Common Sense Magazine Issue 5

Spring is in bloom

Read about the upcoming Cherry Blossom Festival on page 18

cover art by Ashley Chan

Administration proposes new student leadership structure, causing mixed reactions from students by Elizabeth Mehler and Ellie

Mollica

Next year administration will potentially combine student leadership groups.

MCPS athletics: Why MCPS schools require tickets to show spirit at high school sports

Junior Kelly Ren visited the cherry blossom festival last year and plans to return with friends this year. 18

Graphic Design by Kate Hawley

Cover design by Rae Weinstein

TABLE OF CONTENTS

sports arts reviews

Student art spotlights: AP art students build portfolios and AP Art students share their experiances and progress with their art portfolios. These students have been working all year on their AP exam.

The hottest deals in Montgomery County based on student’s opinions.

Springing back into varsity girls’ lacrosse by Lea Weinstein

Lots of changes have been made to the varsity girls’ lacrosse team since last year, including a new coach. The girls kicked off the season with a game on Mar. 22 against Clarksburg.

Spread design by Julia Lvovsky

LETTER from the editors

Print Editors-in-Chief

Ethan Lenkin, Julia Lvovsky, Rae Weinstein

Online Editors-in-Chief

Danielle Land. Mandy Schoen

Managing Editors

Mace Berk, Dylan Cohen, Jake Hoffman, Sarah Nanos, Daniel Sofer.

Emma Song

News Editors

Maria Daraselia, Sophia Fritsch, Naina Giare

Longform Editor

Kate Hawley

Opinion Editors

Ellie Mollica, Isaac Muffet

Commons Editor

Elizabeth Mehler

Arts Editor

Claire Lenkin

Profiles Editor

Catie Russ

Features Editors

Vivian Pisani, Sasha Sampaio, Maria Sofronas

Reviews Editor

Shreyas Jindal

Senior Sports Editors

Alec Fleisher, Ryan McGraw

Sports Editors

Chris Castelli, Jake Konigsberg

Back Page Editor

Jelissa Karnel

Race and Equity Editor

Julia Lvovsky

Adviser

Evva Starr

As the slog to spring break concludes, Common Sense is proud to publish our fifth print edition of the year. We hope you find this newsmagazine both informative and engaging. As always, our newsmagazines do not encompass the full breadth of our content, only what we feel is the most relevant and timely to you, our readers. All articles we publish can be found on our website, woottoncommonsense.com and the Student News Source App. Our coverage can also be found on Instagram, @whs.commonsense.

In this newsmagazine, you’ll find news across all parts of our community, including Senior Planning, and the new course, and source of stress, AP Precalc. Our longform article focuses on boys rating girls’ attractiveness, and the culture that allows that behavior to happen. You can also read about Tyre Nichols’ murder, and how body cameras relate to that act of police brutality.

Our arts spread focuses on student artists, encompassing many forms and styles of art worth celebrating. Demonstrating the uniqueness and strength of the student body, there is a profile of

Junior Olympian Sophie Liu, and her first-place finish. As the spring equinox passes, so begin spring sports. From track and field, baseball and softball, to lacrosse and tennis, you’ll find coverage of spring sports included in this issue.

As we approach the end of our tenure as editors-in-chief, we want to sincerely thank every one of the staff writers and page editors for all of the work they have contributed to Common Sense this year. We’d also like to thank the students who took the time to share their thoughts about issues we covered.

Student journalism will be forever crucial in discussing and reporting on the important stories in one’s community, and we hope Common Sense has fulfilled that role.

We would also like to extend our profound gratitude to our adviser, Evva Starr, for the labor of love that she applies to this paper. She has helped sharpen our abilites as journalists, but more importantly, as people. Her wise, empathetic and supportive spirit has helped make this an unforgettable expierence for all of us.

Editors-in-Chief Danielle Land, Julia Lvovsky, Ethan Lenkin, Rae Weinstein, Mandy Schoen

Patrons - Jenny and Leonard Cohen, Leslie Cohen, Steve Erd, Stacey Gold, Judith Greenberg, Hawley Family, Robin and Craig

Sponsors -

Lenkin, Chris and Marousa Sofronas, Kelly Weinstein

Julia Berik, Hoffman Family, Edwin and Kathy Lomotan, Lynn and Charles Mehler, Dana Miller, Vic and Ann Pisani

Sense is an open forum for student views from Thomas S. Wootton High School, 2100 Wootton Parkway, Rockville, MD, 20850. Common Sense’s website is woottoncommonsense.com. Common Sense’s magazine is published six times a year. Signed opinion pieces reflect the positions of individuals and not necessarily the opinion of Thomas S. Wootton High School or Montgomery County Public Schools. Unsigned editorial pieces reflect the opinion of the newspaper editorial board. All content is reviewed to ensure it meets the highest level of legal and ethical standards with the material as libelous, obscene, or invasive of privacy All corrections are posted on the website. Annual mail subscriptions cost $30, and can be purchased through the school online store. More information about our editorial policies can be found at woottoncommonsense.com/editorial-policy/

SGA begins to plan upcoming spring project

Jolie Graham staff writer

For decades and decades, the SGA (Student Government Association) has done a spring project. The spring project typically involves sharing important messages to the student body. Last year, the SGA focused on distracted and impaired driving. Students were able to look at presentations, participate in activities, and listen to announcements throughout the week regarding the project.

For instance, students were able to wear goggles that showed the limited vision that drunkenness causes and the dangers of drunk driving. The week concluded with a mock drunk driving scene where students watched how firefighters and police officers handled the situation. “I felt that last year’s spring project was super meaningful to students and SGA did an amazing job sharing the message. I am looking forward to this year’s project a lot,” sophomore Josie Spicer said.

The 28 students of the SGA have been working on another compelling spring project to share with students centered on a theme of “Get Active/Be Involved.” The project was recently approved by school administration. Amy Buckingham, sponsor of the SGA as well as a psychology and sociology teacher, said she is thrilled that it got approved. “We [need] approval from the administration because … it can be viewed as… disruptive, costly, takes instructional time so, we need to be sure that it is justified and appropriate and does not violate any MCPS guidelines,” Buckingham said.

The 2023 spring project of “Get Active/Be Involved” will focus on a variety of messages. It will try to encourage all of the different ways to “Get Active” and how meanings include both being physically active

and being involved in your own community.

Junior Zo Singh became a SGA member this year and is anticipating the upcoming project to be active and engaging to students. “I’m most excited for the activities we will have in the Commons, the ideas that have been brainstormed and brought up while planning have been super cool,” Singh said.

Senior Maya Gottesman is co-president of SGA alongside Senior Vivek Majumdar. She has been a part of SGA since her sophomore year and is enthusiastic to share details about this year’s spring project with students. “I think this topic is important because as future leaders, it is vital for Wootton students to learn the value they have in their community and how they can contribute to it positively,” Gottesman said.

Model UN competes at first collegiate conference

Sara Denno staff writer

The Model United Nations club debates international issues by representing a country in a simulation of a United Nations assembly.

