T H E O F F I C I A L N E W S P A P E R O F O A K T O N H I G H S C H O O L VOL.7 | ISSUE 3 | NOV. 2013

INSIDE ViewpointStudents should not have to do homework that they feel is not beneficial.

SpotlightOdd Ball Out: Is being awkward the new trend in today’s society?

#NOVAProblems

snailmailfrom the editors

outlook staff adviserElizabeth Fortenberry

staff writers

cover photo by sunni beanstudent body: 2204circulation: 1300

touchdown editor

copy editor

business manager

showtime editor

newsworthy editor alex driscoll

spotlight editor

indepth editor

viewpoint editors

online editor

carly stonehousealana peters

editors in chief

torri marquis

katie xenos

photo editor

laura murphy

reina datta

alex xenos

jennifer prosser

erin preaskorn

sunni bean

anee nguyen

veda bhatia

maggie campbell

jenna colturi

morgan cooper

courtney do

jacque groskaufmanis

christiana meyers

sam rutzick

sonaj senior

nikki singh

regards,Carly StonehouseAlana Peters

2 | snailmail | N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 3

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 e-mail to carly.stonehouse.oaktonoutlook@gmail.com or dropped off in Mrs. Fortenberry’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.

Ah, what a fine November we’ve had. In honor of this spirited and busy month, the editor in chiefs have a poem for you.

When the weather got coldand the homework became frightfulstudents flocked to the school playbecause Metamorphosis was delightful (pg. 5).

Instead of Uggs and a North facekids are doing opposite of the herdwho needs to be cool when cool is a “nerd” (pg. 11).

As we sit around a warm fireplacesharing our month’s triumphs and glories,don’t forget about those who fell short,AKA athletes’ embarrassing tryout stories (pg. 14).

Now we think about the upcoming Thanksgiving,it’s a fabulous holiday,but what makes it special?Perhaps Black Friday takes some of it away. (pg. 26).

But hey, keep your head up, and show off your Nova stripesbecause living by D.C.earns you your “Nova” stereotypes (pg. 22).

P.S. Don’t know what to eat in the early morning hours before school? Check out some suggestions from our Taste Quest, you fool! (pg. 28)

N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 3 | Contents| 3

newsworthyA sentimental farewell to an Oakton resident,

Gabriella Miller, age 10.

29showtime See what all the hype is about in a preview of the newest edition to the “Hunger Games” trilogy: Catching Fire.

VOL.7 | ISSUE 3 | NOV. 2013

6

12

spotlight How many tweets would an admin- istrator tweet if an

administrator could tweet tweets?

1218touchdown

Sometimes athletes hit the ground running,

but other times they just hit the ground. Athletes share their sports bloopers.

14

29

6alana peters

courtesy of images.wjla.comalana peters

alana peterscourtesy of official website

1418viewpoint An editorial on take-home assignments: is homework truly worth the endless hours some students spend at home?

Memorable MomentsSee what fellow students have to say about everything happening this month in Oakton

“I heart Little Do Peep.”-Nick Melgares | 11

“I’m psyched teach-ers aren’t allowed to give homework over breaks.”- Jallene Fuhrman | 12

“Shoot for the stars and if you miss, you’re still in the sky.”- Dylan Jiang | 11

“Everything I say is a treasure.”- Emily Stangeby | 12

“Sam Childs hit me with his car.”- Kyle Sullivan | 11

“I slightly hate my life.”- Raju Nadimpalli | 11

“I got so wet at the Metamorphosis show. #lookslikeipeed.”-Savannah Hard | 11

4 | recurring | N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 3

“Butter my buns and call me a biscuit.”- Mark Schenkel | 10

“Irish people can’t act.” - Ryan Dietz| 10

“On Wednesdays I like to sit on my roof and pretend I’m a satellite.” - Bhavjot Michera | 11

“Hi people reading the newspaper!”-Ellie Donohue | 9

“I like playing Tetris during Cougar Time.”- Suzanne Mun | 9

“How about them apples?”-Oscar Funes | 11

“I’m living the American dream.”-Kevin Choto | 11

courtesy of jane davis

newsworthy| A quick overview of the past month and a brief look at

upcoming school events. Be sure to check oaktonoutlook.

com for more newsworthy stories.

N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 3 | newsworthy| 5

1This fall, drama students from levels three and four performed Mary Zimmerman’s play Metamorphoses.

The story portrays life lessons and focuses on the change in people, which is shown through a variety of characters from Greek mythology. All of the scenes also incorpo-rate the pool.

“There was a lot of unknowns when working with water, the audience was staged really close to the actors and not knowing how it’s going to turn out makes me nervous, but it turned out really well,” said drama teacher Vanessa Gelinas.

The pool and its surrounding deck all had to be built on the stage in the auditorium. Due to the size of the set, audience mem-bers were extremely close to the actors and the water, resulting in the first two rows becoming splash zones.

“I really enjoyed how close the audience was to the actors. It helped us as actors perform on another level,” said senior Eric South, who played the roles of Phaeton and Eros

The water in the pool is used for a variety of functions throughout Metamorphoses which is fitting as water is one of the most diverse elements. The water is able to sym-bolize the change happening in the play as water itself has an instantaneous nature and can go from calm to violent. During the play when each character’s story reached the climax, they would enter the water to represent the change the character was go-ing through.

“The pool added a whole new dynamic to the play and the actors performance,” South said.

2 On November 15 and 16 the debate team traveled to UVA to compete in The 3rd Annual Rotunda Classic. The Rotunda Classic was established in 2012 in order to provide Mid-Atlantic high school debate teams with high quality debate tourna-

ment. 14 different schools came from all over the east coast to take part in the compe-tition. Oakton participated in three events; Policy, Lincoln Douglas (LD) and Policy Forum (PF).The topic for Policy has been the same for the past two years, Latin America, while the topics for LD and PF change monthly. PF’s topic was the NSA and LD’s topic was the criminal justice system and whether or not seeking the truth is more important that attorney-client privilege.

“I really enjoy competitions because I have the chance to meet others and exchange our ideas,” said senior Monica Hanratty.

By the end of the tournament, Oakton came out with first place. In PF, Greg Lee, sopho-more, took fourth place varsity speaker, Mike Lee, freshman, was second place novice speaker and Aidan Kuester, freshman, was first place novice speaker. PF novice teams Kuester and Jon Takagi, freshman, received first place, and Mike and Valentine Lliassov, freshman, received second.

3 For those students who are feeling sleep deprived, there is hope. Start Later for Excellence in Education Proposal (SLEEP) is an FCPS parent organization created to advocate later school hours. The association points out the financial and mental

benefits that starting schools later can have, such as a lower number of depression in students and increased attendance rates.

Student Eryn Cooper has been acting as a liaison with SLEEP to promote the cause at school.

“The new schedule would start at 9:00 am and end at 3:50 pm”, said Cooper. After school activities, including sports and clubs, would only be pushed back by about

half an hour. This timetable would cause students to be better rested every night.Cooper is currently taking an online class in replacement of her first period class, a

similar schedule to the one SLEEP is promoting. She comes into school at the beginning of third period at 8:55 am every Burgundy Day. The late start for school gives Cooper a longer time to sleep in the mornings.

“When my friends ask me how I’m doing, I no longer [say] ‘I’m so tired’”, Cooper said. The proposal for later school hours was previously made at a school board meeting in

2009. The decision whether or not to pass this re-pitched notion will be made soon at the school board meeting for superintendents this January. In the meantime, people can voice their opinion on the subject, sign the petition, or follow @SLEEPinFCPS for more updates.

Got SLEEP?

courtesy of susan silva 1 3

courtesy of sleepinfairfax.org

Debate team dominates UVA competition

courtesy of william li 2

Metamorphoses makes a splash

6 | newsworthy | N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 3

Cancer takes the lives of seven children everyday. On October 26, Gabriella Miller became part of this statistic. At the age of nine, she was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of inoperable brain cancer, and was told she

had a tumor the size of a walnut. Miller immediately took action to make a difference in the world of pediatric cancer. The truth is that the government spends billions of dollars a year on cancer research, but only 4% of that goes to childhood cancer research.

