Vol. 39 Issue 2

inside 19

THE COMEBACK KID: Senior Mikaela Katz recovers from swine flu to perform as the lead in tonight’s play.

Common Sense

FOOTLOOSE: Senior Jessie Rubin braves three miles with just one shoe to win the race for cross country.

sports

PLEDGE YOUR PATRIOTISM: Should students have to stand for the pledge to prove their patriotism?

inside 14

arts

inside 6

editorial

RISE AND SHINE: SP2K10 hosted annual breakfast for seniors on the morning of the PSATs

news

inside 2

Volume 39 Issue 2 - Thomas S. Wootton High School - 2100 Wootton Parkway - Rockville, MD 20850 - November 5, 2009

Homecoming is a blast from the past and future

Mr. Wootton cancelled Student-staff talent show to replace popular fundraiser

Ilana Avergun editor-in-chief After running for more than eight years, the Mr. Wootton showcase and fundraiser, traditionally held in February, has met its end.

The decision was made during the summer by the leadership team, which consists of Principal Dr. Michael Doran, administrators, department chairs and other staff members.

Mr. Wootton, a pageant-like event, showcased male students’ humor and skills through performance categories including talent, swimwear and formalwear. Based on the contestants’ total scores, faculty judges crowned a Mr. Wootton and a Mr. Wootton, Jr. each year.

“It didn’t seem like a lot of people valued the exercise anymore,” Doran said. “The show just became more problematic, sillier and more outrageous every year.”

Both Putting On The Hitz (POTH) and Mr. Wootton have traditionally been held as Senior Planning fundraisers. The leadership team decided to keep POTH because the show includes both genders, and equal opportunity for members of every grade and social group. “[With POTH], it is easier to make sure it doesn’t get out of control,” Doran said.

According to Doran, Mr. Wootton will be replaced by a student- staff talent show.

“Mr. Wootton had a sense of exclusivity that I don’t like,” Doran said. “The talent show is more reflective of what Wootton can do and what Wootton really is.”

Dr. Doran and the rest of the leadership team hope that the addition of the talent show will allow the diverse and special talents of Wootton’s students and faculty to be showcased more adequately then in years past. According to Doran, Mr. Wootton catered to a certain demographic of students and often attracted the same group of participants every year.

“How many times do you need to see a boy in a stupid bathing suit and flippers trying to outdo the last boy in swimming trunks and flippers?” Doran asked. “Now we can showcase an amazing pianist, vocalist, or band. When have they been given that opportunity before?”

Though new opportunities have arisen for more members of the Wootton family, going against tradition has hit groups such as Senior Planning relatively hard.

“The administration just really hated it,” senior class president Swetha Iruku said. “But I don’t think that it should have been taken away.

People enjoyed it, people laughed, and it brought in a lot of money for the senior class which is much needed.”

Other Wootton students have expressed their dismay that Mr. Wootton will not be returning to the stage this year.

“I am very sad that I won’t get the chance to be in Mr. Wootton this year,” veteran participant Drew Doherty said. “I felt like this was my year to win.”

“Mr. Wootton was so much fun,” junior Marissa Schreiber said. “I can’t believe [the school] is breaking the tradition.”

Despite students’ disappointment, Doran’s position holds firm. “I know it’s not a popular decision, but I am the principal and I get to decide,” Doran said. “So be it. I can take it.”

Aleks Timrots staff writer

photo by David Hartzman

Senior Mike Barbaro shows off his “Chubby Bunny” chops at the Spirit Week marshmallow-eating contest on Oct. 20.

During a frenzied and rainy week of float building, hall decorating, pie eating and hula hooping, students and staff proved they didn’t need a flux capacitor to travel through time.

This year’s Homecoming, themed “A Journey Through Time,” began with an eventful Spirit Week on Oct. 18, followed by the football game on the night of the 23rd and the dance on the night of the 24th. The Homecoming pep rally would have ended Spirit Week, but was cancelled due to inclement weather.

The Student Government Association (SGA) plans and produces Homecoming every year.

This year the SGA chose the theme “A Journey Through Time” to represent different eras and decades.

Spirit week consisted of themed days: Maniac Monday, 50’s Tuesday, 80’s Wednesday, Tie-Die Thurs-dye or 70’s Thursday, and Spirit Day Friday where students could dress appropriately for each class.

“I liked Maniac Monday, because I looked awkwardly crazy, and it made people laugh,” junior Taariq Elliott said. Maniac Monday was just one of several days organized by the SGA to make the week as fun for students as possible.

“We came up with different spirit days than the usual ones to change it up, and we all thought it was more fun,” senior SGA member Jamie Burke said. The SGA came up with the idea of the theme during their annual meeting over the summer. “Once we officially picked

see HC, page 5

“You Can’t Take It With You” to open tonight Anna Agarunova staff writer Be prepared to be rolling in the aisles with laughter, starting tonight in the auditorium.

The actors and stage crew of the Wootton community have been working hard to bring to the stage the PulitzerPrize winning comedic play “You Can’t Take it With You.” The three-act play, written in the 1930s by George S. Kaufman and Moss Hart, promises to have audiences laughing for tonight’s opening of the show.

“I’m excited we’re doing something a little more mature,” said junior Lauren Fagan, who plays family maid Reba. “We have a great cast this year. People need to go see this show because it’s fast-paced and hysterical. If anyone’s ever seen ‘My Big Fat Greek Wedding’ and liked it, they should go see this.”

photo by Allie McRae

Seniors Alex Garretson and Mikaela Katz, and junior Kevin Goldberg (center), rehearse a scene for tonight’s premiere. The show begins at 7:30.

The play centers on Alice Sycamore, played by junior Helena Sarhi, and her character’s fiancé Tony Kirby, played by junior Gavin Kramer.

The plot thickens as the two lovers’ families finally meet and interact.

“It’s going to be a fantastic show,” Sarhi said. “It’s really

fun, it has great characters, and everyone in it is really talented.

It’s a little bit like the second ‘Meet the Parents’ movie.”

“Basically we are two families that are completely different,” said senior Phil Coimbra, who plays Paul Sycamore. “At first you think [Alice’s family] is completely

mad, but then you find that they are just free spirited; they just enjoy a happy life. Tony’s family, the Kirby’s, are more high-class, stricter and uptight.”

Paul Sycamore, who is obsessed with making fireworks alongside Mr. DePinna (sophomore Rocky Nunzio) is married to Penelope, a playwright played by senior Mikaela Katz. The Sycamores have two daughters – Alice and Essie Carmichael (senior Claire Mauro). Essie is married to Ed Carmichael (junior Sam Hendel). Essie and Ed are a musical couple: Essie dances ballet to Ed’s musical accompaniment on the xylophone.

“My character is [an] awful ballet dancer, which is a challenge for me because I’ve been dancing since I was three,” Mauro said. The Sycamores also live with Penny’s father – Grandpa Martin Vanderhof –

see PLAY, page 18

Swine Flu virus outbreak creates end-of-quarter stress Emily Burklow & Eleni Kessler managing editors Many students have been obliged to miss school after contracting H1N1, or swine flu, this fall. Absences have been on the rise, according to estimates by principal Dr. Michael Doran, who says that approximately 170 students were absent for at least one day last week due to illness.

Since the marking period ended on Oct. 30, the people who were sick last week are now struggling to make up work in order to finalize their grades.

Countywide, school officials have had

to create contingency plans to be put into effect if the epidemic were to force them to close schools. Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) had scheduled three swine flu vaccination clinics at Northwood, Northwest, and Rockville High Schools on Nov. 4, 8, and 11 that have now been cancelled as a result of the county’s Department of Health and Human Services having no available vaccines. This shortage is what Doran feels is the most significant issue related to the continuation of the epidemic.

“You could throw a stone and find 1,000 people who need a vaccine,” Doran

said. “But that’s not a school issue, it’s a county issue.” While he notes the recent increase in student and faculty absences, he is thankful that Wootton has been lucky compared to many other schools.

“Teachers have kids coming and going,” Doran said. “If you’re really sick, teachers will help.” Math teacher Mr. William Butke says that he has had students absent in most of his classes, and that he has more students receiving incomplete grades on their report cards than in previous years. Despite this inconvenience,

see H1N1, page 5

News

2

IN BRIEF

A quarter of the year is in the books, and report cards are on their way.

Keep studying hard and taking notes, because the stress won’t end ‘till may.

Fall

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Breakfast leaves seniors fulfilled

Common Sense - November 5 , 2009

Lexi Pace staff writer On the brisk fall morning of Oct. 14, over six hundred seniors, clad in their 2010 shirts, crowded the stadium and cafeteria participating in a senior tradition. After three years, it was time to forgo the number two soft lead pencils, TI83s and inane stress in favor of a more enjoyable event: senior breakfast. The seniors took their commemorative class panoramic photo and bonded over a feast of breakfast foods.

It has been a tradition that the senior class gathers on the morning of the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) for a large-scale breakfast and the privileges that accompany it.

As the first significant event held for the senior class, students were impressed and excited by the formality and fun of the senior breakfast.

“At first I thought [senior breakfast] was a big joke, but then it became kind of like the first event we have to show that we are the seniors,” senior Rashawn Morris said.

Senior Planning is responsible for the majority of these types of events, as they really are in charge of representing the senior class. One of their first duties is to organize and hold the senior breakfast, which immediately follows the senior picture. The event, chaired by seniors Alyssa Feldstein and Eleni Kessler, ran smoothly despite the pressure Senior Planning was feeling. “[Senior breakfast] is definitely on a smaller scale than some of our other events,” senior class president Swetha Iruku said. “Since it was our first big event of the year, we put a lot of effort into it. I know Eleni and Alyssa have been really working hard to get donations and getting in contact with different businesses.”

It was a chance for students to get away from the intense academic climate of school, and just enjoy the time with friends. Upon arrival to the cafeteria, the tables were set in red, white and blue tablecloths with assorted breakfast foods

photo by Lexi Pace

Senior planners Maddie Li and Julie Silverman prepare drinks at the senior breakfast. Seniors took photos and ate breakfast during the PSATs.

for students to dive into. There were several beverage stations set up around the cafeteria and stations for serving bagels and various assortments of muffins and donuts.

Senior Planning was in charge of serving students to the best of their abilities, a measure to keep the chaos levels to a minimum.

“We had four stations of pouring drinks, one of which I worked at,” senior planner Claire Zahavi said. “I think [serving the students] ran really smoothly.”

“It was better than having people come up; it was definitely chaotic,” Iruku said of serving the students. “We had people demanding specific foods, which was a little frustrating, but it was really the best option.”

On the whole, the event was successful and left the seniors feeling fulfilled in their expectations.

“The most successful part was that it seemed a lot of kids really enjoyed the food we had,” Feldstein said. “Coordinating the donations was the most difficult aspect of planning the senior breakfast, but it went much better than expected.”

It was a new experience for seniors, one that leaves a number of memories for the students to take with them. This event got them excited for future senior planning events.

“My favorite part was taking the whole fruit medley for myself,” Morris said. “And it’s a great memory that I got to share the morning with all of my football buddies.”

Students suspended for use of illegal substances Neal Lerner news editor

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INSIDE >> Common Sense News............................................................................1-5 Op-Ed............................................................................6-7 Billboard.......................................................................8-9 Sports............................................................10-11, 14-16 Commons..................................................................12-13 Nonsense.......................................................................17 Arts...........................................................................18-19 Features....................................................................20-24

In the month of October, five student athletes received a five-day outof-school suspension and a 30-day ban from extracurricular activities as a result of being under the influence of illegal substances.

Two of these athletes were arrested and charged with drug possession on Oct. 2. One of the students was also charged with possession of drug paraphernalia.

The two students who were arrested used the drugs before school and arrived during third period.

The students were initially given detention for skipping school, but after overhearing conversations in the hallway, security summoned Student A to the health room on the suspicion that he was under the influence of an illegal substance. Upon a search of Student A’s possessions, security found drug paraphernelia in the student’s backpack. Student B later confessed that there were also drugs in his car.

The two students were handcuffed and driven to the police station.

Doran has the option of removing the suspension from the students’ records if they demonstrate changed behavior and thoughtful reflection upon their actions. The students also reduced their suspension from ten to five days after agreeing to take a six-week drug therapy course.

Despite these opportunities, there is no possibility of the suspension decision being reversed. Additionally, in their college applications, students are required to mention their suspension and arrest.

Another significant repercussion of

photo courtesy of washington kaleidoscope

suspensions is that students must make up all the work they miss while out of school for their punishment.

“The suspension is really frustrating since we end up being a whole week behind everyone,” Student A said.

The 30-day ban from extracurricular activities includes all sports games, as well as Homecoming.

“I was excited for Homecoming this year,” Student A said. “The whole experience is always a lot of fun.”

The 30-day ban is the punishment described in the student handbook for a first offense. If a student uses illegal substances a second time, he or she will be banned from all extracurricular events for 12 months.

“The school rules are set in place,” Principal Dr. Michael Doran said. “I don’t like excluding kids [from activities], but it’s powerful, and the more powerful, the better.”

The other three suspended students were not arrested, but were caught under the influence of alcohol at a school-sponsored sporting event.

While in the restroom, a security guard overheard the students’ conversation, which led to the students being referred to administration.

Along with the required 30-day ban from after school activities, they

too recieved a five-day suspension after agreeing to attend an alcohol class. Many students were frustrated by their punishment because these three students received the same penalty as the students who were arrested for drug possession.

“It was just unlucky for them that security overheard a conversation.

The punishment seems unfair when you consider that like so many other students, they drank before a sports game,” said a student who wished to remain anonymous.

However, Doran begs to differ.

“All of the students were under the influence of an illegal substance, so their punishment will be the same,” Doran said. “It hurts me because I feel like a dad, but the punishment must grab their attention. If there is not a serious consequence, they won’t get it.”

Since all of the students are returning athletes, their punishment is more severe as a result of of team policies.

“We are suspended for the first two games of our season, but at least that is it,” Student A said.

“The team is really thankful that they are only missing the first two games,” one player said. “We have a fairly easy schedule in the beginning of the year, so we will be happy to have them back as the tough games start coming in.”

The students who were suspended hope to send a cautionary message to their community.

“It was a scary experience, and we were both really nervous,” Student B said. “It’s an experience that we both hope to never have to live through again.”

News

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Common Sense - November 5 , 2009

National Honors Society helps those in need Aid goes to Kenyan school

Charity walk raises money for the local homeless

Annie Bleecker staff writer Wootton’s National Honor Society raised $4,000 through a cookie dough sale last winter and spring to donate to Kenya Connect, a project that raises money for the Kikulumi Primary School community in Kenya. Over the past few weeks the NHS has been holding another fundraiser by selling cookie dough again for the organization.

Beginning this fall, the NHS showed students the true impact of the sale with a video aired on the morning announcements. The video featured images of a water tank being built and a group of children in Kenya thanking Wootton for the help from the fundraiser.

“The video made a big impact on the school,” NHS treasurer Alison Bishop said. “We actually get to see the change happening...there’s real feedback [from Kenya Connect].”

In years past, the NHS fundraiser money has been doled out to different local charities, such as homeless shelters. Last year was the first year NHS decided to support Kenya Connect.

The money raised last year by NHS went towards specific items needed at the school such as new school uniforms, a clean water tank, and a fence.

Most students are unaware of the impact that NHS can have on the world. This is why the morning announcements recently featured an emotional video covering the impact NHS made this summer in Kenya.

The money raised this year is going towards famine relief following one of the worst droughts in the history of Kenya.

“The NHS members love this fundraiser,” NHS sponsor Mrs. Fevronia Cresham said. “It is definitely very empowering.”

In order to ensure that the funds make it directly to Kenya, Cresham contacts U.S. Representative for Kenya Connect Tim Gregory, who in turn communicates with James Musyoka in Kenya. Musyoka oversees the actual field work in Kenya that delivers famine relief.

To learn more about the project, students are encouraged to visit www.kenyaconnect.com.

“Our goal for this year is to meet or exceed the amount of money that we raised last year.” Bishop said. NHS collected $4,000 last year, so to pass that mark will be challenging, but NHS feels they are up to the task.

Cresham urges students to buy cookie dough this year to support Kenya Connect.

“It’s really nice to see our money was put to good use,” NHS vice president Gabby Trupp said. “The kids really appreciated our hard work.”

Arun Raman staff writer On Friday, Oct. 9, the National Honors Society conducted its fourth annual Mini-Walkathon for the Homeless in an attempt to raise money and awareness for the growing homeless population in the area.

More than 200 students, some of whom were members of the society while the rest were volunteers, came out to the school’s track after school.

The students walked around the track to show their support for the cause while music was played, and stands were open with available food and drinks. Each student paid $15 to participate, which was directly donated to the Montgomery County Coalition for the Homeless (MCCH). All participants received a “Mini-Walk” t-shirt in return for their participation.

The fundraiser is called a “mini” walk because it originated from a national walk for the homeless in Washington, D.C. run by Fannie Mae’s Help the Homeless Program.

Due to the large number of students taking part in the event, the NHS has raised thousands of dollars for the homeless.

Last year, the club raised $3,800. The raised money is

sent directly to the MCCH, while some of it also goes to the National Foundation for the Homeless. This year the walk raised $4,238.

The NHS’s effort has helped MCCH build homeless shelters for those in need. One of the

Mae, which suggested that Wootton start its own fundraiser to help the homeless. The MCCH contacted the NHS also, and has been working with the group ever since.

“This is a great fundraiser,” Cresham said.

photo by Vivian Chen

A group of seniors and juniors round the track at Wootton’s fourth National Honors Society Walkathon. More than 200 students walked.

homeless, Mr. Clinton, built a small house figure and sent it to Wootton as a gift of appreciation. The figure can now be found in social studies teacher and NHS sponsor Mrs. Fevronia Cresham’s classroom.

When Cresham took up the position as the NHS sponsor four years ago, she was approached by Fannie

“Since the economy has worsened, the homeless need our help desperately.

This is for a great cause.”

For the event, Cresham handles the logistics, such as talking to the organizations and collecting money.

Attending the miniwalk is one of the obligations that every NHS member has to follow.

In addition to putting up posters and publicizing through the morning announcements, the NHS encourages members to bring a friend with them to the event.