The club meets every Tuesday after school in room 146, led by senior club president Angelina Hermosilla Roman and sponsor, social studies teacher Amy Buckingham. Meetings start with the club officers reviewing a slideshow then hosting an activity. “It’s pretty fun and engaging. They try to make you participate as much as possible so you’re prepared for actual conferences,” freshman Pragna Pothakamuri said.

This school’s Model UN attends both local and collegiate conferences. Members prepare for conferences by researching and composing a paper that proposes a solution to an assigned debate topic. “Model UN builds life skills such as public speaking skills, collaboration skills and research skills. It also teaches you to be confident,” Hermosilla

Roman said.

The collegiate conference, North American Invitational Model United Nations (NAIMUN), took place in Washington D.C. on Feb. 16 through 19 and was hosted by Georgetown University.

This year, the club won the award for Outstanding Small Delegation. “NAIMUN was amazingly spectacular. I had a lot of fun meeting people from all across the world, and I was able to debate a topic that I’m interested in potentially pursuing in the

future,” junior club officer Katherine Chow said.

Chow represented Kenya. “The topic my committee discussed was the ethics of gene editing and biomedical technology, and I’m very interested in the combination of science and international policy so this was my dream committee,” Chow said.

Although MUN is academically challenging, members agree that it is enjoyable. “It’s a pretty chill club at the end of the day. I think the activities we do are fun and we throw parties to celebrate after our conferences. It’s not as serious as other Model UN clubs,” Hermosilla Roman said.

“It’s one of my favorite activities that I do, and I couldn’t imagine my life without it. Personally, being able to debate international politics and learn more about topics regardless if I had known they even previously existed is really fun, but the best part is my friends. My friends in MUN are some of the best I have ever made, and it’s really fun being able to enjoy doing conferences and activities with them,” Chow said.

Photo courtesy Jolie Graham

SGA brainstorms activities for their upcoming spring project.

College Board offers new AP Precalculus

Did you know that the Space Race is why you take AP exams every year?

American legislators feared that high school students were not being prepared enough for college compared to their Soviet counterparts. As a result, the Ford Foundation created the Fund for the Advancement of Education (FAE) in 1951, which would go on to bridge the educational disconnect between high school and college. They investigated the records of high-achieving graduates of Ivy League colleges such as Harvard, Princeton and Yale, concluding that high school students needed “advanced placement” into universal, collegiate-level introductory classes. And so the AP classes were born.

The first AP exams were administered to 27 schools in 1954 by the FAE but were passed onto the College Board in 1955. Students were scored on a scale of one to five, the same as today, but exam fees were only $10.

Nowadays, College Board offers over 38 AP classes with the average cost per exam being $97. Recently, College Board announced that in the fall of 2023, they will be launching AP

Precalculus. This announcement was met with mixed reactions from students and teachers alike.

College Board made over $1 billion in revenue in 2019 alone. Students feel that the addition of AP classes are simply ways for College Board to make more money, especially because College Board has convinced students that the only way to get into a well-respected college is by paying them to take their exam. Honors precalculus student and sophomore Diya Khetan said, “I think that especially at Wootton it’s completely unnecessary and it’s solely for the purposes of money. Clearly, all CollegeBoard wants is money. They make us sign up for AP exams and pay them like three weeks into the quarter, so if someone decides to drop out, they’re still stuck paying a cancellation fee. Clearly that shows they don’t actually care that we want to take the exam because we feel prepared for it rather they just want to make money off of it.”

This raises the question: Is it worth taking AP Precalculus for the credit or for the sake of saying it’s an AP class? Honors precalculus teacher Jon David Marchand said, “Will a lot of kids from Wootton take it? Of course,

because it’s an AP course and they think that it’s really going to help them, so they’re all going to strive for AP Precalc. Is it going to be different from honors precalc?”

Students agree with Marchand “We already have honors precalculus at Wootton and our honors precalc curriculum is extremely rigorous. We’re already having cumulative assessments like the quarter exam we have so adding AP Precalc is unnecessary,” Khetan said. “Furthermore, precalc isn’t even a class in college so getting AP credit for that is completely useless. If all you want is the rigor, taking honors precalc is plenty enough.”

A reason for taking AP Precalc would be for the college credit you receive after completing the exam with a score of three or higher. “From my understanding, and I could be wrong, there’s no credit for pre calc in college or if there is, it’s remedial so I’m wondering how you’ll get college credit,” Marchand said. With little information about the proposed curriculum and class itself, it’s easy to jump to conclusions. However, according to head of the math department, Kayla White, Wootton will not be offering AP Precalculus next year.

Administration proposes new student leadership structure, causing mixed reactions

Administration has proposed a change to student leadership that would combine the different leadership groups within the school. Currently the Student Government Association (SGA) and Senior Planning (Splanning) have two separate class periods while ninth, 10th and 11th grades operate as clubs, meeting during lunch or after school.

The SGA class is led by student elected co-presidents. SGA’s main responsibilities are planning homecoming, the spring project and presenting testimony to the Board of Education. Splanning is a class made up of seniors, led by the senior class officers, and is mainly responsible for senior events including Putting on the Hits, prom and graduation.

Administration's proposed leadership plan would combine SGA, class planning officers of all grades, Patriot Ambassador representatives, student union representatives, athletic leadership council members and advocacy group representatives into one class. The SGA co-presidents will lead the class, class officers will lead under them and be renamed “senators” and representatives from the various other clubs would make up the rest of the class. “I think it’s time for a change and I’m glad administration is willing to work with us and listen to our concerns,”

SGA junior Tati Pacheco said.

This proposed change was prompted by Principal Douglas Nelson’s desire for school activities to be more organized and for the planning of these events to include a wider range of students. As a first year principal, Nelson believes in reevaluating the structures in place in order to make improvements where he can within the school. “I’ve noticed that some of the work that SGA does and the work of Splanning seems to have a lot of overlapping,” Nelson said.

While a major goal of the proposed leadership structure is to include more students in the planning of events, not all students agree it will have this effect. “The point of the reconstruction is to make class planning more inclusive and structured. This will do the opposite. It will create chaos,” a freshmen class officer said.

Another reason administrators raised for the proposed leadership change was bias within the selection process for the SGA and Splanning classes. Typically the criteria to decide which students are admitted into the Splanning class is based on involvement and participation in class events throughout high school, although the specific criteria varies with each senior class.

Naina Giare news editor

Photo courtesy Wootton SGA

Ellie Mollica opinion editor

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they were freshmen in 2019. It’s been an ongoing issue since then but hasn’t been brought up until now because more girls are speaking out about it.”

A second anonymous senior who was rated by members of the group said, “It made me feel insecure and judged hearing people from school comment on my looks. No girl should feel that way ever.”

“I think this is indicative of a larger issue at our school because many girls have been talking to me about their experiences being rated by male students at school,” anonymous senior number one said. “And if a girl’s feelings are hurt because of what they’ve said about her, they laugh about it. There’s one girl in the group who I know participates in the rating, which I can’t wrap my head around. She sl**-shames girls with them and makes fun of how they look. She told me one time about some awful things that were apparently being said about me and my body by a member of the group, and when I got

disseminating in schools throughout Montgomery County for years. In 2019, The Washington Post ran an article about a group of boys at Bethesda Chevy-Chase who spread a list of names of female classmates, ranked and rated on the basis of their appearance.

