The Black & White Vol. 54 Issue 2

volume 54, Issue 2 October 28, 2015

Walt whitman High school

7100 whittier boulevard

Bethesda, maryland 20817

theblackandwhite.net

Alternative college app to open for students starting next year

by Jason Grill

Seniors sweep Battle of the Classes Senior Noah Abramowitz grimaces during tug-of-war as senior Colin Sullivan cheers him on at Battle of the Classes Oct. 20.

Check out the back page for a collage of photos from Homecoming Week. Photo by TOMAS CASTRO

Cheating in the classroom: a look at the how’s and why’s

by Rachel Friedman and Jennah Haque

Y

ou have a history reading guide due every day this week, you’ve only annotated one chapter of Lord of the Flies and the chemistry solubility rules are becoming one giant blur. How will you get it all done?

Cheat.

In the face of academic stress, a large majority of students resorts to cheating. In a poll given earlier this month to 240 Whitman English students across all grade and course levels, 78 percent of students said they had cheated on homework and 52 percent on a test.

Because of these overwhelming numbers, teachers have enacted measures to combat both creative and traditional methods of cheating.

Once your test is over and the bell rings, you join the huddle of kids whispering carefully outside the classroom. Inside, the teacher stares through the window in the door. Later, he notices the kids in third period are mysteriously performing better than first period. What does he do?

He gets creative.

Several teachers set up dividers between students, some crack

down on skipping the period of the test and some require students to put their backpacks in the front of the room. Making different forms of tests prevents cheating within a class and within groups of friends.

At lunch, you find your best friend, who’s lucky enough to have the test during eighth period. You know the drill: You recall every question and every topic you can remember from the test, and your friend thinks she’s staring at a 100 percent. But this time your teacher is one step ahead.

Changing the test as the day goes on helps prevent a “trickle down” effect.

“Let’s say I give a test first period, as soon as they walk out the door, they’re talking about it,” math teacher Jim Kuhn said, calling the situation “an unfair advantage.”

“I’m just trying to create a fair playing field,” he said.

Thirty-eight percent of students said they’ve found out what’s on a test before taking it.

One common tool against plagiarism is turnitin.com, for which Whitman pays $6,000 a year, principal Alan Goodwin said. Students turn their assignments in to the web-

site, which checks for originality.

Some teachers take preemptive action a step further.

Science teacher Sean Reid is careful to check the floor area around students and clears their calculators before tests. He also checks the outside of calculators for formulas and other writing.

“I think you have to really be careful about the spacing of desks when students are testing,” Reid said. “This allows you to tell the difference between simple movements and attempts of cheating.”

Preventive measures are as extreme or minimal as teachers see fit in order to protect academic integrity, he said.

Some teachers place their faith in students’ morals.

“I tend to trust people,” social studies teacher Kirk Shipley said. “I like to think that there’s a mutual respect, where I’m going to trust you not to cheat, and you’re going to trust me to teach and care about you.”

Many students aren’t particularly good at cheating, Shipley finds. continued on pages

Q&A with U.S. Tresaurer Rosie Gumataotao Rios Page 6

continued on page

Talking Barbie: cute doll or artificial intelligence?

Page 7

2

Girls tennis division champs, best season since 2011

by Ezra Pine

The last time the girls tennis team beat the rival Wootton Patriots, RGIII was a potential Heisman candidate, Tim Tebow was a starting quarterback in the NFL and the NBA was in a lockout.

When the Vikings defeated the Patriots 4–3 for the first time since 2011 in their fifth match this season, they left one clear message to the rest of the county: they’re here to stay.

“The Wootton match set the tone for the rest of the season,” coach Jasen Gohn said. “They hadn’t lost a match in nearly three years. That let everyone know we’re an elite team.”

Gohn, who didn’t coach last year while on paternity leave, started coaching the girls team in 2013. He has also coached boys tennis for thirteen years and counting.

Under his leadership, the team downed all of its opponents. In half of the team’s matches, they won 7–0. They boasted a 12–0 record in the regular season, their first undefeated season since 2011.

Seniors Miranda Tompkins, Emily Myers and Anna Marcus have played on the team for four years. Ending their high school careers on a historic note made for an especially exciting season, one Tompkins called “awesome”.

The team got a huge boost with the addition of first singles player Carina Greenberg, who lost only two matches during the season. Greenberg, who moved from Texas this year, has proved herself to be one of the top singles players in the state. continued on page

Inside Look MCPS high schools to install solar panels Page 3

8 and 9

Starting next year, the Common Application will have some competition when it comes to how students to apply to college. A coalition of colleges and universities is offering a new application.

This application through the Coalition website will allow students to collect assignments they’ve completed throughout high school and collaborate with counselors, teachers and college admissions officers on an online platform.

The application was created by the Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success, a group of 83 schools, including all of the Ivy League schools, the University of Maryland and several other top public and private universities., The new application process is an effort to decrease inequality in college admissions and increase the ability of schools to personalize their applications.

Right now, a majority of high-achieving, low-income students don’t apply to elite schools, reported a 2012 study by the National Bureau of Economic Research The coalition hopes to change this.

“We want to send a strong message that college is affordable, that they can be successful, and that the top schools in the country want students like them,” the coalition explains on their website.

Though the application won’t be fully released until this summer, many features are already known. One of the most notable is an online “locker,” where students can store assignments and projects they’ve completed throughout high school, which they can then use as part of their application. These materials could take the place of the supplemental essays that many schools require, or they could serve as an inspiration to students when they answer application questions, the coalition suggests.

Rockville thrift store provides jobs for the mentally ill Page 10

Washington Capitals spends day with crew team Page 13

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2

News

October 28, 2015

PSAT provides important look into new SAT format

By Tessa Klein

This year, students didn’t need to study vocab words like harbinger, lachrymose or epicure for the PSAT. Students who took the test Oct. 14 acquired valuable insight into what the revised SAT will be like when it’s offered for the first time this March. Overall, sophomores and juniors who took the PSAT said they appreciated most of the changes reflected in the test.

Several of the changes will make the SAT more similar to the ACT, which has become a serious competitor with the SAT in recent years. In the nation’s class of 2015, 200,000 more students took the ACT than the SAT, based on statistics from the College Board and ACT websites.

“I’m taking the ACT, and [the PSAT] was the exact same test,” junior Justin Azmoodeh said. “The questions completely mirrored the ACT.” One of the most significant changes to the PSAT was taking out the penalty for guessing incorrectly.

“I like the new style. I definitely like that you’re not penalized for a wrong answer,” junior Jenna York said. “If you know you’re not sure of an answer, you can still put something down and it’s just neutral.”

Additionally, with the removal of challenging vocabulary words, students are relieved that they don’t need to memorize the definitions of complicated, infrequentlyused words.

“The writing section was the same as the ACT and there was not vocab out of context, which was really nice,” junior Emily Zitner said.

However, students didn’t love every change. Multiplechoice questions that asked students to justify previous

answers were frustrating because answering the first question incorrectly automatically meant getting both wrong, junior Nathaniel Dwyer said.

The math section on the new SAT is also thought to be harder than it was in past years.

“The old test you could get around with a weaker understanding of the content and use a bunch of strategies to find the right answer, whereas the new test you really need to know your content and you can’t get around all the questions by using your strategies,” math test prep teacher Amy Hunt said.

The PSAT math section tested students on concepts they hadn’t yet been taught and required more time to complete than was provided, some students said. How-

ever, others found the absence of tricks actually made the math easier, or at least comparable to that of past PSATs. Because the PSAT doesn’t include an essay section, students have yet to try out the new SAT essay. However, the redesigned essay will be an asset to the new SAT, English test prep teacher Ryan Derenberger said. The old essay asked students to take a stance on an issue based on a given excerpt, while the new one instructs them to analyze an author’s argument.

“The best aspect to the new SAT is the new essay prompt,” Derenberger said. “It’s far more analytical and far more valuable in what we can assess with it than the old SAT essay. It’s going to tell us a lot about a student’s ability levels as opposed to the current one which is a very broad opinion-based essay.”

Although the essay wasn’t on the PSAT, the test still provides a good model for the SAT. For the first time, students can choose to release their PSAT scores to Khan Academy, an organization that posts educational lessons online, and can use the site to study for the SAT using personalized prep work based on the questions they got wrong on the PSAT. The Khan Academy program is part of a movement by the College Board to remove the advantage of wealthier students who can afford expensive test prep. Khan Academy provides a free and easily accessible online tool to get ready for both the PSAT and the SAT. Overall, the College Board’s efforts to make their tests more clear and direct seem to have been largely successful in the eyes of students.

“In past SATs, the questions tried to trick you and get

Montessori school to move to Whittier Woods in November by naomi meron director Ellie Lichtash said. He-

Whittier Woods will soon have some new young residents.

Alef Bet, a Jewish Montessori school, will welcome 18 monthold through 12-year-old children starting Nov. 30. The school will occupy the part of Whittier Woods formerly held by Petals Child Development Center. It will remain there until August 2017, when the classrooms will be incorporated into Whitman to accommodate increased enrollment.

Alef Bet won’t replace the preschool that collaborates with the Child Development program, but will offer similar SSL hours and student internship opportunities for all students starting this January.

“We are thrilled to build a relationship with the high school and collaborate with the child development program,” Alef Bet

brew will be used at Alef Bet, but interns won’t need to know Hebrew, she said.

At least 55 children will move to the new facility, but with room in the building to expand, Alef Bet hopes to recruit more families, Lichtash said.

Alef Bet integrates traditional Montessori curricula with Judaic studies and Hebrew immersion, Lichtash added.

Children in Montessori schools use hands-on materials to learn both academic and work skills.

While students are encouraged to develop their imaginations, they don’t engage in pretend play or imaginary games, child development teacher Marjorie Eiserike said.

“They learn how to respect and take care of authentic materials,” she said. “They cut real food.

Children do arts & crafts in the Montessori school. At least 55 children will move to Whittier woods once the program moves in this November. Photo courtesy STEFFI FRIEDMAN

Wash real dishes. Pour their own juice out of real glass pitchers.”

The building service team is finishing improvements to the space to prepare classrooms for

the new tenants, principal Alan Goodwin said.

Toddler facilities must follow special zoning and childcare regulations, so smoke detectors are

continued from page

‘Locker’ icon by Kelly Carnes, from thenounproject.com ‘People’ icon by Wilson Joseph, from thenounproject.com

Common App gains competitor in new ‘Coalition’ addition 1

Colleges will be able to personalize their application by requiring that certain materials and items be in a student’s online locker. For example, schools can require a video created by the applicant be in their locker.

The coalition is also a “collaboration platform” which will offer an opportunity for students, teachers, counselors and college admissions officers to edit and give feedback on a student’s application.

“If it is more robust than the Common Application, allowing students to tailor their answers to individual colleges more than they can now, the coalition’s new app may be the way to go,” said Emily Wolper, director of college admissions and counseling for Private Prep, a tutoring and college counseling company.

Schools in the coalition that currently accept the Common App will continue to do so and won’t show preference for one over the other.

