The Black & White Vol. 53 Issue 7

volume 53, Issue 7 mAY 20, 2015

Walt whitman High school

7100 whittier boulevard

Bethesda, maryland 20817

Spring sports cap off successful seasons

photo courtsey TONY GRAY

photo courtsey WHITMAN BASEBALL

photo by MICHELLE JARCHO

photo courtsey DICK LEIGHTON

1964 and ‘65 alums hold 50-year reunion by camryn dahl

MCPS announces budget cuts: County expected to trim $70 million from future spending

by Julia Gilman

Clockwise from top left: Max Palermo pitches in a game against Blair, which the team lost 15-4; Midfielder Maddie Parker makes a move on a Bel Air defender in the girls lacrosse state semifinal, which they lost 13-1; Right fielder Lauren Evoy slides into home plate in softball’s opening round playoff game against B-CC, which they won 8-3; Attackman Alex Hilsenrath prepares to take a shot in the boys lacrosse regional semifinal against Churchill, in a 12-11 loss which went to double overtime.

Vibrant music echoes throughout the building. People swing around the dance floor while others catch up with friends and chat about the latest gossip. This could easily be a high school party, except the guests graduated from high school 50 years ago.

During the weekend of May 1, the classes of 1964 and 1965 toured the “new” Whitman, caught up with old friends and spent a night out dancing at the Bolger Center, all as part of their 50-year reunion.

The reunion was organized by Jane Pechman Stern, Mary Slaby and Barbara Steele (‘65).

“I think the reunion was a huge success, with enough different activities for everyone,” Steele said. “The class of 1966 is already calling Mary for advice.”

The school tour was a highlight of

the reunion. Led by student guides, the alumni explored the building and talked to a panel of students about their academic and social lives.

Whitman’s current state dazzled many of the alumni.

“I am so impressed by what Whitman is all about: the spirit, the activism, the multi-faceted aspects of life, the technology—all of what Whitman has become,” Martha Stark (‘65) said. “I am a little bit overwhelmed, yet very proud, to be from here.”

Despite the 50-year gap, the alumni noticed that many aspects of the school and surrounding community have barely changed.

“I think some of the issues that the students have today with alcohol and stress were also issues back then,” Ken Braunstein (‘65) said. “That hasn’t changed. I raised my children in the area and [the pressures were] very similar.”

Many alums also noticed and related to the school’s atmosphere of stress and overachievement. Just as students struggle today, they too had difficulty dealing with advanced and college-level coursework.

“If you weren’t among the top AP and honors students, it was really hard,” Stern said. “It feels like the same issues when I hear about students trying to get into college now.”

The multitude of extracurriculars and electives offered was new to the former Vikings—these were much more limited during their time.

“Today, there are so many opportunities here, from foreign languages to fine arts,” Braunstein said. “Today’s environment in the school and the opportunities for students just amazes me. I’m sure the academics are good as well, but everything else that’s offered just blows me away.” continued on page

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Last week, the County Council announced they would not fund MCPS’s full budget request, falling short by $53 million. This decision, combined with Governor Larry Hogan’s $17 million cuts announced May 14, will force MCPS to make serious adaptations to next year’s spending that could adversely impact schools and their communities.

In a preliminary vote May 14, eight out of nine county council members voted for the cuts. The final vote will take place May 21. MCPS requested a 4 percent increase in the Fiscal Year 2016 budget from last year, but the loss of $53 million leaves MCPS with only a 1.4 percent increase.

While the student population has increased by 16,000, from FY09, county funding has fallen by $37 million, teachers union president Doug Prouty said in an email to teachers. County per-pupil spending will be lower than at any time since 2006—ten years ago, he noted.

“While we are disappointed that our budget was not fully funded, we understand that the County Council had to make some difficult decisions during a time of lagging tax revenues,” Board of Education president Patricia O’Neill said in a statement. “This made state funding even more important.”

However, MCPS received only half of their expected $34 million from the state. The anticipated state funding is mandated by the Geographic Cost of Education Index, which is designed to compensate for underfunding in areas where it’s more expensive to provide education.

“The Governor’s decision will now require us to make even deeper cuts that could impact our ability to serve every child to the highest level possible,” O’Neill said.

The total of $70 million in cuts will require MCPS to reduce staffing, further increasing class sizes. The preemptive staff cuts Interim Superintendent Larry Bowers announced in March, which will remove 370 staff members from schools across the county and 40 positions from the central office, are now made certain by these announcements of the funding shortfalls.

Whitman will lose a special education teacher, a part time ESOL teacher and a composition assistant, as well as regular staffing, principal Alan Goodwin said.

“Special ed will be more work for the special ed teachers who are still here,” Goodwin said. “And in ESOL, for our students that sometimes need a lot of extra help, it will be harder to give them that.”

Class sizes will rise to averages of 30 in English classes and 34 in all other classes, Goodwin said. Current averages for all classes, including English, are approximately 27 students. The county’s per-pupil spending will be reduced to its lowest level since 2006, with state per-pupil spending cut for the first time in over ten years, Prouty said.

“Even in an honors class or an AP class, where you want to have teachers working individually with students for enrichment purposes, there’s less ability to do that,” English teacher Danielle Fus said. Fus is one of the school’s two union representatives.

Teachers are also frustrated by other decisions the county made regarding the budget.

“A big thing that’s come out recently is that some of the elected officials okayed a $30,000 salary increase for themselves over the next couple of years,” Fus said. “If the budget is that tight, shouldn’t everyone be tightening their belts?”

Despite the losses from the cuts, next school year should still run normally in part, thanks to the strong community, Goodwin said.

“Whitman has a good student body, supportive parents and great teachers so we will still be able to deliver the curriculum and march through next year” he said. “But it’s too bad the adults outside this community up in the governor’s office, as well as our own county council, can’t find some additional funding.”

Inside Look Sources of Strength iniative aims to prevent suicide

Page 2

Crossword Page 7

theblackandwhite.net

Senior Colin Mitchell follows dream to Boston Page 12

Senior Destinations Page 13

26 student athletes commit to play in college

Page 14

May 20, 2015

News

Briefs Percussion class added to music curriculum If students happen to hear a loud banging in the music hallways next year, they need not be alarmed. This will only be the sound of the new percussion class, which will be added to the music department’s repertoire next year.

Music teacher Heather Borsum, who joined the staff this year to replace retiring teacher Wayne Chadwick, will lead the class.

Borsum specializes in percussion, and holds a master’s degree in percussion performance.

The class fills a void and allows more percussionists to participate in the music department, Borsum said.

“We have a lot of percussionists and, unlike some instruments, we can’t just put unlimited numbers in any given group,” she said.

“We wanted something where they could still be an ensemble and have a lot of fun, plus also improve their individual skills.”

As of now, about 15 people have signed up for the class, but there are more potential students who have expressed interest, Borsum said. The class is open to any level, with the only prerequisite being that the student can read music.

“If you can read music, you can be in it,” she said.

1964 and ‘65 alums donate benches Following their reunion May 1-3, the classes of ‘64 and ‘65 donated two new benches to the school and created the Daryl W. Shaw Student Enrichment Fund.

Each metal bench has a plaque that commemorates Whitman’s first 50th year reunion and have been placed outside the main office.

Originally, the idea was to place the benches outdoors, but they look nice in the foyer and are more comfortable than the old ones, principal Alan Goodwin said.

The old benches have been moved to the senior stairwell near the auditorium.

“The benches are a physical reminder of the first two classes to graduate from Whitman,” reunion planning committee member Barbara Steele said. “Students sit on the benches every day.”

The enrichment fund has a more lasting legacy and has already raised $17,000 dollars to support students with their educational goals, Steele said.

“It’s a very nice donation from the reunion classes of ‘64 and ‘65,” Goodwin said.

U.S. News gives Whitman high ranking Whitman was ranked 55th in the nation and first in Maryland on the U.S News and World Report’s National Best High Schools list that was released May 12, earning gold-medal status. Last year, Whitman was ranked 61st in the U.S. and first in Maryland. Schools receive gold-medal status if they rank in the top 500.

The rankings were based on student-toteacher ratios and scores on a College Readiness Index, which comes from the number of seniors who took and passed AP exams.

“When you look at the schools ranked above us, they’re often magnet schools,” principal Alan Goodwin said. “We know we’re not completely a ‘regular’ high school, but it’s a really fine honor.”

This year, 82 Maryland schools made the list and MCPS made up more than half of the “goldmedal” schools in Maryland. Nearly one third of Maryland schools earned silver or gold medal status, the best percentage in the nation.

“I’m very proud of this particular recognition because it’s not just reflecting the number of tests taken,” Goodwin said. “It reflects the actual achievement on the tests, and I think that that’s a significant accomplishment.”

Students promote mental health initiatives at school by tessa klein

Sources of Strength, a new program focused on preventing suicide and ending bullying and violence, will launch at Whitman this fall. The program, which already exists in four other MCPS high schools, helps find and support teens struggling with depression.

The National Alliance on Mental Illness of Montgomery County (NAMI MC) partnered with umttr, an organization started by Churchill students to promote a supportive environment after a classmate committed suicide. Together the two organizations started Sources of Strength in response to five incidents of MCPS high school students committing suicide over the last two years.

“Our kids are under a lot of stress in school, so to be able to identify students that are depressed and get them help is very important,” principal Alan Goodwin said.

Sources of Strength will use a combination of trusted adults and students to educate students about mental illness.

“You can’t just train every adult in the school and you can’t just train every student in the school,” NAMI MC executive director Stephanie Rosen said.

“Both have to work together to be part of the solution.”

Adult advisors from the community will recruit students interested in becoming peer leaders. These students will then attend training sessions to learn to recognize and help students fighting depression.

The adult advisors will select peer leaders from different grades, extracurriculars and social groups so all

students can feel comfortable talking with a peer leader instead of covering up their problems.

Depression is a more serious issue than some people realize because many teens worsen the situation by hiding their depression, junior Julia Rohde said.

Rohde, who is training to be a peer leader, coordinated a team of students who participated in the Maryland NAMIWalk, a 5k fundraising event held May 16 in Baltimore. Some of the money raised by the team goes towards funding Sources of Strength, while the rest helps fund NAMI. Next year, the school will also incorporate the Campaign to Change Direction, a nationwide mental health initiative inspired by the 2013 White House National Conference on Mental Health. Michelle Obama voiced her support for the movement at the Campaign’s launch event in DC earlier this year.

The initiative teaches students about the five signs of emotional suffering: personality change, agitation, withdrawal, poor self-care and hopelessness. Knowing these signs helps students recognize depression in their peers.

The two projects have a common mission to open up discussion about mental illnesses and to make students feel more comfortable reaching out for help. Umttr co-chair Justin Kay said he’s confident Sources of Strength will be a success.

“It is really going to change the culture of how kids act with each other and student-teacher relationships,” Kay said.

“I think it will make Whitman a much better place.”

SMOB-elect Guerci details five-point plan Initiatives range from installing turf fields to closing the achievement gap

by Jennah Haque

We’ve watched the campaign videos, we’ve joined the Facebook groups, and we’ve chosen the winner. But every year, after the election results, the new Student Member of the Board seems to disappear. But this year’s SMOB-elect, Eric Guerci, intends to stick around.

On April 29, B-CC sophomore Eric Guerci narrowly defeated RM junior Rachit Agarwal, winning 52 percent of the student vote. Guerci will begin his term Jul. 1, replacing graduating senior Dahlia Huh. “I’m beyond honored to have been selected as your next SMOB,” Guerci said. “For all who entrusted me to serve them, I am so thankful.”

Guerci’s agenda includes reforming the grading system, fighting to close the achievement gap, redefining the Bring Your Own Device policy, proposing efficient on-campus renovations and reducing class sizes.

As SMOB, Guerci will receive limited voting rights on the Maryland BOE, a $5,000 college scholarship, 250 SSL hours and an honors-level credit for a social studies course, according to the MCPS Student Affairs Office.

Guerci’s win, however, wasn’t reflective of his Whitman constituency—he only received 26 percent of the school’s vote. When asked informally about the election, students had a variety of complaints about Guerci. Several students called him insincere, while others considered him a poor communicator.

Despite negative student reaction, Guerci says he still holds Whitman in high regard.

“I know I go to BCC, but I really

love the Whitman community,” he said. “I think it’s well-respected and awesome.”

