Valor Dictus Senior Edition
Bravely Speaking to the Robinson Community
Advisor: Christopher Moore
Editor-in-Chief: Amelia Gulding Managing Editor: Emily Boland Business Manager: Courtney Williams Social Media Editor: Jessica Reid Online Editor: Louie Lewandowski Design Editor: Rachel Bloedorn Photo Editor: Isabel Gallego Entertainment Editor: Aidan O’Meara Sports Editor: Matthew Lichtblau Opinions Editor: Connor Dunphy News Editor: Sam Davis Staff Writers: Savannah Evans Tatyana Green Bridget Harold Katie Irving Khadeejat Lawal Regan McHugh Laurel Meyer Cathleen Ridder Nathaniel Robertson Maya Tegegn Nate Walker 2
Info
The first three issues of the Valor Dictus newsmagazine during the 2016-2017 school year, produced under the leadership of Leslie Davis
The next round of editors for the high school journalism program have been chosen. A total of 11 students are responsible for managing their designated field, coming up with content, and making sure the staff meets their deadlines for the 2017- 2018 school year. The Editor-in-Chief (EIC) position has been awarded to Amelia Gulding. Some of her roles as EIC include planning deadlines, assigning stories, and delegating tasks to other editors, as well as to the general staff. Alongside the EIC is the Managing Editor, a position now filled by Emily Boland. The Managing Editor has a very prominent duty in driving the other editors to meet their deadlines as well as pushing them to work harder on each of their assignments. Courtney Williams is now the Business and Copy Editor. Her main responsibility is to finance the journalism program by generating revenue through making sales calls and working with commercial programs. The section editors for this staff include Connor Dunphy as Opinions Editor, Sam Davis as News Editor, Matthew Lichtblau as Sports Editor, and Aidan O’Meara as Entertainment Editor. Their duties include
reaching out to the Robinson community to recruit contributors, arranging content, and editing the articles that fall under their respective sections. Rachel Bloedorn will continue to work as Design Editor, coordinating, assigning, and editing page designs for the print edition as well as creating graphics for online content. The new photo editor is Isabel Gallego, whose primary responsibilities will be coordinating with other editors and staff members to produce photos for print editions along with social media and online content. Jessica Reid has been selected for the new position of Social Media Editor. She will be covering all aspects of social media and working with other editors for possible posts regarding upcoming stories and Valor Dictus events. Louie Lewandowski will be taking over the role of Online Editor and Focus Editor. In addition to posting content online, Lewandowski will be working closely with the EIC, Social Media Editor, and Business Editor to advertise stories. The new Valor Dictus staff was responsible for organizing and creating this 2017 senior edition and looks forward to the issues to come.
News 4 5
iPads Come to Robo by CourtneyWilliams Things That Have Changed at Robinson by Rachel Bloedorn 6-7 Adding to the Issue by Sam Davis
Features A Different Kind of Senior Potrait by Emily Boland 10-11 Robinson Models by Maya Tegegn and Tatyana Green Returning to Robinson Roots by Katie Irving, 12 Leslie Davis, & Khadeejat Lawal 8-9
Opinion
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13 13 Reasons Why by Aidan O’Meara and Laurel Meyer 14 Butting Heads: Should Econ be a Required Class by Sam Davis and Nate Walker 15 Time for a Tech Upgrade by Connor Dunphy
Senior Edition Senior Superlatives Seniors stood out to their peers as best dressed, most athletic, and more. 18-19
Entertainment 23 Summer Concerts by Jessica Reid 24-25 Summer Blockbusters by Savannah Evans, Regan McHugh, and Isabel Gallego 20 Food with the Fam
Top Colleges The most popular schools that are being attended next fall by Cathleen Ridder, Sam Davis, and Emily Boland 20
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Ivy League Acceptances Robinson students are moving into the Ivy League this fall by Louie Lewandowski 21
Seniors Favorite Plays at Robinson Four years, eight plays. Which one’s the best? by Aidan O’Meara 22
Sports 29 Rowing All the Way by Matthew Lichtblau 30 Althlete Spotlight: David Glass by Bridget Harold 31 Locking Up the Lacrosse Season by Matthew Lichtblau Contents
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IPADS COME TO ROBO Courtney Williams Business Manager
Schools are always looking for ways to expand learning in creative ways. Teachers often implement the newest technology into their lessons. There is the typical laptop or desktop computer, but some teachers have learned new ways to engage students while allowing them to work at their own pace. Through a school grant, Robinson has been able to obtain iPads, but how useful are these products? There are less than 100 iPads to be shared in a school with over 4,000 students. The process of obtaining these iPads is extremely competitive, and only teachers who have been trained and certified may use them with their classes. Most iPad use among certified teachers can be credited to ESOL classes and the middle school, especially seventh grade. Few high school classes actually use them, with the exception of some social studies and language classes. For example, middle school math students struggling with a lesson can re-watch tutorials if they do not understand the content right away. “They get used a lot by math; middle school math, Algebra 1, and Geometry,” said technology specialist, Karen Miller. “To some extent, they are just starting in the high school. When you look at the priorities in the building, math is a big priority.” Though these iPads can be used for more personalized education, they have proven to be impractical for aspects of our school setting. Aside from not having enough available to support our student population, iPads require a large amount of maintenance. When these iPads arrive they must go through the process of downloading the required software that is within FCPS standards and blocking student access to certain apps and websites. This process of inserting and deleting the correct applications can sometimes take over 30 minutes per device. When it is available for classroom use, teachers must be certified. The decision to include iPad use is a school decision rather than an FCPS decision. For the areas where they are needed, the iPad can be a useful tool, however FCPS is unlikely to expand use of the iPad as a schoolwide program. Moving forward, the school will most likely not make a major investment on the devices. Barbara Brand, school based technology specialist said that,“[iPads] are difficult to manage. They are a personal device rather than a shared device. We are kind of keeping them as an as needed basis for specific activities.”