“When my mom was in college, she had a brain tumor, and to think that children this young have to go through this and die from it daily is heartbreaking. It upsets me that the federal government can’t support the research for pediatric cancer,” said Allie Coleman, sophomore.

Miller helped raise over $275,000 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation by collecting exactly 240,983 “Dear Santa” letters for Macy’s. Going even further, the Miller family launched the Smashing Walnuts Foundation this year. Gabriella also raised $15,000 for a childhood brain tumor foundation, and spoken at a variety of local and national awareness events. These are just a few of her many accomplishments. In 11 months, Miller accomplished more than most do in a lifetime. Through her fundraising ef-forts and her speeches, Miller quickly became a national childhood cancer advocate.

In the last week of Miller’s life, she was put in hospice care in her house. A new col-lection effort was announced on her Facebook page. It was asked that supporters of Miller send in flowers made from tissue paper and pipe cleaners, flowers that won’t ever die. After collecting thousands, these flowers were displayed at Gabriella’s fu-neral. From there, these flowers were sent to families dealing with cancer, to doctors and nurses, to researchers and to members of congress who are in a position to influ-ence the funding of cancer research. Even after Gabriella passed, she has continues to make a difference.

•Out of the entire NCI research budget, only 4% is dedicated to childhood cancer researchCancer kills seven kids in the United States everyday•13,500 kids are diagnosed with cancer a year•Incidence of invasive pediatric cancers is up 29% in the last 20 years•98% of survivors suffer from a chronic health condition by the age of 45 due to cancer or the effects from the cancer treatment•The cause for most pediatric cancers remains a mystery, so they are not preventable•Curing childhood cancer would be equivalent to curing breast cancer in terms of productive life-years saved

Actions speak louder than words

•Spread your knowledge about childhood cancer through any type of social media•Wear a gold ribbon for childhood cancer awareness•Sign the petition for the truth: 365 urging elected leaders to make childhood cancer re-search a national priority. Signed petitions will be delivered to congress or the White House at a rally in 2014. The petition can be found online at ww.thetruth365.org•Donate to the link above. All proceeds go directly to cancer research•Honor Gabriella and make a contribution to her cancer awareness and research foundation at www.smashingwalnuts.org

You’re sure to be shocked

Remembering Gabriella MillerChildhood cancer advocate dies at age 10 after strong fight against brain cancer

jenna colturistaff writer

courtesy of mycommunitysource.com

courtesy of washingtonpost.com

courtesy of www.livelikeandrew.org

courtesy of images.wjla.com

maggie campbellstaff writer

N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 3 | newsworthy| 7

Allons-y to the 50th of Doctor Who

Doctor Who first premiered with William Hartnell playing the first doctor on November 23rd 1963. He helped the show become a hit and left due to

illness in 1966. The producers did not want the show to end there and made the ground breaking decision to recast the lead over and over again. It was decided that this recasting would be referred to as ‘regeneration’. The Doctor’s regeneration was when one doctor’s life span would end and a new doctor would start there. No one doctor was exactly like the rest.

Doctor Who is a television series about an alien called The Doctor who started his time traveling adventures by stealing a time machine, called the T.A.R.D.I.S. from his home planet Gallifery to travel the universe and experience many exciting endeavors. In his adventures The Doctor has a childlike fascination with discovering news things, exciting occurrences, and alien encounters.

This show has many fans that refer to themselves as Whovians. There are many Whovians within Oakton who are awaiting one of the biggest episodes in Doctor Who history. People like Alecia Kay, 10th grade, who are really looking forward to David Tennant (Tenth Doctor) and Billie Piper (Rose Tyler) returning.

“I’m looking forward to Billie Piper and David Tennant coming back again because they are so adorable and I love them,” said Kay.

Since Doctor Who has been around for a very long time there are fans that have been watching the show for 30 years, like English teacher Kelly Beadle Tatian. They are able to truly appreciate how long this show has been running.

“Doctor Who when I was a kid it meant sort of this kind of geeky adventure [that had] somebody who was very smart and able to be very successful in an unconventional way” said Tatian.

Since Tatian started watching Doctor Who in 1984, she was around when Doctor Who was cancelled in 1989.

“[The show being cancelled was] shocking. It had been on for so long,” Tatian said.

This 50th anniversary episode has a lot riding on it, and the juicy details that have been shared so far have kept fans intrigued. For instance, in April the BBC revealed that David Tennant and Billie Piper would be joining Matt Smith (Eleventh Doctor) and Jenna Cole-man (Clara Oswald) in the Day of the Doctor. About seven months later, on November 4th 2013, the BBC (British Broadcast Company) released a synop-

sis of the episode that is accessible through various websites. Two trailers were also released for the Day of the Doctor on November 9th and 10th.

This is as of now revealed and now fans will know more after November 23rd about this ground-breaking Doctor Who episode.

Popular Sci-Fi show celebrates 50 years

Doctors through the ages

William Hartnell was the first doctor and was the iconic face of Doctor Who from 1963-1966.

David Tennant was the tenth and one of the most beloved doctors, serving from 2005- 2010.

Matt Smith is the current doctor who has stolen many fan girls’ hearts. He started in 2010 and will leave at the end of this year.

all photos courtesy of BBC

spotlight|

8 | spotlight | N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 3

steven stavarkis, freshman olivia lebolt, junior“Usually I make chocolate. Recently I have been playing around and trying different types. I think it’s very important for anyone to know how to cook or bake. It’s something to do. When you get home it gives you a uniform thing to do. I keep records of who I give the bread to. It’s nice to put things that I’ve learned in school about business and making things into use. It’s like I’ve had all these different puzzle pieces for a while now and now I finally get to put these pieces together that makes it all more interesting.”

“I started my dog-sitting business last year and it didn’t really get popular until this year. I started passing out business cards in my neighborhood, then I started getting calls from outside my neigh-borhood from networking. It helps pay for gas driving to school. People tend to pay more for their pets than they do their kids, so I liked the idea, and it worked. I’ve been volunteering with the Lost Dog and Cat Foundation for a while and people who come in sometimes have pets they can’t leave alone so I volunteered to help them.”

Capturing the everyday student body in a style inspired by the blog Humans of New York

Humans of Oakton

Twitter of Oakton

laura murphyonline editor

alana peters courtesy of olivia lebolt

(#asatire)

carly stonehousealana petersstaff writer

DOLLAR

EVERY GOLD WEDNESDAY AFTER SCHOOL!!!

WEDNESDAYS!DONUT

GYM LOBBY

$1$1

10 | spotlight | N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 3

sunni beanphoto editor

How to succeed in NOVA without really trying...too hardOakton girls clothing wear boiled down to a science. There’s no dress code at Oakton, but there might as well be.

A satire

71% own riding boots7% rides horses

89% own yoga pants; surely only for comfort

86% own Northfaces; a similar number are also most commonly stolen after bought

While there’s no dress code yet, it would be easy enough for

administration by just keeping a few key items. In recent fashion history, Aeropostale faded to

Abercrombie which has drifted to Urban, what remains is the group mentality saying “we all like Urban Outfitters now,” leaving behind the Abercrombie logo written across every hoodie in sight.

But that’s fashion, styles come and go. But when asking a group of people how many don’t have Uggs rather than do, it makes the 2010’s decade seem stepford. There’s nothing wrong with having the same cloth-ing, the survey of jeans would probably have 100%. There just needs to be a variety of brands despite

the staple pieces of clothing.

87% have iPhones; the Razor and Envy phones phase ended in 2006, along with interac-tion in public

85% own Uggs; the worst part of trying to leave a big sleepover is trying to find your own pair

Starbucks is the best coffee...to instagram a picture of the cup with your name on it

based on a survey of 90 Oakton girls

N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 3 | spotlight| 11

sonaj seniorstaff writer

Odd Ball OutIs Being Awkward Trendy?

Kitsch Korner

The days of the nice guy finishing last are over. Shows like “New Girl,” “Awkward” and “Big Bang Theory” are starting to make dorks, dweebs and geeks kind of...Cool. People are starting to find the quiet, witty hero

or heroine to be a relatable and desirable character. From the thick rimmed glasses to the oversized wool sweaters, the idea of a classic social outcast is becoming its own pop culture movement.

