The Paw Print, Volume 45, Issue 2

Spring 2018

THE PAW PRINT Wilde Lake High School, 5460 Trumpeter Rd. Columbia, MD 21044

Volume 45, Issue 2

STUDENTS PARTICIPATE IN NATIONWIDE WALKOUTS “It’s not just an issue at schools, it’s an issue at homes, and it’s an issue on streets.”

-Jordan Randolph, 11

Wilde Lake Students brought signs to protest the recent gun violence in schools on March 14 and April 20.

(Left) Photo by Hope Kahn, (Right) Photo by Bryan Castillo.

By Ihsaan Fanusie and Rachel Henry At 10:00 on March 14, Wilde Lake students participated in a nationwide walkout to protest gun violence and demand change from Congress.

The walkout was part of the nationwide ‘ENOUGH’ movement, formed in response to the Parkland Florida Massacre on February 14.

Schools across the United States walked out of their third period classes at 10:00 AM. The walkout lasted 17 minutes, in recognition of the 17 people who died in the Florida school shooting.

“There’s a lot of school shootings that shouldn’t even be happening in general,” said Romello Ramos, a junior. “It’s a good thing for this

walkout to at least raise awareness that this is a situation that needs to be addressed. Students should not be allowed to own guns.”

Students, huddled together in the cold, expressed varied emotions.

Some students were solemn and in grief while others expressed anger and frustration about the perceived lack of effective gun control.

A second walkout was held on April 20, the 19th anniversary of the Columbine shooting, where students exited the school at the start of 5th period. The walkout attempted to draw attention to lesser known victims of gun violence across the US. Students stood together on the football field as a microphone was passed from student to student. Some

students read poetry and shared personal stories of how gun violence affected them personally.

Some teachers were present during the walkout. Wilde Lake administration took a supportive, though uninvolved stance in the protest.

Per HCPSS guidelines, Administration and staff was not allowed to converse about nor intervene with the student led walkouts.

The walkout was the product of student effort. Several student leaders met with administration a few weeks prior to April 20 to finalize the time and details of the walkout.

Jordan Randolph, Iman’e Seldon, and Darae Lyles were the three student

Teachers Could Expect Low Attendence on Last Days

By Rachel Henry Because of all of the inclement weather days that occured this year, Howard County schools have extended the school year to Tuesday, June 19.

According to the HCPSS Website,“No new graded work will be assigned at any level June 15-19.”

Teachers will be taking attendance on Friday, Monday, and Tuesday, but they will not be adding new grades to the grade book.

“We literally aren’t allowed to give work,” said Science teacher

Ms. Bell. “Final grades are due on June 15, so there is nothing to do.”

In August of 2016, Governor Larry Hogan issued that all Maryland public schools are to begin after Labor Day and finish before June 15. Despite losing Spring Break, and other days scattered throughout the school year, the seven inclement weather days we had (including one “wind” day) pushed the school calendar back to June 19.

The Maryland Board of Education disapproved a movement to let the county disregard the seven missed school days.

“From what we were told, it is to make sure we comply with the regulated number of hours both students and teachers need for the year,” said Mrs. Donmoyer, 12 year teacher of Social Studies at Wilde Lake. “But there is no incentive for students to come to school. I expect low attendance from students and teachers.”

Ninth grader Remal West will not be attending the final three days, feeling that they are unnecessary.

“They can’t give us work, there is no point,” said freshman Ramal West.

“I’m not going to just sit here and stare at a wall.”

Though these days serve as a nuisance to many students, freshman Skyler Merchant, feels as if it is “not a big deal. It’s sort of pointless, I don’t see why we have to be here, but we have to complete the full 180 [days],” she said.

No new graded work will be assigned at any level June 15-19.

-HCPSS

leaders of the April 20 walkout.

“I’d say that it was a lot more communicative” said Randolph, a junior. “The last walkout, there was just way too much going on. There was a lack of communication.”

“Guns aren’t just an issue at schools, it’s an issue at homes, and it’s an issue on the streets,” said Randolph.

Principal Wilson walked out in solidarity with the students and voiced approval for the cause.

