May 2021

TJTODAY vol 6 issue 6

may 2021

thomas jefferson high school for science and technology 6560 braddock rd. alexandria, va 22312

VULNERABILTIES. VIEWPOINTS. VACCINES.

ABSTRACT

Sitting in the convertible, seniors Jenalyn Dizon and Matthew Hwang enjoy themselves at the Homecoming pep rally. The pep rally was held on a Saturday with different precautions in place to ensure a fun and safe environment. “Being on hoco court, for me, was a very unexpected experience because i never imagined participating in it. It was almost surreal as we drove down the track. I have always watched the past hoco courts as a cheerleader on the sidelines but to be in it was something unimaginable,” Hwang said. Photo by Yeefay Li.

STAFF EDITORIAL BOARD

Print & Online Editors-in-Chief Broadcast Executive Producer Team Leaders Vikram Achuthan Annika Dunneja Stuti Gupta Sonia Kanchan Anuj Khemka Pratika Katiyar

Sean Nguyen

In-Depth Editor Minjoo Song

Social Media Manager Zia Sun

Aafreen Ali Rachel Lewis Christina Lu Nathan Mo Connie Ryu

TJ Podcast Network Editor-in-Chief Whitman Ochai

Advisor: Erinn Harris tjTODAY is the official newsmagazine of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology. The staff is deeply committed

to a code of journalistic ethics that demands the exercise of accuracy, good judgment, and impartiality. The content of tjTODAY is determined by the editorial board. Unsigned editorials reflect the majority opinion of the staff of tjTODAY, but not necessarily the opinions of individual editors.

tjtoday.tjhsst @tjhsst_media

@tjtoday_news

tjTODAY

CONTENTS tjTODAY vol. 6 issue 6

16

may. 2021

10 14 18

cover story 06

WHO IS NEXT? Virginia expanded its vaccine rollout on April 18, but some Jefferson students were able to receive their vaccines earlier COVER ILLUSTRATION // Forrest Meng

12

6

opinion 14

16

features 04

EVENTING VIRTUALLY

BETTER THAN ZERO FCPS’ relaxed grading policy is helpful to students during this unique year, but mostly unsustainable

READY TO RETURN Return to school policies create a strong learning environment for those at home and in the classroom

17

Jefferson’s most popular community events get online makeovers

ADMINISTERING APS The College Board and FCPS made AP testing accessible

A PROMISING PROM

sci-tech 10

MOLECULAR MAGIC Freshman Ellen Zeng explores new cooking avenues through molecular gastronomy

entertainment 18

PODCAST PREFERENCES TJPN podcasters share their podcast recommendations

sports 12

Seniors will end the year with a sense of normalcy through prom

SPRING SEASON STANDOUTS Jefferson players continue to excel in this delayed spring season

CORRECTION: In the feature titled “Shaking Up Eldercare,” published in the April 2021 print issue, we incorrectly stated that senior Eugene Choi founded ElderCare. The organization was actually founded by junior Eugene Choi, class of 2022.

EVEN Each year, the finale of iNite is Namaste Senior Girls. This act is a story-based performance that summarizes seniors’ views of their past four years at Jefferson and includes hundreds of participants. The last performance by iNite Senior Girls happened over a year ago, during iNite 2020 Lead the Legacy. PHOTO // Antonio Martin

Japanese iNite participants practice Wotagei, a Japanese lightstick dance, while wearing masks and staying six feet apart.

“What used to be a month of walking the halls of school seeing all the different clubs rehearse now falls on mostly asynchronous practices in isolation, trusting that the technology will bring us together,” senior and choreographer of the Wotagei dance Richick Haldar said. PHOTO//Richik

Haldar

I

t is the biggest event of the school year for senior Nishitha Vattikonda, director of HackTJ. She hops out of bed and powers up her computer, clicking a few links to get to the room where it happens—virtually, of course.

Organized by Jefferson students, HackTJ is an annual hackathon for U.S. high schoolers in which participants build novel computer science projects, or “hacks,” and attend workshops sponsored by an array of tech companies. HackTJ normally draws hundreds of attendees for a 24-hour event on the Jefferson campus, but the COVID-19 pandemic turned the event completely virtual. The commons of Jefferson where participants used to pull chocolate-fueled all-nighters are now Google Meet sessions, but the transition was far from smooth.

