freedom high school newsmagazine | volume 1 | issue 2
the
STAFF Adviser Kathryn Steele
Editor-in-Chief Mehr Kumar Design Editor Emma Gauthier Photo Editor Billan Omar Managing Editor Sarah Newell Copy Editor Mila Jasper Staff Manager Abby Agi Business Editor Anusha Khan Assistant Business Editor Hunter McCluer Index Editor Joan Lee News Editors Emily Malacane Serena Thapa Features Editor Mahlet Wondwosen Culture Editor Maeve Dumais Opinions Editor Lauryn Forbes Sports Editors Joe Skinner Micah Natarajan Staff Writers Maryam Azeem Tahia Karim Simar Kohli Campbell Niehaus Kieran O’Brien Amanda Peña Jessica Scott Mallory Stokker Photographers Cara Curtin Justin Sheehan Uncaged is the news magazine of Freedom High School. The attitudes, opinions, views, and ideas expressed in Uncaged do not necessarily reflect those of this staff, the faculty adviser, Freedom High School, or the Loudoun County Public School system. Uncaged follows the county and state guidelines established for student high school publications, and disclaims any liability with respect thereto the use or reliance on any such information contained in this publication. The Uncaged staff welcomes contributions and encourages the expression of students, faculty, staff, and members of the Freedom High School community. Cover photo illustration by Emma Gauthier
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table of contents
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The caged bird sings with a fearful trill of things unknown but longed for still and his tune is heard on the distant hill for the caged bird sings of freedom. //excerpt from I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Maya Angelou
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[news] [culture] [opinions] [features] [sports] [student art]
4 8 12 16 24 32
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CONTENTS
from the editors What’s up, free bird? Wait, wait. Slow down. Free bird? What on earth are you talking about? What’s a free bird? Glad you asked, die-hard [Uncaged.] fan! After our inaugural issue, the staff decided that our incredibly supportive fans deserved a name that reflected the fervor of the [Uncaged.] spirit. Hence, we settled on the term “free bird.” So, welcome to your new family (or, rather, flock) of free birds! We are so happy you could join us! Now, free birds, we have some very exciting news to share with you! No, it’s not the news in the rest of this magazine (although, that is very exciting too!). After our last issue, the staff flew down to Orlando to attend the National Scholastic Press Association and Journalism Education Association convention. On a whim, we submitted our first issue to their “Best of Show” competition. And guess what? We won. Sixth place out of 60 contestants from other schools across the country. BOOM. We wanted to thank the FHS community for making this publication such a huge success. We couldn't have done this without you. Later, free birds. We missed you, too. n
[Photo illustration by Mateo Nikolav , 12]
letter from the editors
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NEWS
C
hants through the streets. Linked arms in the midst of traffic. A sit-in at a crowded restaurant. The Black Lives Matter Movement originated in 2012 after the murder of 17 year old Trayvon Martin. According to the Black Lives Matter website, “#BlackLivesMatter is working for a world where black lives are no longer systematically and intentionally targeted for demise. We affirm our contributions to this society, our humanity, and our resilience in the face of deadly oppression.” The hashtag, #BlackLivesMatter, was founded in 2013 by one of the co-founders of the movement, Opal Tometi. But these movements are not just something that we see in the news, they are prevalent in our community, too. n
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“IF PEOPLE GET THIS UPSET AND THIS ANGRY WHEN SOMEONE SAYS THAT ‘BLACK LIVES MATTER’, THAT SHOWS HOW SEVERE THE PROBLEM IS.”
//Cox Farms owner Aaron Cox
” [Photo by Cara Curtin]
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Attending the Cox Farm’s Fall Festival is a local tradition. Each weekend sees thousands of families, according to owner Aaron Cox. In a high position, above the fall festival, a “Black Lives Matter” sign was hung which has been in the center of controversy throughout the community.
