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Warrior
Sherwood High School 300 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Sandy Spring, MD 20860

34th Year, Issue No.3

February 9, 2012

Features

A Whole Lot Of Love

pg 23 pg 14-15 pg 20

The Answers to Semester Change Teachers, Classes and Policies pg 9

pg 12

pg 28

Local High Schools Lighten Students Workload

by Jamie Langbein 13

T
ON YOUR MARK, GET SET,

STOP

oday, students must work harder than ever to keep up in an educational atmosphere of competition and perfectionism. The combined stress of school, extracurricular activities, family life and other relationships has taken its toll on many overworked teens. The time for change may have come, however, and some adults are lending students their ears and their sympathies through programs that promote less stressful academic policies. A major source of motivation for easing the students workload is 2009s Race to Nowhere documentary that advocates for work that will prepare students for real life instead of endless scantron tests and extended responses. Director Vicki Abeles created the documentary as a call to action, intending to mobilize families, educators and policy makers to

Jacob Bogage 12

see HOMEWORK, pg. 4

Teen Parenting: When Two Kids Vault into Adulthood

Teen parents talk about their life-altering experiences.
by Ellen Kirkness 12
Selfishness is not difficult to stumble upon in an adolescent world. High school is packed with thousands of students striving to win a National Merit Scholarship or a scholarship to play sports at a Division I school. Students scramble on top of one another to come out ahead, to be the captain of the poms squad or the president of Ambassadors Club. And then there are those students who classify a hard day as an hour of homework followed by three hours of TV. Every teenager has one passion: him or herself. Its true, teens have siblings and best friends and boyfriends, but not one of those relationships comes close to the love a teenager feels for him or herself. Part of growing up is learning that others deserve the same attention and admiration that one gives oneself and for two seniors, growing up came sooner than expected. The flu was going around. So when Heather Morse, an eighth grader at the time, began waking up sick every morning, she assumed the virus had caught up to her. But the flu didnt go away. She was tested for mono and the results came back negative. At that point, she knew she might be pregnant. Her suspicions were confirmed a few days later. I predicted that I would be up every night almost all night with her because babies cry and everything, and I thought I would be super stressed out a lot. Initially I felt scared and worried that my whole life was going to change, but then when she came here it all went away and I wasnt worried because I knew I had the support of my family and friends to help me through it, said Morse. At the time, the father, senior Brandon Neil, recognized his responsibility to grow up at an extremely fast pace. Although Neil was also in eighth grade and undoubtedly unprepared, he was determined to alter his careless outlook on life. I realized that everything I did and said could have much bigger consequences than I had previously thought, said Neil.

Taking a Polar Plunge

Holly Cuozzo 12

see TEEN PARENTS, pg. 4

To raise money for the Special Olympics, juniors Cooper Weinberger [looking towards the water], Katie McCallister and Molly Nickerson, and senior Shannon Murphy frolic in the icy waters of the Chesapeake Bay for the Polar Bear Plunge. [Participating in Best Buddies events] is a nice way to interact with the students that you dont talk to or see in classes, said Weinberger, who is also involved in bocce ball.

www.thewarrioronline.com

The WarriorNews
February 9, 2012

IEF N BR I
New School Lunches to Begin Nationwide
For years the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has been trying to improve public school meals, and its efforts have increased over the past five years as youth obesity and diabetes have skyrocketed. Two weeks ago, Congress passed a new law that will make it mandatory for all public schools meals to have twice as many fruits and vegetables, less fat and sodium, and only fat-free and low-fat milk. A $3.2 billion increase in the USDAs budget will spur a change to public school menus for the first time in 15 years. First Lady Michelle Obama has been pushing for a change in public school meals since her husband was elected into office, because she feels that it is important that students have an opportunity to eat healthy food. This new bill will take effect in the 2012-2013 school year, and schools will receive a six-percent increase in their reimbursement from the federal government for complying with the law.

ws Ne

Which Test To Take: SAT vs. ACT

by Allie Strosnider 12
As the pressure to do well Sherwoods Class of 2012. on college entrance exams seems to intensify for each graduating class of seniors, Sherwood students are leaving as little to chance as possible. Only 20% This year 169 graduating se75.9% of them niors took the ACT, a dramatic inof seese ook crease from just a few years ago took the h t of t niors when only a few dozen students 69% takers r ACT more o have in a graduating class at Shertest AT two than once. S wood bothered to take it. While taken the imes. t the simple and safe answer is for the more students to do everything they SAT. can to get into the college of their choice, The Warrior examined how frequently a student actually took ors and does significantly better on either seni T the SAT or the ACT. 156 the SA h Just two decades ago the SAT bot But wasnt a big deal. You went, you ACT. hig , 33 her % s took it once and you were done, on core and thats if you took it at all. the d Now many students take the SAT SAT *. twice, even four times, as well as taking prep classes and practice m exams. According to MCPS and seniors f the 7% o higher numerous national organiza- 34% of n the 2 ored tions, a composite score of 1650 have take sc e ACT on the SAT equals a 24 on the T. *The remaining 40% on th he AC ACT. The Warrior considers a did not do signifin t tha cantly better on higher score on either test either test. SAT*. to be the equivalent of 60 or more points on the SAT. For example, a senior receiving scoring higher on the ACT with chart of SAT vs. ACT scores go a 1790 on the SAT compared to a 25 compared to a 1550 on the to the Online Warrior at www. a 25 on the ACT. Another senior SAT. To see a full conversion thewarrioronline.com.

Testing Statistics:

- Whitney Marie Halaby 14 Obama To Lower Tuition Costs for College

President Obama has put forth his plan to increase federal grants for universities and low-interest loans for students. The plan, Obama says, will reduce the cost of universities and increase the availability of higher education in the United States. The changes would include increasing the federal investment in the Perkins loan program from $1 billion to $8 billion, allocating more grant money and better loan options to schools that effectively reduce tuition costs, and reserving $1 billion of federal funds for rewarding states that make an effort to curb costs. The proposition is part of the Obama administrations initiative to make universities affordable for more Americans, and is based in part on the trend of increasing costs associated with higher education over the past several decades (even after adjusting for inflation). Opponents of the plan insist that it makes little sense logistically and that it exacerbates the problem of the massive national debt. Schools will not necessarily be able to cut tuition costs enough to qualify for and benefit from federal rewards, say opponents, and schools that cut tuition costs may not be able to afford their own scholarship and grant programs or accommodate low-income students.

- Daniel Frank 12 Easy Access to Morning After Pill Rejected

At a meeting of the Presidents Council of Advisors on Science and Technology on January 6, five experts rejected Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius move to have the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) make Plan B available over the counter to women of all ages. Plan B, or the morning-after pill, is an emergency contraceptive that can be taken up to 72 hours after intercourse. Currently, teens under the age of 17 need a prescription to get the drug, while women 17 and older can get it over the counter. Experts say the pill should be taken as soon as possible to have it be the most effective and needing a prescription adds time to the process. Though the makers of Plan B insist that it is not an abortion pill and is not a substitute for routine birth control, opponents of the pill still view it as a means for killing unborn children. Some opponents of the pill also believe it encourages sexual activity and unprotected sex by younger girls. The FDA approved the first version of Plan B in 1999. A version was rejected in 2004, but by 2006 the drug was allowed without a prescription for women 18 and older. The age restriction was changed to 17 in 2009. Teva Womens Health, the creator of Plan B, wanted to make the drug easier to buy by eliminating any restrictions.

- Vicky Florian 14

The WarriorNews
February 9, 2012
an expert explaining the English subjunctive, said French teacher Anne Bastings. Many teachers insist English grammar is essential for a student to succeed throughout life, especially as jobs across professions depend more and more on writing, advanced communication and information sharing. Studying grammar helps to build an understanding of the way language works and helps build editing skills, which all good writers should have, said English teacher Gloria Condelli. Some teachers believe that without strong grammar skills, many students will be at a disadvantage in their future endeavors. Someone I know did state that a college professor was able to identify students from MCPS because they did not have strong grammar skills. I do not think students will be refused admission for having poor grammar skills, but [grammar] will benefit college students in the long run; especially when students must write papers, said English teacher Abimbola Lawrence. The general consensus among English and foreign lan-

Teachers Discouraged by Students Lack of Grammar Skills

by Mary Macrae 14
With the convenience of computer spelling and grammar checks, students increasingly struggle to write grammatically correct sentences on their own. English and foreign language teachers agree that there needs to be a change in the current MCPS curriculum to emphasize grammar skills and ensure that students are successful in their classes and in their future careers. Many foreign language teachers say they spend a lot of time in their classes teaching the basics of English grammar before they can teach a new language. This lack of understanding in grammar can even halt an entire lesson in class. In order to ensure understanding of some structures in French, they first need to understand them in English. Every year, I have to teach what direct and indirect objects are. Also, each time I introduce the subjunctive, I start my lesson with the subjunctive in English and use examples such as I insist that he be here. Many students dont believe that my examples are correct, which is why I include a video clip from

Hannah Chertock 12

French teacher Anne Bastings teaches the imperfect tense to her students. Bastings teaches the tenses in English first before moving on to the same tenses in French so that her students can better understand the material.
guage teachers is that the current curriculum needs to change to put more emphasis on grammar. Kids should learn the parts of speech in elementary school, and then in middle school, variations on sentences and sentence patterns, then more complicated grammar concepts in high school, said Condelli. The current high school English curriculum doesnt have any common tasks devoted solely to grammar. Although formative assessments and county semester finals include some items on grammar, the curriculum doesnt mandate that English teachers instruct students on grammar. With the current curriculum in place, foreign language teachers have realized it is their duty to teach the proper grammar with or without a set program in place. Personally, I feel that as language teachers it is our responsibility to teach and promote proper grammar understanding and usage, said Spanish teacher Moira Kenyon.

arrior atchdog

For 34 years The Warrior has promoted accountability in and around the Sherwood community--now the The Warrior Online takes its turn. Introducing the Warrior Watchdog. In any organization, issues can slip through the cracks. The Watchdog steps in to keep decision makers on their toes, and ultimately advocate for our readership, the students and community of Sherwood High School. The Warrior will always be watching.

When Teachers Lose It On Privacy and Property Rockville Bans Leggings

by Connor Martin 13 It happens to everyone. Sometimes it happens when the remote control ends up under the couch. Sometimes it happens when the keys mysteriously disappear. Things go missing. But what happens if its schoolwork that vanishes one night? When a student misplaces schoolwork, the teacher decides what happens next. The work is marked down a letter grade or the student may receive no credit at all. When the teacher misplaces the work, then what? I think most teachers just try to be fair, number one, said social studies teacher Aileen Woolley. Maybe so, but every teachers policy is a little different. They have different teaching styles and therefore deal with different scenarios in different ways. One teacher, who requested to remain anonymous, said she lets the students make up work should a situation like this ever occur. But sometimes, as was the case for junior Pat Smith, the teacher gives the student no credit at all. Its not fair that a student puts in all the time and work into an assignment and then gets no credit for it, said Smith, who said his work has been misplaced by teachers several times. On one occasion, the mishap cost him a letter grade for the quarter. Some teachers are not so convinced that the issue revolves solely around the teacher. MCPS Students Guide to Rights and Responsibilities, one of the few legal documents students are expressly provided each school year, is labeled Rights of Privacy, seemingly suggesting MCPS takes a students right to privacy rather seriously. But what the section says proves a bit more confounding. It begins with the line your privacy will be respected by school staff, but concludes with the statement: students should have no expectation of privacy. The section safeguards only one principle of privacy students can ask for an alternate activity in class if the one they are assigned requires them to share information they are not comfortable giving out. In other areas the guide chips away at privacy and property rights that students have on the streets as ordinary citizens. Though MCPS Policy JFA states students legally recognized expectations of privacy are to be respected and students have due process rights which must be protected, the guide and MCPS Regulation JGB-RA regarding search and seizure speak to the contrary. According to those documents, authorized MCPS personnel can search a students belongings, locker, person or personal space with reasonable belief (a lower standard of probable cause).

by Jacob Bogage 12 In The third section of the

Rockville administration determined yoga pants to be inappropriate in a school environment. In December, this issue exploded to the surface again when the ban was to be officially enacted into a new policy in the dress code, and students from Rockville used social networks through texts, Facebook and Twitter to make a final attempt at protesting the policy. Students, seeing tweets and statuses about the ban, started to take interest and eventually rumors spread throughout MCPS that this ban would be implemented at high schools county-wide. Students at Rockville also planned a protest by purposely wearing yoga pants in violation of the policy; however, many students brought a change of clothes so administration would not send them home. Athletic coaches also discovered this plot and advised their players or cheerleaders not to participate in the protest because being sent home would also jeopardize their participation in games later that day. As a result, many students backed away from the protest. There is more of a fine line between what is and is not appropriate in public schools that do not have very strict dress codes. In other words, schools may change dress codes as they see fit.

by Isabel Paterson 12 Over a year ago the

See the full version of all of these stories at www.thewarrioronline.com.

The WarriorNews
February 9, 2012
Area Schools Reform Workloads, Cut Homework on Weekends
from HOMEWORK, pg. 1
challenge current assumptions on how to best prepare our youth to become healthy, bright, contributing and leading citizens, as stated on the foundations website. Abeles announced in January that in addition to the push for less work, the political action committee (PAC) has come out with another campaign promoting the importance of sleep in a teenagers life. The film was always created as a vehicle to empower teens; thats why I started it in the first place, Abeles told The Warrior. It turned out to be a very powerful vehicle for bringing communities together and inspiring a new dialogue around education reform and inspiring actions in communities. The film has been screened in over 20 countries and in more than 45,000 locations. And for some local schools, the policies have hit home. Principal Nick Novak of River Hill in Howard County and Joan Benz of Churchill also have chosen to take a stand against excessive work. The weekends we established as homework-free were deliberately selected so that students could really enjoy these times without worrying about having to get homework done, said Novak. This way students will hopefully participate in school events and increase school spirit. However, for River Hill junior Samantha Stull, the workload has not changed much. There are so many other activities and important parts of this year that are ongoing [that] honestly, homework seems to be the last thing on peoples minds, Stull said of the policy. There has, in our minds, been no change in the amount of homework. Students should be aware that this policy, like most policies, is a compromise. While workloads will decrease, they will not disappear altogether. Students will still be required and expected to put forth their best efforts. At Churchill, Benz noticed that teachers heightened awareness of students workload has pushed the to rethink the quantity of assigned work. As for how much a student may handle, Benz warns that students can easily become unduly stressed if the schedule contains too many high level courses which would naturally equate to heavier homework assignments. Responsibility doesnt just lie in the hands of those in school. It relies on the help of those not in schools as well. At the end of the day, in many cases, the administrators and policy makers are frankly just responding to what the parents and their community want, said Abeles. Although parents seem to be the greatest advocates, they too must be willing to take a stand. Id rather see more strength in numbers Ill be happy when we have 100,000 people behind the homework campaign, said Abeles. Im kind of disappointed that students have not taken a bigger role so far. I know students are really busy, but [they] need to take ownership of this movement. Its your lives, your experiences at stake. For more about the Race to Nowhere film and campaign, go to www.racetonowhere.com.

