April 2015

tjTODAY

THOMAS JEFFERSON HIGH SCHOOL FOR SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY 6560 Braddock Rd., Alexandria, VA 22312

Relay for Life P.3

Pooja Chandrashekar P.3

APRIL 29, 2015

VOLUME 30, ISSUE 7

tjVOTES PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES TED CRUZ PARTY: Republican CURRENT POSITION: Senator for Texas

PLATFORM:

Pro- balanced budget amendment, pro-gun rights, anti-net neutraiity, anti-Obamacare, pro-life, anti-gay rights

HILLARY CLINTON

MARCO RUBIO

PARTY: Democrat PREVIOUS POSITIONS:

PARTY: Republican CURRENT POSITION:

Secretary of State, Senator for New York

Senator for Florida

PLATFORM:

Pro-social security/ Medicare, protaxes, pro-energy conservation, pro- workers’ and pro-gay rights

Platform:

Pro-balanced budget amendment, pro-life, anti-gay rights, pro-gun rights, pro-immigration, anti- Obamacare

WAKA FLOCKA FLAME PARTY: Independent CURRENT POSITION: rapper PLATFORM: Pro-marijuana, pro-higher minimum wage, anti-Congress (because he is Congress) Flame is ineligible due to age

RAND PAUL PARTY: Republican CURRENT POSITION: Senator for Kentucky

PLATFORM: Pro-balanced buget, pro-alternative energy, anti-TSA, pro-life, anti-police militarization, progun rights

photos courtesy of candidates’ official websites

STUDENT CANDIDATES ANDREW HOWARD

WILLS SONG

KUNAL NAIK

JAMES PARK

GRADE: Junior CURRENT POSITION: SGA Treasurer PLATFORM: Promote collaborative environment, eliminate anchor days, no homework over break, expand spirit events

GRADE: Junior CURRENT POSITION: ExComm PLATFORM: Improve quality of school spirit, increase school participation, promote student advocacy and input

GRADE: Junior CURRENT POSITION: Class Council President PLATFORM: Decrease stress of student body, increase lunch spaces, improve issues with construction

GRADE: Junior CURRENT POSITION: Class Council Vice President PLATFORM: Bring Class Council and SGA closer, increase school participation, reintroduce Jefferson traditions

MILAN BHARADWAJ GRADE: Junior CURRENT POSITION: Honor Council member PLATFORM: Enforcement of the two-hour homework rule, hallway navigation guidelines photos by Sandy Cho

From April 27 to May 1, polls are open on Intranet for students to vote for next year’s officers of Student Government Association (SGA) and Student Advisory Council (SAC).

In addition, candidates gave speeches on April 27, in which they presented their plat-

P2

Jefferson awarded Cooke Foundation grant

forms and showcased their visions for the next school year. To be eligible for running, students must attend a mandatory interest meeting, write an essay of their interest, garner support on a petition, create a platform and deliver a speech to the student body.

P8-9

Artists pursue creative passions

Political clubs discuss 2016 race compiled by Sandy Cho and Carolyn Chheath Online Editor-in-Chief and Staff Reporter Q: Thoughts on Rand Paul?

Senior Sam Cadd, CoPresident of Young Democrats: He’s actually really popular in our club. A lot of the members see him as the least of the evils, in terms of conservative candidates. I have a lot of mixed feelings about him, because I know he is acting more conservative to appeal in the primaries and his alignment may be a little bit more liberal.

Senior Mario Hougland, Vice President of Teenage Republicans: He’s always had a subgroup of more libertarian Republicans within the Party.

There are definitely a bunch of members of our club who thinks he’s an ideal candidate because he’s looser on that type of restriction but still fiscally conservative.

Senior Tom Joyner, member of Teenage Republicans: One of the criticisms that I heard of Rand Paul is that a lot of his foreign policy is not sound. This was also his problem in 2012, since his foreign policy is not well defined, as far as I’ve seen.

Q: Thoughts on Waka Flocka Flame?

Senior Steven Androphy, Co-President of Young Democrats: Honestly, if he were eligible to run for president,

joking aside, he would not be the worst candidate besides his obvious lack of any political experience. He’s actually really intelligent and forms strong, but logical, opinions.

Hougland: I don’t know if it’s a good serious consideration in terms of the presidential bid. Even if he were eligible, I’m not sure I would trust such a young candidate to run the country and keep solid views on the course of eight years. He clearly has some interesting positions.

Q: Thoughts on Marco Rubio?

Cadd: In our club, he isn’t even on our map in terms of whom we would like to see as the conservative frontrunner. I think he’s just a little bit too out there for the average liberal.

Hougland: He’s certainly the most legitimate candidate who’s officially declared his campaign on the Republican side. I’m not sure he’ll end up being the frontrunner, but either way, I think a lot of his views and policies are going to be what the future Republican Party takes on.

Q: Thoughts on Hillary Clinton?

Cadd: It’s funny because the liberal base is very split on Hillary Clinton lately. People find her very problematic for a variety of reasons, although I don’t think any of the reasons paint her as any more problematic than any other

Democratic candidate.

Hougland: She’s probably the only legitimate, declared Democratic candidate and may be for the rest of the race.

Of course, the Republican Party takes issue with many of the liberal views of Hilary Clinton and emphasizes some of the past scandals, not just the emails, which I don’t think voters will remember in November of 2016. But people may remember a history of scandal.

Q; Thoughts on Ted Cruz?

Androphy: I don’t feel like Ted Cruz has the capacity to run the world’s most powerful nation. It takes a specific type of person and Ted Cruz is most definitely not that person. I can honestly see Marco Rubio doing that, maybe even Rand Paul a little bit.

Joyner: I disagree that he couldn’t do it. He’s fairly smart –- I think he was editor-in-chief of the Harvard Law Review. He’s not dumb, though very, very strange.

Hougland: He hasn’t played well with the rest of the Republican Party and voted in line with the Party on many issues simply because he’s trying to make a point. It will be interesting to see how he uses his campaign to focus on different issues during the elections stuff that are a little more extreme and might call out any candidates on that.

Who would YOU vote for?

Percentage of students who identify as Percentage of students who Rand Paul: 3.7% Democrat: 48.1% support: Jeb Bush: 3.2% Republican: 12.7% Hillary Clinton: 58.7% Ted Cruz: 2.6% Independent Liberal: 25.9% Marco Rubio: 3.7% Other: 12.7% Independent Conservative: 8.5% Waka Flocka Flame: 3.2% None/Undecided: 10.6% None: 4.2% statistics are based on an anonymous survey sent out on social media, to which 189 students responded.

P10

Drama rehearses “Fiddler on the Roof”

P12

Envirothon advocates for greener living

2

news Kudos & Accomplishments

Future Problem Solving become state champions

 In a total of 13 teams, 55 Jefferson students attended the Virginia Problem Solving State Bowl. The team comprised of juniors Joyce Duan, Christopher Hoang, MinJoo Kang and Olivia Zhang took first place, while the team of sophomores Sania Ali, Rayan Matin, Raquel Sequeira and Jessica Wang was awarded second place. Both teams will now advance to the senior division at the International Future Problem Solving conference in mid-June. Several other students were awarded honorable mention for Global Issues Problem Solving.

Japan Bowl Team ranks high at national competition

 The Jefferson Japan Bowl Team attended the national competition in Maryland on April 9-10. The questions they were asked ranged from languagerelated questions to those on pop culture, art, sports, history and politics. The two teams placed fourth and sixth in ranking.

BEST hosts third annual Project BEST Forum

 On April 18, Jefferson students held a forum to expose middle-school students to Project Building Excitement for Science and Technology (BEST), a nonprofit organization that they created. This conference attempts to drive middle-school students' curiosity in the science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields. Through hands-on and interactive activities related to biology, chemistry and physics and guest speakers, the Jefferson students helped younger students develop higher-level critical thinking skills.

Gatesman interviewed for Newschannel 8 TV segment about AMS contest and National Math Festival

 Freshman Kyle Gatesman was interviewed on April 17 for the Newschannel 8 TV segment about the American Mathematical Society (AMS) contest and the National Math Festival. The segment aired on the morning show titled "Let's Talk Live." Gatesman is also a contestant in the AMS Who Wants To Be a Mathematician contest.

Senior and Frosh "Puter Teams" place high at the University of Virginia's fifth Annual High School Programming Contest  The Senior "Puter Team" is comprised of sophomore Kevin Geng, juniors Ashley Kim and Samuel Kim and senior Hariank Muthakana. Their team placed third out of 52 competing teams at the April 11 event. The Frosh "Puter Team" which includes freshman Katherine Cheng, Srinidhi Krishnamurthy, Sujay Ratna and Justin Zhang placed fifth out of 52 teams.

Chess Team wins big at national competition

 The Jefferson Chess Team competed in a national chess competition in Columbus, Ohio and placed second in the nation in both Blitz, chess games with five minutes per player, and the main event, where there are seven games. Senior Jeevan Karamsetty tied for second in the individual standings and sixth place on tiebreakers.

tjTODAY Online

To see see more visitvisit our website at tjhsst.

To morenews, news, our website at edu/studentlife/publications/tjTODAY tjtoday.org

CORRECTIONS • In the March issue, we incorrectly stated that freshman Renee Li is a junior.

• In the March isssue, we incorrectly stated that senior Saroja Erabelli is a junior.

april 29, 2015

Earth Week aims RENOVATION for greener world CORNER

by Anjali Khanna and Esther Kim Features Editor and Opinion Editor In celebration of Earth Day, which is officially observed on April 22, the Future Energy Action Team (FEAT) organized a week-long series of events from April 19-24 to encourage school-wide recognition of environmental conservation and appreciation.

