys’ two biggest rivals are Wootton HS and Sherwood HS, but the team is returning with high aspirations. Junior captain Jack English elaborated, “Last year our playoff run was cut off short by a disappointing performance, and this year we’d like to win it all.” The coed team also plans
to make an appearance in the playoffs by challenging rival Clarksburg HS. “[Our record last year] got us to the first round of playoffs. Unfortunately, we only
would be awesome, and it’s a fun sport to play and watch so I’m sure they’d have a blast!” Manco agreed, adding, “Volleyball is a sport just like any
PHOTO BY MONA LEE
Junior Eli Horn prepares to set the volleyball to his teammate. made it that far. But we didn’t make it easy for the opposing team,” Manco remarked. With boys volleyball making it to the quarterfinals and the coed team making it to the first round of playoffs last year, both teams show amazing talent and potential for the future. One thing the team would like to see improve is the attendance at games. “We’d love to have more people come to our games!” Hernandez explained. “Having students and teachers and administration there to support
other and it would be nice to get more of the RM community to show up to games, cheer us on, and live the game as we do. The fans are crucial, we need all the support of the RM community to push us through the season and make each game as lit as possible,” Manco agreed. The two teams are eager for the upcoming season as a test of their strength and unity as a team. Both teams start at Blake on March 21. With the growing support of the RM community, it might be the best one yet.
Basketball claims Rogers shares coaching style 4A boys division six state championships. He also achieved an All-American time at nationals and set a schoolwide mile record. He continued to run track at Clemson until an unfortunate accident caused him to break the bones in both of his feet, causing an end to his career. Despite the troubles he faced, he knew he would never fully leave track. “I always knew that I would be a coach and come back at some point,” Rogers said. As a result of his decorated career, Rogers used to have extremely high expectations of his athletes. “I used to be really hard on the kids to make sure they did everything they’re supposed to do.” Rogers said, “Now, it’s more like getting them to be their best no matter what level they’re on, for them to be as good as they can be.” However, his more moderate approach to coaching does not mean that he is lowering his standards; he still demands hard work and perseverance
from his runners, and requires a certain level of discipline. by Kevin Hu He understands that there is a difference between the students He stares intently at the path, that are naturally gifted and the waiting for the next group of others that are just looking to runners to come through. His eyes improve. “I look for hard work instinctively flick to his watch, [...] I mean, obviously kids are checking the minutes slowly going to have talent, and the kids passing by. After another cursory that have talent and work hard glance, he relaxes and focuses are going to be really, really good. back on the path. Suddenly, a But […] in like track and cross lean, tall figure speeds by in country, especially cross country, a blur. In disbelief, he leans kids are out there to get better, forward to get a better look. The not out there to be superstars,” figure starts to materialize and he Rogers concluded. instantly recognizes his face. He His coaching style is clearly jumps up and starts cheering as reflected in the attitudes of junior Rohann Asfaw, one of his his runners. Senior Sophie Elrunners, finished in 6th place at Masry explained, “He’s tough the East Regionals Cross Country on everyone at first [...] because Championships. he wants all of his runners to be It was during that moment, disciplined regardless of their Coach Davy Rogers knew he skill set coming in. Once you’ve had witnessed something truly shown that you can work hard memorable. and you’re as dedicated as he As a runner, Rogers ran for is, that’s when you see more RM’s varsity track and cross of the lighthearted joking from country teams, helping them to him during practices.” Junior Simon Liu added, “He gives his attention to the athletes that are dedicated and respectful.” During Asfaw’s freshman year, he was afraid of finishing a set in front the upperclassmen. Asfaw explained, “When I told him that, he looked me in the eyes and told me to never prevent myself from reaching my full potential.” Rogers works hard every day to balance his life to make sure he has time for his runners. He has a family and three children to take care of, and his regular PHOTO BY MADDIE FRANKE teaching job. Rogers doesn’t work Coach Rogers guides his runners during a workout at practice. miracles, he works hard.
