Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Inside: News: 1-5, Nutrition: 6-7, Features: 8-9, Humor: 10-11, Spotlight: 12-13, Opinions: 14-17,Wondering Warrior: 18, Entertainment: 19-21, Sports: 22-24
Warrior
Sherwood High School 300 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Sandy Spring, MD 20860
Haley Whitt 15
Acting Principal James Allrich often spends the lunch periods talking with students in the cafeteria.
Over the years, the current teen generation has gone through a dozen fads; Ugg boots, YOLO, silly bands the list could go on. Within the last year, a trend has arisen in the form of e-cigs and e-hookahs, or hookah pens. E-cigs, or electronic cigarettes, are an up and coming replacement for cigarettes. The pens have become a new, more transportable option, for a hookah. A major appeal of e-cigs is that they give off water vapor rather than smoke. As an added bonus, the plug-in tanks can come in an array of flavors, including cher-
senior, youll always have friends who are 18, said an anonymous male senior. Most of them are willing to buy it for you. There are many places which sell the products, including 7-11, gas stations such as Exxon Mobile, and the recently opened Vapadelic tobacco shop, located on Rt. 108 in Sandy Spring. An anonymous male junior claims some places will even let teens buy tobacco e-cigs without proof of age. The habit of smoking e-cigs has become popular among Sherwood students. I use it every day, said an anonymous male senior. It is fun, and it gives you a buzz to stay calm. Across the country, many teachers have found e-cigs popping up in their class-
Q:
started as a teacher in New Jersey, and I still think teaching is A: Ione of my true passions. I really enjoyed teaching and still do
to this day. As a classroom teacher, I saw the impact I made on 30 kids in a class, 150 students in a day Then when I moved to Montgomery County and became a math resource teacher, I saw the impact I made on students through the math department. Thats when I realized I could do more, and wanted to move into administration where I could really impact students and the schools instructional program. So thats what brought me to this place. would you describe your philosophy as an educator? What Q: How is your approach as a school administrator? believe my core values drive my educational philosophy and A: Imy work as a school administrator. One of them is respect; I
believe in respecting all people and making sure that we value peoples differences. One way I do this is by being a good listener. This is a quality that I value and that is very, very important to me
www.thewarrioronline.com
The WarriorNews
2
by Bridget Cook 14 Witnessing the chaos that is the 2:10 parking lot jam, some may be inclined to believe that the number of teen drivers is at an all-time high. However, recent data reported by several ma jor news sources reveals that the number of teenagers behind the wheel has actually steadily de clined in recent years. USA Today reported on the decline with data from a sur vey by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
S W E N
in brief
by Steffani Carrera 14
In a recent statement from MCPS, Nineteen Montgomery County Public Schools students have been named recipients of full-tuition, four-year college scholarships from the Posse Foundation. Senior Summer White is the sole recipient of the Posse scholarship from Sherwood, and she will attend Grinell College in Iowa in the fall. The Posse Foundation provides full-tuition scholarships to students from accross Montgomery County that show leadership skills and may not be candidates for the traditional college selection process. After being selected, the students receive professional guidance to aid them in their college experience as well as support from their fellow Posse peers. The interview proccess consists of three different sessions, and nearly 1,600 students are nominated nationwide for the scholarships.
that showed a 12-percent drop in teenage drivers from 1996 to 2012. Several theories as to why this drop occurred have been proposed, including the use of social media to replace face to face interaction and the bad economy. However, the leading cause in the report is that teens are too busy to get their licenses, a reason that made up 36.9 percent of the to-
Adventure to Belgium
by Sammie Spillman 16
On February 8, eight students, accompanied by science teacher Janet Frensilli and ESOL teacher Aileen Coogan, will be traveling to Belgium for a nine-day educational and sight-seeing trip. The eight students attending the trip are seniors Alexa Edwards, Emily Horwitz, Hannah Vires, Kelly Flamand, Chrissy Godzuk, Victoria Florian, Jenni Kenel, and sophomore Larisa Quirk. The students will stay in the Flemish region of Belgium. The main language of Belgium is Dutch, but most people there have a small command in English, and Coogan can speak seven different languages, two of those being German and French. The Sherwood students will each stay with different Belgium high school students and their families. They will attend a day of school and then tour Europe for the remaining days. The students will visit the Belgium cities of Brussels and Bruges, as well as travel to Germany. While in Germany, they will tour a concentration camp. Im really excited for the trip because the exchange gives students and teachers at Sherwood a chance to see what life is like in Europe, said Frensilli.
use, from a conversation to detention to a possible suspension. In these situations we always start with an investigation, and we try to be as honest as possible, said Allrich. Although students do have rights to privacy, posting on a public social media account means anyone, including school administrators, can see it. However, school administrators only look at social media if they are notified of a problem. We dont have time to go through everyones Twitter account. I dont think that would be appropriate [to monitor students twitter accounts]. Students privacy needs to be respected, said Allrich. Referencing the incident with Starr, Allrich noted that MCPS is establishing protocols for the usage of social media. Allrich
believes that most students are being responsible and doing the right thing, and the few who are misusing the tools, need to be addressed. Using the term cyber-civility, Allrich believes it is important that as a school, not just as a high school, but as a school system we start to teach students how to be socially and technically responsible. I think cyber-civility is what we need to teach kids. It is important that students are responsible and know how to properly use the technology. Allrich warned that students need to be extremely conscious about the social media they use. He gave the example of tweeting about the time and location of a school fight and the irresponsibility of the school if it did not intervene in such a situation.
The WarriorNews
January 30, 2014
What do you think of other students using electronic cigarettes around you? I think they are rebels, but cool. ~ Christian McNeace 17
Dont blow it in my face, and I dont really care. ~ Sofia Taramona 14 I dont smoke nor do I plan to. But dont judge people by what they do to themselves. ~ David Kane 17 Do you think the use of electronic cigarettes is harmful? How harmful do you think it is?
I do think its harmful. Any type of cigarette is. Overtime, the use of these cigarettes will put you in an unhealthy situation. ~ Kayla Cohen 17 Yes and no. It isnt too harmful for people trying to stop smoking, but people who just tried it can get addicted and might want to try a cigarette. The e-cig still has some nicotine. ~ Brenna Alewynse 16 Yes. [They are] just as harmful as normal cigarettes since they contain the same ingredients. ~ Robert Glick 14
edly is found to be using an e-cig or hookah pen, it will be confiscated. Whether or not the devices have tobacco in them, the school views e-cigs and hookah pens as a distraction. Its just not the appropriate place to do it. Its kind of a disruption, said Rooney. So security has no real consequence for it, and there are no known harmful drugs in it. So whats the catch? Its hard to tell what harm it may cause down the road, said Rooney. Since the products are new, the long-term effects of these devices are still unclear.
The WarriorNews
4
from QUESTIONS, pg. 1
Q: What tips or advice did Mr. Gregory give you before the break? of all, I was very excited that Mr. Gregory gave me the A: First opportunity to move into his office two weeks prior to the practi-
cum. This allowed people to get comfortable and see me in the role of principal. It was helpful that he was still here, that I could ask questions and depend on him. One tip Mr. Gregory gave me was to listen A quote that illustrates his advice is from Stephen Covey, Measure twice but cut once, so Mr. Gregory told me that before making a decision, make sure to consider all possibilities, ask lots of questions, look at it again and then make a decision. That is an enormous piece of advice that has served me extremely well during the practicum.
Q: What are your impressions so far of Sherwood? just been extremely impressed with the students and staff A: Ive here. Ill say that the job is a little bit different here in that I
The home page for MyMCPS for teachers and other staff (displayed above) shows an organized array of folders and tabs. to include parents and students will provide a community forum for document sharing, accessing curriculum and resources, video conferencing, sending messages about key learning experiences, and monitoring progress on students work, said Trenkamp. The enhanced MyMCPS forum provides increased access from anywhere and at any time to communication and collaboration with classmates and MCPS staff. In addition to Edlines features, MyMCPS will now allow students to be able to interact with each other and could even feature video chatting and instant messaging. Despite the additions, the transition to MyMCPS should be easy for current Edline users. The functionality in Edline is being incorporated into MyMCPS. However, the MyMCPS portal expands far beyond the Edline system. The MyMCPS portal integrates multiple data systems, thereby allowing for dynamic reporting on student progress, integrating curriculum resources, implementing Web 2.0 communication and collaboration tools, and incorporating digital planners for teachers, said Trenkamp.
dont deal with a lot of discipline, so that allows me time to be in classrooms, to be in the hallway, to assist students, to help parents and to work with staff. I think thats credit to a great staff, a great student body and great structures that Mr. Gregory has put in place.
The WarriorNews
January 30, 2014
The WarriorNutrition
6
January 30, 2014
There are no positive health benefits that come from eating trans fats. They are considered by most doctors to be the worst type of fat; not only do they clog arteries, but they raise your bad cholesterol (LDL), and lower your good cholesterol (HDL). High LDL cholesterol, combined with low HDL cholesterol, raises a persons risk of getting heart disease, a leading cause of death in the United States.
