After 12 years on the Booster Club, eight of those as the organization’s president, parent Mark Wannen is step-ping down from his post as his young-est daughter, senior Caroline Wannen, graduates.

“Mr. Wannen will be greatly missed by our Athletic Department and our school community. I would venture to say that no other parent volunteer has given as much as him to Blake High School, in terms of time and energy,” says Athletic Director Jared Fribush. “The last couple of years, he has taken on more roles within the Booster Club than one would even remotely expect.”

The Booster Club was originally an all-school club that supported everything

extracurricular, but over the years, it has evolved into a sports-only club, providing over half of the funds for the athletic de-partment’s student-athletes and coaches. Expenses include necessities such as uniforms, officials, and transportation.

In addition to fundraising efforts, the Booster Club also provides conces-sions to spectators and provides parent helpers at various events and projects. “[The Booster Club makes] athletic events a fun experience for parents and families,” says Mr. Wannen. “We make Blake a great place to watch a game by helping maintain the fields and equipment and supporting events like graduation and After Prom.”

At this point, there is nobody to fill Mr. Wannen’s shoes. Says Mr. Fribush, “We really need a number of parent vol-

unteers to help fill his various roles...Mr. Wannen has given his time, knowledge, and networking skills to our school and Athletic Department, and I am not sure we will continue unless numerous parents step up to fill his roles.”

Adds Mr. Wannen, “Get involved! If you only have one child or if you have four, these years are fleeting! The county doesn’t provide enough funds to have decent uniforms and great facilities like Blake.”

Mr. Wannen’s role in the Booster Club began when he was a freshman par-ent working the stand at football games as alumnus Kyle Wannen played on the JV Football team. “High school was a new experience for [my wife] Lois and me as parents too,” he says. Since then, Mr. Wannen has overseen projects such

as the installation of Bermuda Grass on the Field Hockey and main stadium fields, the funding of the scoreboards in the gym and the fields, and the Mulch Sale and Golf Tournaments.

As membership of the club de-creased, Mr. Wannen took on more re-sponsibilities, stocking and working the concession stand, serving on the Mulch Sale and Golf Tournament committees, overseeing the monthly meetings, assist-ing in keeping the accounting records of the Booster Club, and more.

“I’m pretty sure I’ll be here next fall helping in the concession stand. There are lots of alumni parents in the Friday Night Crew,” says Mr. Wannen, “[I’m] not sure what we’ll do with ourselves in our spare time but Lois and I will stay fans of Blake forever.”

1:40:00The students sit clustered around five hexagonal

tables. Movie posters, successes of the past, line the room. Snapshots of famous figures. Hepburn. Beatty. Welles. High on the wall at the front of the classroom, a name that carries weight is spelled out in black block lettering:

“ Eubie TV.”Blake’s famed television program began this par-

ticular Friday with a loss. The results of Wednesday’s Arts Festival had come in and Eubie TV did not place. In a room filled with some of the more outspoken students in the school, there was silence. Teacher John Ovington spoke.

“Now you know that this matters. Because some-body has an award hanging in their studio this morning and we don’t.”

The other entries are played. Criticisms fly. They are sharp and almost always followed by laughter. After all, if there’s one fact that unites this eclectic group it’s that they are all Bengals.

1:15:00They are led by television teacher extraordinaire

Susan Knott. In her tenth year at Blake, Ms. Knott is still

well aware of what it takes to make the news and why it matters. “The audience is the entire school so sometimes it’s difficult to see the whole picture and the whole audi-ence. It’s an audience of over 1800 people that are watch-ing this and they’re all looking for something different within the news.”

1:00:00Back to the classroom. Notes are taken: what was

done well, what was done poorly. What could be improved. New ideas. Next, hands are raised and those ideas enter the stratosphere, eventually approved or shot down. The environment is lively, passionate, energetic. It’s like no other classroom.

“Every class is a discussion,” says senior Payton Harbour. “It’s very open. We discuss new things. We don’t want the same old, same old.”

A voice enters the discussion from the corner of the room. It is strong, confident. It brings new ideas, chimes in on others and offers a sense of direction. The voice be-longs to senior Danielle Snowden. The four year television student with her hood up seems to know what she’s doing. She knows the pressure. “The pressure is definitely high because we have one period to get the news done every single day,” says Snowden. “We never miss a news day. Period. It’s hard but we get better and better at adjusting every day.”

0:30:00The analysis ends and work must begin. The news

waits for no one. This is the only school in the area that does the news every day and does it live. So work be-gins.

Positions are assigned (17 in all) and the clusters break up. Everyone has a job to do. There are two students working on music, a group story boarding for next week. In the studio, sophomore Nate Steinman is the director for today. There are the anchors, reciting their lines over and over. There is a method to the madness.

0:15:00The stress in the room is palpable. The clock on

the wall is a constant reminder of the deadline that inches ever closer. Suggestions turn to orders and practice turns to perfect.

Perfection is the goal, but in a program with so many parts, that’s nearly unattainable. “When there are problems—and because it’s such an involved production there’s going to be problems—those problems are what people see,” adds Ms. Knott. “They don’t see all the dif-ferent aspects that went into putting on the production on a daily basis.”

0:00:02 It’s time. Steinman speaks. “Cue.”

by Janine Tairax

by Michael Errigo & Zema Meseretux

Section B James Hubert Blake High School May 17, 2013

Design students work the runway for family, friends at annual fashion show, p. B4

A day behind the scenes at Eubie TV

School community finally says goodbye to tireless leader of 12 years

The pressure is on as Eubie TV makes the final edits on the day’s news episode. The student-run news program is produced live every day of the week. --Photo by Stephen Han

No other volunteer has given as much as him to Blake High School.Athletic Director Jared Fribush

May 17, 2013 The Blake BeatB2

Seniors Cecelia Kwakye and Greg Chaimson have landed full-tuition college awards after completing a round of com-petitive interviews with the Posse Foundation.

“It’s a cool opportunity that doesn’t come around often. I get to go somewhere completely new and different, with nine other really awesome people for a fraction of the cost,” says Kwakye, who committed to Grin-nell College in Iowa. “It was my first choice of the six Posse DC schools,” she adds.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the average amount of financial aid granted to students applying to college in 2012 was $7,680. With that being said, most stu-dents have a hard time believing that a scholarship paying for more than fifty percent of under-graduate expenses even exists.

“These organizations team up with Posse to try and bring in diversity,” says college and career coordinator Kathy Moore. In fact, such a thing did not ex-ist until 1989, when the Posse Foundation was created. Since the foundation’s initial estab-lishment, it has also extended a

branch to Washington, DC, al-lowing students from all corners of the metro area the chance to apply.

“We have been very lucky...We had 20 kids going forward in this competition,” Mrs. Moore adds. Kwakye and Chaimson, who advanced through the inter-view round, have both committed to attending their Posse schools.

While most scholarships demand a 1000-word essay in response to a broad question, the Posse scholarship has a system of interview rounds. “It’s those that take it to the next level that get considered,” says Mrs. Moore, “They’re looking for team play-

ers, someone who can lead with-out being bossy.”

The first round consists of quick interviews with around 600 students. Those fortunate enough to make it to the second round interview along with the other finalists with Posse staff members and representatives from the specific schools. “The interviews are so much fun within themselves,” says Kwakye. “Plus I have learned so much about who I am as a person, and about others.”

Previous Posse scholar-ship winner and 2012 Blake alumnus David Hylton currently attends Pepperdine University in

California. “As a homosexual, I really made my case during the Posse application process that if I was chosen to attend there,” says Hylton, “I would be fulfilling the Posse mission to change these schools for the better building a better, more welcoming com-munity for Pepperdine’s LGBT students.”

Chaimson, who will be attending Bucknell University in Pennsylvania, appreciates the scholarship for more than the fi-nancial benefit. He says, “Being a Posse scholar means that you are part of a family who supports you for the rest of your life.”

by Kate Campbell& Sophie Hyman x

Lucrative scholarship granted to seniors bestows free education

Leisure World Kiwanis presents senior Key Club awardsStudents recognized for long, outstanding service

Seniors Fenguese Pierre, Azalia Hernandez and Christina Glasgow will formally accept their Kiwanis Club scholarships at a luncheon today at the Leisure World campus in Leesburg, Virginia.

Long-term members of the Key Club with a GPA of 2.4 or higher automatically qualify for the scholarships their senior year. The application includes a form and one essay in which applicants describe themselves and their career aspirations. Students with more SSL hours are more likely to be awarded these scholarships. Grants vary per student, based on each individual’s financial needs.

Pierre is being awarded the Reindeau Memorial Scholarship for full tu-ition and full mandatory costs at St. Mary’s of Maryland. A Key Club member veteran, Pierre says she applied for the scholarship after a Kiwanis Foundation adviser came to a club meeting. “When I applied for the scholarship, I already knew where I was going to go,” says Pierre.

Hernandez received the anonymously-awarded scholarship, full tuition and mandatory costs. Hernandez is excited to accept the scholarship. She says, “It really helps my parents because they don’t have to worry about what to do for college [now].” Hernandez, a former cheerleader and Stage Company member, will attend the University of Maryland at College Park and major in special education.

Glasgow, a two-year Key Club member, will be awarded the Sullivan Memorial Scholarship for $5,000. While at Blake, Glasgow has been involved in Black Coffee Society, Debate Club, Tennis, Track & Field and SGA. Glas-gow was accepted to Marymount College as well as Stevenson University, and plans to enroll at Montgomery College in the fall.

Pierre cites the Key Club as an essential part of getting the scholar-ship. “Key Club gives you a lot of opportunities for leadership positions,” says Pierre, who served as Secretary of Key Club during her sophomore year, president during her junior year, and lieutenant governor for all Key Clubs in Montgomery County her senior year.

College and career information coordinator Katherine Moore and prin-cipal Christopher Berry will accompany the seniors to the celebration. Mrs. Moore says that the Leisure World Kiwanis tends to sponsor schools within the state of Maryland. Adds Mrs. Moore, “The Kiwanis Club provides scholarship opportunities from $1000 to full tuition for students in Key Club branches at Blake and at Albert Einstein High School.”

Seniors Fenguese Pierre (top), Christina Glasgow (left), and Azalia Hernandez (right) are the winners of the Kiwanis scholarships this year. --Photos by Sami Wright

by Tabi Orock & Darien Watersx

It really helps my parents because they don’t have to worry about

what to do for college [anymore].Azalia Hernandez

May 17, 2013 The Blake Beat B3

What is teal, pink and striped all over? Linda’s Lun-cheonette! From interior de-signer to food truck owner, Linda Kushner has successfully brought her dream to life by be-coming part of the food service industry.

Once Mrs. Kushner de-cided to put down the design books and pick up the spatula, she knew there was a lot of work to come, including market research, hunting down permits and licenses...the list goes on and on. Mrs. Kushner says, “It’s been a lot of work in trying to figure out the numbers.” She spent six

hard months prior to doing any work with the truck itself by just researching and figuring out everything that she needed.

Along with all of the prep-aration, Mrs. Kushner needed to hire more hands to help on the truck. After finding Linda’s Luncheonette on Craig’s List, Victor Mugo, a Blake alumnus from the class of 2009 and graduate from Le Cordon Blue, interviewed with Mrs. Kushner, who decided he would be perfect

for the job. Mrs. Kushner enjoys having Mugo around. She says, “He brings a nice young fresh talent to the table.”

Once Mugo found out about Linda’s Luncheonette he jumped on the opportunity. “I’ve always wanted to work in a food truck,” he says. Mugo shows no regret and looks forward to continuing this journey.

Mugo at first was not sure what he wanted to do with his life after graduating high school

and spending a year in Africa right after. Once he returned to the states he made a spontane-ous decision to go to a culinary institute. “It’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made in my life,” he says.

