The Viking Issue 2

the

viking Loudoun Valley High School . Issue II . October 2012

WOULD YOU LIKE A SIDE OF POLITICS WITH THAT? p.3 WHERE WE STAND p.6 STATE OF PLAY p.11

How to buy your yearbook 1. Bring an order form to Room 135 until October 31.

2. From early November on, you will be able to purchase a book through the mail.

The information will arrive at your house!

You may use a credit card.

the

viking Newsmagazine Staff 2012-2013

Editors-in-Chief Rachel Boisjolie Melissa Fairfax

Managing Editors Gaelyn Foster Charles Lyons

Business Manager Sheridan Suminski

Promotional Manager Meagan Solano

Layout Editor Leigh George

Photo Editor Tierra Dongieux

Online Editors Lauren Pak Charlotte Tuohy

Writers, Photographers, Business and Promotional Staff Kelly Ashley, Jennifer Colantonio, Katherine Hall-Wurst, Brianna Jennings, Courtney Morgan, Maddie Rice, Ainsley Sierzega, Rachel Snyder, Jo Trombadore

Letter from the

Editors

Adviser Paige Cox Dear Vikings, With the upcoming election, politics are everywhere—including in our edition. We love political pieces because they spark so much conversation! However, we made sure to remain unbiased in all political pieces and surveys; we made an effort to present both sides and make sure everyone was represented fairly.

Along those lines, we brought back the pro-con piece due to popular support. Keep in mind that we are not implying that one view is better

than the other; it simply represents two sides of the same issue from two members of our staff. In addition, we have an unsigned editorial from the staff in this issue; it is meant to represent the views of our staff, not the views of just one person or of the entire school. Look for these in our upcoming issues as well!

Lastly, please make sure to let us know what you think! Our publications room, Room 135, is always open for feedback. As always, if you have any concerns about the way you were

portrayed or if you feel you were misrepresented, please let us know so that we can print a correction and an apology.

Thanks!

Rachel Boisjolie and Melissa Fairfax, Editors-in-Chief P.S.—Check out our newly redesigned online newsmagazine, www.thevikingnews.com, for political polls, extended print articles and sports pictures and updates!

table of contents Loudoun Valley High School Newsmagazine 340 N. Maple Ave. Purcellville, VA 20132

NEWS// 1/Out of the Valley 2/Universal Health Care Pro-Con 3/Would You Like a Side of Politics With That?

ARTS// 5/Whose Line Is It Anyway?

IN-DEPTH// 6/Where We Stand

FEATURE// 9/Onward Bound

SPORTS// 11/State of Play

EDITORIAL// 13/Reach Across the Aisle

ut Valley of the

Domestic issues dominate conversation, but international issues are growing in importance.

Iran/Israel

Euro Crisis

Longtime enemies Iran and Israel are at odds: With Iran building up its nuclear arms program, Israel worries that those weapons may become pointed at it.

While Iran states that these weapons are for scientific and technological progress only, Israel may plan an offensive strike on Iran. As Israel’s number one ally, the United States has the power to decide Israel’s course of action, and this election may have something to do with that decision.

When the United States economy started failing in 2008, Western Europe felt global ramifications. Greece found itself deeply in debt; the European Union bailed Greece out—twice—with large sums of Euros and an agreement that Greece would restructure its economy. By this time, other European countries needed bailouts as well, and the European Central Bank stepped in with a plan to purchase government bonds. However, these efforts only solved the problem short-term and failed to solve the major political problems associated with the economy. Italy and Portugal removed their political leaders from power over the issue, and protests over austerity (cutting expenses) occur continuously in Greece and Spain. The solution may be that some countries abandon the Euro; however, since the world economy is closer and more connected than ever, the United States is directly impacted by this problem. If European countries continue needing bailouts, the International Monetary Fund will need more money, and that money will have to come from America’s taxpayers. Yet with the United States’s debt growing as well, some say that America’s economy is on its way to joining Western Europe. article/Rachel Boisjolie photo/Ainsley Sierzega layout/Charlotte Tuohy

Syria Following in the footsteps of Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and other Middle Eastern countries before it, Syria is fighting in the so-called “Arab Spring” against dictator Bashar al-Assad for democratic reforms.

Assad used his military to murder between 20,000 and 30,000 of his own civilians, forcing many more to flee the country and look for refugee programs.