by Syllia Newstead and Eric Goldstein
Despite the unfortunate end to the season against Blair, the boys basketball team built a name for themselves. The boys managed to clinch first in the 4A boys division even with the major setbacks they faced including injuries to key players and the hassle of repairing the RM gym. Senior Krishia Examen, a student managers, explained, “Injuries haven’t affected us so much. Joseph [Contreras] got injured and he was out for a week... but he was able to bounce back. Julian Stover got injured and he was out for about two games, but he is healed...Seth [Nosanchuk] got injured and he’s out for the season but I feel like the boys are still strong.” Nosanchuk’s injury also serves as a valuable lesson to the rest of the team. “It shows that we have to take care of our bodies, and if anything, it is giving us strength to do this for him and make us strong [to] push towards the end of the season,”senior Jonathan Custodio commented. The tight-knit nature of the team is what caused their persistence through the losses and the injuries. “No one really distributes as much as us and is as unselfish as us,” Coach Breslaw asserted. Senior Daniel Alexander added, “I think it is a whole team effort. It’s based on trust and communication,” The communication within the team holds a major part in their success and defines the way they play out
on the court. Their success has also been recognized by other schools as well. Examen stated, “We were at Churchill a few weeks ago and the person who does the score board turned to me and said ‘How are
“We started out... the season as underdogs... I feel like we have come together as a team.” -Julian Stover you guys so good?’” As a result of all their hard work, the RM basketball team managed to make it to the second round of the playoffs. However, it was here where they suffered an unfortunate loss to Blair. During the first half of the game, the Rockets had a comfortable lead. Motivated and eager to win, their lead only extended from there, reaching a peak of 57-50. A hard push from Blair allowed them to close the game, Blair winning 60-58. The close loss to Blair was a devastating blow for the team; however, they’re not letting it keep them down. “We started out in the beginning of the season as underdogs... and I feel like we have come together as a team,” reflected senior player Julian Stover.
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SPORTS
The Tide
March 2016
RM football team tackles fear of concussions by Julia Kochman During the fall sports season, all eyes are on the Rockets football squad as they take on the rest of the county. As the student section, parents, and other fans watch the game, the players and coaches are focused on much more than just the outcome of the match. They have not only a desire to win, but also a desire to stay safe on the field. Head coach Josh Klotz proudly reported that of the eighty-eight student athletes in the football program this past season, there were only two who suffered from concussions. These numbers beat the odds and they have little to do with luck. The coaches put in numerous hours each and every day to come up with drills and exercises to keep the players safe. Sophomore and star wide receiver Daryn Alexander praised his coaches: “[The coaches] have taught me to keep my head up… they really care about us players and our safety.” Kathy Silverstein, mother of sophomore quarterback Spencer Silverstein, has full faith in the coaches. “I have one hundred percent confidence in our football coaches. They are very proactive when it comes to concussions, and that makes me feel a lot better,” she explained. The RM team has adopted the Seattle Seahawks method
of tackling, which helps keep the head out of the way. Klotz explained, “[This method] is very different from old school tackling and incorporates a lot of rugby elements.” Coach Klotz gives credit to RM’s athletic trainer, Tori Simonetti, for allowing him to focus on the game and not about the injury on hand. He explained, “[I thank] Tori for taking it out of my hands and not making me or any of the other coaches make the call on whether a kid has a concussion or not.” He added, “Any time a kid takes a blow to the head or is experiencing any concussion-like symptoms, [they] go right to her.” Simonetti explained that RM has a lot of success with concussion prevention because the players and coaches report any concussive symptoms directly to her as soon as they become aware of them. She elaborated, “The longer kids wait to tell me their symptoms after a big hit, the worse they are making it for themselves.” The players and coaches work together to learn the game of football, positioning, and common plays to help players become aware of what might happen or where a hit is going to come from. Coach Klotz pointed out, “Once players are familiarized with the sport, they can avoid unnecessary contact.” Klotz recalled how this became more important to RM football a few years ago. “A new player was
standing around a pile during play and got hit from his blind side,” he described. This player suffered a severe concussion, but sparked a new path for RM football. RM’s coaches and players try to instill he ideas of proper helmet safety as early as possible. Middle school students are encouaged to join their middle school football team so they can learn important skills and techniques to help them succeed on the field and stay safe at the same time. Booster club funding and the multiple fundraisers the football team holds each year go towards providing players with the best, most protective helmets they can afford. Klotz explained that these helmets were all given four or five star ratings from Virginia Tech. They also require players to wear mouth guards at all times. Alexander explained that he feels comfortable going out and playing, detailing, “Helmets have been developed to keep us safe and my hair is an extra cushion.” Players are also well-informed and aware of the severity of concussions and thus take precautions to avoid them. Senior Sebastian Romero has been lucky enough to not have sustained any concussions, even though he blocks on nearly every play of the game. He gives credit to off season workouts and neck strengthening. Romero said, “We start off season workouts in November and continue through the summer.”
