the

Inside: News: 1-4, BSW: 5, Features: 6-9, Humor: 10-11, Spotlight: 12-13, Opinions: 14-16, Wondering Warrior: 17, Entertainment: 18-20, Sports: 21-24

Warrior
300 Olney-Sandy Spring Road, Sandy Spring, MD 20860 www.thewarrioronline.com

34th Year, Issue No.2

December 1, 2011

Spotlight

Features

Sherwood Students Glide Into Winter,

Religion: How Does It Reflect You?

pg. 12-13

pg. 9

Starr Explains Importance of Teachers' Professional Development at Listen & Learn Event
by Will Gavett 12

r. Joshua Starr, the new superintendent of MCPS, held a listen and learn event on November 21 at Sherwood where around 50 parents voiced their concerns with the county. At the event, Starr discussed how he plans to address issues of professional development for staff throughout the county. Any good organization these days has to be constantly learning how to get better at our work We always have a great need to learn, and some really great work has gone on in that area in Montgomery County, but we have more to learn and weve sort of plateaued in our professional development and our professional growth, said Starr. The idea behind professional development is to increase performance in the county with the teachers already in the system. The easiest way to do this is for not only the students to learn, but the teachers to learn as well. Everybody needs to get better at what they are doing, which doesnt mean theyre bad; they just need to get better, said Starr at a press conference with the student press on October 18. So how do we do that? How do we learn? And thats what pro-

fessional development is, and weve done a lot of professional development over the years but because of budget cuts and organizational changes it has been kind of stagnant. Professional development is one of Starrs main concerns. This is mostly because of the current economic troubles of MCPS. This makes it much harder to just hire more teachers or replace teachers if there is a problem with performance. Professional development is a more economically sound investment because performance increases without having to hire extra teachers or even replace them. Most organizations spend about 3 to 5 percent of their budget training people we spend about 1 percent. So how do

Photos by Paul Szewczyk `12

see STARR, pg. 3

Superintendent Dr. Joshua Starr meets with the community for a listen and learn event in the cafeteria.

AYP Failure Highlights Difficulties in Learning a Language

by Leah Schroeder 13 and Darby Whitehair 12
magina que t ests en un pas hispanohablante y que ests en una clase y la profesora est hablando, pero no puedes entender lo que ella est diciendo. Es posible que t puedas aprender un poco en las clases de ciencas o matemticas, pero pien-

English

AYP Gregory rigor for EACH

AMO Developing stage

Individual

LEP

Confidence Interval

blitzes

Safe Harbor

HSA Sherwood

sas que t podras tener xito en las clases de historia e ingls? Most could not imagine going to school in a different country not knowing the language. This is a small taste of what ESOL kids experience every day. We have a one-size-fits-all approach to graduation requirements and what a diploma signifies in this state, but it doesnt really fit all students--its not fair to expect students who move to the United States not speaking a word of English at age 16 to be culturally and linguistically competent especially if the education with which they arrived was less than stellar to begin with, said ESOL resource

teacher Laura Bernard-Sanchez. In 2011, the Limited English Proficient (LEP) subgroup at Sherwood failed to meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) in reading proficiency by 15.1 percent. This marks the second year in a row that the LEP subgroup and the school, as a whole, has failed to meet AYP standards. As a result, Sherwood is in the Developing Stage, which requires a school to develop a formal action plan that will help it meet AYP targets. There are five levels to being an ESOL student, ranging from base beginners to advanced. In order to exit the program one must either pass the highest level ESOL class or score Advanced

on the English proficiency test that is given each spring. The amount of time spent in the program differs for each student. After exiting the program, one is still considered an ESOL student for two years. Sherwood serves as an ESOL center with approximately 200 students, five teachers and one part-time paraeducator. As a whole, the ESOL students represent 37 countries. Many of the ESOL students are amazing; they have good insight, good critical thinking and reasoning skillsbut sometimes expressing these ideas perfectly is difficult because they dont have the vocabularies, said Patty Jasnow, English 10 Bridge

teacher. Yet I do not think its at all fair to expect students, some of whom have only been in the country for two to three years, to be fluent enough to take the same test that native-born students with 11 years of U.S. education take. I think the fact that so many of the ESOL students do pass is amazing and is a testament to some of the hard work some of these kids put into learning the language. Senior Kriscia Lopez Aguilar came to the United States from El Salvador last year. In her native country, she was taught solely the ba-

ESOL

Proficiency

action plan workshops

Practice

see ESOL, pg. 3

The WarriorNews
December 1, 2011

RIEF IN B
Study Finds Half of Middle and High School Students Have Been Sexually Harassed
During the 2010-11 school year, 48 percent of students in grades 7 through 12 experienced a form of sexual harassment, according to a national survey released by the American Association of University Women. Sexual harassment can be defined as the making of unwanted sexual advances or obscene remarks, but it applies to a wide variety of actions, from a hateful comment on Facebook to an unwanted and provocative text message. According to the survey, which was reported in the Washington Post, girls were more likely and more frequently sexually harassed than boys. During the school year, 56 percent of the girls and 40 percent of the boys said they had experienced at least one incident of sexual harassment. Girls were also more likely to admit to being negatively affected by the harassment. Of the 48 percent, 87 percent reported the harassment caused a negative emotional toll. Some students said the sexual harassment caused them to have trouble sleeping, do worse in school or even not want to go to school at all. Only nine percent reported the incident to an adult at school, 27 percent reported it to a family member, and 23 percent of the students told a friend. Half of the students who were reportedly harassed during the school year did nothing about it. The students were asked to give ideas on how they would reduce the amount of sexual harassment in their school. More than half recommended an anonymous way to report harassment as well as enforcing policies and the punishment of harassers.

ws Ne

SGA Food Drive Succeeds

Hannah Chertock '12

Seniors Nicole Jakobowski and Jess Beattie collect cans outside Emelia Gonzales room. Gonzales' first period class won the SGA sponsored canned food drive, raising 400 cans alone. Over 3,000 total cans were donated to the Olney Help organization. Olney Help provides food and financial assistance to local families in Olney, Brookeville, Brinklow, Sandy Spring and Ashton.

- Vicky Florian '14 Sherwood To Continue Academy Program

With the schools course registration bulletin for the 2012-13 school year soon to be finalized, Sherwood intends to continue to have academies. Two years ago, students then in 9th grade had to choose an academy as a course of study. However, the school almost immediately eased that requirement and the choice to enter an academy became voluntary. Judy Reiff, the schools Academies Coordinator, estimates that 300 students currently are enrolled in courses offered in the academies. The Computer Science and Engineering academy has the most students, due in part to it fulfilling graduation requirements. The other four academies are Business and Hospitality, Environmental and Horticultural Science, Health Professions, and Teacher Education. As of now, these same five academies will be the offerings for the next school year. The ongoing aim is to make sure students are aware of the option to enter an academy. In October, students in 10th and 11th grade received a survey in their English classes that asked, among other things, whether students were enrolled in an Academy pathway. The survey also gathered data for MCPS Central Office. The students are the stakeholders. If they dont know a program exists, they cant take it, and they could miss out on something in which they would love to participate, said Reiff.

- Whitney Marie Halaby '14 and Joy Zhang '14 Waivers Proposed for Testing Requirements
The Obama administration is proposing a bill that allows states to apply for a waiver from the strict standards of the No Child Left Behind Act. Numerous states are applying for these waivers, and Maryland is strongly considering it. This step addresses a common critique of the 2001 act, which is that teachers are forced to teach to the test so that their school meets requirements and are not denied federal money. Under No Child Left Behind, schools are expected to attain 100-percent proficiency on state standardized tests such as the HSA in Maryland by 2014. The new proposal will end this requirement for the majority of the schools, if not all of them. The new bill will continue to enforce strict educational standards like the previous act, but will allow states control in how quickly they can meet those standards.

- Nathan St. Pierre '12

teachers in that they dont have to keep track of which absences are Due to technical delays with excused or not. The system will the Pinnacle grading and attendo it for them, said Altaner. dance system, unexcused tardies Despite the enhanced attenand absences from the first markdance system, students continue ing period will not be counted to skip classes or be late without against students. passes, ignoring the threat of failWhat the county had said ure. According to data pulled by was that the letters [notifying Heintze, 356 Sherwood students, parents of unexcused absences] The number of unex- more than 17 percent of the stuwould be sent home to parents cused absences hasnt dent population, had three or once students had three or five unchanged much since more unexcused absences in the excused absences ... But because first marking period. According to the technology wasnt up and run- last year. Tardies are Attendance Secretary Janet Murning yet, they decided to have the just out of control phy, the number of unexcused tarfirst marking period be a grace dies and absences hasnt changed period, said Assistant Principal ... kids need to be on much since last year. Tardies are Terry Heintze. just out of control, said Murphy. time. Prior to the problems with the be on -Attendance Secretary Kids need toletters time. Pinnacle system, Sherwood adWarning are expected Janet Murphy to be sent out for students with ministrators had warned students at the beginning of the year that three or more unexcused absencthose with five unexcused absenc- has been] surprisingly not much es for the second quarter. The ades in a class would fail unless they of a reaction from the teachers. ministrators and counselors will Most are resigned that the com- also receive a letter containing filed an appeal. Rather than completely disre- puter program didnt work so the names of students who have garding the unexcused absences, something had to be done, said unexcused absences, which will the administrators have been math teacher Tim Altaner, who be used to formulate intervention meeting with students who had serves as one of the Staff Liai- plans. I hope that the interventhree or more unexcused absences sons on the schools Instructional tions are effective and that the from the first quarter. "What well Leadership Team. Other than the students will take their attendance do is well sit down with every- first quarters setback, teachers seriously, said Altaner. I know one and come up with strategies have found it easier to record that if the skipping class behavior to help improve attendance, unexcused absences than in pre- continues into college, it makes it Heintze said. Those strategies vious years. It will be a help to very easy to fail college classes.

Difficulties with Pinnacle System Lead to Attendance 'Grace Period' for Students
by Alyssa Miller 13
can include attendance contracts and parent conferences to discuss why the students have so many absences. Despite the problems with the grading and attendance system, teachers have accepted that the improved system may take time to work properly. [There

The WarriorNews
December 1, 2011

School Focuses on ESOL Student Performance

School juggles the challenges of meeting AYP targets.
from ESOL, pg. 1
sics of English; however, that did not keep her from pursuing her interest in it. Since kindergarten, Lopez Aguilar has been teaching herself English by listening to song lyrics. As a result, she started as an ESOL 5 student and was able to pass the English HSA. Even though English is hard because it is a different language from what I speak, which is Spanish, I really like it. The HSA wasnt hard, it was just long. You just need to be practicing your reading and looking up words you dont know in the dictionary. I would tell other ESOL students to keep trying to learn English. Its okay if you cannot say or pronounce the words the way you would like to. Dont give up, said Lopez Aguilar. As a result of repeatedly failing to meet AYP standards, the school enacted several strategies, including hosting HSA workshops during the day and after-school HSA blitzes, and improved instruction that would better prepare students for standardized testing. One effort to help ESOL students is the English 10 Bridge course, in which students complete the common tasks of English 10 while working on test-taking strategies. After failing the English HSA last year, senior MarieYolaine Heles is now enrolled in the English 10 Bridge class as well as the HSA workshop where she practices reading, improves her vocabulary and completes test preparation activities. When I came here, they put me in ESOL 1 to learn vocabulary. Thats what is so difficult for me. When you speak another language and you never speak English, its difficult to learn, said Heles. The first time [I took the English HSA] it was hard for me, but now my grade improved. I think maybe the next one will be better. Many of the methods to improve ESOL students scores focus on individual learning. In his first year here, Principal Bill Gregory emphasized this point in the school vision statement. Some people were saying Rigor for all, respect for all. I posed I dont believe in rigor for all, I believe in rigor for each. If I talk about each I will get to all, if I talk about all I can miss some. Our job as educators is to equalize the field, said Gregory. ESOL students have certain accommodations when taking the HSA, including extra time. Junior Cesar Martinez passed both the Algebra and Biology HSAs on the first try. He has not yet taken the English HSA. I didnt need to study that much [for the Algebra and Biology HSAs]. I had extra time as an ESOL student and did not have to rush it. If I pay more attention to the class and if I pay more attention to the vocabulary, [the English HSA] wont be that bad. But if I need extra time, I know I have it, he said. Unless federal requirements change, schools will have to attain 100-percent proficiency in math and reading by 2014. I think its inevitable that eventually all schools in MCPS will not meet AYP because the percentage and expectation is unrealistic; you cant get 100 percent of high school students to even attend school every day, how can you expect 100 percent to ever pass something, especially a difficult test, said Jasnow.

The Warrior gave students the opportunity to answer the same HSA question in three different languages: English, Spanish and French. For Numbers 1 through 3, follow the italicized directions above the question.
Read the sentence in bold print. Then choose the most clear and effective revision of the sentence.
1. A few inches of snow fell, canceling the game because the principal thought the roads were dangerous. A The principal thought the roads were dangerous, so after a few inches of snow fell she canceled the game. ect corr of snow B The principal thought the roads were dangerous because a s inches hi few fell, but the game was canceled. got t 76% C The principal canceled the game because she thought the roads were dangerous after a few inches of snow fell. D The principal canceled the game because she thought a few inches of snow fell on the roads and made them dangerous.
*99 students surveyed

Could you pass the HSA if it was written in a foreign language?

Lea las oraciones en colores oscuros. Luego escoja la revision que considere ms clara y efectiva de la oracin.
2. Unas cuantas pulgadas de nieve cayeron, cancelando el partido porque la directora pens que las carreteras estaban peligrosas. A La directora pens que las carreteras estaban peligrosas, luego de unas pulgadas ect de nieve ella pens cancelar el partido. orrcuantas B La directora pens las carreteras estaban peligrosas luegoide c h s unas got t pulgadas de nieve, el partido fue cancelado. % 25 C La directora cancel el partido porque pens que las carreteras estaban peligrosas luego que unas pulgadas de nieve cayeron. D La directora cancel el partido porque ella pens que unas cuantas pulgadas de nieve cayeron el la carretera y las hicieron peligrosas.