“When you think of running an online hackathon, you think, ‘oh, it’s just opening up a few Zoom calls, pretty easy,’” Vattikonda said. “But there’s a lot of work that goes into the logistics, [like] reaching out to mentors [and hosting] workshops.”

LIVE TO STREAM Another famous Jefferson event is International Night, often abbreviated as iNite. Organized by the Namaste club, iNite is an annual showcase highlighting cultural dance and music performances by Jefferson’s diverse student organizations. As with HackTJ, Namaste officers were not expecting to host a virtual version of their iconic event.

“We were planning to not even have [iNite] at all, but a lot of us really wanted it because it [is] an event that’s very integral to [Jefferson]. We [sent] out an interest form and we got [a] pretty good response, so we decided that we would try to actually make it happen,” Namaste’s secretary senior Sadhika Dhanasekar said.

After brainstorming sev-

eral ideas for how to hold a virtual iNite, Namaste officers eventually settled on a livestreamed compilation of videos sent in by each act which offers choreographers full creative control over their segment.

“I think it’ll be interesting to see different editing structures and spotlights on certain people, and I think we’ll still be able to get that sense of different cultures on-screen that we see at regular iNite,” Dhanasekar said.

BRIDGING THE GAP While iNite was held in-person in Feb. 2020, HackTJ 7.0 had to be shut down after Fairfax County Public Schools canceled all extracurricular activities on Mar. 12.

The organizers started planning a new hackathon that summer—HackTJ 7.5—which took place in December. It was smaller than previous HackTJs— fewer attendees, sponsors, and prizes—but the team wanted to continue providing students a way to develop their interest in computer science, especially for those who do not have access to or know of other opportunities. After building on what they learned about organizing virtual hackathons from

FEATURE 5 7.5, the organizing team later hosted HackTJ 8.0 last month with the goal of providing an experience closer to past in-person hackathons.

“We stil wanted to keep that [computer science] community that HackTJ built,” Dhanasekar said. “[We] organized a lot more team-building activities [compared to 7.5], like Among Us, chess, and even TypeRacer. [We also increased] the number of workshops and panels that people could attend to talk to other people in the field and learn new things.”

VIRTUALLY NO COST Since a virtual hackathon does not require certain costs like food or equipment like tablecloths and extension cords, HackTJ 8.0 did not require as much spending as an in-person hackathon. However, there were still financial challenges for the team, including high shipping costs for heavy swag packs and lighter sponsorship packages from companies.

“The virtual hackathons are definitely a lot cheaper… [but] it felt like the same amount of strain on our coffers. It was more difficult for [companies] to sponsor, but a lot of them were very open [to] potentially hosting workshops and coming to help and mentor,” Dhanasekar said.

Despite the changes that resulted from the shift to a virtual environment, both organizing teams worked to retain the traditions that made their events so special.

“I was really impressed by the amount of innovative projects that came out of the hackathon this year,” Vattikonda said. “I’m really happy to have been the director of two amazing hackathons and one amazing HackTJ team that helped make these hackathons possible.”

NT I N

virtually

by Rachel Lewis and Srilakshmi Medarametla

G

Jefferson’s most popular community events get online makeovers

by Stu

ti Gup

ta, So

nia Ka n

chan &

Pratik a

Katiya

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WH There are three vaccines authorized and recommended in the United States. Beginning April 18, all people ages 16 and older were eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine. The Pfizer BioNtech vaccine is two shots given 21 days apart, available to those 16 years and older.

The Moderna vaccine is also two shots, but given 28 days apart and available to those 18 years and older. Both Moderna and Pfizer are mRNA vaccines, whereas Johnson and Johnson's one shot vaccine for those 18 years and older is a viral vector vaccine.

M

y mom rushed into my room and yelled that we had to go because she thought there may be extra doses at a community center near us.

So we grabbed our IDs and ran out the door.”

Sophomore Emma Cox, her sister, and her mom, were the last three people to get their vaccine at their community center that day. Hundreds had received their vaccine before them.