Perseverance was a key part of the process. After the truck was built, it still had many problems like multiple diesel leaks, gas tank problems, and water leaks which took at least 6 trips total to Manassas, Virginia

to get work done on the truck. All of the bumps along

the way provided a challenge for Mrs. Kushner, and took a lot of energy out of her. She says, “It took a lot of research, a lot of help from friends and fam-ily and a whole lot of drive and hard work.” Through the use of the Kickstarter program she was able to raise over $20,000 to help get the project off the ground.

Mrs . Kushner looks forward to being able to sell comfort food on Montgomery County’s newest food truck. This includes mac and cheese, turkey meatloaf and a trio of sliders which are the most popular meal on the truck.

Linda’s Luncheonette drives comfort food straight into Montgomery County

by Zach Kushnerx

Bengal mom helps satisfy student hunger with great grub on the go

Twenty-two students returned to Silver Spring with broadened per-spectives after spending seven days exploring Spain and Morocco, visiting the Royal Palace, Plaza Mayor, The Prada, Toledo, Mijas, and Costa del Sol, among other places.

Spending their spring break abroad, these select students were able to experience new cultures alongside friends as they discovered new types of food, people, religion, transporta-tion, and lifestyles. Says junior Alana Kominski, “It was honestly one of the best experiences of my life so far.”

Adds senior Deanna Chirigos, “It’s a new and different experience to get away from the normal Maryland.”

Junior Nicole Barriga loves to learn about new cultures and visit new countries, and recommends the trip to her fellow students. “It’s a great cultural experience,” she says. “Those who es-pecially love to travel should definitely go.” Barriga plans on continuing to explore other countries in the future.

Sponsors—transition support teacher Beth Shepherd and French teacher Patricia Kompare—volunteered to take the group of students abroad. “I love to travel, see new places and meet interesting people,” says Ms. Shepherd.

Many students took advantage of the new setting, practicing their Spanish with native speakers. “Having taken Spanish helped a lot when it came to or-dering food and even just talking to the locals,” says Kominski, “even though most of them were very friendly and spoke some English, they loved when we talked to them in Spanish.”

Another notable feature of the city was the intricately carved designs in the walls, characteristic of Spanish architecture. “In Spain you would have trouble finding a building without a beautiful design,” says junior Greg Bell.

The group traveled from place to place by high-speed train, ferry, plane, and camel. Says senior Natasha Virjee, “The most interesting part was, strangely enough, the different modes of transportation we used.”

Students were fully immersed in Spanish and Moroccan culture, and learned a few things about the countries’ inhabitants. “The biggest difference between the places is that here people tend to keep to themselves and try their best not to interact with others around them,” adds junior Tanner Williams. “In Spain and Morocco people saw you, smiled, and said hello even if they didn’t know who you were. They were a lot friendlier.”

“The people in Morocco live an overall slower-paced life and are very community oriented,” adds junior Ash-ley Sheibaniagdam.

After a taste of the outside world, participants stepped off the plane in Maryland, eager to fly across the At-lantic on another day. Says junior Sarah Bridegum, “I would go back any day. The people were nice, the city and the beaches were beautiful.”

“There can’t be just one favorite experience or memory,” says Ms. Kom-pare. “Each conversation, each smile, each question from students [was] filled with the excitement of students thrilled to be exploring a new world.”

Bengals get taste of foreign culturesby Ann Cirincione& Janine Tairax

Students pose while visiting Spain over Spring break 2013. --Photo provided by Sarah Bridegum

Students span southern sites, appreciate more about black history Today, not many young people have a clear idea of

how a single person or a group of individuals stood up for ideals that are now taken for granted.

Living through the years 1954-1968 was a trial, and the Civil Rights Movement field trip allowed students to take a deeper look into its significance.

Over spring break, seven students from Blake and 19 students from E. L. Haynes Public Charter School in the District ventured through Alabama and Georgia, treading the same footsteps as civil rights activists during the 1950s and 60s. Says freshman Nicholas Moskov, “It was a great experience… a great way to get in touch with what my people had to [endure] to [obtain] rights that we as African Americans have now.”

African-American History teacher Dustin Jeter knew the trip would enrich his class. “It was one of those extra

experiences that you always want to provide for your students,” says Mr. Jeter.

The 26 students and teachers traveled from Atlanta, Georgia to Tuskegee, Alabama, and from Montgomery to Selma, to Birmingham, Alabama. Students had the privilege to traverse the Edmund Pettus Bridge while accompanied by civil rights activist Joanne Bland, who marched in and was assaulted on the day of Bloody Sun-day. Says junior Keith Chen, “People I didn’t know stood up for me then, so I can do anything I want to now, and I appreciate it.”

“[The best reward for the students was] the empow-erment of knowing that they too could make the same impact as all of the people that we learned about,” says Mr. Jeter. Students have both ethnicity and youth in common with the Civil Rights activists during the 60’s and 50’s.

Students realized that they take many things for granted that previous generations obtained at a high price.

Chen believes this trip was a necessary learning experience because his future would not be possible if it were not for the brave individuals of the 50s. Says Chen, “People need a reality check because when you act [out] or don’t care about [what we have]… remember the sacrifices made just for that.”

“The civil rights movement was a collection of ac-tions taken by mainly young people,” says Mr. Jeter, “so I wanted to challenge them to understand the power they had as young people and show them examples of how they could change the world.”

For Moskov, it was shocking to see of the vast amount of hate groups in the United States, and to learn that 17 currently exist in Maryland. Moskov says his most revered experience was going to the Southern Poverty Law Center. Says Moskov, “They track current day hate groups… That’s really crazy that in 2013 there is still so much hate.”

by Danny Gonzalez x

Spring has many events and fun memories in store, so to be prepared we have compiled a few essentials and our top makeup picks for this season.

Spring is all about being laid back and free flowing, so what better way to do that than with go-to essentials?

Sunglasses—this might be a no brainer, but we want you try some new sunglasses trends this spring. Going for bright colored sunglasses will make you stand out, but a vintage pair will pull to-gether any outfit. We love Urban Outfitter’s Arched Metal Mix Sunglasses that are an affordable $16.

Even though we think of the sun and the warmth spring brings, we forget that spring can also be breezy. So a leather moto jacket is perfect for flinging on over a spring dress or even on a girls night out. We recommend Forever 21’s Perforated Faux Leather Moto Jacket, which goes for just $37.80.

Making a statement and adding some color is big this spring, so that’s why we threw in the neon cross body. It is easy to carry and fits only what you need. We think Steve Madden’s Bluuna Crossbody Satchel is perfect and a steal at $57.99.

Comfy and versatile, investing in a leather sandal is important because you won’t ever have to deal with those embar-rassing torn sandal moments. Zara’s Flat Crossover Sandal is timeless at a price

of $79.90.Now that you have all your essen-

tials to go, here are some of our top picks for spring makeup.

You really don’t want to be bogged down with heavy foundations in the spring. If you still want even skin and a beautiful glow go for BB cream. This product is both light and moisturizing. Our top pick for BB cream is Dr.Jart+’s Water Fuse Beauty Balm SPF 25 is $34 and great because its SPF protects against the sun’s harsh rays.

Bronzer is great for the springtime because it adds some glow to your skin and blends well with any skin color. Our top pick for bronzers is the Nars Laguna Bronzer because it blends beautifully for $36.

Rosy cheeks are perfect for spring because they brighten any face. This spring we love the coral cheeks trend. It is a mix of pink and peachy undertones. Our top pick is Benefit’s Cha Cha Tint, available for $30. We love Benefit’s cheek and lip tints because they are two products in one, and they soak into your skin and make your blush look natural and seamless.

Chapped lips are not appealing in any season, so fight back with a lip scrub. They are fun to use and work really well with making your lips feel baby-soft to the touch. Our top pick is Lush’s Lip Scrub in Sweet Lips, which is $9.95. Lush has a variety of different flavored lip scrubs but Sweet Lips is perfect for spring because of its sweet-like-sugar taste.

May 17, 2013 The Blake BeatB4

How to make your outfit shine like the sun with some great Spring styleLaguna bronzer, faux leather jackets among many keys to keeping it real

by Tara Adhatamsootra & Brittany Hargravex

Models strut down catwalk with classX-Pressions Fashion Show “X”hibits original designs

X-Pressions’ shows are not just about models strutting down a runway in heels; a lot of work is put into making the clothes, getting the models fit-ted, and organizing the show in general.

The preparation for Blake’s X-Pressions Fashion Show started with a group of people auditioning for the modeling positions. The mod-els were judged based on their walk, posture, and attitude. The designers and models alike had been gearing up for the big night of the Fashion Show since September.

The clothing lines ranged from black and white, to vi-brant seaside, to Victorian-era, to modern grunge. The variety within each style kept the au-dience engaged and excited. “I thought there was great diversity among all the dif-ferent lines,” says Principal Christopher Berry. “[This has] been one of the best events this entire year.”

The audience got a taste of not only the models and the designers’ clothing, but also some dancing performed by Fuego Latino and by the Hip-Hop Club. “[There were] many diverse types of artists, designers, models, and danc-ers all rolled up into one,” says sophomore Luis Zuluaga, a member of the audience. “The dance companies really brought spunk to the show.”

This year, s tudents weren’t the only ones strutting down the runway. Through Blake’s Next Top Model, teachers also got to be a part of the modeling experience. “It was very entertaining,” says sophomore Cheldone Jones. The winners were Nancy Aus-lander, an English teacher and Fashion X Model Coordinator, and English teacher Omari Daniel.

Models and designers have to be willing to put them-selves out there not only to the oohing fans but also to the harsh critics. “You can gain a lot of skills through modeling that can be applied in life,” adds Mrs. Auslander. “You need to have the confidence to present yourself well in a lot of situations.”

Designing outfits is a difficult task, considering all of the other school responsi-bilities that come with it. The designers buy all of their own fabric and make the clothes on their own time. “I procrastinate and, at the last minute, I stress out,” says designer Emma Bahi, a junior. “You have to think [a lot] about what you put on your outfits.”

After-school practice puts a strain on the models’ time as well. “[Practice] has made it complicated to stay focused,” says model Everse Pullen, a senior. “I get less sleep and have to practice a lot,” adds model Tyler Goins, a senior. “I can’t take naps on the days we have practice!”

by Bronwyn Evans & Kloe Johnson x

Seniors Dorian Purse and Nora Adjah-Provecnal strut their stuff on the runway at the X-Pressions Fashion Show. The show featured the original designs from Blake students. --Photos by Becca Schwartz

Spring is all about being laid back and free flowing.

May 17, 2013The Blake Beat B5

How to make your outfit shine like the sun with some great Spring styleLaguna bronzer, faux leather jackets among many keys to keeping it real

Like many people who use art as an outlet for sharing their creative perspectives, sophomore Sarah Ajih uses art to express a variety of emotions and com-municate a multitude of ideas.

In a recent two-week project, Ajih really felt her artwork conveyed herself as a person. The project required the use of multiple art mediums, or materials, to create a self-expression portrait. Says Ajih, “My favorite part was the face because there were lyrics inte-grated into [it] and there were bold colors that represented the many layers of my personality.”

The bold colors, meaningful lyrics, and differ-ing materials all combine to help express who she is as an individual. “I’m a very carefree but soft-spoken person, so I think it fulfilled its purpose,” she says. Ajih strategically used the fine wording and unconventional mediums within the face to draw attention to the mood and make this the focal point.

The aspiring artist tries to keep each of her

pieces original and fresh by exercising different tech-niques with the same media, or material. However, to keep a consistency within her work, she always likes to exaggerate something within the piece to use as the main focal point. Despite the variation from edgy, modern patterns to smooth, powerful natures within her different pieces, one can come to recognize Ajih’s pieces through her exaggerations of the hair, body features, or color.

The multitude of techniques used throughout her work stem from her main inspiration, Frida Kahlo.

“Throughout her life she expressed her pains and strug-gles through paint-ings that convey a message without

being too blunt about it,” says Ajih. Since the eighth grade, Ajih has hoped that her own artwork would com-municate her ideas as powerfully as Kahlo’s has.