The sign was hung in a prominent window on Cox’s property. While Cox received both positive and negative feedback in the Cox Farm suggestion box, one police officer took a stance over social media. In his original statement, the President of Fairfax Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 77, Brad Carruthers, wrote a Facebook status referencing the sign in the window at Cox Farms. “I hope you will join me and my police family and make a good choice to go somwhere else to enjoy your family fun this fall, where you will not be confronted by such baseless criticism and judgment,” Officer Carruthers wrote. Although the [Uncaged.] staff contacted the Fairfax County Police Station, Officer Carruthers was unavaliable for comment. Some officers took offense to this sign believing that it was directed towards them and, to a certain degree, their profession. After Carruthers received criticism regarding his statement, he took down his comment from Facebook stating that his intentions were misinterpreted. [The “Black Lives Matter” sign hangs on Cox Farms property. The property also used to fly a gay pride flag.]
But, according to Cox, the sign was not directed towards police officers. Cox first became involved in the Black Lives Matter Movement through her church, Unitarian Universal. As an active member, it was brought to Cox’s attention that the Black Lives Matter signs at her church were being vandalized due to hate regarding the issue. Cox admitted that living in such an open area with an immense amount of public view can be both a positive and negative thing. In this case, she saw it as the perfect opporunity to express her views. Since the Black Lives Matter signs at the church had been destroyed, Cox knew that she needed a visible yet hard to reach location for the sign. She settled on her window as the perfect placement.
According to Cox, the sign represents a deeper meaning than what many perceive. “There is this false understanding or misperception when someone says, ‘Black Lives Matter,’” Cox said. “What [people think] they are saying is, ‘Black Lives Matter More’ but what they are really saying is, ‘Black Lives Matter too.’” With any statement, there are always opinions that can be perceived differently. However, Cox believes that no matter how people react, it’s important to stay true to your beliefs if you know that they are important. n
[Story by Serena Thapa]
D ER E S R N R U C CO
O
ver the past decade, the South Riding Market Square has experienced an abnormal rate of business closures. Caribou Coffee, Fractured Prune and Grand Thai are a few of the many establishments that have closed their doors. While businesses close everywhere, large chains such as Caribou Coffee that are successful elsewhere have failed in South Riding. These failures suggest that the South Riding Market Square may be a ‘Cursed Corner’ to operate in. Most of the closed businesses served products that weren’t needed, or were already served elsewhere. More successful businesses such as Bach 2 Rock, Ford’s Fish Shack and Los Toltecos all have unique offerings for customers that are hard to find elsewhere in South Riding. One trend amongst failed businesses was that their demand was much lower for their goods and services than their rivaling competitiors. Caribou Coffee competed with Starbucks, Grand Thai with Moca, and Fractured Prune seemed only to be popular on weekends. “I think a lot of businesses just threw darts at the wall, hoping to see what sticks,” Senior Assistant Director at Bach 2 Rock Adam Carluccio said. Beyond their products, successful businesses also have had a much larger social media presence. “We have a lot of followers either on Instagram or Facebook that like many of our pictures and...we [also] run contests [for] gift cards,” Ford’s Fish Shack General Manager Chris Strickland said. While social media is one key component of advertising, community outreach is another example. “We were really doing a strong push with getting out in the community from day one... We want to make sure that when they think music, they think Bach 2 Rock. I think that’s been able to let us thrive,” Carluccio said. While there are some successful businesses in South Riding Market Square, the fact is many have failed in just a few years. These continued shutdowns indicate that the cursed corner is more of a reality than a myth. n [Infographic by Lauryn Forbes]
[Story by Simar Kohli]
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R
NEWS
CULTU AL OOTS
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IT’S A TRADITION. //senior Gurbani Jolly
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G URBANI
magine never getting a haircut - not even the smallest trim. It might sound strange to some, but to senior Gurbani Jolly, this is reality. Shears have never touched her hair, and she intends to keep it that way. But, this choice isn’t a fashion statement - it’s loyalty to her religion, Sikhism. Originating around 1500, Sikhism was a reaction to divisions between Hindus and Muslims in India. Followers of Sikhism’s founder, Guru Nanak, rejected the caste system in favor of equality and a truthful lifestyle, and was monotheistic, unlike Hinduism, which is polytheistic. Keeping one’s hair long became a sign of respect, and a way for Sikhs to differentiate themselves from Hindus. Compared to other religions, Sikhism is relatively young - only 500 years old yet it is the world’s fifth largest religion. Despite its prevalence, there are many misconceptions about the religion, especially in regions where it is not dominant. “Women generally kept their hair braided, or in a bun, and they put a scarf over their head to show a sign of respect - but that’s normally in the presence of our holy book. Men always keep their hair up in a turban. They grow out their hair, and they have a beard and a mustache,” Jolly said. Sikhs, including Jolly and her family, sometimes suffer from misconceptions about their religion. “I guess people are really nice about it [having long hair], but with men, sometimes it gets perceived differently, because people think that we’re Muslim, but