“I’m so proud of our students,” said Mr. Wilson. “Letting the country know that we support the folks that are victims of violent acts I think is important. It’s also important to note that our young adults are tired of talking, tired of rhetoric that serves no purpose.”

Laura Wallen Honored Teacher of the Year Award

By Aenilah Watkins The senior class of 2018 has decided to respectfully crown “Teacher of the Year” to Laura Wallen, 8 months after her tragic death.

To many students, Ms. Wallen was known as a helpful, vibrant, and caring teacher who embodied the spirit of our school.

This is the second year in a row that the senior class has elected Ms. Wallen to hold this title.

“She was just a great woman and she truly deserved the award,” said

senior Kareem Press. “No other teacher can impact students as much as she did even after she lost her life.”

Since her passing, Bright Minds, the official foundation of HCPSS, and the Wallen family have established the Laura Wallen Memorial Scholarship fund.

The memory and spirit of Ms. Wallen will always be cherished, especially since she created such a positive energy and movement that Wilde Lake will always remember.

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News & Features

Recent Dramatic Decrease in Graduation Rate Raises Concerns for Wilde Lake

By Hope Kahn Out of the 1276 students at Wilde Lake, 230 students are not expected to graduate within four years according to last year’s graduation rate. This brought concern to Mr. Wilson and the School Improvement Team.

Last year our graduation rate has dropped from 88.2 percent to 82.7 percent. Compared to the other schools in the county, Wilde Lake has the lowest rate.

“Students need a vision,” said Mr. Wilson, “and when 18 percent of our students fall short because they didn’t have a vision, we have to help those students.”

Helping student groups who typically aren’t as successful has become a part of the plan to improve graduation rates. “For example, students with IEPS, and students whose families are struggling financially, their numbers are concerning,” said Mr. Wilson.

One way to ensure students get on track as soon as they start high school is through the resources offered to our 9th grade students.

Kaliyah Wright is a freshman at our school who was struggling academically at the beginning of the school year, but has since created her vision and strived to achieve.

“I want to go to UMBC in

order to become an architect,” said Kaliyah. “I was failing first quarter, but I got my grades up because I know 9th grade matters a lot.”

“9th grade is the linchpin year of high school,” said Ms. Volpe, the 9th grade Instructional Team Leader. “It’s the first year that students have to understand how to deal with credits and have to pass classes. It’s the first year that they’re in this building, meaning they don’t have anybody that they know in the building, they don’t know the building, and they don’t know how we operate, so that’s a very stressful thing that the freshman undergo.”

Ms. Volpe believes that 9th

grade success is an indicator as to whether a student graduates or not. “Our past rates for a student passing 9th grade mimic the past rates of our graduation rates,” she said.

Because of the cruciality of the 9th grade year, 9th grade teachers meet as a team, have an instructional team leader, and 9th grade point person in guidance and administration.

“Getting involved also helps students succeed,” said Ms. Volpe. “Kids who are involved in things build connections and relationships with adults and those adults help support them, especially if they’re lacking the resources elsewhere.”

Kaliyah participated in JV cheerleading, Varsity basketball, and track this year which required her to maintain a 2.5 GPA, motivating her to succeed.

However, she doesn’t believe all teachers support their students in the way they should.

“I know a lot of people who are failing their current grade, and it’s both the student and teacher’s fault,” said Kaliyah. “A lot of students don’t do their work, so I’m not surprised 18 percent of our students don’t graduate.

It seems like a lot of students at

Wilde Lake just don’t care.”

Mr. Nicks, BSAP Liaison, is another resource that our students have to ensure they graduate from high school.

Mr. Nicks focuses on all grades because as soon as students walk through the door he wants to prepare them for graduation, but ensure that seniors don’t fall off track either.

“I want to build relationships with kids who need someone to motivate them to succeed,” he said.

Our school has connected with two outside business partners: The NAACP and the Mall in Columbia. The NAACP will be a support with evening and weekend programs for students who need extra help, and the mall will provide additional incentives for students who do well, as well as host a job fair at our school. Both partnerships were made in hopes that they will assist in increasing our graduation rates.