Ajih’s dedication and determination is apparent when observing her artwork. The thought process that goes into bringing each piece to life, she creates allows everyone to catch onto the exact idea she is striving to convey.

by Emily Tempchinx

Sophomore Sarah Ajih

Signature programs displayed proudlyFestival of Arts showcases unique artistic talents

From visual arts to history of the arts, dance perfor-mances to music performances, and spoken presentations to play scenes, the talent and discipline of Blake’s students were on display during the Festival of the Arts.

The event occurred Friday, April 12th, in the evening. Each sector of the arts department displayed a sampling of the work they specialize in. The hallways were transformed into galleries for visual arts, while the amphi-theater served as stage for a rotating list of presentations.

Attendees included friends and family of the featured stu-dents, as well as community members interested in Blake’s departments.

For Studio Art students, the festival also presented an opportunity to only demonstrate but to sell their hard work. Senior AP Studio Art student Andrew Latona put 25 of his pieces for sale, each of which was a product of dedication outside the classroom. Says Latona, “[selling the pieces] is a chance to reconcile my artistry and business skills in a way that I know I can use in the future.”

Within the humanities department, some of students of AP Art History got to show off some of their art analysis projects. Art History is a course offered for the first time this year, taught by Modern World teacher Emily Morales. Says Morales, “I’m really glad we were featured in the festival… I wanted to raise awareness that the class existed… And hopefully have freshman take it next year.”

Two groups that night gave audiences a chance to see award-winning demonstrations. Performing Arts A Cappella group put on a serenaded spectators three songs- ‘Danny Boy’, ‘From There’, and ‘Non Nobis Domine’, all previously performed in a competitive showcase. Senior Julia Dennis, the group president, says “The performance we presented to the judges was filled with joy and heartfelt lyrics. [Our exceptional performance] was confirmed by our superior rating.” The We the People... team exhibited historical and political speeches that have earned them win-ning status in many competitions at the levels of regional and beyond.

The teachers were among the spectators of this event, and enjoyed themselves thoroughly. Art teacher Michelle Land, a newcomer to Blake, was impressed with the caliber of her students work and the department as a whole. Says Land, “It’s great to see all the students’ work up and it’s inspiring to see all the student’s work come to fruition…as an outsider, Blake’s artists are amazing, the show is better than what I’ve seen at other high schools.”

Seniors Andrew Latona (top), Ashlin Lee (bottom left), and Sophomore Karina Acevedo (bottom right) show off their artistic talents at the Festival of Arts. Whether it be photography, painting, ceramics, music, or more, the students at Blake displayed their best work from this year. --Photos by Marina McCaney

by Danny Gonzalez & Marina McCaneyx

Ajih finds right combination with art, lyrics

May 17, 2013 The Blake BeatB6Seniors do Dr. Seuss impression for scholarship opportunityLewanda, Latona advance to finals with children’s book of own creation

Seniors Jourdan Lewanda and An-drew Latona will travel to the Pepco Edison Art Gallery in Washington, D.C., June 6 for an awards ceremony to find out if their original children’s book will win a scholarship and get published.

The book, Pepper the Porcupine and the Big Parade!, is about a porcupine who wants to be in the yearly parade with his friends, but lacks any sort of musical talent. It was selected as a finalist in the competition. The two seniors collabo-rated for almost three months to put the book together and submitted it at the end of March. “I’m really excited [that we’re finalists],” says Lewanda. “The fact that we’re in the top five out of the Washing-ton, DC-Maryland-Virginia area makes me really proud to be part of it.”

The partners both enjoyed working with each other. Says Lewanda, “[In] any partnership you’re going to have tension, but I definitely think that we work well together and finals projects for us come out very nicely.”

“Jourdan was very helpful and made my job very easy,” adds Latona. “All I had to do was draw the pictures, but she scanned…and uploaded them all and did all the digital work.”

Lewanda, who came up with the idea for the book, wanted to write about a common interest between Latona and herself. “I really wanted to center on a music theme, plus animals would be really fun to draw and write about,” she says.

Throughout the process of putting the book together, both seniors had dif-

ficulties. “[The biggest challenge was] trying to balance artistic expression and what would communicate the idea most obvious for a child,” says Latona. He wanted to create illustrations that would appeal to children without compromising the quality of the artwork.

“Because I decided to write it in rhyme, I needed to make sure I had a

consistent rhyme scheme throughout, which proved to be a lot more difficult than I wanted it to be,” adds Lewanda. “A lot of times I had to write a few drafts before I got the rhyme and the whole thing right.”

In the past, most entries for the competition have been single-person efforts. Lewanda feels that since she

and Latona combined their talents, they have made a good quality book. “We col-laborated together and used both of our strengths,” says Lewanda. “I think that we worked hard enough…that it turned into a really competitive piece.”

Adds Latona, “I think it reads very smoothly, I think it’s got a good message and we put good effort into it.”

by Jacqueline Hymanx

[Our book] reads very smoothy, it’s got a good message, and we put good effort into it.Andrew Latona

Pictured above is the cover and artwork from Latona and Lewanda’s childrens book --Images provided by Jourdan Lewanda

Borris triplets tell all regarding broadening lifestyles, endearing times

Karzai, Campbell share unique experiences with well-known relatives

Blake trio establishes individuality while retaining close brotherly ties Many things have changed for the Borris triplets in their four years at Blake, but

some things will always stay the same: their love for the Redskins, hard rock, and each other.

Back in middle school the Borris triplets --Roman, Romello and Robert--used to dress in the same outfits and spend all their time together, but that changed in high school. “Our clothes represented us,” says youngest Romello Borris. “When we dressed alike we always did stuff together but when we started to dress differently we began doing our

own thing.”The brothers agree that they all have become more independent, spending more

time with people other than each other. “I am more [of an] individual…now than [I was] freshman year,” says the oldest, Robert. “I used to depend more on my brothers, but now I have my own group of friends.”

Being triplets also affects how they deal with high school and friendships in general. Having siblings the same age offers one both study buddies and friends. It also affects how they are seen by other people. “I am usually seen as one of the three instead of an individual,” says Romello.

Having different groups of friends means that the triplets are involved in different clubs and activities, and that makes it hard for them to spend time with each other during the school day. “We don’t spend as much time together at school,” says second-oldest Roman Borris, “so we try to spend as much time as possible together when we are at home.”

Despite spending much more time apart, the triplets have grown closer during activi-ties like listening to music together, playing video games with friends and going to their church’s weekend S.E.A.R.C.H. retreat. “I had a heart-to-heart-to-heart with my brothers at the retreat, and now I understand them much better as people,” says Robert.

However, constantly living with two other people for their entire life is not all sunshine and rainbows, and there are bound to be arguments. “We get along well, and we fight from time to time,” says Roman, “but it is never anything serious and we always make up for it afterwards.”

No matter what happens though, the triplets are always there for each other and always plan to be, because they feel that their brothers will always be supportive. Says Romello, “After going through life changing events, I have come to realize that my broth-ers are always there for me.”

It is not every day that you meet someone who is related to a celebrity or iconic figure; however there are a couple of students at Blake that are very close with their famous relatives.

Junior Tayahd Campbell is the nephew of TV star, author, and singer Tisha Campbell-Martin. Mrs. Campbell-Martin is Tayahd’s father’s sister. She describes their relationship as very close with Tayahd. “He has the same com-

petitive drive in him as I did when I was around his age,” says Mrs. Campbell-Martin.“He is very independent and does not have to rely on anything; if Tayahd wants something he will go and get it.” Distance does not keep the aunt and nephew apart, “Even though we live on different coasts, I fly him out here almost every summer break to spend time with me,” adds Campbell-Martin.

Tayahd admits that although dis-tance makes it hard to see his aunt, it doesn’t keep them from communicating. “I’ll just give her a call or she’ll give me

a call.” He describes his aunt as a hard worker, “She has a lot of energy and she’s a really powerful woman…she’s fantas-tic.” However, having a celebrity family member is not always that easy. Privacy can be an issue, as Tayahd has previously experienced. Last summer, while visiting his aunt in California, Tayhad ran into a bit of some Hollywood drama. Paparazzi snapped candid’s of him and his aunt going out for lunch in L.A. and claimed him to be her “mystery man.”

Among other students with famous relatives is senior Tharana Karzai; sec-

ond cousin of Hamid Karzai, the current President of Afghanistan. Tharana says, “It’s definitely interesting how wild people react and how shocked they are; they think I’m a princess.” Growing up, Tharana and President Karzai were close because he went to the University of Maryland. “He’s really nice and lov-ing,” adds Tharana. Although she has never visited Afghanistan, she under-stands that due to security and having the same last name, she would indeed be treated differently, especially due to the current war.

Borris triplets Romello (left), Roman (middle), and Robert(right) --Photo by John Kos

by Zema Meseretu& Nicole Sterlingx

by John Kosx

Politician, Hollywood actress still stay connected with niece, nephew

At its core, The Great Gatsby is a love story. Those of you who read the book in 11th grade know that and those of who you who haven’t could tell that much from the trailers. But this movie is more than that. It has just about anything a movie-goer could ask for: grandiose sets, an exceptional script, great displays of acting and a solid representation of a world-renowned novel.

The story line is simple. A wall-street worker trying to make it in New York, Nick Carraway, is lured into the lavish lifestyle of his neighbor, Jay Gatsby. Little does he know he’s entering a love story that goes back several

years and involves greed, lust, and passion. Leonardo DiCaprio shines as the title

character, turning in his best perfor-mance since 2010’s Inception. He’s the right combination of charming and enigmatic, it’s hard to imagine anyone else taking on this role and doing so well.

Carey Mulligan does a fine job capturing a

character as complex as Daisy and Joel Edgerton

turns in the performance of his career as the domineering Tom Buchanan.

The sound track, headed by Jay-Z, includes catchy hooks from Watch the Throne and some new music from artists like Jack White and Florence + The Ma-chine. It is a great representation of the modern twist Luhrmann takes on the infamous Jazz Age.

Amidst the hysteria of the parties and the passion of the love triangle, there are moments in this film that stick with you after

the credits roll. These are the moments that are done exactly right. The first shot

of DiCaprio as Gatsby, which comes

nearly 30 minutes into the film, is breathtaking. The moment where Gatsby is finally reunited with Daisy after

five years of passionate yearning is also perfectly crafted and superbly acted

with magnificent emotion by DiCaprio.

There’s a beautiful moment at one point in

the film where Daisy, as she’s held in the arms of Gatsby, stares out into the horizon, thinking about her future.

“ I d o n ’ t know if I want to go home,” she says.

Gatsby, ever one to know what to

say, pauses. “Then don’t.”

We, the viewers, are Daisy. As we delve

deeper and deeper into the allure of Gatsby and his life-

style and inch closer and closer to an ending that most of us know will be

tragic, we don’t want this film to end. And that’s a good sign.

Recently we visited Nando’s Peri-Peri, a new res-taurant in Downtown Silver Spring. Nandos’s Peri-Peri is the epitome of authentic Inter-national food; the dishes are a perfect mix of South African and Portuguese.

Walking through those glass doors into the restaurant, the elegant and homey feeling in the atmosphere is apparent. There are many eccentric portraits hung up on the wall, as well as the history of the restaurant and the meaning of the restaurant name painted on the wall.

Unlike most popular restaurants, the wait is not

that long, even with a packed house. The staff

is friendly and atten-tive; they make it their number one prior-ity to make sure that the customer feels a sense of belong-ing and gets seated promptly.

If you are a chicken lover, you will

definitely love the food on their menu. Most of

their dishes incorporate chicken in the recipe, hence

the name “Per i -Peri.”

And let us not forget to mention the affordable prices. The thought of amazing food and cheap prices would win anybody over.