Choosing from the Course Offerings

AP MUSIC THEORY PHILOSOPHY AP EUROPEAN HISTORY

Photos by Hannah Chertock 12

AP Music Theory teaches students the backbone of music. Not only do I understand how music sounds, but I understand how it looks on paper. Cara Dekelbaum 12

COMPARATIVE RELIGION

[I like] the laid back feel of the class and how much the students contribute. Genna Shaia 13 THEATRE

Its like world history but easier and with way more scandalous stories! Lakshmi Kirkire 12 AP FRENCH LANGUAGE

School Decides against Continuation of Academies

by Bridget Cook 14
For the upcoming 2012-2013 school year, Sherwood has decided to no longer offer the four academy options in business and hospitality, technology, the arts and humanities, and science. Instead, students can more informally follow pathways such as accounting, medical careers, computer science, engineering and more, which are placed under the career and technology department and are part of MCPSs Career Pathway Program [CPP]. These changes are mainly the result of a lack of interest for a new, single Sherwood Academy which would encompass all the existing CPPs as well as new ones. Because of the lack of interest by both students and staff, the school has decided to reformat the program. Variations of the academy model have been at Sherwood for a decade, but the idea never gained a foothold. I would hypothesize that part of the problem is that the school system required all schools to have a signature program over 10 years ago and Sherwood chose to focus on global studies because of the strong exchange programs we have, recalled Assistant Principal Renee Brimfield. We tried to broaden it to encompass other areas, [but] it seemed that our already excellent programs in the arts and foreign languages and publications did not really need that umbrella. The pathways will continue to be recognized at graduation.

The visit to the Muslim community center was extremely enriching and helped me form a new perspective on the religion as a whole. Matt Abrams 12

It is very self-taught; there are a lot of decisions made by the students, not the teacher. Gai Kaufman 13

Theres no wrong answer, its about your opinion. You use the structure learned [previously] and apply them to life problems. Natalie Yee 12

Teen Parents Describe Life with Their Daughter Olivia

from TEEN PARENTS, pg. 1
When Olivia was born, both Morse and Neil were highly dependent on their own parents and would not have been able to care for the baby on their own. In the first few months, Olivia was too young to attend daycare, so Morses mother assisted her by caring for the baby late at night while Heather slept to prepare for the school day. Olivia attends daycare at a naval base in Bethesda. She returns home at 5 pm, by which time Morse has had the opportunity to finish homework and attend extracurricular activities. Neil takes Olivia from 5 to 7:30 pm every Tuesday and Thursday, as well as every other weekend. Morse has her for the remaining time. Neither parent denies the obstacles which adolescent parenting has put in their high school experience; however, both would describe themselves as normal teenagers overall. Both acknowledge that they themselves are still learning the lessons every teen must learn, and while they raise Olivia to be who they think she should be, they accept they will be learning alongside of her. Olivia has made me so much more aware of every aspect of life, said Neil. I think about everything I do and say in my life and how it will affect her. I cant say Ive really lost anything because of Olivia. I have an amazing family and so does Heather, and they do their best to make sure that we are not only good parents, but that we dont miss out on our childhoods too. In spite of the hardships that come with parenting, Morse shares Neils hopeful attitude towards the relationship she has with her daughter. Livis made me a better person. She taught me that no matter what happens, love is endless and shes taught me to never give up on anything and that no matter how hard something may be, its all worth it in the end. Everything happens for a reason. Ive gained the love of a parent and knowing what its like to love unconditionally, said Morse.

Senior Heather Morse poses for a picture with her young daughter, Olivia. Morse and Olivias father, senior Brandon Neil, care for their daughter while finishing high school and preparing for their futures. Photo by Paul Szewczyk 12

The WarriorNews
February 9, 2012

The WarriorBeyond School Walls

6
February 9, 2012

Romney Leads GOP Primaries

by Alex Porter 13
The contest to decide the Republican nominee to face off against President Barack Obama in November has come down to a two-man race between former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney and the former Speaker of the House, Newt Gingrich. While Gingrich promises to fight for the nomination all the way to the Republican National Convention in Tampa on August 27, Romney emerged from the recent Florida primary as the favorite to win the nomination. Many analysts predicted that South Carolina would be the final chance for any candidate to distinguish himself, and Gingrich surprised many with his victory in the state, especially after controversies grew around him immediately prior to the primary. However, Romney broke Gingrichs momentum in Florida, finishing in first with 46.4 percent to Gingrichs 31.9 percent, and continued to win in the subsequent Nevada caucuses. Romney also won in New Hampshire and virtually tied with former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum in Iowa, losing by only 34 votes after more information was gathered. Romney initially was the winner by eight votes, and the results of several precincts are still unaccounted for. Only four candidates remain in the race, including Texas Congressman Ron Paul. Both his and Santorums odds at the nomination are long at this stage. However, Santorum has not shown any sign of repeating his success in Iowa, and Pauls libertarian ideology is still far from the Republican mainstream. Former Governor of Utah Jon Hunstman, Texas Governor Rick Perry, and Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann of Minne-

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sota have all dropped out of the race since the primaries and caucuses began. Perry and former candidate Herman Cain have endorsed Gingrich, with Perry calling him a conservative visionary who can transform our country. Huntsman and Donald Trump have endorsed Romney. Romney continues to have problems with his image as an out of touch establishment candidate. His great wealth and connections with political insiders have hurt him, and few Republican voters seem to have him as their ideal candidate. He has also been attacked for being too liberal for the current Republican Party. Many also think that Romney is too indefinite on his own ideas, and changes his beliefs to whatever they need to be at the time. However, many see him as the

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Graphics by Hannah Chertock 12
only candidate who can win the general election against President Obama and thus support him for his electability. Gingrich also has had issues with his image, with allegations of him leaving his first two wives when they became sick, leading to low support from women in Florida. Some think that he has characterized the poor as lazy, and his suggestion that poor children should work as janitors in their schools, which were met with applause in South Carolina, have been much less appealing to others. Assuming that Romney continues his current success and wins the nomination, he will still have a tough time against President Obama. Most polls show these two either tied or with Obama holding a small lead. Obamas lead over the other remaining candidates is much greater.

STEM Spending Meant To Pave a Future for America

Science, technology, engineering and math education are intended to encourage more students to pursue these types of fields as career options.
by Nathan St.Pierre 12
Into the new year, plenty of people still have hope that the United States will finally emerge from what has been termed the Great Recession and continue the prosperity and dominance that it maintained throughout the 20th century. The unemployment rate showcases the hard times of the last few years, currently at 8.3 percent and representing millions of Americans out of work. This high unemployment rate is often attributed to a shortage of job opportunities, but with an average of 3.2 million jobs available each month, it is difficult to blame unemployment on lack of job availability. Some of the problem is not that jobs arent available to people, but that many of these new jobs require a degree in science and technology. President Obama has noted in his most recent State of the Union that, growing industries in science and technology have twice as many openings as we have workers who can do the job. The jobs that cannot be filled by American workers get outsourced to places such as India, which is one of the causes of the lack of available jobs people are complaining about. According to campusgrotto. com, the most popular bachelors degree is business by a large margin, followed by history and then education. Biological sciences is only the seventh most popular degree and technology and computer sciences dont even crack the top ten. With jobs heavily favoring knowledge in science and technology, many college graduates could find themselves with a degree that doesnt translate into a good job. It is this realization that propelled Obama to start his Educate to Innovate campaign in 2009 to increase government spending on the subjects of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) to get people interested in these fields so that they can obtain degrees that are relevant in the real world. Each year, $3.4 billion are spent on STEM education with a third of that money specifically targeting underrepresented populations, such as females, African Americans and Hispanics. The rest is spent on vague programs that are intended to increase funding for these subjects Getting excellent teachers to teach the STEM fields is also a challenge that the government program hopes to tackle, as 25 percent of teachers for the STEM subjects in high schools do not have a degree in the subject they are teaching. Sherwood occasionally applies for this STEM money from the MCPS department associated with STEM. The money helps pay for supplies and equipment in many engineering and chemistry classes around the school so they can have newer and more functional replacements for their old equipment. The STEM money is a nice bonus, but is not the be all end all for these subjects, according to Brendan Lees, Principles of Engineering teacher and head coordinator of Project Lead the Way. This growing idea that STEM subjects will pave the way of the continued prosperity in America is what led to the formation of clubs such as Project Lead the Way and Women in Technology. In this economy, the government is trying to promote the studies in [the STEM subjects] and that is the goal of Project Lead the Way, said Lees. We hope to get students interested in engineering so that they may pursue it further and make it a favorite subject of theirs, he said.

The WarriorBeyond School Walls

February 9, 2012

Students Divided on Bag Tax Issue

by Ashley Yen 14
On December 23, flyers were passed out to students at Sherwood and all MCPS high schools explaining that on January 1, a brand new bag tax would take effect throughout Montgomery County. The intention of the flyers was to inform the youngest generation of consumers about the new tax and ideally win support. In Sherwood, about half of the students support this law. In a Warrior survey of 130 students, 50.8 percent of students said that they dont support the bag tax and 49.2 percent of students said that they do support it. Only a few students were not aware of the bag tax at all. Many students who answered favorably agreed with the intention to help the environment and to be less wasteful. It gives you responsibility and makes me have to remember to bring a bag with me. Personally, I have so many bags at home that can be reusable, said freshman Gabby Spann. Other students disagree with the law. It can be rather inconvenient for cashiers to implement the tax, slowing them down and causing supermarket lines to be longer, said senior Jim Bickel. Many students reported via the survey that their families have started carrying more reusable bags since the laws implementation and that it has become a part of their routine. However, one problem with the law is the hassle of bringing reusable bags when shopping at the mall, and many feel that the tax should just be implemented at grocery stores. If you bring your own bags to the mall you look like youre stealing. However, it is alright at Giant, said sophomore Emily Armstrong. Many students also wondered where the money goes. According to the Montgomery County government website, three million dollars collected from the tax will go towards the Countys Water Quality Protection Charge Fund to clean up water areas. The law was inspired by Washington DCs bag law, which the city implemented in 2010. While the DC. tax only applies to businesses that sell food or alcohol, the Montgomery County version affects all retail stores. A main goal for this law is to reduce the amount of litter from plastic bags, which accounts for a large portion of litter seen in streets and waterways. The bill forces stores to charge customers a tax of five cents for each bag they use, and all retail establishments receive one cent of each of the five paid.

Know Your Bag Facts

The tax was brought about in an effort to reduce pollution and litter in the countys streams and storm water systems. The tax was put into effect January 1, 2012. This isnt a tax in the traditional sense; it requires that consumers pay five cents per bag in all retail stores. The tax is meant to encourage using reusable bags for shopping instead of using the more wasteful disposable bags. This tax is mostly present in retail; grocery stores, department stores and convenience stores are the primary places that this tax affects. Consumers wont be forced to pay for bags in places where they are needed, so fast-food restaurants like Chipotle or Five Guys wont require payment for bags. The money from this tax goes to the Water Quality Protection Fund in Montgomery County. Washington D.C. has already had a similar tax in effect. This tax also imposed a five cent fee on bags. In DC, bag use has fallen by a staggering 19 million last year.
by Will Gavett 12

Governers Create Nonsensical Districts To Give Their Parties a Leg Up in Next Election
by Christopher Jou 12

Just taking a glance at the official congressional district and the proposed district, one notices a marked difference. The official congressional one seems to be half of a Rorschach inkblot, while the proposed district is more organized. Both focus

around the same general area, but the one created by the Governors Redistricting Advisory Committee (GRAC) sprawls across seven different counties. The third party proposal on the right comes from a man named Howard Gorrell. This plan is more clear-

cut and fair in general. The GRAC created plan is politically motivated, created by Governor Martin OMalley. Gorrell, along with other third parties, have put forth their own plans in response to the current incoherent districts. There are major prob-

lems. First, the districts do not preserve interest groups, such as African Americans or farmers. Second, the current districts violate the one person, one vote rule. The current district lines are drawn so that even if part of a county is included in a district, the

population living there is not necessarily included in the overall district calculations. This means that while an area of twenty-four square miles falls in one district, the adjustments make it so the population of that area lies in another district.

The WarriorFeatures
February 9, 2012

Burnsky Makes the Most of His Time

By prioritizing, senior Jon Burnksy continues to stay on top of his busy schedule filled with school work, SGA and musical aspirations.
by Paul Szewczyk 12
On any given Tuesday in the winter, senior Jon Burnsky wakes up at 4:30 a.m. and rolls out of a warm bed to captain a bustling swim practice after which he lumbers silently to school, where he juggles his academic classes and plethora of activities including playing music, performing the duties of Senior Class vice president and just being a teen. While many teenagers take time out of their schedule to maybe squeeze in a nap, watch countless hours of television or spend time on the internet, Burnsky goes above and beyond by taking seven hours out of his day performing such tasks as completing homework, practicing for swimming, and readying for Rock n Roll. Even though it may get tough at times, Burnsky has found the key to help keep his schedule in order. I get my work done by prioritizing. My academic classes come first, then my extracurricular, then myself, said Burnsky. Burnskys variety of activities and academics is a way for him to impress his top college choices, Johns Hopkins and University of Virginia, without forcing him to sacrifice all of his time, leaving him the chance to pursue his personal interests. One of Burnskys commitments is swimming for Sherwood, which takes a lot of time out of Burnskys already busy schedule. Since there are only two practices a week, both of which I attend, I do take an extra hour or so a week out of my time to make my way to the Olney Indoor Pool and swim a few laps. I also jog almost everyday to stay in shape. On Tuesday morning at five in the morning, while all of the other students are sound asleep, the swim team is jumping in the pool and swimming anywhere from one to two miles. Also, on Fridays after school we prepare for our upcoming meet. People have asked why I put up with that morning practice, and I always just say that you feel pretty money after having done such a work out, said Burnsky. One of Burnskys year-long commitments, vice president of the Senior Class, is also one of his least time-consuming extracurricular activities. Burnsky accomplishes most of his task as vice president during his free time at lunch, talking to fellow Senior Class officers and Senior Class sponsors Katie Jaffe and Pam Johnson. Despite minimal time spent by Burnsky, the Senior Class has experienced a lot of success, such as winning first place in homecoming halls and producing class T-shirts. Although he doesnt take singing lessons, Burnsky will sing two solos this year in Rock n Roll. He doesnt spend time practicing the actual notes to the song, but he spends about three hours initially trying to understand the song on a more personal level. I usually practice simply by listening to the song and dissecting it to understand it on every level. That way when the song is played I can fall into the music, said Burnsky. Through all of the craziness of an over-stuffed schedule, Burnsky finds accomplishment in what he does at Sherwood through his many activities. He believes such an approach will help him make a difference on a larger scale. I can best serve the world when I get the chance. I want to leave as positive of a mark on the world as possible in the time that I have, said Burnsky.

Paul Szewczyk 12

Senior Jon Burnsky, time-management specialist, spends his day moving from one activity to the next.

New Policies Further Zagami Prepares for SMOB Race Limit User Privacy
by Katie Nolan 12

Google tracks user data, offers Google+ to teenagers.

by Shaan Verma 13
In just the past few months, new technologies and policies have further put the privacy of users at risk. With increasing frequency, brand name technological and internet companies are increasing their capacity to view information and data about their user base. Two weeks ago, Google instated a new privacy policy across all of its platforms. This new policy encompasses over 70 policies from across the internet, its purpose being to track user data to personalize advertisements and searches. Some of the applications this will affect are Youtube, Gmail and Calendar. Google is trying to create a unique feel for each user out of the millions that use Google every day. This unique feeling is referred to as the Google experience. There is one major hindrance to this plan, which is that there is no opt-out option. However, this condenses the policies of many accounts down into one single entity. Therefore, Google contends that the user will be giving up some privacy for the newly engineered Google experience. Googles new social network website, Google+, has recently opened its doors to teenagers. This may be a way to act as a

competitor for the social network giant Facebook. This, again, runs into the new privacy policy that Google has recently instated. The policy will track users on most of Googles platforms. The collection of data will then help to customize advertisements and searches for the individual user. The addition of teens to Google+ will expand the opportunities of Google to draw in a larger market base for most of its products with the stated intention of giving the user, including those as young as age 13, a more specific, customized experience. In other tech news, Carrier IQ is a software company that manufactures an application that records virtually all of smart phone users sensitive information, including text messages, passwords and web searches. The major concern is that this data has been collected without the users knowing anything about it and that this data sharing cannot be disabled. This poses a concern about the security of users personal data. Cell phone carriers have stated that they do not sell the information collected but there is still a large hole in users security. In the end, users are left largely ignorant, which leads to mistrust of cell carriers.

