The Tide - October 2019

20

News 2-3

Opinions 4-7

La Marea 9

Center Spread 10-11

Features 12-14

Arts 16-18

Sports 19-20

MCPS Board to expand IB

J.F.K., Springbrook and Watkins Mill will start IB next year

by Jennifer Lin, Vismaya Paul Mohindra and Rachel Wang NEWS WRITERS

On Sept. 10, the Board of Education resolved to expand the countywide IB program offered at Richard Montgomery to three other sites starting in the 2020-2021 school year: John F. Kennedy, Springbrook and Watkins Mill High School.

The county’s current International Baccalaureate program, which provides highlevel courses for students, originated at RM in 1987.

According to Bethesda Magazine, the program’s specialized degree program advances students’ studies through an internationally-standardized education. The Board originally proposed the change for expansion during a meeting on May 30, 2019 and reaffirmed the plan in September.

The decision comes from a growing interest throughout the county in the program and the apparent success of the current model at RM, which is currently the only high school with a selective IB program.

However, this will soon change.

“More students in Montgomery County will be able to access high quality curriculum. I think of IB’s curriculum as a great experience, and the Board’s decision will allow more access to that learning,” magnet coordinator Joseph Jelen said.

Many RM staff members also regard the expansion positively.

“With this expansion, the IB will become a more popular program, more well known, so that more students will be interested in this unique way of thinking and learning because of this,”science teacher Karl Kovacs said.

“ I think of IB’s curriculum as a great experience, and the Board’s decision will allow more access to that learning.”

- Mr. Jelen

Montgomery County’s Student Member of the Board (SMOB) Nate Tinbite publicly announced the decison on Sept. 11 on social media.

Through Instagram, Tinbite expressed enthusiasm towards the new plan.

Besides a growing interest in the program, MCPS’ growing population also influenced the Board’s decision. “For years, our system has continued to grow every year,” Board Member Rebecca Smondrowski said.

IB EXPANSION, cont. page 3

A freshman’s guide to RM’s open lunch

by Sabrina Mei ARTS WRITER

Open lunch is undeniably one of the most exciting parts of coming to RM as a freshman.

No longer confined to packed lunches and cafeteria food, the world is your oyster!

Well, maybe not the world, but a good chunk of Rockville is, at least for the allotted fifty minutes of lunch time. However,

Inside The Tide...

Rockville has a lot of restaurants to offer, and the vast range of options can soon feel overwhelming. So, we’ve broken it down for you: here’s a rundown of some great places you can go to for open lunch, and a few tips from upperclassmen on how to make the most of it.

GRAPHIC BY VALERIE WANG AND KISHA YAN

FOOD, cont. page 17

Opinions, 6

Climate Strikes

PHOTO BY JOYCE MILANDU

Football players prepare for gameday by practicing with blocking sleds on the field after school.

Football changes captain system

by Matthew Rothman and Kyra Wisneski SPORTS WRITER AND SPORTS EDITOR

With another winning season under their belts, the RM football team is looking to make the playoffs once again this year.

While there is some turnover from last year’s squad, the team also has many different players who have stepped up as leaders for this season. As a result, a new rotating captaining system has been put in place.

Last year, RM’s varsity football team had the same four captains that led the team for the entirety of last season. “In the past, as a team, we would vote for specific captain,” senior Jaime Castro said.

This year, however, Head Coach Joshua Klotz has implemented

a new captain system: the team has rotating captains on a weekly basis.

“We have a great senior class, and you can only have four captains on the field, but we definitely have more than four guys worthy of the position,” Coach Klotz said.

The idea of weekly captains is borrowed from many collegiate level football programs. Senior Rufael Banjaw said, “Many college programs, such as The University of Maryland, utilize rotating captains to make the players work hard at every practice every week.”

We have a great senior

class, and you can only

have four captains

on the field, but we definitely have more than four guys worthy of the position.”

- Coach Klotz FOOTBALL, cont. page 19

Arts, 17

Features, 12

The Addams Family

Rocket Time

The Online Tide

2

The Tide

NEWS

MCPS students rally for change at D.C. Global Climate Strike

PHOTO BY UMA FOX

Crowds of student protestors march with posters demanding action during the D.C. climate change rally.

by Jerry Shen NEWS WRITER

On Sept. 20 2019, a small contingent of RM students gathered at the corner of the school parking lot, and began their march to the Rockville Metro Station. From there, they would leave to attend the D.C. Global Climate Change Strike, a rally happening all around the world.

The D.C. Global Climate Strike was a rally in which thousands of people gathered together to call for more action from the government in regard to climate policy. Hundreds of students from around the county left school to show their support.

Walter Johnson High School senior Yerim Kone, was one of those students. “I believe in a world that is safer and more inclusive than the one we have now, and you can’t have a safer and more inclusive world if you don’t have a world to start with. I think that the government should be taking us in a very specific direction, and instead of doing that they’re taking us in the opposite way,” Kone said.

During the rally, students marched down the streets of Washington D.C and gave speeches. One of those speakers was sophomore Eleanor ClemensCope. “These strikes are for climate, for jobs, and for justice. There are impacts for those who need jobs,” Clemens-Cope said. “Policies such as the Green New Deal will create millions of new jobs. And climate

change disproportionately affects those who affect it the least, such as people of color and low-income workers.”

Other students had different reasons for supporting policy changes. “For me, coming to this strike I really wanted to represent the indigenous community, because indigenous people have been the first protectors of this earth, and the first people to fight for climate change, yet their voices are not heard enough,” Montgomery Blair senior Jansikwe MedinaTayac said.

“MCPS is not doing its students a service by making this an unexcused absence.”

- Eleanor Clemens-Cope Despite widespread support from students which resulted in higher absence rates at school, MCPS leaders are not counting participation in this rally as an excused absence from school due to learning disruptions and safety concerns.

Many students have

disagreed with this ruling, as they believe it leads to a reduced student voice in world affairs and discourages civic engagement of many.

“Montgomery County Public Schools is not doing its students a service by making this an unexcused absence. If they excuse this absence, students will feel more comfortable advocating for themselves and the future of their lives,” Clemens-Cope said.

Because of this lack of support from officials, many students urge others to participate in ways without leaving school.

“You could do something as small as joining your green club at school, or you could start your own organization like the youth from Zero Hour have done, or join an organization, there’s so many in this area,” MedinaTayac said.

On the other hand, many students believe that advocating for changes in federal policy is not the most productive solution to the issue of climate change.

“I’m personally more concerned with the effects of individuals on individual ecosystems, because the effects of humans on specific ecosystems such as deforestation is much more disastrous, and I don’t think governmental action will necessarily be the most productive solution,” junior Jeremy Kuznetsov said.

Bence Szego contributed to this report.

October/November

October 31

Halloween What kind of music do mummies listen to? Wrap!

November 8

End of First Marking Period 1/4 of the way done...

November 8

The Addams Family Opening Night Come see the show!!!

November 11

Veterans Day Thank you for your service.

October 2019

NEWS IN BRIEF

MCPS debates cell phone use protocol during school hours

With the beginning of the new school year, MCPS has been debating the frequency of student cell phone use on school grounds. Currently, the MCPS policy dictates that cell phones should not be turned on during instructional hours, unless a teacher permits it. However, many seek a stricter cell phone policy that would completely ban cell phones during the school day.

Groups like the Montgomery County Council of ParentTeacher Associations believe that this policy has not been enforced properly throughout the county, and that more resources must be invested to ensure students exhibit proper cell phone usage and restraint.

In neighboring Fairfax County, a total ban on cellphones during the school day has already been instituted. Students are not permitted to use their cell phones during the school day at all and if they violate this ban, they run the risk of having their phone taken away.

Fairfax County’s new policy has been a model to some, with the chair of the Montgomery County Council of Parent Teacher Associations’ Safe Technology Committee even meeting with school officials to discuss the possibility of instituting a similar policy.

However, others believe the current MCPS policy is sufficient.

“I think that when [MCPS tries] to pursue something such as a stricter cell phone policy, all it ends up doing is wasting manpower and time into enforcing the actual policy,” junior Michael Sun said. “In reality, you can be focusing more resources on something that would be more pertinent to the actual process of learning.”

Some teachers have expressed similar opinions. “I personally don’t think that we need a stricter cell phone policy. I think it should be teacher discretion,” math teacher Staci Gallun said.

Although both sides of the cell phone debate are keen to push their argument, in an interview with WTOP, MCPS Superintendent Jack Smith said he believed a compromise would be the best solution. “What we have to do is find the appropriate, effective middle ground, where there is a benefit to students and their learning, but not a distraction to the school and the classroom,” Smith said.

By Savva Brown and Jake Lee NEWS WRITERS

Moco’s Ride On Flex Program creates new transport options

On June 26, 2019, Montgomery County launched the Ride On Flex Program. Prior to the implementation of this program, Ride On passengers reported missed stops and delays. For many, their stops didn’t have enough people, or the bus was overly crowded.

However, now for $2, passengers can request a bus to pick them up from Rockville, Wheaton or Glenmont. The buses also include free Wi-Fi and are wheelchair accessible.

RM falls in the middle of the Ride On Flex zone, and many students are in support of the new program. Freshman Ruth Taddesse said, “I think it’s really cool for people that can’t drive and who have to go far away.” Students could potentially ride to Rockville Town Center or go to and from school with the service.

However, some people don’t feel strongly about the buses compared to previous transport options. Freshman Claire Chen said, “I think the Ride On Flex Program is an interesting proposal, but I don’t see why we need it because I have ridden Ride On buses before by using my school ID and it worked just fine.”

Other students worry about the safety of using public transit in general. “I know that’s something parents worry about even with Ubers, that kids are riding with some random adults,” junior Samantha Renton said.

The Ride On Flex app, downloadable from Apple and Google stores, provides an estimated time of arrival and drop-off.

However, unlike Lyft and Uber, the Ride On Flex bus only offers services from 6-9 a.m. and 3:30-7:00 p.m. While the bus does not operate right after school, students can still take it to school and after afternoon clubs.

The impact the Ride On Flex Bus will have on the community is up for debate. “I think that this would encourage more people to try riding the bus to different locations. However, some parents might not want their child riding the public bus,” Chen said.

“Many students in high school have a license and a car, so those people would not necessarily need to use the Ride On Bus,” Chen added. “I think this program would benefit Montgomery County to a small extent. I don’t know many students that actually use the Ride On Bus everyday, but it’ll come in handy.”

By Liz Frisbie NEWS WRITER

AWARDS

Congratulations to the 39 seniors who were named as National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists.

Props to the RM Quizbowl A Team for claiming second place at the JHU Novice Tournament.

Kudos to the 24 students who completed the Summer RISE program.

NEWS

The Tide

MoCo Council votes to ban vape sales near MCPS schools

PHOTO BY EMILY CHEN

A poster in the band hallway warning students on the harms of vaping.

by Hannah Lee and Avery Wang NEWS WRITERS

On Sept. 16, 2019, the Montgomery County Council proposed a bill that would ban all vape shops within a halfmile radius of all MCPS middle and high schools. Introduced by Councilmembers Gabe Albornoz and Craig Rice, the objective of Bill 29-19 is to “reduce access to e-cigarette products for County youth.”

According Fox 5 News, a second proposed bill would prohibit e-cigarette manufacturers from distributing their products to retail stores, such as 7-Eleven and CVS, within a half-mile radius of all MCPS middle and high schools.

In Montgomery County, 24 known vape shops are located within the location restrictions.

Under the suggested legislation, 19 of those shops would have 24 months to either close or relocate.

Since August, according to an article by WCVB, a sharp increase in vaping-related lung diseases in teenagers has garnered national attention, prompting changes in opinions at the local level.

“I do agree that closing the vape shops close to middle and

high schools will help the issue,” freshman Katie Morrer said.

“And I do agree that vaping is a national health crisis right now; it’s arguably worse than smoking cigarettes.”

On the contrary, some students believe that this bill is unnecessary.

“I know a lot of people at our school vape and stuff, and I feel like they’ll definitely be upset,” senior Jordan Williams said.

“Once you’re an adult you can make those decisions for yourself, and it’s legal for them to do that, but I don’t agree with it myself, and I feel like we can’t control what other adults do to a certain extent.”

“I feel like we can’t control what other adults do.”

- Jordan Williams Many e-cigarette store owners also disagree with this action, believing that it does not accomplish the goal of deterring vaping among teens. According to

an article in Bethesda Magazine, Brianna Norris, owner of Victory Vapors, said, “I think it’s ridiculous. Moving vape shops out of range of schools isn’t going to stop the children from going to vape shops.”

People are aware that vaping is present in high school settings, even our own. “I do know that it happens, because I’ve seen people with it in their pockets, and off school grounds, I’ve seen it happening,” Williams said.

Staff believe that students can easily vape on school property and go unnoticed. “It can look like a little USB port,” school nurse Julie Olson said.

Moorer explained that vaping affects older members of her family as well. “They’ve been doing it for years and it’s not good for them, they’re always sick, and you can see the effect of the vaping on their bodies,” she said.

Vaping has become a national health concern, according to CNBC. Although it is marketed as safer than cigarettes, U.S. health officials are now warning the public that vaping is at the center of 530 reported lung diseases.

Walmart in particular has decided to take action against the increasing reports, discontinuing the sale of electronic nicotine delivery products at all Walmart and Sam’s Club U.S. locations, according to CNBC. The CDC shows that the nicotine in vape products impedes adolescents’ brain development. Vape products also contain carcinogens, heavy metals like tin, nickel, and lead, volatile organic compounds and ultrafine particles that enter the bloodstream through the lungs.

These elements can introduce both short term and long term health defects.

Health officials have confirmed 12 vape-related deaths in 10 states.

“One pod is equivalent to a pack of cigarettes or more,” Mrs. Olson said. “I think it can lead to long term use of nicotine.”

Bethesda Magazine reported that in the previous school year, five MCPS students became unconscious after vaping in school, a number which has increased from previous years’ reports.

“As a parent, and as an adult, and as the nurse,” Mrs. Olson said, “I just feel it’s very dangerous.”

October 2019

3

Overcrowded parking lots cause issues

by Grace Burwell SENIOR NEWS WRITER

For some upperclassmen, receiving a parking space at school used to be considered a rite of passage. But what happens when your school does not have enough space for all of those who want, or need, to park? Home to nearly 2,500 students, RM is the secondlargest high school in Montgomery County, and Rockville is the second-largest city in the county as well.

RM’s school parking lot has 60 student spaces, so the amount of parking permits that staff are able to give out is limited. “Student population is growing, staff population is growing, and our portable population is growing,” principal Damon Monteleone said.

To be eligible to park, there are some requirements. On the parking permit framework document, it states that priority for parking spots will be given to students who are either handicapped, have an academic internship or program (such as dual enrollment at Montgomery College, for example), or participate in afterschool extracurriculars or athletics for at least three days a week.

“Seniors are usually first come first serve,” security guard Dennis Whalen said.

During previous school years, students were allowed to park in the Marlo Furniture parking lot, which is located directly across from RM’s parking lot. However, just this school year, Marlo has banned students from parking. “[Marlo] gave some conditions, and those conditions were about trash, and then students left their trash everywhere and Marlo said, no, we’re not doing this again,” Monteleone said.

Some students question t h e fairness of the parking p e r m i t criteria. “I have an internship, and I knew I was going to do it last year, so I did state that on my form, but I originally did not receive

a parking permit,” senior Abby Wiersma said. Wiersma has an academic internship at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and has to drive there from school every day.

Another controversial aspect of the parking permit criteria is that spots are only open for seniors.

“Juniors don’t even have a go at parking spaces at all anymore,” Wiersma said.

Additionally, students have voiced concerns about potential safety risks of restricted parking.

For students who park on the street, parallel parking is almost always a given, unless they arrive before the majority of people do.

“With all of us being new drivers, it’s not great,” senior Kimberly Liu said.

Given the amount of students as well as the densely populated environment, there is little extra space. “There’s not enough space.

