The Viking / Issue 4 / Feb 2014

the

viking

A DANGEROUS TREND Increased synthetic drug abuse among teens concerns families and authorities nationally and locally.

Loudoun Valley High School . Purcellville, VA Issue IV . February 2014

Fourteen inches of snow resulted in two cancellations and a two-hour delay, the second unexpected break thus far. After several years of very little snowfall, Loudoun County endured one of its harshest winters in recent memory. photo / Clayton Ramsey

the

viking Newsmagazine Staff 2013-2014

Editor-in-Chief Charles Lyons

Managing Editors Brianna Jennings Emma Rodriguez

Business Manager Courtney Morgan

Copy Editor Leila Francis

Photography and Social Media Editor Elizabeth Sikora

Online Editors Sami Morency Henry Webster

Writers, Photographers, Business and Promotional Staff Emily Baer, Carina Bucci, Christopher Cerne, Jennifer Colantonio, Claire Deaver, Eileen Dunn, Cassandra Good, Sacha Gragg, Saige Hamblin, McKenna Holtz, Alexandra Krens, Benjamin Manning, Gonzo Ocampo, Shawn Ouellette, Clayton Ramsey, Maddie Rice, Ainsley Sierzega, Sydney Smith, Dalton Smolens, Helen Sternberg, Tyler Valentine, Sean Webster, Rachel Weinstein Adviser Paige Cox

Letter from the

Editor

Dear Vikings, The Viking is a completely studentrun and student-funded newsmagazine, meaning that our staff is responsible for everything you see printed, unless otherwise credited. Our adviser, Ms. Cox, guides us through the process, but ultimately everything is produced and crafted by The Viking staff.

thevikingnews.com | Twitter: @lvhsviking | Instagram: lvhsviking If there is something you want us to cover, let us know! Room 135, the publications room, is always open for you to come give us suggestions. Our goal is to paint an accurate portrait of the current cultural, scholastic, athletic and overall climate of the environment we visit every day; knowing what you all are interested in reading will help us reach this goal.

While we want to entertain our readers, we also are very serious about our work. We do not tamper with interviews; the words you give us during an interview are what you will see printed unless you tell us otherwise.

Our interviews are backed up via

audio files, and we promise to never intentionally place your quotes out of context. If you find that we printed something incorrectly or feel that we misrepresented you in any way, please feel free to let us know so that we can print an apology. As we said, we work to serve you, our student body, and do not want to misrepresent you.

Make sure to look for us throughout the year—we will be distributing three more issues before the school year ends. We unfortunately lost an issue due to the excessive amount of snow days in January, and have thus adjusted our release schedule, excising an

issue entirely. In the meantime, visit our online iteration at thevikingnews. com, where we post articles, pictures, sports coverage, videos and more on a weekly basis. Also, if you are interested in submitting advertisements or shoutouts to friends or clubs, feel free to visit Room 135 or contact our advertising manager, Courtney Morgan, by e-mail at courtney.m.2014@gmail.com. As always, we hope you enjoy this issue of The Viking.

Thanks!

Charles Lyons Editor-in-Chief

CONTENTS February 2014

4

Cold Weather, Hot Competition

Despite an unexpected amount of snow days, winter sports teams brought the heat, claiming victories and never losing heart.

6 A Dangerous Trend

Recently, teen synthetic and prescription drug abuse increased locally and nationally. The growing problem brings alarm to parents, authorities and the community as teens’ use of the drugs harms in many ways.

8

Partner Up

Students find a normal high school experience devoid of judgement in the February 7 Partners Club Dance.

10

High Fructose Death Syrup

12

Q&A: Ian Gallagher

Hidden in the most common foods is a potentially deadly chemicallyengineered sweetener. Most students are unknowningly susceptible to obesity later in life due to its addictive nature.

Whether it’s playing guitar or crocheting a scarf, junior Ian Gallagher seems to be able to do it all.