The best way to start avoiding trans fats is by reading the labels on foods. Since January of 2006, companies have been required to list if trans fats are used in their products. Other methods include cutting back completely on manufactured and commercial foods such as snack foods, using liquid vegetable oils for cooking that contain very little fat, using all-natural peanut butter, and if choosing foods which are trans-fat free isnt an option choosing foods which list trans fats very near the bottom of the label.
The FDA has proposed a ban on all artificial trans fats from American food supplies. This is expected to save potentially billions of dollars in medical costs as well an estimated 20,000 lives. It also eliminates a loophole in the existing health laws which allows manufac-
Its expected that consumers wont notice the difference in taste, despite the healthier content of their food. Approximately 75 percent of trans fats have already been eradicated from fast food oils, as well as products like Oreos. Chances are, if you havent already noticed the change, you wont notice when it is official.
The WarriorNutriton
January 30, 2014
Parent Group Aims to Improve Student Nutrition, Make School Lunches Healthier
by Mary Macrae 14
In October of 2012, an organization of parents of MCPS students called the Real Food for Kids-Montgomery (RFKM) was formed to encourage and promote healthy, whole and nutritious food in all MCPS schools. Co-founders Karen Devitt and Lindsey Parsons were concerned about the current food served in schools and wanted a change. So far the group has made strides towards these goals of higher nutrition and promotion of healthy lifestyles for students. One of RFKMs most recent and significant achievements includes the elimination of strawberry milk in all MCPS schools. I believe RFKM was effective in working to ban strawberry milk because it established a far-reaching base of members across the schools and it surveyed its members to help identify priorities said Samantha Meklir, a member of the group. The removal of strawberry milk was a clear priority among members and also a reasonable request to put forth to MCPS. Again, both RFKM and MCPS share the goal of doing whats best for our kids and RFKM provided a voice to articulate a clear step in how this could happen by working to ban the red-dyed strawberry milk. RFKMs ever growing membership is helping create change within MCPS and has as a result attracted local attention from newspapers and broadcast news. We are really proud of the numbers of parents we have reached and the structure that
7
tion mutates, the bacteria living in the animal becomes resilient to the effects of antibiotics, making it increasingly difficult to treat. Unfortunately, this problem in turn affects consumers when they ingest undercooked meat products and become ill. Theres no guarantee that a person would respond to antibiotic treatment if he/she should become ill from the meat. The bacteria infection could have developed a resistance to the available antibiotic, making it extremely difficult to heal and possibly detrimental to a persons health. Even more threatening on a global scale is the transfer of these antibiotic resistant bacteria into the environment. As livestock feces carrying resistant bacteria travels into sewers, streams and other areas in which human populations live, the chance of contracting a potentially deadly infection increases dramatically. In an effort to curtail this problem, the FDA has enforced two new policies. One requires licensed veterinarians to approve human antibiotics before putting them in animal feed and the other asks the companies who manufacture the antibiotic medicines to voluntarily revise their labels so that farmers will no longer be able to use the drugs to simply increase livestock size. With these new regulations and rising consumer awareness on the issue, the problem of antibiotics in everyday meat products can be on its way to becoming avoidable. Buying organic meats with no antibiotics is another option for those who want to completely steer clear of any possible exposures to risky antibiotic resistant infections.
Bridget Cook 14
Students line up day after day to buy lunches with options that include burgers, fries, deli sandwiches and the most popular item, pizza. we have created. Our membership includes parents in 120 of MCPS 202 schools. Our members are advocating for change at the school level, educating other parents about the food, reaching out to the PTAs, and talking to the principals about the desire for better school food created, saidDevitt. Another one of RFKM key goals was to help reduce the availability of certain sugary drinks and snacks. As of late RFKM has been able to get MCPS to delay turning on soda and candy machines until 30 minutes after the end of the school day. Soda is basically poison, and liquid calories are one of the most dangerous and most suspected in the current crisis of childhood obesity and diabetes. An educational institution shouldnt be selling it to children in its care, said Parsons. These achievements are just some of the goals RFKM wishes to accomplish. Through collaboration and compromise with MCPS, the group hopes to further promote rules and regulations that will improve students health and well- being. We have a lot of things in the works said Devitt. Were working on some statewide legislation for more transparency in school food. Were working on getting students more involved - possibly in creating a film about food in our schools with interviews with students. Were beginning to branch out to social media more to spread the word to as many people as we can. Were hoping to expand our membership to every school in MCPS by the end of this school year in June of 2014.
The WarriorFeatures
8
January 30, 2014
Haley Nachlas
by Steffani Carrera 14
Its only 9 a.m. on a Saturday but senior Haley Nachlas is already warming up to practice her solo dance routine in the spacious studio at Savage Dance Company in Skyesville. Surrounded by fellow dancers, she follows a stretching routine, carefully moving to loosen up her muscles and prepare for the intense choreography. Nachlas has been dancing since age 11, which is considered a late start in the dancing industry. Most performers typically begin dancing around five or six years old, however Nachlass technique has not suffered from such a late start. Dance teacher Nicole Savage notes that Nachlas has made much improvement in her dancing and technical skills, especially when one considers the short span of time in which the change occurred. Starting late, she missed out on all the fundamental things for technique, stated Savage. She has always been an innate performer; she has a great sense of artistry and performance so thats where her strength area has always lied. However, in the last few years we have seen her technique really turn, and now I consider her a technician. Nachlass noticeable improvement is a result of her dedication to the sport; she spends anywhere from twenty to thirty hours per week in the studio, dancing, teaching, assisting and even working the front desk. She takes a variety of classes: Ballet, Modern, Hip-Hop, Lyrical/Contemporary, Tap, Technique and Point. I know I spend a lot of time there but I dont really mind I love to dance, commented Nachlas. This is her second year with an abbreviated schedule, as she needed time during her junior year to participate in Titans of Dance, a traveling convention that spanned several cities including Raleigh, Orlando and Detroit.
courtesy of Haley Nachlas 14
Dancer and student Haley Nachlas poses for a variety of photos with the company Miapink. She currently takes multiple dance classes, all while teaching classes and assisting other teachers with younger children. Nachlas assisted teaching dancing workshops alongside So You Think You Can Dance performers Alex Wong, Mark Kanemura, Molly Gray and Sasha Mallory, among others. In addition to assisting dancers in such workshops, Nachlas continually helps her fellow dancers at Savage Dance Company, particularly she assists the younger kids. She teaches classes and assists other teachers in order to help the younger kids improve their dance technique. She has a very strong positive impact because of her personality, said Savage. Haley is a pure representation of what you want an older, talented dancer to be; shes polite, shes courteous, she talks to all the kids, picks them up and gives them hugs. Then as a dancer shes the role model you want for a kid because shes got great turnouts, beautiful feet and great artistry. Kids like Haley are hard to come across. Shes a complete package. Many hours of practice and concentration are dedicated to improving her skills, and this devotion yields impressive results. Honestly, every convention or competition we go to [Nachlas] either wins or shes in the top three, regionally and nationally. She is a very strong competitor. She is at the top of the playing field, commented Savage. While Nachlas is happy to see her hard work pay off, she admits that her main focus lies in the actual performance and not the awards or titles she receives. I love being on stage and performing, said Nachlas. For me its more about showing people how much I enjoy dancing. Hoping to pursue a career in the performance industry, Nachlas has begun the process of auditioning for colleges. She plans to attend a four-year university and then travel to various areas to dance. I want to help people through dance, and I want to see the world, said Nachlas. I hope I can find a job that allows me to do both.
by Stacey Wells 15
jigsaw projects, where students become experts on one topic and share their information with their group. It is nice for students to teach each other and transfer knowledge, said Soso It also gives appreciation for all the work that teachers do. Soso thinks that some students seem to benefit from group projects, while others do not seem
The WarriorFeatures
January 30, 2014
by Cal Wilson 14
Sherwoods second CAST performance of the year, previously known as Dinner Theatre, underwent new changes such as the deduction of the dinner and a renaming to Winter One Act. This comes from an executive decision from sponsor Andrew Dodge to focus less on the food and more on the student based acting, directing, casting and playwriting. Previous dinner theatres consisted of a 20x12-foot student built stage in the cafeteria and an accompanying dinner catered by Sol D Italia. Dodge provides adult supervision but leaves the building of the stage, writing of the acts, directing of the actors, and acting itself to students to give students experience in running the show on their own. The new Winter One Act production was performed on the Ertzman stage this year instead of on a student-built stage in the cafeteria. On top of that, there was no dinner provided with the show, but were still cookies and refreshments provided at the intermission. The way the production itself is conducted will not change and will continue to include facilitation. I decided to move the show to the Ertzman instead of the cafeteria to simplify the production and focus it more on the acting and what the characters are doing on stage, said Dodge. According to him, the audience attends more to see their family and friends act than for the food so the dinner is unnecessary to the purpose of the production, which is to present a student-run production. The hardest thing is always the props, said senior Chase Fredrick. With a low theatre budget, the students are in charge of building their own props, such as the obstacles in the laser tag arena in Fredricks Of Love and Lazers. Dodge found it overwhelming for students to worry about building both the stage and their own props so he decided to move it to the Ertzman stage. The chemistry between the cast members also contributed greatly to the show. Student directors Rachel Fox and Chase Fredrick took their actors laser tagging as a group to bring them
9
closer and give them more passion for their roles. Its the friendship relationship rather than the professional relationship that got things done [during rehearsals] said senior student director Michael Sanchez. Due to the heavy snow storms on January 21 and January 22, the dress rehearsal and first show were snowed out and rescheduled for January 23 and 24. The cast also had to deal with winter break, vacations and snow outs when planning their rehearsals. The original auditions were snowed out along with other rehearsals that had to be rescheduled or cut out entirely. I would have liked to have more rehearsals, said junior William McDermott. I would have liked more time to do blocking. Despite the difficultly scheduling rehearsals and the snow, the show ended up being just as funny and successful as ever. When we work together it doesnt seem like anything is going to work out but then it all comes together in the end, said Sanchez.