The parking lot fills up pretty fast, I know that some people park there without a parking pass,” senior Elizabeth Meier said.

RM administration has started enforcing stickering, and will soon start towing cars that park in the lot without a permit.

“Juniors don’t even have a go at parking spaces anymore.”

- Abby Wiersma “We have way too many students that can’t park in our parking lot,” senior Sarah Saeed said. “I don’t think that it should be an issue for students to be able to find parking at their own school,” Saeed said.

GRAPHIC BY KAT CHEN

MCPS to increase IB programs throughout county IB EXPANSION, cont. from front page “For almost ten years, I believe, the growth was about 2,250 students a year. Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to keep up with opening opportunities for our students at the same rate that we were growing,” Mrs. Smondrowski said.

Prior to the decision about the expansion, many students did not even have the opportunity to consider IB as an option. “In the past, I heard how students didn’t have the resources to attend the IB program since the school was too far out of their district, but the greater number of programs

spread throughout the county should solve that problem,” senior Corinne Foley said.

Likewise, sophomore Chloe Gonzalez said, “At least when I was applying, there weren’t that many IB schools that I could go to at least because this was the only one. It would be probably better to expand it because I think that it’s a popular program for a lot of people and people from our IB program come from so many different places that I feel like it’s sort of inconvenient right now because it’s hard to access.”

Another major part of the plan involves replicating RM’s IB Program model, which allows students to attend the MYP

program during freshman and sophomore year and the IB Diploma Programme during junior and senior year.

“There weren’t that many IB schools that I could go to; this was the only one.”

- Chloe Gonzalez The Board of Education recognizes the benefits of such

a system and aims to implement this model at other locations. “The teachers at RM are very specialized in it and the approaches that are taken...that works very well. But we’re trying very hard to make sure that we will have the equivalent of that in each of our new programs as well,” Mrs. Smondrowski said.

For the most part, such programs have been received positively, particularly from staff and students at RM who have experienced the model firsthand.

“I think that the philosophy of IB is exceptional. It really does try and make real-rounded students as they head off to college or other endeavors in the professional world,” science teacher Akshay

Gandhi said. “I think it’s an experience that sticks with students for years to come after, specifically because it grounds them in the world-view of all their classes and it really pushes it to a high level.”

Many believe that the IB Programme has created an effective curriculum.

“I think the IB is currently a great program—great leadership at the top,” biology teacher Dr. Karl Kovacs said. “Teachers are highly invested in their students, causing IB to be a strong program in general. The mindset of teachers has made it a great program because of what we’ve learned over each year.”

4 The Tide

October 2019

OPINIONS

College Board: Stop Landscape now

by Katie Yuan OPINIONS WRITER

For most students, a portion of their college application profile is defined by numbers, such as their GPAs and standardized test scores. The other parts—the essays, extracurriculars, and recommendations—allow the college admissions officers to assess each applicant holistically.

A new controversy has arisen from the recently enacted program that provides admissions officers another number to consider: The Landscape.

In simple terms, this score is calculated out of one hundred points based on a formula that considers a variety of influential factors on the student’s home and school life, such as neighborhood crime rates, poverty levels and senior class sizes. While this new adversity score brings many benefits to students who are less well off, the score unfairly treats something which should be

purely academic as something influenced by factors the student cannot control. The SAT is a merit-based test designed just to showcase a student’s academic achievement.

College Board’s area of expertise as a nonprofit organization is to write and administer standardized tests, not to analyze a student’s background. The decision on what factors should be taken into consideration during the application process should be decided by the college admission officers themselves, not by an unecessary third party. College Board as a scorereporting program should only be responsible for offering colleges a means to assess a student’s academic proficiency.

Additionally, a student should never be defined by a single number. Every single college applicant’s situation is different and should be thoroughly and individually considered by the admissions officer. Because the Landscape oversimplifies this

PHOTO BY EMILY ZHAO

Students often buy or borrow review books in order to study for the SAT.

process, this system could make officers lazy when examining an applicant’s socioeconomic situation. Consequently, some students may not be receiving the same consideration, possibly ruining their chances of being accepted into their dream school.

While the factors included in the formula provide some insight

Computer Science classes offer ample opportunity for students

by Eric Yi

OPINIONS WRITER

Looking through the RM course roster, possible science, math and social studies classes are listed extensively. But one subject area that is clearly underrepresented is computer science.

Currently, students on the computer science pathway follow a very linear progression.

If RM offered more course options, students would have more freedom in learning about the specific aspects of computer science that interest them. However, this would be unrealistic and unnecessary.

Instead, RM should focus more

Introducing more course options may also divide the students up, creating classes below the minimum class size.

Last year, so few students had signed up for IB Computer Science 2 that they had to be merged with the only IB Computer Science 1 class. If more options were offered, this problem would be even more prevalent.

Admittedly, RM does lack higher-level programming courses for advanced computer science students. And since the current courses only teach students how to code with the programming language Java, the computer science pathway at RM could be improved if more courses to teach different programming

PHOTO BY ASHLEY YE

RM students in AP Computer Science complete an assignment in class.

on refining its current computer pathway to promote the subject more in the RM community and make it more attractive to students.

First of all, the possibility of more computer science courses is heavily limited by the number of available teachers who are qualified to teach the subject. RM only boasts two computer science teachers, and they have limited time, making more course options an unrealistic possibility.

languages, such as Python, were introduced.

Nonetheless, the current course options already prepare students to easily learn new languages and advanced programming, and the resources that could be used to start new courses could be better used in other ways. Computer science teacher Dr. Heather Hennis said, “My aim is to teach students in the programming course programming concepts and principles. Just by chance we

may use Java, but my aim is that, when you leave the course, you should not be intimidated by any language.”

Reflecting on his experience with RM’s current computer science courses, Computer Team captain and senior Daniel Williams said, “Not only do we have classes that cover the more basic concepts of computer science in general, through AP Computer Science Principles, we also have a course that teaches students Java programming, as well as IB Computer Science, which delves deeper into the business side of computer science and it as a discipline in general.”

If students truly want to learn more, they can still make use of abundantly available online resources rather than make the school put more of its finite resources into starting up new and unnecessary computer science classes. Students can also join RM’s Computer Team to learn beyond the scope of the foundations that are laid in class, making additional school course options even more unnecessary. “Computer Team provides an outlet for people who don’t have time during their schedules to learn about computer science,” Williams said.

In addition, instead of using resources to create new courses, the pacing and curriculum of the existing classes could be better adjusted to accommodate more knowledgeable students, while still supporting students with little to no experience who want to delve into the subject area.

Analyzing the whole of the RM computer science pathway, Dr. Hennis said, “The classes are comprehensive and the pathway is solid.” And generally, students seem to agree. Evidently, rather than offering more classes, RM should promote and improve upon its amazing existing computer science courses to offer students a better computer science education.

into a student’s background, so much more plays a role in a student’s academic success.

Implementing the adversity scores system only strengthens the false presumption that someone’s socioeconomic background is the greatest factor to their academic success.

Some may argue that the

score can minimize the impact a student’s economic background has on their scores, but the harsh truth is that those who are determined to ensure their kids earn high SAT scores will always find ways to game the system. Earlier, recent college scandals show that the wealthy will be willing to break rules to do so. This may result in strangely timed address changes or the enrollment of kids in schools in high-adversity-score areas. In other words, this new scoring system at the end of the day will be ineffective in illustrating a student’s privilege.

In the end, the College Board is delving into the messy realm of affirmative action with no knowledge of Landscape’s effectiveness.

Admissions officers, who have a thoroughly holistic system for determining a student’s admission, should continue to be the group to parse through student’s socioeconomic background and other application materials.

Cartoon Corner “Halls of RM? More like temperature roulette!”

GRAPHIC BY CAROLINE DINH

The Tide

250 Richard Montgomery Drive Rockville, Maryland 20852 www.thermtide.com 301-610-8000 The Tide is the student newspaper of Richard Montgomery High School in Rockville, Maryland. The Tide is dedicated to keeping the Richard Montgomery school community accurately informed and to providing a forum for student expression.

600 copies of the newspaper are printed and distributed among students.

Any corrections are printed in the following issue on page 2.

The opinions presented in The Tide do not necessarily reflect the views of the staff and administration at Richard Montgomery.

The Tide is affliated with CSPA and NSPA. Questions, concerns, and suggestions on articles, advertisements, and photos can be submitted to thetideeditors@gmail.com.

Editors-in-Chief....................................................Emily Chen, Helen Qian, Shevani Tewari News......................................................................................................................Faith Cheung Opinions................................................................................................Ashley Ye, Emily Zhao La Marea..........................................................Joseph Jasperse, Amanda Rodriguez-Michel Centerspread.............................................................................Brooke Hilliard, Daniel Chen Features.......................................................................................Victoria Tong, Christine Zhu Arts........................................................................................................Mary Ma, Clare Zhang Sports..........................................................................................Kyra Wisneski, Eileen Zhang TidePod................................................................................................................Grace Burwell Photo.................................................................................................Joyce Milandu, Irene Kim Graphics.............................................................................................Valerie Wang, Kisha Yan Business.......................................................................................................................Jennifer Li Digital Media....................................................................................................Lanz Fernandez Design........................................................................................................................Angela Mu Advisers.......................................................................Ms. Jennifer Kidd, Mrs. Bonnie Peyer

OPINIONS

The Tide

October 2019

5

Black & Gold

Should school clubs be allowed to be exclusive?

G

Yes, it ensures commitment No, it favors the experienced

by Athira Nair SENIOR OPINIONS WRITER

RM has some of the best clubs and teams in the county. But many of these clubs have tryouts and only accept a few new students every year. This includes but is not limited to the Debate Team, Mock Trial team and Science Bowl team. Club exclusivity can seem very discouraging.

However, it benefits both the school and students because it helps focus the club on committed members, allows students to find their perfect club, and strengthens the school’s and club’s reputation.

These clubs are all exclusive, but they also have incredible winning records.

RM’s debate team won their county championship four years in a row, the Mock Trial team was the 2019 state champion and RM reached semi-finals in Science Bowl last year. There may be some sort of positive correlation between club success and exclusivity, which builds a strong reputation for both school and the club.

“We would love to take everyone, but it’s not realistic.”

- Mr. Stillman However, for a team to be able to build this reputation, it needs members who are truly devoted to the club. Tryouts are infamous for supposedly “weeding out the weak,” but here, their main purpose is instead to find dedicated and passionate students that add something new to their community. This is especially true for freshmen and sophomores who are still trying to figure out who they want to be in high school.

By having rigorous tryouts, students will know if a club is really right for them or if their interest actually lies elsewhere.

Sometimes a student may join a club due to peer pressure, hype or a winning record without taking into consideration what they really enjoy doing. An article from the Columbia Spectator put this into words well and said, “Students should consider a new club with the same attitude that a club considers them.”

Tryouts also let the student know whether the club is right for them because it can give an idea of what the club is like and the requirements to succeed. For example, mock trial requires students to argue qualities and traits about themselves that contributes to the team. Likewise, debate tryouts include writing about both the pro and con side of a topic and then randomly presenting one side. Both of these tryouts simulate a real competition and allow the student to experience whether they actually enjoy the activity or not.

There is also the argument that just because clubs may have a restriction on the number of members it can take to a competition, that doesn’t mean they can’t take in students who want to just have the experience. Debate team coach and social studies teacher Mr. Stillman said, “We would love to take everyone, but it’s not

B

Black

realistic. The tryouts are necessary, since we don’t have the manpower to handle more students.” It is just not ideal to try and take everyone since resources would be spread too thin and not every student would be given the attention they need.

Model UN changed its policy from last year to accept all students. Model UN and debate member sophomore Courtney Kim said, “Although allowing everyone a chance to participate in an activity can have positive results, I believe accepting everyone onto the team makes teams bonding very difficult. A smaller team is generally more productive and close-knit.”

Therefore, it is inefficient to accept everyone into the club since it would degrade the community and quality of the club. Closeknit teams usually generate strong bonds; as a result, they are stronger on the field.

The same philosophy applies to clubs. If everyone is comfortable with each other, it makes the club much stronger as a whole.

Having students in the club just to gain experience would not be worthwhile for either the club nor the student. Kim also said, “So how does the open acceptance policy truly benefit inexperienced students? That would depend on how the team trains those

individuals.

Everyone has the potential to succeed, but they need proper training and personal attention.” Kim’s point emphasizes how new, inexperienced club members would need one-onone support to truly have gained more experience and skills in a particular field.

Continuing Mr. Stillman’s point, if the debate team were to have everyone join, no one would really benefit because there are not enough resources for each individual student.

Also, just because a student isn’t accepted into one club doesn’t mean there are not other opportunities. Other competitive clubs like DECA, HOSA, and Forensics club allow everyone to join, and there are always other clubs to try out for. These are clubs are open to everyone because they have the resources and time to give new members the attention that they need.

Being part of a club is essential to the high school experience. It allows you to make new friends, learn new things, and gain new connections. But clubs only provide the best experience for everyone when they choose the people best suited for them, and the people are truly devoted to the club. so tryouts are necessary. Club exclusivity simulates real-life situations like jobs and colleges and is integral to a student’s learning and growth.

by Nicole Fang and Brent Midlam SENIOR OPINIONS WRITER AND OPINIONS WRITER

At the beginning of every year, RM’s Main Street bustles with decorated poster boards and curious students scribbling their email down at table after table. This event, known as the Club Fair, brings countless opportunities for students looking to continue a familiar passion and discover new interests. As one of the most close-knit, stimulating and rewarding experiences a school can offer, clubs prosper by means of welcoming all students, regardless of grade or skill.

From science and math to art and juggling, RM’s clubs encompass a wide range of interests and activities for students to participate in. “The main objective of high [school] clubs is to give everyone, especially freshmen, an opportunity to explore and develop what they are interested in and help tailor their future career pathways,” sophomore Myka Fromm said. With so many students unsure of their future and passions, clubs provide a great way for them to try out a variety of activities that transform into specific interests through the four years of high school.

However, many clubs, such as the debate team and science bowl, hold rigorous try outs that exclude all who do not make it in. Before a student can see for themselves whether they enjoy the club’s activities, they are rejected—punished simply for having not enough experience and ability.

M a n y

students feel that they have the right as active learners and opportunity pursuers to try out clubs freely. “Especially for freshmen, who are trying to try new opportunities, it is important for clubs to allow us to join and broaden our activities,” freshman Phoebe Freeman said. Clubs must understand that a student’s skill level at the very beginning of the year does not indicate their future potential.

A student might not be experienced in an area at first, but can end up being a valuable member of the team in the future.

“You shouldn’t exclude people because of their current skill set and knowledge because they have the opportunity to improve later as they participate in club activities,” Fromm said. Ultimately, inclusivity allows clubs to tap into a larger base of talent, as not every talented person is born talented.

Thousands of students roam the halls of RM. Club inclusivity allows students to adjust to the environment and make friends that they would otherwise not know.

“Clubs shouldn’t be exclusive because clubs allow students to communicate with each other and socialize. Limiting the students from joining a club will limit their opportunities to do so,” sophomore Monica Escalante said.

Gold Many exclusive team clubs also often demand extensive and rigorous application processes that may unintentionally cause students to misconstrue the level of competition. A student who is interested in the club might have a difficult time finding out if it is a right fit because of the large commitment associated with applying and joining. This discouraging process can turn many potential members away at the door and remove students of many great opportunities.

Most clubs, such as RM’s history club, DECA, and Fine Lines, accept everyone who are interested in participating, but include special positions for those who are particularly skilled and active. “If you accept everyone, you can still limit who is going to have the executive positions if they are not as talented or good at the club activity,” sophomore Riki Doumbia said.

Leadership positions allow all students to be included according to skill level, while still promoting the progress of the club itself.

The inclusivity of many RM clubs have proved to be successful among the students. “When I first came to RM, I wasn’t really brilliant at one specific thing because I was keeping my options open.