14

Editorial:

Non-Negotiable

Whether straight or gay, transgender or cisgender, student safety cannot be a compromise.

Junior Sarah Konkus performs during the January 7 Comedy Cult show in the auditorium. The increasingly selective troupe began opening for professional troupes and plans to partner up for a performance with the Heritage group in the near future. photo / Elizabeth Sikora

Cold Weather

Hot Competition

Despite an unexpected amount of snow days, winter sports teams brought the heat, claiming victories and never losing heart.

By McKenna Holtz

Junior Arslan Aziz shoots in on a single leg takedown at the home meet against Woodgrove and Park View.

Junior Bria Lloyd sits awaiting her music to perform her floor routine. Lloyd finished 2nd on beam and 6th all-around at the meet at Woodgrove.

Wrestling

Gymnastics

Drill moves, live wrestling and conditioning pervade the lives of the wrestling team; practice lasts two hours every day of the week except Sunday. The team is smaller than many others, but the team makes up for it by working hard and supporting one another. Between the long hours and the bonding, teammates become friends.

“If it wasn’t for wrestling, most of us wouldn’t have known each other, but right now, we have a very close team,” junior Arslan Aziz said.

The gymnastics team, composed of girls of all ages, boasts a wide variety of skills. Some excel on beam or bars, others shine on floor or vault, but no matter what skill set the girls have, every member on the team plays a significant role.

Jealousy is a foreign concept; although the girls sometimes compete against each other in events, they never fail to cheer one another on.

“We set ourselves apart from other teams,” junior Bria Lloyd said. “We are far more supportive of each other than any other team. Sometimes we even get yelled at by judges for cheering too loudly for one another.”

All for One and One for All

Coming Together as One

PLAYER STATS >>>>>>>>

4 THEVIKINGNEWS.COM FEBRUARY 2014

Jerica Mingo

Sid Byers

133 rebounds

39 wins 27 pins

Varsity Basketball (as of February 3)

Varsity Wrestling

(as of February 10)

1,000 POINTS Senior Jessie Hardesty high-fives her teammates and Coach McFarlane as she comes off the court.

Sophomore Matt Eberhart guards the player from the opposing team during the Park View game.

Girls’ Basketball

Boys’ Basketball

Girls’ basketball started the year with a successful season and the addition of only a few new players, so they settled into their new routine quickly.

Inspiration forms the core of the routine, from the first practice to the last game.

“After our coaches give us our pre-game locker room speech, the girls hold hands and pray,” senior Jessie Hardesty said. “Then afterwards we all hold on to our lucky team horseshoe and do a chant to get us pumped up.”

The boys’ basketball team, a combination of returning and new players, suffered only two losses this year. Senior Paul Rowley committed to play basketball for William and Mary, which has taught the other players the process and encouraged them to grow.

“Playing with Paul, a division one athlete, every day is very interesting,” sophomore Matthew Eberhart said. “Practicing with him and seeing him making plays drives us to work harder.”

Taking a Stand

Sophomore Juliana Rivett practices her start, diving off the block, to prepare for the upcoming meet.

Keeping the Streak

The cheerleaders stand on the sideline preparing a cheer to rally the crowd.

Swimming

Winter Cheer

Initially, a small team with many underclassmen may seem like a disadvantage, but the swim team has transformed it into an opportunity. They improved their performance by bonding over hours of practice and post-meet pancake feasts.

“After practically every meet the whole team goes out to IHOP and we just eat an insane amount of food,” sophomore Juliana Rivett said.

Basketball games wouldn’t be the same without the enthusiastic cheerleaders energizing the crowd, but many of the girls this year are new to the sport. No member of the team judges another member as they learn their routine and improve at their sport.

“Most of the cheerleaders on the team have never done winter cheer before, including myself,” senior Diamond Frye said. “I would say we have a fresh and new season with new, unique girls.”