“The purpose of Earth Week was to motivate TJ students and faculty to take action to help the environment,” junior Abha Agrawal, president of FEAT, said.

“Many of us don’t realize the small things that we can do to help the environment and reduce our carbon footprint, and we wanted to bring that awareness to the TJ community.”

FEAT, an eighth period club founded

by Agrawal and junior Maya Pabilonia, aims to provide greater understanding of global issues surrounding climate change and energy usage.

Throughout the week, FEAT introduced different themes for each day and

hosted activities that related to the • The expected date of completion for subject. On April the NEW FRONT DOME is currently 19, the team initiin the six-month window between the ated the carbon BEGINNING OF THE 2015-2016 footprint competiSCHOOL YEAR to the beginning of tion, in which stuSECOND SEMESTER OF THE 2015dents attempted 2016 SCHOOL YEAR . to participate in as many carbon• Currently, the MIDDLE OF THE saving activities as BUILDING is under construction. possible, such as buying food from • The NEW CAFETERIA is now available the farmer’s maras a MULTI-PURPOSE ROOM while ket and recycling construction is underway and space is cans. limited.

Additionally, on April 20, stu• Construction estimates that the BOYS dents and faculty LOCKER ROOM, THE WEIGHT in the main buildROOM, THE TRAINING ROOM, AND ing participated THE STUDENT ACTIVITIES OFFICE in “Power Down will be completed by the start of the Day” as a celebra2015-2016 school year. tion of Tuesday’s theme, “energy photo illustration by Stav Nachum conservation.” the highest temperatures ever recorded The hallways in the main building in 2014. Conserving basic resources like were darkened throughout the day water has also become more of a naand during transition periods between tional problem this year due to the recent classes in hopes of conserving 10 per- droughts and elevated temperatures in cent of daily energy usage.

California, which were accompanied by The days following were also harsh winter storms on the East Coast. marked by a broad range of activities, Many students can agree that conserin which the FEAT team hosted speak- vation of resources is crucial to counterers, encouraged students to sign a pe- acting climate change. However, this is tition for PepsiCo to use sustainable often easier said than done. palm oil and reminded peers of the “Although I don’t think it’s difficult value of recycling. to remember to do simple things like Although Earth Week is only cele- recycling, sometimes we get so used to brated once a year, FEAT hopes to keep the resources that we have that we forget climate change on the minds of the Jef- they are limited,” junior Raksha Pothapferson community all year round. This ragada said. “Even if we know how to photo courtesy of Abha Agrawal may be more crucial than ever in the conserve resources, we may not actually On April 24, FEAT challenged students to coming years, as the world experienced be inclined to conserve them.” build sculptures out of recycled materials.

Jefferson awarded Cooke Foundation Grant for low-income applicants

by Ankit Agrawal Staff Reporter The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation recently announced that Jefferson will receive a $99,744 grant to help prepare students from low-income families for the Jefferson admissions process.

Upwards of 2,000 students apply to Jefferson every year, and only a fraction of those applicants are accepted at a rate comparable to those of many selective universities. Some students are denied of admission not necessarily because they lack the talents and qualifications sought by the admissions committee, but because their low-income status prevents them from preparing properly for the admissions test and other components of the application.

“We want to give low-income students who are really smart an equal opportunity to succeed,” Harold Levy, executive director of the Cooke Foundation, said in an April 20 press release.

"Helping high-ability students with fi-

GRADCOMM

reporting by Lindsay Williams

nancial need fulfill their potential has significant implications for the social mobility among America’s lower-income families and for the strength of our economy.”

Jefferson’s grant is one of six total that were awarded to American high schools with high and rigorous academic standards that prepare students for top universities. Now, along with a student mentoring program, Jefferson will use the money to implement the Leaning through Inquiry, Fellowship and Tutoring (LIFT) program over the next 18 months. This science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) program will help 200 talented, economically disadvantaged middle-school students prepare for the Jefferson admissions exam.

“The money will be used to pay for the middle-school tech institute camp scholarships, extra sessions to provide counseling regarding school course and activities selection, a staff member to coordinate the student mentoring

program, the adaptive testing tools and customized test prep program, and food to feed the mind," Principal Evan Glazer said.

This grant will provide these students with the same resources as anyone else, thus giving them an equal chance for admission to Jefferson. There are hopes that the money will contribute to an increase in the number of accepted students from low-income families, narrowing the current socioeconomic gap.

"I don't think it's necessarily fair that people with better socioeconomic backgrounds get to go to such a privileged school even though sometimes, they've only really studied for the test, not the school," junior Maitri Patel said. "Providing low-income families with the resources necessary to get into such an esteemed school evens out the playing field in terms of who gets to succeed on the test, so then admission becomes more based on the actual student and his or her interest in the STEM field.”

tjSTAR

reporting by Kate Deng

WHO: Seniors Sanjoli Agarwal, Coby Benheim, Julia Dunbar, WHO: Seniors Nan Baker and Anna Tsutsui, various other Heather Lukas, Rhea Sharma, Anna Tsutsui

members from all four grades grades

WHAT: "We're getting Alexandria Petri, a Washington Post

WHAT: "As a tjSTAR Committee, we find speakers, propose

WHEN: June 20, 2015 WHERE: George Mason Patriot Center WHY: "I decided to join GradComm because I really wanted

WHEN: June 9, 2015 WHERE: TJHSST WHY: " I started doing tjSTAR after the freshman club fair. It

writer and author who graduated from Harvard, to speak at graduation. We'll also be having two student speakers and our class sponsors." -Heather Lukas

to make our graduation memorable." - Heather Lukas

programs, run contests, organize activities schedules and volunteers for the actual tjSTAR day, along with manual labor such as making name tags." -Nan Baker

was a lot of fun learning all the different moving parts that go into this one day." - Nan Baker

news

april 29, 2015

Rubik’s team sets new record

The News

photo courtesy of Christine Conklin

Seniors Peter Gunnarson and Alex Wendt, junior David Chao, sophomore Landon Chu and freshmen Frank Ding and Shreyan Jaiswal, part of Jefferson Rubik’s Cube team, won second place at the “You Can Do the Rubik’s Cube” National Capital tournament.

Backstory On April 15, the Rubik’s Cube team competed in the “You Can Do the Rubik’s Cube” National Capital Tournament at the National Electronics Museum in Washington, D.C. The team competed against eightmember teams from other schools with the goal of solving 25 scrambled Rubik’s cubes as quickly as possible.

The Jefferson team was composed of senior Peter Gunnarson, juniors Devin Kim, Eli Lifland and David Zhao, sophomores David Chao and Landon Chu and freshmen Frank Ding and Shreyan Jaiswal. Jefferson set a new team record and accomplished a world record-level time of 1:10.31.

They finished second overall and were only 1.8 seconds behind the first place team from River Hill High School in Clarksville, Maryland. Jefferson’s finishing time is a new school record and is the second fastest time ever recorded behind River Hill’s first place finish.

“I’m really proud of our performance since we improved a lot since last year. We worked really hard and it paid off,” Chu said. “We’re improving as a team and working on our teamwork.”

Lifland placed fourth in the individual competition, solving the Rubik’s cube in just over 12 seconds.

“I thought that fourth was a fairly good place and was happy with my time,” Lifland said. “I think the team did very well; we got a good time relative to most of our practice times.”

- Victoria Bevard and Patrick Toulme

NEWSMAKERS Taiko drummer visits

The News

photo by Edi Danalache

Professional Japanese Taiko drummer Mark H. Rooney visited Jefferson on April 24 for a performance and lessons during eighth period.

Backstory On April 24, Mark H. Rooney, a Japanese Taiko instructor and performer, visited Jefferson to teach students how to play the Japanese Taiko drums. Taiko is a contemporary form of traditional Japanese drumming that requires stamina, energy and dynamic movements.

“Playing the Taiko is ‘full-body drumming’,” Rooney said. ”All of Taiko, for me, comes down to connection. I connect to the Taiko, the drums, and to the people themselves. Taiko is so visceral, so immediate, that it’s a very powerful way to instantly connect.”

Watching a Taiko performance can be entertaining, but learning Taiko requires hand-on practice. At the event, students had a chance to play the Taiko themselves, under Rooney’s direction.

“I wanted to give everyone an opportunity to hit the drum,” Rooney said. “It tells you more than just watching someone do it. You don’t really understand what you’re watching until you actually have that opportunity to try and hit the drum.”

The event drew a large crowd, with more than 100 students attending between A block and B blocks.

Students took turns playing the drum, trying out learning basic rhythms and leaning about Taiko’s history in Japan.

“Just being able to bang on a Japanese instrument and learn a little bit of history was fun for me,” freshman Joshua O’Cain, a Japanese student, said.

- Edi Danalache

3

Senior admitted to elite colleges

photo courtesy of Pooja Chandrashekar

The News Senior Pooja Chandrashekar received

acceptance letters from all eight Ivy League schools and six other elite universities.

Backstory Back when the college application process started in September, Chandrashekar applied early action to Harvard University. After hearing in midDecember that she had been deferred, Chandrashekar sent out her regular decision applications. Throughout the month of March, Chandrashekar received likely letters and eventually acceptance letters from the rest of the Ivies, as well as other universities.

“They’re all fantastic schools and they all had strong programs for the areas of study I was interested in,” Chandrashekar said.

From developing computational tools to analyze medical disorders to winning a scholastic writing award, it is clear that Chandrashekar has a strong interest in computer science, other STEM fields and creative writing.

