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THE PAW PRINT An Independent Publication of Wilde Lake High School •5460 Trumpeter Rd. Columbia, MD 21044 • Volume 42, Issue 3•

Speech and Debate Students Compete at Nationals in Florida

By Anjali DasSarma Feature Editor

“I used to get so nervous with public speaking and reading out loud in class,” said junior Sarah Nemsick. Seeing Nemsick now, speaking clearly and thoughtfully, it’s hard to imagine a version of her that had trouble with verbal communication.

“I really wanted to improve [my public speaking], so I joined Speech class,” said Nemsick.

“Speech has really helped me with my public speaking, I’m really good at public presentations and I don’t get nervous anymore.”

The Speech and Debate club has been running for over 20

years at Wilde Lake, and the stories from the students involved are all very similar. Students help the club and class help with leadership roles, communication skills, and research techniques.

The team’s sponsor is English teacher Ms. Midgley, who has coached since 1997.

“Most of our team members have been recognized at some point during the season, but there are several students who routinely medal in multiple events: junior Sara Shemali, junior Meghna Manohar, sophomore Rustin Pare, and sophomore Destiny Lawrence,” said Ms. Midgley.

The club members compete in six major tournaments, league

finals, and nationals each year.

During typical meetings, students share ideas about their cases and work on researching the topics they get every two months.

Junior Sara Shemali has been a part of the debate team since her freshman year, has participated in 11 contests this year, and joined Tiara Hines and Meghna Manohar this year at the national competition. This year at states, she won first place in two competitions and fourth place in a duo performance with Manohar.

Research, she says, is a huge part of being on the Speech and Debate team.

“People underestimate how much research goes into debate,

Shemali and Manohar have both been participating in speech and debate since middle school (Photograph by Natalie Varela).

because you really have to know what you’re talking about. Debate has helped me learn how to find better research and to know where to look to find scholarly articles,” said Shemali.

The team debates philosophical ideas to argue about the “world as it should be,” said Ms. Midgley.

Ms. Lopez Announces Retirement

By Caitlyn Brosnan Staff Writer

“Obey The Lopez” reads the sign at the front of Ms. Lopez’s classroom, a gift from the Class of 2013 for her birthday. The sign describes her unique persona perfectly: regal and wise with a hint of mischief.

Well known for her one-of-a-kind personality and worldly approach to teaching, Ms. Lopez has dedicated her life to helping others.

Ms. Lopez lived in the Bronx until she was 14, when her father took a job as a union worker in Detroit, where she would finish high school and get her undergraduate degree at Wayne State. After earning her undergraduate, Ms. Lopez earned her masters degree in English at Michigan State. While getting her masters, Ms. Lopez met her husband, and together, they moved back and forth from Michigan to Colorado and finally ended up in Washington D.C, where Ms. Lopez went to law school.

After law school, Ms. Lopez worked as a civil rights lawyer for the NAACP for fouryears. Then, she earned a second masters degree in teaching at Johns Hopkins.

In her career, Ms. Lopez has taught college classes at the University of Michigan and Wayne State. She also taught a program to help laid off workers get back on their feet. She spent the end of her career teaching English in high school.

In total, Ms. Lopez has been teaching for 27 years. She has taught in the Howard County school system, at Hammond High and Wilde Lake for the past 15.

Ms. Lopez will miss Wilde Lake, but she is excited for what is to come (Photograph by Natalie Varela).

While establishing her career, she also traveled around the world and visited China, Cambodia, Italy, Hungary, Germany, among many countries.

Ms. Lopez began teaching in 1974, but her love of literature goes back to when she was a young girl with a vivid imagination.

She says she began teaching for the interaction with people, the creativity, and the independence that the profession provides.

For Ms. Lopez, teaching was a mission.

“Education to me is not just limited to the classroom. It’s what life is all about, always learning. You can only learn if your

mind is open to it, so I hope my students continue to have open minds,” said Ms. Lopez. “I hope that they continue to read and think for themselves and not just regurgitate what has been told to them, because that is not education in my mind. I hope that they continue to grow as independent thinkers.”

Ms. Lopez’s experience and wisdom help her in being able to spread her ideas about individuality which have inspired both students and her coworkers, says Mr. Townsend.

“She encourages me to have an opinion, to do what is right, care about people, and be myself,” said Mr. Townsend.

Not only has Ms. Lopez taught many students over the years, but they have all taught her something.

“I’ve learned new words that I never thought about as having a different meaning, patience on a deeper level, and extending compassion. Teaching has enriched my compassion for others,” said Ms. Lopez.

Throughout her career, Ms. Lopez fought for the rights of students and teachers, as she was a representative for the teacher’s union.

After she retires and gets surgery on her knee, “life begins!” said Ms. Lopez. She is excited about what awaits, and will be working on writing stories, traveling, and working.

“I’ll be enjoying myself, really,” said Ms. Lopez.

Wilde Lake will be losing a unique and knowledgeable teacher. The students wish her all the best.

During the meetings, the students rehearse their presentations, share constructive criticism, and give feedback.

“We work together and come up with ideas as a team,” said Shemali.

Mr. Cox Accepts Crystal Flame Award

Mr. LeMon and county representatives surprise Mr. Cox with the Crystal Flame Award (Photograph by Natalie Varela).

By Jenny Lees Opinion Editor

As students applauded, Mr. Cox was presented with the 2015 Crystal Flame Award in the Students category, for creating Math Help on Main Street, where he offers assistance to students struggling in any level of math.

The annual HCPSS Crystal Flame staff awards was first established in 2013.

There are four categories: Students, Staff, Families and the Community, and Organization.

The goal is to honor staff members for accomplishments in each of the categories.

By donating his time before, during, and after school, Mr. Cox continues to show his support for the success of students.

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NEWS & FEATURES

Hoops for Heart Raises $2,500 for Charity

By Catherine Ewing Staff Writer

This year, the National Honor Society recognized a problem: heart disease is the number one cause of death in America. To combat this, they chose to fundraise for the American Heart Association by hosting Hoops for Heart.