Dive Together

Newfound Spirit

Billy Pierce

Varsity Swimming

SENIOR PAUL ROWLEY ACCOMPLISHES A MAJOR GOAL FEW EVER ACHIEVE IN HIGH SCHOOL.

23.64 in 50 yd freestyle

During the January 10 varsity boys’ basketball game, senior Paul Rowley achieved an incredible milestone against their number one rival, Woodgrove. Rowley reached the spectacular one thousandth point in the midst of the game. “We had a big win that night; Malcolm had a huge put-back dunk, and it was the biggest crowd we’ve played in front of this season,” Rowley said. “It was just another small reason to be excited about Loudoun Valley basketball.” Rowley committed to play Division I basketball with William and Mary earlier this year and plans on achieving more during his future basketball career with what time he has remaining in high school and also his time in college.

Even more recently, Rowley set a new school record with 122 career three-point baskets during the January 30 game against their time-honored rival Loudoun County. “Those are cool individual milestones, but I’d trade it in a heartbeat for another state run. I just want this team to keep winning so I can keep playing ball with these guys as long as I possibly can. I want to cap my high school career off with a state title, and then start getting ready for my next thousand at William and Mary.” article / Brianna Jennings

Lexi Randall-Kelly Varsity Gymnastics

9.025 on floor

FEBRUARY 2014

photos / Brianna Jennings, Sami Morency, Ainsley Sierzega, Elizabeth Sikora layout / McKenna Holtz, Elizabeth Sikora

THEVIKINGNEWS.COM

5

A Dangerous trend Recently, teen synthetic and prescription drug abuse increased locally and nationally. The growing problem brings alarm to parents, authorities and the community as teens’ use of the drugs harms in many ways. By Brianna Jennings When logging onto the Loudoun County Public Schools webpage, visitors immediately see a flyer on the synthetic and prescription drugs that have made their way into the schools and into teens’ lives.

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) collaborated with the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office to create an informative brochure and public presentation to warn parents and the community that synthetic and prescription drugs are a problem in Loudoun.

Nationwide, use of synthetic and prescription drugs has increased significantly in recent years.

Along with use come emergency room visits and deaths associated with these drugs. Some of these

Drugs over the Years

drugs include hallucinogens, bath salts and misused prescription drugs.

MDMA, also known as molly or ecstasy, is a synthetic drug sold either as a pill taken orally or as a powder that is snorted or swallowed. Molly has grown and focused its targeting recently on the young adult and teenage generation.

When buying synthetic drugs, teens often don’t know exactly what’s in the substances going into their body. Many have synthetic concoctions that mirror the effects of the drugs. In the past few years, molly resurfaced in the clubs because of its public perception to give greater purity and safety, creating the image of a more approachable and gentle drug.

Rick Doblin, the founder of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies, which has helped finance MDMA studies since the drug first entered the club scene, put molly in the context of past drug trends.

6 THEVIKINGNEWS.COM FEBRUARY 2014

However, the illusion of purity and mildness shows to be a myth. MDMA and other synthetic drugs such as LSD remain illegal and unregulated.

“Many people in attempting to buy or get MDMA have been sold or given substances they were told were ecstasy, when in fact they were something else that was either harmful in different ways than MDMA, toxic to the user or interact harmfully with other substances the user was ingesting,” a law enforcement officer currently working in Loudoun County, who wanted to remain unidentified, said. “There are thousands of ER visits and multiple deaths of MDMA users every year.”

Nationally, the number of MDMA-related

LSD found its place in an era of social change and newfound cultural discovery.

1960s

MDMA CONFISCATIONS

2670 186

The US Customs and Border Protection reported there were 2,670 confiscations of MDMA in 2012, which is 14 times more than in 2008, when there were only 186 confiscations.

emergency-room visits has doubled since 2004, according to the Drug Abuse Warning Network. The US Customs and Border Protection reported there were 2,670 confiscations of MDMA in 2012, which is 14 times more than in 2008, when there were only 186 confiscations.