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News
Info by secureedge networks
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Things That Have Changed at Robinson
Rachel Bloedorn Design Editor Connor Dunphy Opinions Editor
Rams Read
#1: Classrooms turn into reading corners with the
#5:
Teacher Led Learning Groups (TLLG)
implementation of Rams Read. After GMR, once a week, students are given time in which their only task is to read for enjoyment. The purpose of the time is to encourage students to advance their reading skills and enjoy a quiet period of relaxation.
Teacher Led Learning Groups (TLLG) are a new addition to the Robinson community, bringing together small parties of teachers to brainstorm. The small groups are based on what topics teachers signed up for, the ranging from technology to the MYP (Middle School IB) Program. While teachers are in their groups, students are herded into the field house or the cafeteria for a mandatory assembly.
Specific Food In Lunch line #2: Lunch has always been home to a disorganized
New Glossy Magazine
crowd of students swarming to the lines in an attempt to find the meal they want, but with the new designated food lines, the search for the right meal is simple. Lunch lines are now organized by type of food: Italian, Mexican, and American fare. No more peeking into a line to see if it holds your ideal lunch; now, the only worry is whether to drink chocolate or regular milk.
New Murals
#3: New murals around the school represent
the spirit and creativity of Robinson Rams. Made by art students, the murals show the fight song, colorful faces and the Robinson mascot. The bold decorations spread pride for the school and provide appealing garnish to the walls of the building.
Stress Less Club
#4: The Stress Less Club, founded by juniors
Amanda Schaeffer and Belle Jordan, is an arts and crafts club meant to alleviate the stress felt by students. The club takes place after school on Thursdays in C111 where students make snow globes, stress balls, and play dough.
#6:
The Valor Dictus came out with a new design for the school publication. The newsmagazine is a modernized version of a newspaper, with glossy pages and engaging layouts.
No Ice Cream
#7: The lunch room has undergone a few changes,
and the removal of ice cream from the snack lines has caused disapproval among students. In an effort to be healthier, the snack line stopped the sale of ice cream and increased the amount of fruits and vegetables in the normal lines. Junior Theresa Mahon Kuzin claims that “it’s a crime.”
Digital Citizenship #8: Every other Friday, a collective groan is
heard across the school as students learn what is appropriate and what’s not when they post online. Using super up-to-date examples and simulations, MySpace has never been so relevant.
News
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Adding to
the Issue How Attention Deficit/ hyperactivity disorder affects Robinson Students By Sam Davis - News Editor 6
News
There is a common misconception that Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is just an excuse for not paying attention. However, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 6.4 million children suffer from ADD/ADHD. The main place this disorder affects children is in the classroom. Some symptoms of ADD/ADHD are inattentiveness, hyperactivity, and impulsiveness. Yet, those aren’t always the symptoms, and don’t always indicate such a disorder. ADD/ADHD is usually first discovered only after the student has failed in class because of engagement problems. This is a major problem because it takes awhile for a student to find the best remedy, and once behind in school, it is highly challenging for a student to catch up with their peers. “I have ADHD and it’s hard for me to focus,” said freshman Bailey Johnson. “My ADHD isn’t that bad, but when I was in elementary school, I had to take medicine everyday. After awhile it got better so I didn’t have to take anymore medicine.
The biggest problem was easily not being focused while in class.” As of right now, there is no cure for ADD/ADHD, and the only thing medicines can do is help control the symptoms of the disorders. Most medications that are used are stimulants, and these medications can have negative effects on the one taking it. There is a plethora of medications used but the most common are: Adderall, Ritalin, Focalin, and Vyvanse. For those with either ADD/ADHD, the medicines are very helpful. “My medication has easily helped me 100 percent,” said senior Tyler Hazard. “When I was off my medication, I had a 3.2 GPA. When I was on my medication, I had a 4.22 GPA.” When the correct medicine is used for a student who suffers from one of these disorders, it can work wonders. However, there are risks involved with pharmaceutical treatments. There have been studies showing that taking a stimulant medication may hinder the development of a student’s brain . Not only that, but there is also an issue of addiction. This is even more of a concern since stimulant abuse is growing severely, especially in teens and young adults. ADD/ADHD can be one of the worst disorders when left untreated. When nothing is done, the academic and social effects of the disorders become even worse over time. However, there is a rising problem of misdiagnosis amongst students and children. Parents begin to think that if their kid is struggling early on in elementary school, then their kid may suffer from ADD/ADHD. The misdiagnosis’ that continue to happen is one major cause of the addiction mentioned earlier. “I wouldn’t say misdiagnosis is a rising problem but it has always been a problem,” said psychologist Michelle Darter. “The main issue is when another mental disorder symptoms seem to be those of ADHD. Once a student is given the medicine, that medicine won’t really do much because those
medicines are designed for ADHD and ADHD only. Sometimes this may even cause the symptoms to be worse.” Teaching kids with ADD/ ADHD is no easy task. A lot of teachers struggle with controlling students, and they just don’t know how to help. “I think it’s helpful when some routine is established and structure,” said English teacher Lindsay Fitz-
gerald. “It helps a lot when they know the guidelines and expectations. It’s difficult for someone with ADHD to do projects when they don’t get the guidelines... before the project.” Many younger students that suffer from one of these disorders may require more attention and extra help. Students suffering from ADD or ADHD face many struggles while at school.