I am so thankful that many of our clubs here are inclusive to everyone because it has allowed me to see what I like and don’t like and simultaneously improve in many subjects,” sophomore Angelina Guhl said. Inclusivity is a driving force for many students in prospering through their high school careers and future lives, and it can also introduce students to new interests.

“You shouldn’t exclude people because of their current skill set.”

- Myka Fromm For many club rejects, being dismissed from a team is upsetting and comes across as unfair. “It really shouldn’t be their decision. I mean, shouldn’t everybody be able to join every club?” freshman Carson Smith said. To the majority of students who do not make it to a team, exclusivity takes away not only opportunities, but selfconfidence, leaving blame upon themselves for falling short and discouraging them from pursuing future endeavors in that area.

Fundamentally, clubs are made for all students. With the wide recognition RM obtains from its diverse clubs, exclusivity is not a virtuous look. As Riki Doumbia said, “Cutting people at the door is simply just not very welcoming and nice of a club to do.”

In a time of growing up, finding friendship, and discovering oneself, high school needs its clubs to open their doors to everyone. Through these inclusive acts, students with no prior talent and experience are able to break out of their shell and flourish with skill. After all, clubs have no way to determine who will become the next Albert Einstein or Ruth Bader Ginsburg.

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OPINIONS

The Tide

October 2019

The Tide’s View: Greta Thunberg forces the world to pay attention to climate change

by The Tide Editorial Board The cries of millions of people are heard every day across the world. Rallies and protests have become popular as the younger generation begins to fight for what they believe is right. On Sept. 23, youth activist Greta Thunberg, known as one of the leaders of the climate movement, addressed the U.N.’s Climate Action Summit in New York City. Passionate and powerful, her speech provoked responses demonstrating how climate strikes can make a difference.

Unfortunately, there has been some obnoxious and unnecessary criticism towards Thunberg and her appearance at the U.N., ranging from direct insults on her intelligence, with Fox News guest speaker Michael Knowles. ranging from calling her mentally ill to mocking tweets paired with a video of visibly upset Thunberg with President Trump calling her a “very happy young girl looking forward to a bright and wonderful future.” Though these right-wing media personalities, politicians, and climate skeptics may not agree with Thunberg’s sentiments

or course of action, their acknowledgment demonstrates the widespread attention her speech is now receiving.

Although several climate strikes have occurred before, Thunberg’s speech was special since it captured the attention of millions of people all at once.

Junior Michelle Zhao said, “Greta’s speech spread a lot of movement within the liberal parties around the world.” Outlining the stakes of inaction on the climate crisis and denouncing the world’s focus on “money a n d fairytales of eternal economic growth,” Thunberg made clear to the world her intentions of taking action over her future.

Speaking to the assembled world leaders, Thunberg’s remarks inspire

Magnet expansion is beneficial for all

by Gus Carvell OPINIONS WRITER

Montgomery County has a messy history with its magnet programs, and RM’s IB magnet is at the center of a new controversy.

For the 2020-2021 school year, IB magnet programs based on RM’s will be added at Watkins Mill, Springbrook, and Kennedy High School. Although these programs cannot fix the county’s implicit segregation, they will help morre students get an education tailored to their needs and abilities.

While RM will remain one of the best IB programs in Maryland, more students having access to advanced education is inherently beneficial. “I believe in the fundamentals of IB curriculum and believe that it is a great curriculum. And so I would love for all students in Montgomery County to have a chance to access that instead of fewer students,” Magnet Coordinator Mr. Joeseph Jelen said.

Students should b e pushed to learn at the highest academic level, and adding more magnet programs in schools is a best way to achieve that goal.

The expansion of the magnet programs means that kids that choose not to come to RM for geographical reasons can go to a program closer to home, and fewer qualified students will miss out on advanced programming that they could benefit from. Also, excelling students who still wish to come to RM are able to do so.

Within the issue of access, MCPS has come under scrutiny from everyone from Harvard to the New York Times for the inequalities within its various advanced programs. A 2016 study on MCPS’s existing choice and magnet programs concluded, “Racial and socioeconomic disparities [in magnet programs]... suggest a need to revise the criteria and process used to select students for these programs.”

And yet, four years later, the county is expanding high school programs without making meaningful change to desegregate them. While the county has made notable strides in improving equity in elementary and middle school programs, many have raised concerns that expanding magnet programs is not a suitable alternative to comprehensive redistricting of high school boundaries. These are valid, pressing concerns, as the county remains divided by both race and socioeconomic status, and magnet programs overwhelmingly drawing from the wealthy, mostly white and Asian part of the county.

A d d i n g more IB magnet programs will help many students a c r o s s the county gain access to the thorough education they deserve.

MCPS reflects socioeconomic inequalities in the county overall, and while these programs are not a substitute for redistricting that could help with many of these issues, they are a step in the right direction for improving the district as a whole.

leadership and courage across the world. According to a Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation poll, roughly one in four teenagers have taken action this year, whether it be attending a protest, participating in a walkout or writing to a public official. This is clearly an extraordinary level of activism for a group who mostly cannot vote yet. It is clear that if current politicians fail to enact

policy that mitigates climate change, our generation has the energy to bring a fresh wave of leadership.

Sophomore Lulu August said, “A global youth climate strike is more effective in that there are people all around the world, especially young people, gathering together to advocate for this topic.” Young people are key to the future of politics.

A Chicago Council Survey found that more than half of voters aged 18-29 believe that climate change is a critical threat. The youth are already living with the consequences of global climate change, which include forced migration, food scarcity, drought, rising sea levels, extreme weather and toxic contamination of water catchments.

This generation plus future ones will make up the new voter base and politicians must change their stances on these issues if they want to keep up with the quickly

changing political climate. As a result, older generations should be less dismissive when the new generation begins to speak up.

Climate strikes do not only affect politicians. They can shift public opinion as well. According to a Chicago Council Survey, there has been an increase from 2017 to 2019 in the percentage of people across political affiliations that believe climate change is a critical threat. Many climate protests have occurred around this time and the statistics suggests that rallies definitely sway the public’s beliefs.

By influencing public opinion, politicians’ opinions will shift to align with their constituents.

Too many of the world’s leaders—political, corporate, and civic—are collectively robbing the world’s youth of their futures.

This has gone to the point where the youth of the world have been forced to take the call to action to save their future. Hundreds of youth movements have occurred every year, but Greta Thunberg’s display at the U.N. summit focused and amplified the prevalence and importance of a dire issue.

A difference can be made, and in Thunberg’s words, “The world is waking up. And change is coming, whether you like it or not.”

Tesla races toward electric domination

by Rohan Dewan OPINIONS WRITER

Whether it’s the complete silence of the engineless chassis or the instant torque and acceleration that throw you into your seat, electric cars have captivated many. While these vehicles have existed since 1880, they have taken the 21st century world by storm. According to CNBC, by 2030, electric vehicles (EVs) will see at least a 4000 percent increase from today in total units on the road.

Around the new millennium, the world first noticed the effects of climate change, and how the planet is inching towards mass extinction. While EVs were more eco-friendly and had already been developed and sold, they were no match for conventional engines with low ranges and speeds less than 50 miles (per hour). Enter Tesla Motors.

Tesla was different because it was not any old established car company, but rather a new tech startup exploding in fertile Silicon Valley. It didn’t follow rules or norms, and operated more like Google and less like Ford.

This allowed them to release a pioneering electric car in 2008, the Roadster, with unprecedented speed and a range of 245 miles.

For the first time, EVs were a commercial sensation.

Since then, Tesla has produced more advanced and impressive cars. First, its luxury Models S and X with 17-inch touchscreens, self-driving capabilities and even falcon-wing doors, launched the company to stardom. In 2015, Tesla unveiled its mass-market Model 3 that kept the technology of its more expensive siblings.

This was Tesla CEO Elon

Musk’s goal: an EV that does not compromise performance or style but matches the prices of Toyotas. For those who feel the Model 3 is too expensive, its total cost of ownership is less than that of conventional cars. Factoring in low service costs, electricity being cheaper than gas, and tax incentives, one can shave $10,000 off the price.

tops out at $100,000.

This shows the world that EVs are coming from businesses other than Tesla. Companies like Volkswagen and Ford have released concepts and plans for new EVs, bringing into question how Tesla will fare. “Teslas are great electric cars, but for them to actually help global warming, the price needs to go way down so more people can afford them,” sophomore Joshua Goozman said.

While the Tesla Model 3 is priced for the masses, most people around the world cannot spend $32,000, even with its benefits. “If there are multiple EVs, companies will have to compete with each other and bring their prices down to attract the average consumer,” Goozman said.

Currently, EVs currently struggle to stay below $50,000.

Their batteries cost too much to lower the price. Despite this, Tesla has done a tremendous job of accommodating the entire car PHOTO BY SHEVANI TEWARI market, from budget-friendly Tesla’s sleek designs and affordable vehicles, starting at $30,000, to prices dominate the EV industry. six-figure luxury cars. And by Today, no one can call Tesla a 2020, Tesla is planning to sell the small tech startup. It is one of the new roadster that will devastate most popular car manufacturers the Taycan in terms of statistics, in the world. The company driver experience and crowd made a record 97,000 deliveries appeal, a deceivingly important globally in the third quarter of aspect of the car market. Tesla 2019, keeping up with major not only beats Porsche with automakers like BMW which high-end sports and supercars, also sold 97,000 vehicles in the but manufactures affordable third quarter. performance vehicles, something This year marked the no one currently does. beginning of a new era for EVs. Only time will tell which In September, world-renowned company will prevail in the luxury carmaker Porsche battle for dominance over electric released its first electric car, the cars, but many believe Tesla will Taycan. There is no doubt the remain triumphant. Not only do car is incredible. However, it their cars have record-breaking doesn’t stack up to the Model performance, but they offer a S. The car is slower, has a lower uniquely exciting user experience range and it reaches prices as that no other company can high as $180,000, while the S replicate.

The Tide

OPINIONS

October 2019

Pro-ICE protests encourage division

by Bence Szego OPINIONS WRITER

On Sept. 13, RM students found themselves shut in school, unable to go out to open lunch, due to administration concerns about clashes between pro-ICE protesters and counter-protesters just a few blocks away outside of the Montgomery County Council Office Building.

There is a definite distinction between the protesters and counter-protesters.

The former oppose undocumented immigrants and want them to leave our county. The latter support them and aim to share the benefits of our county.

One of the pro-ICE protesters, Ed Gomez, holding a bright yellow sign which told undocumented immigrants to “Go Home!” among other things, was insistent that the quality of life in the county has been declining for the past 22 years. “The raising of taxes, and an increase in overall crime, some horrendous crimes… by illegal aliens [are some of the symptoms],” Gomez said.

One of the main reasons people oppose undocumented immigrants is because they are supposedly more likely to engage in criminal behavior, but a recent study by the Pew Research Center found that there is no such link in crime between communities with and without undocumented immigrants. In fact, there has been a decrease in overall crime rate, despite the spike in undocumented immigrants.

There were many at the protest who disagreed with Gomez.

Counter-protesters chanted “No hate, no fear, immigrants are welcome here.” There is a network of people who love Montgomery County and are committed to

spreading the positives to those who need it.

Immigrants deserve a safe place to live and add to the diversity of our community. “It’s not lost on me the importance of protecting the rights of immigrants to live and thrive in our county. We are so lucky to have a multitude of different types of people living in this county,” Lily, a daughter of asylum seekers from Iran and a lifelong resident of Montgomery County, said.

This is the inspiring immigrant story that Montgomery County should be embracing, as it has

have the most to gain from our amazing county.

Furthermore, pro-ICE protestors seem to have forgotten their own existence as visitors to the country. “We are all immigrants,” counter-protester Nancy Hoover said. The fact of the matter is that almost everybody, no matter their family history, can trace their lineage to off of our shores. Humans are a mobile species, and the hate towards immigrants undermines our entire country’s foundation, the work of immigrants.

But that is the most important

PHOTO COURTESY OF RMHS SGA

RM seniors cheer from the turf for the sports captains at the pep rally.

Dear Admin: The ground is not better

by Athira Nair and Katie Yuan SENIOR OPINIONS WRITER, OPINIONS WRITER

GRAPHIC BY VALERIE WANG

GRAPHIC BY KISHA YAN

in recent days, with County Executive Marc Elrich putting forward an executive order preventing ICE from invading our immigrant communities.

Especially given the outstanding standard of living in Montgomery County, shown in the well-funded public schools, abundant job opportunities and growing economy, we should be supporting our immigrant and asylum seeking community, as they are the most vulnerable, and

thing. No matter where we are from, this county is what brings us together. The pushback against immigrants comes from the basis of belonging to our country, which is especially problematic when you stop to consider that often the people that we consider to be the most “American” are immigrants, or children of immigrants themselves. These actions by the right have only created division in this county, and ultimately, tear us apart.

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Watch as they proudly walk through the hallways in their black and gold class t-shirts and pose in front of “respect your elders” banner hung up on the baseball field fence for photos.

The seniors are the oldest and wisest of all the grade level, and for the past three years they have worked hard and have made their mark. Given the seniors deserve only the best, it came as a shock to many in the school when the seniors sat on the field for the Homecoming pep rally.

This is definitely not fair for the seniors, as they were assigned to sit on the turf, separating them from the underclassmen, who all sat in the bleachers with a much better view.

In the past, most pep rallies were held in the school gym. to accomodate the school population, freshmen and sophomores would attend the first pep rally while the juniors and seniors would watch the second. However, this year’s pep rally occurred outside on the turf field, and all grade levels came to the same one.

SGA advisor Ms. Kellinger said, “It’s exciting to have the whole school out at once and since it’s the first pep rally of the year, it’s a good way to unify them.” On the contrary, while the freshmen, sophomores and juniors enjoyed the rally together in the bleachers, the seniors were isolated on the field instead of cheering with the rest of the school.

Not only were the seniors separated from the other grades, they found themselves broken into two separate groups, dividing not only friends, but the overall spirit of the class of 2020.

Consequently, the seniors did not enjoy the performance with the same enthusiasm in years past.

Senior Lambia Katsigiannakis said, “Splitting up the seniors [made] us feel less spirited, which is why the seniors were a lot quieter than they have been in the past and even quieter than the juniors.” As a result, the lack of energy from the senior class resulted in a homecoming pep rally that was not the exciting experience it has been in past years.

Moreover, even though it was nice to have the whole school out together at the same time, having the seniors sit on the field ruined the event. SGA advisor Ms. Furr said, “it went to the seniors [to sit on the field] because they would

be up close to the pep rally.”

While this reasoning is understandable, it was executed poorly considering half of the seniors had a side view, compared to the bleacher spots which were actually the best view of the pep rally.

Senior Sachin Sulkunte said, “I prefer not to sit on the field especially since most of us had to sit on the side so we aren’t actually facing everybody.” If it is absolutely necessary to have a class sit on the ground, these spots should be reserved for lowerclassmen while the seniors can enjoy the front and center seats.

It was also uncomfortable

“Splitting up the seniors [made] us feel less spirited, which is why the seniors were a lot quieter than they have been in the past...”

- Lambia Katsiginnakis sitting on the ground. Senior Kush Savsani said, “Sitting on the ground, although closer to the pep rally, is still sitting on the floor and the seniors did not even get seats to sit on.” And although no student at any grade level should have to deal with that, if it is an absolute necessity, the seniors should be the last grade considered for the worst spot, given their seniority. Essentially, seniors were demoted to sitting on the cold hard ground and have every right to be irritated at the situation.

Seniors should leave Richard Montgomery with amazing memories of time spent with friends and teachers, eagerly cheering on our football team, and having a great time at the pep rally.

Unfortuntaely, the memory of the last homecoming pep rally for our class of 2020 will be one of an unpleasant experience on the ground. Both Ms. Kellinger and Ms. Furr said, “I think we could get some feedback from the seniors overall,” which would be a tremendous help in trying to organize seatings for next year so that next year’s seniors will be more satisfied. After all, RM seniors are our pride and joy.