Syria found itself increasingly isolated in the Middle East as countries such as Egypt and Turkey condemned the violence; the United Nations attempted forcing Assad to step down with sanctions and diplomacy, but Assad refused, forcing the United Nations and surrounding countries to make a tough decision about whether or not to get involved.

Why Should You Care?

Shlono Banian, an assistant principal from Arad, Israel, came to the school to talk to students about the everyday conflicts within his country and the surrounding countries. Talks like his and the ever-present debates between presidential candidates Barack Obama and Mitt Romney drive foreign policies into America’s view; the new international relations class at Valley further gives meaning to issues that may seem too far away to be important. Voice your opinions about the pressing global news online at www.thevikingnews.com (use this QR tag to access the site)!

Pro Universal

Health Care Con

According to the Census Bureau, the number of uninsured United States residents has reached nearly 50 million people. That is almost 50 million people living on U.S. soil—adults avoiding doctor appointments, elderly people not taking their medicine or young students unable to stay on their parents’ healthcare plans until they are 26. The argument for universal health care is whether we want to protect our citizens or thrust them out in the cold.

Thirty major states worldwide already offer universal health care. Article 25 in the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that, “Everyone has the right to a standard of living…including food, clothing, housing, medical care and necessary social services.” Health care for a population is not a bonus or privilege—it is a right and should be an expectation.

The concept of universal health care is not a foreign ideal or philosophy.

The core of American values built into our social and political systems is that of a government that serves and protects our freedoms and humanity. The government’s job in the United States is to provide a foundation of stability in our guaranteed rights. The government does not guarantee prosperity in any sense but could provide the means necessary to attain these heights. Providing health care does not stifle opportunity; rather, it allows people to focus on their personal goals without worrying about something the government already supplies for them.

According to the American Journal of Roentgenology, in the last half decade, U.S. workers’ health insurance premiums have increased by 73 percent, yet wages have only grown by 15 percent. This inflation exemplifies the unattainable nature of our current, decentralized healthcare system. As is, health care is downright unaffordable for the majority of Americans, proven by the fact that almost half of the Americans who file for bankruptcy do so because of medical expenses.

Free or inexpensive medical services would mean that patients would be more willing to practice preventative medicine and look into their more minor health problems in order to catch them early before they spiral out of control.

Unfortunately, under the current system, people are extremely reticent to see a specialist or doctor about their concerns and avoid preventative measures altogether.

Universal health care also benefits doctors and medical professionals since more centralized care databases would make things like diagnosis and treatment much easier.

With universal health care, professionals aren’t burdened with specifications like insurance procedures and malpractice liabilities.

The Affordable Care Act, commonly referred to as ObamaCare, is a more affordable option than our previous system; according to The Guardian, the United States’s current system is the most expensive and wasteful health care program in the world. However, ObamaCare affirms the American values inherent to universal health care itself and is in favor of the common people. The achievements of the wealthy are certainly impressive, but ObamaCare is here to help the rest of us— the majority. Isn’t that what democracy is all about? article/Charles Lyons

NEWS/2

The problem with universal health care is that it does not exist. While the idea of affordable health care for everyone is nice in theory, it simply cannot be executed in reality. As we have seen in ObamaCare, affordable, universal health care is neither affordable nor universal, and it is becoming increasingly less available.

First, look at affordability. The Affordable Care Act mandates that businesses must provide health care to their employees. But due to the plethora of coverage requirements, policy costs are driven up so much that many small businesses opt to pay the fine rather than provide health care to their employees. Thus, because these employers no longer provide coverage, the number of participants (people insured) is lowered. This lower number of participants, in turn, drives costs even higher for other employees. It is a recurring cycle: lower affordability adversely affects the number of participants, which then lowers affordability, which in turn lowers the number of participants.

While affordability is clearly a problem for the small business owners, government affordability is equally problematic. In order to administer and enforce the Affordable Care Act, the government hired thousands of federal employees at substantial costs, not to mention the subsidies provided to lowerincome individuals. Due to all of these expenses, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimated that from 2013 to 2019, $1053 billion will be spent on ObamaCare. Suddenly, “Affordable Health Care” does not seem so affordable.

