Valor Dictus - Vol. 40, Is. 6

EDITORIALS

FEATURES

FOCUS

ENTERTAINMENT

SPORTS

SGA’s bullying week was not effective in stopping bullying.

— See page 3

Reporters follow students to academy classes.

— See page 7

Drunk driving is a dangerous problem in our school.

— See pages 8-9

Read a review of the movie“I am Number Four.”

— See page 14

Mark Bendorf retires after coaching 21 years.

— See page 16

Valor Dictus James W. Robinson Secondary School 5035 Sideburn road, Fairfax, VA 22032

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Volume 40 Issue 6

Bravely speaking to the Robinson community valordictus.com

Wrestling wins state championship

FCPS to review school start date

BY BAILEY HAASE Staff Writer

Photo by Jacob Beil Junior Brooks Martino celebrates his first-place title in the 135 lb weight class over Cox High School wrestler CJ Jablonski. “It was tougher than I thought — ­ he got the first takedown but after that I just started scoring points and dominated him,” Martino said. Our team took first place in the tournament, Feb. 18-19, with a grand total of 155.5 points. Visit valordictus.com to watch a Ram Report on the wrestling championship.

School clocks now run on real time

BY JASON FOCARINO Staff Writer

Since the start of the year, students have been living a few minutes in the future. The clocks inside the building have been ticking just a few minutes ahead of the network time, which is the real time outside the school. Recently, however, the administration has made an effort to align all of the clocks in the school accordingly.

Students check their phones and watches to see how much time remained before class began and believed they had five minutes. In reality, by Robinson Time, they only had two, causing the student to be late.

“Students told me we were ahead [of network time], so I tried hard to synchronize all of the clocks,” Principal Dan Meier said.

Some clocks run on a wired system connected to the bell. Other clocks must still be set by hand, therefore causing some differences among clocks depending on where they are in the school. Administrative Principal Bill Evers said years ago every clock in the building was on the wired system. In the last five years however, as classroom clocks have broken down, they have been replaced with battery clocks, Evers said, causing some clocks to be off. The wired clocks, including the countdown ones, are all controlled by

James W. Robinson, Jr. Secondary School FAIRFAX COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS

5035 Sideburn Road Fairfax, Virginia 22032

FCPS may issue refunds for AP/IB testing fees

BY NIKKI ROBINSON Staff Writer

secretary Lynda Park through a panel in the main office.

“I synchronize the clocks once a day, and they tell the official Robinson Time,” Park said.

Meier said more and more schools in the county are running on system clocks, but there are still those few manual clocks. Chris Boteng, an employee of the IT Department of Fairfax County, synchronizes the non-wired clocks in the county, he said, Boteng has to do it all by himself.

Sub school 11 principal Michael Mukai said some clocks may be off by, for example, 20 seconds every week. While that not may seem like a lot, he said, after a month it can cause the clocks to be off by two minutes.

Meier said, “It’s important that people can just check their watch and still be on time to class.”

FCPS surveyed parents and school employees on whether school should start before Labor Day for the 2012-2013 school year. The vote was overwhelmingly in favor of the earlier start. The survey closed Jan. 24.

FCPS now needs to get a waiver from the state legislature to follow this through, said FCPS spokesperson Paul Resgier.

“Nothing is certain yet though, the polls were in favor of motioning to start school before Labor Day, so this is the next step.” he said.

The school system’s course of action must be to figure out how to waive the “Kings Dominion” Law which requires that Virginia schools need to begin the week after Labor Day. The law’s purpose is to keep schools closed until Labor Day to help businesses at amusement parks, giving families one more week to visit them.

“The results were overwhelmingly positive though, many teachers and parents voted in favor of starting school early,” said Resgier.

“Maybe to get rid of their kids faster,” he added jokingly.

FCPS will not know for some time whether the 2012 to 2013 school year will start early, as it will have to wait until it finds out if the state legislature will grant the waiver, but the outlook is fairly good for the school year starting earlier, Resgier said.

Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli has declared it is unconstitutional for parents to pay the $75 AP and IB test fees.

As a result of this incident FCPS school board is still debating its next course of action, said IB Coordinator Lisa Green.

They have three options they are discussing, Green said.

The first option is for the county to maintain the current fee; Green said the county would leave things as they are. This could lead to a costly litigation with the state. The second option would be make the test optional but students would not have to pay the fee. The third option is students would be required to take the test but the county will refund the money.

Green said the third option seems like the most likely.

Green views Cuccinelli’s action more as a “symbolic” gesture instead of seeing it as a political move, she said.

Cuccinelli examined the issue of AP and IB testing fees because a parent was upset she was required to pay $600 for her children’s AP and IB courses. She hired a representative who brought this to Cuccinelli’s attention, who then investigated the matter, Superintendent’s Teacher Advisory Council Representative Tim Harris said.

The decision on what the county is go-

ing to do is still up in the air, according to Principal Dan Meier.

“Dr. Dale said that we have to make a refund,” Harris said, “But then he added jokingly maybe we will ask parents if they want to make it a donation instead of getting a refund.”

With over 1,500 students taking the AP and IB tests, FCPS raised over $2 million from the fees. While $2 million is not that much in the budget, if the county has to give the money back then things that were promised to happen might not, said Green.

“One of the things that will not happen anytime soon if this happens will be that teachers will not get pay raises,” Green said, “even though nobody cares if the teachers get raises but the teachers.”

If FCPS issues refunds then there will not be money to fund the testing, so either the county has to make the test optional or they are going to have to cut some other programs, said Green.

“I do not think that the two, refunding the money and the AP/IB courses, are going to be related,” Green said, “instead they will have to cut some other programs.”

As of press time on Friday, FCPS had not decided on what they are going to do yet, Meier said.

For more information on the possible test fee refunds, check out The Ram Report on valordictus.com.

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Valor Dictus March 1, 2011

In Brief

Six students named National Merit Scholarship finalists Six seniors were recently named National Merit Scholarship finalists—a significantly larger number than last year’s one finalist from our school.

There are 15,000 national finalists. Out of that number, 8,000 students earn scholarships for the next four years in college.

Seniors Thomas Barto, Alex Emmons, Tim Ferrell, Rachel Mehaffey, Zoe Padgett and Nate Simpson are all finalists. Initially named semifinalists based on their junior-year PSAT scores, the students then went through a process including submitting their SAT scores, an essay and a counselor recommendation to move forward in the process.

Padgett said the finalists will find out the value of their scholarships at the end of March.

Padgett said, “My dad was really proud of me.

It’s a pretty awesome thing to put on a college application.”

News ‘Open Arms’ Campaign Week SGA held the anti-bullying campaign week that had students and teachers discussing the topic. A week full of assemblies, banner and contract signing, sunglass wearing, classroom discussion, toe-the-line acitivities and a breakfast social during RAISE contributed to increased discussion of the bullying epidemic occuring nationwide today.

—MOLLIE BERNER

Band students play concert at Carnegie Hall

in

Juniors Jen Harazin and Drew Witter performed at Carnegie Hall Feb 20.

“It was such a nice hall, when you cut off a note the sound of it would just ring for a couple seconds,” Witter said.”

Witter and Harazin are members of a band called Flutopia, which is composed of students around the area and directed by Jennifer Lapple.

“It’s almost like district band where everyone was really good,” Witter said. “People didn’t really have very big egos so it’s a lot of fun playing with them.”

Harazin said preparing for the concert was intense, with five-hour practices weekly with few breaks in between.

“We put a lot of hard work into the concert, but I think it was really worth it,” Harazin said.

Flutopia was performing at George Mason when one a member of the Distinguished Concerts International ask the band to play at Carnegie Hall, Witter said.

“We had to keep sending update tapes to them so that they knew we weren’t slacking off,” Witter said.

Public relations manager Stefanie Reiser said Flutopia received a standing ovation at the end of the performance.

—IAN CRIMAN

UPCOMING EVENTS

Top left: Sophomores (from the left) Leslie Eubanks, Haley Roberson, Kierra Scott and Kirsten Prince attended the “Breakfast Social and Clubs Meeting” during RAISE Feb. 10 in Davala Hall. “It was really cool to see different groups talk about bullying together,” Roberson said. Left: Senior Roy Sanie works on the SGA banner hung in the hallway. The banner rested on the main hallway’s walls where students were given the opportunity to paint their hands on the poster to symbolize their participation in the anti-bullying week. “I’m not even in SGA but I helped tape up the banner and fix it after it was torn down; nobody knows by who or why,” Sanie said.

Top: Senior Firas Nasr spoke to students about his personal memories of bullying at the assembly Feb. 9 in Russell Theatre. Students attended assemblies both Wednesday and Friday during 7th period. “When I got on stage, I was there to portray a message, and felt confident that my message would be heard. The assembly allowed for a dynamic atmosphere in which I could allow my voice, one of the many, to be heard,” Nasr said.

Top left photo by Jacob Beil Top right and bottom photo Hailey Metzger

Theft of personal property, iPods, cell phones increases March

2 3 11 17

Winter sports award ceremony in the Gold cafeteria at 6:30 p.m.

