Voume 45; Issue 1; October 1, 2010OutlookOakton

Homecoming arrives early with a sizzling summer theme.

Profiles and previews of Oakton’s fall athletic teams.

Feature News Opinions SportsEarly Homecoming and new ‘Cougar Time’ evoke strong student opinions.

Young Democrats and Republicans foster bipartisan spirit.

Second GlanceA Closer Look at Islam at Oakton

Quizzes and homework and tests, oh my! Summer’s over, school’s in and it’s still hot enough to melt your �ip �ops.

Junior year can be a big adjustment while senior year can feel like a race

to the �nish line. But, with a little planning and a little common sense, you will be just �ne.

Summer is over and so are summer schedules. If you are still trying to stay up late and play like you did over the summer (when you could sleep the day away), you may be in for some trouble. If you are cutting your sleep short day after day, watch out! You are going to get sick sooner or later, since sleep deprivation lowers your immunity. So does stress ("Ack! Two tests and a paper due tomorrow!") Put them together and you are practically begging germs and viruses to "bring it on!" Your life will not be improved if you have to pile on work from missed days of school. Get your work done by planning your sleep. Really! Plan to get 8 hours

of sleep. Make that a goal. Then, work backwards: Figure what time you need to get to sleep to get eight hours (say 11 p.m.) and set that as your new deadline. Then, you can calculate how many hours you have from dinner time to 11p.m. Say, for instance, that leaves 3.5 hours. Then, looking at all of your assignments, allocate 30 minutes for this and an hour for that. Work to keep on pace. We all work faster and harder with a deadline. Heck, some of us work ONLY if there is a deadline.

Having deadlines for each assignment and the total night's work can help you do 3.5 hours of work in 3.5 hours, rather than in 5 hours which, I'm pretty sure, we've all done before. If you miss the 11 p.m. deadline, make a new one for 11:30. But, try even harder to get the work done and go to bed. Since you cannot change the assignments your teachers give you, it's up to you to change how you do that work. Working e�ciently and productively means less time doing your work and that's good. More sleep

is even better, of course.

Plan your academic and testing calendar well. Don’t take the SAT or �nish your college admissions essay the same week that your term paper, science project and Spanish presentation are all due. Likewise, if you’re the lead in the school play, the weekend of opening night isn’t such a great idea. And, people do get sick.

Plan your life so that there is always a fallback position. If you WERE to get sick one day and miss a test date or paper deadline, would you be stuck? Do you have a plan? (Check out the P r e p M a t t e r s YouTube Channel for many more tips, guidelines

and “how to” videos: youtube.com /prepmatters)

Planning for success also means planning contingencies. Plan your days and your year. Staying well and being successful go hand in (Purell-drenched) hand.

PSAT | SAT | ACT | SUBJECT TESTS | AP | SUBJECT TUTORING | APPLICATIONS | ESSAYS

BETHESDA, MARYLAND 20814 McLEAN, VIRGINIA 22101info@prepmatters.comwww.prepmatters.com301.951.0350 703.356.6390

individual test preparation& educational counseling

better scores.better choices.

PrepMatters.

Don’t be Felled by Fall: A Few Simple Steps to Start the Year

learn more tips Register now for our Common Application Workshop or RSVP for a free seminar.

Follow us on Facebook or Twitter for more tips and important dates.

take a test To schedule a free diagnostic ACT, SAT, or subject test, call 703-356-6390 or send an e-mail to frontdesk@prepmatters.com

by Ned Johnson, Founder and President of PrepMatters, Inc

Table of Contents page 03, oct. 1, 2010

Studen’ts attend summer Warped Tourarts & entertainment

Student’s experience the famous summer concert festival for alternative music.

29

opinionsHomecoming too early for students

21

Student’s input on the newly implemented “cougar time,” an addition to the Oakton schedule that students and faculty are still adjusting to.

On The Cover: Religious reactions in-depth

Student-provided input and compiled statistics reflect reactions towards Islam, as well as Muslim athletes’ religious and sporting commitments.

16

Golf team participates in districtssports

25

As the golf team’s regular season comes to an end, the athletes prepare for the upcoming district competition.

Fall’s top atheltes expect a successful seasonsports

Profiles of the season’s top athletes, including cross country, volleyball, field hockey and football.

28

8

Students celebrate “Sweet Summertime” at Homecomingnews

The student-voted homecoming theme attracts hundreds of students, despite the dance being weeks earlier than previous years.

13

Oakton alumni on America’s Got Talentfeature

2007 graduate Danny Kang wins third place on “America’s Got Talent” as a member of the now-famous dance group Fighting Gravity.

letter from the editors

Editorial Policy The Outlook is an open forum for student expression. Unsigned editorials reflect the collective opinion of the Outlook staff. Signed editorials represent the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Outlook or Oakton High School. Reader opinions are important to the Outlook and contributions are welcome. Make your voice heard by sending us a line about what’s on your mind. Letters to the editor may be may be sent via email to kirin.gupta@oaktonmedia.net or dropped off in Mrs. Luna’s box in the main office or in room 196. The Outlook reserves the right to edit submissions for grammar and content provided the meaning remains unchanged.

Editors in ChiefKirin Gupta Zoe MitchellVipin Reddy

News EditorChris PapasFeature EditorMichelle Chu

Opinions EditorsNikki ClemonsDorothy Yen

In-Depth EditorAllen Luethke

Sports EditorsAllie BerubeAlex BuscemiPhoto EditorDaniel ChaitCopy EditorsShannon RaganSarah Crain (Ast.)

Business ManagerSarah Crain

AdviserLauren Luna

Melanie Aguilar Alex Belden Erin BennettTim CollinsSpencer ConleyJames Craig Sofia Crutchfield Conner DickGabriella DriscollLauren EmbroskiChristian ForbesRoxy Ghamgosarnia Kim GibbonsMorgan HarwoodCaroline HipwellSarah HongNicole Jakstas Callum KeltonIsabella KidaneChristina Lee Oliver Lopez-Gomez

StaffMichelle LoRusso Emma MankinMadlin MekelburgShyann MirzaCole Neuffer Cassandra Noda Michelle Oh Chris PeterkinEmma PfeiferChloe PierceSonya Price Shayda Shahbazi Rachita SinghBecky SingermanShayda Shahbazi Rachita SinghAnita TadakamallaPenelope TangamuMarilyn YangAlexa WilliamsKate Zhukova

Outlook Staff

The Buzz in the Newsroom...

page 04, oct. 1, 2010

A warm welcome from your new Outlook editors, Kirin, Vipin, and Zoe, and adviser, Lauren Luna

Zoe: You guys, we’re finally senior editors!

Mrs. Luna: Kirin’s not… She’s definitely still a junior on my class roster…

Kirin: Hey, Mrs. Luna, you’re as new as I am. Just smarter… But really, it’s a mistake. I’m a senior!

Mrs. Luna: Maybe one day… (walks away, leaving Kirin looking ridiculous)

Zoe: I can’t believe we’ve been on newspaper so long. And known each other for so long (eye-roll). Remember the first day we met?

Kirin: Err. Not really…you do?

Zoe: Funnily, yes. I remember it like it was yesterday – and by yesterday, I mean five years ago. It’s probably because I was so scared of you. You know… because I heard stories about you injuring other kids, and I was seriously worried that you were going to smack me down.

Kirin: Right…well… I was a very violent person.

Vipin: Was?! Didn’t you beat up that staffer once when they didn’t post

their stories on the newspaper board?

Kirin: It was a moment of rage! Can we please just forget about it?

Vipin: No, Kirin, we can’t. I will remind you – that staffer has yet to return to school.

Zoe: OH NO! Guys! This is more important – LOOK at this page. What are the circles for? …OH, those are graphs.

Kirin: I know those are graphs.

Zoe: Well, I thought they were picture circles, which we did last year. I went back and fixed them, and they still looked bad. Journalistically, you’re just not supposed to do circles! They’re 360 degrees of pure newspaper evil.

Vipin: Um…

Kirin: Yeah…

Zoe: Come on you guys! Get some work done!

Vipin: Zoe, the issue is in! What are you panicking about?

Kirin: I’m with Vipin. Let’s relax. This is just the first issue, and already we’ve done our best to cover everything from

abridging American freedom of religion to breaking it down on the gym floor.

Vipin: This is about as good as it gets, kids.

Enjoy.

Deadline Day Drama

Online Editor Koorosh Massoudi

tara gupta

page 05, oct. 1, 2010news news in brief

Re-opened, the Oakton Writ-ing Center. The Center, which focuses on providing a free and easy tutoring service for students and by students, anticipates another successful year af-ter instilling many new changes to the program and hopes to expand their efforts this year. This year, students can show up at the Writing Center without needing to sign up. “We want more students from more disciplines coming in to get assistance with their writing and all stages of the writ-ing process,” said Beth Blankenship, the Center’s sponsor (below). At the Center, students spend twenty minutes working on any aspect of the writing process they need whether it be edit-ing, brainstorming or drafting. This help will allow students to get help early in the writing process, before they turn in the piece for final grading. “[Students] get to show their teachers they made an effort, showing their determination to learn,” Blankenship said. “Teachers love to see students go out of their way to improve their writ-ing.” The Writing Center is open dur-ing Cougar Time, during lunch every day but Wednesday and afterschool on Wednesday as a quiet place to write and receive help with the editing process. “It’s really easy to get help: just show up,” Blankenship said.

Changed, by the College Board, the policy on pe-nalizing students for leaving a question unanswered. Previously, unanswered questions were not marked wrong; but now a full point will be deducted if a question is left blank. In addi-tion, Fairfax County Public School students will now pay $75 for each AP exam they are planning to take. After the implementation of new budget cuts, Fairfax County will no longer be responsible for paying for students’ exams. The money will be collected prior to taking the test. “I guess as far as being penalized for a not marked question, I never understood the grading for that so I am glad that they

changed that policy,” said AP English Literature teacher Sidney Dillon. “I still am not sure about the students paying for their tests. The main factor is whether or not it affects the number of students taking AP courses.”

