march 2011
DESCRIPTION
Issue 7, March 2011TRANSCRIPT
Contents
9.
16 & 17.
Rebel Roar Staff 2010-2011
Editors-in-Chief Emily Buzzard Jordan Sharpe
Managing EditorEmily StoneNews Editor
Aneela WadanCommentary Editor
Matt ReihingEntertainment Editor
Zafar ShawFeatures EditorsEmily Robinson
Emily Stone
Sports EditorsSam Brott
Walker CarlsonCopy EditorsRachel Tran
Nikki StricklandArt DirectorsToni Rayder
Jordan RummelBusiness Manager
Jessie Mason
Staff WritersSuha Akhandker
Brandon BlankenshipNatalia ColonHelena ContesKristina Hurd
Steven KendallElliot Meyer
Gabrielle SeversonDaniela Torres
Adviser Carl Irvin
Rebel Roar is a published forum of student expression. Letters to the Editor and guest articles are encouraged. Only signed letters are considered for pub-lication. The editors reserve the right to edit all material in the interest of clarity and space. Opinions expressed do not necessarily represent those of the staff or school adminis-tration. The staff writes un-
signed editorials on a majority basis, The Rebel Roar accepts all advertisements deemed ap-propriate for a public forum meant for young adults and are subject to the discretion of the editors. Students are encouraged to take an active voice in the student publica-tion. Questions, comments, and letters can be e-mailed to [email protected].
2.
VHSL First Place in Newsmagazines 2009-2010
Corrections and Clarifications for Rebel Roar February issue: Photo of the Nook and Kindle credit to Kristina Hurd, photo of Jack Dale courtesy of FCPS.edu. The Buzz: Apologies to anyone offended by the description of Justin Bieber
Editorial Policy
March 17, 2011
5.In response to the current turmoil in the Middle East, leaders and peacemakers in countries are working to end the riots and solve the issues. See the Middle East chart break down for the latest on attempts to resolve conflicts.
As the school year starts to come to a close, stu-dents are looking for possible jobs to make quick cash over the summer. This month, the Emily Over helps you find the right outfit to wear to an interview in order to impress the boss and land the job.
The FHS International Festival was held on Monday, March 14, showcasing the different heritages and ethnicities within our school. Our diverse community and institution is the home of many different cultures, all equal and represented through school sponsored clubs. Take a closer look at the diversity of FHS, and the unique aspects each individual contributes.
28. Spring sports are underway, and soccer
season is in full swing. Hear what the coaches are anticiapting for their season with a Q&A.
24. Looking for an elec-tive that matches
your interests best? Check out the guide to picking classes for your schedule next year.
15. The Westboro Baptist Church recently pro-tested outside a war veteran’s funeral caus-ing controversy regarding freedom of speech, protected by the First Amendment. How far is
too far? Did the Supreme Court make the right decision?
3.
Emily Buzzard Jordan Sharpe
Letter from the EditorsKathleen Casey Theisen once said, “Acceptance is not
submission; it is acknowledgement of the facts of a situation, then deciding what you're going to do about
it.” Acceptance can come in many forms; accepting your strengths and weaknesses, accepting a challenge, accepting your family and friends, your grades, and especially accepting who you are as an individual and your heritage. Even if your culture is not something you want to show off, it’s important to accept who you are, and where you came from. This month our school honored the different cultures within our building at the International Festival. The select individuals who participated are happy to accept their background and show it off. In the recent swim and dive states competition, Senior Travis Lauri had to accept defeat, whether it was fair or not. Regardless of what is needed to be accepted, the important thing is how you react as an individual to improve the situation and make things better for yourself, and others. Making these right decisions can shape your outlook on life within the near future. As the last four months of school crawl by, keep in mind the things you need to accept and change. Before the third quarter comes to a close, AP tests begin, and finals follow, put all the effort you can into school work. Accept your somewhat average grades, and put that extra effort into making them stellar. In order to make improvements in yourself, you must first accept the chal-lenge, to make the change.
Since Congress has not passed a bud-get resolution for 2011, the possibility of a federal government shutdown
has had Americans and the media buzz-ing for the past few weeks. Thankfully, the scare is temporarily over as Congress passed a continuing resolution until March 18, which would keep the government op-erating under the current budget structure. However, there is still a plausible chance that the federal government may close if Congress fails to compromise on this year’s budget resolution.
The longest federal shutdown lasted 21 days from December 15, 1995 to January 5, 1996, while the shortest one lasted no more than three days. During the Clinton era, roughly 800,000 federal employees, accord-ing to the Congressional Research Service (CRS,) were impacted by the shutdown.
The government’s shutdown affects its citizens’ health benefits, law en-forcement agencies, parks, museums, pass-ports, and other legal document services. During the 1995 and 1996 shutdown The National Institutes of Health couldn’t ac-cept new patients and the Centers for Dis-ease Control and Prevention were forced to halt their surveillance and toxic waste
cleanup projects. Federal contracting
is also deeply impacted by a federal shutdown; 20% ($3.7 billion) of the $18 billion in contracts in the Washington DC metropolitan area was affected.
Most im-portantly, the main dilemma is in the House of Representa-tives where conserva-tives want to see more budget cuts while liberals are attempting to maintain a steady budget with few cuts. In the end, the Obama administration and a divided Congress must cohesively decide on a finalized budget for the year 2011 in order to end the threat of a federal government shutdown.
Government Prepares for Possible Shutdown
Photos courtesy of WashingtonPost.com
Zafar Shaw ‘11Entertainment Editor
1Senior Clay-ton Southerly was featured
on FCPS’ television channel for his work as an Assistant Tech-nology Director for theater. His show will be played until March 20.
News Briefs2The INOVA
Blood Drive that took
place on March 1 consisted of teach-ers and students who donated blood that amounted to over 100 pints.
3On March 4-6, 79 students compet-ed at the DECA
State Leadership Con-ference. 17 qualified to participate at the International Career Development Confer-ence April 29-May 4 in Orlando, Florida.
4Senior run-ning back, Marcus
Bailey won the Old Spice Player of the Year Award for football.
4.
news
• AprilFools’Day4/1• Mostcollegedecisionsreleased4/1
• TeacherWorkday4/4• Mr.Fairfax4/9• SpringBreak4/19-22• EarthDay4/22
Upcoming Events
5.
T U N I S I A L I B Y A E G Y P T B A H R A I N
CO
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TR
Y S
TA
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Population estimate (2009): 10,432,500Unemployment: 13%U.S. Economic Aid: $1.9 million
Population estimate (2008): 6,420,000Unemployment: 10-14%U.S. Economic Aid: $10.7 million
Population estimate (2010): 79,089,650Unemployment: 8.9%U.S. Economic Aid: $483.2 million
Population estimate (2010): 1,234,596Unemployment: 5-9%U.S. Economic Aid: $0.4 million
LE
AD
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President Zine El Abi-dine Ben Ali oppressive-ly reigned for 23 years. Ben Ali was overthrown on February 14 and fled the country. On Febru-ary 27, the Prime Minis-ter Mohammed Ghan-noushi also officially resigned in a speech on national television.
Col. Muammar el-Qaddafi has reigned over Libya for 41 years, and internationally is known for his impracti-cal behavior. Qaddafi released unprecedented amount of violence towards the opposition, and vowed to not step down from his position.
President Hosni Mubarak was accused of rigging elections and preparing his son to be his successor. On February 11, Mubarak relinquished power to the Egyptian military, ending his 30 year rule.
King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa has ruled since 2002. The ruling elite of Bahrain are Sunni Mus-lims, while 70% of the population of Bahrain are Shiite Muslim. Shi-ites claim that they are discriminated against in jobs, housing, and education.
PR
OT
ES
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Date protests began:December 2010Estimated protest death toll: 223+Riots were sparked by the self-immolation of a street vendor, after officials confiscated his cart and refused him a permit.
Date protests began:February 17, 2011Estimated protest death toll: 3,000–6,000Protestors are fighting to gain control of the coun-try from Qaddafi. Some of Qaddafi’s officials and military personnel have joined sides with the rebel forces, and inter-national assistance.
Date protests began:January 25, 2011Estimated protest death toll: 384After a week of violent protests, Mubarak or-dered his government to resign,then announced that he would not run for another term. Protes-tors declared these con-cessions insufficient.
Date protests began:February 14, 2011Estimated protest death toll: 7Protestors demanded the release of political prisoners, and a more representative govern-ment, with more power given to Parliament, and a Constitution written by the people.
A Breakdown of the Protests in the Middle East and North AfricaAs reports of major protests and uprisings in the Middle East and Africa flood all news outlets, it can be
hard to separate the different events occurring in a notoriously tumultuous area. However, there are many distinctions between the current events, all of which will indelibly affect these countries.