“I did things I was passionate about and got involved in activities that I was truly interested in and loved working on,” Chandrashekar said. “My biggest advice is to not do anything for the sake of getting another line on your resume. If you do what you love, your passion will come through in your application.”

In addition, Chandrashekar worked on her essays over the summer to help minimize the amount of stress she would face during the first semester of senior year.

After visiting these highly selective Ivy League schools, Chandrashekar has narrowed down her list to two schools.

“I’m deciding between Harvard and Stanford right now,” Chandrashekar said.

- Carolyn Chheath

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4

opinion

tjTODAY Volume 30 Issue 7

2014 All-American - NSPA 2014 Pacemaker - NSPA 2014 Trophy Class - VHSL 2014 Silver Crown - CSPA

Editorial Board Print Editor-in-Chief Ellen Kan

Online Editors-in-Chief Sandy Cho Lindsay Williams

Design Editor Alexis Williams

News Editor Stav Nachum

Opinion Editor Esther Kim

Features Editor Anjali Khanna

Entertainment Editor Kate Deng

Sports Editor Akhil Waghmare

Business Manager Esther Kim

Adviser Erinn Harris

Printer Silver Communications

Staff Reporters Ankit Agrawal Mei Baek Victoria Bevard Carolyn Chheath Edi Danalache Sruthi Jayaraman Adithi Ramakrishnan Uzma Rentia Gulnaz Sayed Patrick Toulme TjTODAY is the official newspaper of Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology published monthly by the journalism staff.

A full-year subscription can be purchased through the Thomas Jefferson Publications Package or by sending a check or money order for $20 to tjTODAY. 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.

Signed editorials and letters to the editor reflect the views of the authors. tjTODAY solicits advertising but reserves the right to reject any material deemed libelous, disruptive, obscene or otherwise inappropriate.

6560 Braddock Road Alexandria, VA 22312 Phone: (703)-750-8375 Fax: (703)-750-5010 Web site: www.tjtoday.org Send letters to: tjtoday.tjhsst@gmail.com

april 29, 2015

Affirmative action is not the solution to the diversity problem Lead Editorial

dents. They believe that an affirmative action policy should be pursued to foster greater racial diversity.

Unfortunately, by taking race into consideration in the evaluation process, deserving students will be excluded. Implementing racial affirmative action for Jefferson admissions would put Asians at a disadvantage, as it would certainly mean putting a cap on the number of Asians admitted.

It’s not right to turn down talented students in the name of diversity, especially because such actions would also lower Jefferson’s standard and culture of excellence.

It doesn’t make sense to admit students who may be less suited for Jefferson’s academic rigor, or those who are less interested and less likely to take advantage of our school’s resources.

It’s also important to remember that Jefferson’s applicant pool is a good indicator the composition of the admitted class. Because Asian students dominate the population of prospective students - 1,448 Asian applicants for this cycle - it is natural for the majority of the Class of 2019 to be composed of Asians. The underrepresentation of minorities in each incoming class is a direct

tj TODAY’s unsigned majority opinion On April 23, middle school students admitted to the Jefferson Class of 2019 visited the school for the annual freshmen preview night. As with previous years, the admissions statistics of the incoming freshman class received great attention from publications such as the Washington Post, which emphasized the decreasing racial diversity of Jefferson’s student population.

According to the annual Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) report, Jefferson’s Class of 2019 will be 70.2 percent Asian and 20.7 percent white, with the remaining percentage consisting of black, Hispanic and multiracial students. The number of Asian students has been steadily increasing; the classes of 2017 and 2018 admitted about 66 percent each. In comparison, only eight out of 201 black students and 12 out of 206 Hispanic applicants were accepted this year.

This widening racial gap between Asians and other minorities has indeed raised eyebrows in both the Jefferson community and Northern Virginia. Some argue that Jefferson’s current race-blind admissions process does not give equal opportunities to all stu-

reflection of the fact that they are underrepresented in the applicant pool as well.

Therefore, it should not be necessary for Jefferson to promote its own system of affirmative action as a means of diversifying the student population. Such a system would be both unfair and unreasonable given Jefferson’s commitment to providing a quality education to a body of uniquely talented students and the inherent composition of the applicant pool.

Affirmative action policies are not what we need; they are merely a temporary fix to a long-standing problem that must be remedied at the root. Increased racial diversity can be achieved by continuing with an entirely merit-based admissions process, but encouraging more middle schoolers of underrepresented minorities to apply.

This means raising awareness in minority communities of the benefits of receiving a Jefferson education, in addition to providing wider access to preparatory courses and quality educational materials. Targeting the racial gap will also help heal Jefferson’s socioeconomic gap, and similar resources could be devoted to the gender gap as well.

These efforts will ultimately help Jefferson maintain the high standards that we hold so dear, while still finding a happy racial balance.

Rising cost of attending U.Va. raises questions Tuition hike maximizes access to education

Tuition increase restricts learning opportunities

If you search for Prospective students Forbes Magazine’s rankconsider many things ing of the richest counas they search for their ties in America, you’ll best-fit school, a major find that four of the eight deciding factor being counties listed belong in tuition. The University Virginia: Falls Church of Virginia (U.Va.) is a City, Loudoun, Fairfax popular option for Jefand Arlington. ferson students, who Virginia is well-reprenot only benefit from sented when it comes to the school’s favorable ALEXIS WILLIAMS affluence. This is someacademic reputation SRUTHI JAYARAMAN thing we should rememand social scene, but also ber when we discuss the only pay in-state tuition. rising cost of attending the University of Virginia (U.Va.) for inBut on March 24, a Washington Post article stated that U.Va. state students. Beginning in Fall 2015, U.Va. will raise in-state will increase in-state tuition by 11 percent for students entertuition by 11 percent, making the cost of attendance $14,468 ing in Fall 2015. Incoming students will pay $14,468 instead of instead of $12,998, excluding money that goes to paying for $12,998, numbers that do not include room and board fees. room and board.

This tuition hike, one of the highest increases in the country, Tuition hikes can be a major inconvenience, but for the typiwill raise financial aid money. It’s wonderful that U.Va. wants cal student of northern Virginia’s well-to-do counties and famito make education more affordable, but the tuition increase lies, an increase in tuition will not be the difference between hurts middle-class families, many of whom will face the comgoing to college and not going at all. However, for others in our plications of incurring debt from the higher tuition fees. state, it could make all the difference.

U.Va. provides a quality education, but at what cost? The U.Va. will use the money from increased tuition fees to school has started accepting more out-of-state students and fund more need-based scholarships. The school fewer in-state students. According to NBC, U.Va. will also make education more accessible to claims this is because out-of-state students pay needy students by decreasing student about $20,000 more than in-state students. loan expectations for low-income stuTwo years ago, the school also tried dents from $14,000 to $4,000. This to decrease the number of scholarmeans that students from our ships and grants given to lowstate will be able to get a topand middle-income students. notch education reflective of This decision experienced so the extent of their talents, much backlash that a finanintelligence and character cial aid donation of $4 miland not the size of lion was made to their wallets. mitigate criticisms.

We need to For a school dedbe considerate of icated to the “develSchool of Engineering & those less fortuopment of the full nate than us when potential of talented Applied Science: we judge tuition students from all College of Arts & Sciences: hikes. Yes, this 11 walks of life,” the *DIFFERS BY MAJOR percent increase is prevalence of finanaggravating even cial restrictions is General tuition: for those of us troublesome. U.Va. who live in relaneeds to clarify its Mason School tive privilege, but priorities, which /SEM of Business: having to pay a may involve focuslittle extra should ing less on the issue not deter us from of money and more helping our peers on the welfare and General tuition: /HOUR achieve the same diversity of its stuCollege of quality education. dents.

2015-2016

TUITION COSTS FOR IN-STATE COLLEGES

UNIVERSITY of VIRGINIA

$15,892 $11,892

WILLIAM & MARY

$13,978

VirginiaTech

+ $1,500

$437.25

Engineering:

+ $39.50/HOUR

graphic by Esther Kim

opinion

april 29, 2015

5

Year-long FCPS schedule should be adjusted

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Staring at the clock, you silently will it to move faster.

Outside the window, birds are chirping and the younger children in the playground next door are playing a boisterous game of tag. Everyone is wearing shorts and flipflops and pools are officially open for the season, yet you remain trapped in a building where the clocks seem STAV NACHUM to barely move and the calendar stands still.

In Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS), the school year begins the Tuesday after Labor Day and ends near the end of June.

This year, the school year began on Sept. 2 and will end on June 19.

Whether it is weather, the end of AP exams, or for other factors, several counties across the nation start and end their school year weeks before FCPS. For Broward County Public Schools (BCPS) in Florida, the school year started Aug. 24 and will end June 9. Similarly, in Colorado, Denver Public Schools (DPS) started the school year on Aug. 25 and will end on June 5.

Virginia’s late start is due to the “King’s Dominion Law,” which bans public schools from starting before Labor Day. This law, which has been around since 1986, was passed to give an extra week of business to the state’s tourism industry, which includes theme parks such as King’s Dominion. Some counties, such as Prince William County (PWC) and Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS), received a waver from the King’s Dominion Law for next year since Labor Day falls on the latest day possible, Sept. 7. FCPS has not followed this example and thus the 2015-2016 school year will start and end on Sept. 8 and June 23,

respectively.

This late start and end date in FCPS is actually harming students. For one, students get less time to prepare for their AP exams than students in other states, causing students and teachers, to cram more material in less time. In addition, this scheduling also creates several weeks at the end of the school year that lack curriculum and waste student and teacher time.