“We were just really, really lucky. They had to turn away people behind us. We were the last shots of the day,” Cox said.

This mindset compliments the busy atmosphere of the vaccine centers.

“It was very hectic,” senior Chabeli Yumang said.

“I remember that by the time I got there, there was already a large line. It was slightly crowded and people’s [mindset] were ‘Okay, let’s get vaccinated. Okay, now let’s leave’, because [the vaccines are] on a limited supply. I mean, [right now] this hecticness is to be expected because it’s a desperate time and most people are trying to get a vaccine.”

COVER STORY 7

H

?

is next

HESITANCY Senior Vishu Pentakota expressed concerns about the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) vaccine, but figured that the benefits outweighed the costs.

“I was a little scared just because I had heard some bad stuff about J&J, but at that point I didn't really have a choice because I didn't want to give up the opportunity to take the vaccine. You don't

know if you can have the choice in the future, so might as well get it when you can,” Pentakota said.

On April 13, the CDC and the FDA released a statement on the J&J vaccine. Six cases, all among women, were reported, involving experiences with a certain blood clot and low levels of blood platelets after receiving the vaccine.

Getting her one dose vaccine in a Loudoun county facility, senior Vishu Pentakota waits nervously. Pentakota pre registered through the Virginia Department of Health, and unexpectedly received a message to get her vaccine. “I had a lot of side effects for the J&J vaccine. The day I got it, at night, I was shivering a lot and I didn’t know why, and then I realized it was the vaccine. Then the next day I was very, very nauseous with bad chills and sweats. I was just really tired and got a headache, but the next day it went away,” Pentakota said.

PHOTO // Ravi Pentakota

The release mentioned that heparin—the anticoagulant usually used to treat blood clots—could be dangerous for treatment in these cases, and alternative treatments needed to be administered. They recommended a pause on the distribution of the J&J vaccine. The pause was lifted within two weeks, on April 24.

“I feel like there's always going to be a risk, but nothing in life comes without a risk. At that point you just have to do what you think is best and if you really do think that not getting a vaccine is best, then go for it. But, I feel like you're harming yourself and other people around you, and if you really care about the pandemic you would get it,” Pentakota said. “J&J may not be as effective, but obviously they wouldn't be administering millions of vaccines if it wasn't safe for you.”

EXPERIENCE “I wasn’t super nervous about getting the vaccine itself.

Obviously, it was given to me by a nurse, so I felt like I could trust the person that was administering the shots. I wasn’t necessarily concerned about the vaccine itself—it was just a little bit of the anxiety about the disease and also a little bit of vaccine jealousy. I know it sounds weird, but

some of my friends have been vaccinated before that and I felt jealous of them because obviously I wanted the shot too,” Cox said.

Cox did overcome that nervousness and jealousy once she received her vaccine, especially in light of the atmosphere at her vaccine center. Senior Harini Somanchi— who has a pre-existing health condition that allowed her to receive her vaccine in early April—perceived the atmosphere similarly.

“I went to a CVS, and they were really nice. The lady that was giving me the vaccine was super comforting and the vaccine didn’t hurt at all. I didn’t feel anything, it was more painless than any other shot I’ve ever gotten so overall it was a really great experience and everyone was super kind,” Somanchi said.

A volunteer with Loudoun Medical Reserve Corps, junior Tegan Powers received a first-hand look at the vaccine rollout while volunteering at vaccination clinics, and has experienced slightly differing attitudes between volunteers and those coming in to get vaccinated.

“I think that among all the volunteers, we all know that we have good intentions,” Powers said.

While most who arrive to get vaccinated are excited, that’s not always the case.

“They’re mostly elderly. And they just talk about what they’re going to do with their vaccine. They’re going to talk to their grandchildren, visit their family- people that they haven’t seen, and they’re so excited about it,” Powers said. And then there’s some that are just waiting so long to get their vaccine that they’re kind of hesitant or resentful towards the vaccination process.”