He emphasized the importance of neck exercises. Romero continued, “We spend ten to fifteen minutes every day keeping our necks strong, so they can withstand more impact.” Many professional and collegiate football players are leaving the game of football, like University of Michigan linebacker
comfortable in what his coaches and teammates have taught him, leading him to have no worries on the field. Spencer Silverstein demonstrated his confidence, explaining, “The fear of concussions does not change the way I play my game.” Sophomore Adam Takura agreed with Spencer Silverstein:
PHOTO BY FRANK AVENILLA
RM football proudly takes the field with no fear of concussion. Jack Miller, who decided to forego “The raised awareness about his last year on the team because concussions cannot pull me away of the fear of concussions. “My from the game I love.” health and happiness is more The great program, coaching important than a game,” Miller and athletic training staff leave explained to ESPN. However, parents like Kathy Silverstein the players at RM feel safe and unafraid every Friday night. prepared when on the field, “I believe everything that can preventing exits such as Miller’s. be done is being done. I know The extensive precautions taken there are plenty of smart people on the field and the proactive working on even safer helmets, approach the coaches and trainers but so far the studies are mixed are taking with concussions allow on whether or not they are much this confidence on the field. better. So for now, I’m as confident Spencer Silverstein is as any mom can be.”
Rosenberg mixes future of lacrosse and service by Isabella Levine Senior lacrosse player Ben Rosenberg has been both a reliable scorer and leader for the varsity team since his sophomore year. In his high school career, he has scored twenty-three goals and has over seventeen assists, predominantly playing midfield and attack. With a calling to serve and talent on the field, next year Rosenberg will be found in Connecticut playing lacrosse for the Coast Guard Academy. Last summer and into fall, Rosenberg played for the Maryland Xtreme Lacrosse team, an elite club that competes in top tournaments all over the Bay rea. “Ben worked extremely hard during the off-season,” varsity lacrosse coach Steven Puhl said. Puhl is also Rosenberg’s coach on the Xtreme team. “As a player Ben stands out for his ability to score goals and he is generally one of the first to arrive and last to leave practices.” “I try to put all of my energy and time into lifting, working out, hitting the wall, and practicing,” said Rosenberg. As a captain, he helps out younger players and supports the team when it comes to additional practice, workout sessions, and boosting morale. “Ben’s a great captain,” said junior Ben Fishman. “He walks the walk, he puts in twice as much work, and it shows on the field.” Rosenberg frequently assists Coach Puhl with various clinics and programs for middle schoolers, reaching out to the four cluster elementary schools and Julius West Middle School. “Ben has been a huge advocate for the program by helping with
the younger players,” said Coach Puhl. The increased coaching at clinics and the recruitment of middle school players has resulted in a significant difference in the current freshman class. “Coach Puhl is definitely improving the program. I’m working with him closely... to make our lacrosse team better,” Rosenberg noted. Thanks to his extra practice, conditioning, and his time on the Xtreme team, he was accepted in November to play for the Coast Guard Academy. Being the smallest of the five military schools, with nine hundred students and eight majors, the Academy is extremely selective, with the recruitment process including a fitness test and recommendations from local politicians. “Going to a service academy, it’s hard to get in in the first place,” said Rosenberg. “I’m honored to be given this chance to get a free education and to play lacrosse for four more years. That’s a great deal.” “You are going through military training,” he added.
