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MAIN THINGSthe

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Editors in ChiefAndrew Dilworth

Jordan Sharpe

Managing EditorLindsey Bush

News EditorMelissa Lin

Features EditorsAnurag Bhatnagar

Kevin Poon

Commentary EditorsAnnelise Jensen

Allie Sawyer

Entertainment EditorZafar Shaw

Sports EditorKevin Dowd

Copy EditorsBrian BerenbaumAditya Bhatnagar

Business ManagersEmily Buzzard

Emily Stone

Art Directors Jake FulmerDan Webster

Staff WritersChip Barker

Abraham HassanSteven Kendall

Samantha LernerMakeda MartinKyle MoodheMatt Reihing

Emily RobinsonEmily Taylor

Boa ThaiAneela WadanAlex Woodill

AdviserLauren Millette

The Rebel Roar is published as a public forum of student expression. Letters to the Editor are encouraged. Only signed letters are considered for publication. The editors reserve the right to edit all material in the interest of clarity and space. Opinions expressed do not necessarily represent those of the staff or school administration. The staff writes unsigned editorials

on a majority basis. The Rebel Roar accepts all advertisements deemed appropriate for a public forum meant for young adults and are subject to the discretion of the editors. Students are encouraged to take an active voice in the student publication. Questions, comments, and letters can be e-mailed to FHSRebelRoar@gmail.com.

Staff09-10

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- - Virginia High School League First Place in Newsmagazines 2008-2009 - -

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Decisions, Decisions Is there really a difference in AP and regular classes? Workload, pace, and course

material can make that final decision as to what level class you sign up for. Take a

look at the AP/Pre-AP, and Honors breakdown in our middle spread that will help

you make the decision for your schedule next year.

The boys swim and dive team made waves this year, finishing third at states, led by seniors, Joey Kelly, Jake Baumgardner, Patrick John-son, and junior Travis Lau-ri.

Sophomore Haley Reynolds struts her style in the halls of FHS; her outfits are partially inspired by the famous pop singer. Lady Gaga.

Junior Kristina Hurd rep-resents FHS in her excellent efforts to promote peace in the high school environment. She was recently awarded the NOVA Peace Award for her outstanding work in peer me-diation.

As the temperature rises, so does the anticipation of wearing shorts and flip-flops again. See our spring fashion preview to get an inside look some of the hottest trends for the spring and summer.

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The annual FHS art show, which took place on March 23 showcased pieces of art created by students in all art classes. Take a look at some of the most creative works of art featured in the show.

The public school system in Utah recently proposed to cut 12th grade in order to fix their budget.

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letter from the editorsSpring break is upon us, Rebels, and we are celebrating with our newest edition of the Rebel Roar. As

the third quarter ends, so does the patience of students and faculty alike, who have been anticipat-ing the next (planned) respite from work.

This month we have a special, four-page series dedicated to the differences between regular and AP classes and the reasons that these decisions may be difficult. You can find some specifics on each AP class in the science department as well as the reasons behind the difficulty of AP World History. We discuss all four core subjects, the AVID program, and online classes.

We cover the success of the Science Olympiad team in News, along with an introduction to our new-est administrator, Mr. Terrell, and an overview of a trip to France over spring break for select French students.

The Emily-Over, this month featuring sophomore Laramie Hoagland, returns in Entertainment along-side a report on spring fashion and an introduction to the FHS a capella group. Emily Buzzard brings you her newest edition of The Buzz, discussing Nicholas Sparks, standardized tests, and hockey.

We have a quick review of the success of FHS’ swim & dive team in Sports, focusing on the boys’ third place finish at states and on junior Kelli Stockton’s victory in diving. We also have an article about senior David Ladd, who is entering his final season of high school track. In Features, see the crazy styles of sophomore Haley Reynolds.

Have a safe and fun spring break, and if you have any questions, feel free to email us at FHSRebel-Roar@gmail.com.

Sincerely, Andrew Dilworth Jordan Sharpe

During Spring Break, three FHS French students will be visiting Vesoul, France to extend their language

skills and knowledge of the French culture. Led by French teacher Madam van de Kamp, junior Helena Contes, junior Cole Smith and senior Katie Barlow will spend one week at a French high school shadowing French students as they go through their daily routines.

Each FHS student will be staying with their own French host family. Never lodging with a French family before, students will need to adjust to French customs, eating the food and participating in activities that their host families offer. Putting their French skills to the test, FHS students will only be allowed to communicate in French throughout their French excursion. Students will also be making day trips to local historical sites like the World War II museum in Besançon, France where there is a Jewish deportation facility.

During the day, they will attend lycée Eduourd Belin to experience how French high school students manage school workload. European curriculum is very different. By the time students enter their form of high school, classes become more focused to help benefit a student’s career path. The phrase “well-rounded” defines American education, giving students a basic understanding of all subjects with a few electives of their choice. Lycée is the

French version of high school. This immersion program goes both ways. In late April, 31 French students, plus three French teachers, from lycée Belin will be visiting Fairfax for a week. They will then travel up to New York City for the full American experience. Each French

student will be hosted by a FHS student enrolled in the world languages. Just like FHS students visiting Vesoul, the French students can only converse in English, in an effort to expand their English proficiency. They will also be following host students during their classes.

Lycée Belin’s students in English courses and FHS’s French level 4 through AP students have been corresponding as pen pals since the beginning of the school year. Most FHS

student’s requested their pen pals to host. The French are able to send a larger amount of

students because the trip was sponsored by their high school. FHS students and Madam van de Kamp had to pay for the trip out of their own pockets, costing them $1,000. Many students who were eligible to go couldn’t, because it was too expensive. Seniors saving for college next year couldn’t fit a European vacation into their budget.

News

Students Helena Contes, Cole Smith, and Katie Barlow as they anticipate their trip to France. Photo courtesy of Madam van de Kamp.

Fairfax to France: Students travel for exchange program

The Fairfax Science Olympiad team placed first in the regional tournament at George Washington Univer-

sity on March 13. It advances to the state competition, which will take place on April 24 at Lake Braddock Sec-ondary School. Out of the 16 events in the competition, Fairfax won first place in nine.

Senior Tanya Phung and junior Alex Kuck won mul-tiple medals for the team. Tanya is the captain for the knowledge-based events, while Alex is the captain for the engineering events.

Science Olympiad is a nation-wide science competi-tion. The club is open to any student interested in any

kind of science. Fairfax can send multiple teams to competitions, so all members, new or experienced, are assured spots in the tournaments. The club went to nation-

als two years ago, and was one place away in the state tournament from advancing again last year.

Ms. Williams, who teaches AP Chemistry, is the sponsor. The club meets every Thursday in her room. Students work with their designated teams, which are based on the event they’re competing in. Each team has specialized sub-teams with two students. Events range from Picture This, which is basically Pictionary with sci-ence words, to Crime Busters, where one must solve a fake crime. Other events include the Egg-O-Naut, which requires the team to build a rocket and keep a raw egg aloft in it when fired; and Elevated Bridge, where teams must build the lightest bridge to carry the maximum load.Anurag Bhatnagar ‘10Features Editor

Annelise Jensen ‘10Commentary Editor

Science Olympiad builds their way to first

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Throughout her selfless dedication to the Peer Mediation club, junior Kristina Hurd has proven to

Fairfax that she is a peacemaker. In fact, she was honored with the Northern Virginia Peace Award along with 10 other students on Sunday, March 7 at the Fairfax County Government Center

Hurd is the current president of Peer Mediation, and has worked hard to make the club become more prominent in our school. The role of a peer mediator is to help resolve everyday issues within the student body. If there is a rising conflict within a group of people, it can be easily solved by a peer mediator. Because of the peer mediators, we are able to watch the new bullying and sexual harassment video rather than the previous video from the 1980’s that according to Hurd, “has nothing to do with today’s bullying problems.”