Emily Bolek, a junior executive board member, participated in the miniwalk for the first time this year.

“The mini-walk is a great way to participate with others and help others out,” Bolek said. “We need to create awareness towards homelessness in our community. I’m excited and I hope I can help as much as I can.”

Although the miniwalk is a well-known event, Cresham said there is room for improvement.

For future events, she envisions the mini-walk to grow and eventually take its root as one of Wootton’s traditions.

Cresham is considering adding more fun to the walk by hosting races, encouraging the neighboring middle and elementary school students to join, and inviting the cheerleaders to perform.

-Business Manager Daniel Moon constributed to this report.

Senior planners enjoy hosting their first flea market

Despite delay and a swine flu breakout, SP2K10 surpasses expectations George Ewald staff writer

Senior Planning hosted the first Wootton flea market since 1998 on Saturday, Oct. 31 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the lower parking lot.

Senior Planning rented out single and double tables for members of the community. Vendors could sell their own belongings and were able to keep the profit they made from their own tables. Although senior planning did raise money, there were some logistical problems with the event.

“There were more people wanting to sell things than [people] wanting to buy,” senior class president Swetha Iruku said. “There were not enough tables to offer people wanting to sell things.”

There were a total of 80 tables rented out on Saturday, and an estimated $2,000 was raised for the class of 2010.

Overall, the flea market was successful for the senior class, which is in need for more money for future events such as graduation and prom.

One table was sold for $20, while a pair of tables was sold at a discounted price of $35. The flea market also had music and concession stands at which breakfast and lunch foods were sold. Beverages such as coffee, orange juice and apple juice were also available. Most of the money made

by Senior Planning came from renting out the tables, not by selling items at the Senior Planning table or food at the concession stand.

All members of the community were welcome to come to the sale. “[Vendors] had pretty much anything you would want at a flea market,” junior Ariana Amini said. There was a wide variety of things being sold; tables offered anything from books, to clothes to homemade jewelry.

The student a cappella group Chaos also performed at

the flea market.

“We [were] excited to have the opportunity to perform,” junior chaos member Divya Mouli said. “Anything we can do to get more public recognition, we’ll take it.” The group preformed four songs during the sale.

“We liked being able to sing for the flea market,” senior chaos member Jack Stonesifer said. “Senior Planning was great and very cooperative.”

The number of people who came to the flea market to purchase items appeared low by some estimates.

“I was surprised that there weren’t more people there.

There should have been more,” senior Ellie Fitzgerald said.

According to Senior Planning sponsor Mr. Nick Hitchens, the weather caused the flea market to be rescheduled the first time and had to be moved to Halloween, which made it hard for some people to make it to the sale.

The idea for the flea market as a fundraiser came up last year in Junior Planning. However, club members decided to wait a year before executing the event, so that they could have more time to plan it. “[The flea market] was organized really well,” Hitchens said. “Just about as good as it could have been.” With the money earned from the flea market, senior shirts, and other fundraisers, Senior Planning will be able to fund upcoming events.

“We are considering having [another flea market] during the spring,” Iruku said, “although we will need to work on [increasing] our advertising much more.” The senior planners passed out flyers to every homeroom and to all of the schools that are within the Wootton cluster. Still, the buyer turnout was not exactly what the seniors had hoped for, and there remains some doubt as to the possibility of a second flea market.

“I don’t know whether we will have another one or not,”

photo by Vivian Chen

Senior planning hosted their first flea market in the parking lot on Saturday Oct. 31. Tables filled up the entire lower parking lot as participants sold items ranging from clothes to games to food.

Hitchens said. “I can’t say either way for sure.”

“The juniors definitely won’t have [a flea market] this year,” junior class President Emily Galfond said. “[But] it seems really successful, and it would be nice to continue having the sale.” Galfond liked the idea of the flea market and the revenue it could bring not only to the junior class, but other classes as well. She aslso noted how successful a flea market could be in future years.

After disappearing for 11 years, some believe that this year’s senior class has renewed the flea market spirit for future generations.

“Although it was a lot of hard work, it was well worth it,” event chair and senior class vice president Maddie Li said.

“We hope that future classes can learn from us.”

News

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Common Sense - November 5, 2009

Young-adult author shares her stories with Montgomery County Ali Schumacher staff writer

Mitali Perkins, a young-adult author, came to speak in the Wootton Auditorium on Wednesday, Oct. 7, where she discussed her stories and her past experiences.

Dealing with the bridge between two cultures, Perkins was born India and lived in several countries around the world before settling in California when she entered the 7th grade. However, the adjustment was difficult for Perkins because she came from a traditional Indian family.

While Perkins lived an Indian lifestyle at home, she was forced to live the typical American teenage life at school with her friends. Perkins found it difficult to make that transition on a daily basis.

“One of life’s greatest joys is to create spaces where children feel safe, welcome, and beloved,” Perkins said on her website. “Stories are one such space.”

“She was from a culture where her parents got married, met, dated and then, decades later, fell in love,” Media Specialist Ms. Anita Anderson said. These Indian customs contrast with how in the United States, teens generally meet, date, fall in love and then get married.

Perkins’ experiences are reflected in her books. Her books are fictional, yet there are concurrent leading women protagonists who deal with the same difficulties that she dealt with as a teenager.

The first half of Perkins’ visit to Wootton focused on her background and personal experiences in the cross between two cultures. The second part of her presentation was about her writing and her experience as an author.

“Perkins especially talked about the mistakes she made

with some of her characters as she tried to get across the topic of bridging cultures,” Media Specialist Ms. Sarah Way said. “She found that she was actually using a stereotypical summation of this one character, and when the book was revised, she reformatted.”

In addition to referring to her experiences and background, she spoke of all of her characters in general, not so much any particular character from a specific book that she wrote.

“All of her characters struggle with this bridging of cultures,” Way said.

Many of Perkins’ books are geared towards middle school students, with some towards elementary school students. She has written six books: Secret Keeper, Monsoon Summer, First Daughter: Extreme American Makeover, First Daughter: White House Rules, The Not-So-Spangled Life of Sunita Sen, and Rickshaw Girl. Wootton owns one title.

“She was a great speaker, focusing in particular on how she grew up between cultures and how the way that books portray women of color affects their perceptions of themselves,” Anderson said.

The Montgomery County Educational Media Specialists Association (MCEMSA) sponsored Perkins’ presence at Wootton, of which the two Media Specialists at Wootton, Way and Anderson, are members. Every year or two, MCEMSA sponsors an author visit, and the organization was looking for a school to host Perkins. MCEMSA decided that Wootton was a central location to host Perkins, in addition to the fact that Wootton’s space was available.

“She had a wonderful PowerPoint presentation,” Way said. “[One audience member] said she found it very worthwhile to hear somebody who saw that we need to be

photo courtesy of schoollibraryjournal.com

Author Mitali Perkins visited Wootton high school on October 7. She discussed her way of life as well as her several children books.

working for characters that are struggling with this bridge of cultures because we live in a multicultural world these days, and we need to be sensitive to that.”

Perkins also mentioned in her presentation how changes are occurring, and how one can make a difference. Now in her forties, Perkins has a new book coming out in 2010.

Read more about Perkins’ background, stories, hobbies, or chat about life between cultures at www.mitaliperkins.com.

News

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Common Sense - November 5, 2009

The time traveler’s homecoming from HC, page 1 the theme, we thought of what dress up days would work for it. We really liked the idea [of a journey through time] so we could use decades for spirit week.”

Spirit week also had many activities and contests during lunches ranging from ability tests like limbo to eating contests. Lunch periods often ended with a crowd of people encircling dancers and taking pictures.

“Seriously, the whole week was fun,” Principal Dr. Michael Doran said. “The spirit days, the music at lunch, and the Friday...game always entertain the students.”

The halls were also festively decorated around eras throughout time. Each grade’s class planning put a lot of effort into decorating the halls, with many details and creative elements from each time period.

The junior class won the hall contest, followed by the seniors, sophomores and then freshman.

Since the pep rally was canceled, the nominees for Homecoming court were introduced via televised program.

The freshman winners were Palina Ivanova and Joe Kelly, the sophomore winners were Grace Saylor and Johnny Stopher, and the junior winners were Ingrid Raphael and Tyler Klein.

The homecoming king and queen winners were seniors Mike Barbaro and Maddie Li, who were announced at the dance.

“It was nice, because I honestly

didn’t think anyone in my grade knew who I was,” Saylor said.

The homecoming football game was against Northwest. The Patriots suffered a 16-9 loss, but the game was a nail-biter.

Halftime was filled with homecoming festivities and performances. Court winners along with the king and queen nominees were paraded along the track in separate convertibles.

“It was really fun since I have never riden on top of a convertible before,” Saylor said. Freshman winner Palina Ivanova also shared the same feelings.

“I was excited to drive around, but it was also pretty nerveracking, because so many people were staring at you,” Ivanova said.

Halftime included routines and performances by the marching band, poms, flags, and cheerleaders.

Decorated class floats made by each grade’s class planning were driven around the track following the court winners and king and queen nominees.

The seniors won the float competition, followed by the underdog freshman class, then juniors and then sophomores.

In preparation for the dance, many girls visited salons to get their hair and nails done.

“I got my hair and makeup done,” freshman Alex Spiropoulos said. “I was really excited because it was my first time going to homecoming.”

Group pictures were one of the main activities for many

Swine flu hits homes hard

homecoming groups. “[Pictures] took a long time, and my cheeks were hurting from smiling so much, but I liked them,” junior Alex Basta said. After pictures, lots of groups went out to dinner at various local restuaraunts.

“We went to Buca Di Bepo for dinner,” freshman Samantha Leibowitz said.

For transportation, some groups drove themselves and some had a limo, but larger groups rented “party buses.” Junior Jessica Lewis’ group was so big they could not have just one or the other.

“We had a party bus and a limo,” Lewis said. “We started with just the party bus, but then we added more people, and the bus couldn’t fit us all.”

According to Kelly, the transportation can really liven up a group’s night.

“Aside from the after party, the party bus was the most fun because we could move around in it and dance and play music very loudly,” Kelly said. “It was well worth the extra effort to use a party bus.”

The dance was held in the gym and Commons. Both areas were decorated to match the theme of a journey through time.

“The dance was very fun,” sophomore Sam Haven said. “I thought the decorations were really nice and the D.J. was awesome.

The gym could have been a little darker, but it was good enough for dancing.”

However, some students, like sophomore Emma Vogel, opted

photo by David Hartzman

Students prepare for a pie eating contest on Maniac monday. Students could win prizes during games held every day during lunches.

not to attend Homecoming this year. “[Homecoming] wasn’t that great last year,” Vogel said. This year, Vogel went to an event at the Washington International Horse Show instead.

Senior Freddy Vance also did not attend homecoming this year.

“I have never gone to

Wootton and the OHA host another succesful blood drive

from H1N1, page 1 however, his students’ health is his biggest concern.

“Get well first… then tackle what you missed one thing at a time,” Butke said. “Stress is never good; it never solves anything.” Similarly to many other teachers, Butke is planning on giving students who missed class last week the opportunity to make up tests on their first days back in school.

Senior Maddie Li was incapacitated by swine flu beginning on Oct. 25, and missed four days of school as a result of her illness. Li’s experience with teachers and make up work reflects the helpful understanding that balances the hefty assignments given to students.

“Teachers were really nice,” Li said. “They just wanted me to recover fully, and not to come back before I was completely better and get sick again.”

Li’s responsibilities extended outside the classroom during the week she was sick, as she was committee chair of Wootton’s first flea market, a Senior Planning fundraiser.

According to Li, being forced to stay at home gave her an opportunity to finalize the details of the event.

“I was able to spend a lot of time… working on [the flea market],” Li said. “The other senior planners were really helpful.” Li had a fever, sore throat, and headache while she was sick. One of her most prevalent symptoms was the extreme fatigue that is experienced by most people diagnosed with swine flu. Doran feels that this exhaustion makes it even more difficult for students to catch up on missed work when they return to school. “[H1N1] really knocks kids out,” Doran said. “It’s no secret that Wootton work kids hard.” He feels that while Wootton may be criticized for the large amount of effort expected from its students, the school’s faculty do not push students past their limit.

“When you’re really sick, you [need to] get well,” Doran said. “But wouldn’t it be terrible if you were at a school where

homecoming,” Vance said. “I don’t like breaking trends.”

For many, Homecoming remains a time where students get to be with their friends, dress up and have fun.

“It was a great night,” Doran said. “Everyone behaved, I did not see any drama, and everyone got home safely.”

Anna Tragotsi staff writer

photo courtesy of Associated Press

Mexico City residents wear masks to protect themselves from airborne swine flu germs. Mexico is the most infected country in the world.

nobody cared?”

Like Li, freshman Stavi Tzamaras did not feel any pressure from his teachers to make up work before he was ready. He also contracted the illness Oct. 25, beginning with a low grade fever that escalated to a temperature of 104.3° by Oct. 28.

Although he had one major test to make up upon his return to school, Tzamaras was not overwhelmed by his workload. “[Being absent] wasn’t as bad as I expected it to be,” Tzamaras said. As a freshman, this is the first experience Tzamaras has had with making up work from multiple days in high school.

His interactions with the teachers reflect the same flexibility of the faculty as Li’s.

“Teachers were lenient,” Tzamaras said. “All of them had good wishes.”

While Doran does not want students to miss more school than is absolutely necessary, he feels that it is very important that they do not strain themselves while ill.

“It’s good and bad that kids want to come back. It’s good that they don’t want to miss anything, but bad since they shouldn’t pressure themselves,” Doran said. Ultimately, Doran thinks that it is the responsibility of the afflicted student and his or her parents to decide when a high schooler can return to class.

“We just hope that parents and kids make the right decisions.”

The Organization of Humanitarian Aid (OHA) previously known as the Red Cross Club, held a blood drive on Oct. 17 in the lower gym.

There were a total of 96 units of usable blood donated by students, and since each unit saves three lives, a total of 288 lives were saved. Of the 188 registered to donate blood, 22 were unable to do so because of low iron levels or recent travel that disqualified them from giving blood.

“Usually 10% [of prospective donors] can’t give blood, but we did much better,” said OHA sponsor and counselor Lynn Goodman. “On the whole it went really well.”

However, there were a couple of mishaps during the event. At one point, the electricity went off, requiring that all the machinery be restarted. Also, a few students fainted due to extreme temperatures in the lower gym.

“It was hot down there,” junior Michell Soloveyva said.

Every student received a complimentary guitarhero-themed t-shirt as a reward for participating. Of the donators, five were randomly picked in a raffle and won a $10 gift card to Best Buy. Another interesting experience for the volunteers is learning their blood type. For example, if someone’s blood type is “AB,” they can recieve from any of the eight other blood types.

Another special blood type is “O negative,” which can donate to any blood type. However, “O negative” can only recieve “O negative.”

OHA is planning to have another blood drive March 9 and a book and clothing drive sometime this year. Goodman is hoping to have the next blood drive in the upper gym, where there is more space and cooler temperatures.

“It was a great experience, and the shirt definitely made it all worthwhile,” junior Ilan Simanin said.

Editorial

6

Common Sense - November 5, 2009

Suspension policy flawed Students always find cause for celebration. After a week of waking up early, attending classes and completing hours of homework, all a student wants is a weekend to relax and spend time with his or her friends.

Students attend post-football-game parties, homecoming after-parties, and Halloween parties. Some students find cause for celebration simply because they have survived the first quarter of the school year. The school administration can let students throw parties and enjoy their high school years, but when students show up to school events after drinking alcohol and using drugs, they have taken their celebration a step too far. However, the methods that the school system uses to punish and prevent alcohol and drug usage in the student body are ineffective.

Students fall under the impression that they can drink responsibly and remain in complete control. Then, the believe they can easily avoid police confrontation by not driving and by behaving as orderly as possible.

However, when security guards overhear a conversation on school grounds regarding alcohol or other drugs, they have no choice but to take action. The minimum punishment for student caught under the influence is five days of suspension and 30 days banned from extracurricular activities--not effective disciplinary action.

Students who are suspended and kept from attending after-school functions fall behind in school and miss out on the activities that occupy most of their time. For some students, these extracurricular activities are the only enriching alternatives to drinking and doing drugs. Moreover, suspended students are often left home alone and to their own devices.

With more free time, nothing will really stop students from repeating the harmful actions that got them punished if that is what they wish to do.

The school’s method of punitive action should instead be modeled after that of the police. If a police officer were to discover these students, the students would be detained and returned to their parents’ custody, if not arrested and placed in a youth detention center. The police understand that the key element in punishing these students is the guarantee that they will remain under the close supervision of responsible adults, where they are far less likely to become involved in illegal activities.

Any students caught partaking in harmful or illegal activities should certainly be punished, but they should not be suspended. Instead, the school should hold in-school detention and involve parents more; this measure would punish students and, more important, allow concerned parents to prevent it from becoming an issue ever again. This adjustment of policies is the first step toward creating a drug- and alcohol-free school environment.

Common Sense Editors

Common Sense welcomes letters to the editor, but reserves the right to edit them as necessary for style, punctuation, grammar, and spelling.

Letters may be submitted to the Common Sense mailbox. All letters must be signed, but requests to remain anonymous will be considered. Please contact us at woottoncommonsense@gmail.com.

Editors-in-Chief

Ilana Avergun & Drew Endick

Patriot-Points:

What would you change about the homecoming dance?

“It would be much more fun if there was more to do... like DDR or a moon-bounce.”

-Julia Wainger, 10th grade “They could leave the air conditioning on.”

-Terry Forshey, security personnel “Make the lights darker.”

-Dylan Jaffee, 9th grade

“There’s no way I’m going to spend $25 dollars on one night’s worth of entertainment.”

-Jessica Wilson, 11th grade

“For $25, maybe they could have snacks.”

-Kevin Goldberg, 10th grade “Keep the lights off.”

-Denish Sahadovan, 12th grade

The Pledge never provokes any patriotism at all Zara Shore op-ed editor I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, under God, Indivisible, with Liberty and Justice for all.