The bracket-style 3v3 basketball tournament took place after school on March 20 with an impressive turnout of 19 student teams.

With the help of everyone who attended, the NHS was able to raise $2,500 from a combination of team registration fees and donations. The money went towards research and care for those suffering from heart and circulatory system diseases.

Forty-four NHS members participated by setting-up, cleaning-up, helping support in the stands, and even playing on the court.

“I was very impressed by the good sportsmanship and the student turnout,” said Ms. Volinsky, the sponsor of Wilde Lake’s chapter of NHS. According to Ms.Volinsky, the goal of Hoops for Heart was not only to raise money for the American Heart Association, but also to bring Wilde Lake students together.

The winner of the event was “Team Swish,” made up of members from the varsity basketball team: graduate Steven Jordan, junior Austin Cantwell, and junior Kyle Ichrist. Chik-fil-A gift card prizes were given out to the winners of the t-shirt decorating contest, “The Prairie Dogs,” with their Maryland flag themed design.

“More people than I expected came out to support the event, and we raised a lot more money than I thought we would,” said Paige Boyer, former NHS president, citing the event as a success.

“It seemed like all the participants were having a really good time for a really good cause,” said graduate Justin Allen, who agreed with Boyer about the event’s success.

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Ms. Becker Selected as Teacher of the Year

By Catherine Ewing Staff Writer

Dim, dreary, dull. These are the words that often come to mind when entering a typical math class. But enter Ms. Becker’s classroom and you will immediately be greeted with bright and positive energy that brings math to life.

That’s what makes Ms. Becker stand out as a teacher and what earned her the “Teacher of the Year” title.

Ms. Becker’s love for math is immediately apparent to her students, and it encourages even the “math-haters” to look for the positives in math.

“Her love of math is contagious to her students and the teachers that work with her,” said math teacher Ms. Parker.

Her students appreciate her nontraditional ways of teaching that can transform boring and complicated subject matter into interesting and understandable topics.

“She worked closely with me on creating a song to remember the difference on type one and type two errors, which are similar but also extremely different, and

she helped me create a song that clearly separates them,” said graduate Jewel Stevenson.

These creative methods of teaching are how she makes sure every student is being taught in the way that will allow him or her to be most successful, said Ms. Becker.

“Ms. Becker is always willing to help her students no matter what and unlike a lot of other AP teachers she actually teaches material instead of relying on the students to teach themselves using the textbook,” said Faith Taylor, another recent graduate of Wilde Lake.

Ms. Becker appreciates taking the extra time to listen to her students when they tell her how they learn best.

“They’re not telling me how to do my job, they’re telling me what works for them,” said Ms. Becker.

Graduate Taylor Tobias said, “She’s the teacher with the most personality, and she actually makes math kind of fun!”

However, Ms. Becker will be leaving Wilde Lake next year, as she is moving to Noth Carolina.

Ms. Becker combines her unique teaching methods and positive energy to teach complicated math to students (Photograph by Natalie Varela).

State of the Black Girl Talk Ignites Thoughtful Discussion About Race

By Misbah Farooqi News Editor

“Black girls will...” is the prompt that Mr. Ringgold used to open up the Black Student Achievement Program’s annual roundtable discussion on March 23.

The “State of the Black Girl Talk” was a panel discussion between students, teachers, and community leaders from around the county about social, economic, and personal issues that black girls face everyday.

The goal of the discussion was to encourage and empower black girls, while giving them resources and getting their feedback on how to resolve issues that they face.

The student portion of the panel consisted of graduates Jody Cole, Mouna Mawolo,

and Janelle Darby, joined by a senior from Marriotts Ridge. Another graduate of Wilde Lake and Ms. Sharon Harris, a community outreach leader, also participated in the panel discussion.

“I believe that every girl should be confident in everything she does.”

-Jody Cole Social and cultural issues concerning young black women were discussed, along with proposed solutions, like starting a mentorship program between older and younger girls to provide guidance and support. They touched on topics ranging from academic performance to racial ste-

reotypes.

“I wanted to have a voice in helping girls prove that everything is possible. I believe that every girl should be confident in everything she does,” said graduate Jody Cole on why she wanted to attend the discussion.

Mr. Ringgold believes that the discussion was a success, and thinks that it is only the beginning.

“My hope is that the saying ‘it takes a village to raise a child’ becomes relevant.

We all play a role in the development of the children in our village,” said Mr. Ringgold.

Mr. Ringgold continued the discussion at Long Reach on April 30 with a panel consisting of himself and administrators, the BSAP, and Delta Scholars at Long Reach.

Culture Day Changes Reflect Rift Between Students and Administration

By Misbah Farooqi and Carmen Freeman News Editor and Staff Writer

This year, Culture Day was presented to students in a peprally style assembly, during a two hour long 6th period in which half of all 6th period classes went down during the first hour and the other half went down during the second hour.

Mr. Browder, the staff sponsor of the event, believes that the schedule changes created a more organized and inclusive event.

According to Mr. Browder, in

past years, only about half of the students were able to come down, and those that did, often came down multiple times. In addition, the open invite made administration anxious about behavior problems, said Mr. Browder. This year, every student was able to come down and “there were very few problems,” according to Mr. Browder.

“The changes helped the administration keep the flow of things and made it easier to monitor,” said Mr. Crouse.

However, many students believe that they deserve to have

day-long events like Culture Day. “I understand that the changes were made to have a more organized and structured event, but I feel like students should be able to enjoy Culture Day for the whole day. Students and the administration need to start listening to each other and understanding where the other is coming from,” said sophomore Mariana Boully.

Mr. Browder agrees that more changes still need to be made, such as adding more performances with bigger audiences and letting students take more responsibility of organizing and planning

the event.

He wants to make sure that the next student sponsor and all of the students involved with Culture Day will continue the tradition and make sure all of the students will continue to enjoy the event.