Emily Stone ‘12Features and Managing Editor
Photos courtesy of eurweb.com, penniaa.com, adcaustintech.com, and seanbrooks.net.
news
news
All-State Chorus Qualifiers are AnnouncedThree Fairfax High School students recently qualified for All-State Chorus. Seniors Erick Enciso,
Alanna Ross and Josh Fleitman all participaed in District Chorus. Then they had to audition, where they sang a song and sight-sang. Four people from each voice part are selected from
each district to go to all-state.
Pete Peterson, AP and honors phys-ics teacher, has been selected as the graduation speaker for the class
of 2011. The senior class officers and sponsors decided unanimously on Mr. Peterson, choosing him over two other possible speakers.“I’m very excited. This is very flattering,” Peterson said. Past graduation speakers have included former assistant secretary of education for Virginia in 2009. Science Department Chair and physics teacher Chris Bird said, “I have been enlightened by Mr. Peterson’s philosophy, anecdotes, and insight for the past 13 years, and I look forward to hearing his address to
the Class of 2011 this June.”Senior Nina Udeshi, a student in AP
Physics B, was overjoyed to learn that Peterson is the graduation speaker for this year. “He always says such profound things in class, and to put it together in one farewell speech will be a great end to our four years here.”
What will his speech be on? Peterson hasn’t decided on a specific topic yet, but did say that “the goal of education is to make people smarter, and this is the last opportunity anyone will have to educate the senior class. I’m honored.”
6. Jessie Mason ‘11Business Manager
Graduation Speaker Unveiled
Erick EncisoHow is participating in All-State Chorus meaningful to you?Music has always played an important role in my life. Last year, I auditioned but didn’t make the cut, so it is an honor to be accepted this year.How will chorus be a part of your future?I plan to either major or minor in music as a second degree and hopefully I’ll keep singing.
What does being in All-State Chorus mean to you?It’s a nice way to finish high school. It shows that I have improved my singing and I’m excited to perform with some of the best singers in the state.Are you doing anything chorus-related in the fu-ture?Yes, I want to join an A Capella group in college so that way I can continue singing.
Alanna RossWhat enabled you to get to where you are?I’ve been singing my whole life, but I’ve been working re-ally hard this year to get into all-state. I’m in the advanced women choir at school, take music theory at school, and take private voice lessons out-side of school. Do you plan on persuing mu-sic as a career?I plan on going to JMU next year and work towards getting a music industry degree.
Josh Fleitman
An earthquake triggered a powerful tsunami in Japan on Friday, March 11, leav-
ing many parts of the nation in ruins and an estimated death count of over 10,000. The earthquake was an 8.9 on the Richter scale, the most powerful in Japan’s recorded his-tory.
At least 79 aftershocks, 16 of which were of 6.0 magnitude or greater, were recorded in the 10 hours after the initial earthquake.
Tsunami warnings were issued for coastlines from Alaska to South America and left many Americans worried. However, the waves that eventually reached the west coast of the United States were relatively weak, allowing the U.S. to focus on assisting the disaster recovery ef-forts in Japan.
Two U.S. aircraft carrier groups were off Japan’s coast when the tsu-nami hit, and were ready to assist.
More aircraft carriers are being sent daily, bringing food, water, blan-kets, and gasoline to the Japanese people.
Prime Minister Naoto Kan told the Associated Press that “this is Japan’s most severe crisis since [World War II] ended 65 years ago.” Kan encouraged everyone affected by the earthquake and tsunami “to exercise the spirit of fraternity and act fast and to assist one’s family and neighbors.”
Not only is Japan experienc-ing hardship due to the natural disasters, but nuclear power plants in the country are crippled by the earthquake and tsunami, causing panic and evacuations throughout the country.
The nuclear plants didn’t have enough coolant to compensate for the amount of stress enforced due to the earthquake and tsunami. U.S. Air Force aircraft were able to
deliver to help the situation, but multiple explosions have already occurred.
Four nuclear plants in northeast-ern Japan have reported damage, but the greatest danger appears to be the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear complex, where one explosion oc-curred over the weekend. Japanese officials anticipated the second explosion, which happened in the afternoon on Monday, March 14.
Over 180,000 citizens evacuated Koriyama, Japan on March 13, in hopes of avoiding this potential cri-sis. Evacuating citizens are hoping to escape the threat of radiation.
The American Red Cross has launched a texting campaign to raise funds. To donate, text RED-CROSS to 90999. Each text will give $10 towards relief funds.
Earthquake, Tsunami Devastate Northeast Japan
(Left) The tsunami wave sweeps away houses on Friday, March 11. (Right) Japanese people attempt to escape the devasta-tion. Photos courtesy of the Associated Press
news
FHS Student Receives Peace Award
Aneela Wadan ‘11News Editor
For the past five years, several area religious and secular groups have pooled their resources to fund the Peace Award, a county-wide recognition of
student ambassadors of peace.This year’s recipient was senior Caroline Stephenson.
She has been involved in the peer mediation program since she was in the seventh grade and is currently the vice president of the program. She has given presenta-tions to her peers on issues such as bullying and harass-ment, and depression and suicide.
To further her skills, she was selected to attend a sum-mer program to train students about alcohol and drug issues. In an effort to educate others at the school she has worked on a video to show at assemblies.
Stephenson has also been a leader through her stu-dent government in her roles as vice president, prom committee member and senator. Fairfax High School’s counselor Ms. Jennifer Wasechek, says, “I have been able to witness the positive impact Caroline has had on making Fairfax High School a better place for students and staff.”
When asked what made her stand out, Stephenson said, “I think I stood out because I have been involved in the mediation club since seventh grade so it shows that I care about being involved in the program, not just adding another extracurricular to my list.”
7.
Emily Buzzard ‘11Editor-in-Chief
entertainment
8.
She is changing the world one sequin at a time. On February 24 the pop diva
Lady Gaga wowed the Verizon Center in Washington DC with everything from a fiery piano to a blooming dress. Half of the entertainment for the show was passing hundreds of Gaga look-a-likes, both male and female. After an hour of anticipation and multiple “GAGA” chants,
the mother monster took the stage for the opening act of the “pop opera” and evolutionary life of Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta. Many parts of her story line were tacky and unnecessary; however, after going to the Gaga concert, it’s easy to truly appreciate her sultry, smoky voice.
Mother Monster Knows What DC Wants
Using Facebook has become a ubiquitous experience for Fairfax High School students. Twitter has become
increasingly popular as a manner of mass communication. But recently, a new social networking site has begun to make a name for itself. Tumblr is a blog site on which people can follow their friends, or strangers with similar interests; posting anything from funny animations, pictures of their favorite TV star, or deep and meaningful quotes about life.
“It’s basically an organized blog site,” said sophomore Katie Rossbach, “You don’t have to go to one person’s blog [because] you have a dashboard with everyone’s posts.” When you log on to Tumblr, your dashboard comes up with the most recent post of everyone you follow, similar to the news feed on Facebook. You can also “like” items people post like on Facebook. Facebook, however,
doesn’t allow you to re-blog items you think are particularly cool. The re-blogging feature sets Tumblr apart, opening the window to finding new people to follow by looking at the original blogger.
Tumblr permits users to post text, photos, quotes, links, audio, and video, along with the ability to chat with fellow bloggers. According to Tumblr and Facebook users, there is no comparison between
the two. While Facebook is more focused on keeping in touch with friends and family, Tumblr relates users to many people they may not know but have much in common with. The main use for Twitter is for tweeters to update their
followers about what they are doing or feeling using text. However, Twitter has recently sent emails to users informing
them that Twitter will now suggest relatable strangers for them to follow-- possibly in response to the growing Tumblr
fad, according to Rossbach.
Tumblr v. Twitter v. Facebook: The Third World War
Nikki Strickland ‘13Copy Editor
Kristina Hurd ‘11Staff Writer
Photos courtesy of Abraham Hassan
9.
entertainment
Emily Over: Proper Business Attire
Khaki pants, a cowl neck sweater, black heels and a funky statement necklace.
Emily Robinson ‘11Features Editor
Look #1
High-waisted dress pants, bright col-ored oxford shirt, oxford black high heels and bangles.
Look # 2
White oxford shirt, neutral colored vest, buckled-low heels, and black dress pants.
Neutral colored short-sleeved shirt, pencil skirt, structured jacket and high heels.
Look #4
This month for the Emily Over, I didn’t specifically make over a certain person because I wanted to focus on what to wear when you go for a job interview. A lot of people think that you don’t need to dress to impress for an interview, but you definitely do! When you dress professionally for an interview, people take you
more seriously, even if it’s for a job at a restaurant. Many believe that when you dress in business attire you have to be stuffy but that’s far from true, you can still
be fabulous and look professional. You could even rock these outfits to DECA competitions!
