October 2015

TJTODAY THE MAGAZINE

FOLLOWING THE PATH Behind its beauty and fascination, culture poses as a powerful driving force for students to excel in academics

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INTRODUCING FACULTY

Profile of new assistant principal, Pam Gravitte

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THE GENDER QUESTION

Gender disproportion in journalism courses

28

CELEBRATING SPOOKTOBER

tjTODAY features Halloween-themed entertainment

IN-DEPTH || 6 CULTURAL PRESSURES IN ACADEMICS

OCT. 15, 2015 || VOL 1 ISSUE 2 || www.tjtoday.org

THOMAS JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL FOR SCIENCE AND TECH || ALEXANDRIA, VA

NEWS

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Remembering Ms. Moore

IN-DEPTH

6 14 16

Defined by Heritage Profile: Mrs. Gravitte To Print or Not to Print

SPORTS

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October Sports Calendar

OPINION

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Journalism Gender Gap

ENTERTAINMENT

28

Television and books of Spooktober

WHAT I'VE LEARNED

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Senior Rushi Patel

EDITORS-IN-CHIEF ANJALI KHANNA, ESTHER KIM TEAM LEADERS ANKIT AGRAWAL, KATE DENG, KATHERINE DU, ADITHI RAMAKRISHNAN, UZMA RENTIA DESIGN EDITOR KATE DENG BROADCAST EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS MELANIE KURAPATTI, ALEXA NGUONLY BUSINESS MANAGER PATRICK TOULME STAFF REPORTER MADELINE OLD, AVNI SINGH ADVISER ERINN HARRIS tjTODAY is the official newsmagazine of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology published by the journalism staff.

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.

News

NewsMAKERS

CONTENTS

PHOTO//Anjali Khanna

Photo courtesy of JR Cabansag

Photo courtesy of the S. Prabakaran

NEWS

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OCT 15, 2015 ricular activities and provide a transcript.

HOW DID YOU COME ACROSS THE After the initial submission, I was notified NORDSTROM SCHOLARSHIP? that I was a semifinalist and then finalist.

I heard of other Jefferson students who BACKSTORY As a finalist, I had to participate in a Every year, Nordstrom has a compe- have won the scholarship in the past, Skype interview in July. such as Sreya Atluri (Class of 2015) and tition called “The Nordstrom ScholHOW DID YOU FEEL WHEN YOU Nikhil Garg (Class of 2014), and I was arship,” in which American, Puerto REALIZED YOU HAD WON $10,000? inspired to find out more after I heard Rican and Canadian students comI was blown away, shocked and thankful about their achievements. pete through an application process WHAT WAS THE APPLICATION PROCESS to the Nordstrom Scholarship program. for a $10,000 college scholarship.

The scholarship makes a huge difference LIKE? This year, senior Matthew Sun was for me personally, and it brings me one The application process was actually one of the 90 recipients. Nordstrom step closer to attending the best college fairly extensive. I was required to write surprised him with a check and cupessays, submit a teacher recommendation for me without worrying about the burcakes in his Latin class on Oct. 7. (thanks, Ms. Conklin),detail my extracur- den on my parents.

Kate Deng || DESIGN EDITOR

hard on for two days straight. Also, since WHAT WAS DIFFERENT BETWEEN THE I knew some of the judges were PTSD PERVIOUS HACKATHONS YOU’VE COMvictims, it made me proud that what I PETED IN AND HACKDC 2015?

BACKSTORY was doing was going to make a difference In previous hackathons, I definitely HackDC 2015 was a 36-hour hackathon focused on creating and coding wasn’t as balanced out. For some, I didn’t in their community.

DO YOU HAVE ANY FUTURE PLANS FOR work hard enough, and for others I mobile apps targeted at helping worked myself too hard. But this hack- YOUR APP? people with post-traumatic stress I wasn’t able to completely finish my athon, I found a nice balance between disorder (PTSD). This year, senior app, but I’m thinking of implementing working hard and also meeting new JR Cabansag won the “Best Overall things like personal messages and the people and learning a lot new things.

Hack” and $1,000 for his social-media based app “Positivity,” an online HOW DID YOU FEEL WHEN YOU WON THE ability to report posts. I’m thinking of pursuing this project for the next couple “BEST OVERALL HACK”? community for PTSD victims to openly talk with one another for sup- It was definitely really rewarding because of months or so, and I’m hoping that it’s something that I can actually publish. it was something that I worked really port, advice and encouragement.

Ankit Agrawal || TEAM LEADER

body Code Now! wasn’t a conscious WHY DO YOU THINK IT’S IMPORTANT decision of mine, but as we evolved TO EXPOSE GIRLS TO COMPUTER and grew, it eventually became a SCIENCE? BACKSTORY non-profit.

It’s no secret that computer science The White House selected junior WHAT WAS THE MOST MEMORABLE has problems with diversity.

If we Swetha Prabakaran as one of the PART OF YOUR EXPERIENCE VISITING don’t encourage minorities to pursue 11 Champions of Change - women THE WHITE HOUSE? computing, we fail to target the issues who are making leaps and bounds to I was able to interact with senior that are important to them and lose improve their communities. PrabaWhite House officials, such as Metheir voices. karan is the founder and CEO of gan Smith, the United States Chief WHY DID YOU FOUND “EVERYBODY Everybody Code Now!, a non-profit Technology Officer (USCTO), faceCODE NOW!”? organization that promotes computer to-face.

I got to hear from them and I felt that it was important to me science in younger generations. The speak to them on a one-on-one basis. to help other kids have access to White House celebrated Prabakaran They even knew our names, which computer science.

Founding Everand her fellow honorees on Sept. 15. was pretty cool.

Adithi Ramakrishnan || TEAM LEADER

4 NEWS Renovation Update

The door entrance numbers have changed Door 1: Dome.

Door 2 : New stairwell entrance on the left side of the Dome.

Door 3 : Research Labs entrance.

Door 4 : Cafeteria entrance.

Door 5 : Currently construction zone.

Door 6 : Across from Trailer 1/2.

Door 7 : Chemistry commons.

Door 8 : Planetarium entrance.

Door 9 : Across from Trailer 25/26.

Door 10 : Entrance to the new girl’s locker room.

Door 11 : Gym 1 entrance.

Door 12 : Current Main Entrance.

Door 14 : Auditorium entrance.

Door 15 : New Admin wing.

The entry commons, another courtyard, career center commons will open on Nov. 9.

The dome entrance will be open by the week of Nov. 9.

Design and construction sealed off the corridor on the first floor by the old elevator until the Nov. 9 GRAPHIC // Kate Deng

REMEMBERING LISA MOORE

Student Services Administrative Assistant Photo courtesy of Sean Burke

“I’m always amazed as to how she always had senior portraits [given] to her at the end of the year, and that really speaks volumes as to how well she knew them personally. They trusted her and cared about her that much that they were like, ‘Hey, I want you to have this.’ It really blew me away.”

- Counselor Sean Burke

“She was the first face I’d run into in the student services wing whenever I needed to see my counselor, and she was always a cheerful person to be around with all her rubber ducks and pictures of graduating seniors. Also, I would have to get late passes from her from seeing my counselor, and she promised that she would learn how to spell my name by senior year because she would misspell it every time.”

- Senior Will Ryu

“Ms. Moore was always so kind, caring and compassionate. Whenever I was struggling she was always there when I came into student services, and she would always help me find my counselor or someone else who could help me. I’m always grateful for all the times she was there for me when I was struggling with anything.”

- Class of 2015 Alumna Max Wall Pabilonia

NEWS

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OCT 15, 2015

Jefferson broadens international program with visit from South Korean students PHOTOS // Anjali Khanna DESIGN // Katherine Du

Anjali Khanna and Esther Kim || EDITORS-IN-CHIEF

Approximately 100 high school students from Gyeongnam Science High School (GSHS) in Jinju, South Korea, came to Jefferson on Oct. 7 during an eighth period gathering hosted

by Korean Culture Club (KCC). The event was organized by one of the Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) school board members, Ilryong Moon.

“The school wanted to visit TJ because it is also a science-focused school, and Dr. Glazer wanted to help spread awareness internationally,” senior Jia Kim, an officer of KCC, said.

One of South Korea’s 21 science-oriented high schools, GSHS shares many characteristics with Jefferson. In addition to its academic emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields, the school upholds “Integrity & Autonomy & Inquiry” as its motto.

In preparation for the event, KCC recruited several Korean American students who were willing to volunteer and represent Jefferson during the meeting.

“The Korean students were given an introduction and Q&A session in the auditorium by TJ student volunteers,” Kim said.

“We then split them into small breakout groups and gave them a tour of the research labs, explaining what projects were going on and what kind of research happened in each lab.”

As one of the highest scoring nations of the Programme

for International Student Assessment (PISA) exams administered by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), South Korea offers a variety of advanced high school curriculum through science, foreign language and international schools. In particular, GSHS strives to promote a professional research setting for high school students through its implementation of the “Research & Education” program in school and regular visits to research institutions in the nation.

KCC hopes to encourage greater interaction between South Korea and Jefferson’s academic programs by recognizing the comparable characteristics of each institutions and embracing such differences.