The chicken breast wrap and sandwich with fries are two dishes that are highly recommended. Not only are they seasoned perfectly with the spice level of your choice, they are also healthy and conscientiously prepared. If you are not into sandwiches or wraps there are also authentic, soulfully made meals, with tasty sides such as mashed potatoes or grilled corn on the cob.

Nando’s Peri-Peri’s ordering process is unique. Instead of having a waiter come to the table to take the order, custom-ers go up to the counter and order your meal. Then the waiter brings the food to the table in a short period of time.

Nando’s Peri-Peri is now one of the top-five restau-rants on our list of places to eat. We recommend that every-one experience the delectable taste and aroma of their food. Once you taste the food with their special sauces and spices,

your taste buds will keep craving more.

In the heart of Downtown Rockville lies a great little restaurant with a serene and peaceful environment. Sushi Damo is an exquisite restaurant with fine dining and excellent customer service.

The venue was very spacious and welcoming. The gorgeous interior includes furnishing and decora-tions that really warm up the place and the open sushi bar allows you to connect with the chef and kitchen. I personally stopped by for dinner but they also serve a great lunch.

The hospitality begins as soon as you are seated as warm hand towels are presented that make you feel valued as a customer. The menu offers a wide variety of options, ranging from classic sushi and seafood to tradi-tional Asian entrees. No matter what you’re in the mood for, you’re sure to find a fresh solution at this venue. The prices are reasonable, especially considering that this is a quality seafood restaurant in a busy downtown location. Also, you don’t have to pay extra for the great customer service.

I opted for a variety platter of sushi. The Phila-

delphia roll was delightful in its simplicity. It’s a great com-bination of smooth cream cheese and a kick of flavor-ful smoked salmon. The shrimp tempura was light and filling all at the same time. Tempura is an art and Sushi Damo proved to be an artist. The spicy tuna, an American fa-vorite also didn’t fail to impress. To go along with this superb meal I had what they called a “Maternatiny”, a non-alcoholic fruit purée. This is just one of their several creative and entertaining bev-erage choices.

The service was prompt and the waiter definitely knew what she was talking about when it came to the

menu. Managers were present to take care of any need or

problem that might arise. But, based on my expe-

rience there, I highly doubt that would hap-pen.

W i t h a great location, de-licious food, ad-mirable customer serv ice and an overall pleasing dining experience, Sushi Damo is mak-

ing its way towards the top of local dining

lists for good reason. I highly recommend it the next time you are look-ing for a date spot or just want to grab a bite with

your family or friends.

A

mazin

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d at affo

rdable prices at Nando’s

by Zema Meseretux

Se

nior i

nfatua

ted with Jay Gatsby’s charm

by Chante Goodger & Britney Hargravex

x by Michael Errigo

Se

nior sa

ys yes to Sushi Damo

May 17, 2013 The Blake Beat B7

May 17, 2013 The Blake BeatB8

Varsity Softball continued its march through the playoffs in dominant fashion, crushing the Baltimore Polytechnic Insti-tute Lady Parrots in the quarterfinals of the MCPSSAA 4A North Region Tourna-ment.

Monday, the lady Bengals faced off against the Lady Parrots from the BPI with a score of 21-0, allowing Blake to move on to the playoff semifinals. It was the second straight shutout for the Lady Bengals, and the 21 runs were the second most they had scored all season. Says sophomore Grace Johnson, “It was a really great game be-cause everyone worked together yet had

their own individual hand in winning the game.”

The team looked to set the tone for the rest of the playoffs, and the Lady Ben-gals did just that last Thursday with a 10-0 win against the Catonsville Lady Comets. “We played really well as a team,” says junior Thao Hoang. “The energy never went down and we communicated the en-tire time.”

The girls finished off their regular season May 6 with a 4-1 win against the Einstein Lady Titans, ending their only losing streak of the season. “The team as a whole was kind of out of it, but in the end we all cheered each other up and pulled out a win,” says sophomore Elana Carr. “All the girls helped get everyone out of

our funk.”On May 1 and 3 the team played

the Quince Orchard Lady Cougars and the Northwest Lady Jaguars, respectively. The Bengals lost to the Cougars with score of 1-0 and to the Jaguars with a score of 5-3. “In our game against northwest we weren’t able to get our bats going,” says Senior Pitcher Colleen Burkhardt. “We left run-ners on base in both games and didn’t take advantage of those opportunities.”

From April 4 to April 29 the Lady Bengals won 11 out of 12 games, with their loss coming to the rival Sherwood Lady Warriors. The team had the chance to avenge their loss to the Lady Warriors in the regional semifinals, scheduled for Wednesday*. Says sophomore Olivia Eng-

lish, “[the quarter semi-finals] was a great game everyone contributed to the win and we are getting ready to play the big dog, Sherwood.”

Despite their previous loss to Sher-wood, the team remains hopeful about continuing their success for the rest of the playoffs. “We have great chemistry as a team and all get along really well,” says Burkhardt. “We know how to have fun but also know when to work hard.”

Says Johnson, “Our success this season was great and I think it was based on the fact that we all grew very close and really bonded.”

*This game was scheduled to take place after this issue went to print. See blakeathletics.org for results.

Division standings have been final-

ized with Boys’ Track coming in second in their division with a record of 4-1 and with girls finishing fourth in their divi-sion with a record of 2-3

For the past month, the track team has been competing at county champi-onships and various invitationals. Al-though Blake has not placed, many students have been ranking, and set-ting records, such as Martha Sam in the 100m and the 200m sprint in counties. Boys’ 4x100 and 4x400 also placed second during the Katie Jenkins Invitational.

Divisions ended on April 23 in a meet against the Paint Branch Panthers in which the boys lost by a score of 93-44 and the girls picked up their third loss with a score of 76-61. “Our team lives by our sprints,” says junior Miles Douglas. “If we have one distance runner come in the top three in each event then our field and sprints can make up the difference, but that just didn’t happen.”

April 27 the boys’ track team beat the Richard Montgomery Rockets with a

score of 89-49, while the girls lost 73.5-62.5. Says senior Antony Harris, Jr., “We had a great performance from everyone, many people stepped up and we pulled out a successful win.”

The meet against the Magruder Colonels and the Sherwood Warriors April 9 ended with the boys again emerging victorious beating Magruder 94-43 and beating Sherwood 81-56. The girls emerged with a loss against

Sherwood, 91-46, but with a win against Magruder with a score of 84-48. “Sherwood and Magruder are defi-nitely our tough-est competitors so it was super hard for the girls on our team,” says junior

Shannon Corey. “We probably could have focused more on training for dis-tance running.”

Divisions started with Blake com-peting against the Spring Break Blue Devils. Both the boys and the girls came out victorious with the boys winning with a score of 78-54 and with the girls winning with a score of 79-56. Says Har-ris, “It was our first meet and everyone showed their talent.” He adds, “We had a lot of inexperienced runners but we pulled through.”

by John Kos& Jenna Ramirezx

xD?

Fasdmen;rituhnbroiutbn-srtnrtnsrtjsrtjrysrjrstjsfsr

Is senior year all it’s cracked up to be? See how Dadlani, Hwang respond, p. C4-5

Senior shamed over shoulder, speaks about clarity of dress code, in Opinion, p. C6

Section C James Hubert Blake High School May 17, 2013

Track team takes down Springbrook en route to successby Tayahd Campbell& John Kosx

Lady Bengals complete season, finish with powerful playoff push

Team competes at regional finals, dedicated to win

Through another winning season, the Girls’ Varsity Lacrosse team has made it to the regional finals for the first time in five years due to hard work and dedication from all members of the team.

Getting to the regional finals was no easy task. In the playoffs they had to take on the Blair Blazers. As the teams squared off on Monday, they had one goal in mind, to win. “We played our game [and] we did what we had to do to advance to the next round,” says junior Kristina McKenna.

May 10, the team took on a tough battle against Churchill in the quarterfinals which ended in a close 14-12 victory for the Lady Bengals. Avenging an early loss, the win meant a lot to the team. Says senior Lillian Watkins, “Beating them meant everything. We’ve never played so hard in our lives.” Senior Caroline Wannen led the team with six goals.

In one of their many blowout wins, the team beat Richard Montgomery 15-7 May 8. With the game tied at halftime, the team knew they had to step it up. Says senior Alison Dionne, “We weren’t playing as well as we could have in the first half but we knew it was

vital to win for the playoffs so we worked hard to get the win.”The team has already topped last year’s record of 11-3 as they

have racked up 12 wins so far. “Our team has a very special gift,” says Watkins. “It is that we know how to win games... and how to get the job done right every time.” The only two losses this season came to rival Sherwood and a very competitive Churchill team.

Beating Churchill in the first round of playoffs was one of the greatest season highlights for the team. Having had lost earlier on in the season with the absence of five seniors, the girls came on the

field ready to win. “They’ve knocked us out the past three years and we’ve always been competitive with them,” says Wannen. “It felt great to work hard and come on top.”

This success did not just appear overnight. It came through hard work as this team has been working together for two years. Says senior Maddy Benjoar, “our communication is outstanding and we really know how to work together.” Team chemistry plays a huge role and is a big factor that helped the team to another win-ning season.

*The finals game scheduled for Wednesday took place after this issue went to print. See blakeathletics.org for results.

Girls’ Lacrosse soars to highest level of success in past five years

by Zach Kushner & Andrea Ortizx

Senior Antony Harris races toward the finish line in hurdles. --Photo by Dennis Chan

Senior Caroline Wannen plays her hardest during her final year on lacrosse. --Photo by Becca Schwartz

It was our first meet and everyone showed their talent.

Antony Harris, Jr.

We know how to win games.Lillian Watkins

May 17, 2013 The Blake BeatC2

Senior Co-Captain Corey Glocker has his eyes on the prize vs. Springbrook. He helped lead the team to one of its most succesful seasons in years. ---Photo by John Kos

Tennis overcomes obstacles on, off court, finishes 7-4A new tennis coach is hired and leaves

a week into his tenure, the team is playing in one of the toughest divisions in the state of Maryland, and on top of that, the players have to maintain their already high levels of academic achievement.

Most would consider this to be a recipe for disaster but what resulted instead was a 7-4 record, the best in recent memory, and solid performances in the postseason.

To close the season the team par-

ticipated in the county meet. In the meet, a doubles team consisting of Sophomore Ati Ok and Freshman Delmar Kaiser made it all the way to the semifinals, which was the best out of any players from Blake. “We were all really proud as they were just a freshman and a sophomore,” says junior and Captain Ryan Chang.

Crucial wins over the Poolesville Falcons and the Sherwood Warriors were a part of a great year. “The season was great,” says Chang. “It was a new coach, with new players, and a new vibe.” This was the first season in four years that the team

beat Poolesville and the first time that they brought down the Warriors in roughly the same amount of time.

A complete turnaround was in place as the team improved from last year’s record of 3-7 to a 7-4 finish this year. Says sophomore Keenan Lo, “We expect the same thing next year, which is a winning season.” Two of these wins came against rival teams Paint Branch Panthers and Springbrook Blue Devils which also helped in the standings for the consortium cup.

After a scramble for a new coach at the beginning of the season, the team found

math teacher Mike Krawczel to step in and be a leader. Without having ever coached the team before, Coach Krawczel was able to put together a very successful season. “He was very easy to get along with… and helped our team improve,” says senior Ryan Choe.

Looking forward, the players are opti-mistic with regards to future team successes and will rely on increased experience and chemistry. Says Ok, “I expect next year to be more tightknit than ever and hopefully we can come back winning more than we ever have.”

by Kwame Asante& Zach Kushnerx

Gymnastics works to reach team goals, finishes middle of the pack

Boys’ Lacrosse falls in second round of playoffs after 5-9 seasonPlayers on the Varsity

Boys’ Lacrosse team have their heads held high thanks to their great improvement from last sea-son, ending with a 5-9 record.