Virginia State DECA Leadership Conference March 3-6 Partner’s Club St. Patrick’s Day dance in the Gold cafeteria 7-9 p.m.

Three-hour late opening to school.

School begins at 10:20 a.m.

—MOLLIE BERNER Photo by Jacob Beil

Administration sets up database to assist in recording theft

BY SUKRITI ADHIKARI Staff Writer

This year theft of students’ and teachers’ personal property, particularly of iPods and cell phones, has increased compared to last year. All subschool secretaries said last year they received only three to four reports of theft per subschool, with an estimated total of about 20 – 25 thefts schoolwide. Safety and Security Specialist Sandra Corbin said she estimates there have been 20- 30 thefts reported thus far this year.

Our school security had no formal system of recording thefts until January, Corbin said.

Now, if a student or a teacher reports a stolen item, he or she is required to write and turn in a statement giving information about the theft.

The security staff also has been trying to setup a database of students’ electronics that will store the serial number of their items. The security staff will use this database to locate the belongings if they are lost or stolen. They have already found several electronics with the help of the database, Corbin said.

A new temporary security staff member, Richard Bevilacqua, joined our school this year.

“There are 4,500 students any day and there are only 5 of us,” Corbin said. “Mr. Meier thought it was necessary to hire extra security for student’s safety.”

Corbin said last year students could report any lost or stolen belongings to subschool offices or any of the school’s other main offices.

Now, this year it is mandatory for students and

teachers to report stolen or found electronics and valuable items to the school security and clothes to the Administrative Office and books to the specific department offices.

Freshman Nick Ammatucci is one student who has had an electronic device stolen at school. His iPod was stolen from the weight room. He reported the theft to the school security and wrote a statement. It has not been found.

Principal Dan Meier said student theft can lead to restitution, suspension, criminal charges and expulsion.

“We deal with them harshly,” Corbin said.

Meier advised students to leave valuable items at home.

“We discourage students to bring electronic devices to school and encourage them to lock valuables,” Meier said.

Corbin agreed.

She said, “The best way is don’t bring it, don’t bring it.”

Editorials

Valor Dictus March 1, 2011 Volume 40 Issue 6 Bravely speaking to the Robinson Community 3

Aaron Berner - Editorials Editor

Valor Dictus

How do you feel about the AP/IB Test refund?

“I guess it’s cool, why should we pay to take a test? ” —Angie Menendez, 12

ABOUT US Valor Dictus is a student-run newspaper that serves the Robinson community. All bylined articles, editorials, columns and letters are the expression of the writer and not necessarily that of the staff or the adviser. Unsigned editorials represent the majority opinion of the staff.

“I think it’s awesome, cause it was stupid to have to pay.”

—Armeisha Fairley, 12

ADVERTISEMENT POLICY Email letters to Valor_dictus@yahoo.com.

Acceptance of an ad is not an endorsement of the product or services of the advertisers.

Information concerning policies and advertising can be obtained by calling (703) 426-2285 or emailing Valor_dictus@yahoo.com

“It gets really unorganized and seems kind of silly.”

—Campbell Collier, 11 “You shouldn’t have to pay to be tested, it doesn’t seem fair. ” —Dennis Braden, 11 “ You know going into IB that it’s going to be expensive. ” —Sara Carlson, 11

what the

kids inarethe hall saying

Sharon Corish

Students should be charged County should stop IB/AP refunds staff editorial $75.00 X 6 Tests= $450.00/IB diploma candidate. In the county’s budget crisis, these IB/AP test fees had people seeing green; and rightly so.

The fees are not part of a free public education and need not be refunded.

State Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli has declared the fees illegal; a refund may ensue. The tests, he claims, are part of a free public education.

This is not the case. Each student chooses to take the AP/IB tests just as he or she chooses to take an IB/AP class.

Seventy-five dollars is a small price to pay for

a test that could allow a student to opt out of a freshman-level course in college. In the long run, there is a higher potential to save money. It is a privilege for students to have the opportunity to take these tests.

The positive aspect of the refund is money back in a family’s pocket. In a time of financial crisis both within the school system and within the bank accounts of the average family, the money back could be a blessing.

Overall, though, it is a mistake to refund all the tests. Even the small amount of money the fees provided to makes a positive difference.

Four-hundred and fifty dollars + a refund= 0 gain. In the county’s budget crisis, these possible IB/AP test refunds have people seeing red.

SGA campaign proves ineffective staff editorial The distribution of plastic, blue sunglasses certainly raised awareness among the school, but the campaign’s distribution of shades did not match the trend of kindness they should have been trying to spread.

It has been three weeks since the start of SGA’s Open Arms campaign. In review, student behavior has not changed much. While the class succeeded in raising awareness of a problem, they did not change the behavior of students in a noticeable way.

The campaign failed because the student body did not take it seriously. However, SGA as a whole did not provide a model example of seriousness required for a campaign of this type. The activity felt more like it singled people out rather than brought them together. Instead of a toe-the-line activity, group discussions led by members of SGA similar to the “If you really knew me you would know…” ac-

tivities on challenge day would have been more effective.

Representatives from SGA who were supposed to lead class discussions during third period did not always go to their assigned class. Class discussions were awkward because the representatives did not know how to get a class engaged. If teachers had been better briefed on what the discussion was about, they could have helped get classes talking.

This is not to say the campaign did not have

2010-2011 Staff: Editor-In-Chief: Kaitlin Mackie Managing Editor: Katherine Dempsey Production Editor: Tim Ferrell Business Managers: Lauren Duffy Kate Rozelsky Online Editor: Tyler Walter Editorials Editor: Aaron Berner Focus Editors: Thomas Friestad Tim White Features Editors: Yae Ji Cha Kate Monick

Entertainment Editor: Shelby Gee Back Page Editor: Andrew Miller Page 2 & 15 Editor: Mollie Berner Photography Editor: Jacob Beil Staff Writers: Sukriti Adhikari Chase Bailey Jack Connors Sharon Corish Ian Criman Jason Focarino Bailey Haase Maggie Haynes Hailey Metzger Nikki Robinson Lindsay Webb Adviser: Stephanie Axelrod

CORRECTIONS: From January 27 Issue

any positive impact. Members of the staff reported apologizing to people to whom they have been mean; others received apologies from bullies.

Niceness is priceless, SGA got that much right.

But a positive idea and great slogan only goes so far in influencing the everyday life of students.

Do you think SGA’s “Open Arms Campaign” for bullying awareness was successful?

photos and interviews by Jack Connors

“No, because they chose the wrong methods to stamp out bullying. ” —Scott Dykes, 12

“I think it was a good attempt.

However, not a lot of people took it seriously.”

—Diana Ruiz, 11

“Yeah, I think it’s helped people see how much bullying happens at Robinson.”

—Lauren Bray, 11

“Somewhat. It wasn’t great, but it was pretty effective.

—Patrick Aliff, 11

“When people are going through it, but the next week, people forget about it.”

—John Kim, 10

“Yes, I don’t think people realize exactly what bullying is until now. “ —Catherine Harwarth, 9

what the

EDITORIAL POLICY Valor Dictus welcomes student opinion as an open forum. All opinion pieces must be e-mailed to valor_dictus@yahoo.com. Letters or columns must be signed. That is, they must contain a name, and a title All content received by the paper is subject to editing.

Letters must be around 100-200 words.

Guest columns must be 500 words or less.

Valor Dictus reserves the right to withold the publication of letters and guest submissions.

kids in the hall are saying

—Staff writer Maggie Haynes took the Sweet Briar College photo, page 10 —Photography Editor Jacob Beil took the basketball picture, page 14 —Jessica Piatt is a sophomore, page 14

The Valor Dictus accepts all corrections from prior issues. Please submit to room 503 or e-mail to Valor_Dictus@yahoo.com

Check us out online at www.valordictus.com Now including live commentaries on school sporting events

4

Valor Dictus March 1, 2011

Available for purchase online at Amazon and Barnes & Noble The five essential tools we need to successfully achieve any goal or dream, no matter the challenges

“

Nothing plays a greater role than our values in shaping who we are and how we live our lives.

In ‘Five-to-Be-Alive’, the Values Gals offer us invaluable tips on how to face any challenge on the road to becoming our best selves

”

–Spencer Christian, host on ABC-TV’s The View From the Bay (San Francisco)

Visit www.thevaluesgals.com & www.thevalueminute.com

Editorials Snow, ice cause schedule chaos

FCPS needs to build more snow days into schedule

SHARON CORISH Each year, the FCPS school board provides three snow days for the year’s schedule. This allows for three school day cancellations that do not require makeup days.

This is not enough days, though, because for the past two years, we have exceeded our snow day count. We also exceeded our snow day count in 2007 with four snow days, 2004 with five snow days, and in 2003 with ten snow days. This is clear evidence that there is a need for the school board to supply more than three days per school year. The need to make up these days can be problematic for students and teachers.

Losing holidays such as President’s Day can be a problem for students whose

families had planned vacations for the long weekends, but must now miss a day of school.