Lunar New Year celebrations include the traditional Chinese lion dance (top), a traditional Korean dinner (bottom left) and red envelopes used by the Chinese and Vietnamese to receive money (bottom right).
Senior Brooke OConnell works at her desk at the Food and Drug Adminstration. She has been given the rare opportunity to begin working in a professional environment as opposed to a classroom setting. nell explained. She worked closely with Judy Reiff, Sherwoods internship coordinator to find an engineering company for which she could work. A woman at the FDA saw OConnells resume that Reiff had sent out to multiple places. The FDA worker set up an interview to discuss OConnells engineering skills and attributes, and the internship at the civil engineering firm. Soon after, she was invited to intern for the FDA. That woman became her sponsor. I went from jobless to having an interview at the FDA of all places; somewhere I never thought I would be able to work at, she stated. The job at her civil engineering firm helped her get the job at the FDA. Though the internship is unpaid, it could become a paid internship if she continues through the summer. OConnell goes three days a week, but she does not have a set schedule for every week. Working with her co-workers in a large office gives her a real feel of what it is really like to work in a professional field and not just be a student. Despite the lack of more engineering-related tasks, OConnell feels the FDA has given her the opportunity to be exposed to a traditional work environment. It shows me that engineering is very versatile. You can have a traditional office job or something more hands-on. It just depends on what youre looking for, she said.
The WarriorHumor
10
January 30, 2014
A Study of Literature
by Katie Mercogliano 14
Dante. Chaucer. Shakespeare. Austen. Teens in the Twitter generation. What do all these people have in common, you ask? Revolutionizing literature in such an innovative manner that it changed the artform of writing forever. Countless question the ability of teens in this day and age to write a proper sentence let alone something meaningful. Well, Im here to prove the skeptics wrong. When a majority of teenagers say they dont see the point in taking English classes if they already know the language, there is actually concrete evidence backing up their claim. Here are just a few drops in the sea of literary brilliance on Twitter.
Refudiate, misunderestimate, wee-weed up. English is a living language. Shakespeare liked to coin new words too. Got to celebrate it! - Sarah Palin
We first start our in depth analysis of the shining minds that have been discovered through the outlet of Twitter with a reference to an old and wisebut not at all clichsaying with a twist. Now, ignoring the commonly misused your rather than the contraction, youre, the reader can look deep into the almost allegorical aspect of the tweet. Replacing the actual word, salt, with salad depicts a much grittier image. I mean pouring salt on a wound is painful, but pouring salad on a woundespecially with ranch dressingis just downright torture and actually is a felony in numerous states. The suspense awaiting more philosophies from @ IAmMaliahMichel is excruciating, like the burn of salad in a wound.
There are songs, and then there are transcendent and legendary works of musical genius. This Tweeter asked to remain anonymous in this publication. But her anonymity does not mask the witty and ultra-intelligent pun she developed from the song Dont Cha by the renowned girl group, the Pussycat Dolls. What might appear as just a humorous pun is actually social commentary on how men should wish their girlfriends are grammatically correct, not hot as the Pussycat Dolls so eloquently put it. To quote Mean Girls, Irregardless, thats just like the rules of feminism. Now, Im sure the mix up with the contraction youre instead of the possessive your is just intentional irony from the self-professed grammar expert.
This commentary about the ever dwindling sanctity of marriageor should I say marriagemakes use of bilingual descriptions and purposefully misspelled words to expose the reality that our generation has created. Looking at a certain form of the Spanish word, mochar (meaning to cut off clumsily or to hack off) reveals her belief that our generation is just carelessly and selfishly ruining the definition of marriage by allowing people to get out of a bad one if they so please. Youre right, @rayplusray. How dare our Government not force people to stay in an unhappy marriage! Those are not the principles this country was founded on. Finally, Ray Ray flips where the i is supposed to be in the word marriage, uncovering her deepest belief that people in marriages have become selfish, only thinking about i not we. Ray Ray has already started rallies and petitions to make divorce illegal in America, and the support is rapidly increasing. God bless America and God bless Ray Ray.
The number of teenagers having unprotected sex and contracting STDs is growing more and more as all traditional American morals and ethics fly out the window with todays huge exposure to rock and hip hop music, Miley Cyrus twerking, and the latest fashion trend: crop tops (or should I say prostitute uniforms). @yssirc_ is spreading awareness with her masterfully done and almost poetic tweets. Alluding to theslogan from Kay Jewelers, @yssirc_ takes a bold risk in changing the spelling of the STD chlamydia (purposefully, Im sure) to manifest alliteration with the letter k in order to create a wakeup call to us immoral and unethical teenagers. What she means is even something as seemingly harmless as a kiss between hormonally charged animals can lead to consequences one cant even begin to imagine. The last time I saw a message this powerful was in the true story depicted in the critically acclaimed movie, Reefer Madness.
As you can see, Twitter practically makes any of form of writing obsolete. Its evident that English classes are moot and provide little to no benefit for the average teenager. Whether its changing the dictionary definition of literally or making common sense a thing of the past, the Twitter generation has become synonymous with that of the renaissance. Soon, the swag of a million teens will take over the literary world, one tweet at a time.
The WarriorHumor
January 30, 2014
11
Junior Chris Chiohioji defends Blakes Alex Munson (top left); senior Jacob Spurrier takes a complicated layup over several defenders (top right); senior Jack Sadler and Blake senior Brett Silverman exchange words (bottom left); Corners Carswell gears up to shoot a three-pointer from the corner (bottom right). turn to the league, not as a player but as a coach. Its great being a coach; I get to yell at anyone I want and bench anyone just because I feel like it, said Monroe. Coaching makes me realize how much I want to get back in the game to show everyone how its done, but Im too old. Defending champions, Team Widmair, already have shown this season that they are dominant again, losing only to Team Weiskopf. Last year, Team Widmair was expected to lose in the championship but proved their haters wrong. This year they are expected to win because of their almost identical team along with their recruitment of former streetball star Josh Ziggy Popkin. Although the league is predominantly Sherwood students, there are other school student involved and OBGC wants to expand the high school league to get more teams from Sherwood, Magruder and Blake to have a place for non-varsity athletes to play in a fun yet competitive environment, said Ken Bradford, Comissioner of OBGC rec league. The season is in full swing and the playoffs are right around the corner; its exciting to see how it all will turn out in this 2014 OBGC rec league season.
by Becky Ewing 14
might even spot a chalkboard, littered with the ruins of unused chalk and erasers. Ah, I remember those days like it was just yesterday. The days when students would get all giddy in their seats because their teacher rolled in a bulky TV and a VHS in their hands. Only Bill
twitter. Back in my day we didnt have twitter to tweet our every thought. If we were bored our awkward middle school selves would go straight to Facebook and post something along the lines of sOoO bOoreD t3xt Me xD. No one was judged because everyone did it. Sure, I cant leave the house without my iPhone, but, hey, at least during my childhood I could actually get lost. I used to be able to ride my bike down all the twists and turns of the maze that was my neighborhood until I couldnt recognize the street. It was always an adventure to try to figure out my way back, but now a days, the route from your Current Location to home is just at the click of a button. Reminiscing about the good ol days makes me almost as sad as when my tamagotchi died. So I would like to make a toast to Gameboys, Club Penguin, and how dare I forget all 32 of my Webkinz. I thank them for my childhood.