“Just as students can choose to take the SAT or ACT, they can choose to use the Common Application or the Coalition Application,” said Greg Roberts, Dean of Undergraduate Admissions at the University

of Virginia.

The coalition’s website says the participating schools were brought together by rising inequality in higher education, but some believe that they first assembled to provide students and colleges with an alternative to the Common App in case of technical malfunctions. Two years ago the Common App website glitched and forced dozens of schools to push back their application deadlines.

“Later that fall, the core group of the schools we now know as ‘the coalition’ got together to consider possible solutions and ways that they could avoid this type of problem in the future,” Wolper said.

The coalition explains the requirements for membership on their website. Schools need to have a six year graduation rate of at least 70 percent to ensure they are promoting the coalition’s goal of educational success.

For public universities, the coalition has to deem the schools’ tuition costs “relatively low” for in-state students. If the school is private, then it must meet 100 percent of a student’s demonstrated financial need.

Not every coalition school will begin

being installed in napping rooms, playground equipment is being made safer and windows are being tested to make sure they can open and close easily.

The building’s exterior is also getting a fresh coat of paint to avoid rusting.

“There is fresh paint and clean floors inside the building and a feeling of a new beginning,” Lichtash said.

The school will provide a more in-depth illustration of the Montessori methods for child development students who only learn about it in class.

“I’m excited the new tenant is a Montessori school,” Eiserike said.

“We learn about it in theory, but unless students have an internship at a Montessori school, they don’t really have an opportunity to be involved in it.”

accepting the new application next year; some will wait a year or two so they can see how it plays out. The University of Virginia plans to accept the application in 2017 or 2018, Roberts said.

Wolper has her doubts about the coalition’s success.

“Students who are already very anxious about the admissions process could become even more so, while those students who the coalition is trying to serve may not

know about the new platform or may not have sufficient guidance about how best to use it,” Wolper said.

Participating colleges, however, are hopeful that the new application will allow them to meet their goals.

“The impact on college access is still unknown,” Roberts said, “though we hope that colleges like UVA will be more accessible to underserved students.”

News

october 28, 2015

3

Math teachers struggle to adapt to Curriculum 2.0

Strange new curriculum, faster pace pose challenges for teachers, students

By Naomi Meron

For Algebra II teachers, Curriculum 2.0 is frustration raised to the nth power.

The new curriculum, which started this year, attempts to provide students with a deeper understanding of math by making sure they can identify patterns, use math in real-world situations and reason abstractly, according to an MCPS Curriculum 2.0 brochure.

With Curriculum 2.0’s implementation, five more teachers must cope with the same type of pacing and sequencing issues that plagued Geometry classes last year and Algebra I classes the year before when their curriculums were also updated.

“To be honest, I think we’re really struggling,” math resource teacher Russ Rushton said.

Figuring out how to pace the new course is the biggest challenge for teachers, especially since they didn’t receive the entire curriculum before school started. Teachers are having trouble judging which topics they should focus on and which ones they should review more quickly, math teacher Amy Hunt said.

Over the past two years, each new math curriculum has included far more information than there was time for in the year, Rushton said.

“I’ve been telling my teachers that we’re going to have to condense our lessons because it’s likely that this year’s

course will be overwritten by at least one-to-two weeks,” he said.

Grading is also changing. Unit tests are being replaced by shorter, more frequent quizzes that account for 90 percent of students’ grades. After this year teachers may make adjustments and provide cumulative unit tests, Hunt said.

“Without cumulative assessments, you don’t really get to see whether students have mastered the big picture” - math teacher David Rosen “Without cumulative assessments, you don’t really get to see whether students have mastered the big picture,” math teacher David Rosen said.

Testing small sections of material also fails to prepare students for college and is detrimental to students taking standardized tests, math teacher Michelle Holloway said. In college, students often have two cumulative tests per semester, and standardized tests usually cover math learned over three years, she said.

While she thinks the curriculum needs work, Hollo-

way admires the county’s attempt to get students to think at a higher level. Instead of just giving students a formula, they now derive it, she said.

Even so, she’s frustrated because the curriculum leaves students lacking basic math skills.

“They introduce too many lofty topics without any drill and practice, and there’s no muscle memory,” Holloway said.

The sequencing of topics also appears illogical in places, Rosen said. Sometimes, old topics that students don’t remember are brought back without sufficient, he said.

“It’s putting the cart before the horse,” Rushton said.

On a positive note, the new curriculum allows teachers to work closely with each other, Rushton said. There’s no class textbook for Algebra I, Algebra II or Geometry, so teachers can collaborate to create appropriate worksheets and materials, Rushton said.

While it may take time, Holloway hopes that teachers will figure out the kinks in the curriculum.

“It’s hard for the county to roll out a new curriculum,” Holloway said. “It’s bold. It’s risky. I don’t feel like I’m giving the students my best instruction, because it’s not my instruction anymore. It’s definitely going to take time for each teacher to put his own spin on it.”

Whitman, other MCPS schools to add solar panels

by Mary Dimitrov

Eight MCPS schools, including Whitman, are going solar this year; construction on the first wave of 2.8 megawatt solar panels began Oct.14.

The first four sets of solar panels are currently being installed at Watkins Mill, Sherwood, Sligo Middle School and Redland Middle School, and will be completed

by Dec. 31. Whitman, Clarksburg High School, Roberto Clemente Middle School and Fields Road Middle School, are set to receive panels in January. SunEdison, America’s largest renewable energy development company, is funding and overseeing the project.

In total, the solar panels throughout the county are expected to save about $200,000 every year in energy costs, and avoid more than 5 million pounds of carbon dioxide emission, according to the SunEdison website.

While the plans for the project have already been created, MCPS officials haven’t finalized their decisions for the second wave of schools. Although the panels should be installed at Whitman in January, the plan depends on when current roof construction is finished.

“The construction of solar panels on the last four schools are highly tentative because of things such as roofing concerns,” MCPS Energy Program Manager Sheila Plank said.

Solar panels save energy by converting sunlight into electricity, which funnels into the school’s electrical system, reducing the overall consumption of electricity.

“We have so much sun exposure on Whitman’s roof, so it makes sense to use [solar panels],” science teacher Kelly Garton said.

While SunEdison will pay for the installation, construction and maintenance

of the solar panels, MCPS must still cover electricity costs. SunEdison will give MCPS a reduced rate for electricity costs.

“SunEdison has a long and successful track record helping school districts across the U.S. save money with solar,” Steve Raeder, SunEdison’s East Coast Managing Director said in a statement.

If any school roofing issues occur, the county will be responsible for removing and replacing the panels, fixing the roof and then paying the owner of the panels the amount of money lost from the panels being inactive. Schools that tend not to have roofing issues were chosen based on the age of the roof, placement of the building, amount of other equipment already on the roof and shading.

SunEdison, a California company, has partnered with Rockville’s Standard Solar to help install and maintain the panels.

“Standard Solar’s collaboration with

SunEdison is a win-win,” Standard Solar’s chief executive officer Tony Clifford said when the project was announced.

“The MCPS system receives local Efficient Power Conservation expertise, and Standard Solar gets access to SunEdison’s world class financing, high-efficiency solar panels, construction capital and management expertise.”

Students and staff can monitor the project and learn about weather information and environmental benefits of the new solar panels on SunEdison’s website.

The website puts data into easily comprehensible graphs, charts and maps so school communities can stay involved with the project.

“My students would definitely be interested in the solar panels and visit the website,” Garton said. “I’m all for anything that can reduce Whitman’s carbon footprint as long as it’s cost effective.”

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October 28, 2015

October 28, 2015

opinion

5

Mandatory finance course could prove beneficial to students

By TAnusha Mishra

Students can find the derivative of a function and recite the periodic table, but how many know how to file taxes, manage credit or invest in the stock market?

Personal finance, a single-semester class, should be made mandatory so students are at least introduced to these fundamental financial skills.

The course, which covers topics like saving, credit and investing, is currently offered as an elective.

Students set financial goals, develop personal spending plans and examine economic systems “for the successful management of their personal finances,” according to the course syllabus.

If made a graduation requirement, these skills would prove as useful as an algebra class.

Young people benefit from financial literacy. The earlier students are taught about debt, savings and credit, the less likely they are to struggle with debt in the future, North Carolina’s school chief, June Atkinson, wrote in the Huffington Post in 2012. A lack of financial knowledge is even more detrimental to the less financially literate, resulting in higher fees on loans and higher interest rates, reported one analysis of debt literacy.

High school is the ideal time to learn about managing money, since paying for college often requires a loan. Forty million Americans have

student debt, but many don’t have much—if any—financial knowledge before making such commitments, the Nation Association of Social Workers found. Forty-one percent of former students with loan payments are struggling to make them, according to Boston College research.

If students achieve financial literacy before they graduate, they should be able to make more informed decisions on debt.

In fact, most undergraduates wanted more education on financial management, according to a 2009 study by Sallie Mae, a student loan provider.

To help fit the class into student schedules, personal finance could be combined with another single-semester course like health, a requirement, or international business, an elec-

tive. It could also be offered online, as health and foundations of technology are. The federal government has recently created several online resources to teach personal finance to students; mymoney.gov is one.

The Maryland Legislature considered making the class a requirement, but the idea was abandoned due to budget concerns and an estimated cost of $16.4 million in fiscal year 2017, according to one estimate.

But schools already have business and math teachers, who are qualified to teach personal finance, principal Alan Goodwin counters. Maryland includes economic education in its K-12 standards and requires districts to implement them. Many schools, like Whitman, already offer personal finance classes. Offering an online version of the course will lower costs as well.

Maryland’s Department of Education should make one-semester, stand-alone personal finance classes mandatory, following the lead of Utah, Missouri, Tennessee and Virginia. Another 20 states require students to take courses that include personal finance instruction.

The Maryland Department of Education should prioritize financial literacy, despite the cost. If it becomes a requirement, students will be able to apply for a loan as expertly as they can construct a five paragraph essay.

cartoon by SEBI SOLA-SOLE

Staff Editorial The early bird gets the spot Last year, the sight of the tow truck entering the parking lot cued a slew of students running to move their cars.

But this semester the tow truck will hardly be necessary because students no longer have assigned spots. Instead, they can park anywhere in the student section of the lot as long as they have a parking pass.

The security team changed its strategy this year to reduce towing and spot-stealing, security assistant James Patterson said.

This new first-come, first-serve parking policy is better for students. The former policy assigned specific spots to students based on whether they had abbreviated schedules, disabilities, after-school activities or special circumstances, like living far away from the school, security head Cherisse Milliner said.

But these spot numbers were faded and hardly visible. Students accidentally took others’ spots or stole spots if they didn’t get a parking pass or wanted a better spot.

The new parking policy gives students an incentive to come to school earlier to get a better parking spot, spreading out the morning traffic.

The new parking policy, however, doesn’t change the price tag. Students still have to pay $37.50 to get a parking pass, which will go to the athletic department.

The towing policy is still in effect for students who park in the lot without a pass, with a hefty fee of $175 to Montrose Towing in Rockville.

The parking lot debate is slowly coming to a close.