“It’s interesting to see TJ from an international perspective,” Kim said. “We hope that TJ will inspire other science-tech schools, even international ones, to pursue research and further specialization. I personally believe that exchange programs, like this one, help broaden both our horizons and those of our visitors as well.”

Korean students from a similar STEM-focused school visit Jefferson.

IN-DEPTH=

DEFINED BY HERITAGE?

PHOTO // Anjali Khanna DESIGN // Anjali Khanna

High-achieving students reflect on the role culture plays in the societal and academic pressures they face every day

Senior Charlie Guan dons traditional attire in celebration of his Japanese heritage.

Uzma Rentia, Adithi Ramakrishnan, Ankit Agrawal, Katherine Du || TEAM LEADERS

Reaching for the Top As 2014-2015 school year came to a close last June, the “Genius Girl” became the primary topic of conversation for Jefferson students. A South Korean Jefferson student who had supposedly been accepted to both Harvard and Stanford, Genius Girl claimed that both universities were so bent on snagging her that they offered her a rare dual admission program where she would spend two years at each of these prestigious schools.

Her story was booming back in South Korea, where simply getting into pretigious schools is considered an enormous accomplishment and a goal for which to strive. However, Genius Girl’s story quickly fell apart

at the seams when it all turned out to be an elaborate hoax.

In this case, Genius Girl’s cultural background was involved in the impetus which caused her to relay false evidence about her admissions decisions.

Cultural and familial pressure has the potential to put an enormous strain on students to succeed, especially when cultures have an expectation of high achievement.

Furthermore, reaching the top at Jefferson can seem like the epitome of a rat race. The school’s status as a place of aggressive cut-throat competition ensures there is a constant amount of stress placed on students.

From Grade Point Averages and standardized tests to finding the perfect eighth period that will get you a ticket into your dream college, navigating

the pressure to excel in high school is not made any easier by the additive pressure of cultural tradition.

Is it Race Related?

Approximately 67 percent of students at Jefferson are of Asian descent. As portrayed in countless memoirs, novels, and movies from Amy Chua’s “Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother,” to one of ABC’s latest creations, “Fresh Off the Boat,” children in Asian American families are pushed to work hard and expected achieve in many aspects of life. Often times this reputation causes more immense stress, yet also serves as a push factor for students to be at their

IN-DEPTH

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OCT 15, 2015 absolute best.. This reputation causes immense stress, yet also serves as a push factor for students to be at their absolute best.

“I think that most East Asians generally have a standard of high academic excellence, which can often cause pressure to kids that come from immigrant families,” junior Tiffany Sun said.

Add the extreme pressure for academic success students at Jefferson feel to racial background, and the re-

sult can often be less of motivational force and more of a negative toll on mental health. In other words, students can expect themselves to reach a certain level of success because they are a specific race or of a particular descent.

However, there is also a stigma that surrounds eastern cultures with mental illness. It is a myth that Asian Americans have the highest suicide rates in the United States, according to the American Psychology Associ-

ation (APA). Yet the stress that many face every day cannot be ignored.

Suicide was the second leading cause of death for Asian-Americans aged 15-34 in a study conducted in 2007, and according to APA, Asian-American college students were more likely than White-American students to have suicidal thoughts or actions. continued on page 9

Assimilation and the HITTING HOME: Cultural Immigrant Crisis in Syria Uzma Rentia || TEAM LEADER

As the civil war in Syria rages on, Europe is feeling the repercussions of the turmoil as an influx of displaced Syrians continue to immigrate into the continent’s border in the hopes of asylum.

Natives often voice concerns over terrorism and loss of jobs; however, one complaint in particular may strike a chord with many Jefferson students: assimilation. Natives of many European cultures fear their home country may become a melting pot, with no decisive culture. Given Jefferson’s large immigrant population – 70 percent of the Class of 2019 is of Asian descent – many are accustomed to the multiracial environment. Although the experience of Jefferson students is vastly different from than that of the Syrian immigrants, as the school watches the refugee crisis and its repercussions unfold, it begs the question: can people really consider themselves a part of two countries and remain equally steadfast in practicing both cultures?

Sophomore Lily Ko looks the part of the quintessential American, one would think she never stepped foot outside the U.S. Except she has. In fact, Ko immigrated to America when she was seven. She came to this country still learning to speak language. Now she is a Jefferson students by day yet still plays Gayageum, a Korean instrument, in her spare time and participates in Korean extracurriculars. Despite the cultural dichotomy in her activities and her personal and private life, Ko does not consider herself any less American.

“I’m a bit of both, I’m Korean-American I guess,” Ko

said. Something with which senior Haran Chithranjan, originally from Singapore, agrees.

“I assimilate pretty easily into the American culture as I had only spent two years in Singapore. My family managed to maintain their cultural values and adjust to the different lifestyle that was promoted in the United States,” Chithranjan said.

In fact studies have indicated that immigrants are integrating faster than those before them. According to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine, the newest immigrants are assimilating faster “across all measurable outcomes.”

Although students quip about Asians being the model minority and the epitome of success, it also highlights an issue that students face: figuring out how to harness the success often associated with their background and assimilating into the country they now inhabit. Despite this balancing act and the skepticism from others that comes when a Jefferson students originally hailing from another country say they are American, students believe that is possible to practice their customs and hold their values and still call themselves American.

“Although I speak Korean at home, and it’s a part of my culture, I’m also a part of the American culture,” Ko said. “Just because I speak Korean that does not necessarily make me less of an American. I live here, I am a part of the community also.”

8 IN-DEPTH DESIGN // Katherine Du Statistics from fcps.edu. *Student withdrawals were not taken into account.

ETHNICITY EXAMINATION: A CLOSER LOOK INTO DIVERSITY AT JEFFERSON

Data is comprised of Jefferson’s classes of 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. Each circle represents 19.4 students from the school population.

Asian White Multiracial African American Hispanic Native Hawaiian/Pacific Island & American Indian/Alaskan Native “I feel a need to stand out and to be the perfect child; the funny thing is that a lot of that pressure isn’t coming from my parents, but from everyone else that I consider to be a part of my peer-group and which I respect.”

Sophomore John Krause-Steinrauf, White “I don’t think race has a direct effect on [cultural or familial pressure].

I do think some cultures have different family principles and values which can affect pressure levels on kids in the family.”

Senior Tai Kao-Sowa, Multiracial “A lot of people’s parents were immigrants that came to the U.S. As a result, they place pressure on us because they want us to work hard and they believe we can do even better things with our lives.”

Sophomore Keely Wan, Asian

IN-DEPTH

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OCT 15, 2015

Familial Pressures

“East Asian kids are often stereotyped as the ‘smart’ ones and the ‘nerds,’ so kids that don’t do as well in school often feel inadequate,” Sun said. “It’s very toxic and a lot of literature has shown that many East Asian students suffer from mental illnesses caused by the pressure of these expectations.”

Being part of a specific culture comes with its own set of expectations from the public eye. However, a more internalized form of this is familial pressure. Students in families who are all part of a certain profession or are part of a culture that favors a particular job feel pressured to pursue this profession and feel the need to live up to their predecessors. The Jefferson “family” has its own breed of this pressure in the form of emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields. Jefferson’s passion for science and technology offers a thriving learning environment for students to explore their interests, but it can also make it harder to deviate from the norm and pursue a career in the humanities.

However, as a STEM-based school, the students who then attend may already be entering with a greater interest and need to succeed in those fields, thus adding a greater amount of pressure. Students with a distinct passion for the humanities and other subjects may not feel as influenced by the pressure evident in Jefferson’s heavily STEM-centric environment.

“Because of TJ’s wide variety of non-STEM courses like Journalism and Film Study, there is a lot of room for students to explore topics where they have even an inkling of interest,” sophomore Sachin Jain said.

“So, I feel like the large percentage of students primarily focused on STEM at TJ is far more attributed to our

students’ innate interest rather than the school’s influence.”

“East Asian kids are often stereotyped as the ‘smart’ ones and the ‘nerds,’ so kids that don’t do as well in school often feel inadequate. It’s very toxic.”

- junior Tiffany Sun

Consequences of Cultural Pressure Though extrinsic cultural pressures can set unrealistic expectations for students to achieve, and thus result in mental and other personal issues, they can also act as a strong motivational force. Students can act on these pressures by setting personal goals with individual expectations that fit their needs, and not just the stereotypes of their culture.

“Cultural and familial pressure can offer the push you need to identify where your interests are,” sophomore Nira Harikrishnan said. “I didn’t actually know about TJ until my dad pushed me towards the goal of getting in, and I’m extremely glad that he did.”

In many ways, cultural stereotypes lend a hand in promoting cultural pressure. The various stereotypes placed on ethnic groups can set expectations for learners, but in the

end, academic pressure is specific to a given student and situation. Cultural pressures are challenging to define with regards to numerous racial backgrounds and circumstances.

“I feel that pressure isn’t [specifically] cultural, but individualistic to different families,” sophomore Nikita Sivakumar said. “In today’s society, we have developed stereotypes of Asian families pressuring their children past the breaking point. Though in some cases this stereotype holds true, I think that culture alone isn’t enough to be a determinant of pressure, and that [pressure] is based on personal and familial experiences.”