Infographic by Teen Treatment Center
News
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Emily Boland Managing Editor
“I want her to draw me,” said nearly
every senior asked about the hand drawn portraits that have been appearing on the window of the 12th grade subschool . Since September, the sketches have been a previously anonymous year long project; although, most people correctly suspected the artist to be senior Maiah Khin. The unique endeavor started with a self portrait, “I thought I was developing a new style of drawing,” she said. “I wanted to practice it more, and wanted to practice it with people I saw in the yearbook.” Her anime-esque style had shifted towards more realistic work and she hoped to combine the two elements.
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Features
Maiah Khin- The Artist Her mission statement of sorts, which is posted by the photos, reveals her choice of subjects: “I look at the yearbook every year and sadly realize that I don’t know everyone- I see at least five new faces per page. Since time is running out for me to get to know everyone, I figured that drawing every senior might help me to know my class a little bit better.” While the project has certainly helped her do that, it’s unintentionally drawn her grade as a whole closer together as well. The general feeling inspired by Khin’s sketches is one of being special, being unique, and being noticed. Senior Cailin Callahan explained her thinking: “I love the thought that goes into it, she pays attention to detail in every single person... I
Mary Kate Foley
just love how much she cares about this project and how much she cares about the students here to draw a picture of every single one of them.” In a time when technology often replaces human interaction, Khin’s work stands out for the sheer novelty of its simplicity. “Pictures are a dime a dozen, but how many people have a drawing?” said guidance counselor Enrique Fernandez, “I don’t have a drawing.” There is no denying that skill is required to take a photo well, yet students roam the halls everyday snapping photos to the point where nearly everyone has some level of photography experience. Much fewer people would opt to attempt a free hand sketch, and very few would capture students as accurately as Khin has managed to in her drawings. From the styling of their hair to the logo on their shirt, every portrait seems to hold a personality. It would be difficult to tell, with such an apt rendering of her classmates, that Khin doesn’t necessarily know everyone she has sketched personal-
Chloe Grabow
Jeyoon Cho
ly. While she receives requests from the people who know she is the one behind the project, “Hey when am I going to see mine up?” from a friend or “Hey, you should draw this person?” from a classmate, she often chooses her subjects at random from a page of the yearbook or a swipe of her instagram feed. Some students have even rearranged the photos to be close to their friends. A particular memory stood out to Khin, when she had drawn two friends at separate times.“I had put them at different places on the window, and I remember when one friend saw the second friend… he got super excited and ran over into the locker bay, and brought him over, and he ended up moving his friend’s photo, and taped it next to his. I thought that was really cute.” Khin is hopeful that she can finish before the end of the year, which would mean all the seniors would have a portrait to take home, especially because she’s a self-proclaimed last-minute-crammer. However her final request is to not be mad if she doesn’t.
Leslie Davis
Justin Meek
Ryan Ellis Features
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ROBINSON MODELS Tatyana Green
Staff Writer
Maya Tegegn Staff Writer
JOSIE ST CLAIRE
Sophomore Josie St. Claire has only been modeling for one year, but has already compiled an impressive resume of events: “I was in the DECA Fashion show and one of the girls who I was modeling with, Hana Khalid, told me about D.C. Fashion Week, and so I tried out,” she said. “I don’t really feel anything when I’m on stage because you’re not supposed to show any emotion while walking.” St. Claire said that the modeling industry is both highly competitive and difficult to get into: “You can’t even get in at 5’11,”she said. She unfortunately encountered an embarrassing moment on stage when she rolled her ankle, but still continues to model, offering the advice to “keep trying, even if you don’t make it the first time.”
Photo courtesy of @phelanmarc
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Photo courtesy of @phelanmarc
Features
Photo courtesy of Ali Rizvi Photography
LIVI SCHMID Junior Livi Schmid became involved with modeling almost by chance, when “one day at [swim] practice my coach asked me if I wanted to model for a swim suit company she just started,” she said. “I was really excited about the whole opportunity and found that it brought a lot of confidence in myself and brought a new found body positivity.” Yet, Schmid had known she possessed a certain proclivity for modeling far before her swim coach approached her. She “always found modeling really fun, even if it was just with friends doing little photo shoots.” The tall blonde found herself drawn to modeling by an “ability to express myself In front of the camera in a way that I haven’t been able to before in my life.” She, more recently, became involved with her first paid shoot, a bridal shoot complete with a Stallion horse, through a friend. Photo courtesy of Chris Weber
Photo courtesy of Livi Schmid
COLIN McGREGGOR “I was 10 or 11 when I first started [modeling]”, said senior Colin McGregor. He explained the appeal he saw from modeling, as “something that isn’t that hard to do, everyone wants to become famous and I guess modeling was the way I wanted to be known. When I am on stage I feel free,” he said. McGregor shared insight
Photo courtesy of Chris Weber
into the competitive nature of the modeling industry, and that “there are certain looks you have to have and there are so many people that may look like you.” He says that for anyone that wants to take part in modeling that they should “go for it, because there is always going to be someone who is looking for someone like you.”