Every American student between kindergarten and 12th grade is asked to say these words each morning at the beginning of the school day. While some Wootton teachers insist that students stand with their right hands held over their hearts, others simply carry on teaching class. But should it really be mandatory to have students stand during the pledge of allegiance?

The answer is truly no. It is true that the pledge creates loyalty towards the country and a unity among American students, but we go to a public school, and as public school students, we cannot be required to stand up each day with our hands held over our hearts, reciting a mantra that states a belief in one God, presumably a Christian one. As of 2001, only 76.5% of the United States is Christian, meaning that the other 23.5% of American students reciting the pledge may feel uncomfortable as they address their country as “one nation under God.” All American citizens have the freedom of religion, giving them the right to believe in what they choose, not what is mandated by any government or system. So why should students be required to believe in the God of the majority, or at least be required to pretend to practice those beliefs every day?

Wootton in particular has an extremely diverse

student body, representing several different religions and nationalities. It can hardly be said that everyone believes their own words as they recite the pledge of allegiance each day.

While Wootton is an American school, it is undeniable that many of our students do not consider themselves American. Instead of forcing patriotism down our throats, the school system should have other ways to unify American students; having students mindlessly repeat a mantra that doesn’t mean anything to them is futile. Students could show support for our troops in Iraq by writing letters in English classes, or participate in a National Activism Week prior to any election. Regardless of its form, it is feasible to connect Wootton students to American nationality without causing discomfort or the sense that students are just going through the motions.

Wootton’s approach to the pledge of allegiance achieves nothing. In every first period class, half of the room stands up to say the pledge half-asleep, while the other half of the room remains in their seats actually asleep. Students may not feel forced to say something against their religious and national beliefs, but hardly anyone actually feels a connection to patriotism. Many teachers even continue with their lessons throughout the pledge, ordering students to take notes instead of standing with their hands over their hearts. How can we believe that the pledge of allegiance encourages unity between American students when not even all of Wootton is unified in its recitation?

If we want America to actually mean something to students, we need to become more engaged.

Managing Editors Azzah Ahmed, Emily Burklow, Eleni Kessler Arts Editors Melissa Frohman & Samantha Ritwo Commons Editors Naomi Sapiro & Natalie Wainger Features Editors Allison McRae & Katy Tong News Editors Jessica Ding & Neal Lerner Opinion Editors Zara Shore & Danny Wadler Sports Editors Jared Wasserman & Jeff Zifrony Photo Editors Vivian Chen & Ira Rickman Online Editors Will Browning & Gordie Gold Business Manager Daniel Moon Distribution Manager Will Browning Avergun Family, Bob and Debra Browning, Endick Family, Fran and Harold Frohman, Alexandra Adviser and Iver Kessler, Janet and Christopher Lerner, Diana Perroots, Anne and Mike McRae, Ruth and Jaclynn Rozansky Andrew Ritwo, James Sullivan, Beth Van Wye, William and Elizabeth Wainger, Randi Zifrony

Thank you Patrons!

Op-Ed

7

Common Sense - November 5, 2009

POINT-COUNTERPOINT:

Should colleges value the scholastic aptitude test as Highly as they do?

No, the SAT does not accurately measure students’ quality Danny Wadler op-ed editor The freshmen and sophomores are starting to brace themselves. The juniors are getting it done. The seniors are just winding down. The Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) affects every Wootton student all the time. Very similarly to the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude test (PSAT), the SAT tests comprehensive reading skills, writing skills, and mathematic ability. However, it is composed of ten sections, instead of the five sections of the PSAT, and is much more challenging. This test is not an effective design if its goal is to test students’ intellect or learning capacity. The SAT merely analyzes one’s test-taking abilities.

So, why do colleges place so much value on SAT scores?

Last month, freshmen, sophomores, and juniors took the PSAT either as a trial run or to reach for a National Merit Scholarship. Freshmen received what may have been their first clue as to what their performance on the SAT will be like. Some students may say the PSAT is a breeze, while others may say it is the most horrible thing they had ever experienced. But they will all agree on one thing: with the exception of some math and vocabulary, the test is completely irrelevant to what they learned in school.

During four years of high school, students can learn about everything from governmental structures and world history to foreign languages and music theory.

The SAT has no relevance to any scholarly subjects other than English and math.

Only a very small portion of high school education is really reflected in SAT scores.

It is outrageous that colleges place so much emphasis on a single test that is so unrelated to high school education, since it does not achieve its purpose of predicting

levels of achievement in college.

How well a student performs on the SAT is directly correlated with how much time he or she spent preparing for it with a tutor. It all depends on how much money his or her parents are willing to spend. The College Board recommends that students spend 45 hours studying with tutors and guidebooks prior to taking the test. Not only is this shocking amount of effort towards one test probably of no use in the end, but it is also an immense stress factor.

The American College Test (ACT) was developed fairly recently to be the equivalent of the SAT. The ACT is said to be much more relevant to high school education; it tests science and writing as well as mathematics and critical reading. Despite the general difference in material, however, the ACT still requires great amounts of preparation and one’s performance comes down to the amount of money one can afford to spend on tutors. In that sense, it is basically the same as the SAT. The elitist college entrance exams are mainly affected by the amount of money spent in preparation, instead of natural intelligence. Instead of checking applicants to see if they fit in the generally accepted score range, admission boards across the country should judge students more on grades, essays, and character.

Colleges could easily determine the students for whom they should accept or deny enrollment without the SAT or any sort of standardized college entrance exam at all.

Yes, the SAT is the only standard way to compare students Daniel Moon business manager If there were a sandwich called the “College Admission,” the bread would inevitably be the college essays, the lettuce, tomato, and other ingredients would be the teachers’ recommendations and transcripts, and ultimately, the meat would be the Scholastic Aptitude Test, otherwise known as the SAT. The bread, tomato and lettuce are important elements of a sandwich, but they are mere condiments when compared to the meat – the vital factor that creates the very essence of the juicy sandwich. That is what an SAT is like to college admission – catalytic, and therefore, essential.

Since its first distribution in 1901, the SAT has served as a prominent instrument for colleges all across the country to determine whether or not a student is worthy of admission. According to the College Board, despite the emergence of the American College Testing, the ACT, the SAT remains the most widely used admission test in the country. The test, which is divided into three sections – math, writing, and critical reading – is comprised of 170 questions and an essay that require logical reasoning skills.

With that in mind, here is a given fact: most of the time, one’s academics, which include grades and the rigor of curriculum of the courses one takes, are the most essential factor that determines college admission. Of course, other elements such as extracurricular activities kick in when

Redskins’ head coach loses play-calling privileges Zara Shore op-ed editor Maybe it’s a little obvious to suggest that the Redskins haven’t exactly had their best season ever this year. With a 2-5 record so far, fans grimace at the mention of yet another loss for the team. Yet who exactly is to blame for this? As fans and members of the team struggle to point a finger somewhere, the anger is ultimately – and unfairly – directed towards head coach Jim Zorn.

On Oct. 18, after an embarrassing 14-6 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, who have an even worse record than the Washington team, Redskins owner Daniel Snyder and executive vice president Vinny Cerrato decided to strip Zorn of his responsibility of calling the plays, stating, “I believe you have too much on your plate. Let’s take some responsibility off you. I want you to succeed; I want someone else to call the play.” While this may seem like a logical solution, Zorn is the head coach of the Redskins. Is he really too overwhelmed to do his job?

With most of his players fully supporting him, it seems obvious that Zorn should continue to be in charge of assigning the plays for the football team. They are the ones who work the most closely with him, and

they understand that the their lack of success is not due to Zorn’s poor ability, but instead, it is due to poor organization and ownership of the team. Regardless of the support of the players, Zorn was still demoted.

Zorn shouldn’t be blamed for the little success that the team has had this season – the ownership should. In the past few years, Snyder and the rest of the organization behind the football players have been very unstable. Instead of putting together a long-term vision for the future of the team, Snyder has hired big-named and high-priced players without forming a strategy for how they can help the Redskins reach the place where they need to be.

Furthermore, the players themselves are not as strong as they should be. First of all, quarterback Jason Campbell is hardly an asset to the team. Instead of having Campbell play in every game, the stronger back-up Todd Collins should have more field time. In addition, the aging offensive line leaves little time to set up offensive plays, while a younger and more skillful group would be speedier and be more prepared to play their best.

The players that the organization hires do not fit the dynamic of the team and do not play to the strengths that are necessary to win.

To replace Zorn, Cerrato promoted Sherman Lewis, who was recently hired to the Redskins as an offensive consultant. Yet even with the new play-caller, the Redskins have not improved. Throughout the game against the Philadelphia Eagles, one for which Lewis called the plays, the Redskins lost miserably, gaining only 17 points during the entirety of the game.

It is clear that the problem with the Redskins isn’t Zorn, but the way that the team is run. It’s easy to blame Zorn for the Redskins’ poor season, but even with a new playcaller, there is no improvement in the team’s abilities. And why should there be? As head coach, Zorn is the most knowledgeable about the team’s assets and flaws, and as he has put together the offensive scheme for the team, he is the one who understands it the best.

Even if the Redskins had beaten the Eagles, the dropping of Zorn would be no more ethical or justified.

The team hasn’t been doing well, but Zorn has been successful in the past, and now with only a few losses, he is demoted. The problem isn’t with Zorn – it’s with the dysfunctional organization that lacks faith and confidence in those who have led the team well.

looking at the broad spectrum. But when it comes down to the rudiments, both colleges and students know that academics are the most reliable sources to use when evaluating a student’s merits.

Now, does scholarly performance only consist of what your school says in your report cards? No. Some students may receive a 4.0 GPA, while some may not, despite equal amounts of effort, because some are enrolled in more challenging classes. The different levels of enrollment create an uneven ground that makes it rather hard for colleges to compare in a standard eye. That is when the SAT kicks in.

As a nationally standardized test, the SAT provides a balance for all the students, whether they are enrolled in Honors classes or not, so that they can truly prove their qualities under an equal circumstance.

Everybody gets the same type of booklets, answer sheets, and of course, the same type of questions – the ultimate state of impartiality. Anyone who took the PSAT – preliminary version of the SAT – would easily realize that.

As the organization that administers this test, the College Board exerts a large amount of influence over the students and their academic achievements. For over a hundred years, the College Board has worked with over 20,000 high schools and 3,500 colleges, serving a total of seven million students. It studies national trends and adjusts its tests in order to best fit the academic atmosphere of the time. And such flexibility and multiplicity are what makes the College Board and the SAT so reliable.

The SAT, administered by a renowned organization, is the most standardized, and therefore, fair test that is pivotal for students and colleges when evaluating the students’ merits. That is why the SAT should continue to influence college admissions.

Monthly Mayhem

cartoon by Demetri Tzamaras

8

Billboard Common Sense - November 5, 2009

Billboard Common Sense - November 5, 2009

9

SPORTS

10

Common Sense - November 5, 2009

Records

Cross Country

Boys’ Soccer

Field Hockey

Girls’ Soccer

5-0 boys 4-1

8-5

7-5

9-6 11-3

girls

volleyball

Football to miss out on playoffs, fall to 2-7

Steven Fitzwilliam staff writer

The Wootton football team has continued to struggle down the stretch, losing their seventh game of the season 21-28 to Walter Johnson on Oct. 30, the Patriots’ Senior Night.

Senior quarterback Jeff Porter took photo courtesy of woottonfootball.com most of the reps under center on this night, Senior Matt Grimm makes a diving tackle on a Northwest running back. Grimm started every game this year. throwing for a touchdown and rushing for fourth quarter trailing 9-16. chances of a winning season by handing the another near the goal-line.

The Patriots drove down the field with Patriots a 21-31 loss.

“They can’t stop that!” Porter told less than five minute to play, only to fumble The football team played admirably teammates after the offense’s second scoring away their scoring chance. The offense saw through the tough conditions, and kept drive in the first half. the ball one last time, but the clock expired the score close through most of the game, With the score tied at 21, WJ scored the with 9-16 as the final score, giving Wootton but could not find a way to stop Churchill’s go-ahead touchdown with 42.4 seconds left its third straight loss. option offense, which ran for 298 yards and in the game. A final scoring drive could not This game highlighted one of the posted three touchdowns on the ground. be mustered by the Patriot offense, and the biggest problems Wootton has struggled “Churchill’s set up is different from any team fell to 2-7 while providing the Wildcats with all year: mental mistakes. The offense other team in the division, and [quarterback] with their second win of the season. has averaged just under 300 total yards Alex Kantor is one of the best players we After two close losses to Churchill and and 21 points per game, but has only have faced,” head coach Greg Malling said.

Whitman, Wootton faced a struggling 2-5 accumulated two wins due primarily to their “We cannot give up scoring opportunities Northwest team on Oct. 23 hoping to create costly turnovers. like we did. We were never able to take the some momentum going into their last few “Our offense has had a problem with pressure off the defense.” games of the season. However, Northwest timing this year,” senior quarterback Alex Kelly and senior wide receiver Mark came out on top in another close game, Kelly said. “We need to clean up our play Kennedy stood out for the Patriots dropping Wootton’s record to 2-6. around the goal line and become more offensively, hooking up for two touchdowns Trailing 3-16 in the third quarter, senior consistent.” in the game. The first was a 23-yard reception Matt Grimm capped a successful drive and On Oct. 16, the 2-5 team faced an in the first quarter and the second was a 66pulled the Patriots within seven points with undefeated Churchill squad looking to yard catch and run in the fourth quarter. his one-yard touchdown run. Wootton salvage any hopes of a playoff birth for this “We moved the ball down the field missed the extra point, and went into the season. However, the Bulldogs silenced any pretty well on offense,” Kennedy said. “It

Girls’ Tennis

8-4

Football

2-7

seemed like we had very little trouble making plays. We just need to eliminate some of those little mistakes.”

Similarly to the Northwest game, costly turnovers plagued the Patriots, and ultimately led to the loss. The team saw two drives go deep into Churchill territory end due to a fumble or interception.

“Churchill’s offense did a good job of game planning to beat our defense,” Kelly said. “The biggest problem we had was not as much their play as it was us not taking care of our own responsibilities.”

The loss to Churchill, along with a 0-6 loss to Whitman on Oct. 9, dropped the team’s record to 2-5. After Wootton’s 45-7 trouncing of BCC, they hoped to carry that momentum into Whitman and come out with a win.

The defense did their part and held Whitman to their lowest point total of the season, with just one rushing touchdown allowed in the second quarter. However, the offense that scored six touchdowns in the previous week was absent on this night.

“Turnovers and penalties prevented us from getting into a rhythm,” Malling said.

“We knew going in that Whitman’s offense wasn’t great. We just shot ourselves in the foot.”

At this point last season, the team was 5-3 and in the midst of a playoff race. Even though their playoff hopes have been dashed this season, the team is still committed to finishing the season on a strong note.

“We play to win, every Friday night plain and simple,” senior linebacker Keegan McDonald said. “With the amount of effort we have put in during the offseason, there is no one that wants to lose. As a program, we hope to finish this season off like we know we are capable of doing because it leaves momentum for next year’s class to build off of.”

The Patriots’ final game will be played on Nov. 6 at Clarksburg.

Girls’ soccer falters down stretch, sent home in second round of playoffs

outstanding. During the stretch, the squad embarrassed opponents Walter Johnson, Springbrook and Paint Branch by defeating them 6-2, 8-0, and 6-0 respectively. After In their second playoff game, the girls’ that, the offense posted just one goal in their soccer team’s aspirations to reach the state final 5 regular season games. championship were ended after a 3-1 loss to “It definitely comes down to finishing,” rival Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School.

Ahearn said. “We have been shut out in all In their first playoff game, the team of our losses except for one, so when we played well, dismantling Paint Branch’s score goals we usually win games. The last defense en route to a 6-0 blowout. few games [of the regular season] we had “We had the potential to go far in the trouble getting the ball in the back of the net playoffs and even win the state title; we just and you can’t win if you don’t score. Also had to get through our game against B-CC,” we need to come out strong in the beginning senior defender Molly Berman said. “After of every game, something we haven’t always that I think we had a chance to go far.” done in the past.”

After outscoring their first eight Defensively, the Patriots have been opponents 34-5 and sitting on top of the extremely consistent. Even in their losses, division at 7-1, the girls’ varsity soccer team the squad has yet to let up more than two dropped four of their next five games, goals in a single game. Dartmouth-bound including consecutive losses to rivals senior midfielder Allison Yeager is very photo by Alex Kelly Churchill and Quince Orchard to close their confident in their young keeper, freshman Junior Becca Kelly fights with defenders for the ball.

The team finished the regular season with an 8-5 record. regular season at 8-5. While the Patriots did Lindsay DeStefano. not enter the playoffs as the top seed, the “Lindsay has let in very few goals this “The biggest difference between this “I love playing with Nicole. I can always team argues that their record is deceiving. season and saved multiple 1v1’s and is very year and years past is that we are all such trust her to stick a tackle and to make good “We’ve played a lot of tough teams and quick to come out when she has to,” Yeager good friends and loved to spend time passes on offense,” Yeager said. had a lot of tough losses,” senior defender said. “She’s one of the main reasons our together. The chemistry really shows on the The combination of promising Kerry Ahearn said. “For the most part the defense is so good.” field,” Yeager said. underclassmen and steady defense helped losses have come from unevenly matched Yeager, a first team All-Gazette Selection Another underclassmen that has the team perform well during the regular games. We are better than our record shows last year and four-year starter, currently leads stepped up this year is sophomore midfielder season and opening round of the playoffs, and hopefully we can prove that.” the team in goals and assists. Despite their Nicole Kopsidas. The young star has earned but BCC was too much for the Patriots to During the regular season, however, the record, the captain believes this year’s team playing time through her field vision and hand in their second round playoff game. offensive efficiency was a tale of two halves. is better than previous Wootton teams. commitment to the defensive end.

In their first eight games, the Patriots’ were

Jeff Zifrony sports editor

SPORTS

11

Common Sense - November 5, 2009

First-round playoff loss ends promising season for boys’ soccer Jared Wasserman sports editor

The fifth-seeded boys’ soccer team hosted the twelfth-seeded Whitman Vikings in the 4A West state tournament bracket on Oct. 31. The underdog Vikings sent Wootton packing with a dominant 2-0 first round victory.