Lisez les phrases de grosses lettres et choisissez la meilleure version del la phrase.
3. Il y avait une tempte de neige el le proviseur a anuul le match parce quil pensait que les rues on t dangereuse. A Le proviseur pensait que les rues ont t dangereuse cause de la neige, donc, elle a annul le match. rect corneige a B Le proviseur pensait que les rues ont t dangereuse parces la i que ot th accumul sur les rues. g 12% C Le proviseur pensait que les rues ont t dangereuse aprs quelques mtres de neige. D Le proviseur a annul le match parce quelle pensait que les rues sont deuenues dangereuses cause de la neige.

The Warrior thanks its many wonderful patrons:

Aiken family, Stacie Anderson, Armstrong family, John Fetty and Associates -Architect, Aud family, Barbara Baldoni, Becker family, Bloom family, Bolen family, , Boudhraa family, Perry and Stephanie Buckberg, Joey Byrd, Cameron family, Carr family, Colliton family, Bill and Theresa Coulter, Crider family, Cudd family, DAmato family, Downey family, Chuck and Cindy Dowrick, M and M Drumheller, Mike and Anna Eastwood, Errera family Farrell family, Rosanne Ferris, Florian family, Freile family, Gallagher family, Gancy family, Gary and Sherry Graves, Gavett family, Graf family, Gregory family, Greseth family, Guillie family, Hahns family, Rob and Lynette Hall, Dick and Vivian Harris, Harris family, Hierholzer family, Hubbard family, Hughes family, Joe and Kathy Hughes, Kim and Cody Hysell, Justus family, Keilsohni family, Kelly family, Kendall family, Kimmel family, Koehler family, Konefal family, Kovalsky family, Kozlowski family, Steve and Cathy Kress, Kyber/ Loughran family, Lyn and Stuart Langbein, Cheryl Willams Levey, Levy family, Lunking family, Paul and Pat Mangus, Martin family, Masters family, Lisa McCarthy, Melnick family, Mezebish family, Jerry and BJ Mills, Milstein family, Joe and Denise Moyer, Murphy family, E. Muslimova, Michael and Jessica Natelli, Cecil family, Newmark family, Nimrat family, Orenstein family, Panzer family, Pettenati family, Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Porter, Rajotte family, Kara and Chuck Rogers, Roy family, Ryczek family, Salzwedel and Moratz family, Sanechez- Copeland family, Sarecky family, Septoff family, Schmuckler family, Schroeder family, Siberry family, Bob and Suzanne Simala, Josey and Chris Simpson, Snyder family, Sousane family, Ralph and Linda Stewart, Ryan Strong, Stussman family, Thanos family, Violeta and Peter Wagner, Walsh family, Shawn and Tobie Watkins, Weiss family, Wetizner family, Tom and Susan Wells, Darby Whitehair, Widmaier family, Nancy and Chuck Wight, Winter family, Witkin family, Woods family, Young family

If you are interested in becoming a patron for the 2011-2012 school year, please contact Peter_J_Huck@mcpsmd.org

The WarriorNews
December 1, 2011

'Sherwood Bait' Hooks Attention

by Devin Cornelius 12 and Hope Gouterman 13
After a concerned parent contacted Sherwood in October about a Facebook page entitled Sherwoods Bait, school faculty members monitored the site for threatening or obscene material and contacted the student responsible for creating the page. The account, created by an undisclosed male student, rated roughly 20 female students based on their level of physical attractiveness. School Resource Officer Brett Mauritte stated that the male student removed the site himself. A member of Sherwoods security team reported that the school could not further discuss the matter due to concerns about the students privacy. The Sherwoods Bait page returned to Facebook on November 21. It is unclear whether school administration or security again will contact the student about the page or if they are even aware of its reappearance. The Facebook page remains the same as before and contains images, taken from other students Facebook pages, of females from all grade levels who meet the creators standards. According to a CyberSafety document jointly issued by MCPS, the Montgomery County Police Department and the countys State Attorney Office, cyberbullying covers a range of online behaviors, including defaming, harassing, masquerading and outing. Online behavior rises to the level of cyberbullying if it is intentionally embarrassing, humiliating, threatening or targeting to an individual or group of people using e-mail, social sites, blogs, mobile phones or other technological methods. A school security member would not comment on the specifics of the Bait site, but he did say that it could be considered cyberbullying based on the reactions of the girls involved. I was initially confused as to why I was being compared to a fishing lure tactic. Eventually, how-

Starr Stresses Staff Progress

from STARR, pg. 1

ever, I became fairly creeped out that someone had been looking through my pictures and saving them, said junior Nikki Steiner, one of the girls rated on the site. She does not feel that the site was a form of cyberbullying but only a student trying to be funny. Facebook pages such as Sherwood Bait are a common occurrence at high schools throughout MCPS, but it is not clear what the school system or individual

arent. So they have taken it upon themselves to embrace the idea schools can do we constantly help our teachof professionalism and growth. about them if they ers get better at what they are According to Starr, MCPSs deem them inappropri- doing? Starr asked at the Lisbiggest weakness is that people ate. According to MCPSs ten and Learn event. Because do not really know what good Acceptable Use and Internet Im going to be able to get more teaching is. He believes that Safety policy, if such sites (or from that investment than I people think that if a teacher is any non school-related sites for will from another investment. fun then they are a good teacher, that matter) are accessed while at H o w but the acschool and are causing a distrac- ever, some tual merit tion, the school is entitled to take p a r e n t s "Any good organization these of teaching away that students computer raised condays has to be constantly should be privileges. cerns about judged on However, for online mate- teachers who learning how to get better at who is dorial created or accessed outside were underour work ... We always have ing the most of school, there are no clear-cut performing work. If the policies for how a school can but still kept a great need to learn, and students intervene or not. If hurt feelings their jobs some really great work has do more are carried from home to school, and could work then the school does have grounds to not improve gone on in that area in Montmore learninvestigate, but there is no exact from profes- gomery County, but we have ing is done procedure because every Internet sional de- more to learn and we've sort than if the site or page is different, according velopment. teacher does to a Sherwood security member. This issue of plateaued in our profes- more work. In instances of extreme cy- is especial We sional development and our berbullying, MCPS offers a cy- ly prevahave this professional growth. ber safety hotline and Student lent with incredible Services Staff, a team of coun- the MCPS ~Superintendent opportunity selors, school psychologists and policy that Joshua Starr before us social workers who can assist the says last to say that victim and help prevent further in first out since there cyberbullying. (LIFO). This means that a teach- is so much strength in the sysI think that most of these er who has only been teaching tem [and] since we know so Facebook pages are harmless for a few years is much more much, lets focus on making and just serve as nuisances to likely to be let go or transferred sure that there is great teachwhoever they regard. I think that than a teacher who has been ing for every child every day punishment should be dealt out in the county for a long time. in every classroom, explained if someone continuously hurts We have the best teacher Starr at the press conference. someone's feelings or refuses to evaluation system in the countake an offensive page down, try, said Starr as he eased these said sophomore Cassidy Gahles, parents concerns. We have used another girl found on the Bait it to counsel out about 500 teachpage. ers who were just not cutting the mustard. And the teachers union is just completely supportive of Illustration by Sydney this effort in ways that other asMorrison 13 sociations in the country just

The WarriorBeyond School Walls

December 1, 2011

Teens Look to the Protesters Ignite a Revolution Internet for News Against Corporate Corruption
by Maria Claudia Garcia-Rada 13
As technology dominates peoples interaction with the world around them, teens are at the forefront of a major shift in the way people access news about current events and other interests. In a Warrior survey of 138 students, respondents that go to online news sources equal the amount of those that turn to traditional print sources such as newspapers and magazines. While students have access to more news sources than ever before, only six percent consider themselves very informed about current events and only another 34 percent consider themselves informed. It is important [to stay informed] so you can keep a relatively stimulating conversation It keeps your eyes open to the world around and lets you formulate your own opinion on things, said sophomore Dean Emerson. Although more than half of students surveyed do not think of themselves as being informed about current events, over 70 percent of students said they check news sources every day to a few times a week. It is important for high school students to be educated because most of them will be voting in a few years. Voters need to keep up with the news and understand Americas political climate in order to make an informed decision about who to vote for, said junior Alex Boscolo. The ways in which young adults are getting their news, however, are vastly different compared to older generations because more and more established publications, such as The Washington Post, are appealing to readers through their websites. Nearly 20 percent of surveyed students read a newspaper or news magazine online every day or a few times a week. At the same time, a nearly identical percentage of students read print publications. I think its nice to actually hold the newspaper article in your hand Reading an actual newspaper is just awesome. [It] makes me feel important. Its a link back to the olden days and how people did things, said junior Hailey Hershey. Freshman Kyle Lee recognizes advantages of online publications beyond the issues of reader preference. Online news and TV news cut back [on the use of] paper resources, he said. A very recent development in media is the use of Facebook as a means to provide news content, and 48 percent of teens now get their information by reading news updates on Facebook or in text messages. Its free and easy, said senior Sushmita Malik.

by Paul Szewczyk 12
A grassroots movement started by middle class citizens protesting against major corporations on Wall Street, the financial district of New York City, has turned into a worldwide phenomenon. The Occupy Wall Street Movement reached numbers surpassing 10,000 participants across the globe in the month of November. The sites of protest include Washington DC where hundreds of demonstrators have been occupying the area. The protestors have set up camp at McPherson Square. The Occupy Wall Street official website states that the movements goal is to expose that the richest, most influential people on Wall Street are manipulating the economy and government in their favor while everyone else suffers. Having finally had enough of the lack of relevant reform, these young adults took their fight to the streets beginning on September 17. The progenitors of the Occupy Movement are mostly people in there twenties, fresh out of college or just beginning their family life. These people feel that they should have had bright futures, but a variety of factors are holding them back: exorbitant student loans, huge mortgages and rampant unemployment, among other things. Thus, being unable to pay the bills, the original protesters felt cheated by the big banks that they allege made false promises in lending them money. These people have identified themselves as the 99 percent who are controlled by the one percent that has been a major influence on the U.S. economy. The first protest was simple. Approximately 1,000 people marched up and down Wall Street with signs declaring messages

Holly Cuozzo 12

Two protesters perform at a peaceful rebellion for an Occupy Wall Street movement in Washington, D.C. such as We are the 99 percent. A few days later, the media began covering the movement as commentators such as Keith Olbermann, Jon Stewart, Rush Limbaugh and others started capturing and broadcasting video of the events. Magazines began interviewing protesters. Even important political figures have visited Wall Street, including Mayor of New York Michael Bloomberg, as well as Republican representatives who have promised legislative reforms. President Obama also referred to the Occupy Wall Street Movement on October 16, saying that he and his cabinet are working for the 99 percents interest. As news of Occupy Wall Street circulated, cities such as Rome, Los Angeles, Sydney, and Madrid became home to protestors. Occupy Wall Street has continued to gain momentum, attracting other groups such as workers unions and individuals from a disenfranchised middle class. However, as the numbers of protestors increases, conflict with the authorities is on the rise. On November 17, police began to clash with protesters in New York resulting in injuries to both parties.

World Population Reaches Seven Billion

by Ashley Yen 14
As widely reported, the world population reached 7 billion people last month. Within approximately the past 40 years, the global population has doubled. The tremendous growth will continue in the near future when the world population tops 8 billion in a mere 12 years. From one point of view, this is a remarkable testament to the success of the human species. From another perspective, however, the population growth troubles many experts who worry about the pressures this has put on natural resources and the planet itself. Another big concern is whether there will be more human suffering in the forms of poverty, hunger and disease than are already occurring. In many underdeveloped countries, large masses of people are starving and struggling to survive. More than 13 million Africans are desperate for food in Somalia, Kenya, Djibouti and Ethiopia alone. Making the challenges more complex is the fact that the highest birth rates are occurring in impoverished countries such as Niger, Mali and Uganda. As population growth explodes in these areas, the pressures on scarce resources are magnified. These resources include food, water and sources of energy. Gas and other natural sources of energy have been fought over for many years. Gas is a precious resource that powers daily lives. The price of gas has skyrocketed throughout the years due to the large number of people driving on the roads today. Fresh water is an important resource t hat every person needs to survive, but in recent years, the amount of fresh water has decreased. Dirty, undrinkable water kills roughly 5,000 people every day around the world. This unusable resource is a result of overpopulation. Another key issue connected to population is climate change. Due to overpopulation and the industrilization in such places as South America and China, more carbon dioxide and other compounds are emitted. The scientific community is in agreement that such events like melting glaciers and abnormal weather patterns are clear signs of global warming. There is not a definite plan that will fix the problems that comes with a continuously growing population, but these problems will have an effect throughout our lifetime.

graphic by Ellen Kirkness 12

The WarriorFeatures
December 1, 2011
1. Texting may lead to anxiety, distraction in school, failing grades, repetitive stress injury and sleep deprivation. 2. Texting may affect writing and speech skills. 3. Texting language may infiltrate a students formal writing.

