The Tide - May 2015

News 2-4

Senior Send-Offs 5

Opinions 6-8

International 10-11

Center Spread 12-13

La Marea 14

Arts 16

Features 18-20

Sports 22-24

PHOTO © 2015 EYE ON THE BALL

Black Maskers thrilled audiences with performance of Agatha Christie’s “And Then There Were None.”

And then there was applause

by Fonda Shen Ten people are lured to an island by a mysterious man named U.N. Owen. During dinner the first night, a recorded message accuses each of them of having a guilty secret, and before nightfall hits, one of the guests is dead. Who did it, and why?

Such were the questions presented by the Black Maskers’ spring play, “And Then There Were None,” which thrilled theatergoers for the past two weekends. The play, based on the lengendary Agatha Christie mystery novel of the same name, is a continuous build-up of

suspense.

On the secluded island, the guests die one by one, and the surviving characters come to realize that the murderer is among them. According to the cast members, the script was simply spectacular. “Agatha Christie’s writing style is amazing. There is some humor, not a lot mind you, but just enough to break the tension, and there’s just a lot of clever references to the characters,” said junior Yashi Janamanchi, who plays exinspector Blore in the play.

In the opening to her novel, Christie notes that the book was remarkably challenging to write. For the Black Maskers cast, the production was just

as demanding. The play was presented by two casts, which gave everyone an excuse to see the performance twice. This added to the difficulties of production as everything had to be rehearsed by two sets of students, led by student assistant directors and managing director Emily Davis.

“We haven’t had two casts since “Chicago,” quite a few years ago, and it essentially creates two different shows all together so it’s been really cool seeing how the plays have evolved,” said senior Matt Winstel, one of the assistant directors.

More coverage of the show, with exclusive interviews and behind-thescenes coverage on production crews, can be found on page 16.

Dress code conflict Ms. Wall remembers her roots

by Alex Hu Have you ever been stopped by staff members who think the clothes you wear are not “schoolappropriate?”

You must have at least noticed the administration’s new emphasis on upholding a stricter dress code.

The issue of wearing “schoolappropriate” clothes has been expressly addressed at the beginning-of-the-year assembly and subsequent announcements, as well as every day during RMBC, when teachers are requested to check if students are properly dressed.

Now with weather getting warmer, conflicts regarding the dress code are once again heating up the halls of Richard Montgomery.

Most have felt that with the new administration under Mr. Monteleone, enforcing the dress code has been taken more seriously than ever before.

Currently, the rules state that “clothing that is deemed to be inappropriate, disruptive, offensive, or disrespectful to the learning environment is prohibited.”

On this point, it seems that every teacher and student agrees, but conflicts arise upon a failure to agree upon what constitutes inappropriateness.

First off, it is important to clarify that the controversy deals with styles that are deemed inappropriate because they are too revealing or too sexual. The controversy has nothing to do with clothing that promotes dangerous activities or displays obscene language and/or imagery.

DRESS, cont. page 8

by Andy Kostka and Shelby Stevens Many people at Richard Montgomery are familiar with the Wallfice; a room famous for its five Walls. However, one such Wall is more famous than

the rest. That Wall is none other than Claire Wall, the attendance secretary.

The story behind the cheery Ms. Wall inside the room with five walls starts in Chicago. It was the 1960s, the time of the afro, Bellbottom jeans, and The Beatles, although The Grateful Dead

PHOTO BY MADDIE FRANKE

Ms. Wall has traveled far and wide outside of her attendance office.

aligns more with Ms. Wall’s taste.

Every summer since she was four, the Walls have traveled up to a Northern Wisconsin lake after Ms. Wall’s parents finished teaching in Chicago Public Schools; the location of the original room with five Walls: her father’s class. It was at the lake of a small Jewish Girl’s summer camp where her parents were counselors that Claire Wall found her second home.

Once that camp closed, the Wall’s purchased a plot of land on the lake, and stone by stone, began the building process of the Wall Cottage. “That fireplace, we picked all those rocks. [The house] has our energy and our love in it,” Ms. Wall said. “I love it. Every single day I think about the lake. I feel like it’s my duty to take care of what my father and mother built.”

WALL, cont. page 18

News, 3

Opinions, 7

International, 11

Arts, 16

Features, 18

Sports, 23

Superintendent

Administration

Greece trip

Camila Tapia

Intel winner Yizhen Zhang

Track and Field

NEWS 2 The Tide A day in the life of a SMOB candidate

by Grace Cheung Every April, students are required to watch the “Meet the Candidates” video for SMOB elections to learn more about the candidates. But it is often the only glimpse we get of the exciting process that is the SMOB campaign. Junior Rachit Agarwal and SMOB candidate this year shares some of the experiences he had while running for SMOB: the ups, the downs, and all of the funny moments in between.

For Agarwal, the packed campaign days began early at 7 a.m., when he would visit a high school until 7:25 a.m..

Afterwards, he would head to a middle school until 7:45 a.m., and then visit a few more high schools or middle schools at lunch. “I pretty much just go around and talk to students, pass out some swag, and learn more about their issues. And flick it up of course!”

Agarwal said.

Outside of visiting schools, Agarwal also placed a huge focus on his social media campaign. He made a website, and dedicated an Instagram and Twitter to his cause. He views his social media outreach as one of the most important aspects of his campaign. “It’s helped me be a lot more personable and ‘hip’,” he said. “Overall, it’s getting more people involved, which is the goal of student advocacy.”

Agarwal promoted his hashtag, “#letsgetrachit,” a pun on the word “ratchet,” during a memorable moment at the end of the “Meet the Candidates” video.

With more than 90 hits on Twitter, Agarwal acknowledges that it is the main reason for his large social media presence. “I remember the day Quince Orchard HS saw it, I got tweets from a lot of students there using the hashtag. After Cabin John MS saw it, I got raided with Instagram follows and comments,” Agarwal said.

With his website, he took a different approach. It is a centralized platform where he clearly outlined his views, accomplishments, and advocacy

efforts. Here, he continued to focus on the students, a main goal of his campaign, with personalized letters for middle and high school students. “I used WordPress and some coding to develop it. I’m glad I got to apply my decent graphic design/ technology/marketing skills in this endeavour,” he said.

What Agarwal valued most about his campaign experience were the new connections it gave him with students all across the county. He really enjoyed

a huge time commitment for Agarwal, and one of its minor negative effects was the time it took away from his regular school life. Agarwal recognizes the impact it has had. “Shout out to Ms. Wilson, I’m essentially not in her class anymore, and Ms. Lansell,” he said. Campaign days led him to miss entire half days of school at times, although he made up the work at home. “It feels great to go to class,” he said.

From the start, his campaign was filled with fun moments

NEWS IN BRIEF

MCPS decides to make up one snow day on June 15 Last month, MCPS announced that it would be extending the school day to Monday, June 15, in order to compensate for its snow days.

This announcement was made after Maryland State Superintendent of Schools Lilian Lowery approved an MCPS request to miss two of the 180 school days required by state law.

Since MCPS closed for seven snow days this winter, four of which were provided for by the county’s 184-day school year, only one make-up day had to be scheduled.

Although snow days cause many disruptions in classroom instruction, especially in the valuable time leading up to semester exams in January, making up these snow days can also be an expensive endeavor for the county school system.

MCPS interim Superintendent Larry Bowers expressed concern over the $2 million cost that MCPS would have incurred by extending the school year by three days, should the waiver not have been granted. With the annual cost of snow removal, electricity, and natural gas rising over the past few years due to longer and harsher winters, MCPS faces new challenges in balancing its budget and the quality of education it provides to its students.

For RM students, the extension of the school year results in its exam week being pushed back by one day. The scheduled exam make-up day will be Monday, June 15.

By Valencia Fu

Filibuster in General Assembly defeats SMOB bill

PHOTO COURTESY OF JOE HODGES

2015 SMOB candidate Rachit Agarwal, third from the left, supports students from Quince Orchard HS at a recent campaign visit there. the exciting moments when students would reach out to him during his school visits. “At QO, a squad of seniors started yelling [#letsgetrachit] and it was the best -- they tweeted a photo with me!

When someone asks ME to flick it up with them, it feels awesome!

It’s also funny to see middle schoolers post screenshots of me following them on the Gram,” Agarwal said.

Throughout the campaign, he was very cognizant of social media conventions. He tweeted on the daily and Instagrammed every couple of days. “I don’t wanna be ‘that guy’ who slides into everyone’s DMs to get votes,” he said. “Thanks to this campaign, my ratio is improving, but it would even more if I didn’t follow back students.”

Campaigning for SMOB was

with the students he visited. At Westland MS, a student said she would vote for him if he “whipped,” a popular dance move. During the same visit, he also freestyle rapped as per someone’s request. “It was pretty bad,” he said of his attempts to dance and rap, naming those as the most “Rachit” things he did for his campaign.

Agarwal cites the biggest inspiration for his campaign as his friend, Dahlia Huh, current SMOB and senior at Clarksburg HS. While he was helping out with her campaign spring of last year, he became motivated to run for the position himself. “The idea of talking to thousands of students around the county and learning more about them was awesome and it made me want to try it,” Agarwal said.

May/June

May 4

Start of APs Time to get your head in the game.

May 10

Mother’s Day 364 days are about you. This one’s for her.

May 16

Prom Dance the night away!

May 25

Memorial Day Remember those who gave their life for our freedom.

June 9-12

Semester exams Almost there.

June 15

May 2015

Last day of school What time is it? Summertime! (Finally.)

As the final session of the Maryland General Assembly this year closed down on April 13th, so did the possibility of expanding voting rights for the Student Member of the Board (SMOB). The final bill considered by the assembly would have allowed the student representative to vote on issues relating to capital and operating budgets, school openings and closings, and collective bargaining. The bill would also have given the SMOB the right to attend executive board meetings pertaining to collective bargaining.

However, Senator Michael Hough shut down the bill’s passage, as well as its proper consideration, by filibustering it bill from its introduction to the floor at 11:57 p.m. until midnight, when the General Assembly adjourned and the bill died on the floor.

Other senators, including Karen Montgomery, were frustrated by this maneuver by Hough, referring to his actions as “game playing” and “shenanigans.” Dahlia Huh, the current student member of the board, said that the bill’s passage was “a definite disappointment.”

The Montgomery County delegation actually supported the bill, and this year the bill had more wide-spread support than it has ever had in years past. In the wake of the bill’s death, Dahlia announced plans to get this bill placed earlier on the agenda next year.

By Jared Stolove

New MCPS protocol requires duck and cover drill Many students may have been surprised and confused by the sudden “duck and cover” drill that we had on April 16 during lunch, but it is part of a new set of protocol that MCPS schools have to follow to ensure student safety during emergencies. These new policies include drills and procedures that have to be practiced with routine drills.

“It really started because of the earthquake we had one summer and folks were not really prepared for that, and most people responded wrong, they ran outside and you’re not supposed to do that in case there’s falling debris. So the idea behind the drill is to get low to the ground and protect yourself in case anything falls or breaks,” vice principal and administrator Kim Heidler said.

Students can rest easy for the rest of the year, as the new duck and cover drill is not as frequent as other procedures, like fire drills.

However, it is crucial that the administration prepares students for any kind of disaster that could hit at any time.

“Normally, if it [were] real situation we would go on the PA and inform students and tell them what to do, so we most likely not have another duck and cover drill this year but it is something that we will have to start doing yearly,” Heidler added.

By Phil Zhang

AWARDS

Junior April Shin was crowned the speed skating champion at the American Cup. Senior Richie Yarrow was chosen to attend the US Senate Youth Program’s 53rd annual Washington Week, where he met U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski.

Congratulations to senior Jordan Sherman for competing in the Youth Olympic Games in Brazil for kayaking.

Senior Ellie Sherman participated in the NCSA Junior Nationals for swimming in Orlando, Florida.

Congratulations to the It’s Academic Team for winning the Quizmaster Challenge Championship against Walt Whitman High School.

Junior Emily Zhang was selected as a Girls Learn International delegate to the UN’s 59th Commission on the status of women.

Congratulations to freshman Esika Savsani for receiving the President’s Volunteer Service Award.

Congratulations to the chess team for winning the Maryland State Chess Championship.

The Tide

NEWS

May 2015

3

English major popularity decreases in Md. schools

by Sarah Eng

As young adults in high school, students are often asked what they want to do in life, and what they plan to major in after high school. However, with over 80 possible majors at the University of Maryland and even more areas of study out of state, the answer to this question often boils down to what’s “employable.”

With a profession as old as human communication, the question rises, “Why are there not more English majors?”

The school-wide answer seems to be the

39%

decrease in English Majors at UMD 2009-2014

200%

increase in STEM Majors over the same time lack of variation in high-paying jobs after college. “It’s a useless major unless you want to be an English teacher after college or spend more money going to graduate school,” said one senior.

Coupled with the recent economic panic and the increased demand for

science and technology jobs, STEM fields are becoming increasingly attractive to college graduates seeking high pay straight out of college.

“I think this fear of not making a substantial amount of money after college deters people from majoring in English” senior Michelle Schrier said. As a result, English seems to be a limiting, outdated, and undesirable major in the eyes of both high school graduates and college students.

According to data from the University of Maryland, College Park, there was a 39 percent decrease in English majors from 2009-2014, in stark contrast to the over 200 percent increase in STEM majors in the same amount of time.

“I feel like as a society we are moving away from the humanities and more towards STEM majors.” senior Nancy Jin said, disheartened that her interest in the humanities was slowly dying in front of her eyes.

However, the common belief that English majors can only become English teachers is refuted by many. According to English major and English teacher Jillian Trebtoske, out of all the English majors in her graduating class, only about twenty percent went into teaching.

A large majority of the class went into other English-related professions such as journalism or law.

One such example is junior Leslie Schnieder’s father. In college, her father majored in Englisha and now he is a full time lawyer and part time literary enthusiast.

While he did not go into teaching, he still maintains the love of reading that brought them into the major in the first place. “I love watching him rant about books,” Schnieder said.

Laurie Brown, RM’s very own English

teacher, is another English major who has hold jobs varying from market advertising taken jobs in areas other than teaching. to freelance editing, all of which are in high Before coming to RM, Mrs. Brown demand, not to mention the jobs outside of worked in editorial and research jobs. Her the humanities that seek graduates with experience is a prime example of what the skill sets of English majors. surveyed students believe is impossible for “If students understood that excellent English majors: to use the critical communication skills thinking, knowledge, and [are] key to any communication skills career, they may learned as an English be more open to major beyond earning a degree the classroom. all in English,” Hull before finally deciding added. to become a teacher “UMD is a STEM and spread her love with a beautiful, of English to the next essential flower at the generations. top; the flower is the A s p i r i n g humanities,” Wallace English major D. Loh, president of and junior the University of Liyanga Maryland, College de Silva Park, said. h a s The U.S. strong feelings Census Bureau about the reported in 2014 GRAPHIC BY KERN LEE pigeonholing that 74 percent of the English As seniors approach college, the debate over of those who major, especially the relevancy of the English major continues. have a bachelor’s the belief that the only career option is to degree in science, technology, engineering become an English teacher. and math are not employed in STEM “Being good at English doesn’t mean occupations. you like to write novels and analyze ‘why “STEM graduates have relatively low the curtain is blue,’ it just means that you’re unemployment, however these graduates good at communication and that you know are not necessarily employed in STEM how to use language effectively,” De Silva occupations,” said Liana Christin Landivar, said. a sociologist in the Census Bureau’s “Graduate programs want students Industry and Occupation Statistics Branch. who have those skills, and even STEM At Harvey Mudd College, a school that programs are looking for students who are focuses on STEM curriculum, freshmen balanced and have nuanced interests and are required to take a humanities course gifts,” English major and English teacher deliberately focused on developing their Nancy Shay said. writing and analysis skills, since it really is According to RM’s career and college needed in every job, still require the skills advisor, Mary Hull, English majors can learned from those majors.

MCPS commences search for new superintendent

by Isabelle Zhou

Joshua Dr. 13, February On Starr, Montgomery County’s former superintendent, worked the last day in his office. He had been serving as Montgomery county’s superintendent for one term of four years, starting in 2011 and ending in 2015. However, the Board of Education decided not to renew his contract for the job and Starr announced his resignation soon afterwards.

His public announcement of resignation came a short two weeks before the actual retirement from the job. Dr. Starr had performed his duties with no great mistakes or catastrophes, but the Board of Education

job; it’s a difficult position,” Freshman Megan Lewis said.

However, other students disliked Dr.Starr and are glad to see a change in the school’s systems. “Well based on the school days, I don’t say I agreed with his actions.

He made us come to school when it was cold. He was endangering the students for having them come to school,” sophomore Amy Zheng said.

Students were especially troubled about how little they knew about their superintendent over the past four years.

Many could not remember a single one of Dr. Starr’s actions or policies, much less voice a solid opinion about his work. “I don’t know enough about what Dr.Starr did to make an opinion. I don’t really follow. I would say that I don’t know

PHOTO BY BOB BARNARD

The Board of Education started its search and consideration of a new superintendent. found minor faults in his decisions. The Board ultimately decided that they would not desire another four year contract with him because he could not greatly improve the Montgomery County school system.

The students of Montgomery County are torn over the announcement and retirement of their superintendent. “I liked how he supported the changing of school times but otherwise I don’t really know much about him. I think he did a decent

enough about him. Whether or not he was doing a good job I can’t exactly say,” junior Betsy Wang said.

