The Tide - May 2017

20

News 2-4

Year in Review 5

Opinions 6-8

International 10

Style 11

Center Spread 12-13

La Marea 14

Arts 16-17

Features 18-20

Sports 22-24

Wyoming hate crime highlighted in Black Maskers production COLLEGE DECISIONS, page 20

GRAPHIC BY ALISA GAO

RM students whip up new traditions for the upcoming dance

by Laura Chang

PHOTO COURTESY OF LIFE TOUCH

Black Maskers perform “The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later” for the Friday audience.

by Maureen Zeufack On the last two weekends of March, crowds of approximately 150 people gathered to watch RM’s spring play, “The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later”.

The Black Maskers drama organization, including a cast of 19 students, crews and other members, put the production together in about six weeks.

The play is an epilogue to the awardwinning play “The Laramie Project,” written by Moisés Kaufman and other members of the Tectonic Theater Project.

“The Laramie Project” was performed by the RM Black Maskers in 2011.

In October of 1998, a gay 21-year-old college student named Matthew Shepard was severely beaten, tied to a fence, and left to die outside Laramie, Wyoming in a hate crime. A few weeks after this tragedy, Moisés Kaufman and his fellow members of the Tectonic Theater Project travelled to Laramie and conducted more than 200 interviews with citizens of the town over the course of a year.

The play “The Laramie Project” is an example of documentary theater, and was conceived as a product of these interviews.

The play chronicles the life of the town of Laramie in the year following the murder.

The Laramie Project is now one of the most performed plays in the U.S. today.

LARAMIE, page 3

With prom season here, the hallways will soon be buzzing with excitement over promposals and plans, which are often unconsciously shaped by common social expectations.

There are spoken rules, such as the dress code, and unspoken rules, like the tradition of boys making the first move. These conventions impose traditional, and often sexist, gender expectations upon students.

However, feminism is unraveling some of these strict social expectations, and the roles of both sexes are becoming more flexible.

In the past, girls were expected to wear dresses to school dances and boys were encouraged to wear suits. Dress codes affirmed these traditions. Some schools set unreasonable guidelines for the size, shape and style of outfits. Many feel that

traditional dress codes punish women for being too “scandalous” and “exposing skin.” Today, the public attitude toward what people should and should not wear has shifted, and free expression is promoted by more relaxed dress codes.

“You should be able to wear whatever you want. If you want to wear a tight dress, you do you,” senior Chloe Dinman said. “People shouldn’t be judging you for that. If you don’t want to wear a dress and you want to wear a suit instead, that’s completely fine too.”

Although the prom dress code at RM is relatively unrestrictive, the push for gender equality at school dances has not taken place everywhere. “School dance dress codes have definitely changed, because girls can now wear suits and guys can wear dresses at certain schools,” sophomore Piper Feldman explained. “But in some places, it really hasn’t, and that needs to be fixed.”

DANCES, page 6

National budget cuts defund arts

by Magali Ngouabou

SENIOR WILLS, page 12-13

GRAPHIC BY ALISA GAO

Inside The Tide...

Opinions, 8 Legacy and college admissions

President Trump’s budget proposal has received criticism across the political spectrum, and as the president scrambles to get the measure passed, many government run programs are in danger of being defunded as government workers anxiously worry over funding issues.

Among the programs that may face complete elimination is the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).

Defunding the arts is not a new concept. Art teachers around the nation often have to find creative ways to work around an already

limited art budget.

“There’s some schools that get 11 cents for students all year long—that’s literally what’s afforded a student for their supplies for the entire year,” art teacher Katherine Stanton said.

The NEA aims to fund the proliferation of art on a local level, which, depending on allocations at the state level, may or may not affect schools, but will have a definite effect on students pursuing art outside of the academic environment, which many RM students do.

Around the country, many arts programs see their futures hanging in the balance, as very few, according to the Washington ARTS DEPARTMENT, page 17

Style, 11

La Marea, 14

Arts, 17

Sports, 22

Making your money count

Discriminación involuntaria

Element 31 cooking club

Summer swimming

2

The Tide

May 2017

NEWS

Prom dance themed “On Cloud Nine” Youth Summit

by Sofia Chartove and Gillian Smith

Every year, Richard Montgomery’s upperclassmen anticipate going to prom, where students celebrate the end of the year and for some, the end of high school by dancing together. This year, juniors and seniors will be enjoying the “On Cloud Nine”-themed dance.

The Richard Montgomery prom will be held on May 13 from 7:30-11:30 p.m. at the Hilton Hotel in Rockville, followed by a post prom celebration at Bowlmor Lanes Rockville on May 14.

“It’s going to be a completely different aesthetic... It will be a great time for everyone that goes.”

- Daniel Gelillo The event begins with a formal dance lasting through the night, filled with music, food and fun.

It also features extras such as photo booths and mini games.

After the dance, partygoers have the option of attending the substantially less formal post-prom at a bowling alley to provide a safer alternative to other after prom events.

Lasting from 12:00-4:00 a.m. at Bowlmor Rockville, the post prom organized by the PTSA includes fun activities including airbrushed tattoo sessions, arcade games, as well as photo booths.

For many, prom is the most important social event of high school. Students dress formally

and some engage in ‘promposals,’ a dramatic way of asking someone to prom. These promposals sometimes involve music, signs, flowers and elaborate puns.

“I think promposals are really cute,” senior Sally Simpson explained though she admitted she had never planned one herself.

Senior Joey Moore also enjoys watching promposals. “I like seeing super cool ones—like Justin Pan’s a few years ago,” he remembered.

Pan’s musical proposal involved an original song and was entered in the yearly promposal contest where prizes are awarded to those with the most original and extravagant promposals.

“I love the promposals that are like scavenger hunts. Those are really fun and they end with something super cute,” senior Caroline Nesbit said.

Promposing isn’t the only enjoyable aspect of getting ready for prom.

For Simpson, the best parts of prom lie in the preparation.

“My favorite things about prom are g o i n g d r e s s shopping, getting

could add something to prom, it would be more bowling,” he said.

“Last year I went to post prom and I had a blast!” Nesbit explained. “It was a great way to finish the night and you get to bowl and eat good food.”

While the idea of prom seems similar to that of

dressed up and taking pictures,” she explained.

Moore, who only attended post-prom in 2016, says that he thinks bowling after the dance is the highlight of the night. “If I

homecoming, upperclassmen agree that prom is the more enjoyable event and that the difference lies in the atmosphere.

“It’s held at Hilton, people look really nice and it’s the end

GRAPHIC BY VIVIAN YEH

May 2017

April 27

AP & IB Testing Begins Get eight hours of sleep and a hearty breakfast.

May 13

Prom Take a chance and dance.

May 18

Awards Ceremony Come see many of RM’s talented students!

May 24

IB Senior Celebration Have four years really flown by?

May 25

Spring Choral Concert Their voices will put a spring to your step.

May 26

Last Day of School for Seniors Congrats, seniors! You made it!

of the year,” Simpson pointed out. “There are also less people which is nice,” she added.

The timing of prom, usually at the end of AP and IB testing, is one of the reasons Nesbit is so excited to attend. “I’m really excited to have fun with my friends before we graduate,” she explained.

Though prom may seem perfect, every event has its shortcomings.

“The dance floor was really crowded last year, so it got really hot and sweaty,” Simpson stated; she enjoyed the dance regardless.

Every year, Principal Monteleone stresses the importance of sobriety at the event, warning that students who come intoxicated will face serious consequences.

Safety is a main concern for administrators and other chaperones, so many precautions have been taken to maintain a simultaneously safe and entertaining prom.

Students who pay for their own ticket are more likely to only attend during their senior year, as the costs of tuxedos, dresses, shoes and flowers can make prom an expensive night.

“I wish the price was lower,” Moore explained—prom tickets usually cost around $55, while post prom tickets are $15.

Fundraising at school events such as the Mr. RM pageant helps to cover some of the expense, which covers food, music, decorations and comfortable space.

The decorations center around the theme which is chosen by a student prom committee, made up entirely of juniors.

The prom committee makes nearly all decisions about the event. “It’s mostly just bouncing ideas around and then having Mrs. Wheeler approve them,” junior class president Daniel Gelillo said.

This year’s theme is “On Cloud Nine,” a new and creative theme.

“Prom is going to be pretty different from recent years.

It’s going to be a completely different aesthetic, more modern but still very elegant.

And we are going to make sure that the music is really good this time,” Gelillo explained.

“It will be a great time for everyone that goes,” Gelillo said.

Juniors and seniors are guaranteed to have a blast at the dance. Prom will truly be a night to remember and an event to look forward to.

by Ananya Tadikonda The Youth Voices for Diversity Summit was held at Northwestern High School in Prince George’s County, on March 18. The summit brought together students from D.C., Montgomery, Prince George’s, and Baltimore City Public Schools. Attendees included heads of each school system, as well as Board of Education and staff members.

The day opened with speeches from each of the heads of the school systems, as they discussed the importance of diversity as an asset for all students. Select students from each district were given an opportunity to present a “TED Talk” on their unique experiences as a member of a diverse community.

“It’s not very often where you see a majority minority population at summits and leadership events,” Brianna Sorto, junior at Springbrook High School and TED Talk speaker explained. “Seeing all the students from different counties coming out encouraged me to keep moving forward and encourage more minority students to come out and lead as well.”

Teachers and administration from the four districts presented workshops on topics including implicit bias, and discrimination response. Workshops included interactive activities, idea sharing sessions, seminar-style discussions, and practice with situations that could occur in school. Students were encouraged to break out of their shell and discuss the issues related to diversity in their school systems and potential solutions.

Afterwards, student leaders were given a networking opportunity and a presentation session to share each other’s knowledge about embracing diversity. Donors provided free prizes for all the attendees and lunch was served free of cost.

The summit’s positive impact encouraged student leaders to relay the message back to their counties and schools.

“The diversity summit opened new doors for me. I was able to speak with students from various cultural backgrounds and learn about their experiences in Maryland Public Schools,” freshman class president Pranav Tadikonda explained. “It was truly inspiring.”

AWARDS

Congratulations to Richard Montgomery’s English resource teacher Nancy Shay for being one of three teachers nominated for MCPS teacher of the year.

Senior Kern Lee won a silver medal in the 2017 Scholastic Art & Writing Awards for his illustration titled “Lux en Tenebris.”

Congratulations to senior Nataliya Stepanova for being selected as one of 19 students from the Washington Metro Area to take the National Chemistry Olympiad exam. She achieved high marks on the local section Olympiad exam in order to advance.

Juniors Grace Wang and Jack Liang and senior Camilo Gonzalez-Sol were selected as National Young Arts Association’s 2017 winners. The 2017 winners represent the top 8.67% of applications. Grace was recognized for piano, Jack for dance and Camilo for composition.

Congratulations to juniors Alisa Gao and Irene Park, as well as sophomores Isabella Levine and Addele Hargenrader for winning national awards for C-SPAN’s StudentCam contest.

NEWS

The Tide

May 2017

3

Spring play impresses crowd Considerations for immigrant policies LARAMIE, cont. from page 1

The murder of Matthew Shepard sparked national outrage and outcry for gay rights. For these reasons, many productions of “The Laramie Project”, a play about that focuses on Shepard’s murder, have been subject to protest, notably by the Westboro Baptist Church. RM’s production of the show in 2011 even drew some attention from news outlets.

The epilogue, “The Laramie Project: 10 Years Later” takes place when Moisés Kaufman and his fellow members of the Tectonic Theater Project returned to Laramie, Wyoming in 2008, 10 years after Shepard’s murder in 1998.

The play is told in specific “moments” in time and explores the positive developments and changes in the town of Laramie since Shepard’s death, as well as the negative effects of having certain aspects of life staying the same.

While speaking of the show’s significance, junior Rachel Herman, one of the Assistant Directors of the show said, “I think it’s really important that we learn how stories change over time and that we learn how to cope with tragedy together.”

Senior cast member Oscar Saywell said, “The significance of the story is to show the impact of change: how people change, how people change their opinions and how that can be detrimental to the progression of society.”

Saywell believes that the play’s importance lies in keeping Matthew Shepard’s story alive, which is necessary to keep the issue relevant. It is evident that every individual who had a hand in bringing this show to fruition learned or gained something valuable from this experience.

For Herman, it was something more personal. “This show had a special impact on my life. One of my close friends from outside RM came to see the show, and because of what they saw on stage and the work that both myself

For Saywell, playing this role helped broaden his horizons and viewpoint. “When you sort of read about hate crimes you always side with the victims... but you just see the people that inflict damage as subhuman, as

PHOTO COURTESY OF LIFETOUCH

Seniors Noah Montemarano and Oscar Saywell perform together. and the cast put into creating this community, they were able to come out,” Herman said. “I can never thank this cast and crew and program enough for that. It means the absolute world to me.”

Senior cast member Noah Montemarano believed that the play was extremely relevant with today’s political climate.

“The play has relevance in my own life when discussing politics and learning how to emotionally cope with hate, particularly xenophobia and islamophobia,” he said. “Ever since the 2016 [presidential] campaign, I think a lot of Americans feel this way.

But the play has helped me understand hate and learn how to address it.”

In the play, one of the many characters Saywell portrayed was Aaron McKinney, one of Matthew Shepard’s murderers.

monsters and what this show reveals is that they’re not. They’re humans too,” he said. “[The play] definitely expanded my perspective on hate crime issues and on why people think the way they do.”

The Black Maskers drama club worked diligently to put together this thought-provoking play in such a short amount of time. The Black Maskers production of “The Laramie Project: 10 Years Later” is a prime example of members of the RM community expressing themselves to promote tolerance, respect, and unity.

Herman best summarized the show’s core: “It’s a story about how a community deals with hatred and homophobia and how they decide to either be weighed down by it, or move forward and create positive change from a negative event.”

by Isabelle Young Controversy has arisen over an ordinance proposed by Rockville City Council member Julie Palakovich Carr. The proposal, if passed, would not require city police officers to enforce federal civil immigration laws. City officials and police would also be prohibited from detaining, investigating, threatening or discriminating against any person based on their suspected immigration status.

While this policy is widely thought to be making Rockville a “Sanctuary City,” it is creating what is better known as a trust act. One goal of these acts is to allow immigrants to feel safe in reporting crime without fear of deportation. This ordinance called “Fostering Community Trust” does not use the words sanctuary city, which implies a lack of cooperation with federal immigration officers.

As Montgomery County Chief of Police Tom Manger remarked in a testimony before the U.S. Senate, “When immigrants come to view their local police with distrust because they fear deportation, it creates conditions that encourage criminals to prey upon victims and witnesses alike.”

To understand community opinion, the Rockville City Council held a hearing on March 6 with over 75 speakers. This hearing attracted very passionate activists from both sides of the debate. Among the speakers were three freshmen from Richard Montgomery High School’s NOW Huddle Club who spoke out in support: Lydia Levy, Ameen

Elhamdani, and Isabelle Young.

In her testimony, Elhamdani said, “This ordinance is not creating new policy, it’s just writing in the books a tradition that the city of Rockville has been following for quite a while; the tradition of not actively pursuing illegal immigration cases.”

Many students at RM have voiced support for this proposal, believing it would promote a more inclusive community.

Freshman Emnet Kahsay cited her own experience leaving a controlling government in Eritrea to give her family a better life.

“Growing up an immigrant in the city, I always felt accepted and I believe everybody else should too,” Kahsay said.

As freshman Lydia Levy said, “We want to have a community where all people can be welcome, because the reality is that most illegal immigrants aren’t here because it’s their ideal situation.

An accepting society fosters nurturing relationships, and I can’t think of anything more important, especially now.”

Other students strongly oppose the ordinance, concerned it would encourage illegal immigration and crime.

Junior Adam Howlett said, “It’s a terrible mistake to encourage disobeying federal law and a lack of cooperation with federal officials. We are a nation of immigrants, but we are a nation of laws as well, and the federal government’s law is the law of the land whether we agree or not.”

Illegal immigration is becoming an increasingly polarizing issue across our nation.

The Rockville City Council will likely face opposition regardless of what they decide.

SGA campaigns in preparation for spring elections

by Angela Mu This year, the SGA elections took place on April 26. Rising senior Albert Zhang won the position of school-wide president, along with school-wide vice president Chloe Sherman, school-wide secretary Judy Choi and school-wide co-treasurers Jeffrey Tran and Mina Traore.

The SGA features student representatives who voice the opinions and beliefs of the student body. From homecoming to prom to Pennies for Patients to spirit weeks, the SGA organizes a variety of popular wholeschool events.

“The SGA officers are more or less school’s representatives to the administration and to the world, because we are elected by the student body to execute certain functions within the SGA and advocate for changes that the students want,” 2016-2017 junior class president Daniel Gelillo said.

As the SGA advisor, social studies teacher Toni Kellinger believes that SGA representatives should embody a variety of leadership qualities. “An SGA representative should be very well-organized, motivated, have good time management, be able to delegate responsibilities and be able to understand what the students truly want. They should obviously be good students because they have to be eligible to be SGA officers,” Mrs. Kellinger said.

Multiple RM students are concerned with the school’s infrastructure. Rising junior and newly-elected co-treasurer Jeffrey Tran said, “I’m going to connect the SGA with the general public through tangible school improvements, not just advertisements. I advocate for dedicating funds towards internal infrastructure

improvements to produce this tangible difference. We need to fix our bathroom locks and repair our lockers. By working with our students, we will improve the quality of our education.”

Former freshman class secretary Kush Savsani also recognizes the importance of improvements in infrastructure as well as whole class bonding events. Now, as class of 2020 president, Savsani said, “We don’t have locks on our stalls, we don’t have

Tadikonda’s campaign centered around planning more whole class events to unite students. “I think that organizing fun activities and events to bring students in the Class of 2020 closer is even more important than solving issues, which is not even that common in our beloved school,” Tadikonda said.

The idea of uniting students is supported by former junior class SGA president, Daniel Gelillo, who also ran

PHOTO COURTESY OF RM SGA

Many of Richard Montgomery’s current SGA officers will run for reelection this spring. walls between our urinals, and we need for school-wide SGA president. “I think more privacy in general. I also advocate for that the school-wide president’s job is to more Class of 2020 events because we didn’t coordinate with the other SGA officers and have any special events this year. So, I want take on the most responsibility out of all to effectively delegate my work to actually of the positions. My campaign this year is ensure that more bonding experiences are centered around ‘inclusivity’. There are a organized for the Class of 2020.” lot of very divisive things going around us Freshman Pranav Tadikonda ran again in the world at large, so I want to make RM as an incumbent to be his class’s president. a welcoming, inclusive place. I think that I “Throughout my academic career in will be able to make that change,” he said.