COVER STORY 9

THE

AFTER SYMPTOMS

Sitting in her car after receiving her first dose of the Moderna vaccine at CVS, senior Harini Somanchi holds her vaccination card. Somanchi was eligible for the vaccine due to pre-existing health conditions. “I personally think that I would either choose Pfizer or Moderna because I read an article that said that people with pre-existing health conditions should try to get one of the vaccines that has the most efficacy,” Somanchi said. “I think that Johnson and Johnson one is a really great option too, but I think that people with pre-existing conditions should get Pfizer or Moderna.”

PHOTO// Harini Somanchi

Symptoms of the vaccine have varied based on age group, gender and brand of the vaccine, and have caused obvious nervousness over the vaccines. However some students such as senior Viraj Boreda–whose parents previously had COVID-19–were glad to have the opportunity to receive the vaccine.

“My parents were both sick for a couple of days. It was like when someone gets the flu. It wasn’t that different because I had been staying inside already, but I was scared for my parents. They’re both fully okay now, but I was hoping nothing would go wrong,” Boreda said.

Boreda has received his first dose of the Pfizer vaccine; after this dose he felt soreness in his arm. Yumang’s symptoms after receiving the Johnson and Johnson vaccine were mild the day of.

“The day after the vaccine was when the symptoms actually started. I woke up feeling very fatigued with a massive throbbing headache, and then later in the day, somehow I developed both a fever and chills, which is very surreal to feel both at once, and I felt very lethargic, I almost threw up at some point,” Yumang said.

“I guess this vaccine is more impactful in a way. It’s another shot and the side effects are a little different. Impactful because not everyone has the vaccine and it’s not a standard issue,” sophomore Sam Gwon said.

After receiving the vaccine, some still remain cautious, especially because it is still possible to carry and spread COVID-19.

For most, however, the vaccine serves as a symbol of hope.

The INOVA Fairfax Medical Campus hosts a COVID-19 vaccination clinic. The clinic stays busy as patients wait in lines, eventually receiving their vaccination at a table with a certified medical professional. “For the first dosage, there were a lot of people in line. I don’t think anybody was nervous or anything–it was just that we were all ready to get the vaccine because we’d all been socially distanced for so long,” Gwon said.

PHOTO//Sonia Kanchan

molecular

by Anuj Khemka

magic

Freshman Ellen Zeng explores new cooking avenues through molecular gastronomy

2

Zeng then boils the mixture on a stovetop.

As the liquid heats, slight Zeng begins by mixing bubbles erupt across the agar-agar powder and surface and the agar-agar powliquified strawberries der activates, enabling the fruity in a large bowl. “The liquid to solidify in the next step. amount of agar-agar For Zeng, this process encompasspowder that I put in es what she loves about molecular the mixture is 1% of the whatever gastronomy.

“It’s really interesting fruit liquid that we start with. So, to see how chemicals and food for 100 grams of oranges, you can jazz up and become a whole would use one gram of agar,” new thing,” Zeng said.

Zeng said.

1

3

Once the liquid has boiled, Zeng carefully pipettes droplets of the mixture into a cup of chilled canola oil.

There, the agar-agar powder reacts with the oil to fruity caviar-like spheres. “When the liquid falls into the oil, it solidifies,” Zeng said. “Once I’m done with that, I stir the oil.

Then normally just save the oil if I want to make more caviar in the future.”

5

4

To complete the caviar-making process, Zeng drains the oil to reveal a cluster of strawberry-flavored balls. “I have to rinse the caviar in cold water to get rid of the oil,” Zeng said. “Afterwards, I store it in a bowl or put it in the fridge if I don’t use it immediately because they can leak if in room temperature for too long.”

Finally, Zeng plates the strawberry caviar amongst an assortment of other strawberry-flavored ingredients to form a complete dish.

“The caviar adds a nice visual and texture to the plate. It also enhances the flavor,” Zeng said.

w

SCI-TECH

11

hat started as an interest first sparked by a seventh-grade home economics class has since transformed freshman Ellen Zeng’s life into a whirlwind of cakes-in-disguise, chocolate mousses, and flan.

And now, the Jefferson Chefs superstar’s latest pursuit? Molecular gastronomy, a scientific approach to cooking that yields such creations as fruit caviar, mango egg yolks, and food-flavored foam.