Photo courtesy of Colin McGreggor
Features
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Returning to Robinson Roots Former Robinson students come back to persue a career in teaching
Katie Irving
Staff Writer
Leslie Davis Staff Writer
Khadeejat Lawal Staff Writer
Tracey Phillips
Tracey Phillips, Robinson Class of 1993, had plenty to share about her high school experience. Speaking of the old ways of students, Phillips says that no one had cell phones yet, so she and her friends passed notes in class. She also explained that the glass art display cases in the main hallway used to be phone booths. Phillips came back to Robinson in 2000 to teach Algebra,worked as a Math teacher and swim coach until 2004, then left Robinson. In 2015, Phillips returned to Robinson once again and has since been working as the Associate Principal. She commented that she had a great high school experience and she wishes students appreciated their time in high school more.
Cara Patno
Amid becoming Homecoming Queen, a co-editor of the yearbook, and class officer for years, Cara Patno was sure of one goal after graduating from Robinson in 1999: she wanted to return as an English teacher. “I had a good experience here [as a student], so I wanted to help create a positive experience for other people,” said Patno. That experience was partly shaped by her caring teachers, but also by the proud community she was surrounded by as a student. “I think there is something about Robinson that people are very proud of, proud to be apart of it, and people still feel that way,” said Patno.
Carleigh Peterson
Carleigh Peterson’s path to teaching U.S. History began as a Robinson student in Ms. Noonan’s U.S. History class. “She was very understanding” said Peterson, “She appreciated all different kinds of people.” It was important for Peterson to recreate that caring learning environment as a special education teacher. “I think that teaching is not always about the content that we teach. I think that sometimes the lessons that we learn are more important. That’s the best part about being a teacher for me. I like seeing the extra growth.” She shared, in an interview, her love of highschool, stating: “I currently live with two of my friends from high school; we just had a very tight knit group of friends.” Peterson teaches only a few classrooms away from her former World History teacher, Thomas Ferrick, and is still reminded by Rodney Keefer to “get to class.”
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Features
Reasons Why 13 13 Is the popular Netflix original too graphic for it’s targeted young audience and does it glamorize suicide? Two opposite opinions debate the controversy.
The Netflix original series 13 Reasons Why has stirred up a lot of controversy about whether or not it glamorizes suicide. The series was adapted from the young adult novel by Jay Asher. It is about a teenage girl’s perplexing suicide and the tapes she left behind for her classmates that unravel the mystery of her tragic choice. School administrators and psychologists around the country have been warning parents over the concern that this teen drama glamorizes suicide. Throughout the show there are scenes about sexual assault, underage drinking, driving under the influence, and the graphic scene of the main character, Hannah Baker, committing suicide. Mental health professionals worry that teenagers watching the show alone, with their own feelings, could be at an increased risk of self harm. The main concern is that the scene of Hannah’s suicide shouldn’t have been included. After this scene, Hannah’s parents find their beloved daughter dead, capturing the heartbreaking reaction of her parents. Viewers watch the emotion on her parents faces and hear the pain in their voices, but though this scene is hard to watch, it brings importance to the meaning of the show. The scene felt very real and it showed that suicide is an important issue that needs to be talked about. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for adolescents. Since the show did not shy away from this difficult topic, is has finally started the conversation about suicide. Netflix has renewed the show for a second season and there will be a trigger warning before some of the episodes.
Laurel Meyer Staff Writer
Aidan O’Meara Entertainment Editor 13 Reasons Why found overnight success. A teen drama with a well-liked novel behind it and a significant online marketing presence, young adults flocked to it, the show quickly becoming one of Netflix’s most popular original programs. Following a high school student (Clay) who is given tapes left by a close friend (Hannah Baker) after her suicide that explain the reasons behind the act. The show attracted controversy almost immediately. Accused of glorifying suicide and taking a few steps too far in its final episode, in which Hannah is shown cutting herself and being found dead by her parents, the public’s view of the show took a sudden left turn. Mental health experts also took issue with the stance that depression can be cured simply through affection, calling it a gross simplification of a incredibly complicated subject. This negative view is warranted, but not necessarily for the reasons most critics propose. No, this is simply a bad show. With plot holes galore (ex: Clay’s tape is set up as incriminating but has literally nothing to it), characters that speak in near-constant platitudes (“‘You can’t go back to how things were.”’ Really?), and a cast that jumps from revelatory (Dylan Minnette and Katherine Langford as Clay and Hannah, respectively) to unbearable (Alisha Boe is profoundly dull as Hannah’s friend Jessica), the show is faulty at nearly every turn. So, yes, 13 Reasons Why deserves to be criticized for its flawed depiction of suicide. However, its flaws as a piece of art are so glaringly obvious that audiences should have instantly ignored any of the problematic moments that materialize in the show’s latter episodes. 13 Reasons simply isn’t good enough to earn the debate it’s spurred.
Entertainment
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BUTTING HEADS Should Economics and Personal Finance be a required class? “I believe that econ and personal finance is a valuable course that helps teach today’s youth about economics and personal finance, which provides valuable life skills for them later in life.”
Ramzi
YES
McFarland Sam Davis News Editor
Some form of Econ and Personal Finance (EPF) class is required for graduation, and elective teachers do not like this one bit. However, these classes are essential to the future of students by educating them about how to run a business and even file taxes. All of this is extremely important for students, and if it’s not a required course, students will likely just not take it. Missing out on these lessons could set some students back, making their lives more difficult in the long run. Some teachers that hold electives with a limited amount of students tend to dislike the fact that EPF classes are required. They believe that it takes away from students that might want to enroll in their elective, but can’t. However, the EPF classes can be taken any year and can even be taken online over the summer. Students have more free spaces for classes each year. EPF classes even adhere to the IB Diploma by allowing students to take IB Economics or IB Business. The EPF classes are only required for one year, and there are tons of ways to free up space to take a class a student wants to take in the future. They can take it over the summer, like previously mentioned, they can take it freshman year to get it out of the way, or do the opposite and save it for senior year. EPF is an essential tool for the future lives of students; getting rid of EPF classes as a requirement will hinder their abilities in the future. While taking the class, students may not think in the moment, but the lessons taught will definitely come in handy when they get older.