“You’re focused on that and good grades. It’s a very professional environment.” Despite the limited majors, every student is guaranteed five years of work after graduation. There’s a range of specific career options to consider, from Aviation to Medical Corps to Special Operations. Rosenberg hopes to achieve one of the more specialized positions: a position with TACLET, or Tactical Law Enforcement Teams. Comparable to Navy SEALs, TACLET is special operations, with the primary mission of securing the U.S. maritime border, conducting maritime law enforcement, and intercepting enemy forces or supplies. “I knew that I wanted to be in the military since I was a kid,” Rosenberg said. “I’ve always had a calling to serve.” Earning a position related to TACLET will require the hard work and leadership Rosenberg has already demonstrated throughout his lacrosse career. “His strengths are his work ethic and ability to stay motivated to improve,” said Coach Puhl. “He puts in a lot of practice and work
behind the scenes.” The same drive and willingness to develop his skills will ultimately propel Rosenberg all the way to his goals for service. Rosenberg advised, “If you get out on the field and you know
that you’ve worked harder than the guy who’s defending you, then you feel confident that you can beat him. I never underestimate anybody. I just do the best that I can. And that’s how I play lacrosse.”
Date
Game
3/21
Boys Varsity Tennis vs. Blake: 3:45 p.m.
3/21
Boys Varsity Volleyball @ Blake: 5:30 p.m.
3/21
Coed Volleyball @ Blake: 7:15 p.m.
3/21
Varsity Baseball vs. Blake: 3:45 p.m.
3/21
Varsity Softball vs. Blake: 3:45 p.m.
3/22
Track and Field @ Wootton: 3:30 p.m.
3/22
Girls Varsity Lacrosse @ Springbrook: 5:15 p.m.
3/22
Boys Varsity Lacrosse @ Gaithersburg: 7:15 p.m.
3/23
Boys Varsity Tennis vs. Magruder: 3:45 p.m.
Spring Sports Openers PHOTO BY KEVIN PAN
Rosenberg sprints to catch the ball while opponent trails behind. See the full schedule at http://rocketathletics.org
24
The Tide
SPORTS
Athlete of the Issue
March 2016
Audrey Richter leaves opponents in the bubbles by Evan Scheinberg Dedication and perseverance: the willingness to keep going when your teammates and competitors are striving as hard as you are and the deep desire to achieve your goals and to overcome and defeat anything in your path. These two qualities are two of the most important traits any athlete can have, and both are clearly exhibited in RM’s very own Audrey Richter. Richter has been a swimmer for most of her life. An 11 year veteran of the sport, she has worked relentlessly to get to the elite level she is at now. Richter has been on the RM Swim and Dive team for all of her four years at RM, and she has been a leader ever since she joined.
Richter specializes in the freestyle stroke, competing in the 50 meter, 100 meter, 400 meter relay, and 200 meter relay races. Her textbook stroke and smooth motions have helped her succeed at a high level. She has broken school records upon records, including the state 50 meter record, as well as the 200 relay record that the team broke this year. Although Richter has been an incredibly consistent individual swimmer, it is her team player attitude that really makes her stand out. “This season was really exciting since our boys team was fighting to reclaim their state champion title. So many school records were broken and our team dynamic was so great and every season, especially this one, was a lot of fun,” she explained. Richter’s winning mentality has been evident every season.