Firewall Teams Crack the Codes of Cybersecurity

by Rachel Zemel 13
According to a Pew Research Center survey, 93 percent of teens use their desktop computers or laptops to go online. Like most users, students deal with computers that are often prone to viruses, hacking and other vulnerabilities. However, the students on the Sherwood Cyber Warriors and Sherwood Firewall Team proved their adeptness at protecting computers from vulnerabilities at the first ever Maryland Cyber Challenge and Conference (MDC3) held on Saturday, October 22. At the finals, the Cyber Warriors won first place in the competition, receiving $5000 scholarships to the college of each Cyber Warriors choice, a special dinner with Governor OMalley and internships at the Science Applications International Corporation. It is one of the best feelings I have had during high school. I have never really taken place in a competition like this so it was a thrill to win and show that Sherwood is the best in the cybersecurity division, said senior Tim Spillman, captain of the Cyber Warriors. The competition consisted of three rounds, the final taking place at the Baltimore Convention Center. Other schools around Maryland, such as Poolesville, Centennial, and Harford Technical, have teams. During the competition, the teams protect computers from threats, like hacks. If a computer is hacked, the team must resolve the issue and remove the vulnerability. We are protecting against people who use computers to gain opportunities to receive unauthorized access to data. We, in a sense, build up a defense against intruders, creating difficult passwords using letters, numbers and characters and performing updates, explained Sherwood Firewall Team member senior Felix Ezeanyaeche. Both teams prepare together at Firewall Team Co-Captain junior Peter Kirks house every Saturday and sometimes Tuesday. At the meetings, the members learn about cybersecurity from Kirks father, who is a network security analyst, and practice skills. As a programming student, I always looked for new ways to expand my knowledge of computers. When the opportunity of cybersecurity came up with the possibility of scholarships and internships, it was a no-brainer, explained Cyber Warriors member junior Ryan King. The Sherwood Firewall Team, also placing high in the competition, won fifth place. We are competing, but honestly, as long as one of our teams win, I am happy. We have to compete, but its always great to see our school win first place [The MDC3] gave me connections to people in the field, and I might have an internship during the summer, said junior Craig Weiss, captain of Firewall Team. Participation in the MDC3 has altered the members career aspirations. Spillman plans to major in cybersecurity in college. Kirk is now considering career options in computer security rather than computer programming or game development. Computers are the future of mankind, and being on the forefront of all technological advancements seems like a pretty good life to live, said King.

photo from Timothy Spillman

The Cyber Warriors and Firewall Team celebrate winning the MDC3 competition at the Baltimore Convention Center. The Cyber Warrior members each won $5000 scholarships.

understanding and completing long, involved tasks has become Each day, Facebook users a much bigger challenge. collectively partake in more than Jackson reports that her stuone billion chats. Every year for dents over the years have seemed the past four years, the number to experience growing difficultly of text messages sent annually incorporating correct grammar has grown by 250 percent. Over into their writing. While direct 75 billion text messages are de- texting abbreviations such as u, livered each month. The average r b4, etc. occur only a few teenager sends or receives 3,339 times each semester, misuse of texts a month, or eight messages apostrophespunctuations virevery waking hour. tually unused in texting or IMThe age of electronic com- ingis a much more common munication is here. In our fast- phenomenon among students and paced world of Facebook, Twit- one that has worsened over time. ter, cell phones and IM, when a Senior Cindy Lopez, a freviral video can mean quent user instant fame and of Facebook, information moves I think concentrating for IM and texfaster than the speed extended periods of time ting, has acof sound, full words is more of a challenge for cidently inslow us down; com- kids each year. The big- cluded text plete sentences hold phrases such picture logic of assign- as us back; proper b/c, grammar becomes ments is harder for stu- tmrw, and obsolete. Yet amidst dents to grasp over time. I u into forthe increasing satura- have no doubt that this is mal writing tion of hi-tech forms due to technology use. assignments. of communication She feels ~English Teacher technology into teenage life, Shelley Jackson has signifiacademic basics of writing and extended cantly afthought remain esfected her sential components of education. academic performance. It disConsequences arise out of polar- tracts me too much ... [I make ity, and some students find their mistakes such as] forgetting what digital mindset extends into Im going to write in an essay, their academic performance as said Lopez. well. Lopez is one of hundreds I think concentrating for ex- of Sherwood students who find tended periods of time is more of themselves having difficultly a challenge for kids each year, separating new technologies from said English resource teacher academics. In a Warrior survey of Shelley Jackson. The big-pic- over one hundred students, nearly ture logic of assignments is hard- all reported experiencing diser for students to grasp now than traction due to technology while it used to be. I have no doubt that completing homework assignthis is due to technology use. I ments and thought that, overall, dont think texting or any other their use of digital communicatechnology is inherently bad, but tions affects their educational the fact that students are so con- performance. [Technology has nected to quick tidbits of infor- affected me in that] if Im doing mation means their tolerance for my homework and thinking about

by Rebecca Stussman 12

Texting Language Affects Classroom

something and someone texts me, I will just forget what I was writing about, said senior Stephanie Michaud, who, like Lopez, has accidently included words like b4, 2marro and u on formal assignments. Distractions while performing tasks can lead to fragmented products and decreased comprehension of big-picture academic themes. But this generations technological immersion has benefits as well. Senior Javier Martinez feels his academic performance is bettered by his frequent use of digital communication devices. It helps me continue doing my homework because if I primarily only focus on my homework, I eventually stop doing it and do not finish, said Martinez. English teacher Beth Dibler often sees texting language and terse writing leak into students assignments. She feels this can be resolved if schools acknowledge the problem with a nonjudgmental attitude and incorporate technology into school curriculums. Maybe if we integrated in technology to the classroom, kids would understand when abbreviations are and are not appropriate. What teachers need to start doing is to acknowledge these trends [caused by technology] and start approaching them instead of just being so appalled by it, said Dibler. We need to recognize the benefits of these technologies so we can combat their unwanted effects. The world is changing, and so are students thought processes. As digital communications widespread influence impacts some peoples academic performance, for better or worse, it marks a societal evolution into an age of both productivity and potential fragmentation. Technology transforms culture, and evidently education as well.

The WarriorFeatures
December 1, 2011

Cartoon by Michael Wagner 12

Students Exchange Sleep for Homework

by Nick Mourtoupalas 13
Arrive home from school at 2:40. Grab a microwavable pizza from your freezer. Be confident that if homework is started 30 minutes earlier than usual, there may be a slim chance to just possibly have some free time at the end of the day. Suddenly, 11:30 p.m. is knocking at the door and a dent has barely been made in the work pile. Some resort to tears. Some simply give up. Others aim for the all-nighter. The all-nighter, the common practice by students to work late into the night rather than sleep, leaves students sleepy-eyed and waddling clumsily to class where they desperately try to stay awake. As these zombie-like students can attest, the amount of time they spend on homework in exchange for sleep is unhealthily excessive, and it weakens their performance in school, where it matters most. I constantly find myself staying awake past 1 in order to finish my school work. Allnighters can usually be prevented if one begins their work when it is first assigned, said junior Zach Branch, who is currently juggling AP Biology, AP Language, AP Spanish Language and AP World. In addition, sleep deprivation causes increased stress, mental impairment and decreased performance. Lack of sleep may lead to illness, ultimately taking time out of school and school work. Additionally, many students find themselves catching up on sleep during class time. I usually feel groggy and try to sneak a good 10-minute nap in second period, which may explain the health of my grades, said senior Nina Ramirez, currently managing several AP classes. Ramirez feels the effects of sleep deprivation in her class performance, which is often even more crucial to academic success than homework. Ramirez also attempts to lighten her at-home workload by finishing her homework during lunch. I typically find myself working on written work. I barely have time to study because of it. I would ask the teacher about homework due at a later date and then if I have a free day, spend that time getting ahead, said junior Jacob Bremerman, who has managed to find effective work strategies has to handle all of his assignments. Such hard-working students bring notable solutions to the table in order to maximize sleep time; however, English teacher Alexandra Green believes that each student needs a class schedule that is right for them. I think conversations with students, parents, teachers and guidance counselors are important when selecting classes. Sometimes when students have trouble juggling challenging classes, dropping a course might be the best course of action. Ultimately, students who choose rigorous schedules have to realize that time management is a vital skill, said Green. Even dropping a class, however, may not solve the problem. Extracurricular activities prove to be major time consumers during the day-to-day lives of many students. In activities such as sports or volunteering, students can often find that the combination of coursework and extracurricular activities proves to be overwhelming. Learning to get work done quickly and prioritizing based on due dates is key to keeping up with a massive workload. The recommendation for a teenager is 8.5-9.5 hours of sleep each night. I think kids need to get rid of any distractions in their bedrooms such as computer monitors, phones, or TVs. It is healthiest to go to bed time each night at the same time so your body can get into a sleep routine, said health teacher Kathy Green. Health is essential. Without physical wellbeing, students cannot succeed. With side effects such as vulnerability to illnesses and aching, sleep deprivation can heavily impact a students academic and social life. Nevertheless, it remains a common component in many students schedules and a reoccurring phenomenon in daily teenage life.

Advice From The Expert:

When I was a student I never had to pull an all-nighter because I enjoy doing things the day they are assigned and if students follow my nerdy advice, they wont have to pull an all-nighter either. -AP Lang. teacher,Beth Dibler

Ask The Doctor:

-Sleep deprivation provides students with short-term euphoria, which can lead to poor judgment or addictive behavior. -Sleep-deprived students have difficulty reacting to unpredicted changes.

The WarriorFeatures
December 1, 2011

Students Give Back by Coaching Youth

Teens volunteer their free time by assisting in coaching local youth athletic teams for Student Service Learning Hours and personal satisfaction.
by Will Gavett 12
Coaching a sports team can be a very rewarding yet stressful experience. However, several students at Sherwood have decided to take up this challenge, regardless. Whether theyre doing it for Student Service Learning (SSL) hours, just for the fun of it or both, these students give back to their community by coaching children from around the area. I got into coaching originally just in order to get SSL hours. I figured that Ive been playing [Olney Boys and Girls Club] basketball since I was little, I should do something to give back to the organization. Coaching turned out to be a great experience, said senior Aaron Bogage, who coached sixth and seventh grade boys basketball for the Olney Boys and Girls Club (OBGC). OBGC is a volunteer-driven community sports organization that attracts many local youths to play sports. Since it is purely volunteer-run, opportunities for SSL hours are plentiful. However, some people do not coach for hours at all, but for the pure enjoyment of seeing the kids they train grow as athletes. Coaching is really about giving back and appreciating the look on your players faces when they improve, and being there for them even when they struggle, said senior Katarina Niedermair, who has coached U-12 girls soccer for two seasons now. All of these coaches have at least some experience with the sports themselves, but due to injury or for some reason or another could not continue playing their sports. Some coaches also used to play in OBGC themselves when they were younger. I only played recreational soccer for OBGC and when I got too old I did not want to give it up so I decided to start coaching, explained senior Sam Fregly, who coached soccer with Niedermair during the previous spring and fall seasons at OBGC. Most of these students coach for OBGC, in part because prospective coaches do not have to be hired. Most of the time this person is just one of the students parents, like senior Sam Freglys mother, Melissa, who signed him up. However, without an adult present, coaching children can be a challenge. I was also a little worried that the players would not take us seriously. It took a while to figure out how to get the girls to calm down at first, said Fregly. Getting the children to settle down and listen is not the only job involved with coaching. Eventually, their team will actually have to play in a competitive game. The games are the most

Paul Scewczyk 12

Seniors Kevin Suen and Katarina Niedermair give back by spending time coaching youth recreational teams. Here they pose with their U-12 girls soccer team.
fun because its always fun to see what you teach them in practice work in the games and what you need to work on in future practices, said Bogage. However, coaching is not just about winning the most games. Most importantly, it is about being a good role-model to every player. My favorite part of coaching is having the opportunity to influence the girls, not only on the field, but in their lives in general, said Niedermair.

South Park Creates a Lasting Stereotype Against Gingers

by Jessica Carrera 13 and Evan Schwartz 13
In 2005, the comedy South Park aired an episode called Ginger Kids. In the episode, Eric Cartman delivers a hate speech directed at gingers, claiming that they are disgusting non-humans that do not have souls. Later on in the episode Cartman gets tricked into thinking he contracted Gingervitis (the disease that causes someone to become a ginger) and bands together with the gingers he was making fun of to take over the town. Ever since this episode aired the name began to catch on. There are thousands of videos on YouTube about gingers, and Urban Dictionary has also contributed to the spread of the name and stereotype by adding the word ginger to its dictionary. Unlike the poor redheads in the South Park episode, junior Steven Palmer does not feel that he has been treated unfairly because of the color of his hair. ginger person in her friend group makes it easier to deal with the stereotypes. People always joke about my friend on my team and I. Theyre like oh, you guys are without souls two less souls on your team Conrad commented with a smirk. This ginger movement started with South Park calling people with pale skin, freckles and vibrant red hair gingers, but the word has now become an umbrella term that is used to describe almost any person that has a shade of red-colored hair; for example, people with brown-red hair or strawberry blonde are being called gingers as well. Although gingers seem to have become accustomed to the stereotypes, one thing they agree upon is that they would rather be referred to as redheads than gingers. Mazzeo finishes, I think redhead is more unique and shows that no one else has my hair, and ginger is like a label.

In the South park episode Ginger Kids, the character Eric Cartman delivers a speech claiming that Gingers are non-humans and therefore have no souls.
Nothing bad has ever really happened to me due to my hair. I guess Im lucky, he said as he laughed at the thought. Although some YouTube videos are giving them a bad rep, gingers alike are not the ones who seem offended.I dont think its hateful, I think people who arent gingers think its condescending and hateful to insult a ginger but I dont think its an insult. Its a lighthearted, funny thing, said senior Alex Mazzeo. One time in one of my election speeches I said You can call me the ginger! and then I won that year. Defeating the stereotypes of a ginger is a very common practice for people with red hair today. Like the characters in South Park, people jokingly assume that real-life gingers really do not have souls. It is just a television show, but some people who have seen the show are ignorant to the fact that it is a joke and should not be taken seriously. Junior Megan Conrad said that it is not a rarity for people to believe the South Park stereotypes. People know Im a ginger, so they think I have no soul, but then they meet me and theyre like oh, she has a soul. Conrad said that having another

Illustration by Sydney Morrison 13

The WarriorFeatures
December 1, 2011

Teens Find Their Skis Crossed

by Ryan Coulter 12

Fresh powder, clean brisk air and a crucial decision to make: do you join your family for a weekend of bonding on some of the best slopes in the country or do you tag along with friends for a trip full of laughter and adrenaline? The decision between these two options has divided high school winter sport enthusiasts for years.

From the point of view of the average teenager, a weekend of snowboarding and pure adrenaline sounds like music to the ears; a weekend where he or she can finally be free from the chains of judgment and restrictions. By snowboarding with friends versus with family, you can unleash yourself and not worry about waiting for them, being embarrassed, or judged. I also can speed and whitewash people without getting yelled at, said senior Tory Teenagers in search of a Sanna. I have been snowboarding for about 11 years now and plan good time often count out famion boarding until both my legs give out. ly trips. In fact, if given the chance, many high school teens would rather The high availability of ski trips for high school students in stay home and hang out with friends than recent years has enabled many teenagers to experience these exhilatake an entire weekend, let alone an entire rating trips for the first time. From weekend trips to day trips, teens week, to travel with their family. have more and more chances to make life-lasting memories. Family ski trips are actually quite the opposite One of the most memorable moments I have had boarding of the dreaded family road trip to which many youth with friends was when we all went up to Mont Tremblant [in are accustomed. Instead of the dull and monotonous Quebec, Canada] on a trip sponsored by a company called Ski trips families often take, family ski trips enable families to Travel, said Sanna. We rode the lift up all the way to the bond through exhilaration in such a way that they could not top of the first peak and took the backside run down through have at home. the trees and the run was just breathtaking with powder Since my whole family either skis or snowboards, it's the only and trees everywhere. I had a smile on my face that real activity we can all do together, said senior Nicole Jakobowski whole day that never left. Every run was perfect; theres who has been snowboarding since the age of 13. Learning new snownothing like snowboarding with friends on the northboard techniques from my dad has been a major benefit of going with my ern East Coast. family. He has been snowboarding since he was in college and is amazing at it. Given the chance to get away from daily He was the one who introduced me to the sport in the first place and taught me over stress and worries, youths who enjoy winter sports the years. are constantly looking for a thrill. A day on the My family has a house up in Deep Creek so we go skiing almost every weekend in slopes weaving through trees alongside friends the winter at Wisp, said senior David Marin who has skied for six years. When my famis the perfect way to finally feed that thrill. ily goes to Wisp to ski, I do not have as much stress. I do not have to think about the issues at From 20-foot jumps to almost vertical double home or school as much. black diamonds, teens are sure to be satisAlong with the benefit of spending quality time racing down slopes as a family, teens that take part fied when they leave. in these trips are often able to experience the best mountains this country has to offer. On the West Coast: Kirkwood in Lake Tahoe [California]. The snow was amazing. You truly can't find powder like that anywhere near Maryland. On the East Coast: probably Blue Knob [in state]. Although it gets so cold there, the snow is by far some of the best around here. Its also nice not having to pay for lift tickets to such amazing ski resorts when I go with family, said Jakobowski. Whether it be on the West Coast or the East Coast, a family weekend on the slopes is sure to satisfy even the most thrill-seeking teenagers.