“When I leave Wilde Lake, I want to know that the tradition won’t cease to exist. I want to ensure that the students will be able to have Culture Day for many years to come,” said Mr. Browder.

Mr. Browder hopes to work with the SGA next year to ensure that the student concerns are heard.

“Students and the administration need to start listening to each other and understanding where the other is coming from.”

-Mariana Boully

NEWS & FEATURES

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Intern/Mentor Students Create New Technology IN BRIEF:

According to Gallup Poll, 45 Percent of Students Are Hopeful

By Jenny Lees Opinion Editor

Thin films. While the words alone might not mean much to most people, anyone who has used a phone, mirror, or a pair of glasses has relied on thin films, and graduates Mary Kate Toole and Lizzie Lee invented a new system to measure thin film thickness.

Toole and Lee interned at Blue Wave Semiconductors, where they studied thin film deposition, which is the application of thin films to a surface.

“Blue wave has been using our system for the past two months, and our boss is hoping to integrate it into our product line within the next year,” said senior Mary Kate Toole.

Thin films are only nanometers thick, and control of the thickness is essential to the effectiveness of the thin films “When the thin film is deposited, there are a bunch of different techniques to use, and we were looking for the best technique to use to make it the most uniform,” said Lee. Their internship was part of the Intern/ Mentor class, taught by Ms. Dixon.

“Ms. Dixon arranges for us to have an internship, and basically during class, we intern at our different internships and leave school during our class periods. I have 5th and 6th period so when I get to 5th, I’m allowed to leave and go to my internship,” said Lee.

The results of last year’s Gallup Poll reported that 47 percent of Wilde Lake students felt “hopeful,” 39 percent were “engaged,” and 57 percent appeared to be “thriving.”

According to the report, this is a 2 percent drop in Hope and Engagement from last year and a modest 2 percent improvement in well-being.

Graduates Mary Kate Toole and Lizzie Lee gain valuable real-life skills from their Intern/Mentor class (Photograph by Natalie Varela).

Lee gained valuable experience through the opportunities that the class gave her.

“I took away how to be in a professional setting. In other classrooms, you learn with your eyes and ears and in a classroom setting, but in this class, I got to learn with my hands, and I got to experience what a job would be like,” said Lee. Lee added that her experience interning reinforced her decision to pursue a career in the bioengineering field.

“For me, the goal of the class is to explore options for careers, because I wanted to discover what I wanted to do in college,”

said Lee. Each year, the Intern/Mentor class gives students the opportunity to excel in subject matters of their choice.

“I was able to really explore what I wanted to do. I [chose] to do an engineering internship, and I was able to see that this is definitely what I want to do in the future,” said Lee. After finishing the course, Lee said, “I think it was honestly one of my favorite classes that I’ve ever taken here. It was just such a great experience.”

Lindsay Murray Finds Voice On Youtube

SGA Announces New Officers The Student Government Association welcomed six new officers, with Misbah Farooqi as president, Kenyatta Bellamy as vice president, Sara Shemali as treasurer, Abhijith Muloor as secretary, Addy Popoola as officer’s assistant, and Will Smith as director of communications.

Congratulations to these students and good luck with the upcoming year!

Wilde Lake Team Runs in Support of Children’s Cancer Research On June 4, Mr. LeMon and a group of teachers ran in the Johns Hopkins Corporate Fun Run Challenge for children cancer research.

The WLHS team included Ms. Chavarria, Mr. LeMon, Mr. Shoemaker, and Ms. Kern.

Not only does Lindsay Murray film, edit, and upload videos, but she also does her own graphic design, as seen in her Youtube channel banner above.

Lindsay Murray currently has over 1,000 subscribers on YouTube (Photograph by Natalie Varela).

By Misbah Farooqi and Jenny Lees News and Opinion Editors

When sophomore Lindsay Murray comes home from a day of school followed by cheer practice or play rehearsal, she goes through her daily routine which includes homework and studying, just like most people.

However, that’s not where her day ends. After she finishes her school work, she turns on her video camera.

In 2014, Murray started making and posting YouTube videos. She makes a wide range of videos, from hairstyle and makeup tutorials to advice videos. Her channel, lindsaymurray, currently has 1,052 subscribers from all around the world.

“I started my YouTube channel because I wanted to place where I felt like I had a voice and wanted to post content that would inspire others,” said Murray.

She has received a total of 54,258 views on her videos, and her most viewed video, which is an advice video on how to make your high school cheer team, has 16,210 views.

However, it hasn’t been easy. She’s subject to hate, especially online.

“The most difficult part is knowing that people at school watch them and judge my videos, but knowing that my videos may be helping someone is greater than the hate,” said Murray.

She films her videos after school, edits them on the weekends, and usually uploads every Monday.

“I make videos because I love the process of planning a video and then watching it come to life as I film, edit, and upload it. It takes a lot of time and effort, but I love and enjoy making the content that I make,” said Murray.

Even before starting her channel, makeup was a hobby for Murray.

“I really enjoy playing around with makeup. Some people are good at expressing themselves through drawings on paper, but when I do my makeup it’s a way of expressing myself. It’s like my own art form,” said Murray.

Murray encourages others who want to start a Youtube channel but are afraid of being judged.

“It’s going to be scary at first, but if you have a passion, you should just go for it,” said Murray.

Mr. LeMon Calls for “Police Presence” After Vandalism Threat

Mr. LeMon calls for an increased police presence on June 12 after an alleged general threat in the boys bathroom wall on the third floor.

Mr. LeMon did not announce the exact wording of the threat.

AP and G/T English Announce Summer Reading AP English students will arrive to the beach this summer with flip flops, sunglasses, and Shakespeare.

The reading list includes The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Hamlet, and Great Expectations.

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SPORTS

Baseball Team Finishes Season At 9-12, Best Record Since ‘10 JV Players Look to Fill the Shoes of Eight Graduated Seniors

By Michael Casey, Ashleigh Cameron, and Nick Smythe Staff Writers

Finishing at 9-12-0, the ‘14-’15 Wilde Lake baseball team has been the best team in the program’s history since their ‘09-’10 season.