Look #3
entertainment
10.
Whether they are full of laughs, drama, suspense, or action, movies have the power to make us laugh until we cry, scream in terror, sob in sadness, or even challenge everything we believe in. Like books, movies can provide an escape from worries, an ability that may be appreciated especially by seniors who await
upcoming responses from colleges. Movie-goers can look forward to a wealth of movies coming out in March.
Must See Movies in March
The Adjustment Bureau, which came out March 4, stars Matt Damon and Emily Blunt as lovers
who must escape mysterious men who want to keep them apart. David Norris, played by Damon, is an aspiring politician who seems to be headed for the Senate. However, when he meets beautiful dancer Elise, he risks both their careers in order to stay together. He must decide whether to accept his predestined path or to fight fate itself to stay with the woman he loves.
Battle: LA, in theaters March 11, is about the fight against unknown forces attacking Earth. As the world’s powerful cities fall one
by one, Los Angeles becomes the setting for mankind’s last stand against this enemy. The outcome of this decisive battle rests on a Marine staff sergeant played by The Dark Knight’s Aaron Eckhart. This sci-fi action thriller portrays the day when UFO sightings become more personal.
Although many of the movies coming out this month seem to be thrillers or action films, there are also lighthearted comedies for
those who wish simply to laugh. One of these is Take Me Home Tonight, which came out March 4. Starring That 70’s Show’s Topher Grace and Scary Movie’s Anna Farris, the film follows the story of Matt Franklin, who just graduated from MIT but, to the dismay of his friends and family, takes a job at a video game store, in a way rejecting maturity. Towards the end of the summer of 1988, Franklin’s high school crush invites him to a party, a last night celebrating their youth. The romantic comedy provides a night of wild hilarity.
One of these movies is action-thriller Limitless, which comes out March 18. Starring The Hangover’s Bradley Cooper and
Oscar winner Robert DeNiro, it follows the story of a struggling writer who takes a pill which gives him the ability to use 100% of his brain. This allows him to become a perfect version of himself, but on the way he attracts many enemies who are jealous of his success and would do anything to get their hands on the untested drug. Cooper’s character must endure the drug’s side effects and fight to keep his stash long enough to outsmart his enemies.
Take Me Home Tonight
Battle: LA
Limitless
The Adjustment Bureau
Daniela Torres ‘11Staff Writer
Photos courtesy of www.imdb.com
Pandora, an online radio station, allows registered or unregistered users to listen to their specified genre of music. Users can either choose from twenty-one
genres, all with varied amounts of substations, or they can make their own radio station based on what artists they choose. For unregistered users, Pandora offers six song skips per hour, while registered users are allowed twelve skips an hour. Any user is allowed forty free hours of listening every month which is typically more than enough, however Pandora does offer the chance for listeners to buy more time. Pandora is also working on a Music Genome Project, a music analysis project. Pan-dora hires experienced musicologists who dissect and examine multiple aspects of every song Pandora plays, in an effort to meet the listener’s exact musical tastes. If you’re new to the Pandora experience and not quite sure which stations to check out first, here’s a few great
suggestions. Classic Indie radio features artists such as Modest Mouse, The White Stripes, The Postal Service, and Silversun Pickups. Another great station is Young Punk radio, consisting of Jimmy Eat World, The red Jumpsuit Apparatus, The Offspring, Yellowcard, Bowl-ing For Soup, and a plethora of other punk rock bands. The final station that I encourage you to explore may come as a bit of a surprise, but it is a pleasant surprise. The New Age Essentials radio station features artists like Enya, Lisa Kelly, Clannad, and other seldom recognized artists of the new age genre. Despite initial impressions, the New Age Essentials radio can be rather relaxing af-ter school, work, or sports. If none of these stations rock your world, feel free to explore the other station options or make your own station. Pandora radio is a world of music just waiting to be explored.
entertainment
11.
Shaw-ty, Have Ya Hurd?
Classic indie radio, young punk radio, new age essentials6 skips an hour for any listener, 12 skips an hour for any listener with an account40 free hours of music per month, extended time period is purchasable.
Pandora radio
1. Beautiful People-Chris Brown2. Around The World- Ike Nice3. I Don’t Wanna Care Right Now- Lupe Fiasco 4. Commander- Kelly Rowland ft. David Guetta 5. Roll Up- Wiz Kalifa 6. Temptation- Deejay David7. Dancing In The Dark- Lady Gaga8. Backseat- New Boyz ft. Cataracs & Dev9. Paranoid- Kanye West ft. Mr. Hudson 10. Blow- Ke$ha
Gabrielle Severson ‘12Staff Writer
Popular Internet Radio Station Continues to Impress
12.
The BuzzHOT NOT
Pillow PetsThis stuffed animal is becoming a cool thing to have for anyone, which is completely absurd. It is not acceptable to purchase a stuffed animal for yourself if you are over the age of 10. Sorry guys, I know they’re cute and fuzzy. Just please end this social injustice and stop playing with toys that are meant for infants.
SkypeI love Skype. This video chat service is the next best thing to actually being with a person. It’s perfect if you really like someone but they have horrible personal hygiene. This way, you get all the advantages of being with someone, without having to smell their bad body odor or hot breath. Thanks Skype!
Zigs Shoes that have a cool zig-zag pattern on the sole are already hot, but when you add fun colors to the mix, these shoes start to sizzle. I don’t want to get arrested for false advertis-ing, but I am 99% sure that these shoes will assist in getting a prom date. They’re really that good.
Emily Buzzard ‘11Editor-in-Chief
After LatelyI have a personal bias in favor of Chelsea Handler. I love her and I want her to be my best friend. So, it shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone that I am completely obsessed with this new reality show that highlights a typical day behind the scenes of her show Chelsea Lately. Plus, there is nothing funnier than a half Morman-half Jewish girl continually making fun of little people and gingers.
Books made into T.V. showsThis recent trend is sweeping T.V. culture. From Pretty Little Liars to Gossip Girl, a T.V. series is the perfect way to capture all that a book offers. As opposed to movie adaptations, T.V. series have an almost unlimited amount of time to get differ-ent details portrayed. This way, you don’t actu-ally have to read a book. That’s a major plus.
FurbiesThese creepy, furry animals from the 1990’s make me nostalgic on a
daily basis. I don’t even know what their purpose was other than blink-ing and cooing like an infant, but they were so cool! They just don’t make toys like that anymore.
Sexting Not only is this teenage fad ille-gal, it is also completely trashy. You might as well be a member of the Jersey Shore cast. Unless your name is Chris Brown, try to stay away from this felony.
T.V. Stars writing booksThis recent trend of authors including Snooki, JWoww, and Lauren Conrad, is making me com-pletely sick. Just because you are on a reality T.V. show, doesn’t mean that you are suited to become a published author. That’s ridiculous. I refuse to read any of these books and I urge all of you to boycott them with me.
Sheen’s KornerCharlie Sheen has finally bottomed out. A few months ago, I was entertained by him, but things have just gone too far. I can’t believe he is now making web shows for a living. I watched one of these web shows for purely journalistic
purposes and I am amazed by his stupidity. I’m not exactly sure what he was saying, but it was something blatently false about how he is a winner. I just want to use him as an exam-ple as to why no one should do drugs. Keep off the pot kids.
ShoxI used to really like Nike Shox, and then I passed the eighth grade. These shoes don’t even serve a real purpose, as the “shox” in them don’t actually move.
commentary
13.
commentary
On the first day of school in each Advanced Placement class at Fair-fax High School, teachers
handed out a letter for students to take home and give to their parents. This is nothing new, but this year the letter didn’t detail classroom rules or a late work policy. This letter informed parents of AP students of two things. First, each student would be required to pay 75 dollars to take the AP exam for every AP class they are taking, and second, each student would be required to take the AP exam at the end of the year. Students on free or reduced lunch were exempt from the fee.
Rumors began circulating at the end of the 2009-2010 school year about the possibility of paying for AP tests. Senior Bridget Pitken said, “I heard that we might have to pay for them, but I never thought it would actually happen. I’m in three AP classes; I could buy so much with that money.”
Parents of seniors were hit especially hard, with another fee to add to the cost of cap and gown, gradu-ation announcements, and senior dues; and as a senior in five AP classes, I seriously regretted signing up for all of them when it ended up costing us another $375.
In January 2011 however, Attorney General Ken
Cuccinelli declared that charging students for required end-of-course examinations is il-legal. The declining economy has caused many budget cuts over the past few years, with effects like teachers not receiving pay raises for the past two years. FHS Principal David Goldfarb said, “The requirement for students to pay for AB & IB tests was a deci-sion involved with the budget for this year.”