Junior Henry Webster attended a Basslights concert over winter break where he saw firsthand the consequences of synthetic drug use.

“At the end when I was leaving I was walking by the side of the venue and there’s a balcony that runs along the side of the Hampton Coliseum,” Webster said. “There was a kid lying on the ground, surrounded by police and EMT. I wasn’t sure what happened until I asked these people standing there in shock what happened. They said he had been ‘tripping’ really badly and jumped off the side of the venue.”

The person who jumped off the balcony would have been “tripping” on acid, the foremost street name for LSD, which is the most commonly used hallucinogenic drug. Hallucinogens such as LSD are also synthetically produced drugs and are being abused for their ability to alter human perception and mood.

Two thousand and thirteen saw an increase in representation in pop-culture. Electronic Dance Music (EDM), the energetic Euro beat genre heard by many popular artists today, especially glorifies synthetic drugs in its music.

The interactions between sound, sight and touch stimulate the effects of many of these drugs— both positive and negative, according to the Drug Policy Alliance. This may explain why hallucinogens and molly have found a home at EDM concerts. Now that EDM is more of a common genre, it’s reached younger age groups, which means that the drugs

2008 2012

and all their effects reach these groups as well.

“The fact is that jumping off a building was the result of someone taking this drug without being educated enough to know what, how much or the effects of what they were taking and that will forever be imprinted in my mind,” Webster said.

A feeling described as “rolling” explains a sense of euphoria and also a sense of improved social connections and intimacy attributed to the effects of molly. Taking molly when at concerts and clubs heightens the positive effects of the drug but also the negative.

“One effect of MDMA is a heightened sense of euphoria or feeling good during the time the drug is affecting the body,” the law enforcement officer said.

“However, once the drug wears off, the user feels the opposite, a heightened sense of depression and despondency which can lead them to be suicidal.

This can lead to a desire for more of the drug and a vicious cycle begins. A search engine entry of ‘MDMA deaths’ will bring up dozens of news articles regarding deaths of young people attributable to MDMA use.”

The key deadly effects of MDMA, in particular, derive from the setting of its use where hypothermia and dehydration are likely. Hypothermic reactions result from physical exertion such as dancing in an overheated environment without rehydrating.

The deaths of these young people take place often at clubs and large concerts where it’s especially popular to use synthetic drugs and the effects amplify.

While EDM concerts and nightclubs have the exponential growth in synthetic and prescription drugs use, teens also use these drugs in the most mundane places, including school dances, sporting events and even in the middle of the school day.

1970s Marijuana entered the suburban household as hippie culture became mainstream.

“I think that Valley students use synthetic drugs in certain instances, but it’s not as big a problem as other places,” sophomore Parrish Alto said.

Drugs appeared in isolated instances this school year. While the majority of the student body wouldn’t even consider using these dangerous synthetic and prescription drugs, there have been a couple situations where students on these drugs caused disruptions within the school.

“I don’t know much about these drugs other than they can make you punch a study hall monitored in the face,” Alto said about an incident involving synthetic drug abuse earlier this year.

Teenagers and young people tend do things that harm themselves or others often to have this sense of release, but being uneducated of all the negative effects has led to many problems and even deaths. Multiple club and concert deaths occurred this past summer due to the misuse of these drugs, such as a UVA student who passed away at a D.C. nightclub and two people who died at the New York Electric Zoo Music Festival, causing the concert to end early. The use of synthetic drugs has also disturbed the student body and teachers close to home, making the problem much more realistic and creating more awareness that preventative measures should be taken.

“I think that teens need to be more educated about what these drugs are,” freshman Emily Hubbard said. “Sometimes teens just want to do something to try it, and I think if they knew more about what these substances are doing to people, they would think before doing it.” layout / Brianna Jennings photo / Sami Morency

Cocaine abuse reflected the

1990s

extravagance and selfishness of the greed decade.