Others, including freshman Heather Konan, disliked the new PARCC implementations that Dr. Starr had encouraged. “I didn’t agree with a lot of the things Dr.Starr did. I don’t think he made the right decisions for what we needed, especially PARCC, I think he should have taken a lot of actions to avoid it,” said

Konan.

In order to fill Dr. Starr’s vacant seat, the Board of Education has contracted the search firm Hazard, Young, Attea and Associates to help find possible candidates for the job.

The firm, based in Illinois, has contributed to the finding of previous superintendents of Montgomery County since 1987 and worked for some of the largest school districts, including Fairfax County. Because of these successes, the Board hopes the firm may find them a suitable candidate by July 1.

Many residents of Montgomery County have high expectations for the new superintendent. The Board of Education, specifically Board President Patricia O’Neill, said to Washington Post, “While we are changing superintendents, we are not changing our values, vision and mission.” She announced that they are still striving to close the achievement gap, educate through both academics and problem solving, and work with socialemotional learning.

Jonathan Taylor, a government teacher, said, “I’d like to see our new administrator have a background and who has spend time as a classroom teacher and was an administrator of a school. Or of being a superintendent of another county.” His concerns of the candidacy, like many teachers, revolve mostly around the experience.

Students also hope for open and transparent communication with the next superintendent. “I want the new superintendent to be aware of what students actually want because Dr Starr, I think he thought he knew what he needed but he never reached out to us. I want the new to be more connected and what he is doing to help us,” Konan added.

Senior Richie Yarrow, president of the Montgomery County SGA, says he wishes for a leader who is receptive to the feedback and opinions of students.

In order to fulfill such expectations, the Board of Education is pressured to find a highly-qualified and open superintendent.

One candidate, MaryEllen Elia, has already shown very advantageous prospects.Elia

was the former superintendent of the school board in Hillsborough County in Florida, a large district in the nation. She has been known for excellent leadership and has worked as a superintendent for nearly a decade, seven years longer than the typical superintendent term. She is a prospective candidate for the position, although the Board has not yet contacted her.

In order to allow students to voice

“While we are changing superintendents, we are not changing our values, vision, and mission.”

-Patricia O’Neill their input on this important decision, Montgomery County hopes to have a forum and involve students in the decisionmaking progress. Students are thrilled with the idea, hoping to learn more about the superintendent and what this position requires.

“I think in general that it would be good for students to participate because students are the ones most affected and some people have good ideas that should be heard,” Wang said.

The decision of the new superintendent is still far from being decided, but the Board of Education hopes to account for everyone’s input when making the decision. Such a significant change will still take weeks of deliberation and consideration, but the county is looking forward to the new ideas that can lead to improvement in which the Board did not feel Starr could bring.

Whoever is at the helm of MCPS next year, student support, not just the approval of the Board, will be crucial for success.

4

NEWS

May 2015

Rockville community unites to celebrate Earth Day Capital, and an electric vehicle car show.

That same day, Rockville also

by Katherine Wang participated in the international event Earth Hour, from 8:30 to 9:30 p.m, On April 22, the 45th anniversary of which encouraged people to turn off all Earth Day, the eco-friendly, nature-loving nonessential lights in their homes for one hour. celebration, brought about local The 27th Annual Potomac River and worldwide celebration in Watershed Cleanup on April 11 involved order to spread awareness community stream cleanups at Croydon and inspire activism Creek Nature Center, Twinbrook in environmental Community Recreation Center, and protection.

Maryvale Park. After an entire morning’s The holiday has work of litter collection, the trash was long been celebrated counted up and then compared to the with particular trash hauls of previous years. fervor by Rockville, The cleanup was part of the Alice due to the city’s Ferguson Foundation and its Trash Free awareness of Potomac Watershed Initiative. enviromental Rockville, along with 108 other sites issues. in Maryland, Virginia, West This year, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and Rockville took Washington, D.C, joined part in a monthan army of 3,002 volunteers that long celebration collected 246,833 of the holiday so pounds of trash. citizens enjoyed The Croydon environmental Creek Nature events in their Center also community from hosted a March 28 to April 26.

GRAPHIC BY GRACE SUN Spring The first annual Festival Montgomery County Greenfest was held in honor of the community’s Earth Day and Native Plant Sale on April 25. The free event celebrated spring and all things celebrations.

On March 28, more than 700 people nature, including woodland hikes, a live participated in a festival at the Jesup Blair animal show by Reptiles Alive!, nature Local Park in Silver Spring that celebrated crafts and games, and sustainability the local environment and ways to keep it exhibits.

The highlight of the city’s merrymaking, healthy.

The free, all-day environmental festival however, occurred with the Earth Day and showcased 80 for-profit and non-profit Arbor Day Celebration on the actual Earth exhibitors, tree climbing in the park, the Day, April 22.

With a tree-planting ceremony, Environmental Film Festival in the Nation’s

an Arbor Day proclamation, and the presentation of Rockville’s 26th consecutive “Tree City USA” award, the event was the culmination of the month-long festivities.

Earth day spirit also spread to RM, through the efforts of student clubs. RM’s SERT (School Energy and Recycling Team) supports environmental protection and the conservation of energy through performing duties at the end of the week such as turning off all computers and electronics in the building and closing blinds.

“It helps conserve energy over the weekend,” sophomore and SERT president, Summer Oh, said.

SERT hosted an Earth Day trivia contest on RMBC for the school, and the winning class was rewarded with donuts.

“We’re doing something smaller this year,” said Oh, “because we’ve been super busy working on a solar panel project instead.” SERT’s solar project was created for the 26th Annual Rockville Science Day. The event, held at the Rockville campus of Montgomery College, included dozens of hands-on exhibits by organizations and individuals that celebrated science and increasing the understanding of it within Montgomery County.

SERT’s exhibition for the Rockville Science Day advocated for the use of solar panels in Maryland, as part of the event’s Nature and Environment Venue.

“We’re setting up a bunch of poster boards about solar panels,” said sophomore and SERT member Joseph Li, “and including a dollhouse that acts as a demonstration for the kids.”

SERT hosts quarterly cleanups where trash is picked up around the school building, andplans to continue its activities in raising awareness for the environment after Rockville Science Day.

“We hope to have a clean up at a local lake too,” Oh said.

Other Richard Montgomery clubs, including the Robotics Team led by sophomore Peter Maldonado, also participated in the Rockville Science Day. With the multitude of events that occurred for Earth Day 2015, Rockville

3,002

volunteers for the Potomac Watershed Initiative

246,833 pounds of trash collected

citizens were busy all month in making a difference in their community.

Earth Day was certainly a success in Rockville this year. All across the city, residents took part in activities to celebrate and benefit the planet.

Through celebrating nature and spreading awareness for environmental issues, the city is looking forward to next year’s Earth Day, when the festivities in honoring the planet will hopefully be bigger, better, and greener.

As ecological issues such as climate change and global warming continue to loom, Earth Day serves as a reminder to care for and thank our planet.

Local TV program highlights student achievements

by Christina You In its efforts to introduce various student perspectives and accomplishments, the Montgomery County Office of Public Information launched a new, youthful cable television show.

“Young Montgomery” airs on the television station County Cable Montgomery and not only features news reports, but also interviews with youths involved in after-school clubs, sports teams, community groups and non-profit organizations.

“The purpose of ‘Young Montgomery’ is to highlight the different activities that the youth are engaging in throughout the county. We hope to engage more youths, and also tell others about the positive impact that they are having,” explained host Alicia Escoto.

The show hopes to connect with students over technology, which is becoming more and more important in the present age.

Another MCPS graduate, Daniel Menendez, will be joining Escoto in interviewing students about their contributions to the community. Both Menendez and Escoto are participating in Young Montgomery as a way to give back to the community.

The program will work closely with Montgomery County Recreation, Montgomery County Public Schools, and Montgomery College. It will also serve as an additional tool for Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett’s Positive Youth Development initiative. The Positive Youth Development initiative seeks to solve the problems of youth gangs and youth violence, with Young Montgomery encouraging students to get more active in their schools.

“Young people represent our county’s future and they have a lot they want to say. I’m pleased that ‘Young Montgomery’ will be an outlet for hearing about young people’s challenges, hopes, and dreams” Leggett said on the Montgomery County Media website. The show hopes to be able to inspire other students and get them excited about school and the experiences that it contains.

Young Montgomery debuted in February with guests from “Gandhi Brigade”, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping teens realize the power of their voice. Students from Montgomery Blair High School went on the show to discuss how Gandhi Brigade used media to promote change in the community.

As of mid-April, ‘Young Montgomery’ has aired four complete 30-minute episodes. In each one, the program features a variety of groups, from an after-school Latin dance club to a county sponsored

PHOTO BY LORNA VIRGILL

Young Montgomery plays one of its 30-minute episodes on screen, featuring a selected student community group or organization.

leadership development program. Escoto and Menendez have spoken to a multitude of students from local high schools such as Albert Einstein and Montgomery Blair High School. Young Montgomery also plans to eventually come to RM and see what we have to offer as well.

Still, ‘Young Montgomery’ is relatively new. Although only a few know about the television show and the viewer rates are low, RM students realize its positive intentions. “I’ve never heard of the show before, but it seems like a good program because it encourages our generation to get up from in front of our computer screens and contribute to our society.” said freshman Ian McBain.

Some are more enthusiastic about County Cable Montgomery’s new addition.

“I’ve heard about [Young Montgomery] from a friend. Now it is my favorite TV show. I watch it every time it airs.” senior John Jeang said. “The show really unites the county under one umbrella so that people can feel proud of the accomplishments from the county’s youth.”

Even though many students like the idea of the show, not all of them say that they would take time out of their busy schedules to watch the show. “I don’t know if I’d be willing to spend half an hour of my time watching students talk about their activities, whether for a good cause or not,” McBain said.

Shortening the episodes or possibly making smaller highlights and segments might make the show more accessible to students who are often in a rush and do not have the time to sit down and watch.

Clearly many students are still not even aware that ‘Young Montgomery’ even exists, but the few that are enjoy it and find it inspiring. Hopefully many other students may find the show entertaining as well and increase its popularity so that it can be an effective tool to encourage students and get them involved with school.

Young Montgomery airs on Mondays at 7:30 p.m., Wednesdays at 9:30 p.m., and Saturdays at 10 p.m. Students can also go on their Facebook page and give a few of their videos a try, maybe leave a comment, and, most importantly, enjoy the show!

The Tide

May 2015

Senior Send-Offs

5

PHOTO COURTESY OF EYE ON THE BALL

Above: Seniors Jinmi Odunlami, Tim Whaley, Justin Nikakhtar, Nick Jackson, Renzo Farfan, and Milton Rivera pose with Coach David Breslaw at their Senior Night win against Gaithersburg High.

Below: A group of students at the senior banquet show off their dance moves late into the night.

PHOTO COURTESY OF EYE ON THE BALL

Above: Senior Hoang Nguyen poses happily with football coach Joshua Klotz during the Senior Night varsity football game against Wootton.

PHOTO BY VICTORIA ENGELEN

PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHELLE WANG

Above: Senior girls pose together in their formal attire before attending the senior banquet on April 15, 2015.

PHOTO COURTEST OF ASEEM PESHWA

Above: Seniors smile for the camera as their sit for dinner at their senior banquet.

PHOTO COURTESY OF EYE ON THE BALL

Above: Seniors Yajaira Rivera and Allie Parrish pose on their Senior Night with Coach Michael Oakes against Gaithersburg.

PHOTO COURTEST OF RENZO FARFAN

Above: Seniors show off their class pride with blue shirts on class color day (trust us, they’re blue).

6 The Tide

OPINIONS

In the newsroom, pick your battles

by Editors in Chief When we were freshmen, The Tide’s monthly appearance on Main Street could only be explained by magic. Fresh stacks of colorful pages would pop up, find themselves in the hands of students, and just as soon disappear for another 30 days.

However, as we transitioned from readers to writers, to editors, and finally, to editors in chief, our eyes were opened to the truth behind the tricks. Behind each page we found supreme effort: hours of interviews, edits, and fundraisers. The magic had not disappeared, however. It had just changed, from the magic of blind excitement to the magic of an intense love for this paper.

That love translated into commitment and ambition. When the four of us became editors in chief, we were not fully aware of the huge task that lay ahead. But with exams and extracurriculars, the endless minutiae of editing and layout took priority over any new initiatives and projects we may have had. During the first few issues, we found ourselves without the time to give each article, page, and writer the attention they deserve.

In our perfect world, every issue would be free of errors, with written masterpieces and gorgeous layouts. Time, however, was fleeting, and for each issue, we had to decide what we wanted to perfect and what we were willing to let slide. Reflecting on these decisions, we have summed up our philosophy this year as the need to “pick our battles.”

We did not arrive at this point of self-understanding until late into the March issue, but we have unknowingly lived the principle from the very start. Once named EICs last May, we considered founding a video team, changing the typefaces, and refining our

MC 7-15, or House Bill 86, is a bill that would have given the MCPS Student Member of the Board extended voting rights, includes the power to vote on budget use. The bill was filibustered in the state’s senate on April 21.

Frederick County Senator Michael Hough was responsible for this filibuster. “Why would you want a sixteen or seventeen year old student to have a vote on collective bargaining and pay rates?” Senator Hough asked during his lengthy filibuster.

“Here we are talking about funding for school boards, how do you square it that a huge chunk of funding in Montgomery County is being voted on by a sixteen year old?” the senator conclusively remarked. Why not let a sixteen year old have a voice?

Hough’s rhetoric can be broken down to this: an ageist mentality that promotes the thinking of teenagers as inferior society members who are not mature enough to handle money.

Letters to the Editor

School hallways are beyond overcrowded

PHOTO BY CONNIE CHEN

Throughout our school building, as we hurry to class every day, the halls are always overcrowded. Right after the bell rings, hundreds of students tumble out of their classrooms and hurry to their next class, some to be delayed because of the horde of the people standing in their way. This is a big problem as there are always so many students in the hallways, and sometimes, it delays the students from getting to their classrooms on time.

And so, the question comes to mind: what ways can we help to alleviate this issue?

-Kyle Zhu, 9th grade

Seniors Matthew Zipf, Rachel Gold, Catherine Wang, and Andrew del Vecchio were editors in chief of The Tide for the 2014-2015 school year.

PARCC testing interruptive to schedule

editing workflow—only to delay many of our plans until after AP season, and some indefinitely.

The reality was, and is, that we are first students, then EICs. The primacy of those roles has switched at times throughout the year, but the value of an IB education, our respect for RM’s teachers, and the need to apply to colleges demanded we reconcile our high hopes with more realistic expectations. Balance, much to our dismay, was the key.

In the name of picking our battles, we faced decisions both internal and external. On the one hand, reading over News one more time might come at the cost of retaking a photo for International; on the other, doing either of those might mean delaying sleep or skipping a reading for English.

In March, we found ourselves on what would become the most special battlefield of the year. It was a battle we stumbled into somewhat blindly, hoping to take advantage of a slow news month by featuring highlights from the school’s history. But after our first call to an alumnus, we realized we had tapped into something big.

Here were the individuals

PARCC testing has been extremely inconvenient. It caused me to fall behind in multiple classes because of the various days of school I had to miss. This made catching up and fixing my grades nearly impossible. I hope that next year, MCPS addresses this issue and shortens the length of PARCC tests.

who shaped our school, passing on their memories and advice to the next generation of Rockets. Here was a story that was uniquely ours; a story that belongs to everyone who holds that Rocket Pride. Sure, more sleep and readings were sacrificed in March. But we have never had so much fun.

As we move on to the next stage of our academic career, leaving The Tide feels bittersweet.

The pain inherent in detaching ourselves from a community and organization we poured so much love into is difficult to bear, but we are excited about the direction in which our replacements will carry it. Under their leadership, we hold complete confidence that the paper will continue to evolve to benefit the RM community.

Our year of leadership has expired. As we continue to reflect upon the past few months, and as the memories linger, we are also reminded of the mistakes we made, the changes we hoped to bring, and the sleep we lost. But in light of all that, we are proud of the ambition, the care, and the passion we brought to this newspaper and community, and we hope to leave the next generation with what we have learned: pick your battles.

Frustrating fillibuster of SMOB voting rights

by Darian Garcia

May 2015

As treasurer of the junior class, an employee, and family grocery shopper, I can simply state that this is not true.

But do not take it from me.

Take it from former SMOB and current state senator Nancy King, who said that “[student] school

GRAPHIC BY KERN LEE

The SMOB bill was filibustered. board members are as mature and work as hard as the adults members.”

Take it from the Maryland state house, which passed the bill almost unanimously (125-10)

before it reached the senate.

Take it from student leaders Dahlia Huh, Richard Yarrow, and Rachit Agarwal, who lobbied senators in Annapolis. “[This was] dirty politics that impeded the students’ progress,” commented SMOB candidate Rachit Agarwal after the filibuster.

This SMOB voting rights bill was essential. It was a step in the right direction because if it were enacted, it would mean that the student’s sole representative in a board of seven other adults would have to be taken seriously.

The SMOB having a voice in the Board of Education can only have an impact if the other members of the board seriously consider him or her.

Let us recall that the board and superintendent jointly approved $15 billion funding for Chromebooks, but ignored masses of student, parent, and teacher protesters who fought for later school start-times for high school students.

As students, let us start with demanding for SMOB voting rights immediately to ensure that student voices are heard inside the walls of Maryland State House.