MCPS, I’ve really found the schools to be Gelillo and Zhang’s other opponent, such a paradise. I’ve always wondered junior Roni Tamary, also upholds the how I could make our schools even better significance of unity between students on because so many people complain about a larger scale. She recognized the division certain issues,” Tadikonda said. between each of the classes, as well as

between IB students, non-IB students, and students who have just joined IB. “I’ve always loved advocating for more student policies to allow for us to have a say in front of the teachers and administration,” Tamary said.

Tamary, who has been on the SGA since her freshman year and attends the leadership class, works closely with the 2016-2017 school-wide president, Sofia Bhalwani. In Tamary’s mind, the schoolwide SGA president constantly strives to improve students’ experiences at school.

“It’s like a 24/7 job, even on the weekends.

You do everything you can to make sure that everything is running smoothly,” Tamary said.

Rather than infrastructure, class of 2020 candidate for treasurer Shayan Abdolalizadeh focused his campaign on reducing the expensive ticket pricing for whole school events.

“Students here are paying double the amount students from schools like Wootton are paying. This over-pricing is a recurring theme in not only homecoming, but also other events such as sports games,” Abdolalizadeh said.

Before the elections, candidates were actively campaigning and seeking support from students by giving speeches and handing out stickers, shirt buttons, posters, or fliers. From April 18 to April 21, candidates recorded speeches to formally introduce themselves and their visions for their future to students. These videos were presented to students in their social studies classes.

The SGA plays a crucial role in students’ high school experience. “SGA practically organizes everything. It organizes dances, movie nights, and almost any event publicized on social media is work of the SGA,” Tadikonda said.

4

NEWS

The Tide

May 2017

Students gear up for upcoming AP and IB exams

by Ayesha Khawaja Every year, the spring yields long nights, review guides and anxious students.

Starting in late April, millions of high school students across the nation will take AP and IB exams because once again, it’s exam season.

AP exams are the culmination of taking a college-level Advanced Placement course and are graded on a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being the highest possible score. To pass the course and to receive college credit, students must earn at least a 3.

This year, AP exams will be administered during the first two weeks in May. Generally, they consist of two parts with a break in between: the first is multiple choice, while the second part is free response.

IB exams are slightly different. The International Baccalaureate is a worldwide education program, so the exams are not focused on earning college credit in high school, like APs. While AP exams tend to be two or three hours long, IB exams can take place over the course of a couple of days.

IB exams will be administered between April 27 and May 19 and are graded on a scale of 1 to 7. The highest score a student can earn is a 7 and to pass, students must score at least a 4.

However, there is rarely multiple choice on IB exams; they are primarily free response. “IB exams have a lot more writing,” said senior Isobel Coats. “So while AP exams will have multiple choice and then writing sections, IB exams are

PHOTO BY FATMA ELSAYED

With AP and IB season approaching, students experience an escalation in testing. usually all writing.”

Students use a variety of methods to study for both exams. Preparation can include completing online practice questions or tests, using review guides and studying class notes.

IB classes are guided by different curriculums than AP classes, so students in IB classes who are taking the AP exams for those classes often have to study extra material.

“If you’re an IB student then you’re not taking an AP class, you’re taking a magnet class, so the course is taught a little differently,” said sophomore Abigail Gillman. “That’s a problem not everyone can relate to, but it is a problem if you’re trying to take an AP that might not be exactly modelled the same way as the IB class.”

There are other options for students who are trying to prepare for AP and IB exams, aside from studying notes. Junior

Rosie Silvers is leading review sessions for students who plan to take the AP exams for Government and U.S. History.

“I know some people can’t just sit alone with their notes for hours and absorb the material,” said Silvers, “and I want there to be resources for people with all kinds of learning styles, even if the tests themselves don’t accommodate for that.”

As for doing well on the exams, Silvers had a few tips. “Definitely spend some time figuring out your learning and studying style and then make intentional efforts to create the environment that you need. Also, trust your brain and its sponginess. When it gets to the night before the test, getting a good night’s sleep, eating good food and staying hydrated is much more important than cramming all the material you can.”

Balancing studying with other activities can be difficult for students and time management can be vital for studying well for an exam.

“About a month before APs, I know that some of my extracurriculars do take a little bit of a hit,” said junior Melvin Lewis. “I have a lot less free time to do what I want.

But if you space out your AP studying, if you start a month before and you just do ten minutes a day, you’ll be fine.”

In addition to the rigor of preparing for exams, the stress of actually taking the exams have a lot of students questioning if they are worth it.

The exams occur in strict environments.

Devices and any form of food and drink, including water, are prohibited inside AP exam rooms. For both AP and IB exams, the same subject tests are taken at the same time worldwide, to prevent cheating.

Furthermore, exams are costly. Each AP exam costs $93, an increase from last year’s fee of $92 while IB exams have a $160 registration fee in addition to a payment of $110 per exam.

Taking the courses and exams have notable benefits though. Primarily, AP and IB credits appeal to colleges. Students can also reduce the time and money they spend on college by fulfilling certain credits in high school AP classes instead.

“I think IB exams are worth it, just because you’re in the program to get the diploma and you get the diploma by taking the test,” said Gillman. “That’s just the system. But AP tests are kind of just a system established for the college board to make money.”

While students tend to stress about the exams a lot, it is important to note that the scores do not define their lives.

“It’s okay if you get a four, or a three, or even if you get a one,” Lewis said.

“Honestly, it’s okay.”

Schedule proposals MCPS eliminates sibling link

by Haihai Yu MCPS has always been working on making the school year calendar and school start times accommodate students’ and teachers’ schedules. The Board of Education is currently discussing two separate issues: bell times for elementary schools and calendar changes for the 2017-2018 school year.

As part of a plan to allow high schoolers to get more sleep, high school start times were pushed back 20 minutes in the 20152016 school year.

GRAPHIC BY ALISA GAO

However, this change created many issues for elementary school students, whose school days were lengthened. MCPS is evaluating various solutions to resolve the issue of bus logistics without reversing the high school start times back to the original times.

“If they move our high school start times back to the original time, I will have to get up earlier again, just like in freshman year. I hope they can find a good solution without changing school start times, even though I would like to see a later high school start time,” junior Nathan Brewster said.

Other students think that bell

t i m e s issue will not affect them significantly.

“The part about elementary school and bus schedules will not really affect me. Unless they find a way to change the high school start times again, which I hope they push back the school times, actually, this will only affect elementary school kids,” senior Noah Roth said.

Additionally, the Board of Education is debating new calendar changes.

Governor Larry Hogan issued an executive order stating that schools would end before June 15th and start the day after Labor Day. However, this order would complicate problems, as the shorter year creates less professional development and teacher planning days for teachers to use.

Board of Education President Michael Durso wrote a letter to Hogan asking for him to reconsider the executive order.

“We know from a vast body of educational research that ensuring adequate time for professional development and teacher planning leads to better outcomes for students, Durso wrote.

“I personally think that the fact that we are starting school later after Labor Day isn’t a good idea.

I would prefer for school to start earlier and end earlier. I also hope that the loss of planning time can be considered,” Brewster added in agreement with Durso.

Regardless of the outcomes of these two issues, students are still confident in the quality of education.

As Roth said, “I have no doubt that teachers can work around these limitations and still help us students succeed.”

by Rose Kelly Montgomery County has long championed language immersion programs which employ effective methods to teach students foreign languages. Offering full and partial immersion programs in Spanish, French and Mandarin Chinese, Montgomery County has been hailed as a model for its innovative teaching, helping to immerse students in both the language and culture. In 1996, it became the first county in the United States to offer a Mandarin Chinese immersion program for elementary school students.

Despite the success of the programs, the county was subject to much criticism in response to a county report published in March 2016, titled “Montgomery County Public Schools: Study of Choice and Special Academic Programs.” The report detailed the demographics of the county’s special education programs, including of its seven elementary school and five middle school immersion programs. It noted that the county’s language immersion programs failed to reflect its rich diversity.

According to the Montgomery County Public Schools report, 28.9% of kindergarten students enrolled in county schools were white in the 2013-2014 school year. In immersion programs that same year, 44.4% of kindergartens were white.

The 15.5% difference in the enrollment rate of white students illustrates a glaring disparity: significantly more white students were admitted to language immersion programs.

The solution to the disparity was simple enough for Montgomery County school board members who eliminated the “sibling link.” Admission to the well-regarded immersion

programs is determined by a lottery, but until recently, younger siblings of students already enrolled in the immersion program were automatically awarded one of the 286 coveted seats in a kindergarten immersion classroom. This position would also be their ticket to continue in the immersion program through its completion in eighth grade.

“Siblings accounted for almost one in every five applications.

For the 2013–14 school year, a total of 110 rising kindergarten applicants to elementary language immersion programs were siblings of students who were already enrolled in a program,” stated the MCPS report.

Officials first intended for the sibling link to foster a better environment at home for language learning. Ideally, siblings would practice with each other and mutually benefit.

The link also eases the burden of transportation for parents who already sacrifice by transporting their children to schools that may not be local. Ensuring that an older child gets to their language immersion school and that the younger child gets to their home school everyday requires much greater effort from a parent than simply transporting the two children to the same school.

The Montgomery County School Board voted on March 17 to remove the sibling link entirely for the 2018-2019 school year. Younger siblings will still be granted automatic spots in their older sibling’s program for the 2017-2018 school year.

The benefits of having an older sibling in the program will not be totally eliminated. Although younger siblings hoping for admission will now have to participate in the lottery, they will have a greater chance of being accepted. The applications of children from low income families may also be more heavily

weighted.

Many consider the sibling link to be at least partially responsible for the lack of diversity consistent throughout the language immersion programs and other special academic programs. However, this gap may be explained by parents who are simply unaware of the opportunities that may be available to their students.

Applications for the language immersion programs are typically due months before students are to start kindergarten.

Generally, there is a consensus among community members and Montgomery County officials that the ideal solution to racial disparity in language programs would be to expand rich language programs to all schools. The county does not have the budget to support that initiative.

Patricia O’Neill, a member of the Montgomery County School Board told the Washington Post, “There is an insatiable demand for language in the school system at the earliest possible age. I personally would like to see language in every school.”

Most, including sophomore Russell Corbin who completed the entire Spanish immersion program, echo O’Neill’s sentiments. He found the program to be incredibly enriching, but wished for greater diversity.

“Diversity is a serious issue that needs to be addressed and improved,” Corbin said. “The main purpose for eliminating the sibling link is for diversity because when you have the sibling link, what it does is it prevents new students, a wider range of students to come into the program and you’re selecting from a very small number of people.”

There are definite benefits and detriments to the link. Just as Corbin aptly said, “It’s kind of like a mixed bag.”

The Tide

Year in Review

May 2017

5

PHOTO COURTESY OF JENNY CHEN

PHOTO COURTESY OF ALBERT ZHANG

Above: RM’s Debate Team won the title of best county-wide team for the second year in a row, taking home the team and individual championship.

Above: Seniors spend time together at Senior Unity Day, making new memories before they graduate this spring and begin separate journeys.

PHOTO COURTESY OF FATMA ELSAYED

Above: RM’s Black Maskers put in hundreds of hours both onstage and backstage to put on their fall musical “Guys and Dolls” for families, peers, and the RM community to watch and enjoy.

PHOTO COURTESY OF DANIEL GELILLO

Above: In 2016, RM students exercised their First Amendment rights as they marched through the streets of Rockville in political demonstration.

PHOTO BY FATMA ELSAYED

Above: AP and IB students presented their artwork in the “Reverie” art gallery, which showcased the students’ best work throughout the year for parents and peers to celebrate and reflect upon.

PHOTO BY FATMA ELSAYED

Above: This year, the RM football team clutched a strong victory against Rockville High School and made RM history by advancing to playoffs for the second year in a row.

6

The Tide

May 2017

OPINIONS

Final farewell of 2016-2017 EICs by 2017 Editors-in-Chief It was bright and warm outside when we had our very first meeting. We were all anxious to take on our roles as this year’s Editors-in-Chief, full of ideas and goals. Nevertheless, stepping into the shoes of the past leaders was a daunting task for all of us. We had to continue the Tide’s legacy

we emphasized communication, including face-to-face interactions with interviewees, advisers and each other.

The other major change in The Tide was the expansion of our online webpage, thermtide.com.

Under the supervision of our Online Editor-in-Chief, Maddie Franke, The Tide Online became a steady source of information, distinct in its focus on sports coverage and timeliness.

PHOTO COURTESY OF 2016-2017 EICS

2017 Editors-in-Chief Jenny Chen, Daisy Grant, Victoria Priester and Phil Zhang send their thanks to everyone who contributed to The Tide. and develop new ways to educate However, the world did the students of RM, which was a not stop for us to make all the huge undertaking. changes we would have liked.

Our plans included the With the end of 2016 and the overarching goal of making The beginning of the new year came Tide more inclusive in terms of many big, high-profile news readers, writers and editors. We events. From the divisive election searched for a more diverse staff, to the student walk-outs to the drawing from all corners of our shocking Rockville HS rape case, school, both within and outside of this year was an important year the IB program. To achieve this, for everyone in terms of talking,

thinking and staying educated.

Although we typically stick to articles pertaining to local and RM matters, we found that the national and even international news was far too important to ignore. The policies, bills, elections, and discourses that took place outside of the halls of our school might as well have been on Main Street. One of the biggest struggles we encountered was remaining unbiased and upholding the journalistic merit all newspapers should have, especially during a time when the validity of news was being questioned. Throughout the year, we sought to provide balanced, varied coverage to meet the needs of our readers: the RM community.

It has been incredibly difficult to begin handing off The Tide, but we are confident in the leaders who will be here when we leave, all of whom we saw grow as writers and editors. We are proud to announce Vlady Guttenberg, Alex Hu, Rachel Li and Isabelle Zhou as the 20172018 Editors-in-Chief.

It has been an honor working with every member of our hardworking Tide staff, who have gone above and beyond to fulfill deadlines, stay late to take photos and edit their articles just one more time. We also thank the always accommodating administration, Mr. Monteleone and, of course, our wonderful advisers Ms. Brown and Mrs. Peyer, who have provided guidance countless times. We look forward to see what next year’s Tide staff accomplishes.

The new norms for school dances DANCES, cont. from page 1 Another controversial issue is whether or not it is socially acceptable for girls to take the initiative and ask boys out to dances.

Traditionally, the power dynamic in a heterosexual relationship is tilted in favor of the man, who is expected to seize the reins. This gender norm strips power from girls and places a heavy burden on boys.

Sophomore Nimah Nayel said, “It’s a double-sided blade. Men feel extra pressure to lead the house, when really it should be a shared responsibility. It boils down in a high school setting such as prom. B oys feel the pressure of having to make the first move, and girls feel that they are not the ones who are supposed to do that. A lot of times, it just ends up in a stalemate where no one asks the other.”

The feminist movement has transformed the nature of dance proposals too. Feldman said, “It used to be a terrible thing if a girl asked a guy out, and now it’s kind of smiled upon and looked well at.” Even though it is more acceptable for girls to take action, many feel hesitant to do so.

Nayel observed, “The stigma is still there. It’s ingrained into our society.”

Sadie Hawkins dances, which encourage girls to ask guys out, exist in order to make girls feel more comfortable with taking the initiative.

Freshman Luisa BrownHernandez said, “I think they’re

Student Voices: Free Driving School Should Driver’s Ed be provided as a free class at public schools?

34 responses (Yes: 31, No: 3) Although convenient, Driver’s Ed is a costly program. We would be using specialized MVA-approved vehicles for six hours of incar lessons that only one person in the class can use at a time. Not to mention the insurance costs, fuel costs, and instructor costs.

- Jeffrey Tran, 10th grade Keeping in mind the high risks involved in driving, I think it is very important that Driver’s Ed be made available to as many students as possible. If it is free at public schools, it would be able to reach a lot of people, and hopefully save lives down the road.

- Catherine Dang, 11th grade By offering Driver’s Ed at schools, more students may have the opportunity to get their licenses. That being said, if this is too economically taxing to offer driving classes, I think that it is not a priority because driving itself is a privilege, and funds and resources may go towards more important things.

- Mona Lee, 12th grade

Corrections We did not give credit to Grace Sun for her graphic on page 24.

PHOTO BY EMILY CHEN

Non-traditional promposals are becoming a more common sight at RM. actually really cool because it’s but I also feel like it should be a not considered weird for the girl normal thing.” to ask in that situation—if anyone Feldman also said, “I think Sadie was thinking that—because that’s Hawkins is a good thing for the just what you do.” time being, but I think in the future Dinman said, “I was trying to they should all be just regular push for Sadie Hawkins in SGA dances, and whoever wants to ask this year, and I tried to push for can ask.” it last year too, but no one would The issue does not lie with the agree with me. This year, people concept of Sadie Hawkins itself, but were more for it, but then we with the issue that gender equality didn’t end up having a winter becomes implicitly limited to a dance. I think it’s really awesome single event rather than becoming to give girls that opportunity too a social norm. because guys shouldn’t always Another development in school assume that role.” dances is the increasing number Although Sadie Hawkins of same-gender promposals. dances aim to give girls the Friends or romantic partners of the chance to take charge, some same sex often ask each other to students believe that they are an dances. This is a sign of a growing ineffective solution to the wider acceptance of LGBTQ+ students issue of gender inequality. Nayel within our community. reasoned, “It is just sad that a There is still room for progress, Sadie Hawkins needs to happen but even the mere discussion of for girls to be comfortable. Girls gender equality regarding school making the first move should be dances demonstrates the profound praised in the sense that now it’s impact that feminism has made on empowering for girls to do that, changing social expectations.

The Tide

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

1,000 copies of the newspaper are printed and distributed among students.

Any corrections are printed in the following issue on page 6.

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

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

Editors-in-Chief..............................Vlady Guttenberg, Alex Hu, Rachel Li, Isabelle Zhou News..........................................................Emily Tian, Christina You, Alice Zhu, Kyle Zhu Opinions................................Charlotte Hirsch, Rebecca Huang, Cindy Song, Angela Sun International.....................................................................................Michelle Ling, Derek Yao Center Spread....................................................Shiri Kalai, Grace Wang, Maureen Zeufack La Marea................................................................................Daniela Moreira, Maria Vicente Features..........................................Anna Chen, Isabelle Levine, Michelle Ling, Irene Park Arts...................................................Natalie Chartove, Stella Ho, Derek Yao, Albert Zhang Sports................................................................................................Kevin Hu, Julia Kochman Photo.............................................................................................Emily Chen, Fatma Elsayed Graphics..................................................................................................Alisa Gao, Vivian Yeh Advisers.......................................................................Ms. Laurie Brown, Mrs. Bonnie Peyer

The Tide

OPINIONS

Black & Gold

May 2017

7

Should Neil Gorsuch have been confirmed as a Supreme Court Justice?