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October 2019

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Octubre 2019

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RM ofrece nuevo Diploma para gente bilingües por Isabelle Bohorquez-Stevenson ESCRITOR DE NOTICIAS

Ser bilingüe es un rasgo muy importante que muchas personas desean de ser y que muchas personas pueden lograr.

Ser bilingüe ayuda personas entender diferentes lenguajes, pero más encima ayuda personas sentirse más unidos a otros.

Este rasgo se puede obtener en Richard Montgomery por una nueva programa llamada el Camino de Estudios Bilingües e Internacionales en RM establecida por las maestras Señora Antonetti y Señora Solernou el año pasado.

El programa que comenzó oficialmente este año se trata de no solo enseñar a los estudiantes de las clases de español el lenguaje, sino también sobre la cultura y ayudarles conocer y aprender más sobre un tipo de espanol competitivo. Por supuesto, Los Estudios Bilingües e Internacionales tienen sus requisitos para completar, pero si los estudiantes lo completan tienen la oportunidad de obtener una diploma de Bilingüe cuando se gradúen de la escuela en

adición de la diploma de la escuela secundaria.

Este diploma demuestra que los estudiantes hicieron “algo extra: no solamente escogieron español sino ellos pueden verificar con un certificado como un diploma de que si ellos tuvieron unos niveles altos,” dijo el líder y maestra de los estudios españoles, la Señora Antonetti. El diploma es fácil de obtener pero al mismo tiempo un estudiante necesita dedicar mucho tiempo y esfuerzo a pasar los requisitos y optativos necesarios.

Para el programa, cuando un estudiante entra Richard Montgomery en el noveno grado, ellos pueden comenzar con sus estudios lenguajes en cualquier idioma, incluso si las clase no es español, como Chino o Francés.

Pero, la única cosa es que los estudiantes necesitan estar en el nivel cuatro de honores o mas, o si son hispanohablantes, necesitan tomar español para hispanohablantes nivel 1 o más.

Las clases de idiomas que un estudiante escoge en el noveno o décimo grado no importa, pero cuando el estudiante comienza su tercer año en RM, ellos son requeridos a tomar una clase de

Estudiantes celebran herencia por Gianluca Umana ESCRITOR DE NOTICIAS

El mes pasado, se celebró un evento importante para la comunidad hispana: el mes de la Herencia Hispana. Este mes es una observación de las contribuciones de los hispanas al país, así como su historia y su cultura.

Aunque dura un mes, el mes de la Herencia Hispana comienza el 15 de septiembre y dura hasta el 15 de octubre. El 15 de septiembre fue elegido como el primer día porque representa la fecha en que cinco países hispanos diferentes obtuvieron su independencia: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras y Nicaragua. Países como México y Chile obtuvieron su independencia en el medio de Septiembre también.

El mes de la Herencia Hispana ha sido celebrado por décadas.

Hay ceremonias, festivales y otros eventos para reconocer la importancia de las personas hispanas y sus herencias. Muchas organizaciones ofrecen conciertos, espectáculos de teatros, comida al aire libre y otras actividades divertidas.

La importancia del mes de la Herencia Hispana tampoco se ha perdido entre en los estudiantes y los profesores aquí en Richard Montgomery. La profesora de español Sra. Gonzalez dice, “Es importante en este país hacerlo porque hay muchísima gente que tiene herencia hispana y si se celebran otras cosas es normal celebrar esto. “ Otras personas, como estudiante de último año, Nestor Aranibar Campero, valoran la herencia hispana por razones

diferentes. “La literatura hispana es muy influencial sea el Don Quijote y Lazarillo sea el valioso mágico o los cuentos de fantasía.

Ayudan ilustrar una realidad que a veces no es tan accesible por los ojos simples” el dice.

Mientras que las celebraciones ocurren en todo el país, algunos pueden preguntar si nuestra escuela está haciendo lo suficiente para celebrar el mes.

“Yo creo que en ese sentido a las demás herencias que se celebran también se te se hacen cosas,” Sra. González dice cuando se le pregunta si reconocer y apreciar la herencia hispana debería ser un enfoque más importante para la escuela.

“Hay una variedad de aspectos culturales” - Nestor Campero “Siempre se puede hacer más pero yo creo que está bien.”

Como hay tantas formas de celebrar este mes, con infinatas formas de hacerlo, escogiendo qué hacer puede ser difícil. “Hay una variedad de aspectos culturales en el mundo hispano entonces tal vez, algunos de esos escogemos celebrar, dice Campero.

La cultura y herencia es importante para todos, como forma una parte integral de la personalidad. Al fin y al cabo, el mes de Herencia Hispana nos da razón para reflejar en lo más importante de la vida de muchos, y valorar quien somos.

espanol de AP 5, español para hispanohablantes, o un nivel más alto. Si los estudiantes ya están en su último año de escuelas y ya hicieron el nivel 6 en su tercer año, los estudiantes, en vez de tomar español 7, se registran a ser un rocket assistente de enseñanza, o un RTA por un año entero. También son requeridos de hacer un proyecto final sobre sus estudios que presentan a la facultad, similar al MYP, su último año.

Además de la clase de lenguaje, un estudiante necesita tomar optativos en los últimos dos años de escuela que se pueden encontrar en world languages en la página web de RM. Estos requisitos incluyen BI Anthropologia, AP Geografía Humana, BI asuntos globales, y historia latinoamericana. Los estudiantes escogen un electivo su tercer año en el programa y dos el cuarto año con un clase de inglés de honores o AP cada año. Es mandatorio que por los 4 años de escuela que el estudiante mantiene un promedio de 2.80.

Por algunos, los electivos pueden parecer como extra y no necesario, pero en

realidad son increíblemente importantes. Maestro de historia Latinoamericano, Señor GrosfeldKatz, dijo, “Yo creo que la competencia de cualquier clase de historia es útil para el futuro para todos… nosotros estudiamos cómo pensar sobre la historia que implica el pensamiento crítico … evaluar las fuentes… y estas son habilidades para la vida.” En estos

requisitos estudiantes aprendan más que la cultura, ellos aprenden cómo aplicar esta nueva información y cultura en sus vidas cada dia.

Estudiantes en la programa también sienten que los electivos son importantes para conocer mas de solo el lenguaje. Júnior, Maya Benavides dijo, “[Los electivos] me ayudaran a realmente poder hablar con la gente y aprender

más.” El Camino de Los Estudios Bilingües e Internacionales, abrirá muchas puertas para muchos estudiantes porque los ayuda a aprender más que el lenguaje.

Como dijo la Señora Antonetti, “Ellos aprenderán el valor que existe de ser completamente bilingüe.”

El programa es un currículo ayuda a los estudiantes de Richard Montgomery ser más involucrados en la cultura hispana y sentir como si ellos mismos tienen la capacidad de hacer algo desafiante.

Demuestran sus capacidades y durabilidad c u a n d o entran este GRÁFICO POR ARIES WANG

programa.

El Camino de Los Estudios Bilingües e Internacionales ayuda a los estudiantes entender cómo pueden progresar las diferentes nacionalidades por todo el mundo. Es importante ser bilingüe para que alguien se siente más unido con otras personas que son diferentes de él o ella.

Protesta genera controversia por Amanda Baranick ESCRITOR DE NOTICIAS

Que hace que Rockville sea una ciudad especial? Bueno, entre muchas cosas se diría que su diversidad, la calidad de humanismo y la tranquilidad en la que normalmente se vive en Rockville.

Sin embargo, existe una gran polémica que fue evidente este 13 de septiembre cuando hubo una protesta en contra de la orden ejecutiva frente a las oficinas del Concejal de Ayuntamiento y al mismo tiempo una contra protesta al respecto.

La orden ejecutiva asegura q u e oficiales n o

pregunten sobre el estado migratorio de residentes, y asegura que oficiales no cooperan con Inmigración y Control de Aduanas (ICE). Es decir, cualquier información que la ciudad tiene sobre el estado migratorio de alguien, no se lo pueden dar a ICE. Esta orden fue firmada con la intención de hacer que los inmigrantes ilegales se sientan más cómodos con la policía local

para que reporten crímenes y testifiquen.

Aunque muchos residentes de Rockville están a favor de esta orden ejecutiva, mucha gente protestó p o r q u e consideran que los inmigrantes ilegales s o n peligrosos.

C o n este gran

piensan que las violaciones son resultados de la falta de cooperación de la policía con ICE. Literalmente, frente a esta protesta, hubo una contra protesta organizada por MoCo Stands with Immigrants en que cientos de personas participaron. Varias personas tuvieron la oportunidad de tener discursos en contra de Inmigración y Control de Aduanas.

Los estudiantes del colegio Richard Montgomery High School tienen la reputación dequerer estar involucrados en la política en cualquier momento que puedan.

Esta protesta y contra protesta es algo que muchos estudiantes querían participar, especialmente GRÁ FICO POR c o n s i d e r a n d o NATHAN HAN que se llevó a cabo como a 5 minutos a pie del colegio durante el almuerzo. debate El director del colegio, entre Principal Damon Monteleone, y los la administración, con el apoyo apoyadores del condado, decidieron cerrar de Inmigración y el colegio durante el almuerzo Control de Aduanas y los que están en favor de darle para no permitir que ningún refugio a inmigrantes ilegales en estudiante se saliera del campus Rockville, la ciudad está dividida. para participar a cualquier lado La protesta del 13 de de la protesta. Basaron esta septiembre, fue formada por decisión en querer proteger la la organización Help Save seguridad de los estudiantes y Maryland, en respuesta a por lo prevenir problemas.

La protesta no tuvo un efecto menos ocho casos de violaciones directo y no ha causado ningún vinculadas a inmigrantes ilegales. cambio en la política. Lo que ha Cientos de protestadores llegaron con carteles demostrando su hecho es que ha demostrado apoyo por ICE y las políticas que al ayuntamiento y a la ciudad le dan más fuerza. Estas personas lo dividido que en verdad se encuentra la comunidad.

10

CENTERSPREAD

The Tide

To earn SSL hours Would you rather help...

October 2019

CENTERSPREAD

The Tide

What do you look for in a club?

Fellow students Academics

Chilling on the couch

Enjoying the outdoors

Interested in teaching?

If you’re looking for a low-maintenance, flexible club that works on leadership skills and serve the community, RMHS Interact is for you! This club is focused on community service as well as building student leaders in the RM community. In previous years, RMHS Interact has worked with Stepping Stones Shelter in Rockville and will continue volunteering with similar service outlets this year and in the future. Last year they cleaned around Stepping Stones and organized the donated items into categories such as food, clothes, and kitchen appliances.

Active club member and junior Julianna Olano said, “Giving back to the local community makes me become more of a well-rounded person, while feeling proud that my school engages us in helping with shelters and community service nearby. It’s a great way to also earn SSL hours.”

This club stands out against other service clubs by being supported by the Rotary, meaning they have access to adult resources who have a similar mission as RMHS Interact, but on a higher level. Contact Senior Nick Olano for more information.

Generation Z Tutoring is all about forming bonds between tutors and their tutees. They offer weekly tutoring at nearby public libraries for elementary and middle school students in a variety of subjects (math, science, English —you name it). The service is entirely free to ensure anyone can have access to the opportunity, but volunteers can earn CAS or SSL hours.

Generation Z is looking for tutors that are genuinely passionate about teaching and learning. “It’s really rewarding when you see them grow,” club leader and senior Laura Yao said. Members work one-on-one with their own student (or maybe two). This makes for flexible hours that work easily with your schedule—you’d most likely volunteer for an average of an hour per week. Commitment to in-school meetings is low, but you will be expected to diligently maintain communications with your student and their family in order to arrange the sessions. The club has really grown in the past year and is hoping to expand to group teaching as well. The focus on working peer-to-peer makes for less distant learning space and more fun!

Their motto? It’s a tutoring club for students, by students.

If you’re interested, contact the club leaders through their website (http://rmhsgenerationz.weebly.com/) or through email (generationztutoring.rm@gmail.com).

Nah

Yes!

What is your go-to rainy day activity?

Which class would you rather take?

Board Games

There’s Biology Club, Chemistry Club, and Physics Club, but if you’re looking for a little bit of brain food, check out Neuroscience Club! On Tuesdays in room 308, Francesca Venditti, the current club president, comes in with a new lesson about the nervous system, whether it be a review about cognitive science or discussing the relation between quantum mechanics and the consciousness. Throughout the year, each meeting will feature a lesson, experiments, distinguished speakers, or a mix of all three. Members especially look forward to lectures at NIH and the blind food tests. “It gives us the experience, and it’s not just us watching videos,” freshman Cindy Chen said. The club also participates in a bimonthly publication by the International Youth Neuroscience Association (IYNA), where members can submit articles to the journal and get them published.

“A lot of people have clubs where they’re already doing a lot of competitions or they’re doing all this intense stuff, but I just think it makes science more of a hassle,” Venditti said, “I don’t want people to feel like it should be something hard and super difficult to commit to. I just want them to have a fun experience”. Neuroscience Club meets on Tuesdays in room 308, usually the first and last Tuesdays of the month. If you have any questions, just shoot a quick email to neurosciencermhs@gmail.com or ask the club sponsor, Ms. Guggenbiller.

Articles by: Daniel Chen, Rachel Freedman, Megan Harrington, Brooke Hilliard, Allison Howlett, Kevin Hrozencik, Emily Huang, Nikki Shah, Sydney Weiss and Rosemary Yang

Getting some exercise

Whose videos are you watching?

Be prepared to take a trip down memory lane with Beyblade Club! Every Wednesday at lunch in room 263, this club competes in friendly tournaments of this top spinning childhood game. The club also plays other classic games such as Magic the Gathering and Pokemon.

There are also card games happening throughout the lunch period. “We used to have donuts once a month, and we are bringing that back this year,” Beyblade Club President Isaac Lim said. This club offers a time to relax and enjoy your time around people with an affinity for childhood games. If you are busy during lunch and can’t attend a meeting, that is not a problem. Members are not required to come to every meeting. Show up to meetings to enjoy a surprise donut, Beyblade and hanging out with friends.

Jurassic Park

This year is going to be big for the Archaeology club! Fresh off a summer of working at their MCPS Archaeology Society official dig site known as “Riggs House,” the club is ready to get to work back at RM. Every Thursday after school in room 218, the club spends one hour washing and cataloging all of the artifacts they discovered at the dig site. While they will continue to do that throughout the rest of the year, the club’s current plan is to grow in attendance. Club leader and senior Brennan Rose said, “We plan to extend club advertising by making a website, setting up a display in the media center, and playing an ad on RMBC.” Attendance is not mandatory every week, but it will be more helpful in understanding the club the more you participate. So, take some time on your Thursday afternoons to stop by room 218 for an hour and see what is going on!

Watching YouTube

Biology

Which would you rather watch?

If you’re interested in learning the mechanics of law or pursuing a future in it, Student Legal Association (SLA) might be the perfect fit for you! The club meets every other Tuesday, in room 212, where SLA engages its members in the study of law. Specifically, they invite guest speakers, hold presentations, initiate discussions, and even manage trips to local courts. In fact, the club is currently solving the logistics for a visit to the Supreme Court. Junior Amy Zhai, an officer in the leadership team, said, “I joined because I thought that the club would be a great opportunity for me to gain knowledge through guest speakers and hearing everyone’s insights, as well as sharing my own knowledge about the legal process”. People of all experiences are welcome, all you need is an open mind and an interest in law. As for commitment level, SLA meets every other Tuesday. “The club is pretty chill. Just come, discuss, eat snacks and learn,” co-president of SLA and senior Jolly Rop said, “You don’t have to attend every meeting, but if you do, bring a friend”. So, if a lowkey law discussion club piques your interest, plan on attending the next meeting on Tuesday, October 29.

What is your favorite outdoor activity?