Senior defender and captain Jason Greenberg alluded to the team’s inability to produce scoring chances and Whitman’s ability to capitalize on their opportunities as main reasons for the loss.

“Our offense wasn’t clicking and we just didn’t make enough plays to get the win,” Greenberg said.

Wootton’s first round exit is especially disappointing due to the team’s strong play in the latter stages of the regular season.

Not a single goal could be mustered between the Patriots (7-3-3) and Churchill Bulldogs (2-9) in regulation, or the first overtime period on Oct. 21.

The 0-0 final score in this heated rivalry was avoided with just 56 seconds remaining in the second overtime period, when senior midfielder/forward Jeff Robinson’s cross was finished near the far post by senior forward Josh Kamdjou to give the Patriots a 1-0 victory.

“I got the ball on the wing, and created some space with a step over move,” Robinson said. “At the end [of the play], I was beginning to cramp so I just hit a hard, low cross. When I looked up, the ball was in the net.”

Robinson, along with senior forward Stephen Ho, accounted for much of Wootton’s offense on the night.

photo courtesy of Brian Greenberg

Senior Stephen Ho chases after the ball against BCC. Ho led the team in points this year (7 goals, 1 assist).

Wootton’s success this season can be attributed to its talented, senior laden lineup. It features Greenberg, midfielders Robinson, Ho and Drew Ricci, along with St. John’s University commit Matt Harlow.

Their leadership and experience has paid dividends in close games, as the Patriots have edged three straight opponents by onegoal margins. “[Our leadership] probably starts with Jason Greenberg,” Wootton head coach Doug Schuessler said. “He’s one of our starting defenders, a three-year starter and captain. He’s not a guy that leads with his voice; he leads with his actions on the field.

He’s very calm, very steady, he sets a great example for everybody on the field. He anchors us in a lot of different ways.”

For Churchill, a disappointing season is further diminished following a game they felt they let slip away.

“Of course, it hurts a great deal,” Churchill head coach Arnold Tarzy said.

“What makes it hurt even more, is that we’ve suffered through a tough season. With injuries to really, really important impact players on our team, we finally found a way to get results and we dominated large stretches of the match… soccer can be such a cruel game. The better team doesn’t always

have to win, and that night, the better team didn’t.”

Although a blow-out yields no more than a one-goal victory does in the standings, the Patriots hope to curb their habit of playing these tightly contested games as the postseason approaches.

“I think that we’ve had an interesting run towards the end [of the season],” Schuessler said. “We haven’t necessarily always been playing well, but we’ve been playing just well enough. That worries me a little bit because teams raise their intensity come playoff time… we tend to play up to our level of our competition, but we also sometimes play down to it.”

Before their three consecutive one-goal victories, the Patriots fought visiting Blair to a 3-3 tie on Oct. 9 in the waning seconds of the second half.

With 1:11 left in the final period, Wootton knotted the score with a beautifully placed cross and finish. Ho kept the Patriots ahead with 32:33 remaining in that same half with a perfectly aimed free kick that put Wootton up 2-1.

After two unanswered goals by the Blair attack, Wootton finally answered to avoid the devastating home loss.

“It’s a good sign that no matter what the situation, our guys keep fighting until the end,” Schuessler said.

Juniors Hugo Coimbra and Antoine Plante along with sophomores Max Goldschein and Danny Weinstein will be asked to fill the void that the team’s numerous senior leaders will leave next season.

“The returning players will have to step up and take a bigger leadership role on the team,” Goldschein said.

Golf team fields three All-Gazette selections Katie McKenna staff writer

“It was a struggle,” junior Kevin Redden said of the golf season.

The team finished with a satisfactory 10-6-1 record, but satisfactory is not good enough for this team.

“We played consistently well all season, but not quite good enough,” Redden said.

The team was dwarfed by county powerhouses Damascus

Senior Jake Ruben was an All-Gazette selection this year.

and Churchill in all of their matches this season.

The overarching theme of the season was their struggle to live up to the high expectations set by last year’s all-star team.

“We lost too much talent from last year and lacked depth this year,” senior captain Jake Ruben said.

Only five key players returned from last year’s team after the graduation of seniors Brian Hollins and Dylan Skarupa.

The lack of depth has left the team out of the state playoffs this year.

Junior captain Connor Tendall and freshman Marisa Cresham qualified for states as individuals, but the team as a whole will not be competing.

“I had high expectations for states this year because last year I didn’t play my best,” Tendall said.

Tendall did not turn in the performance he wanted to as he finished the tournament 15 strokes behind the leader. His score was enough to place him in the top 25, but it was not above his season average.

Cresham was also disappointed by her performance at states as she did not make it past the first round.

The individual performances paralleled the woes that the whole team experienced this year.

Damascus, Churchill and Whitman were the only teams from Montgomery County to qualify for states.

Wootton defeated Whitman late in the season, but it was not enough to earn a playoff bid.

“We knew we could beat them every time we played, and it was nice to have a few matches this year where we all played well,” senior Neal Lerner said. “For the most part we were all inconsistent this year, and it showed at districts.”

The team’s poor play at this year’s District finals significantly contributed to their inability to make states.

Weather conditions also played a big role, as severe winds and low temperatures hampered the team throughout the season.

The squad was not able to overcome the rough climate as easily as other teams.

“Districts were tough because of the conditions,” Tendall said.

“I think that’s why our team didn’t play as well as they could have.”

The difficulty of this year’s districts was all the more disappointing as the team was reminded of Ruben’s strong first place performance last year. He and others could not repeat the high level of play during this year’s tournament action.

“Districts were a struggle, however, we showed that we were simply underachievers based on our performance at The Invitational,” Ruben said. “The Invitational was the highlight of the season.”

Ruben, Tendall, Cresham, and seniors Elizabeth Luu and Andrew

photos by Ira Rickman

Junior captain Connor Tendall is a two-time first team All-Gazette selection.

Weinstein were the only players to compete at the tournament.

Ruben and Tendall tied for fifth place out of roughly 70 competitors. Weinstein also had a successful outing, tying for eighth place.

Though the team is generally disappointed about their play this year, the season was not a complete failure. Wootton placed fourth in the county, and was narrowly edged out by Whitman for a playoff berth.

Tendall, Ruben and Cresham received All-Gazette honors.

Tendall made the All-Gazette

First Team for the second year in a row. He led the county with a 36.2 stroke average. Ruben and Cresham each received honorable mentions.

Future key players remain hopeful despite the disappointing season. Tendall and Cresham will be back next year to lead the team to success.

“We were young this year.

We’re optimistic for next year when all of our younger players will develop and get better,” Redden said.

COMMO

Access

Internet Ce

Naomi Sapiro, Commons

“

Schools that implement Internet blocking software even with the least restrictive settings will block at a minimum tens of thousands of web pages inappropriately, either because the web pages are miscategorized or because the web pages, while correctly categorized, do not merit blocking.

” Internet

- Electronic Frontier Foundation report (“Internet Blocking in Public Schools”)

The 21st-Century Torment:

Recognizing the dangers of cyber-bullying Natalie Wainger, Commons Editor

During Jane’s* freshman year, older girls began making rude comments on pictures on her Facebook page and publically writing about her on other girls’ walls. At first she tried to defend herself.

“In the beginning, I tried to talk back to get them to stop,” Jane said.

When defending herself only made matters worse, Jane found a new solution.

“I ended up just trying to ignore them,” Jane said, which became more productive.

According to internetworldstats.com, over the last decade, internet usage in North America has increased 132.9%. As web usage increases, unfortunately so does the misuse of Internet social networking, blogging and other forums.

According to stopcyberbullying.org, cyber -bullying can been defined as children or adolescents that are harassed, humiliated or targeted by another child or adolescent using the Internet, interactive and digital technologies or mobile phones. Cyber bullying involves

minors as both the victims and aggressors. Any adult involvement is not referred to as cyberbullying.

Schools in Maryland have been battling bullying for years. In a 2005 Gazette article, Montgomery County had 152 reported cases of cyber-bullying. However, cyber bullying creates new problems for educators. Many useful tools such as social networking sites have been banned at schools because of bullying incidents.

“The fact that [cyber-bullying] is anonymous makes it worse. It frees people up to be meaner,” Principal Dr. Michael Doran said. “This often leads to difficulty tracking individuals who are bullying. It is a complex process that often leads to police involvement.”

Physical bullying has been predominantly associated with boys; but cyber-bullying has targeted a different demographic—girls.

“What’s interesting is how out of control the girls have become,” Doran said. “It can be so gross and so nasty.” It becomes a more serious problem when the bullying leaves the

What do you think, Wootton?

According to the Public School System protection measure, o Internet censorship, is technology that is des to selected portions of identified criteria. Its in to limit access to inapp or material that might be As a result of the infl in everyday life, the m has increased dramatic adolescents. As a resu has taken many steps educational environmen the county.

Certain words that students are deemed in school computers, limiti research topics. Althoug to the fact that there ar than the Internet, our g accustomed to the In and breadth, rather th resources of equal or ev “If a teacher gives can be difficult to res should provide the ne technology department Monica Mattey said. “ realize that there are o Internet.”

In her AP Language Katherine Marston wa

Safe

Teen Social Networking by the Numb

51% check their sites more than once a day.

22% check their sites more than 10 times a day.

39% have posted something they later regretted.

42% of kids have been bullied while online.

58% have not told an adult about something mean that happen 24% have hacked into someone else’s social networking accou 53% of kids admit having said something hurtful to another pe screen and enters the school. According to Jane, girls would make mean remarks as she walked by. Another victim of cyber-bullying experienced similar reactions in school.

“Some girls took it so far they would laugh in my face in front of their friends,”Mary* said.

For both girls, as their freshman year continued the bullying died down. Neither contacted the school for help in ending the bullying.

“I only told my mom after the whole situation happened,” Jane said. “She did want me to try to go to the school and tell them.”

While she personally did not take action, Jane encourages other students to do so.

“

“If it really starts ge your feelings, try to go them proof to make it said.

Although the majo occurs outside of scho Wootton administratio getting involved. W information to the scho taken.

“We help deescalate responsible,” Doran sa kids for bullying that oc “The solution is p

senior Michele Bressler

M

ost [school-related] research can be done at school; you can get everything else at home. Having certain sites blocked encourages people to actually do their work and not spend all their time on Facebook.”

“

Natalie Wainger a

ONS

Why can’t I search for that?!

Denied:

ensorship in the MCPS system

s Editor

Montgomery County (MCPS), a technology otherwise known as “an Internet filtering signed to limit access the Internet based on ntended use in MCPS is propriate material and/ e harmful to students.” flux of Internet usage misuse of the Internet cally, particularly with ult, the MCPS system to provide a safe and nt for the students in

may seem normal to nappropriate on MCPS ting students to certain gh many teachers point re other research tools generation has become nternet and its speed han books and other ven greater value. an assignment which search in school, they ecessary information,” t resource teacher Ms. “[But] students should other sources than the

e class last year, senior as asked to choose a

derogatory term and write a research paper about the origins, history and use of that word.

“It was definitely more difficult to work on my paper at school than at home. At school, I could search for my word on Google, but most of the links would be blocked,” Marston said.

Marston explains that when she worked in the library during school she mostly worked with online encyclopedias, and the pathfinders provided by the media center, which limited her to other sources. She was asked to search the cultural relevance of her word and was unable to do it in school because most of the information for her word was censored.

Marston mentioned that it was frustrating not being able to locate the information she needed to complete her assignment in school.

“While it makes sense to block websites that are clearly inappropriate, I see no reason to block harmless sites just because they aren’t inherently academic,” Marston said.

Like Marston, students have had similar issues when using the Internet at school. Some students find it frustrating that they do not have the tools in school to complete an assignment given by a teacher. At the same time, many students do not consider the repercussions of certain sites, and the damage they can cause.

“We as educators are responsible for what you are exposed to [on the Internet] just as we are responsible for you physically,” English teacher Ms. Barbara Gatewood said.

Senior Timothy Hwang, who serves as the Montgomery County Student Member of

Ever tried working on that hate crimes research project in the media center? How about researching your presentation on teen alcohol use for health class? Most students who have tried looking up these topics at school will tell you that you won’t get very far. 8e6 technologies, MCPS’s Internet filtering service, categorizes all web-searchable material into a total of 99 categories, approximately 14 of which are blocked on school computers. Below are some of the blocked categories.

adult/sexually explicit

hate speech

gambling

obscene/tasteless

school cheating

alcohol/tobacco

illegal drugs

web-based proxies

online communities

terrorist/extremist

violence

dating/personals

the Board, understands why MCPS has these regulations.

“If a student were to harass another student via Facebook on a school computer, if schematics for a bomb were pulled up, if a parent found out that a student was watching pornography on a school computer, etc., there could be some serious implications for the school system in terms of legal cost and legal liability,” Hwang said.

Hwang explains the county’s standpoint on the issue of censorship, but has a different personal philosophy about how the county should approach this matter.

“Internet censorship at schools not only limits our rights as students in schools but as citizens in society,” Hwang said. “Furthermore, in this system where students are educated K-12, for the administration to not trust the

weapons criminal skills

very students that they have educated seems ridiculous.”

Hwang explains that the county will start implementing different levels of interent censorship for elementary, middle and high school kids, he explains that high school students will obviously have a broader browsing range than elementary kids.

Wootton does not have much input in what gets censored. All MCPS schools as a whole follow the same rules and regulations regarding Internet censorship. Many sites are censored because of abuse by students throughout the county.

“Overall I believe that Wootton students are good; of course there are always students who make mistakes,” Principal Dr. Michael Doran said. “That is why we are here, to turn their mistakes into an educational experience.”

ety at Wootton

bers

ned to them online.

unt.

erson online.

etting to you and hurting to the school and show t stop happening,” Jane

ority of cyber-bullying ool, it has not stopped on and faculty from When students bring ool, action is immediately

e and find the individuals aid. “We can’t suspend ccurs out of school.” parents and the police.

“

Social networking sites try to help—they don’t want to be the source of bullying,” Doran said.

Cyber-bullying has been recognized as a national problem that has caught the attention of parents, government and corporations. The Build-a-Bear Workshop has become one of many organizations to be active in stopping cyber-bullying. It has taken initiative by providing activities and materials for children to play online safely.

Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) takes cyber-bullying very seriously. The county has taken action by creating a website, Cyber Safety, that provides students and parents with tips and explanations of how to prevent and handle cyber-bullying situations. MCPS has been collaborating closely with the Montgomery County Police Department to hold offenders accountable for their actions. If you or someone you know is a victim of cyber bullying, the county encourages you to call the CyberSafety Hotline at 301-279-3669. *Names have been changed to protect students’ identities

junior Jeff Hilnbrand

C

ensorship is valuable for blatantly inappropriate stuff. I think that school censorship should be lightened or have an override that can be used as a plug-in during certain research assignments.”

and Naomi Sapiro

“

E

ven sophisticated Internet filtering programs, like the one provided by 8e6 technologies, have their flaws. The filters designed to protect students only go so far. Here are some of the inconsistencies in the system, found by entering the terms below into a search engine.

You CAN’T search this...

...but you CAN search this:

“terrorism” “violence” “MySpace” “marijuana” “sword” “poker” “torture” “Ku Klux Klan” “Lolita” (classic Nabokov novel)

“terrorist” “violent crime” “Facebook” “crystal meth” “machete” “Texas Hold ‘Em” “waterboarding” “Al-Qaeda” “Bruno” (anything-but-classic film)

sophomore Isha Agarwal

P

eople can’t take [cyber-bullying] too personally. There are other people in the world that love you. Parents need to be responsible and check their kids because bad decisions are made without supervision.”

“

Y

Freshman Rachel Miller

es, some sites should be blocked in school, but students have the right to information.”

SPORTS

14

Common Sense - November 5, 2009

Tennis finishes third in county Sam Morse staff writer

Photo by Ira Rickman

Senior Michelle Castagnola fights for the ball against Blair in their final home game of the regular season.

Field Hockey finishes 7-5 Robert Logan staff writer

Battling back from initial losses this season, the girls’ field hockey team finished the regular season with a 7-5 record before losing to Magruder 0-2 in the first round of the playoffs.

With a talented Quince Orchard team challenging Wootton at home, the lady Pats fought until the end, but fell 0-1 in penalty strokes. The game was dominated by defense from both teams, with numerous scoring chances being squandered. No one could find the back of the net.

“I love the girls’ never-say-die attitude, but we need to score more,” Parrish said.

In penalty strokes, Wright managed Wootton’s lone goal, but QO was able to put two shots past Zolet to secure victory.

“We just froze under the pressure, we could have had that one,” Shniderman said.

Wootton then played their biggest game of the season on the road against rival Churchill. The Patriots came out on top in overtime, by a score of 2-1. The first half started slowly for the Lady Pats, with Churchill taking the early lead. Wootton failed to get a single shot on goal in the first half.

The defense picked up the slack and denied Churchill of many scoring opportunities. That defense led to senior Amy Rubin’s unassisted goal, in which she weaved through multiple defenders, handled her own rebound, and flipped the shot by Churchill’s goalkeeper.

“Amy was like a little bulldog, she just wouldn’t quit on the play,” Parrish said.

In overtime, Zolet made a great diving save to preserve the game for Wootton.

With a quick transition down to Churchill’s

goal, junior Maddie Averill made a crisp pass to senior Grace Saylor, who put the ball in the back of the goal for the win.

“The Churchill game is always special, especially this year, because we both had similar records coming in to it,” Rubin said.

The win was the team’s fifth in their last six games.

Behind a rowdy crowd on senior night, Wootton was determined to obtain their last regular season win at home against Blair.

The lady Patriots scored in the final minute to secure a 1-0 victory.

“All the screaming from the crowd really helped us out there,” Zolet said.

The lady Patriots’ first playoff game came on the road against Magruder.

Magruder triumphed in the end of a tightly contested game by a score of 2-0. Despite an early goal allowed, Wootton refused to give in.

“The effort of the girls was unmatched,” Parrish said.

The team entered the second half with the same intensity shown in the first, but could not score. Wootton had many scoring chances off of Magruder penalties, but could not execute.

“It has been our curse all season,” Parrish said. “We have so much trouble scoring.”