Oly
mp
Before 776 B.C.: Athletic contests are held at Olympia every four years, between August 6 and Septem1908 ber 19. Though the Games con- 190 : The 6 er sist of only foot races, other vius re uption of M q t events are gradually added, move f uires the G . Vesuames t rom R Neth o o like wrestling and the For th erl e first me to Londo 1 928: T ands time, a n. pentathlon. march r he thletes into th iled by Taylo p W m o C i n h e i t s nd the er Ga 4 1894: ir nati tadium bemes a with Fer nandes 1 o n r w s e a f lags. At the urgsome rm weath plagued Italy e e 1956 ing of Baron Pierre de Paris 10,00 vents and r, slowing :S i m p 0 c orted now has a -mete Coubertin, the Interna1900: Women to b r spee ncelling th i nt try b d-ska e efore o the coun e tional Olympic Commit- are first alBelgium ting r the could ace. Olym n 1986 tee (IOC) is founded. 1920: The even games lowed into the pics t ter :A begin o h e b t l oath e and eur st maflag d . ic Olymp in As Olympics. ia. requi atus Greece created. Germany, Austria, re Cana is dro ment 1896: The first moder n da 19 Bulgaria, Hungary, and 1940, 1944: Games p 8 p Games W Japa 1916: e E d i n n . coun14 . g ter ga 8: The n Olympic Games land 1 are not invited, Turkey called off due to m 9 to e 4 due cancelled es are 1998 8: Ger xtend and Ja tries are represented by wrong the m on : Wo been e p having World War II. a d to 1 a War I. m ens to take n are not in ny Austr 6 d a about 245 men, competing World y War. ice h vited ia 197 s. side of the Great part in o 6 : c G debu O the Ol ames. award in 43 events. tes a key ympic ed to D riginally t th Olym env to Inn pics. is sbruck er, USA bu t wh tra the off Vanco er due en Denver r nsferred uve ejected to cost f i rst gam r 2010: The s. es to its ope ning c hold by Will Van Gelder 16 eremo indoor ny s.
ics
Thr
oug
hH
isto
ry
it l il W
be t he F in al W hi te
Shaun White has been dominating the competitive snowboarding world from the very young age of seven, when he received his first sponsorship. From that point on he has won 22 gold medals, three silver medals and two bronze medals in various major competitions, including the 2006 and 2010 Winter Olympic Games. White is the only snowboarder in the world to achieve two consecutive gold medals in the Mens half-pipe, along with being the youngest person to win the event since it was added to the Winter Olympics in 1998. Along with these amazing achievements, White was the first person ever to receive a score of 100 in the Winter X Games. But has the White era come to an end? He already has received legendary status at age 27, but some are questioning if he is going to continue to be the best and if the Sochi Olympics will be his last. It doesnt seem that he is any less determined to be the best than he was in his last games, but he has added outside commitments such as touring with his band. He has started to spend less time on the slopes since he progressively gets worse after two hours or so, when he spoke to a reporter for Team USA. Along with all of his extras off the mountain, White is not only competing in the half-pipe in Sochi but slopestyle as well in its Olympic debut. Whites biggest competition is the Swiss Iouri Japan 1972 Podladtchikov, who is two years younger than White and is : the fi rst W Marks currently ranked number two in the world. i
W in
te r
?
by Jenni Kenel 14
People were, understandingly, surprised, when they heard the tropical island of Jamaica was sending a bobsled team to the Winter Olympics at Calgary in 1988. The team made their debut in Calgary and though they did not finish their run, they became a fan favorite, as they were the underdogs of all underdogs. In 1993, Disney released the movie Cool Runnings, which was about this teams unlikely road to the Olympics.
Blair makes the list for her excellence over multiple Winter Olympic Games. She won a gold in the 500 and bronze in the 1,000 in Calgary in 1988, and proceeded to win gold in these same two events the following two Winter Olympics (Albertville and Lillehammer). Her success earned her ABCs Wide World of Sports Athlete of the Year in 1992 and the title of The Associated Presss Female Athlete of the Year in 1994.
Ze ala n
While the Olympic Games are about the spirit of competition and sports, choosing a host remains a political matter. What many point to as a reason for not holding the Olympics in Russia in 2014 is the fact that while Russia is technically a democracy, President Vladimir Putin, who has been in power since 2000, controls the country in a totalitarian-like fashion. Other problems with these Olympics center on environmental and cost issues. Many in the area around Sochi have said that the new Olympic complexes have destroyed wildlife and vegetation. The games are also reported to cost up to $50 billion, compared to the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver which cost $8.2 billion. Another concern is the fact that Sochi is very close to the Russian border with tz 16 Ossetia, a disputed land in between Russia and Georgia, where war broke out ntha Schwar a m a S y b during the 2008 summer Olympics. This war caused a major international crisis, and controversy over rumored human rights abuses. bigold is an even g e th g in n The most publicized issue that is plaguing these Olympics, though, ory. win hole other st ilestone and w m a e n is o ld is o s g ic d ill is how Russia will treat gay athletes in the Olympics. During the last mp con g in the Oly e to win a se Korea who w Competin ing your titl from South d al. er few Olympic Games there was a pavilion called pride house as en ed ld ef o d m t -h u ld rd o B d her g vement. and reco en ie n h ef io d ac p to er am g ia ch a celebration of gay athletes throughout the world. Recently, Russ old holder is a 23-yearics in Sochi, orld-record p w m im a K ly e a O b n r u to te Y numerous Russian leaders have spoken up against the pavilWin . She is t her to the 2014 res 11 times uldnt expec o g o sc w in e rn rd n o o tu , ec re ce -r e n b ion being allowed at the Olympics, and some have even sugpion and eara world x Final cham s petite app has broken ri l P im ir d K -g n n d ra o n u G o ed e gested that no gay athletes should be allowed to particiBas tim hopes to 100-p ments. Kim pion, a threeist, but this ve al am ie h h ed C ac m d y rl ld o o an g pate. Russia has recently been cracking down on their gay gW er m the South and Figure Skatin e a few of h dium, while 3 o 1 p am 0 n e 2 th d to f an o st 9 p ju , population, including passing a law that prohibits the the 200 de on the to al champion ands with pri rean Nation st o K e pion. e promotion of non-traditional sexual relationships sh im as -t s ve rd fi bitious cham rld reco am o d w s an u l io fu v ce re ra to minors. Such laws have made many gay athletes shatter her p ys for this g al anthem pla n io fearful that they will not be able to participate in at n an re Ko the Olympics, or even enter the country. The Sochi Olympics possibly have caused the most controversy since the 1980 sumby Samantha Schwartz 16 mer Olympics, which were held in Mos Athletes work their whole lives to achieve the title of Olympian, to be selected to represent cow and boycotted by the United States their country with pride. They strive to stand on the top podium with gratification, knowing all that and many other Western nations. they have had to endure to get to that spot. Blake Skjellerup, like any other Olympian, is in it for the gold, These Olympics are causing so but, what might be even more important to Skjellerup is the personal pride he carries while representing the much discord and confusion lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community. Skjellerup is a 28-year-old speed skater from New and anxiety that some Zealand who will be competing in the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics in anti-gay Russia as the first openly gay athlete are still asking should of these games. Russia be hosting these The Russian President, Vladimir Putin, recently signed a law banning propaganda of nontraditional sexual games. relations and imposing fines on those holding gay pride rallies. There is uncertainty how and to what extent the laws
Jamie Sale and David Pelletier of Canada were noticeably upset after winning silver at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics. Sale and Pelletier delivered a flawless performance in the long program while their Russians counterparts still won the gold even with a minor, yet notable slip-up. After the competition, a French judge admitted she had been coerced into voting for the Russians. As a result, Sale and Pelletier were eventually awarded the gold and the two pairs shared the title.
British ice dancers Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean gave a brilliant performance and became the highest scoring skaters of all time for a single programme. The two received 12 perfect 6.0s, including a 6.0 from every judge for artistic impression in their gold medal performance. Back in the 1998 Nagano Games, alpine ski racer Hermann Maier had an epic crash in a downhill race that made viewers cringe and hold their breath. Amazingly, he was able to get back up and even more amazingly he won gold in both the Giant Slalom and Super-G just days later. The American speed skater won gold medals in each of the five mens races, setting five Olympic records and one world record. He is the only skater to win all five events in any Olympics. Franz Klammer, Austrian alpine ski racer and national hero, provides a perfect example mankinds need for speed. With little regard for his own safety, Klammer flew down the hill, seemingly on the edge of disaster at every turn. The result? A blistering run that left him .33 seconds ahead of the competition and with the Olympic gold medal. Jansen was the best speed skater in the world in 1988 and was favored to win the 500 and 1,000 meter races at the Olympic Games is Calgary. However, before the races he learned his sister had died of Leukemia and ended up coming out of Calgary without a medal. He entered Albertville four years later as the favorite again, but again came up empty. At Lillehammer, after losing the 500 meter yet again, he finally won a gold in the 1,000 meters. American figure skater Nancy Kerrigan was hit in the knee when an attacker swung a metal baton at her at the 1994 U.S. Figure Skating Championships. It turned out that the attack was orchestrated by the ex-husband of rival skater Tonya Harding. However, Kerrigan was healthy for the Olympics later that year and managed to finish with a silver medal. Harding, who unbelievably could still participate, finished well behind after multiple mistakes. The beef between the Soviet Union and United States already was well-established when the Olympics came to Lake Placid in 1980. The Cold War had been going on for over two decades and the two superpowers were undeniable rivals. The Soviet Union hockey team came in as the heavy favorite to win after winning the previous four ice hockey gold medals, and had multiple world-renowned players who later became hall of famers. Meanwhile, the U.S hockey team was extremely young and only had one returning player from the 1976 Olympic Games. The two teams met in the medal round and the U.S shockingly overcame the odds to defeat the Soviets 3-2, the game ending with Al Michaels famous words Do you believe in miracles? The U.S. team completed the Cinderella story by beating Finland to win gold.
e p S
ed
ke Skater Bla
a Stand s e k a T p Skjelleru
Ne
will be enforced in Sochi during the Games. I will be myself in Russia, and at this moment, that is illegal. My goal is to inspire, encourage and offer support to LGBT people in Russia, said Skjellerup in a recent article in The Guardian newspaper.