Redefining the ‘Status Quo’ Whether students feel it or not, cultural and familial pressures are all too prevalent in society, and at Jefferson as well. Though it was Genius Girl’s story that made the headlines, there are countless other stories of students at Jefferson and beyond that go unheard. There is no clear solution to eradicate these external pressures, but it’s important to set and achieve goals by personal standards rather than a so-called cultural norm.

Everyone learns at different speeds and with different techniques, and such variation, while it is sometimes not taken into account in society, prevents anyone, regardless of race, from fitting into their culture’s stereotypical ‘status quo’ for success.

“Being a part of a minority is difficult at times because of stereotypes,” sophomore Ik Ogbonna said. “People inherently expect you to fail. When you’re different you have to work even harder than people who are ‘normal’ to be treated the same way they are.

That’s why I like TJ; nobody sees race here.”

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OCT. 15, 2015

YEARBOOKS ARE ON SALE! Don’t miss out on this once-in-a-lifetime oppoturnity.

VISIT

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After 12/31, free name plates will no longer be available.

IN-DEPTH=

THE TIME FO PHOTOS// Kate Deng, Kather- Ganley after an asking; Senior ine Du and Ankit Agrawal Saaketh Anjutgi dresses up as

(Clockwise from top left) Seniors Aaron Ho, Alex Hoganson, Andy Charbonneau, Nate Foss, Eli Lifland and Jeffrey Liu prepare a rap performance for their group asking; Senior Ming Ray Xu hugs senior Jordan

a pizza delivery man; Juniors Jack Schefer, Sishaar Rao, CJ Wilson and Nick Yoon perform a dance for their asking in the auditorium; Sophomore Philip Cho holds onto a rope in the weight room.

IN-DEPTH

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OCT 15, 2015

OR ASKINGS

PHOTOS//Kate Deng and Uzma Rentia

(Clockwise from top right) Seniors Calvin Chen and Akash Raju dress up in Hawaiian clothes while playing ukulele; Seniors Srikar Kosuri and Nikhil Ramachandran collaborate for a group asking; Sophomore Eric Deng asks sophomore Cassie Quach (Clockwise from right of the bottom

half) Senior Jason Wei dances with seniors Nicola Kubzdela and Jennifer Song; Senior Johnson Song asks senior Christina Wei; Sophomores Melina Seng and Anthony Thomas pose for a photo after an asking; Junior Rahul Batra hugs junior Roma Chitko after an asking.

14 IN-DEPTH

PHOTO//Adithi Ramakrishnan

Jefferson’s new assistant principal, Pam Gravitte, peruses the September issue of tjTODAY.

FROM ABROAD TO ADMINISTRATION

Jefferson welcomes new assistant principal, Pam Gravitte Adithi Ramakrishnan || Team Leader

Imagine making the decision to move to a completely foreign country. Not just any country - a country halfway around the world and thousands of miles away from any familiar faces. Picture leaving everything and everyone and ricocheting out of the “comfort zone.” Imagine making the choice to not only move there, but also to stay there for three years.

Pam Gravitte, Jefferson’s new assistant principal, made these decisions.

It was, as she recalls, an experience that once terrified her but ended up being one of the most rewarding moments of her life.

“I could have very easily been talked out of my decision to move abroad,” Gravitte said. “I had family and friends who were begging me not to go.”

Gravitte originally taught students business and marketing as an Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) Class-

room-on-the-Mall teacher, but felt that she needed firsthand experience in the private industry to prepare her students successfully.

She resigned from FCPS and pursued positions in mall management and marketing. After working in Washington, D.C., Gravitte received an invitation from Dubai to become the director of marketing in one of the city’s shopping mall complexes.

Despite her fears of completely removing herself from her home in Springfield, Gravitte took the job in Dubai, in which she had only visited once. During her stay, Gravitte interfaced with the government of Dubai and traveled around the world representing the city. After immersing herself in the culture and traditions of Dubai, she returned home after three years with numerous real-life marketing adventures to share with her students.

“[Dubai] taught me to never let fear of the unknown overtake me,” Gravitte said. “The payoff of the learning and joy I had once I took a chance was huge.”

Gravitte, now as a member of Jefferson, also serves as the administrator for the classes of 2017 and 2016 as well as the math and computer science departments. She utilizes her administrative positions to interact and connect with her students.

“Ms. Gravitte has been in contact with [2016 class council] since before the school year even started,” senior and 2016 Class Council Vice President Kunal Naik said. “She has been really helpful in supporting not only the class council but the class [of 2016] as a whole.”

As a graduate of the FCPS system, Gravitte has witnessed both the curricular and administrative sides of the county’s educational programs.

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OCT 15, 2015

“I am very well-versed on how things work in FCPS, but I don’t have any other school system to compare it to,” Gravitte said. “I was a student and a graduate, but also a teacher and administrator all right here in FCPS.” Taking on an administrative position at Jefferson or any high school comes with its own set of challenges. One of Gravitte’s goals for the year is overcoming one of the school’s greatest obstacles: the immense number of the school population.

“I’m really eager to get to know everyone and I wish that everyone already knew me,” Gravitte said. “Getting to know 1800 students and 200 faculty members is going to be exciting but difficult.”

Gravitte also has goals for the school year that cater to Jefferson’s emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Encouraging STEM awareness and outreach both in and out of the school is one of her many aims for the year.

“I want to give [students] insight into the STEM research and labs we have available here, whether they decide to apply to TJ or not,” Gravitte said.

Gravitte hopes that her administrative position at Jefferson will not prevent her from sharing lasting bonds with her students. In the past, Gravitte has taken students on field trips to Disney World and joined them on every thrill ride imaginable. No roller coaster was too large or too fast - that is, except for the Tower of Terror ride in Hollywood Studios, which she lists as another of her most terrifying moments in her life.

“I’m claustrophobic, and once they belted me in, I chickened out and ran,” Gravitte said. “My students never let me forget that.”

Besides her love of thrill rides, Gravitte has a wide variety of passions, including fajitas, dogs, country music and live performances. Gravitte’s office, located in Student Services this year, is a welcome place for students to stop by and say hello.

“It’s my pleasure to help you and my number one priority, after your safety, [is] to be of assistance to you,” Gravitte said. “I care about you and want to see you succeed.”

NEW KIDS ON THE BLOCK This year, 25 faculty members joined the Jefferson community. Three of them are featured below.

MICHELLE BOSWELL

ENGLISH 9, AP ENGLISH LANGUAGE, COMPOSITION/GLOBAL STUDIES

“Of high school, my favorite memories come from being on the color guard for the band. I have great memories of summer band camp and fall football games. “

MALHAZ JIBLADZE

AP MACRO/MICROECONOMICS, AP COMPARATIVE GOVERNMENT, WORLD GEOGRAPHY

“I am concurrently enrolled in the Economics PhD program at George Mason University, so I am both a teacher and a student at the same time.”

KATY OSKOUI

LIBRARY RESEARCH, INFORMATION LITERACY SKILLS

“If I could know the answer to any question, it would be how to build a time machine.”

REPORTING|| Katherine Du DESIGN || Adithi Ramakrishnan

sci & tech TO PRINT OR NOT TO PRINT

Is 3D-Printing meant to be the answer to problems in organ donation?

Uzma Rentia || Team Leader

At first glance the idea seems fantastical, like something out of a comic book or a sci-fi show that predates today’s understanding of science. Except that it has actually been occurring for some years now.

3D-printing technology is replacing conventional organ donations. After years of quietly ironing out the intricacies and nuances of implants behind the scenes, 3D-printing came front and center of the media’s attention, when, in early September, a Spaniard suffering from chest wall sarcoma replaced his sternum and several ribs with 3D-printed titanium ones. The idea of metal replacing the flesh and blood may seem far-fetched, but recent strides in 3D-printing has blurred the lines between fantasy and reality.

“It hard to say now, I think in the end, eventually, through the bioprinters we will be basically 3D-printing almost any body part possible, maybe 50 to 100 years down the road,” Michael Piccione, Jefferson’s Energy Systems laboratory director, said.

The scenario with Spanish cancer patient is just one in a series of cases that show how 3D-printing has the potential to change the face of medicine. Since the inception of the first 3D-printer in 1984, 3D-printing had played a minor role in everyday going-ons. Until very recently 3D-printers were used mainly to customize Invisalign. However, starting in 2012 breakthroughs and advances and technology have led to sophistication of the device that it could print ear cartilage, skin, blood vessels, heart valves and a host of artificial organs. That being said, this marks the first time a 3D-printer has created a rib cage - one made completely out of titanium.

Titanium rib implants are not a revelation, but the geometry of ribs makes

THEN AND NOW: them incredibly difficult to manufacPotential of 3D-Printing ture. The previous design, which used flat plates, ran the risk of complications Chuck Hill patents after the procedure. However, through medical and digital renditions, doctors stereolithography can now use 3D-printers to tailor each also known as additive implant to fit the unique needs of manufacturacting patients.

“You can do a lot with 3D-printing that you could not do before... blood Creates 3D Systems type matches or waiting lists compared the lead company in to the current model,” Piccione said.