Named, by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation as National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists, five Oakton seniors. Kirin Gupta, Joseph Choi, Raymond Daniels, Catherine

Mahoney and Grace Neuman are among a group of 16,000 students nationally who qualified out of an applicant pool of 1.5 million students. Students qualified by taking the Prelimi-nary SAT/ National

Merit Scholarship Qualification Test in October 2009.

Nominated, as a Finalist in ten categories for the 2010 VHSL State Writing/Photo/Design Con-test, Opus. The literary magazine was named as a finalist multiple times in the categories of Photograph, Draw-ing, Painting, Computer Art and Po-etry Spread, while also being named a finalist in the categories of Concept Packaging, Cover, Table of Contents, 3-D Art, Prose Spread and Infograph-ics/Secondary Packaging.

Practiced, at Oakton High School, the Virginia Tech March-ing Virginians. The band (above) worked on routines on the upper fields of Oakton on Sept. 6, before performing later that night at the against Boise State at FedEx Field in Landover.

Moved, to the former IMS lab in the Library, the Career Center. The Center moved to allow the expanded Writing Center to take its place. In addition, Danielle Travis has taken over as Career Center Specialist after Marion Kendrick departed at the end of last year. “One of the things I’m really excited about is meeting with all the college representatives,” said Travis. “It’s great for me to be able to meet with them as well as the students because they can provide a lot of insight on what they’re looking for in terms of applications, essays, letters of recom-mendation; and since those things are so specific to individual schools, it’s really helpful when they can come and share their insight with the students.”

For more on these stories and others, go to

www.oaktonoutlook.com

tim collins

sarah crain

page 06outlook newsoct. 1, 2010

My teachers are so different from middle school. They talk so much faster without stopping for questions. And they don’t remember me. But they’re nice! They are nice.

evelyn wang, still-adjusting freshwoman

“ “

This month I got a double concussion from P.E. classes. Hit in the head… Twice. The ride from here to the hospital is really fun.

pauline henenlotter, well-coordinated sophomore

“ “

Homecoming turned out exceptionally well, despite how early it was... To be honest, I had a really

dope time.

kit mahoney, reserved senior class president

“ “I really like the new Personal Finance

teacher, Mr. Haen. Not like-like! But like. I like him.

stephen jordan, extremely articulate senior

“ “

OHS is fantabulous! You know, because all the activities are fun and the people are awesome-possum.

maddy defreece, calmly composed freshwoman

“ “

this monthin your words

page 07outlook newsoct. 1, 2010

Marching band hosts upcoming oakton classic

The Oakton Classic, a band exhibition in which area schools are invited to compete, has been the focus of the marching band for the last five weeks. The

competition, which will be held on Oct. 16, requires extensive preparation involving demanding sets and drills. Although Oak-ton is not competing in the event, they will be performing during exhibition and are still aiming to impress the judges and other band ensembles.“The judges are usually ‘big name’ college professors,” said

senior Nick Steel. “Although we are not competing, they still judge us so we can get feedback and constructive criticism. [The pressure is there] because we are still performing in front of a crowd.” In addition to performing, the Oakton marching band is required to volunteer throughout the day. Although Oakton Classic is a competition for area schools, it is

also a fundraiser for the Oakton band. The funds and donations

County offers new finance and economics class

Finance and economics has never been offered as a Fairfax County course until this year. Students around the county now have the opportunity to enroll in the class, with the

exception of two schools. Finance and economics this year is taught by Luke Haen. The

class covers how to manage personal finances, teaching students how to make, spend, invest and save money. “The course is probably one of the more immediate benefits to

[students] because it deals with money,” Haen said. “Everyone in the school can relate to that.”Although the course is considered to be a basic social studies

elective, students will cover many aspects of finance and eco-nomics spanning from the individual’s role in the economy to the government’s role in the economy.“We are learning about how the government regulates money

in the economy,” said senior Joey Cooper. “I think it will be beneficial because a lot of the stuff we’re learning we will use later in life.”The finance and economics class is not a requirement for this

year’s incoming freshmen, but in the near future, state legislation will determine whether to make the course mandatory.“The state deferred the requirement of the class for a year,” said

Michelle Taylor, Assistant Principal. “When the state legislation reconvenes then they will revisit [the topic]. It is not in effect yet, but we will find out in the spring.”

Once legislation reaches a decision, the administration will an-nounce whether or not the class will be a mandatory course for freshmen. The reason for making the class a requirement is the need for students to learn how to efficiently manage their money. “Economics is a study of choices,”

Haen said. “I hope that [finance and economic students] make the best choices in the future with their resources and money.”

Finance and Economics teacher Luke Haen instructs the class during the first week of school, preparing students for a quiz on scarcity and opportunity cost. “I’m excited for the new curriculum and to be new to Oakton this year,” Haen said.

In anticipation of their performance at the Oakton Classic, the marching band performs “Jesus Christ Superstar” during half-time at the Homecoming game on Sept. 24.

nicole jakstasanita tadakamallastaff writers

shayda shahbazierin bennettstaff writers

tim collins

Classic, we invite a college band to play at exhibition. [Usually we invite] bands from Virginia, but this year, we went out of state to get a different perspective,” said senior Maura Brennan, drum major.As the biggest high school marching band competition in Virginia,

the Oakton Classic provides funds that allow the band department to continue providing students with the quality resources and equip-ment they need to hone their skills. The Classic benefits Oakton by

building teamwork and a sense of community, which enhances their musical cohesion and

overall performance.

alina suyama

brought in by the Oakton Classic will be used to buy uniforms, instruments and sheet music.“It has been very successful in years past and I expect it to

be again this year,” said senior Katherine Black. During this year’s exhibition, Oakton will be followed by West Virginia University’s marching band.“Every year for the

As the third week of school approached its end, students bustled about in

the crowded hallways dressed in burgundy and gold with an air of “Sweet Summertime” for the first dance of the year, Homecoming, which was held on Sept. 25. This year’s Homecoming was held earlier than previous years due to a conflict with the Oakton Classic. Such an early date has led to frustration among some students. “I thought it was too early, especially for freshmen or people trying to get dates, because three weeks isn’t enough time to get to know someone,” said senior Ceci Nyguen. For the freshmen class, this was the first school dance they had the opportunity to attend. “I wanted to go to Homecoming because there weren’t many dances in middle school so it seemed like it would be lots of fun,” said freshman Maddie Rosenstein. At the same time, many freshmen chose to opt out of their first dance. “I still didn’t know exactly what the school did,” said freshman Aqila Wakeel. “I didn’t know anything about the dance at that time, but I’ll probably go next year because I [will] know more about the school.” “Sweet Summertime” was the theme of Homecoming. Students dressed in pajamas, all-black, musical themes, superheroes and supervil-lians, and finally in burgundy and gold for Spirit Week. “There were a couple of days people really responded like black out and burgundy and gold,” said Jhossy Perez, senior. “It could have

gone better.” A new addition to the dance was the game room. “The game room was for students when they wanted to take a break,” said Leadership teacher Sean Greeney. “Students played games like cornhole and ladder golf,basically yard games.” Students felt the game room was an improvement from past dances. “The game was a really big improvement from last year,” said Wendy Xue, senior. “It was better because instead of getting refreshment, it was a great alternative for people who didn’t want to dance.”

The Pep Rally was held on Sept. 24 to allow the whole student body to encouraging school spirit through

class games and introducing the Homecoming court, which consisted of 20 seniors and ten juniors. “The Pep Rally was worse than last year, because it was too hot,” said Soomin Gwag, sophomore. Leadership students volunteered to come early to set up the scene of the dance. “[Setting up] was frustrating at times but to see the end result was worth it,” said Steele Shemed, senior. Homecoming ended at midnight with positive feedbacks. “[The dance] was nice, it was good to see all the students having fun with friends,” said Steve Eslami, Spanish teacher. “It’s all about coming to dance and students were hav-ing a good time.”

page 08outlook newsoct. 1, 2010

Giving their tickets, freshmen Ramya Mukulla and Stephanie Harvey wait to be admitted in to the dance. Homecoming was the first school event fresh-men attendend. “My favorite part of [the night] was hanging out with my friend,” Mukulla said.

Early in Fall, school celebrate the Sweet Summertime through Homecoming festivitiesStudents displayed school spirit during Homecoming celebrations, including the Pep Rally and Spirit Week, concluding the spirit of the summer and the start of fall.

michelle ohrachita singhstaff writers

alina suyama

See page 15 for more on Homecoming

Catapulting t-shirts in to the crowd, seniors Chad Carroll, John Titus, sophomore Patrick Moore and junior Michael Gillooly rouse the crowd. The Lead-ership class decided to give away t-shirts in order to raise spirits during the Pep Rally.

penelope tengamu

page 09outlook newsoct. 1, 2010

Helping each other stretch, junior Sophia Calopedis and sophmore Lindsey Bolger prepare for their performance. The Dance team performed their routine for the Homecoming game during the Pep Rally. “We were really excited for this dance,” Calopedis said. “There was more variety this year.”