Secondly, “universal health care” is not truly universal. This is partially because the government requires that everyone participate in health care, except for those to whom they give waivers, exempting them from the healthcare mandate. According to a 2011 study by the Department of Health and Human Services, the government provided 1040 waivers.

Another problem with the Affordable Care Act is that of availability. While it claims to make health care more available for everyone, it makes it less available to those who need it most—Medicare patients. In order to fund The Affordable Care Act, the Obama administration cut $716 billion from Medicare.

This means that everyone under the age of 65 gets more healthcare coverage than those over 65 (those eligible for Medicare).

Also, due to administration costs, the government’s overhead is higher than that of a private insurance company. Thus, it has fewer available funds to pay for medical costs.

Because of this, not only will the quality of health care decrease, but fewer individuals will be drawn to a field that does not financially compensate them for the time and money spent in medical school. This has already been seen in the Medicare program when the recent decrease in reimbursement led to a shortage of Medicare providers.

This decrease in providers creates lower availability of medical attention. Canadians, whose wait-times are now estimated at nine and a half weeks to see a medical specialist, are a perfect example of how universal health care means less health care for everyone. article/Jo Trombadore photo/Tierra Dongieux layout/Jennifer Colantonio, Rachel Snyder

3/NEWS

“

Would you like

A SIDE OF POL

Familiar food corporations may have more of a political affiliation than one would think.

P

eople are choosing sides. Restaurants are too. And, inadvertently, so are consumers.

In July, Chick-fil-A President Dan Cathy publicly stated that he and his company oppose same-sex marriage. Since then, a storm of controversy has surrounded the corporation, including opinions from those who support the company’s beliefs, those who support its right to take a stance and those who disagree entirely.

However, it’s not just Chick-fil-A. Restaurants and corporations all over the world have taken political stances and made statements about hot-button issues such as same-sex marriage. Much like Chik-fil-A, Sweetfrog Frozen Yogurt was founded on religious ideals; the ‘Frog’ part of its name stands for ‘Fully Rely On God.’ Before the Chick-fil-A controversy began, Nabisco sparked internet debate by posting an ad depicting an Oreo with several colorfully stacked layers reminiscent of the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) flag. Ben and Jerry’s Ice Cream renamed its Chubby Hubby ice cream “Hubby Hubby” in support of same-sex marriage. “[Corporations] do have the right to an opinion, just like everyone else,” sophomore Hannah Rossi said. “But if they want to run a successful corporation, they should keep those opinions to themselves and stick with making money rather than falling too deep into the pit of politics.”

However, as a result of corporations taking political stances, consumers are voting with their pocketbooks now more than ever.

“Consumers have all the power to spend their money,” senior Junior Montes said. “They choose where they want to spend it.”

Thus, where one spends his money can say a lot about what he supports.

However, this doesn’t apply to just food companies. In May, JC Penney released an ad for Father’s Day which featured two dads. After coming under fire earlier this year for employing Ellen DeGeneres as a spokeswoman, JC Penney stood behind its ad, showing its commitment to the LGBT community.

While some believe that corporations such as JC Penny and Chick-fil-A do have the right to their own opinions as does any citizen, others disagree with

the company’s openness and especially its stance.

“I don’t think anyone should tell me who I should marry, so I don’t think Chick-fil-A should be able to say who I should love,” Montes said.

‘Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day,’ literally exemplifies this concept of supporting a political stance with one’s buying power. Politician Mike Huckabee created the Appreciation Day as a Facebook event and set it for August 1; his purpose in creating the day was to show support for Cathy’s opinion and to gain even more Chick-fil-A supporters. Those allied with Cathy and Huckabee flocked to Chick-fil-A locations nationwide, buying from the company in order to show support for its opinion or right to have an opinion.

Protestors of the Appreciation Day lined up as well, boycotting the company and its beliefs.

“I participated in the Chick-fil-A National Appreciation Day because they stood for something they believe in,” senior Ashley Tucker said. “Chickfil-A was founded upon Christian beliefs, so they have the right to fund any organization which they please. Other stores have done the same but for pro-gay organizations.”

The magnitude of corporations with political agendas and the weight placed on citizens to make their voices heard in the election season also seem to play a role in the explosion of controversy.

“I believe that it was very mean-spirited and bigoted of everyone to send a very hate-filled message through buying excessive amounts of chicken or simply ‘never going to Chick-fil-A ever again,’” Rossi said. “Although I disagree with President Dan Cathy’s stance, he has full right to say what he believes. I mean come on, they’re closed on Sundays. What did you expect?”