It seems like requiring AP payments was an at-tempt to solve part of the budget problem. Cuccinelli’s decision also raises questions about the $100 activity fee required for participation in Virginia High School League sports. This fee hasn’t been as strictly enforced as the AP fee. Senior Kevyn Richmond paid $100 for playing on varsity volleyball, but senior dive captain Lane McDermott said, “I knew I was supposed to pay for it, but Fairfax County never sent me anything.”
Budget cuts are tough for everyone, it’s true. And I admit, I’m no economic expert, but there have to be better options than charging people for being smart, athletic, and hardworking.
AP Cost Controversy
Check your pocket really quick, yeah, you see that thing there? That iPod? Most of which are
probably the iPod Touch, but that’s not important now. What is important is the fact that the “iTouch’s” big brother, the iPad, just received an updated, stu-pider “improvement” of the previous model. Steve Jobs, legalized pocket thief, announced the nowleader in tablet computers March 2 at the Keynote event he surprisingly at-tended during his mysterious sick leave. “The year of the iPad 2,” he said, a phrase which here means “It’s time to blow another $700 to purchase the same product you bought last fall, just with a camera.” So what exactly can you do these days with roughly $600? Take a weekend trip to the beach,
fill up the tank a few times, or pay to purchase something that will soon be obsolete. Yes, that’s right. Although the new camera, faster A5 processor, and Smart Covers are cool, you will soon just have to turn around and buy the same product, with nothing but a new look. So why should we spend our money on this one? Well, if
you choose to drop a paycheck or two on an iPad, know that recent improvements do make it worth your money, but with Apple’s constant updates, and your lack of funding, you will soon have to sell your liver in hopes of obtaining the
“soon to be improved, iPad 3.”
Jessie Mason ‘11Business Manager
Brandon Blankenship ‘12Staff Writer
iPad 2: Same Thing, More Money
The iPad, now due for an update in the next few months, is noth-ing more than a colossal waste of your hard earned money.Photo courtesy of Matt Reihing
““People who might not be able to afford it can’t take the class and get the college
credit. -Ariel Dahne ‘14
Westboro Baptist Church Supreme Court Ruling
I would fight for the freedom of speech in a heartbeat; there
isn’t anything that would persuade me to sacrifice my ability to speak the mind. But this case goes beyond freedom of speech. The Westboro Baptist Church intentionally insulted one of the most emo-tional experiences for a
parent –laying to rest one’s own child. No one can fathom the emotional heartache the Snyder family was going though, unless they have experienced it for themselves. If our basic right to free speech is so important, then the right for us to be left in peace to mourn should be equally respected as.
The Westboro Baptist Church is out of its mind to intentionally insult a parent’s child’s death, espe-cially to their face, and especially in public. Protect-ing one’s natural right to mourn in peace has never had to be defended because, until now, no one has dared tread across it. The Westboro Baptist Church has every right to speak what they believe, regard-less of whether others agree or not, but they should not have the right to publically disrupt a funeral service.
I stand behind Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr.’s dissent who said it is an “elementary right” for a mourning father to bury his son in peace. He wrote that the members of the church had no right to launch “a malevolent verbal attack on Matthew and his family at a time of acute emotional vulner-ability.” The Supreme Court should always protect our freedom of speech, but in this case, it infringed upon the unwritten basic right to bury our loved ones in peace.
The Supreme Court performed its duty well in the Westboro Baptist
Church case – it upheld the United States Constitution. To be clear, I do not support the crazy Topeka-based hate group. I only support equality for all.
In the case, the plaintiff, Fred Snyder, argued that the church should not have been
able to protest his son’s funeral because it was an inva-sion of privacy. However, the protestors were not only out of earshot of the funeral, but they were out of sight as well. It was only until after the funeral that Snyder even realized that Phelps and his followers were there. In this event, the protestors did not violate any laws ap-plicable to protest.
Samuel Alito, the only justice that strayed from the majority, argued that the church’s “epic poem,” posted on its website, attacking Snyder should have been taken into account. The only problem is that Snyder did not address the video in his complaints. Therefore, it would have been against standard court procedure to incorpo-rate the video into the rest of the case.
The main reason why I agree with the ruling is be-cause it maintained precedent. The Supreme Court has had a long history of holding first amendment rights in high priority and it is important to maintain this posi-tion. If the Supreme Court had ruled that Phelps was wrong in protesting, his freedom of speech and protest would have been denied. Had the court ruled against Snyder, there would be no reason for the court to pro-tect anyone else’s right to free speech. For example, if Principal Goldfarb told one student that they were no longer allowed to express their opinions, there would be no reason why he shouldn’t tell every other student the same thing. I want to keep my freedom and I’m sure that you do, too.
The recent decision of the Supreme Court ruling in Snyder v. Phelps has sparked debate over our First amend-ment rights across the country. On the grounds of freedom of speech, the Supreme Court ruled 8-1 that the Westboro Baptist Church was allowed to hold their highly offensive protests outside a military funeral in
March of 2006. For those who are not familiar with the Topeka, Kansas-based church, they are infamously known for their anti-gay hate messages and protests that are held throughout the country.
The Supreme Court Performed Its Duty By Uphold-ing Free Speech
A Line Needs to Be Drawn Somewhere
op-ed
15.Elliot Meyer ‘11Staff Writer
Sam Brott ‘11Sports Editor
The Situation:
Ethnic groups at FHS find their own identies, a place to practice their religion, and honor their culture in school sponsored clubs and activities.
Melting The
Pot
16.
17. Continued on pages 18 &19.
Fairfax High School is made up of a diverse composition of stu-
dents from all over the world. Demographics with-in FCPS encompass a variety of races including Hispanic, White, Black, American In-dian, Asian, Pacific Islander, and Multiracial, bringing together many different cultures and beliefs under one roof. While it may be hard to keep in touch with a culture from another part of the world, FHS students have learned to celebrate their culture no matter where they live. School sponsored clubs such as the Vietnamese Student Asso-ciation, the Muslim Student Association, and the Fairfax Hispanic Association, have continued to respect their culture in the high school environment. On March 14th, the FHS International Festival showcased differ-ent heritages within our community, and revealed the diversity of our school. Students began working on their acts at the begin-ning of the school year, and have practiced these acts for hours each week. Mr. Tim Hoffman, department chair of English for Speak-ers of a Second Language said that, “FHS has become a majority-minority school, and students have a great environment where they can learn from other students.” Jordan Sharpe ‘11Editor-in-Chief
Pot
From top left to bottom right: 1) Members of the Vietnamese Student Association (VSA) dance to their hyped up song. 2) A member of the Korean Drums Club watches on. 3) Students who who portray a modern take on traditional Indian dance practice before the festival. 4) Students show off the colorful fans sym-bolic to their country. 5) Two VSA members display their traditional Vietnamese clothes. Photos by Emily Buzzard
International Festival 2011
18.
Showing cultural pride through clubs
Keeping Up with Their Cultures Thousands of Miles from Home
Every March, dif-ferent groups at Fairfax High
School take deeper looks at their roots by showcasing their cultural pride at the annual International Festival. While diver-sity may be celebrated on stage, the question lingers: Is diversity as unquestionably cele-brated in the hallways of FHS?
Filipino-American Student Association
Most kids at Fairfax High School live like princesses compared to students in the Philippines. Juniors Consuelo Sevilla
and Vanessa Cardenas know this, so they founded the Filipino-American Student Association or FASA. “I feel like we’re so blessed to live here and my family is so lucky to have moved here, so we should be compelled to give back,” Sevilla said.
The Republic of the Philippines is an archipel-ago in Southeast Asia. Almost 33% of its residents live below the poverty line, according to the CIA World Factbook. Their education system is a prod-uct of their poor government. This is why FASA members are raising funds to “give back” to the poor education system in the Philippines.
FASA is a new club, founded this year. Their goals are not only to raise money for the Filipino school system, but also to preserve Filipino culture at FHS. To do this, members discuss current events in the Philippines, as well as eat Filipino food.
To join FASA, you don’t have to be Filipino, you just have to have a desire to be educated about Filipino culture. Cardenas explained, “We love the Filipino culture and thought this club would be a nice unifying thing for all Rebels.”
19. Emily Buzzard ‘11Editor-in-Chief
Muslim Student Association
The prayer began at 2:15. Male students lined up in front of female students, and led the namaz (prayer). The namaz lasted a solid five minutes,
and students changed their prayer position from stand-ing to bowing to kneeling, and then repeated these steps multiple times. This intricate process of praise was performed on a prayer rug, while barefoot. For Muslim students, this happens five times a day. What is special about this particular prayer, is that this all oc-curred in Ms. Gretta Orazen’s math classroom.