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by Michael Wagner 12
Dropping temperatures and an early setting sun: these are sure tell signs that we are heading into winter. This year, however, may prove to be harsher than ever. In order to have any chance of survival, we here at The Warrior interviewed survival expert Bear Grylls, former British Special Forces member and host of the hit TV series Man vs. Wild. In questioning Grylls about survival, three points, in his view were particularly the most crucial. Adequate shelter is definitely one of the top priorities in any survival situation, explained Grylls. Finding shelter is crucial, especially during the winter, to escape the elements, so one could attempt to make a makeshift house out of sticks and pine branches, but one would spend an excess of energy and time that

The WarriorHumor
December 1, 2011
can be spent on other, pressing issues. A better alternative would be to find the closest Holiday Inn or Bed and Breakfast and spend the night there once after the camera crew stops filming. Foraging and storing food is another top priority in survival and on this topic, Grylls recalled an event that happened in our area. In an area with five grocery stores, people often dont comprehend the severity of not having food. Last year, however, six hikers went missing in Brookeville. Not knowing that Sunshine Burger was only a few miles from their location, five of the hikers had already starved to death when their bodies were found, and one is still missing. What the hikers did not know is that they couldve survived from the nutritious acorns that were abundant in the area. However, one must take extreme caution when gathering acorns. Squirrels are known for being aggressive in defending their stash and dozens of people die annually in the MidAtlantic states alone from squirrel attacks. In our discussion, Grylls corrected common misconceptions of surviving snowy environments. The thing about yellow snow is that, despite what you are told about it, it is actually your lifeline at times. In cold, wet environments such as snowy fields, people often forget about dehydration. Now, eating any of the snow would dangerously decrease your core body temperature. So before you eat, make sure to urinate on the snow so that it is nice and warm upon consumption. I can personally assure that it is safe to do because I have personally drank my own urine several times on my show. With those parting words, Grylls left the room by leaping out the window, grabbing hold

Man vs. Wild Host Bear Grylls Talks Survival

Photo From Google Images

Man vs. Wild Host Bear Grylls emerges from behind a tree after he downed a pint of his own urine to ward off dehydration. of a rescue helicopters railings, and flying off into the sunset. We do not know where he went next. But this much we do know: Grylls cannot be tamed, so he must have gone to answer Mother Natures call. He is most definitely roughing it in the wilderness, or may even be raiding the bacon tray at a hotel near you

Abolish Womens Suffrage?

Yes No

by Cal Wilson 14

Senators Propose New Holiday

need to grow closer, said Hagan. Other countries have made up holidays that bring the country together, like Boxing Day in Australia, said Corker. Its the 21st century and the U.S. needs a holiday uniting its people. The proposed holiday is not expected to pass through the Senate because other senators on both sides of the aisle believe there are more important matters to discuss than holidays. We have more work to do than worry about passing a holiday that has no importance to American history whatsoever. Issues like the economy or the War on Terror should come first, not a holiday that will give our youth another day off, said Senator Mark Kirk of Illinois, one of the leading voices in opposition to the bill. Christ-ukah-nzaa would be a national holiday in which all schools would be closed on December 19 for students to spend

Yes No

Males

Females

*results based on real poll conducted on 107 students Results: 33 males and 32 females responded yes: Total of 65 students responded yes 27 males and 15 females responded no: Total of 42 students responded no he Warrior conducted a poll asking students Do you believe womens suffrage should be abolished? Two-thirds of the student body polled responded that it should. This alarming number can only be attributed to one of two things: students are ignorant and responded without knowing what they were being asked or the majority of people knew what they were asked and responded this way because they are misogynistic sexists. Its probably the former because 49 percent of the students that responded yes were females. To be clear, the word abolished means to eliminate and the word suffrage means right to vote. So what is being asked in this poll is if you think womens right to vote should be eliminated. For one reason or another people responded that it should be without knowing what either of these words meant. Maybe it was to seem insightful and smarter than they actually were or to make it seem like they had more to contribute to this poll than they did.The number one reason probably was they didnt want to appear foolish. Whatever the reasons may be, the moral of this poll remains the same: be honest with yourself. If you dont know what something means say you dont know instead of ultimately embarrassing yourself. In the words of Abraham Lincoln, [It is] better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.

In an attempt to pull residents of the United States together, Senators Bob Corker (R- Ten) and Kay Hagan (D-NC) have proposed legislature to create the national holiday of Christ-ukahnzaa. The suggested holiday incorporates a collection of the holidays Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. If Christ-UkahNzaa becomes a national holiday, students will have off school on every December 19. Christ-ukah-nzaa was first brought before the Senate November 28 by Corker and Hagan, who claimed it would bring Americans together spiritually without establishing a national religion. In times of trouble, like today, the American people need something to bring them closer together and form a better nation. [The new holiday] could be what the people of the United States

time with family and friends exchanging presents and singing Christ-ukah-nzaa songs. Corker and Hagan even proposed setting up Christmas trees, hanging corn on the tree as ornaments, and placing a menorah on the top to represent the combination of three major holidays coming together as one. As a final touch, Corker suggested wrapping the tree in a U.S. flag to symbolize the unity of the nation.

poll and analysis by Robel Wondimu 13

by Michael Wagner 12

The WarriorHumor
December 1, 2011

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by Alex Porter 13

Realizing that I am an Atheist

13

No two people celebrate the holidays the same way; religion, family and tradition often dictate how students celebrate.
My family and I celebrate Chanukah. For me, on each day we do something different. Like one day, we play games as a family and on another day we give out food at a shelter. On the last day, we make traditional food. -Arielle Pesach 13 I celebrate Diwali. Diwali is the festival of lights and the New Year for Hindus. Gifts are given, and there are special lamps called diyas. We also eat a lot. -Rewa Kumar 12 My most memorable holiday is the old Russian New Year because its an important part of our culture and brings back memories of Russia. To celebrate it, we make Russian dumplings. -Vlad Muslimov 15 My sister and I watch all the old Claymation movies. We do it every year just because we like them. -Liz Scanlon 12

On Christmas Eve, my family and I celebrate by having a traditional Polish dinner. Each serving of the dinner represents different parts of our lives were thankful for. -Lydia Hanson 12

Students Set Apart by Faith

noigileR
150 students surveyed
How often do you attend religious service?
Once a Day = 0% Once a Week = 68.6% Once a Month = 8.2 % Infrequent = 11.3 % Never = 11.9%

Clich nonconformist separate themselves from their peers through music or art, academic or athletic commitment. We often overlook those who distinguish themselves from their classmates through religious practice. My religion guides me in my life and in my lifestyle, said sophomore Addi Fullmer, a devout member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints where she practices Mormonism. Although Fullmer has no difficulty making friends, her devotion to Mormonism has, at times, made her feel somewhat isolated. However, devotion and trust have allowed her to avoid doubt in her faith and continue forth in her relationship with God. It makes logical sense and it feels right. It is my morals and my beliefs that guide my actions; they are the reason I do the things I do. Because of my religion I have often felt lonely but the more I learn and study the less lonely I feel and I know that I will never be alone, said Fullmer. Like Fullmer, junior Karimat Afinnih, a Muslim, recognizes a separation from her peers due to religious upbringing. A committed member of the track team, Afinnih must wear her religious headdress, the Hijab, during practice as well as competition. By any standard, she stands out. My religion has set me apart from my peers in every way. The way I dress, speak, act - everything revolves around Islam. My religion is not just a religion, it is a way of life. I have to wear the Hijab which is the most blatant form of separation from my peers, said Afinnih. Contrary to what some may expect, Afinnihs differences from the mainstream do not hinder her attitude toward her religion. In fact, diversity is what draws her to Islam. She marvels at the capability of one religion to link such a wide range of cultures. I like that my religion encompasses a wide variety of different cultures and people. Whenever there is a gathering there are so many different cultures and ethnicities yet we are all bonded by our Islam, said Afinnih. While Afinnih recognizes independence in her dress and language, junior Anne Carroll feels set apart from her peers by morals. A strict Presbyterian, Carroll is more conservative in her beliefs than many of her companions at school. As a result, she connects most closely with those individuals in her youth group. I grew up with a clear sense of what is right and what is wrong, and it helps to have that when situations with negative peer pressure come up. I have made deliberate choices to abstain from sex until I am married, and that has already set me apart from my friends, commented Carroll. Youth group centers me and gives me a real sense of belonging. It is so important to have people around me to help me with my faith and to help build my confidence to be different and strong in my faith. To help avoid situations where peers are engaging in activities which contradict her religious beliefs, Carroll succeeds in maintaining a busy schedule. Constantly busy with friends, homework or youth group, under few circumstances does Carroll find herself secluded due to religious choices. While many of her peers engage in activities which are frowned upon by her religion, Carroll holds strong to her morals of abstaining from alcohol, drugs and sex. I can hang out with friends and by Ellen Kirkness 12 not worry about whether I will regret or remember it the next day, said Carroll.

Reflected
Religious Preference? Believe in a higher power?
Yes = 49% No = 21% Not Sure =30% Hindu: 7.3% Protestant: 38.6% Catholic: 30% Jewish: 4.6% Muslim: 1.3% Mormon: 1.3% Atheist/Agnostic: 16.6%

One of my earliest memories of religion was coming back from a church service at the Naval Academy while visiting my brother. After the service I asked my mother, how do we know that theres a God? She sent the reverend an e-mail shortly after, asking how to explain it to me. The answer I got back was that Hes there, you just cant see Him, but you feel Him like the wind. I never really felt His presence after that, but for the next decade this incident was dismissed, the harmless babble of an inquisitive child. After all, in the black community, Church is the foundation of social life. Reverends are our heroes and leaders. For no particular reason that I can think of, I just stopped thinking of myself as a Christian while I was in middle school. After all, I never went to church, I never read the Bible, I never prayed at night. A little while after that is when I started identifying with Islam. I knew little about the faith, although it was more than I did about Christianity, but I liked what I saw along with it more. I wanted to be something different, something extraordinary, not like the masses around me. My first real hero was Malcolm X, who prompted me to look more into the religion. Suddenly I was downloading the Koran onto my iPod and changing my favorite songs from Southern, God-fearing R&B singers to insightful Muslims, rapping from New York. Later I developed my interest in current events and history, and learned about the discrimination Muslims face in the United States. Unsurprisingly, I ended up with liberal commentators denouncing the hate against the community I imagined myself in. But these shows also pointed out the absurdity of the right wing Bible thumpers, which made me realize the whole concept of a deity controlling the world was silly as well. So while I had long stopped being a Christian, I also stopped being a Muslim or theist at all. Just last winter my family found out about this. My mom always enjoyed asking random questions about life and the world, and so she asked me if I believed in God. I looked at her for a time as if she had just told a bad joke, while she anxiously waited for me to say, of course I do! I had assumed that she had caught on to my lack of religion, as I would mock most religious news I heard. My answer of no did not go over well. She desperately whipped up alternative questions for me. What about any higher power? An afterlife? Do you pray at night? As I continued to say no, I was surprised to hear her say that she believed these things. I felt like the rest of the world must have kept up with my changes, and that these things would seem as ridiculous to anyone else. I dont have any problems with religious people or their faiths; I just dont get it. If the magic skyman helps someone through their day, thats great for them as long as they dont do anything stupid over it. But now I feel justified in trying to understand the world around me instead of feeling guilty about doing so.