As people lined up to buy Chick-fil-A during the Appreciation Day, they more or less lined up to financially support the anti-gay organizations that Chick-fil-A supports; since Chick-fil-A is known to donate money to organizations that support the biblical definition of marriage, it can be argued that its customers are indirectly supporting those as well, therefore causing this boycotting uproar.

“I don’t eat there; I don’t support it at all,” Montes said. “I don’t have to

VOTING WITH YOUR LIBERAL Dairy Queen POCKETBOOK: ARE Panera Bread Starbucks YOU WHAT YOU EAT? Ben & Jerry’s

CONSERVATIVE Domino’s Pizza McDonald’s Burger King Wendy’s

NEWS/4

LITICS with that?

”

give [Chick-fil-A] my business; I can find somewhere else. Why should I support them when they don’t support me?”

Thus, the Chick-fil-A controversy brings up a valid point. These days, spending money isn’t just spending money; often, it means financing a cause that the consumer may not even know exists. Spending money at Chick-fil-A means financing various religious organizations such as Dan Cathy’s own Marriage &

“I don’t think anyone should tell me who I should marry, so I don’t think Chick-fil-A should be able to say who I should love.”

- Junior Montes

DID YOU KNOW?

Family Foundation and the National Christian Foundation. Digging into a Blizzard from Dairy Queen means supporting Obama—Forbes reported that Dairy Queen financially supports the Obama Victory Fund. Also according to Forbes, buying that Wendy’s Frosty could mean supporting either political party but primarily Romney.

With more corporations becoming politically involved, consumers become more and more important when it comes to their everyday purchases.

“Some people may not support Chick-fil-A anymore, and that is their right to take their money somewhere else,” Tucker said.

This is not new, though: for years, buyers have spent money at farmer’s markets for more health-conscious options and in order to keep the money circulating locally. However, it is now with a major and controversial election that a consumer’s spending power becomes that much more prominent. Thus, whether it is right for corporations to take political stances or not, it all comes down to the buyer’s personal choices.

“It’s like religion and government, fast food and politics,” Montes said. “They should be apart.” article/Melissa Fairfax with contribution from Gaelyn Foster photos/Tierra Dongieux

According to food trend analyst Phil Lempert, conservatives lean towards “mainstream, comfort food staples” such as pizza, steak and macaroni, while liberals lean towards “international and exotic cuisines,” as well as more nutritious and homemade options. (Source: YumSugar.com)

whose line is it anyway?

5/ARTS

Anna Casserino, Emily Jackson and Alan Chen confer before a practice. These returning members helped new members learn the Improv games.

Z

ip, Zap, Zop! What sounds like nonsense is actually the Improv Team warming up. Like a sports team, they have to prepare mentally and physically for the task ahead.

Improv, short for improvisation, is a club that performs with no script, lines or cues, just their own improvising.

They have games that require thinking on their feet and coming up with comedic responses. At the start of practice, the team gathers in a circle to loosen up and start thinking quickly, which is a vital skill when improvising. During practices, unexpected personalities often emerge.

“I go to AOS, and that’s really studious, then I come to Improv and can be ridiculous,” junior Emily Jackson said.

“You get to be yourself,” senior Grady Iliff said. “It gives me an opportunity to be a little more crazy.”

Each Improv member brings a little something different, such as Iliff who has a talent for accents, but no one is required to have certain skills.

“I like [Improv] because the whole point is that there are no rules,” freshman Taylor Thackaberry said.

Improv is relatively new, this being only its second year. A big part of its success is their coach, Zach Collins, who structures practice, gives advice, and occasionally joins in.

“Our coach is a rock star,” Jackson said.

Collins makes it clear that Improv is different from drama, since it’s as much comedy and thinking as acting.

Though many of the participants are involved in drama and got involved in Improv through those connections, new participants this year come from different groups.

“I actually was in a drama production with older people and they told me to join. I also took an improv class at Blue Ridge,” Thackaberry, the only freshman on

the team, said.

Most of the members have become friends, and veteran members from last year encouraged their friends to join them.

“I’m in drama, so when Improv auditions were happening, I was immediately attracted,” Jackson said. “I had originally tried out because I thought it was thinking on your feet, but it’s more.”