Although Agarwal didn’t get the favorable outcome in the election, Guerci still plans to collaborate with his running opponent to create an MCPS app and to revamp the school student email accounts.

Most SMOB candidates run as juniors, so it was unusual for Guerci— who has wanted to run since the summer after his freshman year—to run as a sophomore.

Though young, Guerci has an extensive background in leadership. He is currently the county Regional SGA vice president, as well as the co-founder of the MoCo Student and of the Business Leaders for Education.

Guerci refers to his agenda as a “five-point” platform. His main priority is to create fair grading and standardized testing systems, he said. To achieve this, he hopes that the county will examine the PARCC test results and respond to negative student reactions with exam revisions.

“I know I go to B-CC, but I really love the Whitman community. I think it’s well-respected and awesome.”

-Eric Guerci He plans to pressure the county to replace testing with project-based assignments, such as Powerpoint presentations and posters, to better engage students and to help close the achievement gap.

“Project-based learning allows us to cultivate relationships with local communities to display our learning,” Guerci said. “I want to focus on mak-

photo courtesy ERIC GUERCI

2

Eric Guerci won 52 percent of the vote compared to his opponent Rachit Agarwal’s 48. Guerci has an extensive leadership background and is currently the county regional SGA vice president.

ing school life more enjoyable.”

Board President Patricia O’Neill also hopes to amend the current MCPS standardizedstatstesting policies, and from statisticbrain.com Guerci is excited to address the issue alongside her, he said.

Guerci also wants to host a contest, known as the Student Impact Challenge, in which students would be asked to develop a solution to a current issue in the county. Guerci hopes to choose 50 winners and award them $100,000 each to enact their plans.

Additionally, Guerci hopes to refine the countywide Bring Your Own Device policy, allowing the unrestricted use of phones and tablets in school for educational purposes.

As he promised during his campaign, Guerci hopes to partner with Montgomery Soccer Inc. (MSI), a local soccer league to get funding for new turf fields in return for practice space.

While 74 percent of Whitman students may have been hoping to “get Rachit, ” Guerci is confident that next school year will be one to remember.

“We are going to work together to empower our student body, and I am ready to roll up my sleeves and serve you,” he said.

mAY 20, 2015

News

3

Four English teachers retire, new dept. head named

by Naomi Meron

The school will lose over a century of combined teaching experience when four English teachers—Susan Buckingham, Stephanie Chaplin, Cheryl Essers and Beth Rockwell—retire at the end of this school year.

Linda Leslie, who joined Whitman’s staff this year,

Beth Rockwell

Rockwell spent 15 years teaching and mentoring Whitman students. She taught English at all grade levels, ran the yearbook class for five years and supervised the Fashion Society for ten .

Rockwell will move to Cape Cod to spend time with family, but still hopes to be involved in education, she said.

“I plan to look for volunteer opportunities and maybe some work,” Rockwell said, “but I don’t see that immediately.”

As resource teacher, Rockwell has led a group of nearly 20 teachers and ran a system of course teams to plan curriculum and encourage teacher group work.

Other department members looked to Rockwell for optimism.

“Beth has a unique sense of humor,” English teacher Prudence Crewdson said. “Just when things get grim, she makes a joke and you feel better.”

Students appreciated Rockwell’s energy in the classroom and her ability to bring students into class discussions.

“She’s one of the few teachers who gets every single one of her students to be willing to participate,” senior Natalie Pagenstecher said.

While Rockwell is excited for the future, she’ll look back fondly on her years at Whitman.

“I’ll really miss the kids, the opportunity to watch people think and grow and the comradery with the other teachers,” Rockwell said. “I have a lot of good friends here.”

will take over as resource teacher. She plans to continue promoting current resource teacher Rockwell’s goal of increased collaboration among teachers.

“I want to support the teachers in the work they’re already doing, find ways to streamline systems and involve everybody in creative changes,” Leslie said.

Susan Buckingham

Buckingham, who taught in Montgomery County for 30 years, will retire after 17 years at Whitman. She taught ninth, tenth, and eleventh graders of all levels, and currently teaches AP Language and honors English 11.

After retiring, Buckingham plans to travel.

“One thing I definitely want to do over the next several years is visit as many national parks as I can,” Buckingham said. “I’m a walker.”

Students will miss Buckingham’s humor and the relaxed atmosphere of her classroom.

“She’s funny and her group discussions were helpful,” junior Frankie Shapiro said.

Buckingham said her departure will be bittersweet, as she looks forward to retirement but will leave behind many friends.

“I’m sad to leave Whitman,” she said. “I love my students. I love my classes. I love the people I work with. It’s a great place to teach.”

Stephanie Chaplin

A 41-year teaching veteran, Chaplin will leave after 25 years of teaching English and special education. She’s known for her one-on-one work and her informal teaching style.

“I use a lot of anecdotes and try to encourage the students rather than confront them,” she said.

After retiring, Chaplin plans to spend more time with her grandchildren and hopes to become involved in child advocacy.

“It’s time to volunteer and give back,” she said.

Cheryl Essers

Essers will leave after 21 years of teaching ninth and tenth grade honors English, AP Language, college test prep and ESOL. She will be remembered for her dedication and ability to motivate students to do their best.

“She scared decent writing out of me,” sophomore Robbie Kraff said. “I’ve definitely become a better writer in her class.”

English teacher Emily Glass considers Essers to be her role model.

“She has a reputation for really meaning business and teaching her course with a lot of rigor,” Glass said. “That’s something I aspire to have.”

In her newfound free time, Essers plans to visit family in Seattle, read, exercise and play bridge and mahjong.

“I’ll miss the pulse of the day, my colleagues and the overwhelming optimism that I feel when I’m around young people who have their whole lives in front of them,” Essers said.

To replace the retiring teachers, English teacher Melissa Carr, who currently splits her time between Wheaton and Whitman, will start working full-time at Whitman, and four new teachers will also be joining the staff. Quince Orchard’s Omari James and Franklin’s Ryan Derenberger will each teach AP Language, with one of them taking over 10th and 11th grade English. Einstein’s Lisa Roberts will also join the staff as a special education teacher. Kathleen Bartels, who currently teaches at Walter Johnson, will join the Spanish department.

While principal Alan Goodwin will miss the leaving teachers, he is hopeful for the future.

“The retiring teachers have a passion for teaching English,” Goodwin said. “These new teachers definitely have that passion as well. We have a lot of confidence in them.” *Photos by Michelle Jarcho

We also say goodbye to: •Composition assistant Leslie Atkin will leave because of a reduction in staffing.

•Paraeducator Lindsay Dyer is departing for graduate school.

• Media assistant Marjorie Geisler will be moving to Ocean City with her husband.

•ESOL teacher Lauren Kafka is taking a sabbatical.

• Special educator Jeanette Knights will be traveling and helping her daughter with her medical business.

• Guidance counselor Kelly Singleton is leaving to teach at Sherwood.

MCPS considering exam exemptions for sophomores

by samantha zambri

On Apr. 23 and 24, as the rest of the student body slept in, English 10, Algebra and Algebra 2 students shuffled into the auditorium to take the new state-mandated PARCC exam.

While these students might feel like they should be done with long, tedious tests, they’ll be tackling the exact same material just a few weeks later when they take their final exams.

However, MCPS is considering exempting such students from second semester exams next year. The Board of Education agreed to consider the change after Board President Patricia O’Neill and Board Member Phil Kauffman proposed excusing students from final exams if they take an HSA or PARCC test in the same subject.

“There has been, because of PARCC, a lot of focus on assessments in general,” Kauffman said in a phone interview.

“If there is a state assessment, should there also be a local assessment? Let’s take a look at areas where there is this overlap and see whether we can eliminate some of those double-testing situations.”

Under the current MCPS guidelines, final exam exemptions are granted only to students taking AP or IB exams because those tests are “externally developed and scored” by an entity other than MCPS. The AP and IB exams are mandated at a national level, so MPCS doesn’t have any control over their administration. In their memo to Interim Superintendent Larry Bowers, O’Neill and Kauffman used the guidelines’ ambiguous language to argue that PARCC and HSA assessments fall under the same conditions, and should therefore fulfill a student’s second semester exam requirement in the same subject.

Kauffman said the petition was inspired by an influx of student and teacher complaints about the rollout of PARCC assessments. In a recent blog post, O’Neill elaborated on the drawbacks of state testing, which lasts for several weeks and takes time away from teaching.

“Schedules are rearranged, resources are stretched thin, and the whole process puts stress on our staff and students,” she wrote.

Testing disruptions are even more difficult on classes with mixed grades, sophomore Sloane Lichtman said.

“If you missed a day because of testing, either you would have to make it up on your own time because the rest of the class had learned it, or the teacher would have to reteach the lesson,” she said.

In addition to disrupting the school day, PARCC testing also puts an added burden on students who have to juggle these state mandated tests, countywide summatives, finals and College Board tests. The PARCC English 10 and past English semester finals were very similar, sophomore Sophie Lieber said, and having one instead of the other would probably encourage students to take the test more seriously, since it would have a bigger impact on their final grade.

“The PARCC itself wasn’t a lot of work, but it’s the schoolwork that piles up,” she said, citing a postponed math test and an english assignment. “I had a math test that had to be pushed back a lot, and reading questions due in English class.”

Other students have voiced similar concerns, SMOB Dahlia Huh said. She added that she supported O’Neill and Kauffman’s initiative, and that the Board Policy Management Committee will look further into the issue over the next few months.

Despite increased pressure from the Board, finding a solution to testing redundancies will not be easy. Bowers responded to the initiative in a memo, saying the district is looking to decrease the amount of testing.

Although Board members aren’t sure which tests will be eliminated, they tasked two planning committees with examining the problem and proposing the best route going forward, Kauffman said.

“It’s important that we know how our students are doing, and testing serves that function,” he said. “But we have to make sure that we’re not doing too much. We are looking to figure out whether or not we are striking the right balance.”

4

News

mAY 20, 2015

MCPS schools implement personal device policies At Argyle, cell phones are the primary device of the BYOD policy.

Teachers use educational apps and programs to test student progress and quickly receive students’ responses.

“BYOD policies give teachers the opportunity to use programs and technology to assess student learning,” Daddone said. “It takes away from the traditional pencil and paper form of assessment.”

While Blake and Argyle, among others, have established systems to encourage the use of technology in the classroom, Whitman doesn’t have a specific policy.

“We have our own policy in the sense that you’re allowed to have a cell phone and bring a laptop, but we haven’t defined it any more than that,” principal Alan Goodwin said.

Personal device use in class is up to the teachers’ discretion, and some teachers and students have started to bring their own devices despite a lack of specific rules.

“Rules for bringing your own device can greatly differ between different classes and teachers, and the confusion begins when rules are not equal across all classrooms,” senior Matt Banda said.

Some teachers allow students to use personal devices like tablets in class for educational purposes, sophomore Kueho Choi said.

“Until students prove that they can’t be trusted with the technology, it’s part of our world and it should be embraced,” Spanish teacher Rebecca Leef said.

Leef uses the program Kahoot, which allows students to compete in a game for the best score in a series of questions on topics such as grammar.

“It’s effective,” she said. “It excites any topic, it gets students connected

SGA “

the leaderSHIP never sinks

“

by Rachel Friedman

Classrooms aren’t always plugged into the latest technology, but schools are finally catching on to the latest movement: personal devices.

Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policies, which allow students to use personal devices at school for educational purposes, are showing up in schools throughout MCPS as a result of a county initiative to incorporate more technology into the classroom.

Blake High School is one of the schools in the county that has adopted the program.

“The WiFi capabilities in the building opened up the possibility of using not just mobile devices, like the laptops and Chromebooks provided by MCPS, but personal handheld devices,” Blake media specialist Mary Sue Treat said.

Blake’s policy is an extension of the MCPS guidelines for all devices in the county, which aim to protect system security and promote technology’s educational benefits.

Blake students must follow specific standards when they use devices, including asking permission before recording others and avoiding inappropriate content that is damaging to another’s reputation or illegal, according to their BYOD user agreement. This aims to prevent instances of cyberbullying and sexting, according to their BYOD user agreement.

Argyle Middle School, a magnet program school in Silver Spring, also has a BYOD policy.