“I first saw some videos [of molecular gastronomy] online and on Tik Tok, and then I started doing some more research into it and buying some of the basic ingredients,” Zeng said.

Among the ingredients Zeng purchased were agar-agar and calcium lactate, two core foundations of cooking with molecular gastronomy.

“I started working with them in the past month, but I really hope I can learn more about them and start doing more interesting things,” Zeng said As Zeng first waded into the world of molecular gastronomy, she took on fruit caviar and surprised herself by how well her first product came out. Yet, not all of Zeng’s experiments have turned out as smoothly as her initial one.

“I tried to use these big eggs using something called spherification. Normally, we use frozen reverse spherification, because it’s a lot easier, and it’s way harder to mess up, but I didn’t have anything to freeze it in, so I had to just use regular spherification. And then it completely failed and it was a big mess,” Zeng said.

Regardless of the failures, Zeng has successfully made five dishes using some aspect of molecular gastronomy.

Before devouring the dish, Zeng snaps a pic to post to social media platforms, including her own food-dedicated Instagram account, @ezbakes_.

“It’s nice seeing how people react to my photos on social media. However, I mainly cook because I want to get better, and I want to learn more about everything,” Zeng said.

LorPhotos courtesy of Ellen Zhengem

Gavin

CRAMER Baseball

With a no days off mentality, junior Gavin Cramer credits his success to his work ethic and preparation.

“Even during the offseason I’m training, six, seven days a week. That includes studying the game and doing research,” Cramer said.

As one of the only pitchers on the team to have an ERA under one, Cramer is a gift for Jefferson. The star pitcher found his motivation from a family story.

“My great grandfather who was also left-handed would have made the majors if he didn’t blow his arm out, so I will always carry with me the fact that he was the first one to recognize that I was left-handed,” Cramer said.

Lucy

Joshua

Tennis

Soccer

ALEJANDRO PARK The biggest motivators for senior Lucy Alejandro have been the people around her.

“There are so many people who have helped me improve as a tennis player. My coaches. My teammates.

My parents, who have driven me to and from practices, lessons, and tournaments for 10+ years,” Alejandro said.

Alejandro, who was named MVP of the Jefferson tennis team her sophomore year, recalls her favorite moment playing for the Colonials.

“I hit a winning volley in a doubles match that allowed my team to advance to the state tournament. Our whole team rushed the court, and we celebrated right then and there.”

SPRING SEASON

For junior Joshua Park, being able to play high level soccer with Jefferson’s varsity soccer team came as a result of his passion for the sport.

“Soccer is my greatest passion and has been the biggest component of my life, so my [skill] in soccer is a fundamental part of my pride,” Park said.

Park has been playing travel soccer for nine years and recently took up volunteer coaching outside of Jefferson.

“The tactics of soccer is easily my favorite part of the game, so being able to implement my own as a coach is really fun,” Park said. “In fact, my absolute dream job is to be a professional soccer coach, so we’ll see how that goes.”

STAND

SPORTS 13

Annika

TOPCHY Track

Motivated to reach her full potential, junior Annika Topchy attributes her success in track to staying focused and determined.

“I think just having that mindset to constantly be improving and pushing yourself helps you succeed in the sport,” Topchy said.

Topchy, who placed fourth in both the 55-meter hurdles and the 300-meter dash during states in march, recalls her favorite moment from starting out in freshman year.

“Freshman year, I was competing in 300-meter hurdles at states,” Topchy said. “On top of winning the race, the excitement from my coach made me feel very accomplished.”

Riley

COOPER Softball

From Jefferson softball to travel softball, sophomore Riley Cooper believes her success comes from her passion for the game.

“I genuinely just love the sport. I love the community that itch brings and I feel good about myself when I’m playing it,” Cooper said.

Cooper, who is one of the few players on the team to play travel ball, has risen to the challenge of learning how to pitch for the team.

“Because we don’t have a pitcher, I can put the pressure on myself to adapt into this new role while all of my teammates and coaches have stayed extremely supportive,” Cooper said.

Caden

PHILLIPS Lacrosse

On top of being a star football player, senior Caden Phillips has also found success playing lacrosse. According to him, the best aspect of the game is how flexible it is.