While some teachers do fill the time after AP exams with interesting and meaningful learning experiences, I have found that many fail to do so and end up using those weeks for two purposes. Firstly, they use to the time to get students ahead for next year. For example, if you are in AB Calculus, the teacher will start some BC Calculus concepts. This, in reality, is unfair to the students since their grade for the fourth quarter reflects their knowledge of BC concepts when the class is an AB class. Another way to utilize the last few weeks of school is through interesting group projects, which more often than not fail to teach students anything of value.

Although I do understand that FCPS wants to increase the tourism industry’s profits, sacrificing the education of their students is not the right way to go about it. And if it is the tourism industry that FCPS wants to help, then starting and ending the school year earlier will not hinder that goal. If the school year starts in late August and ends in late May, then students will be able to visit theme parks in June and increase the profits of the tourism industry then.

Overall, starting the school year earlier will not only increase the time available to prepare for AP tests and other final examinations, such as the state wide Standard of Learning (SOL) assessments, but it will also allow for students and teachers to be rid of the awkward six weeks after these examinations. Unfortunately for students and the school system, however, FCPS has failed to realize that starting and ending the school year ealier will not affect the tourism industry’s profits, and only help their students.

Government Surveillance: How much is too much?

With Section 215 of the Patriot Act set to expire on June 1, government surveillance has again stepped into the national media spotlight.

This portion of the Patriot Act allows the U.S. government to collect “tangible things” that could be of use in govEDI DANALACHE ernment investigations.

The issue about which many people complain is the fact that the Department of Justice (DoJ) can use this power to collect anything that they want, as long as they get court approval.

Given that the word “tangible” can apply to pretty much anything, it’s easy to see why this part of the Patriot Act has sparked so much controversy. Section 215 even contains a clause prohibiting companies from disclos-

ing that they have shared the information requested by the DoJ, and it allows the government to conduct secret searches of your home or office, without first notifying you of their warrant.

Many Americans are afraid of the government’s powers under the Patriot Act and the other government surveillance programs, especially those that Edward Snowden leaked in 2013. Constituents want Congress to pass legislation ending these programs as well as letting Section 215 expire.

In theory, these fears of government surveillance should be unfounded, as the government’s job should be to protect the country and its citizens. We shouldn’t be worried about the government finding out the contents of our emails. Honestly, what is a National Security Agency (NSA) employee going to do if he knows that I’m meeting my friends at Starbucks tomorrow morning? However, it is quite possible that someone else could get ahold of that information, or other information that the government has gathered, such as phone conversations or personal emails.

Although an ordinary person’s date information would not be the first priority if someone hacked the U.S. government, there is plenty of other classified information they could be after.

We should give the government as much power as it needs to maintain the security of our nation. Obviously, if the government starts abusing that power, we need to change it. However, as long as the government makes good decisions with these powers, we should trust it to do the right thing.

Another solution to the issue of government surveillance would be to increase the amount of judicial and congressional oversight needed before a DoJ investigation is launched. The Patriot Act increased the amount of power that the government had without accounting for the checks-and-balances system that keeps our government under control. Hopefully, with the renewal, the public realizes not only the need for the Patriot Act, as it is an invaluable tool to help combat terrorism, but also the need for a strong checks and balances system behind it.

The value of online summer classes needs reconsideration As fourth quarter begins, the end of the school year is finally in sight, and students are beginning to seriously consider their summer plans. Some are participating in internships or volunteer work. Others are traveling or visiting family. Plenty of people are just enjoying their VICTORIA BEVARD summer the old-fashioned way with a nice trip to the beach and some relaxation time. However, in the Jefferson population, many students also take classes over the summer.

The reasons for taking summer classes differ. Some students want to begin more advanced coursework in the following year, so they will get classes such as Chemistry 1 out of the way. Others wish to avoid taking certain courses during the school year. More commonly, students take summer courses to fulfill graduation re-

quirements such as Economics & Personal Finance.

Whatever the reason, students usually have the choice of taking the course either in a physical classroom or online. The Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) Online Campus offers numerous courses over the summer, including World History and Geography 1, Spanish 3, Chemistry 1, Health and Physical Education 10 (HPE10) and Economics & Personal Finance. Jefferson offers inperson courses, including World History and Geography 1, Foundations of Computer Science and Chemistry 1, through the summer school program.

The reasons for taking an online summer class with FCPS can be compelling. For example, driving to W. T. Woodson High School, the location of this year’s summer school, is simply too inconvenient for many students who live farther out. However, taking an online summer course does little to impart long-term information and is generally not beneficial.

The entire year’s worth of information is crammed into one month lasting from June 29 to Aug. 4 for HPE 10), or July 6 to Aug. 4 for all other courses. While this is also an issue with the Jefferson summer classes, at least

students have easy access to an instructor. Communication with an online teacher via email is tedious and lacks the personal touch that face-to-face teaching conveys.

Moreover, the Jefferson summer courses meet for seven hours every weekday. This creates a mandatory schedule for students to follow, thereby making it harder to fall behind. Online courses rely on the personal time-management skills of students, creating an opportunity for students to procrastinate and cram work.

Additionally, online classes generally lack the rigor that Jefferson classes offer. This is shown from a quantitative standpoint by how Jefferson summer courses have a 0.5 honors weighting, but FCPS online courses do not. Despite this disadvantage, FCPS Online courses cost the same amount as Jefferson courses: about $680 per course.

The solution is to take courses in class over the summer when possible. Better yet, take the course during the actual school year and receive a quality education at Jefferson. While this is not always possible, it is more important in the long run to prioritize actualenter learning than checking off a graduation requirement.

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6

sports

april 29, 2015

Managers play a vital role in team success

by Anjali Khanna Features Editor When most picture a high school sports team, they see the field, the players, the opponents and the coaches. Very rarely does the logistics aspect of high-school athletics come to mind. Just how is the lineup for each of the players determined every game? How are the scores already announced on Twitter when the game is still underway?

That’s where team managers come in. Acting as intermediates between coaches and players, student managers of Colonial sports are expected to set good examples for the rest of the team while communicating with the coaches about what must happen before the next game or match.

“I decided to manage tennis because some of my best friends are captains on the team this year,” senior Jeffery Liu said. “I love it because I get the chance to play matches sometimes, but I can also help the coaches decide the roster for each match and set up scorecards.”

Liu manages Jefferson’s varsity tennis team with senior Azeez Abdikarim, who also joined for many of the same reasons. Liu and Abdikarim originally in-

tended to play for the tennis program, but were asked if they would be interested in managing due to the large number of prospective players trying out for the sport.

Just as players must meet specified standards during the tryout process, team managers also need to fulfill certain requirements before they are allowed to be an integral part of the team.

“To be a good manager, you definitely have to be knowledgeable and passionate about the sport,” Liu said. “It’s definitely a big commitment because you’ve got to be ready to connect with and bring all of the players on the team together as a whole.”

According to both Liu and junior Ellie O’Reilly, who manages varsity baseball, energy and spirit are what drives a team forward. Team management can be a great way to increase that spirit amongst players throughout the season.

“The most rewarding part about being a team manager is the spirit within the team,” O’Reilly said. “I’ve never played a team sport so I didn’t get to experience it before I started managing. Although I’m not a player, I still feel like I’m part of it all, which I love.”

To show her appreciation for the work that the team

puts in at games, O’Reilly often brings in baked goods before games or after practice. Although she cannot bake as often as she’d like due to the time constraints of being a junior at Jefferson, the activity does help O’Reilly relax from her demanding courseload. She bakes every few weeks for the varsity baseball team to relieve this stress.

While students may picture a typical hobby as playing an instrument or drawing on the weekends, managing can also serve as one for the students who are eager to try something new.

O’Reilly got into managing as a freshman, when she managed Jefferson’s junior varsity (JV) baseball team, but she was bumped up to varsity management as a sophomore. She encourages her friends and classmates to try their hand at managing, as the Jefferson Colonials teams are always searching for responsible students to support their efforts.

“To anyone interested in becoming a team manager, I would say to definitely go for it,” O’Reilly said.

“It’s been one of my favorite things that I’ve done at TJ, and if you are worried about not knowing the sport well or how to get started, don’t be afraid to just talk to the coaches.”

Colonial Updates: Mid-season game scores

photos courtesy of Creative Commons and Thomas Jefferson High School, Fairfax, McLean, JEB Stuart, Mount Vernon, Thomas Edison, James Madison, Washington Lee and South Lakes High Schools’ athletic websites graphic by Akhil Waghmare

SRO Monica Meeks takes on task of coaching

by Alexis Williams Design Editor Sports coaches are often teachers, counselors, parents, or even just volunteers, but it isn’t often that a mem-

ber of the administration decide to coach a sport. But school resource officer (SRO) Monica Meeks decided to do just that when she volunteered to help coach the

photo courtesy of Sally Stumvoll

At the April 25 invitational, Coach Monica Meeks discusses racing tactics with freshmen Max Judish, Sean Clancy and Nick Begotka.

spring track team.

Meeks had been looking for a way to get to know the students at Jefferson outside of her limited interactions with them in the hallway and parking lots.

“This school is a little bit different from others schools in that there are not a lot of opportunities for the school resource officer to get to know the kids,” Meeks said.

“The kids are very driven, everything is on a schedule and there aren’t a lot of problems. That’s a good thing, but that means that I don’t really get to know anybody.”

Meeks decided to get to know the students she works with through a less conventional method. This turned out to be coaching the track team. At other schools in the area, SROs have been known to coach sports such as basketball, and Meeks’s previous pas-

sion for track made her decide to volunteer when there was an opening.