Religion

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The WarriorOpinions
December 1, 2011
The Warrior Staff
Executive Editor Jacob Bogage 12 Managing Editors Ellen Kirkness 12 Darby Whitehair 12 Content Directors Jessica Carrera 13 Devin Cornelius 12 Rebecca Stussman 12 Fact Check Editors Abby Inwood 13 Alex Porter 13 Managing Photo Editors Brett Melnick 12 Paul Szewczyk 12 Section Editors News Editors Connor Martin 13 Robel Wondimu 13 BSW Editor Nathan St. Pierre 12 Features Editors Katie Nolan 12 Mandy Stussman 14 Humor Editors Ryan Coulter 12 Sam Farrell 12 Spotlight Editor Olivia Snyder 12 Wondering Warrior Editor Isabel Paterson 12 Opinions Editors Diana McDermott 13 Michaela ODonnell 13 Entertainment Editors Holly Cuozzo 12 Will Gavett 12 Sports Editors Jamie Langbein 13 Michael Natelli 14

To our Readers...
You May Notice Some Changes
The journalism industry has changed. The past decade has seen countless publications go under and many esteemed publications have taken major blows. Maryland senator Benjamin Cardin even introduced legislation in May 2009 to allow newspapers to operate under non-profit status in a bid to save more publications from going out of print. The industry is, without a doubt, reeling, and print publications are making dramatic changes to survive. To meet consumer expectations, the media now delivers the news in a more concise and interactive way. To meet the needs of the Sherwood community, The Warrior is making changes to the print and online editions, which reflect our commitment to the news and to our readers. Beginning with this issue, the print edition will feature shorter, more engaging stories, more photos and increased use of info-graphics. We are working to make articles more concise to more effectively provide you with the pertinent information. We will continue to provide in-depth coverage, such as the AYP article on the front page, as well as an increased number of shorter articles that cover a wide variety of topics. We will also bring different facets of a story together, for example the skiing story on page nine and page 24s coverage of the cost of high school sports. We will also work to make The Warrior more attractive and readerfriendly. Photos will play a larger role in each of our sections (see the shots of the fall play Children of Eden in the Entertainment section). Graphics will be used to grab your attention and make the pages more visually interesting. Info-graphics will be abundant (see the AYP story on page three). While we won Third Place, Best in Show at Towson Universitys High School Journalism Day and All-American honors from the National Scholastic Press Association, we realize there is always room for improvement. We took a look at what we could do to strengthen your relationship with The Warrior and improve our competitive edge in both the print and online editions. As part of our efforts to engage the Sherwood community, we have dramatically upgraded The Warrior Online (www.thewarrioronline. com). We have strengthened the connection between print and online by incorporating info-boxes in the print edition that direct you to The Warrior Online for additional content. Our online staff has been hard at work on the much improved website, constantly updating it with new information, polls, blogs and online publications. We will also pursue increased use of video clips to supplement our online content, such as the fifth period flashmob. The weekly sports beats and the game results page, which offer scores, photos and recaps, help you stay in tune with the Warriors. Reviews for local concerts, movies, restaurants and plays will be online with increasing frequency. The Warrior Online strives to be your primary news source. The Warrior Online fosters the connection between the readers and The Warrior staff, as it is your forum to provide us the feedback we need to better meet your expectations. The easiest way to do this is to use the comment feature that appears at the bottom of every article, or you can email us at thewarrioronline.shs@gmail.com. And, if you give us your email, we will let you know when content has been added. Though print journalism is on the decline, we are taking efforts to keep it alive here at Sherwood. We are also challenging ourselves to explore new media and branch out in different types of coverage. Sherwood High School needs its news, and for 34 years, The Warrior had been here to provide it. We do not intend on leaving.

The Warrior Online Staff

Managing Editor Leah Schroeder 13 Content Director Rachel Zemel 13 Copy Editor Christopher Jou 12 Arjun Singh 12 Managing Photo Editors Hannah Chertock 12 Allie Strosnider 12 Section Editors BlogsEvan Schwartz 13 NewsCal Wilson 14 SportsHope Gouterman 13 EntertainmentBriana Applewhite 13 OpinionsCameron Graf 13 FeaturesVicky Florian 14 In-DepthMatt Diogo 14 HumorMelissa Fajardo 13 Pollster Amanda Harrington 12 Cartoonist Andi Hopkins 14 Mike Wagner 12 Photographers Bridget Cook 14 Taylor Fernandes 14 Staff Reporters Steffi Carrera 14 Brendan Cudd 14 Maria Claudia Garcia-Rada 13 Abby Isaacs 12 Joey Lavoie 14 Mary Macrae 14 Esteban Melendez 12 Alyssa Miller 13 Sydney Morrison 13 Nick Mourtoupalas 13 Jack Silliman 13 Austin Tucker 14 Andrew Wasik 13 Bethany Van Waes 12 Shaan Verma 13 Ashley Yen 14 Joy Zhang 14 Executive Business Directors Whitney Marie Halaby 14 Jenni Kenel 14
Circulation/Publicity Director

Cartton by:

Maya Lennon 14

by Andi Hopkins 14

Advisor.........................Peter Huck

The WarriorOpinions
December 1, 2011

15

To The Point
Republican Musical Chairs
by Alex Porter 13
For a while, Mitt Romney was the obvious Republican nominee for president. He still is. But every few days, it seems that the front-runner changes. Not too long ago it was Bachmann, then Perry, then Cain. As we realized that each was a genuine lunatic, a new survey showed another doing better in the polls, who goes on to repeat this cycle. The partys newest darling seems to be former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich, who is now essentially tied with Romney. Who knows who to expect tomorrow? The Republicans are fighting to keep the peoples interest by introducing new faces every few weeks. But as the Republican Party shifts further to the right, the search for a suitable hyper-conservative candidate only finds new disasters. Actual voters consistently like Romney, the moderate (relative to his ultra-right competition) candidate. Instead of focusing on long shots who pass by voters like quick fads, why not just admit that Romney is the only candidate with a chance in the general election so you can actually try to win it?

by Melissa Fajardo 13
I have a love-hate relationship with Edline. I love the ability of having 24/7 access to my grades but the downfall is that my parents have this access as well. Edlines intention is to improve communication between parents, students and teachers via an allin-one website solution. Then why do I take this convenience as one of the biggest sources of irritation on my life? There is no stronger advocate for Edline than my mother who checks my grades on a regular basis. I have developed a theory that my household, along with households around the nation, would be less argumentative if parents were only permitted to check their childs grades online three times

Stop the Policy! Drop the Act!

by Andi Hopkins 14
The newest policy that Congress is trying to pass, called the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA), is among the most preposterous things the government has ever suggested. The point of the act is to halt copyright infringement through federal legislation. However, if the act were passed, the government would be able to shut down entire websites. That means the citizens wouldnt be able to access Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, YouTube and other media-sharing sites. Also, artists who perform cover songs from other artists would be forced to take down their video. This all sounds ridiculous and it violates the 1st Amendment right to freedom of speech. If the government takes away that freedom, by shutting down Americans key websites, the basic structure of the internet would crumble and Americans would be outraged. Luckily, President Obama doesnt support the bill, and absolutely refuses to pass it if it were to make its way through Congress.

a quarter: the beginning, middle and end. Based on my own experience, parents expect to see constant, positive changes in grades. This becomes potentially problematic because the effort I put into my assignments arent always reciprocated onto Edline, meaning I could retake a quiz and the improved grade wouldnt be updated online for weeks until the teacher had the time to change his or her grade books. That usually happens at their leisurely pace. This is where my theory kicks in. If parents check Edline every day, it is less likely to recognize a noticeable shift in their childs grades because assignment reports arent realistically updated daily. However, if parents checked more periodically the graded assignments over time would accumulate and the improvement would be noticed. My moms specialty is making me sit down with her next to the computer and go through the itemized assignment list of each class subject. When I walk past the computer room, I can always tell if my mom is on Edline because the page layout is hard to miss, with its gray colored background and navy blue tabs on either side. This is when I try to tip

toe my way out of sight but sure enough I always get ordered to pull up a chair. Im forced to explain why this grade is like that and why it hasnt been improved yet. Naturally, arguing takes place because Im saying one thing, but my Edline grade says another. I have no other choice but to make a time-consuming argument to convince my own mother that as soon as Edline gets updated, my grade will be less depressing for her to see. In elementary school, we used to get a report card every quarter with grades decided by one teacher. In high school, we have to chase down seven different teachers in an effort to correct their human error of entering a wrong grade. We depend on Edline to tell us what our grades are which makes it all the more stressful when Edline doesnt update because then we have our parents on our backs. Maybe my theory of restricting parents viewing of Edline to three times a quarter isnt realistic because some parents would argue that they deserve to see individual grades for assignments whenever they choose. All I know is that I have strongly considered a plan to change my parents Edline account password.

Obesity Weighs Down the Country

by Rebecca Stussman 12
Obesity is not healthy. According to WebMD, someone who is 40 percent overweight is twice as likely to die prematurely than a person of average weight. Obesity is the second most prevalent cause of cancer, lesser only to smoking. Obese people can be accomplished and skilled, productive and sexy, popular and loved. They can be doctors, lawyers, athletes and leaders. But obesity is not healthy. Obesity kills. It burdens the healthcare system and severely burdens society. And yet our hesitancy to take action against it, due largely to fear of wounding citizens self-esteem, keeps the government from launching the fullscale health campaign essential to a productive America. We place so much emphasis on the psychological effects of obesity yet neglect its physical consequences. According to the American Heart Association, 73.4 percent of adult male citizens and 67.4 percent of women are overweight or obese. Yet when first lady Michelle Obama initiated her Lets Move campaign in 2009 to counteract childhood obesity through nutrition education and exercise campaigns, she faced outcry from many who claimed the cause infringes on individuals independence and damages childrens confidence. Maintaining a healthy weight is not easy. We live in a society of enclosed spaces and glowing screens; we check our smart phones compulsively and graze Facebook rather than walk outside or play sports with friends. Endless sugary snacks line our stores, and organic, low-calorie foods are often the most expensive. Society needs to encourage healthy decisions to improve self-esteem and ultimately create an enriched, productive nation. Health campaigns will not disrespect obese citizens but rather support the near-entirety of Americans, myself included, who struggle with weight problems. Precedents of widespread government health campaigns demonstrate the potential effectiveness of an anti-obesity movement. In 1971, in an effort to counteract the prevalence of cigarette smoking, Congress banned the advertisement of cigarettes and initiated other policies to counteract dangerous tobacco use. These efforts were successful, dropping the total percentage of Americans who smoke cigarettes from 41 percent in 1944 to 21 percent in 2007. With education programs, exercise initiatives in schools, public service announcements and regulations on food products, we can save our country from the epidemic that is obesity. Yet opposition lingers. Self-titled Fat Pride movements lobby against policies such as exercise initiatives and government-set standards of food products. Marilyn Wann, a leader in these movements and author of the book Fat! So?, proudly flaunts her 285 pound, 54 figure, claiming it unnecessary for her to even attempt to lose weight and proudly carrying her title as an overweight woman despite undeniable discrimination. We all deserve to feel comfortable with our appearance, and obese people are capable, talented, valuable individuals just like everyone else. But they are victims of an unfortunate physical condition. Obesity should be attacked because it is dangerous, not skirted around because it prompts low self-esteem. Obesity causes death, saturates the health care system, and makes the country fall behind in international productivity. The government needs a more proactive approach that it has used with past crises such as cigarettes and drugs to acknowledge the prevalence of obesity and to fight its devastating effects.

Speed Cameras Trap Drivers

by Vicky Florian 14
Four cameras caught 97,000 drivers last year that were going at least 12 mph over the speed limit. For many, this number confirms the fact that the speed limits of Montgomery County streets are too low. Traffic engineers have found that drivers travel at the speed they feel most comfortable and safe, regardless of the actual speed limit. The Maryland State Highway Administration believes the speed at or below which 85 percent of the motorists drive on a given road when unaffected by slower traffic or poor weather is an effective guideline for the speed limit of the road, yet Montgomery County does not follow this rule. Instead, it create unreasonably low speed limits, with cameras placed in tricky locations, trapping sensible and safe drivers. The cameras are supposedly there to catch the dangerous drivers that put the community into harms way, but are instead just a nuisance to us all.

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The WarriorOpinions
December 1, 2011

Should English Be the Official Language of the U.S.?

Throughout America, people come from many cultures and have different customs and languages. The majority of people living in America speak English, which raises the question whether English should be the official language of the United States.

The Truly American Language

by Arjun Singh 12
There are 337 different spoken languages in the United States. Even with so many individual languages, however, approximately 82 percent of Americans claim English to be their native tongue and 96 percent claim to speak it well or very well. English is already the de facto official language of the United States since a majority of people speak it, and making it the official language would unify citizens and make communication between diverse ethnicities and cultures much easier and simpler. Critics of an official language claim that the United States is a melting pot and creating an official language would discredit the foundations of diversity and tolerance in America; however, in reality, making English the official language would increase the unity of all citizens, regardless of race or ethnicity. Americas image as a great nation relies in its foundation of shared beliefs and cultures. With a shared language, citizens of the United States would see the similarities of different cultures rather than only focusing on differences. A common language allows citizens to see each other as Americans instead of as their different ethnicities or races. A common language not only affects adults in America but also young children. English is spoken in nearly every business, so it is already a basic requirement for a U.S. resident to know English in order to live a successful life. Without the emphasis on English in childrens education, interacting with larger society later in life would be extremely difficult. While implementing English as the official language would create a core for learning English, it would not eradicate or discourage the education for other languages. Having a school system that highlights the importance of learning English sets up students to have future success in America. With the number of various languages present in America, would it not be simpler to have one common language among the people that everyone could understand and communicate through? From simple transactions such as buying groceries to major communications such as applying for a job, having one single language would allow society to run smoothly. People wouldnt mishear or misinterpret someone, information could be printed in one language and all citizens would have the ability to speak with one another. Already, 30 states have implemented English as the official language. With so many Americans speaking English and with the immense emphasis on English both in America and around the world, it only makes sense that English should be the official language of the United States. It is time to stop discussing different languages and to finally just accept one, English.

A Plethora of Languages Encourages Bilinguality

by Chris Jou 12
As students move forward in life, a tremendous blend of languages serenades them and reflects the impressive diversity of our country and the world. If legislation was to make English the national language, it will be a detriment to millions of immigrants and in the end will accomplish nothing. As the interconnectedness of our world prompts other countries youths to be bilingual, Americans should be more pro-active in learning other languages. While one of the main goals of the official English movement is to promote unity in the American people, it instead breeds feelings of discrimination against non-English speakers and undermines the idea of the American melting pot. Discrimination already manifests in bigoted attitudes of if you dont speak English, you shouldnt be living here. Nationalizing English would only serve to aggravate the non-English speaking population further. Immigrants and non-speakers would end up needing to learn to communicate with the rest of the U.S, in order to assimilate into American culture. Without an official language, society still provides sufficient encouragement to immigrants to learn to communicate. But, language is not only for communication. English is quickly absorbed by most immigrants and almost all second-generation citizens. Speaking as a second-generation, learning English came easily, but my Chinese skills quickly deteriorated and I regret having lost much of my previous culture. Nationalizing English will only aggravate the problem. While European countries teach their students to speak a variety of languages, it seems some Americans believe that learning other languages is unnecessary, evidenced by the fact that only half of Americans believe that learning a second language is important. Additionally, we do not emphasize the importance of foreign language classes before middle school and have miniscule language requirements. A measly nine percent of Americans are bilingual, compared with half of Europeans. Americans need to step back and see that learning languages other than English is not only important but also essential. We should seek to nurture immigrants native languages instead of impairing them. Our current language situation, with a multitude of tongues mirroring the increasingly diverse population, fuels our country. English shows no signs of potential extinction, so making English official would be a symbolic measure rather than one of action. It would only isolate and destroy peoples cultures by ultimately changing no policies.