G

Yes, he is experienced and qualified No, his views are discriminatory

by Bhavesh Kemburu When President Donald Trump selected U.S. Appeals Court Justice Neil Gorsuch as his Supreme Court nominee, there appeared to be an irreconcilable division between the Democrats and Republicans. While Republicans extolled Gorsuch’s virtues, Democrats lashed out at Republicans for their prior rejection of Merrick Garland, Obama’s nominee last year.

In the midst of the debate surrounding the appointment of Neil Gorsuch, who is in the right? Should we have confirmed a clearly qualified and noteworthy justice who stands up for the rule of law, or should we have rejected him simply because of partisan politics and risked creating a wider rift between the two parties? The answer is clear: Gorsuch was the right choice.

A key reason for the backlash against Neil Gorsuch is the previous issue regarding Merrick Garland. During the final year of his term, Obama decided to nominate a new Supreme Court Justice to replace the late Antonin Scalia rather than wait for the next president to make the choice. Republicans, who made up the majority of the Senate, chose not to hold a hearing for Garland.

While Democrats are understandably bitter, they merely pull on the strings of partisan politics when repeatedly citing the controversy surrounding Garland.

Gorsuch’s nomination should not be muddled with an essentially unrelated controversy. Instead, senators should make their decision solely from Gorsuch’s qualifications, experience, and potential to be an exemplary justice.

Prior to his nomination, Gorsuch sat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 10th Circuit. According to the Washington Post, Gorsuch has more experience than even Chief Justice John Roberts in areas of law which the Supreme Court most frequently deals with.

Gorsuch has also made many important, precedent-setting rulings in his time as a federal judge, such as in the case Gutierrez-Brizuela v. Lynch. He addressed one of the most important principles of administrative law, Chevron Deference, which states that courts should defer to federal agencies when interpreting ambiguous laws. In response, he wrote a magnificent 22-page concurring opinion that reasserted the authority of the judicial branch.

Moreover, The American Bar Association, which ranks lawyers and federal judges based on professional qualifications has given Neil Gorsuch their best rating of “well qualified.”

Senator Chuck Grassley said that ABA’s endorsement of Gorsuch is no surprise.

He explained that Gorsuch has “sterling credentials and a distinguished decadelong record.”

“Gorsuch should not be rejected for his ideology,“ sophomore Emmanuel Corporal said. Gorsuch’s conservatism should not be a significant consideration for senators, as his political ideology does not inhibit his ability to interpret the law with fairness, particularly given his extensive experience as a federal judge.

B

Black

Democrats, however, are intentionally blocking the nomination process because of partisan reasons. Their calls for a filibuster to block a capable and experienced justice are by no means justified by their desire for a more liberal Supreme Court.

Opponents of Gorsuch also believe that his originalist approach to interpreting the Constitution is problematic. Originalism focuses on a literal interpretation of the Constitution in which judges consider only the framers’ intents to determine what they claim to be the correct meaning of the text.

“I would argue that the Constitution has changed over the years, and an originalist view doesn’t fully incorporate the Constitution’s current significance,” junior Peter Jasperse said.

Two adequate responses can be formed to address this perspective. First of all, the purpose of nominating a new justice

On February 1, Trump nominated Neil Gorsuch to fill Antonin Scalia’s seat on the Supreme Court. The rulings he makes will play a large part in shaping America’s future. The question of whether or not to confirm him thus became a controversial and polarized decision for both Democrats and Republicans in the Senate.

Proponents of confirmation explain that Gorsuch would be a perfect replacement for Antonin Scalia. However, they fail to realize that under our current state of government, a replacement for Scalia would be a setback for American progress.

Freshman Isabelle Young explained, “I don’t think he should be confirmed given his strict constructionist views.” Gorsuch

is to fill the void left by former Justice Antonin Scalia, a vocal and dynamic speaker who wrote several key opinions during his tenure, known for his staunch conservative views and most notably originalist approach to interpretation of the Constitution. Like Scalia, Gorsuch has an originalist approach, making him the ideal replacement.

Moreover, the originalist approach asserts the importance of a system of checks and balances. This discourages the abuse of power not only within the courts, but across the government as a whole.

As the late Scalia said, “Originalism does not invite [a judge] to make the law what he thinks it should be, nor does it permit him to distort history with impunity.” Under an originalist interpretation, a judge should remain strictly as an interpreter of the law rather than a policymaker, which is in line with the constitutional separation between the legislative and judicial branches.

But, regardless of whether originalism is the “correct” approach to the law, Gorsuch has shown repeatedly throughout his tenure that no matter which side he rules on, he is dedicated to honestly upholding and interpreting the law. His originalist approach has not been a factor preventing him from performing phenomenally as a federal justice, and he is definitely just as or even more qualified than those who currently have a seat on the Supreme Court.

While some may consider the dismissal of Garland’s nomination by Republicans unfair, it is time to move forward rather than look back. The best justice to replace Scalia is, by far, Neil Gorsuch.

shares the belief with Scalia that justices should strictly adhere to the Constitution when making decisions.

In a time when citizens are denied rights because of their sexual orientation and gender identity, women’s health is being compromised, public schools in cities are deteriorating, and hate crimes are on the rise, we cannot depend on our heavily conservative government to bring justice to minority groups. And we definitely cannot trust a justice who believes the best solution is to strictly follow the Constitution when none of these issues are addressed in the now 226-year old document.

Even putting aside his originalism, there are times where Gorsuch disagrees with inherent constitutional values. For example, Williams v. Jones was a case where a defendant’s counsel refused to represent them, resulting in their conviction of first degree murder.

Gorsuch dissented from the court ruling, claiming that, “We have no authority to disturb this outcome […] due process guarantees a fair trial, not a good bargain.” Essentially, he claimed that our constitutional right to fair counsel can be considered a “bargain.”

Also, Gorsuch has used the concept of religious liberty to restrict the rights of citizens. As Young said, “One case that really makes me oppose him is Hobby Lobby v. Sebelius, when he ruled that Hobby Lobby and similar corporations could refuse to cover contraceptives in their health insurance coverage of their employees [based on religious grounds.

I disagree with the idea that ‘religious

by Shevani Tewari

GRAPHIC BY ALISA GAO

Gold freedom’ can justify telling someone what they can or can’t do, especially with their bodies.” Religious liberty is a vital part of America’s democracy, but religion should not be used to restrict basic human rights.

He showed similar attitude towards LGBTQ+ rights. In 2005, Gorsuch said of the movement: “Liberals have become addicted to the courtroom, relying on judges and lawyers rather than elected leaders and the ballot box, as the primary means of effecting their social agenda.”

In other words, Gorsuch argued that the right to marriage equality should be decided by the state legislatures, even though most Americans support the right to same-sex relationships. Many, such as Young, worry rulings and beliefs like this will continue into the future.

Moreover, Gorsuch’s appointment violates legal precedent. Republicans have used an unfair and arguably undemocratic method of getting a nominee they want by refusing to consider Obama’s federal judge nominations in the last year of his presidency, all in the hopes that the next president would be a conservative who would nominate someone more aligned with their own political beliefs. This political maneuvering goes against the very essence of an unbiased and non-partisan Supreme Court.

When Obama was in office, he appointed moderate Merrick Garland as a fair compromise between Democrats and Republicans. However, Republicans refused the simple courtesy of holding a hearing for him, and thus eliminated any chance of him getting appointed.

On the other hand, now that the Republicans appointed someone who shares their ideology, their behavior suddenly changed. Now, according to them, it is unacceptable and undemocratic to hold a filibuster and Gorsuch should be appointed immediately. They are hypocritically criticizing their own past actions.

Freshman Lydia Levy explained, “Gorsuch shouldn’t be confirmed because corners have been cut. Regardless of how I feel about his politics, the way Congress

“The way Congress has gone about the path to Gorsuch’s confirmation hearing works against the system.”

- Lydia Levy has gone about the path to his confirmation hearing works against the system: they never even bothered with a hearing for Garland.” If Democratic senators were to accept the nomination and vote to confirm, it would send a message that this unjust behavior is acceptable, although it is not.

Because of Gorsuch’s discriminatory views regarding religious liberty and with respect to the hypocrisy of Republican senators, we should not have appointed Gorsuch. This is a decision which is undemocratic and goes against the most basic of American principles.

8 The Tide

OPINIONS

May 2017

Legacy is an unfair practice in college admissions

by Tesia Shi and Ashley Ye In an ideal meritocracy, college admittance would be solely determined by applicants’ demonstrated abilities and anything else they might be able to bring to the college campus. It seems only logical that this should occur in the real world, but throughout the United States, being related to a former alumnus plays a significant and often unfair role in college admissions.

The use of legacy preference in college admissions has become increasingly controversial.

Opponents of the idea maintain that legacy students receive advantages that are ultimately arbitrary, while proponents emphasize that it builds important alumni connections.

The advantages of considering legacy in admissions, however, are outweighed by its unjust implications.

Many top universities, like Harvard, Duke, and Cornell, consider legacy to be one of the many qualities they consider when choosing applicants. Supporters of legacy argue that it is a fair way to choose between two equally competent applicants, for there are usually no definitive measures to differentiate between which student is more qualified.

As one Harvard admissions officer said, “Legacy can cure the sick, but it can’t raise the dead.” Students still need stellar grades, recommendations, extracurriculars, and essays to be considered, with legacy composing only one small part of a holistic judgement.

Despite this, statistics show that legacy preferences disproportionately inflate

admissions rates much higher than what might be justifiable. According to Business Insider, amongst legacy students, Harvard’s admissions rate hovers at around 30 percent while their acceptance rate for the entire applicant pool is only around five percent.

Given this fact, legacy seems to be a much larger factor in college acceptances than many of its advocates are willing to admit.

With a very large pool of talented students applying, legacy becomes far more than a mere tiebreaker between equally qualified applicants.

In a study conducted by The Chronicle of Higher Education, children of undergraduate alumni are 45.1% more likely to get accepted than their legacylacking peers. The New York Times and other corroborating studies have equated this difference to an additional 160 points on the SAT. In addition to the apparent advantage transferred during the selection process itself, many colleges also provide special resources for legacy applicants during the application process.

The University of Pennsylvania offers exclusive admissions resources and information sessions for alumni families, and Carnegie Mellon also provides similar legacy-specific events.

In contrast, more merit-focused schools like MIT are proud of their legacy-free admissions process, placing much more emphasis on student achievement. Chris Peterson, a MIT Admissions Counselor, stated that by banning the use of legacy, he is not “simply reproducing a multigenerational lineage of educated elite” when selecting applicants.

Proponents of legacy preferences maintain that regardless of fairness, connections to alumni networks promote donations and alumni involvement. They also believe that legacy will help create new generations of active alumni and maintain a vibrant community of contributors who will continue to provide these benefits.

However, many do not believe that the extra donations and benefits outweigh the impact of the policy. Freshman Daniel Williams said, “Though that may be partially beneficial to colleges, this is

GRAPHIC BY ALISA GAO

somebody’s education. The choice you make is impacting their whole life.”

Moreover, a major downside to the policy is its potentially negative impact on minorities and immigrants. The majority of applicants who have legacy come from

white, wealthy families. Because minority families tend to lack the connections needed to qualify, they are disadvantaged.

“Minorities tend to be immigrants, so their parents wouldn’t have gone to a college in the US even if they had gone to college,” sophomore Sreelekha Chillanki said. Banning college legacy would promote racial diversity, which diversifies the educational experience and helps reduce racial inequality.

As competition among students increases, students are working more vigorously than ever just to get accepted to an academic institution. Selecting students using legacy as a major factor may take away the opportunity for a higher quality education from more deserving and hardworking students who do not have legacy to help their application.

Legacy also plays a small part in the acceptance of students to certain magnet high school programs, such as the International Baccalaureate Program at RM. The entrance form asks if an applicant has an older sibling in the school, making legacy a small factor in the overall admissions process. However, unqualified applicants will not make it into the program no matter who their siblings are, an example of legacy done right.

Ultimately, the possible benefits of legacy are outweighed by the negative consequences for minorities. They promote the importance of familial connections over valuable skill sets, and grant only narrow advantages. While the factor of convenience is relevant in considering legacy in admissions to magnet high schools, legacy has no place in the college admissions process.

Trump’s policy hinders environmental progress

by Emily Zhao On March 24, President Trump officially granted a permit to the energy company TransCanada to revive the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline, a highly controversial 1,200-mile oil pipe connecting Canada’s tar sands in Alberta to the refineries on the Texas Gulf Coast.

This project is predicted to have devastating effects on the surrounding environment, leading environmentalists to protest loudly for the halt of the construction. This is just one of Trump’s many plans to reduce the importance of environmental health and climate change on the government’s agenda.

From nominating Scott Pruitt— an unqualified candidate who has repeatedly sued the EPA—as head of the Environmental Protection Agency, to proposing a dramatic reduction of the EPA budget, Trump has made many irresponsible decisions regarding environmental issues.

With regards to climate change, Trump has called it a hoax, while Pruitt denies the influence of human fossil fuel consumption on the rise of global temperatures. In an interview with CNBC’s Squawk Box, Pruitt said, “I would not agree that carbon dioxide is a primary contributor to the global warming that we see.”

Yet according to NASA, 97% of actively publishing climate scientists believe that climate change is real, and there are many reliable scientific studies proving the effects of fossil fuels on global temperatures.

Nevertheless, Pruitt still chooses to deny carbon dioxide and fossil fuels as main contributors to climate change.

Pruitt’s past relationship with the EPA is replete with conflicts. When Pruitt was Oklahoma’s Attorney General, he filed a total of fourteen lawsuits against the federal environmental regulations, “challenging regulations intended to reduce the discharge of poisonous mercury from coal-burning power plants, carbon dioxide blamed for climate change and other emissions,” according to the New York Times.

This clear disregard for environmentally

friendly policies may also be fueled by his campaign fund contributors. An investigation conducted by the New York Times concluded that in thirteen out of fourteen lawsuits Pruitt has filed against the EPA, “the co-parties included companies that had contributed money to Mr. Pruitt or to Pruitt-affiliated political campaign committees.”

It seems that Pruitt’s disregard for

GRAPHIC BY ALISA GAO

climate change, essentially the most pressing issue facing the environment, has been translated into the EPA’s proposed budget. Trump wants to cut a drastic 31% of the EPA’s funding, decreases the current budget from $8.1 billion to $5.7 billion and eliminates 3,200 jobs.

The proposed budget would remove funding for important programs such as the Clean Power Plan, the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration’s Sea Grant, and more than 50 other EPA programs.

Even the popular Energy Star program,

a highly successful voluntary labeling system for energy efficient machines, would be completely eliminated.

The impact of the proposed budget will also be felt locally. The plan completely eliminates funding for the Chesapeake Bay Program, a pollution cleanup program that monitors the health of the bay.

Each year, roughly 300 million pounds of polluting nitrogen reaches the Chesapeake Bay from undiluted runoff, instigating “dead zones,” which are areas of the bay that have little to no oxygen, and thus become unable to sustain life. The 73 million dollars in the current budget are necessary to restore the health of these hypoxic areas and prevent more runoff from escaping into the bay.

Although only 1% of NASA’s overall 2017 budget would be cut, four NASA Earth science missions would be shut down under Pruitt’s agenda. These missions are monitoring the oceans, global temperatures, and other crucial aspects of the earth’s overall health.

By eliminating many programs that research how climate change is affecting the earth, Trump is essentially leaving the scientific community without the means of addressing the catastrophic implications of global warming.

To add to the significant cuts in the EPA budget, Trump signed an executive order on March 28 called “Energy Independence,” promising “economic freedom” and stressing that the EPA’s main priority is to only “protect our air and protect our water.”

With this, Trump hopes to rescind regulations on the production of fossil fuels and focus on the development of domestically produced energy resources, such as oil, natural gas, coal, and nuclear energy resources. Trump’s main reason for the executive order was to bring back jobs in infrastructure, trucking, and manufacturing. But this executive order may not effectively get coal miners back to work.

In an interview with the New York Times, Robert W. Godby, an energy economist at the University of Wyoming said, “The mines that are staying open are using more mechanization. They’re not hiring people.” As mines become more

dependent on technology and machinery, they no longer need as many human resources as before.

Therefore, Trump’s “Energy Independence” policy does not actually protect our equally important air and water resources. If there are no regulations curbing the production of fossil fuels, unhealthy pollutants will once again fill the environment.

Each year, roughly 300 million pounds of nitrogen pollution enters the Chesapeake Bay. Not only does Trump promote unsustainable energy sources that will pollute the environment, but he also hopes to dismantle President Obama’s Clean Power Act, which planned to shut down many coal power plants in America.

President Obama’s significant steps to curb global warming also emphasized America’s role as a leader in combatting climate change and followed the Paris Climate Agreement, which committed countries all over the globe to the common goal of cutting emissions.

With Trump’s new executive order, it is unlikely that U.S. will be a leader in the fight against pollution, and will most likely not fulfill our goal of cutting 26% of our emissions by 2050.

Environmental advocacy groups and health organizations all object to Trump’s harsh actions which cut and reject efforts to combat climate change, risking devastating changes in sea levels and global temperatures.

Five decades ago, President Nixon created the EPA claiming that issues regarding the protection of the environment are “a cause beyond party and beyond factions.”

President Trump should heed these words and continue steps towards reducing global warming rather than destroy any hope that America may reduce its carbon emission.

The Tide

ADVERTISEMENTS

May 2017

9

10 The Tide

INTERNATIONAL

May 2017

The woes of insufficient media coverage in society

by Clare Zhang According to Michael X. Delli Carpini and Scott Keeter, the authors of What Americans Know About Politics and Why it Matters, Americans have limited political knowledge. “Delli Carpini and Keeter report that Americans typically rank near or at the bottom when compared to other Western democracies,” social litigator Robert Shapiro said.

Why is this? One important factor in the political knowledge of the typical American is media coverage of foreign countries.

But over the years, news media sources have limited their international coverage, providing the American public with less accurate information about countries all over the world.

“Foreign news is disappearing from many of America’s newspapers, and broadcast television has basically left the field,” journalist Peter Arnett said in 1998. Around the 1960s and 1970s, at least 40 percent of television news was international, while in 1998, foreign coverage only made up 12 percent at most.

As a result, many conflicts around the world have been disregarded by the American media. One such conflict was the Second Congo War, which lasted from 1998 to 2003. Joe Bavier, a journalist that has covered South African issues for over six years, writes that the war directly caused over 5,000,000 deaths, more deaths than any other war since World War Two. However, according to New Internationalist magazine, the Second Congo War was ignored by most Western media outlets. Instead, they devoted 50 times more coverage to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, which was much less catastrophic in comparison, only amounting to around 7000 deaths.