Magruder eventually pulled ahead with another goal in the final minute. When the final whistle sounded, the girls held their heads high.

Wootton will lose seven seniors to graduation.

“Nobody stays forever,” Parrish said.

“But new girls will step into their spots next season.”

The girls’ tennis team posted an impressive 10-2 record last season, a mark that could not be duplicated this season as the squad finished with a record of 8-4. The team is now looking towards the Montgomery County tournament to set the tone for next season.

The girls swept five of their opponents and gave up only one match on two occasions. This is the type of play that the team hoped they could maintain all season, but in meetings against Churchill and Whitman, the lady Patriots gave up all seven matches.

“We won the first set and could have won the rest, but they managed to pull through and defeat us.” senior captain Vicky Lin said.

This was Lin’s fourth year on the team – she and junior Janice Lou comprised the number one doubles team.

Lin, along with senior captains Ilana Avergun, Rachel Heimberg, and Danielle Rotbert, provided the drive the team needed to stay focused through their losses.

“They really did a great job this year,” head coach Brian Ligon said. “It was a lot of fun.”

Coming into the season, the team was unsure as to how they would perform as a unit after freshman star Megan Hahn left the team to compete in higher level tournaments. Last season, Hahn was the team’s top singles player; however, that position was filled this year by junior standout Leeya Maizels.

“We had a great season,” Maizels said.

“Everyone worked really hard all the time.”

Maizels stellar performance landed hera spot in the County tournament.

“I expect all of them to bring their “A” games,” Ligon said.

Currently, Wootton is ranked fourth out of 25 teams in the county.

In her fourth year on the team, head captain Rachel Heimberg played a big part in the team’s run of success this year.

“We had a really successful team this season, and everyone’s efforts truly paid off,” Heimberg said.

In her sophomore year, Heimberg

photo by Ira Rickman

Junior Hilary Caplan returns a forehand. played in the number one singles spot and this year, she has filled the role of second singles.

In a disappointing turnout, the girls made it past the first round of tournament play, but due to conflicts in scheduling, not one Wootton player made it past the second round. Junior Hillary Caplan, who played number four singles this season, was forced to default in the tournament due to illness.

Although the team’s hopes of reaching above and beyond the marks that they set last year could not be met, the girls came together as a team after many awe inspiring wins and some heartbreaking losses.

“We really united as a team this year,” junior doubles player Lauren Sanker said.

In addition to the leadership displayed by the captains, Ligon had a huge role of guiding the girls all through the season. “[Coach Ligon] was very supportive all year,” Maizels said.

From team meetings to matches, Ligon constantly encouraged and motivated the girls to do well.

The girls’ tennis team will miss its senior leaders as it looks to improve on its solid 8-4 finish next season.

Cross Country number 1 in division 2 Boys’ and Girls’ teams combine to end season 9-1

Will Browning distribution manager Jessie Rubin intensely trained during her entire four-year tenure, but never won an individual county championship. The senior captain placed eighth last year, but as this year’s perennial favorite, she finally captured the elusive title.

“Last year I was expected to win but had a bad race and wasn’t even close,” Rubin said. “This year I had a different, more calm outlook and just put it all on the course.”

At this year’s county meet on Oct. 24, the girls’ and boys’ teams finished third and tenth, respectively. The girls were led by the first place finishes of Rubin and senior Andrea Maxwell, who placed eleventh. Junior Kenny Wohl placed 35th, the highest finish for the boys.

Rubin delivered a brilliant performance on Oct. 17 at the Georgetown Prep Invitational. She finished first despite losing her left shoe a mere 400 meters into the 3.1 mile race. As if running with one bare

foot was not enough of an obstacle, three straight days of rain had left the terrain muddy and difficult to run on.

“I just didn’t want to stop over something silly like my shoe,” Rubin said. “I was slipping all over the place too, so part of my goal was to not fall.”

The girls’ team took fourth place, while the boy’s team placed fifth.

Seniors Andrea Tian and Amy Levine finished twelfth and 31st, in what was a tune up for the team’s upcoming county meet. “[Rubin] did what I hope any one of our other runners would do in the same situation,” assistant coach Jake Buxton said.

At the end of the season, the girls found themselves at the top of Montgomery County Division II with a 5-0 undefeated record. The boys stand at 4-1, an accomplishment not seen in recent years.

“This year our team has no considerable gaps in talent; everyone’s working hard, and younger runners are stepping up,” head coach Kellie Redmond said.

In the most recent county meet on Oct. 7, the boys squeaked by Quince Orchard, 29-26, to finish the year 4-1 and maintain second place in the division. Sophomore sensation Will Severynse has been a stalwart for the Patriots this season, finishing in second place. Junior Kenny Wohl and senior Luke Smith also racked up points for the Patriots, turning in fifth and ninth place finishes. The future of Wootton cross country looks bright for the boys too, with fourth and sixth place finishes from Trzeciak and freshman David Levine.

“Our freshman class showed a lot of dedication over the summer with the workout regimen led by our upperclassmen,” Redmond said.

With a combined 9-1 regular season record and a promising county finish, the team will be looking to prepare its selected runners for regionals and states.

“We all really want to see both our girls and boys go to states because we photo courtesy of leaguelineup.com have a really strong team this year,” Despite running shoeless (pictured), senior Jessie Rubin won the race.

Rubin said.

SPORTS

15

Common Sense - November 5, 2009

Player ProfileMatt Harlow Jared Wasserman & Jeff Zifrony sports editors The boys’ soccer team has a reputation of producing quality players at the university level. From Ryan Gracia (George Mason) to Skylar Olsen (Drexel), Wootton has consistently turned out outstanding college players. Next year, senior midfielder and captain Matt Harlow will carry on that tradition at St. Johns University. Harlow’s other suitors included American University and George Mason University.

“When I took my visit it felt like the right place,” Harlow said. “The coaches really liked my speed and left-footed kick and the players were awesome, so it made the decision an easy one for me.

Harlow has been playing soccer since he

was three years old. He was a member of the Potomac Cougars club soccer team for six years, playing alongside Wootton teammates Stephen Ho and Jason Greenberg.

After his sophomore year, the club team switched their name to the Pachuca Internationals, and is currently ranked as one photos courtesy of Brian Greenberg of the top ten club teams in the nation according to Harlow shows his aggresive style as he heads the ball away from a defender.

Gotsoccer.com While Harlow did not St. John’s. The midfielder has “My coach on the make the team as a freshman always aspired to play soccer Cougars (Trevor Parker) or a sophomore, his impact professionally. was the best coach I’ve ever on the varsity squad has been “I definitely want had and helped me so much unmistakable. to play at least one year with my game,” Harlow said.

“Matt basically helped of professional soccer “It was on that team where I learned everything I know out everywhere on the team,” regardless of whether it’s about the sport. Also, my senior teammate Stephen overseas or not,” Harlow teammates on the Cougars Ho said. “When we need said. “I want to experience were really good and always offense, he scores. When playing a professional sport we need defense, he takes and I’m working hard to do pushed me to get better.” the ball away. He’s always that.” around the ball and makes Harlow is constantly an impact in every play.” working to refine his game.

Harlow’s main asset Even in the offseason, Matt is his physicality. As an works to remain in playing undersized defender, Matt’s shape. tenacity more than makes “The St. John’s coaches up for what he lacks in size. really liked my work ethic,” His aggressive style of play Harlow said. “Even though is the factor to which he I’m a little undersized, they attributes his place on the don’t care because they know St. John’s soccer team. that I will work my hardest to “Since I was young I’ve get bigger and stronger.” modeled my game around Matt’s aggresive and being aggressive,” Harlow fearless style of play will said. “It’s easy for me to be felt in the Big East get inside opponents heads conference when he joins the so they don’t want the ball St. John’s division I soccer around me.” program in the upcoming Harlow does not want fall season.

Harlow is headed to St. John’s University next year to play division I soccer. his soccer career to end at

Player ProfilesLindsay DeStefano & Hallie Charapp Katie McKenna staff writer The girls’ varsity soccer team has jumped out to an excellent start with a record of 9-6. Much of the team’s success is thanks to the tandem of junior goalkeeper Hallie Charapp and freshman goalkeeper Lindsay DeStefano.

The playing time is unusually split between the two goalies. One will start the game and the other will play the second half, but the teammate who opens in goal varies from contest to contest.

“Hallie is such a good player and a leader on the team; I look up to her a lot,” DeStefano said.

Charapp and DeStefano have been playing soccer ever since they can remember.

“Soccer is the only sport for me,” Charapp said. “It takes over my life — all I do is soccer, soccer and more soccer.”

Charapp and DeStefano have had a lot of experience playing not only on the high school level, but on the club level for the Bethesda Soccer Club.

“We work really hard not only playing soccer, but with goalie training also,” DeStefano said.

DeStefano’s teammates attribute her success in goal to her athleticism. “[DeStefano] is really quick and has good instincts,” junior Liz Inserra said.

Churchill was expected to be one of their fiercest competitors during their regular season play, and in the end, the Patriots could not pull out a win against them. Despite losing 0-2, Charapp and DeStefano ended with two saves apiece.

“They are both hardworking and probably perfectionists, so that loss was tough for them” head coach Keith Yanity said.

Although DeStefano is only a freshman, she makes a big impact on the varsity squad.

“I feel really confident when she’s in goal; she adds a lot of positivity to the team. I can’t wait to come back next year and see how she’s improved,” senior Lexi Pace said.

Contrary to what she previously thought, DeStefano’s teammates have been receptive to an underclassman playing such a big role on the team.

“There are not a lot of freshman on

varsity, so I was a little nervous because I thought [my teammates] would be mean to me, but I love them,” DeStefano said. “[DeStefano] is very technically solid and very strong; within two years I expect her to be the best goalkeeper in the county,” Yanity said.

The team is expected to be a county force next season behind the strong duo in goal.

“I have high expectations for the team next year. I hope we can rise to the occasion and continue winning,” Charapp said.

Charapp is not only a good teammate, but also a role model for the younger players to look up to.

“I look up to Hallie as a player and a person — she is a great role model and player,” freshman Toni Urovsky said.

Off the field, DeStefano and Charapp hardly spend any time away from their teammates.

“We hang out with the team a lot, we all get along well together,” DeStefano said.

With not one, but two experienced goalkeepers anchoring the back-line, the girls’ soccer team should contend for state championships for years to come.

J & J: What’s good in sports Jared Wasserman & Jeff Zifrony sports editors The Washington sports fan is a tough title to carry these days. With the Redskins’ embarrassing performance overshadowing any small successes by other local franchises, being a Washington supporter has become more and more outdated.

Take Jared, a classic homer who has watched in anguish as the Redskins, Wizards, and Orioles have toiled in mediocrity for over a decade. Then there’s Jeff, a Patriots, Celtics, and Red Sox supporter whose Boston roots provided a way out of the misery that is Washington professional franchises.

The difference between us is a representation of the main dilemma in sports fanhood.

On the Washington side of the spectrum, fans feel that their unwavering dedication will someday be rewarded — it has to be. The idea is that since the Redskins of the 80s and early 90s were successful, that formula of success will at some point repeat itself, as sports history has shown will happen. A team simply can’t be this bad for this long, thanks to the draft and free agency (when used correctly, Dan Snyder).

Winston Churchill once said, “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” It is this ideal that keeps Skins fans hopeful for just one Santana Moss bomb or Laron Landry pick six.

In contrast to Washington sports fans are those “die-hards” who latch onto great teams and claim them as their own. Whether they were born there, have a twice-removed cousin who studied there for a semester, or simply like the team because they’re good, fans of cities like Boston are spoiled rotten.

It’s not just true with football. In addition to the Patriots, Boston teams have been tops in their respective leagues in virtually every major sport.

They boast recent championships in basketball, baseball, football, and even soccer. It’s pretty easy to jump on the Boston bandwagon. The problem is that these teams won’t be good forever. While most swear they aren’t just around for the Super Bowl and World Series wins, their character will show when the teams no longer flourish. At some point, David Ortiz, Kevin Garnett and Tom Brady will have to retire, and then we’ll see these die-hard’s true colors as their team hovers around the .500 mark. (Who ever saw a Patriot jersey in this school when Bledsoe was under center?)

It’s not even the idea of Washington natives cheering for other franchises that agitates the Oriole and Redskin lovers. It’s their attitude toward those who stay loyal to local teams despite their shortcomings. How often do you hear someone say, “Why do you continue to root for them Skins?

They’re terrible.”

Well, the answer is simple. Loyalty. These teams represent our city and by extension, they represent us. It’s therapeutic to know that while the angst we feel over the Redskins 2-5 start is immense, that same sorrow is felt all over the Metropolitan area by equally dedicated fans.

When Jason Campbell finds Cooley over the middle to extend a drive, the entire city lets out a collective sigh of relief and joy. When Tom Brady completes a 50-yard pass to Randy Moss, Bostonians say, “It’s about time.”

So for all you Skins fans, stay loyal and keep to your stripes. Rejoice in the playoff appearances of our Wizards and Caps, and hope that Snyder will eventually become senile and be forced to give up the team.

SPORTS

16

Common Sense - November 5, 2009

Girls’ volleyball team finishes season with impressive 11-3 record, falls to Walter Johnson, Gaithersburg and Poolesville Gordie Gold business and online editor The girls’ volleyball team has closed out the regular season with a strong 11-3 record, positioning them well to make a splash in the postseason tournament.

The team started off the season winning nice straight contests, and looked to maintain their undefeated season against the unbeaten Gaithersburg Trojans, a team that was ranked number one in the Washington Post at the time. Unfortunately, the powerhouse Trojans delivered Wootton their first loss of the season, 3-0.

photos by Alex Kelly

Junior Katie McKenna lines up a serve. The girls’ volleyball team is the fourth seed in the playoffs.

In the first set, the Patriots started out with an early lead, but the Trojans quickly jumped back in front. Once Gaithersburg gained the lead, they never looked back and handled the Patriots easily, winning by a score of 25-19.

“We were disappointed that we could never really find our rhythm and lost in just three sets,” senior captain Allison Wynant said.

Despite the first set loss, the lady Patriots were not rattled and came back with a strong performance in the second set. The Trojans obtained an initial 7-4 lead, but Wootton fought back and regained the advantage with four straight points. The two teams went back and forth in the early stages of the set, until they were deadlocked at 21.

The Trojans went on to win the second set by a score of 25-23.

Facing a 0-2 deficit, the lady Patriots knew that they had to play at levels near perfection the rest of the set, because the Trojans had shown that they could capitalize on any Wootton mistakes. The third set played out similarly to the second, as each team battled through consistent lead changes.

With the set tied at 13, the Trojans went on a hot streak, scoring seven consecutive points and taking a commanding 20-13 lead.

After the seven-point unanswered streak, Gaithersburg took control of the set and went on to win by a score of 25-19.

Despite the loss, the Patriots had a few bright spots. Setter and senior captain Jennifer Chen finished with 15 assists and junior Abby Hsiung finished with six kills.

“It would have been nice to win it, but it was a good learning experience and helped everyone to focus on what improvements we needed to make to compete with the better teams,” head coach Mary Malinauskas

>>>>>COACH’S<<<<< >>>>>CORNER<<<<< What are your team goals/expectations for the season?

It is basically the same as every year, to win the county and move on to states.

What would you say your coaching style is? Are you a yeller or are you more passive?

I’m generally more passive. I don’t want to hurt anyone’s self confidence by yelling and screaming. As long as they know that they made a mistake I don’t need to rub it in anymore.

How do you think your team’s chemistry is? Do they work well together on and off the field?

The chemistry this year is better than last year for sure. They work really well together both on and off the field. This year might be better than a lot of years.

What is the word you use the most on the field?

During a game I say “talk” or “communicate” a lot, and during practice it’s mainly “keep your shots low and on goal.”

How well do you think your team will do in playoffs?

I think there have been two different stories this year. The beginning of the season we were scoring a lot of goals and as the season went on that started to dry up a little bit, but if we go back to how we played in the beginning we should do very well.

Coming off that loss to Churchill, how do you feel?

We feel fine. We played really well; a couple of bad bounces didn’t go our way. I think that we did everything right but score.

What do you think has been your toughest game or will be your toughest game this season?

said.

Though the Patriots suffered their first loss of the season, they came back in the next game and beat Bethesda Chevy Chase in three straight sets. The offense was rejuvenated, and won the matches by scores of 25-21, 25-18, and 26-24. Chen was the leader in the assist category, finishing with 25, while Wynant and senior Zofia Poltarak finished with seven and six kills, respectively.

“We needed to get our focus back, so even though it went to three sets and was not quite as efficient as we wanted, winning always cures disappointment,” Wynant said.

The lady Patriots followed that win with another victory, beating Richard Montgomery by a score of 3-2. Though they were the favorites in this match up, RM played them tough for five long sets.

“We had played them in the Magruder tournament and knew what they had,” Senior Zofia Poltarak finished with six kills against BCC. Malinauskas said. “They’re a pretty good with six kills each. team and also they had a little revenge in After losing only their second match of mind, which always makes a team play a little the season, Wootton showed their resiliency harder.” with a 3-0 victory over Watkins Mill. Chen The lady Patriots got a much needed racked up 20 assists, while Fitzgerald led the boost from Hsiung, who started the final team with five kills. set off with five straight aces. Hsiung also Following a disappointing showing in a finished with 13 kills. Wynant added 12 kills, 0-3 loss to Poolesville on Oct. 27, the lady and Chen added a remarkable 35 assists.

Patriots are looking to rebound and make Riding high on a two-game winning lots of noise in the playoffs. streak, the lady Patriots entered the game “Our goal has always been to go all the against the 8-1 Walter Johnson Wildcats way and win states,” Chen said. “Hopefully boasting an impressive 9-1 record of their we will and have fun.” own. Though the Patriots put forth a valiant The lady Patriots took advantage of a effort, they fell to the Wildcats by a score weak Einstein opponent and finished the of 2-3. regular season with a 3-0 win. The team had “This was another example of us losing little trouble in any of the games, taking each our focus,” Wynant said. “We just couldn’t by scores of 25-16, 25-10, 25-15. On senior seem to hold on to momentum.” night, the Patriots were able to honor their Once again, Chen led the team with 32 talented leaders and close out the regular assists. Wynant added nine kills, while junior season on a positive note, as they look to Janet Hu and senior Ellie Fitzgerald finished make noise in the postseason tournament.