The WarriorOpinions
14
Staff Editorial:
In Our Opinion
the
Warrior
P
ublished seven times a year, The Warrior serves as Sherwood High Schools premier news source. Over the years, it has received numerous state and national honors. With a staff of 34 students and one advisor, The Warrior keeps the Sherwood community apprised of local and national events. All opinion articles represent the viewpoint of the writer. The unsigned staff editorials solely represent the opinions of the newspaper staff. These articles do not necessarily represent the views of Sherwood High School. The Warrior welcomes Letters to the Editor of 250 words or less. They may be submitted to room C268 or emailed to thewarrioronline.shs@gmail.com. Letters must be signed, and all content received by the newspaper is subject to editing. The Warrior staff invites feedback and corrections to printed inaccuracies. The Warrior reserves the right to refuse advertisements.
come on Warrior Wake-Up Live every once in a while to give a brief synopsis of what their class is all about and to whom it would appeal. Most students view the morning announcements daily, which is why it is a convenient platform for informing students of classes. If students have an easy access to information, they are more knowledgeable about their choices. Therefore, the course registration process becomes much easier. Flaws also exist regarding counselors helping students pick classes. Because there are so many students and tasks to accomplish, counselors do not have the time to get a gauge of their students capabilities and interests. As a result, counselors often push students to take a course load that they cannot handle. Counselors encourage students to take AP classes because it will look good to colleges, but sometimes students are pressured into taking too many AP classes, and thus their grades suffer. Again, a website with class descriptions and catalogs could solve this problem. Students could read up on AP classes they are considering taking, and determine whether they feel they can be successful in the class or not. In addition, students could have the opportunity to take advice from peers who have already take a course. The site could have a comment section where students could interact and explain what they thought of a class or teacher. The flaws of the course registration process are obvious but easy to mend. In general, the school must educate students on courses through a more convenient and credible source.
Staff
Print Layout and Production Directors .......................... Marie Moeller 15 Michael Natelli 14 News Editors ......................................................... Steffani Carrera 14 Betselot Wondimu 15 Nutrition Editor ......................................... Whitney Marie Halaby 14 Florian 14 Features Editors .................................................... Victoria Mary Macrae 14 Humor Editor .......................................................... Hunter Moore 15 Spotlight Editor .................................................. Mandy Stussman 14 Opinions Editors ................................................ Emma Hierholzer 15 Cal Wilson 14 Wondering Warrior Editor............................. Samantha Schwartz 16 Jenni Kenel 14 Entertainment Editors ................................................ Katie Mercogliano 14 Sports Editors ............................................................. Joey Lavoie 14 Kyle Melnick 14 Online Online Managing Editor ............................................. Ashley Yen 14 Online Content Editor ............................................. Brian Hughes 15 Online Page Editors....................................................... Ryan Deal 16 Catherine Jou 15 Alec Perez 14 Will Van Gelder 16 Content and Copy Managing Content and Copy Director ....................... Joy Zhang 14 Content and Copy Editors ................................... Meagan Barrett 15 Michael Crooks 14 Tom Lee 14 Managing Photo Editors ......................................... Bridget Cook 14 Taylor Fernandes 14 Photographer .............................................................. Haley Whitt 15 Cartoonist ............................................................ Kelsey Morrison 14 Pollster ................................................................ Sammie Spillman 16 Morning Announcements Script Editor .................. Stacey Wells 15 Business and Publicity Directors ............................ Lucy Hurlbut 14 Sean Kang 14 Advisor ................................................................................ Peter Huck
The WarriorOpinions
January 30, 2014
by Marie Moeller 15
ruling is more complicated than that. The case specifically legalized abortion in the first trimester under the 9th amendment, which protects the right to privacy, and the due process clause of the 14th amendment. While the opinion of the Court stated that it favored abortion in the second trimester and prohibition of abortion in the third, the decision of legality was ultimately left to the states. However, the case did rule that whenever the life or welfare of the mother was in immediate danger, abortion was legal. Knowing this information leads to the second step: keeping an open mind. As anyone can see, the answer to controversy over abortion is not simple and cannot be narrowed down to a choice between pro-life and pro-choice. According to Gallup polls, support is not strongest in favor of pro-life or pro-choice, but rather a middle category with 52 percent backing the legalization of abortion only under certain circumstances. By understanding the case and all of the factors involved in Roe v. Wade, hopefully extremists can find a shade of grey, in which they can recognize the opinions of the opposing viewpoints to generate a law that can best appease both parties. As a catholic, I was taught that abortion was impious since life begins at contraception. However, personally, I put aside my faith for the sake and right of others. There are many of reasons why women would want an abortion. It is not my place to say what they can or cannot do with their bodies. Yet, this does not mean I cannot exercise my own beliefs in my personal actions. Many pro-life supporters need to face reality and come to terms with that fact that they cannot prevent every abortion by making it illegal. Controlling everyones mind set simply cannot be done. In contrast, many prochoice supporters need to realize that it is not possible to make abortion completely legal, taking action in increments so only certain aspects, such as the right to abortion in the first trimester, should be completely legalized at a time, instead of tackling the issue all at once. Being able to acknowledge this, allows one to complete the second step and work towards taking action in the community, the final step. The annual March for Life, a demonstration in peaceful protest of Roe v. Wade, has numerous
15
supporters and participants with the right idea in rallying together to spread their views, but instead of lobbying the government, the people are the ones who should be lobbied. Ultimately, the people have the choicewhether legal or not. Instead of spurring deadlock debates in the government and creating tension between the federal government and state governments, persuade others of your view; make speeches about the other options that exist outside of abortions or why aborting a fetus is in the best interest of the health of the mother. If you can convince the people then you have a much greater influence than when targeting the government. After all, induviduals always have a choice; they are the ones who can change their minds.
Pro
Solution to the Time Crunch
by Ankur Kayastha 15
Block scheduling at Sherwood has the potential to be an advantageous change to the standard seven-period system due to its flexibility both in and outside of school. This change could benefit school staff, parents and especially students. Many schools have implemented block scheduling already, and the movement is increasing. Counties such as Anne Arundel and Prince Georges have had block scheduling for years. In MCPS, Northwood High and James Hubert Blake High, for example, use block scheduling. At Blake, Monday through Wednesday is the standard seven-period system, but on Thursdays, odd periods meet (with period 6), and on Fridays, even periods meet (also with period 6). This allows for better flexibility with the weekend, so that students receive a few days to gather their work and finalize assignments from all of the classes from the previous week. Quite simply, high school block scheduling would be analogous to college scheduling, and the ultimate goal of high school is to provide students with college readiness. This similarity can better prepare students to take on college when they reach that point, because they had already developed time management skills from the similar scheduling in high school. Though there are many variations of block scheduling, in Sherwood specifically, a transition to block scheduling would encompass this same idea contrasting from the traditional seven-period system. Rather than having two days of block scheduling, perhaps four days in a week would be dedicated to four different classes each day rather than seven, which allows for better concentration on both classwork and homework. Then, on Fridays, all classes could meet and review material that was presented throughout the week. Prioritizing is one of the most prominent problems for high school students, especially for juniors and seniors. Students struggle to get all of their homework done while also attending their extracurricular activities, maintaining a social life, and getting a good nights sleep. Block scheduling may alleviate these problems by reducing the number of classes that students have each day. In terms of academics, block scheduling may solve students most prominent problem: time management. This type of scheduling calls for fewer, but lengthened classes, so that more material may be taught within classes. Classes usually meet every other day, allowing for more time between classes and the assignments that need to be turned in. Students receive two days to finish and may then be able to budget their time adequately so that they can complete tasks qualitatively. Also, there would be fewer quizzes or tests on a given day by virtue of there only being four classes per day instead of seven. Students can therefore perform better on the tests and quizzes they do have. Aside from students, teachers also benefit from block scheduling because they have more time to teach in classes. There is actually a mutual advantage: students are able to understand the material better and therefore perform better in the class. Students benefit; teachers benefit; and parents benefit from this type of block scheduling. Sherwood would impose less stress on its students and ultimately have an enlightened atmosphere with there being fewer classes in the day.