Education is the future, said Mr. Wilson. “If a young person leaves high school without a diploma their future is not bright, so we as a school are going to do whatever we can to help our students succeed and graduate.”

Senator Ben Cardin Visits Wilde Lake to Discuss Gun Violence “Why do I not know what to do if a shooting happens? We practice fire drills, but if a school shooter came into our school I would have no clue what to do.”

-Elizabeth Eubank, 11 Senator Cardin responds to a question asked by junior Esther Olajide Photo by Hope Kahn

By Hope Kahn and Rachel Henry In a Q and A with Maryland Senator Ben Cardin on February 23, Wilde Lake students took every opportunity to question government policies, demand political action, and speak for student safety regarding gun violence at school.

Following the Parkland shooting where 17 students and staff were killed, the Stoneman Douglas students started the #ENOUGH movement. This movement

is being fueled by students all over the country. Wilde Lake students have participated in the two nationwide walkouts held on March 14 and April 20.

At the beginning of the Q and A, Senator Cardin announced two things the government can do immediately: outlaw private ownership of militarystyle weapons and enforce universal background checks. Throughout the event students raised questions about government policies.

One student raised concerns regarding racial inequality during background checks. Senator Cardin reaffirmed the fact that under any background check there is due process. “We have discrimination in our systems of justice and that needs to be corrected,” he said. “But we also need to keep people safe.”

Students also expressed a strong opinion against the recent proposal to arm teachers. Sophomore Collin Geter questioned, “Why would the solution to

gun violence be more guns?”

Senator Cardin responded by saying that he is not for arming teachers. “It is more likely that that would cause a problem, rather than solve a problem,” he said, while also posing the question, “Are we safer with, or without guns?”

Instead of arming our teachers, Junior Elizabeth Eubank believes we need to learn how to react if a school shooting were to occur. “Why do I not know what to do?

Why do I not know how to handle the situation?” she questioned. “We practice fire drills all the time, but if a school shooter came into our school I would have no clue what to do because we aren’t taught that.”

Senator Cardin agreed that this is an issue, but not something the government can necessarily fix.

Howard County Superintendent Dr. Michael Martirano announced at the Howard County Community Forum that the school system will soon be mandating active shooter drills in all schools, ensuring that teachers and students know what to do if an emergency occurs.

At the end of the event, Senator Cardin encouraged students to continue voicing their opinions. “Recognize that the power is with you,” he said. “You can make a difference on this issue.”

A PAW PRINT SPECIAL FEATURE

LEW DUTROW TAKES HIS FINAL BOW

After working at Wilde Lake for the last 38 years, Lew Dutrow announces his plan to retire following the 2017-18 school year. (Above) Lew Dutrow takes a final bow at his last concert on April 25, 2018. (Photo by David Hobby) (Below) Lew Dutrow waves goodbye to all at the Chrysalis where he conducted the jazz band. (Photo by Ben Townsend)

By Hannah Van Osdel After 38 years at Wilde Lake, band director Mr. Dutrow is retiring. Mr. Dutrow has educated young musicians for decades and has left a positive and lasting impact on the Wilde Lake community.

Mr. Dutrow was born in Frederick, Maryland.

Growing up, he lived with his sister, Rueyann, and parents, Norman and Margaret. From a young age, he was taught the importance of perseverance and hard work.

Mr. Dutrow’s roots in music were planted when he began to play trumpet in elementary school. His family was always around music, with his paternal grandmother playing piano at family gatherings, and his sister being a part of the marching majorette group.

In high school, he decided to take a musical theory class. He had the privilege of having an outstanding music teacher whom he looked up to, Mildred Trevvett, for having an abundance amount of love for her students.

Like many young students, Mr. Dutrow was unsure as to the academic path that he was going to take. Although he struggled with academics, he excelled in music, so he began considering this as the path for his future.

Being the first in his family to go to college, they had many doubts of success in music. Many of his family members thought it would be better if he stayed in his hometown and pursued woodworking like the rest of his family.

“He’s the best at what he does.”