Hurd has been a peer mediator since she was in 5th grade, and is glad to still be with the program today. She has been able to train other peer mediators on how to best resolve issues at a yearly conference at GMU. Also on Hurd’s peacemaking resume is her membership of

the Fairfax Improv Troop, a branch of Peer Mediators who perform real life conflicts and then demonstrate the best way to resolve them. Hurd’s appreciation for this award is noted, “I do a lot of work for peer mediation, but getting the recognition for it is out of this world.”

Ms. Wilson, a counselor at FHS, is the sponsor for the Peer Mediation Club, and Hurd’s nominator. Hurd has worked tirelessly for the peer mediators and has become Ms. Wilson’s “go-to girl.” Ms. Wilson said that Hurd’s “involvement and dedication to making FHS a better place, paired with her pleasant, calm, and kind disposition really made me believe she was more than deserving

of this award.” Colman McCarthy the guest

speaker at the ceremony and a noted peace activist addressed the students. “The highest calling

anybody can have is to be a peacemaker,” McCarthy said. Along with recognition of the NOVA Peace Award, Hurd received a $100 prize, and the pride of being a true “Peacemaker.” Congratulations Kristina and good luck in your future endeavors of peace.

News

Mr. Terrell has returned to Fairfax as the Assistant Principal for the senior class, stepping in for Mrs.

Allen. He worked here two years ago as an Administrative In-tern and has spent the last year and a half as the Assis-tant Principal of Cooper Middle School before applying for his current position. Before attending the University of George Washington, he went to the Citadel Military College of South Carolina and became a Naval Officer. He enjoyed the opportunity to travel and to “see places that you wouldn’t otherwise see.”

He plans to finish up the year with the senior class of 2010 and to welcome in next year’s class of freshmen. In addition to the sub-school’s administrative duties that students have become familiar with, Mr. Terrell will be working closely with people responsible for planning graduation, the all night grad party, and other activi-ties for the senior class. Starting the year halfway into it isn’t easy, but Mr. Terrell has the advantage of being on

familiar ground. Keep your eyes open in the hallways and help welcome him back to our community when you see him.

K.Hurd wins NoVa Peace Award

Emily Buzzard ‘11Business Manager

New to subschool twelve

Dedicated student peer mediators are awarded the Northern Virginia Peace Award. Photo by Emily Buzzard.

Brian Berenbaum ‘10Copy Editor

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Mr Terrell works hard as the new Assis-tant Principal and sub-school adminstra-tor. Photo by Brian Berenbaum.

Upcoming Events: OtheR News:• Orchestra/Band/chorus will depart for Myrtle Beach on March 25th.

• Career Day will take place on April 15 during the RR and Pride Time period.

• There will be a 2 Hour Early Release on May 28th.

• The Chris Cooley Football Camp will be here at Fairfax on June 5 and 6.

News BriefsNews

• The Upper Level Latin Certamen team won second place on March 1.

• Junior Kristina Hurd was one of the 2010 recipients of the Northern Virginia Student Peace Award on March 7.

• Fairfax Band, Orchestra, and Chorus performed outstanding-ly at festival this year. Fairfax band continues to be a Virginia Honors Band.

• The Regional Science Fair took place at GMU this year. Fair-fax took home many awards and for the first time, a Fairfax team will be going on to internationals.

The Music and Com-puter Technology academy class performed at the MCTFest at NVCC Annan-dale campus on March 12.

FBLA brought home numer-ous awards at the Re-gional FBLA competition at GMU on March 8.

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International Festival took place on March 25 dur- ing third period. Students showed off special aspects of their different cultures.

The Student-Teacher Basket-ball game took

place on March 16. Coach Lylozian scored the win-ning basket in the final seconds of play.

Senior Jonathan Loveless won the Skills USA District

5 Computer Maintenance Technology championship on March 17 at Chantilly HS.

Science Olym-piad regional tournament took place on March 13 at George Washington Uni-versity. Fairfax won first place overall.

Photos courtesy of Andrew Dilworth, Aneela Wadan, Matt Reihing, the Science Olympiad team, Jonathan Loveless, and FBLA.

Entertainment

The Emily Over: Spring Snooki Edition Sorry to all our dedicated Emily Over fans, we took a vacation over the last three months and were enjoying the start

of the New Year. But this month we’re back with a makeup look to prepare you for Spring and a hair style in honor of Snooki from Jersey Shore. A lot of people don’t know how to wear green. To put it bluntly, a lot of people look like they have algae on their eyes when they wear green eye shadow; and when they try to wear the poof they end up having “deflated-poof syndrome”. No worries, the Emilys are here to help. This month we made over sophomore Laramie Hoagland. We gave her a fun, but not too crazy green eye shadow look, and a banging poof to rock for spring nights!

Make-up:Step One: Apply a light color base all over the lid to make the colors stay, and then apply a light green eye shadow on the first half of your eyelid.

Step Two: Apply a gold/brown eye shadow on the second half of your eyelid to break up the green. (Tip: When wearing colorful eye shad-ows, use neutral tones to balance all the color.)

Step Three: Apply a dark green into the outer part of the crease for a pop of color.

Step Four: Line your top lash line with liquid black eyeliner, and then line your water line with black kohl eye pencil

Step Five: Apply a coat of mascara, blush and light pink gloss to tie your look together!

Hair:Step one: First take a square portion of the hair on top of the head at the crown and separate it from the rest.

Step Two: Pull the hair up and begin to tease the hair near the crown.

Step Three: Apply hair spray or mousse to hold the teased hair in place.

Step Four: Take the teased hair and pin it down with two to four bobby pins. (Depending on how much hair you are bumping).

Step Five: Once the hair is in place, spray a light layer of hairspray on the hair to ensure that it will stay in place.