Yes, because the majority of the people speak English. Stevie Katz 13

No, because there are so many other customs and cultures; different people from different places. Even though it was originally English, there are many more different languages all over the United States. - Michelle Siuce 12

Yes. When I go to McDonalds I can know what everyones saying. Eva Chakalakis 12

The WarriorWondering Warrior

December 1, 2011

17

-Adam Berger 13 New purse. The Barbie dream house ... -Zach Branch 13 one can dream cant he? Ti me be -Connor Welch 12 enoug cause I n ev h Would you be willing to give up a week of -Anja or a cam er have li Mit summer vacation for an extra week of tu 13 era. winter vacation? Tickle Me Elmo. -Seth Kahanov 12 ce. orld Pea W fir 13 hlia Gha Yes -Da Justin Bie 57% ber CD, ca use his voice w arms my h eart. -Carol Ha No ddad 13 A car, because what 16 year 43% old doesnt want a car? -Randi Arizona 13

Supe r hope to -Koby powers. . ent you y? ag pres Toma d wh he one re sw sson pu ys an at is t 14 Wh for holida ie, r the 2 g get fo snug agg 1 My two front teeth.

T A than -Na

70%

Ham

31% Stuffing

vs
Turkey
Eggnog 12%

30%

vs
69%

Mashed Potatoes

vsHot
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89%

37%

colate ho

*125 students surveyed

Apple Pie 55%

vs

Pumpkin 45% Pie

Collard Greens

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63% 56% Deviled Eggs

Spinach

Potato Salad

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44%

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The WarriorEntertainment
December 1, 2011

Rock n Roll Revival to Enter the 21st Century

Rock n Roll, a well-known traditional production, shakes up its set list with hit songs from more recent decades. by Sam Farrell 12
With the retirement of physical education teacher and Rock n Roll director, Eugene Orndorff, music director Bill Evans will take over this year as the shows only director. Daughter of Orndorff and former dance choreographer, Laura Orndorff, also departed last spring, making way for Afiba Edwards and Anette Kaufman, both Sherwood alumni from the Class of 1999, to take over as the new choreographers. Mr. Orndorff and I had been co-producers for 30 years, so now instead of two producers/directors there is one, said Evans. Orndorffs key job was set and stage directing, which is a position Im still hiring for. In his first year as the sole director, Evans has decided to do something memorable for both him and the cast that will shake up what has been done at Rock n Roll for the past 40 years. Evans plans to integrate songs from the 21st century into Rock n Roll 41. In the past, selections of songs came from previous decades. The past 40 years they have only used music from the 50s, 60s, 70s and 80s, said senior vocal soloist Gabby Simala. But to freshen up the show this year they are adding contemporary songs by artists like Adele and Britney Spears, which will hopefully make the show more interesting and appealing to all ages. Edwards and Kaufman will direct and design the dance routines this year and plan to choreograph an exciting new show. Senior Joey Quinn, who has danced in Rock n Roll for three years, is excited for the face lift. This year we will be working with our new dance directors, who have a lot of experience in dancing outside of Rock n Roll in shows like Cirque de Soleil From what Ive seen, they are going to shake up the show with fast paced, energetic dance moves and

CAST Bonds in the Fall Musical

On November 17-19, CAST presented the musical Children of Eden in the Ertzman Theater. The large group of players worked hard to put on the show, and had a great time doing so through bonding and friendships new and old. Junior Gai Kaufman and senior Joey Quinn carry senior Annie Sragner to Father, who is played by senior Seth Kahanov in an imitation of this scene in the play. At this point in the play, Sragners character is very old and this symbolizes her moving onto heaven when she dies.

Holly Cuozzo 12

Paul Szewczyk 12

Music teacher Bill Evans will take over this year as the primary director of Rock n Roll. a new vision for the show, said Quinn. Senior vocal soloist and dancer, Jon Burnsky, is also excited to turn the page of Rock n Roll and start with new material. This whole new look has gotten everyone involved really excited. Were all so used to playing old doo-wop songs and The Beatles and such that everyone involved is really pumped to play songs from our time era, he said. Although many are saddened by the retirement of Orndorff, they are also hopeful that Evans will change the face of Rock n Roll and direct a show that will be remembered for years to come. In life, the only constant is change, and so it is for Rock n Roll Revival, said Evans. Trying out for Rock n Roll last year was one of the best decisions Ive made in high school. Being part of the RnR tradition and performing so many cool songs with so many cool, talented people was definitely a highlight of my year, said senior soloist Matt Abrams. Now if you add the new changes coming this year to the show, I cant wait to see how it will turn out.

Holly Cuozzo 12

While in costume before the plays presentation on opening night, seniors Joey Quinn and Seth Kahanov laugh as they fool around, doing trust falls. This practice became a CAST joke over the course of rehearsals. We have to trust one another on stage to have our backs if we mess up a line or miss a cue or forget blocking, so if you can trust them saving your life off stage you can trust them saving your butt if you mess up, said Quinn. He and Kahanov have been in many school productions together over the years and are good friends as a result.

During rehearsal, juniors Gai Kaufman and Julie Moustafa, sophomore Jordan Newmark and senior Joey Quinn review the script with stage manager Katie McCallister while running through Act 1. When we didnt know the words to the song, Words of Doom, it was interesting, said Moustafa.

Holly Cuozzo 12

Holly Cuozzo 12

During rehearsals, senior Joey Quinn and juniors Julie Moustafa and Gai Kaufman joke around by posing in front of the other players. My friendships [with cast members] are amazing. I made so many great friends from all different classes. Its really important to make friends in the cast because you have to hang out with these people after school every day for two months; this also makes making friends really easy, said Kaufman.

While practicing a fight scene from the play, seniors Grace Kane and Joey Quinn, junior Connor Martin and sophomore Nick Cameron try to hold back, but cant help laughing. The environment was very hug-y [because] everyone is good pals, said Cameron. The cast members quickly developed close friendships.

Holly Cuozzo 12

The WarriorEntertainment
December 1, 2011
Who Needs It?
by Isabel Paterson 12
In a world full of technology it is inevitable to get sucked into one device or another. However, there comes a point where we must step back and decide, where we must draw the line between necessary technologies and outright useless ones. In the past we have had some gadgets that failed to be of any logical value. For one, most likely produced due to the thought that anything related to a smart phone will become a huge item, engineers decided to create a way for a consumer to talk to his/her phone and have the phone type out what he/she is saying. Although this seems fancy and cool, how is this any different than just picking up the phone and calling someone? The only difference is the insignificant step of sending a text you just said aloud. Through this, smart phones are making us more antisocial by making social interaction less necessary. Another concerning technology some may come across is the idea of a car that can park itself. But what happens when the car smashes into another car, or parks itself wrong. How hard is it for a real person to park a car along a curb? When it comes down to it though, if a person cannot describe any major differences between the two leading social networks, something has gone wrong. These creative minds working on technologies and social networking sites that barely make a difference could be better utilized; perhaps curing diseases, slowing global warming or merely improving the workplace. It is not that these technologies are completely useless; we just dont need them as much as we think.

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Battle of the Brands

by Shaan Verma 13
Social networks and mobile devices help todays teens to connect and socialize without having their friends around. The social networks that are most commonly used are Facebook, Twitter and, recently, Google+, while the phones that currently dominate the market are the Android, Blackberry and iPhone. All the social networks and phones have their ups and their downs, but the future of social media success ultimately shall be decided by popularity as opposed to functionality.

The Smartest of the Phones

V
The iPhone has been a dominator of the mobile device market since its debut in 2007, and it has since grown to accommodate more networks including Verizon and Sprint, which contributes to its continued success. The Blackberry has existed for 12 years and it has been a very strong contender in the mobile market. However, its limited entertainment value lowers it in comparison to other more popular smartphones. Android first made its release in 2008, but it did not start to gain followers until 2009 when an improved version of the operating system was released. Mobile devices today encompass a variety of features and are compact and portable for traveling, which makes them ideal for communication as well as entertainment. The iPhone has captured its audience with a wide variety of functions as well as plenty of entertainment from the App Store. After five years on the market, its number of users is said to be over 146 million. Android has gradually gained much strength over time and continues to grow yearly because it offers the same practical functions, but compressed them into a single Google account for all applications, whereas Apple has different accounts for different uses. However, the number of Android and iPhone devices is nearly equal and so the battle continues to rage.

Cartoon by Andi Hopkins 14

Showdown of the Social Networks

Facebook has been a social giant since it was founded in 2006 and continues to dominate the social media market. Twitter was founded in 2006 and created a new way to share recent occurrences in a persons life with its personalized blogging features. Google+ is the newest social network, made public in August and catered to a users interests. Facebook revolutionized the social media world by producing a social experience that did not rely on actual social interaction. This, and the fact that there were so many options available to users, captured the technology worlds attention. Twitter instead focused on the users life and experiences by allowing for a more personal micro-blogging experience. Google+ took an entirely different path to create a way to organize users interests and then share those interests with other like-mined users, which customized the experience to the user. These innovations earned Google+ 18 million users in its first four weeks, which may lead to it being a powerful social network in the future.

Multitude of Sequels Saddens Gamers

by Alex Porter 13
With this years video game release season in full effect, the fall season is a good time for gamers. Major releases have been occurring regularly since September, highlighted by the best-selling Call of Duty series newest entry, Modern Warfare 3, in November. Players are excited for new games, but are less enthusiastic about the industry being dominated by sequels. I scream like a little girl when I drive up to Game Stop and see that the game I preordered came in time, said junior Chris Delmar, an avid game player since the age of four. Delmar is thrilled to see new games come out every year. [My friends and I] always debate on which game will be the most nominated [for an award]. Playing a new game is like reading a new book. The story evolves as the gameplay progresses, noted senior Timothy Spillman. Although he and other gamers admit to getting caught up in the hype around a new game, some have felt a lack of passion for their hobby recently. Freshman Ankur Kayastha, for example, has changed his playing habits recently. I used to be extremely excited, thinking about the game at school, and turning on the console as soon as I [return] home, he said. Now, his interest rarely lasts longer than a month or two, especially with bigname sequels like the massive Call of Duty series. [Call of Duty] becomes extremely repetitive and boring as time goes on, he added. Delmar, despite his enthusiasm, has also felt a decline in his excitement, which he attributes to a lack of innovation in games recently. Its sad seeing all of the same games come out over and over again. Hopefully one day, some good games will get some publicity and then can shine in the light for a while. Junior Griffin Alcorn now buys most of his games well after their initial debuts. I usually wait to get games until the price goes down to $20 or $30 [from the initial cost of $60], Alcorn said. He also feels that he is less caught up in the anticipation for a new game. Unless it is a long awaited favorite, Alcorn [doesnt] pay attention to the news about the game at all. Despite the lack of fervor for this years titles, midnight release events are still cherished by gamers. It is really fun to be around the atmosphere, Spillman said. Delmar fondly recalls the midnight launch of Guitar Hero III in 2008. I was playing Guitar Hero II with some of the store owners. I had a really great time. Alcorn also sees the appeal of these events, but only for special games. I can understand doing that for something like Halo 3, where its the end of the series and everyone has been waiting for years to play it, but an ordinary game like Call of Duty [which comes out yearly] is pretty pointless. Stores and game makers often have special in-game content or tangible bonuses available exclusively to dayone buyers. But skipping school to buy a new game is just plain stupid said Kayastha. People can wait a day to get the game; its not a dire situation. Delmar disagrees and has missed school to buy a game the day it came out. Just make sure when you fake sick to not have any tests on the same day, he said. That I learned the hard way.

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The WarriorEntertainment
December 1, 2011

The Muppets Offers Felt-Filled Fun

by Jack Silliman 13
Going into the theater I dreaded seeing The Muppets Movie. I thought it would be awful, its a kids movie, and its audience is not teenagers. I even thought I might have to leave early. However, ten minutes into the movie I was laughing with everyone else. The movie focuses on Walter (Peter Linz) and Gary (Jason Segel), who are brothers. Walter and Gary are the worlds biggest Muppets fans and Walter just happens to be a Muppet himself. Gary, Walter and Garys girlfriend, Mary (Amy Adams), travel together to Los Angeles to visit the Muppet Studios. While on a tour Walter finds out about Tex Richmans (Chris Cooper) plan to demolish Muppet studios and drill for oil. However, there is a catch: if they can raise $10 million by the time The Muppets contract is up they can buy back the studio. In hopes of raising the money, Mary, Gary and Walter take to the streets of Bel Air to find Kermit the Frog (Steve Whitmire). They convince Kermit to help them and in a 1980s montage, they get the old gang back together. The group then travels by map to Paris in order to find Miss Piggy (Eric Jacobson). After running through their re-creation of The Devil Wears Prada, the group fails to get Miss Piggy on board due to her breakup with Kermit, which drives a wedge between Miss Piggy and the group. The group returns to Los Angeles to pitch the idea for a Muppets Telethon Special to raise the $10 million needed to save The Muppets Studios. In the end, as we all could predict, The Muppets get their studio back. At each turn there is a new joke and a new character to present it. Even though I thought it would be tough to watch as a teenager, it was fantastic. It had enough jokes that were funny to adults to keep me entertained as well as cameo by celebrities like John Krasinski, Selena Gomez and Sarah Silverman. The only problem is Segel who is normally tolerable in shows like How I Met Your Mother and Freaks and Geeks, but in The Muppets he sings. I cringed at every sound that came out of his mouth. It was so unbelievably terrible and on top of it all during the dance numbers you realize that he has two left feet. The audience can probably get over the horror of his character because he is not relevant after first couple of scenes. T h i s shouldnt ruin the movie since they all have smaller parts. Plus if you go to this movie, youre not going for Gary, Mary and Walter but to see Kermit, Fozzie Bear, Miss Piggy and all the rest of the original Muppets. If you want to hear some bad jokes that end in waka waka and a screen full of felt then the movie is well worth it.

Breaking Dawn Part 1

by Sydney Morrison 13
The newest film of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn- Part 1, was finally released about two weeks ago on Friday, November 18. The film made $139.5 million during its opening weekend and $30.3 million within the opening day. With some highly anticipated scenes like Edward and Bellas honeymoon and the birth of their daughter, opinions about the extremely popular film will vary.