Walking to the field, juniors Norman Claros, Michael Filipponi, and Jake Farrar approach the scene of the Homecoming game. The game was against Annandale High School with Oakton winning 35-21. “I was really excited [for the game], because I felt like we were going to beat Annadale,” Filipponi said.

alina suyama

mimi dabestaniCompeting with students, seniors Kevin Shaver and Zack Fabian attempt to win the donut eating contest for the senior class. The donut eating contest was one of many games created to raise school spirit and a little class competition. “We wanted to represent the senior class,” Fabian said.

allie berube

alina suyama Smiling at the crowd, juniors Kelsey Clarke, Taylor Johnson, and Emily Corridon ride past cheering stu-dents at the Pep Ralley. There were five girls and five boys on the junior Homecoming court. “I was really excited,” Corridon said. “We all were really happy to get nominated and it was fun in the car.”

alina suyama

page 10, oct. 1, 2010featureGovernment teachers inspire young politicos

Young Democrats and Young Republcians colloborate to improve political awareness at Oakton.

This year, the Young Republicans and Young Democrats clubs are revamping their image. Republicans’ advisor Joshua

Henry and Democrats’ advisor Rebecca Small are collaborating with hopes of increasing political awareness within the student population. “The club provides an opportunity for students to get involved in the political process,” said Henry. “It’s important [for students] to be involved in their community and what’s going on around them.” Small may not agree with Henry in terms of politics, yet they both believe that Oakton’s location is ideal for getting students interested in government. “Students would be given the opportunity to volunteer and intern in D.C.,” Henry said. “We would volunteer at campaign fundraisers for upcoming elections.” Small has many ideas for the future of Young Democrats as well. “I want to use the fact that we’re so close to D.C. to get students involved in the political process,” said Small. “We’ll use our club meetings to prepare for field trips into D.C. by raising funds and preparing questions for important members of Congress that we hope to go see.” In addition to working, the students in Young Democrats and Young Republicans will explore politics through visiting up - and - coming people and places. “We’re planning on having two field trips so far: one to the National Rifle Association and another to see Senator Jim DeMint, a Tea Party member from South Carolina,” Small said. “Both have been in the spotlight lately, and it would be wrong not to take advantage of this treasure chest of history.” However, the clubs plan on enjoying

themselves in D.C. as well. “We’d like to go see a Nationals Game, or maybe even have an election night return party where we’ll hang out, eat and watch the results as they come in,” Small said. While on these field trips to Washington, Small and Henry plan on fostering a sense of unity between the two clubs, bonding students through their passion for politics. “It would be interesting to hear the different perspectives of the students,” Henry said. “It’s a good thing to have a friendly, civil rivalry.” Senior Stephen Michaelis, who was a member of Young Republicans during the 2008-2009 school year, supports the idea of a joint effort between the two clubs.

“I’d like to see the club have more members,” Michaelis said. “There were only ten to fifteen members when I was in the club and this year I’d like to see us getting more involved and volunteering for campaigns.” With all the changes that the clubs are planning to implement, Michaelis is looking forward to participating in the events that the clubs have planned. “Young Republicans has inspired me to vote and actively participate in politics,” Michaelis said.

Next club meeting: TBAMeetings are once a month in Room 256 for bothRepublicans and Democrats.

It’s a good thing to have a friendly, civil rivalry.

joshua henry (R)

““

Why do you want to join Young Democrats or Young Republicans?

Emma Weil

“To be honest, Mrs. Small made it sound really cool.”

senior

“Second Ammendment

rights: that’s what it’s all about.”

Patrick Quinnfreshman

Henry

Small

kate zhukova

staffer writers andfeature editor

morgan harwood

michelle chu

page 11outlook feature

oct. 1, 2010

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The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS) will be holding an awareness night at the varsity football game on Friday, Oct. 15., with a table at the entrance to the Cougar Path with “Penny Jars for Penny Wars,” one for Oakton and one for Herndon, and an LLS high striker, similar to those at carnivals. Proceeds from both will directly abet LLS. Also, the cheerleading squad will be throwing t-shirts into the bleachers to further publicize the fight against Cancer. Additional awareness will be raised by Andrew Luckabaugh and Skyler Hundley attending the game with their families. Luckabaugh and Hundley are two inspirational children who have found the courage to combat their diseases resiliently and will be at the game to publicize the efforts of LLS. Students can also show their support for LLS and for the fight against cancer by attending the game.

October 15, 2010 Varsity football raises awareness to support the fight against

Leukemia and Lymphoma

Young Politicos visit Senator Jim DeMint

Raising Awareness on Oakton’s Football Field

Family is the foundation of our culture. Single parenting leads to destructive behaviors. People should be free to live the way they want, but I believe government sponsored same sex marriage is unconstitutional. We have guidelines on marriage, because, for example, we don’t want men marrying their sisters. But there is a difference between putting these guidelines on marriage and rede-fining it. Marriage is the most sacred institution in our society and has been around longer than the constitution. Governments should not sanction something that so many people think is morally wrong. Statistics in Scandinavian countries permitting same sex marriage show that after a while marriage does not mean anything at all.

Q&A In 2006, you voted yes for the “Same Sex Mar-riage Resolution”; a constitutional amendment to define marriage as consisting of a man and a woman and to prohibit individual states from recognizing marital status and/or legal benefits from any other unions. Other than for religious reasons, why would you vote that way?

South Carolina Republican Jim DeMint is famously conservative. A major proponent of the far-right movement (the Tea Party movement) for smaller government, lower taxes, and minor government agency roles, DeMint does not seem the type to meet freely with a variety of political affiliates. But

drop their ages a few years and this so-called ‘uncompromising’ senator is open and willing. Rebecca Small and Joshua Henry took both the Young Republicans and the Young Democrats to see the Senator on Sept. 29 to sit down for a quick Q&A session. DeMint opened the session by stating simply “I understand that there are Democrats and Republicans here and probably neither of you like us [the Tea Party movement]. But I am here to take your questions.”

I thought you guys were going to throw me some softball ques-tions! (laughter) Well, I don’t remember how that one was struc-ture, but I don’t see any redeeming value of government spon-sored sex education. All the programs in schools are supported by liberal-led teachers unions. They refuse to teach morality or religion with abstinence, so I prefer to support private grants which will. I believe teaching mainly about contraception is like saying ‘It’s okay as long as you do it this way.’ The government should take an abstinence stance. The government should not be promoting behavior that is destructive.

Q&A In 2006 you voted against the Teen Preg-nancy Education Amendment that would authorize funding for sexual education programs for teens to help prevent teen pregnancy. The programs included both contraceptive and abstinence education. Why did you vote against this Amendment?

I would not rule that out. We have had a lot of success. Right now the Republican party is separate from Republicans in the country. The party is milking the federal treasury trying to bring money to their own states. The Tea Party is saying what the Re-publicans have said for years and if we want a big tent party then we should join these people; they are vigilant activists trying to take back their country. Excluding them would be a fall of domi-noes that would bring the country to its knees. Thirty percent of the tea party supporters are Independents and Democrats. I am taking on my own party – I don’t want to be here for six years more with the same people that are here now (laughter).

Q&A If the Tea Party is dissatisfied with the Repub-lican establishment, why not form a third party as an alternative for voters?

page 12outlook feature

oct. 1, 2010

Coming to a new school is hard: making new friends, learning the school, meeting the teach-ers. Entering a different country, however, is

like an alternate universe. The culture, the language and sharing a house with stangers. This perspective is a reality for students involed in the foreign exchange program.

With the ringing of Spain’s victory at the World Cup still in his ears, Jamie Alvarez de Lorenzana Morate, decided to take a year off from his school in Madrid to immerse himself in American culture. Maria Dos Anjos Dantas of Brazil follows her brother’s footsteps and exchanges her life for the American life-style. From the small counrty of Moldova, Iana Eache wants new expreiences to make her last year of high school unique.

melanie aguilar-rojas sarah hongstaff writers

Jaime Alvarez de Lorenzana Morate embeds his Spanish culture into his American experience by practcing soccer in gym class.

“I want to try out for the soccer team in spring,” Jamie said.While continuing his normal activities, his host family is

teaching Jamie about American traditions. “We are introducing him to American football,” said Ben

Webster, senior.

Maria Dos Anjos Dantas is adjusting to life in America.“When I arrived in America, I had no friends, no family

and no idea about school,” said Maria Dos Anjos Dantas, junior.

She had difficutly making friends because back home she had life-long friends.

“ I was basically starting from zero. In Brazil, I studied with the same classmates since kindergarten, and when I came here, I didn’t know anyone,” Dos Anjos Dantas said.

Oakton welcomes foreign exchange students

Iana Enache is continuing her interests in the fine arts through journalism.

“I enjoy writing because it’s an interestig subject,” said Iana Enache, junior.

She is learning to write articles and is thinking about at-tending a university for journalism. Outside of journalism she enjoys other hobbies.

“I love music, movies, photography and doing fun things with family.”

daniel chait

daniel chait

melanie aguilar-rojas

Senior Matt Johnson dissects a rat. At his summer internship, Johnson and his team disected ratsin order to study their brains. “We did experiments on rats to test for their memory recall,” said Johnson.

Senior Matt Johnson spent his sum-mer working on an internship with a research team made up of college

students at George Mason, led by a college professor, conducting neuroscience experi-ments on rats.

Johnson and his team tested rats for memory recall skills in a simple experiment called the Morris Water Maze. They placed rats in a pool of water where they were expected to swim around until they could locate a platform in the water.

“We were interested in how long it would take them to find the platform. The part of the brain that is in charge of episodic memory is the hippocampus,” Johnson said.

Episodic memory is the ability to recall recent events, “like your date last night, or in this case, swimming in a pool,” Johnson affirmed.

According to their research, a younger rat’s hippocampus is not fully developed, therefore they do not perform as well in the test.

“When we inject the younger rats with a

drug called Ampak-ine, they preformed better on this test,” Johnson explained.

Johnson learned about this intern-ship opportunity at George Mason over the internet. The program is called ASSIP, or the Aspiring Summer Scientists Internship Program.