A big influence of the new quirky trend is Zooey Deschanel, whose career took off after “500 Days of Summer.” The plot follows a loveable girl-next-door who is constantly putting her foot in her mouth. In most films, an awkward character like Deschanel’s would be seen as an underdog who would be given a makeover, and suddenly would become acceptable to her love’s eyes. She’d take off her glasses and give up her weird habits in order to become prom queen, blah blah blah. Everyone cheers because she’s popular and pretty and no longer an individual. In newer movies, the scripts get an overhaul. No longer is the message to change in order to be accepted, but instead, the main character gets what they want while still main-taining integrity.

The foolproof formula for these “be yourself,” underdog stories has been repeated several times in recent films. The story will start with a lovable, relatable lead male or female falling for someone considered to be out of their league. The lead character will have an un-usual secret, usually something comical, like being president of the Llama Enthusiast Club in high school. Eventually, their insecurities from years of being an ugly duckling get the best of them and they lose their love interest in a dramatic, rain-pouring-down-outside-a-coffeehouse scene. All hope seems lost until the love interest rushes in confessing how much they love their flaws, and llamas. The main character remains the same person they have always been, only with a boost of confidence, and they live happily ever after. Credits roll, everyone leaves the theatre with warm fuzzies.

Along with this message of individuality and refusal to change for the sake of fitting in, come new against-the-grain fashion trends. With this new acceptance of individuality comes edgier, against-the-grain fashion trends. Sweaters, leggings and socks covered in loud prints and nonsensical phrases are now thought of more than just terrible birthday gifts from distant relatives. Designs that should be on old cat ladies and ugly Christmas sweaters are now cool because they are worn ironically. It is fashion that makes fun of itself and, in turn, makes for great conversation pieces.

Individuality is finally trending. It has become undesirable to look and act like everyone else. There is no more mold to fit or image to attain outside of one’s own. Pop culture’s new idea of perfection is imperfection which is great news for anyone who has ever felt pressure to fit in.

Clothes and Crafts for the Creative Consumer

etsy.com

$29 “Cat Jumping in Snow” pullover from the SkipnWhistle shop on Etsy.com. Available in sizes xs-xxxl.

“Taxi Llama” throw pillow from the Society6 shop

on wanelo.com

$20

wanelo.com

“Awkward Turtle” by laura murphy

12 | spotlight | N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 3 jennifer prosserspotlight editor

What to expect when you’re expecting...

a college decision

Expect to be stressed about moneyCollege is a big investment, and five-figure loans can be daunting, but don’t rule a school out just because of its ticket price. Remember, most merit and financial aid isn’t given until the spring.

Expect surprisesThe college admissions process is full of variables and irrationalities that no one except admissions under-stands. You may not get in everywhere you think you should, but you will get in somewhere.

Expect to make choicesJust like schools have to accept you, you have to accept them; but unlike the numerous places that will accept you, you can only accept one. Don’t be stressed about your decision though, you have until May 1st to com-mit. Take time to weigh your options, the majors, the financial aid packages, and, most importantly, visit every school that extends you an offer.

Expect to be excitedIt’s the beginning of a new chapter of your life, a time of independence and maturity away from home. When you make your decision, own it. Pay the de-posit, buy a sweatshirt, and celebrate your future.

“While waiting for admission decisions, do scholarship searches. The Career Center will have scholarship work-shops starting in January. If you want to apply for financial aid, you have to fill out the FAFSA form or CCS profile. Also, don’t expect that a decision will come in the mail or via email, remember to check your college portal for decision postings.”

Advice from Jennifer Marks, college and career counselor:

Advice for those still applying“College essays are often very personal so students might not want anyone to read them, however it is essential that you have someone edit them. I remember agonizing over my essays, without them ever improving, because I was too self-conscious to let anyone read them.” -Erin Bennett, UVA

“Don’t stress out about applications because of one part of your resume. It’s important to remember that schools are looking at the whole package, not just grades or test scores; they want to see what you as a person have to offer. Remember, everyone has something to offer.” -Jennifer Marks

“I never had a “top choice” while applying to schools because I find it hard to invest myself in something that doesn’t seem real to me yet. I never walked onto a campus and “fell in love with a school.” I always thought that kind of reaction to a school was pretty irrational since a pretty campus does not equal a good education. I ultimately made my decision by visiting my serious choices again and comparing the engi-neering programs, the locations, the feeling of the respective communities, etc. Cornell seemed like the best choice in all of those respects (aside from the weather), and I definitely still think it is now that I’m here.”

Advice from Gabriela Driscoll, freshman at Cornell:

“I wish someone had told me to just relax. Getting accepted is so exciting and you should be proud wherever you get in, even if the school isn’t necessarily your first choice. Many of my friends who didn’t end up going to their top choice absolutely love their school. And if you are not happy after a year, there is always the option of transferring.”

Advice from Erin Bennett,freshman at UVA:

“Don’t forget there is a light at the end of the tunnel! It’s easy to get bogged down and discouraged writing all of your es-says and filling out applications - don’t forget there is an awesome experi-ence waiting for you at the end of this impossibly long process and it will all be worth it in a couple of months.” -Madlin Mekelburg, UT at Austin

Competition Season is now in full swing!

Oakton High School Dance Team’sSchedule:

*December 8th @ George Mason University

*January 12th @West Spring Field High School

14 | touchdown | N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 3

The blooper reelStudents share their embarrassing sports tryout stories

Baseball

“I was throwing the baseball and Coach Janis walked in front of me and I hit him right in the arm.

I apologized, I was very upset. I thought he was

going to cut me or some-thing.”

Joey Vaughan, Jr.

Football

Alex Monahan, Fr.“At football tryouts, I accidentally dropped

the ball right before the endzone. I got the hand-off, and I was switching hands and accidentally kicked it. They call me ‘no-hand Monahan.’”

Hadley Powers, Sr.“It was sophomore year and we had just done the mile, so we were doing drills,”

said Powers. “I had the ball and I was just running with it and I just collapsed on the ground. The next thing I remember I woke up in an ambulance. All of fall sports heard about it. It was so embarrassing. I don’t remember much of it but the coach told me she tried to wake me up then called the ambulance, which came onto the field and everybody just stood there and watched,” Powers said.

Cross Country

Emma Stoney, Sr.

“My freshman year for cross country we had

to run a mile and a half timed-trial. I lost my shoe on my second lap and my

coach made me keep running.”

all photos by alana peters

alana peterseditor in chief

Field Hockey

touchdown Oakton swim captains tell us their goals and expectations for the upcoming season

Winter captains (from left to right): Lacy McCleskey, Kendall Lawhorn, Janet Hu and Mary Arscott

Winter captains (from left to right): Will Fontaine, Gray Lid-dell and Cameron Santoro

girls winter captains boys winter captains

carly stonehouseeditor in chief

Captain/ Spirit Captain:Kendall Lawhorn, Senior

What moment of this season are you looking forward to the most?

“Definitely States. It is always so exciting to be able to swim against all of the teams in the states and wear our fast suits. Our goal is to win our third

state title in a row.”How do you and the rest

of the team feel about going for your third state

title?

“I’ve been looking forward to this all my high school career. We all plan on finishing

with a bang.”

Captain:Cameron Santoro, Senior

What moment of this season are you looking forward to the most?

“Of course we are excited for States this year, but

the team lock in is definitely what we are all

excited for.

What about the team lock in do you find so

exciting?“The team lock in has always been a popular event for Oakton swim. Plus, the full contact musical chairs is always

a good time.”

all photos by carly stonehouse

N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 3 | touchdown| 15

“For swim, I usually have a lot of early meets in the morning. If I do, I refuse to eat before a meet. I’m afraid if I do, I will throw up which would be disgusting and completely mess me up for my events so I just don’t risk it.”