Thinking on their feet may be difficult for some team members, but trying not to laugh or break character may be even harder. With so many funny members, the laughter of the audience is infectious.

“It’s taken a lot of practice. Sometimes I have days where I just blurt stuff out,” Thackaberry said.

Some of the veterans find it easier, with the help of their guidelines.

“It looks a lot harder than it is. We have guidelines: establish a relationship, character, situation, conflict and resolution,” Jackson said. “Once you get in the game, it’s really easy to get into that.”

“I have this mindset that they all want you to succeed.

I’m not afraid of failure, because it usually gets some laughs anyway,” Iliff said.

The most obvious thing when watching an Improv practice is the close relationship between the participants, always laughing and letting loose, even though they come from different groups.

“Improv is the most casual of all activities,” Jackson said. “We’re all just bouncing jokes off each other.” article/Charlotte Tuohy photos/Tierra Dongieux and courtesy of Anna Stratton layout/Charlotte Tuohy

Personal Lines “You can’t get worse at Improv, you can only get better.”

-Grady Iliff

“I come back from Improv and I just smile.”

-Taylor Thackaberry

6/IN-DEPTH

WHERE WE

STAND Signs line the streets, phone calls barrage houses and volunteers travel door to door—the presidential election is heating up. After debates and various surveys, the news tells us which candidate, Obama or Romney, leads the national polls; however, what about within our own school? Loudoun Valley is located in a pivotal battleground state and essential swing county; both candidates have visited Loudoun several times, attempting to win it over. In the 2008 election, Obama clinched the lead in Loudoun with a 54 percent majority; now, four years later, the historically Republican county seems to be turning red once again.

However, caught in the rush of school, sports and various commitments, high school students may be anything but predictable. To test this, the newspaper staff distributed voluntary, anonymous surveys to hundreds of students throughout each grade. The surveys reveal that Romney does have a 12 percent lead over Obama at Valley; however, they also reveal student opinions on various other hot-button issues. survey/Meagan Solano with contribution from Rachel Snyder photos/Creative Commons (www.flickr.com) layout/Rachel Boisjolie, Leigh George, Lauren Pak

THE NUMBERS BEHIND

30%YOUR V OBAMA

9TH GRADE 29%

10TH GRADE

45%

20% 6% 24%

THE HEALTH CARE DEBATE Should there be universal healthcare?

42%

Are you pro-life or pro-choice?

35% 41%

YES

of boys consider themselves pro-life.

34% DON’T CARE

7%

12%

THE ABORTION DEBATE

OTHER

28%

22%

NO

of girls consider themselves pro-life.

31%

THE GUN CONTROL DEBATE THE SAME-SEX MARRIAGE DEB Should it be harder to get a gun than it currently is?

OTHER

30%

NO

40%

YES

30%

Should gay marriage be legal?

8/IN-DEPTH Presidential Vote Key

42% VOTE

Obama Romney Undecided

ROMNEY

11TH GRADE

35%

41%

Other

12TH GRADE

12%11% 35%

40% 44% of boys consider themselves pro-choice.

of girls consider themselves pro-choice.

BATE

38%

21% 6%

WHAT ELSE?

26% of JUNIORS AND SENIORS say that they are very interested in politics.

21% of FRESHMEN AND

SOPHOMORES say that they are very interested in politics.

56% of FRESHMEN believe they can make a difference in politics.

38% of SOPHOMORES believe they can make a difference in politics.

That means that, overall, more girls than boys support the concept of same-sex marriage. of males support Nineteen percent of same-sex marriage. boys are undecided, as opposed to 11 percent of girls. Twenty-nine percent of girls do not support same-sex marriage, and of girls support 40 percent of boys say same-sex marriage. the same.

40%

60%

50% of JUNIORS believe they can make a difference in politics.

62% of SENIORS believe they can make a difference in politics.

The Viking collected all data from a school-wide survey given in history classes. The survey included 545 responses. The survey was voluntary, and all responses remained anonymous.

13

9/FEATURE

ONWARD BOUND

Seniors take a moment to reflect on four of the most memorable years of their lives.

“ Anytime that I needed her, she was always there for me. ”

Tradition and community are two parts of life that senior Molly Allen embraces. Though many others at Valley are familiar faces from middle school, Allen has far from stayed the same.