- Ava Dutrow

“Final Bow” continued on page 4

“No matter how bad of a day he was having, he never failed to brighten up every students’ day.

Whether he was setting up for doughnut day or just greeting each student, he knew how to connect with everyone in some way or another.”

“I knew the first day I met him he would be the teacher I would remember for the rest of my life.”

“I felt so lucky to have class with him everyday for four years because his personality gave off an energy and positivity that we needed everyday and I appreciate him so much for that.”

“My first year in the music program run by the one and only Mr. Dutrow has been a privilege.

He is willing to work with you in many ways other teachers won’t whether your’re dealing with music problems, school problems, or personal problems.”

Maddie Ives, Senior

Angie Geralis, Sophomore

Gabby Christopher, Alumni

Hwanee Pak, Freshman

LEW DUTROW RETIR Lew Dutrow Takes His Final Bow

(Left) In 1985, Mr. Dutrow sneaks a peek of the game before conducting his band.

Continued from page 3 In 1975, Mr. Dutrow declared a Music Education major at the University of Maryland, College Park. He graduated with a 3.8 GPA, and was accepted into the academic honors society.

Shortly into his teaching position at Wilde Lake, he began dating his future wife Mrs. Elizabeth Dutrow. Their families had known each other for years, and would cross paths many times as they attended events.

A month after Mrs. Dutrow graduated from college, they got married. Students from his Jazz Band were included in the wedding reception, where the ten piece brass choir and a pipe organ performed. Incorporating the Wilde Lake Jazz Band was entertaining for the guests, but also meaningful to Mr. Dutrow.

After nineteen years of marriage, Mr. and Mrs. Dutrow had their daughter, Ava, who is now a sophomore in high school.

She has inherited her father’s love

and talent for music.

Ava and her father watch television together, usually Walker Texas Ranger, but of course they participate in musical events as well. Ava says that some of her best memories are at band functions with her dad, notably when they go to Jazz under the Stars at Glenelg.

Ava admires her father’s perseverance in his musical career, but most importantly his ability to be kind. One word that truly characterizes her father is

humble. Mr. Dutrow’s humility is a trait admired by all.

“He’s the best at what he does,” says Ava. She feels incredibly proud of her dad while he is conducting on the stage, and is also taken away by how he can make the students sound beautiful after months of critiques and corrections.

Ava has had many opportunities to play with the bands her father has conducted, and for that she feels like the most privileged kid in the world.

Mrs. Dutrow knows the true impact of being a band director’s wife. At many times it’s exciting, and she always enjoyed being able to attend his concerts. But music at Wilde Lake also consumed much of his time and energy.

Many times Mr. Dutrow would be at the school working late hours, rehearsing with his various bands or doing school work. Mr. Dutrow also never got much of a summer break as the majority of his time was spent preparing the wind ensemble for marching band performances.

“The feel of those concerts and his reaction afterwards was priceless,” said Mrs. Dutrow.

While Mr. Dutrow’s father was alive, he would frequently

attend his son’s concerts. He saw the success of his son as he would sit and tap his foot, realizing that Mr. Dutrow had “made it.”

After thirty-eight successful years of being the band director at Wilde Lake, he is retiring. Mrs. Dutrow describes the last time seeing her husband perform as bittersweet, realizing it would be the last time she ever saw him conduct his band.

Ava and Mrs. Dutrow are happy for him, and are excited to see what retired life will be for him. Elizabeth is looking forward to the two of them being able to garden, and is excited for him to mow and maintain their yard.

As for Ava, she has been waiting for her dad to make her a lamp out of a clarinet, something he has been meaning to do for a long time. The three of them will also, for the first time, take a vacation in the month of August.

The Wilde Lake school community will miss all that Mr. Dutrow brought to the school in his thirty eight years here.

Our community wishes him the best in retirement, but his presence will always be around -for no one loves Wilde Lake more than Lew Dutrow.

“Everything he has done wasn’t for himself. He did what he did to make other people happy. He is a great person and should be proud of his accomplishments.”