“I started running track in the seventh grade and went all the way through my senior year,” Meeks, who specialized in the mile, 4x400 relay and 400-meter run, said. “I set a record at my school for the open 400, so I was really excited about that, and it was just a passion that really got me interested in weightlifting and in health in general.”

Meeks has achieved her goals with many students on the track team by personally bonding with the runners.

“Outside of her role as a coach, I feel much more confident in Coach Meeks as an SRO because I know her personally and would feel extremely comfortable approaching her for any concerns,” senior Charlene Franke, a member of the girls’ distance team, said. “It

will be interesting to see how her role changes as she gets more coaching experience.”

Although she works with athletes of both genders, Meeks especially enjoys working with the female runners because she can often give them a more useful perspective.

“It’s been nice to work with them: to work on form, to introduce some things like core work and things they maybe hadn’t done before,” Meeks said. “The cool thing I learned about the girls is that a lot of them are already involved in other things like dance, so they’re already fit.

My goal for them is just to improve themselves at the same time.”

The track team’s female runners also greatly value the new insights that Meeks has to offer.

“I think it’s great to have a female perspective on running, especially for the girls’

team,” sophomore Nora Thompson said. “For example, Coach Meeks taught us a new ab routine that we now do every day because we feel it’s more effective than what we were doing before.”

For Meeks, the biggest challenge has been switching from her role as SRO to that of track coach every day.

“It’s a little bit difficult for my schedule,” Meeks said.

“You may see me outside in the afternoon directing traffic. Traffic ends after track has already begun, and I’m not there because I’m still in my police officer capacity.”

However, this has not deterred Meeks from becoming an integral part of the team.

“Coach Meeks has this awesome positive energy and is so, so fun,” senior Stephannie Chen, captain of the girls sprinters, said.

“She’s so real with us and really adds another dynamic to our team.”

sports

april 29, 2015

7

New to the Game: Sophomore fills spot of missing pitcher on varsity softball team

by Esther Kim and Adithi Ramakrishnan

softball team, they encountered a major obstacle: the lack of players on the team, both returning and new members. However, the most pressing issue was the Every sport comes with its own set of challenges for absence of an essential player on th team: the Colonials athletes to master and overcome. For Jefferson’s varsity had no pitcher.

“We haven’t gotten any new pitchers at TJ since my sophomore year, so we decided to make our own,” senior Kayleigh Vance, the co-captain of the varsity softball team, said.

To fill this empty spot, the varsity softball team decided to appoint and train its own pitcher by recruiting sophomore Molly Schindler. Over the course of the year, Schindler has been learning how to pitch so that she can help carry the team through its games. Though she hasn’t participated in a game yet, her dedication to the game and to her teammates is definitely apparent.

“I enjoy the team aspect of sports,” Schindler said. “All of the girls are working on individual skills as well as learning how to function as a group.”

Schindler decided to try out for the varsity softball team after her friend, a returning player, recommended she try out the sport. photo by Esther Kim “When we came to tryouts, I liked Sophomore Molly Schindler anticipates catching the ball during pitching practice. the sport more than I had others at TJ,” This year, Schindler stepped up to the plate to pitch for the varsity softball team.

Schindler said. “I had a little exposure to Opinion Editor and Staff Reporter

pitching in freshman year during the softball unit, so I decided to try it.”

Schindler is familiar with baseball, but softball is a sport governed by different rules. Learning to pitch a softball in a short time frame posed several challenges for Schindler.

“My grandparents are avid baseball fans and have taken me to many Red Sox games, so I was very accustomed to the baseball style of pitching,” Schindler said. “The biggest challenge I faced was learning and improving my form. In softball, the pitches are underhand, and it took some time for me to get used to that.”

Schindler is not the first from the varsity softball team who has had to step onto the mound and fill in a crucial role. Last year, sophomore Diana Zavela took on the role of pitcher, eventually becoming the go-to pitcher for the team.

“Everything relies on a pitcher’s ability to pitch strikes. If you can’t pitch, nothing else can happen in the game,” Zavela said. “Having all of that pressure is a little intimidating, to say the least.”

Despite the recruitment problems faced by the varsity softball team, the girls’ commitment both to the game and to each other have allowed them to solve these problems as a group. Even in the absence of a skilled pitcher, the players have found ways to to creatively fill the open slot.

“I’m so glad that I pitch, because I really feel like I’m a part of the team,” Zavela said. “The softball program here at TJ is made of an awesome group of girls, and I’m honored to be a part of it.”

Colonial runners and rowers reveal traditions TRACK AND FIELD

“When you’re holding onto the baton, your team is connected and it’s really powerful.”

- freshman Ashley Lin

“I would say the most entertaining tradition is ‘Ties and Thighs’ for the senior guys. It’s really entertaining to watch the reactions of everyone, but it really just shows people this is our sport and this is what we’re proud of.”

- senior Mitch Woodhouse

“Every spring after postseason, the distance team goes on what we call ‘the tradition run.’”

- junior Nate Foss

“For relays, we always gather around the baton before we run, have a major pep talk and scream on the count of three, ‘TJ HUH!’ It freaks out the other teams and hypes us up for the race about to happen.”

- senior Monique Mezher

“We randomly get assigned a secret pal at the beginning of the season, and we get them a little gift every Monday before a regatta. This is a great way for the team to bond and get excited for the coming regatta.”

- freshman Erin NewRingeisen “On the girls’ team, you have spirit days the Friday before races. We also have pasta parties after school.

Pasta parties are where you go after practice to carbo-load with your teammates on pasta.

- senior Alyssa Sze

CREW

“The pair spirit day is when boat pairs dress the same or as well-known pairs, such as Disney princesses, a hot dog and a bun, or a catch and send. Pair Day is just a way to bond with your seat pair and impress others with your creative pair ideas.”

- freshman Melanie Kurapatti

photos courtesy of tableatny via Flickr Creative Commons and Wikimedia Commons reporting by Ankit Agrawal and Edi Danalache

DIDN’T PRE-ORDER A YEARBOOK?

MAY 9 IS YOUR LAST CHANCE. We have 262 copies left, and 882 students who have yet to purchase.

Visit www.yearbookordercenter.com and use order number 13621.

WANT TO CHECK IF YOU BOUGHT A YEARBOOK? Email Ms. Harris (EHARRIS1@FCPS.EDU)

8

spread

art

april 29, 2015

for

art’s sake reporting by Mei Baek, Carolyn Chheath, Uzma Rentia and Alexis Williams

Artists balance their passions with Jefferson’s challenging curriculum

artwork courtesy of Abby Peterson

artwork courtesy of Alex Bowman

by Alexis Williams Design Editor

H

ard facts. Scientific procedures. Calculus problems.

Renovation roadblocks. So many parts of the school day are black and white; there sometimes does not appear to be any room for creativity.

But some continually defy that idea by spending their free time channeling their imagination into making art.

“Life is, and must be, much more than eating, sleeping and studying,” freshman Alex Bowman said. “When the work is done and I need to relax, I turn first to art and music. Drawing, as well as playing the piano and cello, energize me and allow me to return to my studies refreshed.”

Balancing art with Jefferson’s focus on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) can be hard for student artists, but some use Jefferson’s art curriculum to take advantage of time in school to create art.

However, senior Al Ahmed, who took Studio Art 1 and 2 and Advanced Placement Art, found this to be a challenge.

“Junior year, it was extremely difficult to balance art and all the other academic courses because contrary to popular belief, art probably takes longer than most studying at TJ,” Ahmed said. “Given the natural junior year load, there were nights when I stayed up until 2 a.m. doing art. But I think my art studio and art teacher, Mr. Davis, really helped me to balance that load of other academics with art.”

For students who do not have the elective space for curricular art but still want to get involved during the school day,

artwork courtesy of Marissa Einhorn

another option is eighth period activities such as Art Club, Mural Club and Art Honor Society. Members of these clubs often get involved with making Jefferson more beautiful through, for example, painting murals in the “tunnel” connecting the new research wing with the rest of the school.

“Those trees in that tiny, annoying construction hallway were done by the art classes, Art Club and National Art Honor Society,” senior Amy Nepomuceno, who painted the autumn tree, said. “Earlier this year, before the hallway was built, Mr. Davis would also choose one person each month and show a couple of their pieces in the hallway near the old main office.”

Students who do not participate in art activities in school are often hard-pressed to find balance between Jefferson’s rigorous course load and their passion for art.

“I spend more time on art during threeday weekends and breaks,” freshman Olivia Lu said. “It’s still difficult because I often get inspiration during weeks with lots of work, so I just write it down and hope I’m still inspired the next time I come back.”

However, student artists who do not create art as part of their normal school day still find ways to incorporate art into their education.

“Creativity doesn’t need to be left at the door of a chemistry classroom,” junior Abby Peterson said. “That is what makes balance possible at a STEM school like TJ. When you pursue what you love and challenge yourself academically, that’s how I believe you can achieve balance, whatever that may mean for you individually.”

“Art is timeconsuming. It requires you to eat, drink, sleep and ponder on it.”

-senior Richard Li

artwork courtesy of Andrew Liang

spread

april 29, 2015

9

“I do not see a conflict between art on the one hand and science and technology on the other; they actually complement one another.�

- freshman Alex Bowman

artwork courtesy of Olivia Lu artwork courtesy of Chris Kang

artwork courtesy of Gayatri Pai

artwork courtesy of Al Ahmed

10

entertainment

april 29, 2015

Seniors prep for prom festivities as told by PromComm

Step 1: PICK A VENUE

PromComm chairs share expectations senior Charlene Franke

Brainstorm ideas of venue, keeping costs in mind. Talk to to the finance office and FCPS Risk Management. VENUE: National Building Museum.