Staff Writer Katie McKenna talked with varsity girls’ soccer head coach Keith Yanity about the team’s 8-5 regular season and their hopes for a deep playoff run.

B-CC will definitely be a tough game; they are a really good team. But I think that the best team we have played this season is Severna Park.

Have there been any stand out players this season for you? Not necessarily who surprised you, but who has improved the most?

Allison is always a stand out player, but [senior] Cally Deppen, [juniors] Becca Kelly and Abbey Engleman have really done well and improved a lot. Also, freshmen Lindsay DeStefano and Toni Urovsky have stepped up.

What is your overall opinion of the team this season? Is there anything that you hoped would have happen?

I feel, record aside, if we could get things going and start scoring a lot of goals we are the best team in the county.

What would you say your coaching philosophy is? How do you motivate your players? And how are your practices run?

For the most part I try to let them play and not micromanage them.

This is a fluid game, so I try to let them go with the flow. I want practice to be something they want to come to and look forward to.

Is conditioning a big part of your practices or do you focus more on working drills at practices?

Earlier on we did a lot of conditioning, but now we are just trying to tweak different things with playoffs on the way.

What single characteristic contributes most to your team’s success?

The team’s desire to win really. Especially early in the season when we were doing well, there was a lot of hype around us, [so we have] a strong desire to fulfill expectations.

nonSENSE

17

Common Sense - November 5, 2009

Teacher finds birds in beard; doesn’t mind Demetri Tzamaras recognized Barron expert As he was bringing a razor to his overgrown, shaggy beard last Thursday, English teacher Alexander Barron discovered that a family of small birds has taken up residence in his facial hair. “I was a little scared at first, because the birds started screeching when they saw my razor, but when I got them to calm down they just looked so happy that I decided, ‘what the heck, they can stay,’” Barron said.

Barron claims that the family consists of a two baby birds and their mother, although there could be more in his infinite scruff of hair. “I named the mom Michelle, and I named the babies Steve and Alex Jr, after my best friend and me. Hopefully they grow up to be best friends, too,” Barron said with a touch of warmth in his voice.

“It’s just so touching to see her take care of her kids. I watched her regurgitate

a worm and feed it to the babies and I just cried,” Barron said. “It was like nothing I’ve ever seen before.”

The students love the birds, too.

“Every once in a while, the mama bird will swoop out of my beard and fly around the classroom while I’m teaching,” said Barron.

“Man, they get a kick out of that!”

“I really like Michelle. She seems like a responsible mother to Steve and Alex and all three of them are just so cute,” freshman Tyler Kessler said of the birds. Math teacher Eugenia Chiu agrees. “I love the way the tweet when they are happy. It’s just so melodic,” Chiu said.

Many staff members have issues with the birds. “Because of these damn birds, I have to clean Mr. Barron’s classroom three times a day! All they do is poop all over the place,” Building Services Staff Member Chris Jackson said. Jackson is not the only upset staff member, either.

“There are many safety hazards that housing the birds brings about,” Assistant Principal Anthony Nottingham said. “On Monday, as Mr. Barron was walking along the bridge above the Commons, the mother bird attacked a student, who panicked. The bird continued to peck at the student’s face until the student backed up against the railing and fell to the Commons floor,” Nottingham said.

As the student’s parents prepare to sue the school, action is being taken to prevent another violent incident. Barron is now required to wear a cage over his beard when he is on school premises. Principal Dr. Michael Doran is currently deciding whether or not to let the birds stay in Barron’s facial hair.

“This is ridiculous,” Barron said of the cage on his beard and despair in his heart.

“They are only being this harsh because I work in the English department. If I was a

graphic by Elemily

Barron is content with his host of feathery friends.

math teacher, they would let me do whatever I want,” Barron added. Doran is expected to make a final decision sometime next week.

Gator Aid: Students say, “Save our scaly-skinned neighbors!”

Danny Wadler chancellor of animal relations A family of four alligators has been discovered living under Portable Three this month. More are expected to be found at the scene as excavation at the site continues Experts believe warm weather this summer and excessive rain this fall have created an ideal climate for the gators.

Spanish teacher Mr. Miguel Rodriguez first spotted the exotic reptiles as he was leaving his classroom on Oct. 29. He saw a large mama gator scuttle across the pathway ten yards in front of him. Rodriguez immediately notified Principal Dr. Michael Doran and novice security guard George Takshin of his discovery.

“Of course I didn’t believe him at first,” Doran said.

“But the security team and I went down there to make sure.”

The existence of the alligators was confirmed later that afternoon as Takshin pointed his flashlight under Portable Three and saw four alligators resting in the dark. “I saw one of them move towards me,” Takshin said. “I was scared, but I had to stand my ground.”

“George was so scared, he ran away faster than an Irish setter,” Doran later commented.

One student wandered into the infested area during his gym class to retrieve a lost tennis ball. According to gym teacher Ms. Edna Myers, the student reached under the portable and was viciously snapped at by a playful baby gator. “I would have felt morally responsible if anything had happened to him,” Myers said referring to the baby gator.

“I don’t care if the school board thinks [the gators] create a dangerous learning environment. They’re cool,” said Doran, who refuses to have the animals removed. “I hope they find more!”

Some students are also glad to have the gators around.

“Actually, I miss our groundhogs,” junior James Smith said.

“The alligators are as close as we can get to replacements.”

The school’s prized groundhogs lived in the area for years before their removal over the summer. While the alligators are not as small and furry as the groundhogs, for many students the alligators’ presence fills an empty place in their hearts..

“If they find babies, I’m going to keep one and raise him or her in my classroom,” biology teacher Susan Johnson said. Johnson dismisses the idea that alligators pose a threat to safety on campus. “Why that’s just a whole bunch of hogwash,” Johnson said.

IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: NonSENSE is Wootton’s premier page for humor, absurdism, and other random musings. Hopefully, little in these articles is factual. Please direct comments to woottoncommonsense@gmail.com.

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ARTS

18

Common Sense - November 5, 2009

“You Can’t Take it With You” looks for fun and laughs Cast and crew have been preparing for months for tonight’s production from PLAY, page 1 played by senior Alex Garretson.

Rheba’s boyfriend Donald – played by sophomore Mitchell Myers – is also one of the crazy characters running around.

In contrast to the light-hearted family, the Kirbys, played by senior Faith Nelson and junior Devin Goodman, are pompous.

“Mrs. Kirby is very prim and proper,” Nelson said. “She likes things to always be a certain way, and life for her is completely black and white. She despises the Sycamores. People will really enjoy the play though; there’s a lot of action, and Mr. Sycamore owns a fireworks company, so things blow up.”

M r.

Kholenkhov, played by senior Andre Silva (inset), is an eccentric Russian who the ballet t e a ch e r of Essie Carmichael.

is

According to Silva, he comes and goes through out the play into the Sycamore home, which is basically an open house where all the discord and comedy occurs.

Among some of the crazy events that occur, there are multiple run-ins with the government, an explosion, a word association game gone wrong, constant running around, and of course general chaos.

Despite the dramatic nature of the show, it is a comedy, and a classic one at that.

“I think the biggest difference is that it is a very well established American classic,” director Mr. Adam Graham said.

According to Graham, previous plays, including “Macbeth Did It” and “Horror High,” featured eccentric characters that were relatively close in personality to the actors who portrayed them. ‘You Can’t Take it With You’ required a higher level of maturity in performing – and the actors of the Wootton community were eager to raise to the challenge.

Graham raves about the caliber of his students this fall, and says that he chose this play to accomodate their different skills.

“The past two years especially, I’ve been doing shows that were geared to a much more ensemble approach,” Graham said. “This year, I wanted to find a plot with enough diversity to accommodate a certain number of kids.

When I looked at it, I just saw we had really good talent, actors that could easily play two, three, maybe four of the roles.

That’s a great thing to have and I think the cast this year is especially strong.”

Unlike past shows, this play is more widely known, according to Graham.

Along with winning the Pulitzer Prize, this acclaimed play was adapted into a full-length feature film in the 1930s, starring Jean Arthur as Alice Sycamore and James Stewart as Tony Kirby.

The film won two Academy Awards from seven nominations, including Best Picture and Best Director for Frank Capra.

Stage crew personnel said the show was relatively easy to build, and considering the set is stationary with all of the events taking place in one room, there is no need for a running crew in scene changes.

“The set is moving along swimmingly,” English teacher and technical director Mr. Nick Hitchens said. “The only thing left for us to do on the set is detail.”

A problem faced by the cast and crew is that of swine flu. Multiple members of both cast and crew came down with the disease, but the show must go on.

Rehearsals continued regardless, with Graham filling in the roles of those who were missing. With the approach of opening night, all cast members were back on stage as if nothing had slowed them down.

The show opens tonight and runs until Nov. 8 at 7:30 p.m. General admission tickets are $5 for students and $10 for adults and can be purchased at the box office Monday, Nov. 2 through Nov. 4 from 3-6 p.m., or at the door prior to the performance.

“It’s a more adult show then the ones we’ve had before, though it’s a play you could still bring kids to,” Coimbra said “I think high school students are really going to enjoy it. Come see the show, first weekend in November!”

Cast members run through scenes during a dress rehearsal of the production. photos by Allie McRae

Up Close and Personal with Glee Club Wootton says goodbye to Krouner required to sing a few measures of their song of choice as well as the Star-Spangled Banner with other voice parts.

Partially inspired by FOX’s new hit show For those who watch “Glee” every “Glee”, Wootton’s first Glee Club was recently Wednesday, Wootton’s own club differs slightly formed by stage-lovers and Co-Presidents from the show’s. juniors Milagros Diaz and Sean Rhinehart.

“The club is not very similar to the [one on] The popular tv show features a cast of show in that we have no pregnant cheerleaders,” misfits who find friendship and good times Diaz joked. Crowder sees some similar through their school’s glee club. According characteristics between the two clubs, but also to senior club member Emilee Crowder, the notes that the show is an unrealistic depiction inspiration for starting a Wootton glee club of the amount of work dedicated to each song. came from the amount of fun the students on “On the show, they make it look so easy,” the show were having.

Crowder said of singing The club is sponsored People who wouldn’t normally and rehersing for each

by Chambers teacher new song. “There is be friends are coming together a similar atmosphere.

Jacqueline Serratore and includes junior officers through this club.”

People who wouldn’t Vice President Maria -senior Emilee Crowder normally be friends are Sharova, Secretaries coming together through Tiziano D’Affuso and this club.”

Jeffrey Popkin, Treasurer Samhita Tankala, and In contradiction to the show, the club will senior Treasurer Faith Nelson. not compete at county wide competitions.

Glee Club is intended to be a group of kids Instead, they will perform at school events such who love to perform on stage by singing and as Festival of the Arts or Hit Parade. dancing to show-tunes and pop songs.

As of now, Glee Club meeting once a week The club offers a great opportunity for on Thursdays, but meetings will be held more students that do not participate in the school frequently as performances approach. During shows, but still have an interest in performing each meeting, the officers teach the group on stage. members the songs and some group bonding Crowder was one of those students who has occurs. always enjoyed singing and dancing, but has not The presidents hope that the club is a participated in any of the school productions. success.

As an avid fan of the show, Crowder was eager “Glee club is going to be a great new to try out for a spot in the club. “If I didn’t try addition to the school’s already amazing out, I knew I would regret it,” Crowder said. performing arts department, and we really hope “Right now, I’m really glad I did.” that everyone comes out to see us when we Auditions were held several weeks ago perform,” Rhinehart said. for prospective club members. Students were Melissa Frohman arts editor

“

Samantha Ritwo arts editor

Just after starting her sixth year at Wootton, Ms. Susan Krouner has left her position at Wootton and is now working as business manager for Poolesville High School. While at Wootton, Krouner was involved with many different activities.

She was a para-educator for the arts, English, and social studies departments, the business manager for Wootton Center for the Arts, the athletic ticket manager for fall and spring sports. It was a possibility that she would be the graduation coordinator this year as well.

“Since I’ve been here for six years, I felt like it was time to do something different,” Krouner said. “The business manager position has a little bit more responsibility, and I think it’ll be a little bit more challenging.”

Krouner will continue to work on school play “You Can’t Take it With You” before the school transitions to a replacement. Krouner does not know who her replacement is yet.

“She was very good at what she did here, and I think she’s going to be very good at the position of business manager,” English teacher Mr. Nick Hitchens said.

Most students don’t know that Hitchens is actually Krouner’s son. Hitchens is one of the sponsors both for stage crew and senior class planning, so he interacted with his mother at school very often. “I was actually pretty excited [that] she was the graduation coordinator, because...I know we would work well together,” Hitchens said.

Although she has only been in the education system for six years, Krouner’s began to build her resume long before that. She received a master’s degree in criminology from American University, and at one point, Krouner was a marketing and development director for a non-profit organization in Baltimore. She has also been a project director for several consulting firms dealing with issues including alcohol abuse, sexual assault, and sexual harassment. She also took time off to raise her two children, both of whom went to and graduated from Wootton.

“I’ve really enjoyed working here at Wootton, and I feel sad about leaving,” Krouner said.

“I think the job of business manager fits her personality well. She’s very organized and very task-oriented, so I think she’s going to do a good job with all of this,” Hitchens said. “I’m proud of her, and I think she’s going to do a really good job working at Poolesville.”

Although she will be physically absent, Krouner is still here in spirt and wants to remain a part of the community. “I’d like for people to keep in touch with me,” Krouner said. “I have a lot of fond memories here at Wootton.”

ARTS

19

Common Sense - November 5, 2009

SPOTLIGHT ON: acting star Mikaela Katz Samantha Ritwo arts editor Imagine you have met the love of your life and want nothing more than to introduce your families to each other.

However, your family is a medley of weird characters, including your eccentric mother, who is quirky, often in her own world, and able to burst in at the worst moments. In the upcoming play “You Can’t Take it With You,” senior Mikaela Katz will be tackling the role of Penelope, a loving, outgoing, and slightly crazy mother.

“Penelope is supposed to be somebody you immediately like on stage, somebody who’s got a quirky sense of humor, and somebody who comes off as warm and caring,” theater director Mr. Adam Graham said. “All of those things are Mia.” Katz seems to have fallen into her role easily, enjoying the part she plays.

“Penny…is fun loving and really fun to play,” Katz said. “It is great, because a lot of the lines I am able to say naturally and with so much of my own personality.”

Katz is dedicated to theater and the show, as is seen through her work ethic.

“She knows her lines and where she comes in,” junior and assistant director Samy Kirby said. “She takes it seriously, which is good. She’s always on top of things.”

Despite such concentration on the show, Katz also enjoys the social aspects of being in a production and takes the time to mix work with fun.

“Penelope is really quirky, and it’s fun to just like take advantage of that and be silly and loud,” Katz said. “[Also,] I really like the cast. We bond really well, and a lot of us have done shows before, which is fun that we already know each other. It’s like a little reunion.”

Katz’s positive attitude is infectious and sometimes almost even distracting.

“We laugh all the time,” Graham said.

“Mia and I have been working together for four years now, so I think the only danger of us working together is that we start laughing at each other about things nobody else really finds funny.”

Katz has been involved with six school

productions. She previously was one of the Katz was born in Santa Monica, three witches in “Macbeth Did It,” Clara in California, where she lived for a few months “Horror High,” and part of the ensemble before moving north near San Francisco for for “Sweeney Todd,” “My Favorite Year,” ten years, before moving again to Maryland and “Beauty and the Beast.” while in the 5th grade. Katz is still a California “I think that on the Wootton stage I’m girl at heart. probably more comfortable with acting, “I love going to the beach,” Katz said. because I’ve had some more of the bigger Katz is also in senior class planning, roles in plays,” Katz said, “but I definitely is a member of National Honor Society, sing in my car all the time.” babysits, and has been an employee with Katz also auditioned for a show the CheeburgerCheeburger since her freshman fall of her freshman year, and despite not year. With the money she saved up from making it, she was determined to try again. work, Katz bought her very own car, a “I had heard just how tightly knit the Mazda 3, which is black, even though her community was of theater, and I still loved favorite color is green. In terms of favorites, singing and acting, and so I was like, ‘I’m her favorite food is a Waldorf salad and her going to do it again,’” Katz said. favorite movies are “Motorcycle Diaries” Even though Katz’s theatrical career truly and “Into the Wild.” With regard to music, began on the Wootton stage, performing Katz’s taste varies depending upon her has been a part of her mood, although her long before that. selection ranges from I really like the cast. We bond alternative rock groups “It’s my really well, and a lot of us have such as Coldplay and personality,” Katz said. “I’ve been prone done shows before... It’s like a Death Cab for Cutie to to acting, because slower music like Norah little reunion” I’m pretty outgoing Jones. These are all also -senior Mikaela Katz and have always liked Katz’s favorite types of singing.” music to sing.

Graham has seen personal development Katz is the youngest of four siblings, and growth in Katz as an actor through the with two sisters (ages 26 and 20) and one years. brother (25 years old). Although she is “She’s great at just finding these little half Jewish and half Christian, she refers energetic moments that take people by to herself as 100% of both, having had a surprise,” Graham said. “She’ll just make bat mitzvah while attending church every little character choices that’ll just make other Sunday. people laugh, because she has learned over Another thing that makes Katz stand the years the valuable lesson that it starts out in the crowd is her intense school spirit. from you. Any character you do is just an Every spirit week, Katz can be found dressed aspect of you, and Mia is so comfortable up from head to toe in themed gear. with herself now that her acting comes “It is super important to be proud of the off as genuine. Sometimes that honesty on school that we go to, and we should show stage, that’s what people laugh at, because that pride through dressing up,” Katz said. they recognize people in real life being like “Just as important is the fact that dressing that, and that’s why they care. [Her growth] up is just super fun. After you turn like eight, makes me very happy, and sort of justifies you can’t play dress up anymore besides me being here.” during spirit week and at pep rallies in high As Katz comes face to face with the school. Take advantage of the opportunity!” college process, she finds herself heading Some fun facts about Katz include that back to her Californian roots, seriously she can make a three-leaf clover with her considering four schools in California. tongue, and last summer, she biked 200 miles Although Katz has a top choice, she would from Cumberland, Maryland to Washington, prefer not to share until the results are in.