-Dimitar Yanev, 10th grade

Senioritis takes full flight in Spring

I think something that has been bothering me is the fact that many kids do not work harder in school. Some don’t listen in class, but still expect good grades. The truth is, you get what you worked for. If you want to ‘chill,’ don’t expect anything. The fact that they have these opportunities given to them, but that they don’t use these opportunities, is dissapointing. It is their own decision. If they want to drive a Honda instead of a Lamborghini, that’s fine.

-Christopher Kubr, 11th grade

Dress code discrimination is bothersome What bothers me about our school is how unfair our dress code is. This school is great when it comes to issues like diversity and bullying, and it’s sad that we still can’t get past the concept that a few guys restrict girls’ decisions to dress how they want.

-Yashi Janamanchi, 11th 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.rmtide.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.

1,200 copies of the newspaper are printed and disctributed 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....Andrew Del Vecchio, Rachel Gold, Catherine Wang, Matthew Zipf News................................................................Grace Cheung, Claire Luo, Brittany Tabora Opinions.................................................Farah Kabir, Anagha Lokhande, Jennifer Zhang International........................................................................Adithya Girish, Nikita Sardana Center Spread.....................................................................Anna Lavrentieva, Muye Wang La Marea............................................................................................................Darian Garica Features...........................................................................................Liz Choi, Michelle Wang Arts................................................................Michelle Dubovitsky, Nancy Jin, Max Molot Sports.................................................................Daisy Grant, Andy Kostka, Yueyang Ying Photo......................................Rachit Agarwal, Connie Chen, Maddie Franke, Mona Lee Graphics......................................................................................Nancy Jiang, Cynthia Song Copy.....................................................Nathan Li, David Nguyen, Alex Yu, Emily Zhang Online.....................................................................................................Thomas Del Vecchio Sponsor.....................................................................................................Mrs. Andrea Lyons

The Tide

OPINIONS

Black & Gold

May 2015 7

Year in Review: Examining the ups and downs of the new administration Great start from experienced leaders School policies need improvement

by Joseph Li The beginning of the 2014­-2015 school year started a number of changes within RM, which came into being with the rise of a new administration. Among these changes were an increased number of random hall sweeps, more funding for class field trips, and an expanded role of the SGA in the student body.

Although there have been mixed opinions about the need for certain changes, most students agree on the fact that the administration has achieved goals that have benefitted both the students and staff of RM. Many students worried back at the

freshman Jason Hong said, “It was great, I was really surprised. I thought the field trip would be a really dull experience because art isn’t really my type of thing.”

Not to mention, the SGA has played a huge part in our school’s successful reform, planning events such as Jamfest, pep rallies, and spirit weeks.

“It gives students a new voice. I think it lets students band together and creates a community within the school,” junior Christopher Lee said.

In reference to the SGA’s goals, sophomore class president Henri Maindidze said, “The changing of our administrative members gave the SGA a chance to check back and see where we are doing well as a school and where we can improve as a community.”

by Maddie Liu Throughout this year, administration has implemented and exercised many new changes to the school policy. These include conducting random hall sweeps, allowing a greater bureaucracy for field trips, and giving an expanded role to the SGA in the student body.

Although some of these things are seemingly good ideas and have had their helpful sides, they have also had many problems.

One of the most clear and controversial changes in the school policy has been the implementation of random hall sweeps.

This change was designed to cause students to get to class on time, as well as to stop them from cutting class by wandering in the hallways. If students did not follow the bell times, they would possibly be caught by adminstration and punished for their actions.

However, although this change did partially achieve some of its intended effect, it also ended up having unintentionally harmful effects, such as in some cases punishing innocent students.

Some students may live very far away from the school, have a bus that always

G

Gold Other changes in school policy this year included the expansion of the role of the SGA in the student body, like allowing the SGA to plan more events such as Jamfest.

Although this change did have many positive aspects, there were also quite a few problems.

“Adding more SGA led events could be a waste of resources that could be better allocated to improving the quality of existing events like homecoming.” said sophomore Helen Zhao.

While Jamfest did draw a small crowd, it is questionable whether the resources that went into planning it were worth the little profit generated by ticket sales.

Yet another change implemented to the school policy this year was an increase in funding for field trips.

Although this change was mostly positive, as field trips can be both enjoyable

PHOTO BY MONA LEE

Assistant Principal Mr. Garrick speaks with a student. Administration has put a greater focus on personal relationships with students this year, and it has payed off. start of the year that these unprecedented changes were too drastic and that students would not be able to adapt.

However, now reflecting back on the school year, we can clearly see what a success this new administration has been for RM, with their new changes in procedures and policies.

One change in policy that was implemented was a greater budget and funding for school field trips this year, leading to an increased amount of field trips and more freedom for student activities during field trips.

“I think field trips are a good thing because they help students learn more and see what they’re learning in class applied to the actual field. Although, a lot of the time, I feel like they can be wasted if they’re either not long enough or they’re poorly organized.

So I think with the extra money and funding for field trips, maybe that could go towards better planning for the field trips, which would help them be more orchestrated and create an overall better experiences for the students,” sophomore Jack English said.

English’s opinion has been echoed by the reactions of some other students as well. After a field trip to a DC art gallery,

B

Black

He explained, “By adding more events to the calendar and opening the SGA up to more people, we can get more people to do exciting things with their friends in a comfortable environment. We always look to find a way to bridge the gap between the administration and the students, and through listening to student accounts and reading surveys, we try to do the best job we can for RM.” Another change, perhaps the most controversial and radical change to many students, is the increased number of hall sweeps this year. Hall sweeps have been popular for some time now at RM, but this year the number of hall sweeps skyrocketed due to strict enforcement of bell times.

However, many students agree that the hall sweeps are beneficial to the learning experience in RM. “I think they improve attendance to classes and make sure students get to class on time. I think it really cut back the number of people that would skip class or hang out in the hallways because it created this sort of anxiety that you would get caught in a sweep. I think there have been too many to be honest, but I think that it really does the school a lot of good,” senior Matthew Sykes said.

All in all, general consensus by students holds that the new administration team has accomplished an incredibly daunting task of school reform with success.

Many students look forward to what lies ahead in RM’s bright future. The new administration under the leadership of principal Mr. Monteleone has won a massive victory in terms of fixing the flaws in our school environment.

We as a community would hope to see them continue their work in reforming the school policies and making the school environment more effective and enjoyable for all students.

GRAPHIC BY KERN LEE

Many students view the hall sweeps as disruptive to the classroom environment. picks them up late in the mornings, or frequently get stuck in bad traffic. In these cases, being tardy would not be their fault at all.

However, hall sweeps would catch and punish these students as well as those who are actually skipping or being purposely late to class.

“Some teachers don’t give passes even if the students are doing something the teacher tells them to do. And some people have to get from the first floor or basement to the third floor which [some] people have trouble doing, so I don’t think it is very representative of people who skip or purposely be late.” said sophomore Simon Liu. Liu made two other points about the negative aspects of random hall sweeps.

Some students may not be carrying passes to do things that they were told to do by their teachers, and therefore catching them in a hall sweep would just hinder their learning.

Furthermore, some students may have larger trips to make from one class to another, so they may not always be able to make it to class on time. Catching these students in hall sweeps would also not necessarily be very beneficial.

and educational, it also had its downsides.

Some students can waste their time on field trips being unproductive if they view them as more of a “free day” or a break from school instead of a learning experience.

“Students lose valuable class time.

Students also don’t learn as much as in class, because they’re more interested in enjoying the freedom and hanging out with friends than absorbing information.” said sophomore Katherine Wang.

However, it is important to note that these issues would likely exist whether funding was increased or not.

It is hard to say whether the changes that have been implemented this year to the school policy have been generally beneficial or not. However, I do believe that although they have mostly been very beneficial to the school and the learning community, there have also been downsides to many of the new changes.

RM’s policies are not yet perfect, and while the changes have created an urgency for change, the feedback from them should be taken into account to make adjustments.

As students continue to have complaints and suggestions about how the policies could be improved, administration should continue to fine tune them.

8

The Tide

OPINIONS

Dress code policy inconsistencies DRESS, cont. from page 1 Secondly, the dress code technically lays out guidelines that are to be followed by both male and female students, but many students believe that the dress code unfairly targets females.

Many styles that teenage girls tend to find fashionable violate the dress code, whereas men’s fashion has always been more conservative.

“It discriminates against girls a lot,” freshman Kit Flaherty said in regards to the school dress code policy.

Another big complaint is that the dress code is not equally enforced across different genders and body types.

On this, assistant principal Mark Brown admitted that “unfortunately, not all

GRAPHIC BY KERN LEE

teachers will treat both genders equitably,” but emphasizes that this is wrong and goes against the dress code’s beneficial intent.

However, a third perspective criticizes the dress code policy as being a mere byproduct of students’ apathy.

Students like junior Elan Naideck see it as “attempting to treat the symptom of a larger problem,” arguing that students would not be distracted by how their peers dressed if they were more focused on learning in the first place.

While Mr. Brown understands this reasoning, he stated that “It’s not our job to discern whether or not [all students are ready to learn]. My job is to create an environment where students have access to equal learning regardless of preparedness.”

And this is not just some cheap

administrative talking point.

Many students have confessed that they do get distracted when they see a lot of skin, and would definitely be more focused if their peers made a greater effort to cover up.

They too, are irritated by the inconsistent enforcement of the dress code, and argue that it makes these more revealing styles of dress appear more acceptable because some students regularly dress in them.

We have an interesting situation where many teachers choose not to say anything because they feel that it’s “not in their place,” especially in the case of male teachers confronting female students, while a smaller group of teachers and administrators take it upon themselves to intervene as much as possible.

Staff intervention with regards to the issue being sporadic and decentralized, is interpreted as something more like oppression rather than simple enforcement of the rules, especially with reports that certain teachers single out students that violate the dress code and then humiliate them in front of the class.

Students like sophomore Veeraj Majethia see stories like this, in conjunction with the opinions presented above, as dramatically increasing “resentment towards school authority, and actually resulting in a more toxic environment.”

If anything, the dress code seems to have backfired. Students, teachers, and administrators alike are all frustrated with how things have played out.

In order to move forward, we have to either consider radical solutions like imposing student uniforms, or to reform our current dress code policy.

There appear to be two key themes that everybody agrees on: 1. The dress code is enforced inconsistently, which causes many to experience confusion and annoyance. 2.

The intent of the dress code--the creation of a professional learning space--is a good one.

Thus, administration feels the need to inform the student body that if they ever seriously feel intimidated, if an incident happens where they’re completely humiliated, they need to inform the administration.

We can extend this invitation even further, in that students passionate about this should consider initiating a civil dialogue with the administration.

Yes, the issue is controversial, and opinions are polarized, but through civil communication, I’m confident that progress can finally be made.

May 2015

Controversy surrounds release of ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ sequel

by Grace Wang and Heather Konan

Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird” is one of the most renowned American classics, and a longtime staple of English classrooms.

The sequel, “Go Set a Watchman”, is set to be released on July 14, 2015. However, “Go Set a Watchman” is not really a sequel at all.

The novel, completed in the 1950s, is set 20 years following the events in “To Kill a Mockingbird”, and depicts an adult Scout Finch who travels to Maycomb from New York to visit her father, Atticus Finch.

The controversy regarding the publishing and Lee’s true wishes has surrounded the sequel since the news was first announced on February 3, 2015.

Close friends and neighbors of Lee recall her adamant refusal to publish another book. Yet some students at RM believe that the new book from the renowned novelist will be a great addition.

“I don’t know why she didn’t want to release it in the first place because ‘To Kill A Mockingbird’ was very successful,” sophomore Halle Phillips said.

In addressing why she refused to publish again, Lee stated that she had said all she had to say in “To Kill a Mockingbird”, and found the publicity around it overwhelming.

The fact remains that despite the numerous articles and reports written about “Go Set a Watchman”, no one knows the real truth behind the matter, save for those actually involved in it.

“Well, frankly, if I don’t have all the information, I can’t make a judgement.

If she is being manipulated, well, of course that’s not a good thing,” said English teacher Laurie Brown. “My experience is that the media a lot of times is not accurate—it’s usually about press for somebody, and that depends on the media.”

In fact, while many are in a rage about the seemingly unethical actions taken by the publishing company, some of the media is taking a different approach to the controversy.

Several blogs, newspapers, and websites are claiming that the 88-year old novelist is happy about the reactions towards her new book.

Despite the mixed reactions on the publishing of Lee’s new book, freshman Sabrina Guedes summed up many of our thoughts by saying, “No one can be really sure what she wants unless they specifically talk to her and this whole situation is complicated.”

While many people are confused by the legal issues related to the release of “Go Set A Watchman.”

Describing the impact the new book might have, Adam Howlett, a ninth grade student who recently finished reading “To Kill A Mockingbird” in his English class, believed that the controversy surrounding the publication of the second book is not needed. “[Perhaps] we will have more knowledge about certain characters like Boo Radley, and their back stories, which could affect it,” he said. Regardless, fans remain excited for the release.

PHOTO BY MONA LEE

Fans of Harper Lee are excited for the sequel, even with the controversy around it.

WiFi installed super smart Barbie doll releasing at toy stores near you

by Vanessa Barnes In recent years, children have become more accustomed to the interactive features of technology, from their parent’s phone to their own.

With the click of a button, little kids are able to grab mobile devices and ask Siri questions, whether they are informative like, “Where is the nearest ice cream shop?” or comical like, “Siri, do you have a boyfriend?”

The amusement from fooling around with Siri and her creative answers has inspired the company Mattel to design the world’s first interactive Barbie doll.

The doll comes installed with Wi-Fi, using technology produced by the company ToyTalks.

According to a sales associate at Mattel, this will be the first Barbie doll that is able to hold a conversation through Wi-Fi and speech recognition technology. The doll can comprehend what the child is saying and then respond in a witty, creative manner.

“Stick with the old fashioned Barbies.

It sounds cool but why would you need a talking Barbie doll in the first place? It’s going to end up telling the kid something that you don’t want him/her to hear,” junior Brittney Hedetniemi said.

One of the most astounding capabilities of this Barbie doll, also known as the Hello

Barbie, is that it can constantly update itself, much like mobile devices.

Since the Hello Barbie has WiFi capabilities, all of the content programmed in the Barbie doll can be updated to current events and lingo via The Cloud.

“Everything is being modernized, which is good in some cases, but classic toys should stay classic toys. This could also lead to bad habits or poor social skills.

If children want to talk to someone, they can talk to a family member,” freshman Deedee Yan said.

The Barbie Doll also has the ability to remember previous conversations by recording them. This way, all of the child’s personal preferences are stored in Barbie’s memory to be applied to future conversations.

The Hello Barbie doll is currently being tested and still in its early prototype stages.

Mattel has been testing out the doll’s jokes, questions and even songs to focus groups .

Freshman Sokhna Sall pointed out the fact that “when the children grow up they won’t have the social skills they need. They might not be able to converse as well or keep a conversation going because they’ve been talking to a computerized doll instead of an actual person.”

According to Sandra L. Calvert, the lead author of a child behavior study, “These [dolls] could be real cutting-edge approach to facilitate children’s learning.” However, it is crucial to remember how specifically the dolls need to be programmed in order

GRAPHIC BY NANCY JIANG

to prevent a negative influence on the children.

Michael Shore, the head of consumer insights, has assured that, “Everybody involved is very aware of how carefully this content needs to be crafted.” Mattel is being hyper vigilant about the content of the Barbie’s language and conversation features.

With this super smart and capable Hello Barbie Doll to be released in the fall of 2015, several parents wait in anxiety and anticipation until the doll’s release date. On the other hand, most parents who oppose the Hello Barbie fear the decline of social interaction with other children rather

than a high-tech doll. According to some Richard Montgomery students, they feel the same way.

“I have a 9 year old sister that got an iPad for Christmas and it’s become her number one best friend. She locks herself in her room all day with it and rarely comes out to say hi. Even though I know technology is an incredible tool, I feel like it is preventing the new generation from experiencing many things that everyone should experience in their childhood,” said sophomore Valeria Parra Torres.

However, some were not as opposed to the Hello Barbie as others. “I think that a [W]i-fi Barbie doll might not have as big of an impact on social skills as people are saying. Kids will still be spending their time in school where they will be forced to communicate with other children,” said junior Sarah Morgan. Although, she also sees the downside of the doll. “Some of my favorite childhood memories are of playing outside on my bike with my two best friends who lived down the street.

The thought of kids sitting and talking to a Barbie doll rather than playing outside is kind of sad to me.”

With the release of the Hello Barbie approaching, the idea of a doll that can talk is no longer an idea from Toy Story but a reality. With this advancing technology just around the corner, we need to ask ourselves just how much modernization we should allow in our lives and the effect it has on our lives.

The Tide

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May 2015 9

10 The Tide

INTERNATIONAL

May 2015

Expanding horizons: college abroad

by Stephanie Zhang Every year, after graduation, thousands of students in America flock to universities outside the country for their college years.

In recent years there has actually been an increase in the number of these students.

In 2012-2013, this number went from 283,332 to 289,408, according to the Association of International Educators.

Many RM students, both past and present, have also decided to travel out of the United States to attend college.

In interviews with The Tide, current senior Savannah Moss and 2014 RM graduate Bethany Pereira each provided their thoughts on their respective decisions to go to college at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SAVANNAH MOSS

gorgeous city, the university itself is excellent and has a very good reputation all across the world, and by attending Edinburgh I would be able to spend my 3rd year abroad... or as I like to say, my double study aborad.

Would you study abroad when pursuing a master’s degree?