7Emily Robinson ‘11 & Emily Taylor ‘11Staff Writers

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Entertainment Spring into fashion

Emily Robinson ‘11Staff Writer

A capella’s got soul

Chip Barker ‘10Staff Writer

This is the second year for the Fairfax A capella group, Rebel

Treble, and now they are really hitting their stride. The first year of building any program is filled with administrative problems and a rush to get everything in place. Now that they are in their second year, it is a lot easier to evaluate their capabilities and the leaders are able to learn from their mistakes. Senior Lizzie Basalyga, a first time member, recounts her experiences so far. She said that it has been a “great experience.” The group sings mostly contemporary songs; songs that are

popular with people of our age, rather than the older songs done by the chorus. “If I could pick

any song to sing, it would definitely be ‘Boondocks’ by Little Big Town,” says Lizzie. The typical a capella group is made up of about 10-14 people, making Rebel Treble considerably larger, coming in at 18 people. Rebel Treble also has a considerable number of seniors in it, about 14, leaving many questions about the future of the group. Additionally, the founders and de facto leaders of the group, Rachel Derrick, Jessica Zelenack, Emily Schutz, and Tiffany Herndon, are all seniors, leaving no experienced leaders behind. When asked about the future of the group, Emily Shutz said “I’m not nervous at all, we have a lot of juniors that are really great and will rise up to

the challenge of continuing Rebel Treble. After doing some follow up, it seems that preparations are already being put into place for next year. Returning member, Josh Fleitman, junior, has already stated that he would like to participate next year as well. He said that “This year has been a vast improvement, we have had more effective practices and less drama in the group, and next year should be even better.” With these developments it seems that Rebel Treble is on its way to being a permanent fixture in the list of Fairfax clubs.

Pastel shirts and floral skirts are among this springs top styles. Photos by Alex Woodill

It’s hard keeping up with all the fashion trends that switch from season to season, but no worries I am

here to give you the low down on this spring’s fashion. The first fashion trend you should definitely think about rocking is nautical inspired. Now don’t freak out, you’re not going to look like a sailor. The nautical theme is a lot of blue and white, often in stripes and touches of red. You can get some fun nautical clothing by shopping Nautica at Macys or going to www.nautica.com. Try going for a blue and white cardigan and wrapping a red scarf around your neck for added flair.

Next are pastels. Pastels are soft colors that look good regardless of your skin tone. Shop for pale color polos from Ralph Lauren, and pair them with Sperry’s to have a clean, preppy look.

The next trend for spring is a little bold, but with the right outfit anyone can pull it off. It’s tribal, which is earthy colors with bright accents and geometric shapes. You can get some funky, fun tribal skirts from Forever 21. Try wearing them with bright colored v-neck shirts and bold, geometric jewelry.

One trend that is really going to be popular this year

is one that actually came out last spring, but really didn’t catch a lot of attention, florals. Floral dresses, skirts, shirts, sweaters and even jewelry are going to be big this

season. American Eagle has a lot of floral dresses; pair them with a solid colored cardigan for a cute, girly outfit.

The last trend is one that has been in for a while, but a lot of people were too afraid to try. Well, there is no time like the present! Mixing prints: it’s a very bold look, but very fun. When you mix prints make sure they have the same color scheme and wear a solid color to break up all the patterns. Fair Oaks has added a new store, Charming Charlie that will help you in all your print mixing needs.

One final tip for this spring is to always accessorize. For example, apply bright nail polish and wear

a long chained necklace. Accessorizing can really bring any outfit together.

The Music Computer Technology (MCT) course at Fairfax Academy

isn’t nearly as well known as the other music departments here. However, this March, the public had an opportunity to see the skills honed in the MCT academy as students taking the class once again put together the much anticipated annual show.

Due to the significant snow this year, MCTFest was postponed to March 12 and was moved to the Ernst Center Forum on the NVCC Annandale campus. Not only did the students plan the show, they also wrote and performed their own musical pieces. This year the musicians consisted of 14 various acts ranging from acoustic performances by Jesse Mullins and the band Snowflake Bentley, to rock groups such as No Access and Jammin’ With Jed, to metal performances by Paradigm Shift and Calm These Waves, to a performance by rapper Malcolm X, to pianist Josh Rickwald. MCT this year offered something for everyone and all the musicians performed excellently and displayed all their knowledge of composition and performance

during the well-executed show.Senior Meredith Buck both managed MCT this year

and also performed in it, playing piano, guitar, and singing in the band Snowflake Bentley. Buck has been in MCT since her junior year and was unanimously

selected to be the manager of this year’s show by the other second year MCT students. Buck stated that getting MCT together was “pretty hectic, mainly because of scheduling”, but was well worth it because all the proceeds made by the concert went towards the ProTools software for academy’s use. The funds raised by MCTFest came within $100 of their $3000 goal. Buck also said that aside from the tangible accomplishments of MCT, the most rewarding part of the event for her was “the relationships I’ve built and the reactions we’ve all gotten from our hard work.”

MCTFest is an excellent way for musically active students to get involved and showcase their talents without having to be in chorus or band. It offers a unique experience both for the performers, managers, and the audience not found in the other music programs. Look forward to next year’s show; it’s an exciting, enjoyable way to experience and discover new music.

Entertainment

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The MCT Fest featured, clockwise from top left, Paradigm Shift, Colin Green, Jordan Balaber, and

other participants in the group photo. Photos by Matt Reihing.

MCTFest rocks out

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10

AP ExamsI cannot wait for the AP exams come May. People may stress out over them, but pass or fail, the extra point is added onto your GPA. Plus, after the AP Exams, all you do is watch movies and review for the final. So depending on how many APs you are taking, school is basically out in May. Let’s be optimistic.

Nicholas Sparks’ booksWho knew that books could be so entertaining? I recent-ly learned how to read and the Nicholas Sparks’ books have taught me so much about love. Specifically, they taught me not to. Every one of his stories ends in tragedy, the moral of the novels being “don’t like boys or girls.” Thank you Dear John, The Notebook, and The Last Song for giving me these important life les-sons.

USA HockeyHaving the United States lose to Canada in overtime for the men’s gold medal was definitely a Debbie Downer. However, I have the satisfaction of knowing that the only things Canada has to its name are ice hockey, beer, and the maple tree. I know it was tough to see the American team have that god-awful silver medal hanging around their necks, but we have to let Canada have something. Be proud of the USA team, they weren’t even supposed to medal, and in the end they greatly exceeded expecta-tions.

I am a brat. I accept this fact and try my hardest to make friends despite my handicap. In fact, I have come to the realization that “The Buzz” is just a summation of my bratti-

ness. In November, I got punched. December, I complained about Kraft Mac and Cheese (I actually received death threats for that claim.) January, I said very harsh and untrue things about Nick Jonas. I don’t retract my statements, but they weren’t nice. February, I fought to not have an introduction, I got my way. Now March rolls in, and I have truly consid-ered giving up my ongoing tradition of being a brat, but I know deep in my heart that I cannot rid these emotions. I’m sorry if I ever offend “The Buzz” readers, but please understand that it is impossible for me to change my ways and point-blank, I do what I want.

iPodsI recently received my very first iPod touch and the productivity rate in my home has experienced a sharp decline. Games like “Doodle Jump” and “Words with Friends” are as addictive as methamphet-amines, and I cannot do home-work while cracked up from all these crazy fun apps! Luckily, I have learned how to do my math homework while playing “Doodle Jump”, but for some reason I am not doing too well this quarter…

Sidney CrosbyAfter Sidney Crosby scored the overtime goal that brought the Canadians the gold medal, everyone was in a tizzy. I thought that the next time anyone said he is the best hockey player in the world I would come at them like a spider monkey. I will admit that I used to like him because I thought he was mildly attractive, but now he just looks like a rat with that huge nose. Sidney Crosby lovers must have forgotten about my main man Alex Ovechkin, who could beat that pretty boy into the ice any day of the week.