3D-Printing Technology But there are drawbacks. It requires more than our average $1000 MakerInvisalign Bot. The rib was printed using $1.3 milFirst time lion Arcam 3D metal printer that has a 3D-Printing and 3,000 watt electron beam gun that melts medicine mixed. metal powder in 3D formations.

In this case titanium powder has to NOW USED FOR be heated to a staggering 1,650 degrees Celsius. Due to the exorbitant cost of the equipment, the idea of 3D-printing Cranium has come under some scrutiny. Piccireplacement Bones one, however, dissents, arguing that a vast majority of medical equipment is just as or more expensive than the Arcam 3D. “Is a million dollar 3D-printer any worse or more expense than say a Da Medical Vinci surgery robot? Not really,” PicciEquipment one said.

Despite the cost, the popularity Skin Grafts of 3D printing technology has been for burn victims increasing exponentially. In three years scientists have gone from cautiously printing splint to replicating entire orHeart valves Organs gans. If 3D-printing continues to gain Prescription Blood vessel speed, researchers may be able to unite drugs tissue the stuff of comic books with medical reality, but that might take a while. “ In the end, might it a little bit scary, perhaps being able to genetically engineer something using 3D-printed Cheap parts?” Piccione said. “Maybe, but that’s prosthetics not for another 100 years probably and every technology has good impacts and Ear cartilage bad.”

1986

GRAPHIC // Uzma Rentia

SCI & TECH

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OCT 15, 2015

RE-LEARN TO WALK

Robotic exoskeletons could allow wounded veterans to walk again Uzma Rentia || Team Leader

Lieutenant Trevor Greene defied the limitations of conventional medicine when he survived after having a crude axe slammed into his brain in the Shinkay village of Afghanistan.

Now the once wheelchair-confined veteran is again defying the odds and learning to walk through what is known as robotic exoskeleton.

In 2006, Greene was deployed to Afghanistan as a Civilian-Military Cooperation (CIMIC) from the Canadian Forces in an ill-fated attempt to foster peace between the West and Afghanistan by offering infrastructure aid to remote villages. During one of their tasks, Greene was struck in the head with what would have been a fatal blow. Though Greene’s survival was a miracle, the doctors’ prognosis was grim: Greene would never be able to walk again. However, nine years later, Greene has reached the integral step in his long road to recovery.

A device called ReWalk is the United States Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) regulated robotic skeleton that allows paralyzed patients to sit, stand, walk and even climb stairs by providing

hip and knee motion. ReWalk may also be Greene’s chance at walking unaided. The exoskeleton works by using motion sensors and electroencephalography (EEG) signals, which are processed by an onboard computer, to predict the wearer’s movements. After processing the signals the device shifts gravity to provide appropriate support and to maintain the direction and pace of the patient.

According to Ryan D’Arcy, a neuroscientist and expert in brain imaging at Simon Fraser University (SFU) and Surrey Memorial hospital, the hope is that Greene’s increased mobility will allow his brain to build a new neural pathway to compensate for his traumatic injury. If all goes as planned, Chuck Dela Cuesta, director of Jefferson’s Automation and Robotics laboratory, believes there is hope for Greene.

“If it can help able-bodied people to move, walk and lift better, then the same technology can be applied to people who can’t use their legs and arms. It’s the same technology regardless of the ability of the wearer or their current condition,” Dela Cuesta said.

Even if ReWalk and other robotic exoskeletons are 100 percent effective, they are still issues on the logistical sense. ReWalk costs about $69,500 and is not covered by United States insurances. Additionally, users of the device complain that it is difficult to wear due to its weight and rigid structure. Currently, creators of the device are unsure how to make it less heavy but not at the expense of its functionality.

“That’s probably where new materials come in, like all the work they are doing with lightweight composites, especially with nanomaterials... they are lighter and stronger than anything that currently exists. They may be bulky now, but they’ve already come up with materials that should improve that bukiness and usability,” Dela Cuesta said.

Despite the minor wrinkles, both researchers and Greene remain hopeful, and the latter looks forward to hiking to the base camp of Everest.

Robotic exoskeletons may be the key to realizing that dream.

“It’s absolutely possible,” Dela Cuesta said.

IN HIS FOOTSTEPS

Road to Lieutenant Greene’s Recovery

2006

2010

2010

2012

2015

Greene is wounded in Afghanistan

Scientists at Simon Fraser University begin tracking Greene’s progress

Greene learns to stand but is unable to walk

Social media campaign begins to raise fund for an exoskeleton

Greene begins using ReWalk, one of the most advanced robotic exoskeletons GRAPHIC // Uzma Rentia

sci & tech United they Fall, Divided they Stand

Creative Commons photo courtesy of [stevepb] on pixabay

When Medicine and Business Collide Uzma Rentia || Team Leader Books such as The Jungle and A Civil Action the have immortalized the perception of dishonest corporations. One would think that pharmaceutical companies would be less interested in profits than in innovation and advancing science. However, on September 22, Turing Pharmaceutical fell under immense criticism after The New York Times detailed how the company raised the price of a toxoplasmosis drug, Daraprim, from $18 per tablet to $700, a hike of approximately 4,100 percent.

Although the company has since reversed their decision, the incident exposes prevalent issue in capitalist America: as the lines between medicine and business erode in a free market, is it possible to separate medicine and the needs of the patients from pharmaceutical enterprise?

“In some ways you have to make a distinction between medicine as a practice and the pharmaceutical industry. Pharmaceutical industries are in business to make profits.

Unfortunately with medicine you are talking about something where peoples’ lives are at stake. If you look at it from the standpoint of the pharmaceutical industry, their duty is to their shareholders, not the those who use their products. There is where you can start asking the question: is it appropriate to have a free capitalistic model for the pharmaceutical industry,?” biology teacher Dr. Thomas Larson said.

In the case of Daraprim, the exorbitant increase resonated across the nation and provoked its ire. The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) and the HIV Medicine Association (HIVMA) even wrote to the company asking it to reverse their decision, saying the increase would cost patients between $336,00 to $634,500 annually. The internet took a less conventional approach and publicly vilified Turing Pharmaceutical’s CEO, Martin Shkreli, who argued that the increased revenue would be directed to cancer research.

“What they don’t tell people is that they put as much money into advertising their products as they do in research and development. Maybe 30 to 40 percent of their funds actually go to research,” Larson said.

Shkreli’s rationale did not fly with many; and rather than clear his name, it instead further incensed the public and lead to his derisive nickname “Pharma Bro.” The media attention ultimately lead to the company reversing the hike, although it has refrained from saying what the price will be lowered to.

Though the internet’s rage was effective this time around, the truth is that companies periodically inflate the prices of drugs.

Prescription-drug costs are covertly skyrocketing, a study conducted by the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)

found the price of brand-name drugs had increased by 13 percent in 2013. Production of certain drugs are also delayed in favor of more profitable ones as well.

“They are always looking for the next blockbuster. The thing they can sell in large volumes for high prices and get large margins. So a lot of the things that could have been beneficial to a small number of people often were not prioritized,” Larson said.

As a STEM school, Jefferson has many students that choose to go into the science route, most notable medicine. Given this, it is possible that students may have to examine not only cells under a microscope, but how they will make ethical decisions when the time comes.

“When you are working with a company you have a bargain with them. They pay you to do what they want you to do. I would have preferred to have been in academia where I could research on what I wanted to do and go get grants for my research that I felt were priorities,” Larson said.

For now, it seems, pharmaceutical companies are sticking to their duties as a business. If the current model continues, it seems as though Jefferson students must think carefully about their career choices.

“Working for a business is fine,” Larson said. “But not as a business person.”

SKY HIGH: As the Nation’s Demand for Prescription Drugs Increase, so does the Price $570

Annual out-ofpocket expenses

74% of all Adults Statistics courtesy of Consumerneswreport, AARP and Healthline

$250

billion in total spending annually

97% of

brand name drugs had a

$1,500

Americans take Precription Drugs Pills4.7 on Average Equivalent to

13% price increase in 2013

$500

105 Million

GRAPHIC // Uzma Rentia

As companies merge competiton drops and prices go up

ADS

19

OCT 15, 2015

sports

UNITED IN MIGHT

JV and freshman football players join to form one team Katherine Du || TEAM LEADER

Sophomore Kyle Gerner picked off the Edison High School’s quarterback, securing Jefferson’s first junior varsity (JV) football win since 2012.

“For me it was my first win at TJ. I think we have a long way to go but both [the classes of] 2018 and 2019 show lots of potential,” sophomore Wonwook Do, a quarterback, said.

The win may not have held significance in the way the team have experienced it - in fact, it may not have held any significance - if certain changes in Jefferson’s football team organization had not been made.

This year, the previously separate JV and freshman football divisions have merged to form one team consisting of a greater number of athletes. The decision was made in early August.

“At the start of the season, we were attempting to get permission to have our [JV] sophomores play against freshmen teams from other schools,” sophomore Arthur Browne, a lineman, said. “This is because the sophomores only played two actual games last year in freshman season.”