D.C. on the C&O trail.

“

Impossible made possible: breakdance club gets loose Drew Endick editor-in-chief Breakdancing is largely associated with “b-boys” and “b-girls” pulling body-bending moves that coincide with the tempo of upbeat hip-hop or pop music. Several students, however, have made possible the impossible, and on a regular basis. The Breakdance Club does not look to dazzle spectators with their moves, but only to share their passion and dedication for an alternative dance style.

“Dancing in general has always been a way for me to express myself and relieve my stress,” senior co-president Christian Ko said. Although breakdancing often occurs with a few people performing in the middle of a circle of viewers, most dancers perceive the dance as a personal art form that enables them to show character and emotion.

Ko is not the only member who understands that the dance is not only for show.

“One thing I have learned is that break dancing is really supposed to be about personal expression and feeling the music,” guidance counselor and club sponsor Ms. Wendy Kiang-Spray said, referring to the general motives of the membership. “‘Moves’ may not be the best way to put it.”

Even though “b-boying” may be intensely personal, club members are not scared to show off their style and abilities.

Each practice, members encircle a dancer who puts on a short routine. Another dancer quickly enters the circle and retaliates with his or her own dance moves.

“From a spectator’s perspective, it’s an extremely positive sport. Though competition breaks out from time to time, it’s always done in fun and friendship, and really awesome to watch,” Spray said.

Although the club seems successful in creating a place

photo by Allie McRae

Katz gets into her character, Penelope, during a dress rehearsal of “You Can’t Take it With You.”

Katz clearly has a lot on her plate, but she finds a balance in her activities and ultimately gets the job done.

“I definitely find it stressful, but I generally work well under pressure, so I kind of like the stress sometimes,” Katz said.

“I don’t admit it to myself, but I think that that’s what it is.”

Even when feeling bogged down, Katz continues to keep her head held high and does not solely focus on herself.

“My favorite trait about her is that she just really cares about people,” English teacher Justin Sybenga said. Sybenga taught Katz for two semesters of AP Lang and a semester of 10th grade English.

“She just has a heart for people; she takes an interest in people and really cares about them,” Sybenga said.

When all is said and done, Graham is confident in his choice in casting Penelope.

“It’s very comfortable working with [Katz], and there is a lot of trust there,” Graham said. “I trust her to make choices; I trust her to get the work done; I trust her to be a leader in the process.”

Be sure to catch Katz in “You Can’t Take it With You,” opening tonight.

Did you know?

•

“Breakdancing” was never a term used by the original dancers themselves, but was coined in the 1980s by media outlets when the dance style became widely popular.

•

Many breakdancers prefer the term “b-boying” to the term “breakdancing,” and prefer to be called “b-boys” or “b-girls.”

•

Breakdancing originated in the 1970s in the Bronx, New York.

Types of breakdancing moves: photo by Samantha Ritwo

Senior Christian Ko performs for observing club members in the cafeteria.

for personal expression and lighthearted dance-offs, there are minor problems that club leaders want to fully address.

“We’ve had a lot of members joining. This proved to be a problem when the underclassmen began bringing their friends and fooling around,” Ko said. While there is a large group of newcomers, many do not have the same drive that experienced breakers have.

“I think [goals] depend on what each member wants to gain out of the dance,” senior co-president Sherwin Heydarbeygi said.

Currently, club members are focusing only on improving and not on their upcoming dance event, Puttin On the Hitz.

“Breakers are usually seen in the competition, but the club isn’t coordinating anything for this year,” Heydarbeygi said.

“toprock”: any series of steps performed from a standing position; this is usually a starting point and warm-up for more acrobatic moves. “downrock”: all footwork performed on the floor; typically involves contorting the lower body. “power moves”: maneuvers that require momentum and physical strength, such as the “windmill,” “swipe,” and “headspin.” “freezes/suicides”: the ending position of a breakdancing set; freezes require the dancer to hold a difficult pose for several seconds, while suicides require the dancer to make it appear as if he or she has lost control by falling on his or her back or stomach. source: http://www.uic.edu/orgs/kbc/hiphop/break.htm

20

Features Common Sense - November 5, 2009

Float-building 101: The “how-to” of a homecoming staple Jeanie Kim staff writer

S

pirit week. Among all the events that contribute to the frenzy and excitement of the five days preceding homecoming, the floats represent the dark horse, making their big debut at the end of the spirit week race.

Unfortunately, apart from the half hour parade at the homecoming game, most students never realize the significant amount of time and effort that is put in to these artistic masterpieces.

This year, the freshmen took on the Medieval Times, the sophomores attempted to conquer the Wild West, the juniors aimed to represent the Future and the seniors went for the win with Ancient Rome and Pompeii.

But the student body must wonder how exactly a float is made.

1. Strategize: It all starts out with a design. An outline of where everything goes helps in assigning who does what and shows builders the types of tools they will need.

“It is important because without [an outline] we would not have been able to execute anything properly,” sophomore secretary Divya Jain said. Floats are a group effort, so team work and contribution is important. Brain storming for ideas and creating a drawing board are efficient ways to plan.

“Once you have the drawing board done, making the actual float is not that hard,” junior David Harvey said.

2. Recruit a team: From jobs such as painters, builders, carpenters, and actors, a wide assortment of people are needed to successfully put together a float.

3. Gather materials: Making a float can be expensive; small restaurant fundraisers and bake sales will raise the money needed.

Freshmen webmaster Bobby Martin said that the freshmen did a fundraiser at California Pizza Kitchen and Carmen’s Italian Ice and Giant also donated like $50 for the hall and float.

4. Build it up: It takes a lot of time,

photo by Katie McKenna

From top counterclockwise: Sophomores conquer the Wild West as their homecoming float theme; Juniors construct the framework of their futuristic home; Seniors Ira Rickman, Danny Buchanan and Brian Hilnbrand admire their rendition of Ancient Rome and Pompeii.

effort, and team work. “[The freshmen] met about every day, even on Saturday,” Martin said.

Although the average high school student has several commitments after school, float builders must be willing to contribute ample amounts of time and stay on task. “[The sophomore] meetings varied from 30 minutes to four hours,” Jain said.

With a limited amount of time, class planners rush to put the finishing touches on their work in the week before the game,

all for first place and the prize money that comes with it.

“We are going all out,” Martin said, on the freshmen’s strategy for winning. The freshman were not daunted by the new task, but attempted to appeal to the judges objects that people could easily recognize, such as a castle, a dragon and a sword in the stone.

Other float builders try to win with a detailed painting job.

“We used subtle details [to make the] float unique and a sure win,” Jain said.

The juniors took on the concept of

a futuristic space station accessorized by a moving and talking screen of principal Dr. Michael Doran’s face, and the seniors featured a volcano and resorted to some history for their float.

5. Watch the parade! The parade, held on Oct. 24 at the homecoming game against Northwest High School, put planners’ work on display. The senior class came in first place, winning an $100 cash prize. All were encouraged to come to “be impressed, be very impressed,” Harvey said.

New athletic clubs inspire students to stay fit after school Alisa Sonsev staff writer At the beginning of every school year, an Activity Expo is hosted during all three lunch periods. The Expo informs the student body of the many different clubs that the school has to offer, and gives the students an opportunity to sign up for these clubs.

While browsing through the commons and the gym, students see signs of clubs they recognize from prior years, but they also notice the many new clubs.

The Handball Club is one of several new clubs this year, and was created for the lovers of the sport.

“Some people love to play, some people come to learn,” sophomore Tyler Stone said.

The club was made so that students could have something fun and productive to do after school. The club is also something that could keep members in shape.

About 25 active members meet once a week, when the tennis courts are open, to play handball. They plan to use the gym so they can continue playing throughout the winter.

Members of the Handball Club call themselves “pioneers of awesome,” according to Stone. The club has turned

out to contain only male members although this was not a condition when the club was created.

Another new club that will keep members healthy is the Patriot Running Club. Senior Briana Rotello set up this club to live by the motto of “Run Happy,” and that is exactly what they plan on doing.

This club was created for students who want to stay in shape without the competitiveness of indoor track during the season between cross-country and spring track.However, involvement in one of the school running teams is not a requirement to be in the club.

“I made Patriot Running Club to stay photo by Abby Peller in shape,” Rotello said. “I saw it as an Seniors Nicole Morici, Sarah Rozman and Mimi Abutaleb enjoy rollerblading in their signature tie-dye club opportunity to be active.”

So far, the club has approximately 15 shirts. The club is usually held during the weekend or on days when there is no school. members ranging across all four grades. indoor track, but to still be able to stay in The students in the club usually Sponsor and English teacher Alexander shape,” Rotello said. rollerblade around Dufief and occasionally Barron and president Briana Rotello hope If you are looking for a new and Fallsgrove. The club has many members this number will grow by the time the club interesting way to exercise, then Rollerblading already, and is still rapidly growing, so it is actually starts up on Nov. 5. The club will club could be the right choice for you. usually held on weekends or days when there either meet on Mondays, Wednesdays, and “There isn’t anything like it in our is no school.

Thursdays or on Tuesdays and Thursdays. school,” senior Nicole Morici said. “It’s “We try to meet as often as possible, “I think I’m leaning more towards something that you can have fun doing even but it’s just hard because of conflicting Tuesdays and Thursdays because the point if you don’t know how or aren’t very good schedules,” Morici said. of the club was to be not as demanding as at rollerblading.”

21

Features Common Sense - November 5, 2009

Titlow’s book breaks The Art of Interviewing down into a science Katy Tong features editor

Adjectives like “methodical” and “calculated” come to mind as I peruse The Art of Interviewing, but informative doesn’t necessarily translate into dry and Substitute teacher Dr. Richard Titlow, who has humorless. spent years lecturing on interviewing skills, is certainly A more fitting title for the book might replace no stranger to the enigmatic job interview. With work the word “art” with “science.” In its streamlined experience from the Internal Revenue Service and the presentation, aesthetics do not seem a priority, and the U.S. Civil Service, Titlow may in fact be on his way content is certainly more matter and less art. to introducing the introductory course, Interviewing However, when Titlow breaks down the interview 101. process into logical stages and Like any college subsections, the preciseness lecture, Titlow’s new and level of detail can be publication The Art of overwhelming for high Interviewing: Techniques for school readers. Do we really Success is long on specific need to differentiate between terminology and short on direct and indirect methods frills. There will be neither of interview? What exactly is emotional tragedies to a “personal pattern” ? pull on your heartstrings Yet, the pocket-size guide nor attempted bouts is not without its charms. of wit to humor you.

The graphics that Straight-forward and to Titlow designed himself are the point, Titlow’s book appropriately chosen. Using is spotless and certainly a chemistry set to illustrate instructive. the research required before As appropriately an interview, for instance, prefaced on the back complements the text and cover summary, the enhances meaning with a book “delves” headfirst creative edge. into the interviewing Likewise, the assorted process, from the initial photographs of various preparations to interview i n t e r v i e w e r s – T i t l o w ’s etiquette to follow-up colleagues, I suspect—add courtesies.

Particularly personality to the otherwise effective is a checklist of strict and straightforward the “do’s and don’ts” treatment of his topic. photo courtesy of PublishAmerica, Inc. of the job interview Titlow emphasizes that urges applicants to maintain eye contact and that “balance is the code word” for interviewing reduce flattery while striking a positive impression. techniques. In the case of The Art of Interviewing, Interestingly, Titlow discusses interview balancing necessary and useful instruction with more techniques from the perspectives of the both the engaging flair might be the way to attract more young interviewee and the interviewer. readers.

His reasoning here is valid; we unknowingly conduct interviews all the time, not for the purpose The Art of Interviewing: Techniques for Success will be of landing a job, but simply to acquire information sold at a 40% discount in the Media Center for $10. from our peers.

Tips from the expert:

adapted from The Art of Interviewing

Postive Influences

Negative Influences

1. Arrive early.

1. Arrive late: There is never an excuse for lateness.

2. Emphatic attitude: Know what you want to say.

2. Lethargic: Inattentive.

3. Relaxed manner

3. Talk down or condescend. Tension or fidgeting are “no-no’s.”

4. Smile.

4. Frown.

5. Speak with a clear voice.

5. Mumble.

6. Keep eye contact.

6. Look away: What are you hiding?

7. Firm handshake: Lets your interview know you’re bright, alert and interested.

7. Weak handshake.

8. Stick to the point: If you are not sure you’ve answered in sufficient detail, ask the interviewer if you should elaborate.

8. Ramble: Don’t change the subject. Be brief. Overelaboration is an all-too-common error.

9. Apporpriate use of humor.

9. Uncontrolled levity.

10. Spontaneous reply: A product of preparation.

10. Long pauses before reply.

11. Speak well of others.

11. Critical of others: Don’t complain about your boss!

12. Candor.

12. Evasive.

13. Talk clearly.

13. Use words like “um” or “you know.”

14. Respectful.

14. Overpower with flattery.

15. Use the last name of your interviewer.

15. Use the first name of your interviewer.

photo by Allie McRae

Q & A: Dr. Richard Titlow

Features editor Allie McRae sat down with Dr. Richard Titlow to discuss his new book entitled The Art of Interviewing: Techniques for Success. Before writing his book, Titlow worked at the IRS, Internal Revenue Service, OPM, Office of Personnel Management and the Coast Guard. Since then, Titlow has been teaching History courses at McDaniel and Montgomery College and substitute teaching at Wootton High School.

Q: What is the book about?

A: [The book] has three primary functions. The first is to discuss the types of interviews you might encounter. You might encounter group interviews or individual one on one interviews. The next part is the one that most books on this subject deal with: what to say, how to prepare, what kind of questions to expect, what is going on from the interviewee side. The last part of it is about the interviewer side, and that is a side that is not very well known. I did a lot of research on that. Most people think the person looking for the job is in a weak position and the one hiring is in a power position. This is not true. They both need to make a decision. One has to decide if they want to accept the job and the other one has to decide if they want to hire the person.

Q: How long did it take you to write?

A: I’ve been teaching this course for both the IRS and OPM, Office of Personal Management, for nine to ten years. I needed handouts to help people remember, so I developed this course. The other day I was looking at some of my old files and I came across it and thought someone might need this. I wrote to three publishers, two of which already had books on the subject, and this publisher [PublishAmerica] picked it up and I’ve been dealing with that, trying to get it published.

Q: Explain the publishing process.

A: I had all kinds of problems with the publishers. Dealing with people who don’t have any interest in your subject is not particularly satisfying.

Q: When will the book come out?

A: It is going to come out in stores, but you can get it at the Wootton library for a 40% discount. The book is coming out for $17 and I’m selling it for $10 at the library.

Q: Who do you think will most benefit from reading it?

A: I don’t see any reason why everybody doesn’t face an interview at one way or another, either on one side or the other. Especially if you’re a senior and you’re interviewing at college or jobs, this puts you in the right frame for going through this process. It’s such a nervous process when you’re looking for a job. I think the book is very useful.

Q: What was your favorite part in writing the book?

A: My favorite part is some of the stories I threw in. I put some pictures of people I know in there. I enjoyed putting some of my own personality into it.

Q: What was the worst part?

A: Dealing with the publishers. I spent hours proofreading and correcting the mistakes they had made.

Q: Do you have any advice for budding writers?

A: Get your facts together before you start writing. You need to think it through very clearly and very succinctly before you start writing.

Features

22

Common Sense - November 5, 2009

Dr. Joseph Chiu has breakthrough Leads team in HIV vaccine research

Emily Burklow and Eleni Kessler managing editors As students in Ms. Eugenia Chiu’s math classes already know, Chiu recently went on a rendezvous to Paris to visit her husband, Dr. Joseph Chiu, who is currently involved in a global study on AIDS. However, for Dr. Chiu, the trip was more than an idle vacation.

He spent one week in the French capital to partake in the AIDS Vaccine 2009 Conference to discuss his recent research success. On Sept. 24, BBC World Service reported that Dr. Chiu’s research team had developed a vaccine that offered 30% protection against HIV infection, the virus that precedes the onset of AIDS. Dr. Chiu is the representative of the US Army Surgeon General and has been doing research on human trials in Bangkok, Thailand since March 2009. Dr. Chiu takes pride in his team’s accomplishments, but maintains a high degree of humility.

“I felt very humbled and honored to know that [my team’s] findings will have a major impact on the field,” Dr. Chiu said. “There is finally hope for developing a HIV vaccine that can protect against HIV infection.” He also realizes that the promising results were not due solely to his individual efforts, but because of a collaborative and international effort. According to Dr. Chiu, over 16,000 Thai volunteers agreed to be studied for three and a half years, and there was strong collaboration across public and private sectors from multiple nations to achieve the study’s goal.

“Without such compliance, the trial would not have been able to arrive

at a definitive answer,” Chiu said. Since the research study, which was started in 2003, was published Oct. 20 in the online version of the New England Journal of Medicine, reactions to its findings have been encouraging.

“The overall reaction has been very positive,” Chiu said. “Even scientists who initially thought the trial was a waste of money congratulated us.”

Ms. Chiu is proud of the work her husband has achieved while in Bangkok and maintains the same sense of modesty as her husband.

“I am very happy for him,” Ms. Chiu said. “[The discovery] was very humbling.” She says that her husband attributes much of this accomplishment to a higher power.

“He feels that he doesn’t deserve [his fame],” Ms. Chiu said. “This [success] was given to us by the grace of God.” Both of the Chiu’s children take pride in their father’s achievement.

Although Ms. Chiu jokingly admits that her husband has unknowingly pressured their children to reach an impossible level of success in the past, they were happy to hear that his research had positive results. According to Ms. Chiu, her daughter posted a link on her Facebook page, to the aforementioned BBC article, professing Dr. Chiu’s aptitude as a scientist, writing “This is my Daddy!”

“The kids are very proud of their Dad,” Ms. Chiu said. “He is happy that his kids are proud… their [regard] means more to him than all the other [congratulations].”

Additional studies will need to be done to confirm the team’s findings

and Dr. Chiu is looking forward to creating new goals to work towards.