Hot Not

The Buzz

SOLsFirstly, what idiot thought of the acronym SOL for a stan-dardized test? Everyone in the world knows that the real meaning of SOL is “s**t out of luck.” Too bad the SOLs are practically idiot-proof so that meaning doesn’t really apply. I am sick of taking these stupid tests. The only nice part about the SOL is that if you pass/pass advance you get a bonus added onto your final exam grade.

Commentary

Commentary

Sam Brott ‘11Staff Writer

11

Turn on your local news station and all you’re going to hear about is the recession and what everyone is

going to do about it. Here in FCPS, the board of super-visors has suggested many cuts to save the budget cri-sis, such as cutting freshmen sports, elementary band and orchestra programs, late buses, etc. Cuts, cuts, cuts. Utah, on the other hand, has an even bigger problem. With big problems, comes big ideas. This January, Utah Senator Chris Buttars proposed that the entire state of Utah cut student bussing to and from school. Later in the month he took things a few steps further, proposing that the twelfth grade be cut statewide.

With a debt of $700 million (yes, million), Utah is desperate for a little bit of extra dough. So desperate in fact, that its senator has proposed to scrap senior year. I mean, just completely get rid of senior year? Seriously? According to Buttars’ estimate, the plan to cut grade 12 could save the state $60 million annually.

Buttars states that the plan would work well, noting that, “We’re about the only country in the industrialized world that uses 12 grades.” FHS eleventh and twelfth grade English teach-er, Ms. Gosse, grew up in Germa-ny, where she was educated in a school system based on thirteen grades. She says the extra year was a definite advantage because it “stretched out the curriculum and al-lowed for more depth and languages. It gave me a greater maturity,” she explains.

Buttars claims that senior year is a waste educationally, because most twelfth grade stu-dents don’t choose to fully apply themselves. “The plan isn’t that bad,” says senior Joseph An. “Everyone knows that the second semester is pretty much useless any-way.”

Some select students in desperate need of one last year of high school would be given the option to re-turn. Just think about what’s going to happen to all of these kids who really need that last year of education and can’t get it. Think about all of those kids you know who are way too immature, even for a high school set-ting, and would completely fall apart on their own in

the real world. Think about what colleges are going to think when they get applications from thousands of stu-dents that are already a year behind. Most importantly, think about what the future of Utah will be without an educated public; will the state fall behind?

One way to avoid falling behind would be to take ad-vantage of the “gap year”, the term referring to the year that some students choose to take a break from educa-tion in between high school and college. In response to the question, “Should you take a year off after high school?” the Carolina Alumni Review recently said that it “depends on what kind of bridge you can build over the gap.” The UNC at Chapil Hill alumni magazine also reports that the “Ivies say ‘do it.’” A gap year gives stu-dents an extra year to find themselves and explore the

world. Acting FHS Director of Student Ser-

vices, Mrs. Contristan, thinks the plans for an extra year could be “fabulous and give students a lot of growth if they’re well-planned.” Counselor Mr. Phillips is against the proposition. “Some stu-dents feel they’re ready to leave,” he explains, “but we prefer to keep them here for [reasons like] prom.” If the plan was actually to become an issue at Fair-fax, the debate could grow even hotter than the current budget cut debates or last year’s debate over the school-day hours.

Like Utah, Missouri is also having issues with the school budget. Just ear-

lier this month, their school officials an-nounced that instead of cutting twelfth grade in all schools, they would be clos-ing select schools completely throughout the state. Twelve of these are in Kansas City alone, where the school district’s

population has dropped from 77,000 to 17,000 over the past two decades.

Normally, I’d think to myself, “Hmm, Utah’s cutting senior year. That’s pretty far away. I don’t care.” But if this catches on for some reason, I will be one unhappy camper. If Fairfax canceled senior year, I’d be severely depressed. Should the plan pass, students would almost automatically be given the optional gap year. How Utah would deal with that, however, is only one of the many obstacles.

Utah Senior Skip Day ̂Year: 2011

Designed by Emily Buzzard.

History Deciding whether to take an AP

or non-AP history class here at Fairfax can be very difficult. Most students would agree that there is just too much of a gap between the two types of courses, with regular history classes being too easy and AP history classes being too difficult. Whether it’s Government, U.S. His-tory, or World History, Fairfax stu-dents have a big decision to make as to how much they are willing to chal-lenge themselves.

Mr. Pendleton teaches regular Government at Fairfax. He feels that AP and regular Government classes are very different. “The courses have different goals: in one class, students focus on passing the AP test, while in the other, they focus on completing the course,” he said.

Another major difference between AP and regular Government classes is the workload. “AP students do much more work, and the class itself is more extensive,” said Mr. Pend-leton. “In regular Government, stu-dents receive only about 30 minutes of homework every class.”

Many AP Government students, however, feel that the class isn’t too difficult. “It’s not hard, it’s just a lot of busywork,” said senior Quinn Gi-roux. “You basically learn the same material as they do in regular Gov-ernment.”

Senior Victoria Sachs takes regu-lar Government and has similar opinions about that course: “I think regular Government is as much of a challenge as you make it.”

Nevertheless, the two courses are very different from one another, and choosing which one to take requires a lot of thinking. “Students interested in pursuing a career in law enforce-ment, read newspapers, and keep up with current events should definite-ly take AP Government,” says Mr. Pendleton.

U.S. History students also face similar problems in terms of choos-ing AP or non-AP classes. AP stu-dents are required to learn about cer-tain historical figures never learned about in the normal classes, and are sometimes required to read through

the history book and paraphrase the most important events. In a regular history class, there is no similar as-signment. Junior Lauren Krohn said that the regular history class’ work-load was “very manageable,” and decided to take it because she was too busy with other AP classes and after school activities to take another AP.

Junior Kyle Boswell said that the AP’s workload was “good, but if you get behind, it’s very hard to catch up on.” He said that he took the AP course in order to “challenge [myself] and hopefully get a college credit.

History teacher Mr. Hanrahan said that in the Pre-AP history classes, the quantity of work, the expectations of quality, and the amount of writing are significantly more than one will find in the normal history classes. Mr. Hanrahan also said that people who should sign up for the AP classes are motivated students who have done well in the previous year of Pre-AP history.

Many people see AP World History as the most difficult AP class you can take, for a variety of reasons. It is one of the first AP classes many people take, and it is a college level course with a large amount of material to cover. As a result, many students hesitate to take the class. AP World teacher Mr. Wolfinger thinks it’s because “they hear it’s a lot more work, and it’s more difficult, when it’s actually a different kind of work. AP World is based on analytical thinking, problem solving, and technical writing while using a college level textbook.”

In order to be successful in AP, Mr. Wolfinger says that students need to “take initiative, have curiosity, be organized, and have some interest in world history”.

Mr. Wolfinger suggests that students “sit down with their current teacher and ask what they would recommend”. Also, Mr. Wolfinger says, “the main thing AP World has to go behind is getting you prepared to tackle college courses and getting students prepared to study by themselves”.

There are many students currently taking AP classes

who have put themselves into a position where they are unlikely to succeed. While it is good to push yourself academically, there comes a point where the challenge becomes too difficult. For this reason, it may be effective to install a system where students who apply for AP classes must first pass a benchmark exam or test.