Mr. Penn has been coaching the baseball team for the past five seasons. He has coached the team through both their worst and their best in the past five years.

The team feels that the ‘14-’15 season is a turning point for the program.

“This has been our best season since I’ve started on the team,” said Matt Aubin, a former catcher, “we have a great time, win or lose, and even with every argument we have with each other at the end of the day we aren’t just teammates but we are family.”

Aubin said that the team has improved a lot since he started playing during his sophomore year.

“We’ve most improved in our hitting, fielding, and attitude,” he said.

Now that the season is over, the athletes are looking to the future. “We have a lot of things that we need to improve on, especially myself, and I can say without a doubt we are all ready to make any sacrifice necessary to become better,” said graduate Cuinn Mullins.

Graduate Cuinn Mullins led the team with six home runs, 27 hits, 22 RBIs,

eight stolen bases, and 22 runs scored.

He was also voted first-team all county as outfielder and selected to the Brooks Robinson all-star game.

Next year, 7 of the team’s 9 starters and a total of 8 college-bound seniors will be leaving the team, along with the three team managers. The positions of pitcher, catcher, first base, second base, third base, shortstop, left field, and center field will all be open spots for incoming varsity players to fill.

Aidan McGonigal, the only freshman on varsity baseball, was recently a new addition to the team and explained that watching the seniors leave can be hard, but when one door closes another one opens.

“We will definitely miss everybody but there are some good players coming up from JV. Sophomore pitcher Jackson Schaffer is somebody to watch for next year,” said McGonigal. “There is some great talent moving up to replace the seniors,” he said.

The new players are looking forward to stepping up as leaders on the varsity team, and are ready to work even harder, but the team will undoubtedly miss the .551 batting average of Cuinn Mullins and the .474 batting average of Wyatt Oler, both graduates.

Pre-season workouts are a large part of getting ready for the up and coming season and are often dreaded by the players, but for McGonigal they are a way to bring the team back together. “After this season is over I’ll be ready to get back on the field and have a fresh start,” said McGonigal.

“Starting workouts without the seniors will be different, but I think that we will need to get closer as a team,” said McGonigal, “I think next season [the team] will be able to surprise people and pull out some wins.”

Baseball players train hard at practice and support each other during games (Photograph by Natalie Varela).

Perspective: Should Girl’s Lacrosse Continue To Wear Skirts?

By Ashleigh Cameron Staff Writer

Can you imagine running down the field in a skirt that goes down to your knees?

Some women athletes almost know what this feels like. In 1926, the first girls’ lacrosse team ever was created. Their uniforms were long, loose pleated dresses that came down to their knees and they wore long-sleeved white shirts under their dresses.

Back in the 1950’s, many girls were participating in sports such as volleyball, soccer, cheerleading, and basketball. Although those are very different sports, they once had one thing in common: Girls were required to wear long, pleated skirts that reached just above their knees.

Today, girls who play sports like field hockey and lacrosse still wear skirts, even in a culture

where girls wear shorts and pants.

The tradition of girls wearing only skirts and boys wearing pants and shorts hasn’t been popular for decades.

However, at Wilde Lake, the girl’s lacrosse team continues with the skirt-only uniform.

“The thing is, the standard for girl’s lacrosse is skirts. It’s not a county wide policy, but it’s more of an establishment,” said Coach Williams, the varsity coach.

“Every three years, the coach at the time orders new uniforms and he or she decides if they wear skirts or shorts for the next three years,” said Williams.

Kelsey Diven, formerly on the varsity team said, “We never really got a choice with the last Wilde Lake lacrosse coach. He decided that he wanted us to continue the tradition of wearing skirts, so that’s the new uniform we got.”

Victoria Morgan, a sophomore

playing on the JV lacrosse team, admits her dislike for the lacrosse skirts and says she wishes that she was allowed to wear shorts.

“They’re uncomfortable. When you’re running they ride up your legs and you start paying more attention to pulling your skirt down than to the game,” said Morgan.

Desmyn Stevenson, also a sophomore on the JV lacrosse team, says that even though she doesn’t mind having to wear the skirts, she would prefer not to.

“The skirts give us more of a free range of motion if they’re a bigger size, but if they’re too small you can barely move at all.

I would prefer it if we wore shorts, it would make playing easier,” said Stevenson.

Another requirement is that players have to wear spandex under their skirt or else they are not allowed to play. If the girls forget to bring their spandex to a game,

they have to sit on the bench for the duration of the game.

Some of the girls expressed their dislike for this rule.

“I hate the fact that if I don’t bring my spandex, I can’t play.

It’s annoying and it wouldn’t be a problem if we were allowed to wear shorts,” Amanda Daughtry, a sophomore on Varsity said.

If the girls wore shorts , then wearing spandex wouldn’t be as big of a deal. Although spandex are still part of the uniform, you wouldn’t be forced to sit out of the game if you forget to wear them under your shorts.

In girls’ lacrosse, athletes continue to wear skirts because of tradition. However, some schools are allowing girls to wear shorts.

Mt. Hebron is one school that opted to switch from the traditional skirts to shorts.

Tradition is an important part of life. Girls used to wear skirts

because skirts were symbols of femininity and modesty, but as the years go on, less and less girls follow this tradition. The assumption that because you’re a girl, you should wear skirts, is not as common now as it once was.

Since the last time the lacrosse team got new uniforms was last year, they will have to wait another two years before they can decide if they are going to continue with the tradition of wearing skirts or not.

“If I am still coach when it comes time to order the new uniforms, I will leave it up to the team to decide if they want to wear skirts for another three years or if they want to make the change to shorts,” said Coach Williams.

She admits that she doesn’t want to force the girls to continue wearing the skirts if they don’t want too. “It’s their choice,” said Coach Williams.