“It’s a creative sport in the way that there’s so much field space,” Phillips said.

“There’s a lot of freedom to do whatever you really want to.”

Playing on the varsity team for the fourth year, Phillips is no stranger to grueling work.

“I felt like I wasn’t really aggressive enough, so during spring break one season, I went out to the field and shot a bucket every day; about 80 or so [repetitions]. Just working on mechanics like that, getting repetitions, really helped me improve,” Phillips said.

DOUTS

by Aarya Kumar & Elliott Lee

BETTER THAN ZERO FCPS’ relaxed grading policy is helpful to students during this unique year, but mostly unsustainable

A

s this school year draws to a close, we reflect on several grading policies implemented as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in order to relieve stress. The following are the newly implemented policies: no Mark (NM) replaces all F’s in the gradebook, final exams can only help a student’s grade, students may take two courses pass/fail, and a no-zero grading policy where at least a 50% must be given for incomplete assignments.

While the policies were effective in lessening the pressure felt by students, they also brought on feelings of unpreparedness for future years. Therefore, only some of these policies should be continued into the next school year.

new policies have been helpful.

While the adopted policy, specifically the minimum grade of a 50% on all assessments provides an equitable standard for students across Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), it can fail to be indicative of a student’s ability. If a student’s knowledge and ability simply doesn’t warrant their final grade due to the ‘bumps’ provided by the no-zero policy, they may fail to seek or receive the guidance they need to succeed the following year.

However, the possibilities for equity in these grading policies is overwhelming.

Though the issue of equity may not be as noticeable at Jefferson, across FCPS, transferring to a virtual environment EQUITY has deepened the equity divide as it is Though each class is different, grades gated by technology. Though these new are typically thought of as a measure of student success. Grades, however, are policies do not eradicate the divide, they not entirely representative of how well a do help lessen the divide. Unfortunately, student does in class because grades can with this change, teachers would have to put in more work with being attenbe affected by other factors including tive and perceptive of the abilities of family and financial situations. Essentially, grades are not always proportional students. Non-graded initial exams in the to the amount of effort put into classes. beginning of the school year may help For these reasons, especially deepened by teachers with gauging student abilities. added hardships of the pandemic, these

FINAL EXAM POLICY Additionally, the majority of students at Jefferson end up taking an Advanced Placement (AP) class, usually maintained with college-level coursework and rigor.

These classes are often looked upon as a source of preparation for college courses, in which traditionally, the final exam ends up being the grade you receive in the course. With this year’s policy regarding final exams, it’s possible that students feel they’ve been cheated out of this opportunity to be exposed to the college-level material, as well as the class not being worth as much as they previously believed.

THE FUTURE The 50% minimum policy is one of the policies that may benefit students, even in a normal school year. By alleviating some extent of stress, students can better focus on learning the content material rather than focusing on grades, since a zero would be far more detrimental to a student than a 50% in the gradebook.

However, other grading policies, like the final exam policy, might be better off abandoned in order to maintain a challenging and fair environment.

LEAD-ED 15

ILLUSTRATION // Neeharika Valanki

Ready to Return Return to school policies create a strong learning environment for those at home and in the classroom

Robert Stotz Staff Writer

Chris Yoo Staff Writer

Two months out from the end of the school year, and the one question constantly being asked is, “Are you going in person?” After April brought the opportunity to finally return to in-person learning, even extending to four days a week, Jefferson is looking more and more like the bustling school it once was.

While the constant increase in student population calls into question the safety measures of the school, it should be noted that the learning environment of Jefferson is as healthy as ever.

The return to school has been a great balance between student safety and education. From the ample opportunities to apply hand sanitizer to the QR codes scattered around courtyards for contact tracing, it is evident that Jefferson is doing all that it can to create an environment where students can feel safe.

As for the educational benefits of learning in person, it’s striking how much you miss when sitting at home. When physically in the classroom,

you have no choice but to participate and take in the information, a feeling that has only made students more productive. It’s one thing to hear the information, but to actually be present and focused throughout lessons, it’s worth so much more.

Students who opted for remaining fully virtual, while not on the forefront of change to routine, still have to make adjustments.