Mason Hawkins, 11

Muriel Wandey, 11

“I am a goalkeeper for Oakton varsity lacrosse. Before every game, I listen to a specific playlist. I have to listen to the whole thing or else I will play terrible. Also, I have a very specific order of things I do before a game when I’m standing in goal. I tap the goal pipes in a certain order. Afterwards, I turn around and look at my cleats. Then, before the whistle blows, I jump in the air. I don’t really know how I got this order but I’ve been doing it since my freshman year and it works for the most part.”

Lacrosse Gillian Townsend, 11

Dance Team

“Before every event, Lacy and I put a towel over our heads and Lacy gives me a pep talk. It helps me call down and it secludes us from everyone else so I can really get in the zone for my events. We’ve done this ever since my fresh-man year so I don’t know what I am going to do next year when Lacy graduates.”

Swim & Dive

Sports superstitions: do you believe?christiana meyersstaff writer

Oakton students share some of their pre-game rituals that must be completed to ensure a win

“Before every football game, I take a minute or two and pray right before kickoff. I believe it’s the right thing to do. It’s a way for me to not only pray that everything goes well with safety, but it really calms me down before a game. I started doing this on and off my freshman year, but ever since I was baptized at the end of my sopho-more year, I do it before every game.”

Jack Belden, 11

Julia Capobianco, 11

Lacy McCleskey, 12

“Before going up on stage, the whole team circles up and we cross arms to hold each other’s hands. We also point out our right foot like we do when we dance. Our seniors then give us a pep talk and then we go around in a circle giving each other air kisses. It really gets us hyped up for our performance and gets us ready to go out and dance.”

courtesy of mason hawkins

courtesy of jack belden

photos courtesy of julia capobianco

courtesy of gillian townsend

photos courtesy of muriel wandey

FootballSwim & Dive

torri marquistouchdown editor

16 | touchdown | N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 3

Cougar clashes: Oakton’s many rivalsDifferent sports have different rivals that they seek to dominate every year

According to senior Ben Cisse, Lake Braddock is boys soccer’s biggest rival.

“We face them in regionals all the time and it’s always a really hard game,” said Cisse. “They just hate us and we just hate them.”

Last year the boys’ soccer team beat Lake Braddock in the regional semifinals in overtime off of penalty kicks.

“I think rivalries are good,” Cisse said. “They make sports fun.”

BOYS SOCCER GIRLS BASKETBALL

GIRLS SOCCER

BOYS BASKETBALL

Senior Katie Veltman says that for girls soccer, Chantilly is the biggest rival.

“I think it has been over ten years that they have always beaten us,” said Velt-man.

Every year girls soccer’s main goal is to beat the Chargers.

“I think [the rivalry] forces each of us individually to work harder and to just be better in general,” Veltman said.

Boys basketball, according to senior Will Smith, has two major rivals: Chantilly and Westfield.

“We’ve known those kids [from Chantilly] since youth league and we have good relation-ships with them,” said Smith. “I’d say it’s a friendly rivalry.”

The rivalry against Westfield is not as friendly. “We don’t like Westfield and Westfield doesn’t

like us,” Smith said. “We played Westfield last year for our senior night game, and we beat them at home. It was the most fun game I have ever played.”

Girls basketball’s rivals are always changing, but junior Lindsey Abed predicts that this year the rival will be Centreville.

“Last year we lost to them twice and it was our first time los-ing to them in about eighteen years,” said Abed. “They’re supposed to be the best in our district.”

Abed likes rivalries because they excite the players and the fans that come.

“I know some of the players [on Centreville] and they’re nice,” Abed said. “I’ve never really had a problem with them, but I still really want to beat them.”

Who is Oakton’s biggest rival overall?

86 % Chantilly

14% Madison50 students were selected randomly and asked who they thought was Oakton’s number one rival.

Music Lessons

Piano, Violin, Viola, Cello, Harp, Guitar,

Bass, Flute, Clarinet, Saxophone and

Voice!

Acting / Theater Musical Theater

ClassesProductions

204 F Mill Street, NEVienna, VA 22180

703.938.7301www.harmoniaschool.org

Now Registering

Come toOakton High School’s

Media Group... Holiday Bake Sale!

*When: Wednesday, Dec 4th

*Time: right after school

*Where: Gym Lobby

18 |viewpoint| N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 3

Students should not be forced to do homework that they feel is not beneficial

What is the purpose of homework assignments? If you asked a teacher, he or she would probably tell you that the purpose is to help you. If this is the

case, then why would these assignments be graded? There are many cases when this argument is invalid such as for projects and essays, but when it comes to doing math problems or answering a bunch of questions for history class, there is no reason for a grade to be attached. A student is responsible for learning the material that is given on quizzes and tests and should be allowed to prepare the way they want to pre-pare. For many students these assignments are just busy work. If somebody already knows the material or has another way of reinforcing it, then why should they have to spend a bunch of time on something that does not help them? Many teachers would respond to this by claiming that if they do not assign homework students will fail. Well, why should the responsible students be punished by forcing them to do work they do not need to do? This is especially true in AP and honors classes where students barely have enough time as it is.

In many classes the homework assignments do not help and are irrational. In AP Government this year, students were required to a large amount of research on demographics that did not help

prepare them for the test. Why not just give the students a reading assignment instead of making them search the web for statistics?

Today, students are committed to all types of extracurricular activities. Sports require a large time commitment from students and leave them exhausted. Many students play sports all year round and when you throw in clubs and student organization commitments, they rarely get a break. Is all of this work really necessary?

Fairfax County Public Schools say they want students to get more sleep and are even expected to push back the first bell time in a few years. However, the amount of homework that is assigned by teach-ers in the county contradicts this. Many people are forced to stay up very late to complete their school work and get little sleep as a result.

Homework meant for practice, preparation, and keeping stu-dents busy should be optional. Homework should be a way for students to get the practice or preparation they feel they need. We do not need additional stress and do not need to be worry-ing about a homework assignment lowering their grade. Students should be able to prepare and practice the way they feel is best for them. Teachers need to understand that students have enough on their plate and are perfectly capable of learning material without mandatory homework assignments.

The Staff Editorial is the official opinion of the Oakton Outlook

Homework is not always helpful

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

N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 3 | viewpoint| 19

The voters of Virginia have been duped again. It appears that lying is a very effective way

of campaigning in this state because that is the only thing the Democratic Party had done this election cycle. Unfortunately, the media made no at-tempt to expose the shady Democratic Governor-elect Terry McAuliffe and his questionable actions.

Americans are supposed to believe that Republicans are after women’s contraceptives and “reproductive rights” even though there has been no such effort. First of all, it is prepos-terous anybody falls for these antics considering it is incredibly cheap and easy to get a hold of all kinds of con-traceptives. Secondly, abortion should not be an issue. Even if the Republi-can Party wanted to ban all abortions (which it does not), they would not be able to. It has been established by half a century of federal and Supreme Court decisions that the government cannot do so. Yes, Republicans want restric-tions on abortion and how could you not? If the Democrats had their way, babies could be aborted after birth. In fact, when Barack Obama was a state senator, he refused to vote for a law that banned this practice of post-birth abortion on the grounds that it might be a burden on abortionists. There is absolutely no reason for a voter to be concerned over this issue, yet, people were told that Republican Guberna-torial candidate, Attorney General Ken Cuccinell, was an extremist that wanted to ban abortion and contracep-tives.

The lies told by McAuliffe over the

course of the campaign were down right shocking. During a debate held during the summer, McAuliffe claimed that Cuccinelli was recommended for prosecution in an investigation involv-ing ethics violations when in reality he was cleared of any wrong doing.

Lying is not the only thing McAuliffe has done over the years. McAuliffe’s

real estate firm was investigated by the Department of Justice and his green technology company is under an SEC investigation. He also invested in a scheme that benefited off the deaths of individuals. Somehow these revelations mean nothing, but the ethics contro-versy that Cuccinelli was cleared from is a tarnish on the Attorney General’s character.

