Outlookvol. 47 | issue 3 | 11.20.12

oakton

insidespotlightAspiring fashion designer Angela Chen shows off her unique creations

touchdownAn overview of home fitness options provide fun, easy ways to stay in shape

A frank discussion on the implications of diversity and the unique blend of students that navigate Oakton’s hallways

Dilemmas with Diversity

2snailmail11.20.2012

snailmailfrom the editors

misa mori

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 sent via email to marilyn.yang@oaktonoutlook.com or dropped off in Mrs. Luna’s box in the main office or in room 135. The Outlook reserves the right to edit submissions for grammar and content provided the meaning remains unchanged.

outlook staff adviserlauren luna

gabriela driscollmichelle lorussomadlin mekelburgmarilyn yang

touchdown editor

copy editor

business manager

showtime editor

newsworthy editor erin bennett

spotlight editor

indepth editor

viewpoint editors

online editor

editors in chief

jennifer prosser

ria bhatia

photo editor

oliver lopez-gomez

melanie aguilar

sofia crutchfieldkim gibbons

karli gillespie

reina datta

alana peters

carly stonehouse

jacque groskaufmanis

sunni beanabbey boninalex driscollnatalie eberhartlauren embroskikenneth hippe

staff writerstorri marquisramya mukallalaura murphyanee nguyenerin preaskornalex xenos

regards,Gabriela DriscollMichelle LoRusso

cover photo by alana petersstudent body: 2138circulation: 1300

Oakton is home to a wide variety of people, all of whom bring their own unique ideas and personalities to the

cultural quilt of Oakton. We’ve always been told that no matter where we come from or what our background is, we are all equal. But, the Achievement Gap for graduation rates tells a different story (Page 23). However, diversity isn’t strictly a discussion of race. Have you noticed an odd ratio of boys to girls in your AP Literature or AP Physics class (Page 27)? On a lighter note, with the frenzy of the 2012 Election

finally over (Page 20), we can all relax and focus on what’s really important: “No Shave November.” It’s time for guys everywhere to hang up the razor and let their facial hair flourish (Page 18). More importantly, the month of November brings food

into focus. The seasonal food hype is in full swing with the aroma of pumpkin and gingerbread wafting through every coffee shop (Page 22) and, as Thanksgiving draws closer, even the most healthy eater can feel gluttonous. Never fear, we have healthy yet satisfying recipes to relieve some of the Thanksgiving dinner guilt (Page 17).

Madlin MekelburgMarilyn Yang

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3contents11.20.12

vol. 47 | issue 3 | 11.20.12in this issue

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rsWriting center goes to NCPW

conference: Oakton’s tutors obtain a national perspective on peer tutoring in Chicago

7 Happy hunger

games: As sports seasons heat up, check out one of these hangouts to watch the next game

11 Home away from

home: ESOL students discuss their experiences in America compared to those in their home nations

24spotlight

Oakton dancer

takes national stage: An Oakton senior will dance in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

14showtime

No one does it

better: James Bond is back in “Skyfall,” the franchise’s long-awaited 23rd film

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Chris Graham has his concert tonight, and it

will definitely be the most memorable thing

that happened this month.

Mem

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mary arscott | 11

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”I went to the Justin Bieber concert

with Ria and Shreya.

veda bhatia | 9

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I went to Chipotle w

ith one of my brothers.

hoang phan | 11“

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I was almost wrongly arrested for driving

under the influence; hash tag bad driver.

mustafa almusawi | 12

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I went to vote w

ith Ryan Granato; he got kicked out.

briana stewart | 12

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tomm

y landes | 9

I got to guard a pineapple at a regional cross country m

eet.“

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At Cox Farms I went onto this dance floor, and within 30 seconds everyone was gone. Maybe it was my way too-small shirt.cameron thomas | 12

“

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I loved being with all my seniors at the last regional

field hockey game.brenna debellas | 10

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Follow us on Twitter @Oakton_Outlook

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newsbriefsOakton’s “sole” revitalized The marching band received superior ratings during the state marching

assessment on Oct. 27. At the assessment, contestants were judged in three major categories: visuals, music and general effect. “[Band] did a great job pulling everything we did over the last eight weeks

together,” said band director Jamie Vanvelkverg. “We also did a great job incorporating all the aspects of the visual and musical.” Getting a superior rating was a very important accomplishment for band.“[A superior rating] is the highest rating you can achieve at the marching

assessment,” Vanvelkverg said. “More specifically, [a superior rating] is half of what you need to achieve Virginia Band Status.” To get the other half, the Symphonic Band needs to get superior ratings at

the district concert band assessment in March. Vanvelkverg has already begun preparing for it by looking at musical pieces. For band assessments, picking a good program is an important part of doing well. Marching band’s season may be over, but they are already preparing for next year. “We need to work on individual students’ marching with good form, body carriage,

feet movement and marching instead of walking,” Vanvelkverg said.

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5newsworthy11.20.12

A quick overview of the past month and a brief look at upcoming school events. Be sure to check out oaktonoutlook.com for more newsworthy stories.

1 Band gets superior ratings

The Heart and Soles club is a non-profit organization at Oakton that works to send shoes to people who need them in the Honduras. Restored by sophomore Olivia LeBolt, the club is funded by private donations and contributions from other students. “I heard that the club was existent

at Oakton but realized that it wasn’t active and decided to take initiative and start it up again,” LeBolt said. By working with Arts for Humanity,

a non-profit volunteer charity, the club collects and sends new or used shoes to less fortunate people in Honduras. “A lot of people don’t care about

what’s outside of their community, but it’s important to realize what others don’t have and to try to help them,” Lebolt said. The club not only collects shoes, but

also collects a variety of necessities including toys, clothes and backpacks. By working with Arts for Humanity, the club can send the items to Honduras by mailing them or through through mission trips. “It’s a collaborative effort, and we

need to work together,” LeBolt said. “If we all try to help we can create a big impact on others.”

alex driscoll erin bennett

The Oakton High School Madrigals, otherwise known as Mads, have been chosen to perform at the Virginia Music Educators Association (VMEA) conference on Nov. 15. “[VMEA] only takes so many choirs from the state of Virginia each year,” said

choral director Tiffany Powell. “This year they only took three high school choirs, and we were one of those, so that was really an honor.” To be eligible to perform at the conference, choruses must show consistency

of excellence four years in a row. Choirs must also show variety in the types of compositions they choose to sing. At the conference, the Mads will be performing a 30 minute arrangement with songs ranging from different genres. “It’s a great honor, and I’m so excited to perform in front of so many people,” said

singer in the Mads ensemble Olivia Frankel. “We’ve been preparing since summer, and we’ve worked really hard.”

Madrigals singers to perform at annual VMEA conference 3

courtesy of oakton band

1 2 3

6newsworthy11.20.12

Debate dominates local tournament

On Nov. 10 Oakton’s debate team went to South Lakes High School to compete in the second Washington Arlington Catholic Forensics League (WACFL) tournament. The debate team has three sections: Lincoln-Douglas, Public Forum and Policy, but only the Policy section competed this in the tournament. Unlike the other divisions, Policy only debates on one topic for the entire year. This year’s topic, transportation infrastructure, was debated by the novice, junior varsity and varsity divisions. “As you move into higher levels there are more

complicated arguments and a lot more strategy involved; it’s not just about whether you’re for or against it,” said Mahathi Tadikonda, Policy assistant coach.At the end of the competition, Oakton received

more awards than any of the other competing schools. For each section there are 30 teams but only the first six places are given awards. Novice won four out of the six places. Sophomores Austin Bae and Michael Qu won first, sophomores Vivian Wang and Vivien Ho won third, freshmen Sragdara Khakurell and Dana Bachman won fifth and sophomore Omar Abderhmen and freshman Jack Tracey won sixth. Junior varsity placed second represented by sophomores Amitav Kamani and Anee Nguyen. Finally, varsity placed fourth represented by Monica Hanratty and Evelyn Wang.“I was very excited and glad that all of our

hard work paid off. I am also really happy that everyone is so dedicated this year” Evelyn Wang said. The next tournament for Oakton debate will be in December at James Madison University.

5NHS tutors during CollaborationStudents from the National Honor Society will be holding tutoring

sessions Wednesday mornings during Collaboration in room 189.“We plan to do this on as many Collaboration days as possible,” said NHS

Secretary Irene Lee. There will be tutors for every Collaboration, and students are welcome to

come and receive help if they need it.“We’ll probably have about five [NHS members] every week, but if there’s

a greater need we’ll have more members sign up,” said NHS Presedent Angela Sickels. Students who wish to be tutored don’t need to sign up prior to coming,

they just need to show up with the materials that they need to study. “We just wanted to be more involved in helping the school scholastically,”

Sickels said. “[Also,] we get hours for tutoring.” Some students are worried that if they go to the Collaboration tutoring

center, they’ll be judged by the tutors. “Don’t be afraid of going, or that you’ll be judged,” Sickels said. “The

people who sign up just want to help.”