Currently, there are less than 15 sophomore players, making it difficult

to organize full games and practices accordingly. By combining with freshmen, the team is able to compete more actively.“Although it is a bit of a pride blow, being able to have a larger size and gain more experience

The organizational structure allows incoming freshmen to learn from the experienced athletes in the team. However, the team also faced challenges because the change required the new players to transition directly into competing with several JV teams, and occasionally a team with a mix of both freshman and JV. “90 percent of [the freshmen] have no football experience, which is nothing new to TJ football, so throwing them in a game with a bunch of sophomores and juniors is a bit brutal for them,” Do said. “They got a taste of it when we scrimmaged Washington & Lee full JV [team] though.”

- Wonwook Do After having consistently put their efforts forth in afterschool and summer practices, both freshman and JV players expressed their triumph before heading into varsity is, honestly, when they recorded a 12-6 win against critical,” sophomore Taylor Kim, a Thomas Edison High School. wide receiver and cornerback, said.

“Since we felt like we may not have “As far as quality of games, it makes another opportunity like this in the them more manageable. With a larger near future, we wanted to make sure amount of players, fewer individuals that nothing went wrong that would need to stay out the entire game, which cause us to feel like a chance to win makes it harder for players to become had slipped through our fingers,” exhausted.”

Gerner said.

“I think we have a long way to go but both [the classes of] 2018 and 2019 show lots of potential.”

The underclassmen football team practices catching drills near the baseball field for upcoming games. PHOTO // KATHERINE DU DESIGN // ANKIT AGRAWAL

SPORTS

21

OCT 15, 2015

FALL SPORTS SCORES

A “HOME” AWAY FROM HOME

Construction prevents home games for volleyball teams Ankit Agrawal || TEAM LEADER

The freshman, junior varsity (JV) and varsity volleyball teams have been unable to play at “home” so far this year due to the main gym’s renovation. This issue has not only made it more difficult for players to make it to games, but also has had a large toll on the team moral as well.

“At least for home games last year, we would have seniors come, some football players come, whoever is waiting around after practice, and it really helped because that was our motivation,” sophomore Shivani Mullapudi, member of the JV volleyball team, said.

All games have been held at places other than Jefferson this year, requiring players to make accommodations, such as organizing team carpools in order to attend. Furthermore, all the away games have made it difficult to hold the special events that the teams would had planned at this time of

Data from www. colonialathletics.org Date - Opponent - Score

FIELD HOCKEY (Varsity)

9/3 - McLean HS - 1-2

9/9 - Marshall HS - 1-2

9/11 - South Lakes HS - 4-2

9/18 - Falls Church HS - 4-0

9/21 - Thomas Edison HS - 0-1

9/25 - Herndon HS - 0-2

10/6 - Lee HS - 2-1

10/7 - J.E.B. Stuart HS - 1-0 FOOTBALL (JV)

9/17 - Mount Vernon HS - 18-18

9/21 - Thomas Edison HS - 12-6 GOLF (CoEd)

9/8 - Wakefield HS - 0-2

9/17 - Thomas Edison HS - 147-183

9/24 - Falls Church HS - 147-177 VOLLEYBALL (VARSITY) 9/1 - Mount Vernon HS - 3-0 9/3 - McLean HS - 0-3 9/8 - Fairfax HS - 0-3 9/10 - Annandale HS - 0-3 9/16 - TC Williams HS - 1-3 9/21 - WT Woodson HS - 0-3 9/24 - Yorktown HS - 1-3 9/29 - West Potomac HS - 3-1 10/1 - Washington-Lee HS - 0-3

the year.

“This Thursday was supposed to be our ‘Dig Pink’ game, which is the game where we raise money for breast cancer awareness and research, but we can’t do that this year because the gym is not ready, so it’s kind of disappointing,” Mullapudi said.

Not only has the main gym construction affected the volleyball teams, but during practice, the teams must share their practice space with other groups such as cheer, reducing the overall practice space available for both teams.

However, the game against Wakefield High School on Oct. 14 marked the volleyball teams’ first home game this season.

Players showed excitement about the reopening of the main gym and being able to play “home” games once again. “[I’m most looking forward to] the flexibility, because we’ll get more space and also it’ll be a lot cleaner because Gym 2 as of right now is pretty dirty,” sophomore Amanda Hsu, member of the varsity volleyball team, said.

DESIGN // ANKIT AGRAWAL

FIELD HOCKEY (JV)

9/3 - McLean HS - 0-6

9/9 - Marshall HS - 0-2

9/11 - South Lakes HS - 0-3

9/18 - Falls Church HS - 3-0

9/21 - Thomas Edison HS - 0-0

9/25 - Herndon HS - 1-2

10/6 - Lee HS - 1-0 FOOTBALL (Varsity) 9/11 - Washington Lee HS - 6-35 9/18 - Mount Vernon HS - 18-40 9/25 - Thomas Edison HS - 26-52 10/2 - Annandale HS - 0-42 GOLF (Girls)

9/2 - Stuart - 176-235 VOLLEYBALL (JV)

9/3 - McLean HS - 0-2

9/8 - Fairfax HS - 2-0

9/10 - Annandale HS - 2-0

9/16 - TC Williams HS - 0-2

9/21 - WT Woodson HS - 0-2

9/24 - Yorktown HS - 0-2

9/29 - West Potomac HS - 2-0

10/1 - Washington-Lee HS - 1-2 VOLLEYBALL (FRESHMAN)

9/3 - McLean HS - 1-2

9/8 -Fairfax HS - 0-2

9/10 - Annandale HS - 2-0

9/16 - TC Williams HS - 0-2

9/21 - WT Woodson HS - 1-2

9/24 - Yorktown HS - 0-2

9/29 - West Potomac HS - 2-1

10/1 - Washington-Lee HS - 0-2

Photo courtesy of Techniques

JV Volleyball player Jenny Tan hits an incoming volleyball at the Yorktown HS away game.

sports FOOTBALL FIGHTS BACK

Jefferson Football pushes forward amidst criticisms

Coaches and trainers look on during the varsity game against Mount Vernon High School PHOTO//Uzma Rentia

Uzma Rentia || Team Leader Within hours, Twitter, Facebook and just about any social media forum was awash with criticism. Students expressing dissapointment over an event they had anticipated with excitement, only to be let down.

No, the vitriol was not directed towards the latest Windows update or an iPhone unveiling, but rather, the Jefferson football team.

For a team that expertly juggles school work and practice and already faces immense odds considering the skill of rival high schools, the insensitivity of unsatisfied social media users is just another item on the growing list of seemingly insurmountable odds. However, recently Jefferson’s football team, noticeably on the JV level, have been pushing forward harder than ever.

“TJ’s had a long histroy of losses but I think this year we have a a lot of talent on the sophomore level. We also worked hard during the off season. We came out everyday and

practiced since August. I think tht helped us do well,” sophomore Viraj Puri, a member of the JV team, said.

The complaints against the team came following the Jefferson vs. Mount Vernon football game on September 18.

Certain disappointed students took to social media to criticize the football team for the 18-40 loss. Although critics were few and the backlash was great, the Jefferson football program was quick to prove them wrong with the JV football team’s 12-6 win against Edison High School on September 21, the first JV victory since October of 2013.

“During the game against Edison we proved everyone wrong. Even though they were much bigger than us and had more players we still had the quality to win,” Puri said.

While the team managed to win this time, they had to overcome immense odds to reach this point.

“All the homework and late

practices and late let out times from school definitely makes it harder and makes it so less people actually wants to play. It is definitely a disadvantage but we still manage to work around it,” Kyle Gerner, a member of the JV team, said.

The victory against Edison is only the first step, the team looks forward to triumphing against more more, and better, opponents.

“Some realistic goals would be to win at least two more games this season, because I know there are teams that are a lot bigger than us,” Gerner said.

As the Colonial football team’s small victories continue to stack up, it may not be long until students can say - without the heavy undertones of sarcasm - “Yeah, we did come here for the sports.” With the JV team’s current record that just might be possible.

“We can do it,” Gerner said.

“So don’t say we can’t.”

All for One, and One for All Colonials express support for the football team “They make the best out of what they got.

Not once have I heard them complain about having a small roster or not having enough time to do what they need to do. I believe everybody at this school could learn a thing or two from their tenacity and toughness.”

-D.J. Jayachandran, 12

“The critics need to realize that we’re fighting a stereotype about our school and for all the “nerds” and winning. Albeit, maybe we’re not the best in varsity, but those guys are still pushing back against every obstacle and that’s pretty incredible.”

-Andrew Kim, 9

“The TJ football team may not be the greatest, but considering that the kids have to balance practice with an extremely large workload, it’s actually quite impressive.”

-Benjamin Ascoli, 10 GRAPHIC // Uzma Rentia

SPORTS

23

OCT 15, 2015

EARLY BIRDS CAPTURE THE WIN

Field Hockey takes advantage of morning practices to prepare for game day Anjali Khanna || Editor-In-Chief It’s 5:45 a.m. While most are still in their heavy sleep cycle, the field hockey team is already awake, on the move and getting ready for that morning’s practice.

For few weeks that school has been in session, this has been the daily routine of both the varsity and junior varsity teams— Get up at 5:30 to get to practice by 6:30, practice until 8:00, take a shower at school, and begin the school day.