In the end, none of this cost McAu-liffe the election for a few reasons. The most important factor was that the me-dia was unsurprisingly on McAuliffe’s side. Despite all the lies, the talking heads and commentators insisted on portraying Cuccinelli as the unethical one. McAuliffe is the one who wants to expand the government’s control over healthcare through Medicaid and Obamacare, bankrupting the state in the process. He is the one who will say anything to get elected, yet he is the sensible one. While Cuccinelli who wants lower taxes and a limited responsible government, he is the extremist. The second factor is that the liberal base will vote for anybody

despite their character flaws because in their minds, the ends justify the means. Whtever it takes to reach their progres-sive utopia. The third is that people are ignorant on policy stances and are easily convinced of lies. Cuccinelli does not want to take away your contracep-tives and abortions, he is a fighter for liberty.

All of this was compacted

by the fact that McAuliffe was reportedly able to outspend Cuc-cenelli ten to one. The establishment Republicans turned on Cuccinelli

because he is a principled constitu-tionalist who would not engage in the political game that is so often played. He refused to support plans to spend endless amounts of money on public projects that would put the state in debt and result in an increase in taxes. This caused him to lose funding from many corporations and contractors that make money off of the tax payer. As a result, Cuccinelli was short on money while McAuliffe had virtually every wealthy liberal in the country bankrolling him. On top of all of this, Cuccinelli had to deal with a Libertar-ian candidate that was anything but libertarian (Robert Sarvis was even funded by an Obama campaign bun-dler) taking votes away from him.

Virginia is now stuck with a far leftist who will soon raise taxes, raise spend-ing, destroy gun rights and put the state in a hole. The fact that Virginia would elect a man of such poor charac-ter bodes very poorly for the state and the nation.

An election won on liesTerry McAuliffe and the Democratic Party sweep into office through deception

alex xenosviewpoint editor

“The lies told by McAuliffe over the course of the campaign were

down right shocking..”

courtesy of getty imagescourtesy of AP courtesy of AP

I think the problem with Formspring is that there’s no recourse for the victim” said Peter Bradley, the Deputy Director of Kidscape, an anti-bullying charity. Formspring

launched in 2009, but ended up closing down, which opened up a space for Ask.fm to come in the picture. Ask.fm has gotten increasingly popular with millions of teens across America.

Nowadays, teens are more curious about everyone else’s per-sonal experiences, wanting to know every single detail of the Saturday night party or that dinner date with the new guy. This is where Ask.fm comes into play. Ask.fm was created to be a platform for people to ask questions to one another. Suddenly, it took a turn for the worst. With the aspect on this website, it allows people to anonymously send in questions, which is basi-cally a welcome sign for bullying.

Websites like these appeal to teenagers because unlike Face-book, it is less monitored by parents. Parents are unaware of the abuse that teens are exposed to through Ask.fm. The fact that Ask.fm permits for anonymous questions to be asked to users, it can lead to troll-like behavior. The term “trolls” is used in internet slang to describe a person who uses the internet to start arguments and upset people.

Bullying on anonymous sites is becoming a bigger issue especially since teenagers have taken their lives because of the amount of abuse they have received. Fourteen year old Hannah Smith committed suicide after being targeted on Ask.fm. After his 14 year old daughter committed suicide because of being bullied on ask.fm, David Smith is now taking action in trying to get Ask.fm shut down.

“How many more teenagers will kill themselves because of online abuse before something is done?” Smith said to the Daily Mirror. “These sick people are just able to go online and hide behind a mask of anonymity while they abuse vulnerable teen-agers.”

There is plenty of room for derogatory comments on anony-mous sites, and when users get questions like this, most take it to heart. The easiest way to get away from these derailing questions is to delete the account. Some teens want to keep their accounts to show that they are ‘strong’ or ‘independent’ and don’t care about what others think of them, when really that is not the case. It is becoming clear that social media websites play a big role in teen’s being depressed, self- harming and having suicidal thoughts. Suicide is the third leading cause of death among young people, which results in about 4,400 deaths per year (Centers for Disease Center and Prevention). CDC also reports that over 14% of high school students have attempted suicide and almost 7% have attempted it. With these numbers so unusually high, these social sites should not be around to increase the rate.

Thankfully, the company sees the problems with the site and says that in spring of 2014, there will be more safety controls. For example, an abuse reporting button will become more vis-ible on the site so it will be easier to report someone for misuse of the site. A safety officer will also be hired for the company to moderate the comments made on questions. Unregistered users can use Ask.fm for now, but this may change by limiting the number of features they can use, so anonymous questions are more controlled.

These could have been easily avoided if the makers of the web-site had taken precautions. Even with their new safety buttons, people will always find a way around it. There isn’t a social net-working website that hasn’t dealt with bullying problems, like Facebook or Twitter, for example. No type of rallying against the website will help the fact that teens find cyber bullying in an anonymous way, easier than face to face. Until there is a bully-ing education program developed for teens, bullying is going to continue online.

We cannot get rid of social media, it is everywhere nowadays. Punishing the bullies might not get them to stop. Some people think it is not a big deal to say “kill yourself ”, but it really is. By taking out the unnecessary words that could possibly hurt oth-ers, we can make our community a better place to live in. Little everyday things, like complimenting someone on their hair or holding a door open for someone, can make their day, and even your day, a little better. We do not know everything going on in each other’s lives, so let’s not assume everyone feels great every day.

Problems with Ask.fmAsk.fm becomes a welcome sign to bullies

veda bhatiastaff writerveda bhatia

20 |opinion| N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 3

“30 million questions and answers per day” according to Articstartup

Teens do not realize the problem with these sites.

These stories of teens committing suicide are real tragedies.

Race to the top leaves the US behind

N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 3 | viewpoint| 21

Education in America is not what it used to be It’s no secret that the United States’ schooling system is lagging

behind, but no one seems to care too much about it.According to the OECD, the United States was rated a solid

10.0 on the income scale, the highest possible score. Wouldn’t that mean that our education score should be equally as high? Unfortunately, that’s not the case. The U.S. scored a measly 7.0 in education, with only three other US areas scoring less.

While there are many factors that contribute to the USA let-ting more and more countries pass us in the race to better education, one of the most important, and most unknown to students is the achievement gap. The achievement gap is defined by the United States Department of Education as “the difference in academic performance between different ethnic groups.”

The achievement gap is considered a major education issue. In fact, former president George W. Bush’s lasting legacy on the subject of education was his No Child Left Behind policy [in which the targeted area was the achievement gap]. However, his attempts to improve education were unsuccessful and resulted in a lot of negative feedback.

Similarly President Obama and the Secretary of Education Ar-nie Duncan’s own solution to the America’s education crisis that targets the Achievement Gap, Race to the Top, has been unsuc-cessful and has caused an endless stream of complaints.

Even though these solutions were started with good intentions, the results show that there has been little to no improvement, and

in some cases situations were made worse. Instead of implement-ing education reforms with the same methods as those that have already failed, the government should be looking for inspiration elsewhere.

From the beginning, Race to the Top was obviously the wrong solution to our problem, no matter what the government said. Many of the policies mirrored that of the unsuccessful, but still

implemented No Child Left Behind act.

One of the most common examples of an almost perfect education is Finland, although a success story closer to home is Oakton High School itself. Our achievement gap is significantly lower than that of the nation as a whole, and it is rapidly closing. This is due to a variety of reasons,

including some that one might not expect. “The student advisory is one way to work to close the achieve-

ment gap,” said Michael Bojtos, Oakton’s assessment coach. “The teachers get closer to the students, and the students get closer to the other students.”

Though this approach to bridging the achievement gap seems simple enough, getting students of all grades, races, and family in-come levels together is something not a lot of schools attempt to do, but it is a small change that makes all the difference. Instead of pinning states against each other, or blaming teachers for not being able to do with impossible, the government needs to focus on the individual students, and on bringing the students together in a way that will create situations for them to flourish.