Step 2: WORK WITH OTHER VENDORS Split into subcommittees: catering, DJ + photobooth, lighting, and table/chair/ dance floor rentals. Coordinate with different vendors.

Step 3: PICK A THEME Pick a theme that doesn’t overshadow the event. Add theme-related decorations such as photo booths. THEME: Night at the Museum.

“I’m most excited to walk into the National Building Museum with my date and friends, to see it all lit up for the first time, in celebration of all of the hard work we’ve put in the past four years.”

senior Aleesha Toteja “I’m most excited to see all my friends together for one last time before we all go our separate ways in college.

It will definitely be a bittersweet moment, but something I will remember forever.”

graphic by Mei Baek and Kate Deng, Creative Commons images by AgnosticPreachersKid, Tradalj and BagoGames

by Kate Deng and Uzma Rentia Entertainment Editor and Staff Reporter The asking, the dress, the limo, the restaurant and the lasting memories are a multitude of reasons why prom is one of the most memorable events of the school year. With only one month until the big night, promposals are underway as preparations for the event wind down.

Prom requires rigorous planning from the graduating class’s Prom Committee (PromComm) to ensure the most anticipated event of senior year is not a disappointment.

Preparations begin at the end of junior year, when members of PromComm are selected, and detailed division of labor begins before the school year draws to a close. Students who are interested in organizing prom submit an application talking about their different skills and ideas.

The next step in the process is picking a venue, which was finalized by spring of junior year. The 2015 PromComm submitted three possible bids to the finance office and Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) Risk Management, which each had to approve the contracts. After narrowing down the list of options, PromComm chose the National Building Museum, though this selection was not without problems.

“Because it didn’t come with a prom package, we spend a lot of time working on contracts with other vendors for food, music, lighting, and furniture,” senior and co-chair Charlene Franke said.

At this point, PromComm split into subcommittees such as catering, disc jockey (DJ) and photobooth, lighting, and furniture, in order to cover the necessary vendors.

“Coordinating everything with the vendors, FCPS, and

photos and reporting by Mei Baek and Ellen Kan

the National Building Museum was the hardest part. Each vendor, as well as the school board and venue, has distinct specifications and requirements, and fulfilling them without stepping on the toes of other parties is kind of tricky,” senior Aleesha Toteja, the other PromComm co-chair, said.

The team’s final task was to settle on a theme appropriate for the location, and PromComm came up with “Night at the Museum.” Only a few decisions are left, such as finalizing decorations and layout and going over any missed details.

“I’m really looking forward to prom because I’ll finally get to see what four years of awesome class fundraisers can produce, and it’ll validate all my efforts in my few years as class officer contributing to the class council efforts,” senior Anant Das, Student Government Association (SGA) president and a member of PromComm, said.

TJ Drama prepares for “Fiddler on the Roof”spring musical

by Mei Baek Staff Reporter After months of preparations, Jefferson’s theater department (TJ Drama) will present their annual spring musical, “Fiddler on the Roof,” from Thursday, April 30, to Saturday, May 2.

The play, which centers around the life of a Jewish family in Russica circa 1905, uses songs like “Matchmaker,” “Tradition,” and “Sunset, Sunrise” to convey the thought-provoking plotline.

The play takes place in Anatevka, a small town in the pre-revolutionary Russia of the Czars. Tevye (senior Gavin Moore) is a poor Jewish milkman who struggles to support his family: his sharp-tongued wife, Golde (senior Kira Becker), and five daughters, Tzeitele (senior Heather Lukas), Hodel (junior Sophia Martinese), Chava (junior Debi Das), Sprintze (sophomore Brittany Csik) and Bielke (junior Satvika Kumar).

Faced by the grueling reality of poverty, the Russian oppression against Jews and the rebellion of his own daughters, Tevye must constantly choose when to stand firm with his beliefs, and when to relent to modernized thinking.

As the largest show TJ Drama has brought to life this year, “Fiddler on the Roof” utilizes a bigger set than those in past years, in addition to dramatic effects and creative new methods of lighting. Backstage managers also created most costumes from scratch.

Implementation of these new ideas began in Febru-

ary, but unexpected snow days throughout the winter months caused issues with rehearsal.

“The snow days kind of killed us with missing rehearsals, so we have been trying to make them up by throwing in weekend rehearsals,” Becker, co-president of TJ Drama, said. “This musical is also one of the most ambitious shows we have attempted in the past years, so there is a lot to be done in terms of set and costumes.”

A production as large as “Fiddler on the Roof” requires a large crew to develop it, but putting together the crew brought about many complications.

“Between the cast and crew, there are over 40 people; we have a pit orchestra of around 20,and we have many volunteers helping with painting, building and costume construction,” senior Mikaela Ruíz-Ramon, the show’s assistant director, said. “There are also so many factors necessary for putting on a good show, from costumes to set design to cool props to special effects. All of these people and tasks are being orchestrated by a small group of four people, and it’s quite challenging to manage the logistics and make sure nothing is forgotten.”

With a combination of dedicated actors, unique special effects and an engaging script, Ruíz-Ramon has high hopes for “Fiddler on the Roof”.

“Ultimately, we’re hoping that ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ will be the start of a new beginning for TJ Drama,” Ruiz-Ramon said. “This show will hopefully lay the groundwork for even bigger and better future produc-

photo by Kate Deng

Left to right: Sophomore Wonsook Song and freshman Rachel Li of Jefferson’s orchestra department play their cellos at the April 22 “Fiddler” rehearsal.

tions.”

Performances will take place at 7 p.m. on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. Tickets are $12 for general admissions and $8 for students.

“The chemistry between the actors really makes the story come to life,” Becker said. “It’s one of those shows that has something for everyone. No matter what your age or background, you will find something you love about ‘Fiddler on the Roof’.”

Coming Attractions photos courtesy of studio websites infographic by Kate Deng

‘Rook’

April 28: Bookstores everywhere

‘Age of Ultron’

May 1: Theaters everywhere

‘Cinderella’

May 9: Kennedy Center, DC

‘Pitch Perfect 2’

May 15: Theaters everywhere

‘Ultraviolet’

May 26: Bookstores everywhere

april 29, 2015

Rave Reviews photo courtesy of sonypictures.com

“Mall Cop 2”

photo courtesy of barnesandnobles.com

“A Curious Mind”

entertainment

11

tjTODAY staff reviews new TV shows, movies in theaters, books, and exibits.

photo courtesy of reba.com

“Love Somebody”

photo courtesy of imdb.com

“True Story”

by Mei Baek Staff Reporter

by Uzma Rentia Staff Reporter

by Lindsay Williams Online Editor-in-Chief

by Stav Nachum News Editor

On April 17, Paul Blart (Kevin James), the heroic security guard on a Segway, returned to the big screen in “Mall Cop 2,” but his reprisal of the role was a disappointing one.

Many viewers were disgusted by the lack of a steady plot or even funny jokes.

Whereas “Mall Cop” managed occasional laugh-worthy moments, “Mall Cop 2” features repeats of the same sloppy tricks as Blart trips over various objects or gets himself into the same tacky situations.

After his divorce, Paul Blart travels to Las Vegas to attend a security guard convention, excited that it might be his big break. Accompanying him is his daughter Maya (Raini Rodriguez).

During his trip, Blart deals with a variety of problems, including his own overprotective tendencies towards his daughter, disappointments in his career, and conflict with others at the convention. Not only that, but Vincent (Neal McDonough), a notorious crimial, is plotting to steal expensive artwork from the hotel at which Blart and his daughter are staying. Aided by his trusty segway and his crew, Blart combats Vincent and his heinous plans.

Scoring an incredible zero perfect of “good critic reviews” on Rotten Tomatoes, “Mall Cop 2” itself seemed more like a joke than an actual movie.

Perhaps the only unique feature of the movie was its testing the boundaries of how many ways Blart could make a fool of himself withn an hour and 34 minutes. Thanks to the unfortunate jokes and slapdash story line, watching “Mall Cop 2” was a forgettable experience at best.

Rather than letting Blart become a well-rounded character, the haphazardly put-together storyline and clumsy humor made him flat and boring. While its predecessor was no masterpiece of film, “Mall Cop 2” was downright hard to sit through.

Although intended to portray the importance of curiosity, as the title would suggest, “A Curious Mind: The Secret to a Bigger Life” by Academy Award-winning Hollywood producer Brian Grazer sends a completely different message across to readers.

The memoir follows Grazer as he goes from being a law student at the University of South Carolina to his quitting school and getting a job as a legal clerk at Warner Bros. a course of action that would eventually put him on the path to becoming a household name and Hollywood heavyweight.

Grazer credits much of his success to two things: his unfailing curiosity and meetings with various well-known and influential figures. When Grazer was a legal clerk at Warner Bros., delivering legal documents., he would lie in order to meet Hollywood stars. When he sent them documents, he would tell the secretary that he needed to deliver the documents directly to the intended person in order for it be “valid.”

Despite seeming like an inspirational book, “A Curious Mind” is not much of one. Upon close inspection, it seems that Grazer’s success has more to do with personality rather than his “conferences” with the famous and his curiosity, along with his ability to lie and refusal to be embarrassed.

Thus, rather than making me feel as though curiosity is essential to success, I finished the book feeling that an extroverted personality is the key ingredient to getting me farther in life.

The pretentious tone of the writing, in addition to the lack of a coherent message, does not help the appeal of the memoir. Although “A Curious Mind” is initially a fun read, Grazer changes his angle from offering advice as a producer to bragging about his box office hits. As the boastful tone wore on my patience, the book also promptly lost its charm and its original light attitude.