Sophomore Dino Zagami has been president of the Class of 2014 since entering high school and has been involved in SGA since the third grade. When he was in the fifth grade his teacher suggested to him that he would be a great Student Member of the Board (SMOB), and so this year, Zagami has announced his candidacy for the upcoming election. Whoever is elected SMOB represents students on issues decided by the MCPS Board of Education. In past elections SMOB candidates talked of improving communication between the board and the students, but Zagami already has concrete proposals for how to make MCPS students more involved in the decisions being made. The word I want people to think of when they look at me is accessibility, Zagami said. I hope that making politics more accessible will give me much greater input from the community. In order to achieve this goal, Zagami plans to use Twitter and a program called Survey Monkey that allows students to share their input as well as rewrite bills in short paragraphs so that students can better understand them. Along with updating his Twitter account and Facebook page with news of his candidacy, Zagami has also begun re-familiarizing himself with the political system as preparation for the elec-

Michael Natelli 14

Sophomore Dino Zagami is preparing to run in the upcoming SMOB election. Zagami has many plans for how to represent his school and community in the election. tion. Though he would only be running as a sophomore, Zagami has no worries regarding his age. My largest concern is not having a ride to the board meetings next year, Zagami said. Actually going out there, and campaigning, and trying to win honestly scares me to death Im definitely prepared but its a whole different ball game actually putting those words into action. For the rest of the month, Zagami will be attending informational meetings about how to campaign and vote. Then on March 1, the nominating convention, including a debate, occurs and school representatives choose the final two candidates. In April, the student body elects the winner. Zagami has received enormous amounts of support from his family, community and school. The support from Sherwood has been overwhelming. Everyone I have talked to about it is as or more excited than me about it, Zagami said. Though he feels prepared and supported, Zagami says that waiting for the nominating convention is very nerve-wracking. Honestly, if I make it to the final two I would feel like a winner; that alone is extremely prestigious in my mind, he said. If this happens, Zagami will have to start campaigning to schools around the county and preparing for the general election in April. If I win, Ill be worried about the pressure of the job, Zagami said. There will be immeasurable amounts of expectations Ill have to fulfill.

The WarriorFeatures
February 9, 2012

APs Maintain Consistency as Students Switch Teachers

Semester break confounds students, teachers and counselors alike as all three parties look to stymie massive changes in schedules and curricula.
by Diana McDermott 13
AP courses are college level courses on the high school level that are designed to prepare students for taking AP exams in May. Students who receive a passing score of a 3 or higher (out of 5) on an AP exam will receive course credit at most colleges and universities. In AP courses with more than one teacher, students frequently switch teachers at the semester break. In some cases, a student spends first semester developing a rapport with one teacher only to switch to another one in January before the exam in May. After receiving the registration cards from the students, the counselors put those classes into the scheduling system. The system then figures out the best sequences of classes to fill a students schedule. In order to facilitate the process, the counselors try to impose as few constraints as possible. Giving students the same teacher for both semesters would be such a constraint. Although many students feel changing teachers mid-year affects their performance on AP exams, switching teachers has the benefit of simulating collegelike circumstances. [Switching teachers mid-year] prepares you for college where you are not going to have the same teacher both semesters. You need to be able to adapt and learn from different teaching styles, said AP Biology teacher Jim Douglas, who teaches the course along with Christina Baldwin. Others teachers, however, suggest that the familiarity created between student and teacher is also an advantage. English resource teacher Shelley Jackson, who teaches AP Language, says that there should not be significant grade disparities among the different AP Language teachers because they are all pretty much on the same track with grades. However, Jackson added that the comfort level for both teacher and student would probably be better if everyone stayed with the same teacher. The consistency from one teacher to the next also can depend on the curriculum of a particular AP course and the content of that courses AP exam. The AP curricula set by the College Board, the organization that creates AP exams, can be as broad as suggested authors, such as in the case of AP Literature, or as narrow as the 15 required labs of AP Biology. In spite of differences among AP courses, all AP teachers state that they make an effort to work together to keep instruction consistent to each course. We work together on a variety of things lessons, teststo make sure that there is continuity of instruction, and that the students are being evaluated similarly, although not identically all the time, said AP World History teacher Todd Rubinstein, who teaches the course along with Michelle Games and Kathleen Menchetti. Some teachers also sit in on others classes and plan their lessons together. We test on the same day; we have the same grading scales, same rubrics, same labs. We plan out our lessons together a month in advance. We also sit in on each others classes frequently, said Douglas of his and Baldwins AP Biology coordination together. Even so, different teachers come from different backgrounds and varying areas of interests and expertise. We [AP teachers] all have different experiences we just cant possibly all say the same thing, said AP Literature teacher Debbie Reier. However, she noted that she and the other two AP Literature teachers also take preventative measures to lessen inconsistencies. We meet as a team every couple of weeks, email back and forth all the time, do range findings [scoring the same essay and comparing each others grades], read many of the same texts, and have the same number of summative and formative points in grading.

A Perfect Fit for Students All Year

by Sydney Morrison 13
Think of your favorite pair of shoes and why you like them. The first thing that probably comes to mind is that they are comfortable; you have broken them in and you know how they feel. They fit perfectly. Teachers can be thought of in the same way. When you find one that suits your learning style, after you have had them for a few months and know how they construct their class, the subject becomes as comfortable as a good pair of shoes. The difference between the two, however, is that once you buy your shoes, you usually get to keep them. For the second semester, getting a new schedule often means leaving the classrooms of your previous teachers and entering the unknown territory of the classrooms of new ones. Students do not have a choice of whether or not they would like to keep their previous teachers, and switching them creates many difficulties for a lot of students. Students may wish to remain with certain teachers, however, it is rarely granted. Teachers and administrators seem to believe that if students are given the opportunity, they will go to their counselor and ask for the easiest teachers that assign the least amount of homework and hands out the most As. In reality students just want their old teachers back. It takes a fair amount of time for students to situate themselves into their classroom environments and formulate the perfect strategy for taking notes in each subject. It takes time for students to feel comfortable enough around their teachers to freely ask for help or to repeat certain things. And sometimes, the teacher is also just a perfect fit for you, teaching his or her subject in the way you learn best. Most students do actually want the teachers that will give them the right information in the right way, but if they get switched out second semester, they might be denied the chance to learn as best as they can. After a semester, students know better than their counselors which teachers are working for them or not, so who are counselors to say students cannot stay with a specific teacher because they learn a lot in their class? It is like telling a child they cannot keep a pair of shoes because they fit too well. It is not as if the student is sitting down with their counselor and demanding I want him, her and her as my teachers, for every one of their classes. Instead, students just wish to remain in the classrooms that provide them the best opportunity to learn. Teachers teach differently, and students do not all learn in the same way either. If a student has a teacher that suits his or her learning needs, counselors should allow that student to remain in the class with that teacher. Students do not want to teacher-shop, but they should have all the tools they need to learn as much as possible, and if a particular teacher is one of those tools, why would the school ever want to deny them that?

Illustration by Darby Whitehair 12 photos by Allie Strosnider 12

Discrepancies Create Confusion When Students Ask To Change Their Teachers

by Arjun Singh 12
The beginning of a new semester. New seats. New classmates. And for many, new teachers. While some students are ecstatic at the idea of a new beginning and a fresh slate, others are disgruntled by their new classes due to the loss of friends in a class, an incompatible teacher or by change in general. Even before the semester starts, some students attempt to fix their schedule more to their liking. Their common solution: the counseling office. These discontented students plead with their counselors to put them in a different class or get them a different teacher. Some of these students may get their request granted while others are denied. Factors such as when students ask or the discretion of counselors are not specifically discussed in the official policy. This creates ambiguity about the official policy of schedule change requests, as the criteria for accepting or rejecting a request is unclear to most students. The official policy that is posted on the school website only states that students may change their schedules by completing a Change of Schedule form if they failed a prerequisite class, attended summer or night school or did not register for the correct class progression. If the request does not meet one of these criteria, the student and parent must attach a parent letter explaining the reason for the request. A students preference about a teacher is not a valid reason for a schedule change, according to the formal policy. We dont teacher shop here at Sherwood; we try our best not to, said Resource Counselor Lesia Dunkins. We strongly encourage students to assimilate to the teachers style because that is exactly what college is going to be. While this policy is in place, counselors handle different situations and requests differently; three counselors declined to comment about whether or not they consider exceptions to the formal policy and process for a Change of Schedule or when these cases occur. We all try our best to follow the rule of no teacher shopping. Again there are exceptions; there are eight counselors youve got seven other people that may have a situation with a student where they have to use their professional judgment [to decide], said Dunkins.

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The WarriorFeatures
February 9, 2012

Getting Out from Under the Shadow, Not Always Easy

Younger siblings struggle to make a name for themselves when others compare them to expectations established by their older siblings.
by Brett Melnick 12
Sibling rivalry is a normal phenomenon, particularly within a competitive family. Each sibling seeks a positive self-image and individual identity. Nobody wants to be lost in the shadow of a sibling who somehow always seems to steal the spotlight. Balancing the love that each sibling feels for the other with the desire to excel as an individual may sometimes create a challenge between brothers and sisters. As the clock hits 7:20 a.m. and the bell rings to go to first period, it is another ordinary school day for freshman Ryan Kendall. Ryan is the second youngest of four children, and the younger of two siblings at Sherwood. As Ryan now begins to create a name for himself at his new school, his older sister, senior Kelly Kendall, is nearing the end of her Sherwood legacy. Kelly, a Sherwood Ambassador, varsity lacrosse captain and president of the National Honor Society, has created a big name for herself in her four years as a Warrior. It is fair to say that Kelly has raised the bar for her younger brother to equal or exceed. But Kelly doesnt see it that way, nor does she want to create a shadow from which her brother feels he needs to emerge. I constantly remind my brother about all my failures so he doesnt make the same mistakes that I have made, said Kelly. Im honest with him so he can upstage me, and that way he will establish even bigger accomplishments for my little sister to live up to and to achieve. Kelly encourages her brother because she believes that when singing. In these pursuits, they are following the paths of their brother Alex, who graduated in 2010 and starred in numerous school plays as well as a soloist role in Rock n Roll. For junior Sean Prin and his three older brothers, its lacrosse. However, besides similar high school hobbies, the siblings in these families are a lot more different than meets the eye. Katy Chiogioji and her sisters all have different career aspirations, as her sisters are studying sports broadcasting and fashion design in college, while she is still uncertain. When I was a freshman and my brother Brendan was a senior, people were expecting me to be like him. It turns out that we have two totally different personalities. I guess I hate how some people expect all of us to act the same and have very high expectations. We each look at things differently, added Prin. Regardless of any sort of competition between them, these siblings are glad to share their high school experiences with their brothers or sisters at Sherwood. Ryan noted, I like that my sister can drive me to and from school, and that I know a lot of the upperclassmen, and older students from her. Its been an overall fun experience going to school with Kelly. Rather than being concerned by comparisons, these students support their siblings and are comfortable with their own individuality. I like seeing him interact with his friends, knowing whats going on in each others lives, and seeing him at lunch to complain about a bad sandwich, concluded Kelly.

Holly Cuozzo 12

Senior Kelly Kendall is a very active student, such as being captain of the lacrosse team and president of the National Honor Society. Her brother, freshman Ryan Kendall, strives to live up to his sisters good name. people strive to do their best and learn from other peoples positive behaviors and mistakes, [It] is the way that people grow and how humanity improves itself. Along with the Kendalls, many other families have long Sherwood legacies. Despite the support that the siblings give to each other, they are often confronted by others who want to judge them by making comparisons. Junior Katy Chiogioji notes that teachers constantly compare her to her sisters. On the first day of school, Im always prepared to hear the classic question, Are you a Chiogioji? from nearly all of my teachers. Some of them accidentally call me by my sisters names, said Chiogioji. Katy and her four siblings, including their freshman brother, Chris, all have been involved with the SGA. She and her sisters also have been members of the Sherwood poms team throughout their high school years. A similar activity often bonds siblings together. For freshman William Goniprow and his junior brother, Harry, its acting and

The WarriorFeatures
February 9, 2012

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Shaking Up the Warrior Wake Up

by Abby Isaacs 12
For the past few years, the purpose of the morning announcements was only to inform the students and staff of any meetings or events happening in the Sherwood community. However, with the arrival of new and experienced TV Production co-teacher John Williams in December, changes have begun and will continue for the morning announcements. We will constantly be altering the physical appearance of the show. But we will also be making changes to the content, said Williams, who is the schools Media Services Technician. The TV Production team, consisting of 16 students, has recently made many improvements to the morning announcements, and they look to make even more over the second semester. First, the morning announcements are now called Warrior Wake Up and are live every morning. They start with a video of various students introducing the show, followed by a new introduction video. The announcements now include the weather, birthdays, at least one video package per show, different songs and new camera views. There is also new lighting, a new set and a greater level of professionalism within the team. Being director is a lot more hectic than it used to be before Mr. Williams came in. I have a lot more cues to learn, but I love my team and we all work really well together, said senior director Bree Schneider. One of Williamss many goals for TV Production is to teach the members of the TV production team a strong work ethic that they can take with them wherever they end up in the future. He also, hopes to make the show more interesting and relatable to all students by featuring more students that are not in the TV production class. The announcements now feature cheerleaders on basketball game days, for example. Williams also hopes to have a few students from outside of the class host the show a few days a week. Overall, he would like to introduce the TV Production team members as well as the rest of the student body to a more professional news show. Williams aims to make the show more professional not only by drawing on his vast experiences in the television business, but also by receiving aid from The Warrior newspaper staff. He and newspaper advisor Peter Huck have met to decide on how to collaborate both news mediums in a way that is beneficial to both. The newspaper staff will now be responsible for compiling the script for the show every day, as

Behind the Scenes

Hannah Chertock 12

Sophomore Alec Perez, camera technician for the morning show, moves the camera to give the audience a view of the students on the set. well as supplying short news stories about events outside of Sherwood. On the other hand, The Warrior Online will now feature more video news stories with the assistance of TV Production team member and senior newspaper staffer Isabel Paterson. Collectively, the team feels that the changes are going to make the show more professional. Going live is fun, commented senior camera woman Julie Ansorge. A live broadcast also gives the team more time to practice and perfect the product because the TV team has the whole period to do runthroughs of the show. The changes encourage us to act more professional and produce a better show, said senior floor director Shelby Daniels.

Computer Usage Can Cause Distractions

by Alyssa Miller 13
A student glances over his shoulder to make sure the teacher is focused on a different student before attempting to log onto Facebook. The site is blocked, just like it was last week, so the student logs onto a proxy site and accesses the social networking site from there instead. Several rows away, another student tweets about how easy her science test was. Two students lean over one computer, sneaking glances at a Youtube video when the teacher isnt looking. Only a handful of students are actually working on their research paper, as directed. This sight is not an uncommon one when teachers opt to use computers for instructional purposes. Despite the frequency with which students attempt to access blocked websites, many students do not know exactly what teachers can see of their students computer activities. Even more alarming, most students dont know what the punishment for violating computer rules is, or that there even is a punishment. Media Specialist Joseph Reiff observes teachers using computers in lessons nearly every day. Reiff generally does not usually notice students abusing their computer privileges. If the students know that the teachers watching them and expecting that

Imagine chatting with Stevie Wonder, interviewing Janet Jackson backstage before a show, or televising a speech by former President Bill Clinton. For new TV Production co-teacher John Williams, these are some of his highlights in TV production. Any job has good days, bad days, but most of them are right in the middle and working in television is no different in that regard. The difference is that the highs are so incredibly high that there will be times when you say I cant believe Im actually getting paid to do this, said Williams. During his 25-year career, he has worked at the DC bureau for a foreign TV production studio called TV Tokyo, CNN, Entertainment Tonight, ABCs Good Morning America and the Discovery Channel. Working in network television is a very grueling job, said Williams. I decided I wanted a little better quality of life and coming to MCPS gives me a little stability I actually have more time away from work than I have at work and that was not the case. He has worked in MCPS for six years, starting at Watkins Mill, then moving to become director of Homework Hotline Live and finally as Sherwoods Media Services Technician.