SPORTS

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Girls Relay Team Crushes Record

By Kate Glaros Sports Editor

To break a high school track record is to do what no one at a school has ever done before. It’s to run faster than anyone that has ever competed at that school. Juniors Sarah Spall, Kristen Edwards, Elise McGinnis, and Jamila Brown are some of the few athletes who know what this feels like. In a sport geared toward the individual, this group of girls managed to work together as a team to win.

The team won third place for the DMR at the Gator Invitational held at Reservoir.

DMR stands for Distance Medley Relay, and is a more unconventional track event.

Jamila Brown Places Second at States Sprinter Runs a Blazing 11.95

By Ricky Ho Staff Writer

Junior Jamila Brown, a student athlete and the top female 100 and 200 meter runner in the state, ran a personal best of 11.95 seconds in the 100 meter dash and a state best of 24.41 200 meter dash. Both records were set at the state championship meet at Morgan State University this year.

Brown beat out Kathleen Amstad in the 100 and 200 meter dash to take first place in those events.

“It was nice to see my hard work pay off.

I’ve wanted to break 12 seconds [in the 100 meter dash] since 9th grade. It was great to have it happen,” said Brown.

Despite the fact that track is an individual sport, Brown values the team aspects of training. “The best thing about Wilde Lake track is the coaches and the team,” says Jamila. “We’re all a big family and we push each other to be the best we can.”

Being the best means records are shattered. Brown has broken records for the 100m, 200m, 300m, 500m, the 4x1, and the 4x2. Brown also ran the 100m, 200m, 4x1, and the 4x2 at regionals.

Brown says competition is what keeps her motivated through a race. “My competition at states was big this year, so as I run I try to beat their times or at least get close to it,” said Brown.

Being the top athlete in your sport is very difficult, but something even more challenging is being a great student athlete, which is what Brown is.

“Well right now I have a 3.2 GPA. No matter what, I’m a student first. Yes I’m an athlete, but I believe school should be the number one priority,” said Brown.

Each relay team has four members, and each individual athlete runs a different distance. The first runs 1200 meters, the second 400 meters, the third 800 meters, and the fourth 1600 meters. “Its the only relay where you’re running your own race, but as a team. Its a cool mix of your own times and your teammates’ times,” said Kristen Edwards, a junior and first-time track runner.

In addition to winning third place at Reservoir, the team also won at home. The girls were informed that they had shattered the school DMR record, set in 2011 at 17:24.89, by almost four whopping minutes. Their time, 13:56.53, was something

to be proud of.

“It felt pretty fantastic. It was kind of a surreal feeling,” said Edwards.

Edwards and McGinnis agreed that every runner in the relay tremendously contributed to the team’s success. They had only good things to say about their teammates. “[Sarah Spall] is a great runner and she came onto the team in really good shape.

She’s a team player,” said McGinnis. “She was the first runner in the relay, so she started us out really strong.”

“Running with Jamila was fantastic, and talking with her about our times is so weird because her times are amazing,” said Ed-

wards, “to be chosen to run with some of the fastest girls on track was an honor.”

According to McGinnis, it was the support from her other teammates that helped to push the track team to victory.

“The relay was so exciting, the whole team came together to show its support,” she said, “It really brought our team together. It brought together the distance runners and the sprinters. It made us a family.”

Track season has since come to a close, but the record has remained. The girls love having their names in the record books, and look forward to next season when they can once again work together to challenge their past times.

Upcoming Varsity Players Hope to Repeat Past Success

By Ricky Ho Staff Writer

After finishing the 2014 football season with a disappointing 3-7 record, Wilde Lake football is investing its future in its rising JV team, which ended its 2014 season undefeated, 10-0.

Tied for third last in the division and having missed playoffs for the their fourth consecutive year last season, the varsity team is hoping to repeat their 2010 season, when they won the State Championship under the leadership of Coach Harrison. That hope lies in the JV team, which has spent the off season training and preparing for the upcoming 2015 season.

Derrick Lesane, sophomore cornerback and running back, thinks that Wilde Lake’s best years are ahead. “We can do a lot, and if we execute, we can get

another championship and with a 10-0 record on JV. I think we can carry that talent to varsity level,” said Lesane.

How will they secure another championship? “Step it up and work as a team from start to finish,” says sophomore Daquan Pridget. And that means working hard in the offseason.

Kicker, punter, and cornerback Jason Macmillan says Wilde Lake’s strength is its special teams. “We need to work on playing as a team,” says Macmillan.

But Macmillan believes that in order for the team to improve he must improve himself. “I do a lot of speed training and conditioning, strength workouts in the offseason,” says Macmillan. “We need to do more kicking and punting along with harder conditioning workouts.”

Sophomores David Funderburk, defensive end and tight end, Daquan Pridget, wide receiver and cornerback,

and Anthony Jenkins, running back and safety, are spending their offseasons in the gym.

“I’m going to lift weights and get stronger and faster,” says Funderburk.

Pridget agrees: “I want to get better by getting in the weight room and on the field. My goal is to help Wilde Lake win,” says Pridget.

Sophomore Anthony Jenkins, running back and safety, played for Atholton High School last year. “It gave me more energy and motivation, they were my friends off the field, but on the field it’s a different story,” says Jenkins about playing against his friends at Wilde Lake.

These athletes believe that hard work and dedication to the game will help them achieve their goal in winning another championship. “I hope we can make it happen,” says Daquan.

The Road to Recovery: Injuries in Sports

By Nick Smythe Staff Writer

The score is 54-60. The CCC Warriors are down by six points with a minute left on the clock. Offensive tight end Andrew Tiffey makes a post run, catches the ball over his left shoulder, and runs 30 yards to the end zone, winning the game for his team. As Tiffey dives into the endzone, a player’s helmet connects with his left knee, shattering his knee cap and breaking the skin.

“Could I ever play sports again?” was the first thought that came to Tiffey’s mind.

It takes 20 stitches to patch his knee back together after tearing his quadricep and ruining his knee cap. After his replacement knee surgery, he has to wear a brace for five weeks before he can even start physical therapy.

