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tjTODAY Volume 27 Issue 1
CSPA 2011 Gold Medalist Trophy Class - VHSL NSPA 2011 All-American
Editorial Board Editor in Chief Rabia Idrees
Managing Editor
Colleen Marshall
Layout Editor Anna Hicks
News Editors
Mallika Patkar Noah Yoo
Sports Editors
Joshua Baquedano Jenny Chen Jennifer Walter
Spread Editors
Amy Ahn Lakshmi Chandran
Features Editors
Tahmina Achekzai YouNa An Sunny Kim Thrisha Potluri
Adviser
Jennifer Seavey, MJE
Printer
Silver Communications TjTODAY is the official newspaper of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology published monthly by the journalism staff. It serves as a vehicle for student expression and is an open forum of issues of interest and concern to the school community. 6560 Braddock Road Alexandria, VA 22312 Phone: (703)-750-8375 Fax: (703)-750-5010 Web site: www.tjhsst.edu/tjTODAY Send letters to: tjTODAY@tjhsst.edu
september 6, 2011
Young Scholars Program and Consulting Club provide summer enrichment ideas continued from p. 1 students looked at specific topics, while older students looked at the subjects at a more global scale,” Ambrose said. Jefferson volunteers taught specific lessons that fell under the overarching themes of their programs. They did presentations to groups of students, but also worked one-on-one. Mentors covered what they learned at Jefferson such as periodic trends and the irrationality of pi. “I was a mentor for the children. We went with them on their field trips and acted as group leaders. We would help them with their data collecting, experiments and also data analysis,” junior Ben Hsu said. Spending time with mentors encouraged some students to apply to Jefferson. “We want to thank the TJ Mentors for making our Summer Science Academy an amazing experience for the children. Several of the older students now have the ambition of applying to Thomas Jefferson and want us to download the study materials. A year ago, the students didn’t even know what TJ was- now they are enthused about the opportunity of attending school there,” Martin said, “Their love of science, technology, and math has been affirmed to a much greater extent, and they now have role models to show them the way,” Many of the mentors found the program not only beneficial to students they helped, but also for themselves. “For me, the program was very refreshing as I loved being around the high-spirited, care-free kids. I definitely connected with the kids and created friendships all while learning how to communicate ideas in a fun and simple manner so the kids could follow along and better understand,” senior Anastasia Georgiou said. The Young Scholars-Jefferson effort was conceived during a meeting of the Diversity and Outreach Curriculum Team, Glazer and Carol Horn, FCPS Advanced Academics Coordinator, back in the spring. Together with the new TJ Admissions Out-
Clockwise from top right, mathematics teacher Michael Auerbach and English teacher Denise Castaldo pose at their wedding, physics teacher Adam Smith poses at his wedding over the summer, geosystems teacher John Woodwell smiles with his new bride and former mathematics teacher Jennifer Pierce poses with her new husband at Grand Teton National Park.
reach specialist, Glazer worked to identify schools with an interest in hosting the student mentors. The Consulting Club was responsible for informing Jefferson students about the Young Scholars initiative. Students were able to sign up at a booth on J-Day and were also contacted by e-mail. “The Consulting Club was able to set up a process by which they got over 80 students to sign up to volunteer within a week,” Mildie Waterfall, Consulting Club sponsor said. One of Jefferson’s goals is to give back to the community. In October, Jefferson will launch its STEMbassadors program, an ini-
tiative to participate in community outreach on a broader scale. Students will participate in mentoring and tutoring programs that are not limited to Jefferson’s local geography. Students live across Northern Virginia, and if they work in their local communities, the outreach program will be far-reaching. “Our students are wonderful advocates and diplomats to spread our schools mission. The big picture regarding outreach is that we play an important role in inspiring math, science and tech,” Glazer said. “We are involving anyone affiliated with the school to work on outreach in a far-reaching effort. We already have 83 people volunteering.”
by Sunny Kim Features Editor The Student Government Association (SGA) is planning an initiative to honor the first responders who are still suffering from the aftereffects of the terrorist attack on Sept. 11, 2001. Senior Helen Hastings, SGA president, is leading this initiative. She first got the idea to plan a school-wide event to commemorate the 10th anniversary of 9/11 from English teacher Judy Bello shortly after she was elected. “Mrs. Bello gave me the idea, and I took it from there,” Hastings said. Hastings contacted the FealGood Foundation, which had a mission “to spread awareness and educate the public about the catastrophic health effects on 9/11 first responders, as well as to provide assistance to relieve these great heroes of the financial burdens placed on them,” according to the FealGood Foundation’s official website. The first responders were exposed to the fumes and pollutants at Ground Zero in an effort to save the victims and are suffering from respiratory diseases, heart diseases and cancer as a result. The James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act became Public Law on Jan. 2 to provide federal health benefits to the first responders with effort from the FealGood Foundation. John Feal, the founder and president of the
organization, was a first responder whose left foot was heavily injured due to roughly 8,000 pounds of steel crushing it removing steel, rubble and debris from Ground Zero. His injury and the lack of response he and other responders got from the insurance companies, doctors and elected officials led him to create the FealGood Foundation. “These responders are the best of the best, and everyone should commemorate them,” Feal said. Hastings and Feal have scheduled around six to eight speakers from the organization to come to Jefferson. The speakers will visit on Sept. 16 to deliver the presentations during eighth period. There will be an opportunity for the students to personally encourage the first responders through letters on Sept. 12, utilizing the five minutes built into first period. “There will be a moment of silence for those who lost their lives 10 years ago, followed by the opportunity for each student to write a letter thanking a first responder,” Hastings said. The initiative need not end with the one activity. “My understanding is that the first responders think America has forgotten what they sacrificed for it,” Hastings said. “My hope is that the students of TJ can help convince them otherwise.”
SGA organizes 9/11 first responder appreciation effort
tie the knot Prototyping teacher Clint Behling, counselors Kerry Campane (now Hamblin) and Alexa Greenblatt (now Scott), geosystems teacher John Woodwell, physics teacher Adam Smith and former mathematics teacher Jennifer Pierce were wed this summer. Mathematics teacher Michael Auerbach and English teacher Denise Castaldo also married after an engagement announced earlier this year.
photo courtesy of Karen Ambrose
Senior Saketh Are accompanies London Towne students on a field trip to identify ecosystems.
photo courtesy of Denise Castaldo
photo courtesy of Adam Smith
photo courtesy of John Woodwell
graphic by Anna Hicks
reporting by Anna Hicks
photo courtesy of Jennifer Pierce
(dress your best)
WED
Two is Better than One (group day)
FRI
Get in Tune!
TUE
(music and bands)
(dress your best)
From Head to Toe, Let Your Spirit Show!
(red, white, blue and togas)
To’s and From’s (theme day)
THU
SPIRIT DAYS
MON To The Red Carpet
CLASS THEMES
HOMECOMING 2011 Freshmen Blast from the Past
Sophomores
Into the Jungle
Juniors It’s on YouTube!
Seniors
To Infinity and Beyond