This new method of circulating parking spaces is a major improvement from the former policy, and the administration and security deserve credit for recognizing and solving the problem.

It’s time to switch the way we switch out of classes

by Anna McGuire

Each winter, optimistic students organize their schedules for the following year, signing up for several AP and honors classes, only to realize at the beginning of the next school year that they bit off more than they could chew.

These students may want to switch to a different class, but are barred from doing so because they haven’t yet been given any major assignments yet and are unable to judge the rigor of the course.

This leaves students stranded in demanding classes, waiting for a grade and wondering if they’re in

the right level.

Teachers should give a major assignment and hand it back to students well before the deadline for switching (typically five weeks after the start of school) to let students make informed decisions about their schedules.

Substantial assignments, like unit tests or essays, require students to review and apply the concepts covered in the class.

It isn’t enough to just give small quizzes or assignments, because they don’t give students an accurate depiction of the difficulty of the material.

This was the case with junior Brian Fisher, who waited until he earned a major grade before thinking about switching classes. Fisher didn’t drop out of his AP Physics class until two days before the deadline because his teacher didn’t return his test until then. His new class, AP Environmental Science, is a better fit, but the last-minute schedule switch required him to make up two tests his classmates had already completed, he said.

Students that switch after the deadline also risk having a dropped class appear on their

transcript, which some colleges view poorly, guidance counselor Kari Wislar said.

The lack of a consistent grading policy also creates problems for students. In some cases, moving to a different class clears the student’s academic record for the class, leaving them with a fresh start. But, in other cases, like in the English department, grades transfer between classes. Whitman needs to establish a consistent policy regarding switching classes so students are aware of the potential consequences of switching.

Creating and grading early assignments might take time and put pressure on both students and teachers to move through material quickly at the beginning of the year. But giving even just one assignment early ultimately benefits everyone involved by ensuring students are in the class appropriate for their skill level.

Teachers need to prioritize assigning and grading assignments early in the quarter to help students succeed in whatever class they choose.

Volume 54, Issue 2 2015-2016

The Black & White is published five 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.

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6

opinion

Bye-Bye, Mr. Hamilton by tanusha mishra

What do Mike Huckabee’s wife, former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and Mother Teresa all have in common?

Stumped?

In the second Republican presidential debate, candidates proposed each of these women as possible faces for the $10 bill.

When asked what woman should replace Alexander Hamilton on the $10 bill, Ben

Carson, Donald Trump and Mike Huckabee all wanted their relatives commemorated on the national currency. Three candidates, including Trump, suggested Rosa Parks, while others proposed Abigail Adams, Susan B. Anthony, Clara Barton, Mother Teresa and Margaret Thatcher.

Carly Fiorina wanted the bill to remain the same, saying, “It’s a gesture. I don’t think it helps to change our history. What

I would think is that we ought to recognize that women are not a special interest group. Women are the majority of this nation.”

Regardless, the Treasury Department plans to redesign the bill. The theme of the search is democracy; their website states that the woman who is featured should be iconic and have made a significant impact on protecting the freedoms on which our

october 28, 2015

nation was founded.

The only requirement is that the candidate is a deceased American female. Sadly, Mike Huckabee’s wife, Margaret Thatcher and Mother Teresa all violate these three prerequisites.

There are thousands of American women who merit recognition for dedicating their lives to selfless causes. Here are three ideas:

Sojourner Truth (c. 1797 – 1883) Born into slavery under the name Isabella, Truth became a preacher and human rights advocate after escaping slavery. She traveled the country and fought for the abolition of slavery, women’s rights and prison reform,

among other civil rights issues. In 1828, she became the first black woman to defeat a white man in court. Truth belongs on the $10 bill—she spoke out against injustice and set a revolutionary legal precedent.

Jane Addams (1860 – 1935) Addams was a dedicated feminist, pacifist and social worker and the first American woman to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. She co-founded Hull House, a settlement home in Chicago that provided services like child care and education to immigrants in poor urban areas. In 1915, Addams be-

came chair of the Women’s Peace Party and later served as president of the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom. Addams was a social worker before the term was coined; she deserves to be recognized for her impact on American society.

Harriet Tubman (c. 1822 – 1913) Tubman escaped slavery in 1849, leaving Maryland for freedom in Philadelphia.

She then became a “conductor” on the Underground Railroad, leading about three hundred slaves to freedom over the course of 19 trips.

Tubman was also the first woman to lead an armed

Q&A photo illustrations by ABBY SINGER

expedition in American history: The Combahee River Raid during the Civil War that emancipated about 750 slaves in South Carolina.

Tubman repeatedly risked her life to save others from enslavement and was an icon of freedom, perfectly fitting into the new bill’s theme.

U.S. Treasurer Rosie Gumataotao Rios talks about new female face of $10 bill

The new $10 bill will be unveiled in 2020, the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which gave women the right to vote. The Treasury is conducting a social media campaign inviting Americans to propose candidates using the hashtag #TheNew10. The Black & White talked with U.S. Treasurer and Whitman parent Rosie Gumataotao Rios about the new bill and the process of finding the new face. Responses have been edited for length and clarity.

Black & White: What is the process for deciding who will be the new face?

Rosie Gumataotao Rios: By law, the Secretary of the Treasury has the ultimate authority regarding currency design. The only legal criteria for any person to be considered on currency is that they must be deceased.

This project has been a dream of mine for almost seven years, starting with my time during the financial crisis while I served on the Treasury/Federal Reserve Transition Team in the fall of 2008.

Both [former] Secretary Timothy Geithner and Secretary Jack Lew have taken a personal interest in supporting this effort.

B&W: How much weight will be given to public opinion?

RGR: The decision will be based on the feedback we received through many communication channels. In June of this year, the Treasury launched a public engagement process and has received feedback from people not just in the United States, but from all over the world.

To date, we have heard from millions of members of the public including historians, educators, private citizens and other stakeholders via roundtable discussions, town halls, written and electronic correspondence and social media, including a dedicated Splash Page. The public engagement process allowed us to fully consider influential and transformational historic women who best represent the theme of democracy and our values.

B&W: Will the social media campaign and hashtag truly affect the final decision?

RGR: We absolutely understand the value of social media, and by definition, democracy encourages all voices to be heard. This is the first time in the history of any administration that a special social media portal was created to receive and provide almost real-time postings from Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. This Splash Page is still actively soliciting comments and even when the process is completed, the historical information will remain accessible for the foreseeable future at new10.treasury.gov.

B&W: For how long will the old version of the bill remain in circulation?

RGR: The Federal Reserve is responsible for determining when an old note is taken out of circulation. In general, all notes are destroyed when they are no longer deemed “fit.”

Historically, when a new design is issued, the notes with the old design will co-circulate for a period of time as determined by the Federal Reserve, based on a number of factors including the orders that are received by financial institutions.

B&W: Who would you personally like to see on the new bill?

RGR: I would love to provide specific names, but cannot do so. We learned about hundreds and hundreds of amazing women who have made great contributions to the history of this country. But my big hope is that these discussions do not end with this process. This is not about one woman or 10 or 100.

This is a much larger conversation that needs to continue at our dinner tables, in our classrooms and in the workplace as we look beyond currency design to honor the contributions that women have made to our history, continue to make today and will continue to inspire the women of tomorrow.

Stay tuned as we take this next step towards our historical and hopefully transformational announcement.

october 28, 2015

7

Opinion

Continue funding for Planned Parenthood

by Anna McGuire and Natachi Onwuamaegbu

The Silver Spring Planned Parenthood office was bare and cramped. Three women in their early 20s sat as a man tapped away at his phone.

This bleak office saves lives, but it’s in danger of losing funding.

The Women’s Public Health and Safety Act, recently passed by the House of Representatives, gives states the ability to choose which organizations can receive state funding via Medicaid, which helps the poor. Similarly, the Defund Planned Parenthood Act, also passed by the House, will stop all federal funding to the organization for a year. Both of these bills will next move within the next year onto the Senate and, if passed, will be sent to President Obama.

The government shouldn’t pass these bills into law because they would prevent nearly 2.7 million Americans from accessing vital health services.

This legislation passed in part due to a recent video that depicted a Planned Parenthood official discussing the sale of aborted fetal tissue for profit, an action that violates federal law. Many Republican representatives still use this as their primary evidence against Planned Parenthood despite serious doubts about the credibility of this and other undercover videos.

Q&A

by Anna McGuire and Natachi Onwuamaegbu

Congresswoman Diane Black (R-TN) has been an active advocate against Planned Parenthood during her congressional career. For the past five years, Black has consistently voted for legislation that supports her “pro-life” beliefs. She introduced the Defund Planned Parenthood Act in the House of Representatives, which was passed Sept. 18. If signed into law, the legislation will cut all federal funding to Planned Parenthood for one year. The Black & White talked to Black’s press secretary, Jonathan Frank, about the Congresswoman’s beliefs concerning Planned Parenthood.

Responses have been edited for clarity and length.

The Black & White: How does Congresswoman Black balance her beliefs as

Republicans also want to defund Planned Parenthood because the organization supports abortions. In truth, the federal government defunding Planned Parenthood won’t actually affect the amount of abortions performed.

In accordance with the Hyde Amendment of 1976, the federal government can’t legally fund abortions except when using Medicaid in the cases of rape, incest or to protect the life of the mother.

For the past century, Planned Parenthood has been committed to improving the health and safety of both American women and men by providing contraceptive services, funding research on birth control and educating the public. Planned Parenthood’s main goal is to increase access to family planning in the U.S. and around the world, according to the organization’s website.

Planned Parenthood is one of the nation’s largest providers of contraceptives. Thirtysix percent of women who obtained contraceptives in 2013-2014 received them from a Planned Parenthood center, the Guttmacher Institute reported.

Along with providing contraception and health care to adults, Planned Parenthood helps teenagers. Students who choose to become sexually active may be afraid to talk to their parents, leading them to avoid contraception altogether. Planned Parenthood pro-

vides an alternative, allowing teenagers to access birth control, STD tests, pregnancy tests and general health exams without parental consent and with guaranteed confidentiality.

Planned Parenthood also provides another vital resource in keeping teenagers safe: education. Planned Parenthood Maryland offers a weekly clinic specifically for teens, as well as a monthly class run by teenagers that educates their peers about staying safe in relationships.

Cutting funding, even only for a year, could prevent these classes from being held in the future.

Doctors at Planned Parenthood conduct pap smears and human papillomavirus tests to screen for cervical cancer and offer the HPV vaccine to females and males ages 9-26. About 80 percent of sexually active people will get HPV, which can lead to cervical cancer in women if left untreated. By cutting support for Planned Parenthood, the government only increases the likelihood that in the future, these viruses will go undetected and untreated.

Claiming to be “pro-life,” many Republicans challenge Planned Parenthood by saying the organization performs abortions. Representative Diane Black (R-TN), who introduced the Defund Planned Parenthood Act, told Breitbart News that 94 percent of services performed by Planned Parenthood are abortions. But according to the Washington Post Fact Checker, only 15-37 percent of services performed by Planned Parenthood are abortions.