For those who enjoy reading about others’ successful exploits, “A Curious Mind” is worth reading. Otherwise, watching Grazer’s movies would probably be a more rewarding experience.

It’s not every day that a country music legend with decades of smash hits comes out with a new album. But when they do, there are usually high expectations. So naturally, superstar Reba McEntire’s album “Love Somebody” had some mountains to climb. This country album was a more modern take on McEntire’s older, more twangy vibe.

Unfortunately, the album is unsuccessful. The lead single, “Going Out Like That,” is an upbeat song with a message that largely resembles that of Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies.” However, it lacked McEntire’s signature soulful style. While it was entertaining, this song was unremarkable and forgettable.

The album went downhill from there.

The second song, a duet with Jennifer Nettles titled “Enough,” had strong lyrics and vocal melodies, but the instrumental melody sounded the same as many other modern country songs. “That’s When I Knew,” “Just Like Them Horses,” and “Love Somebody” were also unspectacular. “Promise Me Love” was cliché to the point of it being one part painful and one part laughable.

There were, however, a few diamonds in the rough. “I’ll Go On” was by far the best track. The singing was slightly syncopated with the beat, giving the song an almost slam poetry-esque vibe and adding some flavor to an otherwise bland album. “Love Land,” despite the tacky name, was surprisingly engaging and interesting. “Pray for Peace,” the final track, was rather untraditional, with McEntire mostly repeating the same phrase in different tones, but it created an unexpectedly powerful effect.

The biggest letdown of the album was the content. At age 60, McEntire has plenty of life experience to fill several albums, and despite what the lyrics of nearly every song suggest, not all of these experiences relate to love. If Taylor Swift, at a ripe old age of 25, can address issues such as cancer (“Ronan”) and bulimia (“Tied Together With a Smile”), surely McEntire can be more substantial with her tracks.

I had been looking forward to watching “True Story” since I first watched the trailer a few months ago, but was disappointed to find it had received negative reviews. Walking out of the theater, though, it seems that those reviews were wrong.

The movie follows two seemingly unrelated events in 2002 that bring Christian Longo (James Franco) and Michael Finkel (Jonah Hill) together. First, Longo murders his entire family and flees the country.

When Longo is apprehended, he claims his name is Michael Finkel in order to draw the reporter’s attention. “True Story” follows the bizarre details surrounding the relatinoship that emerges between Finkel and Longo and offers a contemporary version of Truman Capote’s “In Cold Blood.”

The story, which is based on Finkel’s memoir, is fascinating on paper and on the big screen. The tense chemistry between Finkel and Longo is gripping to watch, and the audience is never quite sure who is using who until the final moments of the film.

The actors deftly play out their characters’ battle for psychological dominance - Hill makes us feel Finkel’s inner turmoil, and Franco’s cool detachment makes Longo both alientating and alluring. This movie depicts two characters that fabricate the truth to incredible lengths and spin endless webs of lies.

While it could be argued that the film lacked suspense and had a lot of buildup without payoff, I found that the dramatic and thrilling movie created a perfect constant psychological suspense. And in terms of the lack of payoff, I couldn’t disagree more. “True Story” is based off a true event, and reality does not always feature a tense buildup that results in a spectular climax.

Overall, the story is brilliantly woven and perfectly paced. The acting is solid, the wondrous cinematography adds to the suspense and eeriness, and the plotline is fascinating. Even though the film is a tragic one, the storyline is thought-provoking. The psychologically riveting film provided a lot to think about even after the credits rolled.

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mental problems,” Baxley said. “My favorite part about it is the opportunity to do hands-on environmental investigation using pron, fessional tools itio t e and practices.” mp Throughout the rest of the e year, even after Jefferson’s April 19-24 observance of Earth Week, the EIC will buty have continue to y work on their the activel initiatives to make the Jeffereen b son community more eco-friendly.

“I’m definitely impressed with the electric drive charging station initiative,” club sponsor Amanda Hurowitz said. “There’s an initiative to bring two or three electric vehicle charging stations to Thomas Jefferson.”

While Earth Day celebrates the birth of the modern environmental movement, it also rekindles a global and communal commitment to protect the world and its inhabitants. The EIC hopes people will be inspired to participate in environmental activities, even though small actions like proper disposal of trash.

“We want to get the whole school involved with the things that our clubs are about and these are things that affect the whole world – so it’s not a focused or exclusive initiative at all,” Sathi said.

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by Carolyn Chheath Staff Reporter On April 22, communities all over the world participated in Earth Day. In Singapore, volunteers cleaned one of the largest coastal parks in their country. In Germany, roughly 2000 students collected trash and planted trees. In Washington, D.C., people commemorated the environmental movement through discussion panels, eco-friendly exhibits and a clean-up of Rock Creek.

But to Jefferson’s Environmental Impact Club (EIC), every day is Earth Day. The EIC works to improve the environment not only by mitigating footprints left by the Jefferson community, but also through raising awareness and making changes on a national and international level.

“There’s not really one single initiative we focus on because our club runs through different committees that focus on different things,” senior Teja Sathi, EIC President, said.

Efforts of the committees range from setting out reusable trays in the cafeteria to advocating for the inclusion of green elements in Jefferson’s renovation efforts, such as solar tubes for increased natural lighting or ultra-low flow faucets.

“As part of the paper, or ‘green resource’ committee, our main project is collecting cover sheets from the library and redistributing them to teachers so they can print on the other side,” sophomore Kristen Halper said. “This year, we’ve been trying to involve more teachers and even spread the idea to other schools.”

In addition to informing faculty and students about environmental stewardship, constructing a composting system and organizing Earth Week, the EIC competes in Envirothon, a competition that tests participants on their knowledge of soils/ land use, aquatic ecology, forestry, wildlife and current environmental issues.

“To prepare for the competition, we each picked an area of specialty and studied this on our own. For example, I specialized in Forestry,” sophomore Will Baxley said. “This reduced the amount of information that had to be learned to a manageable level.”

This year, on Earth Day, the EIC participated in the regional Envirothon competition in Warrenton, Va., an event that gave them a chance to showcase their extensive knowledge on the environment. Jefferson students managed to place third in the contest despite competing against some of the nation’s best teams.

“Envirothon encourages high school students to develop skills necessary to understand and ultimately solve environ-

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Class of 2001 alumna to run for seat on FCPS School Board

by Ellen Kan Print Editor-in-Chief Jefferson Class of 2001 graduate Dalia Palchik has always known what she wants to do in life. Born in Argentina, she was exposed to unparalleled cultural and educational opportunities from a young age, whether it was through sitting in on her father’s French conversation classes or immersing herself in the rich culture of Buenos Aires.

Today, Palchik is a world language teacher at the private Sheridan School in Washington, D.C. It’s the ideal job for a woman who has always harbored a boundless love of both language and learning. But Palchik is also prepared to do something few Jefferson graduates have considered. In November, she will run against incumbent Patty Reed for the Providence District seat on the 12-member Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) School Board.

Palchik, now 31, moved to the United States when she was six years and has lived in Mantua, Va. ever since. She first gained interest in Jefferson through QUEST, a former FCPS outreach and enrichment program that exposed students of underrepresented populations to Jefferson’s unique curriculum and opportunities.

In high school, Palchik immersed herself in several courses unique to Jefferson, and she was one of few students to be enrolled in an Advanced Placement (AP) French and AP Spanish class at the same time. She played bass drum with the Thomas Jefferson Marching Colonials

photo courtesy of Mike Beaty

Class of 2001 graduate Dalia Palchik, who is currently a teacher at the Sheridan School, will challenge incumbent Patty Reed for the Providence District seat on the FCPS School Board on Nov. 3.

(TJMC) Winter Drumline, worked with Jefferson’s Amnesty International club and served as President of Jewish Culture Club (JCC). In addition, she worked with FCPS Red Apple 21 Cable TV through the Video Technology and Communication Lab’s mentorship program.

For Palchik, spending her formative high school years at Jefferson was a memorable experience, one that played a major role in shaping her aspirations for the future.

“I definitely feel like TJ has defined me as a person,” Palchik said. “From the freedom of having 50 minutes of lunch where we could eat anywhere, to having teachers who respected and had high expectations of us, I feel like we really got to explore communication and form real relationships. Yes, TJ was about academics and math and science, but it was also about creativity, problem-solving and the arts.”

Former biology teacher Dennis McFaden, who retired from Jefferson in 2012, fondly remembers Palchik as both a hardworking student and a risk taker.

“Dalia was part of a group in her senior year that elected to take integrated English and geoscience that was being piloted for the first time,” McFaden, who taught Palchik in freshman biology and senior geoscience, said. “I think that this willingness to try something new, combined with her personal understanding of what it means to be person who entered FCPS as a young child new to this country, makes her uniquely qualified to be a leader in our school system.”

As a college student, Palchik studied anthropology and French at Tufts University. After graduating, she worked in international development, which also involved traveling and teaching abroad. These experiences, according to Palchik, “really ignited mydesire to teach American students about the rest of the world, to bring that global perspective to our classsrooms.”

Vicki Doff, a former Jefferson counselor who retired in 2007, remembers Palchik for this same exceptional enthusiasm for learning and expanding her horizons. Doff got to know Palchik through JCC and the Learn to Relax club.

“What I recall most about Dalia was her incredible perceptivity, maturity and concern for the well-being of others, whether they were family, friends or the world at large - characteristics which were also influenced by her own status as an immigrant,” Doff said. “She was a strong student who made the most of the varied offerings at TJ and showed strength in all academic areas.”