“He gives everyone an opportunity, the foundation, the support, and the encouragement students need to succeed. It doesn’t matter if your future is in music or anything else- he lets you know there’s always someone rooting for you.”

Jordan Grimes, Freshman

“All of his famous quotes, putting up with my phone always being out, the jazz and band trips, and just funny and happy moments with him. These are things I will never forget.”

“I hope that his future is great for him and his family. He has been a legend for the Wilde Lake community and his legacy will stay here for years to come.”

Kalvin Garrah, Senior

Hartley Carlson, Senior

Isabella Rey, Senior

RES AFTER 38 YEARS Dutrow Leaves Jazz Legacy

By Sarah Rubin

Mr. Dutrow’s trophy collection, clustered on top of a file cabinet in the corner of his room, collects dust. But each one of those trophies represents one moment of the many accomplishments over his many years at Wilde Lake.

Although the 2017-2018 school year will mark Dutrow’s last year as Wilde Lake’s highly esteemed band director, he leaves his legacy behind through the students he has inspired.

Having served as band director at Wilde Lake for 38 years, his accomplishments range from winning best instrumental group to having taught students who are now professional musicians.

“He doesn’t just tell you to play the music because it’s a class, he makes you want to play it,” said trombonist Russell Dixon.

In Dutrow’s opinion, the number one job of any band director is finding the piece that’s just right for the musicians.

“It sometimes takes me hours to sit down and say okay, what kind of a piece am I looking for? I go looking through scores and listening to pieces for the perfect arrangement,” he said.

If you go to a band concert, you’ll hear all types of music. His concerts transcend time and culture, exposing people to many styles. Dutrow has taught bands like the Steel Drums, Jazz, Marimba Ensembles, and Percussion Ensembles. He has even conducted pieces that include drumming on trash cans.

Over the years he’s taught and later played with many now-famous jazz musicians, including Grammy nominated musician Alex Brown.

Brown was in various bands as a student of Dutrow throughout high school, including marching band and jazz band.

“I still use techniques he taught me that can help a student achieve a high level of musicianship,” said Brown.

After Mr. Dutrow provided Alex Brown with a foundation for his musical future, he has since had the pleasure of playing at well-known places with many other musicians all over the country. He enjoys what he does, and wouldn’t want to do anything else.

“He was always very encouraging, and did not try to limit me to one thing,” said Brown. “He always taught the importance of perfection, and always pushed me to give everything my all.”

“He doesn’t tell you to play the music because it’s a class, he makes you want to play.”

-Russell Dixon

Mr. Dutrow conducting the jazz band at the Chrysalis while Junior Kurt Knoernschild plays his solo. (Photos above by David Hobby)

One of Mr. Dutrow’s favorite, most memorable concerts was when he and his jazz band played outside of the Smithsonian in D.C. At first, there weren’t many people listening. However, after finishing conducting one of the multitude of pieces played, Mr. Dutrow turned around to see that over 150 people had gathered to watch them play.

“I cannot put into words just how much this school has done for me,” said Mr. Dutrow. “It’s been a remarkable journey.”

“I remember we had a jazz band concert my freshman year, and it was the night his daughter was born. We were at school, waiting for him to return from the hospital, and then we still gave the performance!”

-Alex Brown

“We’re Feeling G-O-O-D Good!”

(Above) Mr. Dutrow conducting in the auditorium at the old Wilde Lake building in 1982.

(Below) Here, Dutrow is conducting a rehearsal in the band room at the old Wilde Lake building in 1984.

(Top left) Mr. Dutrow conducting his band in 2005.

(Middle) Mr. Dutrow signaling pep tunes to his marching band at a 1986 football game.

(Bottom left) Mr. Dutrow conducting the jazz band at the Chrysalis this Spring.

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JV Softball Finishes Season 12-3, Taking Best Record This Spring Season

(Above) Jordan Grimes pitching at a game.

By Aenilah Watkins With an overall record of 12-3, the Wilde Lake JV softball team set the bar very high for their fellow competitors, and for all the sports teams this spring season.

The JV team surpassed all Wilde Lake Spring sports teams this season with the best record.