NO
Nate Walker Staff Writer
Every student is required to take certain classes during high school: the standard core classes of math, English, science, and history, PE through sophomore year, multiple years of a world language, and electives that the student must take such as a fine arts class. Recently Economics and Personal Finance (EPF) became required in order to graduate. Although EPF teaches essential skills, it also hinders students from taking more classes of their choice. The typical high school student at Robinson has about 4-6 classes per year that they must take in order to graduate and/or achieve their desired diploma. This leaves 1-3 electives for students to choose from every year. Now that EPF has been added, this is one less class space that students are able to fill with a chosen elective. Students aren’t the only ones affected by the EPF requirement; elective teachers can be impact as well. Because students have less elective spaces, there are less students in elective classes that might otherwise be filled up, possibly causing that elective to die out. As of now, the only alternative to not having to sit through EPF at school is to take the class online. However, taking the class online means paying a fee of $140 per student. Some students are willing to make this sacrifice if it means they are able to take more electives. Although EPF teaches vital information, students did just fine without the class before it was required to graduate. Instead, EPF should revert to being an optional elective for students to take, or perhaps having lessons on EPF in Learning Seminar would be a sufficient alternative. If students are required to take EPF, then this will only discourage them from wanting to learn about economics and finance in an educational atmosphere.
“I think [EPF] could be taught in a better way than it is, because I think it would be more interesting to actually do more real-life, hands-on simulations than computer ones.”
James
Kraynak 14
Op-Ed
Time for a Tech Upgrade
Connor Dunphy Opinions Editorr
have to work on their IB or AP papers. The laptop that is often used in FCPS Technology in this day and age moves is the Dell Latitude e5430. This piece fast. What is cutting edge one week is of ancient technology was released in then old and decrepit the next. Technol2012. That was back when Obama was ogy is also something that this generarunning against Romney, Gangnam tion cannot live without. In addition to style was the thing to do, and the iPad 3 basic communication, smart technology had just been released. is now used in banking systems, alarm A revamping of technology, especially clocks, and credit cards. The same goes for laptops and other computers, is sorely technology in schools. It is leaned on very needed. Tech isn’t meant to last this heavily to educate, grade, and track how long with the amount of work being and what students are doing. Robinson done on it. In the mornings, teachers Secondary lies in one of the richest counhave issues with their speakers when ties in America. With an incredible output trying to play GMR, an essential comof high performing students, Robinson munication device to allow students deserves better technology. all across the school to know what Opening a laptop in Robinson is always a is going on. Last year, the majority of gamble. Does the battery work? How slow teachers received new laptops, and will it be? And more importantly, will it their old laptops were added to the stueven turn on? Desktop computers are no dent pool. This sort of recycling cannot better. Rampant bugs and login times happen when students’ futures hang in plague students who are trying to work. the balance. For some underprivileged kids, the schools Other FCPS areas are having the same hand-me-down laptops are all that they
problem and taking steps to combat it. Chantilly is spending $2.1 million to upgrade their technology. They’re using this money to buy laptops and train teachers on how to use said laptops. One may argue that Robinson has added a computer cart in the library along with a number of iPads, but this isn’t enough. Robinson has over 4,000 students. A computer cart of 20 computers does not make a large enough dent in the problem to be effective. As Robinson, and especially FCPS, make the switch to more Google-centered programs, they should also consider picking up on Google technology. The mega company Google has always helped when it comes to education. Doubtless, they would also assist Robinson in refurbishing or replacing aging computers. There are a multitude of resources available to schools, especially one of this size, and FCPS should take advantage of that.
Op-Ed
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ROBINSON Senior 2016-2017
Edition
Stay Grindin’
The student athlete with maximum effort level
Captain America The senior with the most love for America
Donnie Warter Emily Gross Photo courtesy of Ram Snaps
Dress to Impress The most fashionable senior, always with a killer outfit
Mona Kabra Photo by Isabel Gallego
“I’m just a boy from Virginia who loves his country. Nothin’ much to it.”
Photo courtesy of Matthew Cohen
Kim Possible
The most kickass, real-life femme fatale senior
Ruthann Tesfaye Photo courtesy of Ruthann Tesfaye
James Bond
The most kickass boy in the 2017 class “I may not have the gadgets and cars that James Bond has, but I aspire to live by his principles: ‘I don’t stop when I’m tired. I stop when I’m done.’”
-Kurien Thomas
Most Likely to be Caught by Keefer
The senior who’s always surprised when the golf cart rolls up
Photo by Isabel Gallego
Photo courtesy of Kurien Thomas
Garbage Disposal That one guy who will eat anything for a dollar
Amanda St. Claire Worst Case of Senioritis
404 ERROR STUDENT NOT FOUND Please try again later
“I’m not at school right now... but yeah, I’ll think of something.” Photo by Khadeejat Lawal
Eddie Sheku
-Lisa Zangla
Popular Picks A closer look at the six most attended universities by the Robinson class of 2017
Cathleen Ridder Photo Editor
Emily Boland Managing Editor
University of Virginia
UVA is one of the best public schools in the country, with over 22,000 students attending. UVA has an exceptional busi-
ness school as well as a variety of other highly ranked degree programs. It is also very difficult to be accepted into, especially for in-state students. The school takes pride in its rich history gained from its founder, Thomas Jefferson, who centered the school around the library. The school is known for its work hard, play hard attitude, but less known is its history of not accepting females until 1970.