“My parents wanted me to work, and it was between beneficial interesting work and lifeguarding. ASSIP was an amazing opportunity, and it looks amazing for col-lege,” Johnson said. “I’d recommend it for people interested in biology, psychology and chemistry.”

While completing the internship, these aspiring scientists were required to create a poster with a presentation.

“The project was about the findings of

my project, looking at how Ampakine makes rats’ memories better and my sum-mer [experiences],” Johnson went on to say.

Johnson is continuing his internship at George Mason through the school year to allow him to continue with the summer research.

page 13outlook feature

oct. 1, 2010

Student continues work with summer neuroscience internship

roxy ghamgosarnia oliver lopez-gomez madlin mekelburgstaff writers

By fall, most college students are already in class, work-ing vigorously to earn their

degree and party their weekends away. But Virginia Tech senior Danny Kang is in Hollywood, preparing for the America’s Got Talent concert tour with twelve of his fraternity brothers of Pi Kappa Alpha. The brothers’ local fame began in 2009 when they competed in a university-wide philan-thropy talent show that benefited the sight-impaired. Their name, Fighting Gravity, is derived from the illusions they perform that seem to fight the concept of gravity.

Danny’s sister, Stina, is also a recent Oakton graduate and cur-rently a sophomore at Bridgewater College. She describes how Fighting Gravity came up with the inspiration to audition. “They started at a talent show at a Virginia Tech charity event called An-chor Splash and they ended up winning for their fraternity,” said Stina. “Then they decided to send a video [of their performance] to AGT and got in.”

Stina is very supportive of the group’s audition.

“At first I was really excited but I wasn’t sure if they were going to make it. When they made the top four, I was so proud of them!”

When asked if Danny treated her dif-ferently after his group’s success, Stina denies it.

“No, he didn’t change at all! Surpris-ingly he took all my calls even if he was really busy—I would call him right before they performed and wish him good luck.” Now that the season has ended, the

group is preparing to go on the AGT tour.

“All the guys in the group have to take the fall semester off, so I was kind of worried about him [Danny] because he’s a fifth year senior,” said Stina. “But I definitely think it’s going to be a great experience.”

Fighting Gravity will be performing live with the America’s Got Talent tour at the Landmark Theater in Richmond (Oct. 18) or at the D.A.R. Constitution Hall in DC (Nov. 11). christina lee

staff writer

2007 Oakton alumni wins third place on America’s Got Talent

Kang, front left, will be on the America’s Got Talent tour this fall. “I definitely think it’s going to be a great experience,” says his sister Stina.

Courtesy of fighting gravity website

roxy ghamgosarinia

page 14outlook newsoct. 1, 2010

What is your opinion on the transition program?

Cougar Quote:

“McFly” McNamee Races his way into top standing

Moving up to the big leagues

The freshman transition program took place during Cougar Time for the first three weeks of the school

year. The program, which was implemented countywide last year, instructs freshmen on learning styles, setting goals, time management, graduation requirements and social skills.

“The goal of the program is to help freshmen acclimate to high school and make the transition smoother,” said Sarah Fronckel, guidance counselor. “It helps them make connections and makes the experience better. I think it’s great since it gives freshmen all of the skills they need throughout high school in the beginning.”

FCPS implemented the program after seeing a trend in freshmen and their high school experiences.

“The program helps freshmen feel more comfortable,” said Brooke Alexander, guidance counselor. “Based on a lot of statistics, it’s shown that ninth grade is when students require the most support. It’s make

it or break it time.”After each lesson, students were given

tests which helped counselors gather student feedback.

“Based on the data we got, we can tell that the students were learning something every lesson,” Alexander said.

Students also gained knowledge about high school life.

“It made me more confident,” said Francis Feeney, freshman. “I learned about GPA, goals, time management and the expectations from Oakton.”

Although the county provides the lessons, individual schools can decide how to run the program. The guidance counselors are considering making more changes for the following year.

“For next year, we’re thinking about spacing out the freshman transition program rather than having it all at once,” Alexander said. “We might try to make the lessons monthly.”

marilyn yangstaff writer

Students, staff share thoughts on freshman transition program

Junior Michael “McFly” McNamee has taken the spotlight as the fastest runner on the cross country team.

It’s his first season running cross-country and he has already captured the admiration of his teammates, coaches and friends.

“I joined track because it was something that I knew I could be competitive at because I’m a very competitive guy.” McNamee said, “I enjoy running because it keeps me in great shape and the great coaching and friends on the team keep me motivated.”

McNamee participated in both indoor and outdoor Track and Field during his freshman and sophomore years, but never in cross-country. He now holds the number one position in this cross-country season.

“I was all district in three events, all region in two events and 10th in the state in the 800m run my sophomore year.”

His success is indicative of what drives McNamee in this sport.

“The best part of running would have to be the competitions,” McNamee said, “racing in the meets lets me know exactly where I am at that current point in time and points out exactly what I need to work on.”

As much as the track is home to McNamee, the sidelines are as important.

“I get along very well with my teammates,” McNamee said, “We push each other through workouts and we want our peers to succeed.”

McNamee’s performance is not the only reason he is valued by his teammates.

“He’s always supportive and he’s great at cheering you on during a race, but his humor is by far the best,” said teammate, junior Hannah Berlin.

Although it may seem that someone with such high athletic expectations only has running on the agenda, McNamee manages to keep academics a priority.

“Generally running doesn’t affect my school work,” McNamee said, “There may be some days that I need to get home and work or study, but I usually get home around 6 so there is plenty of time to get my work done. I try to manage my time well and get plenty of rest to ensure success in the classroom and on the track.”

lauren embroskiemma mankinalexa williamsstaff writers

chris graham

The transition program is a smart and efficient way to help us deal with the high school environment.

freshman

john fee

The program is helpful because it improved my time management.

freshman

I think the program is too long. Also, the

counselors talked a lot about time

management and using planners but

we didn’t even have planners yet.

julia gerowfreshman

McNamee races to the finish line in his personal favorite event, the 800m run. He is currently the fastest runner on the cross-country team. “I joined track because I knew it was something I could be competitive at, because I’m a very competitive guy,” said McNamee.

photo courtesy of patrick fulghum

Fresh from the buzz of the Homecoming football game, settled back into the rou-tine of school and prepared to get dolled

up for the first dance of the year. That’s how the routine usually goes when the Homecoming dance rolls around near the end of October. It’s a time when students have just gotten used to being back in school, having made new friends and reconnected with old ones.

This year how-ever, Homecoming took place on Sept. 25, a mere three weeks into school and nearly a month earlier than previous years.

Homecoming’s early date raised a series of issues for students. Three weeks into school, students were still adjusting from the laid-back summer schedule to the rigid schedule of school. With other things on their minds like adjusting to new classes, the homework load and getting up at five or six in the morning, Homecoming wasn’t even on most students’ radars.

Social reasons included finding a date, dinner reservations, groups with which to attend the dance and a dress to match the occasion. For many ladies, the search for a dress takes more than a week or two; and for many guys, gathering up the courage to ask the cute girl in their government class takes just as long. Finding a group of friends to go with, deciding what restaurant to eat at and matters of transportation barely had time to be considered with the short

notice given.New students at Oakton had an even tougher

time, since they just barely started making friends at the three-week mark. Friends that were made were shaky at best, being as fresh as they were. Without a comfortable group of friends to go with, many new students opted out of attend-

ing the dance. Older students had a lengthy list of reasons for not attending the dance. The

reasons ranged from the lack of a dress to the lack of a date. Many students weren’t

even aware that Homecoming was that weekend.

The explanation for Homecoming’s early

date is understand-able. The Oakton

Classic, a gathering of

bands from all over north-

ern Virginia, is scheduled to take place around

the time that Homecoming would usually take place. The event is a huge amalgamation of bands from the area and takes place right here at

Oakton. Many other schools in the area were in the

same situation as Oakton, leaving them to sched-ule their Homecomings on Sept. 25 as well. The practicality of this situation doesn’t change the fact that Homecoming’s early date made it dif-ficult for students to attend.

The traditional later Homecoming would draw more students into attending, seeing as

they would actually have time to plan for the occasion. Time to get friends, make reservations–all factors that would make students actually show up and find the

courage to ask that cute girl in their chemistry class.

The Staff Editorial is the official opinion of the Outlook

page 15, oct. 1, 2010

Early Homecoming unnecessarily complicates student plans

opinions

Greg Pavek

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page 18outlook opinions

oct . 1, 2010

We’ve all been there.

You forgot to do last night’s

chemistry assignment, you need to catch up on your AP reading or you need to study for that test next period. Last year, you would not have had the time to complete these dreadful tasks before the bell rang and your teacher would give you a zero for the assignment. However, this year our teachers and administrators have finally shown us some mercy with the introduction of a new period: Cougar Time.

For about a half hour every day, students can choose a classroom to visit so they can catch up on assignments or work on homework for other classes. Cougar Time not only provides the opportunity for students to work with their teachers but also gives them a chance to make up missed tests or quizzes without staying after school or missing practices.

If you find yourself too tired to study late into the night after working hard at practice, your job or at school, you can always put work off until the next day. The addition of this extra time can definitely increase the pitiful amount of sleep you get each night.

Despite the help it provides, students don’t always use Cougar Time for academic purposes. Usually, I ask my friends where I can find them and come to their class to hang out. This provides a nice break if I am rudely awakened by a pop quiz during first period.

Of course, some people don’t have any work to do during this time and would rather not socialize with friends. In this case, Cougar Time provides an excellent opportunity to catch up on something we are all very much deprived of: sleep.