“As a magnet program, many students already have device interface with different operating systems and access to different information,” magnet program coordinator Peter Daddone said. “It was an organic development for our school.”

announcements:

to the topic and it’s a way to get instant feedback.”

Schools with specific BYOD policies have certainly seen results. Argyle has seen gains in test scores following the upgrade in technology, which school officials partially attribute to the BYOD policy.

“Our biggest success with the BYOD policy is a 60 percent increase

“We have our own policy in the sense that you’re allowed to have a cell phone and bring a laptop, but we haven’t defined it any more than that” -principal Alan Goodwin in reading comprehension in MAPR, which technology contributed to achieve,” Daddone said.

Schools also benefit from the instant connection to additional educational resources through technology, Blake’s media specialist Treat said.

“When you don’t have computer access at school and you have to search things up online, you can easily use your phone,” Blake senior Oscar Berrios said, adding that the option to turn in assignemtns via smartphone is also a plus.

Despite its perks, BYOD isn’t perfect. The potential for off-task use of devices is a major challenge of personal device use, Treat said.

Perhaps the largest problem is the inequality between students who can

afford their own technology and those who can’t.

“I think the county wrestles with the disparity issue,” principal Alan Goodwin said. “Not everyone can afford to bring something. Figuring out how to work within those margins is one of the challenges.”

This is especially problematic at Argyle, where about three-fifths of the student body qualifies for Free and Reduced Meals (FARMS). Many of these students can’t afford to purchase advanced technology.

However, schools have found ways around the disparity by providing Chromebooks and computers and making personal device use optional.

With less than five percent of students on FARMs, Whitman likely won’t face huge problems with students not being able to afford devices, but connectivity remains an issue.

“MCPS set up the infrastructure so that the fastest connections go to the Chromebooks and personal devices, so if there’s any bandwidth left, it goes to the computers,” IT systems specialist Greg Thomas said. “The more people using their phones and tablets and Chromebooks, the slower the computers get.”

However, because of the county’s budget issues, the school plans to close computer labs this summer and transition to Chromebooks to provide more classroom space, Goodwin said.

With the resulting change in computer access, a more specific BYOD policy may have a future at Whitman.

“There’s a chance that having your own device might be an advantage,” he said. “I’m just not sure yet.”

Joe Wiedemann VICE PRESIDENT

Selvi Ulusan PRESIDENT

Carly Choppin TREASURER

The senior picnic will be on May 22 Class officer elections will be held on May 27 Thanks for a great year!

Kueho Choi SECRETARY

Katie Meyer SECRETARY

Class Officers:

‘15 ‘16 ‘17 ‘18

Jonny Rasch, Rachel Ordan, Katie Sullivan Carolyn Hoover, Trevor Lystad, Selvi Ulusan Jaiwen Hsu, Michael Choi, Keara Sullivan Pablo Rothschild, Arianne Banda, Clara Ryan

May 20, 2015

opinion

LETTER

from the editor

Every high school senior deals with a whole host of lasts: last sports games, last dances, last tests, last lunch trips to on-thebeaten-track lunch spots and last moments with the friends who’ve helped us through these four crazy years. Graduating from high school is the first real “last” most people ever have to deal with—the first time they leave everything behind and enter a whole new world. But for me, graduation isn’t quite as big of a shock.

On March 31, my time as the Editor-in-Chief of the Black & White came to an end. All of a sudden, I had to leave behind late nights at school editing drafts and hundreds of wonderful, caffeine-filled, stressful hours spent wondering whether it would all come together. But I had faith in my staff, and all of those frantic times spent in B-211 have produced seven newspapers, a special edition for Whitman’s state champion soccer teams and a full-color, 32page magazine, the B&W. We’ve remodeled and maintained a news website, theblackandwhite. net, and started conversations

in the community with controversial blogs. We took on our responsibility to inform the public by rushing to press conferences in the middle of the school day and posting breaking news before local publications.

In my humble opinion, this has been the Black & White’s most accomplished year yet.

As Editor-in-Chief, I had a fairly simple plan of attack. I knew that if I made everyone on the staff fight for the same thing, we could accomplish whatever we wanted to. What we ended up fighting for was each other. This year’s staff, as many of you know from our constant blabbering, was a tight-knit group. As a result, everyone on Volume 53 cared about more than writing two stories and getting out of flat night ASAP. In fact, sometimes it was hard to get them to leave.

They cared about what everyone else was writing, what direction the paper was heading in and how they could help it reach its full potential. As I stared at 32 fullcolor pages hanging on a bulletin board in December, I knew that we were all in this together.

Words cannot express the

appreciation and admiration I have for the staff of Volume 53.

They stood by me as I failed, gave me hugs when I was about to crack and laughed at me when I fell on my face (literally). My fellow top five editors were the most ambitious, intuitive and thoughtful people I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with. We are leaving the Black & White in amazing hands, and the new staff will grow into their roles just as we did.

Seniors, I hope you all have something at Whitman that is as hard to say goodbye to as the Black & White has been for me.

But the friends we have made in our various families at Whitman will stay with us forever. Even though we had our last flat night, last submit and last picnic together, these “lasts” can’t take away the best friends I’ve ever had and the best memories I’ve ever made.

Sarah Friedman Editor-in-Chief, Volume 53

Issue 6 Corrections: Page 1: In the caption for the talent show picture, the song title was mispelled as “Benny and the Jets.” The correct spelling is “Bennie and the Jets.”

Page 3: In the story, “Lower Q3 GPAs worry administrators, teachers,” the headline should have read, “Lower Q2 GPAs worry administrators, teachers.”

Page 4: In the story, “Maryland senator Barbara Mikulski to retire in 2016 after 28 years of service to the country,” senator Ben Cardin was incorrectly named as senator Bob Cardin. Senator Harry Reid’s name was also mispelled as senator Harry Reed.

The Black & White regrets these errors.

5

Staff Editorial Every 15 Minutes, every four years

About 13,000 people die in alcohol-related crashes each year, and teen alcohol use accounts for 4,700 of those deaths, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The program Every 15 Minutes aims to reduce these numbers by putting high school students through a realistic simulation of the aftermath of an alcohol-induced crash.

The event takes place over two days and is meant to feel as real as possible. It follows a script that touches on all aspects of a crash.

Principal Alan Goodwin tries to have the program on a four year cycle so each student experiences it at least once. In the past, the leadership class was in charge of planning Every 15 Minutes. However, due to the amount of time and manpower required for LLS month, this year’s event was canceled, leadership sponsor Sheryl Freedman said. This means that the senior class will never experience the event.

Whitman should return to hosting Every 15 Minutes to make sure every student receives its important message.

Throughout the first day, pre-selected students are removed from class via an announcement saying they have “died.” These students play the role of “ghosts”until the program ends. At the end of the day, students witness a simulation of an emergency rescue of classmates involved in an alcohol-induced crash.

The “ghosts” stay at school overnight and the police notify their parents that they have “died.” During this time, the “ghosts” write letters to their parents talking about their lives and what they will never experience.

On the second day, students assemble in the auditorium to learn how many people a single crash can affect and to discuss their immediate reactions to the rescue. During the assembly, the “ghosts” read their letters and their parents read similar letters to them.

The program typically invokes strong reactions including shock, surprise, sadness and guilt, Freedman said. Students said they were “less likely to drive when drinking” after participating in the program, according to a study by Every 15 Minutes sponsors. Students can’t afford to miss out on this valuable experience.

Leadership hasn’t started planning any future Every 15 Minutes programs, but Goodwin says he’s confident the program will be back next year. The creation of a separate group every four years to organize the event would be an effective way to remove the planning from leadership.

The monetary costs of hosting the event are minimal. Students also don’t miss much class time; during the event the school operates on a schedule similar to the pep rally schedule.

Hosting the event every four years will ensure that no student will miss out on an experience that could have helped save the lives of 4,700 teens.

Volume 53, Issue 7 2014-2015 The Black & White is published nine times a year by the students of Walt Whitman High School, 7100 Whittier Blvd., Bethesda, MD, 20817. The Black & White is an open forum for student views. Students and staff can pick up the paper free of charge. Mail subscriptions cost $35. The newspaper aims to both inform and entertain.

Signed opinion pieces reflect the positions of the individual staff. Opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Walt Whitman High School or Montgomery County Public Schools.

The Black & White encourages readers to submit opinions on

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6

opinion

MAy 20, 2015

Vikings-Barons rivalry: it’s gone too far The social media-driven crosstown feud has no place in a school environment

by anna mcguire It’s game day. The Whitmaniacs don their striped overalls, tailgaters apply fresh facepaint, students post smack talk in the Facebook event group and some whip out their phones to tweet about the latest fight between students. While this may not seem like a typical high school game day, for B-CC and Whitman, this behavior has become the norm.

For years, the Barons and Vikings have been rivals in everything from sporting events to fundraisers. Lately, fans have amped up the aggression to an unacceptable level.

Administrators from both schools should take steps to cultivate a healthier relationship between the schools and prevent the rivalry from spiraling even further out of control.

Over the past year, the competition between the two schools has led to numerous alarming incidents. Just a few weeks ago,

a B-CC student insulted the Whitman boys lacrosse team at the Bethesda Chipotle. The argument escalated until a Whitman student threw a cup of soda on the B-CC student.

Seconds after the incident, kids from both schools threatened each other through Twitter. One tweet from a B-CC student went as far as to say the student who threw the soda would need medical help and an ambulance to survive an attack of B-CC students.

Administrators from both schools should take steps to cultivate a healthier relationship While this attack never happened, the threat represents a key part of the rivalry: Twitter.

Students use Twitter to target other students and spread news about the latest confrontation.

On Twitter, students can hide behind their screens and direct insults at other students with rare consequences.

Often, rivalries help to motivate students; friendly competition encourages kids to raise more money for charity, like during LLS month, and generates higher turnout at sports games.

However, the potential benefits are offset if even a few students begin to act violently.

To help mend the relation-

Drawing Board Standardized testing's little annoyances

ship between students, Whitman’s and B-CC’s administrators should enforce stricter punishments to students who instigate violence. Both schools should develop a comprehensive policy to monitor aggressive tweets as well as a punishment system for students who are threatening others in person or online.

Student safety should be the top priority for both B-CC and Whitman, regardless of any rivalry. Otherwise, it’s unlikely that threatening tweets and potential brawls will ever end.

In-school tutoring in need of revamp

media to reach out to students, not

Vike2Vike tutoring has merits, parents.

A Facebook page could list the but must advertise more names of tutors and the subjects they effectively to attract students feel comfortable tutoring. Students by tanusha mishra

C130 is nearly empty during fifth period. Two students work alone at computers, and a teacher sits quietly in a corner. Another boy, who is a native Spanish speaker, is teaching a Spanish 1 student verb conjugation.

The students on computers are tutors for Vike2Vike, Whitman’s peer tutoring program offered during both lunches on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Yet the Vike2Vike tutors have no one to help, consistently outnumbering students seeking assistance.

This program is a valuable resource, but students rarely take advantage of it. To increase student turnout, Vike2Vike should be reformed.

On average, only one or two students show up during fifth period, says Bob Mathis, who sponsors the program. Sixth lunch has more success,with at least two students attending almost every session. However, both sessions often have twice as many tutors as students seeking help.

Since over 100 students have GPAs below 2.0 according to Mathis, many more students could benefit from Vike2Vike.

Low student turnout is mainly due to lack of awareness and reluctance among students, Mathis says.

Vike2Vike is heavily publicized at the beginning of every year through posters and Edline messages, but the lackluster posters don’t stand out and the Edline messages contain the wrong room number. Information posted on Whitnet is targeted towards parents, so many students are encouraged to attend by their parents, Mathis says. Few get involved of their own volition.

To be more proactive in their advertising, tutors should use social

would then be able to contact tutors directly before attending a session, so they would be more prepared.

The program should also expand peer tutoring to after-school sessions as few students want to spend their sacred lunch period studying. An hour after school once or twice a week would suffice.

Private tutoring options are more popular and accessible, but these options are expensive. Conversely, Vike2Vike is free and tutors receive compensation in SSL hours.

To efficiently carry out these reforms, student and parent opinions are crucial.

On average... both sessions often have twice as many tutors as students seeking help.

At the end of every year, the Counseling Advisory Council (CAC), a committee of parents, counselors and SGA representatives, conducts a survey of seniors, freshmen and their parents to find out about students’ learning experiences.