ArtbyIsaacMuffett

which appear to have been misogynistic backlash toward the Post for running the article. Along with the hate, however, countless commenters shared their own stories and similar experiences, and some of them, more than you would hope, were sharing stories from MCPS.

One Washington Post caller from Montgomery County was quoted in a follow-up article talking about her fifth grade daughter’s experience with male classmates talking inappropriately about girls’ bodies and using code words for body parts. She says teachers dismissed the claims when the girls brought it up to them. Another response, in a featured comment from commenter Leas on the original article, recalled a similar incident from Walt Whitman in the ‘70s. “They sat there in a row, several football players and their friends—all popular, privileged kids. A crowd had formed to watch. As girls walked by, each guy held up a paper with a number on it… No one spoke up. No adults intervened. Just because boys have been doing this for a long time doesn’t make it harmless.”

This is an issue that has persisted for far too long without being addressed

“My own friends who used to be in the group have told me it started when they were freshmen in 2019. It’s been an ongoing issue since then, but hasn’t been brought up until now because more girls are speaking out about it . ”

— anonymous senior

Reviving the humanity of hashtags: The death of Tyre Nichols and overexposure

to body cam videos

Margarita Williams staff writer

Happy Black History Month. As we arrive at the end of this month, it has become glaringly obvious that the original purpose of BHM’s inauguration in 1976 has shifted from a celebration of the accomplishments of Black culture to a ceaseless vigil.

With the increased use of police body cameras and circulation of Black people represented as hashtags on social media, American society has been forced to reckon with the continual carnage of Black people in high definition. While there are hundreds if not thousands of people to talk about in this article, I want to focus on the one that has been broadcast the most recently: Tyre Nichols.

For some background, Tyre Nichols was a 29-year-old Black man beaten to death by five Memphis police officers on Jan. 27. The attack on Nichols lasted almost three minutes, and while I could describe the gruesomeness to you in words, you could very easily find the video being looped on News 5 at 6 and watch the end of Tyre Nichols’ life play out in real time.

The gore of body cam footage being showcased for the internet to watch and comment about has altered from a key piece of evidence in judicial sentencing to a tangible piece of psychological torment for Black people across the nation. Even though the increased mandates for police officers to wear body cams and record their everyday conduct has given multiple families justice after injury or death to their loved ones at the hand of on-duty

police officers, the exposure to this gore on the internet has rippling effects in the way that we view death as a nation.

Trauma is defined as the lasting emotional response that often results from living through a distressing event. When discussing an event that has happened in different contexts to different people, complex trauma is more applicable, as it pertains to exposure to multiple varied traumatic events in an often interpersonal manner.

In this context, trauma is formed when people are affected by police brutality in any way, shape or form. Whether they knew the victim personally or just happened to read about it in the paper, complex trauma settles and builds its foundation. This singular viewing of a group of people purposely harming and killing another sets a precedent for anxiety and fear surrounding police officers in general. Now, imagine adding a video of that exact violence to the conversation and seeing that video every day constantly as soon as you open social media. The continual exposure to these tremendously violent videos and their existence in the realm of social media causes eventual desensitization to these issues, and thereby defeats the original purpose of putting them into the public eye. Despite the fact that desensitization as a whole isn’t a negative, overexposure to violent videos of Black people being slowly beaten to death causes us to in turn resist their humanity and places them as martyrs in the eternal fight for true Civil Rights. For example, when I think about George Floyd, the first things that come to mind are the hashtags that spread all over social media about him, the signs with his name on them, and the countless videos of his mother sobbing in front of investigators and journalists. I don’t think about him as a person, or even reckon with the idea that he was a father on his way home from the

grocery store after his job as a truck driver when he met his killers.

When we over-circulate the violence that these victims experience, we quickly forget the aspects that made them human, and focus on what their death can do for the good of other people. We see them on the ground, tired and unconscious, and the humanity of their lives, their hobbies and their experiences fade as the black squares populate Instagram and we receive breaking news of another unjust murder. So, to replace circulating body camera footage and in order for us to truly face the music regarding the death of Tyre Nichols, I want to share some of his life.

Although Tyre Nichols worked at a Memphis Fedex during the day, he spent much more of his time skateboarding. His family members recount him as an incredibly positive person, who would take any chance that he could to get outside and skate at his local park. Skating was a staple of his life growing up in Sacramento, and he was never one to turn down attempting a trick, no matter how radical or dangerous it seemed. His community revered him as a beam of light, and in the skating community he was deemed a local legend, committed and actively doing what he loved.

In spite of his terribly unfortunate death, the most important thing that I want to highlight about Tyre Nichols is that he was an ordinary man. He lived a simple life with hobbies and friends and aspirations just like everyone else. A lot of times when we see people, like Breonna Taylor and George Floyd, depicted as internet buzzwords, we idolize these victims, making them out to be superheroes to almost justify their untimely and unlawful deaths or characterize them as events rather than the series of events that led to their demise. But these are simply regular people. Tyre Nichols was a regular man, and as we mourn his death, we must remember to honor the humanity of police brutality victims and their lives before they came to a brutal end.

Illustrations by Isaac Muffett

Justin Miller staff writer

Lack of equity in MCPS athletics: Why paying for tickets is unfair for students

Why are students required to pay to show school spirit?

Throughout the school year, you may notice your bank account slowly dwindle as the sports season goes on. Through the 20 regular season basketball games and the 10 regular season football games, students are required to spend at least $150 to attend these events. With every event costing $5 for students ,and more with service fees if one buys them online, if you would like to attend every sporting event the school offers you will end up spending around $500 just to support your squad.

In the United States of America, the average household income is approximately $70,000 per year and the average annual income for an adult is around $50,000 per year. Is it fair for the school to charge an adult 1% of their annual salary in order for their child to attend events with their peers? While some parents are willing to adhere to the guidelines and provide their children with the money for access

to the games, some will have their kids pay for the tickets instead. As a high schooler, it may seem easy to get a job to help fund your excursions out of school, but it is quite the opposite. Many students struggle to sustain a job while maintaining a healthy academic and social life. “I think that paying for tickets is absurd because I think we should be able to support our teams for free,” senior Nikhil Bakshi said.

According to Pew Research Center, post Covid-19, only 36.6% of teenagers have or have had jobs since 2020. How can the school expect those who don’t have jobs, or parents who will pay, to attend the games?

afford it and still want to go they should be allowed to,” said senior Alex Zhao.

Along with price being an issue, students also want to enjoy watching their friends play, along helping the teams win in their own way. When playing sports, there are outside-of-the-game factors that play roles in determining the winner. Momentum and home-field/court advantage not only make the game more fun but also help keep the team more motivated and energetic. “Although the fans make me a little nervous they help support and encourage which overall enhances my confidence,” freshman Bryan Ngouzo said.

Although there are many problems with students paying for tickets, some would argue it is a necessity. Students buying tickets helps fund the sports and brings money to the schools. A solution to this problem would be out of school funding from parents and students. Other sports such as hockey and lacrosse both fund themselves providing their own equipment and even the ice time.

