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Six editors talk about (awkward) experience of being set up on blind dates, p. C4-5

Volume 12 Number 3 James Hubert Blake HS 300 Norwood Rd Silver Spring MD http://sites.google.com/site/theblakebeatnews/ December 18, 2009

Members of the Blake community are taking time out of their busy holiday schedules to donate gifts and lend a helping hand to those in need this season.

Junior Heather Phillips and her brother, freshman Wallace Phillips, will be donating presents to children whose parents are incarcerated. Her stepfather came up with the idea of donating gifts to children in need last year and has organized fundraisers to further assist them. “My brother and I realized that we would love to help oth-ers in need,” says Heather Phillips. “The feeling of helping others is price-less.”

Not on ly does Heather Phillips volun-teer during the holiday season, she also strives to stay active in volunteer work throughout the year. She has been a Girl Scout for 11 years and has par-ticipated in many activities which include visiting the el-derly and the disabled at Wal-ter Reed Army Medical Center, preparing food for the homeless, and cleaning up parks.

For her Girl Scout Gold Award, Heather Phillips will be collecting school supplies to fill the backpacks of needy schoolchildren in Haiti. She adds, “It’s a lot of hard work and planning, but the end product is well worth it.”

Heather Phillips is just one of the many students and teachers making an effort to help out this holiday season. Since second grade, senior Kaylene Lyons has

participated in a program called Holiday Giving, also or-ganized through her church, and plans to participate

this year as well. Volunteers come together dur-ing Thanksgiving and Christmas to collect,

organize, and deliver food to needy families. “I feel very humbled after I

volunteer,” says Lyons. “Too many people just turn a blind eye to

the needy…instead of show-ing compassion and extra

holiday goodwill towards them.”

English teacher Michael Kelley also plans to make a dif-ference in the com-munity as he pre-pares to go caroling with his fiancée Venessa Scrivano at local retirement homes. They both enjoy singing and do a lot of sing-ing through their church.

This holiday season, they will

be singing a variety of songs, including

traditional Christmas and Hanukkah songs,

and general wintertime tunes like “Jingle Bells.”

“Volunteering just makes us feel good,” adds Mr. Kelley.

“Around the holidays, it’s nice to let [the elderly] know that they’re not

alone.”Although Mr. Kelley did

more community work when he was kid, he plans to get back into it. In the future he would like to

CONTINUED ON A4

COMMUNITY HELP MAKES FOR HAPPY HOLIDAYSSeason brings out best as Bengals support those who need assistance

by Kirsten Petersen & Juliana Sesayx

Advanced Placement Exam stats up for class of 2009 test-takersWashington Post Challenge Index ranking increases two positions

Nearly all Blake statistics kept about AP courses and scholar-ships have gone up since last year, including the number of AP Schol-ars with Honors, the number of AP Scholars with Distinction, and the number of tests taken.

The positive trend follows that of the rest of the county, which saw a ten percent increase in exams taken from last year. Two years ago, 1042 AP exams were taken at Blake, while last year, 1102 exams

were taken. Curiously, the number of students taking AP exams de-creased from 574 to 565 in 2009. As the number of AP exams taken increases, the number of students taking them decreases.

However, the drop in stu-dents taking AP tests is not un-expected, as the senior class last year was unusually small. “There may be an anomaly year,” says as-

sistant principal Joseph DuBoyce. “What I re-ally would like to see is steady growth.”

Additionally, preliminary results from Jay Mathews’s AP Challenge Index show Blake has gone up two spots from 57 to 55 in the Washington Area. The index de-rives its numbers by simply divid-ing the number of tests taken by the number of seniors at the school.

Blake’s rating itself has jumped from 2.373 in 2008 to 2.508 this year, the highest Blake has ever received. The highest rating any DC-area school received last year was a 5.250, which was earned by H-B Woodlawn

in Arlington. “We definitely pay attention to [the Challenge Index],” says Mr. DuBoyce.

“Historically, Blake has done a good job of aligning our classes for the Challenge Index,” says AP Statistics teacher Jared Fribush. “But I think by opening [AP classes] up to more kids, it waters down the commitment and focus of the kids.”

Mr. DuBoyce disagrees. “I understand what they’re say-ing,” Mr. DuBoyce adds, “But I’d rather run that risk than play the

gatekeeper.” Additionally, Blake’s Equity and Excellence preliminary rating is at 47.5 percent, meaning that 47.5 percent of seniors last year took and passed at least one AP test.

“The purpose of [these statis-tics] is not to look good,” says Mr. DuBoyce. “They’re indicators. If other schools are leaving us behind, we want to see what they’re doing.” After looking at similar statistics in 2006, Blake held a workshop to promote consistent grading among teachers in one subject.

by Isaac Hirschx

Blake’s first dance crew pop and lock it in the hallway

page E2

Wonderful winter ap-parel: step into the new year with style

page B6

IN THIS ISSUE:

Junior Heather Phillips and freshman Wallace Phillips (center foreground), who

are standing with their parents

Janis Carter (left) and Ron Carter (right), celebrate the holidays in a unique way. -- photo by Kara Korab

Teachers endure epic roadtrips to school

page C3

December 18, 2009 The Blake BeatA2Green Team saves environment with special bins, plants

In the time it takes to read this sen-tence 50,000 soda cans are made. Only 52% of them are recycled and Blake recycles even less. The Green Team is creating “recycling stations” to increase earth-friendliness.