The Great American BingeConsumerism changes the fundamentals of a beloved holidayThanksgiving is a commendable holiday; one

in which family and friends gather together to celebrate blessings, gifts and one another. On Thanksgiving, social media sites seem to take a break from their constant stream of ungracious posts and switch to ones declaring thankfulness and content. Celebrators are given the opportunity to see their lives through the eyes of someone who is consciously seeking out blessings.While this aspect of thanksgiving is beneficial, the holiday itself is ironic because it simultane-ously provokes the opposite response from those who celebrate it. What began from a tradition dating back to the founders of our nation, people who prospered by scraping together the meager resources they had, has evolved into an opulent holiday where the focus has shifted from appreci-ating what one has to scavenging for more. Last year alone, American families spent an ap-proximated 2.3 billion dollars on Thanksgiving food. Somewhere in the transition from modesty

to extravagance the true meaning of Thanksgiving is forgotten. Take “Black Friday” as a prime exam-ple of consumerism eclipsing wholesome values. Black Friday contradicts the ideals of Thanksgiv-ing in every way possible. While Thanksgiving is meant to highlight what one should be thankful for, Black Friday operates on the idea that people should seek out more and expand their repertoire of material possessions. The fact that two polar opposing events should fall so close to one another is ironic to say the least.Commercializing holidays is not uncommon; however, making money off of a holiday that is meant to teach moderation and satisfaction is wrong.

jacque groskaufmanisstaff writer

Race to the Top: Federal program targets reform in four core education reform areas and turning around the lowest-performing schools through a variety of methods that include states competing for funding. No Child Left Behind: This has federal programs hold primary and secondary schools measurably accountable to higher standards. It requires 100% of students within a school to reach the same set of state standards in math and reading by the year 2014.

Courtesy of hannah piester

22 | indepth | N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 3

You know you’re from NoVA if...

Northern Virginia might as well be its own state, due to how differ-ent it is compared to the rest of its neighboring regions.

You take a major highway to get anywhere. Also, the construciton in Tyson’s prevents you from going to the mall. Many say there is now nothing to do, even though you are right near DC.

Speed limits are just suggestions

Retaking the SAT is a common weekend hobby, and at least 50% of your senior class is going to either George Mason, James Madison, Virginia Tech, Radford University, or UVA.

Driving by NoVA schools during a weekday is like driv-ing past a new car dealership

It takes you 30 minutes to drive 10 miles. And when theres a yellow light, it means at least 5 more cars can get through... and a red light means 2 more can.

There are at least 6 Starbucks and 3 malls within 20 minutes of your house

An inch of snow and you miss 3 days of school.

reina dattaindepth editor

Think about it, you’ve probably never told someone you were from Virginia without putting “northern” in front of it. When we think of NoVA, we think of excellent schools, oversized cars, and jam-packed highways. Below, are the things that we can identify with as Northern Virginians. Living in Northern Virginia comes with many great

things like being so close to our nation’s capitol. However, it also brings grief, especially to the drivers.

The average times of traffic problems for Northern Virginias are around four to seven in the afternoon and seven to ten in the morn-ing. According to Fairfax County’s 2013 polls, only 17,000 workers

out of 105,000 that work in Tysons Corner actually live in the area. Those who commute through Tysons Corner come face-to-face with non-stop traffic congestion because of the construction areas. The project began in 2008 when the Tysons Corner Company decided to expand upwards with a large office building, add more apartment complexes, and pick up the pace of commuting with the silver line metro. The current opening date is sometime in the summer of 2014, but updates on the project have shown that the proj-ect is two to eight weeks behind schedule. When describing the additions on the official website, the Tysons Corner Comprehensive Plan team said, “Steps from a dedicated metro stop, an unparalleled retail mix, the perfect collec-tion of amenities.”

The idea of the silver line was first proposed in the 1950s. With the grow-ing rate of residents in Fairfax County, a potential metro station that runs from DC to Dulles airport seems to be a good upgrade. The second addi-tion to the already packed area is a 22 story office/retail/hotel building. The 22nd floor is a roof top terrace for people to relax and enjoy the view of the city on, along with a “white-tablecloth restaurant” and access to a stadium seating theater. In a recent ABC 7 newscast, employees of Calumet Photo-graphic store discussed the importance of customer loyalty, as it has been very difficult for people to get to the store due to the constant construction problems. “The metro line is a great idea, but the apartment complexes aren’t necessary. I have to plan ahead to go to the mall because of the traffic,” said junior Laura MacDonald.

In addition to the extensive metro line, a pedestrian walkway is also being added. With the increased number of commuters through the area, it has become unsafe to walk along the streets of the city. According to Fairfax County’s official website, floating walkways are the answers to these safety issues. This project is one of the major nova problems. “I think the pedes-trian walkways they are building are a good addition, but I think that every time you would step out of your home to go to Tysons Corner you’re taking your life in your hands,” said OHS Librarian Laura Boccetti.

NoVa is slowly honking its way through Tysons Corner

morgan cooperstaff writer

N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 3 | indepth | 23

This snapshot captures the busy roadways in Tysons Corner on a regular week day.

3D images show the future rooftop restaru-ants and socializing areas in the Tysons Tower.

The future of Tysons Corner lies in the rising of the “tower”.

courtesy of dullesmetro.com

courtesy of tysonstower.com

courtesy of tysonstower.comFairfax Connector- $1.80 per ride

Metrobus- $4 on express bus

I-495 (by car)- average of $4 per trip for express

lanes (requires EZ-Pass)

Potential travel options for Tysons commuters:

Ongoing construction causes problems in the community

getting aound in a car can be very difficult. So much so, that people don’t want to drive anymore. Here are some options to avoid the busy roads of Tysons:

Cougars get competitive A competitive environment shows good and bad results

erin preaskorn copy editor

Schools have a naturally competitive environment; however in Fairfax County Public Schools it is not uncommon for this cutthroat rivalry between students to cause extreme

stress. For example, while a 3.7 weighted GPA is considered impressive in other counties, it is only mediocre, with room for improvement, in Fairfax. Oakton High School is considered one of the most all-around competitive schools in the already com-petitive county.

“The competitiveness at Oakton isn’t really an option, it’s like a religion, accepted by all,” said sophomore Jazmyne Williams. “Sometimes it’s scary.”

Even sports teams are hard to make due to the region’s large and extremely athletic population, and getting impressive grades is even harder. Being the best in this area is almost impossible and standing out is more difficult due to the exceptional students at Oakton.

“Everyone tries to take as many AP classes as they can,” said junior Kyle Sullivan. “Everyone is in as many clubs as they can be in, and has to be the best at sports, and more than 25% of students have above a 4.0 GPA. It is really competitive.”

Competitiveness can be beneficial. It can encourage students to constantly try their best, even when it would be easier to be lazy or just give up.

“The competitiveness at Oakton is what makes each student strive to be better,” said junior Frankie O’Toole. “I don’t think that there is any part of high school that could be seen as too competi-tive, and I believe that the reason Oakton has so much success in its sports and academic endeavors is because each student or athlete feels the need to show they can be the greater person in every way and they feel that motivation to push onwards from their peers.”

However, this competitive environment can also cause students

to stop trying due to fear of failure.“Competitiveness can both encourage and discourage students,”

Sullivan said. “Some people are inspired in a competitive environ-ment, and it causes them to do well, but for others who would be considered good students elsewhere, it’s discouraging because they don’t think they can be great. I can see both sides of it.”

Students always hear discouraging statistics, like how 126 Oakton students applied to the University of Virginia in 2013, but only 49 were accepted. When told equally intimidating statistics, people begin to feel like they are being punished for living in an area that excels in education.

Many colleges do not discriminate against those who live in Northern Vir-ginia, as much as students would like to

believe otherwise. In fact, according to James Madison University admis-sions officer Michael Walsh, North-ern Virginia doesn’t do better than

the rest of Virginia. “No region outperforms any other region,” said Walsh. “We

don’t have different standards for [any region].”James Madison University isn’t alone in this. Many other com-

petitive colleges regard Northern Virginia the same way, including the College of William and Mary.

“[Thinking that getting into W&M is harder from Fairfax County] is a common misconception,” said admissions officer at W&M Justine Okerson. “We have a 32% overall acceptance rate. We actually take the highest percentage from Northern Virginia.”

In the midst of worrying whether or not one stands out enough to get into college, there are a few things to remember.

“It’s important to know that you can always reach out to the Dean of Admissions, at any college,” Okerson said. “They want to hear from students and help. Just put your best foot forward, let them know what you can bring and show different sides of yourself.”

Colleges by the Numbers...

The competitiveness at Oakton is what makes each student strive to be better.