George Mason University
GMU is a local school that is a closer-to-home option for many Robinson students. George Mason is mainly
known for its communications and computer science programs. It is home to a fair amount of D1 sport programs. Their basketball team had a historic run in 2006, making it to the Final Four. George Mason is a good school and is close to home, so if one is vulnerable to homesickness, this is an option to further an education within distance to family.
Virginia Commonwealth University
VCU has a decent medical program and is one of the best fine arts schools in the country. VCU has
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Senior Edition
a high acceptance rate at 75 percent, making it easier to get into. VCU has a very good D1 basketball team that has made several runs in the illustrious NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament. This large D1 school, located in the heart of Virginia’s capital, enjoys a healthy mix of athletics and impressive academics.
Sam Davis News Editor
Northern Virginia Community College
NoVa is a two-year college and an affordable school dedicated to helping stu-
dents finish their degrees. NoVa also has an agreement with public colleges across the state, allowing its students to transfer into the schools so long as they meet the academic requirements. This school is both inexpensive and easy to get into, making it a great option for students.
James Madison University
JMU has a respectable business program with a variety of other degrees. Although JMU is not very diverse, it
is ranked highly in terms of campus, student life, and food. It is especially known for its teaching programs and its outstanding NCAA D1-AA football team. Along with this, University Primetime voted it at number 29 for best party school in America. Located in the scenic mountain town of Harrisonburg, VA, these students bleed purple and gold.
Virginia Tech
Virginia Tech is a popular school for engineering and business degrees. Tech
becomes increasingly selective in its admissions each year, especially for the engineering program, but many Robinson students are still accepted into this in-state university. Tech is renowned for its dining facilities, and was rated number one in 2016 for Best College Food, according to Niche.com.
Ivy League Commitments Louie Lewandowski Online Editor Only the best of the best get into Ivy League schools and three students have decided to attend one of the eight possible choices. Nam Kim is attending Harvard, Maggie Walker is attending Dartmouth, and Jennifer Santina is attending Cornell. Getting accepted into an Ivy League is an honorable recognition of these students’ hard work and persistence. They will continue their education studying and learning from the best professors in the world. The Ivy League system is a cluster of eight schools including Brown, University of Pennsylvania, Columbia, Harvard, Yale, Dartmouth, Cornell, and Princeton. All eight schools pride themselves on academic rigor, social status, and high ranking sports teams. It’s no secret that students accepted to Ivy Leagues are extremely smart and well rounded individuals. Robinson offers the resources for students who want to work hard and achieve any student’s dreams of attending one of the elite schools such as the IB Diploma and AP courses. “I am an IB diploma candidate, and I think taking hard courses better prepares me for the rigors of college because I am a better writer and am able to think about the ‘bigger picture,’” said soon to be freshman at Harvard, Nam Kim. The IB Diploma is a rigorous program that
prepares students for what lies ahead in the future, but extracurriculars and school participation are other key aspects that contribute to the Ivy League admission process. “In addition to IB, I was a member of a few clubs and honor societies, a research intern, and a volunteer at my local church and Fairfax Hospital,” said future Cornell freshman, Jennifer Della Santina. “I think it is definitely important to get involved in extracurriculars so that the admissions officers know that you have a life away from studying; at the same time, it is important to balance school and extracurriculars so that you do not overcommit.” Future Ivy League students can visit the campus to experience student life and whether it coincides with what they are looking for while attending college. “It definitely was my reach school, and imagine my surprise when I found out I got into it!” said Kim. I chose Harvard over Yale and Dart-
mouth because after I was admitted, I visited all the schools and Harvard felt the most ‘right.’ The campus, the people, the city, it all felt ‘right.’ It honestly feels like a dream going to Harvard.” That “right” feeling is an unexplainable feeling, and only the students deciding whether to attend these colleges know when a school feels as though they were meant to be a part of the culture. “After visiting Cornell a few times, I really felt like there was a collaborative relationship between students,” said Santina. “I had the opportunity to sit in on a class when I visited, which I highly recommend to prospective undergraduates since it offers a perspective on how classes work and the relationships between professors and students. Being able to participate in a real college course definitely narrowed my college search drastically and helped me choose Cornell.” Teachers, professors, and family members say that college is a defining moment in determining a person’s career and life, these students will be challenged academically and will create many memories at these prestigious schools. Whatever they decide to study in school and pursue in the future, the education they received at Robinson and whichever Ivy League they will attend can provide the power of knowledge which will ultimately change the world.