We all remember break, save

the current freshmen class which hasn’t had the pleasure to experience it. It was a wonderful fifteen minutes during which we could do whatever we liked,

from grabbing food in the cafeterias to actually having time to put things away in our lockers located across the prison-like

maze of a school congested by awkward teenagers gaggling along in the hallways. This year our beloved break has been replaced in favor of a different model with a

slightly less cool name: Cougar Time.Break maybe not be as constructive as

Cougar Time or as productive, but 30 minutes isn’t exactly enough time to write a novel. Enough time to finish a worksheet or read the rest of a chapter, but I can already foresee the overestimating of what can be accomplished during this half hour period and scrambling while the students in the classroom around me talk and laugh. This scene doesn’t strike me as very pleasant.

So far, the thought of being able to be in any teacher’s classroom is a little discombobulating, especially when I have no idea which friends might be where; and the thought of being completely alone with any teacher is more awkward then pleasant. I

have found myself just staying put in the room I had first period rather than moving around sheerly

out of laziness, which doesn’t really seem like the point. The overall idea leaves me a little uneasy, like

carefully monitored free time, handed down to give students the feeling of independence but keeping it under close scrutiny to reject the will of the masses— but I’m probably just being skeptical. I can certainly see the usefulness of the time and how in theory it seems effective, but overall Cougar Time leaves a bad taste in my mouth- not to mention the growl used to signify its beginning and end makes me very uncomfortable.

greg pavek

Cougar Time provides extra help for students

Student prefers break over Cougar Time

lisa baumgartnera&e editor

kim gibbonsstaff writer

“Children of Israel! Call to mind the special favor which I bestowed upon you, and fufil

your Covenant with me as I fufil My Cov-enant with you, and fear none but me.”

Sound familiar? It’s from the Bible, right? Nope. The Torah? Wrong again. It’s the Koran. While others have been threat-ening to burn the holy book of Islam, I’ve taken the opportunity to read it. Here’s another one:

“That they said (in boast) ‘We killed Christ Jesus, the son of Mary, the Apostle of God’; but they killed him not… Nay, God raised him up unto Himself; and God is Exalted in Power, Wise.”

I know what you’re thinking. That must be from the Bible. Sorry. It’s the

Koran again. In the caophany of idiocy that the

24-hour media cycle produces, simple truths are lost. Christianity, Judaism, and Islam are three religions, bound together by their basic foundations. All three speak of Abraham and Moses. All three speak of God’s covenant with Israel. All three are inherently decent and peaceful sources of religious and moral guidance, yet it sometimes seems that only two of these religions are accepted with open arms by society. When these basics are forgotten or neglected, that’s when irrational fear takes hold of society.

Those basics, however, can be the key to creating understanding in our society and can most easily be taught within these

halls. English teachers have lessons on the Bible, the Torah and literature from the Islamic world. The Koran more than deserves its place among those works, not only as the single most influential book ever, providing a foundation to a religion more than a billion strong, but also for being a simply beautiful text. We live in a pluralistic society, made up of many gropus, many peoples and many beliefs. Humility and the hope of a better tomorrow can begin in these halls if only we learn that not only educational lessons, but moral ones as well. Only when we understand our Islamic brothers and sis-ters can we truly, as a society of religious plurality, be at peace with one another.

As students found themselves piled into the corridors for yet another school year, many were anticipat-

ing the location of their new burgundy metal friends. After forms were filled and the week simmered to an end, lockers were issued to all who qualified after sub-mitting their dreaded paper work.

Now traditionally at Oakton, locker locations typically depend on grade level. There are a couple of reasons for this system. First of all, the obvious social rea-sons: keeping a graduating class together in the same vicinity allows students to mingle in their downtime, before school and between classes. Of course seniors always have had the upper hand and have many privileges including the senior park-

ing lot, lunch line and senior court. One of those privileges included locker loca-tions in the main hallway.

This year, though, seniors were baffled to discover their lockers dispersed around the school instead of waiting in the main hall. Naturally, many were unhappy. The senior lockers have been a symbol of authority and are in a prime location.

The main hallway is the easiest to access, making entering and exiting the building swifter. However, and most importantly, students are concerned as to where to meet their friends. The class of 2011 started out in the biology hall fresh-man year, math hall sophomore year and history hall junior year, and it was time to make the main hall class territory. Stu-

dents plan and meet up in these locations to talk and catch up. So now because they are unsure of their peers’ whereabouts, there are an increased number of mobile devices and fingers pounding key boards texting to figure out where people hang out.

Questions have risen as to why there is a change in the system. The change has caused a great inconvenience for many students in the class of 2011, who wish to receive the same treatment in which other seniors took pride. It will be interesting to see what the future years hold, maybe it was just an unfortunate turn of events and next year Oakton will be back to its former and more logical ways.

page 19outlook opinions

oct. 1, 2010

roxanna ghamgorsarnia

staff writerSeniors have a right to the senior hallway

Christianity, Judaism and Islam are not so different

chris papasnews editor

Islam is a hot issue right now with the anger caused by the proposed

Islamic community center near Ground Zero, the recent passing of the ninth anniversary of 9/11 and the fundamentalist preacher Terry Jones’ efforts to create “international burn a Koran day.” It’s frightening that such discrimination can still exist in 21st century America, but what’s even more frightening is that this anti-Islam sentiment might even exist right here in Oakton. Fortunately, Abdi Abdi, the president of the Muslim Student Association (MSA), was willing to sit down and dispel any misconceptions. “All the hatred in America for the Islamic faith started with 9/11,” Abdi said. “People

didn’t understand the history or anything about Islam. All they knew was that the men that had flown the planes into the towers and the Pentagon were Muslim, and that’s all they wanted to know.” Superficial stereotypes had already been ingrained in the minds of Americans, and 9/11 only reinforced

these uninformed opinions. “What people need to understand is that there are always minorities in any group,” stated Abdi,

“and there will always be extremists. But that’s only a small minority of people in a religion that has twenty-two percent of the world’s population.” Fortunately, we live in a well educated and rational area, and while people still might harbor prejudice towards Muslims, they keep it to themselves. “I have never personally experienced any discrimination in this area,” said Abdi. “We have a really strong Muslim community here at Oakton. It’s a great support group.” However, not all of America is so fortunate. Many areas - as has been shown in Florida by preacher Terry Jones’ severely anti-Islamic predjudices - still are under the influence of ill conceived discrimination directed towards Muslims. “People need to understand the beautiful nature of the religion,” stated Abdi. Islam is not some extreme cult churning out terrorists – it’s pacifistic, and as Abdi said, “it’s a way of life.”

page 20, oct. 1, 2010in-depthA little perspective

Above: Students bow their heads in prayer at an afterschool meeting of the Muslim Students Association.Below: Abdi Abdi leading students in prayer.

Abdi Abdi shares his views on Islam“I actually don’t see

discrimination in America, at least not first hand. I’ve always been treated equally.”

“There is absolutely discrimination towards Muslims in America. Even before 9/11 there was discrimination. My dad, who is Muslim, back in the 80’s, was refused service on a public bus because he was Muslim. Even here at Oakton people assume that I’m hardcore Muslim because I’m Iranian.”

wa

ris

wa

kil

sen

ior

kiv

an

tag

ha

vise

nio

r

“You see discrimination at Oakton with the cliques. Theres a big separatism. People silently judge each other.”

lore

lei c

hris

tie

sop

hom

ore

something to saym

imi d

ab

esta

ni

jurn

ior

“My dad is Muslim and I don’t like the religion at all. It’s too demanding. Fasting and praying five times a day is a little ridiculous.”

allen luethkein-depth editorchris peterkinstaff writer

dani

el c

hait

daniel chait

page 21outlook in-depth

oct. 1, 2010

5 percent of AmericansStatistics

A Cornell poll in 2004 found that 44% of Ameri-cans felt that Muslims should have civil liberties curtailed.

The same Cornell poll found 27% of people thought Muslims should have to register their ad-dress with authorities.

A Newsweek survey of non-Muslim Americans reavealed that 64% of people would not allow their children to date a Muslim.

“Muslims don’t pose a threat to the nation, but terrorists do. There’s a dis-tinction, and I wish more people understood that.”

“All discriminations have legitimate foundations. There has to be a basis of truth in order for a stereotype to form.”

ale

x r

od

rig

uez

sen

ior

ale

x le

se

nio

rd

arn

eya

ha

lata

i fr

eshm

an

“There is definitely some discrimination of Muslims in America. It came out of nowhere after 9/11. There wasn’t really any before then.”

tom

my

so

rens

on

seni

or

“My best friend is Muslim. We were best friends before 9/11 and we conit-nue to be after. It hasn’t changed anything.”

Islam by the numbers

Despite how widely discussed Islam is, many people still don’t know the

religion’s most basic tennants.

The Five Pillars of Islam

IThe first of the pillars, Shahadah, is a profession of faith, typically recited in Arabic. When translated to English, it comes out to --“I profess that there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of God.”

IIThe second of the pillars, Salah, is the daily prayer of Islam. Salah consists of five prayers, Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, and Isha’a, which are said at dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset, and evening, respectively. All prayers must be directed towards Mecca.

IIIThe third of the pillars, Zakat, is the practice of alms-giving, or making charitable donations. Muslims consider it a personal responsibility to ease the economic hardships of others and eliminate inequalities.

IVThe fourth of the pillars, Sawm, is fasting, which is an obligation during the month of Ramadan. Unless it would be considered dangerous, Muslims must abstain from food, drink, and sexual intercorse drom dawn until dusk. They must also be extra mindful of other sins.