Bridget Cook 14

Students in Abimbola Lawrences Honors English 10 class use computers in the Media Center to work on a research paper. While working, students can get pulled off task. they stay on task and [are] doing what theyre supposed to be doing, theyre usually pretty good about being on task, said Reiff. If he does see a student misusing the computers in class without the teachers knowledge, Reiff will notify the teacher. However, he generally expects teachers to monitor their own students. Were busy monitoring the students who are walk-in students, because theres always a bunch of students who will come up [to the Media Center] individually or in pairs to work on something, he said. While some teachers are reluctant to allow their students time at the computers because it is difficult to keep them on-task, AP Environmental Science teacher Laura Dinerman finds that the rewards outweigh the risk. I like to let students do independent research in class using a computer, said Dinerman. Technology Education teacher Brendan Lees takes a different approach to teaching with a computer, something that is often a necessity in a tech class. [I] have the ability to watch what students are doing on the computers and to block the internet if its not needed which helps from students getting off task of the lesson, said Lees. To combat potential distractions, Reiff advises that teachers have a good assignment that the students really need to work on and that the students realize is a valuable assignment. If teachers do not pay attention to their students, he warns that the students will not remain on-task. Problems arise when the teacher does not walk around the room interacting with the students and monitoring their work, Tech Ed teacher Thomas Sparacino noted, stating that, [Internet usage in the classroom] can be

an issue and can get out of hand quickly if the teacher is not monitoring closely. Even though some teachers do allow their students to work unsupervised around computers, IT Systems Specialist Andrew Dodge says the network does monitor if students are frequently using computers inappropriately. It usually comes to someones attention when you have a lot of access violations when you get the stop sign, if you get that too many times it gets flagged in the reports, said Dodge. If a students activity is flagged, an email will be sent to the office and disciplinary actions will be taken. The student will then be called to the office for a conversation with his/her gradelevel administrator about proper computer usage. However, this is a rare occurrence. Only two emails have been sent to Dodge notifying him of repeated attempts to access restricted sites in January, and none were sent in December. Despite the occasional infraction, Reiff hopes that Sherwood students understand the importance of remaining focused and respecting their computer privileges. I think students dont realize how lucky they are that we have all the technology that we have in our schools. A lot of places dont have this type of setup.

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by Emily Engle 12 A special to The Warrior Typical Girlfriends Train of Thought:
Ive been waiting here for six minutes now and he still hasnt come. Maybe he forgot. Im going to text him. Where is he? Now that I think about it, I did see him look at another girl today. Maybe hes with her. I wouldnt be surprised. One time I saw him actually engage in a conversation with a really cute girl. What was he thinking? Im way prettier than she is. Where is he? Im going to text him. Is he going to break up with me? I think he is. Why else would he be this late? Its been eight minutes now. What could he possibly be doing? I think Im going to text him. I think he cheated on me. I saw him talking to this one girl on Twitter, and they were flirting. Like what? What is his problem? Is he trying to make me jealous? Why else would he do that? Im going to get him back. Im going to set my Facebook status to something really emotional about how much hes hurting me. But I wont say his name. That way it will really get to him. Actually, I have an even

The WarriorHumor
February 9, 2012
better idea. Im going to set it as an inside joke that I have with another guy. Or I could put a hot guy in my profile picture! That way hell be jealous back. He deserves it. Then hell know better than to mess with me. I mean who does he think he is talking to all these girls and everything? Ill set him straight. Okay, ten minutes is too much. Im going to text him to see where he is. Why hasnt he answered yet? Oh and yesterday he chose his friends over me. Idiot. Im the best thing he has in his life. Why does he need them? As if shopping isnt more fun than video games. When he shows up, Im going to be miserable. Im always so happy around him, but maybe if Im upset hell realize what a jerk hes become. How the heck am I supposed to respond to that? I mean, is the mall honestly that important? I really dont think so. What is her problem? Like Im on Facebook, and she keeps changing her status to things like you dont care about me and what did I ever see in you. Wow, deep. Does she really think I dont realize those are about me? Like come on. Ive literally gotten four texts from her in the last ten minutes saying where are you? Creepy much? Ive only been with her for two weeks and shes already told me she loves me. Dude, Im a guy. Does she actually think I love her after two weeks? Yeah shes hot and stuff, but shes almost becoming not worth it. You know what? Im going to get her bad. Im going to tweet something really vague to make her question herself. Its going to be hilarious. My friends say I should dump her. After all this, maybe I should.

Inside the Complex Dichotomy of a High School Relationship

Typical Boyfriends Train of Thought:

Why does she keep texting me? Why wont she leave me alone? Lets be real. Its Sunday. And its football season. Does she really expect me to go to the mall with her? I mean Id go, but she keeps bothering me, so now I dont really want to. Id rather stay at home and watch football with the guys. I tried telling her I didnt want to go, but she cried.

Cartoon by Michael Wagner 12

t e

ip

compiled and written by Amanda Harrington 12

Aye so I saw my mans tryna go smack at some bait from Sherwood. She was jah bad with the clappas and everything. Do you find yourself struggling to decipher this? Well, The Warrior wants to get you hip on the slang used at Sherwood as well as other nearby schools in Montgomery County so you dont feel too left out.

SHerwood

* All words with stars next to them are also slang words at Sherwood

SprinGbrook

- Fakin: Someone wHo SayS a lot oF tHinGS but doeSnt Follow tHrouGH - Coolin: HanGinG out - Get me Hip: tell me wHat - Flexin: to SHow oFF Happened; inForm Someone on tHe tHinGS you Have SometHinG He or SHe didnt - lunCHin: to aCt know Stupid or FooliSH - *kill: reaCtion to SometHinG - rappin: talkinG too SurpriSinG or tHat you muCH about tHinGS diSaGree witH otHerS dont Care about - CHamp: a loSer,;Someone doeS SometHinG tHatS not ConSidered Cool - baSiC: a reGular borinG Female; Someone wHo wearS tHe Same brandS aS everyone

blake
- GuH: beinG mad, irritated - *bait: a very attraCtive perSon - booFin: SmellinG bad - trappin: makinG money - *ClappaS: biG butt - *Go SmaCk: tryinG to talk to Someone or purSue anotHer perSon - CHurCHin: FlirtinG witH anotHer perSon - *make it Clap: to make oneS butt CHeekS Clap

paint branCH

- Steez: Someone wHo iS unique / HaS SwaG - Coppin: baCkinG out oF a FiGHt - dew: SwaG - *Salty: upSet, aGitated

The WarriorHumor
February 9, 2012
by Ellen Kirkness 12
According to Urban Dictionary, cankles are an aesthetically unfortunate physiological condition which leaves its victims with no discernible narrowing of the ankle between the calf and the foot. Where many girls possess calves which slim down gradually to reveal a delicate ankle, I was cursed with more of a tree-trunk look. In fact, on a bad day, you might say my ankle has an even greater girth than my upper calf. While this may sound astonishing, it is more common than you think. Cankles do not discriminate. Their victims may be of any body type, gender or race. Naturally, an adolescent girl with cankles must excuse herself from many standard teenage activities. In order to spare her peers from disgust, she must conceal herself in certain situations. For example, in the sixth grade, flair jeans went out and skinny jeans came in. You can imagine my distress. I had a choice to make. On one hand, I could strangle the circulation in my poor feet with a pair of skinny jeans. On the other hand, I could become an uncool reject lacking in the latest fashion. And thus, the suffering began. Cankles impair one in many ways other than the lingering potential of social rejection. Take summertime, for example. You know when really husky men have those lines on their necks which are usually created by flaps of skin and that often become sunburnt due to accidental exposure in the summer? I have this problem as well. When standing up straight, a fold of skin occurs where the bottom of my calf meets the perpendicular stretch of the foot. When sunbathing, this tender line is exposed and be-

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One Staffer Discusses the Pros and Cons of Cankles

comes painfully sunburnt. Although I have tried over the years, to remember to apply sunscreen to this delicate area, who wants to be caught sun-screening their cankles on the beach? Although cankles may have many downfalls, a thorough evaluation would leave one with a few positives to appreciate. The most obvious benefit pertains to athletics. While most female athletes possess fragile and delicate ankles which may be sprained by a kick or whacked by a stick, those of us born with a great deal of fatty tissue protecting the ankle bone do not have to worry about injury. In addition to protection, the cankle offers a superb source of balance. While aesthetic appeal is lost, cankles are an escape from the thinning of the calf which takes away from stability and equilibrium. Furthermore, cankles contribute considerably to speed when beautifying ones self for an event such as a date or a party. Females are generally expected to have no hair anywhere other than on their heads. So, in order to escape ridicule, we shave our legs as often as possible. Now, a girl with beautiful ankles has lots of bumps and dips to deal with. Such a difficult surface to work with often results in painful razor cuts. Cankles, on the other hand, are flat soft surfaces indistinguishable from the rest of the calf very easy to shave. Its like bulldozing a forest verses a mountain. Cankles are unpredictable. You cant marry a woman with beautiful ankles and assume your daughter will look the same. My mother has gorgeous ankles. But if you do end up with this condition, learn to accept it. And if you avoided having it, do not discriminate. The bigger the cankle, the more there is to love.

Vs.

Staffers Ellen Kirkness 12 (top) and Devin Cornelius 12 (bottom) compete to see who has the more severe cankles. Go to TheWarrioronline.com to vote!

Why Congress Is So Unpopular with American Citizens: SOPA

by Robel Wondimu 13
On October 26, 2011 Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX) proposed a law in Congress called Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) intended to stop online copyright infringement. In order to do so, the law would require internet service providers to block websites accused of allowing such action to happen; with a maximum penalty of five years in prison for citizens who do not comply. This immediately caused uproar amongst the online community, who believed it was a detrimental infringement on personal liberties and freedom, as well as an act of censorship by the government. Personally, I feel it is outrageous that this congressman had the audacity to introduce such a controversial bill; and of course leave it to the republican from Texas to do something like this. If this is passed, websites like Youtube could be removed if they are reported to have copyrighted material on their page; so instead of getting the error message this video has been removed due to violating Youtubes terms and conditions i.e. youd get something like Youtube has been removed for violating SOPAs terms and conditions. In all seriousness though, this is no laughing matter. Websites that allow illegal and free music and movies would be blocked, even if the server is from a non-US territory. This would leave the internet in shambles since most of it would get blocked out. Facebook and twitter could be removed if people are reposting links to sites that reproduce videos without the express written consent of the NBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, etc. Another implication I find startling is that it is the sole responsibility of websites to prevent, track and remove such copyrighted materials without the warning of the intellectual property holders, as was in place before. Wildly popular sites like Yahoo and Wikipedia risk being shutdown as well because much of their material is reposted images, videos, etc. The biggest threat of all may be the ability of the U.S. attorney general to blacklist whistle blowing sites like WikiLeaks which leak copyrighted and classified materials. Essentially, the government could put an end to websites looking out for the best interest of citizens and creating transparency, allowing the feds to work in the dark, away from the curious, prying and intrusive eyes of their citizens. What would America come to if this passes? In what I envision society would revert back to the 90s when people would spend more time outside and not on their computers. So is it all bad news? Yes, but this is not a hurdle society cant get over. If SOPA passes there would basically be no internet, anything good on the internet, or anything free on the internet. It is absurd and ironic to think that Congressmen, usually old men who know the least about the internet, claim to be looking out for the best interests of citizens, their freedoms and liberties, but are unknowingly hurting them. These legislators are clueless or hardheaded to the fact that SOPA would punish everyday people by hindering the economy since creativity, invention and innovation on the internet would be stifled. The internet has been the focal point of the information and technological boom of the 21st century, and doing anything to endanger this continued and expected prosperity would be foolish and irresponsible.

Cartoon by Andi Hopkins 14

14

love (n) /luhv/: a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person.

15

Everything is clearer when youre in love. -John Lennon

Date
Date: 3 pm lunch at the Greene Turtle by: Briana Applewhite
Sarah: Im very short, stubborn,

Will sparks fly on these two blind dates?

Lab

To get the full value of joy you must have someone to divide it with. -Mark Twain

Junior Couple: Sean Prin and Sarah Loughran

13

Senior Couple: Jacob Morrison and Madison Tralka

About Jacob: Im nice and pretty smart (Ive
always gotten decent grades,) and like making people laugh. I enjoy food, the Baltimore Ravens, and skateboarding. Im just super cool.

Date: 3 pm lunch at the Greene Turtle by: Devin Cornelius

12

About Sean: I have three brothers, and we About

About Madison: I like to sing, listen to

music, do ceramics, read, and play Temple Run. Im loyal, family oriented, and love to laugh and spend time with family/friends. Ideal Type(Madison): I look for someone who is considerate, intelligent/witty, and someone who doesnt take themselves or life too seriously. Someone who can laugh at life and is sarcastic and quirky.

are all pretty close. I play lacrosse and enjoy blunt, and honest. I have blue eyes, like to spending time with friends. I consider myself play sports, and love animals. Im a lifeto be a nice guy who is friendly and outgoing. guard and I listen to any kind of good music.

Ideal Girl: A great personality, definitely. Ideal Guy: Has to be academically motivated
Someone who is nice, friendly, easy to be around and athletic in a running sport. Has to love animals and have a nice smile. and fun. Cuteness is a factor too.

Ideal Type(Jacob): Aesthetically pleasing.

A down to earth girl who is easy to talk to and isnt crazy. Most girls arent funny, but if she laughs at all my jokes shes definitely a keeper.

First Impression: I was excited it was Sar- First Impression: I was happy it was Sean.

ah; I was afraid it would be someone weird. Ive I know him, so it was more like a casual date known Sarah casually so it wasnt uncomfort- instead of an awkward blind date. I liked his able. outfit!

First Impression(Jacob): Oh its Madison!

Havent seen her in forever!

First Impression(Madison): Thank god its

someone I know is nice and is not a freak.

About the Date: At times there were weird About the Date: It went smoothly, but the
silences. I didnt know whether to ask the next TVs kind of distracted us. But it wasnt awkward. question or let her initiate something.

About the Date(Jacob): 9/10! I was expecting it to be the most awkward experience, but surprisingly, it was fun. We talked constantly and I definitely enjoyed it.

About the date(Madison): It was fun. It

was nice to talk to someone I dont usually talk with. Conversation went pretty smoothly. I didnt feel awkward at all.

Good Match?: I would give it a 6/10. I had Good Match?: It was really fun! But I think
a good time, but I wouldnt see us doing this we are friends more than anything else. So I again as a date, only as friends. dont see it as a match.

Good match?(Jacob):
*wink*

Yea. Hit me up girl

Good Match?(Madison): Id go on another

date with him-I mean-sure, why not?

-69% of students believe in love at first sight -82% of students believe true love should last forever -88% of students believe you can fall in love more than once in your lifetime

Survey
by :

Ta

r lo

Fe

rn

d an

es

14

-When are you old enough to fall in love? 14 (or younger): 22% 15: 16% 16: 17% 17: 14% 19: 19% 21 (or older): 10% -How long should two people be together to know theyre in love? 1 month: 16% 2-5 months: 24% 6 months-1 year: 42% over a year: 17%

Survey of 104 Students

Thoughts on Valentines Day?