This test would not be killer. It would not be so difficult that only elite students could pass. It would be set up to make sure that a student does not go into AP English without the ability to write a C-level paper, into Calculus without basic algebra or trig skills, or into an AP science class they did not adequately prepare for in the required introductory class.

Our proposed system addresses the issue of time. AP exams are in May, therefore all AP classes move at an incredibly fast rate. The benchmark exam would help the class move forward as a whole. This way teachers don’t need to spend unnessecary time on subjects that students should already have a grasp on.

This way of segregating classes could help alleviate the pressure for students who feel forced to take classes for which they are simply not ready. They will be able to progress through classes at a more comfortable pace, learn more efficiently, and actually understand the material. For students who do pass the benchmark exam, they enjoy an experience where they learn quickly and with other students who share their interests, not those who are pushed to take the class.

Should there be an AP

benchmark?

& A Q

Math

Ask Mrs. Hatchl: Math Department Chair

When all else fails, online classes are a great way to complete a required credit. However, you must be sure that you are the type of student that can handle an online class before jumping into the internet spectrum. Follow these rules to see if online classes are for you:

1) Knowledge isn’t as necessary as you may think. Online classes tend to be less mentally straining than classes with an actual teacher because they have to cram the course into such a short amount of teaching time. If it is an SOL course, they tend to only go over whatever is on the SOL.

ONLINE CLASSES?what about

2) You must be able to focus on the given task since there is no physi-cal teacher to regulate your time. If you are the type of person that can-not get an assignment typed up with-out spending half of your work time on Facebook, then online classes may not be for you.

3) Time management is key. There aren’t necessarily specific hours given to work on an assignment, but there are specific due dates. If you forget to do an assignment until the last minute, and you lose internet connection or forgot that you have sports practice so you can’t get the assignment finished, get ready to see the zero in the grade book. Procrastination will usually win in the world of online classes.

What difference is there between Algebra 2 Honors and regular?“Honors classes in general move at a faster pace and [students] learn the content more in depth. With honors classes, it is like learning five quar-ters worth of material in four quarters.”How should pre-calculus students base their decision to move on when trying to decide to take AB or BC, a specific topic or overall performance?“They should base their decision on mainly two things, their overall test average and the last quarter for honors pre-calculus students , since it is the first half of Calculus AB. ”

What is the main difference between Calc AB and Calc BC?“Calculus AB is one semester of college Calculus while Calculus BC is two semesters; therefore making Calculus BC a true college-paced class.”

Unlike other core subjects, the di-vision between honors math and

regular courses begins well before high school. Some students take Al-gebra 1 Honors in eighth grade and others take Math 8. Students who didn’t complete an Algebra 1 course in eighth grade must complete the course as a freshman, and those who did will either take a challenging Ge-ometry Honors course or just regular Geometry.

Students often have choices to make during their high school careers as well regarding which math classes to take. They often have to choose between a more challenging AP or honors course, or a less challenging regular course. It is not the degree of difficulty of the material that concerns them but rather the workload that comes with harder courses and how the work from a more difficult math class will contribute to their overall workload. Mr. Swientoniowski, an Algebra 2 Honors teacher, said the difference between his honors classes and the regular classes is the “depth and difficulty of the problems on homework and quizzes” as well as the pace at which topics and units are covered.

Many students elect to take the

regular course to allow for concentra-tion on other classes such as science. For others, however, the choice isn’t completely theirs. “Some kids are pressured into taking honors classes by their parents,” Mr. Swientoniows-ki added.

The real disparity between honors and regular classes, many argue, begins junior year, when many students have the option to take either Precalculus or Precalculus Honors, a very difficult course. The Honors course is meant to prepare students for Calculus BC while the regular course is either taken by seniors hoping to get an extra math credit or juniors who are preparing to take either an AP Statistics course or Calculus AB. Ms. Hatchl, the department chair, encourages students to choose the course they take next year based off of their performance in their current class, whether it is an AP, Honors, or regular course.

English

AVID is run by Mr. Kinne and is an elective that supports kids while

giving them a place to improve their study, organizational, and literacy skills. Students also take part in prepa-ration for the SAT and college. The classes are separated by grade level into class periods. AVID is NOT study hall. It is more structured and incorpo-rates a full curriculum.

The goal is for students to be more successful in high school so that they can have the skills to go to college and perform well. (Mr. Kinne hopes that all the students will eventually go to a four-year college and graduate.) The goal is that about 75% of students that complete three years in the AVID program end up getting accepted into four-year universities.

Students who are interested in participating in AVID must fill out an application. The next step is to be interviewed by Mr. Kinne, Ms. Lusk or Ms. Beltran to make sure that you are serious about being a part of the program. They request formal letters of recommendation from a teacher and a student written essay explaining their desire to be in the program AVID students are required to take certain upper level classes. Freshmen -one pre-AP classSophomores- two pre-AP classesJuniors- one AP and one pre-AP/hon-ors classSeniors- two AP classes Talk to Mr. Kinne (A116) or Ms. Lusk (B105) if your have any questions about the program.

AVID: Advancement via

Individual Determination

-Allie Sawyer

& A

Q Ask Mrs. Scharl: English Department Chair

AP English Language Teacher

The disparity between regular and AP classes is without a

doubt the most noticeable between the English classes. On an obvious level, the difficulty of the reading, the amount of reading, and how quickly the class moves through vocabulary are vastly different. However, they are so different that a lot of students find themselves stuck at a troublesome crossroads.

“The classes are too easy,” said senior Gabrielle Montagne, whoo took AP English as a junior and takes regular English 12. “I’m bored out of my mind.”

Possibly one of the most difficult aspects for AP students is “the timed writings and the excessive workload” said junior Cameron Nelson. These are just two students of many who have suffered the dilemma of choosing between a class that could be too difficult or a class that could be far too easy.

Each night, AP students are expected to do several chapters of reading, some vocabulary, and possibly other assignments. Within that reading, AP students are expected to heavily analyze every facet of the novel they are reading. However, this can be a bit much for some.

“[The] AP English curriculum analyzes a book to death, to the point where I’m no longer interested in reading” said Senior Ashton Parker.

But, some students may gamble and take the harder class due to another level of disparity: the workload. In some AP classes, students are faced with a seemingly insurmountable amount of homework on a nightly basis that, even if it is easy and mindless, will still take hours to complete. Other teachers though, will assign barely any homework and their students will be able to complete it in a matter of minutes.

So what level and amount of work is the appropriate challenge? That is up to each person to decide, but with the difficulty coming down to the teacher, class selection may get a bit dicey.

Some people believe that reccomendations from a former English teacher should be required to be in AP English. However, since that is not exactly standard policy, English teachers Mrs. Scharl and Mrs. Quinn both gave some suggestions of things to consider when making your final decision. AP courses have a considerably larger workload and as a result each student needs to assess their ability to manage time. Also, Mrs. Quinn added that attendance is a large issue for AP students. If for any reason you are frequently absent, AP classes become extremely difficult because it is very easy to fall behind.

How does the workload between AP and regular classes differ?“The essays are much more complex in AP classes, so a lot more work is necessary.”What would you recommend to a student who feels that they are in between AP and regular level English?“One should consider their after school activities to make sure you have time for the work.”What skills should you base your final decision on?“The class is heavily writing-based, so you should base it on your literary skills.”