6 Photo club captures holiday cheerThe Oakton photo club held their second annual Holiday Photo shoot

on Nov. 10. Rising Oakton photographers took holiday-themed por-traits for families in room 196 to raise money for more equipment. WAll proceeds raised during the event go directly to the photo club. Other

than the student fees the students pay at the beginning of the year, events such as the second annual Holiday Photo shoot are the only ways the club can buy the expensive equipment needed to continue their art. “[The photo shoot] was definitely more of a success than the canned food

drive we did,” said Susan Silva, Oakton’s photography teacher. “Last year we made almost $200 with the photo shoot. People love getting their pictures taken, especially this time of year when they can be used for holiday cards and Christmas cards.” The members of the photo club created all of the props in an effort to set

a holiday mood. Although the shoot was a great fundraiser, for the students the photo shoot was a better opportunity than just raising money. “The photo shoot is a great way for the students to practice their photog-

raphy skills and to learn how to work with the public and small kids,” Silva said. “We have great photography skills here at Oakton, so this is our way of sharing it with the Oakton community.”

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anne nguyen

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karli gillespiealana peters

The National Conference on Peer Tutoring and Writing allowed the students to learn more about the tutoring process, as well as how tutoring affects not only the

Oakton community but also the outside community.“The biggest take away from the conference was that there

is a very large professional community of peer tutors in high schools and colleges, and that this is a professional occupation and experience that the tutors have,” said English teacher Beth Blankenship. The National Conference on Peer Tutoring in Writing

promotes collaborative teaching to ensure that students learn to become better writers. The NCPTW offered peer tutors the opportunity to contribute to the writing center community at large. “Seven of our Oakton Writing Center tutors actually

presented at the conference, which is really cool because not only was it a conference for high school kids, but it was also a conference for college writing center tutors,” said English teacher Elizabeth Dean. “The college students were really impressed with the level of thought put into the high school writing center presentations, so it was neat for the tutors to be able to be on kind of a national stage. They were able to realize that the writing center is actually a bigger community than just Oakton or Fairfax County, it is actually nationwide.” The NCPTW also offered writing center students the

opportunity to learn about the ideologies behind tutoring. Many presentations were focused on expanding tutor’s views outside of just tutoring and opening their minds to the deeper meaning behind tutoring.“The other thing that tutors took away was how there is

a deeper philosophy to what we do, and we don’t have time during the school day to stop and contemplate the deeper philosophy in peer tutoring and in education,” Blankenship said. “It is important to talk about those philosophies and expose young minds to those philosophies in high school. I think that is the thing the tutors were really amazed at, and I wish we had more time to teach that.” The Oakton peer tutors began preparing for the conference

at the end of last year. Tutors taking part in the conference were required to submit a proposal in order to be able to prepare their 45 minute interactive presentation. “A 45 minute presentation is very nerve-wracking because in

school we usually only present for about 5 minutes,” said Katie Clark, senior. “Also, while in the conference, you have a sort of credibility with people looking up to you so you have to be confidant in what you are saying. So it took a lot of effort to prepare for the speech itself.” While on the trip, the students were able to sit in on other

45 minute presentations to learn more about not only the tutoring process, but also how tutoring can benefit the outside community by increasing literacy and writing ability.

“There were also people there from George Washington University, and they talked about setting boundaries as tutors and what to do when people ask you to do things that go above and beyond what your duties as a tutor require you to do,” said senior peer-tutor Matt Colturi. “In college, tutors are paid to tutor for the writing center, and often people will ask if a tutor will do overtime or stay longer outside of regular working hours. However, it is important to let people know that just because you are a tutor doesn’t mean tutees can take advantage of you.” The Oakton peer tutors used the NCPTW as a learning

experience and went to many different presentations from both high schools and colleges. The students were then able to reflect on the experience and see what they could bring back to their own writing centers.“I really enjoyed the presentation from Merrimack College,

where they talked about using memes to advertise the writing center and how no one really knows what actually goes on in the writing center, so it is a publicity problem,” Colturi said. “They used the meme ‘what our parents think we do, what our teachers think we do, what society thinks we do and what we actually do.’ The presentation was very funny, and the whole experience was really great.”The Oakton Writing Center also visited Niles West High

School in Chicago, which has the largest Literacy Center in the Nation. According to The Niles West Literacy Center, tutors mentor about 200 students a day and has tutored over 100,000 students since it opened. “We saw that the student body was very supportive of their

writing center and used that to see how we can improve our own center,” Clark said.

7newsworthy11.20.12

erin bennettnews editor

Writing Center goes to NCPTW conferenceThe Oakton Writing Center participated in the annual National Conference on Peer Tutoring in Writing

(NCPTW) in Chicago from Nov. 2-4. Writing center tutors took part in the conference to learn about the larger tutoring community outside of Oakton and how that influences tutors.

The National Conference on Peer Tutoring and Writing offered students the ability to learn more about the writing community as a whole. “This is something that I think we need to remember,” Blankenship said. “The tutors are able to see through their presentations that tutoring is a professional experience.”

christina fleckenstein

8 touchdown11.20.12

jennifer prossertouchdown editor

Girls basketball looks ahead

The new team works to build their own legacy

Freshman Alex Marquis drives to the basket in a drill. Being the youngest on the team makes no difference in the eyes of her senior captain. “We all push each other on the court,” Roberts said.

No sport at Oakton carries quite the legacy as girls basketball does. The legendary program has sent players to

Duke, Villanova and numerous other Division 1 and Division 2 schools. Much of this success can be attributed to head coach Fred Priester who has made Oakton his home for the past 18 years. Over this time Oakton has accumulated 13 district championships, four regional cham-pionships, five state final four appearances and two state finals appearances, culminating in an undefeated 31-0 2011-2012 season with district, region and state titles. Repeating last year’s season is a daunting task,

but senior captains Helen Roberts and Elizabeth Manner are eager to do so. Together with junior captain Torri Marquis, they will lead the new team to move forward and make their own mark on the Oakton legacy.“It’s an entirely new season,” Manner said.

“We’re just going to work hard like we always do.”The 2012-2013 team is fairly different than

the team last year. Although three starters and seven total players with varsity experience are returning, a significant portion of the team is new. Three of the players rose from the junior varsity team, while two came up straight from the freshman team and one is entirely new to Oakton altogether. The diversity can also be seen by grade numbers, with four seniors, four

juniors, four sophomores and one freshman.“The younger girls have talent,” Manner said.

“There are spots for them to step up into.”With the new team, chemistry both on and off

the court is very important.“We’ll need to work together well and have

good team chemistry and a good team effort to replace last year’s seniors and last year’s team,” Roberts said. “We’ve been having off-season workouts in the gym and on the track, and we’re all playing together in two different fall leagues. They prepare us well because we don’t have a lot of time before our first scrimmage.”The seniors have already made a game plan for

when the season does begin.“We’re going to work hard and be disciplined,”

Roberts said. “We just need to evenly distribute the points and have everyone contribute to the team.”Looking ahead, the team already sees tough

games early in the season against Mt. Vernon (12/4) and Madison (12/18).“Mt. Vernon is going to be tough; they have

a lot of returners,” Roberts said. “We were the only team they lost to last year, and they’ll come out to get us.”“We’re going to continue the tradition of do-

ing well and having a strong program,” Manner said. “I want to help our senior class to have the best season that we can. It’s time to move forward.”

11/27 LEE Th 11/29 TipOff Tournament F 11/30 WAKEFIELD S 12/01 LANGLEY T 12/04 MOUNT VERNON F 12/07 @ YORKTOWN S 12/08 @ Georgetown Visitation T 12/11 @ FALLS CHURCH

F 12/14 WEST POTOMAC T 12/18 @ MADISON 12/27-29 Charleston Tournament F 1/04 @ HERNDON M 1/07 @ CHANTILLY Th 1/10 ROBINSON F 1/18 CENTREVILLE T 1/22 @ WESTFIELD F 1/25 HERNDON T 1/29 CHANTILLY F 2/01 @ ROBINSON T 2/05 @ CENTREVILLE F 2/08 WESTFIELD

Sophomore Lindsey Abed makes a pass in a drill at practice. “It’s important to show the younger girls what it means to be on Oakton basketball and how we carry ourselves,” senior captain Manner said.

REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE

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10 touchdown11.20.12

Juinor captain Robert Bacon wants his new teammates to know what the varsity standards are. “They need to be able to play with the pace of the rest of the team,” Bacon said. In addition to im-proving his team’s playing, Bacon said, “I look forward to improving our record and having everyone perform their best.”

Senior captain Kristi Carrigan is ex-cited to meet new people and do shorter distances. “This season I want to win districts again and help everyone beat their personal best [records],” said Car-rigan. “Hopefully, we’ll be able to keep everyone injury-free, too.”

GIRLS TRACK&FIELD

BOYS BASKETBALL

As 2012 state runners-up, boys swim and dive is looking for a championship. “This year will be more challenging because we lost a lot of seniors,” said se-nior captain Phillip Hu. “But there were a lot of fast underclassmen at tryouts who will fill the gaps from the seniors we lost.”

BOYS SWIM & DIVE

With high expectations for another state title season, senior Melissa Shebat expects the team to dominate the region. “There really is no definite competition,” Shebat said. “We have quite a few fast underclassmen who we hope are able to qualify for states as well.”