Adding school days onto the end of the year is an extreme disadvantage to the school community. Students go on vacations at the end of the year, so they may miss these snow makeup days anyways.

Teachers are also harmed by these makeup days, because if they miss a week or more of school due to snow, they will have less time to review for SOLs. The school board chooses three snow days, because in the past, three days usually covered the amount of school days missed due to snow, said Tessie Wilson, School Board Member Braddock District.

Still, it is obvious three snow days is not enough, at least not anymore, because of the large snow storms of recent years. The school board needs to add in at least one or two more snow days.

This way, students will not need to face removal of holidays. There would be more of a chance that the holidays would not turn into school days if there are more leniencies for snow storms that consume school days.

Students need more individual counseling for course selections

ANAGHA SRIKANTH Students attend presentation after presentation by teachers and counselors about course selections – an hour out of English classes with IB Coordinators, another 30 minutes with a counselor during history, and perhaps another hour depending on their schedules. Course selection is overwhelming, but it’s a two way road.

Counselors need to focus more on students as individuals, and students must be proactive and take their decisions into their own hands.

Currently, counselors spend two to three weeks holding large group information sessions, and plan individual student meetings throughout the course of one week. Although it may seem simpler to present general infor-

mation in larger groups, it is more difficult for students to process information in this setting.

If the amount of time spent individually meeting with students was greater and began earlier, academic advising would be much more effective and helpful to students.

The rumor mill keeps churning, and every year students panic after hearing about new requirements for the various diplomas, such as the Personal Finance/Economics course now required for rising freshmen. Students need to know that any changes made to graduation and diploma requirements only affect those entering ninth grade for the first time, and the conditions for a student’s graduation remain the same from the moment they enter high school.

As Donna Piscitelli, Director of Student Services, said, it is extremely important for students to look down the road and decide where they want to be after high school. College is a major factor in course selections, because colleges look at both the GPA and rigor of a student’s coursework in the admission process.

Students must find a good balance between challenging themselves and picking appropriate classes where they can succeed.

IB courses are another complication in the

course selection process, and IB Coordinators Wendy Vu and Lisa Green said they are working their hardest to get information out. Counselors themselves are often misinformed about the IB process, because there are so many exceptions to state graduation requirements for IB diploma candidates. For example, if a student is pursuing the IB diploma, the Virginia state requirement for three high school lab sciences does not apply.

As Piscitelli said, however, students need to make use of the resources they have available, because there is only so much others can do for them. The IB Coordinators and counselors are available to talk with students, and as students get older they need to take the initiative to research such decisions on their own.

The proactive student is better prepared to handle course selections, but as teenagers, most students need stronger guidance. In-school opportunities for students to consult with their counselors are limited, so counselors should be available during RAISE to talk to them. In addition, counselors should offer group sessions for the various diploma types, so that students with similar plans and goals receive information that is most specific and helpful to them.

SAT prep elective will help students

Valor Dictus March 1, 2011

5

Drama Dept. fails to reach all students

LINDSAY WEBB Our school’s drama department puts on two main performances each year— a play in the fall and a musical in the spring. Even though auditions are open to all students, the department fails to properly advertise to the entire student body. This lack of advertisement leaves the production with a lack of diversity in the cast.

Only half of the roughly 120 students involved in the latest drama production, “The Wizard of Oz,” do not take drama as an elective, said Douglas Rome, Director of the Theatre Arts. Of that half not taking the class, not including freshmen, only a small percentage have never been involved in a drama production.

The drama department only uses two sources to advertise auditions, said Rome. It advertises through its website, www.robinsondrama.org, and through the drama Call board, which is located near the entrance to Russell Theater and outside the entrance to the drama department. Most students only pass this board when entering and leaving school and visiting the vending machines. These aren’t sufficient ways to advertise, because a student would have to go out of her way to find them.

This is different from sports team tryouts and clubs seeking new members, where there are regular clips and announcements on Good Morning Robinson. This advertisement is effective in reaching out to all students and informing them of what is going on at our school.

The reason the drama department does not make a greater effort to advertise and to bring diversity into the plays, is because of a failed attempt 11 years ago during its production of “The Wiz,” Rome said. “The Wiz” is an African American version of “The Wizard of Oz.” Rome said they made an extra effort to advertise this play on GMR, but failed to see any interest from any new students.

The department is not only hindering the aspirations of students who would like to be involved and who do not take the class, but also it is hurting itself by possibly missing out on hidden talent.

To solve this problem, the department must make a greater effort to advertise involvement and tryouts in the future. It should advertise its future productions using outlets such as Facebook and GMR and by advertising on stage during lunch.

GLOBAL UPDATE: Egypt Egyptian students share stories of their families in Egypt during the recent unrest

REEM NADEEM For the first time in years our school is offering an elective choice that preps students in the Scholastic Aptitude Test. Students can sign up for a semester, or a whole year to train their reasoning and test taking skills. The SAT test itself costs $47, so it’s important for students to prepare in a way that is beneficial to them and their individual way of learning so they don’t waste time and money.

The SAT is the most widely accepted entry test for colleges and universities nationwide. It is designed to test students’ reasoning skills and is offered on Saturdays because of its lengthiness. In three hours and 45 minutes students must complete several sections testing math and verbal skills. The vocabulary alone is extremely difficult and most students cannot succeed on

the test without some kind of preparation. Pri- may mean more points earned on his or her final vate tutors and courses specialized in SAT train- score. To the majority of students, these skills do ing are offered abundantly throughout the area; not come without practice.

Many students purchase SAT prep books however, some classes can cost up to thousands of dollars. And that is why it is vital for schools to to teach themselves. This is a valid option, but with school and extracurricular activities, sitoffer a free alternative.

It’s a semester class—SAT verbal or SAT ting down to learn how to take an entirely formath. Students can sign up for either of for both, eign kind of test is difficult without instruction.

Many students who wish to Donna Piscitelli, Direcsucceed on the test don’t have tor of Student Services the self-discipline or motivasaid. Students must tion to complete individual sign up for the class beprep. An experienced teacher cause it is not added to must take the responsibility the elective list yet, it is An experienced teacher must take the responsibility of teaching of teaching students SAT-spejust an option, she said. cific skills, saving the time and It’s only being of- students SAT-specific skills, saving effort of the student. fered, it’s only staffed the time and effort of the student If at least 30 students enroll depending on enrollin SAT math and verbal prep ment, Piscitelli said. each, then it will definitely be Prep classes are exstaffed and offered next year. tremely beneficial to Since the correct kind of SAT students planning on prep is so essential for success taking the test because it is considerably different from a typical high on the test, it is important for students to talk to school examination. Instead of learning knowl- their counselors and express their interest. Prep edge on a specific subject, students must learn classes outside of school are very expensive and certain skills to understand questions and learn time consuming, while an elective in school will to know when to skip a difficult question. Each help just as much, but at no cost and no time section is timed, so any minute a student saves spent outside of school hours on instruction.

“

”

“My uncle and his family had to take shifts standing outside their apartment with a gun because they were scared. We couldn’t get in contact with them. CNN was on Mora Azez, 11 24/7 in my house. I really didn’t know a lot about [the protests], I was scared for them. I wanted Mubarak to resign so it could be better, but it’s not better.”

“We were worried.

People burned down my uncle’s company. My cousins went to protests. Some went just for fun.

I think it’s good they’ve gotten Tassbien Hassan, 11 democracy, but to shove Mubarak out of the country like that was harsh and unfair.”

Interviews by Kaitlin Mackie

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Valor Dictus March 1, 2011

Features

Valor Dictus March 1, 2011 Volume 40 Issue 6 Bravely speaking to the Robinson Community 7

Yae Ji Cha - Features Editor

Kate Monick - Features Editor

A day in the life

Academy Student

Students who can’t find resources here at school for their interests can miss up to two period in their regular schedule to attend a specialized class in an academy school. Senior Diego Kendall takes a culinary class at Chantilly High School and junior Josh Israel takes a drama class at Fairfax High School because their desired courses are not available here.

Josh Israel drama class

Diego Kendall culinary class

Q:What are the benefits of attending an Academy class?

Q: What are the benefits of attending an Academy class?

Q: Would you recommend taking an Academy class to other students?

Q: Would you recommend taking an Academy class to other students?

A: I especially want to do cooking. At Academy I learn all the skills very early so that I have a leg up on other people.

A: [It’s a benefit] especially if it’s something you want to do in college. You get teachers who know what they’re talking about.

A: I definitely would, I recommend you check out what your options are if you’re interested in learning more about a specific field.

A: I would, [academy classes] offer some super cool stuff.

Q: What do you learn at your specific Academy class that you would not learn at our school?

Q: What do you learn at your specific Academy class that you would not learn at our school

A: I take theater and television production classes and I have more time with what I’m in interested in.

A: The cooking classes at Robinson are more basic and cover fundamentals without much detail. In Culinary Arts you learn things like different styles of cutting or how to use large cooking machinery.