If the table with the cooked fish at the Club Fair caught your eye, then Fishing Club is for you. Fishing Club is centered around fishing culture. This club is fairly new and was started at the end of last school year. Once a month, the club has an event where they go out to a body of water and fish. This event will be available to anyone interested and happen outside of school hours. Usually the Wednesday before, Fishing Club will have a lunch meeting where they will plan and prepare for their outing. This year, the overall goal of Fishing Club is to have more people join. “I just want to show people how great fishing is, and to connect them with their environment at the same time,'' Fishing Club president Savva Brown said. The commitment level is quite low, and it is completely acceptable to miss a few meetings here and there. Also, at the end of the year, Fishing Club plans to clean a local body of water to keep the fish healthy so everyone can continue to fish for years to come. This event is a big goal that the club is working towards, and they would love help with planning it!

Exploring nature

World History

Law and Order

11

To have fun!

What are your plans this weekend?

The community

October 2019

Shane Dawson’s

Are you looking for a club that is dedicated to protecting you from the government’s mind control? Well, grab your tin-foil hat and look no further than RM’s very own Conspiracy Theory Club!

Conspiracy Theory Club is a veteran club at RM, spanning back to its humble beginnings in 2018, as a way to share the joy and silliness of many crazy conspiracy theories. The club’s founder, Rina Levy, had been inspired to create the club from an end of the year assignment in her history class.“We ended the year with conspiracy theory projects about pivotal events in American history. I remember our class having a lot of fun joking around and research in the conspiracy theories and it just sort of became a running joke,” Levy said. “The purpose of the club is to have a good time and not to take anything too seriously,” Levy said.

The club is structured in a way that allows students to come in prepared with a presentation on a conspiracy theory they find interesting or silly and then present it to the club, “Everyone has full creative rights over their presentation if they choose to do one.

So that can be anything as tame as referencing some photographs to dressing up in head-to-toe tinfoil,” Levy said. “If you sign up for a presentation, the floor is completely yours, but if that’s not your jam you can always just sit and enjoy what others have prepared,” Levy said. Meetings are held every other Wednesday in room 216 at lunch!

Bob Ross’s

If you love blasting a bouncy ball for a homerun, look no further than Kickin’ With RM. RM is one of the few high schools to offer a kickball club, so students looking for a unique activity are sure to get a “kick” out of this club. Club President and senior Gabi Infante said, “[New students] should join because it’s a fun time to play kickball with friends and meet new people”. Meetings typically consist of playing kickball, eating snacks, and getting to know other members of the club. The club meets Tuesdays after school from 2:45 pm-3:45 pm; the exact schedule varies, but club members will be alerted of plans ahead of time. For those looking for a club without commitment, Kickin’ With RM is an excellent choice. Anyone is welcome to come whenever they want to play. This year, the club hopes to add more game opportunities and is working to plan a tournament with other schools. t. If you’re interested in joining the club, follow them on Instagram @kickinitwithrm or email Gabi Infante at kickin. it.with.rm@gmail.com to get more information.

This brand new RM club aims to be as happy as all the trees, birds and squirrels in Bob Ross’s paintings. The Happy Tree club is inspired by the chill and relaxing teachings of legendary artist and nature lover, Bob Ross. “We all have a lot of stress in our lives and we need to chill. We need to have art in our lives,” club president and founder senior Siqi Wu said. This brand new club plans to meet on Thursdays during lunch in room 39 to paint and draw while following Ross’s tutorials from his show, “The Joy of Painting”. Each episode is based on a different natural landscape, so get ready to paint a variety of scenic views while listening to Ross’s soothing voice. They also plan to apply the techniques from his videos and paint a Bob Ross-inspired mural in the RM art hallway later this year. So, if you’re looking for a club that appreciates painting nature, positive vibes and a whole lot of Bob Ross, joining this club would be more than a happy accident!

Graphics by: Kat Chen, Nicole Fang, Liz Frisbie, Alana Lu, Sabrina Mei, Christina Tang, Christian Testa, Valerie Wang, and Kisha Yan

12

The Tide

FEATURES

October 2019

Mr. Montelone shares insights into Rocket Time to come in and get help.” compiled by Amanda Wu FEATURES WRITER

Interview with Principal Damon Monteleone What prompted the decision to create Rocket Time? “[T]here has been a confluence of reasons to look at this. Students have asked for a break in their schedule—time just to even chill, check in with teachers and send emails, some sort of stress relief.

Teachers have been looking for a way to channel the instructional interruptions that happen.

So many times, counselors and administrators need to [interrupt] a class, whether it’s administrative grade visits, scheduling, registering for IB exams, AP exams or county wellness initiatives—whatever it may be, there are a lot of different things that can cut into instructional time. So there’s been a lot of input from staff saying we would prefer if we knew exactly when this was happening and it wouldn’t interrupt instruction.

The other reason is for students to be able to get help—one of the things that can occur is, say I’m your teacher and I need you to retake this quiz and we have class 5th period on Friday. And I say, ‘Here’s a note, give it to your Rocket Time teacher on Tuesday and you can come in, it’s only going to take you 15 minutes, Rocket Time’s a half hour, and you can take it then.’ And teachers like that it’s an extra time for students

How was this organized?

“We asked staff in a survey put out last year, ‘Would you possibly be interested in an advisory?’ for all those reasons, and people said yes. So we put forth a draft as to what this could possibly look like and brought it to the instructional leadership team over the summer.

The team is made up of administrators, all the heads of departments, the resource teachers, three elected faculty representatives, support service representatives—it’s like the Congress of the school.

So we literally have it mapped

“I would like us to have more of a whole school community.”

- Damon Monteleone out to the day, of every single thing that is going to happen by grade level, every single week, so that all the teachers can see in advance, for an entire year. And you’d be surprised—if you have four of these things once a week on Tuesdays, so you’re looking at 8 or 9 months times 4, and you’re looking at the 30-some days that this actually meets—over 20 of them, two-thirds, are occupied by stuff that would have gone into a class.

We have a team of people led

by Mr. Smith, Dr. Alexander, and Mr. Bernstein—they’re all trained in restorative practices, and one of those is the community circle.

They’re putting together a bank of activities: a menu, a playlist, a toolkit of things that if you’re a teacher and you have a desire to build community in your Rocket Time, but you don’t have the time to go create something, here is this electronic bank of resources to use so that you can start implementing these community circles in your Rocket Time. That’s ongoing, so the hope is by the end of the year, we will have this database of activities.”

On a hopeful goal for Rocket Time: “We got a lot of feedback from students two years ago saying they wanted time to talk about things that were important to them [that] they may not have time to talk about in class.

So that’s why last year we did three different community meetings, and we asked students, ‘What do you want to talk about?’ and they said race and culture, guns and gun rights, gun safety, and mental health. So we did those last year.

My own sense is that I would like us to have more of a whole school community and not be in academic silos. And homerooms are a way to do that because they’re heterogeneous by last name, and it’s a good way to build community.

So the thing that I’m really,

existentially hoping to do and I have no idea if this is the vehicle for it, but we are a super diverse school demographically, ethnically—Main Street looks like the world and I love that.

We’ve got kids from all over the county that come here, we’ve got pretty much every academic program in the school system, we have the four-year magnet, we have the two-year IB, we have the largest emotional disability and special education program in the county, we have a large special ed program of 185 kids, we have the largest ESOL program in the school system, so we’ve got all of this under one roof.

And yet, even

kids are kids, and there are some common denominators, there is a thread amongst all of you.

I think if we stop and pause and smell the roses and get to know each other a little bit more, outside of the same kids we see in our classes every day, the same kids we went to middle school with, then we’ll find that we have more in common with each other than we think. That we care about the same things, we’re thinking about the same things, and that the world around us is spinning and what’s happening in this outside world in our current political and social climate, and environmental climate—these are things that are going to matter to you all as you all grow older and become adults.

So if there’s any space at all to talk about it, it should be talked about.

And if there are common criticisms or ideas or thoughts about your experiences at this school, why not have a venue to share them?”

though there are ways adults or the system separates kids, GRAPHIC BY CAROLINE DINH

New year introduces new RM classes and teachers

by Meghna Pandey and Lilian Wang FEATURES WRITERS

Upon entering the halls of RM, new teachers see the extraordinary collection of awards and the vast expanse of Main Street with one-of-a-kind street lights. They hear the animated chatter between the students and the warm welcome of the staff. The home of the Rockets now becomes theirs.

Many new teachers have arrived at RM this school year, and of the few interviewed, one common theme rings true: they love RM because of its staff and students as well as the structure of the school curriculum. In particular, many teachers note the drive of the students as one of the school’s best qualities.

“I love RM, I think it’s a great school, I understood what a nice community of students we have here. I feel like it really hangs together and there is a very nice atmosphere in the building. So in that sense, I love RM,” statistics teacher Katrien Theunis said.

Mrs. Theunis just started her teaching career this year, and so far she loves the job and her time with her students.

Many new teachers are also very passionate about the subjects they teach here at RM. Through the content they teach, they are able to help their students acquire new skills. RM is a school with a diverse and vast selection

of course options, and the offered variety allows students to receive a holistic education.

“We are gathering so much data on so many things, so it is very good to know how we’re going to interpret the data. So we see results of studies anywhere on social media, in newspapers, we hear it on the news. So what we are trying to do is make our students—give them the tools to understand, or see bias, or see wrong conclusions from these researches and be a more informed citizen, more critical towards some study outcomes that distort reality,” Mrs. Theunis said.

She aims to teach her students how to analyze the vast amount of data that is present in society

PHOTO BY SHUXIN DAI

Statistics teacher Mrs. Theunis helps her students interpret data and draw conclusions.

PHOTO BY ELLA KOENIG

Ms. Huque likes to get her grading done early in the morning.

today through her statistics classes.

The new teachers come from various backgrounds and have unique experiences that have guided them in their teaching careers. For example, ESOL teacher Elizabeth Fuhrman has lived in places all around the world, which helps her relate to her students who come from many diverse cultures.

“I really enjoy contributing to our community by helping new people that are arriving to Montgomery County, and especially students who come from other countries because I lived in other countries, and I understand how it feels to be a new person in a different country,” Ms. Fuhrman said. She has lived in Honduras, Japan and Sri Lanka before, which sparked her passion for learning about new cultures.

While the new teachers enjoy

teaching their students, coping with the difficulties of grading papers is a Herculean task. However, each of the teachers have their own methods to manage the undertaking in ways that are healthier than drinking gallons of coffee.

“I like to get up very early, and to work before my kids and before other people are up. So I find that half the time when I get a lot of work done is very early in the morning,” Spanish teacher Amy Huque said. On the other hand, Mrs. Theunis stays up late grading as opposed to waking up earlier. Just like students, the teachers also have a variety of approaches to getting their work done.

While teachers do spend quite

PHOTO BY ELLA KOENIG

Ms. Fuhrman’s experiences in other countries have made her love learning about new cultures.

a lot of time at school, they have their own set of interests and hobbies outside of school that they always look forward to. These activities range from spending time with their kids to participating in triathlons.

“I love to hike, preferably high mountains. But that’s not very feasible everyday. On an everyday basis, I love to read, and I love to do yoga,” Mrs. Theunis said.

One of the most enticing features of RM is its proximity to an incredible multitude of restaurants. Just like new students, new teachers enjoy exploring restaurants near the school campus, and some have already found their local favorites. A few of their mainstays include Season 52 and Cuban Corner.

Mrs. Theunis, Ms. Huque and Ms. Fuhrman all look forward to continue interacting with the students and staff in the RM community, and they aim to build lasting bonds with their students as the year progresses.

The teachers all have wonderful advice for their students, including striking a balance between academic and social life, working hard, believing in oneself and interacting with students from various cultural backgrounds to gain new perspectives.

“Just to work hard, believe in yourself. The messages you send yourself become your reality. You can do anything you put your mind to as long as you work at it,” Ms. Huque said.

FEATURES

The Tide

October 2019

13

Fly-in programs offer unique college visits

by Christine Zhu FEATURES EDTIOR

College.

The application process can feel daunting and complicated. Each year, high school seniors seek to answer a never-ending series of questions: Where should I apply to? What should I major in? Will I like the school? Will I even get in?

College visits are often tedious to plan and can deflate a bank account.

Fortunately, some colleges provide fly-in programs, to which prospective students can apply. If accepted for the program, the college will cover all costs for the student to visit:, including transportation, food and lodging.

From Oct. 3 to Oct. 6, I attended a fly-in program at College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor, Maine, also known as COA. An incredibly small school, COA’s student body consists of only 350 students and offers only one major: human ecology. Located on Mount Desert Island between the mountains of Acadia National Park and the Atlantic Ocean, COA’s campus was littered with beautiful fall foliage and a chilly breeze.

Having lived in Bar Harbor for three years when I was younger, I was no stranger to the village’s incredible views and touristy nature. Having done a summer program at COA, I even knew the campus fairly well. Nevertheless, the experience was still beneficial because I got to see students and classes in action.

On Thursday, Oct. 3, I arrived on campus where I was greeted

with a COA water bottle—COA is consistently ranked first on Princeton Review’s Top 50 Green Colleges list!—and an information packet describing the itinerary. That night at dinner, I met my hosts at Blair Dining Hall, affectionately nicknamed “Take-A-Break” or “TAB”— COA also consistently tops “best college food” lists. Afterwards, we made our way to a Story Slam in Thorndike Library, where current and prospective students alike shared stories about their experiences with new places.

Friday, Oct. 4 was a day of attending classes. “We actually

school.

Later that evening, we headed to Reel Pizza Cinerama in town, a tiny theater with only two screens. Back in 2010, I’d watched Toy Story 3 in the same theater, and the setup remained unchanged: cozy couches in the front, auditorium-style seating with tables for snacks in the back. After watching “Downton Abbey,” we went back to campus to hang out and look at the stars.

Typically, colleges don’t have class on Saturdays. At COA, Saturdays are full of field trips into Acadia and Frenchman Bay. The fly-in students split into two

PHOTO BY CHRISTINE ZHU

College of the Atlantic offered a fly-in program from Oct. 3 to Oct. 6. got to see classes in action like groups: a botany trip into Acadia they’re usually carried out,” Katie and what was meant to be a boat Culp of Pasadena, Calif. said. trip on Frenchman Bay. Sadly, I went to Problems and the skipper of COA’s very own Dilemmas in Bioethics and Music boat, the Osprey, was unwell, Fundamentals before heading to so instead we drove to Compass my interview with admissions. Harbor to explore.

Each student that I met on campus Since TAB is closed on was super friendly and eager to weekends to foster a community answer my questions about the environment between students,

the fly-ins were invited to dinner at COA’s president’s house with a handful of current students and alumni. We spoke of what drew us to COA and what made it such a unique school: composting toilets, owning two islands in Frenchman Bay, a love for nature.

COA doesn’t have traditional college dormitories; instead, there are large cottages where residents share a kitchen, bathrooms and common spaces. On Saturday night, one of the hosts baked cookies and invited many other students to decorate them together. Previously, I had been unsure of going to a school with only 350 students, but decorating cookies in a college environment like no other felt like a family.

“Going on a regular tour of a college only gives you insight on where the buildings are and how the college functions in a physical way, you don’t learn how the community is and the environment it has,” Haley Leavitt of Dixfield, Maine said.

“Eating, sleeping, talking with students, and sitting in on classes made it so that we could get a genuine feeling of what it would be like to be a student there.”

That night, while stargazing from the roof of Turrets, a mansion that housed many classes, I saw a shooting star for the first time. It served as an amazing ending to a marvelous experience for my peers and I. “I got to learn what life was like as a student at COA, which is really important to me, and it helped me realize that the student body at COA was one that I could fit in with and call a family for four years,” Caroline Klunk of Carlisle, Pa. said.

Students sign up for RM’s new ASL class

by Matthew Wong FEATURES WRITER

Walking through RM’s hallways, you will often hear the murmur of student voices arising from various classrooms.

You might see rows of students listening to a lecture, or groups of students engaging in passionate discussions of course content.

However, in one classroom, it is completely silent. For the first time, RM is offering an American Sign Language class taught by Sean Gill. By keeping his classroom quiet, Mr. Gill hopes to immerse the students in a more realistic environment.