I feel its a way of enhancing the relationship. After all, the flame has been burning pretty bright as it is. -Peyton Brailsford 13
I havent thought about it too much, but possibly take her to a movie and dinner, and then giving Mollie her present. -Nick Widmaier 14

by: Hope Gouterman 13

Valentines for Lonely Hearts

by: Joy Zhang 14

Maybe I express myself just a little bit more just because it is a special day, but I try to express myself every day! -Alexandra Aiken 12 Students in relationships give their thoughts about... Valentines Day

I think its a good day to think back on things but I dont think it would really spark a dull relationship. Its just a great opportunity to appreciate what you have. -Matt Abrams 12

Well, since Valentines Day is during the week, guys are pretty limited on time so Im not expecting anything big. Being able to spend the day with Nick is more than enough for me. -Mollie Rhoades 14

Due to the fact that there are only a select few adorable high school sweethearts, the majority of students will find themselves single and spiteful on the much dreaded Valentines Day. Fortunately, there are some splendid alternatives for spending Valentines Day as an unloved soul. 1.) Harass couples on dates - ruin a couples night so theirs will be just as bad as yours. Screech like youre in a horror film or gag as if choking whenever they lean in for a kiss. The date will definitely lack the romance and charm the couple had anticipated after your bothersome and inconsiderate belligerence. 2.) Rent a sappy, disgustingly dramatic romance movie-witness what you dont have and become envious. Sulk and cry about being alone. Anything Nicholas Sparks will do. Consume massive amounts of chocolate and gain a couple of pounds while youre at it. 3.) Host a one-person Karaoke Night - dance and sing along to Taylor Swift and Adele. Their heartbreaking songs are extremely relatable to anyone single and lonely. 4.)Go to a local pet store - play with baby animals; at least theyll give you some attention and affection. Kittens and bunnies seem to be especially sweet and cuddly to quell a miserable heart. 5.) Use the could-be-date money and splurge lavishly on yourself - use the cash to go on a shopping spree (instead of wasting it on a romantic evening with that special someone). It distracts oneself from their sad life. Buy some new shoes, maybe even that expensive purse youve been eyeing for the past month. Indulge yourself, after a hard day of being a nuisance, pigging out, singing solo, and cuddling with kitties. You deserve it.

16

The WarriorOpinions
February 9, 2012
The Warrior Staff
Executive Editor Jacob Bogage 12 Managing Editors Ellen Kirkness 12 Darby Whitehair 12 Content Directors Jessica Carrera 13 Devin Cornelius 12 Rebecca Stussman 12 Copy Editor Alex Porter 13 Managing Photo Editors Brett Melnick 12 Paul Szewczyk 12 Section Editors News Editors Connor Martin 13 Robel Wondimu 13 BSW Editor Nathan St.Pierre 12 Features Editors Katie Nolan 12 Mandy Stussman 14 Humor Editors Ryan Coulter 12 Sam Farrell 12 Spotlight Editor Olivia Snyder 12 Wondering Warrior Editor Isabel Paterson 12 Opinions Editors Diana McDermott 13 Michaela ODonnell 13 Entertainment Editors Holly Cuozzo 12 Will Gavett 12 Sports Editors Jamie Langbein 13 Michael Natelli 14

In OUr OPINION ...

Have You Ever Wanted To Say Something To A Teacher Anonymously But Couldnt?
Rating: 1=strongly disagree, 5=strongly agree My teacher keeps me connected and updated via Edline and other online resources. My teacher comes to class prepared with lesson plans and activities. 1 1 2 2 3 3 4 4 5 5 Not at all. Not at all.

Overall, I think my work was graded fairly. Yes, completely! Mostly true. Sometimes true. Rarely true. I felt prepared for tests and quizzes.
Sherwood education is imperfect. We have both incredibly fulfilled students and those who are struggling; some who cannot stay awake in class and others who listen intently yet still face difficulty interpreting various teaching styles. At the heart of an education system filled with both dramatic success stories and tragic failures lies perhaps the most essential component of a classroom: the teacher. The Warrior believes teacher performance should be accounted for, with measurable steps to reward excellent educators and amend ineffective ones. Evaluative actions such as teacher assessment surveys for students to complete each semester, supplemented with increased observations of teachers by administrators and careful examination of students academic performance, can help improve the Sherwood classroom experience and lead to better education of students. As individuals who observe teachers every day and have a personal interest in helping them improve their instruction, students can offer perspectives on educators unavailable through the sporadic observations by adCartoon by Michael Wagner 12

Yes, completely! Mostly true. Sometimes true. Rarely true.

and departments. Student apathy towards the survey should be combated with advertisements by the SGA informing students of the importance of evaluation procedures and by assurances from teachers that the results of these surveys will be regarded seriously. We have also intentionally designed our survey with a colloquial tone to increase student focus and make the evaluation relatable to all students. Teachers who receive positive results should be rewarded with fun measures such as selective teacher breakfasts or complimentary lunches, with teachers who receive excellent remarks earning prestigious teaching awards and being recognized on the county level. Teachers who struggle should receive not punitive action but instead support to help them improve. In conjunction with administrative evaluations and examination of student performance, survey results should be used to determine teachers who could benefit from being placed on peer assistance and review (PAR), a system currently in place in MCPS to help struggling teachers yet used exceedingly

ministrators that teachers can prepare for specifically and that our county currently relies on to assess its employees. Student evaluations of teachers, in the form of a survey such as the example and with questions that include those featured above, should be used to help teachers discover the ways in which they effectively educate and the areas that they need to improve upon. Surveys should be given to students frequently, with the results analyzed by the teacher himself and by an administrator or peer-teaching colleague. Teachers with significantly poor feedback who do not improve should be required to attend training with other teachers to learn how to more effectively educate in areas in which students reported their weaknesses. Survey results should be used both to contribute towards administrative decisions about teachers, such as classes and curriculum, and to help individual teachers most appropriately cater to students unique methods of learning. While the Warrior survey is a potential template, we envision the survey actually used to be specific to individual classes

rarely in Sherwood and other schools across the county. Student surveys should be integrated into the countys current method of evaluating teachers to identify teachers who need improvement and help determine students academic needs. Mostly, student surveys of teachers are essential to correct a system that too often forgets to acknowledge the most underrepresented component of almost any education system: the students. We need to play a role in the quality of our education, and we are capable enough to effectively participate in reforming teaching quality. Students see their teachers every day at their best and at their worst; they remember a teacher that was always available at lunch and a teacher that simply relies on movies to fill time during class. With student input, teachers can inform themselves of areas in which they need improvement and enhance their instruction to most effectively educate. Teaching quality reform is possible. Student input, taken seriously by teachers and administration, is one vital component of enhancing the classroom experience.

The Warrior Online Staff

Managing Editor Leah Schroeder 13 Content Director Rachel Zemel 13 Copy Editor Christopher Jou 12 Arjun Singh 12 Managing Photo Editors Hannah Chertock 12 Allie Strosnider 12 Section Editors NewsCal Wilson 14 Sports Joe Lavoie 14 EntertainmentBriana Applewhite 13 Blogs & Opinions Evan Schwartz 13 FeaturesVicky Florian 14 In-DepthMatt Diogo 14 HumorMelissa Fajardo 13 Pollster Amanda Harrington 12 Cartoonists Andi Hopkins 14 Mike Wagner 12 Photographers Bridget Cook 14 Taylor Fernandes 14 Morning Announcements Editor Abby Isaacs 12 Morning News Editor Daniel Frank 12 Staff Reporters Brendan Cudd 14 Maria Claudia Garcia-Rada 13 Mary Macrae 14 Katie Mercogliano 14 Alyssa Miller 13 Sydney Morrison 13 Nick Mourtoupalas 13 Andrew Wasik 13 Bethany Van Waes 12 Shaan Verma 13 Executive Business Directors Whitney Marie Halaby 14 Jenni Kenel 14
Circulation/Publicity Director

Scott Bolen 12

Advisor.........................Peter Huck

The WarriorOpinions
February 9, 2012

17

Keep It Behind Closed Doors

To The Point
Ready for Same-Sex Marriage
by Isabel Paterson 12
Last year, a same-sex marriage bill narrowly passed the Maryland State Senate but fell short in the House of Delegates. On January 31, Governor Martin OMalley again raised the topic of legalizing same-sex marriage in Maryland. The very reason for our states founding was for religious freedom. At the heart of religious freedom is respect for the freedom of individual conscience, OMalley told the Senate Judicial Hearings Committee. A Washington Post poll, published the same day, showed that 50 percent of Maryland residents supported legalization of same-sex marriage, while 44 percent were opposed. This reflects the great support Maryland has towards passing this law. America is built on the idea that we treat everyone equally, and yet only six states, plus Washington DC, allow the right for all people to marry who they love, regardless of gender. The hypocrisy of inequality towards gay and lesbian couples needs to stop and Maryland can be part of that change. The General Assembly has been in session since January 11 and will adjourn on April 9. We live in a state that prides itself on being diverse and open to differences. There is no reason this bill should not get passed.

by Jessica Carrera 13
Valentines Day is the one time of year that those cheesy heart-shaped candies make a comeback, the over-sized balloons loom in the hallway and, more unfortunately, PDA is amped up to the nth degree. Public display of affection, or PDA, is a common and by now expected component of Valentines Day. On this day there can be no complaints about too much hugging and blocking the already cramped space. But, come on, lets all save it for that

one day. As hard as it is to imagine, relationships do tend to affect people other than just the two involved. Now, I know it is absolutely none of my business what goes on with others lives go off and get married for all I care. However, it does become my business when the obnoxious noises produced distract me from my routine. Every morning I go and sit with my friends. After about ten minutes, a boy turns the corner with a girl following him like a puppy. We all roll our eyes at the now regular scene that unfolds every morning like clockwork. My friends and I prepare ourselves for the unbearable giggling, the insufferable slapping noises (from the boy slapping the girls behind) and the constant noise of kissing. We attempt to not watch them, and do a decent job of it, because the noises are bad enough. As people walk by, they cannot help but notice the couple in the corner and the disgusted looks on their faces mirrors our own thoughts: Why here? Why

does this seemingly harmless couple have to cause uncomfortable situations for the students and teachers that are subject to their PDA? One teacher gave a sigh of relief one morning as she murmured Wow, nothing today. Ill admit that these concerns may appear a bit selfish. I really should not let what these two people are doing bother me so much. But the group of people affected extends beyond just me; I cannot help but feel sorry for the kid who struggles to reach his locker behind the loving couple blocking his way. And for the teacher who endures constant distraction from her work because of the loud noises caused by these two just outside her classroom. So for those of you out there, who now should realize how obnoxious your interactions with your significant other are, please tone it down. If you manage to see someone giving you a funny look, tone it down. Im not saying censor everything, but Stay classy, Sherwood.

An Inflation of Stress
by Ellen Kirkness 12
Most seniors who aspire to attend college have long since submitted five or six or fifteen applications to schools all over the nation. For most of these students, College Board is visited more often than Facebook and College Prowler has way more hits than Twitter. Checking how we stack up with scores from the schools we applied to has become a daily obsession. Turns out, last week Claremont McKenna, a prestigious California liberal arts college, admitted that it has been boosting SAT statistics for six years in a row to raise its place in national college rankings. According to Bob Schaeffer, education director at the National Center for Fair and Open Testing, this is not uncommon and there are hundreds of ways around colleges reporting accurate data about its applicants or graduates. So maybe the average reading SAT score at my top choice is a 680, or maybe thats a number that has been inflated by 100 points. I feel betrayed. The countless hours I spent online were really just a waste. I quite possibly have been trying to measure up against false and unrealistic statistics. Colleges partaking in such deceit should be ashamed of themselves for making applicants feel like they dont measure up when maybe they do after all.

Lessons Learned in Health Should Be Optional and Not Required

blew my mind. I realized that you cant tell by looking at someone if they have an STD or not, and that when you are sexually active I have just finished taking a seyou are putting yourself at risk to mester of Health and, needless to screw up your whole life. Many say, the course certainly had its of the STDs can cause sterility moments when it was interestand infertility. I dont necessaring and informative. Throughily agree with MCPSs stance out the first semester I observed on abstinence, but I do believe what the teacher was saying and that if you are going to have sex the students reactions to the conthen you need to be protected and tent, and very often there was a have your partner tested. I would disconnect between what was not have realized any of this if it being taught and what was being wasnt for the Health class. learned. I have come to the conAlthough these units changed clusion that the class has worthy my perspective and will help intentions to inform stume to more dents and does a good job Health class covers a lot but of- choices,make lessonsinformed the learned with some of the topics, but Health should not be a course ten misses opportunities to go still do not justify requiring that every student must take into detail about the most press- every student to take Health to graduate from high school. as a graduation requirement. Im sure there is a lot for me I walked into Health ing issues that teens face. to learn in the many electives the first day thinking this offered at Sherwood, and is going to be stupid, and that Ive heard all this stuff a relationship, it isnt something to many of them are relevant to my thousand times from previous be ashamed and that there is help personal interests and even career plans. But I might never know Health classes and from my par- available. The following unit we cov- what those classes have to offer ents. And for the most part I was right. The course does its best to ered every type of drug. Before me because too many required cover all the aspects of a healthy this unit, I knew all of the street classes such as Health stand in life style, starting with the basic names but didnt really under- the way of me getting to make health triangle, and then leading stand what they did to a persons my own choices about my course into units about healthy eating, body. But then we saw before and schedule. exercise, abuse, eating disorders, after pictures of heroin and ecstadrugs, homosexuality, family life sy users, and it scared the bejesus and finally STDs. Thats a lot to out of me. It made me want to do cover, and the course often miss- my best to let my friends know es opportunities to go into detail about how drugs can screw a perabout the most pressing issues son up. We ended with STDs, and that teens face. For example, I believe we only really touched the this unit made me not to want to surface about what really goes on kiss anyone again. The pictures in abusive relationships, or what we saw and the stories we heard

by Whitney Marie Halaby 14

it is like to be a teen and have a drug addiction that he or she wants to break free of but cant. During the abuse unit we learned about sexual, physical and mental abuse. During this unit we watched of a reenactment of a young woman who was date raped, which made the reality of it all so much more powerful. This video made me realize that I actually knew someone who had been date raped, and that I needed to do something to help her. The video helped students realize that if you are in an abusive

iFeel Guilty
by Katie Mercogliano 14
Its hard to deny that Apple has taken over the world over the past decade. Everywhere I go I see people browsing the hundreds of thousands of apps on their highly recognizable shiny, rectangular screens. But at what price are we willing to pay for the high-tech device? Last week, The New York Times published an article exposing terribly harsh working conditions in factories producing Apple products. According to the article, two years ago 137 workers at an Apple supplier in eastern China were injured after they were ordered to use a poisonous chemical to clean iPhone screens. In addition, two explosions at iPad factories have killed four people and injured 77 within seven months last year. Before those blasts, Apple had been alerted to hazardous environments inside the plant. Although these are alarming statistics, as an iPhone fanatic Im certainly not giving up mine, and Im sure the feeling is shared by several others. Still, Apple shouldnt take its customers attitude for granted and before the company starts manufacturing its newest device, Apple should re-evaluate the risks of cheap labor.