Q: How do you plan to use the skills you learned at Academy in your future?

A: I’m preparing for college auditions and especially for my career [in acting]. That’s the point of the Academy classes.

Q: How do you plan to use the skills you learned at Academy in your future?

A: I’m going to use it as a boost in college because I’m going to culinary school, hopefully.

Photo and information compiled by Jacob Beil

Egyptian protests affect families Students share experiences of families in Cairo

BY KATHERINE DEMPSEY

Managing Editor

Two young Egyptian men peer into the night shadows of their Cairo street. They wait, ready to pounce on the burglars when the moment comes.

These are the cousins of senior Mona Mahmoud.

After protests erupted in Cairo Jan. 25, demanding the resignation of President Hosni Mubarak, about 13,000 prisoners were set loose into the city, said Nour El Garhy, a senior at the International School of Choueifat in Cairo. They looted stores, museums and homes with supporters of Mubarak “thugs,” Mahmoud added.

“We were simply terrified!” ElGarhy wrote on Facebook from Egypt. “My dad stayed up all night with the neighbors, watching out for the looters. I didn’t sleep for many nights…It was really the worst time of my life!”

Mahmoud’s several cousins also guarded the streets from these looters, she said. The police had retreated after failing to put down the protests, so the people were “the security of the country,” she said.

One night, her cousins’ group caught two looters, she said, and they tied the looters to a lamp post when

they could not find another spot for them.

Most of Mahmoud’s extended family lives in Cairo. She said they suffered no major effects of the protests or theft.

“My family didn’t get looted, thank God,” she said.

Like Mahmoud, junior Naveen Algundy has family in Cairo. Six of her cousins – who range from ages 22 to 26 – participated in the protests, she said.

The government cut off the Internet for several days, Algundy said.

She could not communicate with her family in Cairo and only watched the protests on television.

“You don’t know what’s going on,” she said. “You see buildings on fire and people yelling in the streets.

It was really chaotic and crazy.”

This confusion was real, wrote ElGarhy, an eyewitness.

“Watching the people getting beaten, shot and attacked in all ways in the streets while worrying that some looters might attack us any minute…it was all just very stressful!” she wrote.

Senior Hanan Yazid, who lived in Cairo for six years, had several friends who participated in the protests, she said. They slept in tents in the streets and took “shift” during the continuous rallies.

If she were in Cairo, she would have joined them, she said, as the protests “one of the best experiences to help your country get to democracy.”

Yazid’s extended family lives in Cairo’s outskirts, said her mother, but they did not leave their houses

Photo and information compiled by Jack Connors

Ram Receipt Let your apps save you cash

Photo by Katherine Dempsey Sharing Experiences — ­ Junior Naveen Algundy and senior Hanan Yazid talk during RAISE. Both students have relatives who witnessed the recent protests in Cairo.

during the riots to protect their safety. The city was crowded, and her sister, a cardiologist, could not reach the hospital where she worked.

Yazid’s mother said the family was “glued to the TV” at home. Although they originate from Yemen, they support the Egyptians’ cause.

“We Arabs are a big family,” she said. “We just want the best for all our people.”

Yazid supported the protesters’ fight for “human rights,” she said.

Forty percent of Egyptians live below the poverty line, her mother said.

The protests were “long overdue,” said Mahmoud. Unemployment is high in Egypt, and she said Mubarak was to blame for the poor economic situation.

“He’s taken so much from the Egyptian treasury and stuck it into his own pocket,” she said.

The Mubarak government would arrest and imprison its critics, she added.

“People were terrified,” Mahmoud said. “If someone dared to say anything, they were thrown in jail, just tortured.”

Mubarak resigned Feb. 3. The revolution helped El-Garhy recognize her responsibilities as a citizen, she wrote.

“I’m planning on trying to help my country reach real democracy,” she wrote. “Not only did my lifestyle change for a few days, my understanding of myself and the world changed.”

Timeline of the Egyptian Revolution Jan 25 - The revolution begins in Cairo as protesters march and demonstrate in the streets Feb 8 - Amendments including free and fair elections are added to the constitution Feb 11 - Mubarak officially resigns from his presidency Information compiled from CNN.com

This month’s Ram Receipt spotlights iPod, iPhone, and Droid applications that help save money. Read below to see which ones we recommend!

Daily Deal (for the Droid): An app that finds money saving opportunities.

Helps find new restaurants, shops, and other local attractions for up to 70% off.

Price: Free Petrol Saver (for the iPod/iPhone): An app that gives tips on how to save gas and ultimately save money.

Price: $0.99 Money Saver-Shopping Calculator (for the iPod/ iPhone): An app that helps you find out what is cheaper. It is especially helpful at the grocery store.

Price: $0.99

Information and pictures compiled by Sharon Corish and MK Koszycki Cartoon by Jack Connors Graphic by Yae Ji Cha and Kate Monick

8

Focus

Valor Dictus March 1, 2011

DrinkingAndDriving Eighty-seven percent of students consumed alcohol at least once this past month. The Valor Dictus investigates how drunk driving affects our school. Students also weigh in on their experiences drinking and driving, and their thoughts on how effectively our school prevents classmates from drunk driving.

Why DRINKING AND DRIVING Is an Issue:

225 juniors and seniors were polled at lunch Feb. 10. Below are the results of this poll.

37%

Upperclassmen who have driven under the influence of alcohol

69%

Upperclassmen who think drunk driving is a problem here

41% 92%

60% “On July 4, I was drinking and my friend’s mom needed me to take care of her dogs. I didn’t want her to know what I had been doing, so I drove over there with one of my friends. I knew I was intoxicated and don’t rememeber why I let my friend in the car with me.”

Boys think drunk driving is a problem Girls think drunk driving is a problem Upperclassmen who think it is OK to drive after one serving of alcohol (one beer, one shot or one glass of wine)

BY IAN CRIMAN AND THOMAS FRIESTAD Staff Writer and Focus Editor

Drinking and driving is a larger problem at our school than many students think. Just ask the junior girl who had to take the keys from her intoxicated friend and drive her home.

“She had driven herself to the party after drinking,” the junior girl said. “She drank even more at the party, so I decided to take her keys from her so she wouldn’t put her life in danger without even knowing.”

A junior boy said he drinks and drives two or three weekends per month.

“When I’m smashed on the road, I feel like I’m invincible,” the junior boy said. “My lifelong motto is to have no regrets.”

Another junior boy said he hit a stop sign after swerving out of his lane driving home drunk.

“It wasn’t a major accident, but it was a bit of an eye-opener for me,” the junior boy said. “I think the school does a bad job at telling kids how dangerous drunk driving can be, so many kids think it’s OK.” Students responded to a drunk driving poll on ValorDictus.com from Feb. 10 to Feb. 21. The results showed 39 percent of students believe the majority of drunk driving happens before and after parties.

A senior boy’s claims confirm this data.

“Driving home drunk after a party is almost like part of the party for me,” the senior said. “Almost all of my friends drive home drunk after parties. The one or two who don’t drink and drive ride home with my friends who are drunk.”

Alcohol and drug counselor Sam Wagner said he believes students should have a plan before they go to a party where alcohol may be a temptation.

“I think kids should arrange to have a designated driver if they know alcohol will be involved,” Wagner said. “If worst comes to worst and they don’t have any of these options available, the student should stay at the event. Even one or two beers can make a difference in someone’s judgment, so it’s foolish to risk your life by trying to drive yourself home.”

Student Resource Officer J.B. Watkins said when he was a Fairfax County police officer, he made many drunk driving arrests after the county’s midnight curfew. He said he thinks the curfew is effective in limiting opportunities for teenagers to drink and drive.

“The curfew is needed because it gives teenagers some structure,” Wagner said. “It sets students up for a pattern of behavior that hopefully they can continue as adults.”

A senior girl said she disagrees with Watkins’ assessment of the curfew.

“The majority of my friends drive home drunk because of the curfew, and they’re scared to call their parents for a ride,” the senior said. “I think it creates more problems than it solves, because as far as I know, more kids die while driving drunk than they do staying out late.”

The ValorDictus. com poll found that 79% of students believe their classmates drive drunk because of a combination of the midnight curfew and not wanting to call home drunk.

A junior girl said she believes cracking down on drunk driving should be more of a priority at our school.

“You would think it would be a more obvious problem to try and tackle, but so many students get away with drunk driving it’s not even funny,” the junior said. “The school should focus more on helping out students who drive drunk, rather than just threatening them while not stopping the bad behavior. Not all students are mature, and some do make mistakes. When it comes to drunk driving, it only takes one strike and they’re out for good.”

“You Would THINK IT WOULD BE A MORE OBVIOUS PROBLEM TO TRY AND TACKLE, BUT SO MANY students get away with drunk driving it’s not even funny.”

— Junior GIrl

Valor Dictus March 1, 2011

9

Driving under the influence: The Consequences –It is a Class 1 misdemeanor for anyone under 21 to buy, consume, or possess any alcoholic beverage.

–Violators must pay a mandatory minimum fine of $500 (up to $2,500) or complete a minimum of 50 community service hours.