“My self esteem has gone up,” Allen said.

“I’ve struggled a lot in the past with it, and I’ve learned how to respect myself. I’ve learned how to not be so hard on my appearance and my grades.”

For Allen, it came as no surprise that she would go to Valley, but high school wasn’t exactly what her fourteen-year-old self had imagined.

“Sometimes when I think of high school, I think of Mean Girls,” Allen said. “But how Damien and Janis mapped it out, with the drama and the secrets and the partying, it’s not like that all the time. I like the way high school has worked out for me so far.”

Allen’s inspiration is her grandmother, who has been in a continuous battle with cancer.

- Quinn Brummell

“My grandmother has taught me not to take things for granted and to stay strong and keep smiling,” Allen said. “She’s going to be here to see me graduate, and it’s going to mean the world to me. She went to a fourth of a football game, and it just made me so happy.”

However, Allen is content with her life at the moment: prominent parts of her life are cheerleading, yearbook and sports training.

Between these activities, Allen considers Valley her second home. “[In high school] you find out who your friends are,” Allen said. “If you have good grades, if you have good times, if you have good friends, it all makes good memories.”

Allen prepares to move from high school into a new collegiate lifestyle, hopefully at James Madison University.

“I’ve had a great time and great memories…it’s like the quote, ‘One jungle, one school, one family,’” she said. “I wouldn’t trade these four years for anything.”

molly allen

FEATURE/10

jake smith

Five years ago, he would have laughed at the mere thought of even being on the homecoming court. Now this idea has never been more of a reality.

“If you had asked me in seventh grade if I’d be king, I would’ve laughed,” senior Jake Smith said. “It feels pretty good [to be on court] because it feels like people may like me.”

Smith’s middle school years were not the most enjoyable, but they have shaped the person he is today.

“I was picked on a lot,” Smith said. “I was quiet and a little odd. There was a point where I became more social and was friendlier and more open to people. To be fair, I don’t count [middle school] as humanity at all.”

Valley has proved far greater than Smith’s time in middle school.

“It’s the worst and best four years,” Smith said. “You go through a lot of crap socially and with grades, but that’s what defines you as a human being – how you come out of it. It’s what

makes you who you are.”

After graduating from college, hopefully the College of William & Mary, Smith wants to move to a city and become a preacher and moviemaker– a far cry from his cozy hometown of Hamilton.

“High school is just a good milestone in life,” Smith said. “And if high school is going to be like life at all, it’s going to be pretty good.”

Like many students, Smith has enjoyed his four years; but also like many seniors, there comes a point when the craving for college becomes too strong.

“I like the school and stuff,” Smith said. “But halfway through the year, I’m going to want to get out.”

Looking back, Smith does not have many regrets. “[If I could do anything differently], I’d be more proactive and try a few more things,” Smith said. “I’d be more charismatic. Everyone likes charisma.”

“ He’s like a brother to me...he gives me good advice.” and conscientious “ She’s one of the most considerate people I know. ” - Drew Hare

- Cecilia Gallagher

As the President of the Math Honor Society, senior Mae Markowski is nothing short of a math whiz.

“I feel like I have to do something with math [in my life],” Markowski said. “When I get something right, it just feels…right.”

Markowski has learned to manage her priorities, making time for a social life while managing five AP classes and a job at Gruto’s.

“I think I’ve just struck a good balance in my life,” Markowski said. “I’m still able to get work done and have fun but not too much fun.”

Markowski believes that it has been a combination of memories that have made her who she is.

“In ninth grade when I was on JV softball, my nickname was ‘Awk,’” Markowski said. “It really hurt my feelings then, but now I embrace my awkwardness.”

From high school, it is the little things that Markowski will remember the most.

“I think the best part of high school is just the day-to-day surprises,” Markowski said. “I

like how funny people are.”

Spontaneity lies at the heart of Markowski’s fun.

“I’ll remember going to iHop,” Markowski said. “I didn’t think I’d ever be eating pancakes at 11 p.m. after a football game.”

Markowski hopes to receive a scholarship from Georgetown University. She plans to figure out what she wants to do during college.

“I feel like at 17 years old, I can’t decide what I want to do for the rest of my life,” Markowski said.

“Our brains haven’t even finished developing.”

Wherever Markowski goes, she will bring the lessons she has learned from these past four years with her.