Con
90-Minute Classes Unrealistic
by Ashley Nnabue 16
Within MCPS, there are at least three high schools with block schedules, including Blake, nearby. However, even if other schools in MCPS have block scheduling, Sherwood should not consider adopting the scheduling format as well. Schools with block scheduling typically have seven classes in total, but only four classes are attended a day. During one school day students will go to their odd numbered classes and the following day attend the even numbered classes. Each class is 90 minutes, which is a drastic increase from the standard 47-minute classes that daily seven-period schedules have. The longer classes are not realistically beneficial for many students, because they are not capable of concentrating on any one subject for a consecutive 90 minutes. The lack of attentiveness from students may cause them to miss information taught in class. After losing attention, some students will be compelled to play around and disrupt the class instruction. Teachers may have to focus more on how to maintain classroom discipline, which will matter more than learning. A purpose of a block schedule is to make education less regimented and more enjoyable for students. This means that teachers will need to incorporate less lecturing and more varied, entertaining activities in order to keep the students alert. It is likely that some teachers will be unsuccessful in coming up with interesting instruction that fills a longer period. For block scheduling to work, teachers will have to alternate their teaching styles and techniques, which is a task easier said than done. Since each class is not daily, it will not be surprising if teachers begin to add more homework to the already hefty workload. Many teachers will justify their actions by mentioning the extra night to complete the homework. However, the additional night to do homework will increase students tendency to procrastinate. The workloads from various classes can take at least three hours to finish daily. With an extra day to finish it, most students would surely do only half of the work that they could have completed on a normal schedule. This will increase the amount of work one needs to do the next day, and the amount of homework will gradually build up like a snowball. The longer periods may also dilute how challenging some classes should be. With block scheduling, the rigor of each course is likely slowed down in order to fit the longer time. This may defeat the purpose of a student signing up for an AP or Honors class, which is meant to be fast-paced in order to challenge students ability to keep up with the curriculum. Not only that, but dragging out the substance in a class increases students chances of forgetting material needed before advancing to the next course or taking a standardized test such as the SAT or ACT. By forgetting the necessary material, performances on standardized tests have a risk of declining. Extending class times would not work effectively for students or teachers in the long run. If Sherwood adopted this unproductive scheduling system, it would not be surprising if the principal has to endure many phone calls from parents worried about their childs school studies.
The WarriorOpinions
16
by Mandy Stussman 14
The Facts
Sources: Population Reference Bureau, Renaissance Universal Magazine, The Bureau of Justice Statistics, The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, The Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Anna Aizer of Brown University and Joseph Doyle, Jr. of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
ly to the development in many states of three-strike bills that require mandatory and extended periods of incarceration to people who have been convicted of felonies on three or more separate occasions. These laws, along with similar ones mandating increased sentences, were adopted throughout the 1990s in an attempt to decrease crime. These laws, however, have proved to be ineffective and a massive waste of taxpayers money. The total cost per inmate averages about $31,286 per year, according to a study conducted by the Center on Sentencing and Corrections. With four times the prisoners, the government spends four times the money. If these bills requiring mass incarceration were repealed, the United States government could pour that money into bettering prisons educational facilities, living conditions, safety features (including video surveillance), and medical facilities, especially drug rehabilitation centers. The facts are compelling: take Norway, for example. The Norwegian government has one of the most lenient criminal justice systems in the world. The
maximum sentence in Norway, even for murder, is 21 years. Since most inmates will eventually return to society, prisons mimic the outside world as much as possible to prepare inmates for freedom. Prisoners are given personal laptops, private rooms and exercise facilities. They go to school or work from eight in the morning to eight at night, and the rest of the day is their own. And Norway has one of the lowest prison return rates in the world, at 20 percent. Compare that to the United States, the highest rate in the world, more than double that of Norway. Though the benefits Norwegian prisoners are given may conflict with popular demand in the United States for strict punishment, the reality is that in 2011, only 8 percent of Americans in federal prisons were convicted for violent offenses, according to a study by the Bureau of Justice Statistics. Criminals are not all heartless murderers, and deserve a chance to get back on their feet. They deserve the protection of their basic human rights and dignities. Prisoners should be treated like people. To reform prisons, state governments must first repeal these draconian laws that have proved ineffective after two decades, and use the excess money saved by fewer incarcerations to protect and educate prisoners, so they can learn how to function in the world beyond the confinement of prison.
Women In Power
by Emma Hierholzer 15
In the grocery store just the other day, I saw something that seriously made me consider an important point in my future as a professional woman in the work force. My cashier, a young man, was struggling with the cash register when his supervisor, an older woman walked over to help him. She scolded him for not knowing the system but assisted him in fixing the problem. As she walked away he whispered, I hate that b****! Initially this didnt faze me but as I thought about it, the more his comment disturbed me. In the work world, the unfortunate truth is that women in authority positions get no respect. If a man were to work hard and ask the same expectations of his employees, hed be complimented on doing his job well. This disparity between the genders in the work world is just one of many and its an issue that not only feminists need to address. Women deserve the same respect!
The WarriorOpinions
January 30, 2014
17
Yes, internships are valuable if you make the most of them. It can be a really good experience to get to see what the real work environment is like. However, if an internship doesnt pertain to someones desired career path, its probably a waste of time. - Natalie Sebeck 14 Do you agree with MCPS requirements of a minimum total of 21 required credits consisting of 4 math, 4 English, 3 science, 3 social studies, 1 fine arts, 1 PE, 1 Tech, and 0.5 health credit, and three extra electives, and if not what do you think would be the best way to create a well-rounded education plan that also allows for flexibility for students to create a schedule that suits their individual preferences? I do agree with this but the way MCPS tech credits work is laughable. How does Design Tech Solutions...count as a credit, but Computer Programs...not count? Its ridiculous? - Alex Jakobowski 14
No, because it limits classes we can take based on interests because of all the elective requirements. Each student has his/her own path so why make everyone take the same set of classes. - Molly Freedman 14
Both
STEM
Humanities
* 75 students surveyed
SNOW DAY
What is your superstition/ritual vori a to make it snow? f r u s yo t a h W
I pray to Chione, the Greek goddess of snow -Rachel Goodrich 14 I wear white socks to bed -Sabrina Mann 15 I turn my pajamas inside out and do a little dance -Jennie Weschler 15
Hot Chocolate 61%
ge a r e v e ay b d w o te sn
Coffee 2%
Other 16%
Tea 18%
Hot Cider 3%
92 students surveyed
Skiing/Snowboarding 27%
The WarriorEntertainment
January 30, 2014
by Katie Mercogliano 14
It seems absurd to lightly suggest to some of the most esteemed directors in film history, such as Francis Ford Coppola (The Godfather Part I, II, III), Quentin Tarantino (Pulp Fiction, Inglorious Basterds, Django Unchained) and Darren Aronofsky (Requiem for a Dream, Black Swan, The Wrestler), to cut parts of their movies to make it more viewer friendly. Yet, as ridiculous as it might seem, each one of these award-winning directors has had to edit their films to receive an R-rating, rather than the NC-17 rating the Motion Pictures Association of America gave them originally. In 1968, the MPAA decided to come to the rescue of movie makers and protect them from the governments censorship by reinventing the current ratings system, the Hays Code, which had been the standards since the early 1930s. Thus began the seemingly ever-changing ratings system a majority of theaters in America enforce. Throughout the decades, the system has had many makeovers. The most controversial was the addition of NC-17 in 1990, which then meant children under 17 are not admitted but has since
19
Shame
(2011)
Bad Education
(2004)
Killer Joe
(2012)
changed to children under 18. Intentionally created to give movies with substance a different rating from X, the rating has since developed a reputation almost as risque as a dirty movie. Although a film can be stamped with an NC-17 rating for violence, the MPAA has revealed a clear trend of giving a harsher rating for movies depicting graphic sex (no matter the context). And furthermore, movies with gay sex and sex focusing on womens pleasure dominates the list of NC-17 movies. There are no actual criteria or standards the anonymous raters (their names dont get revealed) have to follow. When harsher and inconsistent ratings are given because
of certain types of sex scenes and not others, it only reinforces homophobic and sexist mindsets in society. Context is almost never taken into account when deciding a movie rating. In the independent drama Blue Valentine starring Academy Award nominated Michelle Williams and mega star Ryan Gosling, there is really only one sex scene that has nudity in it. It was a not-so-steamy realistic scene that was vital to the plot and tone of the movie. And of course, it received an NC-17 rating for this scene because the focus was on the woman. But the shocking aspect of this rating was the sex scene was between a married couple and it was completely
consensual. Gosling immediately spoke out, criticising the decision and saying it was sexist because there have been R-rated movies showing women tortured, beaten and raped, but showing a married couple having sex is considered more inappropriate for teens to see. The MPAA didnt give reason why because its not required to, but eventually the outlash against the rating influenced them to change the rating to R without any changes to the movie. Movies with NC-17 ratings have little to no commercial viability because theaters seldom play them and previews are usually banned. A good amount do have critical success, though (see sidebar for more). Aronofskys
Requiem for a Dream, the uber gritty, horrific portrayal of drug addiction, was praised highly by critics, yet didnt even earn back its relatively small budget of 4.5 million. He refused to re-edit the film, claiming it would lessen the message of it. He appealed the rating but was denied. By attempting to prevent government censorship of movies, the MPAA has only forced its own censorship on the art form of the 20th and 21st century. Branding the NC-17 certificate on any film is almost a guarunteed kiss of death in the film industry. To label a directors vision obscene will be viewed with the same dismay people now feel about the banning of books in the past.