NO

Should students have to pay for tickets at sporting events? NO YES

“They are supporting the team.”

“The school has to make money.”

“More people increases school spirit.”

Caroline Stasko, 11

Chris Pucciarelli Head of Security Ojas Tare, 10

Students celebrate homecoming at the black out themed football game on Sept. 17.

Photo courtesy Gurnoor Kaur

3 4

Thomas S. Wootton HIgh

Although he is often forgotten, Thomas Warren was the first principal of the school. Warren was prepared as he had already been the principal in charge of opening Cabin John Middle School the year prior. Plagued by threats of a delayed opening due to construction difficulties, Warren worked extremely hard to ensure the schools smooth opening. He believed in the importance of being involved with the student body. Warren could often be found in the stands at games and talking with students in the halls. After the first school year Warren took a two year leave of absence to serve as Director of Peace Corps Micronesia and Principal James Coles promptly took over.

James Coles led Thomas S. Wootton high school as principal for 22 years before retiring in 1993, making him the longest serving principal of the school’s history. As one of the first leaders of our school, Coles shaped the atmosphere of Wootton. Under Coles leadership the school received the “Excellence in Education” award from the Secretary of Education of the United States in 1985. While Coles enforced rigorous academic standards he maintained a positive and nurturing attitude towards students. Coles believed that instilling confidence in students was key. “Giving kids self-confidence is the part of education that’s important. Students won’t remember everything that they learned here, but they will come out with good work habits, confidence, and the knowledge that they can succeed,” Coles said in the 1993 Fife and Drum yearbook.

Terill Meyer had first entering 1993. As students the change, Meyer worked style of leadership.To the school, Meyer participated homecoming, and attended

Principal Thomas Warren poses at his desk in 1970.

Principal James Coles speaks at a pep rally. As a former college football player, Coles understood the importance of supporting student athletes.

Thomas Warren 1970 - 1971

James Coles 1971 - 1993

Terill Meyer 1993 - 1995

Principal Terill Meyer announces Queen at a football game in

Rebbecca Newman 1995 - 2003

Spread design by Elizabeth

6

HIgh School Principals

announces the homecoming King and game in 1993.

Meyer had big shoes to fill when entering the school as principal in students and staff adjusted to Meyer worked hard to define her leadership.To grow her involvement in Meyer participated in pep rallies, and attended football games.

by Elizabeth Mehler

When Rebecca Newman took the role of principal in 1995 she brought many new changes with her. Before Newman came to the school she gathered experience as an administrator at Mark Twain School, a principal of the Regional Institute for Children and Adolescents and principal of Paint Branch. Using her wisdom and experience, Newman brought many improvements to the school including a new attendance system involving a school-wide network of computers and stricter rules on skipping.

Micheal Doran led the school as a compassionate and beloved principal for 12 years before his unexpected passing in 2015. Doran brought empathy to the role and prioritized making connections with the students and families he served. He formed close bonds and could often be found making jokes with students during lunch. Doran’s passing shocked the school community, leaving many grieving.

Kimberly Boldon 2015 - 2022

Douglas Nelson 2022 - Present

Principal Rebecca Newman speaks to faculty during a meeting regarding new MCPS rules.

Principal Micheal Doran speaks with students during lunch in 2003.

Rebbecca Newman 1995 - 2003

Micheal Doran 2003 - 2015

photos courtesy Fife & Drum yearbook, MCPS and The Washington Post

Student art spotlights: AP art students build portfolios, showcase their work

Aside from AP Research, the AP art classes, including AP Studio Art Drawing, 2-D Design and 3-D Design, are the only AP courses to rely solely on performance tasks for CollegeBoard scoring, with no end-of-year written or multiple choice exam. Instead, AP art students are required to submit portfolios at the end of the course, demonstrating a concentration or Sustained Investigation in one area of inquiry.

Senior Haarith Jayakumar is in AP Studio Art Drawing and working on a sustained investigation of portraits through mixed media, using unique angles and lighting to create a recognizable personal style. The digital painting in slide one is one of many vibrant portraits Jayakumar has created in building his portfolio. “I made this piece in Procreate and I really wanted to explore the lighting and skin tone specifically for it,” Jayakumar said.

Like Jayakumar, other AP art students have

used the sustained investigation process to explore skin tone and lighting. Senior Abiola Adeleye submitted her painted self-portrait, “Monarch Somnium,” pictured in slide two, to the the 23rd Annual Juried Friends of the Yellow Barn competition last year and was featured in the exhibition. The piece won an honorable mention and Adeleye’s work was included in the annual exhibition publication. Adeleye’s other work is also available for purchase at her online store on society6.com. “This piece was a bit of a challenge. It was really the first time I had actually explored skin tones in detail, but I’m so glad I finished it because now it’s one of my favorites,” Adeleye said.

Junior Christina Caggiano has explored a vast range of mediums in building her portfolio throughout this year, from drawing and painting for the Youth Art for Healing program to digital art. Whether it be on paper, on canvas, on her iPad or on the default drawing app pre-installed on her

school Chromebook, Caggiano is never without something to create. “I’ve loved art since I was really little, observing and creating it. This piece is one I did in my free time in an anime/cartoon style. When I draw in this style my priorities are to make it bright, cohesive and to give the character a dynamic pose. I use a lot of complementary color combinations to make the art pop,” Caggiano said.

For AP art students like Christina, the class has not acted as an introduction to drawing or painting. Senior Kat Liu, who has been drawing since she started elementary school, has used her SI to portray feelings of comfort through unique lighting and color combination. “I’ve been drawing since kindergarten, but I started doing digital art in middle school,” Liu said. “I used this piece as a practice for lighting.”

Senior Sonya McCardle is concentrating primarily on harsh lighting through mixed media and conveying the different tones

Isaac Muffett opinion editor

art by abiola adeleye, 12

art

by haarith jayakumar, 12 art by kat liu, 12

Spread design by Claire Lenkin

art by amanda tong, 12

that harsh lighting can create. Through AP art this year, they began focusing more on their artwork, having realized that their skill would not improve without practice. “After a long art block, I remembered that the artist is responsible for their own journey. No amount of art classes will be able to drag you through your own artistic development,” McCardle said.

Senior Amanda Tong also started drawing as a way of expression through a creative block. “I started to draw because I was in a writer’s block period and couldn’t express my feelings creatively the way I wanted to, so I turned to drawing in the hope of describing emotions the way I wanted. Of course, art was much more difficult than I thought, but even so, I learned more about myself through drawing and painting and made friends who shared the same interest, so I am grateful for it,” Tong said.