–They may also face expulsion from school, loss of their driver’s license for 6 to 12 months, and up to a year in jail.

–Adults caught serving alcohol to anyone under 21 must pay a $2,500 fine per young person.

AnoNYMOUS UPPERCLASSMEN CONFESS Stories Of DRUNK DRIVING:

“After my friend’s birthday party, I drove home after drinking.

I don’t remember anything about the drive home, but when I woke up the next morning, I was in the car, which was parked sideways in my driveway.”

“This one time, my friend and I got pulled over by the police while driving drunk. We were wasted, but we still passed the sobriety test they gave us and drove away.”

“Boys in my grade think they’re invincible. Almost all of my guy friends drink and drive on a regular basis.

I’m scared one day I might have to attend one of their funerals.”

Info from Parents Who Host Lose the Most, an organization dedicated to spreading awareness of teenage drinking

StudentvsAdministrators

“ Do you think drunk driving is a problem at When things get Hazy Using your brain:

Doctor Kavian Milani MD of Virginia Family Medicine and the University of Texas at San Antonio magazine reveal the effects of alcohol on the teenage brain.

our school? Why or why not?

KIDS IN THE HALL

— Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) in teens can result in a decreased ability in problem solving, verbal and non-verbal recall, and working memory.

AUTHORITY OPINIONS

“Drunk driving is a big deal at our school, but because the majority of kids do it outside school, nothing really happens about it at school, which makes it a bigger problem in the long run” —Maddie Anderson, 11

“Curfews are a beneficial tool for parents because they limit the opportunities students have to drink while out with their friends and make drunk driving a smaller problem. I am a believer in the phrase, ‘Nothing good ever happens after midnight.’”

— Dan Meier, principal

“It’s problematic among students at our school, but it could be worse. Drunk driving is usually a larger problem for college students than high schoolers because college students have more time to get in trouble than high schoolers.”

—Nate Banks, 11

“Although not too many students come to me to talk about drinking and driving, I still think drunk driving is a problem at our school. However, it’s hard to tell how big a problem it is, because it often occurs after school on the weekends.”

— Sam Wagner, alcohol and drug counselor

“I don’t think drunk driving is a problem here, because a lot of students here play sports. If they’re smart, these student-athletes will behave themselves because if they get caught drinking, most team coaches would kick them off the team” —Sarah Fisher, 12

“I know drunk driving is a problem in our community because I have seen a lot of hammered drivers on the road after midnight. I hope our students have the good judgement to call their parents when they need a ride home rather than risk their own lives unnecessarily.”

— Michael Nielson, driver’s ed teacher

— Binge drinking affects the teenage brain more than the adult brain.

—Adolescent rats that were exposed to binge drinking appear to have permanent damage in their adult brains.

“

— Alcohol-induced memory impairments, such as “blackouts,” can cause problems with forming memories of oneself.

—Driving with as low as a 0.02% BAC (blood alcohol content) can affect driving.

—Driving under the influence of alcohol lowers the ability to view fine details by 32%.

Junior Girl

Junior Boy

—Alcohol slows down reaction time by 15-25% Senior Girl

Senior Boy

10

Valor Dictus March 1, 2011

Features Choices by Shawn

Valor Dictus March 1, 2011 Ram Rater

We sampled numerous dishes at Choices by Shawn in Fairfax City. This restaurant specializes in American cuisine. Read on to find out what to order and what to avoid.

11

Southern Fried Chicken

Get it again!

Average Trash it

Rating:

Location: 3950 Chain Bridge Road Fairfax, VA 22030

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Hours: Monday - Thursday: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.

Friday: 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Saturday: 9 a.m. - 10 p.m.

Sunday: 11 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Taste: This dish includes boneless deep-fried chicken breast served on a bed of mashed potatoes and gravy, with fries on the side. Rather than being deep-fried, the fries are crispy and taste fresh. The chicken is tender and the gravy adds flavor.

Price: $12

Meat Lasagna

Rating:

Rating:

Taste: The spinach dip is creamy and full of cheese. The taste of spinach is dominant yet is complemented by a rich blend of cheeses.The dip is served with crispy baguettes and is enough to split among five.

Taste: The lasagna is rich, with rippled layers of noodles and a blend of meat and cheeses. The crispy onion rings are a creative side to complement the dish.

Prices: $12

Prices: $9 Photos and graphic by Yae Ji Cha and Kate Monick

Science Fair winners prepare for next round Experimenters to put projects to the test at regionals

ond place projects go on to compete at regionals and beyond. Bartlett said students can receive several prizes after making it through regionals, such as prize money, a dinner and visits to scientific organizations such as NASA. “The purpose of the fair is to give students a positive experience with science, learnBY JASON FOCARINO ing about something they’re Staff Writer interested in,” Bartlett said.

As coordinator of the Fair, Sophomore Cyrus Keyvan- Bartlett gave an introductory far shoots up from his seat meeting, established schedwith a broad smile and rushes ules and made sure students forward to accept the first were on track with their place award in Chemistry work.

The Science Fair requires from Stephen Bartlett, Science Fair Coordinator and physics and teaches students to do teacher. The crowd of students research, come up with a and teachers clap for him as he thoughtful experiment, pertakes the blue ribbon for his form the actual lab, and draw project, “The Effect of Water a conclusion, Bartlett said.

Mixtures on the Corrosion of It forces them to use the scientific method to efficiently Metal complete Wiring.” experiO n e ments, he h u n added. dred and “The t w e l v e The purpose of the fair is to b e s t students, give students a positive ext h i n g repreabout dos e n t i n g perience with science, learning the w o r k ing about something they’re Science from 49 interested in.

Fair was projects, finding e n t e r e d Science Fair Stephen surpristhe Sci- Coordinater Bartlett ing inforence Fair mation on Sept. from my 22 which results,” ended Feb. 9. There were nine cat- Keyvanfar said, who worked egories spread across the vari- alone on his project, which fell ous subjects of science with into Chemistry category.

He said he got the idea for students winning an honorable mention, first, second, or his project from seeing nails in third place award in each of the Chesapeake Bay and obthe categories. First and sec- serving how they rust. Keyvan-

“

”

Information compiled by Jason Focarino, and Kate Monick Cartoon by Jack Connors

Photo courtesy of Robinsondrama.org Being funny — ­ The actors of RamBunctious practice several acts from the play, “Funny as a Crutch”. They are preparing for not only the school but to additionally perform in Edinburgh, Scotland.

Photo courtesy of Laurie Redfern Judging — ­ Students present projects to judges on Wednesday, Feb. 9 and returned that night to receive awards and find out whether they would move on to the regional competition. Judges selected 22 projects to proceed in competition.

far took nails and placed them in different water solutions, such as well water and lake water, to see which nails corroded the most. He was surprised that the Fairfax County tap water nail was the most corroded.

Junior Michaela Wright was also a first place winner for her project “Comparing Organic Materials for Oil Removal,” under the Environmental Management category. Wright worked with Juniors Nadia McQuade and Ann Rutt, who were her partners last year when they won first place at our school’s competition. The inspiration for the project was the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Wright said, and because her mother works for the Environmental Protection Agency. She said one of the hardest things about the

experiment and project was making sure everything happened in unison so she could efficiently collect results.

“We were surprised that one of the organic materials, hay, soaked up oil but repelled water, which is unusual,” McQuade said.

Wright, McQuade, and Rutt placed second at regionals last year, and she said she thinks they will get just as far this year.

The Science Fair allows students work and experiment in areas of their interest, Bartlett said, and it teaches them to think of new ways to use science.

Wright had advice for future competitors of the Science Fair.

Wright said, “You should be thorough in your work, because it impresses the judges.”

RamBunctious brings “Funny” drama to Scotland ‘Funny as a Crutch’ focuses on moving through life with disabilities

BY NIKKI ROBINSON AND BAILEY HAASE Staff Writers This summer, RAMbunctious theater, a group of theater students, will be going to Edinburgh, Scotland and will also New York , for two weeks in order to perform their show, “Funny As A Crutch” at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.

The show is a series of comedy sketches about making the way through life from a disabled person’s perspective.

RAMbunctious theater is a non-profit organization created by drama students at our school.

Students took their first trip to the festival in 1996, and had their most recent trip four years ago.

“The play shows different skits about disabled people in a

funny way,” said Director Chip Rome.

The Edinburgh Festival Fringe is the world’s largest theater program, with 1200 shows a day, including the drama student’s own “Funny As A Crutch.”

What happens in the Edinburgh Festival Fringe does not happen anywhere else in the world, saidRome.

Students attending the trip will also have a chance to do some sightseeing around Scotland. The students will have the opportunity to visit a castle outside Lochness for a day, and then they will be staying at a college an hour away from Lochness.

“I am excited to go out of the country and do what I love to do,” sophomore Lauren Raindford said, “also I am excited to be performing off Broadway in New York.”

RAMbunctious theater will be performing their original show, “Funny As A Crutch,” beginning Thursday, in Russell Theater, and will also be performing in New York City in July.