GIRLS SWIM & DIVE

Girls gymnastics is coming off of a mediocre 2011 season with high expecta-tions from their new teammates. “This year’s tryouts were really competitive, and we have a lot of [talented] girls this year,” said returning junior, Taylor Manley.

GIRLS GYMNASTICS

Junior captain Jack Stoney is a domi-nant figure on the track. “You just have to work hard, and it’s a lot of fun,” Stoney said. He is looking forward to improving his own times and hopes to beat other peoples’ records as well.

BOYS TRACK&FIELD

As winter sports begin, talented upperclassmen look to pave the way in their respective sports. Here is an insight into the enthusiastic minds of some of Oakton’s most dedicated winter athletes.

natalie eberhartstaff writeranee nguyenstaff writer

Meet the Oakton winter sports stars

natalie eberhart jennifer prosser

jennifer prosser

anee nguyen

anee nguyenjennifer prosser

11touchdown11.20.12

Happy hunger games

Prime Time has some of the best (and most filling) appetiz-ers in the area. With a plethora of seating and TVs to go with it, Prime Time is an excellent place to bring your gang for a bite and a good time. There is also a separate lounge area for relaxation and hanging out with your group and 23 HD TVs (and four jumbotrons) to keep an eye on. Prime Time also hosts games such as cornhole and the Madden challenge and has a separate area for pool and a bar. It’s a blast for both fam-ily and friends.

Looking for a place to hang out with friends and watch the big game? Check out these local sports grills for fun times and good food.

Tip: Make a meal of appetizersIf you’re tired of the same old burger and fries, or just want to shake things up, try pulling a bunch of appetizers from the menu to make a combination of meals that’s fun and group friendly. This is an especially good idea on dates, so there isn’t that internal confliction over what you should order, or for big groups, so that everyone can share the food and the bill. They’re easy to snack on while you cheer on your favorite team and cheap to pay for if you’re particularly broke.

Less than a mile from the Green Turtle, Hard Times is a loud and happening cafe in the heart of Fairfax, arranged with seating downstairs, the pool tables and a smoking section upstairs. The food is inexpensive, and the restaurant itself is good to bring a small group of friends to watch games on the TVs in each dining area. The cheeseburger is just one of many things to die for, and your table receives samples of all four chili flavors before you order your meal (Texas Chili, Cin-cinnati Chili, Terlingua Red and the Vegetarian Chili). Why not

bring along a few friends to share the fun experience and tasty chili while you watch your sports team?

The Green Turtle is a classy sports bar and grill started in the 80s by two UMD graduates. While both family-friendly and capable of accepting large groups in a separate party room, the Green

Turtle is both practical and convenient for anyone who wants to have a good meal. While the food is slightly pricier than other sports bars, it is of excellent quality, and there are a total of 84 TV’s to feast your eyes upon. Flat screens line the walls around the separate bar-seating area, and there are individ-ual mini TVs with volume and channel control at each booth in the dining area. This is a great place to bring a group of friends or pre-plan a party with all your sports fans.

Glory Days is an openly de-signed sports cafe with good service and even better food. The food is affordable and fresh, and the appetizers are a good size to fill you up before

your entree. But game time is where it gets even better. Glory Days has a control box at each booth that lets you tune into the audio of any of the 32 TVs in the room and listen along to the games happening around you. Swing by on game night to catch everything in action.

3950 University Dr, Fairfax (703) 934-5550

4069 Chain Bridge Rd, Fairfax

(703) 267-9590

11250 James Swart Cir, Fairfax (703) 352-0260

2567 John Milton Dr,Herndon

(703) 390-5555

alana petersphoto editor

all photos by alana peters

12touchdown11.20.12

kenneth hippestaff writer

P90X and Zumba, your new winter workoutsStructured workouts and fitness programs such as P90X and Zumba provide a way for athletes and non-athletes to stay fit and healthy in their own homes.

monsterhomefitness.com

P90X, created by fitness trainer Tony Horton, is an intense fitness program that uses muscle confusion to create extreme transformations to the body in just

90 days. Junior soccer player Kasra Eslami decided to start P90X at first just for fun, but eventually it turned into a lifestyle. “I have been doing P90X for about five and a half months,”

Eslami said, “and I haven’t missed a day yet.” P90X is designed for anyone willing to make a time com-

mitment and put in the effort needed to lose weight and gain muscle. The regular P90X routine lasts for 90 days, and if you start it now you will be guaranteed results before the start of spring sports season. P90X includes twelve differ-ent workouts that strengthen all parts of the body including chest, back, arms, legs and abs. “My favorite workout is yoga,” Eslami said, “many people

think that the yoga workout isn’t important, but it actually is the hardest routine, and it is important for flexibility and balance.” P90X also comes with a guide for healthy eating. It is

imperative to maintain a healthy diet while exercising to maximize your results. If you are looking for a workout plan that is high effort but

high reward, P90X is for you.

Zumba is a high-intensity, Latin inspired fitness dance that incorporates moves from salsa, flamenco and merengue.

“It’s a really fun workout and a good way to get moving,” said senior Zumba participant Nadine Shabti. Created in the mid 90s by Alberto Perez in Columbia,

Zumba was a spontaneous exercise class he gave when he forgot his original music tapes for his aerobics class. The only music he had was his personal latin music, which was unusual for aerobic exercise. Perez developed an exercise class on the spot using traditional Latin dance steps. Since its introduction to the U.S. in 2001 it has become

one of the world’s largest and most successful dance fitness programs. In comparison to other programs, Zumba burns more calories than cardio kickboxing, power yoga, pilates or step aerobics. Whether it be in an exercise studio or by videotape in your

basement, Zumba uses interval training, alternating between a fast and slow rhythm, and resistance training to be a full-body workout. However, the easy dance steps and upbeat music make the exercise enjoyable, providing a dance party atmosphere. If you are looking for a workout that actually makes it fun

to exercise, Zumba is for you.

Oakton sisters Nadine Shabti, senior, and Mera Shabti, sophomore, practice Zumba moves in their home. “It’s a really fun workout and a good way to get moving,” Nadine said.

alex driscollstaff writer

courtesy of nadine shabti

Basic exercises such as push-ups, sit-ups and squats are essential in the P90X workout.

all photos by jennifer prosser

13touchdown11.20.12

torri marquisstaff writer

Fab Freshmen

Alex Marquis

Megan Byrnes

Daniel Harris

Isaac Harris

Natalie Weaver

jennifer prossertouchdown editor

“Last year my [AAU] basketball team won the showcase tour-nament in Florida, and it was on ESPN3. It was really cool.”

“This summer at Oak Marr, which is actually where the Oakton team practices, I qualified for the Olympic trials in the 200 meter back-stroke.”

“High school practices are much longer. The speed is going to be dif-ferent. It’s going to take time to adjust, but it will be fine.”

“I’m looking for-ward to the game atmosphere, and I’m really excited to travel and play against other schools.”

“I’m really looking forward to being a part of a team with Oakton gymnastics. I hope the team can go really far.”

Girls Varsity Basketball

Girls Varsity Swim

Boys JV Basketball

Girls Varsity Gymnastics

Many Oakton winter sports are welcoming some superstar freshmen this year, including a swimmer who competed at the Olympic trials and a basketball player who played on ESPN3 over the summer. Read on to learn about the new athletes to watch out for this season.

all photos by alana peters

Boys JV Basketball

courtesy of megan byrnes

14spotlight11.20.12

karli gillespiespotlight editor

Dancer Shannon Holcombe, senior, is one of the few dancers across the country chosen to dance in the world re-nowned Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. After dancing for many years, her talent has taken her to great opportuni-ties that few can say they have done.

spotlight

This year, one of Oakton’s own will be in New York City for the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade. But she won’t be just any bystander; she will be dancing her heart out for

thousands to see by performing with the Universal Dance Associa-tion in the parade.Shannon Holcombe, senior, has been dancing since she was a

little girl. She has been on the Oakton Dance team for three years and is one of the three co-captains. Her opportunity to be in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade came around this summer at one of the summer dance camps the Oakton Dance team went to. “Seniors, and juniors too if your team doesn’t have many seniors, are the ones that can try out for the All-American Dance Team,” Holcombe said. “Tricia Gore, Victoria Sommese, Maria Canales, Lindsey Bolger and I all were able to try out.”“In order to make the team, you have to memorize the choreogra-

phy, make up your own dance and perform it in front of the entire camp and judges,” Holcombe said. “If you get a high enough score in your performance you make All-American and are then invited to dance in other events, like the Macy’s Parade.” After months of anxiously waiting, the Association has finally

mailed Holcombe and all the other participants the details of their grand performance. “They have just sent us videos of the chore-ography,” Holcombe said. “So I need to memorize all four parts of the routine – which adds up to a minute and a half long – and then when we get to New York they will refresh us with the choreog-raphy and further organize everything. The routine is much easier than anything we would do at Oakton, but it has to be easy since girls across the entire country are expected to perform it. It should take me a day or two to memorize.” Dancers across the nation are coming together for the special

event, but that doesn’t rattle Holcombe’s nerves. “I feel like this is just another thing I’m doing for dance team,” Holcombe said. “But then I remind myself that this is so much more than just dancing for Oakton. It’s dancing in the nationally televised Thanksgiving Parade. This is such a great thing to be a part of. ““I’m very anxious for the parade,” Holcombe said. “I only know

of a few girls that are going from Bishop O’Connell [High School], but overall I’m really excited. We’re all dancers, so I just know it is going to be a lot of fun.”So keep your eyes peeled for a familiar face when you are watch-

ing the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thursday; the Cou-gars are making their name known, and Holcombe is just one of the many talented students at Oakton doing so.