Most importantly, researchers will need to determine why the vaccine works.

According to Dr. Chiu, their ultimate goal is to create a HIV vaccine that is able to dramatically reduce one’s change of acquiring HIV infection by more than 50%.

This study has proven that testing HIV vaccines in humans can also lead to the making of an efficacious vaccine and that basic bench research or testing in animals (which have been popular methods for HIV research) is not always the right approach. These results have also boosted the morale of scientists who have been working for many years towards progress in finding a vaccine. “[The findings] have reinvigorated the field of HIV vaccine research,” Dr. Chiu said.

photo coutesy of CNNHealth.com

Dr. Joseph Chiu spent one week in Paris to partake in the AIDS Vaccine 2009 Conference and discuss his recent research success. BBC World Service reported that Dr. Chiu’s research team had developed a vaccine that offered 30% protection against HIV infection.

In a world that “friends,” they just don’t Drew Endick editor-in-chief Almost seven years ago, Harvard University undergrad Mark Zuckerberg, a computer science major, launched Facemash from his dorm room with the intention of insulting an ex-girlfriend. After several disciplinary issues with Harvard administration, Zuckerberg once again launched a debated online profiling site, Facebook. The website quickly spread around campus, and later to other elite universities nationwide. Within a year, Facebook jumped to high schools and quickly consumed the modernized world’s young adult population.

A small minority,

however, have resisted the Internet Student who run organizations fad and maintained a normal, teenage and athletic teams have employed social life.

Facebook as more than a profiling site.

“I was never into the trends Instead, groups have begun using it as like AIM. You can never replace the main basis of communication and talking face-to-face,” senior Christian advertising.

Haudenschild said, referring to one of “I would say the majority of the many reasons why he has chosen to stay school has a Facebook, so it is an away from the effective way to ever-g rowing spread the word I was never into the trends website, and and advertise,” like AIM. You can never rewhy traditional Senior Class place talking face-to-face.” communication President Swetha is sufficient.

-senior Christian Haudenschild Iruku said. “I feel Some anti like kids pay more -Facebook students have given into attention to Facebook then they do to the trend, but only for the site’s ability the morning announcements and flyers to keep friends connected throughout around the school.” post-high school life.

Group or team members without “Everyone has one. I want to Facebook, however, are still able to stay in touch with everyone remain as active and beneficial parts in college,” senior Hannah of their respective organization. “I am Lehrenbaum said. Captain of Cross Country, but I am Lehrenbaum recently always aware of what is going on with created a Facebook the team,” Haudenschild said. profile to maintain Others use Facebook as a way relationships in to post videos and photographs of the future, but her themselves with friends and family. current social life The additional demands on students has not encountered to create a Facebook to be included, any major changes. still, is not strong enough to alter their “Before, I still attitude. “I never felt left out. It’s not hung out with friends like my friends shunned me from and did normal pictures before,” Lehrenbaum said. stuff,” Lehrenbaum Despite the pressure students may said. “I get reminders encounter to join Facebook, most that for school fundraisers and have not given into the trend do not restaurant nights. It’s easier to look to anytime soon. “I will try to remember now.” avoid it,” Haudenschild said.

“

All Grown Up Emily Burklow and Eleni Kessler managing editors While recently babysitting a pack of rambunctious elementary school children, we began to reflect upon our own childhood, which is rapidly coming to an end. As our eighteenth birthdays draw near, we are forced to accept that we are no longer the young squirts of the nineties and our generation has been replaced by a bunch of technology-obsessed, Ritalin-addicted mini-adults.

As we watch the kids become hypnotized by the glitz and glamour of “Hannah Montana,” we yearned for the days when normal preteens were on TV. Don’t get us wrong, we admit we listen to that one Miley song as a guilty pleasure, but she just isn’t real. Even when she has her dorky moments or is victimized by the high school mean girl, Miley always has the spotlight and millions of adoring fans to save her from self-pity.

Can kids really relate to a girl who spends her days tanning on a Malibu beach? No, what kids need are real dorks like Lizzie McGuire. Lizzie lived in a modest suburban home where her parents embarrassed her constantly and her brother drove her insane. She tripped in the cafeteria, was mortified while bra shopping with her mother, and pined constantly for Ethan Craft, the school stud. Lizzie showed that it was possible to have fun, even when surrounded by fellow misfits. You could not find truer friends than Gordo and Miranda.

And look at Arnold. The kid had a football shaped head and wore a freaking kilt every day. Yet he was the coolest guy on the block. His biggest claim to fame was Helga G. Pitaki’s unhealthy fixation on his luscious bod.

With a secret, candlelit shrine in her closet (complete with a handmade idol), she showed us that our psychological situations could always be worse. We could actually be as crazy as her. Unlike Helga and Lizzie, Hannah got the guy without resorting to creepy stalking maneuvers, because she is a rock star.

Does anyone else remember the days when rock stars only sang and danced without trying to be something that they weren’t? N*Sync is possibly the greatest boy band of all time. They may not have marketed themselves as well as Joe, Nick and Kevin, but their smooth voices, perfectly gelled hair, and comehither dance moves could make any first grader swoon.

We miss the days when performers were less interested in appealing to parents and more interested in staying true to the adorably shallow pop-icon images that we knew and loved. In a decade where computers and television are everywhere (literally), the Jonas Brothers have created an empire that kids can’t escape.

Back in our day, we used to roam the streets of the neighborhood, collecting other kids for pick-up games of four square and dodgeball. While some of our games may have ended in broken windows and fractured fingers, the good times vastly outnumbered the bad.

We faced real life and came out stronger because of it.

Not only that, but we dabbled in the arts. The nineties was the second Renaissance. There were Shrinky Dinks, EasyBake ovens, cassette video cameras, oil pastels.

And we mastered them all. We did indulge in some technology. We reached the Master level on SSX Tricky and unlocked all of the mini-games on Mario Parties 1-6, but we were never sucked into one source of entertainment. We weren’t wrapped up in fantasy lives on Webkinz or Club Penguin. It’s just sad that kids today need to subscribe to a proxy to explore the edges of their imagination.

Technology is a fickle friend. In small doses, it can add to a kid’s happiness and fuel the loving nostalgia we now have, but if relied on, it will suck up your soul.

Childhood is a time to discover and learn, and kids should engage in their surroundings. Otherwise, all they are going to learn is that they will never be as cool as Hannah Montana.

23

Features Common Sense - November 5, 2009

Halloween returns to ethnic roots Azzah Ahmed managing editor

Dear Dr. Love,

Dr. Love

I’m 16 and I have a crush on this guy, but I don’t know if he likes me. Every time my friend texts him something she adds a little thing in it about me that he won’t answer.

She thinks he doesn’t want his true feelings known. Also, he avoids talking to me on Facebook. I want to tell him, but I also don’t want my feelings hurt. What should I do?

Restless in Rockville Dear Restless, Let’s be honest. If the guy is truly going to extremes to avoid you, he already knows that something is up. Now, there are a few different thoughts that could be running through this teenage boy’s mind.

Here is a breakdown of what he is most likely thinking about and what you should do in each instance.

63.2%: SPORTS If you thought that this guy was thinking 110% about you, you have another thing coming. We are right in the heart of the NFL season, and if his fantasy football trades aren’t consuming most of his time, then he is most likely plotting different ways to kill Dan Snyder so that maybe, just maybe, the Redskins could score a few points.

Maybe the guy is a baseball fanatic, and with the World Series underway, your best chance to get to first base may be by striking up a conversation on how A-Rod is having a great October. Or just pray that the man of your admiration is a Caps fan, because even though they have struggled a little of late, no one should doubt that they will turn it around before playoffs.

Hey! Guess what?! You hit the quad-fecta! With last week’s NBA tipoff game, you have managed to find a time period in which pretty much every major sport in America is in season. My advice? Tell him you like him during a week when the Yankees lose, and the Redskins, Caps, and Wizards win. Right now it looks like you’re all set for fall 2064.

22.1% GIRLS…BUT NOT NECESSARILY YOU Here comes the inevitable.

Approximately once per minute, there will be a “whoopie flash” that runs through a guy’s head. Much like a news flash, this can occur at any time and can be brought about by any number of ordinary things that a female does (such as walking) without thinking much of it.

When the time is right you should strive to create as many “whoopie flashes” as possible, because it can only get the guy moving in the right direction. The key, however, is balance; don’t come on too hard or you will look like a tease—and if you don’t come on hard enough, you won’t get any attention. Basically, be perfect. It’s not that hard.

Every year around this time students dress up, and celebrate the spookiest of holidays, Halloween. It provides students with the opportunity to step outside of themselves, and adopt a new persona for one night.

For children, Halloween is a time of pumpkin carving, costumes, and lots and lots of candy.

“It was really fun to experience Halloween at my internship at Fallsmead Elementary. It brought back old memories of when I was in elementary school and participated in school festivities,” senior Sarah Honberg said.

Students celebrate Halloween in different ways. Many students dress up, and attend Halloween parties, go trick-or-treating with siblings or friends, or even stay at home and hand out candy.

“Halloween is fun because you get to make up crazy costumes; I was a Sudoku board,” senior Tejal Thakkar said. “It’s fun to go to Halloween parties, and see what other people come up with.”

Students often get into the spirit of Halloween by dressing up and coming to school in full costume.

“I went trick or treating for Halloween,” senior Adriana Guerra said. “I enjoy this holiday

Ten Most Popular Children’s Halloween 2009 Costumes

5.1% MISCELLANEOUS THOUGHTS TO SELF No one will ever be able to explain where these thoughts and questions derive from. The answers do not matter, and affect no one.

Nonetheless, they occur every second of the day. To name a few: - I don’t remember eating pop corn, but that is definitely a kernel in the back of my teeth.

- I think I showered on Sunday…or was that Thursday?

- I really like hot pockets.

And one may ask why, why would any of this ever cross one’s mind?

Someone give me a ball of yarn, because you have got to be “kitten” me if you think I can explain that.

8.6% YOU It could be worse. You could be a part of the “undefined” one percent left. Here is the trick: 8.6% of him is thinking about you, but 100% of him is confused. What may seem so simple to you translates into such complexity for him that you may want to wait until he passes multivariable calculus before you approach him. Luckily, because you attend Wootton, you have the best chance in the country that he has taken this class.

The best way to relieve all your stress is to confront him. You can take comfort in the fact that it can go one of two ways: 1) He says he likes you too, and if you’re lucky this lovely high school relationship will last the rest of your life, and you’ll be married and die together. 2) He rejects you.

Yes, rejection sucks, but guess what?

It’s over; you can move on to the new German exchange student, or whatever gets you going. It may hurt for a little, but rely on your friends; they will be there for you.

In the end, you will be fine either way. One guy will never define you, so don’t let him.

Readers, keep the letters coming!

Write into woottoncommonsense@gmail. com.

Keep on loving, DR. LOVE

because you can dress up as anything you want and get free candy which is a major bonus.”

Halloween provides students with ample amounts of candy and fun; however the history of this scary holiday began before jack-o-lanterns, and trick-r-treating.

Halloween, or All Hallows Eve, began as a festival to bring in the end of the harvesting year.

This holiday dates back to Celtic times, when at the end of October, the harvesting of crops ended and winter began. It is believed that at this time the lines between the living and the dead became blurred, and thus began the tradition of Halloween.

In Hispanic culture, on November 1 and 2, the Day of the Dead is celebrated, which pays homage to the roots of holiday. They believe that souls of their loved ones return to earth for one night. On the 1st night families spend the night at the cemetery that holds the graves of their loved ones. To guide the souls that return to earth back to their former houses, they light candles, and make their favorit-e foods.

“I don’t celebrate as big as they do in Mexico but in Guatemala we do go to the cemetery and leave flowers for our deceased family members and make their favorite foods in honor of them,” Guerra said.

1. Princess 2. Witch 3. Spider-Man 4. Pirate 5. Pumpkin 6. Vampire 7. Disney Princess 8. Star Wars Character 9. Tinker Bell 10. Batman

Mr. Alexander Barron dreams of chopping trees in his lumberjack

Mrs. Anne Marie Steppling expresses her alter ego as a doctor in the spirit of Halloween.

Ten Most Popular Adults’ Halloween 2009 Costumes 1. Witch 2. Vampire 3. Pirate 4. Clown 5. Wench/Tart/Vixen 6. Cat 7. Devil 8. Scary Costume/Mask 9. Athlete 10. Police Officer courtesy of National Geographic

photos by Katie McKenna

Flipside

Flipside

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Common Sense - November 5, 2009

style Sightings: WOOTTON FASHIONISTOS Nordstrom Rack

Self-Described: Unique and trendy “Flannel shirts are the best. I like clothes that are comfy.”

Pac Sun

Johnny Stopher, sophomore

Quiksilver

Element Tom Tailor

Self-Described: Casual and clean “My inspiration is to give Germans a good image in America...and the ladies.”

H&M

Dominik Braun, junior

Gucci Barneys New York

Jason Stein, senior Tiffany & Co. Versace

Puma

Self-Described: Aggressive, flashy, but always classy “My opinion on designers, as guessed, is that I love them. In the least obnoxious way possible, I try to be the most competitive possible. ”

Dolce & Gabbanna

Wild Things are wild at heart Demetri Tzamaras staff writer Let’s get this out of the way first: “Where the Wild Things Are” is not a film for kids. If you are throwing it away because it’s based on the famous children’s book, you are making a mistake.

“Where the Wild Things Are” is a humorous, emotional and gripping film that has easily jumped into my list of favorite films. After years of preproduction nightmares, arguments over the right vision of the film, and postproduction drama, Director Spike Jonze (“Being John Malkovich,” “Adaptation”) has created a masterpiece.

The film opens very (disregard the pun) wildly. Nine-year-old Max (Max Records), in his signature wolf costume, is chasing his dog down the stairs, making animal noises and slamming into walls. He finally catches the poor canine, laughing and screaming some more while flailing around in a craze. The action freezes, Max’s face is blurred, and in scribbled letters, we get the film’s title. This is a perfect way to catch the audience’s attention.

When Max, who has been feeling neglected lately by both his mother and sister, discovers that his divorced mom

(Catherine Keener) has a “friend” over, he begins to act out to get him to leave. When his mom gets upset, he does too, because he doesn’t think he is doing anything wrong. He bites her, and she becomes enraged, with good reason. Her response is overdone, though, when she says something along these lines: “Max! You bit me! Why did you do that? What’s wrong with you? You’re out of control, Max!” Max in turn has a fit, claiming that it’s not his fault, and runs off into the night.

He makes his way into the forest, where he finds a boat on the water. He takes it and soon finds himself on the Island of the Wild Things. He tricks these creatures into making him their King by easily convincing them that he has “powers from another land.” Everyone has a good time being reckless together and building forts, but Max soon forgets to do his job as King, which is to keep everyone happy.

This is when we see the different Wild Things’ personalities emerge; each is a different reflection of Max’s psyche or someone in his family. Carol (James Gandolfini) is Max’s counterpart: He wants all of the Wild Things to be together, as Max wants his family to be together. KW (Lauren Ambrose) spends her time away from Carol and the others, preferring to talk

to two owls that Max cannot comprehend.

She is an amalgamation of his mother and sister, who too spend little time with Max. As Max’s new kingdom falls apart, Max learns that it is impossible to keep everyone together forever, even his mom and sister. And that is when he leaves. His job is done on the island of Wild Things; he has learned his lesson and has grown up.

My only issue with the film is that the pacing of the movie changes too frequently during the first half. It starts very fast, forcing the audience to keep up, then switches to a very slow, dramatic pace. This happens mostly during Max’s escapades in the real world, so I’m willing to let Jonze get away with it.

By creating these monsters out of Max’s personality and feelings, Jonze creates a truly amazing film that delves deep into the mind of a peculiar, imaginative nineyear-old. The film proves that children are not one-layered, simple people that we make them out to be. In fact, they are very complicated and personal. The beauty of this film is that it is complex and deeply invested in emotion, unlike many popular children’s films today. Jonze bends the children’s genre in the best way possible, highlighting what children really feel and what goes on in their heads.

My Life is Average Avergun

Ilana Avergun editor-in-chief

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the year two thousand and swine. Week by week, day by day, hour by hour, and minute by minute, students have been dropping like flies to the tune of the piggy plague.

No one has been spared. Whether you’ve caught the sniffles or have merely been inconvenienced by absent students and friends, it seems like our once beloved bacon is kicking our butts in this battle.

Normally, when hand sanitizer fails and you’ve been forced to succumb to the snoutbreak, you would get ready by preparing for some big-time boredom.

But that step has been deemed completely unnecessary now that I’m here to sweeten your swine. I racked my brain for the best flu fixes and came up with a pretty legitimate list of ways to defeat the flu blues: So here it is: My top five swine flu savers!

5) Check out internet staples like Sporcle or bored.com. The trivia and gaming madness will keep you sharp even when you feel like you are about to turn to mush. Plus, you can never run out of choices regardless of how many days you’re confined to bed rest.

4) Watch an entire season of [insert your favorite TV show here] or check out the really high channels that you never even knew existed. MTV2? ESPN4? Meet your new best friends. It’s a gold-mine up there in the sevenhundreds.

3) Can you say hello Facebook? 3,000 tagged pictures? Don’t mind if I do! You can even pass off hitting your mouse that many times as a finger workout. Score.

2) Take advantage of all the time that you have on your hands and focus your attention on your favorite songs. Use YouTube or lyrics. com to memorize all the words and really impress your friends the next time it plays in the car or on the speakers at a party. Maybe even throw in some strategically placed and choreographed dance moves just for laughs.

1) We hit the mother lode of swine flu fun with this one. GOOGLE. There are two options that are real aces here. First you can try to Google yourself. Some things that pop up are a real surprise and you might even discover someone else with the same name as you!

New cyber-stalking option? I think yes. But just wait, because option two is my personal favorite. Google Earth. Pretty much, this was made for people with swine. You can zoom in on anything in the world—literally. Find your house, your old house, your friend’s house, your teacher’s house, a store in Japan or a hotel in Mexico. Just get clicking!

So no more worries if a cold comes calling.

Suddenly swine flu doesn’t sound so bad! ...You’re welcome!