Cutting financial support to Planned Parenthood only will puts more lives at risk. The Senate should vote against both these bills when given the opportunity to protect the safety of millions of Americans.

Rep. Diane Black’s press secretary Jonathan Frank on Planned Parenthood a woman with her beliefs about Planned Parenthood?

Jonathan Frank: Congresswoman Black believes that Planned Parenthood isn’t empowering to women, it’s actually deceitful to women. She sees that this is an organization that doesn’t present all of the options and you can see that abortion on demand is the centerpiece of their organization. Actually, 94 percent of pregnancy services at Planned Parenthood are abortions, and we know from their own annual report they perform almost 327,000 abortions each year all while receiving almost $500 million [annually] in taxpayer funding. In Congressman Black’s view, that is not women’s health.

B&W: What factors led Congresswoman Black to introduce the Defund Planned Parenthood Act? JF: Beginning this July, we saw the release of 10 undercover videos implicating Planned Parenthood in the sale of illegal

tissue, and when you look at these videos, there are multiple federal laws being called into question. Congresswoman Black introduced this legislation that puts a one year moratorium on Planned Parenthood, and what we want= to make sure that we get across is Congresswoman Black’s bill doesn’t cut a single dime on public health spending. It actually increases funding for women’s health by $235,000,000, but we reroute that money away from Planned Parenthood to other community health centers.

In fact, there are more than 13,500 community health centers nationwide that are actually providing a broader range of services to women that could receive that funding instead of Planned Parenthood.

B&W: The U.S. Federal Government does not allow any funding given to Planned Parenthood to be used for abortions. With this in mind, why does Congresswoman Black support defunding?

JF: We know that is supposed to be law but we also know that money is fungible; it can be moved around. Every dollar that is given for the supposed purpose for family planning ensures that another dollar becomes available for the true mission of Planned Parenthood, which is abortion.

They are the largest abortion provider in the United States, and we don’t think this tax money should be used to support.

B&W: Many high school and college students turn to Planned Parenthood as a way of accessing contraceptives. What do you suggest these people turn to if Planned Parenthood is not longer an option?

JF: Every service provided by Planned Parenthood can be found at a community health center, a federally qualified health center, or a FQHC, or RHC’s, which are rural health centers. Every service provided by Planned Parenthood can be found at another one of these providers—except for abortion.

by sophia higgins

A recent article in the New York Times magazine by James Vlahos scared nearly everyone who saw it, as horror movie fans around the world gaped at their Chucky-style nightmares coming true.

This November, Mattel is set to release a talking Barbie. This doll, called Hello Barbie, is much more than the Chatty Cathy analogs who blurt out a few phrases like “I love you” or “I’m hungry!”

She’s full on AI, programmed with 8000 phrases to respond to kids’ interactions.

But why does this robot doll matter to you? I know I don’t play with dolls much anymore.

Robots, however, are a different story. The issue with artificial intelligence, Vlahos points out, is it creates a “third ontological category”—somewhere between machines and humans. Having AI dolls may change the way kids define emotion and consciousness.

Here’s how Hello Barbie works: voice recognition technology takes in kids’ remarks—looking for buzzwords to detect the tone; immediately, she connects

to a network of programmed phrases and forms an appropriate response. All this in less than a second.

The idea sounds a lot like our friend Siri, with one fundamental difference—Siri searches for one answer and rarely remembers or takes stock of previous conversations. Barbie, on the other hand, remembers your name and facts about your life. Her conversations can be modeled like a tree, with one point to start and myriad ways to branch off from the initial topic.

With such sophisticated conversations, there comes the question of whether Barbie is conscious, and whether she can truly think and have emotions.

Philosophers tend to define consciousness as subjective qualitative experience—that is, there is a unique experience of “what it’s like to be” a certain thing.

There’s an experience of what it’s like to be you, which is different from the experience of what it’s like to be me. But it’s likely that there is no unique experience of what it’s like to be a rolling pin.

So we declare that rolling pins are not conscious.

cartoon by SEBI SOLA-SOLE

When artificial intelligence overlaps with... Barbie?

But with robots like Barbie, the lines become far blurrier.

She’s more than a tool that we control. Of course, she’s limited to the 8,000 phrases programmed into her. But programming doesn’t inherently imply con-

trol, and lack of free will doesn’t necessarily indicate lack of consciousness.

So on the off-chance that robotic dolls like this are conscious to some extent, how do we approach interacting with them?

Such are the moral implications of Barbie—if she expresses preferences and feelings, we may start to treat her like a real person. Yes, her remarks come via a series of 1’s and 0’s. But kids are usually inclined to attribute emotion even to inanimate objects, so when a truly animate toy comes along, it’ll be tough to convince them that the talking doll is much different from the family dog.

Then there’s the issue of imagination. Vlahos points out critics’ notion that Barbie’s intelligence detracts from kids’ opportunity to imagine. Some shy kids might even embrace Barbie in lieu of making actual friends, which could be devastating when the doll inevitably breaks.

So do intelligent toys serve as convenient babysitters or tools for destruction of kids’ social skills? Tough call.

Either way, Hello Barbie has made it to the top of my Christmas list. That’ll make for some interesting family dinner conversations.

For further reading, look at Thomas Nagel’s essay “What is it like to be a bat?”

OCTOBER 28, 2015

8

in-de

the system continued from page

1

“I would say its effectiveness is pretty low,” Shipley said. “Somebody’s going to get a grade that they don’t deserve, but most of them will screw it up and not cheat correctly or they’re not going to learn anything and that will become apparent down the road.”

Not every teacher sees using outside resources or sharing programs as “cheating”. Math teacher Susan Wildstrom recommends students program formulas into their calculators for tests. She even lets students share programs.

“If you teach math at a deeper level of understanding, then the formulas are the least of what we’re asking,” she said. “Yeah, maybe I’m letting kids ‘cheat’.”

Perhaps more than anything else, students share their work: 88 percent of juniors admitted to cheating on homework.

“One of the things that Whitman students have generally done the most over the years is students copying each other’s homework, which is a real hard thing to control,” Goodwin said.

er himself that he realized the seriousness of what they had done.

“I started creating these bonds with students and really cared about them,” James said.

“I realized what a profound betrayal it was to cheat like that. I absolutely regret doing that.”

Why Whitman Cheats

Leaving the classroom, you feel guilty. But it was your only option—the pressure was too much. As you You walk into the room and sit down. With shaky try to push your guilt out of your mind, your teacher hands, you casually take out your cheat sheet and hide notices the crumpled piece of paper on the ground.

Teachers worry about academic integrity, it under your feet. Your teacher wouldn’t have done this but they also fear students think cheating is when he was your age, right?

One teacher said he helped a classmate by okay. Twenty-three percent of students think giving his responses to an English prompt to a cheating is acceptable.

“The one drawback of Whitman is that How Whitman Cheats friend, who copied them verbatim. They were kids are overly accepting of cheating,” science The night before the final, you text everyone in your both caught, but he wasn’t punished. class and post in the class Facebook group, but everyone is Another teacher wasn’t so lucky. After bring- teacher Kelly Garton said.

Even if a majority of students say they don’t as panicked as you. After hours of studying, you resort to ing a note sheet to her AP European History grabbing a clean sheet of paper and a number two pencil. exam, she was caught and got a zero. Luckily, consider cheating acceptable, most still cheat.

Students say test material doesn’t always You get to work on your cheat sheet. her father, who was a teacher at the school, never correspond with what is taught in class.

Meanwhile, your teacher is designing eight forms of the found out.

One junior said she cheated because she betest and hoping that’s enough.

“I was so embarrassed that I never did it lieved an assessment didn’t fairly test underTeachers try to limit cheating, but that hasn’t again,” she said. stopped students. Some go “old-fashioned,” usEnglish teacher Omari James recounted an standing of a particular unit.

“I didn’t feel guilty because my ability to ing cheat sheets with formulas or simply peek- experience when he and his classmates lied to a ing at other students’ tests. However, technol- substitute, saying they could work together on memorize formulas has no reflection on how ogy is the main catalyst of cheating’s evolution. an assessment. When the teacher came in the well I mastered the concepts and is an unfair Whether it’s as minor as telling friends over text next day, she was mortified by what they had expectation,” she said.

Not having enough study time is another what’s on a quiz or as extreme as taking pictures done and began sobbing during a lesson. common complaint. of a test and sending it around, cyber communiJames has vivid memories of the teacher claim“Teachers often don’t realize how much cation fosters forums for cheating. ing she couldn’t trust the students anymore. other work we have to do or the extracurricuStill, one of the most popular strategies is “I couldn’t understand why she was so upset lars we have,” she said. skipping class the day of a test and taking it later for years,” he said.

A senior said she to gain study time or learn the content, Goodwin It was only until he became a teachbegan cheating more said. in her junior year because she felt as t u o ab s se as cl if she couldn’t h lis g . 19 in 10 En ct O ll o p a balance rigored ct u d hite con

How their Teachers Cheated: Back in the Day

The Black & W the results: cheating. Here are

okay 5% think cheating is 2 s st te School-wide results on t ea ework - 69% ch rmation beforehand fo in t ou d fin % - 78% cheat on hom 0 3

in the last two weeks - 39% have cheated eeks ted in the last two w ea ch % 2 3 s Senior results st te on ework - 56% cheat - 81% cheat on hom eeks ted in the last two w ea ch % 5 6 s Junior results st te on ework - 66% cheat - 88% cheat on hom o weeks

st tw 6% cheated in the la 2 s Sophomore results st te on t ea ch ework - 21% - 64% cheat on hom

o weeks

ted in the last tw ea ch % 0 3 s Freshamn results st te on ework - 56% cheat - 69% cheat on hom

OCTOBER 28, 2015

epth

9

Why Whitman students say they cheat “I think that people forget that in addition to our school work, students, especially seniors, have a million things going on in our lives. Extracurriculars, family things, college apps, sometimes, we run out of time and energy. But the school system is relentless. We don’t get excused for any slip ups.”

- 12th grader

ous AP courses, standardized testing, varsity athletics and clubs—and she faced constant pressure from her parents to perform well.

“Parents need to be especially careful in helping their hard driving students,” said Liz Miller, a clinical social worker who diagnoses and treats patients with behavior or bio-psycho-social illnesses. “No parent wants to discover that their child is so stressed as to resort to cheating to get ahead.”

The line between what is and isn’t considered cheating is blurred. Some students have a difficult time determining what’s technically cheating, especially when copying homework, social studies teacher Greg Hebert said. Rather, they feel that they’re “working together.”

It’s late. You just finished your seemingly endless math homework and all you want is a good night’s sleep. With a sigh that signals defeat, you text your friend: “You have the history reading guide?”

Even though students may see copying homework as dishonest, they do it anyway because they find the extra work redundant, especially if it’s not graded for accuracy.

“I copy homework only if I already know the material, and if practice would have been a waste of time,” a senior said.

From a psychological point of view, students are more inclined to cheat if their friends cheat too.

The adolescent mind has a general need for rebelling or breaking the rules, psychiatrist Daniel Pine said. Surrounded by other peers who cheat, a snowball effect occurs. Students see these actions as acceptable and are inclined to follow suit.