The administration should collect data on student preferences about tutoring in order to effectively revamp the program. The CAC should ask questions concerning how students receive academic help and what they are looking for (private tutors, study sessions with friends, etc.) Then, the program can be adjusted every year based on the latest data.

These steps will hopefully transform C130 into a hub of tutoring, rather than the bleak chamber it is today.

crossword

May 20, 2015

7

W C R O S S R D

Edna Mode By noah franklin

ACROSS

1. Example 6. Many a college music group* 10. Buttocks 14. Bowl 15. Cultivate 16. Talk show host Jay 17. Northern highlands of Israel 18. Give off 19. Assert 20. Vinyl successors 22. “A Chorus Line” hit 23. Former Georgia senator Sam 24. Famed cowboy hat 28. Furious 30. Massachusetts beach destina- tion* 31. Dunker’s handhold 33. Sauna spot 34. International news agency 35. “Animal House” nickname 37. Rummage 41. Funds 43. Until, to Shakespeare 44. It’s like an ogre 45. Montezuma’s empire

46. “Breaking Bad” poison 48. Out of service, briefly 49. Britain’s aerial military 51. I tawt I ___ a puddy tat 52. Stewart nickname 53. Numbskull 55. Parking break 58. Famous _____ 60. Dowel 62. Oddball 63. What’s missing from 6,

30 and 75-across, and 5, 8,

13 and 50-down 64. Call up 66. Forrest’s best friend 70. Demeanor 71. East in Ecuador 72. Negatively charged particle 73. “Or ____!”

74. Beginning 75. Fall guy*

DOWN

1.

Ammo case 2. Spanish gold 3. ___marva peninsula 4. Put into effect 5. Alternative to portrait* 6. Dined

7.

Prom transport 8. Very thin pasta* 9. Changes 10. Banana relative 11. Variety show 12. Now, to Shakespeare 13. Southernmost African capital* 21. Order 24. Take a breather?

25. November birthstone 26. Proclamation 27. Mineral form of potassium ni- trate 29. Baker’s bib 32. Type of badge for a scout 35. The Grouch 36. Go over 38. Place for one saying 47-down

39. Numbers game 40. Become 42. How to quench an arsonist’s thirst 47. Cry of one who gets 38-down 50. Getaway car?* 53. Wallows in own despair 54. Static 56. Lowest brass 57. Attacked by a wasp, for example 58. Wile E. Cayote’s company of choice 59. Specialty of the USPS 61. Court 65. Part of a watch, for short 67. ___ 101 68. Feathered accessory 69. Army crawler

88

May May 20,20, 2015 2015

in-de IN-DE

The Parking Lot

by Jesse Cao valuable business for local construction compa-

The parking lot is like the school’s weird junkie cousin it’s forced to talk to during Christmas dinner. It’s superfluous and only causes trouble, no matter how much we punish it with time-outs in the corner. It’s time to tell cousin Louie that he isn’t alright. It’s time to get rid of the parking lot.

Every year, the parking lot brings metric tons of needless drama. Some of us who apply for permits don’t get them. We fight like honey badgers over spots.

We write each other passive-aggressive notes when our spots get stolen.

We get towed for stealing each other’s spots. We can’t keep living like this.

Demolishing the lot would offer

nies as well as valuable scraps for local hoarders. In place of the lot, we could build a botanical garden for the APES kids, a Buddhist temple for mindfulness training or a pub for part-time, substitute and off-hours teachers—the possibilities are endless.

Students who drive to school have a multitude of alternative options. They could step off their elitist high-Porsches and walk or take the bus like the rest of us. They could drop out of school like cousin Louie did. They could make an agreement with a local resident—“Hey, I’ll help you bury your dead cat and polish your garden gnomes if you let me park in your driveway from 7-2 every day for the next year.”

Besides alleviating drama, going sans-parking also offers health benefits. Take California for example—nobody over there drives, and they’re all super healthy and happy. Just look at their Instagram pages. It’s certainly not the kale or the voluntary malnutrition—whoops, “juice cleanses”—it’s the driving thing.

It’s time to move on. We just can’t live a good, normal life with cousin Louie—or his concrete counterpart—hanging around all the time.

Buying AP Books by jason grill Every April, crunch time for AP testing begins. Students transform their rooms into caves, with blinds drawn, doors shut and paper piled to the ceiling. And in this cave there are inevitably one, two, or even 12 AP review books.

Students often purchase these study bibles, which they only use once, without realizing that there are far easier and cheaper ways to get a book. The Career Information Center loans out these same review books for free—a big money saver in light of costly AP tests.

The Bethesda Barnes & Noble quickly runs out of review books for popular subjects, so students are frequently forced to purchase the books online. Review books cost about $16

on Barnes & Noble’s website.

Throw in $4 for shipping and the fine print that reads “usually available in 1-2 weeks,” and it’s going to take two weeks and $20 for each book to arrive.

Students take an average of two to three AP tests a year, according to head of counseling Fran Landau. This means that the average student could spend about $40 to $60 a year on review books.

Those of us crazy enough to take five or more APs quickly end up with very light wallets and very heavy backpacks.

The CIC has over 300 books from various companies available for loan and rarely runs out of books for any

A month ago, Th released its 7th ann spread. It suggest ranging from foot names. It insprir first ever “Sprin Editio

subject, CIC coordinator Anne Hutchens said.

So next time you need an AP book, think twice before you make that hefty Amazon order—you have other options.

Air/Heating System

BY BEN KATZ my parka and my bathing suit to clock, our courtyard could easily My Spanish classroom is always one of two things–it’s either a sauna or an icebox, the Sahara Desert or the North Pole, mucho calor or dios mio, it’s frio. We need to say a firm, hearty “adios” to the wildly-oscillating, ever-fluctuating, alwaysdreadful, no good, very bad heating and air-conditioning system.

I shouldn’t have to bring both

school every day. I shouldn’t have to make a kid in first period Spanish give me a weather forecast for sixth. I’m not asking for the Ritz— not even the Best Western off the side of the highway—I just want something bearable.

Instead of trying to fix the school’s heating and A/C units, let’s look at some highly feasible options. For the frigid winter months, a 24-hour, communal bonfire in the courtyard is definitely the way to go. With freshmen tending the fire ‘round the

be transformed into Whitman’s massive heating hub. The pit could also host a new Spiritual Dance elective, in which Jack and Ralph would teach students how to dance to the beat of the Beast. Guess we’ll kill two pigs (and slit their throats) with one pit.

As for the A/C, the human body has the best and most unbreakable air conditioning in the world–it’s called sweat. So deal with it. Get used to the smell; it’s natural.

Maymay 20, 2015 20, 2015

epth EPTH

99

Reading Shakespeare

By Spencer Adams and Trevor lystad Enter Spencer and Trevor

SPENCER: So Trevor, why are we talking like this?

TREVOR: My good fellow, thine words are not even in iambic pentameter.

SPENCER: Maybe I would have realized if I had said that out loud.

TREVOR: ‘Tis okay. Why dost we speak like this?

SPENCER: Because we want to prove a point.

TREVOR: A pointeth that, mayhaps, this writing is not meant to be read?

SPENCER: Exactly. Is this not just an inefficient way to communicate?

TREVOR: Seeing as nothing I sayeth makes senseth, mayhaps ye are correcteth?

SPENCER: “Mayhaps?” You’ve literally

used that twice. Why can’t you just talk normally?

TREVOR: Alack, my good fellow, we learnethed a new language in English class yest’rday. It is also called “English!”

SPENCER: Are you sure? Everything is spelled differently. And you said “Mayhaps.”

TREVOR: Speakest mine words

he Washington Post nual “Spring Cleaning” ted “10 things to toss,” tball helmets to middle red us to to create the ng Cleaning: Whitman on.” Enjoy.

Pep Rallies

by Josh Feder

Paper

BY ELSA BJöRNLUND fying me that my passenger

We have to go paperless. I know that may sound a tad hypocritical, coming from the school newspaper, but bear with me here. Every time a social studies teacher passes out a thick packet of notes for the eleventh time that week, I can practically hear the trees in the rainforest crying out in pain.

The gross misuse of paper by teachers has become an epidemic at Whitman. In fact, I’ve accumulated so much paper over the course of this year that I am pretty much carrying another person around on my back. That is not an exaggeration. The other day I got into the car to drive myself home and tossed my backpack into the passenger seat.

As I pulled out of the parking lot, I was disturbed by an urgent beeping, noti-

aloud! How similar they soundeth!

SPENCER: I wish I could, but we have to read this type of language by ourselves for homework.

TREVOR: Fie! The language’s creat’r the Bard Shakespeare would spin in his grave if he kneweth this madness that his words were read, not spoken aloud.

SPENCER: Then why don’t we act out this script?

And I mean legitimately, not a haphazard video filled with lightsabers and bad acting.

TREVOR: That’s a good idea.

It could be a big production that involves the whole class. Instead of focusing on trying to understand what Shakespeare is writing, we could properly execute a play and focus on what his plays mean. It would definitely help me understand what’s going on.

SPENCER: [aside] Thank God he went back to normal English.

TREVOR: What was that? Mayhaps you said something?

SPENCER: Zounds!

wasn’t wearing a seatbelt. My backpack has essentially grown to the size of a mildly overweight 10-year-old.

Luckily, there are plenty of alternatives to paper. Each student could carry around his or her own personal slate and chalk to jot down some quick notes. Or if MCPS doesn’t have the budget for that, we could write on each other. That takes group study sessions to a whole new level.

And let’s not forget about Chromebooks. Contrary to popular belief, these are not just glorified slabs of plastic, but real, functioning computers that we can use to take notes and quizzes and to read articles.

Because, as you know, people, paper doesn’t grow on trees.

The pep rally in October merges the energy of a new school year, the imminent Homecoming dance and the anticipation of the football game later that night.

But by the time April rolls around and we hear word of what seems like the year’s tenth pep rally, the hype that was once fueled by a high-octane Drumline performance and the hilarious Guy Poms routine is replaced by the annoyance of confusing schedules and the dullness of sitting through 45 minutes of glorified announcements.

Trying to generate excitement for every Whitman event is nothing but a waste of class time. Although some successes, like that of LLS month, certainly deserve school-wide recognition, funneling the entire student body into the sweaty gym fails to produce any of the intended “pep.”

Look no further than the recent April pep rally to see how little students care about the assemblies.

After Ms. Bryant announced the end of eighth period and instructed all students to head to the gym, hordes of licensed drivers rushed to their cars, quickly followed by moochers hoping to hitch a ride.

Bringing back Teacher Poms, more musical performances or even handing out some small prizes could raise attendance. If we can break the boring routine, we may finally be able to get caught up in the adrenaline rush the rallies are intended to spark. But until that, we shouldn’t have to sit through a sub-par imitation.

10

ADs

may 20, 2015

may 20, 2015

Feature

1960s “The greatest prank was... stacking the old flag pole to the right of the entrance and in front of the vice principals’ office with tires.”

-Bob Wallace ‘65

“In 1976, someone painted the dome a light brown, and then the top a darker brown and wrote ‘Whitman’s s**t’.”

-Robin Shaffert ‘78

11

Senior Pran

ks:

1980s

Then and Now

“Back in the 80s, they released 50-60 mice in the cafeteria. People were stepping on them and screaming, that was a nightmare.”

-assistant principal Kathy McHale

by justin baker

Everyone loves a good senior prank. They’re the last hurrah, the final send-off, one last chance to fly in the face of authority. But senior pranks weren’t always how they are today. To learn about the pranks of yesteryear, the Black & White interviewed staff and alumni whose memories span across the decades.

2000s

1970s

“Back when I was assistant principal, some seniors got some bags of dried manure.

They emptied the bags, thinking it would be funny, but really, it just made a mess for custodians.”

-principal Alan Goodwin

“In the 90s, seniors took a cow up to the third floor. A real cow.”

-assistant principal Kathy McHale

1990s

“My class pooled money together and we towed Easton’s car.”

-Alex Schoen, ‘13

2010s

by emily schweitzer

On Apr. 28, while most students were mastering the Pythagorean Theorem in math or discussing Shakespeare’s iambic pentameter in English, a few students were getting a firsthand history lesson at the White House.