1980s

Ecstasy and heroin use led to young

people dancing all night, slumping in corners from overdose and dropping out of reality.

FEBRUARY 2014

THEVIKINGNEWS.COM

7

Partner Up

Students find a high school ritual devoid of judgment in the Partners Club Dance.

By McKenna Holtz The idea of finding a place where you can have fun and not be judged seems unreal in this day and age, especially in a high school.

However, this is exactly what Partners Club gives to many students.

Partners Club provides a place where they can do a wide variety of activities and make new friends without the fear of being judged on what you wear, what you do or how talented you are.

Every year the Partners Club hosts a dance. At the dance students can meet interesting people and have fun and dance without any pressure. Many alumni come to the event, as well as students from just about every other school in the county.

At the dance it doesn’t matter what grade you’re in or what you look like. All that matters is that you are open and

kind to everyone and that you have fun.

“This dance is something a lot of people look forward too, it’s honestly better then homecoming and prom,” senior Courtney Dieterich said. “It’s a place where you can just be happy and make other kids happy and let them know how amazing and special they are.”

At the dance, every individual gets to let loose. Everybody is willing to include everybody. No one cares if they have never met the person before they just dance with them like they have known them for years.

The Partners Club dance allows students the opportunity to broaden their horizons and meet new people.

The dance has the reputation for being a blast, and this year was no different.

“The dance this year was

absolutely amazing. I was a part of setup this year which really helped enrich the experience because you know what you’ve done to make the other people happy and have a good experience,” junior Taylor Davidson said. “On top of all, that the dance has just become more beautiful every year and this year definitely tops all previous years I’ve attended.” photos / Ainsley Sierzega layout / Charles Lyons, Sami Morency

Above / Sophomore Olivia Maldonado (right) receives a hug goodbye. The dance is known for having a uniquely warm and welcoming atmosphere.

Left / Students have fun at the dance for a little over two hours, enjoying the company of old friends and embracing new ones.

Far left / Senior Amanda Kicker dances with her peers beneath hanging lights.

Staff and volunteers decorated the cafeteria in the hours before the dance.

Right / Students do the electric slide.

Partners Club aims to create an inclusive environment for all students.

8 THEVIKINGNEWS.COM FEBRUARY 2014

Above / Club participant and LVHS alumni William Muncaster (right) and a friend take a break from dancing. The dance on February 7 takes place once a year between homecoming and prom.

Below / Club participant and LVHS alumni Shane McClintock and sophomore Haleigh Sink sway during the dance.

FEBRUARY 2014

THEVIKINGNEWS.COM

9

High Fructose Death Syrup

Hidden in the most common foods is a potentially deadly chemicallyengineered sweetener. Most students are unknowningly susceptible to obesity later in life due to its addictive nature.

By Gonzo Ocampo and Elizabeth Sikora 10 THEVIKINGNEWS.COM FEBRUARY 2014

S

alad dressing, bread, yogurt, soda, canned fruit, mac and cheese…

tightly, but high fructose corn syrup contains glucose and fructose in a 55-45

all commonly consumed items, and all potentially lethal. These

ratio in an unbound form. Since there is no chemical bond between them, no

processed, sweetened foods contain a substitute sugar ingredient

digestion is required and is consequently more rapidly absorbed in your blood

called high fructose corn syrup (HFCS). High fructose corn syrup is consumed

stream. The greater quantity of fructose will go right into the liver and trigger the

daily by millions of Americans who are unaware of the dangers that this cheap

lipogenesis, which are responsible for converting sugars into fatty acids.

substitute sweetener can bring.