Senior Edition
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PLAYING FAVORITES
A review of the last four years of Robinson plays Aidan O’Meara Entertainment Editor spray”. “I really liked the acting, and they did a good play off the As Robinson has one of the most active drama departments movie, a good interpretation.” in the area, it’s no surprise that the plays put on by the school’s Drama student Garrett Christian production house, Rambunctious found “Curtains”, also a musical but one Theatre Co. (RTC), are popular with stylistically dissimilar to “Hairspray”, students. Since 2012, RTC has produced 11 plays, ranging from Shakespearean to be the best Robinson play. Christian dramas (“Macbeth”) to classic comeelaborated on his choice, saying “It influenced every other show I did in dies (“Little Shop of Horrors”). With high school.” the Class of 2017 graduating, it’s time The drama department has put on to take a look back at seniors’ favorites from their time at Robinson. an impressively diverse range of plays. Each student brings their own interests Chris Hopkins chose RTC’s producand experiences to each play, providing tion of “Hairspray” as his personal faunique viewings for all. RTC’s previous vorite. “Everyone in it was amazing, and the seniors that led that show did such production, an adaptation of the Tony a great job,” said Hopkins. The show left Award-winning musical “Pippin”, is by no means its last, so there will be many quite an impression on him, saying “It more chances for underclassmen to find still sticks out to me as memorable even their own favorite Robinson play by though it was at least two years ago.” Megan Prosser agreed with Hopkins, graduation. saying that she absolutely loved “Hair- Visual representation of polled seniors’ favorite Rambunctious Theatre Co’s plays during the last four years.
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Senior Edition
Summer Concerts Jessica Reid Social Media Editor
Kendrick Lamar is coming to the Verizon Center in Washington D.C. on July 21st as part of his “DAMN.” Tour. The tour is promoting Lamar’s fourth album “DAMN.” featuring the Billboard Hot 100 topping single “Humble.” “DAMN.” was released on April 14, 2017 and features popular artists like Rihanna and U2. Chance the Rapper is coming to Jiffy Lube Live this summer on June 4th as part of his 2017 Spring Tour . There are two special ticket packages; “The Rock, Paper, Scissors Package”, anyone can pay $75 to play Rock, Paper, Scissors with Chance, (best 2 out of 3), receive a Signature ‘3’ Hat, VIP Laminate, early entrance to the venue, and an early look at his merchandise, however no pictures are allowed. If that package does not sound appealing enough, fans can pay $250 for the “Tweeted by Chance Package” where you get a selfie with Chance, that he will tweet from his Twitter account, along with the VIP Laminate, and early entrance and look at the merchandise. Add Florida Georgia Line to the list of all the artists coming to Jiffy Lube Live this summer! They will be in Bristow on August 5th, on The Smooth Tour. Dedicated fans have the option to purchase a tour specific autographed guitar, signed by the two members, Brian and Tyler, with either the purchase of a “Here’s to the Good Times VIP Lounge Experience” or a “Sun Daze VIP Hot Seat Package.”
Entertainment
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Block
7 1 0 2 r e m m Su
Savannah Evans Staff Writer
Isabel Gallego Photo Editor
Regan McHugh Staff Writer
June 2, 2017 Wonder Woman starts off with Diana, a princess of the island of Themyscira and a trained warrior. As the movie progresses, Diana learns information that leads her to fight in a violent conflict in the outside world. Set during World War I, the film follows Wonder Woman as she discovers the full extent of her strength as well as her destiny. Gal Gadot (Fast Five) portrays Wonder Woman and shot the movie while she was five months pregnant.
June 9th, 2017 A young princess named Ahmanet, played by Sofia Boutella, was chosen to be the new ruler of Egypt 2,000 years ago, but her father did not wish to pass on the throne until he had a son. Ahmanet kills her father and attempts to claim the throne for herself, but her plan backfires when she is buried alive beneath the sands of Egypt. Her tomb is eventually discovered and opened by the American army, with Tom Cruise and Jake Johnson starring as a pair of soldiers. Ahmanet is awakened, bringing with her a furious grudge that will haunt humanity.
June 16th, 2017 In the third rendition of the Cars franchise, Lightining McQueen is back. After being defeated by high-tech racer Jackson Storm and enduring a terrible crash, his fans begin to wonder if the famous Lightning McQueen will retire from racing. With help from friends and race technician Cruz Ramirez, he begins to train in pursuit of a comeback in the Florida 500.
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Entertainment
busters June 30th, 2017
In this movie, Gru must work with his three kids and new wife, Lucy, as they try to save the world from being dominated by ‘80s child star Balthazar Bratt. Gru also meets his long lost twin brother, Dru. Steve Carell voices both Gru and Dru, and also returning is Miranda Cosgrove, who plays Margo, Gru’s oldest daughter. In the third installment of this Universal film, Gru and the minions are back to their mischevious ways.
July 7th, 2017 The third imagining of the universally recognized superhero Spider-Man won’t contain the overused backstory. Instead, it begins after he is recognized by the Avengers. The movie centers around Peter Parker (Tom Holland) as he tries to manage his life as a high schooler while attempting to prove himself to his mentor, Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.). Vulture (Michael Keaton), a never-before-seen villain, emerges to jeopardize Peter Parker and everyone he cares about. Spider-Man: Homecoming comes out on July 7.
Entertainment
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Food with the Fam Location:
Location:
11325 Random Hills Rd. Fairfax, VA 22030
6025 Burke Centre Pkwy, Burke, VA 22015
Tastiness:
Tastiness:
Zinga’s frozen yogurt is creamy and sweet, just like it should be. The flavor variety is lacking compared to Sweet Frog, with less creative flavors offered.
There are definitely some good flavors at Sweet Frog and the ones that taste good are REALLY good. However, there are one or two bland and gross flavors.
B+ A-
X-Factor
-1 Smaller amount of topping options.