I feel like this is just another thing I’m doing for dance team. But then I remind myself that this is so much more than just dancing for Oakton.shannon holcombe | 12

“ ”

Oakton dancer takesnational stage

(from left: Victoria Sommese, Shannon Holcombe, Maria Canales, Lindsey Bolger, Tricia Gore) OHS Dance Team captains and co-captains are all smiles following their time at their summer dance camp. “I was so proud of all our our captains and co-captains for qualifying for All-American [Dance Team],” Holcombe said. “It re-ally was a great opportunity for us.”

Holcombe leaps into the air as she practices the routine she will per-form on Thanksgiving Day. “I think people will be pleased with our performance,” Holcombe said. “It’s fast, fun and enjoyable.”

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karli

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While the majority of students may spend their free time playing sports and socializing, Angela Chen, sophomore, devotes her time to fashion design.

Her unique ideas and artistic talents have allowed her to create designs that capture the beauty of being one-of-a-kind. Chen’s passion for fashion has always been a part of her life, but her interest in creating her own unique designs has developed over time. “When I was a little kid my mom was scrolling through

fashion pictures on the computer, and I thought it was really interesting because I realized that this is a way of expressing yourself similar to art,” Chen said. “But I really started getting into actually de-signing my own clothes in 7th grade.”Developing a profound curiosity

towards fashion at a young age has led Chen to dream of one day joining the fashion industry, no matter how daunt-ing a task that may be. “I really want to be a designer, but it’s highly unlikely because

of the market. The design world is really catty, with the pres-sure to be number one,” Chen said. “I think it would be really fun to try merchandizing or something, but ideally I would like to have my own line before I die.” Although the scope of Chen’s interest and the breadth of her

goals has broadened since her days as a fourth grade fashionista, her taste in fashion and style has remained relatively constant. Designers like Alexander McQueen speak to Chen because of their extra frills and ribbons. However, Chen has used different, unique materials to construct her own designs due to the high cost of fabric.

“Last year, I made a dress ouf of newspaper for the Exhibition of Learning last year. Fewer people are reading the newspaper nowadays because we’re in a time of technological advancement, so I wanted to take something that people don’t really appreci-ate anymore and make it into something beautiful,” Chen said. “At first I didn’t know what the construction would be like, but I looked up some tutorials online and apparently lots of people do it. I learned how you can just duct tape the bodice and then papier-mâché over it so the dress can keep its shape”As revealed through her creative use of newspaper as a

medium, Chen views fashion and style as an art that provides people with an outlet through which they can express their individuality. “The designers I like make a lot of

evening gowns because those pieces really encompass how pretty someone can look. I think that’s what fashion should be about,” Chen said. “Fashion should make you feel good when you’re wearing something. I

think if the world follows that path instead of following trends then it would be a happier place.” Chen continually takes her own advice by dreaming big and ad-

mits that a lot of the designs she comes up with are not possible for her to physically create, and if they are, the materials fall far out of Chen’s price range. But restrictions like these do not stop Chen from doing what she loves and being who she wants to be. “If you think something looks nice, wear it. Be yourself. That

sounds really cheesy, but it’s the best advice I can offer,” Chen said.

While Oakton is overflowing with a wide range of students who have an even wider range of interests, few students have what it takes to truly bring their passion to life. Angela Chen, sophomore, uses her interest in fashion design as a way to express her individuality and bring beauty to everyday life. All artwork on page by Angela Chen.

madlin mekelburgeditor in chief 15spotlight

11.20.12

A fashion icon in the making

Fashion should make you feel good when you’re wearing something. I think if the world follows that path instead of following trends then it would be a happier place.

“

“

angela chen | 10

laura murphystaff writer

Get ready, get Stet for new art gallerySeniors Gary Yeh and Ryan Hintzman get in the creative spirit by creating a online art gallery specifically for teenage artists.

The art community at Oakton is thriving since the creation of an online art gallery, the Stet Gallery. The brainchild of two motivated seniors, Gary Yeh and Ryan

Hintzman, the gallery provides an outlet for young, aspiring artists to show and sell their work. “Our final exam question for art

history was ‘What do you think art will be in the next twenty years?’ From that we took on the challenge to figure that out,” Yeh said, whose main source of inspiration was the AP Art History course he took at Oakton last year.All of the artists the gallery

represents are in high school, and many are from Oakton, but plans for expansion are on the horizon. “We haven’t sold as many [paint-

ings] as we’d like,” Yeh said. “Within the next few months we plan on expanding as a visual arts sales gal-lery.” The founders of the Stet Gallery

also have begun planning to have an art education program to combat the declining national interest in creative pursuits. “We currently don’t have any [education] programs, but long

term we want that,” Yeh said. “Right now we have an educa-tion section [on our website] with articles, events and museum

reviews. We have writers from three or four different schools, and Ryan and I contribute a lot, but we are trying to expand.” The gallery has begun to receive media attention, and articles

have been cropping up from several different local groups including “The Oakton Patch,” although the duo hopes to reach out to “The Washington Post” once they have more artists join them. Currently, the gallery is looking for more artists to contribute to their website. So what are they looking for in the fresh, new talent they hope to re-cruit? ”Obviously you have to be good, technique wise,” Yeh said. “Develop the basic techniques and really create [your] style. We let our artists’ art speak for itself.”As a brand new site, the Stet Gallery

shows great promise for the future. Raising awareness throughout the underrepresented community of young artists has always appealed to the two, and despite separation in the coming years, plans for continuing the gallery in college have been made. “I find that

being involved in the art community is a lot more difficult than I thought it would be,” Yeh said, “It’s really been a growing experi-ence.”

16spotlight11.20.12

This original graphic print is by Stephen Bushey, and it is entitled “How About Them Apples.” “We let our artists’ art speak for itself,” Yeh said. “Really express your own artistic ideals.”

Yeh and Hintzman pose in front of a painting. “Surround yourself with people and things that inspire you and push you to grow as a person and as an artist,” Hintzman said. “Don’t rely on talent alone.”

This graphic print, by Nicasio Reed, is a self-portrait en-titled “Ow, My Mouth.” “I think we have nine or 10 artists right now, with a few more being added soon,” Hintzman said.

all photos courtesy of gary yeh

17spotlight11.20.12

Healthy Thanksgiving foods and recipes

Butternut squash soup6 tablespoons of chopped onions

4 tablespoons of margarine6 cups peeled and cubed butternut squash3-4 cups of chicken broth

1/4 teaspoon of ground black pepper1/8 teaspoon of ground cayene pepper2 (8 ounce) packages of cream cheese

This is my grandmother’s recipe, and my family’s favorite during the holidays. In a large saucepan, sauté onions in margarine until tender. Add squash, water, bouillon, marjoram, black pepper and cayenne pepper. Bring to boil; cook 20 minutes or until squash is tender. Purée squash and cream cheese in a blender or food processor in batches until smooth. Return to saucepan, and heat through. Do not allow to boil. This soup tastes great topped with some sunflower seeds.

Apple corn muffins2 cups of flour

1/2 cup of yellow cornmeal1/4 cup packed brown sugar1 tablespoon baking powder1/4 teaspoon salt 3/4 cup fat free milk

2 egg whites1 apple, peeled and coarsely chopped

1/2 cup corn kernels

This is the perfect recipe for a Thanksgiving dessert. It’s enough to satisfy a sweet tooth but small enough not to make you feel full after dinner. It’s also a nice alternative to the typical apple pie. Preheat the oven to 425 ° F. Line a muffin pan with paper or foil lin-ers. In a large bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir until blended evenly. In a seperate bowl, combine the milk and egg whites. Add the apple and corn kernels, whisk to mix evenly and pour over the flour mixture. Stir lightly until all are slightly moist. The batter will be lumpy. Fill prepared muffin cups 2/3 full and bake about 30 min.

Thanksgiving is right around the corner, and if you’re like most families, this holiday is where you eat A LOT, then regret it later. These recipes are delicious, but they let you maintain a healthy diet.

Recipe credits to Sarita Datta

Garlic mashed potatoes3 pounds of potatoes, peeled and cubed

6 garlic cloves, separated and peeled1/2 cup fat- free milk1 tablespoon trans fat- free margarineground black pepper, to taste

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsely

Mashed potatoes are my favorite part of the Thanksgiving dinner. In a large stockpot, cover the potatoes with water, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until tender for about 15 minutes. Drain the potatoes and return to the stockpot. In a small saucepan, cover the garlic with water, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until tender for about 10 minutes, then drain the garlic. In a food processor, combine the garlic and milk. Purée until smooth. Add the puréed garlic and margarine to the potatoes, and mash to the desired consistency. Season with black peper to taste.

reina dattacopy editor

18spotlight11.20.12

natalie eberhartstaff writerNo Shave November

It’s a high school boy’s dream: showing off your unshaved facial hair for a full month while competing against your friends to see who can become the most “grizzly-like.”