If I do decide to get a graduate degree, I would most definitely do it abroad. I would love to get a master’s degree from a university in France, maybe at la Sorbonne or Sciences Po. I love studying French, and have had only the best experiences learning the language at RM. I hope to study French in college and beyond. ” What academic field are you pursuing at Edinburgh?

“I will be studying International Relations, hence the desire to study abroad. I felt that by studying International Relations in a foreign country, it would greatly enhance my studies and add to my experiences studying this subject.”

What are you looking forward to most from studying abroad?

“I am most looking forward to moving to Edinburgh, meeting new people from all over the world, and traveling every chance I get. I’m also really excited about starting my studies and exploring the world of international relations.”

Savannah Moss

When did you first decide to study abroad?

“I have done a lot of traveling over the years, so I have always been interested in moving and studying abroad. I first started looking into foreign schools a few years ago, but it wasn’t until junior year that I seriously began to research what options there were for going to school abroad.

Why did you decide to study abroad?

“I decided to study abroad for several reasons; I love to travel, it would be useful for my degree, it was cheaper than private and out-of-state schools in the US, and I would be able to have so many different opportunities than if I stayed in the US.” Why did you decide to study at the University of Edinburgh particularly?

“Because Edinburgh is an absolutely

vast and expansive, but living here has made me realize just how interconnected and accessible the world is.”

Why did you choose to study abroad?

“So that I could study law. I was on the mock trial team at RM, and absolutely loved my experiences in the courtroom on the way to our team’s state championship last year. In the UK you can study law as a first degree whereas in the US you can only study law as a second degree. Many bar associations accept UK law degrees.

So after these four years I can either move back and take the bar exam or I can get my LLM.” Was the decision to study abroad easy for you?

“I think it was a little difficult for me to commit to Edinburgh because I felt uncertain about whether or not I was making the right choice and if I would make friends, fit in or like my classes, but I think these insecurities would have arisen no matter where I decided to study.”

What are the differences between international and American college degrees?

“An admissions officer explained to me the difference between English, Scottish, and American degrees. She said, “An English degree is like a ladder, you have a set course structure and you follow that. A Scottish degree is like a mountain, you start with a main focus but you can take some additional courses that you are interested in. An American degree is like the Himalayas, there’s so much to choose from, very little focus, and you can get lost very easily.’”

Do you have any reasons against studying abroad?

“I don’t think there are any reasons serious enough to discourage someone from studying abroad. It’s a great experience for everyone.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF BETHANY PEREIRA

Bethany Pereira

How do you feel about studying abroad?

“Studying abroad has been a rewarding experience. I had the opportunity to immerse myself in a new culture, view my home through a different lens, and acquire new academic and life skills. At first, moving to the UK made the world seem

10 years from now, what will you think about your studying abroad experience?

“10 years from now I will be 29 so I’m not sure exactly what I’ll be doing or how this experience will have affected me, but I hope that this experience will have created a solid foundation for my career and will have helped me develop into a strong, independent, and cosmopolitan woman. “

BRAZIL

The opportunities were the most important reason that made my family come to the United States.

Unlike other friends from Brazil, my family did not move for military reasons. Here, there are a lot of opportunities for my future. I want to be a competitie soccer player, and here soccer is so competitive, and there are so many opportunities to play. This country has so many colleges. People live better lives here, where there is better structure, more security, better houses, and other things. Another reason my family came to the US was English. We think that will make a big difference in my life, because English is the international language and not many people speak English in Brazil.

- Rodrigo Rabelo

THAILAND

Foreign language exams pose challenge

by Peter Maldonado While the preparations for many exams may seem straightforward, foreign language AP and IB exams pose a greater challenge due to their large number of sections and complex format. As a result, RM students have difficulty finding the best way to study.

“I used to watch my favorite TV shows in Spanish while I was prepping for the exam, which made the experience much more enjoyable,” said junior Zack Khan, who is enrolled in IB Spanish 6.

Some students agree with Khan, believing that experiencing a foreign language through everyday experiences is beneficial, as they do not get enough practice in class alone. TV and other forms of technology can be considered effective methods to incorporate foreign language into everyday life and become accustomed to using another language daily.

“Setting your phone in Spanish or French helps because you are forced to use the language,” said junior Rachit Agarwal, who is also in IB Spanish 6.

However, there are also other students who are more comfortable with the practice they receive during class in preparation for the AP or IB exam. Classes review during

the weeks preceding the exams through a variety of listening, speaking, and written activities and exercises tailored to the exam their class is preparing for.

“I feel like my teacher, Señora Solernou, already prepares us with plenty of oral skills practice, so I don’t feel the need to watch Spanish television or do extra oral practice,” said sophomore Max Moss, who takes AP Spanish 5.

While there are also students who could not possibly imagine studying for an AP or IB exam without a prep book, some students believe that simply being familiar with the exam format is sufficient, as they already know the material.

GRAPHIC BY KERN LEE

“The only direct preparation I am doing is getting used to the structure of the exam,” Moss explained. “If your teacher is explaining the structure of the test, I don’t think [one would require] a prep book.”

By being aware of the exam’s format and all of its sections, students may be able to eliminate surprises on exam day that can hinder their performance.

Despite the wide range of student opinions on the best way to prepare for language exams, some ideas are universal among many foreign language students.

All agree that fluency in a language is not something that can solely learned from a book. While review materials can help students recall topics long since forgotten, students must also immerse themselves in the language. “A language isn’t something you can study out of a textbook: you have to experience it,” said Khan.

Like riding a bike or playing an instrument, language skills improve through practice and repetition.

Fluency and proficiency neither come instantaneously nor without effort.

“I feel like with languages, it is more effective to just use Spanish as often as possible to develop fluency,” added Moss.

Thanks to the diverse community at RM, there is no shortage of resources available to students to aid them in their studies for foreign language exams.

When my grandparents were in school in Thailand, they always had to be there five minutes early. Their hair had to be cut short for boys, and girls had to braid their hair or wear pony tails. They always had to be neat and organized from head to toe.

Now, in the United States, we have more opportunities than my grandparents did long ago.

When my grandparents were in school, they had to clean up the classroom every day after school.

Their school was very hard and strict, and there were not as many opportunities for them to learn as there are for me to learn today.

- Nai Sarakul If you would like to share a story or provide background on another country, email tide.international. editors@gmail.com. We would love to hear from you!

The Tide

May 2015

RM students’ spring break adventures in Greece

by David Zhang For a lucky group of Richard Montgomery students, spring break meant an opportunity to experience a beautiful, cultural, and historically sigificant corner of Europe: Greece. This trip was led by counselors Evan Anderson and Erica Lebright, and RM students were joined by a group of students from Walter Johnson High School and even a contingent from

said, “One of the most memorable places we visited was the archeological site in Delphi. Seeing ruins from as far back as 500 B.C. was surreal. Being in the midst of such history left us with a sense of awe that is somewhat indescribable. Delphi is also situated on Mount Parnassus which provided breathtakingly beautiful views from wherever you found yourself standing.”

Junior Kathleen Arnett was also surprised by her experience in Athens.

She said, “Both the ancient and modern

words, like ‘blind’ or ‘cream,’ but there were a lot of political messages as well.

Some buildings and alleys had amazing street art.”

After spending three days in Athens, students emarked on a cruise of the Greek islands. They first visited the large, beautiful island of Mykonos, where senior Heather McMahon visited the windmills of Mykonos, a well-known attraction of the country.

The next day, students visited the Turkish port town of Kusadasi and the

PHOTO COURTESY OF EVAN ANDERSON

Anderson and LeBright gather a group of RM students, joined by Walter Johnson and Washington students, to travel to Greece buildings in Athens used a Classical style, Greek island of Patmos. On the third day Washington state as well.

During the first day in Greece, students and it was incredible to see its widespread of the cruise, the party visited the island of were able to see parts of the port city of use as opposed to its use just on government Rhodes, where they travelled to the town of Lindos. There, they visited the acropolis Piraeus, near Athens, before arriving at buildings, like in D.C.” Junior Sophie El-Masry was equally in Lindos, which provided expansive their hotel to recover from the voyage.

On the second day, students were impressed. “For me, it was so memorable views of the entire town, and even had the treated to a guided tour of Athens, complete to see these buildings towering above our opportunity to ride donkeys back down with visits to the Olympic Stadium and heads and marvel at the fact that they were to the main city. Ms. Anderson said of the the Acropolis, home to the world-famous built over 2000 years ago without any of donkeys, “It is a sort of touristy tradition in Parthenon, which was erected in 438 B.C. the modern technology we have today but Greece… but it was super fun!”

After Lindos, the group returned to the as a temple to the goddess Athena. On the have continued to survive,” she said.

During the trip, students were also port in the medieval old town of Rhodes. third and final day in Athens, students able to see a dynamic blend of modern and “The modern town is sort of folded into explored the city.

Students were taken to see Delphi, with ancient. Arnett appreciated the prevalence the medieval town; it was really cool to see the archaic ruins of the Temple of Apollo, of graffiti in the city. She said of the street the juxtaposition between the two,” Ms. and were also shown around a traditional art, “It was everywhere. Some of it was just Anderson said.

On the fourth day of the cruise, students Olive Farm in Amfissa Valley. Ms. Anderson tagging buildings with random English

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visited the island of Crete, the largest and most populous Greek island.

Finally, on the last day of their trip, the students returned to Athens and visited the Temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion, a historic site with a breathtaking view of the sea.

Amidst all the natural and architectural beauty was one harsh reality: over the years, many artifacts have been removed from Greece. El-Masry, said, “A lot of artifacts that belong in the country of their origin were taken out by different archeologists and are now housed in different museums around the world. It was heartbreaking when we came to an empty pillar and the guide would say ‘the statue that was here was taken to England or Amsterdam or Boston’... It is sad that these artifacts are not where they belong.”

Students brought home with them new knowledge and memories. Ms. Anderson said, “It was a fabulous experience… something I will never forget.” Arnett agreed, adding, “It was amazing to see aspects of an ancient culture survive for so long…. we saw pillars and walls that were over 1,000 years old. The U.S. does not have anything like that, so I started thinking of our country as much newer than I had before.”

“Everywhere we visited had something interesting or beautiful to offer. I learned that Greece has a very rich culture that we only touch on when we study it in school.

This opportunity felt like something you would only get once in a lifetime, and I would definitely do it again,” Arnett said.

McMahon, who felt similarly, said, “This experience helped me see how different cultures work, and it made me really interested in traveling more later in life. Doing the trip through the school was a really great experience for me because I was able to make a lot of new friends and be away from my parents for an extended period of time.”

McMahon advised that all students take advantage of opportunities to travel.

“I would highly recommend others to participate in a trip like this one. You have the opportunity to learn a lot about other cultures through hands on experiences and speaking to people from all over the world,” she said. Though the destinations may change, the thrills of travel never will.

Milan exchange student bids goodbye to RM family

by Hayley Goddard Francesca Borghesan arrived in the United States from Milan at the beginning of September. Though she had years of English lessons under her belt, she was unsure of how American students would react to her. However, the RM community has welcomed her with open arms, especially her host families.

Her current host family has two children her age, Sarah and Mac Morgan.

“It’s very cool. I like them, and they are both very nice. We are the same age so this kind of helps,” Borghesan said of her host family.

Borghesan said that the Levys, her host family during first semester, were very kind to her as well. Borghesan said, “I love them, and they are coming to Italy to stay at my house this summer. I hope Sarah and Mac will come to Italy too.” Both families helped her to adjust and learn conversational English.

Despite the warm welcome, she still misses aspects of her hometown, especially her avid participation in gymnastics, which is her fondest memory of home.

“I have spent time in the gym since I was four years old. I practice three days a week and coach three little girls two days a week. My best friends are there. I go to the gym almost every day except on the weekends. My coaches saw me growing up, and now I aid in coaching with them,” Borghesan said.

PHOTO BY MADDIE FRANKE

Exchange student Francesca Borghesan reflects on her journey from Milan to Rockville.

Borghesan went to an American gym hope to become either a lawyer or a judge. I once or twice before she sprained her ankle, am still not sure about it, but I am planning but that did not keep her off the RM winter for sure to come back to the US for a year in college at least,” Borghesan said. cheerleading squad.

While she loves her school and friends In addition to her love for gymnastics, she plans on pursuing a career in law. “In in Milan, diversity was one thing missing in Italy, high schools are already specialized her hometown that RM has in abundance. schools, and I go to a law and accounting Borghesan speaks English, French, and school. I do not really like accounting, but Italian, and has visited a dozen countries I am really into law. It may be a family in Europe and around the world, but her home is very monoethnic. thing,” she said.

“It was shocking to find such an Borghesan’s father is a lawyer, and her mother is also in the field of law as an impressive diversity of people at school, employee at City Hall. “After university, I and I can say that it is pretty great. Getting

to know so many different cultures is amazing,” Borghesan said of the culture shock she felt when she first arrived.

She also loved being able to meet so many different students in every class. “In my school the teacher comes to us, and I am with the same people all day throughout high school more or less,” she explained.

Another major difference between Borghesan’s hometown in Italy and the United States is the legal drinking and smoking age. In Europe, it is quite common for minors to legally smoke and drink, although Borghesan is not fond of these activities herself.

Laws and age limits are a matter Borghesan will find herself paying attention to when she returns home. She will be 18 in July, and thus also a legal Italian voter.

Because of this, Borghesan has started to pay more attention to politics, especially to the immigration situation in Italy.

Currently, thousands upon thousands of immigrants from northern Africa are escaping in boats to Italy and other parts of southern Europe. In Borghesan’s opinion, those who are willing to work hard should be allowed to stay. She said, “It is a real problem. My family is not affected since we live in the north, but it is still a big impact on the economy. It is terrible to see so many people dying during this immigration process.”

Borghesan will return to Italy at the end of the school year, and her host families, her friends, and RM will miss her bright presence. Italy, however, is only a plane ticket away.

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The Tide To Mr. Turner, I leave many more generations of HL Chem struggling, test skipping, workload whining, 3rd-period lunch eating, relationship advice needing seniors. Thanks for dealing with me for three long years!!

Love, your star student, Miranda Rosen My will is to all the youngins that will still be here when I’m gone. I want to leave our lunch table to Ben. I leave our drama crew to Lisa and Iliana. I advise you to bring new people into the group and to do well in your junior year. Much love to you forever. Peace, love, and Cocoa puffs <3 Kaitlynn James

May 2015 To Avery and Sebastian: I leave Booth in your capable hands. I’m going to try and come back to see all of the shows next year!!!! You’re going to make Jimmy and I so proud <3 <3 Keep the traditions alive, and know that while you’re cueing the show, my spirit is with you. Wildcats never die!! WHAT TEAM???

To Anika: Please, please, p l e a s e keep those robo boys in line. Try for Worlds again next year!!

I know you’re gonna be great <3 <3 You’re FIRST in line to keep the puns alive, but don’t worry; once you think of one, you’ll be so INSPIRED, the rest will CASCADE out!!! Good luck next year!!!!!!!!!!

Lisa Mena

To Ezster Janossy and Sally Simpson, I leave you both Resonance. To my Black Maskers family, I leave many more laughs, tech rehearsals that get out early, and record-breaking ticket sales. To my mock trial squad, I leave four-hour-long practices at Panera and another season in which you will “seduce” those witnesses and win the state championships once again.

Michelle Schrier

To Michelle and Cathleen, I leave the responsibility of carrying on the Arts tradition of having punny titles. To Thomas Del Vecchio, I leave the gaggle of Asian girls I always see you with. To everyone antsy to get out of high school: savor these years and cherish the people around you because I know I’m going to miss the losers I’m graduating with.

Nancy Jin

To Cathleen, Ellen and I leave GenerationZ; thanks for being such a great director! :) Good luck for senior year! To the nicest sophomores I know—Noah, Max, Alex, and Gabby—I leave fond memories of us in China together and well wishes for coming years. To Mr. Davis, we leave the future of BK in your capable hands. Finally, hi Sue and Rachel... stay excellent, you two.

Jessica Kang

To the Riders of 5855, I leave you the coveted front seat with the trashcan.

To Mr. Goetz, I leave you my phone because I always use it in class. Actually. Wait.

No, I need that. Sorry ;) To Mr. Chillman and Mr. GK, I leave you another fabulous class to teach with the same enthusiasm you taught me.

And to Paxon, Amy, Sam, Kai, Tihitina, Louise, I leave you whatever I do for Drama.

Go Rockets!

William Lu

Do stuff. Now. It allows you to both make the mistakes that need to happen and to grow from them, but much sooner than if you simply wait for stuff to come to you. And it’s fun. Trust me. You get to make friends. Real, live ones.

Paul Quesnel To Betsy Wang, I leave the final year of the IB program, but she’s so darn smart she’ll have no trouble with that. To Stephanie, Winnie, Mitchell, and Chloe, I leave the best (read: woodwind) section of the marching band.

Sarah Bullard To my brother, Spencer Woehrle, I leave my legacy and any given Woehrlepuns (including but not limited to: woehrlwind, Woehrle-bird). To Rachel Pollack, I leave my eye rolls and short temper: you too can scare underclassmen.

Hannah Woehrle

To Costumes, We have had so much fun together and I will miss you all. May we all find our Chocolate Cake. ;) Isis Offutt Eternal thanks and devotion to Mr. Turner, Mr. Hines, and Mr. Chase. I dedicate all my love to the RMFH and RMLax teams.

Cease adoration of Kevin Liu, Liz, Mubae, MAEVE, A Conch Shell.