Four students from the Japanese classes, along with chaperones, were granted permission to tour the White House grounds and see President Barack Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. During their visit, they attended both an arrival ceremony for the Prime Minister and a conference to discuss the current state of Japanese classes in the U.S. “It was a huge honor to meet the Prime Minister’s wife, and to even go to a White House cer-

emony,” junior Kate Schwichtenberg said. “That was just so incredible. If I had known when I enrolled in the Japanese program five years ago that I would be meeting basically royalty of Japan, I wouldn’t have believed it.”

To begin the ceremony, President Obama and Prime Minister Abe walked down an aisle lined with soldiers to honor the U.S. Military. Immediately following, both the President and the Prime Minister shook hands with crowd members. A few attendees, including Japanese teacher Yukiyo Moorman, were lucky enough to steal quick handshakes with both of them.

“I had only one chance, and since I’m small, I couldn’t see or take a picture or anything,” Moorman said. “Luckily, the way I moved was the right direction.”

Afterwards, the President and the Prime Minister delivered speeches emphasizing the need to strengthen the relationship between Japan and the United States.

“When Obama was giving his speech it was really cool,” junior Fiona Shoppa said. “The actual half an hour of him talking was pretty neat.”

Later that evening, Whitman and Thomas Jefferson High School students attended a talk at the Blair House, the President’s guest house, with the Prime Minister’s wife, Aki Abe, the Japanese Ambassador’s wife, Nobuko Sasae and fellow Japanese students.

They discussed possible ways to increase enrollment in Japanese classes, and improvements that could be made regarding the class’s content and structure.

photo courtesy KATE SCHWICHTENBERG

Students and teachers visit President, Japanese Prime Minister at White House

Whitman administrators and students in Japanese classes pose for a picture in DC. After their tour of the White House, they visited the president’s guest house, the Blair House.

“I believe the meeting came to a conclusion that there was a slight decline in Japanese language teaching throughout the nation,” Schwichtenberg said. “If more exchange programs were put into place as well as more publicity, there would be greater recognition and greater enrollment.”

All the Whitman attendees appreciated the experience and were glad to be able to contribute to bettering the Japanese curriculum.

“It’s not just about having a good time, but also knowing they are really mastering a language, and even writing and speaking,” Moorman said.

Photosharing app VSCO places substance over popularity by norell sherman

Strike a pose and take the selfie.

Your artsy masterpiece has never been more ready for its internet debut. This means it goes straight to Instagram, right?

Maybe not. Another app is ready to display your photo ... or possibly your whole collection.

As photo sharing becomes more popular among teens, Visual Supply Co. (VSCO) is making its mark on the networking world as a company that places the photos before the favorites. Founded in 2011, VSCO creates a space where likes and comments don’t exist, individuals don’t see their followers and users have access to a wider editing palette.

VSCO’s emphasis on artistry rather than networking appeals to anyone seeking a break from the conventional social media atmosphere which revolves around likes, comments and shares.

“With Instagram and other forms of social media, there is a lot of thought that goes into that clever caption or comment,” sophomore Sophie Lieber said. “On VSCO, the pictures have a voice of their own.”

Users share their photography on their “Grid.” This page, however, is not only for personal photos.

The app curates a bank of especially artistic photos from across its international user base, which is then uploaded to a more public version of the Grid, so that all users can explore worldwide photos.

In line with VSCO’s mission statement, this feed is based on creative value instead of on popularity.

VSCO offers users a set of advanced editing tools, or “presets.”

Many users find that these filters only subtly adjust the photos, so they don’t appear over-edited. Inspired by professional photography programs, these presets resemble effects seen in authentic film photography, setting them apart from the typical filters on other apps like Instagram.

Photo teacher Michael Seymour says he likes VSCO’s film-esque presets.

“Everywhere you turn, people are trying to go back to film,” Seymour said. “Let’s face it, kids like retro.”

VSCO’s artistically driven environment also allows users to post high volumes of creative work, stu-

dents say. Although posting in bulk is traditionally perceived as “oversharing,” constant uploads keep VSCO up and running.

“On VSCO someone can’t post too much because it’s not a normal social media site,” senior Cassidy Lynch said. “It’s better when you post a lot because then there’s just more to look at and enjoy.”

VSCO does, however, have some features that concern students. Because users can’t see their followers, there is no way to block anyone on the app from seeing your photos.

“You don’t know who can see your posts,” freshman Genevieve Meier said. “It can be really dangerous.”

Although the app’s anonymity does worry some users, many are unaffected by the potential security breach.

While social media continues to overtake social life—and, in many cases, artistry—VSCO offers a break from the generic virtual world.

“I’m not focusing on the social stuff,” Lieber said. “I’m just focusing on the picture; the picture that can speak for itself.”

What do you think of VSCO? “It scares me that you can’t see your followers ...you have no clue who is on the other end looking at you photos.”

-freshman Clara Ryan

“On VSCO, I can truly focus on my photography and not get caught up in the social media aspect.”

-sophomore Ryan Nordheimer

photos by MICHELLE JARCHO

12

Art students sketch out school plans

Jivko Andonov Pratt Institute

Andonov started his artistic career using acrylic paints but switched to graffiti as his main medium last year. He hopes to broaden his horizons even more by majoring in interior design at the Pratt Institute, a design school in New York City.

“I didn’t want to limit myself to just fine arts, so I’m excited to explore different design fields,” Andonov said.

Pratt is one of the world’s top interior design schools—a reputation which Andonov said helped him decide on his major.

The time management skills and strong work ethic he developed at Whitman will hopefully help him succeed in the art world, he said.

Mimi Breves Paris College of Art

Breves will attend the Paris College of Art, where she plans to major in fashion design. Eventually, Breves hopes to establish her own fashion company.

“I want to be up there with Chanel, Dior and McQueen,” she said. “My goal is to own a major design firm for men and women.

may 20, 2015

Fashion society motivated me to get my work out there, which has given me a preview of my future career.”

Located in northern Paris, the school provides a distinctive experience of visual inspiration that the Parisian metropolis provides.

Breves will miss her family and friends, and she is also worried about the language barrier in Paris, but her love for adventure and for fashion design makes her confident and ready for the change.

“I’ve always wanted to go abroad, so [this] school is the perfect fit for me,” Breves said.

“I’m so excited to be somewhere completely different and to start my career.”

photo by MICHELLE JARCHO

by sophia knappertz Instead of relying solely on college essays and SAT scores like most students, five seniors had unusual methods for making their college dreams come true.

One with a spraycan, one with a sewing kit, two with paintbrushes and one with photoshop.

Seniors Jivko Andonov, Mimi Breves, Avery Nardone, Paige Spaulding and Valeria Zarubina plan on attending art schools in the fall. Diverging college paths are leading these five seniors off into an unconventional career.

Feature

Avery Nardone Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts

Nardone will be attending the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts next Fall, although she didn’t always plan to get a fouryear arts degree, “I just wanted to blend in and get a job,” Nardone said. “But I decided I should be happy and make art instead of worrying about financial stability and trying to fit in.”

Nardone hopes that the large variety of college courses available will allow her to expand her artistic horizons, learning things that Whitman couldn’t provide.

“I’m looking forward to using new mediums like metalwork and woodshop because they aren’t taught in classes at Whitman,” she said.

Even without these classes, Whitman’s accepting atmosphere allowed Nardone gain confidence with her art.

“Whitman has a great environment for artists in all fields,” Nardone said. “That really pushed me

Senior Mimi Breeves plans to attend the Paris College of Art in the fall to pursue her fashion career. She’s one of several students who will attend art school in the fall, from Pennsylvania to Paris.

to break away and pursue my career as an artist.”

Paige Spaulding Savannah College of Art and Design

Having honed her signature style of balancing vibrant neon colors with surreal components, Spaulding looks forward to continuing to develop her skills in digital art at Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) in Georgia.

“I hope college will make me a more well-rounded artist and allow me to work in different mediums like fashion and installation,” Spaulding said.

The idea of being surrounded by creative people, art and in-

novation attracted Spaulding to art school, she said. Spauldings parents—both artists—always encouraged her to pursue a career in art, which led her to her decision to attend SCAD. Spaulding doesn’t regret her decision, even though she’ll be missing out on some classic college experiences.

“I was always worried about missing out on things like football games and tailgates,” she said. “But I know I’d regret not going.”

Valeria Zarubina School of Art Institute in Chicago

Though she cherishes the emotional relief that acrylic

painting provides, Zarubina plans to switch her artistic focus to interior design when she enters the School of Art Institute in Chicago.

“I want to do something more technical that can open up more job opportunities for me in the future,” Zarubina said.

Zarubina chose the Institute because it offers her opportunities to explore the working world. She looks forward to gaining experience and networking options, she said.

“Going to Chicago came down to what I was going to do in the future,” Zarubina said. “It was also where I got the most scholarship money, making it the smartest option.”

Senior Colin Mitchell plans future in drumming photo illustration by IRELAND LESLEY, photo courtesy COLIN MITCHELL

by Gabe Kahan

Heart pounding. Hands shaking. The collar of his suit is a bit too tight and he feels himself starting to sweat under several layers. He finds his way to a drum set and grasps a pair of sticks. Calm down, he thinks to himself, just remember the steps from practice. He takes a breath and shifts in his seat. A colossal set of curtains begins to part and suddenly, he’s facing six stories of audience—over a thousand people. And all of them are looking right at him.

It was August 2010 and senior Colin Mitchell’s career as a drummer had just begun—it was the night he realized drumming was in his blood. He was only 13 years old.

Mitchell was performing in Scotland at the Aberdeen International Youth Festival with his steel drum ensemble, Diamond Vale. The festival is held annually to celebrate young people’s music and performing arts, and he and his group had flown across the Atlantic from his home in Trinidad, a small island off the coast of South America.

Mitchell started drumming at the age of seven, banging on pots and pans, and even on pillows, with toothbrushes. His mom bought him his first drum set when he was in fifth grade, after he started taking lessons.

When Mitchell was 14, his family moved to Bethesda because of his father’s diplomatic work. There, he began teaching himself, picking up techniques by ear. He watched YouTube videos of instructors and of his favorite drummers, like Usher’s drummer, Aaron Spears. He taught himself unconventional time signatures.

“Usually when I’m attempting to learn a song I go back to the original, try to work out the format and see how I can put my own twist on it,” Mitchell said. “I like do-

Mitchell plans to take a gap year and then attend prestigous Berklee College of Music, in Boston. Mitchell’s fascination with percussion began in his native Trinidad, where he played in a steel drum ensemble.

ing weird stuff: it’s different, it’s challenging and it gives you a really cool ‘vocabulary.’”

As the end of high school approaches, Mitchell’s reputation has almost caught up to his immense talent. Instrumental music teacher Terry Alvey has been a mentor to Mitchell since his freshman year.

“I’ve watched him grow in one year more than I’ve seen anybody,” Alvey said.

“He, as a person, brings a lot of spirit to this whole department.”

Now a senior, Mitchell is a celebrity within the school community. He often plays as a temporary drummer in student bands, and has joined with friends to form several of his own, including The Soul

Brothers, The Cream Faced Loons and a jazz trio. Mitchell drums for the Whitman jazz band and wind ensemble, and he’s started singing as well as taking piano lessons.

Perhaps his most noticeable activity is captaining Drumline with junior Joe Wiedemann. Mitchell and Wiedemann have grown close while leading the line and regularly jam outside of school.

“He’s absolutely killed it the last two years,” Wiedemann said. “The one thing to take away from Colin’s story is to not give up on your passion. You can’t let the bumps in the road stop you.”

Mitchell has long been interested in Berklee College of Music. After attending

a drum clinic led by a Berklee instructor in Trinidad at age 12, he was blown away by what the school had to offer.

“When I saw how good he was, I realized that was what I wanted to be,” Mitchell said. “The musicians they create there are some of the best in country, and that’s what I strive to be.”

He applied to the school last fall.

Learning in an email that he’d been accepted, he sprinted out of his room screaming to his mother, who was overjoyed by the news.

However, Mitchell’s decision isn’t a simple yes or no. Berklee’s tuition is over $60,000 and Mitchell isn’t a U.S. citizen so, although federal financial aid is an option, acquiring it is convoluted and difficult.

As of now, Mitchell plans to take a gap year and play gigs around the D.C. metro area to gain experience and save up for Berklee. There’s not a doubt in his mind that he wants to go, and he won’t let anything get in his way—not even money.