Students at Fairfax High School find different ways to showcase their culture. Whether it is joining a club like the Muslim Student Association, or bringing pho (Vietnamese noodle soup) for lunch, Rebels find a way to keep culture alive at FHS.
Although culture is inevitable in our microcosm, the way it is accepted varies. Some students feel as though they are discriminated against be-cause of their race or religion, whereas others think that FHS is the perfect community to let their culture flour-ish.
At the Muslim Student Associa-tion meeting on Wednesday, March 2, students discussed being Muslim in high school. Since the attendees were mainly female, a major topic was the hijab or head scarf. Freshman MSA member, Hamdia Malia said that when you are Muslim and wear a hijab, “people judge you before they know you, you are judged by what you wear rather than who you are.” The students then went on to describe the different ways they have been victimized because of their faith.
One student spoke of a situation where a group of Muslim girls were walking down the hall, and another student shouted out “Terrorist!” Although this isn’t a daily occurrence for any of the MSA members, it has happened more than once.
The students still stand strong and are proud of their religion. For junior Nora Moustafa, Fairfax is an ideal place to be Muslim. Even though she spent most of her educational career at an Islamic private school in Col-lege Park, Maryland, it wasn’t difficult for her to adapt to FHS when she made the transition this year. At her old school, male and female students were separated which was “weird” for her when she sat next to a male on the first day of school at FHS, but just like anything else, she adapted over time.
Moustafa described Fairfax as “a pack of M&Ms. Every color is represented, so you don’t have to worry about being the one that stands out.”
Senior, Reza Supandi has never felt discriminated against because of his Islamic beliefs. He said that at
Fairfax, “if you’re a good person who can contribute to society, then your beliefs, race, or values should not matter. Being a Muslim is my way of life, why should any Muslim feel discriminated against for living?”
Fellowship of Christian Athletes
Senior Alex Neblett was saved on August 16, 2009. He was baptized on September 13, 2009. Now, Neblett wakes up every Sunday to go to church,
drives himself to Youth Group weekly, and is a member of the FHS sect of Fellowship of Christian Athletes or FCA.
Neblett is a member of FCA to make sure that no one at FHS is walk-ing in the dark. He said that, “you need Christ in your life. If you aren’t walking in the light, you’re walking in the dark. It is important to show people that light.”
FCA was founded this year, and many of the student leaders are as dedicated to Christ as Neblett. As a small club composed of mostly seniors, their main goal this year is to keep FCA alive for another year, Neblett said.
The club meets about twice a month, but only has a consistent membership of about seven people. You don’t have to be an athlete to join,
you just have to be interested in Christianity. If you fit into this category, show up to an FCA meeting to discuss your relationship with Christ.
Vietnamese Student Association
I was the stereotypical American-Vietnamese person. I wasn’t really proud of where I came from,” senior Tue Nguyen explained.
Nguyen, the president of the Vietnamese Student Association or VSA wasn’t always as proud of his cul-ture as he is now, but he learned to love his roots as he got to understand them through cultural education.
VSA is a club where students can get to know and love the Vietnamese culture, just as Nguyen did. Mem-bers meet to discuss Vietnamese current events, eat tra-ditional food, and play a variety of Vietnamese games.
Nguyen explained how we are lucky to live in an area where most people are accepting of different eth-nicities. His parents weren’t as fortunate; they lived in America during the Vietnam War, and were slammed with racial slurs if they walked into the wrong restau-rant. The VSA is established to honor the Vietnamese culture, and take advantage of the accepting area and times in which we live, Nguyen said.
“[FHS] is like a pack of M&Ms. Every color is
represented, so you don’t have to worry about be-ing the one that
stands out.-Nora Moustafa
‘12
“
20.
features
Previewing Summer Concerts
$35.0
0-$4
8.00
Katy Perry told MTV News that “I want this tour to be
10 times better than when I was on tour last.” The tour will promote her latest album, Teenage Dream, which hit number one on the Bill-board 200. Perry posted a video of what fans can expect from the tour, and it looks like there will be acro-bats and countless crazy outfits.
KATY PERRYMERRIWEATHER POST PAVILION
JUNE
152011
COLUMBIA, MD
WEDNESDAY6:00 PM
Photo courtesy of katypix.org
$30.00-$250.50
This is the second time that U2 will visit the DC area on their U2 360° tour, which began in June 2009. The stage element that is used is called “the claw” and holds the world record for the largest concert stage structure. The show combines songs from the band’s latest album, No Line on the Horizon, a older songs. Florence and the Machine will open for the band on the Baltimore date.
U2M&T BANK STADIUM
22BALTIMORE, MD
WEDNESDAY7:00 PM
2011
JUNE
Photo courtesy of purentonline.com
$29.50-$89.50
The Backstreet Boys and New Kids on the Block have formed a giant boy band, now know as NKOTBSB. In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, BSB mem-ber Brian Littrell said that the first time the groups performed together, “it was a magical moment”.
NKOTBSBTHE VERIZON CENTER
3WASHINGTON, DC
FRIDAY7:30 PM
JUNE
2011
$28.0
0-$8
2.50
Taylor Swift has two shows in DC this summer during her Speak Now World Tour. The opening act will be Hunter Hayes, who is a fellow country artist. Swift has wrapped up the Asia leg of her tour, and is cur-rently touring in Europe.
TAYLOR SWIFTTHE VERIZON CENTER
AUGUST
2&32011
WASHINGTON, DC
TUESDAY &WEDNESDAY
7:30 PMPhoto courtesy of cmt.com
Photo courtesy of popstache.com
This summer, some of the most popu-lar performers in
music are bringing their acts to the DC area. As with most concerts, these shows are sure to sell out fast, so the Rebel Roar is bringing you a preview of the biggest concerts this summer.
Besides the shows listed at the right, other popular acts include:• The Script- June 5, 7:30 pm, D.A.R. Constitution Hall• Keith Urban- July 28, Verizon Center• Tim McGraw with the Band Perry and Luke Bryan- August 13, 7:30 pm, Jiffy Lube Live• Glee Cast- June 9, 7:30 pm, Verizon Center• Rihanna with Cee Lo Green- June 4, 7:30 pm, 1st Mariner Arena
Emily Stone ‘12Features and Managing Editor
What summer con-cert would you most like to see?100 students polled
Tim
McG
raw
Taylor Swift
Keith Urban
U2
Katy Perry
The
Scrip
t
NK
OTB
SB
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Going Undercover
Rydell High is coming to Fairfax! This spring, the theater program will be performing the -set in the 50’s -classic play Grease. The play,
which details the high-school love between greaser Danny Zuko and good-girl Sandy Dumbrowski is set to premier sometime this May. For the next couple of months, I’ll be following Senior Jess Rawls and Junior Harry Weger from auditions to the play’s premier to provide a behind-the-scenes look at two of Fairfax High’s most talented performers.AuditionsI meet up with Jess and Harry in the Blackbox, the ‘it’ place to be for Fairfax’ theater students. Amidst about 20 other frantic, pacing, and nervous kids, I sneak in a quick conversation with the two perform-ers minutes before it’s their turn to audition.Me: What roles are you interested in being for the play?H: “Any of the T-Birds, really.” J: “Rizzo. Rizzo. Definitely Rizzo.”Me: How will Grease compare to last spring’s perfor-mance of Chicago?H: “It’s gonna be hard to top Chicago. We entered that one for a competition.”J: “I think Grease is going to have a much more ‘laid-back’ feel to it.”
“Group two, you’re up!” This is their group. I walk with Jess, Harry, and three other hopefuls into the choir room. The five of them sit in a horizontal line in the front row of seats. Behind them, a few rows up sit play direc-tors Ms. Knight and Mr. Rubenstein, as well as stage manager Olivia Ballard. Harry volunteers to go first.
For the audition, each actor is required to perform a short, comedic monologue, and sing a small part of a song to showcase their singing abilities. Harry’s mono-logue is the timeless speech from the classic film Ferris Bueller’s Day off (Life moves pretty fast—if you don’t stop and look around once and a while, you could miss
it). Harry’s recital of the monologue is eerily remi-niscent of Matthew Broderick’s 1986 performance
as the young Bueller. His memorization is flawless, and intonation of every word nearly matches that of the film itself. For his song choice, he chooses to sing “The Bitch of Living” from the play, Spring Awaken-ing. Although not perfect, he does display the sing-ing abilities necessary for a lead role in the play. After finishing his song, Harry is asked to sing falsetto. Surprised, Harry obliges, and manages to sing the first few lines of “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” at a high-pitched level.