“One of the rules he has is that we don’t talk during class to create an atmosphere that is similar to a deaf or hard-of-hearing person,” senior Elizabeth Mao said.

Mr. Gill emphasizes the importance of exposing students to a new perspective and spreading awareness about ASL. “Often, ASL is a language that is overlooked and not talked about. However, the community that relies on it to communicate is extremely prevalent,” he said.

“The Deaf community in the Washington-Baltimore area has one of the largest concentrations of Deaf and hard-of-hearing people in the United States…the estimate has been in the hundreds of thousands.”

ASL runs in a similar manner to other language classes, with the study of how to communicate in the language and also the Deaf culture behind it. While deaf refers to the medical condition

by Delaney Crawley FEATURES WRITER

Eva Clifford, sophomore “Watching the Halloween town movies. It’s the best thing ever when it’s cold and you can just sit and binge watch movies with your friends. I love it.”

Maggie Orcev, freshman “Getting fat on Thanksgiving. I have four brothers so I really have to work to fill my plate!”

Cory Bucy, senior “I love soccer season! It’s my senior year and I really want to make this one count! I love being on the team with all the girls and I will miss everyone so much when I eventually have to leave the team and graduate.”

Jack Conway, sophomore “Thanksgiving. I love being with my family, I don’t see my extended family often and it’s great having everyone all in one place to just watch some football and enjoy food.”

Terra Pickett, sophomore “I carve pumpkins with my friends and family pretty much every Halloween and it’s the most fun I have during the whole fall.

We always make such a big mess but it’s worth it every year.”

Fiona Goddess, freshman “I like watching Mean Girls with my friends every year. It’s become one of our favorite traditions and it’s so cute and fun how we have all the quotes and stuff memorized.”

Ayellet Aharonovich, sophomore “I bake cookies for my teachers, friends, family and anyone who will eat them. It makes me happy to see them happy when they get to eat my stuff.”

PHOTO BY NYAWA ALLIEU

American Sign Language (ASL) teacher Mr. Gill fist bumps a student for her great participation during class. of hearing loss, Deaf refers to the of the work is through media, the more attention to detail and be community and cultural identity use of video and hands-on in the more coordinated,” Guevara said. surrounding a shared sign classroom,” Mr. Gill said.

Although students can find language. “We learn vocabulary Many students decided to take some find familiarity in ASL’s or watch videos about Deaf ASL due to how important they English words, ASL is far from culture,” Mao said. thought learning it would be. “I spoken English. “ASL is not a Nonetheless, ASL still bears a felt as if switching to American foreign language.

However, number of differences, even in its Sign Language would be a new American Sign Language is physical arrangement. Whereas experience for me,’’ sophomore related to English as English is most classrooms are set up with Brandon Rosen said. related to Latin. None of their rows or table groups, the ASL Others, many of whom are grammatical structures bear class sits in a circle. This structure seniors, wanted to try something much resemblance because they allows both students and Mr. new for their final year of high are their own languages,” Mr. Gill Gill to have a full range of view school. “My goal was to pick said. of everyone’s signing. “It’s way something where I would focus The class opens up new easier to see, and for Mr. Gill more on the learning experience opportunities outside the to see who understands and rather than solely worrying about classroom.

“The demand who needs help,” senior Ashley the grade,” Guevara said. for nationally certified ASL Guevara said.

Learning ASL has changed the interpreters is huge, and as a The type of content is also thinking of some students. “ASL freelance interpreter and the distinct. “The biggest surprise is has helped me adapt and become usefulness of ASL in employment that it’s a non-verbal class and more observant overall… I feel by credentials extends beyond being writing is minimal; the majority the end of the year I’ll pay way an interpreter,” Mr. Gill said.

GRAPHCS BY SLAVENA PEYCHINOVA

Arman Bolouri, senior “I’m going to the pumpkin patch with my family. My dad always comes in to spend some time with us and it’s great.”

Everett Oehler, sophomore “I like making Thanksgiving dinner with my family. I don’t really spend a lot of time with my family, but this is when I can put down my phone for once and actually have some family time.”

Cameron Yi, sophomore “I really like celebrating Chinese New Year. For me, it’s the best part of the year when everyone can come together and celebrate our culture and the new year.“

14

FEATURES

The Tide

October 2019

Students share memorable experiences studying abroad

by Julie Yeo and Natalie Weger SENIOR CONTRIBUTOR AND FEATURES WRITER

Rina Levy The thought of studying typically prompts images of worksheets and TI-84 calculators, but senior Rina Levy’s study -abroad experience in the Fiji islands was anything but typical.

For two weeks in late July and early August, Levy participated in a marine ecology and conservation program through an organization called Global Leadership Adventures.

Global Leadership Adventures offers targeted study-abroad experiences to students, ranging from public-health initiatives to wildlife-conservation missions.

After a rewarding experience in Costa Rica last year, Levy decided to work as an ambassador for the organization. Through her work, Levy received scholarship

PHOTO COURTESY OF RINA LEVY

Rina Levy traveled to the Fiji islands on a reef rescue mission.

money to fund her trip to Fiji this summer.

The diverse ecosystems of Fiji’s islands are home to the largest coral reef system in the Southwest Pacific, according to USA Today.

These conditions made Fiji the perfect location for Levy to expand her interest in marine ecology. Levy’s reef rescue mission included community initiatives such as reef surveys, where she collected data on the number of indicator species in certain reef sites, and planting mangroves, which filter out sediments that would otherwise fatally damage native coral reefs.

Levy’s experience was both memorable and educational, and she encourages other students to consider studying abroad. “If you’re uncomfortable with the idea, then you’re doing something right,” Levy said. She believes that getting out of one’s comfort zone can pave the way for new experiences and growth, and ultimately make a meaningful impact on the world.

Youth Ambassadors, allows high school students to gain leadership skills and global awareness by traveling abroad. Liu’s trip to Brazil focused particularly on fostering understanding of social issues. After traveling to an impoverished community whose fishing trade was threatened by building construction and witnessing low literacy rates in a local boys and girls club, Liu was in disbelief.

“When you’re just looking at it in your own community, you don’t see the full scope of the

Kimberly Liu When senior Kimberly Liu arrived in a foreign country this past June, she was surrounded by complete strangers and had little knowledge of the local language.

It is not as crazy as it may sound: Liu was studying abroad in Brazil through a three-week activism program sponsored by the U.S. State Department.

This program, called U.S.

Kimberly Liu explored activism and social issues in Brazil.

PHOTO COURTESY OF KIMBERLY LIU

issue,” Liu said. “Obviously, everyone knows poverty is something that exists around the world, but it’s actually crazy, in Brazil, income inequality is so much more extreme than here.”

Liu will use her experience in Brazil to lead a communitybased initiative throughout the year. She is currently working

on creating financial literacy seminars in Montgomery County.

Liu hopes that these seminars will give low-income communities an additional resource towards financial stability.

While studying abroad in an unfamiliar group can feel daunting, Liu offers a new perspective. “I think it’s important to realize when you’re going abroad, it’s not just you, you’re with a group of other people who probably feel the same way as you, who are there to support you, so you’re never going to really be alone,” Liu said.

Uma Fox Have you ever wondered what it is like to study in a different country with little knowledge of the local language? That is exactly what sophomore Uma Fox did this summer when she studied abroad for six weeks in Pune, India. Fox discovered this opportunity through the National Security Language Initiative for Youth, a U.S. State Department program that provides fully funded scholarships for students to study abroad.

Fox wanted to study abroad in India to learn more about her culture, broaden her language skills and gain new perspectives.

She was also motivated by her interest in educational policy and human rights law, subjects she hopes to explore in the future.

Though she knew little of the language at first, each day

PHOTO COURTESY OF UMA FOX

Uma Fox improved her Hindi while studying in Pune, India.

at school she had to give a news presentation in Hindi, which quickly strengthened her knowledge of the tongue. “It has given me a new chance to explore language and explore both career paths and a different understanding of how my own culture is related to other cultures,” Fox said.

Although it was a big adjustment, Fox gained many strong assets from this experience.

“One of the greatest advantages is that your people skills and your critical-thinking skills will both improve because you will be seeing so many different cultures,” Fox said.

Studying abroad was a lifechanging experience for Fox. She recommends it for students who specifically have a passion for language and culture. “You are going to learn more if you go in with a passion for what you are doing,” Fox said.

Saturdays bring freshness at the farmers market

by Victoria Tong FEATURES EDITOR

At 9 a.m. Saturday morning, the jury parking lot at the corner of East Jefferson and Monroe Street is already packed. A few disgruntled drivers honk as still more cars pull into the lot, only to circle around and exit fruitlessly without a parking space. Rising above the commotion of cars are the pointed peaks of white tents that signal the bounty everyone has come for: the freshest selection of fruits and vegetables that money can buy, right here in Rockville.

The Rockville Farmers Market is held every Saturday from May through Thanksgiving. Open from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., it includes more than 23 local vendors selling everything from peaches to pistachio pastries to pickles.

One vendor, Jim Unger of Unger’s Fruit Farm, has been a part of the market since it began in 1989.

“We’re the only original vendor left. Everybody else is new,” Unger said. Currently, Unger’s farm has a colorful selection

of apples, potatoes, beans and peppers out for sale (contrary to its name, the farm does not only grow fruit), along with their homemade apple butter.

Unger has a faithful following, with some patrons having returned week after week for years. “We’ve had some people for 30 years coming to the market,” he said. He believes that the reason why people keep coming back is simple: the freshness of his produce. “Everything—well, maybe the apples have been picked a week [ago]—but most stuff is picked the day before the market, so they’re always fresh …

And that’s the big seller.”

Although some customers frequent the farmers market every week, other buyers have only recently discovered the vast assortment of products available at the market. “We were actually driving somewhere else, and we saw the farmers market, and we pulled around and drove around a couple times to figure out how to get in,” first-time shopper Keren Cummins said. Her favorite part of the market is by far the diversity of things for sale.

PHOTO BY VICTORIA TONG

A variety of fresh produce appears at the farmers market each week.

“The variety’s really extraordinary here. The variety of cheese, the variety of microgreens, the variety of mushrooms—this florist here specializes in kind of unusual flowers—so it’s all stuff you just can’t find anywhere else,” she said.

As the aroma of freshly baked scones, roasted coffee and handmade empanadas floats through the air, many shoppers flock towards the various businesses selling prepared goods. Charlie’s Empanadas attracts lines with their golden-brown empanadas, the beef, chicken, ham or spinach stuffed inside ready to burst out after one bite. Grandma Vera’s Bakery is a mainstay at the market with their gigantic scones a broad mix of imaginative flavors, and both customers and other vendors can be spotted with a steaming cup of Zeke’s Coffee in hand.

“It’s all stuff you just can’t find anywhere else.”

- Keren Cummins Wander to the far end of the market, and a pleasant hubbub of conversation will fill the air at Scenic View Orchard’s expansive stand. A vibrant spectrum of pumpkins, pears, apples, sweet potatoes and more, as well as a brilliant rainbow of flowers, peers out from underneath multiple white tents while customers mosey around an extensive selection of product.

Scenic View Orchard is another veteran of the market, having been a vendor at Rockville for at least 25 years. In addition to the

PHOTO BY VICTORIA TONG

A vendor offers a wide selection of bell peppers for sale to buyers. beautiful fruits and vegetables displayed within their main tent, Scenic View also sells “seconds,” produce that may not be quite as pretty as their more photogenic brethren. “We sell [these] at a cheaper rate, and a lot of people like the seconds because they don’t care what it looks like.

It tastes the same,” employee Wayne Masser said The wide variety of goods on sale, the freshness of the fruits and vegetables and the tempting food selection are hardly the only outstanding features of the market. All of the vendors are incredibly friendly and willing to chat about their products, and even give cooking advice and insider tips on selecting the best produce. “Grocery stores kind of stress me out,” Nora Lyle, who runs the stand for King Mushrooms Farm, said. “With the farmers market, it’s kind of relaxing. You can take your time and get your coffee in the morning, and people will be a lot more helpful to you than at a grocery store. It’s more personal.”

Linda Miller agrees. She works

for Keswick Creamery, whose tent at the market houses at least 20 different kinds of cheese and offers free samples of them all. Unusual cheeses among her selection include hot and spicy Dragon’s Breath, soft and crumbly Bovre, and quark, a German-style cream cheese. “I think when you come to the market, you get to talk to the person that was actually producing the product, so it’s very intimate—it’s not like the grocery store and you have no clue where this milk came from or where this cheese came from,” she said.

For many customers, being able to support their local farmers and producers is reason alone to come to the market. Marci Maclin, another first-time visitor, spent time overseas where she saw generations upon generations of the same family farming the same land. She sees this much less in the United States. “But I’m glad to see that there are local farmers still thriving. And I’ll support that any day. I’ll drive miles out of my way to get fresh produce,” she said.

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Mahashetty toys with emotion in debut song

A look at Anime Club Expanding and branching out

a member of the club, said. “But we love watching shows together and talking about it. It’s a way to connect us.”

Moreover, it offers a community for those who are in need of it. Excell said he decided to join Anime Club because he was looking for a community to belong in.

Now, the club leaders are able to provide that same safe space for others. “It’s pretty chill, and it’s not a stiff place. It doesn’t have tension, it’s really comfortable,” Slaughter said. “Most people aren’t on their phones, and they’re also actually engaged in whatever we’re watching. It’s nice that people aren’t just sitting because they need somewhere to be.”

Beyond that, Slaughter said that the club was also a way to help her grow as a person. “I really started to come more this year since I need to make more friends, learn how to organize better and I need to open up as a person,” she said.

by Evelyn Shue ARTS WRITER

by Lucy Shen ARTS WRITER

Since its release on Sept. 8, junior Saanika Mahashetty’s original song “Toy” has garnered over 3000 streams on Spotify alone. “Toy” is Mahashetty’s debut track, written and produced all on her own.

In the track, Mahashetty sings about overcoming difficult teenage emotions. “Those who may resort to music to comfort themselves can find a story that they can relate to,” she said.

Mahashetty has a thorough musical background. She has been an Indian classical music singer since she was two years old and is a member of RM’s Madrigals.

She has won several singing competitions, like “Saregamapa,” an Indian reality TV show similar to American Idol.

This is also not the junior’s first experience with songwriting; Mahashetty has been creating tracks since seventh grade. “I’ve always had this thought in my head that I wanted to make an original song,” she said.

Mahashetty started working on “Toy” in her sophomore year. The song’s beginning was unplanned: “I was just standing in my friend’s parking lot, had my phone out, and played some bell noises and I thought that was a good song bass.” Finishing the instrumental in January, she then went on to write and record the melody and lyrics.

After seeking advice from her father, who doubles as her voice

PHOTO BY MARY MA

Mahashetty worked on the track over the course of eight months. coach, Mahashetty polished the like, ‘I need a break from school, I track, adding reverb and other need to do something that makes effects using a voice editing me happy,’” Mahashetty said. software on his computer. She The final product made finalized the song in late August. everything worth it. “My dad was Mahashetty described her so happy, he almost teared up. song as experimental. “It’s not That more than anything else, the in a style of singing that I’m very fact that he liked it, means a lot to comfortable with,” she said. “I me,” she said. “I want to continue tried something new with this.” doing things like this.”

The junior faced challenges The singer is planning to with balancing classes, activities release an extended play record and songwriting during the (EP), which will feature a variety school year. “I would take my of songs. “I’ve arranged it on like phone and iPad everywhere with a spectrum, where it starts off me: on the plane, car, everywhere, happy and ends on a sadder tone, because I wanted to make the to reveal all the faces of a teenage most of my time,” she said. “It life,” she said. “I feel like a lot of was really really hard, but I had artists don’t really cover that, they to make time for it.” usually sing about superficial Though the process was aspects and I want to go deeper stressful at times, Mahashetty’s into what people don’t really passion carried her through. know.”

“When I was making music, I “Toy” can be streamed on wasn’t thinking, ‘Oh, I have so Spotify or purchased on Apple much work to do,’ it was more Music, Google Play or Amazon.