The April return to school plan did not mean that the new changes had no influence on their learning experience. It has definitely been an extremely different school year due to factors entirely out of their control, and it is clear that there were many difficulties for both students and teachers.

When select students were allowed to transition over to in-person learning, there were a variety of uncertainties and potential problems.

The opportunities stemming from April’s return to school for both inperson and online students were overall positive.

Having some students both physically present in the classroom and occupying the virtual space had a positive impact on all students regardless of environment.

Being online often means that you miss crucial information because you are in the comfort of your own home, seemingly with less rules and regulations.

Having students present inschool creates a more lively environment, as teachers and students can interact more freely without the barrier that is the audio and video buttons. This in turn encourages students confined to the virtual setting to participate themselves, and many students find themselves much more focused and present during class. Even online, these students feel more connected to the curriculum through the students that are inperson.

As all students prepare for what is expected to be a full return to school in

PHOTO// ErInn Harris

September, it is important to recognize that having hybrid education is a vital step towards adapting to normality. The primary concern right now is in making sure that students will be able to adjust after a year and a half of virtual schooling. By having hybrid education, the county is allowing a smoother transition for both in-person and virtual students. What will happen come September is yet to be determined, but the preparations that are going into it ensure that whatever happens, students will be ready.

OPINION 17

A Promising Prom Seniors will end the year with a sense of normalcy through prom

ILLUSTRATION// Rhea Goswami

Administering APs

The College Board and FCPS made AP testing accessible

Although it’s been a year, the technical difficulties and stress of the 2020 digital AP exams have not been forgotten. Fortunately, FCPS is more prepared James Ye to administer the tests Staff Writer this time around. The College Board has announced that students have the option to take AP exams at school or at home.

Between connection problems, cheating, and differences between in-person and online tests, there are many flaws to a digital exam.

However, the situation we have now is the best we may get.

Some people believe that the best solution is to cancel all AP exams.

Supporters of cancelling AP exams claim that it isn’t fair to students without access to a computer, the internet, or a quiet environment, nor is it fair to those with disabilities that may need accommodations. However, while cancelling exams would guarantee “equality” for all students, it is not an ideal solution.

FCPS students have less to be worried about this year. With the option to postpone to a different administration period, there is more

flexibility in scheduling. Students are accustomed to virtual learning, so they should be familiar with virtual exams. Moreover, FCPS issued laptops now play an important role in ensuring students have access to a computer.

Additionally, cheating will be discouraged. Questions are designed so that they can not be answered by a simple internet search, and students are not allowed to revisit questions or move between unanswered questions. Plagiarism detection software and other security features prevent violations. As technology has advanced, anti-cheating methods have gotten smarter as well.

This year, digital exams are also available for students who require testing accommodations–they will have access to assistive technology.

While it has been a rough year for educators and students alike, incredible progress has been made to make the virtual classroom more accessible. The previous year has given administrators time to prepare and learn from their miscalculations. Until the actual exam day arrives, we should be able to hold high expectations for FCPS and the College Board.

For a while it was uncertain whether the class of 2021 would even have the opportunity to attend an in-person prom. Now that a synchronous prom has Riya Jones been confirmed, students are Staff Writer curious as to how this year’s socially distanced dance will look different from previous proms. The staff and prom committee are working to create an event that complies with all safety guidelines but still lives up to expectations as a celebration meant to mark the culmination of our high school experience. The current plan maintains the charm of an in-person prom while minimizing risk to the students and staff attending.

Although the Prom Committee was at first planning to hold four different sections of prom, each with 100 slots that students could sign up for with their friends, they will likely only need two sections in light of the updated guidelines. Applying these less restrictive guidelines makes sense as many seniors will be vaccinated by the time of prom.

Despite this lessened risk, it is still the right decision to hold prom outdoors at Jefferson rather than at a traditional event center. The school can be sure that the maximum number of students are able to attend at one time while still maintaining appropriate social distancing if the event is held outside. And since many seniors have not been inside Jefferson for quite some time, returning to the building might actually feel more special than going to an event center.

Having traditional, in-person end of the year events like prom and graduation is sorely needed for a graduating class whose senior year has been anything but normal.