Science Science classes

in Fairfax have a reputation for being difficult, but the variety of courses offered can provide students with classes that they find both interesting and r e w a r d i n g . Course selection can become o ve r w h e l m i n g because of these options, but with a little explanation you’ll find the right class for you.

The game-changing difference between regular science classes and honors classes often is participation in the annual science fair. “Science fair allows students to explore topics not covered in the normal science c u r r i c u l u m , ” said Mr. Bird, an honors physics teacher and the chair of the science department. “It also allows for the in-depth experimentation that is limited in the classroom.”

He noted that some students create really well-researched projects, but other students who don’t put the necessary effort into their project don’t get as much out of it. Many students are less inclined to take honors classes because of science fair, but there are other aspects that they should consider. Honors and AP classes often require students to put in additional independent effort, but they are rewarded by learning with classmates who share an interest in the subject.

These are not as well known, but they are great alternatives to the

three major areas of science. Ms. Bathke and Ms. Sutton teach the class together. Geosystems is for students who “appreciate the natural world,”

-Brian Berenbaum, Anurag Bhatnagar, and Kyle Moodhe. Photos by Moodhe.

Geosystems and Anatomy

AP Sciences

said Ms. Bathke. The course covers four major areas: astronomy, meteorology, geology, and oceanography. The class is technology-based and hands-on with various labs. For example, students use a program called ArcGIS, a widely used mapping program. More concrete and less abstract thinking is required for

Geosystems. Mr. Smith teaches

Anatomy, a biological science. He describes it as “an arm of Biology.” Though some Anatomy is covered in AP Biology, Anatomy goes more in-depth in covering body systems. Memorization is a major component of the class, and conceptual thinking is minimal. “We all have a body,” said Mr. Smith, who believes this fact should make the class interesting to everyone.

The AP science classes offered at FHS are Chemistry, Biology,

Physics B, and Physics C. Biology (taught by Mr. Webster) and Chemistry (Mrs. Williams) are double-block classes, that include both a class period one day and a lab period the next. They are for students who are willing to devote an hour and a half every day to one subject, which creates a unique environment for students who enjoy the curriculum.

Mr. Webster, the AP Biology teacher, explained the differences between biology courses. He noted that the main difference between honors and regular biology is the depth of understanding. Although students in honors are expected to develop their own understanding of concepts, students who take AP Biology also need to be able to conceptualize the topics that are covered. “Independent thinking is enough in this college level class,”

he said. The class meets every day, includes college-level labs (some of which are dissections), and allows students to develop study skills that will be useful throughout high school and college.

There are three chemistry classes at FHS: regular, honors, and AP. Mrs. Williams, the AP Chemistry teacher, said that students should take honors over regular if they’re interested in progressing at a faster rate alongside students with similar desires. AP Chemistry is “exponentially more difficult” than the other chemistry classes because it is equivalent to classes that first-year science majors will take in college.

The two AP Physics classes are Physics B and Physics C. They are of similar difficulty, but they differ in the material that they cover. Physics C is calculus-based (for students who have taken or are taking Calculus AB or BC), and when compared to Physics B, it covers less material but in greater detail. Although they cover different material, they overlap in the area of mechanics.

Teachers in the science department enhance the classes they teach with their genuine interest in the material and their desire to share that experience with others. Picking the right class is important, and they’re willing to answer any questions you have about individual classes.

Poll results from 202 randomly chosen FHS students.

Have you ever chosen not to take an honors science solely because of Science

Fair?

The anatomy class dissects brains, a heart, and lungs.

The geosystems class clas-sifies rocks and minerals.

From singers, to dancers, glow stick per-formances, to guitar solos, the Fairfax

High School 2010 Talent Show was a night to remember. The Leadership class orga-nized the event, which was comprised of 21 acts. The acts included a unique glow stick performance, in which junior Alex Wood-man widly, yet precisely, swung glow sticks around in the pitch black auditorium. Junior Sam Buttram also performed a one of a kind dance in which he flailed his double-jointed arms, while dancing to techno. Singers in-cluded senior Marvin Argueta-Sol and ju-nior Josh Fleitman, followed by sophomores Katie Derrick and Jamie Boyd. The night closed with Rebel Treble, the Fairfax acap-pella group that sang a soul filled “Whatcha

Say” by Jason Derulo.

Features

Talent Show 2010

Photos courtesy of Sam Brott.

Allison Solitis

Q&A with VeronicaWhy did you choose Ave Maria?“We just love that song and thought it was pretty. We were originally going to do Alicia Keys, but decided Beyonce was better.”Were you nervous?“No, we were pretty confident going onto the stage.”How did you prepare?“We only had about two weeks to pre-pare ourselves, so we each practiced a lot on our own and we did four sessions together.”

16

&Lights, camera, action! and the winners are...

Jordan Sharpe‘11Editor-in-Chief

Veronica Bustos

Emily Buzzard ‘11Business Manager

17

Jordan Sharpe ‘11Editor-in-Chief

Meet FHS’s own Lady Gaga

Strutting her style, combining red spandex, striped knee socks and black textured leggings. Photos by Emily Buzzard.

Favorites:Color: Lime Green

Color to Wear: PinkActress: Ellen Page

Musical Artist: Lady GagaRole Model: Betsy Johnson

Stores: Urban Outfitters, Free People, and

Betsy Johnson

I plan on modeling and then starting my own clothing line,” said sophomore Haley Reynolds, a well known face at FHS due to her eccentric style.

These future plans might sound like a generic dream of all sophomore girls who consider themselves fashionable, but for Reynolds, this dream has the potential to become a reality.

Also known as “Lady Haha” because her clothes remind friends and peers of the famous Lady Gaga outfits, Reynolds began this unconventional style of dressing in her freshman year. Some high school students would overreact to being compared to Lady Gaga, but Reynolds takes the comparison as a compliment. “She [Lady Gaga] definitely has an influence on my outfits. I see her as someone with a lot of self confidence and the ability to pull stuff off,” she states. Like Lady Gaga, who receives constant praise for her unique outfits, Reynolds’s friends are extremely supportive.

Each night before going to bed, Reynolds will choose her outfit for the next day. No doubt about it, there’s a rhyme and reason to her outfits; each one is planned out and matched perfectly with the right shoes or accessories. Her favorite type of clothing is leggings, as you will notice if you ever see Haley in the halls. Her unique combinations include the popular leggings, layered with shorts, a skirt, a dress, or a long shirt. She also mixes in layered tops, including sweaters, short and long sleeve shirts, and a thick, wool poncho-like top. The best part of Reynolds’s style is that it reflects her personality. She’s confident in what she wears. She admires Betsy Johnson for her uniqueness, and also loves to shop at her store. So, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Haley Reynolds as the next top designer. Although it’s currently undecided, “Quite Spectacular” might just be the name of Haley’s future clothing line. Even though she is only a sophomore in high school right now, she serves as a walking, talking model of individuality and style for the future.