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Rowing All the Way Adjusting to a New Robinson Crew Coaching Staff Matthew Lichtblau Sports Editor The 2017 crew season saw many changes, including a new coaching staff and a revamped style of practice and play. Back in late November, Robinson crew officially began winter conditioning for the 2017 spring season under the new leadership of girls head coach Kevin Murphy and boys head coach Matthew Petty (along with four other first-year coaches), completing vital workouts ranging from basic weight lifting to “erging,” or exercising on rowing machines. Throughout winter conditioning and the spring season alike, the new coaches worked hard to transform the team, and meet the goal of maximizing team performance. Murphy, who has been involved in the sport of crew for 30 years and who serves as Robinson crew program director in addition to being girls head coach, said that his primary emphasis is “helping rowers understand the ‘why,’” explaining that his coaching approach has been largely built around teaching athletes why specific training techniques, execution of rowing stroke, and other skills are important. In his new position, Murphy expressed his excitement about what the committed, focused Robinson rowers have to offer and what the team has accomplished this season. For him, “The most enjoyable parts have been working with the student-athletes, learning more about Robinson as a community and the team’s traditions.” He gives credit to the team—especially the seniors—as a whole for the adaptations they’ve made over the course of the year, noting that he understands the difficulty of adjusting to
The Robinson crew team practices on the Occoquan for an upcoming regatta. Photo courtesy of Friends of Robinson Crew
new coaching: “Whenever there is turnover in a coaching staff… there will be a learning curve as the coaches try to implement their plans and vision.” Girls crew captain Maddie Tirado said that the coaching turnover was a significant change, but that the team hasn’t lost sight of its primary goals: “Everything we’ve been working on this year has been focused on long-term improvement.” Regarding the team’s progress throughout the 2016-17 school year, Tirado added, “We remodeled our rowing technique based on the new coaches’ guidance. It took a while to get used to this new stroke, but taking the extra time to deconstruct and rebuild our stroke has benefited us immensely!” In sophomore varsity coxswain Edward Conrad’s eyes, the new coaching staff has been
“extremely helpful and reliable” over the course of the season, doing everything in their power to improve the team and the “resilient and hardworking” rowers’ overall level of achievement. Crew remains an increasingly popular hallmark of the Robinson athletic community. Tirado, who is currently a senior, joined the team as a freshman and has grown to love the sport over the course of her high school career, saying, “Training for crew is really intense, but the best part is the bond that you form with the other girls.” Conrad echoed similar sentiments, stating that he enjoys rowing with friends and making new friends from other teams along the way. Overall, Robinson crew is having fun, and with the significant changes that this year brought to the program, the team remains optimistic about where it’s headed down the road.
A Robinson crew Mens Eight boat rows back to the boathouse after finishing a race. Photo courtesy of Mike Socha
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David Glass Track and Field
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I’m not the best runner so my greatest achievement is to see my friends work really hard and encourage them.
Interview by Bridget Harold Photo by Jane Burhoe
”
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Always put 100% into your work and one day you’ll see all your effort pay off.
” ”
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My daily goals is to make sure I’m putting in 100% effort and if I’m not tired then I’m not hitting my daily goal.
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Sports
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[My favorite thing about track] is friends and teammates. It’s a lot of fun to hang out with them.
”
Locking Up the Lacrosse Season
Photos courtesy of Ethan Cavin
Matthew Lichtblau Sports Editor
Boys Varsity Lacrosse is the pinnacle of Robinson athletics in the eyes of many, and coming off of its third straight Virginia state championship, the team had high expectations heading into the 2017 spring season. Naturally, when the Rams fell 15-11 to South County in the Virginia 6A North regional quarterfinals on May 19, the team and its loyal supporters couldn’t help but feel disappointed. As junior midfielder Nahum Samuel put it, “We definitely should’ve been states-bound…We didn’t end the season the way we wanted to.” The surprising defeat wasn’t without its fair share of controversy. According to Samuel, “the refs just called a lot of penalties on us, and they didn’t really call any on South County.” He added that Robinson was flagged for penalties on many of the same types of offenses committed by South County, but that South County wasn’t penalized. Samuel estimated that, by the end of the game, Robinson had accumulated around 20 penalties. To put that into perspective, he said that, normally, it would take the team three to four games alone to reach such a high penalty total. Senior midfielder Sam Swagerty said that, towards the game’s conclusion, “no calls were going our way.” In junior Holden Patterson’s opinion, the referees simply didn’t understand the natural physicality of a standard high school level lacrosse match. As such, he felt that the referees called too many penalties and exercised their power too frequently. Swagerty had
a very different take, saying that “the refs let the game get way too physical in the first half, and in return, a few key players on our team were injured.” To Samuel, the subpar refereeing “for sure” had an impact on the game: “because at one point we were four men down, and then we also had injured players, so that really affected not how we played, but it affected the fact that we were mostly on defense and our defense was getting tired.” Patterson acknowledged that he couldn’t definitively pin the loss exclusively on the referees, but the poor refereeing “did not help at all.” As a whole, Swagerty was simultaneously “proud and disappointed for what the team accomplished this year.” On one hand, the senior class that he is currently a part of had the most combined wins over the last four years in Robinson history. But, on the other hand, of course, the loss to South County—in a game Swagerty believes the team definitely should have won—was devastating for the entire squad. While the premature defeat was heartbreaking, the team is positive that it will come back next year, alive and stronger than ever. Swagerty, who has committed to Christopher Newport University for lacrosse, is confident that the team will be left in good hands once he’s gone, saying, “I am looking forward to next year’s team. I think they have some great players and with the motivation from the loss this year, I don’t doubt they will win the state championship.” Sports
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