Sophomore Lily Richards, first baseman, believed it was a team effort for their great season. “Our skills complemented each other very well,” she said. “With Erin’s amazing pitching and Shania’s great defense at second, we all worked well together.”

When the girls took off on their winning streak, the level

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News & Features

of confidence had reached an all time high.

“We definitely got cocky at times,” said sophomore Whitney Bacon. “But we knew how well we worked together and got along, so it helped make sure we secured those wins.”

The team took out big time competitors such as Glenelg with a score of 13-10, and River Hill with a score of 18-6.

“Our mindset going into every game was that we would get better every inning,” said sophomore Macayla Miles.

“Coach Wayne helped fix little mistakes as we made them,” said Miles. “He was very supportive and he knew what he was talking

about. He helped us fix our mistakes as we made them and improvements could immediately be seen.”

This season was Coach Wayne’s third year coaching softball at our school. “Softball is a game of quick starts and stops. It requires strong core with quick feet and hands with a keen eye,” he said.

“I always teach my girls to strive to do better than they performed during the previous inning. This season I know I gave them a chance to excel, learn a sport, and no matter the outcome, give it their all, and I can definitely say that they have done all of that this season.”

Best Buddies Members Make Lifelong Friendships

Stella Johnson, Quintin Dodson, and Hannah Van Osdel at a Best Buddies meeting.

(Photo by Stella Johnson)

By Stella Johnson At the end of the year Wilde Lake Best Buddies meeting, students enjoyed ice cream and played games with friends to close another school year.

Best Buddies is an organization that focuses on inclusion for those with intellectual disabilities around the world.

Although Best Buddies is international, there is a close community here at Wilde Lake.

Madelyn Ives, the Best Buddies president at WLHS, has been a member of Best Buddies all four years of high school.

“I wanted other students to see special need students the way I see them, and stop looking at the stigma surrounding special needs students,” Ives said. “I’ve seen this importance of Best Buddies in action through my friend Quintin. The club helped him to come out of his shell and make all new friends at school.”

Best Buddies made a strong impact on all those involved.

TreVon Gordon, a senior at Wilde Lake, has been a member of the club since his first year of high school. He plans to join the chapter at HCC when he attends college there in a couple of years.

“In Best Buddies, I have a lot of good experiences and fun. It gives me a chance to hang out with my friends,” said Gordon.

“I love going to the mall or to the movies with my friends,” he said.

The main focus of Best Buddies is facilitating friendships between buddies and peers that can span a lifetime. This can happen through grade school, college, and into adulthood. At each stage of life, one can become involved in order to make a change and be a part of an important cause.

Stage Crew: The Unseen Heroes of the Stage

Jane Hilger, Tiffany Dang, Stella Johnson, and Sophia Hilger before “Mary Poppins”.

(Photo by Mrs. Adler)

By Sophia Hilger When the curtain opened for the Friday night performance of “Mary Poppins,” no one anticipated just how much could go wrong.

Only a few scenes before intermission, the scrim fell from the catwalk, where it had been hung. The scrim, a black curtain used for lighting that blocks out the back of the stage for scene changes, had much of the show relying on it. It was a disaster to

everyone involved with the show.

However, when asked about the show, none of the audience members seemed to notice anything wrong. Not even family members who had already seen the show seemed to notice anything, thanks to the quick thinking and action of the tech crew.

“It was probably one of the most stressful moments of my life,” said stage manager Jane Hilger. “We only had a few minutes to figure out what to do, but we couldn’t fix the scrim while the scene was

going on, so we had to improvise.”

The Wilde Lake tech crew managed to handle this as well as many other crises during previous shows, from a burnt out spotlight in “Seussical” to broken props in “The Little Mermaid”. For years, the tech crew have been the unseen heroes of the stage.

“Wilde Lake prides itself in a completely student run performance once the curtain opens,” said Hilger. “We have students communicating on headsets during the performances to make sure all of the lights and sounds are at the exact right spot, and to make sure the stage is ready for each scene.”