The boys concluded their season May 10, losing in the second round of playoffs to the skilled Churchill Bulldogs. Junior attacker Brad Case and sophomore midfielder Brandon Johnson both scored once for the Bengals. “Despite the loss, it felt

great to improve so much from last year,” says senior midfielder Cole Bradshaw.

After previously losing to the Einstein Titans, the boys knew they had to come ready to play against them in the first round of playoffs May 9, coming out on top 10-6. Case paced the offensive effort with three goals, while senior midfielder Tanner Giles-Tucker and Johnson both contributed a pair. Senior goalie Dan D’Amico anchored the defense with ten saves. “Last

time we played them we had the lead and lost it, so playing hard the whole game was definitely what we had to do to win,” says Case.

May 3, the boys wrapped up the regular season with a close loss to the Richard Mont-gomery Rockets 11-8. Case again displayed an impressive performance with four goals to keep the Bengals in the game. “I wanted to leave it on the field that game because it was so close,” says Case. Freshman

attacker Stephen Via also con-tributed two goals and an assist. D’Amico came up big again with eight saves.

Bradshaw and D’Amico made sure of a win for the Ben-gals on senior night against the Watkins Mill Wolverines. The seniors contributed three goals and 14 saves to secure the 5-3 win against the competitive Wolverines. “We really came together as a team in this game and played with a lot of hustle,” D’Amico says. “It was a big

win.”The Bengals lost to a re-

lentless BCC Barons team, 13-5 May 26. Bradshaw led the team with two goals, while D’Amico came up with six saves.

May 25 the Bengals took on consortium rival Spring-brook, beating the Blue Devils in an overtime thriller, 6-5. D’Amico led the team with fourteen saves. D’Amico says, “I couldn’t be more proud of how the team played this year to make my last season a great one.”

Freshman Mary Addison Cole and sophomore Joan Wood show off their skills on the balance beam and the mat. After a year spent in the middle of the pack, the Lady Bengals finished 7th in the postseason county tournament. “Overall, the girls did an amazing job,” says head coach and security guard Victoria White. --Photos by Becca Schwartz

by Caroline Wannenx

May 17, 2013 The Blake Beat C3

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Boys’ volleyball team reflects on ended season, look forward to future After 12 games of a hard fighting effort to triumph

its challenges, the Boys’ Volleyball team finished with a 5-7 record.

With a lot of time and devotion to the sport, the team looks back with pride in their accomplishments.

Throughout the season, the team learned a lot more about how to work together and persevered through the rough times. “Says senior Russell Wanke, “The first game we had no idea where we were supposed to be; we just passed by on shear athleticism. By the last game, we knew a lot more about the sport.”

One game that certainly stood out above the rest due to increased unity among the team was their game against Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School. “It was our last home game and everybody was diving on the floor and playing really well,” says Wanke. “The energy in

the gym was intense.”Junior Jason Fleischer completely agrees with his

teammate and feels that the game against BCC was “the best [they] ever played.” Says Fleischer, “Every set was amazingly intense. I have never seen the team play so well as a whole.”

Getting to that place, however, was an obstacle the team had to overcome early on. Fleischer says, “Our biggest challenge was the number of ‘new’ people on our roster, including our coach… but every one of them stepped up to become great.”

Constant matches and challengers served as major motivation for the volleyball players during this year’s season. “The entire team had fun every time we got to-gether,” says Fleischer. “Every win made us try harder for another win and we had fun doing it.”

Through both defeats and successes, the team always maintained a positive mentality and kept a

spirited attitude, enjoying themselves along the way. Says Wanke, “[I loved] hanging out with people who were fun to be around and introducing new athletes to the sport.”

All the hard work paid off when the Boys’ Volley-ball team made it to the playoffs season. Although they respectfully lost to Sherwood High School, the Blake Bengals came a little bit closer to their accomplishments. Says Fleischer, “Last year we set a goal… to win two playoff games. Although we didn’t meet this goal, I am sure if we try hard enough and keep having fun we will achieve our goal next year.”

Looking forward, the team has faith in its newest additions. “We gelled as a team,” says Wanke. “We may not have won all the games we should have, but we had a lot of new people start playing this year.” Adds Fleis-cher, “I am most proud of our new players improving to become star players.”

One of the toughest Co-Ed Volleyball seasons in recent memory came to a close April 29 as the team lost its 11th and final game to the BCC Barons.

The BCC game ended a winless season in which the team only won one set, which came against the Kennedy Cavaliers in the first game of the season. Led by math teacher Kim Gandy, the team gained a lot this year even if it didn’t show up in them win column. “Although we had a tough season we still were a strong team,” says sophomore Courtney Hutchinson. “We all had fun and made tons of friends.”

“I joined the season late but the whole team was very welcoming,” says senior Lydia Curdts. “Prac-tice was a great environment to not only improve our skills but really get to know each other. We took a lot of team trips like to Friday’s after practice and hiking.”

As in any sport, communication played a big role in every match. “As a team we had to constantly call for the ball,” adds Hutchinson. “We never wanted to let the ball touch the ground.”

Senior Michelle Nguyen says her last season with the team was a great experience. “Even though the season didn’t go as well as we all planned, I still had a good time playing with them,” says Nguyen. Having no wins for the season, the team has found other ways to keep on playing. “We’ll win some and we’ll lose some, but the point is to enjoy the sport,” says Nguyen.

Nearly half of the roster is made up of fresh-men and sophomores. While inexperience may have hurt the team this year, youth could pay off in the long run. Says senior Jason Obando-Fuentes, “The team has a lot of new players who are new to the sport but next year’s team will have many different talents.”

Co-Ed Volleyball stumbles to the finish line, ends challenging year

by Danny Gonzalez & Maryam Outlawx

by Elana Harris & Michelle Ungx

Boys’ varsity baseball loses regional quarterfinals to Owls

Monday’s regional quarterfinal loss marked the end of an up and down season for the Varsity Baseball team. An offense that flexed its muscle all year produced only two base runners all game in an 11-0 loss to the Westminster Owls.

A pitching staff that gave up the fewest number of doubles and triples ever in a season, and had not given up a single home run, got hit hard including their first homer of the year. It was a tough ending to season that saw the team go 6-11, the team’s first losing season since 2009. Says Coach Steve Murfin, “while the wins didn’t add up, we became a very good team that played well together in the final weeks.”

In the first round of the playoffs, the Bengals routed their rival Springbrook Blue Devils 14-4. Junior Brendan Lindsay pitched a complete game, his third of the year, and added a 3-run double in the top of the first. Junior outfielder Sean Riggs tal-lied three hits including a towering home run over the right field fence, while seniors catcher Zack Johnson and shortstop Pradip Ramamurti also had multi-hit games. “We played solid all the way through,” says senior first basemen Blaine Lowry. “If we had played a complete game like that all year we would have won more.”

“ The Springbrook game gave us more confidence going into the second round,” says senior Stefan Sigwalt. “Yeah, we came in expecting to beat them but then again we try to have that mindset for every game.”

The first round win came after a four game slide to end the season that in-cluded two close road losses and a 6-2 loss to the Quince Orchard Cougars on senior night. “We just had to basically flush everything that happened,” adds Lowry. “Some of those last four, we played well but the breaks didn’t go our way so we just had to move on quickly.”

The whole season was truly a team effort this year as six players batted over .333, tying the most on a team in school history. Adds Sigwalt, “We each play a part, we each have a role and we all play hard. Everybody pitches in every game.”

Blaine’s younger brother, freshman second basemen Jared Lowry, will look to lead a team next year as it loses five seniors from this year’s squad. Pradip Ramamurti finishes his time here at Blake with a career batting average of .429, while Blaine’s two errors for his career are the fewest ever for any first basemen. But it’s what they provided in the clubhouse that paid dividends. “All five seniors are great leaders,” adds Jared. “They’ve done a good job of showing everyone else how it’s done and how we should play. “

Even with the loss of such prolific players, the team is in good hands with Jared—who set the freshman record for batting average with a .379 mark—and six other returning players, and will look to improve on this year’s losing record. Adds Coach Murfin, “With the returning crew… and the addition of some JV players, we will be very competitive next season.”

Solid season comes to an end as Westminster beats Blake 11-0

by John Beers & Michael Errigox

The Blake co-ed volleyball team jumped to new heights this season, ending with an 0-11 record. --Photo by Dennis Chan

We all had fun and made friends.Courtney Hutchinson

May 17, 2013 The Blake BeatC4

With Student Government As-sociation membership lacking and a myriad of unfulfilled promises, some students have called for change. Ev-eryone wants to complain about the lack of representatives’ results, but almost no one is willing to step up and make a difference. They seem to care more about the title of president on their college resume than actually raising money for future events.

Most of the council is trying their best, but a the combination of a lack of student participation and ef-fort inevitably leads to the failure of events this year. Some great Bengal traditions, like the classic Mr. Blake contest, have been canceled because students don’t want to “waste” their time on it. Also, some grades haven’t had a class t-shirt. In the past, student council has suggested holding t-shirt contests to encourage artists to design their own class shirts. But, with few advertisements and no students step-ping up, the contest fell flat.

As for members who don’t truly care, there needs to be a better selec-tion process so they don’t make it on

their class councils. One suggestion is involving administrators and teach-ers in the election process. Although some students are wary of teachers having a vote, a teacher knows the student’s work ethic the best. Stu-dents will never learn enough about a candidate from a minute long speech to make an educated decision, and they’ll end up looking for a familiar face. The most popular person isn’t always the best for the presidency.

But if someone is not getting the job done, change may be necessary. The current rule for removal from office is missing three meetings, which are held once a week at lunch, or other extreme cases. However, removal has become an empty threat and is rarely, if ever, enforced. Some officers have missed more than three meetings and still hold the position. We need, no, deserve, student council members willing to give up their time to change the school.

Everyone, not just the student council, needs to work harder to get things done because it’s our future fun times that will suffer if we don’t.

Lack of Leaders

Thank You

iProblems Using electronics during school should be up to the discretion of the teachers. While some teachers may still chose to not allow any electronics in their class, other teachers see the true potential of this tech-nology. The no cell phones policy was put in place to stop distractions, but what if stu-dents are using cell phones, iPods, tablets, laptops, etc. for learning purposes? Would that then be a good thing or should this new form of learning still not be allowed? Many teachers see that it could be very useful to use technology to further a student’s learn-ing, to go online to look something up, or to text in answers rather than using the activot-es, many of which do not even work. We need to realize that technological learning is the future, and that we as a school need to

adapt to this new trend very quickly.Sophomore Brian Dicken

How to Treat Your Teachers I don’t know about you, but I’m sick and tired of the disrespect toward teach-ers from students. Honestly it’s extremely unnecessary. No one cares about what you have to say, and no one wants to hear it. All you do is create an unneeded scene and dis-

Blake BeatNo excuses, just excellence.

The Beat, named the state’s best student newspaper for the last five years, is published monthly by journalism students at James Hubert Blake High School.

Co-Editors-in-ChiefJohn Beers

Michael Errigo Janine Taira

Associate EditorsJenna Beers

Danny GonzalezChante GoodgerZema MeseretuYvette MingiaAndrea OrtizDorian Purse

Nicole Sterling

Directors Emily Tchai (Layouts),Ann Cirincione (News),

Maryam Outlaw (News), Emma Friedman (Opinion),

Aliya Dean (Features), Celeste Gregory (Features), Hannah Kenney (Features),

John Kos (Sports), Zach Kushner (Sports), Michelle Ung (Sports),

Jacqueline Hyman (Fine Arts), Sami Wright (Photography)

News Managing EditorsAnjelica Grant

Opinion Managing EditorsMarce-Erica Adegbembo,

Priya Dadlani, Emily Eaglin, Marina McCaney

Features Managing EditorsPaul Choi, Emily George

Sports Managing EditorsKwame Asante, Caroline Wan-

nen

Fine Arts Managing EditorEmily Tempchin

Photo Managing EditorsSami Wright, John Kos

Graphics Managing EditorKatie Blackford, Heidi Pe-

tersen

Staff WritersTara Adhatamsoontra, Aryn Frazier, Brittany Hargrave,

Jane Hwang

Freelance PhotographersDennis Chan, Becca Schwartz

AdviserJoseph A. Caulfield

The Blake Beat would like to thank every member of the school and surrounding community that has supported us this year. From the families and friends that supported our pledge drive (see A8) to the lo-cal businesses that advertised their products and services on our pages, every dollar counted.