Overlooking major African events in favor of European or Middle-Eastern news has repeatedly occurred in the past and is still prominent today. “I feel like people don’t know about [African countries],” senior Vera Fahim said.

Today, foreign media coverage has faded further into the background. In light of the current political climate, most attention is focused on domestic, rather than international, events. Even when

affects countries directly can be important in certain situations, some find that it is not the appropriate approach to take towards the rest of the world. “We should try and pay more attention to what’s happening in other countries, even if it might not directly affect us,” junior Lily Jin said.

The media, the most accessible and often the only source of information on foreign nations, has the power to spread knowledge and discourage stereotypes. “Lack of

PHOTO COURTESY OF VLADY GUTTENBERG

RM’s National Chinese Honor Society aims to spread awareness about Chinese culture. international affairs are discussed, it is only about issues that directly affect the president and the American people. “I usually see Syria, Russia, China and a lot of European countries with a lot of refugees,” sophomore Ananya Krishnan said. “I don’t really see much of South America, Africa, and Asia.”

Though focusing specifically on what

media coverage encourages the spread of misinformation and misconceptions about other people,” Jin said.

Krishnan agreed, citing media as a primary source for intercultural understanding. “I think the problem is not who, but how countries are being portrayed,” she said.

Part of the reason for the lack of media

coverage of other countries is people’s lack of interest. Though the media’s purpose is to inform the public, media companies often gear their stories towards the public’s priorities.

With a 70 percent total minority enrollment as of the 2016-2017 school year, RM students are interested in a large variety of countries.

“Where we’re from, I think I see the most [media coverage], like India,” Fahim said. Although India may not be the main focus of American media outlets right now, students like Fahim actively look for news about the countries they have ties to, or are interested in.

Jin shared a similar opinion. “If all the news sets covering China are just about them being bad and terrible, that stereotype that all Chinese people are terrible is going to start spreading in America,” she said.

To counteract limited media coverage, a desire to express and popularize the truth can be seen across RM, including its clubs. The most recent update of the RM club list includes over ten different clubs celebrating different cultures and heritages, addressing specific backgrounds or a variety of cultures.

Some examples include the African Student Association, which meets to learn about and discuss the different cultures of Africa. The World Culture Club focuses on the different aspects of cultures around the globe. National Chinese Honor Society celebrates Chinese holidays and members tutor students in Chinese.

“We’re in a very global world, where everything is really interconnected,” Jin said. “Important things are happening everywhere, [but] the media doesn’t cover a lot of things that aren’t related to America.”

The diverse interests of the students at RM hope to achieve a more thorough and accurate media coverage of foreign nations in the future.

Students reflect on legislation in different countries

by Robyn Fohouo RM students are influenced by the laws created by the three branches of American government. Every day, laws dictate what students can or cannot do. In other countries, however, these laws are different, highlighting the impact culture has on society.

On July 17, 1984, the National Minimum Drinking Age Act withheld up to ten percent of highway funds from any state that refused to raise the minimum drinking age to 21. The negative health impacts of alcohol are well known, and many believe that teenagers are unable to properly handle alcohol.

“It makes sense scientifically with the development of the brain,” an anonymous

sophomore said. “People really shouldn’t be ingesting large amounts of alcohol until probably 25, not 21. I like the fact that you can’t drink alcohol until the age of 21.”

The sophomore was offered wine at a restaurant in France. In France, one must be 18 years or older to purchase alcohol, but it is considered acceptable for teenagers to drink under adult supervision.

There is far less stigma associated with drinking in France than in America. Wine is a huge source of pride in France. Parents often introduce wine to their children before they come of age, as it is a sign of being cultured. In the U.S., on the other hand, alcohol is typically associated with teenage rebellion and illness.

Spain, like France, has made it legal for those 18 years and older to drink alcohol.

Even so, those younger than 18 can drink at a restaurant if accompanied by an adult

GRAPHIC BY ALISA GAO

that approves. Additionally, it is culturally acceptable to drink at a younger age, as long as it is not too much.

“I enjoyed typical Spanish drinks as in Tinto de verano and Sangria. If you drink these while you’re there, it’s not weird because they don’t have that much alcohol in them. So at my age, it’s fine,” an anonymous senior said. “When you travel to different countries, it’s nice experiencing a unique culture and various ways of life, with special milestones occurring at different ages.”

On the other hand, the anonymous sophomore believes that the drinking age should be lowered and the driving age raised, so that by the time people learn how to drive they will already know how to drink responsibly.

Legislation regarding the Kinder Egg is also a source of ire for many Americans that love the chocolate candy. In 1938, the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act placed an embargo on any foods that concealed nonnutritive objects, including Kinder Eggs.

The logic behind this was that hidden items are choking hazards for children.

Kinder Eggs have many warning labels on the package and contain toys that are often too big to accidentally swallow. The National Post of Canada reported that about 60,000 Kinder eggs were confiscated at the U.S.-Canada border in 2011, with some people being detained and receiving up to $1,200 per egg in fines.

“I was in France, specifically Paris ,[and] I ate a Kinder Egg,” the anonymous sophomore said. “I do think they should be legal here because they’re very delicious and very fun. Maybe after five years of age you should be able to eat them.”

Laws surrounding cigarette usage also differ between countries. Hookahs are instruments used to smoke flavored

tobacco, and while they are legal in America, it is illegal for minors to use them.

“I smoked a hookah. It was great, and tasted like chocolate,” an anonymous junior said. “It is just water vapor so it doesn’t necessarily harm you as much as cigarettes.”

“When you travel to different countries, it’s nice experiencing a unique culture and various ways of life, with special milestones occurring at different ages.”

This student smoked in Iran, and he believes that hookahs are a healthy alternative to cigarettes. It has been proven that smoking tobacco through a water filter does not reduce the amount of toxins, and that smoking a hookah for about 3060 minutes is the equivalent of smoking a pack of cigarettes.

In the U.S., it is illegal for anyone under 18 to possess tobacco. There are also many countries that have laws that ban things that are allowed in America, like civilians owning guns.

The practices of drinking, smoking and eating Kinder eggs are better received in other countries compared to the U.S. However, the laws of each country reflect their unique values and traditions, providing new and interesting experiences for travelers.

The Tide

STYLE

May 2017

11

Ways to spend your money wisely AP Season

by Helena Yang For many of us, holding cash or a credit card in our hands can be incredibly exciting. But before you splurge on candy or a new shirt, take some time to consider the implications of your spending and to reasonably budget your money.

As a teenager who does not make her own money, I never realistically managed money until I went on a four-day trip to Washington D.C. without the comfort and security of my parents. I needed to bring money for eight meals. With each meal being roughly under $10, I really only needed about $80-$90. My mom gave me over $200—about half for food and half for emergencies.

Even though the most I should have spent on meals was $100 total, I walked away from the trip with only $30. That begs the question: where did all the money go?

For starters, there were many restaurants around my hotel. Each one was vastly different and offered a variety of meals at different quantities and prices. I went to several restaurants, and each taught me a new skill on how to better spend my money.

One of the biggest mistakes I made on the trip was constantly buying from places that did not offer well-priced or sufficiently filling meals. For example, although Starbucks sells baked goods and sandwiches, Starbucks is relatively expensive compared to other restaurants.

Their “meals” are generally meant to accompany a cup of coffee, and are not enough when eaten alone. I overspent on Starbucks not because the quality was lacking, but because I treated it as a standard restaurant when it was not.

The other restaurants in the area that

primarily sold food were much more satisfying. I would not say that they were cheap, but they had better prices than Starbucks. When you buy something, you should look for places that specialize in that item. They will usually have the best prices and highest quality, in contrast to restaurants that sell the item as a side.

Buying too much food was also a problem. Sometimes, the price for a meal was definitely worth it, but the quantity was too much for one person. For instance,

GRAPHIC BY ALISA GAO

I could not finish the whole pizza that I bought for $8 at &Pizza, but if I had split it with a friend, then we would have both saved money and reduced waste.

From this experience, I learned that it is crucial to understand the quantity that you need, and to not buy too much of it. Having a surplus of one thing can result in just as many problems as an unsatisfying bargain would.

However, the most important, and the most dangerous, thing that I discovered on the trip was that just the knowledge that I had more than enough money to spend led me to buy more than I usually would.

In circumstances where I would normally only buy a main meal, I found myself spending extra on drinks and snacks as well. While there is nothing wrong with treating yourself once in a while, it is one thing to spend extra occasionally, and another to overspend constantly without consequence.

Because I had a surplus of money, I also splurged on souvenirs. I originally had not planned to buy anything other than food on the trip, but I felt that I could afford to use money I had saved for only emergencies.

Unfortunately for me, the souvenirs in D.C. happened to be even more overpriced than the Starbucks meals. Foolishly, I did not buy out of necessity, but rather due to a fleeting sentiment and an urge to spend.

As a way to counter this problem after the trip, I now set a day-by-day budget for myself when I have to manage a large amount of money. I found that if you can clearly see the amounts that you spend, then you would be less likely to overspend even though you have extra. Budgeting can also help control spontaneous splurges and save backup money for emergencies.

I do not appreciate the haphazard ways I spent my money during my visit to D.C., to say the least. But these splurges taught me invaluable lessons on how to best manage my money, and especially large amounts of it.

Every person learns to save money in different ways, and the lessons are all valid.

Looking for good quality and quantity and resisting the urge to overspend were the lessons that I learned. By being aware of how you spend money, you will also be constantly discovering methods that work for you.

Next time you are tempted to buy that $10 dollar coffee, be sure to weigh all your options. But whatever you choose, remember to spend wisely.

COMIC BY VIVIAN YEH

Uber and Lyft expand their market to RM students

by Kaylen Pak Without the constant presence of taxis found in bustling cities, people in Md. and other suburban areas have to find a different way to get around. They often turn to other forms of transportation, such as their own cars, buses and bikes. Now, companies like Uber and Lyft provide similar services to taxis to suburban residents.

Uber and Lyft, founded in 2009 and 2012 respectively, are two of the most popular “ride-sharing” companies in the US. The concept is simple: request a ride on the app and pay the drivers through a linked bank account. Their apps also offer car-tracking services for those who are anxious about letting a stranger drive them around.

For those who want a more detailed process, passengers can choose which kind of car service they would like to request on the app, then plug in their location and destination addresses. The app then alerts the car confirmation, and provides the driver’s name, car type and license plate number while also displaying the driver’s route and estimated time of arrival.

Afterwards, passengers and drivers rate each other, providing an incentive to be polite customers and drivers.

Customers often place requests for oneway trips, such as to catch a flight or to meet up with a far away relative. People also use these services when parking is scarce so that they can be conveniently dropped off, like for events such as ComicCon and Black Friday. In crowded cities, using Uber or Lyft is just as viable of an option as calling a taxi.

While their market originally targeted businesspeople, both companies have

expanded to a designated driver service, providing last-minute rides for teens with busy parents, as well as regular transportation for RM students. “For a while, I couldn’t drive and I had practices early in the morning and my parents worked, so Uber was really just the easiest thing to get around with,” junior Amy Gersten said.

As part of a relatively small industry, Uber and Lyft have been fierce rivals for a long time. Both companies focus on providing the most appealing services in order to attract more customers.

Cost-wise, Uber and Lyft are very similar, but rates vary in different cities between the two companies. Times with high demand, like New Year’s Eve, also drive up prices.

Both companies offer unique services to their passengers. Uber has economy and premium options for their car and carpooling services. Their premium service, UberX, takes the rider directly to their desired location, but has a higher cost.

Users can also choose UberPOOL, where riders join others going in the same general direction.

Lyft offers four choices of rides to users.

Lyft Line is similar to UberPOOL. Lyft is the most widely used option, where riders are matched with nearby drivers. Lyft Plus allows for a larger car for more passengers, and Lyft Premier matches riders with a luxury car.

On Uber and Lyft car rides, drivers frequently chat with passengers to create a more comfortable atmosphere. “It usually just depends on the driver,” sophomore Mines Arteche said. “It’s different for different people.”

However, some students would rather peacefully enjoy their ride in silence. “I find

that Lyft drivers are more professional,” junior Jude Jones said. “Uber drivers want to talk to you and start a conversation, and I feel like that’s probably what the company tells them to do. But at the same time, it’s weird if you don’t know them or if you’re just trying to do something on your phone.”

While these services are popular in Maryland, the majority of people are still more inclined to use public transit and school buses. School buses are free and some public buses offer free rides to high school students.

“Comparing the costs of an Uber and free school buses, it’s more worth it to take the school bus,” freshman Jonah Chuang

said. Many people seem to only use Uber or Lyft when their usual transportation is unavailable.

Use of these ride-sharing services varies from state to state. “It’s definitely an uppermiddle class thing,” Gersten said. “We live in a relatively more wealthy county than the rest of the U.S., so of course it’s normal for us to see something like that. In other places, it’s probably not the norm to go out of your way and order a special, private car instead of taking public transport.”

Although people hold diverse opinions on Uber and Lyft, the ride-sharing industry is rapidly-evolving nonetheless, providing more convenient transportation options for students.

PHOTO BY EMILY CHEN

Students use Uber and Lyft to go home from school or extracurricular clubs and sports.

12

The Tide

CENTERSPREAD

May 2017 GRAPH

IC B Y V IV IA N

The Tide

CENTERSPREAD

To Lydia: Give it your all, don’t waste too much time on Netflix, create something you’re proud of, stand up for yourself Becca

YEH

Go crazy

Raphi Rose

Biggest advice for my under class men is, remember that your teachers are people too!

So think about things from their perspective before you say or do something.

Ornelle Fonkoua To Zion, give me my $10 Take gym every semester. It helps destress from actual classes.

Amit Koppel

It’s not the end.

June

To the rising seniors: Take a mental picture of every moment. When your friend laughs, when your teacher smiles, when you’re singing “Party in the USA” at the top of your lungs on the track... take a mental picture. Put the phones away and stay present. Memories last, Instagram doesn’t.

Isabel Knudson It is not impossible to write your EE or any IA overnight. I would know.

Anonymous

To Veronica Engelen, you have so much light in you that the plants grow towards you. I’ll make sure to drop off some Taco Bell for you once in awhile. I’m so lucky to have crossed paths with you this year you’ve showed me new ways to stay happy and show acts of kindness. BTW thanks for understanding why I would always stay up late to watch Shameless.

Lesly Lima To Comrade Hu, I am sad to leave RM without witnessing a great awakening of revolutionary consciousness, despite the untapped potential that lies dormant. Nevertheless, it is that potential and my faith in you that allows me to leave without regret. I leave behind my fervor, my dedication, and my vision for a better future. And, most importantly, I leave the 7th of November to you.

Comrade Zhao To Andrew Mao, the remnants of the chess team are yours. With my departure, you can finally assume the mantle of best chess player at RM. Jerry Wu Iron and blood.

Otto von Bismarck

To my sister and my little ducklings, keep up the pit orchestra spirit and traditions alive! To Ilana, you are so brilliant and have so much potential, keep working hard and you will be proud in the end. To everyone else, take classes you enjoy rather than AP, IB, or more difficult classes that look good on your college resume. Trust me…taking Environmental Science instead of Chemistry was one of the best decisions of my life.

Isabella Paternostro Work hard, you won’t regret it later.

Marie Silue

Take it from a girl who’s stressed out about everything and just relax. Everything will turn out fine in the end, I promise. To my field hockey girls, enjoy every moment you’ve got, because it all ends too fast. Don’t let anyone compromise your final year, and don’t fight amongst yourselves, love each other. You’re the support system you all need. To my junior friends, good luck next year. Learn to love Ms. Wall if you don’t already.

Reet Goraya To all the rising seniors, your back-to-school supply list for next year: Tylenol A skip year, rather than a skip day A good night’s sleep Listening to audiobooks on 1.5 speed Alarms at 2 min intervals, making the snooze button slightly ineffective Giant headphones, for blocking out questions such as “where are you going next year” or “what do you want to do with your life” Sofia Bhalwani To Ellie, you probably won’t graduate.

Joey Moore

To everyone who will be in high school next year, it is both all the time in the world and no time at all. My advice is to do anything and everything, and know it will all eventually somehow work out.

Tihitina Aytenfisu 4 out of 5 days is good enough

Anonymous

To Sara, I leave hot chocolate croissants and Starbucks. To Kit, I leave bird puns and a danger noodle shield. To Shiri and Juliana, I leave the makeup crew. I know you’ll take good care of it. I love you all. To Rachel, I leave a first aid kit, all my support, and all the love a mother can give.

Gabi Scott To Kate, I leave you costumes. Don’t get too stressed over Flo, and make sure you color code like there’s no tomorrow. To Alina, I leave you the salt cave. I’m sure you will have no trouble maintaining it. To all the Black Maskers, keep at it. I have never seen so much talent and love within a group of people. To every IB student who still has the chance to change what HLs they take, chemistry isn’t for everyone.

Bethel Afful

Procrastination isn’t that bad.

David Ramarni

To Roni, I leave you the second stall in the 3rd floor math hallway bathroom. Protect it with your life! Kill it senior year, love you.

Gaby Phillips Don’t skip school.

Carlos

To my cheer babies: you will succeed wherever you find yourselves. You’re too talented not to.

To my Africans: let’s continue to make our parents proud. make me proud, abeg.

To my track team: I’m passing the stick to you. Kick.

To Jennifer Rat: I’ll miss you the most.

Dara Sontan To Maya: I leave you half of running crew, and left wing. Don’t forget the ice cream cakes, have fun running through the vents, and good luck with the charts!

Christina Damiani Work Hard

Zaire

To the wrestling team, I leave behind the log workouts a la my freshman year. Don’t worry, they’ll be back. Thank Chhiring!

Henry Blackburn To Sophie and Rachel - I leave you my motivation since I lost it at the beginning of this year. I love you both!

To the best field hockey team - I leave you my playing time. Don’t forget to walk some of those neighborhood “runs”.

To all the IB juniors who decided that taking IB chemistry was a good idea—I leave you my periodic table and my prayer jar. Good luck, you’ll need it.

Caroline Nesbit First of all I’d like to thank all of the amazing teachers I’ve had over these past 4 years for helping me in innumerable ways.

Advice: actually read the books assigned for English class! They’re all insightful in their own unique ways.

RM Volleyball, continue to kick butt!

Shoutouts to Eli Horn Jack English To the rising seniors: 1. Go to the game or the play. Netflix will still be there but those experiences won’t.