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we’re not,” said Jolly. “I know my brother sometimes gets teased at school, too. But there’s been a push towards getting Sikhism incorporated in American society, because after 9/11 people started associating turbans and beards with Muslims and not so much Sikhs, so there is some racial discrimination in that sense.” In response to the aftermath of the September 11th attacks, activist groups have been working to end discrimination against Sikhs. “There’s a coalition - it’s called the Sikh Coalition - where they try to make laws or make awareness,” Jolly said. “They recently helped pass a law saying in airport security - you know, [since] you can’t wear hats or stuff. So they typically ask people to take off their turbans, which is not allowed, really, because we’re supposed to keep our heads covered at all times.” Although airport security has increased in recent years, our government has still been able to respect the Sikhism culture. “If a person has a turban and they’re wearing a beard and they identify themselves as Sikhs, they’re technically not supposed to take off their turbans. But you can pat your head to make sure there’s nothing in there, but it’s typically your hair, so they didn’t want to take it off because it shows a sign of disrespect. So, laws like that have been able to incorporate our religion into American society today.” n
[Photos by Billan Omar]
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I
t seems like every strip mall has a hair salon, every commercial break has at least one shampoo advertisement, and every grocery store has a few aisles devoted to hair care. There’s a reason for this overload of hair-related sales - the beauty business makes big bucks. According to US News, the average price for a women’s haircut in the United States is $44, which is about 50 percent more expensive than a men’s haircut. With all the time and money sunk into maintaining the appearance of hair, sometimes the cultural and religious significance is overlooked. But for seniors Hawatu Devowah and Gurbani Jolly, the value they place on their hair isn’t just based on how much they spend at the salon - it defines their sense of self. n
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MY HAIR IS MY FREEDOM. //senior Hawatu Devowah
S
HAWATU
elf-acceptance can be liberating and senior Hawatu Devowah has experienced this first-hand by embracing her natural hair. For years, Devowah used everything from hair relaxers (hair straightening products) to styles that hid her natural texture to blend in with styles she saw around her. “I never really knew what my hair looked like,” she said. But recently, Devowah decided to explore its natural texture. “I eventually just decided ‘Okay, I’m just gonna stick with braids’ and my hair started growing and I thought ‘This is good, I should just stop with the relaxers and everything’,” Devowah said. “My hair symbolizes my metamorphosis, in a sense. It symbolizes how I’ve come to get to know myself and accept myself, my roots, my history and where I come from.” Devowah’s journey to self acceptance was fueled by the natural hair movement, which is rooted in the 1960s Civil Rights Movement. While there is no official website for this movement, Devowah was inspired by idols both historical and modern - ranging from poet Maya Angelou and singer/songwriter Erykah Badu to YouTubers Mini Marley and Igbocurls. The movement encourages women of color to embrace their nautral hair in response to pressures to conform to eurocentric beauty standards. “In order to get a job, to be present-
able, to not be looked down upon in society, you would wear straight hair and kind of conform to this sort of Caucasian ideal,” Davowah said. Devowah began her transition to natural hair before she discovered the movement, but she felt that she had found a welcoming and informative community. After reading about the natural hair movement through online articles, Devowah learned ways to care for her natural hair, and how her ancestors viewed hair. “One day I decided to wear an afro,” Devowah said. “I noticed that I got an overall positive reception. Depending on the person’s reaction to your hair, [it can] reveal a lot about that person. And [about] institutionalized ideals.” Rather than resent negative reactions, however, Devowah views them as an opportunity to reflect on how society perceives beauty, and how that can affect an individual. “I thought that it was a huge thing for me to just wear my hair the way it is,” Devowah said. “That’s natural, that’s what it is! It’s like, it’s me coming as I am. What’s the problem with me doing that? Once I got to a point where I would look into the mirror and say ‘This is who I am. It’s a part of me,’ it helped me sort of understand humanity... When you take time to realize what’s within you, or the affinity within yourself - that’s when you can really start to see it in others.” n [Stories by Mallory Stokker]
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CULTURE
[
S
tress eating. We all do it. It happens to th it, why not eat foods that contribute to your hap some foods do make a person happy and it turns do yourself a favor and take some time out of yo some of the
The antioxidants found in dark chocolate help improve blood circulation by relaxing the walls in blood vessels. Chocolate also contains tryptophan, an amino acid that releases serotonin into the brain. Serotonin is also connected to happiness.