“I’m not passing this up,” Mitchell said.

“This is something that I’m going to work extremely hard for. It’s not something I take lightly, considering Berklee is the best contemporary music school in the country.”

Mitchell is happy to be staying local for the next year, and he’s having trouble saying goodbye to his Whitman peers and all the encouragement they’ve given him. But Mitchell knows that he can’t stay here forever—he has found where his future lies.

“I knew that I would hold onto drums for a really long time,” Mitchell said, “but when I realized I could go on tour and see the world while playing and doing what I love—and even make money doing that— I realized this was the way that I wanted to go.”

Feature

maY 20, 2015

13

Destinations Lexi Abbott Jordan Abramowitz

Rhode Island UVA

Maria Acosta

Lynchburg College

Oliver Ades

College of Wooster

Hirbod Akhavantaheri

UMD

Nico Alvarez- Couceiro

UMD

Louise Amat

Michigan

Meera Ammu

UMD

Sonam Anand

Moving to India

Kofi Anane Emma Anderson

Rhode Island Columbia

Nick Anderson

Cornell

Jivko Andonov

Pratt Institute

Christopher Aragon Samad Arouna Noura Asrar Rosario Astorga Pinto Brandon Babbit Jake Bachman Emmanuel Baclao

Tufts Indiana Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile Savannah College of Art and Design USC Montgomery College Brigham Young

Carly Baker

Pursuing a professional ballet career

Matt Banda Meredith Barber Jeremy Barnes Conner Barrett Matthew Barrett Deanna Beckhardt Ilya Belikow-Crovetto Tobin Bell David Beltran Arguelles Morgan Berry

UT Austin Oberlin Georgetown

Stanford

Polytechnic University de Catalonia Trinity

Sam Berson

Boston College WashU in St. Louis

Pimshine Bhanarai

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Marymount

Amelia Biase

Smith

Tory Bizot

MOST

Liam Black Alex Bloch Stephanie Bode Chris Boinis Leah Borkowski Aaron Boyle

University of Colorado Boulder UMD UT Austin Furman

John Hopkins

Brett Johnson

Case Western

David Newsom

UC Santa Barbara

Kevin Johnson

WashU in St. Louis

Robert Newton

Montgomery College

Leah Johnson

Georgia Perimeter College

Ashley Dharmasiri

Marymount

Jessie DiRuggiero

USC

Ye Lim Joung

UMD

Undecided

Zach Judson

Michigan

Hanawati Djoyoadhiningrat Sam Dodd Luiza Dos Santos Serpa Nick Dritschilo Kaelyn Dunbar Jason Dunn Jordan Edmonds

Emerson College University of Brasilia George Mason University Hood College UC Davis Shepherd University

Sarah Edwards

Cornell

Alex English

Towson

Alistair Faghani Sima Farzanegan Will Fausanugh Elyssa Feuer Christopher Finelli Mikaela Fishman Nicole Fleck

Alex Forde Allison Frank

UMD Penn State UMD Hamilton College Rochester Institute of Technology Oberlin

Sarah Friedman Kate Frye Lauren Furst Tharangi Gammanpila Clarissa Gandolfo Claire Gasque Givi Gigineishvilli Avery Givens Nardone Mira Glasser

Justin Kay Taraneh Kelishadi Brendan Kelly Amir Khaghani Raymond Kheirbek Rain Khosrodad Emily Kim Kathryn Kirkpatrick

UVA UNC Wilmington Gap Year Elon Manhattan College George Washington University Penn State

Georgetown School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

Henning Kjoeita

Washington College

Samantha Kline

Northwestern

Jean-Christophe Koffi

UVA

UMD

Evan Koretsky

UC Berkeley

Elon William and Mary Coastal Carolina University Georgetown Vanderbilt Tulane

Claudia Kra

University of Colorado Boulder

Aina Krupinski-Puig Theodorus Kusetyapradana Caleb Kushner

UMD Indonesian Air Force Academy Emory

Annabelle Leahy

Carleton

Matthew LeBeau

Colorado School of Mines

Noah Lederman

Wisconsin

Northwestern

Casey Lee

UMD

American University

Justin Lee

Montgomery College

Wake Forest

Paul Lee

UMD

Dartmouth

Julia Leibowitz

Tulane

University of Toronto

Aidan Leighton

University of Colorado Boulder

Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts Lewis & Clark College

Scott Lesmes Shoshi Levenson

TTI Virginia Tech

Bryn Mawr University of Cincinnati Harvard UMD Gap Year MIT

Maia Gordon

Brooklyn College

Alexander Gorlenko James Gough Alec Gould Oscar Granados Ryan Graves Jake Gray Mia Greene

Towson UMBC Naval Academy Marines UMD Avon Old Farms Boarding School Curry College

Zhiyu Liu Charlie Lobsenz Paul LoBuglio Nick Lorence Susannah Lovegrove Cassidy Lynch Jessica Lyon Katie Mackall Xavi Maggio

Syracuse University of Toronto Brown CCC UNC Chapel Hill Colby Rice US Air Force

Samantha Magliato

Case Western

Emilia Malachowski

UC Berkeley

MIT

Jaclyn Margolis

Pratt Institute

Northeastern

Chelsea Markus

Michigan

Eliza Clifford

Complutense University of Madrid Brown Montgomery College South Carolina Gap Year in Germany Alabama Catholic University MIT Delaware UPenn Montgomery College Colgate NYU University of Colorado Boulder Virginia Tech UNC Charlotte Wisconsin Unable to contact

Seth Cohen

UMD

Kate Conlan

Colgate

Erin Craig Harris Cram Kevin Cullinane Jr. Kate Currie Kelley Czajka

Middlebury Tulane University of Southern Mississippi Catholic University Northwestern

Emery Dahl

James Madison

Aaron Dane

UMD

Allie Gurland Ethan Gutman Jake Haan Jacob Haas Colin Hains Nolan Hanessian Victoria Happ Amal Haque Alex Harris

Cornell

Drexel University Stanford WashU in St. Louis South Carolina

Qingyu Mao

Georgia

Jamie Marca

Colorado State University

Cynthia Marquez Jordan Martin Casey Mason

Gap Year

DePaul

Felix May-Chabot

Montgomery College

Nicholas Mazza

College of Charleston

WashU in St. Louis UMD

Erin McClanahan Matt McClanahan

Nick Henning

Wisconsin

Carolyn McGill

Austin Hilburn Lila Hobby Patrick Hoeppner

Franklin & Marshall USC Alabama UMass Amherst Wisconsin

Maggie McGowan Jessica McManus Jack McPherson

University of Tampa Wisconsin James Madison Virginia Tech University of ColoradoBoulder Old Dominion

Andrew Meadows

William and Mary Catholic University

Shabnam Parsa Jake Parsky Stephen Pastoriza

Eric Pessin Pakkavadee Phienlumlet Georgia Philbin Brendan Phillips Lauren Phillips Lindsey Phillips Jacob Pitsenberger Alison Poffley Halle Pollack Alex Pratte Jack Prill Ruth Pullum William Pullum Nick Raboya Rebecca Rahman Emma Rapaport Jonny Rasch

Dickinson

Muhammad Reyhan

Liliane Rocha Marcos Rodriguez

Penn State Faculty of Law Thammasat University South Carolina Montgomery College USC

Gap Year, UMD Towson

Caroline Hwang Maija Ibanez Lisa Iguchi

UMD St. John’s University Moving to Japan

Skylar Mitchell Taameen Mohammad

Tomas Iturrgui

Dickinson

Connor Turque Tomas Valenzuela Sebastian van Bastelaer

Montgomery College University of Montevideo Wisconsin

Hannah Walter

Binghamton Amherst

Ben Walton

UMD

Simmons College

Costis Waltz

University of Miami

Northeastern Montgomery College South Carolina Salisbury

Catherine Waye

WashU in St. Louis

Lucas Weals

Davidson

Olivia Weals

Wellesley

Matthew Weinstein

Wisconsin

Hannah Weishupl

Carnegie Mellon

Simon Weishupl

Carnegie Mellon

Montgomery College

Sophia Welber

UChicago

UMD

Madelyn White

Rochester Institute of Technology

Alex Roederer

University of Washington at Seattle

Alison Rohrer

Towson

Trevor White Megan Whiteman

Bucknell UMD

Jeff Rosenberg

Colby

Scott Wilder

LSU

Andrew Rubin

Dickinson

Zach Winter

Tulane

UNC Wilmington

Evan Woods

William and Mary

Ryan Rush Sally Ruskowski Alex Sabol Josh Sack Murathan Sagir Alexis Sandler Ben Scheer Sara Schlesinger Ben Schloss Elena Schwam

UMD Emory Dickinson University of Colorado Boulder George Washington University Vanderbilt Tulane William and Mary Barnard College

Caroline Schweitzer

Wake Forest

Amanda Schweitzer

UMD

Matthew Schwichtenberg

UMD

Joseph Seline Priscilla Sellate

Sebastian SerranoBerthet Nicolas Serrano Ragsdale Clare Severe Dyala Seward Riley Shaver

Lynn University University of Dehli Rochester Institute of Technology UMD

Flanders Shtasel-Kretz

Montgomery College High Point Northeastern UMD

Michigan

American University

Evan Smith

UMD

Haverford Utah State

Cyrus Sobhani Rachel Solonsky Ben Soofer

Reyna Wright George Xourias

UMD Penn State

Andrea Yabar

Going back to Peru

Matt Yang

Macalester College

Nophar Yarden

UMD

Brian Yuwen

UMD

Thierry Zaim

Michigan

Maxime ZambaCampero Samantha Zambri Valeria Zarubina Erkai Zhang Jianqi Zhang Ran Zhang Sicong Zhang Joseph Zimmerberg Zane Zmola Alvaro Zudaire

Saint Mary’s College WashU in St. Louis Art Institute in Chicago University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Purdue University Penn State UMD Montgomery College Purdue Montgomery College