To future classes, I leave behind a dent in the second lamp post in Main Street, a row of lockers in the foreign language hallway that will never fully close again, as well as the last remnants of my sanity.

Michelle Wang

To Chloe I leave the rugby legacy, may it grow and get better, rugby for life!

To the soccer team best of luck, beat Rockville always. Mr. Turner, you’re the best forever, thanks always for the greatest three years.

(Max is bae. <3) Kate Payson Thank you EP, AR, VE, RT, and EH for putting up with me! Paige, carry on the love for hockey. RM hockey boys and girls, thank you for three wonderful years of laughter and heartbreak. Mia, wear the tutus with love, sass, and awesomeness.

Shout out to the Math Department for gossip. And thank you, Eli Samuelson, for being my punk. <3 Hanna Savoie Just be you. Don’t rely on others to make you happy. Don’t change who you are for the sake of other people. Live for yourself, because honestly, no one else cares about you nearly as much as you care for yourself. Remember this and you will be happy, I guarantee it.

17 years later, I feel pretty good, so you should too.

Faraz Daneshpour I have learned that everyone is very unique. This is why it’s great to have a diverse body of staff and students. Never take “no” for an answer; if you are passionate about something you should work for it. If you won’t make a change, then who will? Continue to work hard to leave your mark at Richard Montgomery.

Frances Mejia I wish that Wenwan and Aisha could graduate successfully next year and Qianhui could get higher grades on every subject. Work hard and be confident.

No matter where I am and where you are, I am always with you. I’m happy to be your friend.

Junmin Lei To the future generations of IB Biology HL students, I leave a box of petrified corn of unknown age, a box of assorted beans and smelly carpet, and plenty of antibiotic resistant E. coli to strike fear into the hearts of your enemies.

Hannah Horng To Fonda, Sochi, Madeleine, Catherine, and Cynthia, I bequeath to you our cross country rant sessions. Use them wisely.

To Henry, I bequeath to you our dear freshman, Matthew. Don’t corrupt him.

To Matthew, I bequeath to you the bus. Yes. The entire bus. Have at it.

To Dash, I leave Poetry Out Loud in all its glory and honor. Do me proud.

Blessed Sheriff To Emme, good luck with the yearbook. I hope you and Greta can manage to meet the deadlines next year!

To Ms. Contino, you will always be my favorite teacher. Thank you for everything.

To my BFF, Mrs.Robinson, stay sassy! Thanks for listening to me rant.

To my cuz Bianca, try not to miss me picking on you. Take care of my sister!

Victoria Engelen Dear Kit Katie, I leave you the corner. Without the other seniors, you alone will have to defend such prime real estate against invaders. Idk how you’ll survive without my nagging advice. I love you so much and I wish all the best for you in the next few years!

Sarah Flaherty To my friends I leave memories that I hope will bring you joy.

To my teachers I leave satisfaction in days I won’t be there to destroy.

To my family I leave my love (and a future college bill).

To all of RM I leave my thanks, right here in my senior will.

Lastly, there’s something I can’t forget to do, I leave my promposal to Jason Luu. Melonee Quintanilla

To all underclassmen: DO NOT give your email to the College AP Search. You will be bombarded by emails from obscure, random colleges. I already committed and I’m still getting emails! North Kentucky Mountain Bible College is my most frequent contact! Never even been to Kentucky!

But if you do, enjoy the luxury of being wanted by a school because the bill doesn’t reflect the same sentiment.

Nathan Poland I leave the RMXC/Track team in the hands of Rohann, Samad, Mac, and Michael. Work hard guys and continue the legacy!

Huge thanks to Coach Rogers for being such a great mentor! I have grown tremendously because of your guidance and will continue the success when I run in college!

Andrew Mitchell To Mark Davie, I leave lots of Snapchats. To Mattie, I leave a script and my horrible Spanish. To any new chiefs, I leave a (hopefully) quiet props room. To my proplings, old and new, I leave hot glue gun burns, food coloring, and dish soap. To the new props chief(s), I leave the crew. You will do fabulously.

Megan Chernosky To Grass, Boo Thang, and Jonathan (aka Secret Sassmaster), I will the RM Senior One legacy. To Kellie, Maddie, and Grass, I will Snowbots. EAT WISELY!!

Ellie Sherman Thank you to my teachers: Mr. Flake, Ms. Vires, Ms. Gaffney, and Mr. Stillman, for teaching me more than I thought was possible, and for shaping me into the person I am today.

Maddie Harlow To the English hallway, I leave a lot of murals. To next year’s senior art class, I leave stress and anxiety. Also, someone will have to take on the roll of the mom/nagger... it’s crucial.

IB Class of 2016, good luck! Hugs to Valencia, Lipi, and the few I don’t sass. All upcoming seniors, you guys will do great with colleges but not as amazing as the CLASS OF 2015!!!

Rosa Jang

The Tide To Kenny and Greg, I leave you some protein powder so you guys can get bigger. And Kenny I have something else for you, which I will give to you in person so come find me Peter Wang To all the youngins following the wisdom of King Ng, remember his wise words: You either glo up or grow up. So glo up and join the KFG (King Farm Gang). Peace Addy Dhungana To Chesstable, I leave drama shenanigans, 4:20 selfies, and my love. To Leslie, Hannah, and Muye, I leave Accent.To Judah and Will, I leave my everlasting love, support, and confidence.To Leslie, I leave fun coffeehouse performances and that one time-travelling One Act we never wrote. To Oscar, I leave hugs and the weird things we’d say to each other. To Mr. Frezzo, I leave infinite thanks. <3 Jemies Saratis To my teachers and counselor, I give infinite thanks for being amazingly supportive. To Mr. Turner, I guess you’ll need to find someone else to supply you some ugly sweaters now.

To Cynthia, I leave Art Honor Society. And to the friends that have become my family, I love you. These last four years have been sometimes beautiful, sometimes heart-breaking, but undeniably memorable.

Susanqi Jiang A big thank you to all of my amazing teachers; I am so grateful for the opportunities I have had in this enriching environment! To French 6, I leave Les Mooses de Franglais 7: cherish this blessing of a class and carry on our legacy. To Gurknayshun, Library Crew, Psych Psquad, and all of my other amazing friends, I love you! Underclassmen: don’t spend high school wishing it would end. <3 Hannah Salem To Mrs. Petulante: Continue to tell those jokes. You have talent.

To Mr. German: long live the sushi shirt.

And to Nadia and Christina, thanks for making the chem crew the chem crew. And of course, to little Michael aka Daniel: survive, and listen to some Mulan.

Emily Shue To Eli, Bouke, Audrey, and Helen: Lead the swim team well, don’t forget the BK cheer, and take care of Wheels!!!

Ex-Swim Captains

May 2015

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Great moments are born from great opportunity... So Daisy and Andy, keep working the Tide magic of the Sports section this year because we are IN OUR MOMENT! To math team, please do ARML and get jackets at some point...

To RM ice hockey, I love you all, do some more team bonding, and can’t wait to be a screaming fan in the stands next year!! (PS shoutout to FLOWER POWER LINE!!!!)

Yueyang Ying To the marching band: I leave you a golden cape. But real talk, I’ma be back, keep it kickin’ ‘cause I’ma be watchin’.

To Vanessa: all the senioritis, good luck making it to class.

To Caleb, Jim, and Darien: keep up the Glo in the name of our kiNg. Ryan Liiva Fake yungins say life is all about guap, life is all about the joint you can buy in the shops, they say you’ve succeeded when you’ve left home, they tell you you’ve made it when you’re up and grown, well sometimes all we want is to soar in the sky, life ain’t bouta everything Ben Franklins can buy, life’s bout more don’t ya know, life’s about turnin up: it’s about the Glo. #kfg Adam “Glo” Ng To Mattie, I leave you with these words of advice: you are the best little brother ever and never be afraid to be yourself. To Max, I leave you the duty of carrying on “HOOHAH”. Make me proud. Lastly, to RM, I leave absolutely nothing.

Olivia Antezana Yo, Class of 2016, real talk: Enjoy every day of senior year, aid at least five periods a day, loaf on all your assignments, and have major senioritis because it’s the only year you can justify your actions with a simple “it’s senior year.” Oh, and Class of 2015 will always be the best you’ve ever seen... sorry. Stay ratchet, RM. <3 Bin2rocks I, Alex Jiao, in relatively sound state of body and mind do bequeath the following with full fiduciary intent upon event of my graduation: To the Tennis Team: the best of luck in their Division 1 conquerings next year. The aux cord in Coach’s car goes to Oheneba. To all the staff and students who go, and will go, to RM: that Garfield comic in the science hallway that I sort of helped paint.

Alex Jiao Hearts Squad- Thanks for making every day a crazy but incredible one! Zipf, Kaamiya, and Dahlia- Thanks for our D.C. adventures! Tara- Thank you for being my other half. My high school experience would never been as amazing as it was without Tardef.

Sedef Berk To Liz, I leave you the crazy children of Strawberry Knoll, and the best of luck for senior year. Stay sane and keep eating ramen, love you!! To Ninad and Grace, I leave you the future of KAST. You’re gonna do great things. To Lipi, I leave you red hair and bus conversations, and to Maddie & Mona, Photoshop. And to the Class of 2015: What time is it? SUMMERTIME. School’s out.

Connie Chen To Alex I leave the boys, take care of them. To Greg and you, I leave French. To Oscar, I leave all the coke. To Kit, I leave my infinity hug. To Max, I leave my sarcasm and love. To the drama department, I leave my soul. To the history department, I leave my thanks. To my teachers, I leave an apology for never being quiet. To this school, I leave what else I forgot and the memories I never will.

Matt Winstel Thank you to Rachel, Matt, and Catherine for the best year in the history of The Tide (in my unbiased opinion) and making this paper truly special to me and to RM. Mock Trial kids: Its GSR, not GFR. Model UN kids: The chair never looks favorably upon two unmoderated caucuses in a row, but try it anyways. To the next Richie the Rocket: Stay away from body paint, and for heaven’s sake please wash the clothes.

Andrew Del Vecchio

To future Rho Kappa Presidents, I present the incredible RM Social Studies Department.

To Max Moss and Emily Zhang, I bequeath Dana Tofig’s contact info. To Jack and Zach, I bestow the legacy of Mr Vicari’s Econ sophomores, and my bus seat. To David Edimo, I leave the entire world of student government, neatly wrapped, at your feet, just as a past MCR leader once left to me.

Richie Yarrow I leave this advice for all RM students who enjoy math/science. Take Mr Edelstein’s AP Physics course! You will learn a lot more than just physics (literally). Although it is my most stressful class, I have learned so much throughout the year. If you plan on taking this course, DON’T forget to do the summer packet or else the first week is a nightmare (I did).

Zachary Lacey To my tennis team, I leave you with a Division 2 title and the mission to continue being better than the girls tennis team. To my Running Crew ninjas and Izzy and Ben, I leave you with ice cream cakes and delicious Chinese food parties. To Muye, I leave you with my love and countless sweet memories. Have an awesome senior year! To my co-captain Chris Chen, I hope your wrist feels better so you can crush everyone again. Hakuna Matata!

Justin Pan Dear Daniel, I leave you my heart! :’( Seriously though, I’m gonna miss you so much. Take care of robotics and JSA! You are one of the smartest, most dedicated people I know. I’m sure you will be an awesome leader.

Love, Sarah <3 To Grace Cheung, I leave you my love and wishes for a great senior year.

Brittany Tabora Thank you RM, IB, the Class of 2015, my teachers, the girl’s lacrosse team, and The Tide.

I leave to future classes a hidden bench swing, a small thrift shop, shrimp tempura sushi, the perpetually-empty bathroom in the science hallway, and the knowledge that you still have time to enjoy being at the greatest high school on Earth.

Nancy Jiang

To the 2014-2015 Tide staff, thank you so much for the best year ever -- we’ve accomplished some crazy stuff this year that I never thought imaginable. To Andy, Cynthia, Grace, and Nikita, I know that you guys are going to do great things -- it’s a huge task to run the paper with all the ECs/college apps, but we wouldn’t have picked you guys if we didn’t think that you were ready to take it on!

To my twin Cathleen, Helen, and Linda, Hannah and I leave you lots of love (stay perfect!) and wish you the best of luck for the next season (won’t you miss our antics?). To Hannah and Jessica, thank you for letting me send you infinite Tumblr memes.

To all of my IB senior year teachers (Mr. Davis, Ms. Shay, Mr. Hines, Mr. Thomas, Mr. Goetz, Ms. Vires, Ms. Stanton, Ms. Peyer), thank you for making senior year the most incredible academic year I’ve ever had -- I’ve enjoyed every class so much.

Lastly, thank you to the class of 2015 for being the best class ever!

Catherine Wang Andy, Cynthia, Grace, Nikita: throw rockin’ parties and give this paper everything you’ve got. Savor each moment, because you’re in for the best ride ever.

RMXC: run hard, cheer loud, and smile every step of the way. To the XC ladies of 2015: thank you for everything. Love you all and can’t wait for the marathon! To Français 7: vive la best class ever. Class of 2016: cherish your time here, because it flies. And most of all, to my teachers and to RM: though I’m sad to be leaving, I can’t begin to express my gratitude for everything you have given me to take forwards.

To the Tide staff: Never stop working hard and writing bold, giving your all for Brownie Point gold.

Always remember as you spread news far & wide to have fun, dream big, and show that Tide Pride!

Rachel Gold To the IB teachers & administrators, thank you for the best education imaginable.

Thank you especially to Mr. Stillman, for all the support over the past two years; to Sra. Solernou, for making my every day, since freshman year (!), a little brighter; to Ms. Hoover, for working so hard to make our lives easier; to Ms. Johnson and Ms. Shay, for the many debates; and to Mr. Hines and Mr. Thomas, for the most incredible lectures. To the next leaders of NHS, I leave the chance to effect real change at RM and in Rockville. Andrew, Cath, and Rachel, I’ve never had so much fun working so hard. Andy, Cynthia, Grace, and Nikita, I can’t wait to see where you take The Tide. And of course, a much-deserved shout-out to Ms. Lyons and Ms. Vires for staying so late for every layout session!

Matthew Zipf

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The Tide

LA MAREA

Mayo del 2015

La verdad detrás de la fiesta de Cinco de Mayo por Sara Garcia-Beech En los Estados Unidos, la mayoría del país parece identificar la cultura mexicana principalmente por las celebraciones del Cinco de Mayo, un día que se suele confundir con otra fiesta mexicana, el Día de Independencia, que ocurre en septiembre.

Compañías de cerveza y otros tipos de alcohol aprovechan de esta fiesta para promover sus productos.

Chipotle, una cadena de restaurantes de comida rápida mexicana, tendrá una oferta para sus burritos populares ese día. ¿Pero que se celebra realmente durante el Cinco de Mayo?

En 1861, México estaba en ruinas financieras. Francia, uno de los países a los que debía gran cantidades de dinero, mandó tropas al país para recolectar su dinero, y porque tenía ambiciones de un imperio en las Américas. Así empezó la Guerra Franco-Americana.

México estaba claramente en desventaja. Los franceses tenían mejores armas, y más hombres. El ejército mexicano, liderado por el General Zaragoza, decidió fortificar una ciudad llamada Puebla y esperar a los franceses.

El cinco de mayo de 1862, los franceses llegaron y ocurrió una batalla que duró todo el día.

Y a pesar de todas las ventajas que el ejército francés tenía, los mexicanos ganaron. A pesar de no ser el fin de la guerra contra Francia, esta batalla marcó

de Puebla, no es un día muy celebrado.

En Puebla, la gente natal se visten como soldados mexicanos y franceses y recrean la batalla. Muchos oradores presentan

GRÁFICO POR VALENCIA FU

El Cinco de Mayo celebra la victoria de las tropas mexicanas en Puebla en el año 1862 un día simbólico en la historia de México. discursos para expresar su orgullo al ser La guerra duró seis años más, y con la mexicanos. ayuda de los Estados Unidos, México tuvo En los Estados Unidos, es una historia éxito en expulsar las tropas francesas. diferente. De acuerdo a los datos de la Puebla, la ciudad donde esta victoria Oficina del Censo, en el 2012 33.7 millones fantástica ocurrió, fue renombrada en de personas en los Estados Unidos eran honor del General Zaragoza. mexicanas o de descendencia mexicana.

Hoy en día, la fiesta es reconocida por Descendientes mexicanos miran a este día todo el país, pero con la excepción del estado con mucho orgullo, y es muy celebrado

en regiones con grandes comunidades de mexicanos. Aun las comunidades de americanos que no mexicanos suelen celebrar este día.

Ahora, en los Estados Unidos se celebra más extensamente que en México.

Hay música mariachi, comida tradicional mexicana, y más.

Este reconocimiento nacional de la fiesta empezó en los años sesenta,gracias a activistas chicanos.

En los años ochenta, las compañías grandes tomaron nota de esto, y decidieron utilizar la fiesta como una excusa para vender sus productos.

Críticos de actitudes estadounidenses hacia la fiesta dicen que el Cinco de Mayo ha sido demasiado comercializado, y que la mayoría de americanos no mexicanos que celebran el día ni saben lo que están celebrando.

Para ellos, solo es una excusa para emborracharse. Las compañías ganan mucho dinero, y toda la importancia cultural del día es ignorada.

Es muy importante que las personas que celebran este día sean conscientes de su historia, especialmente las personas no mexicanas, porque la celebración no existiría sin un aspecto cultural.

El ignorar la historia detrás de la celebración es una falta de respeto. Por lo tanto, es importante que todos los que la celebran sean conscientes de las raíces de la fiesta que están celebrando.