2. You don’t have to watch The Bachelor alone. Hang out with your friends on school nights.

3. Make your friends’ birthdays a big deal. It may be the last time you’re all together for it.

Mona Lee When I’m gone, it’ll be all up to you guys to plaster the school with poorly drawn guinea pigs. Don’t disappoint me.

Aidan

Zavier

To Guppy, I leave angry rants about nothing, my idiot family, and the endless pain of Junior and Senior Year. Don’t touch my car.

To Chhiring, I leave the loose collection of idiots called the wrestling team, Steve’s phone, John being extremely ignorant, Will’s haircut, and Baiquini trying and failing to be cool.

Ben Fishman It’ll all be okay

Angelina Santi

To my baby bonito and ducklings, Keep the pit orchestra traditions alive for me and seniors past! Always clean up the pit and WATCH. It has been an honor being close to you all over these past few years, thank you! Make pit orchestra a blast instead of a chore.

Isie (aka Momma Duck) Alice - you’ll always be a lesser version of me. Never forget that!

Marjorie Long (incandescent, professional-quality soprano) Get the grade, show up late

Anonymous

Stop procrastinating, orginzation and being on time is key to success. You don’t want to be held back and look at others succed. Do your best and try your hardest! Take advantage of all the opportunities we have in RM. Julie Estrella To Liza & Natalie & Lucia, Remember not to peak in high school.

Especially you, Lucia.

Cam Aaron

To Sue & Sherry: uphold the SERT legacy! (You can do it!) To the soccer team: please go laser tagging in my honor :) To the new Diverse Voices leaders: keep our school woke! To RM staff, especially my club sponsors & counselor: thank you for everything!

I will forever be grateful of your lessons and support. To RM students, continue making RM a safe, exciting place for everyone. Stay strong!

Summer Oh Alex and Tiffany: we leave booth in your capable hands. To lighting: take good care of the gaff ball and don’t melt the floor. To sound: don’t repatch during a show take care of the aquarium tubing. To Mr Rodney: we leave our undying gratitude for your teaching and your trust. Much love.

Salory To Alythia and Jason: Start your essays in the summer, I beg of you.

Joseph Li

Make sure you know why you’re working so hard. Don’t stress yourself over things that aren’t important. You’ll learn when you get older that some things really don’t matter. One B will not you kill you. Just enjoy your four years of high school. It’ll pass by a lot faster than you thought Sophie

May 2017

To the boys volleyball teamYou guys are all still freshman to me.

13

Dad

It’s the last goodbye

Alifa

To Corinne, Louisa, Grace, Sooah, Steven and the rest, I leave you the best music program in the state. Keep taking risks and trying new things, be it by playing crazy contemporary music or by choosing to make music a part of your l;ife in a world that often tells you not to. Never forget the reason you love your instrument and the reason you work for what you do. To Rosie, Magali, Russell, I leave a record of the worst academic work ethic...of all time. Don’t stress too much, hard work is a good thing and life is good when you focus on the big picture. To Evelyn, Meaghan, and Hannah, I leave pit. ‘Nuff said. Yeet on three. Pit is a fam, remember that it’s okay to force people into feeling the team spirit. And to Tyler, I leave...wait never mind somehow you’re graduating. I thought based on your age you were a junior. My bad Camilo Gonzalez-Sol Senior year is the best year. Survive and advance.

Alec Hall

Don’t procrastinate

Kayla Aza

To Julia: avenge Holia. To Kunal: my senior superlative.

Holly Shan

To the members of Anime Club I leave behind, I enjoyed being your President this year, I’m glad we were able to do a lot of fun things together, and make new friends in the club. I hope Neo and Erika will be able to continue Club into next year and maybe even beyond that, like I and the past alumni have done. Just try not to burn down the classroom while I’m gone.

Min Oo I advise mastering the resting salty face so that underclassmen go around you in the hallways Paloma Zegarra Schmidt Experimenting is good lol trust DJ.

DJ

The high of turning in your applications at 11:58PM is not worth it. Start early or you’ll regret it until decisions come out.

Anonymous Dear Jimmie who attended RM four years ago, No Cheyenne and I were not dating. But thank you for your interest. We are just really weird and way too close.

And to Cheyenne, I still dislike you.

Aneeta Mathur-Ashton Party Hard

Jean

Thanks for four years, twelve shows, and one huge family, drama. I love you lighting!

I leave booth to booth <3 Anwesha Moitra I leave my E3s and my outstanding obligation for Encuentros Maravillosos to Kidest Hailie. Also there’s a Charming Charlie coupon in my locker the combo is 28-6-28 Mekala Rajagopal Treat these years like the best of your life, and they just may be.

S. Zahedian

To Isabella: I leave you half of running crew, and right wing. Don’t forget the spike tape, enjoy the Furniture Tetris, and always ‘trot till you drop’. To all of the Black Maskers, keep being amazing :) Jessica Gillcrist To Science OlympiadThis club has honestly given me so much over the past 4 years, and I only wish that I could continue with all of the team members next year, but I guess I gotta leave sometime.

Ananya, Angela, Emily, Rosie, Eric, and Juliet—thanks for making this year special and putting up with my jokes, and good luck next year! (Especially with Helicopters lol) Tina O. Don’t believe people when they say money does not buy happiness...it buys you the things that make you happy.

Nebeyou J Esayas Remember to be kind to others, it will take you far in life and we all need it in our lives.

Anonymous To the Senior Class that follows after me, Cherish your Senior Year and put your best faith and effort into everything you do... until 2nd Semester hits ;) All jokes aside, work hard and play harder.Spend every second doing something that makes you a better person, friend or student.

Vanessa Barnes RM Robotics Juniors, I will offer the following advice: Outreach People: Mentor other MCPS high school teams. They will repay you with MoCoFIRST. Programming People: Build a demo-bot. Please.

Mechanics People: Show those mentor-driven teams who runs Maryland.

Vivek: Modesty, dear god…

Ryan Utz

PHOTO COURTESY OF LIFETOUCH GRAPHICS BY ALISA GAO

14

The Tide

LA MAREA

Mayo del 2017

Los brasileros: nuestros vecinos La discriminación en las fronteras y en las escuelas involuntaria diaria por Emily Vasquez La comunidad latina en Richard Montgomery es tremenda, con varios estudiantes representando países hispanohablantes.

La diversidad en latinoamérica es tan abundante, quizás es común voltear el ojo al quinto país más grande en el mundo: Brasil. No importa si “fala portugués” o “habla español,” los brasileros son latinos y están presentes.

Para muchos estudiantes que emigran a los Estados Unidos, no es fácil adaptarse al nuevo ambiente. “Fue muy difícil para mí porque no había mucha diversidad y había muchos estadounidenses,” dice Jennifer Alves, estudiante de duodécimo grado.

Pero para algunos, se les hace más fácil adaptarse a los Estados Unidos, como a Thalita de Araujo Medeiros, estudiante de duodécimo grado, “la diferencia principal es que en Brasil, todo el mundo es mucho más amigable, sabemos saludar a la gente abrazándonos y besándonos en su mejilla.”

Al respeto, Ligia Vaz Pol en décimo grado dijo: “Me acostumbré al simple acto de abrazar a alguien que acababa de conocer y cuando llegué aquí

me digo ‘oh espera’ y les doy diferente con diferentes la mano.” Muchos Latinos que estudiantes. Por ejemplo, “No crecen en pueblos son como pasamos por las mismas luchas una gran familia, casi todos se y no hablamos el mismo idioma, conocen. Pero en los Estados así que no podemos Unidos es muy diferente, relacionarnos muchos ni mucho,” dijo siquiera también de se acercan Carvalho.

Lo p a r a que también abrazar pasa es que no a un todos sienten lo extraño. mismo de sus H a y experiencias. una gran Unos pueden similitud con sentir que es bien difícil la cultura del dejar su casa, amigos y pueblo donde GRAFICO POR ALISA GAO familia. Pero otros lo todos se conocen ven como un nuevo sin mucha pena. Hay más capítulo en sus vidas y no pueden privacidad en los Estados Unidos, esperar a estar en un lugar nuevo, y las relaciones no son igual de tener nuevas experiencias y profundas. En Brasil es todo a nuevos amigos. lo contrario, “éramos como una Vaz Pol también explicó, “ gran familia,”dice Alves sobre sus siempre es agradable aprender amistades que han durado más sobre culturas diferentes y tener de 7 años. una mente abierta.” Las diferentes Laura de Carvalho estudiante experiencias de todos los de duodécimo grado dijo, sobre estudiantes no son exactamente Rio de Jainero, “en mi ciudad, iguales pero en ciertas formas todo está rodeado por la playa tienen muchas cosas en común. y siempre se puede oler el No importa si emigras de Brasil, océano.” ¿Quién no quisiera El Salvador, México, Colombia, o comprar un boleto a Brasil e ir de la patria que seas, siempre es de vacaciones con su familia? importante recordar que puedes Muchos estudiantes extrañan a llegar y contar tu historia a el ambiente y el clima de su pais personas que tienen las mismas nativo. experiencias y hacer amigos tras Siempre hay una perspectiva eso.

¿Debe ESOL aceptar a los adultos? por Jean Espinosa Montgomery County fue azotada por un acto de violación en Rockville High School el 28 de marzo. Este evento aumentó la estigma negativa sobre inmigrantes ilegales latinos come una comunidad repugnante y nociva, ya que dos estudiantes latinos de 18 y 17 años cometieron este crimen contra una niña de 14 años.

Además, de acuerdo a un correo mandado por el Director Monteleone, Montgomery County tuvo que aumentar la seguridad en las escuelas después de haber recibido amenazas de ataques de odio contra latinos en varias escuelas.

Entre estas críticas una pregunta destacó sobre el sistema: ¿qué hacían mayores de edad en eL mismo salon que una niña de 14 años? Hay casos donde los inmigrantes tienen que repetir grados que el colegio ofrece ya que los inmigrantes no tienen la educación necesaria para seguir adelante. A causa de este proceso muchos adolescentes de 18 a 21 años todavía se encuentran en la preparatoria.

Esta es la situación del estudiante de duodécimo grado, Claros Christian de 21 años, que trata de pasar a pesar de estar retrasado en el sistema. “Creo que para estudiar no tiene que haber edad, todos necesitamos aprender algo en la vida. Me siento privilegiado de estar estudiando en la escuela Richard Montgomery, hay un buen de número de gente latina que pone de su parte para superarse,“ dijo

Christian.

A pesar de que los adultos sean acomodados con adolescentes, esto no justifica los cursos de acción de los acusados. Hay muchos inmigrantes que vienen a los Estados Unidos a superarse en la vida, y en busca del ‘sueño americano’. Entristece ver que un grupo sea juzgado por una acción mala.

Casi siempre los nuevos inmigrantes jóvenes son puestos en el programa de ESOL, tal como es para Christian, y los acusados José y Henry. En ESOL los inmigrantes van a aprender el inglés desde cero, y los coordinadores les van a impedir que tomen clases difíciles ya que los estudiantes no saben suficiente.

Este sistema para nuevos inmigrantes es para ayudarlos, a pesar de que suene muy

consejera de ESOL en RM, sugirió mejorar el sistema. “Creo que es nuestro deber ofrecer educación a estudiantes internacionales,” ella dice, “necesitamos un sistema más avanzado que nos ayude a decidir y analizar si en realidad un mayor edad necesita estar en una clase con menores de edad.”

Hay fe que Montgomery County va a tomar las acciones requeridas para evitar que este crimen ocurra otra vez. Este problema ilumina soluciones para mejorar el programa de ESOL que puede ayudar a la comunidad de inmigrantes de RM a alcanzar sus metas.

El debate sobre el sistema de educación y seguridad va a resumir por semanas. Hay fe que Montgomery County va tomar las acciones requeridas para evitar que este crimen ocurra otra vez.

A la misma vez, el condado no

FOTO POR FATMA ELSAYED

Los estudiantes congregandose en el corredor afuera de las aulas de ESOL. alentador. La ley federal dice se debería de olvidar de la razón que no se le puede obstruir la por la cual mayores de edad se educación pública a personas de aprovecharon de una adolescente.

5 a 21 años.

Este problema ilumina Algunas personas piensan soluciones para mejorar que los adultos no deberían el programa de ESOL que de ser colocadas en el mismo pueden ayudar a la comunidad salón que una persona menor de de inmigrantes de Richard edad, pero Lekishia Stewart, la Montgomery alcanzar sus metas.

por Peter Jasperse

Trump, la discriminación voluntaria e involuntaria a aumentado. Su campaña puso gran énfasis en la erradicación de inmigración ilegal y mencionó muchas veces que los inmigrantes hispanos son criminales. “Muchas personas están diciendo que vamos a ser deportados,” dice Alana Muñoz, una estudiante de primer décimo grado. “Mucha gente nos tiene miedo por todas las cosas negativas que el ha dicho sobre los latinos.”

La campaña de Trump tenía un gran énfasis en la erradicación de inmigración ilegal, y ha dicho muchas veces que inmigrantes hispanos son criminales. A pesar no tener evidencia de que inmigrantes hispanos cometen crímenes en altas números de ciudadanos regulares, el siguió usando inmigrantes indocumentados para promover su agenda.

Muchos latinoamericanos sienten que la retórica de Presidente Trump ha causado un aumento en la discriminación involuntaria hacia los hispanohablantes. “Donald Trump dice lo que quiere, entonces la gente piensa que puede decir cualquier cosa ignorante y racista, porque piensan que están enfrentandose y rebatiendo la cultura de lo correcto

Hay algunas situaciones demasiadas comunes para muchos latinoamericanos que otras personas no pudieran imaginar. Parece que ser latino es recibir preguntas inevitables sobre su patria, su estado de inmigración, y su inteligencia.

No importa si alguien nació o a ha vivido en Estados Unidos por toda su vida, para algunas personas alguien así es diferente.

Una encuesta publicada por Gallup en el 2015 reportó que 25% de los latinoamericanos se sentían que habían sido discriminados a causa de su etnia el mes pasado. Sin embargo, muchas veces, la discriminación hacia los latinoamericanos no es deliberada. En estos casos, se llama discriminación involuntaria.

Maria Solernou, maestra de español en Richard Montgomery, ha vivido en los Estados Unidos p o r cuarenta a ñ o s . “ [ L o s casos de discriminación involuntaria] son los que no nos damos cuenta,” GRÁFICO POR CINDY SONG ella dijo.

No siempre nos damos cuenta políticamente,” Irene cuando han ocurrido. Para la Sra. Guggenheim-Triana, una Solernou, ella ve discriminación estudiante colombiana del décimo frecuentemente contra estudiantes grado, dijo. de países latinoamericanos.

Una solución para evitar la Sra. Solernou opina que existe discriminación es enseñar a los discriminación frecuentemente jóvenes sobre la historia y la hacia estudiantes de países diversidad de la cultura latina. latinoamericanos.

“He visto Guggenheim-Triana explicó, algún maestro no exige lo mismo “en mi clase de historia no de sus estudiantes, porque está aprendemos casi nada sobre pensando que tiene que trabajar la historia latinoamericana y o que no tiene la misma base africana. Hay que aprender más académica que tienen los otros sobre culturas diferentes a las de estudiantes. He visto casos nuestra sociedad.” específicos en que, en una clase Sin lugar a dudas, un con muchos hispanohablantes, gran desafío que impide las reglas de la clase no son tan conversaciones sobre este tema es estrictas,” Sra. Solernou dijo. el hecho de que algunas personas Para otros latinoamericanos, piensan que la discriminación son sujetos a la discriminación involuntaria no existe o que es involuntaria simplemente cuando una reacción exagerada. Debemos hablan español. “Cuando salgo progresar hacia una nacion sin con mi familia y empiezo a hablar discriminación involuntaria para español, la gente nos mira como si unir el país. fuéramos diferentes solo porque Por eso, Diana Flores, del hablamos un idioma diferente,” noveno grado, dijo que “una de Elisbana Acosta, una estudiante las cosas más importantes sería del décimo primer, explicó. empezar con el apoyo de personas Experiencias como estas revelan que ven este tema como algo las connotaciones negativas que malo.” Para ella, el primer paso siempre están asociadas con los es aceptar que la discriminación hispanohablantes. involuntaria es un problema que También, la discriminación merece atención. involuntaria ocurre cuando algún Es imposible decir si la latinoamericano no encaja con la discriminación involuntaria imagen que otras personas tienen hacia latinoamericanos puede ser de los latinos. Ashly Lemos- erradicada completamente, pero Toro, una estudiante de primer muchos siguen esperanzadas. décimo grado, es frecuentemente “Cuando yo llegué a los Estados confundida con un afroamericana Unidos, pues, la gente no sabía a causa de su piel oscura. Muchos la geografía, me preguntaron si intentan negar a Lemos-Toro yo había venido de Cuba en tren como latina. “He pensado en Todo eso ha cambiado mucho,” tomar un examen de ADN, yo no dijo la Sra. Solernou. “Yo siempre debería sentir esta presión para me siento positiva… esperanzas demostrar mi etnia a los demás,” de que todo eso solamente es una ella dijo. fase, que vamos a superarla, y Desafortunadamente desde la que vamos a terminar siendo una elección del Presidente Donald comunidad más unida.”

The Tide

ADVERTISEMENTS

May 2017

15

16

The Tide

May 2017

ARTS

Behind the scenes of ‘The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later’

by Amalia Sulk In 1998, the Tectonic Theater Project travelled to a small town known as Laramie, Wyoming for a theater project on community reactions to the recent Matthew Shepard murder. Shepard, a student at the University of Wyoming, was the victim of a homophobic hate crime. Later, they compiled interviews from residents, diary entries from company members, and court transcripts from the murder trial into a play called “The Laramie Project.”

In 2008, members of the theater group returned to Laramie to learn how views had changed ten years later. “‘Ten Years Later’ talks about the long-term effects of the murder, and how things have changed over time, legally, and socially,” junior Kate McHale, costumes crew chief, said.

Ten years after the incident, many residents were still shocked that something like this could happen in their town, and others refused to believe that it was even a hate crime. “There’s a big debate on whether the incident was a hate crime or whether it was something else, like drugrelated,” junior Shaina Evans, sound crew chief, explained.

The show is unique in that, unlike previous Black Maskers plays, “Ten Years Later” is a documentary show, put together from real interviews. “You get to see people put their own voice into this narrative and really try to explain from their perspective how their society works,” senior Max Moss said, who is an assistant director along with junior Rachel Herman.

“It’s really strange knowing that it’s not just a story that someone made up. This happened, this is exactly what they said, this is exactly what they thought,” McHale said.

The documentary aspect gives the words more gravity, but also creates more

of thinking about acting to get at that,” Moss explained. Actors spent a lot of times in rehearsal working on character development and deciding how they were going to create a clear contrast between their characters.