Senior Eva Dukhovskaya, whose self-portrait is pictured in slide seven, says she started making art so she’d have something to do with her hands: “I like art because it gives me something to do with my hands when I’m bored. I started drawing out of boredom, but now I actually enjoy it,” Dukhovskaya said.

by christina caggiano, 11

art

Senior Andrea Kim, whose SI focuses on portraying feelings that can’t be portrayed through words, has been developing skills in a vast range of mediums since she started creating art. “If this piece taught

me anything, it was that patience is key,” Kim said. Despite often being labeled as ‘soft’ APs, AP art classes are much more rigorous in reality than one might think. For drawing and 2-D design, the Sustained Investigation, which is only one component of the AP portfolio, requires students to select and upload 15 images, with at least six completed pieces demonstrating focus, revision and technical skill in the area they’ve selected, as well as provide written evidence of

art and bridge the gap that is perceived to be disconnecting academics from the arts. The reality is that art and academic learning have always been irrevocably intertwined, and the skill that these student artists demonstrate every day must be recognized.

their learning. On top of that, students are required to submit five selected works that they feel demonstrate the best of their ability and breadth in their artwork. AP art classes require an immense amount of focus and dedication to one’s

art by andrea kim, 12

art by eva dukhovskaya, 12

Celebrating 18 with tattoos, piercings

Jelissa Karnel backpage editor

The Big 18: The number that signifies freedom, a long-awaited rebirth and the ability to finally take control of their lives. For Patriots, turning 18 calls for a complete identity reformation—in the form of tattoos and body piercings.

Teenagers are drawn to the aesthetics of tattoos and may want to get them to enhance their appearance or showcase their values and personal beliefs. Recently, senior Josh Erd got inked up on his 18th birthday with the words `”Veni Vidi Vici” tattooed on his arm, meaning “I came, I saw, I conquered” in Latin. For Erd, his tattoo “is just a reminder to myself that if I put my mind to something, I can get it done. It’s like standing motivation for my past,” Erd said.

Likewise, a tattoo could serve as a symbol of something significant to a person’s life. Recently, Patriots have begun to get tattoos to honor the things that resonate most to them. Senior Ishani Tyagi got a tattoo of her bedroom window on the right side of her stomach as soon as she turned 18. Tyagi said “It looked really cool and I’ve wanted [a tattoo] since I was 12,” Tyagi said.

She got a tattoo of her bedroom window since it’s a source of calmness to her. “It’s kind of hard to put in words, but when I’m stressed, I like to remind myself that the

view from my window will always be virtually the same, no matter how bad I screw something up,” Tyagi said. Like tattoos, piercings have served as ways of self-expression, social acceptance or honoring cultural or religious practices. Patriots may spring toward piercings as they are typically not permanent and can be easily removed. Whether it be a new nose, ear or belly piercing, it’s no doubt newly turned adults might opt for piercings to differentiate themselves as they enter this new chapter of their lives. Senior Naba Syed recently got three new gold piercings each ear. “I initially got them because I felt they looked nice, but I soon learned how piercing my ears holds cultural significance,” Syed said. “My grandmother would always be pleased when I got another one because they reminded her of how the women in her village would wear earrings”.

This alternative way to celebrate a new age may be a safer option, as senior Syed said feel they “prefer piercings over tattoos”. Likewise, senior Isacc Muffett, adorned in various silver piercings said, “I’m not old enough to get tattoos, but I’d rather get piercings anyway because they are more visible and a good way of expressing yourself.”

Do we pick our favorite social media apps, or do they pick us?

Sophia Fritsch news editor

If you’re walking through the halls in between periods, how many people can you count on their phones? It is a seemingly impossible task as practically everyone has a phone in their hand.

According to the Pew Research center, 96% of 18 to 29-year-olds owned a smartphone in 2021. This age group has the highest percentage of smartphone users. So naturally, smartphone apps are designed to target this group of users.

You may notice that lately, most social media apps are starting to have the same features and information. This phenomenon is due to algorithms built to monitor your interactions and feed your interests.

The Business of Apps website recorded the top 10 most downloaded apps of 2021 worldwide. Seven out of the top 10 were social media apps, and the most downloaded app was TikTok, with 656 million downloads. Instagram followed with 545 million downloads. TikTok also has 60% of its users fall within the 16-24 age range.

TikTok’s fame and popularity can be

attributed to its addictive features. The app is hyper-personalized and only displays trends or content that the user would enjoy or find interesting. Senior Vanessa Rubin attributes most of her screen time to TikTok. “I’ll think it’s only been 10 minutes, but then I check, and it’s actually been an hour.” Rubin said.

Junior Wes Greenberg has had TikTok since ninth grade and says it is his favorite app on his phone. “There are funny videos that are short enough to keep the app interesting,” Greenberg said.

Senior Gabby Wright has had TikTok deleted for over a year. “I was totally addicted

to it, and it would suck me in for hours at a time. I knew if I kept it, I would never get anything done again.” Wright said.

This app was impacting her ability to focus and prioritize. This brings up the question of whether or not the favorite social media app on our phone is chosen by us. Teenagers may think they control their screen time, but if social media apps are designed to manipulate our perception of time and enjoyment, they may not be.

Senior Lauren Povich goes on TikTok during advisory to take a break from homework.

Photo by Vivian Pisani

“The most downloaded app is TikTok, with 656 million downloads”

Senior Josh Erd

Photo courtesy Josh Erd

Page design by Vivian Pisani

Sophie Liu: Junior Olympian

Inayat Thukral staff writer

The clash of sabers grabs your attention. You watch two players glide back and forth, fighting for the touch that ends the bout. Each player is as skilled as the other, working just as hard to emerge as champion. One final jab ends it all with the touch of the sword. The fencer who won it all: sophomore Sophie Liu.

Liu dominated the Junior Olympics in Cadet Women’s Saber in Denver, CO, over President’s Day weekend, bringing home gold and another fencing memory.

At the Cadet Women’s Saber, Liu had many bouts and, although they weren’t her best at first, she ultimately won gold. “It was a surreal experience, especially because I wasn’t performing to the best of my abilities earlier that day. A lot of the bouts I fenced later in the day were pretty close, so having that adrenaline rushing through me was really an exciting feeling,” Liu said.

Along with her win, Liu gets to participate in the Junior and Cadet Fencing World Championships later in April. “It feels really amazing considering that it is my first year in cadet and a year ago I was in a completely different position. Knowing that my work has paid off and I’m able to experience this opportunity at such a young age is something I’m very proud of,” Liu said.

Fencing holds a special place in Liu’s heart. She has been doing it for a long time and traveling to compete for years. “Ever since a young age, I’ve been really introverted and reserved. Fencing has brought out that part of me that I’ve always had a hard time expressing. Through the sport, I’ve met some of the most important people in my life, traveled to amazing places, and learned great life

lessons,” Liu said.

Liu’s teachers say they find what she does impressive. Her counselor has been a great help with making sure she can balance school and fencing. “Accomplishment, passion, drive, interest, perseverance and dedication are all qualities students have and Sophie embodies all of this and more as she continues representing herself, her family and our community,” counselor Jennifer HuangUtter said

Liu’s friends are also incredibly proud of her and her fencing accomplishments. “I think it’s very impressive and cool that she is able to make it so far in fencing while still only being in 10th grade. I’m very proud of her,” sophomore Maddie Zinki said.

Samantha Lau’s balancing act

Niki Naderi staff writer

From balancing homework, to out of school responsibilities and stress, junior Samantha Lau does it all.

Lau was born in Sacramento, California in 2005 and later moved to Maryland. She has two siblings and is the oldest child. She o speaks multiple languages. “Although I am not fluent yet in Chinese, I have been learning and going to Chinese school since I was a child,” Lau said.