Marching band keeps the beat

by Lynna Deng ARTS WRITER

other community events. “We perform for pep rallies and games and for the community. We performed for the opening of that new Safeway down the street,”

PHOTO BY RINA LEVY

Marching band performs at halftime during the homecoming game.

A sequence from the drum line welcomes students to the first pep rally of the year, pausing briefly as the familiar “RMHS!” echoes across the field. With a few quick gestures from marching band conductor Dr. Peter Perry, the sound of flutes, piccolos, clarinets, saxophones, trumpets, horns and tubas fill the air with the opening chords of the Richard Montgomery victory march.

Officially named the Marching Rockets, Richard Montgomery’s marching band performs at every home football game and many

Dr. Perry said.

“Marching band has been the mainstay of our school’s culture since its founding,” Dr. Perry said. “Definitely for the 24 years I’ve been here.”

As such an integral and visible part of the school community, marching band is quite different from the six sit-down ensembles here at RM. “The people who join marching band are not just doing it for the course requirement.

They’re there because they want to be, and oftentimes they’re better,” sophomore alto saxophonist

Melissa Herman said. “We’re held at a higher level.”

With its more advanced music, complex routines and many moving parts, marching band requires even more cooperation than a typical musical ensemble.

“Marching band is more than just playing a piece; you have to perform the piece, in a way,” junior and trombone section leader Zachary Sliter said. “It takes more concentration as well because you have to march in time with the music and keep time with your marching.”

The extent of their coordination also gives the band members a stronger bond. “We’ve grown together as a group. It’s been a real close group, and everyone’s really supportive,” Sliter said.

The band members really enjoy this close-knit community. “When you’re eating before a game after the rehearsal on game day, you’re sitting in the restaurant or in the band room, eating, making jokes, laughing, and it’s just a great experience,” Sliter said. “I’ve never had a dull moment.”

Not only does marching band build school spirit and a close-knit musical community, it also builds the band members’ artistry. “It will help you grow your skills. No matter if you think you’re good or bad, marching band will make everyone better,” Sliter said.

Some have heard of RM’s Anime Club in passing, and of those, some probably have their own preconceptions of its members. However, as with many clubs, just exactly how the Anime Club operates remains an enigma to most of the school.

The club of around 15 members hosted their first meeting on Sept. 25, starting off with an episode of “Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure.” The attendees were engaged in the storyline; intense moments drew reactions from the members. The meeting concluded with a vote on which anime to watch at the next meeting.

Most meetings consist of an anime episode and a discussion and vote on what to watch next. The club leaders are also trying to branch out in terms of activities during the meetings.

“We’re also As for g o i n g the stigma to have a surrounding costume a n i m e , contest for several Halloween, members and we’re have faced planning judgement from GRAPHIC BY ANGELINA GUHL their peers for the on doing collabs shows they like. with the gaming club, and “People in my class have called Japanese language,” junior Sarah me a weeb for playing a game Prakoso, the co-president of the called Touhou Hisoutensoku on club, said. my laptop when I had no work to The club also occasionally do,” senior Zale Tlemsanix said. plans trips to anime conventions Junior Kaiden Tlemsanix and is currently arranging a trip shared similar experiences with to Katsucon in mid-February. being judged for his anime-related “We’re trying to do more than interests. “I still remember being just watch anime,” senior and called out in English for playing club secretary Treshea Slaughter an anime fighting game, and that said. “We’re hoping we can make fact spread like wildfire,” he said. it more comfortable for everyone Despite facing judgement, by doing different activities.” however, Porquin said that it The anime club provides a did not matter to him. “There are space for people who share a people who make weird faces common interest in anime. ”We at us whenever they pass our get together to watch anime, room,” he said. “But I don’t really sometimes go to conventions, get care since I go with my own flow together,” Aiden Excell, senior and no one can change that.” and co-president of the club, said.

The members also expressed “I think the main purpose is just disagreement towards people’s to have a period where we can stereotypes towards anime discuss and watch anime, just watchers. “I don’t think you talk about it with friends and should generalize people who whatnot.” watch anime,” Slaughter said.

“A lot of people see us as “Give anime a try,” Excell being odd or weird for watching said. “Don’t judge a book by its anime,” senior Daniel Porquin, cover.”

PHOTO BY TRISA SAHA

Anime Club watches “Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure” at the first meeting.

ARTS

October 2019

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Crews set the scene for fall musical construction crew begins well in advance of the performances, SENIOR ARTS WRITER AND ARTS WRITER because set must be completed before the final week of dress Behind the glamor of a live rehearsals begins on Nov. 1. All performance are numerous crews the crew members are required hard at work that the audience to come after school daily to work may never see. This preparation on the set. “What we’re working has already begun in earnest on now is a torture chair for one as the RM Black Maskers kick of the Addams family, and so we off the fall season with “The were making the stand for it and Addams Family.” From costumes then today we’re going to make the platform where like the to lighting, each crew plays a person’s going to be chained crucial role in making these up to,” junior Lynn Yan, a live performances happen. member of the crew, said.

Each crew “Other people are has many working on the responsibilities, buildings and and the average stuff.” day varies Costumes for each of is another them. “It crew that depends gets an on your e a r l y c r e w start. “At on how the start intense it we pick can get,” out outfits junior Erin from our Sanders, clothes the assistant closet and technical just plan out director, said. each character,” “House only GRAPHIC BY SABRINA MEI sophomore Cindy meets on show nights, but set con meets right Le, a member of the costumes crew, said. “We could be away.”

The aforementioned set adjusting the costumes to fit each

by Grace Comer and Janet Choi

character properly for all the main characters, background characters and extras.”

In running crew, members must practice all the set and prop changes. “A typical day in running crew will involve locating set pieces, marking the spots on the stage, and practicing runs,” senior Theo Saywell, chief of the running crew, said. “It is vital that everything is done cleanly and quickly.”

The unique responsibilities of each crew get members thinking about all the details that go into the production of a show. “You have to learn about where we’re going to place this instrument in this particular way, or we’re going to put it on this side of the stage, or that side of the stage, or what are the complementary colors that we can use on the back parts of the stage to make it look prettier, to get that atmosphere correct,” senior Alisa Leung, technical director and chief of the lighting crew, said.

Each crew even develops their own sort of personality. “We’re kind of like the mom crew, because we have a kettle for hot water, tea, cough drops for the actors and do anything extra to help,” Le said regarding the costumes crew.

Regardless of crew or position,

Thrifting on the rise for teens

“My favorite part is seeing the final end result as our show nights occur.”

- Alisa Leung

The stress of each individual area seems to culminate in tech week, the week before opening night in which all technical elements are present during rehearsal. “The long hours and commitment could be an issue for people so it’s a tricky balance,” Le said. “Tech week is last and full preparations for the show so we stay there for a week till 10 p.m.”

Some crews spend a week staying after school for seven hours to put on dress rehearsals, while others must finish all of their work done before this week.

Yet despite the time

consumption and the other challenges, crew members continue to work hard on the production, constantly collaborating to make show nights happen. “My favorite part is seeing the final end result as our show nights occur, and seeing how the process of our two months of work was able to be used for our show nights at the very end,” Leung said.

The drama program also provides everyone with valuable opportunities to meet new people and make new friends. “You get to work together with your crewmates, and it kind of forms a family bond,” Yan said.

Working on the musical is also a way for students to gain a new set of skills that they would otherwise be unable to develop.

“Outside of school, it’s either you find a community show— but those are usually pretty low budget, and not many people are interested in them—or you have Broadway, but that’s very hard to get into,” Sanders said. “I love musicals and drama and all that, so it’s very fun to be able to actually do that, because outside of school you wouldn’t have many opportunities.”

The Black Maskers’ production of “The Addams Family” premieres on Nov. 9.

Lunch options

Advice from the upperclassmen

by Mary Ma ARTS EDITOR

The hangers squeak against the metal clothing rack as students flip through the secondhand pieces at the Bargain Box, a thrift store in Rockville Town Center.

This store has become a popular after-school shopping stop for many at RM. Just a few years ago, back to school shopping would happen strictly at the mall. Recently, however, the thrift culture has hit the mainstream, with popular social media stars and teens heading instead to secondhand and consignment stores to find vintage styles. Young thrift culture can be attributed to the growing environmental consciousness in teens, and the resurgence of decades fashion trends.

Fast fashion is currently a hot topic in the news. Forever 21, the hallmark fast-fashion brand popular for years among young people, has filed for bankruptcy, perhaps marking the start of the demise of fast fashion. According to resale site thredUp, by 2028, the used clothing market is expected to grow to 64 billion dollars, whereas the fast-fashion market is only predicted to grow to 44 billion dollars.

With the hit fast-fashion documentary “The True Cost,” as well as the increasing awareness of the detrimental environmental effects of fast fashion, Gen Z and millennial environmental activists are looking for a more humane and environmentally friendly way to shop—thrifting. “I’ve converted to thrifting because I learned recently how terrible fast fashion is to the environment,” junior Alexandra Haralanova said.

According to the World Resources Institute, it takes 2,700 liters of water to make one cotton shirt, and one garbage

every member faces their own challenges along the way.

“Usually this doesn’t happen for long periods of time, but sometimes it just takes up a lot of your time, and it’s like your main focus,” Sanders said.

LUNCH, cont. page 1

Jumbo Jumbo:

PHOTO BY MADISON KAY

The Bargain Box is a popular thrift store in Rockville Town Center. truck of clothing is being burned thredUp host tons of online thrift or landfilled every second. resellers and buyers, the majority Sustainable brands such as of the demographic being young Reformation and Everlane sell adults. These fashion innovators basic pieces for sky high prices. are not afraid to experiment with Low prices make thrifting an styles from different time periods easily accessible form of protest and cultures, creating an artistic against the wasteful fast fashion and expressive world of thrift cycle. and fashion culture not bound With the amount of mass by traditional fashion rules. 2010 produced clothing that big-name fashion was all about fitting in, brands are churning out, many 2019 fashion is all about standing style-savvy teens place value in out. unique items. Sophomore Sarah Long gone are the days of Luan said, “There are a lot of careful color matching and print pieces at the thrift store that I mixing, of balancing textures and cannot find anywhere else.” From fits. Long gone are the days of the thick tackily printed sweater tossing low quality items into the to the delicate sky blue silk slip trash every month, of buying more dress, the thrift store is filled to low quality items every month the brim with interesting, strange, to replace them. Thrift culture and eye-catching pieces. is disrupting the materialistic, With the advent of social fast, and rule-bounded world of media, platforms like Depop and fashion.

PHOTO BY MADISON KAY

Senior Erin Adams presents one of her thrift finds, a graphic sweater.

As one of the closest options to the school building, Jumbo Jumbo is almost always packed with RM students during lunch time. If you are in the mood for bubble tea or excellent Taiwanese chicken, this is definitely the way to go. But its immense popularity means you have to beat the crowd—the line can get pretty long. Senior Leshan Viswanath said, “It can get pretty crowded during lunch time, so I’d say head straight from fourth period so you can get your food before everyone else starts arriving.”

applies to more than just Panera; ordering ahead is a great way to save time and get your food as quickly as possible.

California Tortilla:

Chipotle is a pretty far walk from RM, and for anyone without a car, getting back to school on time can be a hassle. So if you’re craving Mexican food, California Tortilla is a great choice. The restaurant is right by Potbelly— no need to drive. Make sure to beat the lunchtime crowd though.

Sophomore Carina Guo said, “My advice would be to get there really early, because it can get pretty busy. That way you don’t need to rush to get back to school, and you’re not going to be stressed about being late to fifth period.”

Om:

GRAPHIC BY KISHA YAN

Panera Bread:

If you’re willing to make the trek to Rockville Town Center, Panera Bread is quite the popular spot. Its menu provides a wide range of options, spanning sandwiches, soups, bread bowls and everything in between. “My favorite on the menu is probably the grilled cheese,” junior Nick Asante said. However, no one likes to wait, and if you’re in a rush to get back to school to retake that Spanish quiz you flubbed last week, it’s best to think ahead.

Asante said, “I’d say call ahead of time, so when you get there, your food is already ready.” This tip

When it comes to affordability, Om comes out on top. The restaurant is just a short walking distance from RM, near Jumbo Jumbo, and you can get a delicious meal for only five dollars. A popular menu item is the butter chicken with rice and chickpeas, met with near-universal acclaim from RM students. Junior Anna Cheng said, “If you’re looking for something cheap, Om is the best option. It’s only a few dollars and the food is great.”

GRAPHIC BY KISHA YAN

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October 2019

“Joker” looks pretty, lacks depth

by Emily Zhao OPINIONS EDITOR

As both the winner of the Golden Lion—the top prize at the Venice Film Festival—and the subject of controversy over its depiction of violence, “Joker” will likely continue to receive divisive reviews from critics and audiences alike. Though the cinematography is stunning and Joaquin Phoenix’s acting is spectacularly raw, the plot feels rather one-dimensional and lacks focus on a particular theme.

In the film, Arthur Fleck, played by Joaquin Phoenix, is barely making ends meet as a struggling clown-for-hire in Gotham City while caring for his sick, old mother and pursuing his dream of becoming a standup comedian. However, as the city and its people continue to beat Arthur down mentally and physically, he eventually violently lashes out, sparking a riotous conflict between the poor and the rich.

The plot, while appropriately dark and broody, fails to show any significant consequences for the Joker’s violent acts and wanders a roundabout route towards an unmoving ending.

As all the supporting characters, from the supposedly caring social worker to the talk show host, turn out to be cynical and mistrusting of others, there appears to be no

particular uniqueness to Arthur’s plight in this drab, universally hopeless version of Gotham City.

The pacing of Arthur’s transition from nameless criminal to the symbol of the “eat the rich” riots is unrealistically sudden, while other moments like the inciting event, when a group of teenagers beats Arthur up, are overly emphasized and melodramatic. The film takes itself too seriously for anyone to truly cheer for Arthur’s triumph.

Wandering between the issues of anti-establishment ire, mental illness, wealth disparity, and parental abuse, director Todd Phillips fails to make any specific point.

Additionally, the ambiguity of the ending leaves the audience questioning whether the Joker was victorious or defeated.

If there was a deciding factor for the film, though, Phoenix’s acting turned what was otherwise a somewhat lackluster rehashing of an old story into a nitty-gritty reimagination of the Joker’s typical comic-book origin story.

Losing significant weight for the film, Phoenix’s ribs and shoulder blades protrude, adding to the desperate misery of Arthur Fleck.

While the Jokers in other films had their own signature facial expressions, Phoenix depends heavily on the sad, painful laugh which the Joker spends so much effort choking back and suppressing. As the plot progresses, his character becomes

darker yet freer at the same time, marking his rapid spiral into insanity. Arthur’s schizophrenic behavior, contrasting with

his quiet moments of sanity, all demonstrate this inner conflict as he battles against the demoralization of his dream

PHOTO FROM WARNER BROTHERS UNDER CREATIVE COMMONS LICENSE

Joaquin Phoenix’s performance shines despite the basic storyline.

drawing further away, and against the urge to succumb to suicide. With just a slight twitch of his cheek or the dull glint in his eyes, Phoenix wavers between sadness and madness, making the audience both pity and fear him at the same time.

Phoenix’s acting, along with cinematographer Lawrence Sher’s gorgeous neon-blue and sickening yellow hues, created the potential for the best film out of the DC universe. In particular, using the dramatic flashing between lit and pitch-black, Sher, along with Phoenix’s anguished acting, manages to make Arthur’s fight with three corporate rich men, an otherwise melodramatic attempt at the conflict between rich and poor, into a genuinely tense fight and a disturbingly satisfying murder.

Unfortunately, despite its critical acclaim, “Joker” is a pitiful attempt at creating something edgy, instead landing in the somewhat confusing and overdramatic pile.