Name: Patrick DevensGrade: 12Movember Motivation: “Well, I don’t normally shave because I don’t like having a baby face. Facial hair is what defines a man.”

History of No Shave November

It was originally called “Movember,” or

“Mustache November.”

A group of 30 men from Adelaide, Austrailia founded the movement in 2004.

It was originally an

attempt to raise aware-ness for Prostate Cancer, similar to women wear-ing pink to raise Breast Cancer awareness.

Mustache growth was meant to be a display of man-liness.

When “Mo-vember” arrived

in America, the tradition evolved into “No Shave November.” The rest of the world knows it as “Movember.”

Name: Ratchit BhagatGrade: 11Movember Motivation: “Honestly, I’m just too lazy to shave. No Shave November just gives me a reason for it.”

Name: Mike Wandey Grade: 12Movember Motivation: “A few guys on the football team and I decided it would be a fun thing to do. It’s my first year doing it.”

Name: Matt McKewGrade: 11Movember Motivation: “This is the first year I can actually grow facial hair.”

courtesy of ww

w.us.m

ovember.com

“[No Shave November] is a chance for guys to be lazy. Most of them can only grow patchy beards and look ugly; most people can’t [pull it off yet]. I don’t mind [Jay’s beard] now, but by the end of November I’ll definitely be tired of it.”

“I just think [No Shave November] is a fun thing that both guys and girls

can do – well, maybe not for girls as much. But it’s just a good excuse to be

lazy for guys. I think [Helen] is generally okay with [my

beard], but it’s day 14 now, and I think she is definitely

getting a little tired of it.”

karli gillespie karli gillespie

karli gillespie

natalie eberhartnatalie eberhart

No Shave November not only affects your looks, but it can also affect your relationships. Senior couple Jay Bundren and Helen Roberts share their differing views on the ever-so-popular trend.

A couple quarrels over No Shave November

jay bundren, 12 helen roberts, 12

19viewpoint11.20.12

Underserving the underprivilegedSchools should focus on learning rather than passing tests

What students do at school has only ever been one part of the equation of academic success. The second part seems to be often overlooked; what stu-

dents do once they return home is just as important, if not more so. Whether or not a student’s household emphasizes academic achievement is a crucial factor in predicting a student’s progress in school. Unfortunately, many students who are part of house-holds that do not place as much weight on academics are also the ones who are not meeting state or national standards. More often than not, these students are part of what the

Virginia Department of Education dubs “proficiency gap groups,” which include disabled, African-American and Hispanic students. Yet rather than develop additional programs to help these underachieving students, the VDOE and many other state educational programs across the country focus instead on a gradual goal-setting process that involves raising the standard-ized test passing rate of certain demographic groups by a few percentage points each year. While this is a rational process, it focuses too much on test scores instead of the more important goal of helping these underachieving students develop a true interest in learning.One method of helping underachieving students has been

demonstrated and proved by the Knowledge is Power Program, or KIPP, which organizes free, public charter schools in cit-ies nationwide. The KIPP charter schools specifically accept

students in traditionally underachieving neighborhoods and are comprised of mainly minorities. However, through a “Five Pillars” approach that includes longer school days and a focus on choice and commitment, the program has been able to help thousands of students succeed in underserved communities. In fact, the eighth grade class at the KIPP Academy middle school in the South Bronx boasts the highest scores on the citywide achievement test in the borough and is also one of the highest achieving middle schools in New York City. While it is not financially practical to organize KIPP charter

schools in every single school district, school systems can still learn from KIPP’s approach. Although the program focuses on standardized test achievement, above all it provides students with the necessary resources to pass these tests including a longer school day that allots time

for tutoring and more opportunities for one-on-one instruction. At Oakton, the addition of AVID, or Advancement Via Indi-vidual Determination, program, which fosters college readiness through the development of student-teacher mentorships and motivational encouragement, is a step in the right direction. Simply focusing on standardized test passing rates without

implementing accompanying programs like KIPP and AVID is a flawed approach. What underachieving students truly need is an environment in which they can learn the importance of educa-tion for their futures in an increasingly competitive, globalized world.

viewpoint Oakton students share their opinions on controversial topics at Oakton and in our community

The Staff Editorial is the official opinion of the Oakton Outlook

marilyn yang

On Nov. 6, Barack Obama was reelected as our nation’s president. This was a terrible mistake. President Obama

has done nothing to improve the state of the economy and has greatly increased the reach of government. In this past election there were two choices: the preservation of liberty or downright tyranny. Unfortunately the American people chose tyranny, and there will be consequences.With the president’s reelection, “Obamacare”

will almost certainly be institutionalized. Is this not a good thing? Now there is free healthcare for everybody. Not quite. Guaranteeing health insurance does not guarantee healthcare. If that were the case, then Cuba would be a health care utopia. It is not. The average Cuban waits in long lines at government hospitals and unless you are a member of the party elite you will not get very good care either. According to Canada’s National Post, “Even the most commonly avail-able pharmaceutical items in the U.S., such as Aspirin and rubbing alcohol, are conspicuously absent [in Cuba].” There is a reason why people from all around the world come to America for health care. Wait, what about Canada? Well if you want to wait in line for months for basic care, then it’s great. Socialized medicine leads to rationing and lack of innovation. If the govern-ment does not think you are worth saving then you are out of luck.

When it comes to the economy

Obama is a disaster. Yes, he did inherit a recession, but so did Reagan, and he lead us into a period of prosperity. In many ways the recession that Reagan presided over was worse. Obama has declared a war on our energy industry using his EPA fiat. The coal industry is being hunted as many mines are being forcibly shut down. Oil drill-

ing permits have decreased on federal land, not to mention that his administration rejected the Keystone Pipeline. Take the man at his own words: “Under my plan of a cap and trade system, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket.” Endless reports of businesses fir-

ing employees are now coming out. Papa John’s CEO John Schnatter has stated that he will be forced to reduce workers’ hours because of Obamacare. He went on to say that

franchise owners will probably be cutting their workforce. Applebees will be following suit as they will also lay off workers due to the Afford-able Care Act. Businesses, especially the restaurant industry, will be hit hard because of this law.New reports are coming

out every day about things that the administration withheld in order to win the election. Ac-cording to the USDA, food stamp enrollment has reached a record high with 46,681,833 people now receiving assistance. The Senate Bud-get Committee has stated the cost of food stamp spending is projected to reach $800 billion over the next 10 years. The country simply can not afford this kind of spending.It seems many students either

think presidential elections are some kind of game or they are completely ignorant on politics altogether. You do not elect presidents on how

“cool” they may seem, you elect presidents on their willingness to protect the

Constitution and our great country. Obama seems unwilling to do either. In fact, if he has his way our military will be shredded, and we will become very vulnerable. Our Constitution will be disregarded as a minor inconvenience if it hasn’t already been so. President Obama shows no respect for the constitution. He has bypassed Congress by issuing executive orders in place of legislation. When he could not get immigration reform passed, he simply issued an order declar-ing that a current immigration law will not be fully enforced. A statement in a speech Obama gave to Congress sums up how he feels: “If Congress won’t act, then I will.” The president said himself that the Constitution “...[reflects a] fundamental flaw of this country that continues to this day.” America has chosen a path in which liberty has no place in society. On election night in 2008, Obama was not kidding when he said that he wanted to “fundamentally transform” America.

20 viewpoint11.20.12

The Wr ng DecisionRe-electing Barack Obama was a huge mistake

alex xenosstaff writer

misa mori

You do not elect presidents on how “cool” they may seem.“ “

21viewpoint11.20.12

#CougarRantsOakton’s widespread Twitter addiction has spawned some of the greatest tweets known to mankind. With hashtags, favorites and retweets

aplenty, here is just a sample of November’s best, courtesy of OHS’ finest tweeters.

Wait, Oakton is still having football games? I lost track since that last one I went to my Freshman year XD

sofia crutchfieldviewpoint editor

My moms never seen the notebook...shes not my mom anymore.

late nights, rough mornings

I feel bad that my dad has to watch The Voice with me because I sing along with every song #sorrynotsorry If you call ketchup “catsup,”

i hate you.

240 is the worst time to go bathroom searching in oakton

Don’t forget to follow @Oakton_Outlook on Twitter for updates on all things OHS!