In addition to parental and peer pressure, students deal with a school culture that puts an extreme emphasis on

“If you can get away with it then you’ve done nothing wrong.

In life you have to do whatever it takes to get ahead. Using your resources effectively is a necessary skill for life.”

- 11th grade

“I don’t cheat but I think that people who cheat are afraid of bad grades. Teachers don’t grade perseverance, but only how good it is.”

- 10th grader

grades—students cheat to perform well.

“Many students approach classes to achieve an ‘A,’ rather than to intellectually engage with a subject,” Miller said. “The school system reinforces this with a grades-heavy focus.”

Because high school students often measure success solely by grades, test scores and college admissions, heightened pressure to perform well pushes students to resort to unethical means.

“Teachers don’t grade perseverance, but only how good your work is,” a sophomore said.

This one-dimensional perception of intelligence is unhealthy, Miller said.

“I think the students need to continue to be encouraged to be more balanced across the spectrum, making time for academics, fun and relaxation,” she said.

While never mastering material or getting a zero on an assignment may not seem like a big deal, the long term effects of cheating extend beyond high school.

“It seems that once the moral barrier against cheating is broken, people find it easier to be deceptive into adulthood,” Miller said. “This may allow those people to ‘get ahead in life,’ but cheating often leaves them with a sense of emptiness that goes along with the knowledge that their success is not fully their own.”

You walk in the next day and on your desk is the crumpled piece of paper. In red ink, you see the words “See me after class”.

“When students don’t think that the material on a test is fair, cheating becomes more acceptable in their eyes.”

- 9th grader

Cheating Hall of Fame Pre-1990, the SMOB used his master key to open a locked closet and steal a rapidlearner precalculus final exam.

Students write on erasers, t-shirts, insides of calculators and shoes.

Math teacher Jim Kuhn once caught a student with derivatives written on the inside of his shoe.

Some tape information on a clear water bottle to be read from the opposite side.

s g a ring n i ow ande foll ing w e m , h r d f t ibite nfo ents, i o r h any pro nts o ssessm s e n e a e in utl rs wh sessm g of o s n elli ook h pee ling a s b d , n it m ea Ha g w t, st giaris t n i n e la rr en Par confe sm ion, p s d e n : t ass ple t A grity n n a m e e o g tud ic int rin fter c S u d a an em nics st itm acad e o h t r ct e W ns of the ork ele Th t f o o i w ou lat use ts ab ent’s vio r d s o den stu eye r stu f g o e oth copyin and

10

feature

october 28, 2015

More than just a resale store, Thrift Unlimited provides road to stability for workers by norell sherman

Jim Becker was 17 when he was first prescribed Thorazine, a medication for his paranoid schizophrenia.

“I went to pick it up at the drugstore, but I was scared to take the meds,” Becker said. “At that point in time, I wanted to stop using substances because I was addicted to drugs and alcohol, so I got in my parent’s car and drove away.”

In the years following his diagnosis, Becker was in and out of hospitals. Psychiatrists believed he was unfit to live on his own, until Becker was discharged from the hospital in 1989. Two years later, at age 33, he applied for a job at Thrift Unlimited—an action that would change his life.

Vintage clothing spills from the shelves, funky ties hang from rotating racks, and old radio sets cover the floor. This hand-medown heaven, Thrift Unlimited, has helped Becker navigate his recovery and find his place in his work and his personal life.

Formerly known as Upscale Resale, Thrift Unlimited is a community thrift store and nonprofit organization in Rockville that employs people who struggle with mental illness. Since 1991, this shop has been run by Jobs Unlimited Inc., a nonprofit directed by Whitman parent Meredith Bowers. The organization strives to create a safe working environment for people whose mental disorders would make it difficult to find employment in the traditional job market.

“Every dollar you spend at Thrift Unlimited is going straight to paying for somebody to work, to live independently, and to stay healthy,” Bowers said in an interview last month.

In the 21 years Becker has been at the store, his life has changed dramatically.

“I’ve watched this place grow, and I’ve grown while it has expanded,” he said.

Since beginning work, Becker has stopped drinking alcohol and using marijuana, realizing that earlier in his life he was a teenage alcoholic.

One reason behind Becker’s transformation is the nurturing work environment of the store.

The staff refers to each other as family and even has Sunday dinners together. A positive work atmosphere is conducive to recovery from mental illness, psychotherapist Rachel Dack said.

“A lot of the employees at Thrift Unlimited have worked in other places and felt very ostracized,” Bowers said. “Now they’re working in a place where people can understand each other.”

Becker’s life and social skills have improved because he has to collaborate with coworkers, managers and customers.

“This store has taught me how to get along with people,” Becker said. “The skills I use in the shop, I use wherever I am. It’s helped with all my relationships.”

These skills have helped Becker foster his relationship with his fiancée. The engaged couple

Ever Wondered...

What these tiles are?

by rose pagano

Walt Whitman is a poet and we all know it. But what many of us don’t know is that our school has a hidden tribute to his poetry.

Thetan engravings of a plant that surround the top of the wall of the school are meant to represent Whitman’s most well-known collection of work, Leaves of Grass. Former principal Jerome Marco added this decoration to the school during the massive 1992 construction.

“He’s our most famous American poet and one of his most famous works, of course, is Leaves of Grass,” principal Alan Goodwin said. “To have that reflected in our architecture is a pretty important reflection of his work.”

This representation of Whitman’s poems has a deeper meaning for Goodwin, who feels personally connected to Leaves of Grass.

“He found a lot of comfort in nature, as do I,” Goodwin said. “I find nature to be rejuvenating and good for the spirit.”

Goodwin has found ways to pay homage to the poet. He oversaw the planting of birch trees in front of the building to bring nature, one of Whitman’s common themes, to school grounds. In previous years, a display case in the main entrance gave information on Whitman and his work.

Some teachers feel the best way to honor Whitman is by reading his poetry in class.

“I think it’s nice, but I think it’s even nicer if we actually read Whitman and studied Whitman the poet, and we do that in AP Literature,” Lit teacher Prudence Crewdson said.

But if students don’t have time for the course load of AP Lit, they can always spend some time admiring the tiles.

is look forward to their wedding next September.

“I think his relationship with his fiancée has shown a whole new level of personal maturity and independence that I hadn’t seen when he first started,” Bowers said.

Maintaining this independence and maturity wasn’t always easy. Becker lives in halfway housing provided by Montgomery Station Family Services. When he began his time in halfway housing, Becker required the highest level of support, but his improved social skills have demonstrated his ability to live independently. He now requires the lowest level of support and lives with roommates.

Because of two relapses, Becker did need intense support during three years of his time at the store. He credits his recovery to a supportive body of co-workers.

“My executive director came and visited me in the hospital, and gave me my job back when I was ready to come back to work,” he said. “A crucial part of the recovery in my relapse was coming back into the Thrift Unlimited environment.”

The business has also helped Becker with his recovery by giving him another shot at an education. Becker tried to attend college after high school, but was discouraged and quickly withdrew from both the University of Maryland and Montgomery College. Now, the Montgomery College Foundation has helped Becker return back to school. The

Jim Becker, diagnosed with schizophrenia at age 17, has worked at Thrift Unlimited for 21 years. Becker has earned a degree in accounting and is working toward a second degree at Montgomery College. Photo by NORELL SHERMAN

organization works with Thrift Unlimited and pays for tuition in any class that will help advance students’ vocational goals.

“The Montgomery College Foundation has paid 50 percent of tuition for employees to go to Montgomery College in past years,” Bowers said. “Starting last year, we approached them about paying for 100 percent of the scholarships because expenses of our organization are going up and our sales are not going up in the same way.”

Becker has earned a degree in accounting and is scheduled to graduate this spring with an Applied Science Associate’s Degree.

His certification has allowed him to complete more advanced tasks throughout the day, he said.

When Bowers began working at the store, Becker was doing pretty simple bookkeeping, she

said, but now he’s responsible for putting employee salaries on the SunTrust website and doing payroll.

These upgraded responsibilities have given Becker a newfound confidence, lessening the stigma he used to feel towards his mental illness.

“Before coming to Thrift Unlimited, I couldn’t hold a job for more than nine months,” Becker said. “I’m able to cook and do my chores for myself, and am scheduled to graduate from Montgomery College, which is something I never thought I would accomplish. This organization was made for me.”

Thrift Unlimited is located at 15130 Frederick Rd Rockville, MD 20850. It’s open Mon-Thurs from 10-6, Fri-Sat from 10-7, and Sun from 12-5. Phone: 301-738-7723

Robo girls take first in Girl Power tourney by emily schweitzer

While the 41:12 boy-to-girl ratio in the robotics club may seem extreme, this year has seen the largest number of girls in recent memory.

The girls in the club decided to participate in an off-season, all-girls competition for the first time this year on Oct. 10. This tournament, known as Girl Power, was started six years ago to encourage girls to get involved in engineering. This year, juniors Grace Montagnino, Michaela Salmon and Natalie Cohn won first place overall.

“It was crazy because the other team we were up against was really strong, and I wasn’t sure if our strategy was going to be enough to beat them,” Montagnino said. “When they announced it we all were cheering and hugging and high-fiving.”

The girls make up a small portion of the club right now. J.J. Biel-Goebel, one of the club’s men- Clockwise starting from back left: parent Farish Perlman and tors, said that the gender imbalance in the Robotics club members Grace Montagnino, Michaela Salmon, and Natalie Cohn. This year, there are 12 girls in the club—a large Club is typical in STEM fields. increase from years previous. Photo courtesy GRACE MON“The boy to girl ratio in the last two years mir- TAGNINO rors that of the male dominated tech industry as a whole,” Biel-Goebel said. “This gender imbalance ger,” Biel-Goebel said. acts as a disincentive for some young women to join The club hopes it will be 25 percent female by next the team.” year. Several new female members joined this past year.

Although Girl Power is limited to only girls, the Cohn participates in the club to get more experience scoring system remains the same as coed tournaments. in STEM fields.

Each school team is placed with two other school “I want to be an engineer and it seems like a good teams to form one large team, known as an alliance. way to get more hands on experience, whether it’s the Alliances can change up until elimination rounds, more mechanical engineering side or electrical engineerwhen “final alliances” composed of the best teams are ing side.” Cohn said. made for the remainder of the tournament. Eight judgSome girls might feel timid at first walking into any es serve as “referees” who keep score of each team’s room of mostly boys, but it’s not as intimidating as one points, and they critique robots on their durability and may think, Montagnino said. effectiveness.

“Winning Girl Power will help, but is only one step “Teams can win awards, which are mostly based on on a long road towards changing how young women the atmosphere of the team and their members,” junior view the team, view robotics, and view STEM,” BielAnnie Waye said. “We won awards last year for good Goebel said. “It will take many moments like the one quality in our robot and also for a good design.” we helped create to make the young women from Walt Girls add something unique to the creative process Whitman see Robotics as cool, fun and a possible colthat goes into building these robots, Biel-Goebel said. lege major.”