The folate found in avocados helps to create new cells along with regulating serotonin production. Serotonin is the key communication mechanism between nerve cells and the brain. It also helps the brain manage functions, one of these being determining mood.
Nuts such as almonds are rich in protein and minerals, and contain vitamin E; an antioxidant that tackles stress. Along with cashews and pistachios, almonds have been proven to lower blood pressure and calm the nervous system.
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[Information compiled by Emily Malacane, Lauryn Forbes, and Jessica Scott] [Photo by Justin Sheehan]
he best of us--it’s inevitable. So if you’re going to do ppiness? There have been studies that have proven s out to be some foods that lots of people enjoy. So our day to make yourself a little happier by eating ese foods. n [Intro by Amanda Peña]
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Honey is a sweeter alternative to sugar, and is capable of making you feel happier, while also alleviating feelings of anxiety and tension. The glucose found in honey is quickly absorbed by the body, which gives an instant energy boost that won’t lead to a sudden sugar-crash because of the lesser impact on your blood sugar level.
Stress levels in people who consume over five cups of green tea a day are 20 percent lower than people who don’t. Thyamine, an amino acid found in most teas, has a calming effect, that will result in you feeling more relaxed and less stressed.
Mushrooms contain an essential antioxidant and mineral: Selenium. People who increase their Selenium intake are linked to a lower risk for depression, anxiety and fatigue.
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CULTURE
bye, bye
Bailey We’ll miss you.
[Photo by Cara Curtin]
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“ ”
I guess the best is that she accepts everybody, that is the beauty of her:
As d o g lovers, and as Bailey lovers, the [Uncaged.] staff would like to pay tribute to a friend who we had the privilege of growing up with. Many of the seniors on our staff remember that happy golden smile lighting up our elementary school classrooms. And that is a smile that we have been lucky enough to have seen everyday throughout our high school careers. We are so proud to have been part of a life that touched and helped so many people. In her memory, we asked FHS Principal Doug Fulton to share one of his fondest memories with our loyal and slightly mischievous school therapy dog. This is the story he shared: “Bailey trained me to feed her because a lot of times she would come in during the school day and at night and if I wasn’t paying enough attention to her or feeding her, she would go out the door into the hallway and Dr. Furhman would get mad at me for letting her out. So Bailey knew that so she would tease me and stand in the doorway like she was going to leave and barked until I paid attention to her. Then if she ever got out into the hallway, I could never get her back in because then she would just lay down and stick her belly up and just stay there until she got a belly rub.“n
everybody is good
//School Counselor Dr. Carly Furhman
[Bailey’s love touched many lives beyond the walls of FHS. It’s times like these we remember it’s just a friendly rivalry. Thank you Champe for your support.] 11
OPINIONS
let’s talk about... [REALITY]
[ [
REALITY TV IS RUINING EVERYONE.
[ [
BUYING GIFTS EMITS THE STENCH OF IRONY.