Frankie O’Toole | 11

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24 |indepth| N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 3

Competitiveness at Oakton

35 students at Oakton were asked: “On a scale of one to ten, how competitive is Oakton verses other schools in the county, with ten being the highest?”

39% of UVA applicants from Oakton were accepted

58% of VT applicants from Oakton were accepted

of W&M applicants from Oakton were accepted

42%

70% of JMU applicants from Oakton were accepted

O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3 | indepth| 25

Indepth

Although Halloween may have passed, it is never too late to come back to the scene of the filming of

the Exorcist. The narrow staircase, well-known for its debut in the horror film, The Exorcist, where a man falls to his death down all 97 steps of the staircase, branding this D.C. staircase as the “Exor-cist Steps”.

The National Cherry Blossom Festival is the nation’s largest springtime event that takes place

in Washington, DC, every year. Aside from the gorgeous cherry blossom flowers that bloom all over the capitol, people can enjoy endless events that end in fireworks and a Festival Parade.

With the winter season quickly rolling in, Meadowlark will be hosting a light-filled walk-

through in their Botanical Gardens strewn with illuminated designs that put everyone in the holiday season. The walk began this November 15th and will end on January 5th, 2014.

DC is home to the famous Georgetown Cupcake, known for its gourmet baked goods.

This cupcake store has over a hundred different varieties of cupcakes and has been featured in countless cooking shows across America, including their own, DC Cupcakes.

Formerly known as the Silver Spring, the AFI Docs Film Festi-val is an event for people all over

the country to celebrate free expression and documentary filmmaking. This internationally recognized festival will be taking place this June at multiple dif-ferent landmarks in the D.C. area.

Along with the historical signifi-cance that inhabits Virginia comes the many untold tales of ghosts and

mysterious findings. The Ghost Tours of DC take visitors through a series of para-normal landmarks that all lie among DC’s Capitol Hill. Sightings of the ghost of First Lady Dolley Madison have been often reported in the famous Rose Garden.

Keeping the tradition since Presi-dent Calvin Coolidge in 1923, this year’s annual National Christmas

Tree Lighting will take place in front of the White House this December. This year marks the 91st Tree Lighting and will feature pop singers Janelle Monáe, Prince Royce, Train and others.

On Memorial Day Weekend, it is hard not to hear the echo of thun-der throughout the streets in the

DMV. The unmistakable sound of the Rolling Thunder roaring along the roads of D.C. is only really known to North-ern Virginians. This motorcycle rally doubles as a demonstration to protect Prisoners of War and those Missing in Action.

Easter Sunday marks the an-nual Easter Egg Roll, a spring-time D.C. tradition hosted by

the First Family which dates back to 1878. Activities include games, stories, cooking demonstrations and of course, the famous Easter egg hunt. Thousands of people from all 50 states join up on the South Lawn in front of the White

1. The National Cherry Blossom

2. Meadowlark’s Win-ter Walk of Lights

3. Georgetown Cup-cake

4. Ghost Tour in DC

5. Exorcist Steps

6. AFI DOCS 2013

7. Smithsonian Folklife Festival

8. National Christmas Tree Lighting

9. Rolling Thunder

10. White House Easter Egg Roll5

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The Smithsonian Folklife Festival takes place every spring to cel-ebrate the international exposition

of cultural heritage in the United States. The Festival has brought over 20,000 musical performers, and storytellers to the National Mall in D.C. to express community based traditions.

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A look into the attractions and events NoVA has to offer.

courtney dostaff writer

26 | showtime | N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 3

jacque groskaufmanis staff writer

21st Century Thanksgiving Table

Tradition synthesizes with modernity to create a new spin on a classic American holiday

Luckily, unlike the Pilgrims and Indians, mod-ern technology allows Smart Phones and apps to take part in Thanksgiving festivities. apps like “Pintrest” and “step-by-step turkey” can

help hostesses make the holiday a breeze. apps are also a good way to communicate with friends aren’t by your side. Pictures, videos and status updates can easily be shot around cyberspace at the tap of a screen. People around the world can vicariously take part in your Thanksgiving celebrations, should you chose to “share” them. However, to fully enjoy the holiday, make sure to power down social media at the dinner table because the only “face time” you’ll need is with your loved ones

Dessert takes the cake in the running for best Thanksgiving foods. Mashed potatoes and stuffing are great, but the lure of a warm pie is unparalleled.

If you’re not a master chef but still wish to indulge, try “Pie table, Gourmet” in Vienna, or pie stands at local farmers markets for the best seasonal deserts around.

There’s nothing like elaborate DIY decorations to spice up a festive table. Gourds, pumpkins and leaves always look nice alongside candles- however, websites like Tumblr and Pintrest offer unique and complex alternatives that are sure to “wow” your guests.

Simple and cheap projects involving Mason jars and old bottles are only some of the seemingly infinite amount of crafts you’ll see and have to try. A store-bought centerpiece is pretty, but gathering around something unique and homemade is incomparable.

If the hostess asks you to help set the dinner table, make sure

you’re prepared: forks and bread plates go on the left, knives and drinks on the right. Napkins can be places atop the main plate.

Nowadays, unconventional foods are ironi-cally becoming the norm. Sweet potatoes with marshmallows are slowly working their way into Thanksgiving’s traditional repertoire of classic foods. If you’re feeling

adventurous, try maple syrup flavored brussels sprouts of mashed potatoes with a dash of Sriracha hot sauce. Along with these Thanksgiving gems, substitute foods like tofurkey are making their way onto the table. For vegetarians, places like Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods carry a wide variety of tasty meat alternatives. In addition to catering to vegetarians, many supermar-kets now stock up on gluten-free and vegan projects. Nowadays, despite specific allergies and preferences, Thanksgiving is a holiday that everyone can celebrate.

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Happy Holidays from

the Oakton Outlook

showtime|

Although juniors did not read the Great Gatsby last year, it has

been a part of the school’s liter-ary curriculum for many years. Set in the roaring 20s, a cynical Nick Carraway moves to the New York village of West Egg.

“It was surprisingly acces-sible,” said senior Hayley Johnson. “The quality of F. Scott Fiztgerald’s writing was astounding. In the end, everything tied together perfectly.”

Soon, Carraway learns about his mysterious neighbor Jay Gatsby, who throws elaborate parties at his plush mansion. However Gatsby’s lifestyle and the strange love he holds for Carraway’s cousin Daisy Fay Buchanan leads to a deluge of passion and secrets in the tight knit community.

N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 3 | showtime| 27

Freshmen

Full of romance and a healthy dose of dirty jokes, this classic has been keeping freshmen entertained for years. Make sure you pay attention to story though, because al-

lusions to R&J are absolutely everywhere.“It was one of my first experi-

ences with romance literature,” said junior Mahathi Tadikon-da. “ It gave me a lot of insight into the love stories of then and now.”

Innuendo and timeless ro-mance aside, Romeo and Juliet is one of the first glimpses into classic Elizabethan English lit-erature. It represents that first step in truly understanding the literary giants that will only continue to crop up in one’s own high school career.

SophomoresWhat do you get when you add timeless romance and

a bit of French angst? A riveting classic that will have honors students clamoring for more Charles

Dickens novels.“This is one of the only books I liked last year,” said junior

Austin Bae. “I liked it because it was more recent, as compared to other stories like Romeo and Juliet. Also, the language was easy to understand, which made the story easy to follow.”

The boiling tension of the revolutionary setting only heightens the drama between the main characters. The love of Lucy Manette, the frustra-tion of Sydney Carton, the mysterious past of Charles Darnay, all go to show that historical novels don’t have to equate to boring novels.

Romeo and Julietby William Shakespeare

A Tale of Two Citiesby Charles Dickens

Straight bookin’ laura murphyonline editor

SeniorsJuniors

The Great Gatsbyby F. Scott Fitzgerald If you thought that the NSA

scandal was terrifying, a whole new level of govern-

mental control and power awaits you in George Orwell’s 1984.