Cuba y los Estados El éxito y esfuerzo de Unidos: Nuevo capítulo los hispanohablantes por Charlotte Beckford

por Lisa Hernandez

Cuba solo está 329 millas del punto más sur de los Estados Unidos, pero nosotros no hemos disfrutado una relación amistosa típica entre vecinos. Durante la Guerra Fría, cuando Rusia y los E.E.U.U se amenazaron uno al otro con armas nucleares, Fidel Castro derrocó el gobierno de Cuba con el apoyo de guerrillas.

Al comienzo, los americanos reconocieron este nuevo gobierno, pero la ideología comunista de la administración fue revelada cuando oficiales cogieron tierra privada y nacionalizaron algunas empresas privadas, incluyendo compañías con dueños estadounidenses.

La reacción del presidente Eisenhower a los impuestos altos para los productos americanos fue un embargo de intercambio.

Las tensiones se incrementaron durante la crisis de los misiles cubanos, cuando el ejército americano se dio cuenta de la habilidad de los rusos a lanzar proyectiles desde bases cubanas que destruyeran el país en pocos minutos.

Actualmente, hay muchos habitantes de ambos países quienes querrían que el embargo fuera eliminado. El presidente Obama anunció en diciembre que el abrirá la embajada americana en Cuba por la primera vez en cincuenta años. Esta es una acción que tendrá un impacto profundo al revertir los efectos continuados de la guerra fría.

Aún más recientemente, la administración del presidente Obama dijo que borrará Cuba de la lista americana de estados quienes apoyan el terrorismo.

Afortunadamente, las naciones resolverán sus problemas para que ambas puedan aprovecharse de los beneficios de los nuevos mercados. Estos nuevos mercados apoyarán la economía de ambas naciones.

Otro beneficio de las acciones del presidente Obama será que los residentes americanos con parientes en Cuba van a poder viajar allí.

Shannon Graveran, una estudiante senior de Richard Montgomery de descendencia cubana y ecuatoriana, comenta que es lo que significa este nuevo paso adelante. Ella

El emigrar de otro país a los Estados Unidos es algo muy difícil ya que hay algunos obstáculos que superar. Aunque bastantes inmigrantes hispanohablantes vienen a los Estados Unidos en busca de mejores oportunidades económicas ese no es el caso con todos ellos. La Señora Benito, una profesora de Español en Richard Montgomery High School, es un ejemplo de esto.

Ella quiere contar su historia, ya que muestra una perspectiva diferente de la emigración de los hispanohablantes, la profesora fue muy clara al decir que su experiencia como una inmigrante es muy diferente comparada a la de muchos otros inmigrantes.

Ella no vino a los Estados Unidos en busca de oportunidades económicas y con la desventaja de no saber el idioma Inglés al contrario, la Señora Benito emigró a este país por razones atípicas siendo la principal la de empaparse de una cultura diferente ya que ella ya contaba con un título universitario.

Señora Benito estudio en España, y empezó a aprender inglés en la escuela cuando tenía 12 años, la profesora cuenta que desde joven ha tenido una fascinación por conocer diferentes culturas y países, la cultura que más le llamaba la atención fue la cultura anglosajona.

Esta misma fascinación con otras culturas fue lo que la trajo de visita a los Estados Unidos. Ella vino a este país en el año 2001 hace casi 15 años. ¿Su razón por emigrar? En sus propias palabras, “yo estaba loca con ansias de aventura.” Antes de venir a este país, Señora Benito vivió en Inglaterra por 2 años y en Alemania por 6 meses.

Señora Benito vino a este país con la intención de quedarse por 2 años antes de regresar a España, pero todos sus planes cambiaron cuando conoció a su ahora esposo. Ella consiguió un trabajo como profesora en Richard Montgomery hace 14 años y ha enseñado ahí desde entonces.

Ella recuerda que le encantó el ambiente del país desde sus primeros años, el hecho

GRÁFICO POR NANCY JIANG

Un nuevo capítulo esta en el horizonte. dice que, “como la nueva generacion, ahora tenemos la oportunidad de visitar Cuba, y reconectarnos con parte de nuestra culture previamente escondida.”

Ahora que los Estados Unidos ha empezado el movimiento hacia un nuevo capítulo en la historia, todo el mundo espera con mentes atentas a ver como responde Cuba.

Graveran comenta que el siguiente paso sería que “Cuba hiciera algo para enseñarle al gobierno estadounidense que ellos quieren remediar la relación diplomática entre ambos países.” La estudiante concluyó que “todavía falta mucho tiempo para que sea tiempo de celebrar. El gobierno cubano no ha cambiado, y todavía oprime a la población.”

Un sondeo por Pew Research probó que 63% de estadounidenses apoyan la restitución de relaciones diplomáticas con Cuba. Además, la compañía Bendixen & Amandi Internacional hizo un sendero en 2015 que reveló que 97% de cubanos también apoyan la colaboración con los E.E.U.U. Ojalá que los eventos recientes den a luz tranquilidad entre ambos países.

que le haya gustado la vida en los Estados Unidos no significa que la transición fue fácil. Por ejemplo, la Señora Benito tuvo dificultades para encontrar un lugar donde vivir y la forma de comprar un carro a pesar de tener un contrato de trabajo como profesora en MCPS. Cuando se habla de las experiencias de los inmigrantes hispanohablantes, uno siempre oye historias de pobreza y violencia. La Señora Benito cree que las personas que emigran a este país sin hablar el idioma y sin tener suficientes recursos económicos son muy valientes, aunque ella no se identifica con estas situaciones ya que sus razones fueron totalmente distintas.

Ella siente que su historia es diferente ya que su estatus legal le permite regresar a España en cualquier momento. Sin embargo, ella espera que su historia pueda ofrecer una nueva perspectiva de ver a los inmigrantes.

La profesora Benito dice que ya no pensaría vivir en otro país. “Ya me siento

FOTO POR MADDIE FRANKE

La Señora Benito emigró en el año 2001. establecida,” ella confesó, “mi vida esta aquí.” Esto no significa que su curiosidad sobre el mundo es cosa del pasado. Ella cuenta que le “gustaría visitar Perú para conocer, pero nada más.”

Al fin y al cabo, la Señora Benito espera que los inmigrantes hispanohablantes abran sus mentes a otras culturas. Ella quiere dejarlos con estas palabras, “no se sientan diferentes por ser hispanohablantes porque aquí hay gente de multitud de nacionalidades. Así es como formamos este país.”

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ARTS

May 2015

‘And Then There Were None’ murder mystery thrills all PLAY, cont. from page 1 With two casts, viewers had the opportunity to relish a different performance each night. Although the technical aspects of each were the same, each cast provided a unique viewing experience. Many students looked forward to seeing the play more than once. Senior Milkom Abose said after the first weekend of performances, “I’m hoping I can see the play again, because I really enjoyed the first cast and I heard only the best about the other.”

“Beauty and the Beast.”

“It’s supposed to be realistic because the audience needs to feel every death and needs to be afraid. The audience needs to suspect people,” explained Janamanchi. Judging by the audience’s gasps and expressions of horror during the performances, they certainly did feel the fear and suspense of the characters.

As soldiers vanished and people died, the audience’s terror escalated. The realism that the audience was able to experience can be attributed to the excellent crew

PHOTO © 2015 EYE ON THE BALL

Chad Griffiths, Rachel Rosenbaum, and Nicky Cannon sit in the custom-made set.

This year’s performance is also different because it is more realistic, featuring chilling yet lifelike scenarios. Past shows have all had a sort of fantastical element to them, like the urban legend of “Sweeney Todd,” the mythical almost-town in “Almost Maine,” and the imaginative story of

in charge of lighting, sound, hair, makeup, and sets. The set, the parlor of an English mansion, was simple but exquisite, with immaculate cream-colored walls and scarlet curtains.

Do not let the simplicity of the set fool you, however. Each part of the construc-

tion process was integral to the final result.

“Normally, the sets are of building exteriors, so honestly we could just duct tape anything that didn’t stick,” joked junior Ann Weisgerber, the assistant chief of the set construction crew. “But this year, everything had to fit perfectly because it’s all in this one room.”

The hair and makeup crew had their work cut out for them as well. The crew had to transform a cast of high school students into an array of characters of different ages. “The aging process was a bit challenging and required us to experiment a little, and the wrinkles weren’t easy,” said junior Mary Hopkins, who led the hair and makeup team. Despite their initial challenges, however, the Black Maskers proved quite clearly that they could surmount any artistic or technical challenge, even the seemingly impossible task of making a fifteen year-old a fifty year-old.

The opening of the play, with hundreds of tickets sold, was incredibly impressive PHOTO © 2015 EYE ON THE BALL considering the number of snow days at Junior Yashi Janamanchi gets in character. the beginning of the year. “I think overall we lost more than a week of rehearsals. the show, many members of the cast and And it’s amazing to think that now because crew think that there was an even better it didn’t slow us down one bit,” said Win- reason to attend; the twist ending.

In the last scene, the surprise ending stel. This efficiency was due to the leadership of both the student directors and shocked audiences and astounded even adults involved in the production, as well those who had already read the novel. Fans as the enthusiasm and overall experience of of the original story were surprised, as the decision was made among the directors drama members.

As this was the last show for the seniors and casts to differ from the text in several in the cast and crew, many felt bittersweet important ways. “I was absorbed by the about the end of their high school drama show. The ending really threw people for careers. However, the success of the play a loop...it was very shocking,” said Abose.

So who did it? Why did they do it? Who will hopefully give the students many fond memories of the RM drama department. would survive and who would die? The “Of course I’m sad to leave Black Maskers, guests were desperate to know as they sat but I’m glad that I ended on such a good in terror. As the theater vacated and ‘then there were none’, it is evident the producnote,” said senior Isis Offut.

Although the production was gripping tion struck terror in the hearts of even the and the sets were beautiful, which should most fearless of viewers and will not soon have been more than enough reason to see be forgotten.

Camila Tapia’s natural artistic talent shines in her portraits

by Syllia Newstead and Michelle Dubovitsky “Art is probably my greatest passion,” explained senior Camila Tapia, a prominent artist at Richard Montgomery. Having taken art for three years and participated in the highly successful NOVA art show, Tapia has evolved from hesitantly dabbling in various forms of art to becoming a mature, accomplished painter and mixed media artist.

Judging from her illustrious RM career and extremely diverse, impressive portfolio, it might be surprising that Tapia has little artistic background in her family. “Being the only one in my family that is interested in art can be tough,” she said.

However, this does not take away the passion she has had for art forever.

“I’ve been drawing since I was little. I guess it was just a natural desire to do art,” said Tapia. As a student in Foundations of Art as a freshman, she was able to turn this natural desire into a reality with inspiration from her fellow artistic peers and help from her experienced teachers, Mrs. Stanton and Mrs. Posey.

“I’ve really enjoyed my time in my art classes,” Tapia said. “I had Mrs. Posey in my freshman year, and again in junior year for AP Art. She’s helped me branch out and become more confident in exploring different mediums.”

Tapia characterizes her style as focusing mainly on mixed media, with her pieces generally using a combination of colored pencils, markers, pastels, and paints. As she became more comfortable experimenting with different styles and artistic choices, Tapia conquered her fears in order to expand her artistic horizons.

“Before my senior year, I was really afraid of painting, and now I love it.

So I’ve been really trying to push myself this year to try new things,” she said.

According to Tapia, this new level of confidence was inspired by her peers in AP Art. Fellow artist and senior Lei Yan said, “Camila has jumped out of her comfort zone to create better art and find her own style. The same thing happened to me and I think I’d definitely credit my art classes and other artists at RM for helping me do that.”

Tapia voiced the same sentiment. “Everyone is so different in how they make their art, even in the way they come up with concepts.

Seeing all these difPHOTO BY MONA LEE ferent minds come

together and all of the amazing art that piness in expressing herself through her comes out of our class has really influ- art, the process frequently becomes very enced me in using stressful and arduous. new methods and She admitted, “I prostyles,” she said. crastinate a lot, and I Though much sometimes get stuck in has changed in her really bad ruts where I artistic style, Tapia can’t make any proghas stayed true to ress on a piece.” her roots, and the The recent expefocus of most of rience of participather pieces has not ing in the AP and IB changed signifiNOVA art show was cantly over time. an especially stressful “I’ve always been time for Tapia and the fascinated by facrest of the artists her es,” she explained. class. “The show was “That’s what my crazy,” Tapia said. concentration is “It was so hard to get on, mainly portraifunding, hard to get ture.” people organized, and Her portraits there was so much showcase the facwork involved in genes of her peers, eral. In the last week strangers, and even leading up to the PHOTO BY MONA LEE show, we were all in herself, contorted into various shapes Tapia often features faces in her artwork. the gallery 24/7, work-

and expressions to convey emotions like sadness, serenity, and anguish. Yan added, “Camila’s work features crazy expressions that make her art really fun to look at.”

When describing her penchant for selfportraits, Camila explained, “You’re your own best model. All you need is a mirror, and sometimes it’s hard to get other people to sit for portraits.” The hard work and effort Camila puts into her art pays off, as is evident in her piece titled “Bobble Heads.”

This painting, which examines the structure of faces, features multiple heads of different colors and textures arranged in diagonal lines across the canvas.

Though Tapia finds relaxation and hap-

ing up until the last minute.”

However, the tremendous effort paid off, and all aspects of the show came together smoothly. “We’re all so proud of it,” said Tapia. “It went off much better than we imagined.”

Based on her extremely positive experiences at RM, Camila Tapia is certain that she will continue working on her art in the future. “I’ll probably end up focusing on some kind of art,” she said. Whether or not she will turn her passion into a career, Tapia will continue to hone her talents to explore new opportunities after high school, and will doubtlessly go on to achieve great things.

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FEATURES

May 2015

Philanthrophic project exhibits artistic talents of students

by Kathy Li Imagine combining community service, creativity, and health care into one initiative that significantly improves the lives of others. This past winter and spring, Richard Montgomery art students did just that by participating in the Youth Art for Healing project. Over 30 students created tiles for the MedStar Montgomery Medical Center in Olney, Maryland.

Students from all grade levels were given the opportunity to express themselves through this process under the guidance of art teachers Ms. Stanton and Ms. Posey.

Working either individually or in pairs, the students painted intricate designs onto 24 inch x 24 inch tiles under a designated theme.

Ms. Stanton’s share of the project consisted of producing tiles that depicted flowers and plant life for a pre-operation room, while Ms. Posey undertook creating more elaborate images of the C&O canal for a patient recovery room.

The pre-operation room tiles were designed to calm and soothe the patients, while the patient recovery room tiles were

PHOTO COURTESY OF DAISY GRANT

Students display their tiles at the Youth Art for Healing reception at MedStar hospital. intended to spark visual interest and even for the students to have their artwork on prevent injury. An example of the latter public display,” said Ms. Stanton. “They is the inclusion of the words “call, don’t really learned how to create work for othfall”on a tile, added to encourage bedrid- ers to view and enjoy.” Ms. Posey echoed den patients to call for help instead of try- this sentiment, adding that “it was a nice, heartwarming experience” for everyone ining to move around by themselves.

Although the two teachers’ goals were volved.

From a technical standpoint, the projslightly different, the project was equally rewarding for both. “It was an achievement ect gave students the opportunity to ex-

pand their arsenal of skills. “The students enjoyed it, because it was just challenging enough to be interesting,” Ms. Posey said of the experience. The creative process consisted of using photographs for inspiration and conducting research, as well as experimenting with proportion, perspective, and other elements of art.

Equally important to the Youth Art for Healing project was the aspect of giving back to the community. According to its website, YAFH is a non-profit organization that aims to make “the connection between healthcare organizations...and local schools”, based on the philosophy that “bringing the arts into health care facilities promotes a healing atmosphere and improves quality of care”.

This objective was definitely fulfilled at RM, as the students reflected in their artist’s statements on being able to put their skills towards a greater cause. “Art to me is a form of self-expression; the works I create are usually fitted to my own ideas and feelings,” junior Cassie Ulvick revealed. “With this project, however, I learned to create art for others.” With such a positive response, this project looks as if it could be the start of a new tradition in the RM art department.

Peek into Ms. Wall’s window Yizhen Zhang, Intel finalist

coming to Richard Montgomery, where she worked as an ESOL teacher for two years.

46 years later, the cottage is still hers Then, five years ago, she became the attenand she returns every summer once school dance secretary.

Outside of school, Ms. Wall also has is out, just like her childhood.

As Ms. Wall was introduced to the taught at Montgomery College for 15 years wonders of travel, the lake house soon be- as an adjunct professor. She teaches Engcame far away. In high school, she was an lish as a second language there, quite like exchange student in Brazil. Once at Augus- she did in Taiwan.

However, nothing quite compares to betana College in Illinois, yet further from her lake home, the lake still benefitted her. At ing an attendance secretary. “I have [kids] age four, Ms. Wall learned to swim in the for two minutes, I get to say hello. Some lake. At Augustana, she swam all four years kids come in crying, some kids come in sad, some come in thrilled,” Ms. Wall said. for the varsity swim team.