Staying afterschool<<<<<

All these kids at Oakton who think they are good rappers... #smh

Rainy day at oakton = more buckets than a KFC

Just realized I haven’t listened to a one direction song... Ever... #notcomplaining

It seems like the perfect time to talk about one aspect of fall and winter that almost every high schooler and avid Starbucks drinker knows about. Yes, I’m talking about the

seasonal menu at Starbucks, which is inspired by every sweet, delicious food under the sun and is crafted for the sole purpose of pro-viding all its customers with warm holiday treats.To counteract the cold weather and

how miserable it seems after summer, Starbucks provides us with a range of drinks. For fall, we have the Pumpkin Spice Latte, Salted Caramel Mocha Hot Chocolate and the Peppermint Hot Chocolate. For those of you who are not hip to the Starbucks lingo, the above drinks are all made with milk, syrups and in some cases, shots of espresso. The same goes with the holiday

drinks: Peppermint Mochas, Gingerbread Lattes, Caramel Brulee Lattes and Eggnog Lattes. While they are all pretty self-explanatory, they have also become somewhat of a tradition. Starbucks has been serving the Eggnog Latte for almost 25 years and the Gingerbread latte for 11 years. The most interesting consequence of having these detailed,

intricately prepared drinks is the inevitable hype that comes along with them. When lots of people adore something, they will ask for it, and if they don’t get it, there is disappointment everywhere. According to The Wall Street Journal, many

Starbucks cafés all over the country had to place extra orders for Pumpkin Spice Syrup while patrons left in anger.These drinks may be the most fabulously

concocted, deliciously mouth-watering and heartwarmingly reminiscent of famous, staple treats for the holidays. Loaded in calories, the sweet syrups mesh together with the steamed milk and provide an experience that is otherwise only achieved by summoning one’s grandma to cook and bake the divine treats that these drinks resemble. While the first thought that many have

about Starbucks is “too expensive” or “too many calories,” the fact remains that ‘tis

the season. With Thanksgiving, Christmas, more-than-asked for four day weekends and the high possibility of snow, we are all guilty of eating whatever we like. And an occasional splurge or craze is nothing to be ashamed of, especially when it is for a nice, Grande Pumpkin Spice Latte.

22 viewpoint11.20.12

ramya mukallastaff writer

Pumpkin spice and everything niceWith the weather getting colder and the holidays around the corner, the craze over seasonal drinks is perfectly understandable

erin preaskornstaff writer

Vampire trend is not undead

Since the time teenagers began obsessing over vam-pires, people have claimed they’re overrated. Now, a majority of people claim they’re overdone.

Vampires became popular in 2008 when “Twilight” was first released and made $350 million. After see-ing the success of that movie and how teenage girls hungered for more, franchises started taking advantage of the craze and pushed more vampire products. Everywhere there were girls that had “Twi-light” shirts, bags, posters, Edward Cul-len blankets and pillows, pens, jewelry, perfume and more. In 2009, it was the same with “New

Moon,” only with the addition of the hot werewolf Jacob Black. Teenage girls fought over who was better, Edward or Jacob, even going to the point of buying shirts that proudly proclaimed what “team” they were on. The vampire theme was still going strong, and it even brought in other supernatural aspects.

However, around the time “Eclipse” came out, the buzz started dying down, meaning less fan memorabilia, fewer screaming girls and reduced overall craziness. When “Breaking Dawn: Part 1” was released in November of 2011, the obsession was going downhill fast.“Breaking Dawn: Part 2” debuted on Nov. 16, (check out

oaktonoutlook.com for our review), and even fewer people are planning to see it. “I’m only going to see it because

I feel like I have to, since I saw all the other ones, and to find out what happens,” said Marissa

Raiti, sophomore.In a recent poll of Oakton students, 40 out of 45 people said they thought that vampires are old news.It would seem that the vampire trend

has been sucked dry.

Starbucks has been serving Gingerbread Lattes (pictured above) for 11 years now.

ramya mukalla

The popularity of vampires has decreased a lot since “Twilight” first came out and is no longer the teenage girl obsession it once was.

Yuri Hong

In lieu of the No Child Left Behind Act, which requires all schools that receive Title 1 funding from the government to make Adequate

Yearly Progress on standardized test scores, Annual Measurable Objectives (AMOs) have been established for Math and Reading SOLs for all Virginia public schools. An AMO is a goal for the percentage of students that need to pass the SOL each year, with the eventual goal of a 73% pass rate for all students. The AMOs are intended to decrease the

proficiency gap between low-performing and high-performing schools. The student populations of each school are divided into subgroups: Proficiency Gap Group 1, Proficiency Gap Group 2 (Black Students), Proficiency Gap Group 3 (Hispanic Students), Students with Disabilities, Limited English Proficient (LEP) Students, Economically Disadvantaged Students, White Students and Asian Students. Each subgroup is given an AMO for every year

for the next six years. Each subgroup’s AMO is based on the measured passing rates of the 2011-2012 school year. However, the AMOs differ between subgroups. Next year, the AMOs for the Asian Student group are the highest at 82% and above for the Math SOL. On the other hand, Proficiency Gap Group 2 (Black Students) is at the lower end of the spectrum with AMOs of 51% for the Math SOL. Due to these gaps between subgroups, the Virginia State Conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) has announced its opposition to the AMOs.Donald Clark, U.S. History teacher, comprehends

the NAACP’s rejection of the AMOs.“I understand the NAACP’s position that

aggregate data can mask many individual situations, and that each child should be treated as a separate child,” Clark said.Clark also realizes that students may perceive the

AMOs in a negative light.“The fear is that [AMOs] can reinforce racial

stereotypes when [students] see these numbers,”

Clark said.However, Clark believes that the AMOs are

necessary to provide for the student population as a whole.“Aggregate data is helpful in tracking population

trends which lead educators to allocate resources to specific groups,” Clark said. “It appears discriminatory at its face, but yet it’s just where the data leads us. ”The reality is that Fairfax County is changing.

The minority populations are increasing, and the population as a whole is projected to rise. This change is now impacting the school system, which is Virginia’s largest as well as the 11th largest

school system in the nation. Despite

the county’s reputation as

being academically strong, there is a persistent graduation gap. According to a report from the Virginia Department of Education, the county’s four-year graduation rate for the Class of 2012 was 91.3 percent overall but differed when ethnic-ity, English proficiency and income level were a factor. The county graduated 96.6 percent of its White students, 94.8 percent of Asian students, 88 percent of its Black students and 77 percent of its Hispanic students. “It makes sense because you usually see those

types of trends,” said Eleanor Griffis, senior. More specifically, Oakton’s Class of 2012 gradu-

ated at a higher percentage than the entire county. “I think [the results] are a sign that Oakton is

better academically than some other schools,” said Alyssa Yang, senior. Oakton leads FCPS by 12 points in the on-time

graduation rate of English-language learners. However, Oakton graduates less of its economi-cally disadvantaged students by 2.8 percent. “I think it’s pretty good considering other states

in general,” said Lauren Davis, sophomore. “You know it’s one of the highest of the state, but FCPS could do better.”

23indepth11.20.12

gabriela driscolleditor in chief

Will some children be left behind?indepth Students question whether Virginia and Fairfax

County are doing enough to successfully prepare them for life after graduation

*For more information on AMOs, check out http://www.doe.virginia.gov/federal_programs/esea/flexibility/faq_amo.pdf

The fear is that [AMOs] can reinforce racial stereotypes when [students] see these numbers.

donald clark | teacher“ ”

economically disadvantaged

80.3%

limited english proficient

84.8%

hispanic

90.9%

asian

95.1%

white

99.1%

By the numbers: graduation rates for student subgroups in O

akton’s class of 2012

melanie aguilarindepth editor

black

92.3%

*Information from http://www.doe.virginia.gov/statistics_reports/graduation_completion/cohort_reports/index.shtml

Home away from home A day in the life of an ESOL student

Ali Hasemi, sophomore, Genesis Sanchez, junior, Karen Rivas, junior, Faxliddin Mamadiev, freshman, all students in the ESOL program, share their stories of how they came to America and the obstacles they have faced.

sunni beanstaff writer

Ali Hasemi, sophomore, moved here ten months ago from Iran. Moving

7000 miles might seem daunting, but Hasemi and his family came with high hopes for their future.

“Everybody knows this coun-try is better, right?” Hasemi said. “People come for the education and work; that’s what we did.”

Living in America has introduced Hasemi to different religions and

cultures than he had not previously been exposed to.

“People here are all from different countries with different religions, and everybody thinks differ-ently,” Hasemi said. “In my country, you can just see people from Iran.”Further, Hasemi has no-

ticed major differences in his schooling in America. “[In Iran] the boys’ and

girls’ schools are separate,” Hasemi said. “And we stayed in

class with like 30 people every day while the teachers moved class-rooms.”In regards to the social aspects,

moving from country to country isn’t so different from moving from state to state. “It’s hard adjusting and making

friends.” Hasemi said. However, Hasemi finds that the

treatment of the American public differs from that of his native country.

“It’s different because here, everybody’s the same.”

Ali Hasemi, 10

Genesis Sanchez, junior, moved last summer from the

Dominican Republic to Fairfax County. Sanchez has begun a new life, struggling to learn a new language and

adapt to a drastic climate change.

“The language was [the hardest adjust-ment],” Sanchez said. “I didn’t know anything about English, so it was hard for me to communicate with others.”Sanchez was

pleasantly sur-prised by simple aspects of the building that stu-

dents might take for granted.“We didn’t have a

library; we didn’t have a cafeteria like this, or football or baseball

fields,” Sanchez said. The change of pace has

forced Sanchez to adjust, yet she still misses parts of

her old life style.“I miss my friends, my

family, but also just my cul-ture,” Sanchez said.

Genesis Sanchez, 11

Karen Rivas, junior, moved here from El Salvador last July. The struggle to learn a new

language proved to be the most dif-ficult aspect of her transition.“The language was the hardest just

because I didn’t understand what people are saying here,” Rivas said.