“It really opened my eyes,” said senior Marc Andre-Ventiola. “People are being constantly im-mersed in the world of Orwell more and more every day. I feel

like [we] are slowly transitioning into a dystopian society.”Set in a dystopian world of perpetual war, three totalitarian

“superstates” reign supreme. The protagonist, Winston, must overcome extreme governmental control in order to continue his hatred of the ruling party and maintain his love affair with a co-worker named Julia.

The eerie plot twists and chilling ideas about the government’s role in private lives might just be enough to keep the whole senior class on their toes. Fun.

1984 by George Orwell

Every year it seems that the new crop of freshmen, sophomores, juniors, and seniors grumble and complain about the selection of assigned reading. Here is a brief preview of what you actually have to look forward to:

courtesy of www.pagepulp.com and Igor + Andre

courtesy of www.jssgallery.org and pret-tybooks.tumblr.com

courtesy of vanity fair magazine and www.indiereader.com

courtesy of www.orwell.org and alcook.deviantart.com

28| showtime | N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 3

These typical French crepes come with a splash of Swedish lingonberries and lingonberry butter. Oozing whatever lingonberry is (mountain cranberries, actually), these crepes have a very sweet, yet tart taste. Easy to cut, these crepes are warm and melt in your mouth. But with all the powdered sugar and ling-onberry juices, these crepes leave you on a sugar high for the next hour. Overall, you could say they were “sweet”ish.

Swedish Crépes

Taste QuestThese overly cinnamon-y pancakes were not top notch. The dripping crème tasted like a thick condensed milk, and the cinnamon wedged between the pancakes coated the throat. The weird texture from the sugary sauce felt gritty in the mouth and left a bad aftertaste. Unfortunately, the pancakes by themselves were amazing, and prompted me to want to try and wipe off all the gross condensed milk and cinnamon dregs to reach that soft heavenly flapjack.

CinnaStacks

Fruit CrépesAnother sweet surprise, these straw-

berry infused crepes are coated in sugary substances. Filled with strawberry sauce and topped with powdered sugar and strawberry

compote, these crepes are thicker and juicier than the Swedish crepes. You’ll need a big glass of water for these to wash down the sticky red residue that will stay in your mouth, even after a single bite. These crepes have too much glaze for the serving size.

These pancakes were a chocolate lover’s dream breakfast food. Instead of a regu-lar pancake, these were made entirely of chocolate with whip cream and a sprinkle of chocolate chips, which seem overwhelming, but were like a brownie for the early morning. Thicker than a crepe, but thinner than a regular, fluffy

pancake, these flapjacks are a bit flat, and would benefit from a healthy dose of butter and yeast. Nevertheless they are a good showy food.

Chocolatechip Pancakes

med

ia m

ixanee nguyen showtime editorfor the perfect iHop breakfast

all photos by anee nguyen

sonaj senior staff writer

Seashell thong-clad Lady Gaga has come out with her fourth studio album, “Artpop”. Anticipation over the album’s release has been building for months due to Gaga’s hiatus. She described her creative process as a reflecting period

during her recovery from her hip injury. The build up to “Artpop” has been enor-mous with the over-the-top VMA performance prompting countless Halloween cos-tumes with smeared blue, yellow and red makeup and square head dresses.

“Artpop” as a whole leaves much to be desired. Lady Gaga and her many big name collaborators like Will.I.Am, R.Kelly and David Guetta, give the fifteen tracks a feel all their own; in the worst way. Instead of the different themes and genres melting together and telling a story, they clash making the album seem too ambitious. The tracks on their own, however, do show Gaga’s level of talent as a writer, composer and singer.

The tracks “Applause,” “Do What U Want,” “Venus” and “Donatella” sum up the four corners of “Artpop.” “Applause” served as the chart-topping, nod to Gaga’s Fame Monster

phase as well as her talent for making popular tracks. It’s an addictive song you can’t help but clap along to. “Do What U Want” featuring R.Kelly outlines the gritty, R&B part of the

album, very suitable for choreographed dance numbers. The “Rocky Horror Picture Show”-esque “Venus” reflects the new, ostenta-tious Gaga. The odd lyrics are barked and drawn out over a melody reminiscent of a retro Sci-fi movie’s opening credits. The lively beat of “Donatella” masks Gaga’s cynical message to the fashion world. “Donatella” along with “Swine” are the portion of the album devoted to Gaga’s criticism of moral decay in the entertainment industry.

The big, theatrical lead-up led to a big dramatic let down. The potential was definitely there for “Artpop.” It had all the elements that make up a good album: catchy singles, dance hits, creative capacity and social commentary. Unfortunately for all the Little Monsters, the elements were thrown into a whirlwind of art deco and face paint.

Artpop? More like art-flopGaga’s new album crashes and burnsin an artistic train wreck

photo courtesy of rollingstone

Theaters “catch fire” worldwide

N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 3 | showtime| 29

She’s “rowling” back in Are Oakton fans ready for more literature from this world famous author?

With the end of Harry Potter, J.K. Rowling believed that the wonderful wizarding world she had created for herself and mil-

lions everywhere would be coming to a close. Fortu-nately, on September 12th, along with Warner Brothers Studios, she announced the future release of a new wiz-arding movie. It will be based on the author of “Fantas-tic Beasts and Where to Find Them”, Newt Scamander.

“I always said that I would only revisit the wizarding world if I had an idea that I was really excited about and this is it,” said Rowling, in an emailed statement from Warner Bros. Entertainment.

Although this movie is sparking excitement among the fans of Harry Potter, Rowling was sure to mention that the movie will not be a continuation of the story, but is, in fact, set 70 years before Potter was even born. Fol-lowers of the worldwide phenomenon have displayed mixed reactions towards this new, yet familiar story that’s to come. Will it disappoint or absolutely shock the fans? With no set release date, we will just have to wait and see.

Reel ReactionsEnthusiastic- Mackenzie Springer

Q: What were your first reactions when hearing about the new wizarding world movie?A: “I think I screamed in my room and my mom came up asking what was wrong. I was like ‘J.K. Rowling is writing a new movie! You don’t under-stand how big of a deal this is’ and she was like ‘oh gosh.’”

I always said that I would only revisit the wizarding world if I had an idea that I was

really excited about and this is it,

-J.K Rowling

Confused- Kirtana Pathak

Q: What were your first reactions when hearing about the new wizarding world movie?A: “Honestly, I was actu-ally surprised that they were making another movie because I expect-ed the franchise to end. I just want to know why? Why is Rowling randomly back?”

Debbie Downer-Sragi Khakurel

Q: What were your first reactions when hearing about the new wizard-ing world movie?A: “I thought it was a continuation of Harry Potter, so I was excited, but then I found out that it wasn’t. “I think everyone is going to go watch it because it’s J.K. Rowling, but I don’t think fans will like it.”

sam rutzickstaff writer

In the wake of the wildly successful Hunger Games movie and books by author Suzanne Collins, Katniss Everdeen returns to the arena in “Catching Fire.” The movie, starring Jennifer Lawrence as Katniss Ever-

deen, Josh Hutcherson as Peeta Mellark, and Liam Hemsworth as Gale Haw-thorne, along with the new role of Finnick Odair, played by Sam Clafling, is expected to be one of the biggest blockbusters of the year.

“Catching Fire” begins as Peeta and Katniss travel across the country, in a “Victory Tour,” in order to visit all of the districts in Capitol-sponsored pro-paganda appearances. As discontent rises in the districts, and Katniss and Peeta’s positions become ever more precarious, the two are summoned back to the arena for a special Hunger Games, known as the Quarter Quell, only for previous winners. Stakes are higher and the risks increase, as Katniss and Peeta fight for their lives.

The movie is projected to be an international blockbuster, with a profit of 950 million dollars worldwide predicted. Additionally, reviews have been almost universally positive. Lawrence has received much praise for her por-trayal of Katniss’s naiveté and internal determination that makes the charac-ter so compelling. The movie is, in the words of the “Hollywood Reporter,” “a safe, serviceable, carefully crafted action drama in which the subversive seeds planted in the first story take welcome root.”

Catching Fire releases nationwide on November 22, 2013, in IMAX and standard theaters.

Katniss Everdeen returns to the arena to set fire to District 12courtesy of ryan secreast

nikki singhstaff writer

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