Hilger was the stage manager for two of the shows at Wilde Lake, “Blithe Spirit” in the fall of 2017 and “Mary Poppins” in the spring of 2018. “My job is to connect what’s happening with the actors with what’s happening with tech. I’m also the middleman between the director and tech crew, so if the director wants something to happen it’s my job to make sure it happens.

It’s a hard job, but it’s essential for the show to go right.”

Tech crew at Wilde Lake includes nine crews: stage management, props, carpentry, scenic design, lights, sound, costumes, makeup, and production.

Each crew has its own skill set, but all of the crews involve leadership as well as

teamwork to create a show.

“For makeup crew, it’s more than just makeup,” said Jenny Gloyd, 4 year member of tech crew. “Yes, I did do a lot of the actors’ makeup, but I also learned problem solving. If we’re missing a wig for a certain scene, we have to be able to think fast to fix the situation.”

Kate Giammalvo is in charge of the scenic design crew, which is tasked with designing and painting the set to fit the show. “I’ve been on this crew for four years,” she said, “but tech is really interdepartmental, so I’ve been able to make friends with people from every crew.”

Tech not only affects the people involved in the construction of the set and the programming of the lights, but the actors as well. Carolyn Ingham who played Miss Andrew in Wilde Lake’s “Mary Poppins”, worked very closely with the tech crew.

“Miss Andrew had a magical exit that really relied on the tech crew,” she said.

“Tech was able to make it look like a giant birdcage captured me. They were able to make the scene absolutely magical,” said Ingham.

The experiences found in tech crew are something amazing. “I found a family within the Wilde Lake theatre department,” said Hilger. “I gained memories and experiences I will carry with me for the rest of my life.”

Opinions My Fortnite Experience: Is it Worth All the Hype?

By Aenilah Watkins Trends come and go.

They stick around for a few months and then disappear only for a new one to take their place.

This cycle is never-ending, and for that reason, I usually don’t partake in them. But Fortnite has created such a buzz that I couldn’t resist.

Fortnite, a new coop survival game, has been the latest trend that everyone not only seems to be talking about, but also playing constantly!

I pull up my Snapchat stories and immediately see posts on Fortnite with boys posting the amount of kills they got and how they got them.

After weeks of hearing non-stop talk about Fortnite, and being pressured by my friends to download the game, I

finally agreed to play it to see what all the hype was about. And so, just last week, I downloaded the game and gave it a shot.

Here’s my review: The premise of the game is simple: It’s a battle royale where you do your best to survive in a world where other people are trying to kill each other and the only way to win the game is to kill as many people as you can. The game drops players in the middle of nowhere without weapons to defend themselves.

By forming teams and alliances, you have a better chance of survival.

Or else if you’re like me you become an easy kill in someone else’s game, and sadly I had to learn this not once, but three times, as I was killed repeatedly.

Based on my previous knowledge, the way that games work is that they give players a background story or introduction.

After that, the player is given an objective to achieve with the resources necessary to do so, and

then the game begins.

But in Fortnite, that idea is thrown out the door. There is no backstory given and the only objective is to kill. I quickly found that a world where people are put on land and told to just kill each other ultimately becomes exhausting and boring.

The reason I hate Fortnite is the reason why other people love it: its simplicity. Going into Fortnite I expected a totally different concept, objective, and narrative.

However, the game didn’t differ from what I usually see and dislike in video games. In every video game, the actions and objectives are pretty clear.

The player knows what they are fighting for, and what they are gaining throughout the process in order to win. Fortnite simply lacks this kind of explanation, where someone at the end of the day can question how they got their win. After losing, the player just tries again, over and over.

I Don’t Feel Safe in School

By Hope Kahn One time too many I have thought about what would happen if a person with an AR-15 stood on the second floor bridge that stretched across main street and open fired on our school. I have thought about which exit is the closest to each of my classrooms, where I would be able to hide, where I could go to take shelter, and even what my last words to my parents would be.

Wilde Lake has nine entrances and exists including side doors, back doors, and basement doors.

Wilde Lake has an extremely open floor plan that allows access to anywhere easily.