Although Rivas found the language to be a hard adjust-

ment, it became one of her favorite parts of moving to the U.S.

“I got to learn some-thing I didn’t know about,” Rivas said. “I learned another lan-guage, and I met so many new people.”Not all aspects of

her education were enjoyable, however. “It was hard because

[in El Salvador], the next year I would graduate high school,” Rivas said. “But when

I came here, I came after ninth grade; it was disap-

pointing.” Whether it is leaving school

for lunch, or having the oppor-tunity to eat with all students,

Rivas has discovered a plethora of differences between Oakton and

her school in El Salvador. A pleas-ant surprise for Rivas, however, was that American students are a great deal more welcoming than she had

expected. “I thought people would look at you

and think you were different from them,” Rivas said. “But it’s so differ-ent from that.

Fazliddin Mama-diev, freshman, came to the

U.S. for the first time in August. Mamadiev moved

from Uzbekistan because of his father’s job, leaving

his country behind. “I always liked

[America], and my wish was to come here anyway,” Mama-diev said.Mamadiev found

moving overseas an easy transition, because

of the multitude of simi-larities between countries.

“There’s no difference, but there are more rules here than in my coun-try,” Mamadiev said. However, moving away

from his family and friends proved to be a much more difficult task. “I miss my family the

most,” Mamadiev said. “In the summer I wasn’t with them and it was very

different.”Educational systems vary

from country to country, and Mamadiev found the Ameri-can students’ sense of honor admirable. “I don’t like how in my coun-

try the students would cheat from me, like on homework and on tests and quizzes,”

Mamadiev said. ”But here students are honest, and I like that.”

Karen Rivas, 11Faxliddin

Mamadiev, 9

Advancement Via Individual Determination, or AVID, is a college readiness program

founded in San Diego, California in 1980 that aims to motivate students to pursue academic challenges and be responsible for their academic achievements. Originally reaching only 32 students at one high school, AVID now reaches over 700,000 students at over 4,900 schools and is found in 16 countries and territories aside from the United States. AVID also claims to be one of the most successful programs of its kind, and according to AVID, “Policymakers and school administrators now consider AVID an essential strategy for closing the achievement gap and making the college dream accessible to all students.”AVID made

its debut at Oakton this year, reaching 28 students in ninth and tenth grade. Erich Heckel, English teacher, is Oakton’s coordinator for the program. “Last year was sort of a planning year,

and I came on board as the coordinator around late February of last year to start to get things rolling for the AVID program,” Heckel said. Similar to the goal of the nationwide

program, the primary goal of Oakton’s AVID program is to aid students who have much academic ability and aspiration but may need some assistance in making their goals a reality. “We’re looking for students who

are motivated and have the goal for themselves of going to college,” Heckel said. “What we’re trying to do is provide a structure within the school day and within the school system to provide support for those students who, for whatever reason, have a lot of potential, and now we’re trying to match that potential with results.”AVID is an elective class, and in-class

activities focus on teaching students

effective ways to learn. For most of the class, trained tutors from Fairfax County come in and meet with groups of students to help answer questions that the students come across in their classes. “[Tutors] try to help [students]

answer their questions by asking them questions,” Heckel said. “[The purpose is] to try to get students to think through the process of finding the answer rather than saying, ‘Oh, here’s how you do it.’ [Tutors] are asking the questions that will prompt students to do it themselves. That’s what the program is all about: giving a student the tools to do it themselves.” Unlike some programs that have similar

goals, AVID students must demonstrate that they are willing to put in the effort and use the resources that AVID provides them. According to Heckel, the AVID class requires an incredible amount of hard work on

the part of the student. They have to take more notes and they have to think about what they’re learning more than a student who may not be in AVID. Even at just nine weeks, Heckel can see that the way that the students are thinking about their education is already surpassing some of their peers.Although Oakton’s AVID program is

only on its first year, Heckel and other AVID teachers seem to be confident in the program and hope that students who fit the criteria will consider joining the program next year. “AVID can really be a path to high

school and college success,” Heckel said. “Any student that has college as a goal, yet doesn’t exactly know the steps to get there, should really think about applying to the AVID program, because that’s what we do; that’s what we’re here for.”

26 indepth11.20.12

Oakton introduces AVIDAdvancement Via Individual Determination is a nationwide college readiness program, and Oakton has decided to adopt this program as an elective for students who may need extra academic support

About AVIDPHILOSOPHY: Hold students accountable to the highest standards, provide academic and social support, and they will rise to the challenge.

MISSION STATEMENT: AVID’s mission is to close the achievement gap by preparing all students for college readiness and success in a global society.

“It is not a minority-only program. It is certainly not a remedial program. It’s not a program for students who are failing classes. It is for students who are academically motivated and just need an extra push, whether it be organizationally, whether it be asking questions wise, whether it be really learning how to take notes and study and that sort of thing. Those are the things that we are providing as well as steps to prepare oneself for college.” -Erich Heckel, Oakton

AVID coordinator

89% of AVID seniors apply to 4-year colleges nationwide; 74% of seniors get accepted

source: avid.org

avid

.org

98% of AVID seniors plan to graduate high school, and 73% have taken or are taking a rigorous course, such as an AP course

We’re looking for students who are motivated and have the goal for themselves of going to college.

erich heckel | english teacher

“ ”

kim gibbons viewpoint editor

While FCPS has a male to female ratio of 50.6 to 49.4, several classes at Oakton for one reason or another have

thrown that ratio out the window and adopted a more unbalanced approach to class make-ups. While the art classes may vindicate the stereotypes we all hold, a few math and science classes show a trend on its way toward equal learning for all. The general trend seems to hold true for most

of Deborah Roudebush’s classes, though not all of them. While multivariable calculus has seen an increase in female students, her AP Physics C class continues to lag behind. “It has always been a struggle to enroll girls in

Physics C, same thing in Calculus, but that has changed,” Roudebush said. With two classes and 40 AP Physics C students,

Roudebush only has nine girls between them. “I think it has to do with being socially acceptable,” Roudebush said. “People in Physics C are viewed as nerds and as people comfort-able in the ‘Big Bang Theory,’ and that puts a challenge for girls who would be comfortable in physics but not with the nerd group.” Trials lie ahead for Roudebush as she tries to

convince more girls to enroll in and take AP Phys-ics C. “I’ve been a role model for these girls and have

shown that it can be done, and I’m not sure why that hasn’t helped,” Roudebush said, but even she admits that there is no “silver bullet” to solve the imbalance. Meanwhile, there are classes that have the exact

opposite problem. Susan Silva’s AP Photo class seems unable to attract the male crowd with its 32 students, only three of which are boys.“I don’t understand; Photo 2 is almost equal, but

there are still fewer boys,” Silva said. While three boys sounds like a small number, it

was much worse before. At the beginning of the year there was only one boy, and the year before there were none.“Intially I was very excited for an all-girl class,”

Silva said, “but as the year went on [with] the ab-sence of males, the ladies lost their decorum. Hav-ing mixed genders creates a more civilized class.”While Silva has made it clear that she would like

to have more boys in her class, she does not ignore the positive aspects that an all-female class has.“The positives were [that] the girls were good

at cleaning up after themselves [which is a] huge pro. We could get really messy, and I wouldn’t

worry about it not being cleaned up,” Silva said.Most interesting is the difference in class dynam-

ics between the mostly-male AP Physics C and the practically all-female AP Photo. Roudebush has noticed that girls are more likely to work together and form their own groups. With fewer of them in a class, the smaller the groups and the more chal-lenging it is for each individual girl. Silva, on the other hand, has seen that the boys are more easily brought into a girls group, and although there are only three of them, they are also less likely to band together.“Girls would pull them [into the in-class

groups], but the girls would [also] scare them away from the class,” Silva said.Jackie Fernandez’s AP Biology class also has an

imbalance, but it wouldn’t be called a problem, at least according to her. In fact, she had not even noticed it. “I never pay attention to it,” Fernandez said. “I

never thought of it, [but I] had a feeling.”With 98 total

students, she has 66 females compared to only 32 males. Yet the skewed ratio does not particularly affect the class.“For class purposes, it’s the same,” Fernandez

said. “The way the seating arrangement works out, boys sit with boys, and girls seat with girls. That would be the lab groups [so] it changes that dynamic, but [otherwise] it doesn’t matter.”The class, like most APs, is in lecture format with

labs thrown in every week or so, but for the most part students in the class do not interact with each other. Consequently, the gender balance not only does not affect learning but also flies under the radar.Perhaps most fitting is the fact that this article

is being written in one of the most imbalanced classes of all: journalism. I write this in a class with only three boys, myself included, and I am left to wonder what happened these past four years. This class that was pretty balanced three years ago has become a girl’s world. Electives like this are usually taken so friends can

be with friends without regard for how challeng-ing the class is actually supposed to be, a deadly cycle that will inevitably continue. So how should it be fixed? Tell everybody about it; being the token gender in a class might seem challenging, but classes like journalism have much practical merit. So next spring when you’re looking for a new class, why not give these off-balance classes a chance? At the very least, you’ll be welcomed.

oliver lopez-gomezonline editorGender ratios to the extreme

Why a few classes have a bit of a wonky balance between the sexes

27indepth11.20.12

Boys32.7%Girls

67.3%

Boys64.5%

Girls35.5%

Boys77.5%

Girls22.5%

Boys9.4%

Girls90.6%

AP Physics C

Mutivariable Calculus

AP Photo

AP Biology

Class Gender Distributions

It has to do with being socially acceptable.deborah roudebush | physics & calculus teacher“ ”

GET A FRIEND TO SIGN UP TOO & YOU BOTH PAY $225 EACH!