Although people may not think much of it, high fructose corn syrup

High fructose corn syrup can also contribute to weight gain. A recent study done at Princeton University found that rats that had access to HFCS gained

consumed in regular amounts can lead to obesity, heart disease, diabetes, non-

significantly more weight than those who had water sweetened with table sugar,

alcoholic related liver diseases, damage to the immune system and impairment

even when the same number of calories were consumed by both. A following

of the metabolic system. High fructose corn syrup also contains mercury which

study observed the rats’ weight gain over a six month period and discovered the

isn’t measured or regulated by the FDA. This mercury may not be problematic

rats consuming the HFCS had abnormal weight gain and increased amounts of

if we indulge on HFCS products only occasionally. However, since the average

circulating triglycerides, which prevent your body from telling the brain it’s full.

citizen consumes more than 20 teaspoons a day, over time the mercury can accumulate in the body and cause health problems.

Unfortunately, processed foods commonly contain high fructose corn syrup because of how cheap it is, which makes it widely available to the population. If someone were to look at the products inside the school’s vending maching, the majority of the items inside it would contain high fructose corn syrup while only a select few would contain real, natural sugar.

“Its really a shame a majority of the youth don’t know about the cheap

Many students agree that high-fructose corn syrup is slowly affecting

“Its really a shame a majority of the youth don’t know about the cheap hidden ingredients [in food] that could potentially kill them.”

- Luis Beraun the world as a whole. Unfortunately, not many people know the dangers of

hidden ingredients that could potentially kill them,” senior Luis Beraun said.

the ingredient and will live their whole lives blindly consuming it due to its

“Although I try to stay away from high fructose corn syrup, it’s hard because the

affordability and sweeter taste. But with the possibility of expensive medical bills

most affordable foods contain [it].”

due to obesity, heart disease, diabetes, liver diseases, damage to the immune

On the other hand, a large portion of the students have no idea what is in

system and high levels of mercury posed by high fructose corn syrup, would it

high fructose corn syrup or even what it is. According to Dr. Mark Hyman, MD,

balance out with the $2000 more a year it would cost to feed a family healthier

high fructose corn syrup is extracted from the corn stalks through a process so

foods? Ann Wigmore, nutritionist and whole foods advocate, states “The food we

secret that investigative journalist Michael Pollan was not allowed to observe

eat can either be the safest and most powerful form of medicine or the slowest

the process for his book, The Omnivore’s Dilemma. The sugars extracted

form of poison.”

during this chemical enzymatic process result in this new compound. Regular

layout / Elizabeth Sikora

sugar is made of equal parts glucose and fructose molecules bound together

photo / Elizabeth Sikora

Top 5 school foods

that contain high fructose corn syrup as a main ingredient: tomato soup, marinara sauce, wheat dinner rolls, whole wheat sliced bread, whole grain bagel.

35.7 lbs.

of high fructose corn syrup consumed a year by the average American in 2009.

(Illinois Farm Bureau)

FEBRUARY 2014

THEVIKINGNEWS.COM

11

Q& A

Person of Interest: Ian Gallagher Whether it’s playing guitar or crocheting a scarf, junior Ian Gallagher seems to be able to do it all. While attending the Academy of Science (AOS) and participating in the debate team, Gallagher still finds time for unconventional hobbies like riding unicycles and making flutes out of Arizona Tea bottles.

By Claire Deaver

1. What instruments do you play and which is your favorite?

I play several, namely guitar, violin, piano, bass and drums. My favorite is definitely piano because it has so much range and you can make so much sound with just one person. Music is a big part of my life. In fact, Grant Frasier and I just finished writing an album that we hope to release soon.

2. What’s the writing process like?

Well, it starts with one of us having an idea for a melody or chords and then we show it to the other. Most often, Grant writes lyrics. Then, we normally just sit down and toss around ideas just making small changes and perfecting it. It’s a lot better writing with two people than just by yourself in my opinion because each of us adds things that the other wouldn’t have thought of independently.