Reality tv is ruining everyone and their mother’s lives. I’m not talking about the Survivor, America’s Got Talent or Voice sort of reality show. I’m talking about the special brand of reality shows that brought us Jersey Shore, Keeping Up with the Kardashians and Here Comes Honey Boo Boo. Back in the day (the 90s), only a handful of reality shows existed. When the first season finale of Survivor on CBS captured the attention of over 50 million people in 2000, other networks began to produce reality shows in order to cut in. In an industry where there is money to be made, competition is sure to arise. The theme of competition in reality shows continued as American Idol aired on FOX in 2002, and remained highly ranked in US tv ratings until about 2011. From this point we start to see shows like Jersey Shore and Keeping Up with the Kardashians enter the spotlight. Just as reality tv started to shift, the apocalypse began. The “new” reality shows not only promote inappropriate behavior in younger viewers, but portray these lifestyles as “normal” and increase the popularity of certain stereotypes. Not every family on the West coast lives like the Kardashians. Not everyone in Jersey behaves like Snooki or the Situation. Reality tv is not reality. Actors get paid to behave the way they do. They are paid to show of the latest designer trends and fight with each other while cameras are rolling. These shows ruin our beliefs about what life should be like by altering our standards of beauty. News flash- Kylie Jenner’s artificial lips should not be what teens strive to mimick. Yet, the Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge, despite the danger involved, became an internet sensation in a matter of days. n [editorial by Sarah Newell]
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[HOLIDAYS]
Let me ask you a question- What is your favorite aspect of the holidays? I can almost guarantee that your answer is somewhere in the realm of “spending time with family.” But with family comes gifts, and buying gifts emits the stench of irony. BlackFridayDeathCount.com tallies the number of deaths and injuries that have occurred on Black Fridays, totaling up to a whopping seven deaths and 98 injuries. On that note, you are more likely to be killed or wounded in a Black Friday-related accident than by a shark attack. The rise of materialism is killing us. Literally. Humans are materialistic beings. We wait in line for nine hours for that video game that just came out. And while we have all heard the cliche “money doesn’t buy happiness” over and over, our wants take over and insist that it can. And just as you cannot buy your own happiness, you cannot give that purchased game to your nephew or brother expecting love in return. Here’s the kicker: if you spend countless hours away from your family, searching through aisles and aisles of Target and Walmart for the perfect gift, aren’t you just defeating the purpose? A gift is not meant to create happiness, but to show love for one another and bring family together. Gifting is more of a gift for the gifter than the giftee. So, I guess in a way, money can buy happiness. Knowing that we spent our hard-earned money on another loved individual can spur a sense of satisfaction like no other. We see presents in the wrong way. The real present is not an object wrapped up in white paper and red ribbon; the real present is your presence. n [editorial by Abby Agi]
[WOMEN] Ada Lovelace: the first computer scientist. Grace Hopper: created the first programming compiler. Mary Keller: recipient of one of the first series of computer science doctorates. All women. And yet, for some bizarre reason, only 18 percent of women graduate with a degree in Computer Science now. It wasn’t always this way. In 1984, 37 percent of all computer science graduates were women, according to the Girls Who Code organization. So, that raises the question: what caused the eventual decline? The personal computer. Yes, the culprit behind the lack of women in the computer science field is a device that is used on a daily basis today. However, to be fair, it wasn’t so much the actual device, but the way it was advertised. The media is at fault as well. In the late 80’s and 90’s, personal computers were advertised as toys - toys that allowed a child to shoot or play Ping Pong. Furthermore, movies, like “Revenge of the Nerds” promoted the now stereotypical image of a computer science nerd. Women were never a prominent part of the advertisements. As a result, women did not feel like they had anything to do with the new technology products on the market because they had no connection. They began to denounce the very industry they helped create in the first place. In order to combat the stereotype that has plagued the industry, women must understand that they do in fact bring something to the table and that they do not need saving. If anything, they can become saviors themselves. n
[TERROR] Obviously, after 9/11, many things changed. Air travel became a longer, more thorough process. People were much more cautious. Middle Easterners were given a stereotype. The purpose of terrorism is to strike fear in your target; violence with hope of political gain. When we became afraid of an entire population, terrorism has won. As the war on terror continues, there is a growing tension between Muslims and the rest of the world. Now with the threat of ISIS, that tension has reached new heights. In November, a 57 year old, white, Christian male attacked a Planned Parenthood clinic, killing three people and injuring nine others. He claimed to be fighting for the fetuses that might be aborted there. In this scenario, a religious extremist committed violent acts, hoping it would influence others of his political opinions. He was not labeled as a terrorist in the same way. The actual terrorists we’re fighting, ISIS, are winning every time we drive walls between ourselves and Muslims. Their goal is to unite Muslims and isolate themselves from the rest of the world. When we brand an entire population as terrorists, we’re allowing terrorism to invade our society. When we refuse Syrian refugees to find haven in our country, we’re making it easier for actual terrorists to reach their goal. When we refuse men, women, and children safety and brand them as terrorists as we launch airstrikes in their country, we become equal with our enemy and we allow terrorism to win. n
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WE BECOME EQUAL WITH OUR ENEMY.