Although it may sound grueling, many athletes on the team have learned to enjoy waking up in the early hours. “The best part of morning practices is getting to watch the sunrise,” senior Angela Goyal, a member of the varsity team, said. “It’s also nice to be ready and prepared for school ahead of time because we know that we wont have the morning to finish any last minute work.”

After school, this means, the team members can go home at a normal time and work on homework. Since the team does

not meet on the weekends, it’s only the early start time on school days that can often be hard on the schedule.

“Waking up early can be difficult, especially if I was up late the night before doing homework,” senior Maaike Blindenbach, also a varsity member, said. “ Having morning practice really means you have to manage your time the night before well because otherwise it’s very difficult to get enough sleep.”

In addition, the time directly after practice is usually spent showering in Jefferson’s new team locker rooms. Field Hockey players also often must find time to eat breakfast before the start of class and utilize this time for that purpose.

“The worst part of morning practices is having to take showers afterwards,” freshman Alice Nolan, a member of the junior-varsity team, said. “The showers at TJ have boiling hot water and there’s usually only enough time for a two minute shower.”

DESIGN // Melanie Kurapatti

OCTOBER SPORTS

: Home, :Away 10/15 JV :6:00 pm vs.Falls Church JV :6:00 pm vs.Falls Church 10/16 V V

: 7:30 pm @ Falls Church : 7:00 pm @ Falls Church

10/17 : TBA @ Pole Green Park, Mechanicsville, VA 10/19 V

: 6:00 pm @ Wakefield

10/20

10/21 5:00 pm @ Mason District JV JV

: 6:00 pm @ Lee : 6:00 pm @ Lee

10/22 JV : 6:00 pm @ Lee JV : 6:00 pm @ Lee Fr : 5:00 pm @ Lee JV : 6:00 pm @ Lee V : 7:15 pm @ Lee 10/23 V V

: 7:30 pm vs. Lee : 7:00 pm vs. Lee

10/25

:TBA @ Twin Lakes Fr : 5:00 PM vs. Falls Church JV : 6:00 PM vs. Falls Church V : 7:15 PM vs. Falls Church

10/26

: TBA @ Virginia Beach Key:

: Cheer, : Football, : Cross Country, : Field Hockey, : Volleyball

V : 6:00 pm @ Wakefield Fr : 5:00 pm vs. Marshall JV : 6:00 pm vs. Marshall V : 7:15 pm vs. Marshall

: 6:00

10/27 : 5:00 pm @ Franconia Park 10/28 : 5:00 pm @ Burke Lake Park Fr : 5:00 PM @J.E.B. Stuart JV : 6:00 PM @ J.E.B. Stuart V : 7:15 PM @ J.E.B. Stuart 10/29 JV JV

: 6:00 p.m. @ Wakefield : 6:00 p.m. @ Wakefield

10/30 V V

: 7:30 pm vs. Wakefield @TJ :7:00 pm vs. Wakefield @TJ

oPInion DESIGN // Katherine Du

In 2015 alone, 47 reported instances of gun violence have been reported on campuses across the country.

LEAD

Now parents, teachers and kids alike ask one question. When will it end?

EDITO RIAL

BITE THE BULLET

It’s time to talk about gun rights

L

et’s face it. We can no longer ignore the possibility of a shooting at our school. Although we traditionally have come to regard lockdown drills as just a way to get out of class time, the Oct. 1 shooting at Umqua Community College, as well as the shootings last week in Texas and Arizona, serves as a splash of cold water to the face about gun control and the second amendment in the United States.

Lately, however, the issue of gun possession has hit even closer to home as protests erupted last week outside of a McLean elementary school due to the proximity of a new rifle store, NOVA Firearms. It is clear we can no longer continue on pretending that these attacks on school children do not link to the ready availability of arms in this country.

Since the Sandy Hook shooting in December of 2012 in which 20 children and six adults were killed, 95 separate accounts of gun violence at K-12 schools have been reported.

Just this year alone, that number tops just over 40 shootings.

However, this statistic does not include the countless number of homicides that take place every year

in the United States due to possession of arms. In fact, more Americans die by gun violence every six months than have been killed in the last two decades of terrorist attacks and in combat in the Middle East combined.

cealed Handgun Permit. Concealed carry, however, does require a set of permits. We also must not ignore the current accessibility of military grade and semi-automatic arms and its contribution to the gun violence problem. Lastly, we need to be looking for a solution to our school shooting problem by pushing for more thorough mental and background checks for those looking to purchase military grade weapons.

Yet we as a nation are not close to seeing the end of violent attacks like the Oregon shooting, and unfortunately for valid reason. The debate over gun control in America brings up some thought-provoking Many have also suggested that we questions about the authority of the arm teachers and school officials, in constitution and the second amend- hopes of counteracting the shooter ment’s relevance to the modern age. by encouraging the use of deadly force if necessary to stop him or We no longer live in a world where the an oppressive and tyran- her. However, this would not deter a shooter and instead do nothing but nical government is an imminent threat, and therefore no longer have turn our schools into battlefields.

Add fire to fire, and we’re the ones a need for the right to assemble a militia and bear arms. Yet this right getting burned. has been inscribed into the foundations of our constitution since the birth of this nation, so how can we possibly violate it?

So rather than limiting the second amendment, the answer lies in striking a balance between being able to own a gun for protection and Changing our constitution seems hunting reasons and having restrictions placed on the weapons that we like a stretch. The answer to decreasing gun violence in schools lies as U.S. citizens can carry. Changing in changing policy surrounding gun local and state law is the first step that must be taken if we want to registration and open carry laws in the states. In Virginia, open carry of make America, and our school, safer again. a firearm is legal without a Con-

OPINION

THE GENDER GAP: DESIGN // Katherine Du

A substitute during journalism comes up to me and asks, “How are you the only guy in this class?” After talking with him, he discusses how he is ‘amazed’ by how secure I am to be taking journalism. At the time, I had found the comment funny and trivial, but now I wonder - when did an interest suddenly become a sense of self-security? tjTODAY is meant for everyone in the school, yet is written and led by a mostly-female staff. As the only male taking Journalism this year, it seems strange that such an incorrect proportion of students help represent our school, especially since the percentages of males accepted to Jefferson for all current grade levels range from 55.4 to 60.2 percent.

While a decreased interest for the humanities in the school’s STEM-based environment is plausible, that does not explain why the proportion of males to females in Jefferson’s humanities is so askew. In fact, due to the typically greater number of males than females accepted to Jefferson, it would make sense for all classes to have a male-to-female ratio greater than one if the gender distribution for all classes is equally proportional and no gender-based preferences are present. So if that’s the case, then regardless of the number of students who are a part of the tjTODAY staff, why is the ratio of malesto-females taking Journalism less than 1 to 10?

One reason could be society’s stereotypical view of gender roles. In today’s world, there are certain fields where men are thought to have a more prominent role than women, one of which includes STEM. With only 27% of computer science jobs in 2012 and 14% of engineering jobs in 2014 held by women, and only 7% of men majoring in the humanities in 2013, this “male empowerment” in STEM could be influencing the Jefferson community by creating a similar environment.

The idea that women are more involved with the humanities should not affect whether or not men choose to participate in that field, but nonetheless, this seems to be the case when it comes to tjTODAY. Ankit Agrawal || Team Leader

HE SAID

25

OCT 15, 2015

Does tjTODAY’s predominantly female staff emphasize gender stereotypes, or are there truly more women interested in humanities than men?

Surrounded on all sides by freshman who are at least half a foot taller than I am, I am using one hand to guide my way through the crowd in Gym 2 and the other hand to pass out a pile of fliers advocating TJ Media. Most people happily accept the flier out of politeness, regardless of interest, but as I pass a group of boys, they scoff at me when they realize the flier is not introducing STEM clubs or debate. tjTODAY has never expressed their exclusiveness to males, yet historically tjTODAY has had a heavily female-dominant staff, with only one in the class this year. Even so, I strongly reject the notion that the tjTODAY staff has more females than males simply because “females are more interested in humanities, while males are more interested in STEM.” First of all, we have to take into consideration that Jefferson is a STEM school, which is why the tjTODAY staff has generally always been smaller than the staff of other high school publications in Fairfax County. Take for example, Annandale High School. The newspaper staff for the 2015-2016 year has 65 on staff, comparable to our 11. But if you look at the composition of men, the percentage is also significantly higher, at 42 percent. Since students, regardless of sex, enter Jefferson with the preconceived notion that STEM should be their main focus, a lot of them tend to never even give journalism a second thought. Therefore, saying “there is only one boy in tjTODAY” is deceiving, since the population itself is not large to begin with.

I also reject the notion that more females participate in journalism here because women are more inclined to be journalists. In the real world, journalism has actually been a male dominated field, according to studies by the American Society of News Editors. In 2013, males made up 63.7 percent of the total staff, with the largest gap in photography category with 75.1 percent male dominance. Although all of the top 10 largest newspapers in the United States had a gender gap in male-female bylines, The New York Times, which also happens to be the largest, was found to have a shocking 69 percent average of male-bylines.