“It was one of the hardest things I have ever gone through,” said Tiffey. At twelve years old, he had to do four months of

physical therapy at Baltimore Orthopedics before he was able to play again.

“I live with the permanent fear that I will be injured again when I play,” said Tiffey. At such a young age, seventh grader Andrew Tiffey went through an injury that left him both mentally and physically scarred for the rest of his life.

More than 3.5 million kids suffer sports injuries each year. A lot of the kids that suffer serious sports injuries never return to the game again due to physical inability or the mental toll it took on them. But Tiffey refused to be another statistic and pushed through the fear and pain so he could return to playing sports again. When injuries like this occur, athletes know that there are many people out there who know exactly how they feel.

When junior Brynn Drury was put in a cast for a stress fracture the summer before soccer season, she was crushed. “The one thought that came to my head was ‘no, this

can’t happen, I can just tell them I can play.’”

Drury was cleared to play soccer two months later, and she was overjoyed. “It was fun to be able to play again. I was just happy to run again.

Sophomore Griffin Diven felt a sense of apprehension when he tore his ACL and part of his meniscus last year. “I was crushed. I knew it was going to impact everything I do,” he said.

When Diven was cleared to play nine months later, he felt optimistic for his future in athletics. “I’ll do okay in the long run. I’m competing in the Bay Bridge swimming challenge soon,” he said.

These types of injuries are common in competitive sports, but rehabilitation can take injured athletes a long way.

Tiffey now plays on the top lacrosse team for the Maryland Raiders. “Even though I did go through something traumatizing and scary, I still push through,” said Tiffey.

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FEATURES

Wilde Lake Prepares Prescott for Future In Music

Prescott began her musical career after her move to Maryland (Photograph by Natalie Varela).

By Gabby Christopher Staff Writer

Former Band President, Leah Prescott, has been through just about every part of Wilde Lake’s music program. From Wind Ensemble, to Concert Band, to Jazz Band to Rock Band, she spends most of her free time playing music.

Her involvement in school bands started when her family moved from California to Maryland in 2012, and Prescott struggled to get into the rhythm of the East Coast.

“When I got here, band class was one

of the most welcoming classes. It was easy to relate to people through the music,” said Prescott.

Although she started really getting into band in the 6th grade, she first began learning music at a very young age. When she was about five years old, Prescott’s father taught her the piano which kick-started her life with music.

As she grew older, she started getting more involved. Currently, she devotes about 5-6 hours everyday to music, and she played the alto saxophone and trumpet in Wilde Lake’s band program.

Not only was her time devoted during the school day, she rocked out after school in her band, Archangel, with Maddy Dozat, Praharsh Jani, Jordan Miller, and Brett Dombrowski.

Her experiences continued after school as she interned at a music studio.

Although she is sad to be leaving Wilde Lake, she’s excited for her future.

She’s planning on majoring in music at UMBC and later becoming a music teacher at the high school or college level.

“I hope that the band program will continue to be as great as it is now. To anyone who isn’t involved in music, you should be because it made me who I am today, offered me many opportunities and gave me memories that will last forever,” said Prescott.

For Muslim Students, Prejudice Still Looms

“People need to realize that Muslims are not terrorists, and that Islam is a religion of peace.”

-Nehaal Khan

(Photograph by Natalie Varela).

By Gabby Christopher and Carmen Freeman Staff Writers

At Wilde Lake, we often feel like as though we live in a world that is over prejudice, when in reality, many still feel the subtle and unseen hand of discrimination.

Muslim students, often misunderstood, as a result of stereotyping in the media.

Freshman Zuha Wasti defines prejudice as “people judging you based off of your appearance or a specific characteristic.”

“When people try to put you into a category before they get to know you it can be really hurtful,” said Wasti.

Prejudice isn’t seen as much of a problem in Howard County, however certain students occasionally experience it while in school.

“It’s kind of disappointing when you’re walking in the hallways and someone will

jokingly call you a terrorist or ask if you’ve blown up any buildings that day.” said Wasti.

Wasti said that she would expect more from people who have grown up in such a diverse community with people from all walks of life.

Sometimes, they feel as if they stick out, making them an easier target because there aren’t that many Muslims here.

The Howard County school system strives to have their teacher demographics mirror the students demographics but at Wilde Lake, there are no Muslim teachers.

Although Howard County is diverse, there are approximately 1,891 Muslims out of the 304,580 citizens.

Junior Zaha Iqbal agrees. “I personally haven’t been discriminated against, but I still often see it in the hallways,” said Iqbal.

Iqbal feels like prejudice exists because people don’t know enough about other cultures.

“I want people to know that not all Muslims are extremists,” said Iqbal, “Prejudice wouldn’t exist if everybody knew more about one another’s differences.”

Wasti and Iqbal both agree that to end prejudice it starts with every individual trying to learn more about others and their cultures.

Student Run Clothing Line Sees Initial Success

Kenyatta Bellamy (left) and Derrell Cain (right) (Photograph by Natalie Varela).

By Mya Askew Staff Writer

Creative Luxuries was born during the summer of 2014 when Kenyatta Bellamy and Derrell Cain were struck by the idea to

combine their interests in fashion and business to create a company that now produces their marble t-shirts with the signature double X logo on the back.

While the creators have found some success, they admit that

starting a business has been difficult. Both had to start from scratch with designing and getting their products made by a clothing and distributor supplier in Pakistan. They’ve also had to do all their own advertising and selling.

Bellamy and Cain have learned, over time, to manage a business and school at the same time.

“I usually design while doing homework,” said Bellamy. When it comes to selling the shirts Bellamy and Cain use school as an advantage to spread the word around.

“We contact people in school to give them information about the shirts,” Cain says.

Although a business can be stressful and time consuming they are also very focused on their education and outside jobs, said Bellamy.

“We were surprised that our first batch of clothes sold out in two weeks,” said Cain.

This spring and summer they have came back with new ideas and a new brand name.

“After we realized that we had a creative and urban style, we wanted to mature and make clothes that were high quality but affordable,” said Bellamy.