[
[
THEY CAN BE SAVIORS THEMSELVES.
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[editorial by Emma Gauthier]
[editorial by Anusha Khan]
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1-800-SHOUT OUTS 1-800-SHOUT OUTS 1-800-SHOUT OUTS 1-800-SHOUT OUTS 1-800-SHOUT OUTS 1-800-SHOUT OUTS 1-800-SHOUT OUTS 1-800-SHOUT OUTS 1-800-SHOUT OUTS 1-800-SHOUT OUTS 1-800-SHOUT OUTS Want a shout out in the next issue of [Uncaged.]? Direct Message us your one-liners on Twitter @uncaged_fhs
Drumline is going to be straight fire this year! ~ Jacob Ahn, 10th Grade / Shout out to Freedom’s awesome Speech and Debate team! ~ Austin Jung, 11th Grade / Shout out to MUN for being the most lit club ever ~ Owen McCafferty, 12th grade / Ay yo Shayna waz gud? ~ Sarah Ayubi, 10th Grade / Yo Sarah @ me ~ Shayna Wolin, 10th grade / Shout out to the academic team for their devilishly good looks and intellect ~ Vivek Ramakrishnan, 12th Grade / Shout out to Freedom’s DECA for killing the business game ~ Joe Reeves, 12th Grade / Hey Jenna Thalgi you are such a great friend!~ Karly Brown, 9th Grade / Thanks Karly for being a supportive friend! ~ Jenna Thalgi, 9th Grade / Shout out to Vivek, big ambitions in the tiniest of bodies ~ Shanker Narayan, 12th Grade / Shout out to Abby Agi for being a great role model ~ Aidan Doherty, 9th Grade / Appreciate the help from all FHS Conservative members for helping protect true, American values! ~ Joe Koltisko, 12th Grade / Shout out to Freedom’s SCA for all of their hard work!~ Shravani Reddy, 9th Grade / Shout out to all the decent people ~ Emily Malacane, 11th Grade
SPORTS
W H Y
D O
S P O R T S
M A T T E R ? DO YOU EVEN LIFT? THIS CLUB DOES. Mo·ti·va·tion (noun): The general desire or willingness to do something.
Students at Freedom are all driven by their own unique motivations and the results are exhibited in the activities they routinely dedicate time to at school. The new weightlifting club has become a common conduit for students to channel their motivation into great results. n
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while striving to be the best version of himself. Thanks to the club, Ngo can lift more during the week and interact with the other students in the club, forming a bond with them. “That’s what I really want to instill in the members: That it’s not always about being the best at lifting, there’s also other aspects of life that you can improve too,” Ngo said. For junior Marcus Jackson, motivation is one’s drive to do something and when one relies on their tired muscles to keep pushing. Jackson strives to better himself in volleyball, and this club helps him become stronger to do so. “For some people, [lifting] is not something you want to do, but it’s kind of necessary if you want to get better. It helps with motivation; just push yourself to do it,” Jackson said. Junior Josh Heman-Ackah, who placed fifth at the state level for the boys triple jump in the previous season, knows that he has to be well prepared going into this year’s track season. He describes motivation as when one really wants to do something and feels obligated to do so. “That [weight room] is just a place of people that have passion for whatever they’re training for. And seeing all those people together is very motivating,” Heman-Ackah said. n [Story by Amanda Peña]
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THE REASON I AM IN SCHOOL RIGHT NOW IS BECAUSE OF THE CLUB. IT GAVE ME INTEREST, SOMETHING TO BE INVOLVED IN.