Lau manages to balance school work, sports and extracurricular activities. She is currently taking five AP classes that include AP Biology, AP Computer Science A, AP Calculus AB, AP Spanish Language, and AP English Language. With being an athlete it is difficult to find time to do homework. “Being an athlete is definitely a large commitment so sometimes it is difficult to find time to do my

homework for my classes,” Lau said.

Junior year is known to be the hardest and most important year of high school due to the curricular and expectations. Lau thinks that to an extent, junior year is the most difficult.

“I had a lot going on this year, especially with the large amount of AP classes I am taking. There is a lot of pressure to make junior year look the best in terms of activities and grades for college so that just adds to the list of things to think about this year,” Lau said.

For those who are a student athlete, homework can be a lot sometimes, but Lau believes the amount of homework given is fair. “This is probably an unpopular opinion but I don’t think teachers provide too much homework. For me, I think all my classes give a fair amount of homework,” Lau said.

Lau is a junior captain on the varsity poms team and is a dancer outside of school. “My experience has been so fun, I love being

on a team. Especially when I have a lot on my plate, poms does get overwhelming because of the sheer amount of time and commitment it requires,” Lau said.

Lau sets aside time to relieve the stress.

“Whether it be watching a TV show, going out with my family, or especially during the winter, taking the day off to go snowboarding I find time to put aside my responsibilities for a break,” Lau said.

Sophomore Sophie Liu challenges her opponent over Presidents Day weekend at the Cadet Women’s Saber at the Junior Olympics in Denver, Colorado.

Photo courtesy Maggie Wang

Junior Samantha Lau smiles before a performance on Sept. 30. “This was before we performed at a football game with a routine I helped choreograph,” Lau said.

Photo by Emma Song

Page design by Catie Russ

Cherry blossom festival

Maria Sofronas features editor

The National Cherry Blossom Festival is right around the corner and every student should plan to make time in their busy spring schedules to accommodate a trip to DC and enjoy the floral festivities.

The projected peak for the cherry blossoms this year is predicted to be March 22-25, but continue through early April. The event is widely sought after throughout the country, and it’s a great idea to take advantage of the half-hour drive to DC to participate. Not only do the flowered trees make for great pictures and memories, but the city also capitalizes on the blooming trees to include activities and events that promote inclusivity and entertainment for visitors.

To celebrate the start of the season, free music performances will be located along the Tidal Basin. Japanese artists and comedians will perform free of charge on March 25 from 5-6:30 p.m . For all of the kite owners, Hilton presents the 53rd annual Blossom Kite Festival where an abundance of colorful kites sprinkle the DC skyline. Visitors can learn about Japanese culture relating to the native flower, as well as view interpretive art.

One thing you can’t miss is the National Cherry Blossom Festival parade, which runs for 10 blocks down Constitution Avenue Northwest on Apr. 15. Balloons, floats,

in full bloom

marching bands from across the country, and entertainers bustle down the blocks ensuring a great time for participants. It is strongly encouraged for people to bring their pets along for the walk since strolling through the blooming city makes for an effortless exercise opportunity.

In honor of the time of year, the city is decked out in floral pink. Buses are decorated, bridges are lit up, and local stores and restaurants have enveloped their window fronts in pink.

If you’re looking for the best backdrop, the Tidal Basin, Jefferson Memorial, Washington Monument, and MLK Memorial are perfect places to capture the moment in a photo. Before leaving, people can buy pink merchandise as a souvenir of their trip.

Students who have been to the Cherry Blossom Festival before reminisce on timeless memories and recommend going to this year’s event. “One of the things I look foward to the most in spring is going to DC to see the cherry blossom trees in full bloom. I like to go take pictures with my friends and use the opportunity to walk around the city,” sophomore Bianca Diamond said.

Despite a pollen allergy, there is no reason to miss the annual Cherry Blossom Festival.

Junior Kelly Ren visited the cherry blossom festival last year and plans to return with friends this year.

Photo courtesy Kelly Ren

Holes in your pocket?

How to save cheddar eating out

Mace Berk managing editor

With portion sizes decreasing and prices increasing, restaurant customers are getting less bang for their buck than ever before. Fortunately for consumers, there are still a number of local and affordable options to choose from. Every food stop mentioned in this article is located within six miles of the school.

Morning Coffee: Panera Bread 2.0

Miles

The Ultimate Sip Club at Panera Bread is one of the best deals that any restaurant chain offers. For only $11.99 a month you gain access to a free beverage every two hours. This includes coffee, tea or any fountain beverage. If you were to use your membership every day for a month the average cup of coffee would come out to $0.40.

Breakfast: Tropical Smoothie Cafe 2.4

Miles

The breakfast options at Tropical Smoothie are the gifts that keep on giving. For only $3.99 you can get the All American Wrap, which comes with bacon, eggs and

cheese. If you are willing to splurge an extra $0.50 the cafe offers the Southwestern Wrap, which includes eggs, spinach, grilled chicken, pepper jack, tomatoes and a powerful chipotle mayo sauce.

Lunch: Smoothie King’s Free Upsize Friday 2.0 Miles

The Shady Grove Smoothie King used to have the notorious $5 Friday deal, where for any smoothie on Friday was only $5. The smoothie chain has now switched to Free Upsize Friday where for only $1 you

can upgrade a 20 oz. smoothie to a 32 oz. “I used to always take advantage of the $5 Friday deal and now with the free upsize deal it’s hard to resist, especially knowing that the 32 oz smoothie costs me over $8 regularly,” sophomore Shayan Kurup said.

Dinner: Burrito Ranchero Mexican Grill 5.4 Miles

Burrito Ranchero is one of the biggest hidden gems in the county and is the only stop on the list that is a food truck. The truck is located right across from Quince Orchard High School and cooks up authentic Mexican cuisine until 8 p.m.. One taco costs only $3.50 and they offer a large variety of options ranging from quesadillas and burritos to tortas and platters. “I’ve never been to Burrito Ranchero but now I am going to go because it’s so cheap and is so close. It’s the definition of a hidden gem and seems like a really fun experience,” senior Gillian Berman said.

Junior Coby Pinto and sophomore Dilan Smith wonder to what to eat on a budget.

Photo by Mace Berk

Page design by Mace Berk

Varsity baseball gears up for promising season

Evan Lewis staff writer

As the last breaths of bitter winter air fade away, the varsity baseball team is getting ready for their season. After last year’s successful season where they finished with a record of 13-4, the boys are eager to get back to where they left off.

Their season ended last year after losing to Bethesda-Chevy Chase in the first round of the playoffs, in what was an extremely tight game. Key players from last year’s successful season graduated, with pitchers Liam Miller and Rob Carpenter both playing DIII baseball at Rochester Institute of Technology this year and catcher James Walsh playing at the Naval Academy.

Returning as captains for this season are seniors Ryan Kunst, Josh Erd, Ethan Goldstein and Brandon Sun.