3. How and why did you learn to crochet?

My mom taught me to crochet. Why did I learn? Because how awesome is that, like seriously? I can wear scarves that I made by myself. It’s just awesome. It’s really fun, too. I find it very relaxing. It’s a cool feeling to have made something by yourself.

4. Is it true you make flutes out of Arizona Tea bottles?

Yes, I was on the bus to AOS one day and I was bored out of my mind. All I had with me was a can of tea, so I was like, “I have 45 minutes of boredom ahead of me unless I can figure out some way to have fun with this can.” So I created the can-flute. I then had a very fun remainder of my bus ride playing the can.

5. For AOS, what’s your favorite part about it? Is there something special you are working on there right now?

AOS is great because it focuses in on my areas of interest: math and science.

I really get to go in depth on those subjects—more so than I would be able to just at Valley. I’m currently working on a project that I will be doing for the rest of my junior and senior years. I am trying to genetically modify a plant (Arabidopsis thaliana) to exhibit a protein (major ampullate spidroin) that could be used to synthesize a super-strong biomaterial. Currently, this protein can only be found in spider silk, which is very hard to manufacture on a large scale (spiders tend to eat each other when left in close quarters). Ideally, a plant that exhibits this protein could be cultivated in an agricultural setting and harvested on a massproduction scale.

6. How did you learn to ride a unicycle? How often and where do you ride it?

I taught myself to ride a unicycle when I was about seven or eight. I remember seeing someone riding one in like a parade or something and I was like, “I have to learn how to do that.” I asked for one for my birthday and got it and spent the next two weeks repeatedly scraping my elbows, knees and face in many unsuccessful attempts ride it, after which I could finally say that I ride a unicycle.

I don’t ride it as often as I used too, but I still occasionally ride it to school just for kicks.

12 THEVIKINGNEWS.COM FEBRUARY 2014

Ian Gallagher unicycles across the hallway. After recieving a unicycle for his birthday when he was younger, he taught himself, practiced and perfected the skill.

7. Why are you on the debate team? What’s your topic right now?

I’d always kind of wanted to do debate because I like to argue with people, but I never thought I had the time. Between soccer and school and music, I didn’t think I could handle it. But this year, Noah Mussmon asked me if I wanted to be his partner (his previous partner graduated). So now he and I compete as a team and it’s been really fun so far. I would definitely recommend debate to literally anyone. It’s really fun, but also really cool to examine and study really current topics and issues. photo / Elizabeth Sikora layout / Claire Deaver

! ed eed n ers t: nte ntac 122. u l Vo Co 38-4 0-3 54

Join us for the 10th Annual Turkey Trot and Fun Run on Sunday, November 9th, 2014 at the Loudoun Valley Community Center!

All proceeds support the LVCC Advisory Board’s programming, including scholarships to Loudoun Valley students!

Look for more information on 2014 registration coming soon at http://pvilleturkeytrot.shutterfly.com

FEBRUARY 2014

THEVIKINGNEWS.COM

13

Non-Negotiable

Whether straight or gay, transgender or cisgender, student safety cannot be a compromise.

Editorial by Emma Rodriguez

F

or LGBT+ youth–those who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender or any identity not including straight or cisgender–safety often becomes a luxury. Public schools, which should be havens for students of all demographics, become centers of abuse. This phenomenon is no more inevitable than it is tolerable; gay straight alliances, or GSAs, pose an easy alternative. These organizations support LGBT+ students and foster environments of acceptance, with a proven history of reducing queerphobic behavior, according to the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network, or GLSEN. Most LGBT+ students experience verbal and physical harassment at school, but schools are choosing with increasing frequency to institute GSAs and grant all their students equal opportunities for a safe and welcoming education.

Some opposition deems GSAs unnecessary, but arguments that LGBT+ students don’t need a special club or that such a measure would actually further segregate them by marking them as different fail to acknowledge the effect GSAs have on the entire school. They aim to change queerphobia everywhere, not only in LGBT+ members.