These shirts are designed to look similar to expensive items at PacSun or H&M stores. Ordinary shirts from the mall cost around $40 or more. However, shirts by Creative Luxuries are being sold for $25.

“So far we have sold 23 shirts, getting around $570 profit,” says Cain.

“Students find our clothes appealing because they’re made with high quality fabric,” said Bellamy. He believes that his company’s clothes are affordable and

different.

This fall, they plan to introduce more women’s apparel like denim jeans and bomber jackets.

As for the future, the pair hope to continue the line after high school.

“We eventually want to get bigger and open up a side store,” said Cain.

From an idea, to a student run corporation, Creative Luxuries has proven that students in high school can pursue their own busi-

“Although a business is stressful and time consuming, they are also very focused on their education.”

OPINION

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Make Your High School Career Count

By Ola Alli Staff Writer

Less than 40 percent of Wilde Lake students are involved in clubs and sports, according to the latest Gallup Poll. Despite the benefits of extracurriculars, Wilde Lake’s involvement is low. I would like to encourage the rest of you, the other 60 percent, to get involved.

In school, some of your decisions are made for you by teachers and administrators, but ultimately you’re the one in charge of deciding how you’re going to spend your time. Instead of wasting that time, take charge and do what you love.

Extracurricular activities help you to grow, to make friends, and to develop your interests and passions. Often times, people learn who they are and what they want to do as a career through participation in extracurricular activities.

Rather than sitting around and complaining about how you don't like some-

The Paw Print would like to thank Jeffrey Winston, Dale Fischer, and Bobby Hill for their donations to the Journalism department.

thing at Wilde Lake, get involved and change it.

Many students do not want to play sports because they claim that Wilde Lake is bad at sports. If you personally are good at sports, then make Wilde Lake’s sports teams better by playing and helping the teams win games.

Maybe you’re afraid that you won’t make the team, but you’ll never know until you try. You can't miss a good opportunity just because you are scared.

And sports aren’t your only option.

There are clubs available for any interest.

If you like organizing or planning things, you should join class council or SGA. If you care about the environment, you can join environmental club. If you enjoy riding horses, you can join the equestrian club.

There is a club in this school for everyone, so nothing is holding you back except yourself.

There are many different activities you can join but you have to take the initiative.

Students have many different excuses about why they aren't involved: ‘I don't know when my class meetings are,’ ‘I am too busy,’ ‘my voice isn't heard,’ and much more. If you don’t have time for extracurricular activities, talk to your parents, or whoever is in charge of what you do, and see if your schedule can be rearranged. As long you try, your voice will be heard. And many clubs meet during Wilde Cat time every other Wednesday. There are ways for you to be involved, you just have to ask.

There is an old saying that “too many cooks spoil the broth,” which means that too many people involved in something can ruin it. But in high school, it’s the exact opposite. You want to be as involved as you can.

You only have a limited time here, so get involved. Don't miss opportunities. In the future, when I look back at high school, I want to be able to say “I remember when I …” and not “I wish I had ….”

Not All Superheroes Wear Capes

By Christian Richardson Staff Writer

When people hear the word “hero,” they think of Superman or Batman. Normally, heroes are pictured as someone who has extraordinary abilities and wears a bright and colorful costume.

The dictionary definition of a superhero is “a figure of divine descent, endowed with great strength or ability.” But what does this mean? Behind all of the superpowers and costumes, what really makes someone a hero?

Being a hero isn’t about having super strength or heat vision. Being a hero means being able to take action when there’s trouble, despite the risks.

The real world may not have masked and caped superheroes like those seen in

comics, but the real world does have superheroes of its own.

They are police officers, firefighters, and doctors. These people risk their lives everyday to save people that cannot save themselves and do so without the need of superpowers.

When you see these people, you should be amazed by their courage and acts of heroism. Some are influenced by their ability to run straight into danger and choose to become a hero just like them.

But it’s not the badge or the costume that makes you a hero. It’s your ability to fight for what’s right and to lend a helping hand wherever and whenever it’s needed.

Some would say that superheroes are nothing but a childhood fantasy, but if you persevere and strive towards greatness, you too can be a superhero.

7 The Problem With Cell Phones

By Jenny Lees Opinion Editor

Have you ever had problems with procrastination, back pain, or fatigue?

The source of the problem may be in the palm of your hand.

Today, we are stuck in a cycle of constantly checking our phones, whether we are playing an addicting game, checking social media sites, or responding to what seems to be a never-ending group chat. But do we ever stop to think, what could we have accomplished during all of the unnecessary time that we spent on our phones?

According to a 2011 study by Pew Research, teenagers check their phones an average of 60 times a day or for seven hours a day.

Each time you check your phone, you are distracted from what you should be working on, like your school work.

According to a study conducted by Professor Gloria Mark, each time you are distracted from a task on which you are working, it takes an average of 23 minutes and 15 seconds to return to it.

So, constantly checking your phone will greatly increase the amount of time it will take you to finish your homework and other tasks.

Besides leading to procrastination, spending too much time on your phone has negative impacts on your health. It affects your posture, sight, hearing, and brain.

Always being hunched over our phones leads to us having rounded shoulders and a forward head posture, which causes soreness and fatigue, according to the Huffington Post.

So what can you do? Look away from your screen for 20 seconds every 20 minutes, don’t look at a screen for thirty minutes before going to sleep, and sit with proper posture while using a phone. But most of all, just put your

OPINION

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The Importance of Losing

By Rachel Lazris Staff Writer

Loser. No one wants to be associated with that word. Perhaps that is why so many families want to send their children to schools that win in sports often, such as River Hill with its numerous state championships. What those families fail to realize, however, is that schools, such as Wilde Lake, where success is not simply handed to you, teach you more about life skills than constant winning schools ever could.

Avoiding defeat is an innate human instinct. People want to

attend schools where success is assured. People fear that at schools such as Wilde Lake, the lack of winning teams decreases the team and school moral.