More Mania than Movie

by Isabel Paterson 12
As soon as the The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn: Part 1 begins, fan-girls have reason to scream or swoon. Jacob Black, played by the ab-ridden Taylor Lautner, rips off his shirt in the pouring rain and transforms into a wet dog; a poorly animated wet dog. Although most of the fans of Breaking Dawn overlook special effects, lighting, plot and even acting, the film series is going to have to step up its game the next go-around to be taken seriously by film critics and aficionados. Not to side with Team Edward but at least the Cullen family knows how to act. In one section of the movie, Jacob has a serious talk with Leah Clearwater, a fellow wolf and confidante of his who is played by Julia Jones. However, instead of coming off as meaningful, Leahs suggestions regarding Jacobs troubles over Bella come across as poor acting and cheesy lines. Another thing, and this still does not mean Team Edward is better, but what is with the completely unnatural animat-

A Heart Pounding Love Story

by Katie Nolan 12
As the saga began to draw to a close, hundreds of teenage girls lined up on opening night, Novermber 18, to see the latest film in the Twilight series. The expectations of many, myself included, were exceeded by the films depiction of the novel series thrilling love story. Rather than waste time refreshing the audiences memory of what had happened in the previous film The Twilight Saga: Eclipse, the new film picks right back up where it left off. It is rare for a movie to blend an imaginary world and reality so well, but the latest movie, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 does so. Director Bill Condon does a flawless job of intertwining events like the wedding ceremony and the honeymoon with scenes highlighting the tensions between vampires and werewolves. Breaking Dawn is a replica of the story that captures every event and emotion perfectly. Looking as enchanting as promised in movie trailers, the much-anticipated wedding scene made every girl in the theater crave a fairytale romance complete with a mysterious vampire who had the looks equivalent to those of Edward, played by Robert Pattinson. More importantly, however, is the scene that follows the wedding, the scandalous honeymoon. Bella, played by Kristen Stewart, and Edward portray the build-up and sexual tension perfectly without being too racy. Vampire love, however, comes at a price, and tragedy strikes the beautiful newlyweds, when a dangerous pregnancy is revealed. It melts the hearts of female fans to see Edward kneel at his wifes side as she suffers the effectsones that show Bella in a less attractive lightof giving birth to a vampire. As the story goes on, the popular werewolf heartthrob, played by Taylor Lautner, is reintroduced, once again causing every girl in the theater to swoon. Despite doubts that the film could not recreate the magic of the novel, Breaking Down depicts each scene as readers have imagined in their heads and recreates the forbidden love story on screen.

ed wolves and their oddly confusing voiceovers? In the book, it is clear that the werewolves can talk to each other telepathically, but the special effects in the film just look like a silly attempt at an animated puppet show. As for the main attraction, Bella and Edward, computer animation alarmed all of the bloodsqueamish people in the audience, expecially when the newest Cullen was born. The CSI-like microscopic view of Bellas insides seems a little out of place and disconnected from the overall feel of the movie, though the effects done on the newly-named Ms. Cullen were impressive. But then there is how sick Bella looks. Of course, she does have a vampire sucking her blood from the inside, but the effect on the already-skinny Kristen Stewart makes it uncomfortable having to look at her. Because the animation of the Cullens, even the creepy-eyed cousins, is more impressive than that of the werewolves, it seems as though they won, but in the grand scheme of things, Team Jacob was vastly overlooked.

by Sydney Morrison 13

Breaking Dawn Offers Baby Bumps, Blood and Bad Acting

Cullen, Breaking Dawn is just painful to watch. The first half of the film was a drawnout, uncomfortable, melodramatic sex scene between the newlyweds, paired with an apparently important montage of them playing chess. The second hour was centered around a vomit-inducing image of Bellas deteriorating self. Not to mention the pointless, and numerous, camera flashes to minor characters blank facial expressions throughout the entire film. No need to give them lines, just show their faces. The major issue is the unfortunate application of special effects. The five-minute scene of snarling computer generated werewolves who communicate through their minds is horrendously done. And dear lord, who knew animation could make humans look so bad? Is Bella supposed to look like shes suffering from the Bubonic Plague? Or was Kristen Stewart forced into anorexia beforehand in order to look that disgustingly ill? At least her two giant front rabbit teeth distract from her grotesque image whenever she speaks, or stutters. And

With the plot line of a best-selling book series by Stephanie Meyer and the rabid support of an enormous fan base,The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part 1 should have been the epic fourth installment to the Twilight series. Instead, it was an extremely horribleand at some parts nauseatingepic fail of a movie. Between the infamous stutter of the clumsy protagonist, 18-year-old Bella Swan, and her marriage to the 107-year-old Edward

when her fathers pedophile-esque mustache is done infiltrating the screen, there is just enough time left for Bella to give birth to her half vampire monster child. Now isnt that a pleasant scene, watching Edward rip open Bellas stomach with his fangs. Making the film even worse is the terribly predictable clich of an ending when Bellas new blood red vampire eyes pop open and the screen goes black. Needless to say, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn- Part 1 is hardly worth the wait.

The WarriorSports
December 1, 2011

21

Back To Basketball: The Big Three Return

The senior trio of Rogers, McCants and Bolen look to improve upon their 2010-11 campaign and assert Sherwoods dominance in the 4A North.
by Andrew Wasik 13
The big three, three players that can completely influence a basketball team and control the floor. Miami has three, Boston has three and now, Sherwood has three. Seniors Scott Bolen, Jourdain McCants and Charlie Rogers are the Warriors three returning leading scorers from last season but the question this season is how they will match up against arch rival Magruders own big three and the always stellar Springbrook. In Magruders case, last year the teams split the season series 1-1 but Magruders leading scorer, senior Garland Owens, is back. Springbrook beat the injury-stricken Warriors in the playoffs last year by a score of 69-55 But this year Springbrook will be playing without Enario Jones, the second leading scorer in the county last year. We are back this year more prepared to take on all these teams. I feel that we are going to have a great season, said Bolen. The Warriors have been putting in a lot of work over the offseason to be more prepared for the coming season. I feel were going to do really well this year. Scott, Charlie and I have been working extremely hard this offseason working out and going to tournaments to face the best talent all over the country, said McCants. As a team weve improved immensely, mostly due to our great work ethic and team chemistry, added Rogers. After a 13-12 season last year after forfeiting the first five wins due to an ineligible player, Sherwood is now considered one of the elite teams in the county along with Magruder, Springbrook and Churchill. I believe its a disadvantage to our team because teams are going to give their best now. We will have to practice hard to give our best, said Rogers. Were going to have to put in a lot of work but I think well ultimately be able to handle these teams. Quite possibly the biggest match-up of the season will be Sherwood versus rival Magruder when it will be the battle of the big threes. Returning Colonels Nick Griffin, Garland Owens and J.J. Epps, form the big three for Magruder who are looking to have another excellent season this year after losing in last years state semifinals. With the loss of graduated players from last year like center Archadius Rudasingwa and forward Eric Reynolds, Sherwood will have some holes to fill in the paint. Sherwood has added Ryan Baily, a junior transfer from St. Johns, and juniors Brandon Loiacano and Joey DeStefeno, who together led scoring on the JV team and have the chance to possibly start this year. Ill do the best that I can possibly do to contribute to the

Paul Szewczyk 12

From left, seniors Charlie Rogers, Jourdain McCants and Scott Bolen pose for their admirers during practice. The big three are excited to be back preparing for the upcoming season. team, said DeStefeno. But at its core the team from last year has returned better than ever. We are going to miss some of our talent from last year but ultimately I think the team this year has improved immensely. Bolen said. I think our new additions to the team will be able to fill the void left by last years seniors. Going into this season the Warriors have changed statewide divisions from 4A West to 4A North. It puts us at a disadvantage in the playoffs because we havent gotten the chance to see the new teams [from the Baltimore area] we will be playing [in the early rounds of the playoffs], said Rogers. The Warriors first game is against Seneca Valley on December 6, while huge games loom against Magruder December 16 and February 17 and Springbrook January 10 and January 30. It is an intense rivalry with Magruder, and I look forward to those games, said Bolen. McCants added, We hate Magruder.

Diving into a White Winter

by Steffi Carrera 14
I really like diving. Its very exciting for me. I can zone out when I dive, which is probably one of the reasons I like it the most When diving, I dont think about anything outside of what Im doing at that moment, which is kind of cool. Sophomore varsity dive captain Summer White started her diving career at age four. Since then, she has not only achieved many individual accomplishments, but has also helped others improve. Her parents signed her up for Water Babies, a program that teaches babies basic swimming skills, when she was six months old. This enabled White to feel a sense of comfort in the water. She proceeded to join the pre-team at her neighborhood pool, Tanterra, where she learned to swim along with other toddlers. I liked it from the beginning, remembered White. As soon as I knew how to swim my way to the wall, I started hobbies. I enjoyed it, but I didnt want it to be a Metros. Of all the awards she has won, White was most honored by the Vanguard Award she received in 2003. This prestigious award, given to her by Tanterra pool, is only for those who have great character. White was eight Sophmore Summer White takes a dive during practice. big part of my said White. diving. Diving was not Whites sole focus after she started. She tried cheerleading, gymnastics, ballet and hip-hop before reaching the age of 10. However, she chose not to pursue these activities because she felt they were life, years old when she received an award usually handed to graduating seniors. Summer is a great leader, and she helps out. Even last year as a freshman she was helping out a lot with the instruction to help other divers improve. The county doesnt pay for individual diving coaches at high schools so at our high school practices we have to rely on our divers helping each other out. She does a great job helping all the other divers improve and [showing them] how to do more difficult dives, stated Lees. White feels she is better at coaching diving than diving herself. She can identify what she might be doing wrong, understand how to fix it, but not quite be able to do so on the first try. Its very frustrating, she said. After practicing a move enough times, however, she is able to master it. I think a lot of people dont understand [diving] and dont give it a lot of credit, said White, The sport isnt about the biggest splash or whether you can do it or not. Its how well it gets done Theres a lot more that goes into it than people think.

Swim and Dive coach Brendan Lees described White as very positive, hardworking and vocal. He believes White is a great team member because of all the help and support she provides to others. Her talent scores many points at their meets. White placed 14th last year at

The WarriorSports
22
December 1, 2011

Volleyball State Champions Sound Familiar?

by Hope Gouterman 13
with Sherwood fans, enthusiastic cheering filled the coliseum. The Sherwood varsity girls When Holston had a kill, Warrior volleyball team is officially unfans clamped their hands together beatable. The team capped off to form a gator, the mascot of the an undefeated 19-0 season by University of Florida. defeating Arundel High School It was awesome. The atmo(25-21, 25-19, 25-19) in the 4A sphere is insane to be out there on State Championship at Ritchie that court with everybody rooting Coliseum on November 19. The for you. You feel empowered and team remarkably has claimed all you want to do is win for yourconsecutive state championships self and for all those people who while going undefeated in are there for you, said both seasons. The atmosphere is insane ... You West. With incredible perThe girls have proved formances by both starters feel empowered and all you want once again that they are and substitutes, coach Brian to do is win for yourself and for the best in the state of McCarty had no problem all those people who are there for Maryland and likely the setting up a line to compete entire D.C. metropolitan both offensively and defen- you. area. Ranked No. 1 by sively. The girls were able -Senior Sydney West the Washington Post for to maintain control over the majority of the seathe match against the Wildson, the team proved that cats while consistently remaining quarterbacking the offense and they had the mettle to deliver on composed in the pressure-filled setting up they attackers. Sydney the immense expectations placed moments. West and Melody Young were upon them. Sometimes the very Junior Alex Holston, who flying all over the court to make best team does win it all. For the is committed to play volleyball digs defensively. Dominique Lady Warriors, they have proved at the University of Florida, led Parker and Makayla Roy did a it twice. the team with 36 attacks and 14 great job blocking at the net. And Championships arent built kills. Following close behind was the substitutes gave us tremen- in one night. Were really happy senior Megan Hewitt with 31 atdous energy all game long. it ended like this, but it started tacks and 11 kills. As far as ball With the stands packed August 13, said McCarty. handling, junior Maddie Moyer led with 32 assists. On the defensive side, senior Sydney West led the team with 12 digs. I think outstanding contributions were made by all, said McCarty. We played and won the game as a team. Alex Holston, Megan Hewitt and Morgan McAlpin led the way in terms of our attacking at the net. Maddie Moyer did a fantastic job

Jacob Bogage 12

The repeat state champion volleyball team celebrates their second win in two years with their trophy after winning three consecutive sets to take the state title.

All 4A North Stats and Standings Last Updated: December 1 Girls Soccer football
Covered by Jessica Carrera 13 Record: 8-4
Girls varsity soccer played their first playoff game against Westminster on October 27. After double overtime, the team suffered a crushing defeat in penalty kicks, 4-3. They ended their season with an 8-4 record. Our season this year was better than last year not only because we won more games, but because we had a great group of dedicated girls. It was a shame that we lost our playoff game, but the score did not reflect how hard we played and how much we improved from last season, said junior defender Amanda Pustis.

fall sports roundup

Covered by Michael Natelli 14

Record: 6-4

The Warrior football team finished the 2011 season with a 6-4 record in what was a tale of two seasons. The defense was generally solid, but the offense lacked experience and chemistry, leading to many broken plays. The season ended on a sour note, as the Warriors suffered a defeat in the cold to a very good Churchill team by a score of 14-9. The season contained its ups and downs, namely a great win against Damascus for the first time in a decade, and a quarterback change with two games remaining.

field hockey
Covered by Brendan Cudd 14 Record: 10-4
The girls field hockey team ended their 2011 season with a 10-4 record. In the MPSSAA Regional Tournament, Sherwood played Whitman and Springbrook. Against Whitman in the quarterfinals the Warriors played hard to win 2-1 in overtime. The team lost against Springbrook in the semifinals, but they kept their heads up and will start getting ready for next season. The team improved, going from a record last year of 7-7 to 10-4 this year. By the end of the season, the players worked extremely well together. They could make passes to an open space on the field knowing that their teammates will be there for them. They communicated well with each other on the field They knew where their teammates would pass the ball and anticipated the passes, said coach Amy Morse.

Golf

This Day in Sports

December 1
1891- Dr. James Naismith (above) creates the game of basketball. 1967- Wilt Chamberlain misses an NBA record 22 free throws.