12

Valor Dictus March 1, 2011

Entertainment Valor Dictus March 1, 2011 Volume 40 Issue 6 Bravely speaking to the Robinson Community 13

Shelby Gee - Entertainment Editor

Country vs Rap:

Country explores life, love and family “We all got a hillbilly bone down deep inside, No matter where you from you just can’t hide it. When the band starts bangin’ and the fiddle saws, You can’t help but hollerin’, Yee Haw!” Blake Shelton belts out his famous song “Hillbilly Bone.” He sings about how everyone has a bit of backwoods country boy or girl inside.

Country has been referred to as “hick” music because the past generation’s songs were rustic and depressing, such as “Teddy Bear”

by Red Sovine in 1976. The song is about a crippled boy who only finds enjoyment when talking on the trucker radio, which belonged to his late father.

In the past decade, though, country has matured into a more modern music that keeps a bit of the old, but adds some new spice as well.

A Nov. 11, 2005 article in The New York Times, “Country Music? Whose Country?,” called country music a “publicity stunt” when country singers performed in New York City.

Even though country is put down as outdated to listen to, it is the one of the most lis-

Two writers defend their favorite genres

Rap explores more than trivial subjects

tened to genres in the nation. Radio stations such as 93.3 WLFS, 93.5 WBBC, and 98.7 WMZQ acknowledge that country music is progressing and let listeners decide which old and new music are played on the air.

One reason 98.7 WMZQ is popular is because it has a “rotation and recycle” segment each night letting listeners decide which new country song will keep being played on the radio. If the song makes it to rotation, the song will be safe and keep getting played every week. But if it is recycled, the song will be trashed and no longer played on the air.

Out of the all the genres, country lyrics are the easiest to follow and understand. They tell a story, such as in “She Calls Me Raymond”

by Brett Eldredge, which is about an elderly woman who has Alzheimer’s and the orderly the woman think is her son. The woman believes the year is 1943. It is easy to relate to this message without needing to decode and translate what the singer is saying.

Unlike rap, country focusing on friends, family, love and life in general.

—MAGGIE HAYNES

Lil Wayne raps the lyrics of ‘Lollipop’ as he goes, “Shawty wanna thug, bottles in the club... Okay after you back it up then stop, drop it shawty, Dra-Dra-Drop it like its hot” Degrading. Obnoxious. Loud. Tasteless.

These words have been used to describe today’s rap music. Rap music has been stereotyped as superficial and only talking about getting money, using various drugs, and sleeping with as many women as possible.

A lot of rap music on popular radio stations such as Washington’s HOT 99.5, D.C.’s WPGC 95.5, and KYSDC 93.9 have content about promiscuous and illegal behavior. Still, plenty of other rap artists don’t include these superficial values in their music.

Rap artists speak out on political discontent, family values and personal morals through their music. It is not simply a glorification of a “fast life” as many critics seem to believe. Lyrics from the song “Remember the Name” by Fort Minor speak of the effort that artists put into their raps as it goes, “Five percent pleasure, fifty percent pain, and a hundred percent reason to remember the name”.

Brother Ali, for example published the song “Truth Is” in 2007 which depicted his struggle of obtaining child custody of his son Faheem and the homelessness he faced as a single father. The song debuted as #69 on Billboard’s Top 100. Lupe Fiasco, who debuted his first album “Lupe Fiasco’s Food and Liquor” in 2006, spoke out on his experience of being a Muslim on the streets.

Some critics have even gone as far to claim that rap can’t be considered music because of a lack of instrumentals in the background.

This is false, because though some beats may be computerized, the beats originally came from the sounds of actual instruments. There are artists who use real instruments in their background music such as the rap/alternative group The Flobots, who include a viola player, two guitarists and a drummer.

Rap is one of the most popular genres today, and although some say it lacks in family values or morals compared to country music, this is untrue. Rap music is essentially storytelling in a musical form.

—YAE JI CHA Illustrations by Sharon Corish

Catch a glimpse of new music in March Tomorrow: Avril Lavigne ‘Goodbye Lullaby’

Photo reprinted courtesy of Warner Bros Pictures Experience the identity crisis— Liam Neeson plays Martin Harris, a man who wakes up after a car accident and discovers a man pretending to be him going around called “Martin B.” In this scene Martin tries to talk to his wife Liz, played by January Jones. Dr. Harris said, “They had me convinced that I was crazy.”

‘Unknown’ crafts a suspenseful story

BY JACK CONNORS Staff Writer

Who is Martin Harris?

This is the question that begs to be answered throughout “Unknown,” pushing the plot through the cold Berlin streets. As identity becomes a variable instead of a certainty, tensions boil over as a conspiracy erupts, leaving one man doubting his own sanity amid assassins.

“Unknown” is the illegitimate child of the Jason Bourne trilogy and “Shutter Island,” blending action thriller with psychological intrigue. A broad and deep puzzle develops, The film kicks off with the man the audience is led to believe is Dr. Martin Harris, played by Liam Neeson, landing in Berlin with his wife Liz, played

by January Jones, for a biotechnology conference. After arriving at their hotel, Harris realizes he has left his briefcase behind at the airport. He leaves the hotel without notifying his wife, and hails a taxi.

Harris is on his way back when he

is suddenly caught in a major car accident. Harris wakes up four days later in a hospital, with an intact memory save for the events leading up to the accident.

He rushes back to the hotel he and his wife are staying at, and finds that not only does his wife not recognize him, but that another man has completely replaced him. This plunges him into an elaborate mystery that may or may not be the machinations of his own mind.

The strongest character in “Unknown” is without a doubt Dr. Martin Harris. Neeson expertly blends together his expertise in both action films and dramas, creating a solid character that is neither brilliant strategist nor terrified Everyman, but finds a pleasant middle.

His confusion and frustration is believable, and every superhuman action is explained in a plausible fashion.

On the other end of the spectrum lies Liz Harris. January Jones plays her character devoid of any emotion, which works fine for the first few scenes she appears in, but fails miserably for the last several. She adds a bland flavor to an

otherwise exciting film, slowing down the action and killing any possibility of tension.

She is easily eclipsed by Diane Kruger’s performance, introduced as the cab driver who is in the car with Harris when he gets into the accident. She ascends from witness to partner, aiding Harris as he tracks down his memory.

She avoids the cliché path of becoming his lover, remaining platonic throughout the film. This reminds the audience that Harris is indeed a married man, even if his wife does not know.

The cinematography, while relevant, is unfortunately unoriginal. The shaky camerawork during the action scenes is without a doubt stolen from Paul Greengrass’s works. This adds an almost seizure-like quality to the film, leaving the audience thankful for the brevity of these scenes.

MPAA Rating:

PG-13 for sequences of violence and action, and for some sexual content

Run-Time: 113 minutes

The Canadian pop star is releasing her much-anticipated fourth album tomorrow.

Lavigne has been working on the album since late 2008. She released her last album in early 2007.

The new album will have a much softer sound than its predecessors, despite the upbeat and infectious melody of the lead single, “What the Hell” released Jan. 11. The album was originally supposed to contain only acoustic songs, but Lavigne went back to the studio to add catchier songs to the track list in August 2010.

“Goodbye Lullaby” features 14 new tracks, including a hidden version of the song “Alice” which was released in January 2010 as part of the soundtrack for the film “Alice in

Wonderland.”

As with her previous albums, Lavigne wrote all of the tracks. The song “Darlin” from the album was Lavigne’s second song she ever wrote, back when she was 15. Another song from the album, “Black Star,” is a soft lullaby-like track which was used in commercials for Lavigne’s fragrance of the same name.

Unlike with her previous albums, the songs on “Goodbye Lullaby” rely heavily on the lyrics and Lavigne’s vocals, rather than the catchy hook and rebel attitude in her hit songs “Sk8er Boi” and “Girlfriend.”

The songs on the upcoming album will be more reminiscent of her more personal songs, such as “Complicated” and “When You’re Gone.”

Photos reprinted courtesy of Sony Records Before the album’s release, you can purchase the lead single “What the Hell” on iTunes. You can also preorder the album on iTunes Sounds like:

“When You’re Gone”

Not:

“Sk8er Boi”

March 29: Panic! At the Disco ‘Vices and Virtues’

Photos reprinted courtesy of Fueled by Ramen You can purchase the lead single “The Ballad of Mona Lisa” and preorder the album on iTunes.

Sounds like:

Not:

“I Write Sins Not Tragedies”

“Nine In the Afternoon”

Alternative band Panic!

At the Disco is gearing up to release its third album, “Vices and Virtues,” March 29. This release will mark the debut of the band’s new lineup, following the departure of lead guitarist Ryan Ross and bassist Jon Walker in July 2009.

Ross was formerly the band’s primary songwriter, but fans need not worry about a lack of sly lyrics, as lead singer Brendan Urie took over the role of songwriter, writing all 10 tracks featured on the album.

The album’s lead single, “The Ballad of Mona Lisa,” released Feb. 1, has been compared to songs from the band’s first album, “A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out.” Urie wrote

the track about the personal struggles he experienced as he grew up.