Changing attitudes remains especially important in Virginia, where queerphobia endures more than at the national average. Ninety-seven percent of students, for example, heard the word “gay” used negatively, such as “That’s so gay,” up from 84.9 percent nationally.

The Valley GSA kicked off the year by renaming itself Prism and GSA, in an effort to include all students, not only gay or straight students; prisms, after all, split light into a diverse rainbow. But despite good intentions and hard work, Prism and GSA is hindered by its schedule: as a non-curricular club, it can’t meet during club periods, so students must obtain permission and carve out time after school in order to participate. As a result, the students who most need the club, those with unsupportive families, don’t have access to it, and the club is drained of supporters who have other activities after school.

Although it may seem trivial to those who don’t need one, GSAs help students in a myriad of ways, from creating a support network to altering perceptions within the school. Students attending a school with a GSA heard homophobic remarks in school 18 percent less, a relief to the 91.4 percent of LGBT+ students who reported that queerphobic remarks distressed them. This unnecessary distress translates into unnecessary absences: 31.8 percent of LGBT+ students missed at least one day of school in the past month because they felt unsafe or uncomfortable.

According to Principal Susan Ross, “taking care to address social issues, emotional issues, as well as academic issues, is our responsibility as educators,” but schools should also be concerned about the academic success of their LGBT+ students. Nationally, as a result of missed classes and the emotional strain of queerphobia, students who were frequently harassed had lower GPAs (2.9 as opposed to 3.2) and were more than twice as likely to report that they did not plan to pursue any post-secondary education, such as college or trade schools, according to the GLSEN. Prism and GSA cannot meet during school hours due to county policy, which states that “student activities shall relate to the school's curriculum.”

According to Ross, this is to protect students: students are legally required to be in school between 8:45 and 3:45, so anything that goes on during those hours must be linked to the approved curriculum. But the very reason this policy was enacted, to protect students, is the reason an exception should be made. photo / Elizabeth Sikora layout / Emma Rodriguez

14 THEVIKINGNEWS.COM FEBRUARY 2014

*

Cisgender:

When gender identity (gender) matches anatomical gender (sex); the opposite of transgender.

*

Transgender:

When gender identity (gender) does not match anatomical gender (sex); the opposite of cisgender.

Students with GSAs are

Twice

as likely to hear faculty make supportive or positive remarks about LGBT+ people.

18%

less likely to hear homophobic remarks on a daily basis.

0.3

GPA points ahead of students without GSAs. -GLSEN

*

IT’S TIME to BUY YOUR YEARBOOK

HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

1. The final number of books ordered has to be placed by March 1.

2. If you haven’t ordered a book by then, you will have to purchase one in the spring for $80 on a first come first served basis.

3. No personalization or extras are available after March 1.

HERE’S HOW TO ORDER

1. Return the yellow form you received in homeroom to Room 135 or Ms. Akers’ mailbox in the main office. The cost is $70 and checks should be made to LVHS. 2. If you prefer to use a credit card you may - call 1.866.282.1561 OR - go online at jostensyearbooks.com

FEBRUARY 2014

THEVIKINGNEWS.COM

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The Jungle cheers for the varsity boys’ basketball team at Woodgrove on January 10. Valley won 58-21.

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Sophomore Lexi Randall competes at the Woodgrove meet where she finished 4th on floor.

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Sophomore Michael Cypher gains the dominant position in a match against a wrestler from Park View.

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Opening for professional troupe Last Ham Standing, freshman Nick Aramayo performs with the Comedy Cult on January 7.

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Senior Tamasen Blaylock and junior Caroline McDonald block a shot during the first Woodgrove game. Although the girls lost, they came back strong with a win of 48-42 on the February 7 rematch.

Senior Tavish McDonald swims the breaststroke leg of the 200 individual medley at the January 17 meet against Woodgrove.

photos / Brianna Jennings, Elizabeth Sikora layout / Carina Bucci