Kate Deng || Team Leader

SHE SAID

26 OPINION

COMMON CORE MATH DOESN’T ADD UP Education should consider the merits of student self-discovery Uzma Rentia || Team Leader

How to make ten from eight and five, number bonds, ten frames, expanded form, increase and decrease instead of add and subtract: Common Core is revolutionizing the way schools teach math and not for the better.

If you go on Common Core’s website you can read about its meandering reasons for why the system is beneficial to students: it make them think critically, prepares them for college and will help them interact with colleagues. However, six years and four states later, Common Core has achieved nothing besides provoking the ire of disgruntled parents and driving students away from math.

And for a good reason. Rather than teaching children the fundamentals of math, Common Core is sucking the joy out of independent thinking by having teachers force students to look at math in a certain way.

When I was in elementary school, I concocted my own method for addition: creating ten from the number I was given and adding the remaining values. Take “9 + 5” for example. To solve this expression I would take one from the five add it to the nine and get ten. Then I would take the remaining four and add it to the ten to get a final value of 14. I later consulted with friends and found that some actually used this method while the rest simply used their fingers. My select friends and I were proud to have come up with this “radically” different method.

Eventually I would learn that my kindergarten self was not a genius. In fact, in the Common Core system, the idea of creating ten from two numbers has two official names: number bonds and ten frames. As it turns out, most elementary school kids are not able to process

this way of addition. An angry parent actually posted a picture of their child’s homework, in which students were asked to solve how ten can be made from eight and five.

Why is it that number bonds and ten frames cause some students grief, while my friends and I considered it the pinnacle of our mathematical achievement?

The answer is simple. In one case, the method was taught, and in the other, it was discovered. There is a certain joy that comes with gaining new insight in math without the guidance of a teacher. If the adage “math is a puzzle” is true, Common Core is solving the puzzle for students by exposing the tricks that should be left for the students to discover.

Giving away the end of a book or explaining a magic trick makes both considerably less enjoyable.

Not only that, the entire Common Core system in counterintuitive. If states want to promote critical thinking in students, then why are they effectively teaching students how to think?

Leaving students to explore math concepts independently is what actually fosters critical thinking and cultivates a love for Science, Technology, Engineering and Technology (STEM). When a CARTOON // Kevin Liang student figures out how to make ten from eight and five on their own and during their own time, it is both an example of critical thinking and telling of a child’s interest in math. Teach children the method, and educators have no idea if their students would have been crafty or interested enough in math to come up with it on their own. In fact, if a teacher had told me how to solve the aforementioned problem using the number bonds methods, I would have approached the contrived method with befuddlement. Education comes from the pure delight of discovery, but the current Common Core system seem to overlook the essential concept.

OPINION

27

OCT 15, 2015

THE MOB MENTALITY

How extreme Groupthink can obstruct Jefferson student community Photo courtesy of www.tjmindmatters.tk, the website of TJ Active Minds and TJ Student Government Association (SGA)

Andrew Huang || Guest Writer There’s a film that I think every Jefferson student should watch.

“Dead Poets Society” takes place at a prestigious prep school that sends a disproportionate number of students off to elite universities (sounds familiar?) and tackles many issues that elite high schools face today. In a particularly haunting scene, John Keating, played by the late Robin Williams, instructs his students to start walking around in a circle. Almost immediately, their steps begin to fall in the same cadence, at which point Keating points this out to the students and then tells them to walk at their own pace and to think for themselves. One particularly bold student decides not to walk in a show of nonconformity.

At Jefferson, we have the same problem. Our ability to rally and accomplish great things as a group is one of our best qualities, as seen through homecoming, last year’s UNICEF fundraiser and Relay for Life. However, this same collectivism can be just as harmful as it is helpful, and it is only exacerbated through social media.

For example, if someone makes an offhand comment online that is offensive to a group or ignorant, someone will usually chide them. That’s not the problem; people deserve to learn from mistakes. The problem arises when another person comments, and then another, and another and another.

Often times, these attacks go beyond what the person originally said, including going through embarrassing pictures, making fun of someone’s name and mocking other’s interests.

More often than not, it is an upperclassman doing this to an underclassman. Is this a message that we want to send to them?

Jefferson is a community. Active Minds’ “I’m Here” campaign is a great example of how much we value this community of brilliant people. Making rude comments for likes or to be “savage” is not how we should conduct ourselves as Colonials. We can’t be perfect all the time, but we should think about what we post online and how it may affect others.

Just because other people are railing against one kid doesn’t mean

that everyone has to participate. Be the better person and just walk away.

Imagine how disheartening it would be to have classmates and upperclassmen surround a student with attacks.

Ultimately, it could make that individual feel completely alone in the school, and that is truly inappropriate in any situation or environment regardless of the offence.

Groupthink is such a powerful and dangerous phenomenon: while it can rally people behind a good cause, it can also sway opinions in a harmful way. In a rush for social approval, often times we can forget the sense of community that makes Jefferson so special. The namesake of our school once said: “Every human being must be viewed according to what it is good for. For not one of us, no, not one, is perfect. And were we to love none who had imperfection, this world would be a desert for our love.” Everyone makes mistakes, and publicly humiliating someone for a single mistake is something Jefferson himself would have frowned upon. //Andrew Huang is a senior

entertainment

Television and books of

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photo courtesy of goodreads.com

The Diviners

Adithi Ramakrishnan || TEAM LEADER

creative commons photo courtesy of Theo’s Little Bot

Halloweentown Kate Deng || DESIGN EDITOR

KTOBER

The dawn of October marks the beginning of Halloween season that creates just the right mood to curl up on the couch with a spooky novel.

“The Diviners” by Libba Bray is a book with all the elements of a classic horror story: magic, mystery, and a supernatural serial killer.

“The Diviners” takes place in 1920s New York, where a group of partygoers accidentally awaken a sinister force from beyond the grave.

Meanwhile, seventeen-year-old Evie O’Neill has escaped rural life to be a part of the sights and sounds of New

York City. Evie is a Diviner, an individual with powers beyond the abilities of the average flapper. Throughout the novel, her paths intersect with a varied cast of characters, including a chorus girl with a dark past and a pickpocket with a hidden gift of his own. When a young girl is murdered and marked with a strange symbol, Evie draws her friends into a web of lies and deception that paint the trail to the culprit.

“The Diviners” is a perfect Halloween read with a striking blend of suspicion and secrets.

The story is told from multiple perspectives, including that of

the culprit itself, sending chills down even the bravest reader’s spine.

Halloween brings to mind cliche images of black cats and friendly ghosts, but “The Diviners” unlocks October’s true spirit with an integration of a traditional horror story and a set of unforgettable characters and settings, making it an ideal pick for an eerie evening.

There are plenty of spooky movies, but this October, pick up a page-turner where horror meets the supernatural. Scary movies aren’t the only pieces of entertainment with the power to keep audiences up at night.

The trees turn to vibrantly warm colors, the days grow short, and the clothes get heavier. With October and the change of seasons comes the coziness of making hot chocolate and having a Halloween movie marathon with my best friend. Our favorite is the “Halloweentown” movies, and not one October since 2006 have we failed to watch all four renditions.

“Halloweentown (1998)” is a cheesy coming-of-age movie about a teenager named Marnie Piper (Kimberly J. Brown) who

has never fully fit in as a regular teenager.

It wasn’t until she is 13 that she find out that her grandma (Debbie Reynolds) is a witch and lives in an alternate universe called Halloweentown. In an attempt to find herself, she sneaks out to follow her grandma and ends up in Halloweentown with her brother Dylan (Joey Zimmerman) and sister Sophie (Emily Roeske).

Marnie finds out from her grandma that she is in fact also a witch and when the evil Kalabar (Robin Thomas) and

his son threaten the well-being of Halloweentown, Marnie and her siblings use their Cromwell magic and love to save the day.

Although this Disney channel original movie is in no way a high-quality production with its small budget and unimpressive green screen scenes, it’s a perfect family movie to watch in light of the beginning of the fall season. “Halloweentown” never fails to cause my best friend and I to laugh so hard we almost forget we are no longer the eight-year-olds we were when we first began watching.

ENTERTAINMENT

25

OCT 15, 2015

photo courtesy of goodreads.com

The Fifth Wave

Katherine Du || TEAM LEADER

Rick Yancey’s gripping novel, “The Fifth Wave,” is a well-crafted piece that places emphasis on raw human emotion during times of crises.

Set in a dystopian society, the protagonist of the novel, 16-year-old Cassie Sullivan, is living the typical high school experience until the first wave hits.

An electromagnetic pulse (EMP) causes all electronically powered devices to fail, resulting in the death of half a million humans. Each attack that follows systematically wipes out greater numbers of inhabitants on Earth. They are designed and executed by the Others, an alien race that strives to use physical force for assimilating humans into their way of life.

Though the Others have strategic minsets and inhuman capabilities, they are almost impossible to tell apart from their victims because they physically resemble human beings.

Cassie is one of the last survivors, struggling with

unrecoverable losses and faced with the reality of surviving alone. Over the course of months, fatal disease becomes rampant and Silencers, silence alien killers trained in their duty, are logically positioned to wipe off the remaining humans. Therefore, Cassie learns to trust no one due to fear that they are “one of them.”