PHOTO BY KEVIN PAN
Audrey Richter prepares to dive ahead of the competition
Sophomore Nefret El-Masry praised Richter on how she pushed the team to win: “At all of the championship meets I notice her motivation to win. She knows what she has to do to win and she does it. Watching her in relays and her individual events I can see her determination to beat the person next to her,” El-Masry said. Next year, when Richter graduates, the team will miss her distinct presence. El-Masry explained, “Next year it’s gonna be really different without her because she brings a lot of spirit to the team, not to mention how much talent she brings as well. Her being a captain this year was really good because she really stepped up as a leader.” Even when she was the youngest on the team, Richter still found herself at the top of the pack. Senior Sophie El-Masry has swum with Richter for three years-- every year except for their junior year. She recalled, “Freshman year she came in as one of the top freestylers, despite her lack of high school experience. And having that much pressure on you to score points and win relays is a lot. But she has handled that tremendously well then and has only gotten better with time.” Richter especially demonstrated her dominance this past season. She was undefeated in the 50 meter free races during the regular season of county meets, came in fourth at the state meet,
PHOTO BY KEVIN PAN
Richter returns from states with fourth and sixth place wins. and placed sixth in the 100 meter success over the past four years. race at the state meet, the highest Her leadership will be greatly finish on the RM girls team. missed when she leaves. “In high school, I’m at a little With her high school career in bit of an advantage since there the books, Richter plans to attend aren’t many strong swimmers and swim at Columbia University in MCPS. But I’ve gone through in the fall. periods where everyone else was She looks forward to trading getting better and getting faster in her RM black and gold for than me, while I just plateaued,” Columbia white and blue. she explained. However, those times when she ‘plateaued’ never brought her spirit down. Her dedication and perseverance helped her keep going. “If you just go through the motions or give up easily, you’ll never get better,” Richter said. Richter embodies a dominant athlete. Her poise, desire to win, and team mentality have given her the competitive edge that allows her to defeat her competition. The effect she has on her teammates has been a key factor to the team’s
“If you just go through the motions or give up easily, you’ll never get better.” -Audrey Richter
Long anticipated field is a home run amongst players BASEBALL, cont. from page 1 When asked about how the newly repaired field would affect the team, Cohen explained, “A baseball field is a baseball field, doesn’t matter if it’s MC’s or ours, but the convenience lets us play more, practice more, in general put more effort into making the team better, so I would say performance will go up. But performance should always go up. It’d be a problem if it went down.” Coach Fear looks upon the repaired field with newfound confidence for a boost in team performance this upcoming season. “I think the new field will be great because we won’t have to waste time traveling over to MC. We also have access to more equipment, so practices can be more efficient and productive. That, plus being able to relax and actually have a field you can call home, will definitely boost team morale and should positively affect the performance on the field,” he continued. Cohen is adamant in his belief
“Instead of a big fix, there was a big saga over the renovations.” -Rob Perks
that performance should always go up, no matter the external situation. The team’s diligent efforts alone should be the reason for their success, not the reintroduction of an RM field. The field has yet to live up to the speculations and expectations by resulting in a more successful
team, especially on March 21: Opening Day. He emphasized that he wants there to be palpable fan support at their first RM home game, an experience that none of the returning members have ever had. The team will compete against Blake High School for
recieve free food, accessories, and swag. Hot dogs and hamburgers will be given out free to the first 50 students who enter the bleachers. In addition, those 50 students will also recieve a voucher for free buffalo wing and a raffle ticket. Prizes such as Subway giftcards, Buffalo Wild Wings merchandise,
directly from Gordy Coleman Field. The RM baseball team is also planning to have several mascots grace the field, including Richie Rocket, JW Jaguar, the Buffalo Wild Wings buffalo, and the Frederick Keys Keyote. “We’re also hoping to stage a mascot race before the game,” Perks concluded. The future has always been bright for the team with an influx of young talent, but again the question is brought up, what will this field bring to the table? The answer to that question will only be found through watching, listening, and cheering on through the home games this season. “Our goal is to win. We are a young team and I think we have some bright days ahead of us,” Coach Fear said. The varsity baseball roster includes six underclassmen, five sophomore sand one freshman. This chance to play against varsity competition will offer an opportunity for sophomore pitchers Drew Sturgess, Brooks Perks, Max Webster, and Alex Caprara to tap into their full potential. PHOTO BY ANDERS ALILIO “As far as this season, we are The field is named after Gordy Coleman, an RM alum who went on to play Major League Baseball. going to give 100 percent, play the Opening Day celebation. A and Booster Club items will all be clean, fundamental baseball, season. and see where that leaves us at Meanwhile, on the sidelines, number of entertainments along raffled off to fans. After the game, fans can also the end of the year,” Coach Fear Rob Perks has been working with food and refreshments have with the RM SGA to organize an been scheduled for this exciting, make their way to the Buffalo concluded. Wild Wings in Rockville Town While the addition of the field Opening Day celebration for the momentous day. The RM Athletic Booster Center to buy discounted wings. is exciting news, all eyes should varsity baseball team’s first real Club will be hosting a pre-game The RM Athletic Club recives 15% remain focused on the team home game in over four years. and all of their hard work, as To help kick off the season in a tailgate immediately following of all of the money made. On top of this, the radio station that is the deciding factor in the great way, Perks wants everyone the end of the school day. Fans to come out and support the will have multiple chances to Hot 99.5 will be broadcasting upcoming season.