As a student-run puiblication, we rely on the kindness and gener-osity of people like you to continue doing what we love. Without you, there would be no Beat. By provid-

ing the funds that help us produce a newspaper month after month, you help us prove that print journalism is still alive within the walls of Blake High School even if it is slowly dying every where else.

We hope that you are satisfied with this, our last issue, and we hope that you continue to support our fu-ture endeavors. With your support and readership we hope to continue producing a newspaper as long as people are willing to read it. Thank you again.

CongratulationsWe would like to extend our

sincerest of congratulations to the enitrety of this year’s graduating class of 2013. We hope that at some point during your time here, The Blake Beat has been a source of news, entertain-ment or leisure. If we have provided any or all of these three things then we feel proud in saying we have done

our jobs. We hope that this final issue will

be one of many souvenirs you are sure to take from Blake High School. We are confident that every single one of you has the ability and talent to do something memorable with your lives and we wish you the best of luck in doing so.

Some reasons why a solo prom may be worth it:

Wear what makes you comfortable. You won’t have to worry about matching your date’s cummerbund or dress, or worry about whether they’ll like your ensemble. This is your time to wear something memorable.

The money that you would spend on a date, you can now spend on yourself. No prom date means not having to buy someone else’s prom flowers. Spend the extra money on your beach week plans or even on important college things. And if you really need a corsage to feel special then just buy yourself one, no one will know.

Avoid meeting your date’s parents. Meet-ing a guy or girl’s parents for the first time can be so uncomfortable. If you’re going solo, you don’t have to deal with a father’s grueling questions on why you want to take his daughter to prom. Not

only do the questions make you uncomfortable, but it makes for awkward conversation later.

Say goodbye to awkward photos. When taking prom pictures with a date you will often find yourself in an awkward pose, like there’s no real chemistry. When going solo you have the chance to stand out in your own picture.

You are not the only one going solo. You’re probably not the only one who wants to go to prom without a date. Ask around and find some friends who are also riding solo that night. Some friends might even be relieved that they found someone who is going alone, too. Share a limo and plan to go to prom dinner together. It’ll be a lot of fun to go to prom with people you’re comfortable around.

You don’t have to worry about have an elaborate plan to ask a date. Many girls want an elaborate proposal- but now you don’t have to worry about the stress of coming up with an original idea.

May 17, 2013The Blake Beat C5

Yes or No?Yes or No?

Yes: Dates make evening more memorableSharing night only heightens experience

No: Riding solo is way to go for prom Sans obligations, you can be carefree

In aftermath of prom, Beat seniors debate whether it is better to go with or without a partner.

Lower lofty expectations now

Prom-fever always starts with the propos-als: it’s definitely on as soon as students make up dramatic stunts to ask out that special someone. One of the most exciting reasons to go to that final high school dance is to go with someone that you enjoy hanging out with and being around. Having a date to prom is not required, but it is an essential to making the time more memorable. It’s fun to match with someone, and to have a specific date for the night.

Students should go to prom with a date be-cause it is a confidence-booster, even if by just a tad. Walking into prom alone, or with a group of friends is not nearly as comfortable as knowing that you have your date right next to you. Walk-ing in with someone on your arm just completes your whole look for prom.

There are more advantages to taking a date to prom. This one is mostly for the ladies. Having a prom date that will pay for dinner and the ticket to prom will make a girl feel, at least for one night, like a princess. As for the men, this is the way to

a lady’s heart. I’m not saying she will fall head over heels in love after you pay for her dinner, or dance with her to some sappy love song, but you never know, it might create a spark.

You want to remember your prom night as a night that was memorable for all the right reasons, and having a prom date only adds to the positive memories. Who would want to look back on their prom night and remember them-selves dateless and lonely? Not saying that this is always the case when people do not have dates, but it sure can happen. How about sharing the memories with someone else—possibly a date? Wouldn’t it be nice to look back and say, “Hey, remember when you (God forbid) spilled pasta all over your tuxedo?” or “Remember when Susie walked in wearing the same dress as Allie?” and so on. The bottom line is, everyone wants com-pany, especially on a night as special as this. This once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is not something to attend solo-dolo.

If all else fails, you can always ditch your date. It’s not necessary to stay with the person that you came with, is it?

adapt to this new trend very quickly.Sophomore Brian Dicken

How to Treat Your Teachers I don’t know about you, but I’m sick and tired of the disrespect toward teach-ers from students. Honestly it’s extremely unnecessary. No one cares about what you have to say, and no one wants to hear it. All you do is create an unneeded scene and dis-

tract those who actually want to learn. Yes, some kids do WANT to learn. If you don’t know how to have decent respect toward your elders then something is wrong with you, not the teachers. Like it or not that is their classroom and you are the guests. So sit up and pay attention. If you can’t do that then leave. I can guarantee no one will miss your ignorance. Yes ma’am and yes sir go a lot further than eye rolling and sighs. Sophomore Jasmin Waye

The staff welcomes all signed letters to the editor but reserves the right to edit or con-dense them. Letters may be submitted to Room A205 or mailed to: The Blake Beat, Blake High School, 300 Norwood Road, Silver Spring, MD 20905. The telephone number is (301) 879-1379.

As we are now nearing the end of senior year, students in the class of 2013 have the hindsight to compare our perceptions of senior year to the real thing, and yes, they do differ.

Senior year is meant to be the most glamorous, thrill-ing, star-struck year of them all, but that notion is slowly dying. For starters, no one mentioned how expensive this year’s social events would cost. Between spirit week, homecoming, senior banquet, prom and beach week, one can easily spend over $1,000 on things never used again.

The new experiences and fun times come along with many different financial obligations. Now that many students have a driver’s license, they may have to pay for their own gas and maybe even car insurance. Driving is in itself another hassle of senior year after the novelty of getting behind the wheel wears off. The once-exciting trip to the mall or grocery store is now tedious to say the least.

College applications are also one aspect of senior year many weren’t quite ready for. The

daunting essays, FAFSA and the CSS profiles had students scrambling for answers to question previ-ously unknown. The biggest shocker of college applications was the price of applying: applica-

tion fees reach $85.00 for some schools. Many paid and applied to schools only to receive a rejection letter in the spring, and that is a pretty horrible feeling.

Lastly, prom is the biggest scandal of all of senior year. In every TV show, movie, and book, prom is the night that brings it all together, the one night containing a series of mar-velous events that lead us

straight to true love’s kiss. Now, there is a very slim chance that prom will be that picture perfect, but just the sheer stress surrounding prom, dates, dresses, money, tickets, and rides is enough to make a teenage girl pull her hair out.

Senior year is a beautiful time in one’s life, despite the trouble. However, all underclassmen should be aware of the truth behind the enchanting year. Consider yourself warned, Class of 2014.

I OF THE TIGERby Priya Dadlani & Jane Hwang

by Yvette Mingiax

by Dorian Pursex

Senior Struggle

May 17, 2013 The Blake BeatC6

Recently Pixar, through star Ellen DeGeneres, announced the impending release of its sequel to Finding Nemo, Finding Dory, in 2015. While most lovers of the 2003 animated masterpiece rejoiced at the thought of seeing Dory, Marlin and Nemo return to the silver screen, the news left me with feelings of dread.

Finding Nemo was perhaps the greatest animated movie of our generation, its lines endlessly quoted in the decade since its release. I can vividly remember sitting in a full-to-the-brim movie theater as an eight year old being in awe of the cinematic perfection. Who among us hasn’t said “He touched the butt” dozens of times in conversation or incessantly uttered “Mine. Mine. Mine. Mine.” with the same staccato rhythm of those greedy seagulls.

With such a magnificent pre-decessor, Finding Dory has no chance of living up to the original and most

likely will be a huge disappointment. After that fateful day in 2015, our memories of the great Finding Nemo will forever be tarnished by associa-tion with what will just be another substance-lacking Pixar cash-cow.

However, this isn’t the only sequel set to grace the screens in the next few years that is sure to disap-point. With the sale of Lucasfilm to Disney last October, George Lucas opened the door for Disney to pro-duce the final trilogy of the Star Wars saga. While at first I was excited at the prospects of seeing Episodes VII, VIII and IX coming to fruition, I was the reminded of the overall disappointing nature of the second trilogy and things just got worse as thoughts of a 70 year old Han Solo filled my head. Yet that is the sight that Star Wars fans will have to sit through when Episode VII comes out in 2015.

Then there are the movie fran-chises that simply will not die. Set to premiere this year: The Hangover

Part III, Scary Movie 5, Paranormal Activity 5 and Fast and Furious 6. Really Vin Diesel, 6 movies ?! No franchise should have that many movies this side of George Lucas (and I’m not even sure he did it right). I get that they’ve transitioned from racing movies to heist movies, and Fast Five was decent, but enough is enough. We don’t need another movie with Dwyane Johnson in it; please Nicholas Cage is getting jealous at his ridiculous total.

As for Hangover Part III, ex-pect much of the same from Part II: moments that make you reminiscent of the glory days of the original Hangover but nothing quite the same. For the most part, our genera-tion recognizes the comedic genius of the original, but that’s something that simply won’t be replicated by the Wolfpack.

So if you’re looking for a movie to see this summer, spend your money on something original, or be prepared to be disappointed.

Senior forced to shoulder silly shame over apparel

by Jenna Beersx

Sickening sequels must come to stop

by John Beersx

The school year is coming to an end, spring has sprung and summer is drawing near. With this change in weather comes a change in wardrobe for most of the student body.

I did not realize my spring apparel would be a problem, until I did. Recently I wore one of my favorite spring tops to school. Mind you, this is not a crop-top, this shirt does not contain spaghetti straps, this is a two-finger width, appropri-ate length, high-enough neck tank top that even my mother complimented me on as I walked out of the door. But, as I was stopped in the hallway by administration, I learned that my top was “extremely inappropriate” and that “we do not do tank tops” and was forced to wear an oversized, overused disheveled Blake t-shirt.

Inappropriate dress is defined in our school hand book as “clothing that is causes or is likely to cause a disruption to school activities… or is vulgar, lewd, obscene, revealing or of a sexual nature.” In this shirt, the rest of my body was covered as it would be in a t-shirt, with the exception of my shoulders. So, would administration please like to explain to me, as well as the rest of the student body, what is so distracting or sexual about my shoulder? Really, I would love to know.

I would also like to note that a prohibition of tank-tops is not clearly stated in the handbook nor has even been clearly stated to the student body. In the hour after I was approached I witnessed two teachers wearing similar tank tops as well, so it is evident these rules need to be enumerated.

Now I understand that there are some outfits that truly are inappropriate for a learning environment, but the adminis-tration should reevaluate how they approach the young ladies they deem as “rule-breakers.” By accosting these students in the hallways and telling them that you “never hope to see this outfit again” because it is “waaaayyyy too revealing” you shame these girls’ bodies and lower their self-esteem. By doing this you are creating a culture where it is okay for not only peers, but administrators to belittle women for celebrating their bodies, and that is not okay.

So, dear administrators, I would like to follow the rules, I really would, but a clear list of these rules would be helpful. And next time you would like to stop someone for breaking this dress-code, think about the power your words hold.

Creative minds commonly confined by tedious testing time restraintsTheis article deemonstartes the the af-

fects apparennt when rediculus time limmits unjustily obbstruct the capablities of an indi-viduals’s best work.

True potential is thwarted by nervous-ness and shorter comprehension time, causing unneeded stress and double meanings in school and life.