VThe fifth and last of the pillars, Hajj, is a pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca that all Muslims must go on at least once in their lifetime so long as they’re able, financially and/or physically, to make the trip.

something to say

The mosque near Ground Zero is planned to open

on Sept. 11, 2011. While some may disagree with this project, the local Muslim community doesn’t understand the conflict. Khalid Iqbal, deputy director and chief operating officer of the All Dulles Area Muslim Society (ADAMS Center) believes the mosque would improve the community’s attitude toward Islam. “The mosque should be built,” Iqbal said. “It is going to bring a lot of reconciliation in that area.” The tragic event of 9/11 not only killed thousands of Americans, but it also impacted families and worldwide relations for years to come. Statistics show that 1,714 hate crimes were reported to the Council on American-Islamic Relations nationwide since 9/11. Iqbal made it clear that people aren’t seeing the big picture. Americans of other religions weren’t the only ones killed in the 9/11 attack. People forget there were Muslims who died in the attack,” Iqbal said. “It’s in human nature to fear the unknown,” stated Iqbal. “Just because we look different or dress different.” When asked what the Muslim community was doing to fight intolerance, Iqbal had an optimistic outlook, explaining community service programs such as the FoodSource Foundation. Every month, people from the ADAMS Center gather to help the less fortunate. “We do positive things to fight intolerance. We have a feed-the-hungry program, where people come together to make lunches for the poor,” Iqbal said. The ADAMS Center also holds toy drives, fundraisers for various charities, and clothing drives for the homeless. Iqbal reasons that

Americans and Muslim Americans have more in common than people tend to believe. Some students at Oakton are even a part of the ADAMS Center community. There is a youth gathering every Friday night to interact with other Muslim kids their age, including teenagers. “My family only goes on holidays. Really religious people go every weekend.” said Karima Abutaleb, sophomore. Abutaleb also discusses the atmosphere of Oakton. “I haven’t really felt out of place in Oakton, but I can’t speak for the country,” Abutaleb said. “The only time I’ve experienced anything, was one summer in the airport traveling to Egypt. A security officer pulled my mom aside, when she

didn’t even have anything dangerous.” Abutaleb voices her opinions on missing school for holidays she doesn’t celebrate, while school is still in session

for holidays she does celebrate. “I guess I understand where they’re coming from, but I still think it’s unfair, because I have to miss school when other people have days off for their holidays.” Iqbal expands on American intolerance. “Intolerance is something that is against American values. We are the same as everyone else.”

hen

ry s

ella

rsso

ph

mo

re

“It’s important to express freedom of religion, but I know it could offend the people who lost loved ones on 9/11.”

page 22outlook newsoct . 1, 2010

Is intolerance an issue?

caroline hipwellgabriela driscollstaff writers

“As long as they are respectful, they can build it where they would like. But they need to keep the families of the victims in mind.”

pa

tric

k e

ber

hart

juni

or

“I think it’s kind of morally wrong...it’s not in good taste. You could build a mosque somewhere else, you don’t have to put it right there.”

joey

co

op

erse

nio

r

Muslims in our community overcoming predjudice

“It’s two blocks away from ground zero, so it’s fine. You just can’t perescute the whole religion, just because a small group of people did something.”

nesl

i ozc

an

juni

or

It’s in human nature to fear the unknown.

khalid iqbal“ “

something to say

ADAMS Center mosque in Sterling.courtesy of ADAMS Center

page 23outlook indepth

oct. 1, 2010

Muslim athletes struggle to keep up with teams as well as traditions

On July 21st, Oakton alumnus Zach Chesser, also known as Abu Talhah Al-Amrikee, was arrested for threatening the

creators of South Park. His post to RevolutionMus-lim.net followed the show’s 200th episode in which the Prophet Mohammad was depicted in a bear suit, a grave offense to Islam. Chesser has also been accused of trying to join the Somali militant group, Al-Shabaab.

Fox News and ABC World News both printed full stories about the incident. Fox News, however, devoted a sizable portion of the article to Chesser’s extracurricular activities from his time here at Oakton and to the school itself, listing the current Newsweek rankings and where the school stood on

the ranks back when Chesser attended Oakton. The only other Oakton alumnus mentioned by the ar-ticle is Michaele Salahi, aka the “White House din-ner party crasher.” Facts such as those are irrelevant to Chesser’s recent activities, and Salahi is hardly representative of the caliber of Oakton’s alumni, which also includes Sean Parker, the co-founder of Napster and former president of Facebook. Media sensationalism had made Oakton synonymous with terrorism and un-American activities, affecting the way Oakton students are viewed in other parts of the country. The repercussions of antagonizing an entire religion have reached directly into Oakton’s halls.

becky singermanstaff writer

Media misinterpretation affects Oakton

During Ramadan, Muslims fast from sunrise and sunset, a factor that could seri-ously impede an athlete’s performance. From health risks to personal decisions, the subject of fasting has been a prevalent topic among student athletes.

michelle lorusso and dorothy yenstaff writer and co-opinions editor

mehdi fadli, 11

“

“ In the past, [fasting] affected me by not being able to go 100 percent in athletics because I’d be fatigued, and eventually it just became too hard to fast during the football season. [Therefore] I’m slowly making up the days that I’ve missed later on in the year until I complete them all. It was a joint decision with my parents a few months in advance and I had to be cautious not to eat around them or be disrespectful in any way. [My coaches and teammates] only asked why I made the decision and we just moved on from there, never really going back to the topic.

paul ruppathletic trainer

““ [The] big issues are dehydration, heat

exhaustion [and] that they’re going to find it harder to recover. It’s been difficult, especially with two-a-days for football, because they can’t eat or drink during that time frame. They’re usually pretty good for the first practice, but by the second they’re fatigued, worn out and the risks become much more severe. Beforehand, We ask if anybody practicing Ramadan has any issues that we can help with. That way we can look out for problems before they happen. There are different levels of fasting. Some athletes will allow themselves to put food in their mouths and spit it out. Some only can drink water but they can’t eat any food. If they prepare all night long and are prepared when they get here, it’ll just be harder to recover when they start to go south.

“To me, Ramadan is a month of reflection, patience and charity. It’s a month to feel blessed for what we truly have com-pared to those who have nothing. I might get a little tired [during Ramadan, but] before Ramadan I just focus on a new page and the idea of starting anew. It’s like New Year’s Eve for me.”

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an

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ab

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“We only have one Mus-lim [in cross country’s] top seven [runners], and had he not fasted for Ramadan I don’t think I would have even taken notice to his religion. He accomodated for not eating during the day by running early in the morning with [the rest of the team] after he had a meal. He seemed to be in pretty good shape when we ran together dur-ing Ramadan, so the team wasn’t too concerned about his health.”

gre

g le

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something to say

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Sport of the Month Alumni Shout-Outs

Now ladies (and very secure men), can tone those buns while grocery shopping or even while walking to class. Air pods in the soles act like a balance ball does, forcing the muscles to work with every step.

These football gloves still pro-vide that excellent Cutter ball grip and control, only these are tight-fitted for comfort and perforated to keep your hands from smelling like death after a long practice.

The panels of this soccer ball are bonded together with heat,

creating a perfectly round, water-proof surface. Jabulani allows for consistently far, precise kicks—so much so that its use during the

World Cup was controversial.With developer EA’s bone-crunching physics alongside the new Ultimate Hockey League mode, which allows players to create their own dynasty down to the most minute detail, NHL 11 could easily be the sports game of the year.

Dwarf Tossing, also known as Dwarf Throwing, is exactly what it sounds like. Large men throw their vertically-challenged partners, who are equipped in Velcro suits, as far as possible against a Velcro-covered wall or mattress. The distance and height of the throw are important factors in determining the winner. Unfortunately for these athletes, it seems the world just isn’t big enough for the game of Dwarf tossing-- the sport is banned in Florida and New York.

Runningback Keith Payne (class of ‘06) has a total of 150 rushing yards and 5 Touchdowns this season at UVA.Amanda Steinhagen (class of ‘10), golfer for Longwood, won the Virginia Woman’s Amateur TitleJessie Daley (class of ‘10) tabbed as the CAC Women’s Cross Country Athlete of the WeekCody Grimm (class of ‘06) signed four-year, 1.85 million dol-lar contract as a back up safety/special-teamer for Tampa Bay.

All pictures taken from the official websties

Statistics show that after Oakton has a disappointing season, the following year big things happen. If that is any

indication of Oaktons’ fate this season, Head Coach Joe Thompson and the Cou-gars will have something to celebrate.

“We’re excited about this year,” Thomp-son said. “Not only

because of what we did at the end of last year with our young players but

because of the off-season we’ve had.”

During training camps around the Con-corde, teams struggled with their fitness, while Oakton ran sprints in the blistering sun after two-a-day practices. Oakton

was in the weight room over six months

before the Outback Bowl to prep. The Cougars are clearly

ready to conquer the Concorde.

Play outside of the district in the beginning of the

season has so far been successful.

Crushing

Madison in the Outback Bowl 49-21, escaping with a win at West Springfield 14-13, cruis-ing past T.C. Williams 29-14, and dancing by Annandale 35-21. Oakton is sitting at 4-0 entering the Concorde ring in less than a week.

Key players moving for-ward have already emerged both in practice and more importantly on Friday night. Senior lineman Geoff McLaughlin and junior line-man Jake Farrar constantly pressure the quarterback or protect him.

Junior linebackers C.J. Reimann, Michael Terminello, and Zack Isakowitz share vir-tually every tackle and anchor down the defense. Senior defensive back Akil Jones is bound to have more than one blocked punt this season and sophomore defensive back Andy Boone is a QB’s worst nightmare already with three picks.

On the offensive side of the field, senior quarterback Jimmy Boone has ex-emplified his agility and ability to read the coverage. Sophomore D’Andre Johnson, junior Tuck Masker and senior Luke Willis

show their versatility in Oakton’s spread offense as well.

Oakton has countless weapons, and the season should prove successful if Cougars continue on their dominating war path.

Round the district: Oakton football face entire concorde in October

Westfield Bulldogs PreviewAWAY 10.08.2010- 7:30 p.m.