After Harry, Jess volunteers to be next. She’s sing-ing “Storybook”, a song from the musical “The Scarlet Pimpernel”, and performing the monologue “Baby in the Basement” (an anonymous speech). Her rendi-tion of the monologue is hilarious. Collective laughs and chuckles are heard from both the judging table in addition to the other kids waiting to audition. It’s obvious that Jess has practiced the material—her lines sound natural and unforced. For her song, Jess sings “Storybook”. It’s clear she has sung before—her voice has a theatrical sound to it. The judges are evidently pleased with Jess’s rehearsal.
I meet back up with Jess and Harry in the blackbox to discuss their auditions.
Jess Rawls Harry Weger
features
Photos and Graphic by Jordaan Rummel.
22.
Me: How did you feel your auditions went?H: “As far as the monologue is concerned, I feel great. My singing though…I wish my song had gone better. (Harry was worried that his singing was not accurately portrayed—I later learned that the piano player pro-viding his music had played the song at a much lower tempo than it is normally performed).J: “I think it all went really well! I was a little nervous beforehand, but I think it’s good to have a little bit of nerves mixed with confidence.”
Me: Do you wish you could change anything about your audition?H: “I would probably like to go back and show the judges that I can sing at a more upbeat level. But other than that I think it all went well!”J: “There’s always going to be small things that bother you after an audition, but there’s no use dwelling on them.”
Cast List Three days after auditions, the cast list is released and posted—Jess Rawls received the part of Rizzo—her pref-erence—and Harry is given the role as the understudy for the lead male role in the play—T-Bird Danny Zuko.The two have differing emotions regarding their given roles; Jess is understandably excited—Rizzo was her desired role in the first place. Harry on the other hand is slightly perturbed.Me: Thoughts on your parts?H: “It’s a good start. I spoke to Ms. Knight, and she said that if I can prove myself over the next few weeks I can perform as Danny in the B cast! I’m determined to get this role.”J: “I’m psyched! I can’t wait to get to work in rehearsals.”
Over the next few weeks, Harry, Jess, and the rest of the cast of Grease will begin rehearsals, and get to work on perfecting the show. Will Harry get the Danny role? How can the naturally talented Jess Rawls make the character of Rizzo her own? Both of these and more will hopefully become clear as the month winds down. See you next month!
Jordan Rummel ‘11Art Director
features
What’s Going On In Leadership?
•Iron Chef- A series of episodes airing on PTTV. Students take on teachers and fellow students as they scramble, soufflé, and sauté their way to the top to be named the first “Fairfax Iron Chef”.
•March Madness- The madness is sweeping the nation and Fairfax has the fever. March Madness will be highlighted all month. During all lunches March 17 everyone can vote on which college basketball team they believe will win. If your team wins you will be guaran-teed a prize.
•Mr. Fairfax- There truly is nothing better than teenage boys dancing, singing, and strutting their way to the title that will define them, Mr. Fairfax. Students can come see their favorite contes-tant on Saturday April 9 at 7 PM in the auditorium.
•Spring Pep Rally- April 15, the day before spring break, we will have a spring pep rally. If you have any ideas for games or something you want to see, stop by the leadership room E-137 during your lunch.
•Powderpuff- The annual Powderpuff game is considered a highlight of the school year in the Fair-fax community. See the girly girls and the jockettes take the field. No Powderpuff game is complete
without the intense eye black and pink and black jerseys. Come out and support the ladies on May 26.
•Kickball- The first ever kickball tournament will be a highlight as Fairfax takes it to the sandlot. Get a team together or come watch the tourney on June 3 in our very own Fairfax stadium.
Kristina Hurd ‘11Staff Writer 23.
Cast mem-bers for Grease practice their lines on stage. Photo by Matt Reihing.
Graphics by Kristina Hurd.
Picking Classes to Fit Each Stereotype As the time comes time to start picking classes for next year’s schedule, take a look at some electives and
classes students might be interested in that fit their personality best. In order to be successful, it’s impor-tant to be interested in what you’re learning about. So put your best foot forward and pick classes that
will fit your style and interests.
features
Advanced PEAdvanced PE gives juniors and seniors the chance to
still participate in games like handball, soccer, and kickball.
Weight Training This physical education class allows students to get fit through lifting weights and strengthen-ing their core with the help from teachers.
Sports MedicineThis class, taught by our own Certified Athletic Trainer Ms. Kelly, takes you into the human body, analyzing bones, tendons, ligaments, and muscles, so you learn about differ-ent sports injuries.
Human Anatomy and Physiology If you have taken Sports Medicine, it’s a waste not to take Anatomy. Human Anatomy and Physiol-ogy goes deeper into the Human Body addressing each system, and dis-secting fetal pigs, sheep hearts, and cat. Although Anatomy is taught like a college course, it is not AP.
Spanish, French, German, Latin, ChineseIn this mixing bowl of a country, you are bound to meet people from all over the world, and most of them will speak a differ-ent langauge. FHS offers Spanish, German, Chinese, French, and Latin as pos-sible languages to study. These classes are offered for each year, 1-4 as well as AP.
Speech and Debate This is the perfect class for the opinionated person, as it teaches you how to get up in front of crowds of people to deliver a speech and defend your opinion on the spot. This class can be most beneficial for communicating face to face and speaking to large audiences.
Leadership Some people think leader-ship is a class that paints banners advertising for upcoming events. How-ever, leadership does so much more. As members of the leadership class, students help plan school events such as the Talent Show, Powderpuff, Gator-ball, and the Canned Food Drive, just to name a few.
The Bookworm
Creative WritingThis class is designed to allow creativity in writ-ing for students who want to express themselves through short stories, poems, and more literary works, as opposed to the usual writing of essays and research papers in standard English classes.
Journalism The journalism class produces a newsmagazine once a month called the Rebel Roar. In journalism one, students will learn the basics of journalism. Then in journalism two, three, and four, students work each class to produce the monthly publication.
AP EnglishAP English involves a great amount of reading of novels, poems, short stories, and essays. This is perfect for the typical bookworm, as the works of literary merit are not only being read, but also analyzed. Students will learn about how taking a bath and planting flowers symbolize rebirth, as well as many other mind-bog-gling connections.
The Arti
st
Beginning Band/OrchestraHave you never played an instrument but want to learn and become a member of our musical organizations? The Begin-ner Band and Orchestra classes teach students how to play instruments and learn the songs that the actual Band and Orchestra perform.
AP Art History This class is new to Fair-fax and will be offered next school year. Students study the history of art and techniques through political views, religion, ethnicities, and patronage. They will study the as-pects of art beyond what meets the eye.
Photography Photography is a class that offers photographers the chance to stage, take, and develop their pictures in school. This class teaches students how to use cam-eras, learn techniques to taking pictures in action, in different lighting, and at different angles, and how to print and develop their film.
Jordan Sharpe ‘11Editor-in-Chief
The Social Butterfly
The Jock
24. Photos by Gabrielle Severson and Emily Buzzard,
JUSTIN BIEBER A $30 million 3D movie, an auto-biography, four American Music Awards, and an upcoming European tour; at the age of 17,
Justin Bieber has managed to go from an ordinary kid to one of the most well-known young artists of the year. Here is why some students here at Fairfax High School say they have caught “Bieber Fever.”
features
“I’ve liked him since the sum-mer of 2009. I love his hair! Any guy with gorgeous hair all the time and who doesn’t come off as rude is someone to admire.“
-Manasa Pallapolu ‘12
“I like everything about him…his hair, his eyes, his looks. I also love his music; the lyrics are so real that you can really connect to him. He is the love of my life. I know so much about him too. His favorite breakfast is eggs and pancakes, he is claustropho-bic and afraid of elevators ever since he got stuck in one, and he has a scar under his right eye from a branch when he was hiking with friends.”
-Morgan Lucas ‘14
FAN OBSESSIONS
“I’ve liked Justin Bieber since I heard his song, One Time, which is my favorite Justin Bieber song. I like how he isn’t too arrogant about [his work] and has not gotten into any trouble. I also like how he has worked hard at singing and performing ever since he was little. I saw Never Say Never the day it came out. It let me see how deprived he was of a normal childhood and how he always had to conserve his voice, even if it meant not having fun with friends.”
-Matthew King ‘11
Toni Rayder ‘11Art Director
“After seeing Never Say Never I liked Justin Bieber even more, it was so inspirational and showed the behind the scenes of his life and his struggles. I also like his hair and his charming and hyper personality.”
-Erica Bob ‘11
25. Photos by Toni Rayder.
sports
26.
PRICE:This local gym is the best in town. With a membership rate of $15.99 per month, it beats Lifetime, Washington Sports Club, and all the other local gyms.