Being able to attend prom with peers will give students a chance to see their friends once more before leaving for college and will hopefully provide a sense of closure to those who feel the joys of senior year have been unfairly snatched away.

podcast pref

by Connie Ryu and Yasmin Kudrati-Plummer

C

lick play. Cue the background music and a calming voice. The start of a podcast.

While podcasts may seem simplistic in their format as audios, the work required behind each is immense. To keep listeners captivated, podcasters must employ tactics such as appropriate background music, engaging voices, illustrative conversations, deep insight, and more.

The TJTV Podcast Network (TJPN) creates podcasts that use such strategies for Jefferson students, and in such they have explored and gained inspiration from other podcasts they may listen to. They have a stronger understanding of both the work put into them and how effectively they are made. Here are some of the podcast recommendations they have given that nail what matters in the podcast media: engaging presentations that are both informative and holistic.

whitman ochiai Executive Producer

jessicachung Podcaster/Staff Member

mayukavalluri Podcaster/Staff Member

laurazhang Podcaster/Staff Member

Planet Money

by NPR

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PR’s podcast “Planet Money” explains — surprise — money, aiming to inform listeners on economic issues that likely influence their daily lives. “A lot of what makes podcasts engaging is not just what you’re saying, but how you make the sounds that the listeners are going to hear,” senior podcaster Whitman Ochiai shared with his recommendation.

“Money in itself can oftentimes be a pretty complex topic, but they’re able to take it and put it in a way that still keeps listeners engaged because they have a strong presentation ability [varying speed of speech, pitch and tone of voice, and sentence structures].”

ENTERTAINMENT

19

ter ferences TJPN podcasters share their podcast recommendations

Stuff You Should Know

Hidden in Plain Sight

by Josh Clark and Chuck Bryant

by Chad Grills

p

h

opular podcast “Stuff You Should Know” (SYSK) features a number of topics while often making pop culture references for comedic entertainment. Hosted by Josh Clark and Charles W. “Chuck” Bryant, SYSK immerses listeners into insightful, everyday conversations shared between buddies. “There’s not really one topic in particular that they cover; it’s more of just a general educational podcast, which I like since you can just choose whatever episode interests you,” sophomore Jessica Chung said.

idden in Plain Sight’’ highlights stand-out businesses that rarely get much attention and is hosted

by Mission CEO Chad Grills. The featured businesses have good work ethics or do beneficial things around the world (for example, making a product for those who are in dire need of it) but don’t get the recognition they deserve; they are hidden in plain sight. “I think it’s really cool how [the podcast] highlights those who do good in the world and brings awareness to all the good these companies are doing. It gives them the attention that they deserve but are unfortunately not getting,” freshman podcaster Mayuka Valluri said.

You’re Wrong About

by Michael Hobbes and Sarah Marshall

t

he independent American pop culture podcast “You’re Wrong About,” features two journalists (Michael Hobbes and Sarah Marshall) who discuss misinterpreted events and people. “They uncover a lot of intriguing topics, and it’s always interesting to hear multiple sides of the story that I haven’t experienced before. The co-hosts are not just extremely knowledgeable, but also really funny, which creates an overall entertaining podcast,” freshman Laura Zhang said.

DANCING TO YOUR When I was six years old, my mom got me into tap dancing because she wanted me to do something other than play video games the entire day. And so I did tap dancing classes three times a week and competed in state competitions. Once we moved to Tennessee, I started moving away from tap dancing and more into freestyle dancing when I was eight years old.

Tap dancing is mostly synchronization with your group partners. With freestyle hip hop, it is more of body strength instead of just synchronization. You can do what you want, and use your entire body instead of just one portion. You have the liberty to attach moves together, making yourself look good. However, doing one random dance move after another is definitely hard.

PHOTO by Sean Nguyen REPORTING by Sean Nguyen

WHAT I’VE LEARNED

Last year was a way to get out of my comfort zone where a lot of people were even surprised I could dance. Looking at my physique, people expect that I’m pretty weak. Although I am weak, I’m just strong enough to move myself around while dancing.

Sophomore

Chinmay Bhandaru

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OWN BEAT