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M
onday arm day. Tuesday leg day. Wednesday rest. Routine creates habits. Habits breed success and success breeds motivation. “Last year, I didn’t want to go to school at all. I just didn’t show up. The reason why I am at school right now is because of the club. It gave me an interest, something to be involved in,” senior Henry Nguyen said. Nguyen and fellow senior Matt Ngo founded the weightlifting club in order to give other students a chance to work on getting stronger and becoming more fit. Their sponsor, health teacher Tyler Dorsey, wants to inspire others to weightlift as he did in high school. “There are so many [benefits] of exercising: long term bone density, weight loss, body composition, [and] feeling proud of yourself,” Dorsey said. Weightlifting can also help to improve intellectual capacity and productivity, decrease stress, and increase one’s endorphins, according to FitDynamics.com. Nguyen says that the purpose of the club is to help others pursue their goals and to find motivation. He hopes that the participants in the club find their drive. Nguyen plans on competing in a powerlifting competition next November and the club is helping him reach his goals by focusing more on strength building rather than hypertrophy, or simply increasing muscle mass. Ngo defines motivation as always trying to improve. His drive is to help others,
//Senior Henry Nguyen
The buzzer blared as Steph Curry drained yet another last second three-pointer. Bryce Harper hammered another home run into the stands of Nationals Park. Tom Brady avoided suspension for his role in Deflategate. Alex Ovechkin just slammed yet another slap shot to the upper corner. Millions of kids spent their childhoods trading and collecting
cards showing pictures of their favorite athletes. Sports matter. That much is clear. But why? Why do we care who wins the Super Bowl or who broke whose ankles on the court? It all boils down to four simple words: Motivation, competition, participation and occupation. n [Intros by Campbell Niehaus]
RUN, SYDNEY, RUN Com·pe·ti·tion (noun): The act or process of trying to get or win something
ongratulations are in order for both senior Sydney Browe, and the boys cross country team. Browe broke the girls 5k record on October 28 at the Milestat Invitational by 28 seconds with a time of 19:16. “I couldn’t believe it, because that’s been my goal for the past two years to break the record, and I broke it by a lot so I wasn’t expecting it to happen,” Browe said. “It’s one thing to break it, but it was another thing to break it by like 30 seconds. I couldn’t believe it! I thought the time was wrong, I thought that they started 15 seconds late...I was like, ‘what happened?’” At the Virginia High School League (VHSL) state meet, Browe finished in 26th place with a time of 20:25. “I always thought that the girl was going to be right behind me so I was expecting her to pass me at any second and I didn’t think that I actually won until I already [finished]” Browe said. The boys cross country team qualified for states by placing third at regionals. Senior Brandon Wells placed seventh at region-als with a time of 16:42 and 10th at states after running a 5k with a 16:36 5k time. n [Story by Amanda Peña] [Sophomore Nicole Balog, senior Courtney Dineen and senior Sydney Browe prepare for the VHSL 4A West meet in Martinsville.]
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I COULDN’T BELIEVE IT BECAUSE THAT’S BEEN MY GOAL FOR THE PAST TWO YEARS...I WASN’T EXPECTING IT TO HAPPEN.
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C
When one practices a sport and dedicates their life to it for hours on end, they naturally expect results. Despite hours of training, positive results are often hard to come by. However, hard work can pay off in many situations, and success can be best measured through records and achievements in competitions. n
//Senior Sydney Browe
[Photo by Serena Thapa]
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SPORTS Oc·cu·pa·tion (noun): A job or profession. Many people share a love for sports and care about teams or players, but what few see is the business and marketing opportunities. In reality, sports is an entire industry of its own, and as of 2014, over 350,000 people have been able to turn their love of athletics into an occupation, according to CareerBuilder LLC. One of the most prominent elements of this is sports marketing, and anyone can get a jump-start into the industry with one of our specialized classes. n
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o help students better understand and break down the unique concept of sports marketing, FHS offers a Sports, Entertainment, and Recreation Marketing (SEM) class each year. SEM is a course designed for students with an interest in any of these industries. The unique and innovative program explores every aspect of the field in detail. “[SEM] my favorite class to teach. It’s very cool that it is a whole, year-long course dedicated to a very specific industry,” Sports Marketing teacher Mark Murray said. “People are realizing all of the money and jobs and stuff that sports can create, and sports management is one of the five fastest-growing college degrees in the country.” According to CareerBuilder LLC, there has been a 12.6% growth in jobs in the industry between 2010 and 2014 resulting in over 39,000 new openings. Positions in the industry can vary drastically, each with different levels of pay and perks, but in the Sports Marketing class, you can gain the tools needed to become anything from a marketing manager to a salesman. According to Murray, the class has many real-world applications.