“They will make the team more successful because they make the team more creative and because the team needs young women to join it to make it stron-

october 28, 2015

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Montgomery farm opens corn maze to benefit autism program

by Justin Baker

If you follow a long, winding road to rural Dickerson, Md. and turn down a gravel pathway onto the rolling valleys of Madison Fields farm, you’ll find a maze.

Acres of golden corn stand before you, ready for exploring.

Madison Fields opened the 10acre corn maze, alongside pumpkin carving and a petting zoo, to support the Madison House Autism Foundation. The foundation provides employment, housing and therapeutic programs for adults with autism, wounded veterans and other groups with special needs.

The maze, which opened in early September, is open on weekends until Nov. 1. The $12 entry fees go towards the charity.

Companies can rent the maze for team-building exercises during weekdays.

“It was a slow opening in September, but it’s been picking up,” maze organizer Mike Talbert said. “It’s our first year running the maze, so we’re trying to get the word out and figure out changes for next year.”

The foundation focuses on young adults with autism, since Madison Fields opened a 10-acre corn maze to support the Madison House Autism Foundation. The organization families quickly lose support and provides employment, housing and therapeutic programs for adults with autism. Photo courtesy MADISON HOUSE eligibility for government aid AUSTISM FOUNDATION. once their kids transition into the maze. Maze-goers also re“This is our first year running sphere of the farm, and kids love adulthood. ceive information on how to con- the maze,” Simper said. “Every- the maze and the animals.”

“After the age of 21, adults tribute to the foundation—as thing has come from the ground Susan Bodell lives in Dickerwith autism lose a lot of govern- well as complimentary popcorn up. We’ve got plans for next son and volunteers for Ameriment funding and grants, so our at the ticket desk. year’s maze, expansions with Corp. She heard about the Madigoal is to give them opportuniSimper and other volunteers food trucks and more events.” son Fields maze through Madison ties and to find them housing and created the maze in a week, after Talbert has surveyed visitors House’s charity work. programs,” volunteer Rusty Sim- planting a humongous rectangu- for their feedback on the maze “The corn maze is so much per said. lar plot of corn. Using GPS sys- and events, and has received fun,” she said. “You go through Visitors who choose to ven- tems to map a Mother Goose pat- warm responses. collecting the clues, and you can ture into the towering corn- tern for the multi-acre endeavor, “We’ve heard a lot of positive see the kids love it, and it helps a stalks can collect Mother Goose- they hired a third party mowing comments,” Talbert said. “No- great cause.” themed clues hidden in the company to cut the corn accord- body’s said it’s too hard so far. greenery while weaving through ing to the computer’s designs.

Families enjoy the quiet atmo-

Tutoring tussle: juniors compete against Vike2Vike

Nathan Kattapuram and Jaime Callejon form for-profit tutoring business by justin baker

We hear their morning announcement promotion all the time: Vike2Vike, Whitman’s local tutoring service, is available during both lunches. But now they may have some competition.

This October, juniors Nathan Kattapuram and Jaime Callejon opened Bethesda Tutors, a for-profit, in-school and inhome student tutoring group that offers help with math, chemistry, biology, history and several foreign languages.

With 15 students on staff, Callejon and Kattapuram plan to add voice, guitar, trombone and bass lessons. The company has a similar goal to Vike2Vike: using student experience to help other students.

“We are familiar with the courses, so we know what MCPS students need,” Callejon said.

The glaring difference between the two is that Bethesda Tutors is a paid service, while Vike2Vike is free. Bethesda Tutors will make a profit, but they justify the cost through what they believe is higher quality instruction. Because of the added flexibility of in-home tutoring, more available courses and the musical coaching plan, Callejon believes they are the superior service. They also plan to market to Pyle stu-

dents through their website, BethesdaMDTutor.wix.com.

Callejon got the idea for a new student tutoring service while searching for a part-time tutoring job last September.

He quickly discovered that many tutoring companies take a 50 percent or more cut from every instructor.

“I thought that was unfair and I realized if I made a company to organize student tutoring jobs with no company fees, kids would be more inclined to be tutors, and it would be a rewarding project,” Callejon said.

Callejon contacted Kattapuram because of his experience creating websites.

Kattapuram’s background in web design combined with Callejon’s vision got the company off the ground, with ownership only taking minor cuts of tutor’s profits, Callejon said.

“If you create a student network able to tutor in people’s homes, students are interested,” Kattapuram said. “We want to help two people: the tutors and the students being tutored. Ownership will require very little.”

Callejon has advertised to students throughout MCPS, and he has found success so far in helping boost students

grades.

“Jamie really helped me with understanding the material and preparing for quizzes in chemistry,” Churchill junior Shayna Kanfer said. “He helped me get my first A in that class.”

Bethesda Tutors found their current faculty by reaching out to students who were eager to spread their talents. Junior tutor Alex Parksy became interested when he heard he could tutor music.

“We want to help two people: the tutors and the students being tutored.”

- junior Nathan Kattapuram “I love music, so I was excited about tutoring bass,” Parsky said. “I was really into the idea of a connection with students sharing their respective skills.”

However, Vike2Vike tutors feel another student tutoring group isn’t necessary.

Students can get enough out of Whitman’s established free program, said senior and

Vike2Vike tutor Grant Joe. “I don’t think it’s utilized well enough,” Joe said of Vike2Vike. “There are plenty of tutors who can offer help to students who come. We can help prep for tests or help with homework. We know the classes. It’s an opportunity.”

Vike2Vike is a strong resource, but another company may better reach out to students, Vike2Vike staff advisor Bob Mathis said.

“If they’re successful, they can probably reach out to students,” he said. “We provide an opportunity, but maybe lunchtime isn’t good for kids, Those who come get a lot out of our services, but a lot more students could come and use tutoring than the amount we get every day.”

Bethesda Tutors’ faculty has been able to connect with students thanks to tuors’ interest in their material, and flexible schedules. Parksy wants to spread music more than make money, he said, and the company has given him an outlet for his passion.

“My goal is to get more people playing funky grooves,” he said. “Tutoring shouldn’t just be for academic purposes.

Anything a kid wants to learn they should be able to learn.”

Website ranks MD 10th best state for teachers; D.C. ranked 26th Quick Facts by sophia knappertz

Whitman is known for its academic excellence; it’s rated the best public high school in the county and state, and 55th in the nation, according to the Maryland State Department of Education. But now, all teachers in Maryland can be proud for one more reason: they work in one of the best states to teach in.

Wallethub.com released a study this year that ranked Maryland the number 10 best work environment for teachers.

Owned by Evolution Finance, Wallethub helps consumers compare and review financial products, such as the best credit card companies. The site ranked Virginia second and D.C. 26th.

“I would take Montgomery County over anything ranked above us,” social studies teacher Andrew Sonnabend said. “We have a very active parent population, kids who are very smart and motivated and the resources we need to succeed.”

Maryland had an average salary for high school teachers of $45,915 compared to America’s average of $46,924, Maryland public school records in 2014 show. Often, Maryland will pay for teachers to go back to school and earn advanced degrees in their field, which will in turn bump them up higher on the pay scale, according to a 2010

MD average high school teacher salary:

$45,915

National average high school teacher salary:

$46,924

D.C. high schools spend $12,479 per student MD high schools spend $13,572 per student

Forbes article.

“Teaching is a tremendous amount of work no matter how much administrative support someone gets,” principal Alan Goodwin said. “But when resources work, like Xerox machines and Promethean boards, teachers are happier.”

On the other hand, D.C. has an array of problems. A graph by the Washington Post showed that schools in the district are spending $12,479 per student this year, slightly higher than the national average.

Still, the D.C. school system is struggling. Damaged facilities present just one problem. Of 146 school buildings, 113 have a repair request pending for leaking roofs, according to a Washington Post analysis of D.C. school records in 2007. Since then, projects have been enacted to minimize this number. In 2009, The Heritage Foundation, a conservative Washington think tank, reported that 11.3 percent of D.C. schools fell under the District’s definition of “persistently dangerous” because violent crimes like sexual assault or murder occur on school grounds at least five or more times over two years.

“The D.C. school system is interesting because it is set up like urban city school districts, and it has its problems with the student body, lack of resources and aging facilities,” said Sonnabend, who used to teach in the District.

“I didn’t have to think twice when I got offered a job in Montgomery County because it’s tough teaching in urban environments like D.C.” Although critics contended the Wallethub study wasn’t perfect, it will have some benefits, Goodwin said.

“Being in the top ten gives us a pool of highly qualified teachers to select from,” he explained. “It’s helpful for our school district, as well as helping other, less successful counties in the state.”

Feature

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october 28, 2015

ATHLETE OF THE MONTH Boys Soccer: Andreas Djurhuus wood. He credits his teammates for his goal-scoring success.

“Luckily for me, I have talented teammates that have set up so many of my goals,” Djurhuus said.

“As a team we look to continue the way we’ve been playing and get a home game for playoffs.”

Djurhuus isn’t the most vocal player on the pitch, but his skills and success make him a leader.

“He’s a fantastic striker,” defender Kevin Kaufman said. “Al-

though he doesn’t lead with his mouth much, he always leads by example.”

Sparked by the strong play of Djurhuus, the boys soccer team won five straight games, scoring 23 goals, before losing to the No. 1 team in the nation, St. Benedict’s Prep. The team’s record going into the postseason is 7–5. photo by TOMAS CASTRO

by Michael Gorman

Filling the cleats of last year’s stars Davey Mason and Aaron Tanenbaum, forward Andreas Djurhuus has been on fire this season for boys soccer, dazzling fans and competitors alike with his incredible speed and clinical finishing.

After a slow start, with one goal in four games, Djurhuus scored 10 goals in his next six, including hat tricks against Einstein and North-

photo by TOMAS CASTRO

photo by TOMAS CASTRO

photo by RACHEL HAZAN

photo by TOMAS CASTRO

photo by TOMAS CASTRO

photo courtesy CATHERINE MATTHEWS

photo by TOMAS CASTRO

Congrats on your regular seasons Vikes! Kill it in playoffs! photo by TOMAS CASTRO

october 28, 2015

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Frisbee team merges with WJ’s, creates Poets & Pitchers by michael gorman

The Poets & Pitchers have taken D.C. by force, frisbee-style.

Named after Walt Whitman and Walter Johnson, the ultimate frisbee team is a mix of both schools’ frisbee clubs. It was created by Pyle parent and coach Barney Krucoff for students who want to play at a competitive level.

The team plays in the Fall Clique League, a sub-league of the Washington Area Frisbee Club (WAFC). The league consists of mostly 20 to 30 year olds, though all ages are allowed to play.

“Because we’re playing against adults, the competition is fierce, but so far we’ve held our own,” junior Josh Strauss said.

The team got off to a slow start last spring with three consecutive losses. But the Poets & Pitchers found their groove, fin-

ishing the season 7–4.

In ultimate frisbee, two teams of seven attempt to advance to an end zone by throwing the frisbee from teammate to teammate without the other team intercepting or swatting it. Imagine handball, but with a frisbee. The sport is relatively easy to learn, but some spend years perfecting it.