18

The WarriorOpinions
February 9, 2012

Dumbing Down Entertainment

by Melissa Fajardo 13
The American public has gotten so used to watching subpar TV shows that barely satisfy their entertainment needs that theyve accepted watching whatever is on TV thats not a commercial. Before they know it, their DVRs are filled to 93 percent with re-runs of Jersey Shore and one of those Paul Rudd, Seth Rogen, Jonah Hill movies that are constantly on TBS. Producing television shows that will get high ratings and viewers isnt necessarily the same thing as providing quality shows. Jersey Shore, a show about a group of partying guidos (two of which arent even Italian, mind you) attracted an all time series high of 8.87 million viewers opposed to a show like Community which was temporarily placed on hiatus and only averaged 5 million viewers in its first season. To exaggerate this viewer gap between the two shows even more, Jersey Shore airs on cable, which isnt available in every household unlike Community which airs on broadcast, which is standard to all viewers and still doesnt grab high ratings. Maybe youre thinking, Ive never even heard of Community. Well youre not alone. Community doesnt receive nearly as much commercial publicity as shows more recognizable like The Office or 30 Rock, which are on the same network. The tragedy is that Community, which may be one of the only clever shows left on television, has a very small but loyal fan base and doesnt get recognized for the pure wit behind the writing. Its not your average sitcom that plays the laugh track right after the punch line to reassure and cue the viewers at home that yes, that was meant to be funny. There arent enough shows like Community out there, and taking it off NBCs midseason schedule to re-discuss the shows future is taking a step backwards in the effort to revamp American television. The show will eventually return at an undecided date. What has become of American television? Perhaps our lowered expectation towards the quality of shows has also increased our susceptibility to becoming amused at even the most clich sitcoms or cheesy talent competitions. Americans enjoy shows that are easy to watch, not shows that require alertness to innuendos or knowledge of American pop culture to comprehend sophisticated jokes that take more than a second to understand. Most shows share the same plot with the same basic characters: the quirky husband and wife that use humor to deal with the daily routines of a family. Basic cable and broadcast television need shows with refreshing subject matter and content for those who have grown weary of the entertainment of today.

Hard Knock Life: What Being Black Really Means

by Robel Wondimu 13
For as long as I can remember, I have had to deal with unimaginable amounts of ignorance in school from students and faculty alike. From my peers its something like Robel, youre the whitest black guy I know. They tell me Im white for doing well in school, speaking and writing properly instead of in slang, and not wanting to be on the wrong side of the law. They tell me I am white because I dont rush to Footlocker to get killed trying to buy the latest pair of Jordans, because I dont want to be a part of a statistic of blacks academically under-performing compared to their white peers, and because I dont want to be an American Gangster or a professional athlete. Unfortunately, these are the prejudices I face from my peers. Just as amazing is how many startled expressions I get from teachers and students when I am the student who answers a question or the one who actually did the homework and does not act out in class. A popular question among teachers is Do you play football or basketball? Do I think it has a lot to do with me being 62? Yes, but I honestly cant see a white or Asian student being asked the same question. Its frustrating to know that a person can be repeatedly subjected to such racial insensitivity as a consequence of not abiding to cultural stereotypes and prejudices. For nearly all of high school, I have been one of the handful of black males in advanced classes. I cant speak for all of them, but I was raised in a hardworking family like any other that values education and the opportunities it creates for success. Many of us who are smart and are working hard to achieve our dreams are put down, because people dont want to see us achieve our full po-

Graduation Rate Racial Disparity National Rate MCPS Rate

Total Males Black Males

86.2 percent Total Males

64.1 percent

73.6 percent Black Males

42.8 percent 48 percent 70.8 percent

Hispanic Males 69.1 percent Hispanic Males White Males 92.7 percent White Males

tential. Its embarrassing to hear I am a sellout to my own culture, as if affirming stereotypes is something I should strive to achieve, when in reality being black isnt something I am trying to be, it is something I am. I would be deceiving myself if I tried to paint an image of myself as anything other than who I really am. Of the 2 million people in prison, 40 percent are black, while

blacks only make up 12 percent of the 2.3 million students in college. Many of us try to succeed to avoid being a statistic of another black man in prison instead of in college. As a culture we must break this cycle of oppression by making the best of sometimes unfortunate circumstances like poverty, and avoiding detrimental actions like doing excessive drugs and alcohol or committing crimes.

To break this damning chain of prejudice against us, the black community must come together as one and accept education as a stepping stone to prosperity instead of dubbing those who have attained success as sellouts to their black culture. If we dont come to accept each other and promote achievement over ignorance, who will? Others will only continue to exploit and look down on us.

The WarriorOpinions
February 9, 2012

19

Should There be Breaks from Homwork?

The benefits of homework are widely known: higher test scores, better understanding of concepts. But with the increase in homework over the years, the disadvantages such as fatigue are becoming more prevalent. There is a large debate about how much homework students should receive, and regulating homework seems to be the best way to ensure that students are not overwhelmed by one nights worth of homework. Nearby schools such as Churchill and River Hill attempted to do this by establishing homework-free weekends and breaks, which seems like an easy solution to this widespread problem. But the question becomes how homework should be regulated: how much homework is enough, and should students have to do homework on weekends and vacation breaks?

Lessen the Homework Overload

by Rachel Zemel 13
How much time did you spend on your homework this week? According to the National Center for Education Statistics, if you are a high school sophomore, you may be buried under school books for 10 hours a week. And its probably more if youre a junior or senior. Over the past 20 to 30 years, there has been more than a fivefold increase, from 7 to 37 percent, in high school sophomores who spend more than 10 hours a week on homework. Meanwhile, there was a decline of 17 percent to two percent of those students who spend less than one hour weekly on homework. Homework that focuses on practicing skills and preparing for class topics admittedly may be helpful in mastering the course material. However, homework from seven classes every day may accumulate relentlessly as an unreasonably heavy burden, ultimately producing a negative impact on learning and healthful living. This excessive homework diminishes students time for sleep, so that most students average only 6.5 hours of sleep, less than the recommended 8 hours. Increased homework assignments force students to sacrifice exercise, healthy social relationships and extracurricular activities, confining students to solitary, sedentary lifestyles. Placing restrictions on homework amounts and when homework can be assigned will restore a critically needed balance for students. Following a sevenhour schoolday, students should have no more than two hours of homework per day. That can be achieved by requiring each class to give an average of no more than 1 hour and 15 minutes of homework per week, reducing the weekly maximum amount of homework for seven courses to 8.75 hours of homework. That would leave time for exercise, extracurricular activities and sleep, resulting in better learning abilities, sound decision making, less stress and fewer students sleeping in class. Schools should also establish one weekend a month as homework-free. Students would return back to school on Monday renewed, refreshed and ready to learn. Moreover, holiday breaks and summer vacations should be restored to their original purposerest from the regular school schedule and not time to complete more packets. Students must have opportunities to pursue non-school related interests, enjoy the outdoors, and interact with family and friends. Students are not machines. They are human beings who need rest and healthy lifestyles to thrive. This plan of restricting homework on a daily basis, providing some homework-free weekends, and establishing homework-free holiday breaks and summer vacations would yield great benefits: well-rounded, healthy students with the energy and desire to learn.

Homework Commits Lessons To Memory

by Holly Cuozzo 12
Learning a new lesson or remembering old ones is easiest when students review their notes somehow each night; doing homework allows the student to not only review material but to expand on the knowledge or skills. And when exams roll around, students will find recalling lessons from the beginning of the year or semester much easier if they constantly reviewed the notes and activities. Reviewing or doing homework for even about 30 minutes per class each night adds up to three and a half hours of homework, which is manageable for even those who are active in countless extracurriculars. This way, students have an additional two to three hours each day to exercise, eat a snack and rest, or attend practice for their team before getting the recommended eight hours of sleep. Our brains encode information that we take in through repetition and use of this information; this requires exercises to commit these lessons to long-term memory, which allows us to recall this information when it truly matters (during exams or on the SAT subject tests, for example.) Therefore, even on breaks and weekends, daily review is optimal, which could be promoted through regular review or homework assignments. Winter break and spring break are about 10 days each, and summer vacation lasts roughly two months. While schools refer to these as breaks and vacations, when it comes to keeping up with schoolwork, they should be anything but. For winter or spring break, students envision a nice vacation from the mundane routine of school and everything school-related, and thus await the dreaded homework packet with moans and groans. But students fail to see that the work assigned over break helps them remember and even expand upon lessons while they are not in class. Even on winter and spring break, when students miss only about a week of school, students that do absolutely nothing school-related during this time will return to school lost and confused. Over summer vacation, schoolwork is much less likely to be completed on a regular basis, yet is more importantstudents forget so much knowledge during this time because they do not practice. Math packets are always deemed optional and summer reading is infamous for being a popular activity during the week leading up to school. Students need to come to terms with the fact that like any minimum-wage job that they hold now or a full-time job that they aspire to hold, there will be continuous expectations. Homework is not an unreasonable burden on students because it prepares them for the real world ahead of them; if they anticipate success, they must know that working in and out of the office is part of having a job. Instead of reforming workloads, students should instead reform their attitudes.

A class length of 45 minutes is simply not long enough for students to be presented with material, learn it, and process it particularly when the pupil teacher ratio approximates 30 to 1. The value of homework is to give students the time to reflect on what they have learned, and to figure out what they do and do not understand ... That being said, a reasonable homework amount on any given night would be approximately two hours. (Joyce Saadi-Allen)-

Review and practice of what we learn in class helps students learn the material. Homework is a structured way to get students to practice and review. In college, the professors dont assign HW, and they rarely grade any work done outside of class.

(Cathy Cross)

The WarriorWondering Warrior

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February 9, 2012

n ft, so I ca ylor Swi t and get a Ta r hear break he n about me. te song writ own 13 Br -Connor

Taylor Lautner ... self explanatory. -Gaby Dubois 13

Emma Watson, because shes just amazing. -Ankur Kayastha 15

Which celebrity do you wish was your valentine and why? What is the most romantic movie and why?
The Notebook because Titanic because it shows the guy goes after the that love surpasses death. girl non-stop until she -Melissa Basso-Luca 13 knows how much he loves her. k because it The Noteboo -Amy Sinclair 14 can still fall in Saw because it states that you that isnt makes a girl grab onto love with a guy you. popular. ias 14 -Ryan Hale 15 -Becca Matath Sleeping Beauty because its a loving and happy romantic ending. -Nicole Wagner 12 Facebook, obviously. -Tyler Guillie 15 None. I like to have my Facebook intake restricted sometimes. Its good to focus on school ... sometimes. -Caitlin Feily 13 ArmorGames because the content on it is no worse then any of the other game sites. -Gregory Ducq 15 Twitter because you know its going to be blocked soon. -Natalie Matthews 13

el ab?ut fe ay o oyu ow dentio es D H al n V 46% it 54%it dread love

*104 students surveyed

If you could pick one website to be unblocked from Sherwood computers, what would it be and why?

Tumblr because Tumblr is the shizz. -Didi Kpaka 13

Calculus b ecause I ha ve a teacher that I ca n understa nd in that class. She c ommunica tes well with the st udents. -Michelle S iuce 12

ve to bout Child ion, I lo ion is xcited a e Relig g I am most e parativ tures and reli e I want to Com becaus t ut cul and Developmen y profession arn abo of that. le as m be a teacher part would work. a huge tanley 12 e how I S I get to se stein 13 -Megan shanna Wein -Sho Jazz lab, I am excited to learn jazz and broaden my musical range. compiled by Amanda Harrington 12 -Joshua Fleming 13

Which class are you most excited about taking so far this semester and why?

The WarriorEntertainment
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Chill Playlist by Ryan Coulter 12

Wagon Wheel by Old Crow Medicine Show - Wagon Wheel (2008) It brings you that Southern comfort feel with acoustic guitar, soft fiddle and melodious banjo. This is the sort of song that can put you in a good mood no matter who you are. Wiseman by Slightly Stoopid - Everything You Need (2003) It conveys that classic, cool California night feeling with palm-muted acoustic guitar riffs and soft reggae-like vocals. Your Hand In Mine by Explosions in the Sky - The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place (2003) I was skeptical when I heard that this was an instrumental band, but I became entranced immediately. With four guitarists and a hint of delay, the melodies grew and fell, and all I wanted to do was sit and listen. Come Pick Me Up by Ryan Adams - Heartbreaker (2000) With a soft, mumbling yet soulful voice, Adams creates a vibe that you cannot avoid falling for. The harmonica tops it all off. Melissa by The Allman Brothers Band - Eat a Peach (1972) Brothers Greg and Duane Allman were known for their ability to craft timeless Southern rock tunes that bring you back to a life of carelessness; the song puts you in that sit-back-and-listen mood.
Graphic by Holly Cuozzo 12

Indie Songs To Boost Your Mood by Olivia Snyder 12

Get it Daddy by Sleeper Agent - Celebrasion Album (2011) Alex Kandel and Tony Smiths unique, fun voices along with the constantly changing rhythms and instruments make this song extremely lively. Phonetics by Reptar - Oblangle Fizz Yall (2011) Graham Ulicnys quirky voice and his energetic, expressive and almost spastic singing combined with instruments like the piano, bongos and tambourine make this song incredibly upbeat and almost bouncy. Up, Up, Up by Givers - In Light (2011) This song is both light and high tempo-ed, and it has an almost breezy, summer feel to it. Singers Kirby Cambell and Taylor Guarisco sound as if theyre smiling throughout the tune. Ice Melts by Matt and Kim - Sidewalks (2010) This is a song to which I cannot help but blast and dance spasmodically around the house. Matts ecstatic vocals and Kims fierce drumming, mixed with the effects of the keyboard, make it a perfect pump-up song. Its Nice to be Alive (2011) by Ball Park Music With a title like that, you dont even have to hear the song to know it will be upbeat. Plus, the lyrics are as entertaining as the song is cheery and bright.

Killer Guitar

by Sam Farrell 12

A More Perfect Union by Titus Andronicus - The Monitor (2010) Like a Pogues sound mixed with a little bit of Bruce Springsteen along with two-minute solos and grungy riffs. Its pretty cool. Red Morning Light by Kings of Leon - Youth and Young Manhood (2003) KOLs guitarist Matthew Followill was around 18 when this album was recorded. Adolescents living the Rock n Roll lifestyle: thats the ticket to an awesome album. Honky Tonk Woman by The Rolling Stones - Let it Bleed (1969) Keith Richards played a 5-string telecaster through a Mesa Boogie Mark I amp. That whole sound was dope. Same Old Thing by The Black Keys - Attach and Release (2008) This song sounds like Deep Purple mixed with Ron Burgundy. Give it a listen and youll know what I mean. Caravan by The Band and Van Morrison - The Last Waltz (1976) The Band is one of the best kept musical secrets of all time. Robbie Robertson basically invented the pinch harmonic and might be the best musician out of Canada since, well, ever.

Heaviest Drops by Andrew Wasik 13

Tetris by Doctor P - Circus (2009) This song takes the game of Tetris that we all fell in love with and then twists it into some strange demonic ritual requiring sacrifice and the weird thing is Im cool with it. The Champ by Wolfgang Gartner, remixed by Bassex When I heard this drop, my cat exploded. Im the type of guy that doesnt really like too many remixes of songs, but quite honestly I like this song more than the original. Internet Friends by Knife Party - 100% No Modern Talking EP (2011) This drop defines all of our feelings after being blocked on Facebook, with the lyric You blocked me on Facebook, now youre going to die. Cue suspenseful music and then drop the song. Make You Pop by Diplo & Don Diablo (2010) That song from the Blackberry commercial! Diplo describes it perfectly when he says Lightning then zombiesPOP POP! While I cant deny that the intro to this song is quite annoying, if you let it build I promise you will be satisfied. Equinox (First of the Year) by Skrillex - More Monsters and Sprites (2011) I saw Skrillex live this year and when the entire crowd screamed CALL 911 NOW! it was madnesswonderful dubstep madness. This drop is one of my favorites on the list because the buildup is so excellent.

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The WarriorEntertainment
February 9, 2012

Artistic Pursuits

Paul Szewczyk 12

Junior Anne Carroll, sophomore Andi Hopkins and junior Susannah Campbell practice for the coming Shakespeare competitions.