School curriculums expect students to obey time restraints that aren’t in the greatest interests of students or their future employ-ers. Due dates and appropriate in-class time restraints offer satisfactory situations for students to provide their most magnificent masterpieces.

The AP Lang curriculum permits only

40-45 minutes for writing two to five hundred word essays. Papers are graded for use of lan-guage, fluid thoughts and expertly supported examples. The College Board obviously values rapid pace above well contemplated thoughts written with graceful and grammatical gravity since the high-level writing expected must be complied within absurd time perimeters.

Do time controlled tests and quizzes really “show what you know?” Students un-able to complete tests on challenging subject matter in AP World or Pre-Calculus may argue differently. Knowledge is graded upon time scales rather than the capability of unlimited time’s potential.

Many professions allot due dates or time portions that better represent capabilities of workers. Should the United States government

put limitations on the time interval permitted for evaluations of bills before becoming laws? Of course not, because that would produce bills with not only greater syntactic mistakes, but underdeveloped or flawed ideas.

If students dislodged any proportion of stress they would more easily perform. Stage fright or frozen minds come testing day clouds thinking. Why should a smart student test poorly because they are terrible at the test taking process in its restricted fashion?

Schools aim to assess students’ poten-tials to ready them for success in jobs and life. It’s a shame they create unnecessary double standards in the process. “Provide your best work” teachers and officials say, while they fail to provide proper allocation. Only sometimes are students given a considerable chunk of

time in which to think completely and hand in answers accurately revealing their aptitude, but the same results are expected when assign-ments are timed to the minute in class.

Within a time selected society in educa-tion, those who complete assignments faster are considered of higher intelligence. When individuals know the same information but vary in ability to express that knowledge, it doesn’t show potential or effectively evaluate “smartness.”

Why has society constructed such rigid and unsatisfactory guidelines for knowledge and education? The skewed system causes outrage and corruptly disadvantages smart students who just need extra time. Students, educators and parents must prevent this unfair-ness and rally for its elimination.

by Emma Friedmanx

Wisdom on love, happiness, time Students pop, lock, drop self-respect

What is dancing? Is it an artistic form of nonverbal communication where a person moves rhythmically to music following a set sequence of steps? Or is it two people rubbing and bumping their bodies against each other, no matter what music is playing?

For years, people have looked at dancing as a form of art that requires skill and practice. It has been a way to express yourself, a way to reveal your inner emotions. However, recently dancing has turned into an over-sexualized act, where a boy thrusts his pelvis against his date while she bends at the waist and raises her dress.

Throughout the last century dancing had maintained an entertaining atmosphere. During the roaring 20’s they danced the Charleston. People Jived to energetic music in the 40’s and in the 50’s they Cha-Cha-Cháed. Disco became popular in the 70’s and in the 80’s the Electric Slide. Even during the 90’s, the Modern Dance surfaced.

However, over the past couple decades things have taken a turn for the worse. The

popular form of dance, if it can even be called a dance, is grinding. All the creativity is gone. The art of ballroom dancing has diminished to an instinctive movement of the hips with a partner. The dance floor has become an ex-tension of the bedroom. Sure, many styles of dancing are considered offensive to some but at least they maintain some level of respect.

Students grind on people they have never seen in their lives. It’s become a game of who can get the most attention. Dancing is no longer an action between two people who actually have a connection. Now it’s a way for guys to prove who is more of a “man”, and for girls to show everyone how attractive and desirable they are.

Homecoming and Prom have become foreplay in the minds of many students. School dances constantly turn into a frenzy of people gyrate on their date or unknown partner. Grinding has reached such a level of popularity that most people don’t even know what else to do when it comes to dancing. The motions you see at most school functions are movements people shouldn’t be seeing until their wedding night.

by Ariel Gomez& Marie Anne Louis-Charlesx

Though it is common to hear con-stant whining about wanting a boyfriend or girlfriend among teenagers, the truth is that real happiness is not dependent on someone else.

All too often, people settle for less than they deserve because they’re lonely. High school students tend to feel bad about themselves because they think that not having a significant other makes them unfulfilled.

The average high school student doesn’t know who they are, and this can bring about many insecurities. With low self-esteem, people often enter unhealthy or unnecessary relationships in the hopes that one person will make them feel better about themselves. Unfortunately, it’s not that easy.

Media has created an image that hap-piness can come simply through finding one person to fulfill someone’s loneliness. No matter what is read, watched, or heard, romance is always involved. Without it,

something seems incomplete or missing, making many people scared to be alone.

The Huffington Post says that two percent of high school relationships turn out to last into successful marriages. Being concerned about a relationship now, when unfortunately it’s bound to fail, is a pointless worry for high school students.

One theory about high school rela-tionships is the “cuffing” season. During the months when a chill sets in, people crave a relationship for their period of hibernation. When the weather gets warmer, emotions flare up with temperature, as people break free for their summer independence.

High school is a time for growing, a time to learn about oneself rather than focusing on an insignificant other. High school life shouldn’t be affiliated with being attached to one unimportant relationship.

Good relationships are not a bad thing, but it’s hard to find a good relation-ship when bending over backwards to find one. Don’t be thirsty, because good relationships work when two people meet and really connect. That feeling can never be forced.

by Jordan McLean& Isabella Murphyx

May 17, 2013 The Blake Beat C7

Rip them, destroy them, scatter the pieces and never look back; stand up to the man, and refuse to sit back down until those papers are gone!

It is time for a revolution here at Blake High School. The catalyst for this movement? The flyers that many girls have dis-covered plastered on stall doors of the school bathrooms; flyers that aim to advertise the business academy. The shameless method of advertisement? A list of pos-

sible jobs and the starting salaries they offer. The mentality behind and fostered by these posters? Disdainful.

The motivation for attend-ing school, paying attention in classes, and striving to excel on exams should be a desire to learn and an interest in what is being taught. The ideal situation would be for students to find something they love to do, or at least men-tally stimulating, and pursue that as a career. These posters perpetu-ate the twisted notion that is be-ginning to prevail among today’s

culture- the notion that money is the only thing that matters when making a career decision.

This is disadvantageous when it comes to student learning in general. The best way to learn and then retain that knowledge is to be interested in what one is learning, or at least have an initial desire to learn it. But when the initial desire is to memorize a bunch of things for a little while as a stepping stone toward the greater goal of earning money, it’s not real learning that’s taking place. There is no reason to want

to remember the information; there is no reason to even think about the information past cold memorization and recitation. These posters may seem like in-significant papers, but they send a clear message to the student body- that we are here at school not to learn information, but to learn how to pursue money so that we can pursue material things.

To quote Pink Floyd, “Mon-ey; it’s a crime.” The importance of money is so magnified in the minds of the public that money is robbing those minds of passion.

And these posters are a crime as well, because they are committing theft of the minds of teenagers, trying to steal passion before it even has a chance to fully de-velop. A society where money and materials rule is not a happy society because living a life that is dictated by earning paper will not lead to happiness.

To quote The Mentalist, “Find a job doing what you love [and you’ll] never have to work a day in your life.” That is the kind of sentiment that deserves to be stuck on a wall at school.

by Marina McCaneyx

Student denounces scholastic obsession with finance, calls for action

If you are anything like me, you did not go anywhere for Winter Break, you did not go anywhere for Spring Break, and you sure aren’t traveling anywhere this summer either.

Yes, it’s a little depressing when your newsfeed is practically swimming in photos of friends and family in Hawaii…and Florida… and Italy. But you should never underestimate the power of a simple “staycation.”

The best way to alleviate the pain of having to stay in town for the summer is to get out of the house. By volunteering in your community or playing sports at the

nearest recreational center, you get to be surrounded by a bunch of people (even if they are total strangers) who make you feel less alone.

Just. Get. Local. Six Flags is right here. So is the pool, the movies, the Fillmore, and if you’re a fellow book worm like myself, the library. There are tons of places to do all the things you love to do so don’t mope around. Instead, get out there.

If all your old friends are away this season, make everything super simple by just making new friends during the sum-mer. Sometimes, it’s alright to just get all first-grade about it and say, “Hi! Want to be friends?” Many find the obvious approach

both humorous and flattering, and flattery gets you anywhere and everywhere.

Find a passion. The summer sea-son is the perfect time to carry out all those short term, or even long term goals you set up for yourself during New Year’s. So take the initiative and start painting like you’ve been meaning to or jog a mile every day like you’ve been wanting to. There’s no better feeling than the one of accomplishment.

Don’t let the suburbs fool you; it isn’t as dry as it looks sometimes. Are you just craving the hustle and bustle of the urban nightlife? Then all it takes is a 30-minute drive to the nation’s capital where you can walk the streets and enjoy

everything the cultural area has to offer. More of a morning person? That’s fine, too. Jump into our nation’s history by visiting all the monuments and museums instead.

If at the end of the day, you have tried everything that you can think of to occupy yourself and summer life still hasn’t been good to you, pull one more trick from your sleeve and plan a trip somewhere relatively local. Sometimes an impromptu road trip to the sights of Virginia is all you need to feel like a true vacationer.

When mastering the art of stayca-tioning, just remember: you can be stuck at home, but that doesn’t mean you have to be stuck inside.

by Maryam Outlawx“Staycations” provide relaxing, rewarding alternative for summer fun

An ode to The OfficeSaying goodbye to everyone’s

favorite Pennsylvania workplace

Right now, out there, they are all denying the fact that they’re sad, and that’s hard, and it’s making them all angry. And it is my job to get them all the way through to acceptance, and, if not acceptance, then just depression. If I can get them depressed, then I’ll have done my job.

-Michael Scott

For the first time it seems, Michael Scott has actually done his job. Yesterday marked the last ever episode of The Of-fice. My eight year love affair with the Scranton, Pennsylvania branch of Dunder Mifflin Paper has come to an end.

From its best episode (“The Job”) to its worst (most things from Season 8), The Office has always had the perfect balance of comedy and reality. What sets this show apart from other comedic heavyweights like The Big Bang Theory, Parks and Recreation and Modern Family is that it can do drama and it can do it well. But when I say drama I’m not talking soap-opera plot twists, I mean the simple obstacles life throws at us: relationships, money, employment. The Office was never some fantasy world where only good endings existed. The show taught us that everyone has to make tough choices

in life but that doesn’t mean we can’t laugh about it as we do so.

With real situations come real people. All of the characters weren’t just screwballs written up purely for comedic purposes. They had feeling and flaws. They were very much human. Even Mi-chael Scott could get serious and bring about a tear or two every once in a while (see “Take Your Daughter to Work Day” or “Goodbye, Michael”). But the shows best story line came from a floppy-haired salesman and an engaged secretary. With Jim and Pam, The Office took love, in all of its slow, eventual grandeur and put it on television. And it was perfection.

But now the Halpert’s and com-pany will have to live on only on Netflix. For all of those people reading this who have never watched the show, I cannot recommend it highly enough. I dare you to watch an episode and not feel the urge to at least try another. I dare you to not laugh at Michael Scott and his idiocy, Dwight and his beets, or Creed and his creepiness. I dare you to not smile at Jim and Pam. I dare you to not love The Office.

As for me, I’m not sure what my future Thursday nights hold. Who knows, maybe I’ll start watching Whitney (this is a joke). But don’t worry about me; (to steal another line from Michael Scott) somehow I’ll manage.

by Michael Errigox

Body image concerns weigh as much on men as it does on women While a lot of focus these days is on what women think of their looks, there is very

little attention paid to men and their body image. It may surprise you to know that men go through the same struggles with self-image as women.

Girls fawning over Channing Tatum’s abs, others dreaming of an embrace in Chris Hemsworth’s arms, and how could anyone not drool over Zayn Malik’s chiseled features? With all this attention on the attractive physical attributes, can the average guy really compete?

While many girls jump at the chance to blame their body image issues on a guy’s preference for a size 2, many don’t see that they themselves cause similar stress on guys. Yes, ladies are part of the problem.