“Going from pickup games where some athleticism and skill allowed you to dominate to competitive games against teams who’ve been playing for years takes some getting used to,” WJ senior Joel Maiman said. “It motivated me to improve my game.”

The rules of WAFC have caused some problems for the Poets & Pitchers, who are a majority male team.

“The league we play in requires us to have two women on

The Poets & Pitchers are a blend of players from Whitman and Walter Johnson. The team plays mostly adult competitiors in the Washington Area Frisbee Club. Photo courtesy EZRA PINE

the field at all times to avoid a mismatch,” Strauss said.

Because they have to stay in much longer than the boys, the girls get tired, he said.

The WAFC doesn’t have referees, so calls are made by players, which creates issues for a young and inexperienced squad, Krucoff said.

“Typically high schoolers don’t make calls. They lack con-

fidence and don’t want to call attention to themselves,” Krucoff said. “When playing adults, high schoolers are even more reticent to make calls.”

In their most recent tournament Oct. 17, the Poets & Pitchers went 1–4, losing all three of the placement games and winning the first round of elimination, but falling in the final.

Despite the disappointing re-

sult, Krucoff is optimistic for the future.

“Looking to the future, the goals get more ambitious,” Krucoff said. “B-CC is currently state champs. My long term goal is one day, Poets & Pitchers is so good that schools like B-CC complain that ‘Whitman and Walter Johnson together isn’t fair—they need to break up.’”

Girls tennis goes undefeated, loses by one point in counties continued from page

1

Last year’s number one singles player, Sarinah Wahl, dropped into the second singles slot, adding depth to the roster.

“It strengthened the team by having four strong singles players,” Wahl said.

Many players agreed that the squad had dynamic talent through all ten lineup spots. Nobody on the team had more than a few losses.

Prior to the county championship taking place from Oct. 19-22, Gohn predicted the outcome.

“I think it comes down to us versus Wootton,” Gohn said before counties. “It’s going to come down to a couple of points.”

Gohn was ultimately right, as the team lost by just a single point to Wootton.

With such a small margin for error, going undefeated in the regular season was an incredible achievement for the team.

“Everything just kind of came together this season,” Gohn said.

Number two singles player Sarinah Wahl and number two doubles player Mizuki Hanada had outstanding seasons. The girls tennis team lost to Wootton by a single point in the county championship last week. Photo courtesy MIRANDA TOMPKINS

Caps enjoy team-building with crew at Thompson’s boathouse by naomi ravick

“Pull! Pull! Pull!” crew coach Kirk Shipley screamed. These familiar words of encouragement were not meant for his typical group of rowers. Instead, he urged on Alex Ovechkin, Braden Holtby and the rest of the Washington Capitals.

The Caps joined crew for a teambuilding day at Thompson Boat Center in Georgetown on Oct. 7.

Rowers were told to wear red shirts and Caps apparel for a “Caps Day” at practice. When they arrived for what they thought would be a typical practice, they were greeted by the Washington Capitals, who were waiting down on the docks.

“We got down to the dock for practice and were surprised by the sight of these huge men down on the docks,” senior Jessica Nankin said, “We had no idea they were going to be there.”

The Capitals reached out to the the head coach of St. Alban’s crew team to sponsor the day and Shipley, who helps coach the National Cathedral School (NCS) and St. Alban’s crew teams during the Boat Center’s fall rowing program, was selected to help manage the activities.

“I thought it was awesome. I got to see all the hilarity of these really big strong, but many of them, goofy guys take it very seriously,” Shipley said, “As soon as they

got beside each other they were uber competitive even though they had no idea what they were doing.”

The event lasted two hours, beginning with a basic lesson on the parts of the boat, followed by the fundamentals of rowing.

While a few of the hockey players had rowed before, most of the team had no experience. The day ended with an amateur race down the Potomac River.

The Whitman novice rowing team was out on the water with coach Patrick McCloskey while the Caps were racing each other.

“The team seemed to be picking up the concept of rowing together quickly because of their strong teamwork” sophomore Gabriela Parra said.

The team split into three boats according to their varying nationalities: Team Canada, Team U.S.A. and Team World.

The Team Canada boat reigned supreme, winning two of the three races of the day.

With Ovechkin trying to synchronize his Team World boat, forward Jason Chimera poking fun at his teammates and forward Brooks Laich leading the Team Canada boat by singing the Canadian national anthem, these athletes provided themselves and the coaches with an entertaining experience.

“The best part was seeing how much

Coach Kirk Shipley led the crew team in a two-hour learn-to-row event with the Caps. Goaltender Braden Holtby poses with crew girls Sophia Chirico, Tess Ravick and Katie Zarate. Photo courtesy TESS RAVICK

fun the players in my boat were having and how they were really interested in learning more about both the sport and myself,” said NCS senior Kendall Green, who led the Team Canada boat.

When the players learned to row, the boats of eight started out with only the first two people rowing, while everyone else remained still. This allowed the two people to get a feel for the movement while the boat remainedrelatively stable in the water.

Eventually four people rowed together, and then six, until finally the boat of eight people moved in unison.

The most incredible part of the day, Shipley said, was observing the Caps players’ athleticism on the water.

“We do that same process with 15-year-

olds and 14-year-olds and it takes six weeks to get them from zero to that. Granted, it wasn’t pretty, it wasn’t good, but they did it in an afternoon” Shipley said.

Scan for a video with a QR code app of the team-building day on www.theblackandwhite.net

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october 28, 2015

Freshman Gabe Segal scores spot on U.S. National Team

By Luke Graves

Millions of teenagers challenge Real Madrid’s players through their Xbox or PlayStation, but freshman Gabe Segal challenged the legendary club on the actual field—sort of.

Segal plays forward for the 14-and-under U.S. national team and travels around the world competing in tournaments against other teams, including a recent tournament in Spain against Real Madrid’s U-14 team. He aspires to play professionally and on the U.S. Men’s National Team.

Segal’s soccer career began in kindergarten when he joined a rec team. By first grade, he was playing for the Bethesda Soccer Club team, where he met his future coach and trainer, Philip Gyau. Segal now plays for the BethesdaOlney Soccer Academy.

Gyau, the husband of Pyle health teacher Amina Gyau, offered to privately coach Segal and develop his skills to be competitive on an international level.

“I first saw Gabe at the age of 7,” Gyau said. “Even at his age he was very strong and explosive. After the game I went up to his father and said, ‘One day, he can make the national team.’”

Gyau has international experience himself, competing on the U.S. team until 1991 before retiring to become a coach. His son, Joe, currently plays for the national team.

Segal’s performance on his club team got the attention of scouts for the U.S. national team, who invited him to California to attend a training camp in 2014.

“When I got invited to my first camp, I was surprised and excited,” Segal said. “When I got there I was super nervous. I was playing alongside the best players in the country.”

In February, Segal traveled to Spain with the national team to play Real Madrid football club’s U-14 team. The U.S. team won 2-0.

“Playing against Real Madrid was surreal,” Segal said. “Many consider them to be one of the best clubs in the world, and playing against some of their youth players that could someday be playing for the team was amazing.”

Three months after his trip to Spain, Segal and the national team headed to Europe for another international tournament. On the trip, Segal’s team played four games against Croatia, Serbia and Slovenia’s U-14 national teams, winning three games and tying one.

Segal scored two goals in the tournament.

Segal still trains with Gyau to improve his skills to the level necessary for professional play.

“If he just keeps working as hard as he has been, and keeps learning, then it’s not over,” Gyau said. “After all, he’s only 14 years old. If he keeps on the path he’s on, and keeps working, then you’re not going to outplay Gabe. He can go pro.”

Junior Claire Nagelhout, top right, with the Metro Volleyball Club of Washington D.C. In a recent national competition, Nagelhout’s squad placed second, ahead of 698 other teams all around the country. Photo courtesy CLAIRE NAGELHOUT

Volleyball standout Claire Nagelhout national competitor by emily schweitzer

This past June, junior Claire Nagelhout traded in her Viking jersey for her national team’s uniform, and set off for Louisiana.

Nagelhout and her club volleyball team, Metro Volleyball Club of Washington D.C., traveled to New Orleans hoping to become national champions.

Nagelhout’s team fell just short, placing second overall but finishing ahead of 698 other teams from all across the country.

To qualify for Nationals, Nagelhout’s team had to first win the regional competition for the Chesapeake Region Volleyball Association, which consists of teams from Delaware, Maryland, D.C. and northern Virginia.

Nagelhout is no rookie when it comes to big tournaments; her eighth grade team qualified for the same national competition. But there was a big difference this summer—this time her team could actually win.

“In eighth grade, my team and my coach didn’t take it as seriously because we knew that winning wasn’t really a possibility,” Nagelhout said. “This year, it was really stressful and more exciting because we knew we had the possibility of winning.”

The team could have put up a better fight in this championship game, Nagelhout said, but the pressure got to them and they lost to a team from California by two points in a long, three set game.

“We were really disappointed that we didn’t win,” Nagelhout said. “The team that we lost to was good, but we had played harder teams.”

Although they didn’t come out on top, the team’s chemistry is what got them to the championship game, she said.

“We’re always together,” Nagelhout said. “Either we’re at practice, in a hotel, on the plane or in some random convention center in the middle of nowhere together.”

Nagelhout’s love for the game started in middle school when she began playing with her current club team. She plans to pursue volleyball at the collegiate level, and she’s already looking at schools in the Patriot League.

“I can’t picture myself quitting volleyball because that’s seriously all I ever do and without it I actually have no clue what I would do with all my time.”

Nagelhout said.

Junior Maddie McGill admires the positive energy Nagelhout brings to the Whitman team.

“Claire’s super positive; she’s always really humble” McGill said. “We all look up to her a lot as a skill player because she has a lot of experience and is just a really strong player overall.”

Freshman Gabe Segal (top row, center) and the rest of the U-14 U.S. national team. The squad has played internationally, facing off against other U-14 national teams and soccer clubs. Photo courtesy GABE SEGAL

Sports scheduling process creates controversy among coaches

by Arya Hodjat

Most coaches would be satisfied with beating their opponents by 60 or 70 points every night, but a new scheduling process in Montgomery County may take some joy out of these blowouts.

Before this school year, the Montgomery County Athletic Association realigned the divisions that teams play in, creating three divisions for MCPS high schools.

As a result of the realignment, some Whitman teams lack quality opposition in the regular season.

Girls basketball has been affected the most, with players and coaches expressing concern that they will not be prepared adequately for playoffs. Coach Peter Kenah is worried that the schedule isn’t tough enough for his team.

“As smart as the county is, with 24 teams, there could’ve been a better way to work it out,” Kenah said. “It shows a disconnect with the community.”

The divisions are realigned every two years by the county based on enrollment

numbers and teams’ success during the past few seasons. Teams located geographically close are generally kept together.

“As smart as the county is, with 24 teams, there could’ve been a better way to work it out ...

It shows a disconnect with the community.”

- girls basketball coach Peter Kenah For Kenah’s basketball team, the new division means that they won’t play their two toughest competitors from last season, Poolesville and Damascus. However, they will now play Wheaton and Einstein in their only two Friday home night games, both of which the Vikes beat by

more than 60 points last year.