AMENITIES:World Gym has top of the line weight, resistance, and cardio equipment and it is open 24 hours Monday through Saturday. Each locker room has clean showers, bathrooms, lockers, and saunas. Whatever the workout preference, whether biking while reading a magazine or watching TV on the elliptical, World Gym will make it happen.
ENVIRONMENT:World Gym prides itself on its cleanliness; every piece of equipment has spray bottles with sanitizer. The gym is easy to navigate with the cardio and resistance equipment on the upper level and weight equipment on the lower level.
CONVENIENCE:The customer service is excellent; every staff member goes out of their way to make sure each experience at World’s is unlike any other gym. World Gym is less than two miles away from Fairfax High School which makes working out before or after school convenient.
PRICE:Although cost depends on the type of membership (bronze, gold, platinum, or onyx) you purchase, in the DC metropolitan area the average cost for a single membership is $69.95 per month. The enrollment fee, which is typically waived with a promotion, is $90.00. These two payments combined permit full access to the facilities and all its amenities free of extra charge.
AMENITIES:Lifetime’s facilities feature indoor/outdoor pools, fitness classes, tanning decks, complimentary basketball & racquet courts, personal trainers, group fitness programs, child care centers, spas, salons, massage centers, and cafes.
ENVIRONMENT:With a fitness area as spacious as many of the local area gyms combined, Lifetime’s weight-training section, cardio area, and advanced training quarter give members a wide variety of work-out options.
CONVENIENCE:Open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and 365 days a year, there’s never an excuse not to go work out at one of Lifetime’s many locations.
What Do You Think?Zafar Shaw ‘11Entertainment Editor
Kristina Hurd ‘11Staff Writer
VS.These gyms are both favorites of Fairfax students, but
which one is right for you?
“The customer ser-vice is great. They
are all so sweet and caring.” - Junior
Leah Smith
“The Art of Strength class is my favorite, and
it’s at a reasonable price.” - Mr. Bird
“There are rock climbing walls, basketball courts... no matter what you en-
joy, you will be pleased.” - Junior Alexandra Hoeft
“You can achieve God-like aesthetics in a day...
And be just like us!” - Seniors Ishaan Dharia
and Rahul Monga
Phot
os b
y Kr
istin
a H
urd. Photos by Zafar Shaw.
sports
27.
Q&A with the Varsity Soccer Coaches sports
Main goal for this sea-son?To advance to the region-al tournament. We just have to win one district game.
Season anticipations? We have a small group of seniors, but I’ve coached some of them for the past three years. I’m excited to see how they lead in practice and during the games. We also have some young talent, so that’s exciting in looking to the future.
Projected wins/loss ratio? This is hard to predict. We have some of the top teams in the state in our district like Langley and Stone Bridge. If we beat teams like Thomas Jeffer-son, McLean, and Madi-son, we will be in good shape for the postseason.
Team captains? Seniors Charley Baxter-Gagen and Andy Lopez. I’ve seen better leadership this year than I have on any other team I’ve coached.
Difference makers on the team?It starts with the captains; their attitudes trickle down to the underclassmen. Junior Mike Attassi has improved a lot in the offseason. Sophomore Michael Rice adds in the back, and freshmen Ryan Lee helps up top. I’m excited for all the work the boys have done in the offseason.
Keys to success? In order to be successful we need to have a high work rate. In high school soccer, the team who wants it more will win. It’s important to stay motivated. We need to be disciplined, and keep our composure. If we do these things we will be successful.
Girls Soccerwith Head Coach Gino Leon
Coach Lusk watches on during a scrimmage against Yorktown HS. Photo by Emily Buzzard.
Main goal for this sea-son?To provide an oppor-tunity for the players to experience success through team harmony, commitment, and overall teamwork.
Season anticipations? Winning would be nice of course, but most im-portantly, I am looking forward to display to the fans, friends and parents, an offensive minded, attractive style of soccer that emphasizes ball pos-session.
Team captains? Not yet decided as of March 14th.
Difference makers on the team?Our seniors will provide experience and assume
a more detailed leadership role this season for the underclassmen.
Keys to success? Trust in each other and trust in the coaching staff. Work hard for and with each other. Enjoy what you are doing, and what you are doing for your team-mates. Simple formula, don’t you think?
Obstacles?Five tough games: Chantilly, McLean, Langley, Stone Bridge, and Madison. My bar is always raised very high. Even if you do not meet an extremely high and somewhat unrealistic goal, it is always good to try to get as close to it as possible, to keep you striving for perfection. This is something that I tell the girls on a daily basis - to be the best you can be, to reach for the stars! Besides, with a little bit of luck, anything is possible.
Boys Soccerwith Head Coach Kelly Lusk
5 Things to Know About CoachingA Page of Our Top Memories and Why We Love Coaching
1One of the hardest things about coaching is keeping everyone interested. As with any group
of third grade boys, our team has been very easily distracted. One game we even looked over to find our three subs sitting on the ground along the side-lines with cones on their heads while the game was being played.
5 Confidence is a huge part of the game, especially for nine year olds who have
never played before. If you don’t think that they’re good and capable of scoring, they won’t either. It took one of our players an entire year to get a good, solid shot on goal, and when he did, you would have thought he just won the World Cup. He was so excited and happy. It was one of the best parts of the season to see his inter-est for the game increase as his level of confidence rose.
4 Winning isn’t everything. It’s important to be posi-
tive and stress the need to have fun rather than focus on beating other teams. There are three things that shape any sports season for a coach:1. Learning and Improving2. Having Fun3. Winning
sports
2It’s really important to teach the kids disci-pline and a good work ethic. Playing sports
is mostly for fun, but the kids have to take it seriously in order to learn and excel. One way we teach discipline is by working the kids hard with running exercises like long runs and sprints. If the boys aren’t listening, we make them run - which almost any team at FHS has probably experienced during their season.
Sam Brott and Jordan Sharpe ‘11Sports Editor and Editor-in-Chief
We love coaching. About a year ago today, we began coaching a third grade boys soccer team for FPYC and we’ve had a very positive experience. Here’s a quick snapshot of our past two seasons. Who knows? Maybe after reading you’ll even want to coach yourself.
We really do love it. Even when they’re joking around and going wild, we know that they’re having fun and loving it just as much. If you ever want to coach, nine-year-olds is a great age to start with.
3 A key to winning in youth soccer is posi-tioning. We focus a lot on where everybody
needs to be and what to do in various situa-tions. Once they learn to spread out and use the entire field, we help them develop basic smarts so that they can be in the right place. They are still working on supporting each other on defense and they are continuing to get better at working the ball up the field.
Graphic by Emily Buzzard.
All illustrations by Jordan
Sharpe and Sam Brott.
28.
29.
sports
This past February, Fairfax senior Travis Lauri swam the 100 freestyle at the state preliminaries for swim and dive held in Virginia Beach and
placed third. During his race, he wore two caps, a tradition that he says mentally helps him in his races through consistency. Unknown to Lauri, though, there had been a recent rule change that banned wearing two caps in a Virginia High School League competition.
The National Federation of High School Association handbook clearly states the rule that every swimmer’s suit must be one piece and every swimmer is only allowed one suit. Only recently did the Virginia High School League choose to interpret this rule as including the cap. With this interpretation, swimmers would also only be allowed one cap in competition. The VHSL is one of very few leagues with this rule interpretation. Lauri commented on this, saying, “I had no idea of this rule, along with probably half the swimmers at the meet, mainly because it doesn’t exist anywhere else in swimming - USA Swimming, FINA, NCAA.”
Not only is the rule interpretation contradictory to many leagues, but most of the northern region coaches were never informed of the change. “The Northern region never heard of or enforced this rule interruption, as we explained to the officials,” Fairfax Swim and Dive Coach Meredith Harris said, “If officials are there to help athletes, they should have given him and the other swimmers disqualified for this rule interruption a second chance.”
Despite the swimmers’ and coaches’ pleas, the disqualification still stood. “The officials said this ruling wasn’t even arguable when we tried to petition it,” stated Lauri. In the VHSL petitions are permitted and are equally considered and reviewed for any questionable disqualification. Whether or not this disqualification was “fair,” Lauri was not allowed to swim the 100m freestyle finals, hindering him from a potential medal and a state victory.
It doesn’t take much investigative reporting to write a story about the weaknesses of the Washington Nationals. The team has only been out of last place one time in their six years so far in D.C., and have only one non-losing season in those years, when they won just as many as they lost in 2005.
Even though Nationals fans can’t exactly count on a winning team this year, there’s no reason that going to a baseball game won’t still be a great thing to do this spring. So here are three reasons why Nationals Park is the place to be this season – even if the team can’t win.