In college, her love of travel reemerged. “I get to share a lot of things with kids. You Ms. Wall took two semesters to study know, I get to share their happy moments, I abroad; one in South America, and one in get to share their sad moments, things that happen in their Asia. She would family. I know return to Taitheir secrets, bewan after gradcause I’m here uating from for a moment Au g u s t a n a , with them, for originally for two minutes. three months, And that’s also but ended up the rewarding staying for four part, I’m only years. In Taiwith them for wan, Ms. Wall two minutes.” taught EngMs. Wall has lish and studalways thought ied Chinese. to treat everyBut beyond all one nicely, beelse, the bigcause you do gest thing she not know what learned was they are going independence. through. “I feel “I grew up real like I see a lot of fast, because kids grow up.

I was alone, PHOTO BY ANDY KOSTKA I see you in your backpacking Ms. Wall smiles at students passing by the Wallfice. freshman year, through Asia,” Ms. Wall said. “I learned how to budget and then by your senior year you’ve gone my money, learned how to make friends off to college. I see kids who are really horquickly, and learned how to be safe about rific in freshman year, but grow up by their senior year. You know I see a lot of little inmy surroundings.”

Much of her fast learning was from the teresting things like that.”

“Keeping an eye on the world going by “Backpacker’s Bible,” a full guide on everything you need to know about backpack- my window,” as The Beatles sang in “I’m ing. “Great books, great way to travel, and I Only Sleeping.” Everyone will stop by the encourage everyone to travel after college,” room with five Walls at some point in their Ms. Wall said. Due to her Visa, she traveled high school career. It could be for one minoutside of Taiwan for weeks at a time be- ute, or 20 minutes, yet no matter what, Ms. fore returning back to her temporary home. Wall will give you the time.

“What a long, strange trip it’s been,” as After four years of adventure, Ms. Wall returned home to Chicago to teach the Grateful Dead sang in “Truckin.’” The before going back to get a masters degree Grateful Dead are more in line with Ms. from Rosary College. Finally, in 1996, Ms. Wall’s taste.

When school finally is over, Ms. Wall Wall found her way out to Maryland and worked as a paraeducator at Montgom- will make her way back to her lake, her ery Blair High School for nine years before true home.

WALL, cont. from page 1

by Stuti Ganatra and Victoria Priester Drive. Curiousity. Love of science.

These are all characteristics of senior Yizhen Zhang, who was recently chosen as one of the forty finalists in the nation in the Intel Science Talent Search (Intel STS) competition. The Intel competition is considered to be the nation’s most prestigious science research competition for high school seniors, and thousands of students from across the country apply each year.

“I decided to enter the Intel contest because I wanted the opportunity to write a full scientific research paper. More importantly, I loved every second of my internship [at the National Eye Institute],” Zhang said. For her paper, Zhang researched the human eye works and how we see the “colorful world we live in.”

Even from a short interview, it is clear how much time and thought Zhang put into her research, and how much she enjoyed her investigation. “For my project, I reconstructed blue light sensitive cells in our eyes that play a crucial role in color vision, eye development, cognitive functions, and internal clock. Since not much information is known about these blue light sensitive cells, it was like looking for a needle in the hay stack, except no one knew the shape of the needle,” Zhang explained.

Her hard work and dedication were evident to Intel judges, who selected her research paper from 2,000 initial applicants, and then again from 300 semifinalists.

“On behalf of RM we are very grateful and proud to have received this for Yizhen’s accomplishments to have in our school forever,” said Principal Damon Monteleone of the plaque Zhang received

from Intel. Principal Monteleone presented Zhang with the plaque on Friday, April 24.

As a reward for making it to the semifinals in the Intel competition, both Yizhen and RM received $1,000.

Along with their scientific research, students who enter Intel’s competition must also submit a transcript and teacher recommendations. The top forty finalists were invited to Washington, D.C. this past March for final judging, and also had the opportunity to meet other Intel alumni.

“For this competition, I received a total of $8,500. The best part was bonding with the other finalists and meeting many distinguished scientists,” Zhang said.

Intel judges and RM staff are not the only ones proud of Yizhen Zhang and the other Intel finalists’ achievements. The celebration of the top forty finalists was held at the White House, where Yizhen shook hands with President Barack Obama. Despite this honor, Zhang is quick to thank her supporters back home: RM’s staff. “I would love to thank all my teachers for giving me the necessary foundation to do my research,” she said.

Zhang strongly encourages juniors with an interest in science and a taste for investigation to apply. “It is never about winning; it is about exploring the unknown and having fun. Thus, I think the most important traits are curiosity and perseverance. If you are always asking why and are not afraid of facing obstacles, then research is perfect for you.”

The 2016 Intel STS application will be available on Intel’s website later in this month. Principal Monteleone expressed his pride in Yizhen’s accomplishment again after presenting her plaque, saying, “Yizhen’s achievement will be forever immortalized in our school’s history.”

PHOTO BY STUTI GANATRA

Principal Monteleone presents Yizhen Zhang with a plaque honoring her success.

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FEATURES

May 2015

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Fun in the sun: events in DC after AP exams end

by Cindy Song and Rachel Li With the arrival of AP and IB testing season, many RM students are studying hard for high scores on their exams. The hard work will pay off once you discover all the excitement in store afterwards! Here, we take a look at some fun events students can attend to blow off steam after exams.

Gaithersburg Book Festival: If you are an avid fan of books, then come attend this incredible literary festival featuring more than 100 authors! James Grady, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, and Sherrilyn Kenyon are just a few of the national award-winning authors attending.

The authors will form a panel to answer readers’ questions. Readers can even talk with the authors one-on-one and get personal copies of books signed. There will also be writing workshops that can help you with writing opening sentences, memoirs, and even college essays.

This event is completely free, and occurs all day on Saturday, May 16 from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. It takes place at Gaithersburg City Hall on South Summit Avenue. Free parking and shuttle buses are available from Shady Grove Metro station and Lakeforest mall. Be sure to check out this event!

MoCo Strawberry Festival: After taking the AP and IB tests, there is nothing sweeter than celebrating the local harvest of strawberries at the Montgomery County Strawberry Festival. The festival includes carnival rides, live music, and of course, strawberries, along with other food.

Vendors will be selling cookies, cupcakes, strawberry lemonade, strawberries by the flat, other strawberryinspired delicacies, local fruits and veggies, burritos, and much more. There will also be vendors selling jewelry and other unique accessories.

The event will occurs on Saturday, May 16 from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. and takes

place at White Oak Middle School in Silver Spring. Entry and parking are both free.

However, there will be an additional cost for food. Rides and activities range from $3 to $10.

The proceeds from the festival will benefit three charity programs. By attending this festival, you can give back to the community while having a blast with your friends and family. It is a win-win situation.

Rockville’s Hometown Holidays: Stop by Rockville Town Center on Memorial Day weekend for this annual Memorial Day street festival! The Hometown Holidays festival features dozens of entertainers, children’s rides, teen activities, the VisArts Fine Arts Festival, the Taste of Rockville celebration, Memorial Day Ceremony and Parade, and more.

The festival will run from 2 p.m. until 10 p.m. on May 23 and 24 and from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. on May 25. On Monday, the Rockville Concert Band & Chorus performs at 9 a.m, the Memorial Day ceremony starts at 9:30 a.m., and the parade at 10:30 a.m. The parade will feature drill teams, marching bands, community groups, and military units.

Entry into the music festival and the Memorial Day Ceremony and parade is free. The festival is within walking distance from Rockville Metro Station, and there is free parking available throughout the town center at places such as the Council Office Building on Fleet Street, the Metro lots, and City Hall lots. Hometown Holidays is the place to be during Memorial Day weekend.

D.C. Memorial Day Parade: After viewing the Hometown Holidays parade, you can head over to Washington, D.C for the annual Memorial Day parade.

Sponsored by the World War II Veterans Committee, the Memorial Day Parade serves as a remembrance for soldiers who died serving our country.

Musical performers, celebrity veterans, and military supporters such as Pat Sajak, Joe Mantegna, and Miss America will be at

PHOTO BY MONA LEE

Cherry blossoms and the National Washington Monument decorate D.C. in the spring. the parade. Be sure to wave an American flag to show your patriotism!

The parade is on May 25, and will begin at 2 p.m. at the corner of Constitution Avenue and 7th Street. The route will proceed along Constitution Avenue and will end at 17th Street, passing the White House. Join in on the American spirit, and don’t miss out on all the patriotic floats.

Movies on the Potomac: Starting on May 10, National Harbor will be presenting free movies on the Plaza’s big screen every Sunday evening through September 27. All movies begin at 6 p.m, and are shown only once.

The theme for May is “Hero Mania”, so all the movies are centered on a hero.

Viewers get to pick the May 10 movie, the two options being “Big Hero 6 “ and “The Lego Movie.” You can vote for one of

these two movies on the National Harbor’s website. On May 17, “Brave” is showing; on May 24, “Akeelah and the Bee” will be played, and on May 31, viewers will be treated to“Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.”

On a warm summer night, the movies will make for the perfect family outing.

Seating is not provided, so viewers are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or picnic blankets. Food is available at the National Harbor’s dining establishments. Come enjoy an evening under the stars with your friends and family!

You deserve a treat after all that studying, so check out these enjoyable events. The only thing you will have to worry about after exams is deciding which events to attend. Best of luck on your exams, and get your calendars ready for the summer fun that awaits.

Rocket seniors’ future plans on paths less traveled

by Grace Sun and Victoria Priester You have finally made it. Freshman year of college: lecture halls, collegiate athletics, fraternities and sororities, dorms...But, what if you are not taking the usual path of four years of academic classes? Many RM seniors have decided to put a unique spin on their college experiences.

Senior Simone Roundtree is choosing to enter the army reserves as a part of Syracuse University’s Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program. Many of the branches of the armed forces will pay for students’ college tuition if they commit to serve for a certain number of years. “I chose to [go into the army reserves] because it was a way to give back to my country. It’s also going to help pay for college, considering all the benefits.” says Roundtree. However, she is not just looking at this experience in light of what she will be doing for the next year or couple of years. Roundtree sees this as an opportunity that will serve her well for the rest of her life. “I hope to gain an understanding of army life, and I hope to challenge myself physically and mentally. This is an experience that others have told me will affect my life in a positive way, forever.”

Max Molot will also be participating in an ROTC program this fall at Princeton University, and he shed more light on how the program works. “I’m doing Army ROTC, which is essentially training to be an army officer while at Princeton. As a result, the army pays for your tuition in exchange for 8 years of service. These 8 years can be a mix of active and reserve or coast guard service,” said Molot. This military training can help prepare him for his dream career: a position in the State Department, helping to craft international policy. “My training at Princeton will include physical training

three times each week, a military science class, and usually a lab over the weekend.

The program really aligns with what I want to do once I come out of school,” Molot said.

Joining the military is not the only unique program available for students coming out of high school. Senior Nathan Poland is also going to Princeton, but will

guage of the country they will be living in for nine months. “ I know I will gain an enriching cultural experience,” Poland said.

Like Molot, Poland also sees his posthigh school experience as a way to prepare for the internationally-oriented career he hopes to have in the future. “At the moment Brazil is a dominant force in South America and in the future it will become

GRAPHIC BY VALENCIA FU

Some students travel abroad or volunteer after high school, before going to college. have a very different experience. “After se- a major player on the global stage because nior year I plan to join Princeton’s Bridge of its unique location and rich resources, Year Program. This is a program that so learning and working in that country Princeton offers to its incoming freshman. now would serve me well in the future if I It offers the opportunity to defer for a year pursue a career in international relations,” and go abroad for nine months to do vol- Poland said. unteer work and service projects in either Besides the benefits of serving our Brazil, Bolivia, China, India, or Senegal,” country or being immersed in a new culsaid Poland. While in the Bridge Year pro- ture, these unique programs are also often gram, Princeton students will also have the paid for by the university, or come with fiopportunity to learn and practice the lan- nancial benefits. In Poland’s case, once he is

accepted into the Bridges program, Princeton will pay for all of his trip’s expenses.

Molot said, “With money that has been put aside for college and this scholarship, I should be able to come out debt free, which is not a luxury many college grads get to have. The extra money I would have had to spend can be placed towards grad school.”

RM staff also gave their advice on taking gap years or participating in special programs in college. Counselor Molly Stemp said, “I had a student who was very interested in international affairs, and she wanted to go to the Peace Corps, so she took a year off to travel and do some volunteer work overseas. That was really beneficial for her, so afterward she could choose a college that fit her interests. I had another student who just felt like she wasn’t quite ready for college, and so she did a year off for a program where she was assigned a position in a certain field so she could figure out what she would like to do in college. For her that was beneficial just to get more experience. For some students it’s a good fit, and for some students it’s not. It’s not a one size fits all.”

Math teacher Leslie Jessell also gave some advantages to taking a gap year: “You will save money. Some people can’t afford to go to college right away, so they work.

Sometimes the work experience can help you later on. I know a girl who wanted to be pre-med, so she took a gap year to work for the ER. It just gives you more of a sense of yourself. And for some students, if they didn’t get into the schools they wanted, they can use that year to beef up their resume and apply again. “ Thinking about college and a career can be intimidating, but be sure to take the time and think about what you want to do.What are your goals? What is your dream career?

The year after high school is prime time to explore. Do not miss out on your chance for a unique and rewarding experience.

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Agnes Scott College Ramnik Dhingra Allegheny College Isis Offutt American University Katie Moore Boston College Mihret Zemedkun Boston University Hannah Salem Brandeis University Hannah Recknor

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Brigham Young University Colton Stevens Brown University Rachel Gold Blessed Sheriff

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Farah Kabir Yueyang Ying

California State University, Northridge Justin Nikakhtar

McGill University Paul Quesnel

Carleton College Ben Koppel

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Montgomery College Emily Ramsey Jemies Saratis Johnny Smith

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Morehouse College Jeremy Stubbs Muhlenberg College Andrew Mitchell New College of Florida Chelsea Miller New England College Hanna Savoie

Temple University Olivia Antezana The New School Alyssa Achacoso Towson University Faraz Daneshpour Kelly Frey Connor Inglefield Chelsea LeRoy Galya Levinson Carmen Winkler Tulane University Ines Aguerre University of Bridgeport Jeremy Diouf University of British Columbia Nicole Spouge University of California, Berkeley Adithya Girish Helen Yang Yizhen Zhang University of California, Santa Cruz Sarah Flaherty Universidad Carlos III de Madrid Katie Derkics

New York University Frank Most Gerard Silalahi

University of Delaware David Silverberg Caitlin O’Neal Daniela Quiros

Nova Southeastern University Frances Mejia

University of Denver Graham Walker

Ohio State University Hank McNamara Allie Parrish

University of Florida Maddie Harlow

Ohio Wesleyan University Audrey Long Pennsylvania State University Kate Payson Daniela Rojas Princeton University Max Molot Nathan Poland Catherine Wang Purdue University Savannah Bailey Rice University Allie Murphy Rochester Institute of Technology Julian Washington Salisbury University Natalie Fein Emmanuel Porquin San Diego State University Leon Luu Shenandoah University Renzo Pajuelo Smith College Sara Migler

University of Maryland, Baltimore County Daniel Aidoo Tara Bhardvaj Nathan Demsas William Dorotinsky Yasmin Graham Nansen Kuo Evan Kunstman Andrew Levin Samina Musa Adam Ng Emma Paulines William Quiroz Peter Wu

University of Maryland, College Park Aida Bagheri Sedef Berk Ross Berman Sarah Bullard Cristian Castro Nate Charlemagne Alief Dharmawan Addy Dhungana Bailey Dinman Renzo Farfan Jeffrey Feng Shannon Graveran Conor Hollingsworth Hannah Horng Jeremy Hu Michael Huang Yufei Huang

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The Tide

SPORTS

Lax ready for playoffs

by Syllia Newstead The girls varsity lacrosse team has been working hard to prepare for the upcoming playoffs this season. With their long hours of daily practice, the team is ready and pumped for the next stage.

“It’s super intense,” junior Lana Bizeau said. “Everyone always puts in their best work and we’ve had a couple of injuries

mistake he taught me just to forget and learn from my mistake and to keep giving it my all,” freshman Katie Serway said.

The idea is to have a strong team as a whole but also, strong players who make up that team. “He encourages us to not only be good athletes, but be better people,” freshman Sierra Longest said.

Ponchione stresses the importance of a good foundation for success. He wants his players to know all the basics and understand the different positions on the

PHOTO © 2015 EYE ON THE BALL

Anisha Pancholi and Emily Shue work to gain control of a ball against Magruder HS. this season which isn’t so pretty. Players field, no matter what position they usually are falling left and right but it’s still a good play. “Our coach put me in a position I have season.” never really played before, and learning One of the key factors to the team’s this new spot has made me a very good success has been teamwork and player all around,” Serway said. communication. “On the field, we talk to Staying positive during the game make each other, but also what’s really great is the players work hard and take risks. “Even that you get a lot of sideline help so your if we are down in games we hustle, we still players on the sideline will let you know score and we don’t slack off,” Serway said. what’s coming up, where to keep your “We don’t hang our heads and give up, we head, where to watch,” Bizeau noted. The play until that buzzer goes off, and then we comments from those on the sidelines help are ready to work the next day in practice improve the game and allow the players on what we need to improve on.” to work better together. The players have All the girls are great athletes and they learned to be able to count on each other “bring different skills to the field, which is when in trouble. why we work so well together,” Longest Coach Brett Ponchione, or Ponch for said. The team is constantly on their feet, short, has really impacted many of the new ready to spring into action. The dedication varsity members. “The game is so much will lead to a very successful rest of the more intense, and whenever I made a little season.

May 2015

States on Allied radar

by Quang Nguyen While many people are aware of the success of the Richard Montgomery girls softball team, another RM team is dominating in the game of indoor softball.