In terms of cultural relevance, the film does not live up to its controversy of glorifying violence when the ending fails to instill any sort of righteousness in the Joker’s ascent to viral fame. While it provides a fresh renovation to the typical comic-book origin story with a delicious amount of DC’s dark storytelling, as simply a blockbuster movie, it fails to sell any “message” about any of the issues the plot touches on.

The MINI Tide Crossword: A NEW BEGINNING ACROSS: 1. Stick a flower in it 4. Holiday ___ 5. Understand

1

DOWN: 1. The Year of the ____ (Chinese zodiac 2019) 2. A number that doesn’t grow by multiplying 3. It’s a blast!

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Welcome back to another edition of The Tide Crossword! Instead of our usual 15x15 grid, this year we’re starting small, but expect to see our beloved old 15x15 grid back and running come the next few issues.

But in other news, The Tide Crossword is recruiting!

Does the sight of a blank grid bring you joy? Do you love solving crosswords in your free time, on the road or even during class (shh)? Are you part of the Crossword Club? Are

puzzles just your thing?

Then you should apply for a Crossword Constructor position on The Tide!

Applications are accepted on a rolling basis and are always welcome.

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Featuring Guest Crossword by Mr. Koenig

5 ©ALVIN LU

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A Note from the Creator Hey, I’m Alvin and this will be my first time making crosswords for the Tide. It was a new experience and I took my time picking out each word to fit perfectly.

I hope you guys enjoy and appreciate this short and sweet crossword!

A Note from the Editors: We’re Recruiting!

ACROSS: 1. Video game franchise starring Master Chef 5. Eponymous honor awarded each year in Literature (Dylan won one in 2016) 6. “_______ time ago in a galaxy far, far away….”

7. Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter are popular social forms of it 8. Site of a great fall DOWN: 1. Hiding, with “up” 2. It might be humble for the humble 3. You’ll find him in a Red Square 4. Polish writer Tokarczuk, 2018 winner of the 5-A Prize awarded in 2019 5. It’s sometimes missing from a student paper

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5 6 7 8 ©JEREMY KOENIG

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SPORTS

The Tide

Boms team rocks the pep rally

by Kyle Dexter & Sophia Ubiera SPORTS WRITERS

The annual Boms performance is a staple at the fall pep rally.

Each year, a group of senior boys gather and perform a dance routine that is choreographed by the Poms team captains.

Boms is often seen as a fun experience and a space where the senior boys can bond. “It was fun being with your boys doing something usually you wouldn’t do,” senior Justin Dixon said. “It was a fun experience.”

Boms is seen to not only be a great way to hang out with friends, but also as a senior tradition unique to the boys.

Senior Garett Suhr said, “I felt like it was my duty as a senior male to hold the tradition and do Boms. My time to shine!”

Although Boms is usually seen as more of a comedic performance, the effort given by the members is no joke. The team practice every day, for three weeks, except

said, “Being captain really means you are holding your team accountable and making sure they’re paying attention and listening to the Poms captains.

They really are the teachers and the most important part of the team.”

Fridays.

However, that was still a short

amount of time t o GRAPHIC prepare and learn

BY MATTHEW a choreographed ADJODHA dance routine.

Captain and senior Kevin Hrozenick said, “There was not a lot of time to get a routine down.”

All the members of the Boms team must work hard to make sure their performance is polished by the homecoming pep rally. “I felt the guys put in a lot of effort into it and I liked how we showed up at game day,” Suhr said.

Aside from the obvious differences between Boms and most other sports, the captaining duties also differ. Hrozenick

PHOTO BY RINA LEVY

The Boms team performs online dance trends at the fall prep rally.

Like any sports teams, the Boms team had a series of issues.

“It was really hot, so a lot of [the guys] were sweating a lot, so the rest of the day they were not really feeling it and felt smelly and gross,” Hrozenick said.

This frustration led to some turmoil and tension between the Boms team and the Poms captains, though it was eventually resolved. “We ended up reaching an understanding, and the guys brought extra shirts or a change of clothes so they could go on the rest of the day,” Hrozenick said.

With their compromise, the boys were able to make it to the finish line: the homecoming pep rally. “The major highlight was the day of the performance. We, as a team, came together and really made the Poms girls proud,” senior captain Kolby Hendricks said. “We had a blast showing off what we managed to learn in only a few weeks.”

As the class of 2020 prepare to say their farewells to high school, Boms will remain a unique experience for many of the senior boys. “Of course I feel closer to the boys after we all came together as a team,” Hendricks said.

October 2019

19

RM football rotates captains FOOTBALL, cont. from front Each Monday at practice, the coaches announce the captains for the week. Selecting a captain is based off a multitude of factors. “[The coaches] look at if you had a bad game on Friday night, a bad week at practice, or your grades are down and how our players are reacting to each other.

We’re going to choose captains that everybody else respects and wants to follow,” Coach Klotz said. “I think it makes it more meaningful, you have to earn it.”

In previous years, almost all of the captains have been veteran senior players. This year, anyone who exhibits hard work and leadership skills can earn the opportunity to become a captain.

“We wanted to give some of the younger guys a chance to rise up and be leaders,” Coach Klotz said.

With a new set of captains being chosen each week, there has been an array of players who have gotten the opportunity to be a leader. However, a player is able to earn the honor of being named captain for more than one week.

“There definitely has been repeat captains,” Coach Klotz said.

The team has not been impacted negatively by the change in captaining system. “It doesn’t really affect our dynamic in a negative way,” senior Freddie Martinez said. “We all still work just as hard during practice and through the week to make sure we have a great game on Friday nights.”

Even though some of the players might not be chosen as a captain for that week, Martinez said that team chemistry is not affected, allowing the team to practice well and play games with the same mentality each week.

PHOTO BY RINA LEVY

RM football players play against Clarksburg at the homecoming game.

Poms captains lead on and off the field

by Corrigan Peters SPORTS WRITER

Many RM students will only ever see the Poms team during football games and pep rallies for their short performances. As a result, a massive bulk of their work, especially from the team’s four captains, is often overlooked.

“People just watch us perform, but there’s a lot more work that goes into it than people think that there is, especially for competition season,” senior cocaptain Lillian Matthews said. “I feel like that’s when we’re most recognized.”

Likewise, senior co-captain Brianna Lacey said, “I think a lot of people just don’t know what we do every day.”

Whereas most sports teams

are primarily led by the coaches, the Poms team is largely run by its captains. This year, seniors Matthews, Lacey, Brigitta Agung and Lucy Cole hold those positions.

“Poms is very student-run, so our coach rarely steps in. She’ll step in when there are issues we’re having, when we have questions, but ultimately we choreograph everything, we run practices and we’re kind of just in charge of most of the things we do,” Agung said.

A major portion of the captains’ job is choreographing the team’s routines. “We have practice [from] 4:30 to 6:30,” Agung said. “Right after school we start choreographing, so it’d be 2:30 to 4:30 we’re choreographing and that’s almost every day, or we’re planning what we have to do for practice.”

PHOTO BY RINA LEVY

(From left to right) Poms captains Brianna Lacey, Lillian Matthews, Brigitta Agung and Lucy Cole represent Poms at the pep rally.

Weekends are also busy for the Poms captains. “On the weekends we’ll choreograph maybe for a few hours, and then have all of our competitions,” Cole added.

With choreography, teaching routines to the team and correcting technique, having four captains is necessary to handle all of the work. Luckily, the four seniors have no trouble working together.

“Normally we all just get together at someone’s house or we’ve been going to a park recently, and we just kind of listen to the music, and bounce ideas off each other, and we’ve been on the team together for a while so we all get along pretty well, because we’re all good friends,” Matthews said.

“I’m head captain, and then Lucy, Brianna, Lilly are my cocaptains. Basically the way we split up work is we all work together,” Agung said, “but ultimately if we can’t agree on something I get the final say in whatever it is.”

Another obligation of the Poms captains is to choreograph the fan-favorite dance routines performed by the Boms squad, which can prove to be difficult in its own ways.

“It’s also harder to get them to pay attention, and figure out how to explain it to them in a way that they would understand, doing kicks and things like that,” Matthews said. “It’s easy for the Poms because they already know

PHOTO BY JOYCE MILANDU

Sophomore Julia Serway performs a fouettè turn during Poms practice in the dance studio in preparation for their competition. how to do it, but you have to break down simpler things [for Boms].”

Despite these difficulties, the creation of the Boms routine is still enjoyable and very low-pressure.

“We use simple choreography for the Boms, and there are no technical dance moves in it.

They’re just dancing for fun, so it’s a lot easier,” Lacey said.

“It doesn’t really matter how

well the boys know it, they kind of just watch each other,” Cole said. “We can’t really do that for us; every little nit-pick thing has to be correct.”

Although their jobs require lots of work, the captains still love the work that they do for the team.

“They’re just a really great group of girls and they work really hard and they all really love what they do.” Matthews said.

20 The Tide

SPORTS

October 2019

Chang shines in her last year of athletics at RM

by Kevin Zhang and Lucas Corea SPORTS WRITERS

Senior Helena Chang’s presence at Richard Montgmery athletics is unmatched. During the fall, she is a co-captain on the varsity soccer team, anchoring the defensive back four. In the spring, she is a starting midfielder for the varsity lacrosse team.

Being a two-sport athlete may be tough, but this commitment to athletics has helped Chang with her academics. As a student athlete, Chang represented Richard Montgomery at the 2019 MPSSAA Student-Athlete Leadership Conference. “On game days, I usually only have an hour to get my homework done before I have to be at my game,” Chang said. “Sometimes I just don’t have enough time to get everything done and I find myself

PHOTO BY ANNE MOSER

Chang dribbles the ball at practice.

PHOTO COURTESY OF HELENA CHANG

Chang avoids defenders as she cradles the ball during lacrosse practice.

prioritizing sports over getting school work done, but in the end my grades are always where they need to be.”

Along with her unwavering commitment, Chang is praised by her teammates for being a tremendous leader. As a captain on the soccer team, she is known for her reliability and tenacity on the field as a defender.

“She’s a great communicator and one heck of a fighter on the field,” said senior co-captain Lauren Willingham. “She does an amazing job at keeping the balance between keeping the team focused and making sure that people are still having fun.”

“She isn’t afraid to voice her opinion about what could change to make the team better,” senior co-captain Abbey Geary said.

While Chang initially began playing soccer at a young age, her journey with lacrosse started much later, when she tried out in her sophomore year. “I had never played lacrosse before, so I wanted to try something new,” Chang said.

This interest pushed her to try out and make the junior varsiy lacrosse team in her sophomore year. While she admits it was difficult at first, she found that she enjoyed the atmosphere of lacrosse. “I started playing because it was fun and not super competitive like club soccer is,” she said.

Chang’s background in soccer, however, largely contributed to her rapid acclimation to lacrosse.

“My speed and aggression that I developed from soccer helped

a lot with my later success,” she said. A big part of her overall success is her mentality to always improve and strive to get better. “There’s always room for improvement,” Chang said. “My advice is to always play to the best of your ability and to always strive to be better.” That mentality would later pay off.

In the midst of her sophomore year, her first ever lacrosse season, Chang was called up to varsity team. Despite her natural athleticism and continued work ethic on the JV team, the move shocked her. “It was very intimidating playing with all the upperclassmen that had been playing for years,” Chang said.

This move would only push her to further her skills. She also credits her varsity coaches for helping her adjust. “Their coaching pushed me to the next level,” she

said. “Without Coach Maggio and Coach Mullunix I wouldn’t be the player I am today.”

Chang has high hopes for her final seasons as an RM athlete.

For the lacrosse season, she is looking to add veteran presence on the team. After the Rockets’ loss in last year’s regional finals, she is looking to go all the way.

“Both the lacrosse and soccer team at RM are very successful which contributes to the fun and positivity within each team,” she said.

Most importantly, however, Chang’s time spent playing both soccer and lacrosse have taught her the value of teamwork, companionship and hard work.

“At the end of the day when I’m having a rough game, my teammates are the ones always there to cheer me up and push me to do my best,” Chang said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF HELENA CHANG

Chang prepares to deliver a kick to the ball during a practice scrimmage.

RM athletes represent Team USA on national level Lili Freeman

by Sophia Taur SPORTS WRITER

Senior Lili Freeman has been tumbling since she was young, but she is relatively new to the world of acrobatic gymnastics. Despite this, she has accomplished much and made many memories through her career.

Acrobatic gymnastics, also known as “Acro,” is a sport where athletes in groups compete balance and dynamic elements.

In balance elements athletes hold each other up in a pyramid and for the dynamic elements, the top person is thrown into the air and does flips off the bases.

Freeman started the sport relatively late. “I learned about Acro through a summer camp at my gym I went to when I was 12.

I saw all the elites practicing and I was so in awe of how flexible,

PHOTO COURTESY OF LILI FREEMAN

Freeman competes at the USA National Gymnastics Competition.

strong and graceful they were.” said Freeman. “I joined the team within a week with no previous gymnastics experience and super old to be just starting, but I fell in love with it immediately and have been involved in it ever since.”

Freeman has received several honors in the sport. “I’ve won fivestate championship titles, five regional titles, been awarded region seven most improved twice, won four national championship titles, competed internationally four times and won gold and silver medals,” she said. However, there is one accomplishment that will always stand out in her mind.

“My favorite thing I have accomplished in Acro would be being awarded athlete of the year for Xtreme Acro in 2019, because it came from a community that has given so much to me.” Freeman said.

However, Freeman faces one major challenge: her nerves. “One of the biggest challenges I faced in the sport was overcoming my fears of competing at the elite level in big crowds,” Freeman said. “I had a lot of fun and was able to control my nerves while competing,” she said.

One of the biggest things Freeman learned is confidence.

“Being able to get used to performing in front of a lot of people helped me to gain confidence in myself, which has been one of the most impactful things the sport has given me,” said Freeman.

Though she is not competing anymore, Freeman now coaches younger kids in gymnastics.

Caroline Green

by Eileen Zhang SPORTS EDITOR

one in ice dance. Green said, “On the ice, it’s limiting in a way, but there’s also so much more you can do with dance when you don’t have friction holding you back. That’s probably my favorite part.”

Green is currently partnered with Michael Parsons, a fellow Maryland native. Prior to this new partnership, she competed with her brother, Gordon Green.

Throughout her career, Caroline Green has won both national and international awards.

Alongside her brother, Caroline Green has placed first five times in the US Championships. They have also placed first the last seven years at the Eastern Sectional Figure Skating Championships, and in the top six at the 2018 World Junior Championships.

They have also won the 2019 U.S. Junior Championships.

Though there is no real offseason for skaters, who are expected to practice year-round, competitions usually occur between late summer to the middle of winter. This provides challenges for Green, who usually misses a week of school every time there is a competition. “Mainly just balancing school and skating has been difficult, there’s a lot of competitions every year, so just trying to catch up and maintain good grades while skating [is a challenge],” Green said.

Up next, Green and Parsons are headed to the Grand Prix in Las Vegas for Skate America.

Following that, they will be headed to Kelownafor for Skate Canada International.

Though less popular than typical Olympic events, ice dance has piqued the public’s interest since ice dancers Meryl Davis and Charlie White won the 2014 Olympic gold medal for the USA. Now, Caroline Green is set to become a part of the next generation of Team USA skaters.

Most teenagers play sports for fun and compete on behalf on their club or school team; however unlike most people her age, Green competes nationally and internationally in ice dance, representing Team USA. Green’s first encounter with the rink began at the age of five, when her dad took her to a public rink to show her and her brother, Gordon Green, the activities he did as a kid. “From there, my brother wanted to play hockey, so he was taking basic lessons, and then I saw him taking basic lessons and bugged my mom to let me do it too,” Green said.

Though she didn’t know it then, she would soon find a knack for skating and years later, compete on behalf of her nation in ice dance.

In ice dance, athletes compete with a partner in two separate programs, one in rhythm dance and the other in free dance. Practices usually consist of the skaters learning their choreography and perfecting their dances.

Elements of skating and dance PHOTO COURTESY OF CAROLINE GREEN are combined and twisted into Green skates alongside her brother, Gordon, in an ice dance competition.