Yancey first becomes fascinated by the themes present in his novel during a conversatoin with his wife, according to an interview with Entertainment Weekly. She told Yancey that being kidnapped by aliens is her greatest fear because its main consequence would be segregation from the rest of the world, where she would not be able to get help and others would not believe that she had encountered an extraterrestrial.

“The Fifth Wave” offers a fresh, plausible perspective on supernatural disaster by having scientific explanations behind each wave. Yancey experiements with his views on what the outcome of his hypothetical dilemma is by developing each character, specifically how they will react to harship.

“The Fifth Wave” is the first novel in a trilogy, accompanied by “The Infinite Sea” and “The Last Star,” which release on May 24, 2016.

Along with the third book release, Columbia Pictures is also working on a motion picture based off of the novel to come out Jan. 15, 2016.

In the time being, gliding through this perfectly applicable story of aliens occupying the modern world is an eerie Halloween read.

TV Schedule October 14, 2015 12:00am – Grave Halloween 7:00pm – The Nightmare Before Christmas

October 17, 2015 9:00pm – They Found Hell (NEW)

October 19, 2015 12:00am – Corpse Bride 9:00pm – Hocus Pocus

October 20, 2015 12:00am – Casper

October 22, 2015 8:00pm – The Hunger Games

October 23, 2015 12:00am – Matilda 8:30pm – Sleepy Hollow

October 24, 2015 9:00pm – The Hollow (NEW) 11:00pm – Toy Story OF TERROR!

October 26, 2015 12:00am – Frankenweenie

October 31, 2015 7:00am – Batman

KEY: Syfy’s 31 Days of Halloween Disney Channel’s Monstober ABC Family 13 Nights of Halloween GRAPHIC//Kate Deng creative commons photo courtesy of Vetcor Open Stock

30 ENTERTAINMENT

The legacy of ‘The Daily Show’ remains intact Uzma Rentia || Team Leader

As a familiar voice called the familiar introduction and the camera panned to a familiar studio, liberal satire fans could breathe a sigh of relief: “The Daily Show” was back, only with, in the words of Trevor Noah, a new, and surprisingly popular, stepdad.

When Jon Stewart announced he was leaving the show and named the 31-yearold South African as his successor, viewers were left to ponder whether “The Daily Show” was really “The Daily Show” at all without Stewart’s sputtering, stuttering, and facepalming charm that kept viewers consistently laughing and on their toes. Stewart’s overwhelming popularity ensured Noah had large shoes to fill, which of course meant die-hard fans of the show questions whether he could keep “The Daily Show” on its pedestal as a juggernaut of liberal comedy.

However, when the new “The Daily Show” premiered on September 28, there were little changes to be seen - other than a new font and front desk - as correspondent Jordan Klepper quipped. It is eerily similar to its Jon Stewart-era, in content,

structure and choice of correspondents.

Whatever Noah’s future plan for the show is, it remains, for the most part, a late night escape the many loved before Noah came to the helm - a welcoming lack of change.

In fact, the only apparent difference in “The Daily Show” is the obvious - Trevor Noah himself. Stewart and Noah are completely different in their delivery of their lines. While audiences found humor in Stewart’s clumsy rhetoric, Noah is a much more confident in his speech. The only drawback to Noah’s comparatively serious and snarky humor is that he lacks the spontaneity of Stewart. While Stewart tended to bring his guests out of their comfort zone, Noah tends to timidly ask questions as his guests take reign of the conversation.

At the desk, Noah performs much better with his scripted jokes and interactions with the other correspondents. The calmer dialogue between Noah and the correspondents in cleverly laid out sketches and meta-commentary work for him the same way that Stewart’s exasperated and frenzied conversations worked with

him - in other words, perfectly. The only drawback so far to Noah’s pseudo-reporting is his affinity for occasionally explaining his own jokes, thereby plunging the audience into comedic quagmire of sorts.

Wherever Noah comes short he makes up for in his confidence in delving into topics that had previously been considered weak spots of the show. Noah’s willingness to push boundaries is markedly different from Stewart, who would approach offensive issues with a ten-foot pole before deciding whether it was socially acceptable to take the bait.

Whether Noah decides to keep the Jon Stewart version of “The Daily Show” or cultivate his own style remains unclear.

But if Noah’s three week - and counting - tenure has achieved anything it is demonstrating his ability to be comfortable in his own skin or channel Stewart’s flair for comedy equally well. Noah’ skill and humor prove that he has the potential to drive “The Daily Show” into a new direction - one that even Jon Stewart himself would have no objections to.

The Martian: A Perfect Blend of Science and Fiction Uzma Rentia || Team Leader

If you ever find yourself stuck on Mars and with no imminent help in sight, you’ve better have watched The Martian. The film, although is a gripping science fiction thriller and an astronaut who must survive on Mars for four year, is also somewhat of a survival guide to Mars made ten times more interesting by both the Photo courtesy of Eric White

cinematography and the star studded cast’s superb acting. The being said, The Martian is still a movie in its essence so the science of it does not always line up with the reality.

The film’s most egregious deviation from science is also what sets up the entire film: an immense sandstorm that separates astronaut Mark Watney from his crewmates, the latter of which leave him for dead. Although the sandstorm, known as a Dust Devil, made for excellent visuals, the extent of it damage and ferocity is improbable on a planet like Mars, whose atmospheric pressure is only 1% that at sea level on Earth.

Then there is the radiation - or like thereof Watney would have been subjected to solar

energetic particles and galactic cosmic rays.

The creators of the film chose to completely gloss over that problematic fact.

However, The Martian did do some things right. Martian soil is actually suitable for growing crops and kudos to Watney for using stored human waste as fertilizer. The duct tape and plastic covering Watney uses to patch the opening of his pod could be a viable fix given Mars’ atmosphere.

The Martian may make some science lover cringe here and there, but the fact remains that for a movie, it found the perfect balance for mixing science and fiction. When all’s said and done, The Martian made for an okay survival guide and an excellent movie.

31

ENTERTAINMENT OCT 15, 2015

Season 1

‘Dr. Ken’

Premiere Date: Oct 2 Airs: Fridays, 8:30/7:30c Review: 2/5

Photo courtesy of imdb.com

“Dr. Ken,” a new show on ABC featuring comedian and real former physician Ken Jeong and his family failed to deliver in it’s pilot episode on Oct. 2. While the show did an excellent job of highlighting the conflicts that Asian American households face everyday, such as dealing with strict in-laws or the pressure to academically perform as an Asian-American teenager, many of the jokes meant to be comedic simply fell flat. Jeong’s previous roles in movies like “The Hangover” have done well, so the same should be expected for the new show.

TV DIVERSITY

TV is making strides in integrating actors from diverse backgrounds into prime-time shows. Here are some of the prticularly noteworthy ones.

Photo courtesy of abc.com

Quantico

A thrilling drama about an FBI recruit accused of the most deadly attack in the U.S. since 9/11. Stars Bollywood actress Priyanka Chopra as the lead.Characters include a conflicted Mormon, gay, conservative Jew and devout Muslim woman.

GRAPHIC, REPORTING// Anjali Khanna

CHANGING THE STEREOTYPES

New shows feature Asian-American families as main characters

Season 2

‘Fresh Off The Boat’ Premiere Date: Sept 22 Airs: Tuesdays, 8:30/7:30c

Photo courtesy of fox.com

Empire

In the predominantely African-American show, a family battles for control over its patriarch’s record company.

Currently in its second season.

Review: 4.5/5

Photo courtesy of imdb.com

ABC producers have shown that the second season of “Fresh Off The Boat” is both just as relateable and just as hilarious as the first. Randall Park stars as Louis Huang, a young restaurant owner who is starting a new life in Florida with his wife and three kids in the 1990s. The stereotypes surrounding Asian-American families in the show are what drives it forward, as it is narrated by the eldest son who harbors a love for rap music and seems to be anything but Asian. The show is definitely worth a watch.

Photo courtesy of abc.com

How to Get Away with Murder Viola Davis became the first African-American woman of color to win an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series for her role in the show.

GRAPHIC // Uzma Rentia

“

PHOTO // Anjali Khanna REPORTING // Alexa Nguonly

You have to

PUT YOUR MIND TO SOMETHING BEFORE YOU

DO IT or you’re just going to go in circles.

YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO TRY NEW THINGS to see what you’re actually interested in.

Initially, freshman year THE

MISTAKE I MADE WAS TO BE

REALLY SHY and not talk[ing] to many people [kept me from doing] a lot of things that I could’ve. So now, I’m trying to talk to everyone I can and meet every single one of my classmates.

I was struggling a lot in calculus. I was pretty good at math at first, so I was like ‘Oh, I can just push through it.’ Some concepts I just didn’t understand and I refused to learn them the first two quarters. After I

REALIZED THAT I NEEDED

HELP and started getting tutoring, I got the A that I wanted.

Going to Japan was not cheap. My parents didn’t want to pay for that all the time. I wanted to go so bad that I actually raised a good portion of the money on my own doing jobs after school.

You have to learn that YOU

SOMETIMES HAVE TO MAKE SACRIFICES FOR THINGS THAT MATTER. SENIOR

”

‘

RUSHI PATEL || WHAT I VE LEARNED