29showtime11.20.12

showtime Oakton students express their creativity through visual and performing arts

Joe Jongin Chey, junior, is what his teachers call him, but everybody else knows him as “The Composer.” On the surface he may seem like a

quiet, thoughtful student, but in Chey’s head he has music flowing that reflects his identity and emotion. For almost two years now composing has been his main direction in life.Composing is not just a hobby for Chey. Every piece

he writes represents his emotions at the time. “It serves as my diary of emotion,” Chey said. “Each piece I try to put myself and my best effort into the song.”Chey also strives to have his music be pure and real.

That means not rushing and trying his best on each song. If he rushed on the piece, then he feels that it does not adequately represent him as an artist. Although he likes to put 100 percent into his work, Chey understands the importance of schoolwork. He even made a schedule so he isn’t neglecting either activity. He gets his homework and schoolwork done first, and then in his free time he evaluates his emo-tions and transcribes his thoughts into melody. “My emotion causes the inspiration, and then if I

feel really proud about my piece, that feeling of pride transcends into the next piece, making each one a joy to write,” Chey said.

abbey boninstaff writer

The Composer Hungry for artSenior Dylan Staniszewski has been very busy

this past year, getting involved in the Fairfax community through her artwork. Staniszewski

recently submitted a graphic design to an annual art competition run by the non-profit organization Our Daily Bread. Our Daily Bread runs and operates out of Fairfax,

and its goal is to feed the hungry and help low-income families in the area. Staniszewski’s piece was chosen and was then replicated by hundreds of people wearing different colored shirts. These people situated themselves so that from an aerial view, their colored shirts combine to make Staniszewski’s design. The event, Complete the Circle, was on Oct. 21.

The goal was to collect food and raise money for the financially challenged residents of Fairfax.About 700 people attended, and together they

were able to accumulate 4,000 pounds of food and 10,000 dollars in donations. Complete the Circle was a major success and so was the recreation of Stan-isweski’s design.“I thought it went really well,” Staniszewski said.

“There were a lot of people there, and it was amaz-ing to see my design. It was just great to get out there and do something to help people.”

courtesy of jongin chey

jacque groskaufmanisstaff writer

odbfairfax.org

30showtime11.20.12

med

ia m

ix

MOVIETHEATER TREATS

fairfax corner 14 fairfax towne center 10

carly stonehouseshowtime editor

anee nguyenstaff writer

food for

thought...theater treat ratings

At $4.25 for six measly bites and a small container of what can only be described as “school lunch” nacho cheese, this snack is not recommended. The tiny snacks taste like bitter air pumped into an elastic-burnt bread bite. But because they are so taste-less and easy to pop into your mouth, you end up eating them until you feel nauseous. If you’re in the mood for lumpy elastic and cheese that bounces when you touch it, this

could be the snack for you. Otherwise, customers beware.

While I was hesitant at first when selecting the $5 corn nuggets, the movie theater treat was as disappointing as I expected. The large quantity of nuggets was an example of an overpriced, burnt culinary disaster. The nug-gets left you with the terrible aftertaste of corn, that couldn’t even be saved by a packet of ketchup. Not only did the hot dog taste like a moist piece of rubber, but it also took an unusual amount of time to chew. It’s safe to say the tray of nuggets was not finished.The corn nuggets are not even worth consum-ing while watching “Children of the Corn.”

Onion rings are definitely not the typical movie theater snack, but when you’re out late and you need something filling, these are perfect. The rings are $5.25 for at least ten palm sized onion rings. Not too salty and not too fried, these are the epitome of fried vegetables. The best part about eating these crispy delights is they are perfectly fried so that if bitten into, the onion and crunchy bat-ter don’t separate. Warning: if you are going on a date with that special someone, these onion rings may not be the snack for you.

For only $4.75 a heated pretzel in a bag was not as bad as I had expected. Leery when taking my first bite of the 620 calorie snack, the cinnamon pretzel was a surprise. In-stead of the cinnamon being sprinkled on the outside, I experienced my first double-stuffed pretzel with cinnamon cream sauce. Although it seemed a little hard at first, it wasn’t as bad as other theater snacks. The consistency of the flavor was adequate, but after a while you discover the cinnamon sauce and the pretzel itself get old. The pret-zel is definitely not a Auntie Annie’s delight.

4

3

2

1

corn nuggets

pretzel in a bagpretzel bites

onion rings

corn nuggets

onion rings

pretzel bites

pretzel in a bag

photo credits to carly stonehouse and anee nguyen

Taylor Swift’s new album, “Red,” released Oct. 21, hit the song charts with her singles “State of Grace” and “I Knew You Were Trouble” hitting number one and two

in a matter of hours. You would think that by now the songwriter would be tired of singing the same old lovelorn lyrics but the country star has yet to deter. Her new album, entitled “Red,” as if to symbolize a red light

or a red alert as her way of ensuring her listeners that this time she has her guard up and will not let herself wind up with a broken heart. She sings songs about walking into traffic, wad-ing in quicksand and flirting with guys she knows are bad news. However, this time around it’s getting harder and harder to empathize with the 22-year-old serial dater. Although Swift’s songs reflect only the “ruthlessness” of her

love life, the album’s most popular song, “We Are Never Getting Back Together,” does successfully create a new and stronger image for the barely adult songwriter. It has a fierce infectious melody and becomes irresistibly charming after a few replays. Apart from all the songs having similar ideas and lyrics, Swift

does do a good job at balancing the mood per song throughout the album. The hint of soothing melancholy in the song “The Last Time,” a duet with Gary Lightbody of Snow Patrol, mixed with the freewheeling enthusiasm in the song, “The Lucky One,”

is the same blend that has charmed her listeners since the beginning. Swift’s new album, “Red,” mirrors herself at this point in her

career and personal life. It appeals to all listeners and doesn’t fall under one specific genre just like the former country star, who is now tangential to the country curve.

Taylor Swift: tangential to the country curve in “Red”

lauren embroskistaff writer 31showtime

11.20.12

The 22-year-old country star sounds less like her “down home” roots and more alternative

taylorsw

ift.com

“Skyfall,” the 23rd Bond installment that was released nationwide Nov. 9, could not have chosen a better time to premiere. Oct. 5 marked the 50th anniversary

of the release of “Dr. No,” the first official James Bond film to ever grace movie screens. However, when MGM studios, the James Bond franchise’s longtime home, filed for bank-ruptcy in 2010, it seemed as though Bond would finally be put to rest. Yet it certainly takes more than a financial crisis to stop Bond, perhaps one of the most iconic pop culture heroes of the past half-century. Like always, Bond rose from his apparent grave, still as charming and as daring as ever. This theme is prevalent throughout “Skyfall”;

during an exchange between Bond and Silva, the film’s cyber terrorist antagonist embodied by Javier Bardem, Bond actually states that his hobby is resurrection. And resurrection it is; “Skyfall” is essentially a disguised com-mentary on the Bond franchise itself, reflecting on MGM’s financial woes and the future of Bond in the midst of an entertainment industry dominated by Jason Bournes and Bruce Waynes. Yet the existence of “Skyfall” itself proves that even now, no one does it better than Bond.Of course, Bond has evolved with the times,

with Craig’s Bond more ruthless and less gadget-dependent than his predecessors. However, more

so than the previous two films of the Craig era, “Skyfall” pays homage to some of Bond’s roots from the return of gadget expert Q to Bond’s classic ride, the Aston Martin DB5. Directed

by Sam Mendes of “Revolutionary Road” fame, this film was made by a Bond fan for Bond fans; even the camera angles are sure to induce nostalgia of the Sean Connery days.

As Daniel Craig’s third outing, “Skyfall” also contin-ues the character exploration of Craig’s Bond, this time venturing into Agent 007’s childhood. Longtime fans will

appreciate that the film stays true to Bond creator and author Ian Fleming’s original backstory, although newer fans may emerge with more questions than answers. That is perhaps one of “Skyfall”’s sole pitfalls; only longtime fans can fully appreciate all of the nuances and references embedded across the film’s 143 minutes. (Which, as a longtime Bond fan

would recognize, makes “Skyfall” the second-longest Bond film after 1969’s “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service.”) Nevertheless, newcomers should not be de-

terred from seeing the film. Above all, “Skyfall” is a captivating, well-made action movie featuring a

charismatic yet flawed hero. James Bond, or at least the movie franchise, may be 50, but if “Skyfall” is any testament, “some-times the old ways are the best.”

Everyone needs a hobbyIn “Skyfall,” James Bond proves that his is resurrection

marilyn yangeditor in chief

skyfall-movie.com