Features

“

18

Features

It’s a brisk, cool autumn evening in October of 1998. The scent of popcorn and pretzels fills the air, and the excited whistles and yells from the Rebels’ home cheering section can be heard from miles around. The exhilaration is contagious around Fairfax High School, as the Rebels’ football team marches onto the field, seeking victory against an equally formidable Annandale squad. In the stands, an imposing figure—the Rebels’ new mascot—instills fear in the opposing team, and enthralls the home crowd. The Rebel Rouser, an intimidating egg-shaped mass of foam, blue-confetti hair and...—

Wait a minute—

The Rebel Rouser?

Yes. The Rebel Rouser, the little known successor to the infamous Jonny Reb mascot, was unveiled

during the school year of 1997-1998. The Jonny Reb mascot, the Confederate flag-waving Civil War soldier, had been removed in 1986 due to complaints from students, parents, and faculty members. After 11 years of an interim logo, a bland picture of crossed swords, the school finally decided that a new character representing the school was needed. A contest was held in which students submitted drawings of what they felt that the next FHS mascot should look like.

“Dr. Weinheimer was principal,” recalled Roslyn Spector, a current FHS Spanish teacher. “Students entered drawings for a new mascot at Fairfax.”

Student Casey Holloman was the eventual winner. The Rebel Rouser: a bluish/gray, blob-shaped, Furby-esque, reminiscent of a Koosh ball, and a joke of a mascot, became the new face of Fairfax High School.

“Only the small children at games were enthralled with the Rouser. Others would ask...’what is that?!’” said Peggy Aderton, former teacher at Fairfax.

The Rebel Rouser, though an original concept, did little to represent the school or the student body. Many felt that the mascot didn’t accurately embody the school’s cohesive spirit and sense of unity.

“We all wanted to know— who are we?” asked Mr. Sutterfield, a former FHS English teacher. “This thing looked like a landmine, or something. It was kind of a joke.”

Thus, in the 2003-2004 school year, the Fairfax logo and mascot was again changed, this time to the Rebel Pride theme, which remains in place today. (Little known tidbit—it was at this time that the name of the school newspaper changed from Fairfacts to The Rebel

Roar.)

The Rebel Rouser has since nearly drifted into obscurity. Both Google and Wikipedia searches yield zero results on the mascot, and much of the current FHS faculty was not present during the prime of the Rouser’s career, and thus has no information to share regarding the Rouser.

However, we cannot allow this small-but-significant part of Rebel lore to die. I suggest that the Rouser be brought back in some shape or form, and at least mentioned somewhere on the Fairfax High School website or Wikipedia page. Why is it currently absent? Are we embarrassed of the Rouser? It is silly to pretend it never existed. The same goes for Jonny Reb. At least he’s mentioned on the Wikipedia page, but only in a negative and controversial light. We should show some respect for the history of these characters that used to embody the spirit of Fairfax.

We are the Rebel Pride—and as such we should have some pride in our past.

Remembering the Rebel Rouser

Jordan Rummel ‘11Staff Writer

An old yearbook picture of the Rebel Rouser is all that remains of this once “iconic” mas-cot. Photo courtesy of the Sampler 1998.

19

Features

Every year the art department puts on a show to display the artwork of their students. The majority of students

enrolled in higher level art classes display their work in their “One Man Art Show”. The show is open during the school day for students and teachers to come through and see the artwork. There is also a reception after school from 5 to 7pm in which parents can come through and see the displays. The art show gives students a chance to showcase their hard work and talent, but they could never have done it alone. The art teachers used their ex-pertise to help the students prepare their shows.

Ms. McDermott started her collegiate career in UVA, but after two years transferred to Tyler’s School of Art at Temple University. Her interest in art first began to develop in a high school art class. Since it is her first year here at Fairfax, she is excited to see it and to help her students work on their shows.

Ms. Schreffler attended Penn State, where she primarily focused on painting and found inspiration in nature, people, and everyday experiences. Besides painting, her favorite medium is computer graphics. Her favorite part of the art show is being able to see all of her students proudly displaying their pieces.

Mrs. Washburn attended University of St. Mary’s and later got her masters at USC in art education. She enjoys oil painting and photography, and finds inspiration in things around her such as nature or things that remind her of her childhood. Mrs. Washburn believes that the sense of accomplishment seen in her students during the art show is the most gratifying part of the show.

For all seniors, government class means there will be Students Involved in Volunteering

hours to perform. Volunteering is not only a part of every student’s class grade, but it is also mandated by the Virginia school system as a requirement for graduation. This month, SIV hours will be due for most classes, and many seniors will be scrambling to find a place to volunteer. Students Involved in Volunteering seems to be an important third quarter grade for the students, but is it important in any other way?

Mrs. Keck is the Chair of the Social Studies Department at Fairfax, and she has been a government teacher for quite some time. “I introduce it [the SIV program] during the beginning of the year; I present it as a part of your civic duty,” Keck said. “I don’t think I can name a student who didn’t do SIV.”

Many students still wonder how much SIV is part of one’s grade in government class. “It has become a smaller part of one’s grade over the years,” she said, “I think we need to make it a little more meaningful.” Seniors may also wonder if their work actually makes an impact in the Fairfax County community; how can ten hours do anything when it seems like such a short amount of time? “It is both beneficial to the student and the community.” Keck recommends that students “go into an area that you’re interested in. Many students get done with their required hours and keep on going back.”

Next year, Ms. Ball, who is also a government teacher, hopes to help change the SIV program by having a Volunteer Day at Fairfax. This would help students find the volunteering opportunities that are available in Fairfax County. A problem for many students is finding a rewarding way to sacrifice their time and benefit the community. By learning about volunteering, students are able to recognize its importance, and how it makes Fairfax County a better place.Kyle Moodhe ‘10Staff Writer

Thursday, April 15 is a time for students to learn life lessons. During supersized pride time,

freshmen and sophomores will attend three, half-hour workshops on job search skills for teenagers, social networking and its implications for the future, and getting involved in high school.

Juniors and seniors will hear Career Day Speakers of their choice. Upperclassmen will receive their individual schedules during 2nd period on Career Day.

If you have any questions, please ask Mrs. Kim in the Career Center.

Career Day 2010

Lindsey Bush ‘11, Jacob Fulmer ‘10Managing Editor, Art Director

Doing your SIV-ic dutyThe art of teaching

Ms. Washburn and Ms. Schreffler with their students’ artwork. Photo courtesy of Emily Buzzard.

of Baumgardner, Lauri, Kelly, and junior Austin Patteson, finished second in the state. The relay only lost to Woodson, which set a state AAA record. Their 400m freestyle relay achieved the same success, finishing second to the state record-setting Oakton relay by less than two seconds.

The team lost to Langley by ten points and state-champion Oakton by 39, while topping the defending champion, Robinson, by eleven points.

Stockton wins state diving title

Junior Kelli Stockton continued her domi-nance in Virginia diving, winning the state meet a year after finishing fourth. She outdid her performance at states last year by more than fifty points, a huge amount in diving. She won by a comfortable thirty points over rivals from Robinson and Madison. She also edged two of the three girls who beat her last year.

Stockton completed a terrific season, win-ning every regular season meet she patricipated in as well as the district and regional titles.

The men’s Rebel Swim & Dive team com-pleted an incredibly successful season,

finishing third as a team at the VHSL State Championships, their best finish ever.