Initial concerns for the team have been the injuries that have surrounded a couple of the pitchers. Pitchers Luke Brunner and Noah Parker are both coming off of injury, so there could be a slow start to the season

in terms of mound play. Once both Brunner and Parker are back at full strength, the combination with Kunst should make a formidable pitching line up. Back at home plate, the hitting for the team is going to be one of their strengths. With big hitters returning from last year, namely Kunst, Erd and senior Tyler Cornet, the team has promising potential for hitting balls out of the park. “I’m looking forward to hitting some bombs this season,” Sun said.

The team began their season as most teams do with tryouts, followed by live scrimmages against other teams. The team played in four scrimmages, opening up with a loss against Damascus, followed by wins against Landon and Linganore, but fell short during their last scrimmages against Tuscarora. They started out slow in their first scrimmage against Damasucus, but the team has been looking better after each scrimmage and is feeling ready to begin the season. “We feel good after the scrimmages and we’re ready to start playing regular season games,” Goldstein said.

The boys suited up at home for their first regular season home game at McCracken field against Paint Branch on Mar. 21, too late to be included in this issue. Last year, they beat the Panthers 20-1 and were hoping for a similar result this year.

JV swings for fences with lofty expectations

Ryan McGraw senior sports editor

After a disappointing season last year, finishing 5-7, the JV boys’ baseball team is looking to have a strong season with lots of talent returning and entering the program. Second year JV head coach Matt Peffer is determined to make significant improvements this year and lead the team to a successful season.

Tryout for the team started on Mar. 1 and lasted three days. The boys were evaluated on their batting and fielding ability, as well as their baseball IQ. After three days of tryouts and two cuts, the team was set with 15 players. Among these players, returning standouts for the team are sophomore shortstop Tyler Siegel and sophomore outfielder Matthew Kunst. Both Siegel and Kunst were starters on JV last year and are looking to make a big impact in an improved season this year. “All the returning players have been working hard in the off season and the team is looking a lot stronger coming into the new season. We think we have a shot to go undefeated this year,” Siegel said.

In addition to the returning players, the team has solid new talent coming into

the program highlighted by freshman shortstop and third baseman Blake Graham and freshman catcher Cyrus Kaz. Both are looking to make an instant impact for the team and help them to an improved record. “We have been thinking about playing high school baseball our whole lives and are ready to help the team succeed in any way possible,” Graham said.

The boys have had four scrimmages so far and have looked good in all of them. First the boys played Demascus on Mar. 6, in the closest of their scrimmages, tying 8-8. Then they played Linganore on Mar. 8, winning 11-8, and Landon on Mar. 11, winning 11-3. Finally the boys headed up to Frederick for their final scrimmage, playing Tuscarora on Mar. 17. They would cruise by Tuscarora, demolishing them 20-1, a big win for the team, giving them huge momentum to start the season. The scrimmages the Patriots have been led by Kunst, who has been on fire batting, and Siegel, who has had consistent fielding and batting. “The team has been playing really well and we are feeling confident going into the season that we are going to have a good year,” Kunst said.

The Patriots opens up their season

on Mar. 21 at Paint Branch and at home against Clarksburg on Mar. 23, too late to be included in this issue.

Sophomore Jack Kerns is optimistic for the upcoming season. “I am really excited to get back out there with my boys. We have been lifting, fielding and hitting the entire off season and we are ready to show our off seasonwork,” sophomore Jack Kerns said.

Senior ace pitcher Ryan Kunst looks foward to successful final campaign.

Sophomore outfielder Matthew Kunst looks to lead the JV sqaud to a terrific season.

Photo illustration by Mace Berk

Photo illustration by Mace Berk

Page design by Chris Castelli

senior boys return for final lax dance

Peter Stanton-Shepherd staff writer

Coming off a 7-5 record last season, the boys’ varsity lacrosse team and coach Ralph Bernardo are looking to start this season off with more than a few wins.

They are returning a large majority of the team from last year, besides former captains and 2022 graduates Ian Smith and Nate Jacobs. This will be a big blow for the boys, not only on the field but off of it as well. The team votes on captains each year so they can find the best leaders that will motivate the team. Seniors Alec Fleischer, Mason Berk and Zach Haledjian were selected this year. They have big shoes to fill, but the team is more than confident in them to step up to the task.

The boys had three preseason scrimmages against Einstein, Springbrook and Rockville to make sure everything is clicking before the regular season begins. The first scrimmage was against Einstein, and the boys started off firing on all cylinders. They had a 6-0 lead going after one quarter, thanks to the play of Fleischer. He recorded five goals in limited playing time and had several nice passes.

During the first half, the returning seniors played a majority of the minutes, and seemed to have fantastic chemistry out on the field.

Unfortunately, the same can not be said for the juniors, who played in the second half. For most of them, this was their first game on varsity, and it clearly showed. They lacked the chemistry, competitiveness and physicality of the seniors. Junior Zo Singh made a couple of costly mistakes down the stretch. Junior Daniel Son said, “Zo did drop a few passes, but he still laid a kid out. We definitely need to keep improving, or else the seniors will play a bulk of the minutes during the season.”

Bernardo challenged the team going into the Springbrook scrimmage, saying that they cannot finish games as poorly as they did against Einstein. The boys answered the bell and came out with a dominant win over Springbrook. Senior Ethan Kuan was proud of the way the team responded against Springbrook, and said “I think the Einstein scrimmage was a great opportunity because it humbled us and taught us that we can’t go into games thinking we will win.”

The last scrimmage was against Rockville, a team that has not been successful as of late.

The boys came in with the right mindset, ready to handle business, and they got the job done. Captains Berk and Haledjian each had outstanding performances. The first game of the regular season is today against the Clarksburg Coyotes. “Hopefully we can take these types of performances into the regular season. We have some big division games early in the season, and we need to be ready,” Haledjian said.

The boys beat the Coyotes last year 152, so they are expecting to start the season off 1-0.

Four freshman look to bolster girls’ lax team

Lea Weinstein staff writer

Lots of changes have been made to the varsity girls’ lacrosse team since last year, including a new coach, Amanda Maggio. “I am feeling incredibly optimistic about this team,” Maggio said.

The team has begun preseason scrimmages as well as practices. Their scrimmages have been against Sidwell, Magruder, St. Andrews and Wheaton. Tryouts for the team were in early March, and now they’re for the rest of their season. “I am super, super excited about the team this year,” senior Sofie Vinick said.

A new coach means new practice routines and new preparations for the season start. But lacrosse needs more

than just skill. Conditioning and stamina are important as the sport involves lots of running. “Coach has us doing strength and conditioning during practice. This will allow the team to get in shape for the season,” freshman Maya Bellamy said.

The team started the official season when they played Clarksburg on Mar. 22 in the first home game. Following that they played Whitman on Mar. 24 also at home. “I am feeling incredibly optimistic about this team,” Maggio said.

Throughout the start of the season the team also plans bonding activities. These are important for the team since they have a mix of students from different grades. Bonding can be dinners, or just hang

outs, but they help the team get to know each other so they can play as one team.The game of lacrosse is hard and takes a lot of speed, agility, skill and comprehension to fully understand the game. The team practices every weekday when they don’t have a game. They plan tactics and continue skill and strength training. “I have been waiting so long for this season and can’t wait,” Bellamy said.

This new season is the last for seniors who have been playing for years. Starting their last season with the team and a new coach can be new and exciting, but also sad.