The Warriors movie buffs, Ryan Deal 16 and Will Van Gelder 16, give their predictions for who will take home the Oscar for the biggest categories on March 2.
Best Actor Nominees: Christian Bale, Bruce Dern, Leonardo DiCaprio, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Matthew McConaughey Who will probably win: Matthew McConaughey- Dallas Buyers
Club
Best Supporting Actor Nominees: Barkhad Abdi, Jared Leto, Bradley Cooper, Jonah Hill, Michael Fassbender
Buyers Club
Who I want to win: Jared Leto (Van Gelder and Deal) Best Supporting Actress Nominees: June Squibb, Lupita Nyongo, Julia Roberts, Jennifer Lawrence, Sally Hawkins Who will probably win: Lupita Nyongo- 12 Years a Slave Who I want to win: Lupita Nyongo (Deal and Van Gelder) Best Director Nominees: David O. Russell, Alfonso Cuaron, Martin Scorese Alexander Payne, Steve McQueen Who will probably win: Alfonso Cuaron-Gravity
a Slave (Van
Who I want to win: Matthew McConaughey (Deal), Chiwetel Ejiofor (Van Gelder) Best Actress Nominees: Amy Adams, Cate Blanchett, Sandra Bullock, Judi Dench, Meryl Streep Who will probably win: Cate Blanchett- Blue Jasmine Who I want to win: Cate Blanchett (Van Gelder and Deal)
Best Picture
Who I want to win: Alfonso Cuaron (Deal), Steve McQueen- 12 Years Gelder)
Philomena
Gravity
American Hustle
What will win: 12 Years a Slave What should win: 12 Years a Slave. 12 Years a Slave should and will win Best Picture due to the fact that it is a brilliantly acted, written and directed film, and may possibly be the best movie ever made about slavery.
Her
Captain Phillips
Nebraska
20
The WarriorEntertainment
January 30, 2014
2/05
3/01
3/07
Darkside
930 Club
2/28
Ron pope
dc9 clUB 3/01
Lorde
Echostage
Shaggy
The Fillmore
graphic by Katie Mercogliano 14
www.reverbnation.com
Seniors Tim Tralka, Dean Emerson and Nish Desai and Magruder junior Will Andersen take the stage at the Jammin Javas Band Battle. simple guitar and bass lines, but has various house shows in the then layer on top more extensive works, including plans to play at beats and synth/keyboard riffs. the Outta the Way Cafs ThursWe appreciate how the difference day Night Open Mic and the in intricacy forms a really listen- coffeehouse at Oakdale Emory, able sound, said Desai. and hopes to have the opportuni All the band members have ty to participate in The Next Big a good foundation in jazz, so Thing Tour at the 9:30 Club. while a song may sound absolute- They recently performed in ly nothing like a jazz standard, Jammin Javas Band Battle on most of the chord choices and January 6. Although they didnt ideas come from artists like Mc- move on to the next round, it was Coy Tyner and Wayne Shorter, [still] a great show. We made a lot said Emerson. of connections and gained a lot of The boys ultimately want exposure. Well play there again to go on tour, but theyre tak- in the future, no doubt, said Eming small steps first. Lucy Gray erson.
The WarriorEntertainment
January 30, 2014
21
Lone Survivor
Ride Along
Reviews
*graphic by Jenni Kenel 14
Movie
the movie was the Taliban coming into the village where Luttrell was taken when a civilian named Mohammad Gulab (Ali Suliman) found him. The first time the terrorists arrive, they bring Luttrell out and nearly execute him, only stopped by a few villagers firing their AK-47s in the air to get them to leave. When the Taliban returns again, a warzone erupts in the village and Luttrells saviors fight them off until U.S. air support arrives, planes and helicopters guns-blazing. Neither of these events really occurred. Although the Taliban found Luttrell and beat him, he was not almost executed with a machete, nor did the Taliban launch an attack on the village in retaliation later on. When American forces finally found Luttrell, they crossed paths with him and Gulab in the mountains, investigating a lead from a stress beacon Luttrell had triggered earlier. However, just because Hollywood cant resist putting its own twist on a delicate story does not mean the film isnt worth watching. Berg and the actors worked closely with Luttrell himself and other former SEALs who walked them through which fighting tactics would make sense and to reenact the firefight to be as authentic as possible. The result is a convincing depiction of the realities of war and what these American heroes endured, thankfully leaving any political debate about the rules of warfare out of the picture while showing what true courage is about.
character, flying out of the flames from a massive explosion, towards the camera. The clichs wouldnt have been so bad if there were an actual solid storyline holding them up but that cant really be said for Ride Along. You have two characters with completely contrasting personalities, forced to work together to catch a Keyser Sze-esque crime kingpin named Omar, played by Lawrence Fishburne. But in reality, it just seems as if the writers wrote the scripts plot simply as an excuse to pair the two up for successful cash in at the box office. This movie could have been about two men selling ice cream, and it probably would have ended up being the same quality. But what was most disappointing about Ride Along is how predictable it was. It almost appeared as if the writers were too lazy to finish the movie by the time it got to the second half. But if any praise were to be given at all, it would be for Hart and his still somewhat humorous performance. Although his character failed to live up to the hilarity found in his widely popular stand-up specials, Harts presence and delivery somehow manages to momentarily distract the audience from how dull and just plain bad the rest of the movie actually is. If you are a fan of Kevin Hart and want a couple of laughs, then this movie might be worth it for you, but if not, then you should probably just wait for the next ride.
The WarriorSports
22
by Alec Perez 14
Cal Wilson 14
Senior Chris Minor attempts to pin his opponent during a match on January 18. Minor has started the season off with a 14-6 record. He will attempt to break the schools career record that has stood for six years. chance at getting the record for Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylva- it wasnt for the hard work of my most wins and placing first in the nia and New Jersey. In addition team and coaches I would be nostate tournament, commented to this club experience, his high where close to where I am today. school team and the coaches have This season the Warriors are Minor. Years of practices have at- helped Minor progress as a wres- currently 10-0, with four matches remaining in the season. The tributed to Minors success, and tler. one of the advantages that helped The coaches at Sherwood team hopes to make it to state duhim have an edge over his oppo- push the players to their full po- als this year. The toughest opponents is his experience. Wres- tential. In practice you think tling before high school has youre too tired to wrestle on, Record: 10-0 (as of January 28) helped me learn many moves that but the coaches find some way to many kids never get the chance motivate you to never quit, said -Next Meet: Springbrook, Magruder, February 1 at 1 pm at Mato learn in high school, said Minor. As well as the coaches, gruder Minor. Before high school Mi- my teammates are amazing and nor wrestled for six years for his I could not ask for better team- -Key News: The Warriors had nine wrestlers place top five in their club team, the Olney Outlaws, in mates. They make me better ev- respective weight classes at Grapple @ the Brook on January 17 and which he wrestled the best wres- ery day of practice by pushing 18. Junior Andrew Frumkin has been wrestling well, giving the Wartlers from many states including me to the edge of exhaustion. If riors hope for next year after ten seniors will graduate.