“It’s a rollercoaster,” forward Betsy Knox said. “Teams tend to play down to competition. It’s going to be hard to adjust.”

The team is concerned that they will not be challenged enough during the course of the regular season.

“There are going to be weeks where our most competitive games will be in scrimmage,” Kenah said. “We’re going to have to reach into the motivational bag of tricks for those.”

Teams will be able to schedule more out-of-county games against tough opponents to prepare for playoffs. This will allow girls basketball to face Philadelphia’s Neumann Goretti, the top ranked girls basketball team in the nation, during the regular season.

“I’m definitely excited,” Knox said of playing Neuman Goretti. “We wouldn’t have had this opportunity last year.”

While the new alignments were most significant for girls basketball, other teams have felt the changes. The schedul-

ing also affected the girls soccer team.

“We played WJ and B-CC in the second and third games of the season, and then we played six games against vastly inferior teams,” girls soccer coach Greg Herbert said. “It lulls you into a false sense of security.”

Some members of the team, however, didn’t even realize what had happened.

“To be honest, I didn’t know that they changed it,” midfielder Kate Morrison said. “There’s always been a gap between B-CC, WJ, Churchill, and the other schools.”

The new divisions have not affected all sports teams equally. The field hockey team is now in the hardest of the new divisions, while baseball is in the weakest, according to athletic director Andy Wetzel.

“There’s not enough good teams to go around,” Wetzel said. “There’s a big sense of disparity. You have to play 10 games in the county; who do you play?”

october 28, 2015

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15

Senior Samantha King leads the pack by josh millin

Despite her late start in cross country, senior Samantha King has already left her competitors in the dust.

After being named to the New Balance All-Run Washington team in August, King, who returned to Whitman this year, hasn’t disappointed—she placed ninth at the Oatlands Invitational and second at the DCXC Invitational this year, her first season on Whitman cross country.

King received most of her track regognition during her career at the Field School in D.C., where she raced during her sophomore and junior years. She attended Whitman as a freshman, but wasn’t on the cross-country team.

Placing seventh at the New Balance Nationals in North Carolina her sophomore year is her greatest achievement, King said.

The race demonstrated her confidence and capability as a runner, her Field coach Jesse Gaylord said.

“On a starting line where you don’t recognize anyone and the previous year’s national champion is warming up at the same time, it can be very intimidating,” Gaylord said. “But she approached that race with a maturity far beyond her years.”

Attending Field was the main reason King picked up competitive running; she hadn’t even considered cross-country before enrolling at the school.

“I started running with my mom on vacation at Rehoboth Beach because it was a great workout and then became addicted to the sport,” King said.

She appreciates the determination running requires and the subsequent reward it brings.

“Running has taught me how to endure pain, but then feel an enormous sense of accomplishment and happiness,” King said. “After every hard workout, or even an easy run, it brings me ease from my day and helps me cope with stress.”

Her training consists of workout videos, yoga and running roughly 40 miles a week. While her training is intense, she’s careful to find time to rest and recover.

Gaylord praised King’s commitment.

“What impresses me most about about Samantha is her ability to grind,” he said. “I have never come across someone who is so disciplined in her habits.”

King’s success hasn’t come without setbacks. Last winter, she injured her foot and was sidelined for the indoor track sea-

son and part of the spring season.

She also recently sustained a stress fracture in her right foot. While she is limited to swimming and biking workouts, she intends to return for the state and regional championships.

Despite her success at Field, King returned to Whitman this year for personal reasons. The Vikings cross-country team’s dedication to racing helped her make the transition back to the school, she said.

“The team atmosphere and other captains on the team help me thrive on cross country,” she said. “Being around people who are determined to run well helps bring out my competitive side.”

Senior Samantha King runs during the DCXC King has fit right in with the team, Invitational. She placed fifth out of a field of making an immediate impression both on 170 runners. Photo courtesy MOCORUNNING. and off the track, cross country coach Stephen Hays said fornia in November.

“She’s been our top runner in every For now, King’s focus still remains on race,” Hays said. “In terms of the team, the rest of the current cross country seashe’s jumped right in and helped lead the son, which she intends to enjoy to the fullteam as if she has been part of it for all four est. years.”

“My goal for the rest of the year is to King doesn’t plan on ending her career have fun,” King said. “I’m ready for college in high school. She’s received offers to run running and want to end high school runat several colleges, and she’ll decide be- ning on a fun and positive note.” tween Elon and St. Mary’s College of Cali-

From the desk to the field: teachers as student athletes

BY CAROLYN PRICE

When students struggle in class, they turn to their teacher for help, perhaps hoping that their teacher can remember what it feels like to be in high school. But students may not realize that their teachers not only relate to what they’re going through in the classroom, but also on the field.

Tennis coach Jasen Gohn

Even though his first two years at Somerset High School in Somerset, Pennsylvania were spent on the football field with the marching band, Gohn decided to try out for the school’s Varsity tennis team for his junior and senior years.

Gohn started playing around age 13 and became more involved in the sport throughout high school. He started off playing third doubles, but by senior year Gohn was playing second singles, finishing the season with an 8–2 record.

Some of Gohn’s fondest memories are traveling to and from matches, and he encourages his players to go out after games to help build good team chemistry.

“We’d take a mini bus to these different schools, and for some of them we would go to different counties,” he said. “I remember after the matches going out to eat to get pizza.”

Because of his school’s small town setting, his team often had to leave their county to compete, and his season started later as a result of the weather.

“Up there in the mountains, we didn’t start until March 20 because of the snow,” Gohn said.

Despite his appreciation for his high school coach, Gohn said his practices resemble his college coach’s more, because high school tennis now is much more intense than it was when he was playing.

“Here at Whitman, the tennis is much better,” he said. “These boys on my team would crush young Mr. Gohn.”

Gohn became interested in coaching tennis because of his fond memories of high school and college tennis.

“As soon as I got hired here I was kind of looking to be a tennis coach,” he said. “I just liked being part of the team as a player, and once you don’t play anymore, the only chance you have to be part of the team is coaching.”

Girls soccer coach Greg Herbert

While Herbert’s life now revolves around girls Varsity soccer, at one point it was focused on batting and fielding his way through Europe with his high school baseball team.

Herbert played baseball and soccer for Henderson High School in West Chester, Pennsylvania. Though he enjoyed his baseball experience, he always identified more with soccer, Herbert said.

“I absolutely loved my high school soccer experience; it was probably one of the most important things I remember from my high school career,” he said. “I just try to take my passion from when I played and apply it to these girls here.”

Herbert played numerous soccer positions throughout his high school career, from defense to midfield to striker. Though his team wasn’t particularly successful, one of his favorite memories is scoring against his school’s rival, East High.

Herbert admired his coaches, but his Varsity coach ran the team in a manner rarely seen today.

“I just try to take my passion from when I played and apply it to these girls here.”

-girls soccer coach Greg Herbert “I can remember one or two occasions where he got thrown out of the game,” Herbert said. “He was not afraid to voice his opinion in a very loud way, he would yell at players all the time, and his solution for things that went wrong was to sprint you at practice. It was a very brutal coaching style.”

Comparatively, his baseball coach was more relaxed. During Herbert’s senior year, his team got the opportunity to travel to Europe to play in Germany, Austria and Prague, where they competed against local teams.

“To travel with that baseball team was awesome,” Herbert said. “That was just a great experience to play a game that I really enjoyed with some of my best friends.

I still talk to those guys today.”

His high school experiences have resonated with him ever since, and the camaraderie of the teams has helped him realize how important it is to encourage his girls to spend time with one another, Herbert said.

“You don’t realize how cool it is to play under the lights in front of your friends and family,” he said. “It’s a unique time that’s stuck with me. If I could go back and if I could go down to the field now and play with those girls now, I would love to.”

Girls basketball coach Peter Kenah

Despite attending four different schools throughout the course of his high school career because of his mother’s job, Kenah kept one thing constant: basketball.

Kenah played point guard at Peninsula High School in Los Angeles, Glebe Collegiate Institute in Ottawa, Dematha Catho-

lic High School in Prince George’s County and Richard Montgomery in Rockville.

Because he moved every school year, basketball was extremely important in helping Kenah become accustomed to new schools.

“It was really the only stability I had in my life,” he said. “That was hard with friends, always being the new guy, but basketball was a constant.”

While none of the teams Kenah played on were quite as successful as his dominant girls team, he still valued his time on all of them. His career highlights vary from setting the Richard Montgomery record for three-pointers on senior night to winning the JV championship in Ottawa when he was a sophomore.

“At the time we thought it was a big deal, but now being a Varsity coach, I realize it’s not as big a deal,” Kenah admitted.

In terms of training, he has blended different attributes of all of his coaches to make his own style, though advanced technologies give coaches new opportunities.

“It’s different now because of the technology. We videotape and I can send out clips to my players,” Kenah said. “We just didn’t have the capability at Richard Montgomery in 1994 to have that type of editing and scouting.”

As technology has improved, so has the intensity of basketball, Kenah said.

“I just don’t think the opportunities were there,” he said. “These girls give more than we ever did. They are incredible.

They have personal trainers that they go to a couple times a week, they sacrifice their summers and they’re always sacrificing social events.”

Like other coaches, sports were one of his favorite parts of high school, and he tries to stress the importance of them to his girls, Kenah said.

“I tell my players this all the time: you’re going to have a great biology class today, but you’ll remember the games and the practices and going out to eat afterwards to talk,” Kenah said.

Football coach Jim Kuhn

Kuhn played football and baseball at Battle Creek Lakeview High School in Battle Creek, Michigan, as backup quarterback and defensive back on the gridiron, and first base and outfield on the baseball diamond.

Kuhn progressed through all three levels of teams at his school: freshman, JV and Varsity. During his junior and senior year son Varsity football, the team made it to the playoffs, but didn’t win states.

“We got beat in the state finals my senior year by Traverse City, 35-0,” Kuhn said. “But it was great to be there, and it was fun to play in the old Pontiac Silverdome. It was a great culmination to that

Girls basketball coach Peter Kenah hoists a trophy after being named game MVP of his team at Glebe Collegiate Institute in Ottowa, one of four schools he attended throughout his high school career. Photo courtesy PETER KENAH

football career.”

The camaraderie and community feel of the team were his favorite parts of playing both football and baseball, Kuhn said.

“It was a big part of my life and it was a big part of why I decided to do what I’m doing now,” he said. “My coaches there had a big impact on me as a person, and their influences were [felt] across the classroom and sports field.”

In terms of workouts and training, Kuhn said he coaches in a similar style to his old coaches. However, high school football was much more important in the Battle Creek community than it is in Bethesda, which made getting playing time challenging on his high school team.

“If you miss a workout now, your spot’s not necessarily in danger, but if I was in high school and I missed a workout, I probably wasn’t going to get on the field,” Kuhn said. “It’s a different atmosphere because it was small town U.S.A. as opposed to these large metropolitan areas like D.C. and Bethesda.”

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October 28, 2015

Homecoming week 2015

photos by TOMAS CASTRO AND MICHELLE JARCHO