Shakespeare Club Acts To Be the Best

graphic by Holly Cuozzo 12

Writing Warriors Reach Wider Audience

The creative writing club, with English teacher Mark Holman as their new sponsor, tries to display their work to a greater audience online.
by Mandy Stussman 14
English teacher Mark Holman started out the year excited about his new position as sponsor for the creative writing club. The club has existed for years, yet the club is not so widely known. Holman plans to change this by attracting more attention to the club through a new website. The website will be a compilation of creative pieces by club members. I think it has pretty much become a standard option for schools to post their things online, said Holman, who plans to have the website up and running by mid-March. Not only will the site promote and advertise the creative writing club, but it will also be a medium through which students can express their creativity in a way that they cannot through simply writing essays or other formal assignments. Because most writers are more reclusive in their writing, if they see other people writing and sharing their works, theyll be more creative and open minded. Ultimately, it will provoke people to write, said freshman Natalie Todd, who has been an active member of the club since the beginning of the school year. The web address will be sherwoodcreativewritingclub.com; and in an additional attempt to get more people involved with writing, Holman will allow submissions to the website from non-club members or students taking his Creative Writing elective class. Students can contact Holman by emailing him or by coming to talk to him. There will be a link on the Sherwood home page to provide easier access to the site. The website will be organized so that viewers can click to see all posted material by either a specific writer, or by a specific type of creative piece (short stories, poems, etc.) I think once we have an audience established, people will be more likely to come back and see what new posts have been added, said Holman. He hopes to get Sherwood students writing and interacting, even if they do not have the time to come to the club meetings held every Tuesday after school in Room J271.

by Maria Claudia Garcia-Rada 13

Working hard since the beginning of the school year, Shakespeare Club is preparing for the annual Sherwood Shakespeare Competition. The Shakespeare Troupe, which is sponsored by the Shakespeare Club, has been preparing for its performance of The Taming of the Shrew. Members of Shakespeare Club are holding the annual Sherwood Shakespeare Competition next week on February 15. For this competition, a contestant has to recite a Shakespearean monologue. At least three students from Sherwood are required to participate for this competition. These students are judged by English teachers Debbie Reier and Emily Dolim and a person who is involved in theater outside the school. The top two contestants in the competition will move up to the regional competition on March 5 at the Shakespeare Theatre Company Lansburgh Theatre in Washington D.C. Then, the first-place regional winner will receive an all-expensepaid weekend trip to New York City to compete at the April 23 National Competition at Lincoln Center, against other students from across the county, explained club sponsor Geraldine Knasko Green, a composition assistant in the English De-

partment. These actors will perform their prepared monologues and sonnets. On the trip, they are able to attend exclusive workshops, interact with other winners and do some sightseeing. The winner of the ESU National Shakespeare Competition in New York will receive an all-expenses paid trip to England to study acting. At the same time, the Shakespeare Troupe is getting ready for their first performance of The Taming of the Shrew, on March 7. All English classes are invited to go and enjoy a 25-minute condensed version of the play. Because of such a long time frame in which to practice, rehearsals are relaxed and laid back, but we still work really hard, said junior Lauren Corlett. Shakespeare Club holds rehearsals once a week in order to have consistent practice. Sophomore Rachel Paris shared how she enjoys playing Shakespeare ninja, a game where you have to say a Shakespeare line and then you go to hit someone and try and get them out, when the cast isnt rehearsing. Last year, Shakespeare Troupe performed Twelfth Night at the Folger Theatre. Although the theatre was unable to invite them this year, they still have the opportunity to perform there if another school withdraws from the competition.

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February 9, 2012

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Billy Elliot Offers a True Theatrical Experience

by Rebecca Stussman 12
On Friday, December 16, I had the Kennedy Center Experience. I dressed in an urbane sweater-dress with chic boots and rolled up to DC alongside affluent, cultured families with their tiny but precocious children. I strolled along the decorative halls and browsed an overpriced gift shop. I even dined before my show at the lavish Roof Terrace Restaurant, where I enjoyed three whole bites of creativelynamed lettuce for a fair fifteen dollars. Then I slipped into the vast theater, took my back-row balcony seat and saw the curtain slowly rise to reveal the opening number of Billy Elliot, a play about a young boy in a 1980s English mining town during a miners strike who discovers a surprising love of dance that rejuvenates himself and his entire struggling community. I truly had the Kennedy Center Experience. The opening number was breathtaking, a flurry of intentional confusion and musical explosion; dancers wildly raced around the stage and talented children portrayed the furious energy of the spirited town that would become the center of the work andfor the next three hoursof audience members hearts. I took in every word during each of those meaningful, intelligent and adorably clich songs, all written by the legendary Elton John. I laughed as the main character, Billy reluctantly shed his boxing gloves for the pink tutu of his ballet class against his fathers wishes but in obedience with his inner passion. I grew remorseful as, to an ever-loudening somber drumbeat, the townspeople and police engaged in violent, strike-related riots that unnerved the town and terrified the children. I fell almost instantly in love with the character of Michael Caffrey, a young cross-dresser with a shy crush on Billy and an astounding capacity for selflessness and compassion. Billy Elliot is an endearing play with legitimate substance that captures the essence of theater and, though it offers nothing entirely unique to the performing arts culture, it is an enjoyable and worthwhile experience for adolescents and adults. Few places in the country have theater as renowned as the performances offered by the Kennedy Center. New York remains a Mecca of art and in some populated cities along the West coast, theater reigns. But the Kennedy Center, along the banks of the Potomac River and at the heart of DC, is rare. And close. And valuable. Professional theater is inspiring. It is moving and powerful and comical and passionate and shocking and beautiful. Look past the pretentious pearl-toting families and intimidating prestige and ridiculously overpriced gourmet dining. Come for the true Kennedy Center Experience. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the show.

Coming Soon to the Kennedy Center...

Kabuki Dance by Bando Kotoji (contemporary dance) Mar. 23, 2012 This Japanese dance performance features the celebratory dance Manzai, telling a traditional story with live music and talented dancers. New York City Ballet (ballet) Apr. 3 - 8, 2012 The acclaimed New York City Ballet, renowned for its linear purity, speed, and musicality, performs two mixed repertory programs alongside the Kennedy Center Opera House Orchestra. Memphis (theater) Jun. 12 - Jul. 1, 2012 This play has won four Tony Awards including Best Musical, and features a white radio DJ in 1950s Tennessee and a black singer eager for her big break. The Addams Family (theater) Jul. 10 - 29, 2012 This performance brings to life the darkly delirious world of beloved characters Gomez, Wednesday, Grandma, Uncle Fester, Lurch and others.

Belgian Restaurant in Olney Makes for an Intimate Evening Out

back to the aisle, you will be constantly aware of waiters and Want a quiet, little place to waitresss transporting food back take your significant other for and forth as they brush up against a special Valentines Day din- your back. Skipping an appetizer, my ner? Mannequin Pis, located at 18064 Georgia Avenue, in the date and I both went directly for same structure as Wasabi Zen, is entrees. A wide variety of mussel a quaint, Belgian restaurant that platters fills the menu: English, is sure to provide a quality night Hawaiian, Red Devil, Poulette. We ordered a serving of garlic of fine dining. Speaking as someone who pommes frites, and I decided to has traveled to Belgium, the res- go along with a kilo of one of their taurant does a nice job replicating more American looking musthe atmosphere of the owners sel dishes: Pop eye. Perhaps the home country, playing faint Bel- average teenager has never tried gian music paired with authentic oysters or mussels, and Manfood right down to the frites. Wine nequin Pis is a safe place to try something adbottles, abventurous. My stract art work Mannequin Pis offers a partner ordered and impressive awards quaint and intimate en- a Frise salad, of praise hang vironment. The close a secure choice for someone on the walls to give it that high seating and small tables who does not end, romantic allows for intimate con- want to be as daring. The ambiance. versation without having food arrived at The arrangement is to lean across the table or a reasonable time and was sure to make raise your voice. well worth the you and your wait. The waitdate feel a er brought us a little claustrophobic at first, with the small dessert menu, and we both agreed room and extremely limited to share a chocolate mousse. With amounts of space between tables, our spoons in hand, we both finbut the setup does indeed have its ished our evening with a delibenefits. The close seating and cious chocolate treat. The last thing to do, and probsmall tables allows for intimate conversation without having to ably the most important, was to lean across the table or raise your pay. At such a fine establishment, one would think the bill would be voice. If you happen to step into a steep, but to my surprise, a dinner crowded Mannequin Pis on a re- for two was cheaper than expectally busy night, as I was unfor- ed, costing less than $60. The Mannequin Pis is an estunate enough to encounter, then the arrangement works to your tablishment that could very well disadvantage. The close tables be considered the hidden gem of and small room causes custom- Olney. With good food, rapid serers voices to mix, and you can- vice and a romantic atmosphere. not help but overhear the conver- Mannequin Pis is an ideal spot to sation between the two strangers take that special someone out for beside you. If seated with your a romantic Valentines Day meal.

by Cal Wilson 13

by Olivia Snyder 12

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The WarriorEntertainment
February 9, 2012

Diggin Doe Paoro: Listen and Love

by Evan Schwartz 13
It is a rare and beautiful thing for the sounds of a musician to utterly captivate her audience, and newcomer artist Doe Paoro does just that in the first two singles off of her highly anticipated debut album. Doe Paoro, whose real name is Sonia Kreitzer, was kind enough to take the time to answer a few questions in anticipation of her album, Slow to Love, set for release February 14. Most of the songs off of the album are written and performed by Kreitzer, her cellist, Yuri Hart, and Adam Rhodes, who plays keys and synth in the band. A drummer has also been recently added to the group. Audiences have been mesmerized by the unique sound that the three create, which Kreitzer describes as Ghost Soul. She explains that her music cannot be classified as just Alternative or Soul, but she clarified, Most of the songs on the album were driven by my realization of the suffering that comes with attachment in life, and there is a sort of haunted longing that permeates the songs throughout. I had spent ten days meditating in silence and midway through I started sobbing, realizing these negative aspects of attachment and how it has always been there and how weak I am. The first single off of the album, Cant Leave You, was released on Doe Paoros very own BandCamp webpage, and has been rapidly gaining praise throughout the web from blogs such as Baeble Music, Going Underground Is Entertain-

Photo courtesy of Sonia Kreitzer

Sonia Kreitzer, who uses the stage name Doe Paoro, poses for a promotional photo shoot. ment and even Perez Hilton. The internet is abuzz with compliments on her work, and comparisons to artists such as James Blake, Bon Iver and Lykke Li. The Cant Leave You video, which racked up about 3,000 views in less than a week, depicts Kreitzer covered in dirt and looking derelict, yet elegant, transforming into a cleaned up and chic woman wandering the woods. Kreitzer explains that, though the video may be appealing to the eye, what went into creating it was very dark. The only constant in life is change everything that comes to you will also leave. And this is the only truth we can rely on, yet its so painful to fully realize, Kreitzer explained. This song is about the suffering that comes with failure to accept change. I really felt that way and the thing is that when you are so stuck in the past, there is no future. Kreitzer, who has attempted to break onto the music scene in the past, recently traveled to the Himalayas where she practiced silent meditation, reflecting on life in what one would call soul searching, and encountered Tibetan-style opera, which she has drawn upon to inspire her soulful and haunting vocal reaches. Inspiration for me is a sine curve: on the low side, I am dulled to the world but when Im in the flow of it, I am completely inspired by every moment, She said. The second single Born Whole, which was released January 25, is rich with haunting melodies and an ethereal, mesmerizing sound that is building buzz for the albums debut.

Studio Art Students Art Selected for Prestigious Show

by Will Gavett 12 From January 30 to March 23, six Sherwood students will have their artwork exhibited at an art show sponsored by Johns Hopkins University. This year, all the pieces reflect the theme the next horizon, said art teacher Michele Spangle. All six students who had their work submitted were Spangles students. The pieces (pictured right) are titled While Some Pass, Others Come by junior Kristy Garcia (1), Unveiling Color by junior Antonio Zarelli (2), Dolly by senior Lindey Leigh (3), Stages of the Universe by senior Faith Udofia (4), Beyond the Horizon by sophomore Hanchu Wang (5) and An Apple and No Tree by senior Kara Allen (6). They received their canvases in November and completed the paintings on their own time. We dropped them off in January and I told the students when I found out about their acceptance about a week before the reception. 6 of the 8 paintings we submitted juried into the show, said Spangle. A reception for the art show was held on February 2 in the lobby of the 9605 building at Johns Hopkins. Students from 15 others schools also submitted their artwork to get into this show.

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In order to print photos of these paintings, we had to put them in black and white, but to see them in color, go to www.thewarrioronline.com or see the flyers around school.

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The WarriorSports
February 9, 2012

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Stephanos Captures Captain Championship while Poms Struggle to Defend County Title
Honestly our ranking is just a number, said Ghafir. I know we gave 100 percent and left our hearts out on the dance floor. We are still champions and I am proud to be a Sherwood pom. Yufee echoed that sentiment: So what, our number wasnt one. Our team is number one, she said. We went out there as a team and killed it, and we showed everyone in those stands who we were and what we could do. Although the Sherwood poms have long been one of the best in Montgomery County, the team is the only top squad without a professional choreographer. Rather than seeing this solely as a disadvantage, the members have the satisfaction of knowing that they can take all the credit for their own performances. I like having our captain and junior officers make our routines because it makes the routine ours, said sophomore Alexa Levine. It feels great to say that we dont need a professional to make up our routines, because we already have Alex, Ali, and Dahlia, who are amazing dancers and choreographers. They make sure to put their own personal touches in our dances to make them special. The four consecutive competition winning streak, going back to last season, ended this year at the Northwest Invitational held on January 28. Blake took first overall, Sherwood took second place and Stephanos placed second in the captains category. Sherwood also won the first place award in the spirit competition for the great turnout from the student body. In the squads first competition at Magruders Liberty Belle Competition on January 23, which was moved back two days due to a snow storm, the squad took first out of five squads participating in division one. Blake finished in second place, followed by Damascus in third. Stephanos captured the third place captains award. I was really nervous when we heard that Blake poms won the choreography award [at Liberty Belle Competition], said sophomore Bailey Greseth. I didnt think we won even though we did really well. And when they called our name, the biggest weight was lifted off of our shoulders! It was madman stuff. Craziness.

Holly Cuozzo 12

Senior Isabel Berger and Junior Leah Kim celebrate the poms victory in their first Pompetion of the year.

by Joe Lavoie 14
The goal was another county championship, just as the 20102011 Sherwood poms squad accomplished last year. Led by senior captain Ilona Szeless (11), the poms won three competitions last year, including the county championship. After seven seniors graduated, the remaining

members carried the high expectations that come with the history of success. This season, the squad was led by senior Alexandra Stephanos, along with junior officers Ali Yufee and Dahlia Ghafir, who led the Warriors to a first and second place finish in their first two competitions. Given the teams previous success, the county competition

on February 4 was a disappointment after the Sherwood squad placed fourth out of eight teams in the tightly contested Division I category. Although Damascus won the county championship, Stephanos took home the first place captain award, extending the squads streak to two back-toback first-place captain awards at counties.

All 4A North Stats and Standings Last Updated: february 6

Boys Basketball
Covered by Andrew Wasik 13
Record: 12-6 Next Game: February 10 vs. Richard Montgomery

Winter Sports Roundup

Swim and Dive

Covered by Jenni Kenel 14
Record: Boys: 1-3 Next Meet: February Girls: 4-0 17 @ Montgomery Aquatic Center The girls swim and dive team had a great meet winning the Division II championship. Anna Kolanowski was a quadruple winner, Megan Conrad was a triple winner, and other great swims were made by Rikki Sargent, Amy Hockman and Kelly Flamand. Divers Summer White, Ellie Wiersma and Caroline Graves finished two, three, four to help win the title. We are hoping to finish the year strong at Metros and States. - Coach Brendan Lees

I believe weve had a great season so far. We let a couple of easy games slip past us but overall we play great basketball as a team. We just have to go into playoffs strong and we should be fine. I want to thank our fans and great student section for all of their support. -Senior Jourdain McCants

chinadaily.com

This Day In Sports

FEBRUARY 9
1932- America enters two man bobsled competition (above) in Olympics for the first time. 1979 - England forward Trevor Francis signs for Brian Cloughs Nottingham Forest side in British soccers first 1 million transfer deal.