“I think I might find out [what I want to do] by the end of high school,” Markowski said. “I wish someone would pick for me. I just feel lost.”

Though Markowski may be lost now, she has the rest of senior year to find her way. article/Lauren Pak photos/Lauren Pak layout/Lauren Pak

mae markowski

State of P

11/SPORTS

High school injuries and their professional counterparts change the nature of the game, making improvements to athletics a necessity.

J

unior Bryce Wince remained on the ground in the middle of the football field after the forceful tackle as he waited for paramedics to load him onto the stretcher.

On Friday, August 31, Wince was hit with the big one—that is, the big, season-wrecking injury that provokes frustration yet ignites curiosity. As Wince ran the ball down the field, defensive players tackled his lower body. His wellplanted right foot did not fall from the impact of the tackle as his body did, and his unfortunate leg position resulted in a broken tibia and fibula (bones in the lower leg). According to Senior Kajlie Kennedy, the Athletic Training Student Aide who helped taped one of Wince’s ankles, the scene of the injury was chaotic.

“During the game everything was going fine, and then that tackle [happened],” Kennedy said. I was watching the game and saw all the boys go down, and I actually heard Bryce before I saw him because of all the players…Bryce was lying on the ground, and his leg was just at a really awful-looking angle. I went to get the ambulance, then stayed with the medical staff and did whatever they told me to do.”

Though injuries such as these may seem unusual in the world of high school sports, this kind of competitive damage is surprisingly common. In the expanding world of high school athletics, minor and moderate injuries are becoming a familiar concept.

Junior Bryce Wince looks out as his teammates play their first home game after his injury.

Prior to his injury during the game against James Wood, Wince sustained three other severe sports-related injuries, including a fractured femur from football, a broken collar bone from football and another broken collar bone from lacrosse. “High school sports can be intense, which I don’t mind,” Wince said. “I like to have good competition and to be challenged every day to get better at what I do.”

changes in the off-season As of August 2011, the Virginia High School League (VHSL) made a ruling to allow coaches year-round access to their prospective players in the form of structured practices and informal instruction. Coaches and players have differing views on the ruling, with coaches generally in favor of the extra training and conditioning they are able to execute, while players

(especially multi-season athletes) may find it frustrating.

Physical therapist Robin O’Connor takes a different perspective on the increase of year-round sports: half of her current patient population is comprised of high school students.

“The number of teenagers involved in sports has also increased, and we tend to play year-round sports

now, which leads to increased fatigue and overuse injuries,” O’Connor said.

“Being fatigued increases one’s risk for a non-contact sports injury as well as due to delayed reaction time from the muscles.”

High school sports injuries are not new to athletic trainer Andy Gordon; in fact, he sees “three or four new injuries every week in the

fall.” However, he affirms O’Connor’s opinion that year-round sports increase the rate of injuries.

“In this school, we have 1200 students,” Gordon said. “500 of them are doing sports, and it’s not just here in school. Kids are doing other sports outside of school, so there’s a lot of overuse injuries because they’re doing too many sports at one time.”

Play

SPORTS/12

what’s being done?

As the rate of participation in high school sports continues to sky rocket, so does the intensity of athletics. As these two factors increase, high school sports become more dangerous, and injuries become a relatively familiar concept.

While this fact is not a comfort, the social reaction to these implications provides innovative ways to improve athletic protection.

• CONCUSSION TESTS: These are long diagnostic tests that assess elements such as reaction, visual memory, motor speed and neurological functions in an athlete, ideally given at the beginning of their freshman and junior year to provide a baseline for comparison.

If an athlete does sustain a concussion, they are tested once within a few days of the head trauma and again before they return to play.

• SPORTS INJURY AIDES: Athletic Training Student Aides like Kennedy are a huge part of an athlete’s welfare. Student Aides work with injury prevention by taping the players’ ankles, wrists and hands whenever necessary. They also supply athletes with water at all times and monitor games and practices.

• RESEARCH: Studies are being conducted across the board to help athletes recover from injuries once they have them. One statistic from the Concussion Management Program shows that athletes need to increase their calorie count by 100 or 200 percent when recovering from a brain injury. This doesn’t mean taking more Advil; instead, it is suggested that athletes up their intake of protein and blueberries.