Senior Joey Kelly led the team with vic-tories in the 50m and 100m freestyle races, missing the state record by .03 seconds, and finishing with a time of 23.67. Junior Travis Lauri finished sixth, in a time of 24.45. Senior Peter Rossbach finished eighth in diving, set-ting a new personal best of 348.4 points over eleven dives. In the 100 free, Kelly won by a sizeable margin and Lauri missed making the top heat by a mere .16 seconds. Seniors Jake Baumgardner and Patrick Johnson each missed the final heat of the 100m backstroke by just over one second.

Our men’s 200m freestyle relay, made up

Boys Swim & Dive takes third at state meet

Sports

Andrew Dilworth ‘10Editor-in-Chief

From left to right: Travis Lauri, Austin Patteson, Jake Baumgardner, Patrick Johnson, Joey Kelly (bottom center) Michael Cosgrove, Pe-ter Rossbach, and Tommy Scibilia hoist the third place trophy. Photo courtesy of Christine Kelly.

20

Sports

“Runners, set,” shouts the race official. Standing at the starting line for the fifty-five meter dash, he takes a few jumps to loosen up a bit before his race. He kneels down and sticks an arm straight up behind him. Boom. Upon hearing the starting gun, he explodes, staying low and sprinting as fast as he can. In a matter of seconds, he has crossed the finish line in first place, leaving his opponents in his dust.

Senior David Ladd has been astounding coaches and teammates ever since he roared onto the track scene during the 2007 – 2008 Indoor Track season as a sophomore. During the Indoor season, he usually runs the 55, the 300, and the 4 x 200 meter races. He also participates in Outdoor Track during which he specializes in the 100, 200, and 4 x 100 meter races. He was interviewed by the local Channel 9 news station in 2008 for his dominance during the outdoor season. Mentored by Coach Drummond, he has improved both his times and his work ethic since sophomore year.

“My favorite event is the 55 meter dash. People may

think it is easy, but it actually takes a lot of power and technique to succeed in the event,” explains Ladd.

During practices, he does a few laps around the track, warm-up drills which include “builders” and

“B-steps”, and dynamic stretches. After the core of his workout, usually running drills that help him improve his fast twitch muscles, he hits the weight room with his teammates.

“Coach Drummond has really helped me out a lot with my running career. He has helped me improve my technique and taught me that I have to train like a champion if I want to be a champion,” said Ladd.

Ladd has run in some of the most prestigious running competitions in the nation, including competitions like the Nike Indoor National Championships in 2008 and the VHSL State Championships. This year, Ladd won both the 55 meter dash district and regional title with a blazing time of 6.51 seconds during the regional finals for Indoor track, followed closely by teammate Junior Nabil Mezher, with a time of 6.59 seconds.

“Having a teammate like Nabil really pushes me to try harder and harder. The Indoor sprint team this year was really solid. Guys like Shawn Joseph, Sam Bechert, Chad Allen, and Nabil also deserve credit because we all support each other and help each other train, even though we have to compete against each other sometimes,” said Ladd.

Ladd received a scholarship to Central Arizona College where he will continue his running career as a Vaquero.

Kevin Poon ‘10Features Editor

Ladd sprints to perfection

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David Ladd is one of many returning athletes for the boys track team who own a district title. Photo courtesy of Ted Plunkett.

21

Photos courtesy of Andrew Dilworth and Nikki Strickland.

Sports

Spring has sprung! The snow is gone and it’s finally March. The halls are buzzing with talk of one thing,

and one thing only-- March Madness! We’ve all dreamt of someday playing in the tournament as we bet for the winning team, and now 19 lucky students and teachers finally had the chance.

Fairfax’s seventh annual student vs. faculty March Madness game was held on March 16th at 7:00 PM in the Field House. According to Kimberly Newman, head of the All Night Grad Committee, the game was a great way to “let some of the more competitive FHS faculty members display their ‘game,’ and let the stu-dents take on the teachers in a fun, competitive game – without fear of reprisal.” All of the proceeds will go to the All Night Grad, and although at the start the crowd was small, as the game went on there was a spirited turn out.

Sponsored by the All Night Grad Committee and executed by the leadership class, this student-faculty game has been a source of competition between students and some of their favorite teachers for years, and this year’s was one of the best. The trash talking increased as students finally got a chance at revenge on their teachers, playing a close game within 10 points the whole time. Senior Lizzie Basalyga came out ready to play, saying “It’s our time to teach them!” And to keep those more rowdy participants in check, the game was refereed by one student, and one faculty member, with Valerie Clemens as the announcer.

The game may have been refereed fairly, but the con-troversy over the teachers’ win is still contested. Tied up with only seconds on the clock, freshmen basketball coach Chris Lylozian put one in for two, and the win. The question that many students have been asking is whether or not a coach is actually faculty. Fair is fair, and according to Mr. Whitbourne, “The best team won.”

22

Faculty stuns students in All Night Grad Fundraiser

Faculty members rack up the points against the students.

Nikki Strickland ‘13Staff Writer

Sports Briefs

Boys LacrosseThe Boys Lacrosse team

opened up the season against Centreville with a decisive 8-4 victory.

Senior Nick Burton scored once, seniors Chip Barker and Chris Reshore contributed two goals each, and senior Drew Ru-therford scored three.

Despite an early one goal def-icit, the Rebels scored two con-secutive goals and continued to dominate the rest of the game.

The Rebels have upcoming away games against Herndon (4/7) and Thomas Jefferson (4/9) and play Langley at home on the 13th.

Girls LacrosseThe Girls Lacrosse team has

a record of 0-2 with a loss to Centreville and a tough 17-18 overtime loss to Herndon, in which senior Katie Freeman led the team with an astounding 11 goals.

The Lady Rebels have an upcoming home game against Thomas Jefferson (4/9) and an away game against Langley (4/13)

Sophomore Paulina Tammaro brings up the ball in the Rebels’ overtime loss to Herndon. Photo by Andrew Dilworth.

Outdoor Track

Senior Chad Allen takes the baton in the 4x100 relay. Photo courtesy of Milestat.com.

The FHS Outdoor Track team opened up the season at McLean on Wednesday, March 24 in a tri-meet. The team will compete in many invitational meets after Spring Break, including the Lake Brad-dock Hall of Fame Invitational (4/16-17) and the Dogwood Track Classic (4/24).

The team returns the vast majority of points scorers from last season, including all three district champions from last sea-son on the boys side: senior David Ladd, Richard Lowe, and the whole 4x200 re-lay.

The Boys Varsity Soccer team attempts to work around the ball during their game against woodson. Photo By Jordan Sharpe.

Boys SoccerThe Boys Varsity Soccer team

opened up the season with a 1-1 stalemate against Woodson last Wednesday, March 17.

The team has upcoming home games against Falls Church (4/6), Herndon (4/14), Washington and Lee (4/19), and Stone Bridge (4/22).

Girls SoccerDespite a successful pre-

season, the Girls Varsity squad has a record of 0 wins and 2 losses with losses against non-district opponents Chantilly and Woodson.

The Lady Rebels hope to re-deem themselves in upcoming games against Annandale (3/25) and Falls Church (4/6).

Sports

TennisThe Girls and Boys Tennis squads

opened up the season against Madison on Friday, March 19, with both teams losing.

Their next match is against Stone Bridge on the April 4.

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