Despite this the motivation and goals stay the same for these players. “I want to have fun and enjoy my last high school sports

season, For the past four years I have put in so much work and dedicated my life to the sport, I hope the work pays out and translates to wins,” Vinick said.

Between practice, scrimmages and conditioning, the team is ready for the season ahead. “It is important for me that each athlete knows they are a valuable asset to our team,” Maggio said.

Photo courtesy @wootton_glax Instagram

The girls’ varsity lacrosse team celebrates their new coach on team picture day.

Seniors Sean Snyder, Ethan Kuan, Zach Haledjian, Josh Mirsky, Mason Berk and Jacob Hoffman after win in scrimmage against Springbrook

Photo courtesy Jacob Hoffman

Page design by Jake Konigsberg

Winter state champions finish with a bang

Jake Hoffman managing editor

With winter sports seasons over, we look back on what truly was an incredible year. This season saw four athletes cementing themselves in school history by earning the highest honor of state champion. Senior indoor track athlete Yule Pieters won the boys’ high jump, junior runner Tori Ketzler won the girls’ 1600m race, junior swimmer Campbell Scofield won the girls’ 500 freestyle, and senior diver Aidan Wang won the boys’ diving competition.

Swim and dive along with indoor track and field were the teams home to the athletes who brought the school state championships. The swim and dive team also sent 18 other athletes who competed in states. The Indoor track and field team also sent two more individual athletes to states, along with others in group events.

Pieters won the boys’ high jump with a height of 6’ 02. He qualified for the state meet after jumping 6’ 04 and teammate

junior Anish Yarra also qualified for the state final in the high jump after jumping 6’ 00 at the county meet. “Overall it was a great season; the team broke multiple of the school records so that was fun. I am so excited for outdoor track as the team and I plan to break even more records,” Pieters said.

Ketzler won the girls’ 1600m race after running a time of 5:05.08. She qualified for the state meet after running close to her state time with a 5:05.49 placing first at counties. Jjunior Aaliyah Jalloh also qualified for the state meet in the 500m after placing second in the county meet. “This team was so much fun to be a part of and I can’t wait to continue the momentum we created into the spring season,” Ketzler said.

Scofield won the girls’ 500 freestyle swim race after finishing with a time of 4:58:80. Scofield will continue her competitive swimming career at Purdue University where she will attend her senior season next year.

Wang capped off his incredible season winning the boys’ diving competition and completing his undefeated season. He shattered his own record with six dives and a

score of 349.80 at the divisional meet. Then setting another team record with 11 dives and a score of 549.20 at the metro meet. Then the cherry on top: he won the state championship with 11 dives and a final score of 564.80.

Outdoor track looks to build on successful indoor season

Junior Victoria Ketzler and senior Yule Pieters were both named the indoor state track champions. At the state finals, they both dominated their events. Ketzler finished first in the varsity girls’ 1600 meter final with a new PR of 5:05, while Pieters put up a 6’2 high jump and first place as well.

After the successful indoor season came to an end, there wasn’t much time for rest. Ketzler immediately had to begin training for the Indoor New Balance Nationals in Boston, MA, which took place on Mar. 9-12, as she was the only distance runner who qualified. In the meantime, everyone else only had a week and a half break before the highly anticipated outdoor track practicing season began with Coach Kellie Redmond back at the helm.

On Mar. 1, outdoor practices began. The first three days were all about acclimation; easy paced workouts and short track sessions were included. The following week started off with an 800 meter time trial, and was followed by a rotation of speed work and baseline setting runs out on the road.

As for the time trial, everybody who raced for both the girls and boys finished with PRs. The top 10 boys times were junior Nick Wang (2:25), sophomore Ellis Eppard (2:23), junior Kurtus Hsu (2:22), sophomore Rendon Yerman (2:22), sophomore Ricardo Gomez Vera (2:21), sophomore Kenneth Shen (2:20), freshman Luke Gabrielle (2:20), freshman Kal Yewslew (2:18), sophomore Edward Sun (2:08), and junior Troy Bailey (2:07).

The top 10 girls times were freshman Ava Eisenman (3:13), freshman Molly Eisenfeld (3:12), senior Hailey Tien (3:09), senior Julianne Yao (2:57), sophomore Aanya Tiwari (2:57), sophomore Annie Sun (2:51), senior Maya Gottesman (2:40), senior Rebecca Vasconez (2:35), freshman Charlotte Chang (2:33), and junior Meilani Rodgers (2:28).

Some of the newest PRs for both sides included sophomore David See (2:27), senior Sebastian Lising (2:32), sophomore Eva Veizis (3:30), and freshman Anna Rusnock (3:30).

Following the time trial was a rotation of speed workouts on the track or easy paced recovery road runs depending on which training group Redmond put each runner into. The speed workouts were anything from sets of 200s to sets of 800s at different speeds based on a pace calculator app.

Senior high jumper Yule Pieters competes during the MCPS Meet #2.

Photo courtesy Yule Peters

Owen Lomotan staff writer

Page design by Ryan McGraw

Tennis ready to serve up aces

Boys’ tennis looks to start off the season strong with their first match today when they take on Quince Orchard. The boys started the season against Landon in a scrimmage at Frost on Mar. 9. Although it was a scrimmage, they still had tight competitive matches. Last year, the team finished 4A State and Regional Champs and is looking to repeat the results.

Sophomore Justin Huang is adapting to the changes in the boys’ tennis program after their coach, former social studies teacher Nia Cresham, who had been the coach for over a decade, retired. New coach Nitin Deodhar is a graduate of Towson and was a former United States Tennis Association nationallyranked junior and

scholarship player on Towson men’s tennis. Deodhar is also the owner and director of the Bethesda Tennis Academy where he has developed national-level tennis programs that have led to over 25 NCAA collegiate players.

Although he is injured, Huang said, “Deodhar has been doing well to lead the team so far and has matched Cresham’s level with building a team this year and especially has more competition for starting spots.”

Sophomore Will Balian said he is amped for the start of a new season as this year he secured the third double’s position in the starting lineup, along with sophomore Mihir Kotraiah. “I’m really excited to start this season with new leadership. We have a talented group of guys and I know we have great results ahead of us,” Balian said.

“In terms of expectations, I think when you’re the coach of Wootton the expectation is always to win the division. We know we have a long road ahead of us, and we know Churchill is the favorite but as a team, our expectation is no different than last year,” Deodhar said.

The girls’ tennis team plans to continue their dominance as they were also 4A State

and Regional Champs last year. Senior Captain Anusha Iyer has high expectations this year after last year when she won the State title as a doubles player. “We have high hopes for a great season. We’re really excited about the team we have this year and are looking forward to defending our county and state titles,” Lyer said.

Last year’s doubles state champion junior Naomi Esterowitz said she is looking forward to the season. She is committed to Penn for field hockey and this year she “just wants to have fun” her mantra being, “Nice team, Nice people.”

Both teams played their first match Mar. 21 against Quince Orchard.

Senior Jiya

Mohale photo by Erik Kleinbussink

Junior Naomi Esterowitz

photo by Erik Kleinbussink

Alex Balian staff writer

Page design by Alec Fleischer

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