Chantilly Chargers PreviewAWAY 11.05.2010- 7:30 p.m.

Robinson Rams PreviewHOME 10.29.2010- 7:30 p.m.

allie berubesports co-editor

After a 1-4 start last season, Head Coach Tom Verbanic looks to improve before they enter Concorde play. “Ev-erybody knows we can’t take anything for granted,” Verbanic said. Despite their 2-2 start and their losses to Stone Bridge and Lake Braddock, they held the top two teams in the state to under 15 points.

Verbanic graduated his defensive line so there are inexperienced guys filling those positions. When the Cougars roll onto Westfield’s new field, Cougar run-ning backs should have a big night. Oak-ton’s defense should pressure Westfield’s new QB, Matt Pisarcik, and exploit his inexperience, keeping the scoring low.

Following a tough loss in the playoffs and one point off an undefeated regular season, it is clear that Robinson Head Coach Mark Bendorf and his Rams are hungry for the 2010 season.

Excluding Fairfax’s upset of the Rams, Robinson has crushed their out-of-district competition improving to 3-1. Their dominance is impressive considering Robinson lost most of their offensive line, Concorde offensive player of the year, and all met defensive player of the year.

To score a win, Oakton will need to be strong on the defensive line and limit the Rams’ options on offense and pressure their returning QB, Mike LoPresti.

For the first time since 2007, the Char-gers return their quarterback. A team al-ways damaged by graduation, Chantilly Head Coach Mike Lalli is confident that the cap and gown routine won’t deter his team’s skill this year.

The experience they bring back has proved successful outside of the Con-corde. Improving to 4-0 with a huge win over W.T. Woodson, the Chargers have outscored their opponents 150-83.

Limiting their run game and exploiting their inexperienced lines should be a key for Oakton on Senior Night. This game will be a thrilling closer if both teams keep the intensity.

Crushing Madison 49-21 in the Outback Bowl, the Oakton Cougars began their season with great momentum starting out-of-district play.

allie berube

alina suyama

page 25outlook sportsoct. 1, 2010

page 26outlook sportsoct. 1, 2010

Golf team aims for a state win

Golf team went 1-4 last year during the regular season and finished tied for third at district. The team will

have just two seniors for the fall season. Despite all odds, the team remains hopeful and has set lofty goals for the season. “Our goal is to finish in the top two in the district and then make it to regionals. Any-thing beyond that is a positive,” said coach Jack Masich, currently in his third season as Oakton’s golf coach. “Someone is going to need to step up for us to replace [the depart-ing seniors].” An important part in replacing last year’s graduated seniors could be senior C.J. Greco. “I guess I feel like I’m a leader just because I know everybody else on the team,” Greco said. Masich, however, doesn’t feel like much has changed with the seniors leaving.

“I haven’t had to make many adjustments,” Masich said. “It’s part of golf that the line-up’s going to change. I’ve learned to be pa-tient and I understand that there’s going to be peaks and valleys.” The team has gotten off to a solid start, already topping last year’s win total after vic-tories over Centreville and Westfield. A loss to Chantilly and a tie against Robinson has put the team at 2-1-1. “We’ve had our ups and downs,” Masich said. “We’ve played great at times but I’m still looking for consistency, especially from the middle of the lineup.” The solid start has fu-eled the team’s expectations for the rest of the season. “The season’s been alright so far,” Greco said. “But our goal is to go to state and win.”

Senior C.J. Greco is a big reason for golf team’s high expectations.

callum keltonstaff writer

penelope tangamu

Coach Joe Thompson- This is head coach Thompson’s eighth year coaching at Oakton. He has several successful seasons under his belt including a state championship in 2005 and several state tournament appearances. “A team is really good when all the intangibles are good,” Thompson said. “Showing up to practice on time, understanding your game plan, understanding who you’re playing and why, having good team leader-ship, those are the things that make a team great.”

Coach Steve Drumm- This is Drumm’s third year as head coach of the volleyball team. The team is still improving even after last year’s impressive season, when they won their first district match in three years. “The most important thing I’m learning every day is different ways to motivate the team to do their best and improve,” Drumm said.

Coach Alisa Byers- This year, Coach Byers begins her first year as head cross country coach after

taking over for winter and spring track last year. “Other than giving them hard workouts and

keeping the team positive, I really try to in-teract with them personally and relate with them,” Byers said. “I give them tips on how

to stay healthy and make sure they know that as important running is, it isn’t always the most important thing.”

Fall coachesprepare teams to emulate past success

The successes of all Oakton Cougar athletes are represented by a

great coaching staff that helps the players grow and prosper. These coaches devote countless hours to their teams on and off the fields-- between practices, afterschool meetings, pre and post game conferences and offseason conditioning.

Key coaches, Coach Thompson for the football program, Coach Byers for the cross country team and Coach Drumm for the volleyball team, shared their insight on their teams’ fall sports seasons.

spencer conleystaff writer

isabella kidane

emma pfeifer

allie berube

page 27outlook sportsoct. 1, 2010

Fall sports are currently in the middle of their season with big rivalries and playoffs around the

corner. Throughout the season many players have excelled and established

themselves as stars and playmakers. There are also underclassmen that have shown great potential and have earned themselves spots on varsity rosters; some even earned starting

positions. With all of these players in the fall sports program, an entertaining and successful season is on the horizon.

spencer conleystaff writer

Clinton, a junior, is returning for a second season as a starter on varsity field hockey. She has high expectations for her last two years on the field hockey team. “I hope the team gets on the board,” Clinton said, “and I hope we make our team known.

Adelle Clinton - Field Hockey

Olson’s first year on the varsity volleyball team has been filled with success as she, a sophomore and a heavily contributing setter, has helped the team to a 4-2 record so far. “[The upper-classmen] have actually been fantastic,” Olson said. “They have been very welcoming and so helpful.”

Emma Olson- VolleyballThis is Eberhart’s second year on varsity cross country and his first year as a captain. He plays a crucial leadership and experience role on the team as a junior during a period of coaching transition. “I’m a captain so my main role is to keep the team’s morale up and the team together,” Eberhart said.

Patrick Eberhart - Cross Country

So far this year, Johnson, a sophomore, has rushed for 325 yards on 52 attempts and is averaging six yards a carry. Johnson has also found his way into the end zone, twice in fact, in the Cougar’s win over Annandale. “I’m looking forward to building new friendships, and taking this place to states.”

D’Andre Johnson- Football

The fall lineup: the top athletes to watch

allie berubeisabella kidane

emma pfeifer isabella kidane

page 28outlook sportsoct. 1, 2010

OVERTIMEThe Washington Nationals… bottom

dwellers of The NL East for the past six years, never posting a winning

record. They’ve finished last in the MLB the past two years losing over 100 games and are

slated to finish last in the NL East again this year. While the Nationals have so far been terrible in D.C. here are five reasons that is going to change over the next five years…

Nats Fans...There’s Still HopeJamie Craigstaff writer

On The Scoreboard

Volleyball8/30 v. South Lakes W 3-0 9/01 v. Madison W 3-1 9/04 v. Centreville W 2-0 9/04 v. South County L 1-29/13 v. West Springfield L 0-3 9/15 v. Marshall W 3-0 9/20 v. T.C. W 3-0 9/23 v. Heritage L 1-3

8/26 v. Fairfax W 153-155 9/07 v. Chantilly L 167-155 9/08 v. Centreville W 158-162

Golf9/03 v. Madison W 49-21 9/10 v. West Springfield W 14-13 9/16 v. T.C. W 29-14 9/24 v. Annandale W 35-21

Football

Field Hockey8/26 v. Madison W 1-0 OT 8/27 v. Westfield W 3-2 OT 8/27 v. Chantilly L 0-1 8/28 v. Westfield W 5-08/28 v. T.C. L 1-2 OT 9/02 v. Woodson L 1-2 OT 9/07 v. Langley L 1-2 OT 9/13 v. Marshall L 0-19/15 v. South County L 1-2 OT 9/21 v. Fairfax L 1-2 9/23 v. Herndon W 3-0

Cross Country9/04 Peter Geraghty Invitational: Boys - 4/30, Girls - 3/299/11 Monroe Parker Invitational: Boys -19/30, Girls - 21/239/11 Lake Forest Festival: Boys - 1/16, Girls - 2/159/15 Concorde District Meet #1: Boys - 2/3, Girls - 3/39/18 Briarwood Invitational: Boys - 7/10, Girls - 7/9

5. Roger BernadinaThe 26 year old center fielder is very talented and athletic; with more experience he should become one of the National League’s better center fielders and will make an impact as the lead-off hitter.

3. Ryan ZimmermanThe 25 year old is already one of the best third basemen in the league. He hits for a high average above 300, can hit 30 homers a year and 100 RBIs to go with a few gold glove awards. This baseman is definite-ly on his way to a hall of fame career.

4. Ian Desmond- At 24 years old he is one of the best short-stop prospects in the MLB. He’s got a good bat to compliment his great defensive play and fantastic glove, and he’s got the talent to become one of the best in just a few years.

2. Bryce HarperThe 17 year old #1 over-all pick is a tremendous talent and one of the best players scouts have seen in fifty years. He will be a legendary player and after a few years in the minors, will be ready to make a major impact for the Nationals.

1.Young Pitching TrioYes, we all know Stras-burg is a freak of nature and once he recovers from surgery will be back at top form. But, we also have Jordan Zimmer-mann who was going to be our ace before Stras-burg came along and closer Drew Storen who was the tenth overall pick a year ago.