Covered by Joe Lavoie 14

Record: 12-6

The Warriors golf team ended the 2011 season with a 12-6 record while averaging 232 strokes per match. In the MCPS District Championship, Sherwood shot a team total of 376. Seniors Tommy Nakamura and Griffin Paquin led the charge, finishing 32nd and 58th in the Championship, respectively. I was really proud of our guys at Sherwood this year and had a great group, said coach Chad Beswick. [Our seniors] will be missed on the course and off the course. Tommy Nakamura is a great leader and we wish him the best in his future golf endeavors. I look forward to next season and working with our returning players.

boys soccer
Covered by Taylor Fernandes 14 Record: 4-7
After the boys soccer team fought their way through the regular season to earn a 6-8 record, their season abruptly ended in the first round of the playoffs. In their game against Perry Hall, they lost 1-0. We were all ... disappointed to go out early in the playoffs ... because we had improved so much [during the season], said coach Hector Morales. The team started off the season with high expectations, but quickly found themselves with a record of 2-6, their only wins coming against Marriots Ridge and Rockville. After a win at Magruder, the boys lost two games but then won three straight. I think the boys improved tremendously from August to our final match. They worked extremely hard every session and match, and were able to compete with any team in the area, said Morales.

tennis
Covered by Jamie Langbein 13 Record: 6-6
The Lady Warriors finished their regular season with a 6-6 record. To end the season, the Warriors competed in the county tournaments, in which a few members from each individual team compete against another schools select team members, and the winner advances. In the county tournaments, freshman Kaitlyn Heo did exceedingly well, placing 4th for girls singles. All of the girls won their first round of matches, but were knocked out in succeeding games. The girls put hard work into all of their matches and fought hard, as is the true Warrior spirit. This season, even though we lost a ton, was an excellent season because everybody bonded together, and we all had great times together, laughing and talking. Playing on the Sherwood team was lots of fun, and Im really going to miss all the seniors, said Heo.

cross country
Covered by Melissa Fajardo 13

Record: 2-8

The boys and girls teams qualified for the MPSSAA State Championships by placing second in their respective races in the MPSSAA 4A North Cross Country Championship on November 3. The girls scored 59 points to first place Dulaneys 40 and the boys scored 47 points to Dulaneys 35. The cross country season ended with the Maryland State Championships on November 12. The boys placed 8th out of 24 teams and the girls placed 11th of 21 teams. Junior Dustin Kang led the boys and placed 25th and sophomore Grace McDonald led the girls and placed 18th. Watching our juniors and seniors dedicate themselves to a great season in the memory of Alex Popeck and proving that dedication works were the highlights of this season, recalled coach Dan Reeks.

The WarriorSports
December 1, 2011

23

All For Run And Run for All

Accelerating Ethiopans
by Brett Melnick 12

Brett Melnick 12

Michael Natelli 14

Senior Casey Anderson leads the pack during track practice. Many students find a haven in running sports because they are a change of pace to traditional team sports. by Melissa Fajardo 13
Cross country is the second largest sport at Sherwood after the swim and dive team, which has the largest membership with 85 students. There are a total of 68 cross country runners, 46 boys and 22 girls. Many students may fail to recognize that for a handful of their peers, running is yearlong; cross country takes up in the fall, indoor track is during the winter and track and field in the spring. These three teams are often in the shadows of team sports that attract large crowds like football or basketball partially because of their popularity on the professional level. Cross country is unlike most team sports in the sense that all the runners participate when they are entered in a meet. Football, soccer, baseball, lacrosse and basketball have a handful of players on the field or the court at a given time, but not the entire team. Cross country could be viewed as an individualistic sport as runners strive to beat their own time, but it is also a team effort because the team with the lowest total time wins. Over the past three years, the cross country roster has begun with an average of over 80 boys and girls at the beginning of the season. As the season progresses, the number decreases for reasons such as injury or the sheer difficulty of the sport. Those who try out for cross country make one of two choices: either decide they cant put up with it because cross country training is very challenging and difficult or the new participants decide to stay because they want to meet the challenge, explained cross country Coach Dan Reeks. Some runners join the team freshman year and others, like senior Matt Stitzlein, join later in their high school career. Stitzlein played JV football as a freshman and quit the following year. I quit because I didnt think I had the right stature and it served me a disadvantage. So I turned to running instead, recalled Stitzlein. He started running as a junior and began to realize that it was an activity he enjoyed and at the same time was something he was rather good at. Stitzlein is now a team captain as well as one of their top runners and placed 5th in the Great American Festival 5000 meter race on October 1 in Cary, NC. Junior Vik Siberry is a runner that joined the team as a freshman and is one of the few that continue to run indoor track in the winter and then track in the spring. I dont really know why I run all year. I guess its just because I like the competitive feeling and I have way too much energy when I dont run, said Siberry. Siberry and Stitzlein have played sports prior to their cross country career and both agree that XC is a sport that is very physically taxing and requires a lot more willpower than most others. The race is a moving chess game. An individual or a team makes a move; you and your teammates have to cover it as youre running as fast as you can for 3.1 miles. Those who join have to be willing to accept physical and psychological challenges. Your self-image will improve and your confidence in your abilities will improve, said Reeks.

While they may be slightlooking in physical stature and are unassuming in their personalities, juniors Dereje Alemu and Robel Kebede, two ESOL students at Sherwood, are more than meets the eye. They are two of the fastest runners at Sherwood, and have only been living in the United States for three years. Born on opposite sides of Ethiopia, Alemu and Kebede have been friends ever since they met in 9th grade through Sherwoods ESOL program. Before coming to this country, neither knew English very well. I knew no English when I came here. [The ESOL program] has really helped me learn, said Kebede. Alemu and Kebedes friendship has only grown stronger over the years, sharing a love for track and cross country. This love for running came from the inspiration of Sherwood graduate, Solomon Haile (09). Haile, a former high school national cross country champion, also came to Sherwood from Ethiopia and was in the ESOL program. Solomon really inspired me to run. I remember being in P.E. class, Solomon and some other kids told me I was fast and kept trying to [recruit] me to run, said Alemu. Haile now runs for University of Arkansas and checks in with Alemu occasionally. While the ESOL program at Sherwood provides the education experience that Amelu and Kebede need in order to excel, there is one downside. They have to take a 30 to 40 minute bus ride every morning just to get to school while their home school, Paint Branch, is only five minutes away from their homes. Also, after cross-country and track practice, they take a metro bus back to their house. Regardless, Alemu and Kebede have both shown a great fondness for Sherwood and have already decided to stay here after completing the ESOL program. I want to stay. I really dont want to leave my cross-country team and all my friends here, said Alemu.

So Much For Tradition

Just Another Case of Money Ruining Sports
by Joe Lavoie 14
Is Division I football bound to just become one big conference of 119 schools with the latest NCAA conference realignments? It sure seems so. There are currently 12 conferences with numbers of members ranging from four to 13. The conference with the most teams isnt even one of the big six conferences in the NCAA. No, that honor is held by the MidAmerican conference (MAC). The big six conferences in the Bowl Championship Series (BCS) are the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC), the Big East, the Big 12, the Big 10, the Pacific 12 Conference (PAC 12) and the Southeastern Conference (SEC). All these conferences have storied histories, major rivalries and traditions amongst their colleges, but the recent realignment is ruining these conferences legacies. And for what? Money, of course. Most BCS conferences have their own television networks, as well as lucrative television deals with major networks. These deals are worth tens of millions of dollars per year and a school potentially can make more money in the SEC than in the Big East, for example. Those television networks, such as the Big Ten Network, feed universities money based on the games and information that they make available to the public. There used to be rivalries such as Texas vs. Texas A&M, but now due to Texas A&Ms departure from the Big 12, this rivalry will not be able to continue because of the competitive SEC schedule where every week is already a primetime matchup. Another huge rivalry that recently ended is Oklahoma vs. Nebraska. For decades, these universities met annually, with some of the games essentially deciding who played for the National Championship. But now, Nebraska has fled The Big 12 (which now has ten teams) for the Big Ten (which now has 12 teams). When Syracuse University, the University of Pittsburgh and West Virginia University depart from the Big East, it will cost these colleges five million dollars and they will have to wait four years to be allowed to leave the conference. These universities will lose money in the present but will gain all that money back, and more, after their change in conferences make it worthwhile from an economics standpoint. The Big East will lose three of their original eight members. This news caused the Big East to invite six less athletically talented colleges to join their conference: the United States Naval Academy, Boise State University, the University of Central Florida, the University of Houston, the Air Force Academy and Southern Methodist University. This is a great opportunity for all these schools to join a BCS conference, but what happens to all the rivalries that they will have to leave back in their old conferences? Could this be the end of the Commander and Chief trophy? With Air Force and Navy joining the Big East, what will happen to Army? It would be absolutely depressing to see the Army-Navy and Army-Air Force rivalries come to an end after all these years of exciting contests. Clearly all this movement of teams from one conference to another hurts what was left of the amazing tradition in college football. This world may revolve around money, but in order to make that money there are costs. It is a shame that colleges have sacrificed a century of tradition in the greedy pursuit to make a buck. So much for tradition

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The WarriorSports
December 1, 2011

tHE

Fee or Free
by Cal Wilson 14

O c

sPORTS SportS Funding proveS

to be Hot button iSSue
by Jacob Bogage 12

TOF sHERWOOD S
In the Red...
The Warrior looks at how funding affects athletic performance.
ingly large, the numbers at Sherwood correspond with other schools around the county and between costly field repairs and equipment, uniform and other costs, the Sherwood athletic department cannot buy everything on its wish list. Thats where the How do clubs compare to Warrior club steps in. athletics winners and losers? Club president Tony Ryan offers the Below is the amount of money softball teams new batting cages as an example of the clubs fundraising process. Sherwood spent on athletics Coaches approached Athletic Director winners and losers last Kathy Green with a $1,700 proposal for fiscal year and how much the the facilities that was not budgeted for, so winning clubs spent over the offer was kicked to the Warrior Club the same period of time. which passed the proposal in October. $1,700 is not a small number, but it Winner Loser Club fits. It fits in our $40,000 budget, Ryan said. Thats a pretty average number for Football: Golf: Drama: us. $35,483 $509 $7,664 As Caruso Memorial Field undergoes renovations over the summer, the club is Baseball: Boys SGA: also contemplating funding renovations Tennis: $7,411 $8,422 of its own. What well do in the spring is $514 take a look at what that plan is and what it will address, and then we may do a little Field Swim & Key brainstorming to see what kind of things we Club: could do at the same time, cost-effectively, Hockey: Dive: $8,320 $557 he added. $2,558 The Warrior Club acts as the departGreen ments top fundraising partner since high Wrestling: Girls school sports cannot sustain Sherwoods $6,526 Tennis: Team: budget the way ticket sales and TV rev$2,434 $671 enue do for UMD. Poor game attendance and a lack of booster support eventually did in the Terps athletic finances, something avoidable at Sherwood with the Warrior Clubs aid.

Fee rarely covers cost for sports.

uring the 2008-09 school year, MCPS responded to parents fervent criticism and the threat of lawsuits by clarifying its rules for student fees. As a result of the uproar, MCPS more forcibly mandated that students could not be charged for books or materials related to the instructional day because it would be in violation of Marylands system of free public schools. However, MCPS determined that extracurricular activities, including sports, are outside of the academic school days and thus are not guaranteed as free.
All middle and high school students who voluntarily participate in sports or clubs must pay the Extra Curricular Activity fee (ECA fee) of $30. Students may be eligible to pay a reduced fee of $15 if their families income is less than $35,000. However, as any high school athlete can attest, sports equipment adds up to more than $30 and athletes regularly must purchase equipment necessary for their sport out-of-pocket. For instance, a student on the cross country team will need to purchase a pair of training shoes (known as flats), a pair of running shoes, a technical t-shirt, sweat/warm up suit (if the student does not already own such clothing) and a uniform. The cost of flats range anywhere from $65 to $100, running shoes cost about $25, a technical t-shirt and sweat/warm up suit cost $50 together, and a boys uniform costs $37 while a girls costs $57. That is a total of $177 to $232, respectively, that a student, or the students parents, must pay out of pocket to participate in cross country. If a student cannot purchase the necessary equipment for any reason, many coaches have hand-me-down articles of clothing and equipment that a student may borrow for the season. Some of the recently graduated athletes have contributed their equipment back to the program ... We try to pass that equipment on to those who need it. Sometimes parents have helped purchase spikes for student-athletes who needed them, said cross country coach Dan Reeks. We also have parts of unclaimed warm ups and sweats, as well as good, unclaimed t-shirts athletes have left behind after meets or practices we let the team members use.

sports, 1 team. That used to be the mantra of University of Maryland (UMD) athletics. But after Athletic Director Kevin Anderson cut two sports in the last two years and University President Wallace Loh pledged to cut eight more on November 21 to counter a $4.7 million budget deficit, the 1 team attitude is not looking too good. Though Sherwood has not run into athletic financial woes (in fact the athletic department was $57,000 in the black after last fiscal year), the cost of athletics at the Sandy Spring school has long been a hot topic. A winner of five team state championships and dozens of individual titles in the last four years, Sherwood spent more than $218,000 on athletics last year alone, around 30 percent of the schools $739,000 Independent Activity budget. To ease the cost on the athletic department, it also receives approximately $40,000 in funds from the Warrior Club, Sherwoods athletic booster club, as well as another $38,000 from MCPS. Where this money should go, however, is a constant subject of debate. Last year $35,000 of it went to the football program, the largest single expenditure listed in the athletics budget. The next highest was field preparation costing just over $34,000, much of it going to repair the grass on Caruso Memorial Field, including $17,000, almost half of the Warrior Clubs $40,000 donation. Though the athletics budget is seem-

27

Winners and Losers

Victory is Priceless

Warrior lacrosse stick Head: $100 Shaft:$60

ow much do student athletes have to pay for their own gear? Lets find out.

Pay To Play

Riddell football helmet: $139 Football players often elect to purchase their own equipment. I bought my own helmet because Id rather play with a safer, more comfortable alternative.
-Senior Eric Williams

A lucrative athletic department does not necessarily guarantee success. Below are the MCPS athletic allocations to select schools and their respective fall records.
* Schools are allocated money based on their ability to raise funds themselves and based upon the needs of the schools athletic program and the surrounding community.

Athletes also must pay for non-school sponsored teams in the offseason. In a typical year I probably spend $500 to $700 on lacrosse, but last summer I paid $1,200 for a club team. -Senior Matt Cromwell Adidas soccer goalie gloves: $50
Warrior lacrosse shorts: $56

SChool Share

Record

Wheaton $80,000

3-45-2

Riddell shoulder pads: $118

Einstein

$76,000 13-35-2

Adidas soccer shin guards: $20

Rockville

$73,000 22-38-1

Nike metal baseball cleats: $89

Magruder $62,000 28-41-3 Sherwood $38,000 47-20

compiled by Sydney Morrison 13