The Richard Montgomery allied softball team poses a serious challenge to whatever competition they face, as demonstrated by their three consecutive wins.

Coach Christopher Schauer is an excellent mentor who guided the team to a victorious season with only one loss last year, and has returned to motivate a new squad of players. Schauer’s best quality, according to star player Michael Karecki, is his ability to raise the spirits of the players.

“He brings his awesomeness to the game,” Karecki declares.

Schauer emphasizes the values of unity and fair-play, and regards victory as byproducts of the team’s commitments to these values. Furthermore, Schauer tries to balance involvement from each and every one of his players. This way, he says, every player has a chance to participate and experience the game.

The allied softball team forms a cohesive unit due to the fact that many of the team members from the bocce team also joined the allied softball team, including seniors Shabaz Baig, Michael Karecki, and Jamal Middleton. Nonetheless, newer players have no trouble joining the ranks of players who have participated on other teams together.

Other notable players include handball team star senior Dong Luong, as well as senior Greg Berry, freshman Angela Soto, and freshmen Annie Schauer. The chemistry between all of the players helps to captivate the audience and establish the success of the team on and off the field.

Karecki stated, “It’s the fun of the game that makes people want to join the team.”

“Meeting new friends is also an important part of the experience of allied softball,” Middleton added. The joy experienced by

the players of the allied softball team is a testament to the team’s relaxed, yet hardworking atmosphere.

Allied softball had a phenomenal season last year despite a loss in the first game of the season. The team quickly regained its winning spirit and went on to win all of the remaining games of the season. However, due to complex rules of the tournament, the team could not reach the county finals, but the players’ desire to win only blossomed after that devastating news.

With the new season beginning, Karecki reveals, “The way the rules are set up now is that the top two teams from each division get to have a playoff game where the four teams play head to head.”

This helps increase the competition present in the tournament. In addition, Coach Schauer states, “Our priority is to win the States Championship, which unfortunately escaped our grasp last year.”

Schauer’s athletes already begin to resemble a championship-worthy team, both statistically and in terms of team morale. The team’s current undefeated record demonstrates that they are no laughing matter on the playing field.

However, it is also the camaraderie and fun atmosphere of allied softball that is pushing the players to achieve even greater success.

PHOTO BY MONA LEE

The team poses after their g a m e on 4/22.

The Tide

SPORTS

May 2015

23

Rocket throwers and jumpers set the bar high

by David Zhang As the days get longer, the air gets warmer, and nature springs back to life, many people are inclined to take a stroll outside or go for a run. Many RM kids have chosen to do the same, joining the RM Track and Field team as it starts up for the spring season.Track and Field are both great sports, however, with the number of runners on Track far outnumbering those on Field, Field’s struggles, accomplishments, and victories often go unnoticed.

There are two categories of field events, throws and jumps. For throws, there are two events: discus and shot put. Jumps has three events: The long jump, triple jump, and high jump. Each event requires a very unique skill set and thus requires specialized instructions and training from the coaches.

Jumps coach Matthew Wheeler mentioned, “They need to constantly improve their speed and strength, [and] they also need to work on the technique of each event.”

Veteran members of the team agree.

Senior Frances Mejia commented, “Its main focus is on the form and how you perform an event...coaching for field events is more individualized.”

Despite the challenges associated with their sport, many field athletes do enjoy the peculiarities of their sport. Junior Devin Bajaj appreciates the specialized coaching tips he is given, saying how “Coach Rogers specifically worked with me and the other new throwers to teach us the basics of how to throw.” Other athletes like the closer sense of friendship that field brings, like Meija, who stated, “RM does well on not giving up on each other and working hard together.”

The boys field team has been making

significant achievements this season. On April 15, the boys outscored Whitman 26-0 in the three jumping events, an overwhelming victory on which Wheeler proudly commented, “We were equally as dominant in our other meets against BCC and Wootton.”

It is the nice mix of new and returning athletes that make the field team the strong force that it is. One of the most notable returning jumpers is senior Justin Leonard

for RM in every meet this year. New to the jumps team this year is Jhordan Greene, a transfer from Calvert High School. As Wheeler puts it, “Jhordan along with Daniel have become point scoring machines in the triple jump. We expect Jhordan and Daniel both have better than decent chances to qualify for states at the end of May.” Other newcomers to the squad include junior Daniel Alexander and senior Josh Dyson, who both compete in the high

PHOTO BY MONA LEE

Junior Dalia Marks, a new addition to the team, cleanly clears the bar during practice. who joined the team just last year and jump. The event is new to the both of them, ended up placing sixth at States. Leonard but they have managed to improve quickly. also won the county championship in Sophomore Evan Threat and freshman Will indoor track and field this year, and is Brown have also shown great promise in trying to break into the top three at States the high jump. this year.

Coach Wheeler is very satisfied with A notable returning thrower is senior the team that he has put together, and Christian Tuodong, who placed first in stated, “[this year is] by far the deepest shot put against Whitman and Wootton, team we have ever had in [the long jump]. and second against BCC. Daniel Aidoo is The [only] problem we have… is [that] we another strong returning senior for field. are only allowed to enter three at Regionals Aidoo competes in the triple jump and has and in some meets we are allowed only one improved year after year. He has scored or two.”

The girls field team has also had notable performances this year, and Coach Wheeler asserted that “the girls jumpers have been key to both our teams victories this year.” Senior Sephora Grey is the most experienced long jumper this year, and is looking to break the school record. Wejia is the most decorated thrower, having won the discus throw against both Wootton and BCC, and placed second against Whitman.

She also won the shot put event in the meet against Whitman.

Senior Amira Douglas, another great new addition, has added some needed depth to the team, upping their numbers and their skill. Despite battling injuries, sophomore Bryony Hollingsworth won her first meet versus Whitman in the triple jump event. In regards to her injuries, Wheeler said, “If she stays healthy she can compete with the best in the county.”

There are also two newcomers in the girls triple jump, both of whom have made an immediate impact. Together, both freshman Heather Destiny-Konan and junior Dalia Marks led the Rockets in a 1-2-3 sweep in the triple jump against Whitman. Marks and Hollingsworth also routinely compete in the high jump, and will be important scorers throughout this year and the future.

RM’s most decorated jumper is senior Brennis Dulany, who competes in the pole vault. Dulany qualified for States last year and States during the indoor season. She holds the school record in the pole vault for the indoor event, and is working towards the outdoor school record.

The field teams offer a huge pool of athletic talent, from the jumpers to the throwers. Despite it’s obscurity, the team stays optimistic for the future, urging everyone looking to play a sport to join.

As Leonard put it, “You never really know if you’re good at field in track unless you actually try the event.”

World Cup controversy Softball faces injuries

across the world. But what is turf, and what is its difference from natural grass?

Synthetic turfs became popular for their low maintenance rates, low costs, The FIFA Women’s World Cup is set and easiness to install, especially in dense to happen this summer in Canada, where urban cities. Many players, though, blame some of the fiercest female athletes from it for causing drastically more painful and around the world will compete against frequent injuries. each other.

Alex Morgan, an internationally This soccer tournament started acclaimed US soccer star, said, with one man: Joao Havelange, the “When I play on turf, my former President of FIFA. The idea legs can pulse and ache became reality and in 1991, for for up to 24 hours and the first time ever, 12 teams it could take 3-5 days from six countries battled it to recover, whereas out on the fields. Since then, grass, after 24 the Women’s World Cup has hours I’m ready developed into the massive to play again.” sporting event it is today, with G R A She and PH 24 countries participating every many other IC BY year. This year’s competition features players VA LE a truly international assortment of consider the NC IA participants, from Cameroon and Nigeria decision to be FU to Thiland and Korea. outright gender The most recent champion, Japan, is discrimination. “You’d think we’re worth stronger than ever, especially with the aid the couple million to put in grass fields,” of coach Norio Sasaki. The soccer world she explained. views him as an analytical, disciplined, A lawsuit filed in order to secure better and often strict teacher. However, this fields, but was ultimately dropped because reputation is contrasted by the fact that the decision would come too late. he also considers himself a “father” to all Even with the controversy over the field, his players. This year, Japan finds itself the Women’s World Cup is still an aweamongst better teams than ever before, all inspiring competition featuring the most of whom are bringing a whole lot more to skilled athletes in the world, athletes who the soccer field and are ready to fight. motivate young girls around the world, This event will feature eight debutants even including Richard Montgomery’s who will make their first appearance at own students. the 2015 Cup. Teams such as Switzerland, Julia Kochman, a freshman lacrosse, the Netherlands, and Spain have proved field hockey, and soccer player says, “As themselves in their national-level a female athlete, watching the Women’s championships. Now they are competing World Cup is inspiring. It shows me that at the highest level possible, seeking to girls and women can be just as good, prove themselves on the international if not better than the boys. It shows me soccer field. that women have a place in professional Within all the excitement and sports.” enthusiasm, there is brewing controversy The Cup is a milestone in the women’s regarding the very field itself. FIFA made fight for gender equality, giving them the decision that the tournament will an international presence in the sporting be played on turf rather than real grass, world. It is a representation of their drive evoking outrage from female athletes and passion that got them where they are.

by Albert Zhang

by Zack Khan Year after year, the softball team is plagued with injuries and sickness, both of which affect their level of play. Despite these constant setbacks, the team consistently stays strong, repping impressive records, including their current 8-1 record.

Senior Stephanie Silverberg is a prime example of these injuries. “I’ve been on varsity softball all four years. But every year I’ve had a different injury.” From a hurt shoulder to a hurt knee to mononucleosis and appendicitis almost simultaneously, Silverberg is grateful that she is injury-free this year so she can fully compete in this season.

The varsity team has a tough act to follow after last year’s resounding 14-4 season: RM’s best record since the mid 2000’s. This year, the team is also forced to cope with an injury to star shortstop Devon Goetz, who tore her anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, last fall.

But Rockets never let unfortunate circumstances stop them from reaching the top. Silverberg cites Allie Parrish as an

important player who has stepped up to the plate, filling the hole at shortstop due to Goetz’s absence.

Despite her injury, Silverberg says that Goetz “does a great job of keeping everyone positive and making the games and practices enjoyable,” even from the sidelines.

Coach Mike Horton is a valuable line of support for injured players. Goetz explains, “He never rushes the injuries because he has our best interests in mind, and he’s more focused on our futures as athletes than getting one more game out of us.”

The JV team also boasts an extraordinary record of 8-1. The current season has also brought about significant change in the dynamic of the team. With a new focus on positive encouragement, Coach Willard has really shed a favorable light on the team.

“No matter what players go on the field, they are always ready to make plays, and adapt to their surroundings,” said Willard.

Both team’s stellar records are evidence that even a couple injuries are not enough to rob them of their chance of bringing home the region title. Their major successes on the field are empirical evidence that RM softball is anything but soft.

PHOTO BY TAYLOR BALFOUR

Varsity softball warms up before practice, preparing for their game against Churchill.

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The Tide

SPORTS

Athlete of the Issue

May 2015

Alex Fehlinger letters in two demanding sports

by Jessica Vos Athletic Director Chamy Wijeratne’s first thought about superstar athlete Alex Fehlinger is short, sweet, and to the point: “Alex is my hero.” That is a bold statement to make about anybody, but it is not undeserved.

Fehlinger is one of the most dedicated people at RM, working hard on the field, in the weight room, and in the classroom.

Fehlinger started his career in his early childhood, initially playing backyard football with friends and eventually graduating to a travel team. At nine years old Fehlinger started playing football competitively.

“All the sports I play, I can credit other people for drawing me in,” said Fehlinger. “I never really wanted to run track, but Coach Wheeler literally forced me to join my freshman spring season,” he elaborated.

Although he may have been coerced into track, he ended up ranking 12th fastest in Maryland for the 100 meter dash his junior year, an accomplishment that he claims is one of his proudest accomplishments.

This past summer he joined a summer track team, and made it to the junior Olympic finals in Houston, Texas for the 4x100 meter relay.

Fehlinger cites another of his proudest accomplishments as leading Montgomery County in rushing yards through the first six weeks of this last football season.

“I only wish I wasn’t injured the last four weeks to see how far I,

never forget after the last game... I was in so much pain, it was a long season, and I was full of emotion, both crying and laughing,” he added.

Fehlinger recently committed to Washington University in St.

on speed, and just not being intimidated by anyone,” Fehlinger said, describing the challenges he has had to overcome.

Coach Jon Freda noted that “Alex is the epitome of ‘don’t talk about it, be about it’.” He is

and the team, could have gone,” he explained. “Although the team didn’t win as much as I would have liked, I am proud of what we accomplished as a team… high school football is the most fun thing I’ve ever experienced. I’ll

Louis for football and possibly track. “I’ve never been the biggest player, which has been a challenge. I tried to overcome this by committing to the weight room to get bigger, adjusting my playing style, relying more

the first and last person coaches see at practice, coming all the way from his home in Damascus for early morning practices on the weekends, spending hours on the bus every day. He does not complain; instead, he uses

the time on the bus to work on homework to ensure he maintains his success in the classroom.

“For other athletes I would say know what you want and go get it. True commitment is rarely achieved now.” This commitment has led to Fehlinger‘s large fan base. “Although there is added pressure to produce, I love the widespread support and increased school spirit. I’ve actually had people come up to me in the hallway, me not knowing them at all, and had conversations with them, and it’s just really cool that I can experience that simply from playing a sport,” Fehlinger said.

Fehlinger is one of many seniors finishing out their high school athletic careers. “The end of my high school football career was bittersweet. It was great to get some time away from the pain I put myself through just to play the sport, but at the same time I’m going to miss it for the rest of my life,” he said, reminiscing on his experience here at RM. Above all else, Fehlinger says he will miss playing with his teammates. “It’s when you’re practicing and playing together, struggling together to get better, that you really become close and get to know another side of them,” he explained, adding, “I couldn’t imagine where I would be today without sports.”

the job of providing photos for The Tide and the yearbook for sports, plays, concerts, and major events like homecoming and award ceremonies.

Dunham also had the honor of being one of the very last people in the old RM building, and one of the very first in the new building. While capturing all the memories that were retained in the old building, she was also able to take photos that resembled the sparkling cleanliness of the fresh new building. Photos from the new and old RM buildings went on to be used in the Gazette and CNN. The photography from her time here at RM spans many

photography, requiring different equipment and knowledge. The photographer has to understand the game and its typical motions before their photos will turn out well. Dunham added, “You must understand how the body moves, the emotions of the athlete and anticipate where the play will move.”

Dunham quickly developed the awareness necessary for action-packed, fast-paced sports photography from her lengthy experience in the field. During her career she has been tackled during a football game, hit with a pitch in softball, and whacked with a field hockey stick. She revealed her biggest fear is “being accidentally bumped on the side of a swimming pool, ending up in the water with completely ruined equipment.”

As the times have changed, Dunham has upgraded her camera in order to provide RM with the absolute best photos possible. Her original camera she used only snapped one image per second, which was not fast enough for RM sports. She then upgraded to a Nikon D4S, which captures eleven or twelve frames per second. Dunham explained, “this really helps in capturing sharp action images of sports.”

Not only does Dunham post the photos on her website for the students to appreciate and use, but she has also donated at least six thousand images to the school newspaper and the yearbook since 2006.

Barbara Contino, staff sponsor of the yearbook, raved about Dunham and her work. “We would have an extremely difficult time completing the yearbook with a variety of pictures if

it weren’t for Brenda,” she explained.

Dunham loves to stay involved with the RM community, even though her son has since graduated. She has been a member of the Booster Club since her son was a freshman in 2004, and currently runs their website.

When you see a woman walking down to the field with a bright yellow shirt and a big smile on her face, it is obvious that it is Ms. Dunham. Her connection to the RM community is constantly exhibited through her positive relationships with everybody here.

PHOTO © 2015 EYE ON THE BALL

Alex Fehlinger (far right) explodes off the block for the 100m dash in the April 15 meet against Whitman.

Brenda Dunham captures RM spirit at its best

by Julia Kochman The phrase “Eye on the ball” rings a bell for any Richard Montgomery athlete, choir member, or performer. These four words are seen all over the internet after every big RM event.

You can even follow @eyeonball on Twitter to be notified when new photos are posted.

Brenda Dunham, the mastermind behind RM photography, takes a dreadful team picture day and makes it into a day that teams now eagerly anticipate. The simple team photos in the gym have been transformed into photos where teams are captured in the setting where they play.

Dunham knows the value of encapsulating the team’s vibe in their photos. “There is nothing like waking up at 4 A.M. on a January morning for the swim and dive team picture day,” Dunham explained. “It is important to capture the mood and experiences of the team within the photo.”

Dunham started her RM career by volunteering in the science department rather than on the sports field. Dunham is adamant that “every parent should volunteer in their kid’s school if at all possible.” With this being said, she quickly realized anyone could make copies of worksheets and wash test tubes.

She wanted to do something more.

She began to take pictures for the baseball team, since her son, Mason, was currently playing on that team. After one season with the baseball team, she undertook

Dunham smiles on the sideline. important events in the school’s history. Dunham mentioned, “I photographed the football stadium dedication and got great photos of Roy Lester, Mike Curtis and other football alum from that era.” Her photography has played a huge part in sustaining the memories of past RM athletes, as well as the RM mascot, Ritchie the Rocket.

Despite her large skill range, Dunham also has to specialize in some sections. Primarily, sports photography is enormously different from any other kind of

Dunham snaps a pic at the Cal Ripken Collegiate Baseball Le a g ue.

ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF BRENDA DUNHAM