$
SHOW ME THE
MONEY
For example, students investigate how marketing a team like the Washington Wizards, who struggled most of the last decade, was different ten years ago than it would be now that they are a playoff team. According to junior marketing student Siddhant Nalawade, sports matter since they are an escape from the dullness of daily life and following a team makes you emotionally invested and proud. Translating this into successful marketing is actually pretty simple. Nalawade already understands the concept that all aspiring sports marketers must learn; in the industry, connections and credentials are crucial. “A majority of Americans, I’d say, watch some form of sports,” Nalawade said, “In that sense, marketing is everywhere. It’s just easily accessible [since] you’re reaching a vast audience.” Nalawade has a strong understanding of how sports marketing can matter, and this mindset, combined with his marketing education at FHS, puts him on a path to enter the industry. If you know you love sports, this career is definitely one to consider. n [Story by Campbell Niehaus]
MONEY AND THE POWER
[Information from CareerBuilder LLC]
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IT’S A COMMITMENT, LITERALLY Par·tic·i·pa·tion (noun): The action of taking part in something. If you ask young children what they want to do with their life, the second most common answer is to ‘be an athlete’ according to 97.1 WASH-FM. Before most professional dreams can be realized, an athlete must compete at the collegiate level. College athletics can potentially springboard an athlete to the professional level, which is why the college recruitment process is absolutely essential. n
S
tep 1: Register yourself on recruitment websites “I signed up for the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) eligibility center. That’s what allows you to play college sports after high school,” senior varsity soccer player Meghan Kammerdeiner said. In addition to signing up for the eligibility center, student athletes should make themselves available to colleges in any way they can, including signing up for multiple recruitment websites. Step 2: Create a highlight tape of yourself “I just [made] a profile and I uploaded two highlight videos,” senior varsity volleyball player Christine Yoo said. Yoo used the popular National Collegiate Scouting Association (NCSA) website to share her skills with potential college scouts. College coaches are exceedingly busy, so unless you are a top-notch prospect, they will be most likely unable to make time to come out to your game. However, if you can create a professional-looking series of replays from parent or coachfilmed games - using any of a wide variety of editing software such as Windows Movie Maker or iMovie - most coaches will be able to see what you have to offer. On top of creating profiles, many websites like NCSA give detailed “How-to’s” on the recruitment process as a whole, so make sure you take advantage of all your resources. Step 3: Work proactively with your coach Getting involved with a club team with a coach who can help you with your college pursuits can be very valuable in becoming recruited. According to Yoo, her team created a brochure with player statistics for her coach to pass out to college coaches at their tournaments. This proactive step of approaching coaches, wheth-
er done by you or your club coach, is a huge part of the process that everybody needs to be willing to complete. Step 4: Contact or visit all of the schools that you are interested in “Our coach made us make a list of ten schools we were interested in, and then we had to narrow it down from there,” Kammerdeiner said. If you have two or three main collegesof-choice, that is perfectly fine, but always make sure you have options. If at all possible, try to meet the coach or at least schedule a visit to the schools you are interested in as early as possible. Conversely, if you don’t have any specific target schools, focus on spreading your profile as widely as possible through each of the different websites. However, if you are one of those people who does have a few primary options, contact those schools as early as you can. Step 5: Conduct each step of the process as early as possible “I wish I started earlier because I started at the beginning of junior year,” Yoo said, “If I started earlier I would have talked to more D1 schools.” “Toward the end of middle school is when I started the recruiting process and started actively pursuing schools,” Kammerdeiner said. Since she started early and proactively pursued different colleges, Kammerdeiner received interest from multiple schools. Participation in athletics makes the phrase “sports matter” ring true for many children. According to ESPN writers Bruce Kelley and Carl Carchia, over 21 million kids ages six to 17 played an organized team sport in 2011. Even if you follow the above guidelines, you must be ready for a difficult and potentially unsuccessful pursuit of a college career, but these steps helped Kammerdeiner and Yoo follow their dreams, and they can help you too. n
CHRISTINE
FRANKLIN & MARSHALL COLLEGE
MEGHAN
OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
[Photos by Cara Curtin] [Story by Campbell Niehaus]
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freedom high school newsmagazine | volume 1 | issue 2