Wilde Lake has had a threat of a shooting this 20172018 school year, yet we do not practice what we would do in an emergency enough. At the school safety and mental health forum, Superintendent Dr. Martirano responded

to concerns of school safety by saying that schools would begin to develop comprehensive security practice drills. Since his announcement on February 27, we have yet to have an active shooter drill.

There are procedures in place, specifically the modified and non-modified lockdown. During these drills, students and staff are to remain in locked classrooms with blinds drawn and lights off. But they are not taken very seriously by students who talk and use their phones during the drills. Also, it is necessary for students to know what to do if an active shooting takes place during a class change or lunch, something we have not been taught. We must practice what students are to do if an active shooter situation takes place during one of these times.

Active shooter drills simulate real active shooter situations consisting of

a person as the role of the shooter and students practicing where to go and being silent. Nine out of ten public schools drill students and teachers to respond to mass shootings, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. I believe we need to be prepared, and need to take steps to prevent shootings from happening.

I stand with the #Enough movement because I believe that a gun does not deserve more respect than a dead child. I believe that an amendment written hundreds of years ago should not allow everyone to possess artillery capable of ending meaningful lives. I stand with Columbine, Stoneman Douglas, Great Mills, Santa Fe, and all of the other schools that have tragically been struck with a nightmare that I hope and pray that my peers and I will never have to go through. But if I did have to, I hope I am prepared.

The “Chip” We Carry

The girls varsity lacrosse team after finally winning, 15-11, against Hammond.

By Hope Kahn No team ever wants to lose.

Especially not the first 8 games of the season. Sadly, this was the reality for my team, girls varsity lacrosse, until our 9th game on April 23 when we finally won against Long Reach 15-11, ending our losing streak The game was a hard fought battle.

We would score, and then they would score. We’ve played games where we’ve been close or even up, but then lose it later in the game. We wanted the win, and never gave up.

As the last 10 seconds on the scoreboard counted down and we knew we had finally won, the feeling was amazing. A weight was lifted off of our shoulders. Not having to go to school the next day and say we had lost yet again, and no longer having to be known as the only team that hasn’t won this year was a relief.

There are reasons as to why I believe we didn’t win the first half of our season. Our team is young: The 9 underclassmen that make up almost half of our team are all talented, but we lack the varsity experience. Our schedule had us competing against some of the top schools in our county, and even state. For example, for our game against Mount Hebron we lost 19-1, and against Century, the number 15th ranked team in Maryland, we lost 26-0.

Those 8 games of losing were games of hard fought battles that sadly ended in defeat and feelings of hopelessness.

It got to a point where we said to ourselves “well, we’re just going to lose again,” and played a mediocre game possibly because of that mindset.

However, we weren’t destined to go the whole season continuously losing.

We were motivated to win more games. The win against Long Reach lit a fire inside of us and we were on a winning streak. We beat Glen Burnie (15-11), and then Oakland Mills (162) to celebrate our 5 seniors on senior night.

Consistently losing builds character, especially with a team sport.

There were days where we would be frustrated and tired, but our bond remained strong. We learned how to be positive even when we lost 8 to 7 at the very last second of the game. Most importantly, we learned to never give up.

Our coach told us that because we go to Wilde Lake we carry a “chip on our shoulder,” meaning that a lot of schools just expect us to lose based off of acquired stereotypes and past records. The grit that all players on Wilde Lake teams have is incredible.

A player must find the strength to play proudly with “the chip” that we carry.

THE PAW PRINT STAFF 2017-2018 The views expressed in this issue are not necessarily those of the staff, the students, the administration or the school board. Letters to the editors are encouraged. The Paw Print reserves the right to edit any submissions.

Adviser............................................ .......Ben Townsend Print Editor-in-Chief....................................Hope Kahn Web Editor-in-Chief.....................................Rachel Henry News Editor............................................ ..Ihsaan Fanusie Photography Editor......................................Bryan Castillo Writers..................................... ...............Brianna Baker, Savannah Jackson, Stella Johnson, Sophia Hilger, Jane Hilger, Kareem Press, Sarah Rubin, Bryan Shin, Maddie Sommers, Hannah Van Osdel, Aenilah Watkins, Trinity Williams

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