Girls Basketball
Covered by Michael Natelli 14
Record: 8-10 Next Game: February 10 @ Richard Montgomery

Indoor Track
Covered by Melissa Fajardo 13
Record: 4-6 Next Meet: Today at National Guard Armory

Wrestling
Covered by Brendan Cudd 14
Record: 4-6 Next Meet: February 9

Our seasons been going pretty well. Weve definitely had our strong games and weve had our weak games. I think playoffs are looking good; we have the opportunity to win but we also have the opportunity to lose so we need to come out strong and I think well be in pretty good shape. - Sophomore Natalie Sebeck

This wrestling season, we have not been as successful as last year as a team. However, we have had a lot of young guys stand out. Because of this, in the next couple of years our team will be much better. -Sophomore Chris Minor

The highlight of the season was probably Liberty Elite Invitational. We stayed in a hotel and stayed up just fooling around all night, then everyone ran their best or better for the most part. The track for regionals is on a hard, basketball type floor so times will be slower. Well just have to see what happens. - Senior Nick Johnson

The WarriorSports
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February 9, 2012

Young Wrestling Team Fights through Season, Readies for Counties

Injuries, dropouts exacerbate issues of a youthful, inexperienced squad for Siarkas.
by Brendan Cudd 14
The Sherwood wrestling team has had a challenging winter, finishing the regular season with a record of 4-9 after losing in the final regular season match against Magruder and Quince Orchard on February 4. Next up for Warrior wrestling are Counties, held on February 17 and 18 at Blair. Qualifying wrestlers then have the opportunity to wrestle at the regionals on February 24 and 25 at Sherwood. The best wrestlers in Maryland then compete for State titles on March 2 and 3 at Cole Field House. I think all of our entire lower weight classes can make it to counties and states, predicted coach Pete Siarkas. Top performers are senior captains Tommy Kytlle, Kevin Carey and Joe Roberts as well as sophomore Chris Minor and sophomore Michael Macheras. While the team and individual wrestlers look forward to competing in meets over the next few weeks, making progress to improve for next season and beyond also is a goal. We are a very young team with only two seniors out of 14 spots on the team, said Siarkas. The three seniors on the team are the captains. The youth of the team might account for the up-and-down season that has seen big wins coupled with bad losses against widely varying competition in MCPS. The team opened the season with a 70-6 win over Einstein on December 7, and in the first tri-meet December 10 battled Paint Branch and Poolesville, resulting in a close win over Paint

Denver Broncos quarterback Tim Tebow raises a heavenly racket in the National Football League.
Paul Szewczyk 12

Tim Tebow: Footballs Patron Saint

by Jamie Langbein 13

Senior Tommy Kyttle is wrapped up by an opponent from Walter Johnson on senior night, January 31. Kyttle went on to win the match. Branch 32-28 and a loss against Poolesville 43-30. Against top competition, such as Churchill, Springbrook and Wootton, the losses have been decidedly more lopsided. In spite of some disappointing results, or because of them, the wrestlers have come together to form bonds over a grueling season. Through wins and losses the team has grown closer due to the practices and how much the team pushes each other to be the best that they can possibly be, said sophomore Chris Minor. It is extremely hard to be dedicated with practice every day and matches on every weekend. I never have time to do anything outside of school, At the beginning of the season it was just separate things going on but over time the team has formed a brotherhood and a bond that cant be broken, said sophomore Sean Musgrove.

Youth Hurts
Some of the wrestling teams struggles this season could be attributed to participationor lack thereofin one of Sherwoods most successful sports. The Warriors send 24 boys to the mat this season. That number is down five from the start of the season. Most teams carry 30 members on their roster. Some of the squads nine losses have come as a result of the lack of wrestlers. The Warriors cannot even wrestle the minimum required weight classes, forcing them to forfeit 18 points a match. Coach Pete Siarkas attributes that to few upperclassmen on the squad and therefore the inability to wrestle in high weight-classes.

Why Tim Tebow? Why do sports fans and non-fans alike know so much about an NFL quarterback who didnt even begin the season a starter, who had a mediocre quarterback rating, and whose team got crushed in the second round of the playoffs? Must be his movie-star looks, right? Or maybe just the alliteration of his name? Nope, Tebows notoriety results mostly from his religious beliefs. Te b o w h a s managed to spark a national c o n v e rsation about religious devotion. Tebow is a devoted Christian, and not at all discreet about it. He is often seen kneeling down o n the field a n d touching his fist to his forehead in a symbolic gesture of prayer. The gesture is so well known that if someone mimics the action they are considered to be Tebowing. Tebows story starts well before he was even born. While his mother was pregnant with young Timmy, she contracted a serious disease that put her in a coma. The drugs used to treat her illness and arouse her from her coma caused a severe placental abruption, of which the doctors expected a stillbirth and recommended an abortion. Pamela Elaine Tebow chose to give birth instead, and

Tim Tebow was born. Growing up, his parents instilled Christian beliefs in him and his siblings as they were homeschooled by their mother. Tebow often helped his father with missionary and volunteer work. Two years ago, during Super Bowl XLIV, Tebow appeared in a controversial pro-life ad. He shared his story in support of the pro-life organization Focus on the Family. Besides his position of quarterback on the Denver Broncos, Tebow has also preached his faith in schools, prisons, to church and youth groups, and at multiple meetings and even conferences. Its said that haters gon hate. But why? Why do they hate Tim Tebow? Religious groups of all types are upset at his public displays some Christian groups believe he is mocking God, other groups believe

h e should not be so outward with his religious practice in public. Some people, particularly fans of teams that have been beaten by Tim Tebow, dislike him because they think he is an attention-seeking but terrible quarterback, although they may just be bitter. The guy loves God! So what? Is it a crime? If so, were going to need a bigger jail than Guantanamo Bay to keep these criminals contained. Tebow is not some guy begging for attention, desperate for fame to help him secure a starting quarterback position. Let him be. He is devoted to God, and no amount of harassment, criticism or praise will change his ways. So stop trying to.

The WarriorSports
February 9, 2012

27

Bolen Leads Warriors Boys Basketball as They Look to Make a Deep Playoff Run
Big three of Bolen, Rogers and McCants with combination of savvy juniors Bailey and Loiacono propel Sherwood boys to strong season.
by Andrew Wasik 13
The Sherwood Warriors (126) basketball season is long under way and Sherwood is sitting basically where everyone thought they would be. In the 4A standings they are behind the incredibly talented Magruder Colonels and Springbrook Blue Devils and the surprisingly good Paint Branch Panthers to whom the Warriors have lost to twice, including a two-point home loss on January 24. However, the Warriors showed they might not settle for just meeting expectations when they upset Springbrook at home on January 30 by a score of 5146. Springbrook came into the game 13-2 and ranked third in the Gazette. Earlier in the season the Warriors got thumped by the Blue Devils by a score of 86-46. Coach Dondrell Whitmore was so disappointed in his starters, he pulled them after the half. It felt great to beat Springbrook especially after such a bad loss [earlier in the season]. I think this win will open a lot of eyes around the county, said senior forward Charlie Rogers. The Warriors looked to carry their momentum after beating Springbrook when they traveled to Blake on February 1 but ended up losing 52-38. At Blakes whiteout game the Bengals came to play and defeated the Warriors with a high scoring run in the third quarter. This defeat came after Sherwood beat Blake at home on January 13 in an overtime thriller by a score of 78-74. During the game senior Scott Bolen ended up losing his tooth diving for a loose ball in the fourth quarter. Bolen calmly picked it up and handed it to his father and went on to stay in the game. Bolen scored 31 points in the contest, including 8 toothless. Overtime was close and Bolen was hitting big shots, but the win was sealed when junior Brandon Loiacono hit two clutch free throws. After winning the game the student section proceeded to storm the court and celebrate with the team after an emotional victory. On February 3 the Warriors matched up at home against a mediocre Quince Orchard and won by a score of 63-55. Although matched up against an average opponent, the Sherwood student section made it obvious it was not an average game. The fans were completely silent until Bolens layup sent the score into double digits and the fans erupted into pandemonium. While the bulk of the scoring has been done by the big three of seniors Jourdain McCants, Charlie Rogers and Bolen (who is leading the county with 22.6 points per game), the juniors on the team have shown a lot of promise for a good season next year. Loiacono, Joey DeStefeno and Ryan Bailey have made Sherwood more flexible. If opponents

Jacob Bogage 12

Senior Charlie Rogers (5) loses the tip to Blakes Avery Ugba (42) in Sherwoods 52-37 loss February 1. Scott Bolen (1) led all scorers in the contest with 13 points and Ugba led the charge for the Bengals, posting 12 points and 12 rebounds. Ricardo Mancia (2) had nine points as well, including three three-pointers to open the contest. double team a senior, a junior is ready and open to hit a shot. Even sophomore Mike Crooks has stepped up after being moved up from JV to add depth to an injury-ridden bench. Crooks proved himself and earned himself a spot on varsity as backup point guard, getting good minutes every game. [The transition from JV to varsity] feels good. Its a lot different but the older guys and the coaches made it a pretty smooth transition, Crooks said. The next game is February 10 at Richard Montgomery; the next home game is against B-CC on February 14.

Brett Melnick 12

Senior Jason Frazier boxes out Quince Orchards Bailey Avisar in the Warriors 63-55 win February 3.

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Aiken family, Stacie Anderson, Armstrong family, John Fetty and Associates - Architect, Aud family, Barbara Baldoni, Becker family, Bloom family, Bolen family, Boudhraa family, Perry and Stephanie Buckberg, Joey Byrd, Cameron family, Carr family, Colliton family, Bill and Theresa Coulter, Crider family, Cudd family, DAmato family, Downey family, Chuck and Cindy Dowrick, M and M Drumheller, Mike and Anna Eastwood, Errera family Farrell family, Rosanne Ferris, Florian family, Freile family, Gallagher family, Gancy family, Gary and Sherry Graves, Gavett family, Graf family, Gregory family, Greseth family, Guillie family, Hahns family, Rob and Lynette Hall, Dick and Vivian Harris, Harris family, Hierholzer family, Hubbard family, Hughes family, Joe and Kathy Hughes, Kim and Cody Hysell, Justus family, Keilsohni family, Kelly family, Kendall family, Kimmel family, Koehler family, Konefal family, Kovalsky family, Kozlowski family, Steve and Cathy Kress, Kyber/ Loughran family, Lyn and Stuart Langbein, Cheryl Willams Levey, Levy family, Lunking family, Paul and Pat Mangus, Martin family, Masters family, Lisa McCarthy, Melnick family, Mezebish family, Jerry and BJ Mills, Milstein family, Joe and Denise Moyer, Murphy family, E. Muslimova, Michael and Jessica Natelli, Cecil family, Newmark family, Nickerson Family, Nimrat family, Orenstein family, Panzer family, Pettenati family, Porter family, Rajotte family, Kara and Chuck Rogers, Roy family, Ryczek family, Salzwedel and Moratz family, Sanechez- Copeland family, Sarecky family, Septoff family,Schmuckler family, Schroeder family, Siberry family, Bob and Suzanne Simala, Josey and Chris Simpson, Snyder family, Sousane family, Ralph and Linda Stewart, Ryan Strong, Stussman family, Thanos family, Violeta and Peter Wagner, Walsh family, Shawn and Tobie Watkins, Weiss family, Wetizner family, Tom and Susan Wells, Darby Whitehair, Widmaier family, Nancy and Chuck Wight, Winter family, Witkin family, Woods family, Young family

If you are interested in becoming a patron for the 2011-2012 school year, please contact Peter_J_Huck@mcpsmd.org

The WarriorSports
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February 9, 2012

Rollercoaster Ballers

JV SHOUTOUT

The story of girls basketballs up and down season.

Boys JV Basketball
by Scott Bolen 12
The JV boys basketball team put together a season to remember, posting a record of 14-2 with signature wins over Springbrook and a scrappy Paint Branch squad. The teams success has been in part due to their incredible balance on the offensive end of the floor. We have had seven different players lead us in scoring in a game this season, explained fourth-year coach Brian McCarty. We are effective because all our players are unselfish, move the ball to the open man to find the best shot for our team. To us, it doesnt matter which player puts the ball in the hoop. Every player is just as happy for the next guy when we score, and are just as excited as if they had made the bucket themselves. This incredibly unselfish style of play was a major factor in each of the teams 14 wins. On the defensive side of the ball, the Warriors held teams to a dismal 44.73 points per game. The team uses its speed, quickness and athleticism to get up and down the floor and apply pressure on and off the ball, causing turnovers which turn into easy transition buckets. It is clear from the statistics and the attitude of the team that the JV boys basketball team is sticking to their motto, one team, one goal.

Michael Natelli 14

Sophomores Natalie Sebeck (left) and Brooke Thron (center) huddle with coach Sandi Williams and junior Hope Gouterman (right) against rival Blake on February 1. The Warriors went on to win the game 38-34, led by Katie Ruths 16 points and 13 rebounds. Ruth went 6 for 6 from the free throw line, and hit five two-point field goals as well. The girls season has been characteristically streaky they dropped their first two games by wide margins, then won their next four.

Who needs love when I have sports?

Single on Valentines Day? So is Sports Editor Michael Natelli (sorry folks, fellow Sports Editor Jamie Langbein is taken). Natelli shares his sappy love notes to the greatest sports leagues in the world.
Dear NFL, I truly love that you make it so anyone can win on any given Sunday. Even the Colts, who lack their overpaid, severely injured star (Peyton Manning), managed to get two wins towards the end of the season. And remember the Kansas City Chiefs? They ended the Packers pursuit of perfection, and even shut them out through the first half! That was one of the most potent offenses in the league, and it didnt prevail! Absolutely brilliant (bringing some British into the NFL)! What a game. So Happy Valentines Day. You da bait. Love, Michael Dear NBA, I love how pathetic you are. I mean, the way everyone plays defense, what a joke. Its like the players are on snooze mode during the regular season. And the sad thing is, you pay them whether they try or not. I mean, when I pull up for an 18-footer, I miss, and you say I suck at basketball. Although that couldnt be more accurate (you know me so well ), when the NBA players dont bank a shot, theyre still bankin their huge paychecks the next day. Our relationship status is complicated right now. We got issues. But hopefully they get resolved. Love, Michael Dear NHL, Im in this relationship for one thing and one thing only: I like your hip checks. The sound of someone getting slammed into the boards is just so great that I want to keep watching the game to hear another. Not to mention, hits lead to fights, and who doesnt love a good hockey fight? I know I certainly do. So yeah, I know I may just be using you, but for now this relationship is just the way I want it. But if your hitting rules tighten up a bit, be forewarned that I might just back out. Love, Michael

Graphic by Hannah Chertock 12

Dear MLB, I love walk-off home runs. Its the bottom of the ninth, and the underdog is trailing. Then at that moment, their superstar struts to the plate, confident, but also knowing his teams season may be on the line. Then, he sends the payoff pitch flying to deep right-center. Game over. Just a magnificent feeling as a fan, like watching the batter send a couple into the sunset, holding hands and feeling so in love. The batter comes to home plate to greet the rest of the team, who at this point have all fallen in love with him. Its just lovey-dovey for everyone. Its so sweet! This may be my favorite relationship of them all. Love, Michael