Blake Sophomore Stephen Michur says that girls may have some influence, but “you’re more likely to be influenced by what you hear.” Still, he sees that guys do think about their bodies. “They’re subconsciously [thinking] about their body image,” he adds.

Like women, men often end up setting unrealistic expectations for the way they want to look. These include having flawless skin and being muscular, athletic: he should also be without body hair and devoid of fat, and all of this should be packaged in a classic

“V” shaped body frame. Why would anyone complain about achieving such a sexy goal? They wouldn’t, if

it were reasonable. For most men, it’s not. But that doesn’t stop them from attempting it through excessive exercise, taking supplements to increase muscle mass, or even resorting to anorexia or bulimia.

So, how bad can this be? It can alienate friends and be unhealthy. Blake Junior Christian Sabatino said he knows some friends who have been concerned about their body image. “Some guys I know say they need to work out every day or ‘that’s it, I can’t have anything.’ ”

Society seems to have normalized excessive actions if you can achieve the results. It seems like it could be inspirational. But is that a good focus for life? If so, be sure to include the number of hours spent in the gym on your college application. That should get you far.

Although it’s good to want to improve your appearance or be healthy, guys need to learn the difference between working out and going body-image crazy. Working out to stay in shape for sports and your personal benefit is fine, inspirational even. The right thing to do is set realistic goals, enjoy the effort, and keep a balance between working out, eating right, and spending time with friends.

by Brian Dicken & Jasmin Waynex

Outrage over reporting in rape caseAnyone who has heard anything about

the ‘Steubenville rape case’ is more likely than not to have heard of it in the context of CNN’s news coverage of the trial; specifi-cally, the outrage caused by the attitudes of the reporters.

Those unfamiliar with the case can conduct a quick Google search of the words ‘Steubenville’ and ‘rape’ to unleash a flood of not only factual reports but endless Internet users’ opinions on the validity of the crime and the validity of the reactions to i t . . This case quickly became more than the sen-tencing of two sexual assaulters; it instead became a media-fueled battle over the ‘right’ way to handle the representation of both victims and enactors of violence. But this kind of collective, nation-wide argument over the aftermath of a rape case should not be happening. Crimes and their aftermaths really should not be anything but objective, informative news stories.

CNN did not employ this direction when telling the story of the trial. The judge found the two defendants, 17-year-old Trent Mays and 16-year-old Ma’lik Richmond, to be guilty of sexually assaulting the 16-year-old victim, referred to only as “Jane Doe.” The boys were sentenced to serve in juvenile detention until reaching the age of 21.

The reporter, who reiterated this out-come, colored her account with empathy and

even pity for the guilty parties. There was great emphasis on the status of the two boys as “star football athletes” who had formerly promising futures that would be wrecked by this guilty verdict. The reporter included her observations of the courtroom as being emotionally intense due to the boy’s regretful and distraught at-titudes. The report also featured clips of both boys’ apologies; Richmond’s ended in his sob-bing and being comforted by a man from the prosecution. Then the impact of their sentence was explained in detail, stating the permanence of this on their records and how it could pre-

vent them getting jobs or educa-t i o n a n d force them to register as sex of-

fenders. There is no mention of the victim throughout this, save the phrase “victim” used in literally one sentence that is not about her.

There is no denying that this kind of reporting is biased and subjective, and no denying that the views are a facet of danger-ous victim-blaming behavior. CNN’s report should have been different—but this is where the arguments begin to become just as distract-ing and unproductive. The report should have been facts and nothing else; the report should not have condemned Mays and Richmond or rejoiced at their prison sentence, but a descrip-tion of the victim’s own turmoil and how this event will impact her should not have been news either. The crime was committed, and that cannot be changed, and that crime is the only fact that should be held as a tragedy.

by Marina McCaneyx

There is no mention of the victim throughout [media’s

reporting on the case]

May 17, 2013 The Blake BeatC8

Minds In MotionZachary Battou (Boys JV Lacrosse)Curtis Dey (Boys JV Lacrosse)Oscar Gomez (Boys JV Lacrosse)Michael Jenner (Boys JV Lacrosse)Christos Lemberos (Boys JV Lacrosse)Tyler Nine (Boys JV Lacrosse)John Pierson III (Boys JV Lacrosse)Bryson Reyes (Boys JV Lacrosse)Jacob Silverman (Boys JV Lacrosse)Ian Smith (Boys JV Lacrosse)Trieu Truong (Boys JV Lacrosse)Ryan Chang (Boys Tennis)Ryan Choe (Boys Tennis)Hoyoung Choi (Boys Tennis)Cameron Daisey (Boys Tennis)Michael Errigo (Boys Tennis)Corey Glocker (Boys Tennis)Stephen Han (Boys Tennis)Delmar Kaiser (Boys Tennis)Dylan Kaiser (Boys Tennis)Keenan Lo (Boys Tennis)James Newport (Boys Tennis)Atijavansa Ok (Boys Tennis)Kwame Asante (Boys Track & Field)Gregory Bell (Boys Track & Field)Arnold Chonai (Boys Track & Field)Bryan Citrenbaum (Boys Track & Field)Michael Citrenbaum (Boys Track & Field)Logan Dechter (Boys Track & Field)Michael Frimpong (Boys Track & Field)Ariel Gomez (Boys Track & Field)Antony Harris, Jr. (Boys Track & Field)Paul Kennedy (Boys Track & Field)Zachary Kushner (Boys Track & Field)Meyer Lahat (Boys Track & Field)Emmanuel Oppong (Boys Track & Field)Ezra Roschu (Boys Track & Field)Jesse Stout (Boys Track & Field)John Stout (Boys Track & Field)Dylan Taira (Boys Track & Field)Joshua Werfel (Boys Track & Field)Dallas Willson (Boys Track & Field)Cole Bradshaw (Boys Vars Lacrosse)Nicholas Colburn (Boys Vars Lacrosse)Daniel D’Amico (Boys Vars Lacrosse)Brandon Deane (Boys Vars Lacrosse)Tanner Giles-Tucker (Boys Vars Lacrosse)Frank Hedgepeth (Boys Vars Lacrosse)Brandon Johnson (Boys Vars Lacrosse)Barzillai Kim (Boys Vars Lacrosse)Samuel King (Boys Vars Lacrosse)Wyatt McInturff (Boys Vars Lacrosse)Larson Shilling (Boys Vars Lacrosse)Stephen Via (Boys Vars Lacrosse)Kyeong Bae (Boys Volleyball)Michael Brown (Boys Volleyball)Justin Chan (Boys Volleyball)Kevin Cheung (Boys Volleyball)Nicholas Corsillo (Boys Volleyball)

Nicholas Davis (Boys Volleyball)Jason Fleischer (Boys Volleyball)Levko Karmazyn (Boys Volleyball)Andrew Riedel (Boys Volleyball)Alejandro Tarazona (Boys Volleyball)Russell Wanke (Boys Volleyball)Nicholas Chow (Coed Volleyball)Lydia Curdts (Coed Volleyball)Maia Gadsden (Coed Volleyball)Courtney Hutchinson (Coed Volleyball)Claire Johnson (Coed Volleyball)Michelle Nguyen (Coed Volleyball)Cora Present (Coed Volleyball)Moctar Sidi Ahmed (Coed Volleyball)Thomas Stanton (Coed Volleyball)Maggie Tan (Coed Volleyball)Andrea Taylor (Coed Volleyball)Renee Treacy (Coed Volleyball)Robert Walker (Coed Volleyball)Tayllor Afram (Girls JV Lacrosse)Logan Dreher (Girls JV Lacrosse)Emma Friedman (Girls JV Lacrosse)Alexandra Hadyka (Girls JV Lacrosse)Zoe Hatzes (Girls JV Lacrosse)Samantha Holley (Girls JV Lacrosse)Lauren Johnson (Girls JV Lacrosse)Nicole Lertora (Girls JV Lacrosse)Sorina Lim (Girls JV Lacrosse)Amanda Long (Girls JV Lacrosse)Kate Murphy (Girls JV Lacrosse)Madeleine Noonan-Shueh (Girls JV Lacrosse)Taylor Riddick (Girls JV Lacrosse)Colleen Simmons (Girls JV Lacrosse)Samantha Steel (Girls JV Lacrosse)Maika Taguchi (Girls JV Lacrosse)Syona Tuladhar (Girls JV Lacrosse)Oritsetsolaye Akuya (Girls Track and Field)Michelle Bloyd (Girls Track and Field)Courtney Broadnax (Girls Track and Field)Kate Campbell (Girls Track and Field)Riani Carr (Girls Track and Field)Sandra Guevara (Girls Track and Field)Elana Harris (Girls Track and Field)Abigail Hines (Girls Track and Field)Elizabeth Iduma (Girls Track and Field)Kaela Jones (Girls Track and Field)Anna Lee (Girls Track and Field)Samantha Luckert (Girls Track and Field)Caroline Manzo (Girls Track and Field)Tailor Mapp (Girls Track and Field)Catherin Oberfield (Girls Track and Field)Brittany O’Gilvie(Girls Track and Field)Keyri Perez-Roque (Girls Track and Field)Carly Plevy (Girls Track and Field)Alexis Prather (Girls Track and Field)Micah Richards (Girls Track and Field)Martha Sam (Girls Track and Field)Nia Singleton (Girls Track and Field)Simone Skerritt (Girls Track and Field)Jasmine Stanton (Girls Track and Field)

Sandra Steen (Girls Track and Field)Julia Bell (Girls Vars Lacrosse)Torie Broer (Girls Vars Lacrosse)Lindsey Comer (Girls Vars Lacrosse)Alison Dionne (Girls Vars Lacrosse)Theodora Lemberos (Girls Vars Lacrosse)Kristina McKenna (Girls Vars Lacrosse)Jordan McLean (Girls Vars Lacrosse)Ashley Sheibaniagdam (Girls Vars Lacrosse)Sydney Steel (Girls Vars Lacrosse)Caroline Tatnall (Girls Vars Lacrosse)Caroline Wannen (Girls Vars Lacrosse)Mary Cole (Gymnastics)Christina Evans (Gymnastics)Alyssia Graves (Gymnastics)Anna Haley (Gymnastics)Jassmine Harris (Gymnastics)Raquel Hernandez (Gymnastics)Stephanie Van Albert (Gymnastics)Cassandra Wolsh (Gymnastics)Joan Wood (Gymnastics)Bianca Woodward (Gymnastics)James Bartley (JV Baseball)William Brown III (JV Baseball)Brian Dicken (JV Baseball)Benjamin Haley (JV Baseball)Israel Pinto (JV Baseball)Thomas Plihal (JV Baseball)William Taggart (JV Baseball)Jordan Weber (JV Baseball)Tyler Welsh (JV Baseball)Tessa Botkin (JV Softball)Ana Clyde (JV Softball)Daphne Figueroa (JV Softball)Christiane Fotso (JV Softball)Laura Franklin (JV Softball)Alison Kerner (JV Softball)Gwyndolyn McCaney (JV Softball)Jenna Ramirez (JV Softball)Kathleen Staggers (JV Softball)Kendall Toxie (JV Softball)Veronica White (JV Softball)Sydney Wolk (JV Softball)Derek Glocker (Vars Baseball)Blaine Lowry (Vars Baseball)Jared Lowry (Vars Baseball)Pradip Ramamurti (Vars Baseball)Matthew Russell (Vars Baseball)Margaret Simpson (Vars Baseball)Bailey Boyd (Vars Softball)Elana Carr (Vars Softball)Casey Clark (Vars Softball)Olivia English (Vars Softball)Lillian Hallmark (Vars Softball)Monica Hallmark (Vars Softball)Grace Johnson (Vars Softball)Angelique McCray (Vars Softball)Summer Meile (Vars Softball)Sarah Sterling (Vars Softball)

Minds in Motion 3rd Quarter

The Blake Beat thanks the Booster Club for its support