Palchik decided to run for public office after noting that the School Board’s current leadership is not representative of the diversity of FCPS. She will run on a platform that includes promoting minority needs, lessening the achievement gap and making innovative educational advances on a tight budget. She hopes her experience as a graduate of the FCPS system, an immigrant and a well-traveled teacher will help her induce meaningful change in the local community.

“One of my strengths that I want to bring to the leadership is that I love to and have an ability to bring people to the table,” Palchik said. “People from different realms of the community can look at problems from different angles, and I’d like to be a facilitator for this holistic approach to problem-solving.”

Running for the FCPS School Board is a noble but demanding task. According to Palchik, local offices may not be the most outwardly valued positions, as voters are generally more passionate about and more likely to vote in national elections. She encourages students who are interested in working on campaigns to take advantage of the resources at their disposal, especially because many local politicans are up for reelection this November.

“I wish I’d known in high school how to get more involved in the policy side of the local decision-making process,” Palchik said. “I used to be very focused on the global side, but I realize now that the local office is where it all starts, because that’s what affects our everyday lives.”

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clipart courtesy of Creative Commons via openclipart.org; graphic by Sandy Cho, reporting by Victoria Bevard

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Year Snapshot: RELAY FOR LIFE At the beginning of the school year, new Relay for Life team members were announced at the annual kick off event on October 29. Team members posed with white board messages and made ribbons to draw attention to the cause.

SOCIAL MEDIA SNOWBALL FIGHT

RELAY KICK OFF

April 2015

October 2014 November 2014 RELAY CONFERENCE

Seniors Sarah Falls and Stephannie Chen serve as Jefferson Relay for Life representatives for a conference in Washington, D.C. Seniors Sarah Falls and Aleesha Toteja pose with a whiteboard message.

In addition to fundraising done throughout the school year by individual teams, the Jefferson Relay for Life chapter launched a social media snowball fight over Facebook and Twitter in hopes of increasing donations.

June 2015

RELAY FOR LIFE at the Nysmith School Last year’s Relay for Life event for Jefferson was held at George Washington Middle School on May 17-18. Juniors Bijal Rajput and Joyce Hong participate in a walk to end cancer.

This year’s event will be held on June 6 at the Nysmith School. photos courtesy of Aleesha Toteja, Anant Das and Sarah Falls infographic by Anjali Khanna

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PORTRAIT OF THE CLASS OF 2019 44.6 %

Hispanic

female Gender Ratio

5.1%

55.4%

male Admissions statistics Applied: 2,841 Admitted: 493 ACCEPT RATE: 17.4% Cornell University

15.6%

Johns Hopkins University Rice University

16.7%

UC Berkeley 17.7%

multiracial Ethnic Diversity

and socioeconomic status

20.7 % White

8.0% Admitted wiith reduced fee: 1.2% Applied with reduced fee:

70.2% Asian

similar selectivity to...

17.1%

1.6 % 2.4% Black

TJ on... DECLINING DIVERSITY

Each year, the number of Asian students at Jefferson has been steadily on the rise. The classes of 2018 and 2017 were 66.3 percent and 66 percent Asian, respectively. The admissions process does not use affirmative action, which has led to criticism about the lack of diversity at the school and opportunities for low income students.

“I think the changing demographics reflect the fact that trying out for TJ has become the norm amongst Asian families in the area. It is something that many Asian kids are already starting to prepare for by elementary school.”

- sophomore Joya Bhattacharyya

“I believe the TJ admissions policy should maintain no bias at all towards race or other uncontrollable factors. The goal should be to recruit individuals with a passion for and capability of advanced learning in a challenging, thought-provoking, academic and non-academic environment.”

- freshman Kamron Soldozy infographic by Anjali Khanna, reporting by Anjali Khanna and Gulnaz Sayed statistics from www.fcps.edu and colleges.usnews.rankingsnandreviews.com

Idea of world’s first head transplant surgery sparks discussion within Jefferson Neuroscience department

by Sandy Cho and Anjali Khanna Online Editor-In-Chief and Features Editor At first, it sounds like something straight out of Mary Shelley’s classic “Frankenstein.” Could it be scientifically possible to transplant an entire human head onto the body of a donor surrogate? This February, Dr. Sergio Canavero has claimed that the first human head transplant will be possible by 2017 and will be conducted in order to save the life of a 30-year-old man suffering from spinal muscular atrophy.

“I think the head transplant is kind of weird, to be honest, but I also think it’s really cool that we’ve gotten to the point in our understanding of medical science that we could pull something like this off,” senior Connor Simpson, a student in Jefferson’s Neuroscience Research Lab, said.

As early as December 2014, Canavero discussed the possibility of a successful surgery in a Technology, Entertainment and Design (TED) event held in Limassol, Cyprus, discussing how the spinal cord must be severed and reconnected in such a way that keeps the patient both alive and fully functional after the surgery’s completion. This feat has been tested in the past with animals, but it has never been successful. In the 1950s, scientist Vladimir Demikhov transplanted the head and two legs of one dog onto the hind limbs of a donor surrogate dog. The animal passed away days later.

This uncertainty about success with animals has led

to scrutiny over the truth to Canavero’s claim. Business Insider and Kotaku have published pieces that claim Canavero is actually just creating a conspiracy in order to develop a video game on the fantasy-based subject of body part transplants, titled “Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain.” However, Canavero has published over 100 scientific works relating to the breakdown of the surgery and the patient’s chance of survival, and has dedicated his life and career to this field of study.

According to Canavero, in his neurosurgery article titled “The ‘Gemini’ spinal cord fusion protocol: Reloaded,” the success of the surgery rides entirely on whether or not he will be able to make all of the correct connections in the spinal cord that prevent the head from either paralysis or rejection of the new body. He believes that the central nervous system will be able to regenerate new connections that allow for full human function and motion under the condition that the nerves are severed with a sharp object like a surgical knife. He has come to this reasoning after discussion on the case of a woman shot in the spinal cord by a rifle. She was able to recover from paraplegia with a partially severed spinal cord. If the nerves are hit with a sharp projectile or knife, the surgery is more likely to be successful.

Jefferson’s Neuroscience Lab Director Mark Hannum remains skeptical on whether this feat can be accomplished, especially with problems that could occur

during the lengthy process.

“The issue relies on keeping the brain alive during the process of transplanting from one body to another and keeping the body alive, which is separate,” Hannum said. “Since the process is going to go on for days and days, this seems like a major technical hurdle.”

Even if Canavero’s claim is just a marketing hoax for a new video game, many consider it to be a clever strategy to capture the nation’s attention. In fact, attempts to garner this sort of attention have already been made in the past. For example, to promote the movie “Ex Machina,” director Alex Garland set up a fake profile on the speed-dating app Tinder for the movie’s protagonist to lure users to visit the movie’s site.

At Jefferson, some look forward to updates from Canavero, whereas others have already dismissed the surgery as highly implausible. Hannum does not believe reattaching the spine is possible and therefore renders the chances of the surgery’s success unlikely.

“If you think about all the issues of spinal cord injuries that occur even in this country, no one has been able to solve the problem of regenerating nerve tissue,” Hannum said. “I don’t know how, at the spine level, we could successfully reattach every nerve that’s traveling down the spine. I would think that the likelihood of completely succeeding with no negative consequences is pretty low.”

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Spring into D.C.

Although the cherry blossoms are no longer in bloom, Washington, D.C. is still abuzz with activities fit for the warm days. Here are some exciting events coming up between now and the end of the school year.

Passport DC

National Cathedral Flower Mart Dates: May 1-2 Location: Washington National Cathedral

Dates: May 1-31 Location: 70 embassies and 40+ cultural institutions

Creative Commons image by AgnosticPreachersKid on Wikimedia Commons

Description: The Flower Mart features a range of

Creative Commons image by AgnosticPreachersKid on Wikimedia Commons

Description: For a whole month, more than 70

embassy tours, street festivals, performances and exhibitions will be available for anyone eager to celebrate international culture.

plants, exhibits and tours to celebrate spring. There is also a display of floral arrangement created by embassies and international designers. This year’s festival is focused on Asian countries.

“The international floral displays seem interesting in that I might be able to see flowers I haven’t seen before.

Plus, I like floral displays because I like to see how flowers are made into bigger pieces of art.”

- junior Johnson Song

DC Funk Parade Date: May 2 Location: Venues on U Street Description: In various

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venues on U Street, the annual DC Funk Parade celebrates the spirit of the Washington, D.C.’s unique funk music scene, which holds both cultural and historical importance.

Artists, musicians, local groups and businesses will gather for a fair, parade and music festival.

DC Jazz Festival Dates: June 6-16 Locations: Many

o ph

DC Yoga Week Dates: May 3-9 Location:

Yoga studios and Constitution Garden

Creative Commons image by tedaytan on Flickr

Description: For about a week, yoga studios

in the Washington, D.C. area will offer free and reduced price classes of $5. In addition, at 10 a.m. on May 9, yoga fans will gather for a yoga session on the Mall at the Constitution Gardens.

photo courtesy of allaboutjazz.com

venues, including The Phillips Collection, Kennedy Center, National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden

Description: The annual DC Jazz Festival provides 10

days of performances, master classes and other programs.

For jazz aficionados, the festival is a another opportunity to be immersed in this vibrant genre of music.

“I think this would be fun, because jazz in general can convey a lot of different moods; it can be mellow and soothing, but it can also be upbeat and peppy. It would be amazing to see how bands could spice up jazz music.”

- sophomore Anoop Kaira photo by Carolyn Chheath

reporting and design by Sandy Cho and Carolyn Chheath