Next Victim...Field Hockey: 10/01 v. WestfieldFootball: 10/01 v. Edison Volleyball: 10/02 v. Lake BraddockSecondaryGolf: 10/05 RegionalsCross Counrty: 10/01 Wendy’s Invitational

T he Vans Warped Tour is a slice of heaven for die-hard fans of punk and alternative music. The annual

festival was held at Merriweather Post Pavilion in Columbia, MD this July with a lineup of almost 200 bands that traveled around the country and Canada, hitting 44 different venues.

“What’s unique about Warped is that there are a ton of bands playing, wherever you are,” said sophomore Sarah Snyder. “There’s always something to do and somewhere to go; it’s really fast-paced.”

Every band on the tour gets a 30 minute set, whether they’re popular or relatively unknown, which contributes to Warped

Tour’s diver-sity.

“There’s something

for everyone,” said junior Max

Harrison. “Breathe Electric and Bring Me

the Horizon are two polar opposites. There were so

many bands there.”The experience of the concert is made

priceless by the sheer quantity of bands. “One of the best parts was getting to

see my favorite band, Pierce the Veil,” Har-rison said.

Although one of the fun things to do at the show is experiment with new bands, there’s a chance that they might not meet expectations.

“I was really disappointed with 3OH!3. They had a poor performance,” Snyder said.

Since Warped Tour takes place in the middle of the summer, there are some safety concerns that everyone who wants to attend should keep in mind.

“The heat is terrible,” Snyder said. “I almost passed out in the pit. You have to drink a lot of water.”

There are even more potentially danger-ous activities to engage in at Warped, such as moshing. Common at rowdy concerts, individuals will slam into each other and oftentimes they will crowd surf.

“You go for the music and the moshing. It’s pure adrenaline,” Harrison said.

Even if the environment is overwhelm-ing, most attendees tend to have a good time.

“The music is just so good that nothing else matters,” Snyder said. “There are great bands everywhere you look; it’s an amazing experience.”

All in all, the Vans Warped Tour was a success and has been a success for over 15 years.

“There were a bunch of people having a really good time,” Harrison said. “My sun-burn was totally worth it.”

page 29, oct. 1, 2010a&eStudents flock when

annual music festival comes to town.

If watching a group of middle age men dancing around in platforms and makeup doesn’t sound like a cup of tea, think

again.“I went because I love Kiss,” said senior

Yasmina Karrackchou. “I have all their records and action figures, and I’ve seen their movie.”

She, along with three other fellow seniors, Rebecca Singerman, Nikki Clemons and Gregory Pavek, attended a performance by the legendary rock band at Jiffy Lube Live on Aug. 21.

“Kiss is just one of those bands that you have to see live. The stage show is amazing,” said Karrackchou. “Even [from our seats] on

the lawn you could see the explosions, and [fans] had their faces painted.”

The four participated in the face painting festivities after spending a good deal of effort getting the tickets.

“We went through three different people [on Craigslist] and finally got them the day of,” said Karrackchou.

However, Kiss wasn’t the only excitement of the day for these fans.

“The Academy Is... opened for them,” said Karrackchou. “They are one of my favorite bands too, and it was cool to see them together.”

Students go all out for

lisa baumgartnera&e editor

sofia crutchfieldpenelope tangamu

chloe piercestaff writers

Preparing for an evening of classic rock and outrageous outfits, senior Greg Pavek gets his face painted in a true Kiss fashion.

becky singerman

concert

page 30outlook a&eoct. 1, 2010

mediamixI don’t

expect to go into many chil-dren’s mov-

ies, especially those about the trials and tribulations of talking animals, and enjoy it. In fact, I typically ex-pect the opposite. With “Legend of the Guardians: Owls of Ga’Hoole” I was pleasantly surprised. The plot wasn’t the most masterful I’ve ever seen: a classic story of good versus evil and a prodigal protagonist who aspires to be one of the great; but it worked. It set up a good platform for the beautiful animation and comical characters.

Our main guy, Soren,

isn’t too interesting. He’s full of heart and soul and natural flying talent, but he’s got the personality of a board. The movie is redeemed however by his slapstick band of sidekicks that assist him on his long journey to a magical island, not to mention the short lines dropped in by a couple of bumbling enemies.

If it seems like I didn’t enjoy the movie though, don’t get me wrong. The good characters that were in it, were worth a million. They might not fully have explained the evil weapon being crafted by the bad guys, but the action was alright; and even fighting to the death, owls are ador-able.

movie Legend of the Guardians: Owls of Ga’Hoole

Coming Soon

“From HD

to OMG” as Apple puts it, the highly an-

ticipated mid-September release of the fourth generation iTouch came with improved features, such as the high definition video camera.

Along with the quality, it serves as a dual camera so it becomes more practical and fun to use. Tak-ing pictures and videos gets a lot easier. Facetime is a video calling feature that lets any fourth genera-tion iTouch or iPhone video chat.

Another app is the recently up-dated “Game Center,” which allows gamers to enjoy a vast selection of games right from their iTouch.

The need for iTunes on a computer is almost gone. The new iTouch is thinner making it easier to carry around.The quality of the screen and speed is improved with a 960-by-640 resolution and an A4 processer. The new great quality comes with a price though. The prices range is from $299 to $399 depending on the amount of memory available.

techonologynew generation iPod touch

lisa baumgartnera&e editor

melanie aguilar-rojasstaff writer

Cake Love is a small cake shop with locations in Tysons Corner and Fair Oaks Mall. Cake Love sells uniquely-named cupcakes along with gluten-free and vegan cupcakes, lemon bars and mini cheesecakes. Although there are flavors for almost every palate, the cupcakes’ overall taste doesn’t match up to their delightfully cute appearance. The cupcakes aren’t freshly baked, but are refrigerated. The frost-ing is thick and heavy, nearly the consistency of cream cheese; but the cake is tasty with a strong but not overbear-ing flavor. Individual cupcakes sell for $3.25 each.

Cupcakes! is a month-old cake shop at 527 Maple Avenue in Vienna, a ten minute drive from OHS. Cupcakes! sells adorably decorated treats, but lacks a wide variety of flavors. The cupcakes are not baked at the store, but are brought in by a baker from a separate loca-tion. Despite not being baked in the store, the petite treats taste like they’re fresh out of the oven, even if not eaten right away. The frosting is incredibly light, sweet and packed with flavor. Individu-al cupcakes sell for $2.95 each.

Best Cupcakes

Cupcakes Actually, a snazzy cupcake bakery located in the center of Fairfax Corner, has a wide variety of flavors and designs to their baked goods. The Simply Red and Actually Dipped Black and White cupcakes were sampled. Despite the delectable icing and sweet smell, the cake portion is on the dry side and leaves little to be desired. Another downside is that not all the cupcakes featured on their website are available in stores at any given time. Individual cupcakes sell for $3.50 to $3.75 each.

*all photos takes from official websites unless otherwise stated

shannon ragan and camille maycopy editor and staff writer

Taste Questing: The search for Northern VA’s.....

page 31outlook a&eoct. 1, 2010

what’s the hAPPS?

Coming Soon

Now Playing

Name:

Position:

Favorite Artist:

Favorite Songs:

Oct

. 1

Oct

. 8

Oct

. 22

It’s Kind of a Funny Story

Based on the novel by Ned Vizzini, 16-year-old Craig checks himself into a mental ward and meets a host of interesting characters.

The Social Network Paranormal Activity 2

Detailing the creation of Face-book, this movie follows the story of the youngest billionaire in America.

Sequel to a widely popular prede-cessor, it follows the same style and terrifying format as the first Paranormal Activity.

FacebookWhile it may impress with its fancy new features, including the startling and slightly creepy Places, overall the new version of Facebook for iPhones is not quite an upgrade. It’s slower, less reliable and gets a little over excited about notifications, show-ing far too high a number and failing to recognize when one is no longer new.

PandoraWorking in a manner very similar format to its popular website based on personally selected radio stations, this app is certainly worth a download, especially as its uncostly price: free. Now in combination with the new iPhone 4 software update, it can continue to play even outside of the application, fixing its only previous major downfall.

Angry Birds

George HubacMath Teacher

fall TV preview

Highly anticipated new TV show NIKITA features a spy who has escaped from a secret organization which trains elite spies and assassins. Nikita is determined to destroy the organization and free the others that have been forced to join. While receiving mixed reviews from early viewers and critics, this series still has potential to be the next action-packed new television show. Starring Marggie Q, Shane West and Aaron Stanford. (CW, Thursdays at 9:00 PM)

From award winning documentary maker Andrew Jenks, viewers follow as he lives the lives of twelve unique people. Jenks uses his talents to clearly and honestly document the different realities and situa-tions faced by these people. While MTV is not known for thoughtfully provocative television, many viewers and critics have raved about this new show. Starring Andrew Jenkins. ( MTV, Mondays at 10:00 PM)

This faux documentary tells the story of the graduating class of 2010. View-ers jump years later to follow the prom queen, nerd, jock and many others to see what they have done with their lives as adults. Some become promis-ing people while others fade into the background creating the perfect stage for a potentially entertaining new TV show. Starring Julian Morris, Daniella Alonso, Anne Son, Kelli Garner, Jaime King, Keir O’Donnell, Mehcad Brooks, Michael Stahl-David and Sebastian Sozzi. (ABC, Thursdays at 8:00pm)

My Generation

The World of Jenks

Nikita

Throwing birds can actually be fun. Angry Birds allows the player to catapult different types of birds to combat the evil pig kings and has to be the hands down most addicting game. It is just the right thing to play when there really isn’t anything to do. It can easily be played for two minutes or two hours.

1) “Don’t Look Back” by Matt Bianco

2) “Karezia Suite” by Siberius

3) “Sukiyaki Song” by FYU Safamoto

4) “Ty” by Richard Müller

5) “Sie Will Nicht Blumen Und Nicht Schokolade” by Max Greger

Matt Bianco, Basia, Barry Ryan, Max Greger, Richard Müller