Students want to experience the rewarding feeling of victory.

But is losing so bad? Of course no one wants a life of defeats and disappointments, but losing is as important as winning, if not more.

Losing teaches you how to deal with life. Life is not necessarily about victory but rather how to bounce back from defeat. That is what makes people successful. No one in life can

possibly win everything.

Also, defeat also teaches you humility. It teaches you how to maintain your pride without bragging, because you know that the possibility of losing is always there. It pushes you away from arrogance and shows you how to be humble.

Lastly, it allows you to relate with people who have not always been so lucky in life.

Pushing through hardship with others makes relationships stronger. Having true understandings of your peers allows for genuine, more compatible relationships.

Although everyone may

strive for the satisfaction of victory, it is important that people experience hardship and defeat. Life is a rollercoaster, and always being the winner on top is unrealistic. Although you should always reach for the best, knowing how to deal with losing is a skill that will aid you throughout life.

So next time you feel your moral is down from a disappointing loss, think instead of the good that can come from it.

How Early is Too Early?

By Rachel Lazris Staff Writer

According to Nathaniel Popper of The New York Times, in today’s sports world “coaches at colleges large and small” are recruiting 13 and 14 year old girls to fill future rosters, “despite NCAA rules that appear to explicitly prohibit it.” Rather than deciding which college to attend senior year, some athletes come in freshman year already committed to attending a certain college through athletics. Although it is relaxing to know you are going to college and are able to play a sport, how early is too early to commit?

The recruiting process is complicated and tedious. Once an athlete is committed, they are still not fully guaranteed admission into the school. The only assurance an athlete has is a verbal agreement. Athletes eventually sign a national letter of intent which is “stating publicly one’s intentions to attend a certain institution, is a non-binding, oral agreement between you and the institution. The only binding nature of the

commitment is your word and the institution’s”, according to the National Letter of Intent official website. There are many factors that can unbind that agreement, such as grades slippage, injury, or a sudden disinterest in the school.

With the recruiting process becoming earlier and earlier, athletes feel the pressure to commit to a school as soon as they can. Many coaches also push athletes into committing whether or not they are ready.

The athletes are then forced to either make a commitment or lose their opportunity.

There becomes an enormous race with athletes trying to get a coach’s attention before other players do, and with college coaches trying to get the best players before another coach does. They can get so caught up in the process that they become blind to what is really important: for every individual to find the best colleges for themselves.

Beyond the fact that it might be prohibited, committing too early can cause an athlete to attend a school that may not be the right fit. As one grows as a person, his

The Paw Print Wilde Lake High School 5460 Trumpeter Road -- Columbia, MD 21044 Volume 42, Issue 3 The Paw Print is published by the Journalism Class. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the staff, the students, the administrators, or the school board. Letters to the editors are encouraged.

The Paw Print reserves the right to edit any submissions.

News Editor......................................................................................................................Misbah Farooqi Opinion Editor..........................................................................................................................Jenny Lees Feature Editor.................................................................................................................Anjali DasSarma Sports Editor ...........................................................................................................................Kate Glaros Photographers.....................................................................................................................Natalie Varela Writers.............................................................................................................Caitlyn Brosnan, Ashleigh Cameron, Michael Casey, Gabby Christopher, Carmen Freeman, Rachel Lazris, Ricky Ho, Catherine Ewing, Ola Alli, Mya Askew, Christian Richardson, Nick Smythe, Faculty Advisor..................................................................................................................Ben Townsend

or her opinion on the ideal school changes. Also, there is a possibility the athlete will not be accepted into the school, which would leave them abandoned and suddenly with no school to attend when they had been under the intention they were “committed.” If the athlete does end up getting into the school, the team may be completely different from when he or she decided to commit.

Many want the feeling that they are going to be able to attend college and play a sport, but at a young age it is difficult to know what the right college truly is for you.

College is about education and preparation for the real world, not solely about playing a sport as a job. The lust to commit can cause athletes to only focus on the sports aspect of the school, which is not the most important part. Sports should just be an aspect that makes your collegiate experience better, but should not fully take over the experience.

The Paw Print wishes Wilde Lake a great summer. Thanks for reading. See you all next year!

-The Paw Print staff

Communication is the Foundation of a Great School

By Misbah Farooqi News Editor

In order for a school to be successful, the students and administrators all need to understand one another’s perspectives and communicate those perspectives with one another. Unfortunately, we don’t always see this happening at Wilde Lake.

While our administration and students all do an excellent job at what they do, they often don’t see eye-to-eye. This makes sense, since they all have different goals and perspectives on issues in the school. While the administration may want to keep things organized, the students may want whatever was best for them.

However, we don’t always communicate over differing views with one another, and this leads to problems and disagreements among us.

For example, earlier this year, the Culture Day schedule changes caused a disagreement between the students and the administration because there was a lack of communication between the two and neither tried to understand each other’s views. The students needed to understand that the changes happened in order to create a more organized event, while the administration needed to recognize that the students should be trusted with the freedom to have daylong events like Culture Day to help boost school spirit and moral.

Before making controversial decisions that affect the students, the administration should take the student opinion into account. One way of doing this would be to reach out to student leadership groups, such as the SGA or NHS, and ask them about student opinion. If the administration reached out to more students, more ideas would be conversed and more would get done to benefit the student body.

But it isn’t just up to the administration to create positive change. If students want to have a voice and improve Wilde Lake, they need to start taking things more seriously. Rather than bashing the administration or not communicating with those in charge, students should reach out to the administration or student leadership groups with their ideas and thoughts.

The only way for students to have their voices heard is to reach out and communicate, so if the SGA asks you to fill out a survey or an administrator asks your opinion on something, give them an honest, serious answer or nothing will change.

The Paw Print is also a great way for students and administrators to get their opinions account. If students and administrators have a message for the rest of the school, then they can write a letter to the editor expressing their perspective on an issue.

Communication is the foundation of a successful school, and more of it will help us make Wilde Lake better.