2: The Racing PresidentsWhat could be better than watching four deceased world leaders
stumbling around the outfield? Not much. And you know it has to be good when the P.A. Announcer introduces the race as “The Main Event.” That’s right; the Racing Presidents are more interesting than the Nationals themselves.
1: The Seat of Your ChoiceIf you’ve ever seen a Nationals game on TV, you know that in almost any given game there will only be a little
more than half the stadium filled. Now in most cases, people would consider this a bad thing. But one positive of all these empty seats is the traditional art of “Moving Up.” Feel free to buy seats in the upper deck, and then “Move Up” to a nice empty section down low. Make sure you don’t accidentally take a seat that someone is sitting in, though. That can get awkward.
3: The ParkNationals Park is one of the nicest ballparks in the country. Every
seat is pretty close to the field, and there are clear sightlines to the action everywhere you walk, so you won’t be able to miss a second of the game!
On second thought, though, with the Nationals maybe it would be best if people couldn’t see everything going on in the field…
Like the Nats, Teddy Roosevelt never seems to win. Photo courtesy of David Carlson.
Walker Carlson ‘13Sports Editor
Winning Isn’t Everything
Swim Caps Keep Lauri from State TitleThe senior swimmer was disqualified because of a little-known rule
Nikki Strickland ‘13Copy Editor
humor
April, the month characterized by the new life of spring and the thaw of the world from the
frigid winter months, is often a wel-come change. In addition to the baby birds and young fawns wandering the newly awakened spring foliage, prank-sters are also out in force to celebrate one of the most funniest days of the year, April 1st, often referred to as April Fools’ Day.
April Fools’ Day is characterized by an overall feeling of jocularity as well as widespread pranking and joking around. In case you are new to the festivities of April Fools’ Day, the whole point of this wondrous holiday is to trick someone and then exclaim, “APRIL FOOLS” thus effectively prank-ing or “fooling” them.
There are a plethora of ways one can celebrate April Fools’ Day. One can tell jokes or dress in goofy outfits. The day is essentially a celebration of hilarity and jovi-ality, but sometimes is taken too far. April Fools’ Day has also acquired an infamous reputation for being the
day where a large number of pranks get played on unwitting people.
Not all of these pranks end in a hurtful way though, sometimes they are just meant to shine a ray of jovial sunshine on what can be a strange transition of seasons. For example, the TV show, The One Show on BBC One did a segment on cloned unicorns but later revealed that it was nothing more than a prank news report to celebrate April Fools’ Day. The internet giant Google also has pulled its fair share of April Fools pranks, such as announcing a new search engine that reads minds in 2000 and the fictitious Google Gulp drink in 2005.
So no matter who you are or what you do to celebrate April Fools’ Day, we need to preserve the integrity of this
holiday, we need to remember not to take things too far and do everything in the spirit of good will and fun.
What is April Fools’?
This shocking new develop-ment has students and teach-ers all across Fairfax County
overflowing with excitement. “It’s unbelievable! Who would
have thought that high school students would be able to read and speak simultaneously?” exclaimed FHS Junior Brittney Coleman; “this truly is a remarkable progression in the field of education.”
The ability to read and speak at the same time, a combination previ-ously thought to be impossible, has enabled many Fairfax High School students to nearly triple their leisure time. “I’ve got a lot of free time, now that I’ve figured out how to read and speak at the same time. I can do whatever I want! Like bowling. Or shampooing my hair more efficiently,” said FHS senior Amanda Kelley.
It was Mrs. Carol Lambert, an
English teacher at Fairfax High School, who first discovered this astonishing phenomenon. During one of her classes, while students were supposed to be reading and discussing the classic novel Wuther-ing Heights, all of a sudden she real-ized the incredible feat her students were achieving. Her shock could hardly be contained; “It’s never been done by humans before! We need to have the media come in and see this.”
This truly has been a ground-breaking month for our school, the state of Virginia, and the entire world.
Local researchers are hopeful that perhaps, one day, the kids at Fairfax High School will be able to walk -- and talk-- at the same time.
“Students finally learn to read and speak at the same time”
Matt Reihing ‘11Commentary Editor
Jordan Rummel ‘11Art Director
AP English Language and Compo-sition teacher Mrs. Carol Lambert, knows how to read and speak, and she only wishes her students could do the same. Photo by Jordan Rummel.
31.
‘
On
Mar
ch 2
5, th
e Fa
irfa
x H
igh
Scho
ol S
cien
ce
Oly
mpi
ad te
am w
ill b
e co
mpe
ting
for t
he fi
rst p
lace
sta
te
title
, in
hope
s of
adv
anci
ng to
th
e na
tiona
l tou
rnam
ent.
The
te
am w
ill b
e up
aga
inst
som
e st
iff
com
petit
ion.
“TJ
and
Lan
gley
are
ou
r big
gest
com
petit
ion
beca
use
they
hav
e gr
eat r
esou
rces
and
tr
aditi
onal
ly h
ave
been
goo
d,”
said
Juni
or A
dity
a M
azm
udar
. A
t th
e La
ngle
y Re
gion
al T
ourn
amen
t, Fa
irfa
x pl
aced
2nd
and
4th
, with
TJ
taki
ng h
ome
the
1st,
3rd,
and
5t
h pl
ace
trop
hies
.Sc
ienc
e O
lym
piad
is a
bout
ex
plor
ing
our i
ndiv
idua
l str
engt
hs
and
inte
rest
s an
d th
en c
ombi
n-in
g th
em in
ord
er to
do
our b
est i
n in
tens
e sc
ienc
e-ba
sed
even
ts, s
aid
Seni
or te
am c
apta
ins A
lex
Kuc
k an
d M
inah
il A
min
. Ea
ch te
am m
embe
r w
ill c
ompe
te in
up
to fi
ve e
vent
s at
the
stat
e co
mpe
titio
ns.
All
of
the
even
ts r
equi
re a
sig
nific
ant
amou
nt o
f pre
para
tion,
whe
ther
th
ey b
e ev
ents
that
requ
ires
som
e-th
ing
to b
e bu
ilt in
pre
para
tion,
or
know
ledg
e ev
ents
whe
re c
ompe
ti-to
rs ta
ke a
test
at t
he c
ompe
titio
n.
For e
xam
ple,
in th
e O
rnith
olog
y ev
ent,
com
petit
ors
need
to b
e ab
le to
iden
tify
185
bird
s by
thei
r pic
ture
s an
d ca
lls.
The
team
has
bee
n w
orki
ng s
ince
Oct
ober
, and
the
mem
bers
hop
e th
eir
wor
k w
ill p
ay o
ff at
the
stat
e co
mpe
titio
n “I
like
Sci
ence
Oly
mpi
ad b
ecau
se
it’s
very
com
petit
ive,
and
it’s
so fu
lfilli
ng w
hen
you
win
,” M
azm
udar
sai
d.
Em
ily S
tone
‘12
Feat
ures
and
Man
agin
g Ed
itor
Sci
ence
Oly
mpi
ans
Pre
pare
for
Sta
te C
ompe
titi
on
At th
e reg
iona
l com
petit
ion,
th
ree t
eam
s fro
m Fa
irfax
com
-pe
ted
and
30 of
the 3
9 m
em-
bers
took
hom
e med
als.
Juni
ors K
enny
Land
on a
nd R
ohan
Desh
muk
h co
mpe
ted
in th
e “To
wers
”
even
t. B
efor
e the
com
petit
ion,
they
had
to b
uild
a b
alsa
woo
d to
wer.
At
the e
vent
, the
y tes
ted
the w
eigh
t the
towe
r cou
ld h
old.
“Our
car h
ad to
pus
h a
cup
out
thre
e m
eter
s, go
bac
k sev
en m
e-te
rs a
nd ge
t as c
lose
to a
cent
ral
poin
t as p
ossib
le,”
said
Juni
or
Adity
a M
azm
udar
.
Juni
or Ji
soo J
ung a
nd Ju
nior
Chr
istin
a
Kim
com
pete
d in
the F
oren
sics e
vent
.
“The
y give
us a
fake
crim
e sce
ne, a
nd w
e
have
to a
nalyz
e diff
eren
t pow
ders
and
evid
ence
to so
lve th
e crim
e,” K
im sa
id.
In th
e “W
rite I
t Do I
t” ev
ent,
one p
artn
er h
as 2
5 m
inut
es to
writ
e a
desc
riptio
n of
a co
mbi
natio
n of
smal
l pi
eces
like
lego
s and
pip
e cle
aner
s. T
heir
partn
er th
en h
as 2
0 m
inut
es to
rebu
ild
the c
ombi
natio
n ba
sed
on th
eir
partn
er’s
desc
riptio
n.
Phot
o by
Em
ily S
tone
, and
cour
tesy
of M
rs. W
illia
ms.