Senior Noah Montemarano, who plays

PHOTO BY LEIA COHEN

“The Laramie Project” cast perform a last minute rehearsal of a scene on stage. challenges for the cast, who need to juggle characters such as Tectonic Theater Project multiple, often contrasting, roles at once. member Greg Pierotti and one of the “It adds this dimension of complexity two men convicted of the crime, Russell to the actors’ roles as members of the cast, Henderson, said that one of the challenges which is a really fun thing to experiment actors faced was trying to accurately with, to try new exercises and new ways differentiate between their multiple

characters. “You wanted to change your voice, but it was really hard not to make certain people a caricature, because you’d have this character and you’d think ‘Oh well, they’re angry all the time’ but then there’d be a scene where they’re sad or there’d be a scene where they’re happy, so all the characters were pretty well rounded,” Montemarano said.

Crews also faced new challenges as part of a multi-media show. “I think the music definitely was something that was kind of different and new for us, just because of how much the music played a role in setting the mood for the show,” Evans said.

Music was used throughout to emphasize certain scenes and create tone.

Along with music, costumes also played an integral part in lending the play authenticity. “The show should feel like it could happen anywhere,” McHale explained. To achieve this, actors wore denim and black, which gave the sense that Laramie could be any small town in America.

In order for the show to run smoothly, the cast and crew have to balance their responsibilities. “It’s really put a lot of emphasis on this idea of coordinating the creative vision of the show across the board,” Moss said.

The multimedia aspect helped convey the serious message of the show, and cast and crew alike worked to make the play feel accessable to the audience. Students felt that the play was both relevant and held an important message. “The show does a good job to emphasize that everyone’s a person, everyone has a fundamental conscience,” Montemarano said.

tidal: solve to test your knowledge of rm culture ACROSS: 1.They read your texts but never respond 4. Drawn-out expression of pain 7. Monogram for agent Dana Scully’s actress 10. Outdated emails 11. Able to endure hardship 13. HHGGFF ____ 15. Support this newspaper?

18. Charged particle 19. Musician’s wife whose name sounds like an expression of worry 20. Very busy, to Wang 21. Heatedly debates over 23. Lieutenant’s underclassman, briefly 24. Snake sound 25. __ Grissom, 2nd American to fly in space 26. Where to find Popeye 30. Head or tooth complaint, e.g.

32. Responsibility given to editors of this newspaper?

34. Ghost’s cry 35. Gathers 36. Wikipedia’s URL ending 37. Opposite of the essence of this newspaper?

39. ___freeze, super preservative process 40. Female given name meaning to reap or to gather 41. Attempt 42. When repeated, a popular dance move 43. Apple-patented disaster?

45. Put one’s foot down, again 48. Tearing this newspaper?

51. AP info form requirement 52. Greek expression heard at weddings or parties 53. Moving to the next section of these newspapers?

56. Hook’s right hand man 57. ___ Empires, civilization-building video game 58. Putin’s word of rejection 59. Opposite of NNE 60. What eyes do 61. Gaming console that evokes nostalgia

DOWN: 1. It’s ___ never 2. David’s weapons 3. Ending for ch-, sp-, pl, or sarc4. ___ von Bismarck, German unifier 5. Aah’s partner 6. “__kind of a classy” Aerosmith lyrics 7. “_____ Church On Time” Sinatra song 8. Princess with famous buns 9. Opposite of subn.

10. Indonesia’s locale 11.Wrongdoings 12. Expensive to the French 14. When repeated, ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) 16. Sufferings 17. May Lit. and Lang. tests 22. A Swiss Army Knife has more than one 23. Soap operas 25. Jack’s plunders from a castle in the sky 27. Promised to recolor clothing?

28. Spooky misspelling?

29. Jason’s ship 30. Border 31. Dog’s post-surgery accessory 32. “I didn’t need to know that” in texting lingo 33. First word in the RM musical of 2015 35. Prince of Liechtenstein, Hans-____ 38. Question at a car dealership, say 39. IB student experiences 42. Revolutionary musical song, “What Comes __?”

44. Incredible suit maker, ___ Mode 45. Australia’s Great Barrier ___ 46. Parrier’s implements 47. Reminiscent concern 48.

Texting shorthands meaning “I agree” 49. Some elemental endings 50. Trump’s current position, briefly 51. It’s around a foot 54. Ball starter 55. Good place to get a room

A NOTE FROM THE CREATORS: FROM AMI WONG: In the process of making this crossword, we came across words that were veritable choices for the Across words. Many words crossed my mind when thinking of clues.

However, I had to cross many words out because they were at cross purposes to the Tide (although I don’t mean to be cross with my words). Additionally, there were some words that seemed to cross the line.

Despite the many difficulties involved, I believed that our crossword’s words cross the threshold from goodness to greatness, and these words will be no cross to bear.

FROM KATIE COBB: As crossword aficionados, Ami and I had been thinking about writing a crossword puzzle ourselves for a while, so we were thrilled to create one for the Tide. Ami’s wit and mastery of the English language, combined with my knowledge of Google Sheets, enabled us to create this artisan, hand-crafted puzzle. This is the first one we’ve written, so be warned that it’s a little tricky. We’d love feedback on the puzzle, and if you do complete our brainchild, please share your completed puzzle with us!

Solutions to the crossword puzzle will be posted on thermtide.com!

ARTS

The Tide

May 2017

17

The case for Element 31 brings science to the kitchen arts at RM

by Christine Zhu

ARTS DEPARTMENT, cont. from page 1 Post, have very stable standing.

“Music is expensive,” junior Irene Guggenheim-Triana said.

“Lessons, auditions, festivals, repairs, organizations like PVYO and MCYO, etc. all cost a lot of money,” she said. “Music is limited to the rich enough as is.”

The RM arts department, as it is now, relies on student-paid lab fees each semester to pay for art supplies, preventing students from having to go out and purchase art supplies out of pocket. But even this kind of funding falls short: “[Expenses] extend almost three or four times the amount,” Ms. Stanton said.

Defunding the arts not only decreases the quality of student work, as they find themselves without the supplies necessary for producing art at a higher level, but also scraps certain projects entirely, limiting the amount of creative pursuits a student can take on.

Usually, defunding of any program happens for a reason, and President Trump hopes to increase military funding, which may hopefully go to veterans. The money under Trump’s budget proposal that may go towards defense would have a more personal impact on students if kept within the arts.

“There’s just so much to learn from [music]. I feel like that’s something you should have,” sophomore Daniel Quintanilla said.

Many students, like Quintanilla, who have been able to discover and live through the arts have come to view the arts almost as more of a necessity than just a privilege.

For junior Nadia Yanev, her abilities have given her a special kind of break from academics. “Art gives me a break because I get really busy with school and having an art class just lets me relax a bit and lets me be creative,” Yanev said.

According to the National Review, the NEA currently makes up less than one onehundredth of one percent of the federal budget. For some it has served its purpose and should be on its way out, while for others it still has a place in society. The arts community is fighting for this piece of funding, but ultimately Congress will have the final say in the fate of the NEA.

Food permeates every aspect of students’ lives, a fact that juniors Kunal Harmalkar and Josh Levy have elevated with their cooking club, Element 31. The two created Element 31 to help high schoolers develop culinary skills and explore their shared interests in food and science.

RM used to offer Nutrition Sciences, essentially a cooking class, but scrapped it so the kitchen could be transformed into computer space. Harmalkar, who wanted to take the class, was disappointed. “Kids still needed to learn to cook somehow before college and many parents, mine included, don’t have the time to teach their kids,” he said. He and Levy decided to take matters into their own hands.

“Each week, we prepare a different recipe, learning a bit about the science of cooking along the way,” Levy said. The dishes have included gazpacho, chocolate-dipped fruits and marshmallows, dumplings, stir fry, and cheese made from cashews. “I love when we make dessert things,” junior Stella Masucci, a club member, said.

However, there are challenges to running the club. “My least favorite part is paying for the ingredients. Even though Josh and I switch off on who buys the groceries, it can get expensive to bring food for all the members, and we still haven’t worked out a way to make revenue,” Harmalkar said.

“I would say the most challenging part of the club is finding the perfect recipe to bring into the club: we have to find the perfect balance between tasty, educational, and fast considering that lunch is o n l y 45 minutes long,” L e v y said. Finding

GRAPHIC BY ALISA GAO

suitable recipes is difficult, but Harmalkar has figured out how: “Usually, I’ll be inspired by Good Eats, Alton Brown’s TV

PHOTO COURTESY OF KUNAL HARMALKAR

Members of Element 31 gather to enjoy their freshly—and scientifically—made s’mores. show, which has a ton of quick and easy and always finds opportunities to bring in recipes that teach not only foundational more members,” Harmalkar said. skills but also the higher level biochemistry Ms. Azuree gives credit to Harmalkar that occurs at the molecular level,” he said. and Levy for the success of the club.

Science plays a large role in Element 31. “They have truly been wonderful; the two “The science of cooking is called molecular gentlemen in charge of it are great. They’re gastronomy, and when we were thinking very independent, they have some great of what to name the club, we noticed that ideas,” she said. She continued, “[I enjoy] Ga is short for gallium, the 31st element on watching the kids get excited about food the periodic table. We thought that was the and learning new concepts, about healthy perfect name for the club’s focus on both ways to feed themselves.” cooking and the science behind it,” Levy “My favorite part of the club is whenever said. Sometimes chemists use gallium anyone tells me that they tried something spoons to serve tea to guests, before the we taught them at home, it makes me really spoons melt in the tea due to the element happy that they’re cooking cheap, healthy, having a melting point just above room and fun food,” Harmalkar said. Similarly, temperature at 86 degrees Fahrenheit.

Levy’s favorite part is when the projects Chemistry teacher Virginia Azuree turn out successful and we get to see the sponsors the club. “The kids came to me, club members happy with their creations. thinking that I would be the natural person Without Nutrition Sciences at RM, to sponsor them,” she said. “I facilitate Element 31 is a successful alternative to access to materials and rooms.” Creating learn more about cooking. Although the the club was a team effort. “Mrs. Azuree kitchen is now gone, its dismantling has bought us almost all the tools that we use, ignited an enjoyable alternative.

Creativity pierces every aspect of Sam Pierce’s life

by Katie Zhang

PHOTO BY EMILY CHEN

Pierce’s self-portrait conveys intense emotion.

“If you have an original idea, which everyone does, then you can make art and it can be beautiful and unique because almost anything anyone actually puts their heart into on a canvas ends up looking fantastic,” senior Sam Pierce said. Pierce is an aspiring engineer and pediatric prosthetic designer who uses painting as a way to express her emotions and develop her passion for design. At RM, she is a member of the National Art Honor Society (NAHS,) where she works to beautify the school, participates in charity events, and enters art competitions.

Pierce did not start high school seriously interested or invested in art. In her sophomore year, Pierce decided to take Foundations of Art just to get her art credit out of the way. However, at the end of the year, she surprised herself: “I ended up having such a great time just learning and

being encouraged by the teachers,” Pierce said. After being offered a spot in the AP art class, she decided to instead take an even more challenging class—IB Art. Eventually, Pierce wants to design and create artificial limbs for children, which will require both artistic creativity and passion. “What’s really interesting is that a lot of people think of art and the sciences as these two separate things, but for me… what I really want to end up doing is pediatric prosthetics,” she said.

Her fervor shows through in her current artwork, too, and she wants those who view her paintings to see that: “One of the best compliments to me would be someone going, ‘yes, I felt that way before.’ That’s relatable, because I tend to do really strong emotions with the figures, colors and the background,” she said. “I attack the canvas with what I’m feeling in the moment.”

One of the subjects Pierce is most passionate about is feminism, which she made her theme in “Reverie,” the AP/ IB Art Show. Pierce feels that females are emotionally repressed in that they tend to be steered towards light emotions as opposed to addressing the more extreme emotions that they are really feeling: “People don’t really contemplate them because they’re meant to be light, almost inconsequential in a way,” she said. As a result, her paintings try to counter that.

As part of NAHS, Pierce discovered Youth Art For Healing (YAFH) as a way to simultaneously put her talent to work and serve the community. YAFH is an annual project RM student artists participate in by creating artwork to donate to hospitals.

Previously, they have worked on flower tiles

to put on hospital ceilings, and canvases of animals to put in patient rooms. “The idea was to paint them in groups so that the patient wouldn’t feel a sense of loneliness,” Pierce said. This project brings comfort to and creates a pleasant environment for hospital patients.

NAHS members also decorate the school building. Pieces for various competitions and assorted student pieces from class are displayed in gallery exhibitions.

Additionally, members curate a rotation of artworks to place in the main office hallway to greet staff members, visitors,

and students as they enter the building.

This service beautifies the school and inspires others: “[It] really encourages

“I tend to do really strong emotions...I attack the canvas with what I’m feeling in the moment.”

- Sam Pierce

PHOTO BY EMILY CHEN

Pierce displays a variety of concepts on her flat.

the younger artists,” she said. When she was a sophomore just beginning to do art, having her art displayed encouraged her, too: “I had a couple of pieces exhibited there that just made me feel so proud to have my thing up in the gallery where normally the seniors’ stuff is.” Having her work displayed in the gallery as an underclassman gave her a strong feeling of pride.

In the future, Pierce plans to bring her artistic skills, her passion for helping others, and her goal of working in the biomedical engineering field together. Pierce said, “I really feel like having that raw creativity and passion and that kind of design and elements that go into artwork is something really important that I think I could bring to the engineering field.” Her definition of art expands beyond just paint and canvases; creativity seeps into all aspects of her life.

18

The Tide

FEATURES

May 2017

Social media etiquette: the unspoken laws of the era

by MJ Estwick Technology has become very integrated into today’s society. Teenagers and adults alike use phones and laptops not only to get work done, but also to communicate and stay in touch with each other. Despite both generations being involved with technology, the younger generation is more involved with social media and knows the unwritten rules of social media etiquette.

Every aspect of life has rules, and social media interactions are no different. While people use social media platforms with varying levels of formality, some students choose to act in the same manner no matter which platform they use. “I try to be the ‘real me’ on all social media,” sophomore Salla Seiri said.

On the other hand, many students have different uses for Snapchat, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter. “I only use Facebook for school help and to look at memes,” junior Daniel Yeh said. “Instagram is more about connecting with friends and family.

Snapchat is for looking at how much fun I’m having on my story.”

In addition to acting differently on certain social media apps, some people also have a preferred platform. “I prefer Snapchat; I like being able to communicate with my friends through pictures and using bitmojis in the snaps,” a senior, who wished to remain anonymous, said.

Seiri also included Snapchat in her preferred social media apps, along with Instagram. “I use both Snapchat and Instagram to talk to friends, but only on Instagram can you share pictures that stay up until you delete them,” she explained.

people see it as harsh, it is sometimes the only way to get the message across that you do not want to continue the conversation.

“Sometimes I might be uncomfortable in the conversation, and I leave them on read as a hint to please stop,” Seiri explained.

Many times, though, leaving people on read is not anything to really read into; people are busy, forget to respond or fall asleep, or the conversation just stops naturally. “[It is] mainly my friends [who I leave on read], but it’s not like I leave them on read because I’m ignoring them,” the anonymous senior said.

Another issue plaguing the social media generation is the question of how long to wait before responding to a text. In many cases, a distinction must be made between a response time that appears desperate and one that seems uninterested.

For some students, however, the content of a message is far more important than the response time. “I’d rather text someone who responds infrequently but with good messages than someone who just responds really quickly with ‘lol,’” Yeh said.

Many of the issues concerning social media etiquette stem from the age-old PHOTO BY KEIRY GARCIA issue of crushes. To impress that special The prevalence of smartphones has developed an unwritten set of rules for social media. someone, students spend hours pouring anonymous senior said. A study by the if I know them well, I certainly will send over what is acceptable and what is not. In fact, quite a few even admit to posting on Pew Research Center found that 50 percent multiple messages.” of people ages 18 through 29 receive their The anonymous student, however, social media with their crush in mind. “If global or local news through social media took a more relaxed approach. “Double I’m looking good, and the filter I’m using is apps or websites. messaging to me isn’t a big deal. I won’t A+, then I sure hope he sees it and likes it,” Facebook also makes it easier to stay be annoyed if you message me about said the anonymous senior.

The rules of social media differ from up-to-date on school-related reminders. something important,” she said. “But if a At RM, most grade levels and many clubs person is just constantly messaging me to person to person, as does the importance of following them. But what remains have Facebook groups in which students get on my nerves, then that’s a problem.” can ask homework questions, give updates If the person you are messaging just universal across virtually all social media and organize events together. cannot take a hint, one solution is to leave users is that unstoppable addiction to the Despite there being multiple social media them on read. Despite the fact that some small screen.

Social media apps are not just for communication; students also use the apps’ other features to stay updated in news.

Facebook and Twitter are platforms that upload and share events within minutes, and Snapchat’s recent updates serve the same purpose.

“I really enjoy seeing what other people do around the country or even the world through Snapchat’s Discover stories,” the

platforms for people to choose from, the same rules and concerns apply throughout.

For example, double messaging is a huge concern for people. It can be difficult to balance sending messages that capture all your thoughts, but not so many that the other person finds it bothersome.

“If it’s someone I don’t know very well, I don’t want to come off as annoying so I don’t [double text],” Seiri explained. “But

Student interviewees walk back down the Halls of RM

by Maureen Zeufack There are over 2,000 students at RM, each with their own stories to tell. It is impossible to get to know everyone during our time here at RM, but the Halls of RM (HORM) tries to use social media to share snippets of student lives. We talked to some interviewees to find out more about their stories and how their lives have changed since they were featured on HORM. Nick Vafa and Katie Serway Juniors Nick Vafa and Katie Serway were featured on the HORM page early this school year. The post was well-received and elicited a large response. “I loved all the nice and sweet comments people left on the picture,” Serway said. “I was really surprised how much attention the interview got; we were just trying to help our friend who [had] asked for an interview.”

In the post, Vafa and Serway spoke of their favorite moments together. Since

then, the couple has made several lasting memories. “[One of] my favorite memories since our last interview [with the Halls of RM] was the time Katie and I bought about $70 worth of sushi and ate it all in one sitting while watching a movie,” Vafa said.

For Serway, her favorite moment was when the two took a road trip to Pennsylvania to pick up Vafa’s new puppy.

But even with these new memories, the couple has not forgotten where it all began. “We met as friends at our lunch spot,” Serway explained. “Nick had the biggest crush on me sophomore year and I totally friend-zoned him, but as we grew closer as friends, I slowly started to come around to the idea as him as my significant other.”

Oscar Saywell In his HORM post, senior Oscar Saywell expressed his deep appreciation for teachers and his understanding of their roles.