Lehigh

Aliza Sitrin

Unable to contact

UMD

American University

Matthew Snow

Chris Murray

Elon

Maria Tritsis

Lela Walter

National Guard

UMBC

UMD

Jason Treacy

US Marine Corps

University of Baltimore

Erin Ishimoto

Gap Year

High Point

UMBC

Spelman

McGill

Catherine Trant

Dickinson

Eleni Smitham

Anne Mouillier

Finn Todd

Brady Walter

HEC Montreal

UMBC

St. Mary’s College

Gap Year

James Smith III

Michelle Innerarity

UMD

Montgomery College

Howard

DePaul

Wesleyan

David Voigt

Jisung Moon Alexander Morris

Montgomery College

Lafayette

Kendall Smith

Jessa Daniels

Georgia Tech

Aaron Tanenbaum

Undecided

Montgomery College

Dayton

Nicole Ihrie

Thomas Svoboda

Rollins College

Dana Vazquez

Noah Monnig Coline Morise

Takumi Suzaki

UMD

Julian Vazquez

UMD

University of Northern Colorado

Saveena Suri

Capitol Technology

UChicago

Dylan Hurd

Wisconsin

Lily Sun

Cornell

Sabrina Sito

Gap Year, Berklee College of Music

Michael Sullivan

Rochester Institute of Technology

UNC Chapel Hill

Kent State

McGill

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

Christian Vaughan

Scott Singer

Zoe Humeau

USC

Keegan Sullivan

Columbia

Aleksandra Simpson

Montgomery College

Colin Mitchell

University of Colorado Boulder

Ben Titlebaum

Dickinson

Skidmore

Cristhian Miranda

UMD

University of Saint Andrew’s

WashU in St. Louis

Adam Simon

Indiana

Gap Year, DePaul

Hamilton College

Spelman

Brandeis

Katie Sullivan

Unable to contact

Hannah Tatem

Bowdoin

Richard Miller

Joyce Huang

Caitlin Sullivan

UMD

UMD

Lilly Silver-Alford

Jade Hughes

Jacob Stoner

Montgomery College

Brown

Gap Year Colorado College

Paul Stone

Georgetown

Isabel Taswell

Robyn Miles Nikki Mills

Thea Stojanovic

Montgomery College

Ethan Taswell

Towson American University

Stefan Stoica

University of Colorado Boulder

UMBC

Allison Holm

Dickinson

Aaron Stewart Alvardo

Joe Szczesny

Dominique Meier

Helen Huang

Jessica Stebbins Ben Stein-Lubrano

Montgomery College

Cornell

Alex Hosker

Lewis & Clark College

George Squier

Montgomery College

Arielle Hollies

Indiana Virginia Tech

Delaware

Joseph McUmber

Ali Dane Aidan Darragh

UNC Chapel Hill

Guilan MassoudMoghad

Wisconsin

Garrett Hickel

Virginia Tech

UMD

Becca Haven India Herdman

Montgomery College

Michigan

Jong Heon Park Maddie Parker

UMD

Nadia Spira

Katherine Parker

NYU

Brown

Alec Spear

Savannah College of Art and Design

Tess Speiser

Medha Swaminathan

Michigan

WashU in St. Louis

Michael Gump

Tyler Clugston

Ole Miss

Emma Robinson

Alyson Golub

UMD

Morgan Class

Arizona State

American University

Harrison Guh

Alex Clark

Carleton

Brittany Roberts

UMD

Michelle Cibel

Alex Papados

Unable to contact

Penn State

UChicago

Mia Carmel

Joanne Choi

Sophie Palim Nick Panlibuton

Delaware

Jonathon Liu

Max Goldberg

UCLA

Hannah Chenok

Tamar Pahigian

Paige Spaulding

Penn State

Dylan Ritzer

Abby Gross

Yining Chen

Natalie Pagenstecher

UMD

Hannah Riggins

Michigan

Jonathan Chen

Paula Mae Pagcu

Georgetown

Penn State

Lily Carlson

Ally Chelst

Chris Ossi

Vanderbilt

Lynchburg College

Milani Chatterji-Len

Jordan Oshinsky

Daiwei Li

UMD

Issie Griffith

Roger Champagne

Michigan

Riley Lewis

Louie Gold

Salisbury

Jim Champagne

Indiana

Rachel Ordan

Julia Pearl-Schwartz

Hood College

ESSEC Business School

Delaware

George Washington University

Elena Kozak

UMD

Maxi Okon

Daphne Koubourli

John Cantwell

Mateo Castro

Dani Oakley

Middlebury

Leah Greenstein

Andrew Cashmere

Geoffroy NouailhetasBaneth

Lex Payne

Delaware

Anton Casey

Casey Noenickx

Fordham University

Alison Cantwell

Lorenzo Casey

Eckerd College

Boston University

Unable to contact

Alberto Casado

Chris Nguyen-Mason

Nike Koritz Hawkes

Gap Year, UMD

Marymount UNC Chapel Hill

Northeastern

Northwestern

Hannah Fratt

Reebecca Katz

Gap Year

Unable to contact

St. Mary’s College

Cherise Fraser

Noah Katz

Gustavus Adolphus College

Chenxin Kong

Cammy Frank

Sara Franklin- Gilette

Reed Kelishadi

South Carolina

USC

Noah Franklin Hannah FranklinGilette

Michaela Johnson

Darryn Neymour Lino Nuñez del Arco

Sophia Glazer

Kohl Britton

Fidel Cano Renteria

Cornell

Bronte Nevins

St. Coletta of Greater Washington

Paris College of Art

Sarah Campbell

Mikal Nathani

Gap Year

Syracuse

Mimi Breves

Carlos Callejon Hierro

Virginia Tech

University of Toronto

Amy Lewis

UVA

Sophia Caldera

Anna Deziel

Georgia

Wake Forest

Gap Year

UMD

Claire Busch

Austin Derrickson

Montgomery College

Penn State

Adam Glastris

Carl Brando

Sophia Brown

Jessica Dedo

Jafrin Jamal Daniel Jaramillo

Drew Nail Karthik Nathan

College of Charleston

Jonah Brain Talia Brenner

UC Berkeley

UC Berkeley

Hanalei Fong

UMD

Wellesley

Tyler Jacobson

Yann Decressin

University of Miami Moore College of Art and Design

Hannah Jacobs

Tulane Virginia Tech

Baldwin Fomum-Mugri

Towson

University of Pittsburgh

Lorenzo de Calice Crespo

Gap Year, pursuing squash in Australia

Grant Beske Thomas Beusse

Jordan Day

American University

Isaac Bacon

John Ballock

Jameson Davis

Salisbury

Drexel Muhlenberg UNC Wilmington

A note on “Destinations”

The Black & White would like to thank the seniors for providing the information necessary to compile this list. We apologize for the incomplete status of the list; our staff was unable to contact some students. We regret any inaccuracies that may be present in “Destinations.” If you would like to make a correction, please email blackandwhitevol53@gmail.com and we will update your changes on our website. Please check out our interactive online map on www.theblackandwhite.net.

sports

14

Commits: a look at future college athletes

by Ezra Pine

By the end of June, all Whitman athletes will have donned their Viking uniforms for the last time. But for some of Whitman’s finest senior athletes, there are more games to play, just in different jerseys.

This year, 26 seniors have committed to play a varsity sport in college. Of those 26, 12 will either be rowing crew or running track.

For many, the long and demanding process begins junior year, when athletes must be proactive and contact coaches and schools themselves, Macalester tennis commit Matt Yang said.

“I emailed a bunch of coaches in the middle of my junior year to show my interest,” Yang said. “After figuring out which schools I was interested in further pursuing, I visited the schools and met with coaches.”

Cornell crew commit Nick Anderson had an especially competitive recruitment process.

“The Cornell coaches told me that they have over 300 interested recruits, and they take eight,” Anderson said.

Most recruits send emails to reach out to coaches, but the recruitment process

alex roederer University of washington

kevin johnson wash u

michael sullivan wisconsin

maY 20, 2015 annabelle leahy carleton college

patrick hoeppner wisconsin

eliza clifford wisconsin

andrew rubin dickinson

hannah jacobs wellesley

jade hughes indiana sam magliato case western u

lela walter amherst Clare severe lehigh

evan woods william and mary matt yang MACALESTER

emma anderson columbia

alex hosker dickinson

josh sack dickinson

elena kozak hood college

Amir khagani manhattan college

Aaron tannenbaum St Mary's

michael gump MIT

Jeff rosenburg Colby

maddie parker dickinson

Sports Destinations

differs from sport to sport.

For track, recruits are judged mainly on mile and 5k times. In basketball, part of a recruit’s ability is determined from stats such as the number of points, rebounds and assists a player has during the season.

In other sports, players are judged through off-the-field tests.

Specifically for crew, colleges base their recruiting on an “erg score,” a number derived from how fast a rower can row on a machine. For football, colleges base much of their recruiting on 40 yard dash times and various weight excercises, along with

tape of the recruits’ on-field performance.

Many seniors credit Whitman athletics for preparing them for the rigor of college athletics.

“Whitman has taught me a lot about managing time—in college they expect you to give them 100 percent to your sport, so balancing both gets hard,” Manhattan track commit Amir Khaghani said.

Despite the stress of the process, seniors felt satisfied after the experience ended.

“The process was overall super cool to go through,” Colby soccer commit Jeff

kate conlan Colgate

nick anderson cornell

anton casey brown

Rosenberg said. “It ended up being really rewarding because of the hard work I put into it.”

Whitman coaches will miss the 26 players who are taking their dedication towards higher competition.

Even though they won’t forget about their Whitman teams, the commits are excited to start playing for their new teams.

“I can’t wait to join my teammates and have fun with them,” Lehigh soccer commit Clare Severe said. “I’m excited to take my game to the next level.”

Summer teams provide athletes with extra experience by carolyn price

Running around on a turf field in 90 degree weather may not seem like the ideal way to spend the summer, but many Whitman athletes are willing to make such sacrifices to help their team improve for the next season.

Several Whitman teams take their off-season training to the next level by continuing to train throughout the summer. Though it’s not mandatory, coaches strongly encourage summer training to prepare players for the upcoming season.

As part of the training, over fifty students from various sports will be traveling to colleges across the country, where they’ll receive top-notch instruction from professional coaches and their teams. These teams will also participate in camps, clinics and summer leagues.

Continuing their annual tradition, the girls basketball team will attend a camp at James Madison University for two nights, where they play teams from nearby states.

“We play eight games,” girls basketball coach Peter Kenah said. “But it’s a lot more important for the team chemistry and team bonding.”

Both the girls and boys basketball teams will also play in the ten-game Montgomery County Summer League.

Although the league holds tryouts before the season

begins, there are few practices and the games are relaxed.

The league’s main purpose is to give players a chance to compete against some tough teams they don’t face during the year.

“What’s neat is that we get to play against the private schools,” Kenah said. “We’re the only public school that’s chosen [the hardest division] the last four years, because we don’t mind losing a game or two in the summer.”

Similarly, the state-champion girls soccer team will travel to a college campus this summer. Penn State coaches will work with JV and varsity players, as well as rising freshmen who plan on trying out for the team.

“It’s really great to get the younger girls to play with the senior and junior varsity players,” JV girls soccer coach Tyler Wilkinson said. “It’s kind of just the Whitman team, rather than Whitman varsity and Whitman JV.” The Bethesda Bards, another summer team, is open for prospective and returning Whitman baseball players. The Bards play against other summer high school teams and practice into the fall.

“It's separate from Whitman but the coaches are the Whitman coaches,” baseball player Eric Wayman said, “So they try to get as many Whitman guys as they can to play on that team.”

While the Bards are staying close to Whitman during the summer, the cheerleaders will travel to Hagerstown to train. For the second year in a row, they will attend a three day cheer camp, where they’ll focus on flexibility, stunting and competition dance.

Cheerleaders said the bonds they form at the camp are vital for the fall season.

“It’s a team sport,” cheerleader Colleen Cullinane said.

“Having good chemistry and fluidness helps at our competitions.”

Although these players might miss out on a chance to head to the beach or spend time with friends, coaches believe practicing with teammates in the offseason provides tremendous benefits for the athletes.

“I think it’s good for team chemistry to have something before the season starts,” Wilkinson said. “It really gets them focused for the season, and if they hadn’t been doing much over the summer it gives them an idea of where they’re at compared to the rest of the team.”

Wayman agreed, emphasizing the importance of taking every opportunity to get better before the next season.

“It's important to show the coaches what you have, especially if you are going to compete for a spot the next [season],” he said. “If you don't play, you can't get better.”

Volunteer program organizes range of recreational events for returning servicemen

by Luke Graves

Locating his receiver only by sound, a blind man throws a football to his teammate for a touchdown, all while paddling a kayak. On the water’s edge, the Whitmaniacs erupt in cheers.

This was made possible by Team River Runner, a volunteer organization co-founded in 2004 by former Whitman special education teacher Joe Mornini and his longtime friend Mike McCormick. The organization offers kayaking programs to help injured and returning veterans recover. At recent events, the

Whitmaniacs have volunteered and come out to events.

Team River Runner offers unique ways for veterans of all skill levels to participate in recreational and competitive kayaking events ranging from familyfriendly paddling clinics to kayak football games to biathlons.

When Mornini and McCormack first created Team River Runner, it was targeted towards helping recovering amputee veterans from Walter Reed National Medical Center. But over time, the program grew to include veterans with a variety of physical and mental disabilities.

“It’s a team of people going down the river, the water, the lake or the ocean and paddling our own road to recovery,” Mornini said.

The organization has expanded nationwide, with thousands of

volunteers and 54 locations from Tampa Bay to Seattle.

Whitman sophomores Patrick Khaghani and Mason AustinBrantly volunteer at Team River Runner.

Khaghani, an avid whitewater kayaker, paddles a safety boat alongside the veterans as they navigate the rough water.

“I know a lot of people who suffer from PTSD,” Khaghani said. “[Team River Runner] does a lot for them.”

Austin-Brantly joined the group to show his appreciation for the veterans’ service, and he now works to assist the veterans with kayaking fundamentals.

“It’s a satisfying feeling knowing you are helping others that have served our country,” AustinBrantly said.

The Whitmaniacs have attended events to show support

photo courtesy TEAM RIVER RUNNER

Team River Runner gives veterans source of stress relief, strength

Veterans kayak in an event organized by Team River Runner. The program, founded in 2004, has grown to include 54 locations nationwide.

for the veterans and assist with ticket sales.

“We had so many compliments saying that the Whitmaniacs were the best volunteers we had ever had at the event,” said art teacher and Whitmaniacs sponsor Nancy Mornini, Joe Mornini’s wife.