Much of the album will be more similar to their debut album, “A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out” than it will be to “Pretty. Odd.” However, some some tracks will sound more like the tracks on “Pretty.

Odd.” The song, “Let’s Kill Tonight” sounds similar to 2006’s “I Write Sins Not Tragedies,” both featuring fun and quirky melodies and fun lyrics. The song “Nearly Witches” has parts that sound more like Panic! At the Disco’s earlier songs, while still having parts that sound like their single “Nine In the Afternoon” from “Pretty. Odd.”

Graphic by Shelby Gee. Read these previews and more at valordictus.com

14

Entertainment

Valor Dictus March 1, 2011

‘...Number Four’ satisfies viewers

BY SHARON CORISH Staff Writer

“I Am Number Four,” starring Alex Pettyfer and Dianna Agron, is a very engaging film, with suspense, action, romance and even a pinch of comedy. This unique movie presents a new idea to the box office: an alien love story.

This original film captures the story of a teenage alien fugitive from the planet Lorien, “John Smith” (Pettyfer) and his overprotective guardian Henri (Timothy Olyphant). John is “Number Four” of nine alien fugitives called “The Numbers.” As John and Henri flee from city to city attempting to blend in, they end up in Paradise, Ohio, where John finds Sarah Hart (Agron) and falls in love., and newfound extraterrestrial abilities, involving super strength and glowing hands which double as a power source. This new discovery shows him he is stronger than he had ever imagined.

John’s newfound love Sarah is a shy girl who likes to stand behind the lens of her camera and catch the world as it flies by her, which can sometimes hinder John, who is trying to keep a low profile.

Romance is a very large part of the film, which is accentuated by Henri’s line, “We don’t love like humans, for us it is forever.” John’s captivating love story with the small -town girl who loves photography, Sarah, is complemented by the clever idea of a fugitive alien and an innocent girl falling in love.

Yet, the film was not “cheesy,” because there are no cliché lines, and the suspenseful plot of a fugitive

alien keeps the viewers interested throughout the entire movie.

Director D.J. Caruso’s creativity and symbolism shine through with the use of light and dark imagery to capture the John’s mysterious yet innocent personality. Although the director incorporates many dark scenes, the lighting is high quality, so the characters were not blurred. The intensity of the scenes with John and “Jane Doe,” or Number Six, (Teresa Palmer) combating against the evil Mogadorians who are set on killing all of the Numbers.

Between heart-warming love scenes with John and Sarah and action-packed fighting scenes where John is ultimately tested against the evil Mogadorians who are trying to kill him, the film brings many feelings to the table, and can suit the plot desires of all genre preferences.

Still, some of the scenes are a bit gruesome, such as when the Mogadorians staged their attacks on John and the other Numbers. The Mogadorians are not only vicious and cruel, but also have a sinister appearance. Their creatures are mysterious and frightening, and also vicious in their fighting. Nevertheless, the movie is appropriate enough to see with family, and the suspense only adds to the mood of the film.

The fight scenes also harbor a new hero, Number Six, who is everything one could have ever imagined about the term “girl power.” With her instinctual weapon usage, and dead-on fighting skills, her character will make all females feel proud to be girls.

The film also expresses the hard life of being a teenager, with bullies

Photo reprinted courtesy of Dreamworks An extraordinary love ­— Dianna Agron plays a young, aspiring photographer, who is immediately attracted to the new boy in her small-town high school. John, played by Alex Pettyfer, is not what he seems. He is really an alien on the run from the evil aliens trying to kill him, as he reveals to Agron’s character Sara in this scene. John’s guardian Henri tells John as he falls for Sara, “We don’t love like humans. When we love, it’s forever.”

and rumors. One victim of severe bullying in the film was Sam (Callan McAuliffe) whom John befriends, after standing up for him when he was being physically bullied. Viewers will feel a soft spot for Sam as they sympathize with him. It is also easy to feel compassion for John, because

of his brave actions to stand up against the high school bullies and support the innocent and defenseless Sam. The film has many layers to it, with love and romance, sentimentality and action, and a tinge of humor from John’s awkward wannabe side-

kick Sam. The audience will feel as if they have known the characters for years as the story develops.

MPAA Rating:

PG-13 for intense sequences of violence and action, and for some language

Run-Time: 109 minutes

Sports

Valor Dictus March 1, 2011 Volume 40 Issue 6 Bravely speaking to the Robinson Community 15

Mollie Berner - Page 2 & 15 Editor

Andrew Miller - Back Page Editor

In Brief Girls lacrosse team makes changes to coaching staff Former JV girls lacrosse coach Sally Collier will lead the varsity team this season. She will be replacing former head coach Alison Neun.

The players were very fond of coach Neun and feel saddened to see her leave, Collier said.

“All of the players loved and still love Coach Neun,” Collier said. “On the other hand, I have coached many of these players on the team for many years.”

She has been coaching some of the players as far back as third and fourth grade on Braddock Road Youth Club teams, she said. This will smooth the transition, Collier said.

“I am trying to make the transition as seamless as possible while trying to add my own spin and style,” Collier said.

Collier emphasizes commitment and team chemistry, especially during conditioning, she said.

“We have a system in which everyone records their workouts to reinforce their accountability for one another,” Collier said.

She stresses the importance of teamwork and trust as well. This will bring the team to success, Collier said.

Collier said, “My biggest emphasis will be on trust across the board, team-wide chemistry, and the integral value of each person’s role to the success of the entire squad.”

—CHASE BAILEY

Photo by Jacob Beil Pinkston places second in state­— Freshman wrestler Jake Pinkston (left) goes up against heavyweight opponent Dominique Hannibal from Deep Creek High School in the first round of states where he beat him 10-8 Feb.19. Pinkston placed first in the region and second in the state that weekend. “The state championship was very overwhelming because it was a big stage, a lot of people, lights dimmed—it was a great experience and I can’t wait to go back,” Pinkston said.

Freshman wrestler Pinkston finishes second in the state At 5’7’’, Pinkston often faces larger opponents

BY NICOLE OSBORNE Ram Report Producer

For the first time since 1985, the wrestling team won the state tournament the weekend of Feb. 18. A week before, the team won the regional title for the first time in 20 years. Assistant coach Andrew Foster said this is the first time a school in the Northern Region had seven first-place champions. Freshman Jake Pinkston won second place in high weight class.

Pinkston wrestles in the 285-pound weight class at five feet

Boys basketball members earn individual distict honors

and seven and a half inches tall.

“Competing at 285 as a freshman is difficult because you are facing 17 and 18 year old boys. But a young age and a heavier weight, Jake gets a good amount of success,” Foster said.

Although most of his opponents are at least six feet tall, Pinkston has learned to use his “short stature” to his advantage.

“He puts his head underneath the bigger guys’ arm and wraps his arms around [his opponent’s] tummy. Jake just does his thing and the other guy typically ends up on his back. That’s the Jake Pinkston Dump,” Foster said.

Getting out of the bottom and onto his feet, with taller guys trying to hold him down is what he does best, Foster said.

Pinkston said the most difficult time during a tournament is when

to me—it shows my work really paid off this summer. A lot can be attributed to my coach’s confidence in me as well as pushing me at the defensive end.

—Junior Rob Pillow

BY BRETT MONTAGUE

2nd team all district, 1st team defense

Ram Report Producer

“It feels great to receive this honor

During the winter sports season, freshman Sarah Gross started off the week with seven hours of school, two hours of dive practice, followed by two hours of gymnastics practice, and then homework to top it off. She is one of few students who participate in two sports in one season.

Gross was a member of both the dive and gymnastics team this winter season. Gross’s schedules allowed her to be a part of both sports since gymnastics practice was always in the evening, while dive practice was right after school.

Participating in both sports at the same time does not seem to affect Gross’ academics, her Ger-

”

because it just shows off all the hard work I’ve done for this sport and it feels good to know that other coaches in the district respect my game.

”

—Senior Mike Rice 1st team all district

Rice pictured above, photo by Andrew Miller

—MOLLIE BERNER

leticism and strength that most freshmen do not have, Foster said.

“Most heavyweights just rely on pushing. Jake is able to score and put points on the board. Despite his smaller stature, he’s able to come out on top,” he said.

A few days because the state tournament, Pinkston said, “I started wrestling when I was six years old because my dad really pushed me. [Making it to states] was a huge accomplishment. I never would have guessed I’d make it this far.”

Although Pinkston won second place at states, juniors Jake Smith and Brooks Martino earned the state championship title.

For more information on the state wrestling tournament, check out The Ram Report on valordictus.com.

Students fit two sports into one season Athletes make the busy, double time commitment work

“Receiving district honors means a lot

the score is tied, 3-3 in the third period and someone has to get a takedown.

“At the Mount Mad Madness tournament, I wrestled this kid from Delaware. He was way bigger than me; about 6’2’’ but still 285 pounds. I just try to think about my angles and stay aggressive. If they get tired, I try to take advantage of the situation and keep attacking,” he said.