Saywell credits the numerous amazing teachers he has encountered during his life for allowing him to reach this level of understanding.

After being featured on HORM, Saywell reflected on his schooling experience from the standpoint of a senior. “As I near graduating, it [further] solidifies how lucky I am to have these teachers, truly,” he said.

“Teachers to students are sometimes not people; they’re just teachers. And I think as I’m nearing graduation and understanding I see my teachers as people as well, and not just people who guide you.”

Along with being a part of RM’s Black Maskers drama club, Saywell is also an avid soccer fan and dedicated West Ham United supporter. “The Premier League and [soccer] in general consumes me,” Saywell explained. “I think out of everything I know, I know the most about soccer. I don’t know what I’d do without it.”

As for the future, Saywell hopes to attend college and spend his time there discovering new interests and experiences.

Russell Corbin Sophomore Russell Corbin discussed his love for electric vehicles, most specifically the Tesla. Corbin expressed his passion for environmental issues and was adamant about finding solutions to these problems.

“Protecting the environment is not political; it’s not debatable. It is something that must be done to help all people,” Corbin said. “Because transportation is one of the most damaging forces on our environment, we must work extra hard to create a sustainable transportation system. Electric cars have been proven to be the best choice.”

Corbin views Elon Musk, the founder of Tesla, as an inspiration. “[The Tesla] revolutionized the electric vehicle industry by proving electric vehicles can be techy, safe, sexy, fun and still be electric,” he explained.

“Their first ground-up vehicle revolutionized 21st century transportation.”

Although Corbin is unsure of his plans for the future, he said, “Whatever I can do to protect our planet earth while having fun and earning a paycheck, I will do.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF HALLS OF RM Since their HORM interview, Vafa and Serway have made countless memories together. Other than Teslas, he also enjoys sailing,

PHOTO COURTESY OF HALLS OF RM

Fonseca will be attending GWU next year. tiny houses and being unique. Corbin considers himself a humanist and socialist.

Jack Fonesca Senior Jack Fonseca spoke of his experience after being promoted to the “Eagle” Boy Scout ranking. “[Being an Eagle] taught me to have humility, because little kids are going to do what they want regardless of your official position,”he explained. “It made me learn that I have to motivate the people I’m leading to do what is needed of them.”

Fonseca, who has been a Boy Scout since the fifth grade, reflected on how being a part of the organization has shaped him as an individual. “It’s taught me a lot of life skills, like how important it is to respect people and how to save and spend money, among all of the outdoorsy skills typically associated with Scouts,” he said.

Fonseca knows exactly where he is headed after high school. “[I] have received a Naval ROTC [Reserve Officers’ Training Corps] scholarship to the George Washington University [and will attend GWU] in the fall as part of their NROTC unit,” Fonseca explained. For now, though, Fonseca will be playing RM varsity lacrosse and combatting senioritis to the best of his abilities.

The Tide

FEATURES

May 2017

19

Dance with D.C. Lockdown Sun shines in MYP project

by Julie Yeo So you think you can dance? Recentlyformed dance crew D.C. Lockdown certainly can. This group of 11 girls practice their dance moves every day to perfect their choreography and make dance videos for people to enjoy.

Although D.C. Lockdown is not affiliated with RM, many members were once part of the RM Dance Club. After their performance at the Common Grounds assembly in December, sophomores Nimah Nayel and Amanda Crabill were not ready to finish dancing for the year. So, they decided to branch out and start their own year-round dance crew.

Nayel and Crabill invited some of their friends to join, initially advertising their group as a K-pop (Korean pop) club. Yet, they were still stumped on the selection of a permanent name for the crew. “We were all sitting right there, near the dance studio, and trying to think of a name, and then we were throwing out really cringey names,” Nayel explained. “Rebecca pointed at ‘Shelter in Place’, and I jokingly responded with ‘Lockdown’.” As spontaneous as it was, the name stuck, and D.C. Lockdown was born.

The group began by covering some of their favorite K-pop choreography from YouTube and experimenting with their

PHOTO COURTESY OF EMILY PAN

DC Lockdown poses at their studio in RTC.

dance styles. “We perform a mix of hip hop, and we incorporate contemporary, and then we also do K-pop covers,” Nayel explained. “Our dance style is just really diverse.”

Of course, the dancing does not always come together right away. In order to perfect their dances, the girls came to the dance studio every day. “Getting the dance room at RM was hard because everyone wants it, so we kind of got sick of trying to share it,” Crabill said. “So we thought, ‘Why don’t we just find our own space?’”

While walking around Rockville Town Center, they discovered Dawn Crafton Dance Connection. The crew now practices at their new studio every Tuesday and Thursday. However, practices are often fast-paced and difficult to manage, since there is always a lot of work to be done.

That is where sophomores Mariamawit Yohannes and Alyssa Afuang, the two managers, step in. At practices, they organize money to pay for the studio, manage music and film the dancing.

“It gave me a sense of responsibility,” Yohannes said. “Although I do have school and stuff like that, this gave me extra responsibility.”

After spending so much time together, the crew inevitably became a close-knit group of friends. “We all sort of just clicked. It was weird,” Nayel reflected.

“We’re all just angsty teenagers, and we’re all struggling through life, and we all have that common perception that dance is how we express ourselves.”

D.C. Lockdown may only be in its beginning stages, but its members have big plans for the future. “I see us doing really great things, like entering competitions and being branded,” Nayal said.

Their first YouTube video, a cover of One Million Dance Studio’s “La La Latch,” will be released very soon. With their dedication and passion for dancing, it will not be long until they achieve their goals of competing and performing for larger audiences.

In the words of sophomore Samantha Kalibala, “Whatever we do, I want us to grow stronger and closer together.” After all, unity and friendship is exactly what a dance crew is all about.

by Valerie Wang In the Middle Years Program (MYP), sophomores have the opportunity to explore their interests and passions through the MYP personal project. However, few go as above and beyond as sophomore Sydney Sun. Sun’s MYP Project was creating a hanfu, the historical dress of the Han people.

Traditionally worn by women, the hanfu consists of a flowy top with loose sleeves and a ribboned collar. The long skirt flows out from a tight sash tied around the waist.

Patterns that make up the dress range from plain, solid colors to intricate floral designs.

Sun created the costume by hand as a reflection of her culture and personality. “I love Chinese culture and I think the outfits are really beautiful so I wanted one,” she said. “Then I thought, why not just make my own?”

To make her costume authentic yet unique, Sun studied many Chinese books, websites and patterns to research characteristics of costumes before designing her own. “I found the material in fabric stores around where I live and simply used cotton,” Sun explained. The research and information gathering took her more than 30 hours to complete.

Finding relevant and reliable information proved to be a difficult task, as many sources simply discussed the history of Chinese clothing instead of how to actually make them. “I had to look into a bunch of different sources and not all of them were academic,” Sun said.

In order to ensure the authenticity of her outfit, Sun even personally discussed her project with a designer in China.

“I contacted a Chinese hanfu maker by messaging them online,” Sun explained, “I had to use Chinese to talk to them, which really improved my communication skills.”

For Sun, sewing and creating the outfit was definitely the most fun part of the project. “The actual outfit took me two full days to make and I felt really accomplished,” she said. After completely designing the dress herself, Sun also

PHOTO COURTESY OF JING CHEN

Sun created a traditional Chinese costume. learned how to put the pieces together to create an outfit. “I had to learn how to sew first, and my grandpa used to be a tailor so he helped teach me how to do it,” she explained.

In the creation process, Sun’s final product consisted of more than just the dress—she also gained a better understanding of her background. Sun was born in the U.S., but lived in China for seven years before returning. “Living in China exposed me more to the culture and my roots and now that I’m in America I want to grasp onto them so I don’t forget them,” she said. “I also want to share this culture with other people through my works.”

Although Sun’s dress is not something she can wear every day, she was still inspired to continue her project. “I won’t really have any occasions to wear it, but I kind of want to take some pretty pictures with it. I also plan to make another dress during spring break if I have time,” Sun said.

The lack of restrictions on the MYP project allow many students to pursue an unconventional topic. As Sun can contend, students can use this opportunity to sew together something new and unique.

Seniors look back on high school as they move forward

by Ami Thaivalappil While the majority of underclassmen are stressing over exams or college applications, RM’s seniors are kicking back.

As their high school experience comes to a close, the class of 2017 reflects on the best things about being a senior.

During senior year, many seniors contract the “senioritis” epidemic, in which seniors feel less inclined to put in effort to complete their school work and attend school. “There’s definitely a lack of guilt for not doing homework,” senior Becca Levy

said. “Plus a lack of worry about college admissions during second semester.”

Senior Vanessa Barnes agreed, believing that seniors should enjoy their final months rather than solely focus on their classes.

“It’s the last stretch of high school, so you’re enjoying your time with your friends, trying to make as many memories as you can,” she said. “Mostly just laughing about taking Ls in all your classes, but hey, it’s still fun!”

In addition to having less stress about academics, some seniors also worry less about what others think about them. “I don’t care about whether or not people judge me whenever I walk fast in the halls,”

PHOTO COURTESY OF JENNY CHEN

RM seniors participated in fun activities to bond at Senior Unity Day on September 27.

senior Kat Osborne said. “I’ll just walk my speed, I don’t care if I go right through you, I’m a senior. That’s always been a pet peeve, and now I don’t have to deal with that anymore.”

Senior Bethel Afful shared a similar opinion. “You care less about your appearance than when you were a freshman or a sophomore or a junior,” senior Bethel Afful said. “When you’re one of those three, you want people to like you.

But by your senior year, you know who likes you and who hates you, so you don’t care as much.”

Many seniors want to spend their last few months in high school leaving the best impression they can onto others. Osborne was inspired to do so by an experience she had in her freshman year. “When I was a freshman, I was in weight training, and there was this really nice senior. I wanted to be a senior like that,“ she explained. “I feel like this year, now that I’m a senior, my goal is to be as nice to everyone as possible, so that other people think being a senior is cool. I really want to pass down that impression to other people.”

Being a senior also means having more independence. Seniors have more control over what happens and when it happens, not only in school, but also in their extracurricular activities. “I have leadership of a lot of clubs, which is pretty fun because I do a lot of them. Now I can manage the schedule, so I can decide when is good for me and when is not good for me,” senior Tina Omoeba said. “Plus people respect me and ask me for advice, which is pretty cool. I usually don’t think of myself as an authority but apparently other people do.”

Some seniors look forward to graduation as the highlight of the school year. “That’s all you look forward to growing up,” senior

Matt Nguyen said. “Freshman year, I can’t wait to be a senior. Sophomore year, I’m that close. Junior year, I’m almost done.”

Others look forward to what comes after college. “The best thing about being a senior is having the rest of your future to look forward to. I’m looking forward to knowing that every single thing I’m doing every day is going to have a positive

“It’s the last stretch of high school, so you’re enjoying your time with your friends, trying to make as many memories as you can.”

- Vanessa Barnes impact on my future,” senior Shelby Stevens said. “I feel like there’s not a lot of gratification in high school, but once you get to the future, it all starts happening— more opportunities, better opportunities.

It’s going great.”

As the school days dwindle down and graduation looms, the class of 2017 is trying to enjoy what is left of high school.

“It’s the end of that whole year journey, and the other years really sucked. Junior year was the worst!” senior Sofia Bhalwani said. “But now senior year is the last time to make memories with your friends, [the] last year to fail your class! Senior year rocks.”

20

May 2017

FEATURES

American University Jennifer Fei Kiomi Hori Aneeta Mathur-Ashton Angelina Santi

High Point University Anna Dwares

Bowdoin College Nicolas Suarez

Ithaca College Nicole Hultquist

Brigham Young University Emma Jensen

James Madison University Aliyah Hall Madeleine Healy Kristina Murphy Maggie Whaley

Brown University Xochi Cartland Noah Montemarano Sunil Tohan University of California, Berkeley Joseph Li Saam Zahedian University of California, Los Angeles Jason Zhao Carnegie Mellon University Maddie Liu Vivienne Pham Sandra Vordzorgbe University of Chicago Tatiana Davidson Bajandas Erica Lin Jonathan Mendley Colby College Nick Kelley Sally Simpson

Global Citizen Year Elise Steenburgh

Johns Hopkins University Tihitina Aytenfisu Ye Ji Choi Simon Liu Jerry Wu Frederick Xu Louisiana State University Francisco Mondragon Loyola University Maryland Valerie Downing Anthony Taylor United States Naval Academy Chris Park University of Maryland, Baltimore County Sherry Li Joshua Macalanda David Ramarui

Colgate University Layo Ajala Shelby Stevens

Emory University Summer Oh Holly Shan Alisa Yan University of Exeter, UK Marcelo Amorelli Flagler College Mallory Simcox Fordham University Charlotte Beckford Sophia Pirozzi Georgetown University Michelle Dubovitsky Hannah Greco Ashish Patel Nicholas Peang-Meth Grace Sun George Washington University John Fonseca

McGill University Ben Fishman Mercer University Sam Pierce University of Michigan Eliza Salem Hannah Zhang Middlebury College Jack English University of Mississippi Gwen Gagnon

New York University Jessica Ji Katherine Wang University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Alexander Lin

Dartmouth College Jenny Chen Heavenly Zheng

Eastern University Andrew Berger

McDaniel College Greta Ouimette

United States Naval Academy Chris Park

Cornell University Maddie Franke Isabella Paternostro

Duquesne University Andy Marlin

Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences Veeraj Majethia

Montgomery College Pin-Hsuan Wu

Columbia Univeristy Fonda Shen

Duke University Victoria Priester Dara Sontan

Henry Phan Samantha Quiros Proma Rahman Varsha Ramachandran Noah Shaw Alec Schlenoff Luniva Shrestha Brian Shu Ruben Silverstone Tanya Syarnubi Tatiana Traore Ryan Utz William L. Wong Paloma Zegarra Schmidt Jenny Zuhl

Oberlin College Reet Goraya University of Maryland, College Park Bethel Afful Vanessa Barnes Sofia Bhalwani Jennifer Biaksangi Nicolas Bolatto Matthew Chazin Joshua Chen Madeleine Cheng Vivian Chiao Jeani Choe Hema Clarence Alexa Comfort Chloe Dinman Alec Hall Malory Hartman Tyler Hoffman Bryony Hollingsworth Daniel Huang Hallie Kay Amit Koppel Pratik Lahiri Samantha Lam Clara Langbehn Andrew Mattingly Jordan Mwebaze Lily Nguyen Non Nonceeya Angela Pan Valeria Parra

Occidental College Matthew VanBronkhorst The Ohio State University Harry Deutsch Pennsylvania State University Autumn Barber Ramin Moghaddam Bernie Zhong

The Tide

Princeton University Naomi Park Lily Zhang Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Josh Lebedinsky Rhode Island School of Design Kern Lee Rice University Kaitlyn Wang University of Rochester Anna Langer Saint Josephâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s University Matt Nguyen San Diego State University Ashely Backhadj University of San Francisco Ornelle Fonkoua University of South Carolina Natalie Gately University of Southern California Tim Agboola Sarah Eng Spelman College Gabi Scott Stanford University Peter Maldonado Max Moss St. Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s College of Maryland Denisse Cerda Aidan Graver Syracuse University Gaby Philips University of Toronto Claire Wilson Kyle Wilson Towson University Julie Estrella Jessica Gillcrist Jeremy Lyons Vanderbilt University Nick Hopwood University of Virginia Simon Li Virginia Tech Danny Gower Chris Parrish Wellesley College Taylor Balfour Wesleyan University Tina Omoeva Willamette University Leah Bushey University of Wisconsin Halle Philips

University of Pennsylvania Dagmawi Dereje Mona Lee Faaiq Zarger University of Pittsburgh Henri Maindidze Caroline Nesbit Pranav Senthil

Wofford College Morgan Link Xavier University Will Barror Yale University Camara Aaron Helen Zhao

Plattsburgh State University Kerri Corcoran BANNER BY ALISA GAO

The Tide

ADVERTISEMENTS

May 2017

21

22

The Tide

SIPORTS

COACH OF THE SSUE

Coach Mullinix transitions from JV to varsity lacrosse

by Michael Pan This year, the varsity girls lacrosse team has been extremely successful. Not only are these wins due to the hard work of the team, but much of the girls’ success can be attributed to their Coach, Rodney Mullinix, who recently transferred from coaching JV to coaching the varsity team.

This year marks his ninth overall year coaching lacrosse and his fourth year coaching at RM. Growing up, Mullinix attended Mount Airy Gospel Christian School where played soccer, basketball, and baseball through

PHOTO BY EMILY CHEN

Mullinix smiles for the camera.

his high school years. Although coach Mullinix never played on a lacrosse team, his passion for coaching led him to learn the sport himself. He is proud to report that he was undefeated in his first year coaching.

“The transition [between JV and varsity] was a little difficult,” he said. “I was the only person doing both JV and Varsity for the first few weeks.” He noted that there was a big difference between the JV and Varsity teams and that he had to change his teaching style drastically. “On varsity everyone knows the game and what to do compared to JV who are learning the game and how to play,” Mullinix said.

Mullinix has spent much of his time developing new plays for new team. “On varsity I am now dealing with strategies working as a whole team and working together, not teaching,” he said.

Not only was the transition between teams and teaching styles hard for Coach Mullinix, his commute to RM can also be burdensome as he lives almost two hours away in West Virginia.

Nevertheless, his passion for the sport and his dedication to the team inspired him to continue coaching here at RM. Mullinix finds joy in helping others and seeing his team improve. “Just knowing that they are learning the game and how well they progress during the season is very

rewarding… you cannot ask for more,” he said.

Coach Mullinix is always putting as much effort as he can when it comes to coaching, and expects the same of the girls at practice. Junior Emily Conway explains, “He expects our 100% at every practice, always.”

He puts a strong emphasis on strategy. “For teams that are very strong, we need to slow down and be in control, protect the ball,” Mullinix explained.

Conway says that one of the most important things she has learned from Mullinix is that every person on the team, no matter their age or experience, has an important role. “Mullinix trusts his younger players and expects them to step up and contribute,” freshman Caroline Maggio stated.

Senior Gaby Phillips believes that Coach Mullinix has sacrificed a lot to help their team, as he comes to practice everyday after work, putting in his own personal time to make the team better.

Maggio says, “Coach Mullinix is a really good role model.”

Having already learned a lot from Coach Mullinix in the short time that he has coached varsity along with her years on JV with him, Phillips believes that the most important thing she learned was to not get down when she makes a mistake. “Dwelling on the mistake will just lead to more mistakes,” Phillips explained.