Joe Mornini, who won the American Veterans Silver Helmet Award for his volunteer work in

2010, hopes to increase publicity and funding so Team River Runner can continue to grow and help veterans overcome challenges, both on and off the water.

“It’s always the championship game and the great athletes you hear about, but here are these veterans performing these amazing feats, paddling with just two fingers, or no legs,” he said. “People just don’t know.”

may 20, 2015

15

Sports

ATHLETES OF THE YEAR

Clare Severe

While Whitman has no shortage of skilled athletes, two have stood out and dominated multiple sports. This year’s Black & White Athletes of the Year are sophomore Abby Meyers and senior Clare Severe.

16.1 points per game, led the team

Abby Meyers

26

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scouts’ grade on ESPN.com

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best time from counties (with teammates Lela Walter, Lena Feldman, and Erin O’Connor)

ETHAN PUTN

9:37.8 4x800

3second assists, on

photo courtesy

personal best at counties

photo courtesy TOM KNOX

threepointers, tied with Nicole Fleck for team-high

PRILL

14

goals, led team

Girls lacrosse has strong playoff run, ending in state semifinals

BY ANNA MARCUS

Just a few years ago, the girls lacrosse team could never have imagined making it to regional finals. Now, not only did the team make it that far, but they were named regional champions—for the second year in a row.

This second consecutive title comes at the end of a commendable 13-3 season that will be remembered for an incredible playoff run, despite the Vikes ultimately falling to Bel Air in the 4A state semifinals.

One of the keys to the Vikes’ success this year was the closeness of the team, which helped them maintain strong communication on the field.

“The girls gel really well together,” head coach Katie Bitonti said. “They love being on the field together, and they hang out off the field too, which helps.”

The Vikes were dominant in every area of the game. On the

attacking front, the girls’ speed, stick skills and teamwork created an effective and overwhelming offense led by attacker Maddie Parker and midfielders Jenna Hosker and Eden Gray.

Before the season started, the team was in need of defenders, as a majority of the starting defenders graduated last year. At tryouts, the coaches added nine freshman and many other new players to the team to make up for the graduating class.

“They all stepped up, and our defense was stronger than ever,” Hosker said.

In their third year as coaches, sisters Katie and Lindsay Bitonti were once again instrumental in improving the girls’ skills and keeping them focused and driven throughout the season.

The Bitontis, known for their halftime pep talks, gave one of their most memorable speeches during the regional finals against

Abby Meyers’ hard work and scoring prowess were visible on both the soccer field and the basketball court. Leading both teams in scoring, the sophomore was at the helm of two deep playoff runs, the girls soccer state championship and girls basketball state semifinal appearance. Meyers was the Gazette’s 2015 Player of the Year for basketball.

Wootton. At the half, the Vikes were down by two goals, but the half-time speech produced results. The girls came out aggressive and determined in the second half, and were able to defeat the Patriots 8-6, with attacker Annie Waye scoring the game-winning goal with under 15 minutes left. This victory wouldn’t have been possible without starting goalie Hannah Tatem, who had a dominant nine-save performance in her outstanding senior season.

“It was an extremely competitive game for both teams, and a great regional game,” Katie Bitonti said.

When the team arrived at Northeast High School for the state semifinal game, they had their work cut out for them, as the 11-4 Bel Air team had a considerable size and speed advantage over the Vikes. Bel Air wasted no time and took an

photo courtsey TONY GRAY

Senior Clare Severe capped off a decorated Whitman career with a second straight soccer state championship and two more track state titles, bringing her total to 10. Her speed and finesse on the soccer field were recognized by the Gazette when she was named Player of the Year. In indoor track, Severe broke her own state record for the 800m and anchored the state champion 4x800m relay team.

Center midfielder Eden Gray finds an opening in Bel Air’s defense. The Vikes say their closeness helps with communication on the field.

early lead, scoring 10 goals in the first half. Despite the scoreboard reading 13-1 when the final whistle sounded, the girls gave it their all from start to finish of the game.

“Throughout the whole game we stayed really positive and gave 100% until the very last second,” midfielder Ellen Middleton said.

For next season, the team will

work towards making it back to state semifinals for a third time, if not exceeding them.

“We improved so much since the beginning of the season and have really bonded as a team,” Hosker said. “I’m really proud of how much we accomplished and see a bright future for the program.”

Former athletes maintain strong bonds with high school coaches by carolyn price

After graduating high school, getting a text from your old history teacher may strike you as odd. But for some former athletes, it’s all part of the college sports experience.

Many Whitman coaches keep in close contact with their former players after they graduate, continuing to build relationships with their athletes into college and afterwards. Coaches stay in touch, they say, because they enjoy watching their players grow and mature into adults.

The special coach-player bond stems from the close nature of coaches with their athletes.

“I know them so much better, because you can’t get to know [students] as well as I know all the rowers,” girls crew coach Kirk Shipley said. “You spend so much time with them. Whether or not they row in college doesn’t matter to me, but gener-

ally speaking, if they decide to, that probably means we had a pretty good relationship while they were here.”

Coaches text, email and call their former players to stay in touch.

The basketball coaches hold games over Thanksgiving break for basketball alums to compete against each other. At the games, players reconnect with coaches and reminisce with former teammates.

“We usually get anywhere from 10 to 16 girls for the game,” alum Emily Brown (‘08) said. “Then afterwards we’ll all go out to dinner and just catch up, so it’s a really cool experience.”

Some coaches attend their former players’ games years after graduation. Girls basketball coach Peter Kenah watched many of Brown’s games at UMBC after helping her get a full basketball scholarship.

“Having him in the stands [watching]

some of my games was a really cool experience that I’m very fortunate to have had,” Brown said.

Seeing a former player compete at the college level is one of the best parts of coaches’ jobs, football coach Jim Kuhn said. Helping an athlete to play at a higher level gives him a sense of pride, as he enjoys being able to share the player’s success, he added.

Girls soccer coach Greg Herbert says it’s extremely rewarding for coaches to see their former players progress in college, nothing that it’s a time where players can grow into true individuals.

Closer to home, former athletes often attend the current team’s practices, where they can see the group’s progress and meet new team members.

“It’s fun to know the younger girls who I wasn’t on the team with,” Cornell rower Caroline Crawford (‘13) said. “You feel like

you’re part of this bigger Whitman rowing community.”

But while they’re away at college, many former team members take the opportunity to reach out to their Whitman coaches for advice. Crawford said talking to Shipley when she transitioned to college rowing helped her get accustomed to the change.

Coaches said they want to see these connections continue so they can influence their players’ character as they grow older.

“I think it’s good for kids to see that we’re not just here to teach them a sport, but provide lifelong lessons,” Herbert said.

“You can’t do that within just four years, you have to build a relationship throughout time.”

16

Back Page

may 20, 2015

Back-to-school night for alums continued from page

1 ground music to set the mood for a memorable evening.

“We laid out the funk pretty hard,” junior guitarist Rían Adamian said. “It was a warming event because it felt like everyone there knew each other and like everyone was still familiar.”

“I remember we were invited to do a proposal for what the logo would be for Whitman and we submitted the Viking... We really felt that we were part of the beginning of something important and big” -Martha Stark (‘65) After cocktail hour, the group headed inside for dinner and dancing.

They also took time to honor deceased members of both classes.

“It has been a very enlightening and rewarding experience to be able to spend the weekend with old classmates,” Rayburn said. “Though I haven’t really stayed in touch with classmates over the years, it has been great having the opportunity to just relax and reflect on the history that has transpired the last 50 years.”

The reunion’s final day was relatively informal—the group took some time to plan their future get-togethers with classmates before returning home.

Fifty years later, many of the attendees were proud to be some of the first students at Whitman.

“I remember we were invited to do a proposal for what the logo would be for Whitman and we submitted the Viking,” Stark said. “We really felt that we were part of the beginning of something important and big.”

The reunion renewed the participants’ pride in being the first and second graduating class of Whitman.

“It’s a fabulous school,” Rayburn said. “You all are at an amazing place, so just enjoy it and make the most of it.”

photos by MICHELLE JARCHO

In the 60s, when the school had just opened, sports were not a major part of the Whitman culture. Many alumni were surprised to hear about the wide range of athletics now available.

“The emphasis was more on academics and activities like biology club, debate team, student council and cheerleading, and not nearly as much on sports,” Stark said.

“We took gym, but many of us weren’t involved in sports, which is a big difference.”

Whitman’s progression impressed alumni, with one exception—the absence of the dome. The dome, which was demolished in 1992 as a result of an asbestos outbreak, used to be a major hub of student activity.

“It was a multipurpose architectural wonder for sports, plays and concerts, even though the acoustics were terrible,” Dorothy Rayburn (‘64) said.

Although the alumni weren’t able to party in the dome, they did spend the second night of the reunion bringing the house down at the Bolger Center in Potomac, after a day of hiking and picnicking in Carderock Park.

The night kicked off with a cocktail hour at 6:30 p.m. A jazz ensemble of six current students provided soft back-

Principal Alan Goodwin spoke to alums in the media center May 1, the first of three days for the 50th reunion. Alums enjoyed touring the “new” building, sitting in on classes and meeting students. Later events included cocktails and dancing. Organizer Dorothy Rayburn (‘64) called the experience “enlightening and rewarding.”

Baseball team rallies support for ailing Wootton catcher Whitman squad provides moral support for, presents donations to Michael Elliot

photos courtsey ADAM PRILL

by Josh Millin

Sometimes, baseball is more than just balls and strikes, names in a lineup or a group of players wearing the same jersey and cap. It can be a source of hope and strength, unifying a community for a greater good.

The Vikings ran a fundraiser to support Wootton baseball player and friend of several team members Michael Elliott. He was diagnosed with Telangiectatic Osteosarcoma, an aggressive bone cancer, in early 2015.

Third baseman Alex Clark, who helped raise support, first met Elliott when they played together on a 10-andunder travel baseball team. They have been close ever since. When Clark found out about Elliott’s diagnosis, he was shocked.

“Hearing that Michael was diagnosed with cancer, my first reaction was disbelief,” Clark said. “I couldn’t believe that one my close friends could have his life completely changed just like that.”

After processing the devastating news, Clark took action. He sent out an email to teammates, coaches and parents to raise awareness about Elliott’s situation.

After sending the email, he began collecting donations.

“I had tremendous support from all members of the Whitman baseball community, along with support from my baseball friends at other schools,” Clark said.

Clark isn’t the only team member who is friendly with Elliott. Second baseman Andrew Cashmere and pitcher Sam Berson met him on an eighth-grade summer league baseball team managed by Whitman baseball coach Joe Cassidy.

Cassidy originally told Clark about Elliott’s illness, but he never imagined the result would be a student-run fundraiser.

“I honestly only suggested that I thought it would be a

Second baseman Andrew Cashmere and right fielder Danny Mills sport red wrisbands during the Vikings’ game against Wootton. Though the Vikes prevailed in the matchup, they also honored Wootton catcher Michael Eliiot in a ceremony.

nice gesture if we got a card,” Cassidy said.

He was impressed with the initiative his players took to support and raise money for Elliott, especially since one of his own family members recently faced a similar situation, Cassidy added.

“This was one of the times when what team he’s on doesn’t matter; what matters is that we show our support and help him get through this” -Centerfielder Eric Wayman “I was amazed … I knew firsthand, it’s just nice to have people reach out and let you know they’re thinking about you,” he said.

The baseball team also provided moral support for Elliott. In their game against Wootton Apr. 22, the Vikings

wore red armbands with Elliott’s number on them. The mothers of players Tyler Hwang and Andrew and Patrick Cashmere made the bands, which were passed on to the Wootton players after the game.

“I loved the idea,” centerfielder Eric Wayman said.

“This was one of the times when what team he’s on doesn’t matter; what matters is that we show our support and help him get through this.”

After the game, the Vikings presented the donations to the Wootton baseball coach, who later gave them to Elliott and his family.

The fundraiser was an opportunity for players to recognize how supportive a team can be off the field.

“It made me realize that teammates will always pick each other up in any situation,” shortstop Ian Atkinson said.

As for Elliott, his prognosis is positive, and Clark believes Elliott will be an inspiration to the community.

“He is one of the strongest people I know, and he’ll become a role model for a lot of people,” Clark said.