Wrestling
Its a battle between the best defense and the best offense in the league in possibly freezing temperatures. More specifically, the Super Bowl will be a battle between arguably the best QB in the league, Peyton Manning, and the dangerous secondary duo of Seahawks safeties Earl Thomas and Kam Chancellor. Seattles running game is stronger than Denvers, with the often unstoppable Marshawn Lynch. If Seattle can establish the running game, quarterback Russell Wilson could have some success throwing the ball. Even so, and even though the game honestly could go either way, the Broncos are likely to end up on top mostly because of Mannings incredible talent as one of the greatest ever and the Broncos strong offensive line to protect him. -Katie Mercogliano 14 Although the Seattle Seahawks and the Denver Broncos are essentially equals in their talent and performance through the regular season and playoffs, defense will be the deciding factor in Super Bowl XLVIII. The Seahawks have the superior defense in this matchup and will be able to do enough to staunch the Broncos high-powered offense. The Seahawks have a well-known, outspoken secondary known as the Legion of Boom, and while the Broncos have many great and strong receivers, the Seahawks safeties and corners will be up to the task of covering them and presenting Peyton Manning with fewer passing options. -Will Van Gelder 16
Denver 35-31
The outcome largely will come down to whether or not the Seahawks can get pressure on quarterback Peyton Manning, who is virtually unstoppable when he has time in the pocket. Yes, the Seahawks secondary is really good, but Manning is bound to find a receiver when he has time and the Broncos receivers are great at breaking off routes to give Manning a chance to make plays. The fact of the matter is that the Seahawks wont pressure Manning enough to stop the Broncos from scoring 30 or more points. Running back Marshawn Lynch will have a solid game and quarterback Russell Wilson is going to make some great plays, but hes also going to make some costly mistakes. Ultimately, the Seahawks offense will not be able to make enough plays down the stretch. -Mike Crooks 14 In the history of No. 1 defenses and No. 1 offenses matching up in the Super Bowl, the defense has a higher win percentage. This Super Bowl shouldnt be too different, because Richard Sherman and the rest of the Legion of Boom are ready for Peyton Manning and his high-scoring receiving threats. Not only do the Seahawks have a top-ranked defense, quarterback Russell Wilson runs a solid and efficient offense that can put up points, especially against a Broncos defense that isnt necessarily one to brag about. On top of this all, it should be a cold night in New York City, and Manning doesnt tend to perform particularly well in cold, bad weather. -Hunter Moore 15
Denver 30-27
Seattle 27-24
Seattle 31-27
There is an expected temperature below 30 degrees at kickoff, with the temperature dropping throughout the game. Due to the locations of both teams, the weather shouldnt play a factor. Quarterback Russell Wilsons passing consistency and Marshawn Lynchs power running will wear down the Broncos. Denvers passing defense is nothing short of awful this year which will give Wilson more freedom to pass the ball down field without hesitation. The Seahawks secondary will fiercely contest Peyton Mannings passes, and cornerback Richard Shermans ball-hawk skills could very well seal a victory against the Broncos. Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll will bring home Seattles first Super Bowl to the teams famed 12th man. -Stephen Luckey 14 Super Bowl XLVIII ought to be an interesting one, with Seattle boasting the leagues top defense and Denver sporting the most productive offense in NFL history. Seattles secondary, nicknamed the Legion of Boom,has held opposing quarterbacks to an average of 172 passing yards per game. Despite that stellar number, it will be tough to slow down Peyton Manning, who threw an NFL-record 55 touchdowns this season en route to what will likely be his 5th MVP Award. This game will ultimately come down to how Seattles secondary will stop Manning. Low temperatures are to be expected at game time. Cold weather is not good for passing, which will ultimately lead to a Seattle victory. -Ryan Deal 16
Seattle 28-17
Seattle 23-21
The WarriorSports
January 30, 2014
23
Record: 5-7 (as of January 28) -Next Games: February 4 at 7 pm at Blair, February 7 pm at 7 at Springbrook
Girls Basketball
Jack Armstrong 15
-Key News: Junior Nicole Stockinger has been leading the offense with 15.8 points per game, while sophomore Bryse Thornwell has been averaging 8.5 points per game through 13 games this season.
Sophomore Allie Thron starts the fast break during the Warriors victory over Springbrook on January 10. Thron has been a part of a strong group of sophomores to help the Warriors to a near .500 record.
Can Gruden Right the Ship or Has It Already Sunk Too Deep
by Joey Lavoie 14
On January 9, 2014 the Washington Redskins hired Cincinnati Bengals offensive coordinator Jay Gruden, brother of former NFL head coach Jon Gruden, as the teams eighth head coach since Daniel Snyder bought the team in 1999. Gruden headed a Bengals offense that included pro-bowlers Andy Dalton and AJ Green, among others, while running a traditional west coast offense. He coached three Bengals playoff teams in his three years at the helm of the offense, including last years AFC North champions. Given his family pedigree and professional resum, there is every reason to believe Gruden can be a head coach in the NFL. But under the circumstances currently in Washington, success will not come so easy. He is going to have to deal with an extremely frustrated fan base, and an owner who still hasnt learned to stay out of football personnel decisions. The first obstacle for the Redskins is that the team has a franchise quarterback in Robert Griffin III but absolutely nothing around him on the offense, excluding running back Alfred Morris and veteran wide receiver Pierre Garcon. In 2012, the Redskins offensive line was durable but after a season full of injuries and inconsistencies, the line likely needs rebuilding. One of the biggest keys for success in Washington is going to be how Gruden and Griffin foster a personal and professional relationship as they create an offensive system that fits Griffins unique set of skills. There wont be much success if Gruden arrives in Washington and tries to force his system onto this Redskins team which was built to have a mobile quarterback, as shown in the 2012 season, where the Redskins were able to make the playoffs as division champions. That season, pre-RGIII knee injury, was based off a running quarterback and play action. After Griffins injury, the Shanahans became very reluctant to try any sort of quarterback-designed runs throughout the season. This led to RGIII becoming scared to test his knee in any sort of scramble situation early in the season. Gruden must come into Washington with the mindset that he is going to have to run RGIII early and often enough to keep opposing defenses off-balance. The next thing Gruden and his staff must do is add quality and depth to the roster. The Redskins once again do not have a first round pick but with an ear-
ly pick in the second round, the team must draft another playmaker at the wide receiver position to loosen up opposing defenses. After that, the key will be defense, defense and more defense. There needs to be more than Ryan Kerrigan and Brian Orakpo if the Redskins defense is going to slow down teams. In the long run, the lingering question is whether the Redskins can have success while Dan Snyder continues to maintain ownership of this team. He just does not know how to run a football team even after 15 years of ownership. After years of success in Cincinnati as a coordinator, Gruden chose a very interesting team for his first try as a NFL head coach. It will not be easy to lead a 3-13 team back to the playoffs. Gruden has to captain the ship before it sinks to the very bottom of the NFL.
pick it up but in track, its just you, she said. Both sisters have excelled in soccer also, where they have both played large roles since making Varsity their freshman year. Tiffany anchored an extremely strong defense last year while Lauren played striker, both helping the team to a 9-4-1. They both aided the Girls Soccer team during their 2012 state Final Four run where the Warriors bowed out at the hands of BCC in the Semi-Finals. Normal sibling rivalries aside, the twins assert that they are not particularly competitive with each other, partly because they run different racesLauren runs mostly sprints, while Tiffany is a middle-distance runner. We both help each other because we both want to get our times down together, said Lauren. As for their goals this season, both have their eyes set on the state meet. Tiffany wants to go to states in the 300 meter and 4-by-400-meter relay, and Lauren wants to place in the 55 meter dash and 300 meter races.
-Next Meets: Virginia Tech Invational, January 31, MPSSAA 4A West Regional Championship, Febuary 6 -Key News: On the boys side, junior Owen Miller and senior David Zavala have performed well as middle-distance runners, and junior Rufus Settles has stood out as a sprinter. The team will look forward to competing in the Virginia Tech Invitational on January 31 and the Maryland State Championships on February 18.
The WarriorSports
24
January 30, 2014
Since 1904 Sherwood has established rivalries throughout the county that are based on pure tradition, close proximity and heated exchanges between student bodies.
Last fall after a run of 68 victories, Sherwood volleyball lost its streak at the hands of eventual 3A state champion Damascus. Damascus, located at the opposite end of route 108, took the victory 3-2 in one of the most emotional games played in years. After dropping the first set, the Warriors stormed back to a 2-1 lead but could not maintain the momentum. A lot of the press is saying that this indeed could lead to a new volleyball reign in Montgomery County.
Football: Damascus
In the 2010 MPSSAA tournament, Sherwood de- In 2011, the Warriors, led by a group of outfeated Churchill in the second round, and the War- standing seniors, were poised to make a run at a state riors went on to win the state championship. In the championship. After a 12-2 regular season, which 2011 playoff, Sherwood earned the number one seed, included a 11-8 win over WJ, the Warriors faced but then was upset in the third round by Churchill the Wildcats again in their first game of the playoffs in a close 2-1 game. Although the two teams have and were upset, losing 17-16. In the following years, not had any playoff matchups in the last two years the bad blood between the two teams led to intense since Sherwood moved to the 4A North, each team games with a lot of trash talking. The Warriors beat has made it to the semifinals once: Sherwood in 2012 the Wildcats three times in 2012, including in a douand Churchill in 2013. Sherwood played one game ble-overtime playoff game. In 2013 the Wildcats got against Churchill in 2013; the Bulldogs won 5-4. their revenge with a convincing 14-6 win. by Mike Crooks 14, Joey Lavoie 14, Kyle Melnick 14 and Alec Perez 14
Baseball: Churchill
Jack Armstrong 15
Senior captains Alexa Edwards and Bailey Greseth lead the Poms squad during their January 11 competition at Northwest High School.
Jack Armstrong 15
Senior Giovanni Smith drives on Joe Hugley in a 62-58 win on December 6. The victory snapped a three-year losing streak to Magruder. year, which wouldve put a damper on what should make to be an exciting rematch on February 21. But as the season has started to unfold, the teams have nearly identical records, with the Warriors just a half-game better than the Colonels (8-6) at 8-5. So as the teams try to keep their heads above water as they dive into the thick of their respective schedules, this end-of-season showdown could prove to have serious playoff implications for both sides if things stay as they are. Knowing its Magruder in what will probably be the last time I ever play them, unless we see them at Comcast Center, itll probably be one of my most intense games in my high school career, said Dozier. The Warriors wont have the luxury of home-court advantage this time around, and with that, theyll face opposing crowd noise like no other when they hit the road for the rematch. Dozier said that playing in front of the rowdy home crowd gives the team a huge momentum boost, so the Warriors have to find a different way to spark their energy in enemy territory. If nothing else, the game promises to bring plenty of emotion from both sides, as well as the probable added intensity from the Colonels as they look to avenge their early-season loss. Our intensity will be high; we will play our maximum game and play hard to the end, said junior guard Trevon Moultrie.