Pinkston plays football, baseball and he wrestles. Although playing three sports a year can be difficult, he said wrestling helps keep him in shape.

“At the beginning of the season, I was rusty. I didn’t move as well.

Throughout the season my feet have improved and I’ve learned a lot for the coaches,” he said.

Pinkston has “intangible” ath-

man teacher Desiree Reynolds said.

“She is disciplined, motivated, amazing. She is my top student. She got a 103 percent on her quiz today,” Reynolds said.

Both sports have improved her athletic ability, said Gross’s dive coach, Philip Caslavka, but he said he is disappointed that she had to make some sacrifices.

“I would say it probably helped her, in terms of the skills she gained, but she could not compete at dive regionals because she needed to go to districts for gymnastics,” he said.

For sophomore Jamy Vogel, a member of both the soccer and outdoor track team during the spring season, it is more difficult to balance her time.

“When games and meets were more important at the end of [last] season, I had to choose which events to do,” she said.

Though Vogel has a lot of things on her plate, she said academics are her priority.

“If my grades drop, I’ll have to give one up,” she said.

The decision to take on the challenge of bal-

ancing two sports and academics depends on the student, said Kimberly Nelson, Vogel’s IB Chemistry teacher, who also coached indoor track last year.

“I think good students can handle it, but it’s not for everyone,” she said. “As long as academics are still a priority, I wouldn’t discourage her from doing it.”

Senior Lindsey Taitano, like Vogel, participated in outdoor track and soccer during her junior year, but has decided against it this year.

“I just didn’t want to play soccer for Robinson anymore – it wasn’t fun anymore,” she said.

Now that Taitano has prioritized her sport schedule, she said she has noticed improvements in her performance.

“When I did both, I didn’t improve in track.

Now that I’m not doing soccer, my times are way better,” she said.

Gross said she is too passionate about her sports for her to decide between them. She said, “Ever since I can remember, gymnastics and dive have been my life; I don’t think I could choose if I had to.”

16

Sports

Valor Dictus March 1, 2011

Bendorf retires after 21 seasons of coaching Bendorf led Rams to three state championship games

BY HAILEY METZGER Staff Writer

Two game balls, the score written on each one with a Sharpie marker, sit inside glass cases in head football coach Mark Bendorf’s office.

They are from the state championship games in 1997 and 2001, where Bendorf lead the team to victory and set new records for our school.

During his first year as head coach in 1997, our school earned its first state championship title, with a 14-0 season, and won the championship over Kecoughton. Bendorf also received Virginia State Coach of the Year honors.

“It was very special for the student body and the community,” Bendorf said.

“It brought a lot of spirit and pride to our school.”

In 2001, he did it again, beating Thomas Dale 40-7. A highlight was defeating Centreville, the defending state champions, in the regional championship, Bendorf said.

Since then, the team under Bendorf has qualified for regionals 11 out of the 14 seasons. It also had had five undefeated regular seasons and was ranked three times in the top 25 nationally ranked teams.

Bendorf also won District Coach of the Year seven times, Northern Region Coach of the Year three times, Virginia State Coach of the Year twice and AllMetropolitan Coach of the Year once.

“I had made the decision in college to coach; I wanted to pursue it as a career path,” Bendorf said. “I have always been passionate about football.”

His first season at our school in 1992, when he was the defensive coordinator, was a special opportunity for him, Bendorf said.

“I got to work under head coach Nick Hilgert, who was my former high school position coach,” Bendorf said.

Bendorf said he appreciated Hilgert’s coaching style as the head coach of a football team.

“He cared about the players as individuals and had a personal interest for each one,” Bendorf said. “I have always tried to do that.”

Bedorf said he has impressed the importance of carrying on the responsibilty for the team’s tradition, which includes

A Summary of Coach Bendorf’s Career Coach Mark Bendorf is leaving after 21 years of coaching football, with a total record of 130—35. For more information on Coach Bendorf, check out The Ram Report on valordictus.com.

1992

1981

1989

Assistant coach at Mount Vernon

1983

Head coach at Chantilly

Mount Vernon wins state championship

putting the team first, dealing with adversity and persevering towards a goal.

Sopohmore Jake Shaffer said he had thoughts of not playing, but after sitting down with Bendorf he decided to play.

“We had a one-on-one before the season, and he helped me get my head back into the game,” Shaffer said.

Along with Shaffer, sophomore Griffin Caparelli said Bendorf sat down with him right before the second Lake Braddock game.

“The support he gave me was something I will never forget,” Caparelli said.

“He told me to play like a junior, and that’s what I went out and did.”

During a meeting after school with the players in February, Bendorf announced his retirement.

“I have so much respect for him; he is like another parent to me,” junior Ethan Steen said. “A big piece of the team [Bendorf] is leaving but [his impact] will always be there.”

Steen said his favorite memory was after the team beat Lake Braddock on Oct. 1, because Bendorf was just as happy as the team was and it was nice to share the experience and excitement with him afterwards.

“He always told me it doesn’t matter how big, fast or strong you are; that it is all mindset,” Steen said.

Bendorf pushed his players to improve every day, junior Kyle Jenkins said, which really helped everyone on the team especially since it was so easy to work hard and play under such a good coach.

“It will be an adjustment the team has to make together, but we still will continue to work hard and carry on the tradition,” Jenkins said.

Photo reprinted with permission by Mark Bendorf Mark Bendorf has been head coach for 14 years— “The trophies will sit there and collect dust but the memories from the seasons will always be fresh,” Bendorf said. A new head coach has yet to be announced.

Caparelli said playing is going to be completely different without Bendorf, and it is going to be an even bigger challenge if the new head coach is from outside of the staff.

Some of the current staff will hopefully remain Bendorf said, which will provide familiar faces to the players at practice and make things a little bit easier.

“It is another obstacle we will have to deal with but the team is so close and we

Fall 1997

will get through it,” Steen said.

Bendorf said he is going to help the new coach, so it will be a smooth transition for the team.

Bendorf said, “The trophies will sit there and collect dust but the memories from the seasons will always be fresh; no one can take the experiences and relationships away, they will always be there.”

Assistant coach at Robinson 14-0 record, won under former State runner-up, 13-1 state championship. high school record.

Named Northern coach Nick Washington Post All-Met Inducted into Fairfax Region Coach of the Appointed head coach Hilgert Coach of the year County Football Hall Year, Virginia Coach at Robinson of Fame of the Year Won state championship

2004

2008

Jan 1997

2010 District champions

2001

Graphic by Andrew Miller

Spring Sports Commentary Baseball

Softball

Sports editors Andrew Miller and Mollie Berner offer their predictions for the spring season, which started this week. Check valordictus.com for the boys and girls tennis predictions.

Boys Lacrosse

Girls Lacrosse

Last year’s record: 7-17

Last year’s record: 11-13

Last year’s record: 13-5

Last year’s record: 4-10

Coaches: Jeff Ferrell and Bill Evers

Coach: Barry Gorodnick

Coach: Matt Curran

Coach: Sally Collier

Strength: The team will have to win games with a strong defense and pitching.

Strength: The team is versatile and their offense will try to carry the team through what could be a tough season

Strength: All-region senior midfielder Thomas Petrocci returns to lead a strong offense.

Weakness: Scoring runs will be difficult with a weak batting rotation, continuing the offensive struggles from last year.

Weakness: The team is inexperienced after the graduation of star pitcher Marcy Bowdren.

Key Players: Senior center fielder Jared Velasquez, senior pitcher Bobby Bray, sophomore pitcher/infielder Chase Bailey

Key Players: Senior outfielder Briana Banks, senior catcher Allie Newcomb, junior pitcher Lauren Stapleton

Weakness: The defense will have to rebuild after the graduation of AllAmerican defender Mike O’Meara and goalie Keenan Kevan.

Strength: Juniors Katie McHugh and Campbell Collier will return to lead an offense that averaged 10 goals per game last year.

Prediction: If the offense is explosive, then the team will play well in the district but will struggle in the regional tournament.

Prediction: If the team is able to find balanced success from all sides of the field, and come together as one, then the girls could see success in the playoffs.

—ANDREW MILLER First Game

Opponent: Annandale Location: Home When: March 16, 6:30 p.m.

—MOLLIE BERNER First Game

Opponent: Langley Location: Home When: March 16, 6 p.m.

Weakness: Senior Amanda Lloyd is the only returning defensive starter, so the defense will struggle at first.

Key Players: Senior midfielder Thomas Petrocci, senior attacker Jason Stein, junior defender Brady George

Key Players: Junior attacker Campbell Collier, junior attacker Katie McHugh, senior midfielder Alexis Mooney

Prediction: If the defense can fill voids left by graduation, , the boys should enjoy a long playoff run.

Prediction: If the team can mesh and hold their own defensively, they should go far into regionals.

—MOLLIE BERNER First Game

Opponent: Lake Braddock Location: Home When: March 15, 7:15 p.m.

—ANDREW MILLER First Game

Opponent: Lake Braddock Location: Away When: March 15, 7:15 p.m.