Junior Tristan Holmes, senior Christina Hopkins, junior Katie Gutierrez and senior Jordyn Bauman watch closely as the football team faces Loudoun County. Senior Kajlie Kennedy completes the group of five female trainers. Junior Drew Collins joins the girls as the only male trainer. The group of six came to football preseason practices, where athletic trainer Andy Gordon taught them basic first aid so they could begin helping the injured players.

“The Aides are definitely the unknown, unsung heroes who help not just during and after but also before the games,” Gordon said.

Even outside of high school sports, injuries have been changing the nature of the game.

Apart from the heat the National Football League has recently received regarding questionable referee decisions, they have been under increasing and considerable pressure from the public about sustained injuries contracted by athletes during

games. Head injuries are of particular concern, as some claim the league has concealed an astounding record of concussions and brain injuries.

A litany of smaller lawsuits were recently consolidated into one larger lawsuit in Philadelphia, with the accusing parties armed with instances of possible Alzheimer’s and dementia as direct or indirect results

of plays on the field. The origins of the accusations range from organizations to players to parents of players, thus bringing the prevalence of athletic injuries to both local and national consciousness. article/Gaelyn Foster with contribution from Charles Lyons photos/Ainsley Sierzega layout/Rachel Boisjolie

“They are not allowing their bodies enough time to rest.”

-Andy Gordon

R E A C H 13/EDITORIAL

ACROSS THE AISLE Congressional representatives sit in separate sections according to party affiliation, but the solution may be to reach across the aisle in collaboration.

E

very four years, the United States challenges the holder of power. It has been this way for more than 200 years, and the fact that it is done without revolution or bloodshed speaks volumes about the stability of the system.

However, long after the creation of this government structure, the animosity between political parties has grown enormously. As can be seen in the current political advertisements, attacks on either party or candidate can be vicious. James Madison saw factions, or political parties and

interest groups, as dangerous in 1787 when he published Federalist 10; now, political parties seem to be living out Madison’s fears. Candidates and their parties are no longer as worried about the country’s wellbeing; instead, they are far too concerned with holding power. What happened to keeping the country’s best interests in mind?

Political affiliation is the killer of effective government. Too many people vote solely based on party affiliations rather than the issues themselves; even members of Congress will reject executive proposals if the President is of the

opposite party. With citizens unwilling to make informed decisions and with Congress virtually unable to be productive, the country cannot progress.

In times like these, the country needs room to move forward ideologically. The easy problems in society have been solved; n__ow, controversial issues, including samesex marriage, climate change, alternative fuel and assorted economic problems, must be solved. The fact that people constantly squabble in government is what puts the nation in a permanent gridlock that cannot be

overcome until people get over their political party prejudices.

In this political season, citizens must lead by example and inform themselves on important political issues. Students must cut the bashing and bickering on social networking sites just as candidates should stop the vitriol in their political ads.

Just as Congress must learn to reach across the aisle, citizens must learn to do the same. article/Staff photos/Tierra Dongieux layout/Kelly Ashley

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loudoun valley’s out of this world D 1.

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eafening noise filled the gym on October 12 as the Homecoming pep rally brought the school to its feet with cheers, bringing meaning to the phrase “One Jungle, One School, One Family.” The Student Council Association (SCA) handed out glowsticks in keeping with the year’s Homecoming theme, “Out of This World.” The annual competition between the members of Homecoming Court entertained the crowd.

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1. The sophomores, clad in their yellow class color, cheer at the top of their lungs to win the coveted spirit stick.

2. Sophomore Dennis Brumback plays the national anthem on his guitar to start off the pep rally.

3. Social Sciences teacher Rodney Jones, dressed as an out-of-this-world astronaut, hands off the microphone after introducing the theme of the rally.

4. Senior SCA president Ashley Baird cheers for her teammates at the traditional Powderpuff game on October 10.

5. Members of the freshman, sophomore and junior Homecoming Courts participate in a game of human bocce ball, where juniors Abbie Baird and Brandon Grayson won.

6. Glowsticks provided by the SCA lend a sense that Loudoun Valley truly is out of this world.

7. P.E. Department Head Joyce Phillips sings to “Baby” by Justin Bieber as part of a new activity where teachers finish the lyrics of popular songs.

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photos/Lauren Pak, Maddie Rice layout/Rachel Boisjolie, Maddie Rice