May 2017

Student managers take on the odd jobs

by Grace Zhou Managing meets, events, and a rowdy sports team is no easy task; these responsibilities, on top of coaching the team, can be extremely time consuming for coaches. Luckily, RM teams can relive some of this stress by hiring student managers to assist them and to be a valuable part of the team themselves.

Students and parents may not notice the student managers scrambling around to help the team. However, they play a key role in keeping the team together and making sure all the meets and games run smoothly. In addition, most student managers start as players. As a result, strong bonds develop between student managers and players. “[Coach Barber-Strunk] accepts anyone who is willing to help,” junior Brooke Richman explained. “Although… being a good volleyball player helps because when she asks us to participate in games and drills we are able to fully participate and keep up the play.”

Volleyball student managers run the scoreboard, track liberos, line judge, keep stats, and even assist the coach during team practices. Most of the managers have at least some knowledge of volleyball and they mainly work at the home games.

In tennis, student managers do a variety of different jobs, spanning from handing out forms

during tryouts to organizing different team events.

Sophomore Matt Kolodner, a manager of the girls tennis team, also practices with the girls team in order to improve both the team’s and his personal skills.

However, student managers also take care of the boring tasks that the rest of the team isn’t willing to do. “I’m also a water boy, a ball boy, and I gotta sweep the puddles when it rains,” Kolodner admitted.

For senior Greta Ouimette, her work is indispensable to the swim team. She works behind the scenes of all the meets, writing up the swim cards every Friday night, chasing people down at the last minute to get them ready for their events, and saving the reputations of many swimmers who would have missed their event without her.

However, Ouimette’s biggest task is to calm Coach Wheeler down before every swim meet.

Coach Wheeler even had an entire speech dedicated to Ouimette at the swim team banquet, saying that she “would never be replaced.”

The time that team managers invest and spend helping their teams makes them a valued part of the team. “I think my relationship with my managers is pretty good [and] I think they would say the same,” Coach Barber-Strunk said.

“I think as in any sport when you’re cheering for a team you get caught up in their victories and you celebrate them as if they were your own.”

Pursuing athletics in college

by Evan Scheinberg RM is becoming an athletic powerhouse within the county and the state. From football to swim and dive to basketball, RM has not only been producing stellar teams, but stellar athletes as well.

Just last year, the graduating class of 2016 sent a multitude of student-athletes off to continue their academic and athletic careers at select colleges. Ben Rosenberg, a four-year lacrosse standout, signed to attend the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, and Audrey Richter, state record holder for the 50 meter freestyle race, is now swimming for Columbia University. Dual sport phenom Daniel Alexander is excelling in both football and basketball at Frostburg State University.

Now that the class of 2016 has left RM to continue their paths, the classes of both 2017 and 2018 are taking the spotlight.

One of RM’s first student athletes this year to commit to continuing his academic and athletic careers on the collegiate level is senior Josiah BelfonValentine.

Belfon-Valentine committed to Hampton University earlier this year to play lacrosse. Belfon-Valentine, however, was accustomed to the process by the time Hampton approached him. “I didn’t get my first offer until the fall of

my junior year from McDaniel College over in Westminster,” Belfon-Valentine said.

In Belfon-Valentine’s case, the attention from colleges did not come from his play for the Rockets. “I started gaining attention once I began playing club lacrosse, which is a much more competitive level where all you play are other collegebound lacrosse players,” BelfonValentine explained. “Colleges come to watch and recruit you.

In a field full of talent, I just tried to make my leadership skills and team defense stand out as a player that could easily step into college lacrosse speed.”

But ultimately, BelfonValentine’s decision of where he would continue his education was not dependent on lacrosse.

“The decision making process for me had absolutely nothing to do with lacrosse. In all honesty, I didn’t really want to play college lacrosse. But once Hampton started showing interest, they were too strong academically to ignore.”

Junior Adam Tounkara, who recently visited Harvard University’s football program, has gained interest outside of Roy Lester Stadium. “Brown University has actually sent me three handwritten letters from different members of their coach staff,” Tounkara said.

Tounkara, an offensive/ defensive lineman, has not generated all of the interest on

his own. “I have sent a couple of emails with my Hudl highlights, but my coach sent my highlights to a large list of colleges,” Tounkara explained. “He’s definitely helped me a lot throughout the process.”

Other star athletes at RM, like junior basketball standout Melanie Osborne, have gained attention from colleges through both out of school programs like Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) sports and from the school teams as well.

On the larger scale, the chances of high school athletes competing in the NCAA on the next level after high school is slim.

According to the NCAA statistics base, only about 3.4% of boys basketball players from across the country will continue their athletic career in college, while 12.3% of boys lacrosse players will play at the college level. However, recent reports have shown that the state of Maryland has the highest percentage of high school basketball players recruiting by NCAA Division I schools at 5.0%.

As the remaining sports seasons carry on and come to an eventual close, many more talented Rocket athletes will receive recognition and reward from the recruitment process. With star football players Tylen Hebron and Zaire Mitchell-Paden committed to Shepherd University and Notre Dame College respectively, more athletes will be making their decisions and signing their letters of intent in the next month or so.

SPORTS

The Tide

May 2017

23

Local summer swim teams: relays and relaxation

by Jack Yang “I said a boom chicka boom! I said a boom chicka rocka chicka rocka chicka boom!”

Spirited chants like this resonated around community pools, signalling the beginning of an intense summer swim meet.

Every summer, many aspiring young swimmers from all over Montgomery County participate in their local summer swim team.

Swim teams are contained within the local neighborhood and often meet at community pools .

The summer swim season brings the swimmers closer with the community and is overall an enjoyable experience.

Summer swimming, contrary to popular belief, is not so much about the competition, but more about the community bonding and fun.

Mr. Jonathan Taylor, a Social Studies teacher here at Richard Montgomery, is also a coach for the Woodcliffe Wahoos, one of the many teams in the Montgomery County Swim League (MCSL).

“MCSL has probably close to a hundred teams now, and it’s divisions A through O, A being the top division,” Taylor explained.

MCSL has seen a large growth in infrastructure since its beginning, almost half a century ago.

Unlike school teams, the abundance of summer swim teams makes it a lot more open for inexperienced swimmers to join.

“My team Woodcliffe has a lot of terrific swimmers and a lot of kids,” Mr. Taylor said, “Some of them are students [on the school team] that are very serious swimmers, but I also have a number of kids on that team that are new to the sport, or just do it for fun.”

The variety of swimmers on the community teams allow for the more serious swimmers

Date

Game

4/28

Boys Varsity Tennis vs.Seneca Valley 3:30 p.m.

4/28

Boys Varsity Volleyball @Magruder 5:30 p.m.

4/29

JV Baseball vs. Seneca Valley 10:00 a.m.

4/29

JV Softball vs. Senenca Valley 10:00 a.m.

4/29

Boys Varsity Lacrosse vs. Northwest 7:30 p.m.

5/1

Girls Varsity Lacrosse vs. Northwest 5:30 p.m.

5/4

Varisty Baseball vs. Kennedy 5:15 p.m.

5/4

Boys Varsity Lacrosse @ Rockville 7:30 p.m.

5/6

Varsity Baseball @ Gaithersburg 2:30 p.m.

5/8

Varsity Softball @ Quince Orchard 5:15 p.m.

PHOTO COURTESY ISHAAN OBEROI

King Farm Screaming Geese pose for annual summer portraits. to take a leadership position in guiding the more inexperienced and younger swimmers.

“Older kids get an opportunity to be junior coaches or coaches on the staff or to help volunteer to get service hours, and it’s a way for them to connect with the younger kids,” Mr. Taylor said.

“I think it’s an important opportunity for the older kids to serve as role models and give back to the community,” he continued.

Summer teams, both in practices and meets, are organized by age group.

This gives older, more experienced swimmers an opportunity to volunteer and work with the kids.

Varsity swim teams, on the other hand, are all about competition and do not provide talented swimmers with these leadership opportunities.

In addition, meets are split into A and B meets.

The distinction between these two meets allow swimmers to participate in the competitive and recreational aspect of summer swimming.

Swimmers in A meets compete in the actual MCSL league, facing off against opponents from similar divisions and ultimately advancing to divisionals.

Swimmers in B meets compete in the community league, where

they often face off against teams in the surrounding area in a meets that don’t count for a team’s ranking.

A distinguishing factor of the summer swim teams is the amount of energy and spirit the teams generate.

From pep rallies, to different cheers, and everything in between, the team never fails to build hype and excitement before meets.

“Team pep rallies include making posters and having fun together,” described freshman swimmer Sophia Wang.

“We also have themes for each meet where we can dress up. This helps the different age groups bond.”

As a result, team members develop strong bonds with each other, bringing swimmers back year to year.

Taylor reflects, “Growing up, [my sister and I] both swam for our neighborhood team, Westleigh, and both of us swam for over ten years.”

Mr. Taylor urges anyone who is interested in joining a summer swim team to go ahead and do so.

“I’ve been very lucky to be a part of it as long as I have,” Mr. Taylor said,“ I’m not sure there’s a better activity out there for kids.”

Spring Sports Schedule GRAPHIC BY ALISA GAO

Buddy system trades goodies and experience

by Katie Spencer All sports teams have their own way of preparing for a big game. While some players load up on carbohydrates or pass the time resting, RM’s female athletes incorporate an additional pregame ritual that does a whole lot more than contribute to performance on the field.

This RM tradition known as the “Buddy System” consists of a gift exchange between members on the varsity and JV teams of the same sport.

At the beginning of the season, players are paired with a girl on the other team and told to provide “Buddy Gifts” to their partner as the season progresses.

The most commonly gifted item is a form of baked good.

From cookies and brownies to even pies or cakes, each pre-game present is made to the preferences of its recipient.

“It’s nice to know that someone cares about you enough to give you something,” said junior field hockey and lacrosse player Emily Conway.

With the Buddy System being entirely optional, there are different levels of commitment

across athletes. It is up to each pair to decide how often they wish to partake in the gift-giving festivities. While some of the more experienced upperclassmen

Buddy System builds lasting relationships between members of each team, focusing specifically on the welcoming of the more inexperienced athletes.

Senior field hockey captain Elaina Dixon agreed, recalling, “I always looked up to my buddy, and it was cool as an underclassman to know a junior

PHOTO BY FATMA ELSAYED

JV and varsity lacrosse players exchange drinks and snacks before a game to create long-lasting bonds. would advocate for a new gift each game, weeks consisting of two or even three matches makes the option of doing every other game a bit more newcomerfriendly.

However, the benefits extend beyond simply a sugar rush. The

“I think it’s really important because there are a lot of freshmen who come in and they don’t really know a lot of people… it really makes them feel like a part of something,” junior field hockey and softball athlete Ryan Westpfahl commented.

or senior in the hallways at school.”

Since JV and Varsity hold their practices at different times, the Buddy System provides a method of uniting both teams. “It’s nice to make those connections because you don’t really interact

otherwise,” junior volleyball player Rachel Perry explained.

“At some point you’re going to have to play together.”

But the spirit of the Buddy System isn’t just fun for the underclassmen. Initiating this exchange of gifts is rewarding for the varsity players too, as they reminisce on their past experiences.

“I love making the freshmen and the new JV players feel welcome,” sophomore varsity athlete Caroline Cornish expressed. “When I just started, I was really nervous. All I would do is just look up to the older girls on varsity.”

The captains of each sport decide whether or not to implement the Buddy System.

Senior Greta Ouimette insisted that the softball teams flip the switch this spring after her prior experience participating on the field hockey team. “I just liked it because it’s a great way to make JV and varsity feel integrated,” she said.

The Buddy System will remain a long-lasting RM tradition capable of uniting two teams of different age and experience. This pre-game ritual can play a role in making each girl’s high school experience a little sweeter.

24

The Tide

SPORTS

Athlete of the Issue

May 2017

Lacrosse star Belfon-Valentine leaves his legacy

by Sierra Longest Senior Josiah Belfon-Valentine is captain of the lacrosse team, starter since sophomore year and a commit to Hampton University’s Division 1 lacrosse program. He is a well-known athlete around RM, and has worked hard to arrive at his current skill level.

“He’s someone who really just understands the game,” said junior Simon Gershunskiy.

“He emphasizes the little things during practice: stick skills, communication, the importance of being able to use your left hand... those are what add up to decide whether we win or lose a game.”

Belfon-Valentine began his lacrosse career in seventh grade at the Landon School in D.C.

“He’s the best leader I’ve ever coached in eight years.”

- Steve Puhl Landon, which has one of the top boys lacrosse programs in the country, encouraged BelfonValentine to join their team. “It’s a very lacrosse-intensive school, so I really had all the resources I needed to start playing,” he explained.

When he came to RM, Steve

Puhl, varsity boys lacrosse head coach and coach of the Maryland Xtreme Lacrosse club team (MDX) started to work with BelfonValentine.

“I saw that he had a lot of potential, he just needed to put in the work in the offseason to get his stick skills where they needed to be,” Puhl said. “I had him come and try out for MDX, and that’s where he came and made the team.”

In a lacrosse hotspot like Maryland there is a lot of competition for a team as skilled as MDX. “The environment is very different. On school teams, your spot is in jeopardy to a lot less people,” Belfon-Valentine said.

“When you’re playing club, at any time someone could try out and take your spot and you’d just be off the team. It’s very competition-based and everyone’s constantly working to get better.”

“I’ve always had people around me who have seen the best in me, and are always telling me little things I can do to improve, which has been crucial to me getting better,” said Belfon-Valentine.

“Without criticism, you’re just going to be stagnant.”

Belfon-Valentine attributes much of his success to his family.

“I could probably count on one hand how many games my mom has missed in my entire sports career, football or lacrosse,” he said.

“My sister’s a manager now, which is very encouraging, because I can just look to the sidelines and she’ll be there. It’s

PHOTO COURTESY OF JOSIAH BELFON-VALENTINE

Senior Josiah Belfon-Valentine (center) runs the ball across the field during a Varsity lacrosse match. just kind of like a little family unit.”

Playing in tournaments with MDX led to a scholarship offer from Hampton University, the first historically black college with a Division 1 mens lacrosse program.

Belfon-Valentine has accepted the offer and will continue his education at Hampton.

Despite the many skilled players that Hampton will bring in, Puhl believes Belfon-Valentine will set himself apart as a player.

“What separates him from them is his leadership qualities,” Puhl said. “He’s the best leader I’ve ever coached in [my] eight years of coaching. He holds himself and the team to such a high standard.”

“He sees things in a way that others don’t,” Gershunskiy

added. “He just knows a lot about what he’s talking about. That’s going to be critical when he moves on to a team like Hampton, that’s in its first season right now.”

While at Hampton, BelfonValentine will participate in their five-year MBA program. “I enjoy the sport of lacrosse, but I just do it for fun,” Belfon-Valentine said.

“I’m okay with leaving [lacrosse] at any point if it interferes with other aspects of my life. At the end of the day, I’m there to get a degree.”

Outside of athletics, BelfonValentine is the president of the Minority Scholars Program, a student-led group whose mission is to help increase the academic success of minority students and encourage positive relationships.

“I kind of got pushed into it,”

Belfon-Valentine explained.

“I used to play football, and was very content with just going to school, going to practice, and going home. One summer I was just like ‘Oh my God, if I died today, I would just be known as that guy who plays sports.’

I didn’t want to be known for only that. I didn’t really ask or plan for [the position], but when the people around me started nudging me into the position, I took it wholeheartedly.”

“If anything, I just want to be remembered [at RM],” BelfonValentine said. “I want to be remembered as a good person.

I want people to be able to say my name一not Josiah BelfonValentine, but just Josiah, and have nothing but good connotations following it.”

Fessel tackles rugby with her enthusiasm and vigor

by Aneeta Ashton Among high school athletes, it is not uncommon to play in leagues and teams outside of school. MCPS boasts a variety leagues including soccer, basketball, swimming, and baseball, allowing athletes an opportunity to stay active even after the season ends.

Rugby, however, is quite a niche sport, and is often unheard of among athletes.

Made popular in the U.K., it is quickly gaining popularity here in the U.S. Marianne Fessel, a freshman at RM, has taken it beyond just a sport and made it an essential part of her life.

For freshman Marianne Fessel, she was introduced to the sport by her older sister and quickly learned to love it.

“My sister played for one of the best teams in country for rugby, so she brought me to a practice one day. I was a little hesitant at first because this is a sport unlike anything else I’ve ever seen,” Fessel said.

At her first scrimmage, she did not know what she was supposed to do until a girl from the other team picked he up by her knees and smacked her to the ground when she had the ball. At that moment, her feelings toward the game changed.

“I think it was that moment when I feel in love with the

sport. From that moment on I couldn’t stop. Every aspect of it, I’d fall more in love everyday.

each other right above the girl on the ground, and whoever can step over the ball, can have their team

Fessel said.

“We were immediately talking and laughing and joking about

PHOTO COURTESY OF MARIANNE FESSEL

Fessel jumps and tackles another player on the field in attempt to gain the advantage during a rugby game.

And I think that’s really what differentiates it from different sports,” Fessel said.

To Fessel, rugby is best described as a more physical version of football and much more intense.

“After the ball is kicked off they run at you as hard as they can and tackle [you] to the ground,” Fessel explained. “After a tackle two players set up and basically push

grab the ball and start up again.”

In the heat of the game, Fessel and her teammates can be seen cursing and screaming as they attempt to beat opponents and score.

However, right after the game ends, they return to friendly rivals who share a love for the game.

“We gave a little beaded necklace to who we thought was the MVP of the other team,”

how I had screamed at her two minutes earlier.”

The unique intensity and close bonds developed from playing the sport make it truly unique.

“You play. And you fall in love.

And any other person you know with that same passion, you know is a friend. Rugby is this grand simulation of protecting these people you love on the field,” Fessel said.

“You’ve worked with your team for weeks, months, years.

You’ve seen them thrive and you’ve seen them hurt. So you’re not just making these tackles or pushing in these rucks for you. You’re doing it for all these people that love rugby as much as you do. Its unlike any sport I’ve ever [played],” Fessel continued.

On Mondays and Wednesdays, she has soccer. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, she has school soccer training and then rugby.

On Wednesdays, she has piano lessons. She has games all morning on Saturdays and Sundays, and works on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Despite being tired and sore all the time, Fessel believes the benefits outweigh the cost.

“There are so many other things I want to do with my life I’m just happy to do as many as I can. I love to paint, and I love to sing and play music. I’ve managed to keep a 4.0 for each semester, and I still get to see all my friends for the most part.”

The only downside is when she feels like she is disappointing someone from not being able to dedicate more time to them, whether it is her boss, her teammates, her friends, her boyfriend, or her family.

However, knowing that she gets to do all of the activities she desires makes it worth it. “Life is too short not to do everything,” Fessel said.