In accordance with the School Energy and Recycling Team action plan (SERT), Blake is striving to increase the recycling rate from 10% to 37%. SERT is mandatory for Montgomery County Public Schools and promotes efficient and responsible energy use. Schools can even be given monetary awards from SERT.

The Green Team placed recycling bins with one hole designated for bottles and one for cans, next to wastebaskets. The bins are labeled and posters are placed to help students decide what to recycle and what to throw away. Green Team Member Grace Plihal says, “[Now] there will be no excuse for not recycling!”

Paper recycle bins will also be placed around the school. Senior Colleen McMullen, who is in the Leadership class that currently collects the paper re-cycling, says, “We realize how important it is to [recycle] correctly. We have to sort through all the trash and make sure only paper gets recycled.” These new stations will make the bins more accessible and educate students on the proper way to recycle.

Science Teacher and Green Team sponsor Nicole Hopkins is proud of the

efforts made, but still thinks the Blake Community can do more to decrease their ecological footprint. “Everyone…should be more educated about the 3R’s – reduce, reuse, recycle,” says Hopkins. “We should not only focus our attention on recycling, but also on purchasing recycled products.”

Senior Becky Doane is in the Environmental SGA Committee (Green Team is a subdivision of EnvoCo) and is in charge of revitalizing the Greenhouse. She says, “Since we have [the Green-house] we should take full advantage of it. We need to do as much as possible to protect the environment.” Doane is working with seniors Beth Hellman and Maggie Thomas.

The goal is to grow plants which will be sold to raise funds either for the school or for an environmental organization. Hellman says, “Fixing the greenhouse lets us leave our mark and a positive impact on the school.” Once restored, the Green Team will be keeping up the Greenhouse.

Building services fixed the func-tional problems and starting end of first semester, Doane, Hellman and Thomas will begin removing debris that has ac-cumulated. Thomas says, “It’s…storage for random stuff from over five years ago. We want it to be used for classes like biology and environmental.”

Students can earn SSL hours for cleaning the Greenhouse; if interested contact Doane or Hellman. Students with ideas on improving recycling should contact Ms. Hopkins.

SERT attempts to increase recycling rates, decrease school’s carbon footprint

by Rachel Appelx

As part of their leadership class, seniors Jazmine Dandridge (left), Caroline Zebrowski, and Ashley

Haymaker collect paper recycling in an effort to preserve the environment. --photo by Michael Mugo

Can’t get enough?

Visit The Blake Beat online!

Go to:http://sites.google.com/site/theblakebeatnews

or go to Blake’s homepageand click on “Blake Beat Online”

on the right-hand menu

December 18, 2009 The Blake Beat A3Students aim to wear Capstone and gown at graduationSeniors network now, prepare for future through multi-class sequences

Many students are choos-ing to complete a Capstone Ex-perience, a project in a career-focused area, and the last step in meeting requirements for an Academy certificate.

The project is a great foundation for future college internships, summer employ-ment, and eventual career em-ployment, and helps to create networking opportunities. The Capstone Experience includes internships, research or perfor-mance project, leadership of a major school initiative, or a col-lege or AP elective course.

Students participate in the Capstone Experience project for different reasons. Senior Julie Huleis says, “This project provides me with the opportu-

nities to interact with different people.” Huleis is on her way to gaining an Academy certifi-cate in Business. “I thought it was a good [experience] for my career,” she adds, “and it will add to my resume and be

a great step for colleges.”Senior Jadon Hollomon

is also completing a Capstone Experience in the Business and Consumer Services Pathway by working in the school store. Hollomon says, “I hope to learn…how to effectively run a business.” He adds, “I’ve al-ready learned how to work well

together with the other students in my Capstone.”

Students who complete a Capstone Experience, along with all the other requirements, will receive an Academy certif-icate, an extra tassel, and recog-

nition at graduation. There are about 75 students completing a first semester capstone experi-ence, including 17 Eubie TV managers, 21 career interns, and nine child development interns.

Some students are gain-ing researching experience consisting of lab trial and data

analysis work through an in-ternship with the University of Maryland College Park. Others are working on theatre perfor-mance portfolios that reflect actor preparation and style, law-related projects focused

on determinants of exemplary judges, and development of foreign language curriculum enrichment materials.

“Capstones are a con-crete way to demonstrate learning and achievement,” says Academy and Internship Coordinator Barbara Jeweler. “They give students a chance

to individualize their program of studies and are a great way to demonstrate to colleges an ability to learn indepen-dently.”

The Capstone Experience also helps students to learn more about themselves and to further develop as people. “I came to the United States last year and I didn’t have any experience of how the outside world was, how people do things and the types of people out there,” says Huleis. “This project has provided me with the opportunity to interact with different people and know what to expect for each kind.”

She adds, “I think it’s a very good experience for anyone who would like to expand their knowledge and learn from others.”

by Bronte Abell & Megan Bushx

Staff reaps benefits of eight-hour school day, 400-hour application Three more Blake educators earnNational Board Certified status

Guidance counselors Gale Reyn-olds and Jean Smith along with French teacher Francoise Vandenplas will be named National Board Certified Teach-ers (NBCT) by the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards (NBPTS).

Applicants underwent a 400-hour application process where they documented their accomplishments as educators and their contributions to the school outside their line of work. Applicants were only able to present themselves on paper because it is not required for the NBPTS to observe edu-cators in action. Ms. Smith says, “You expand the vision beyond just working with your own students.”

Since 1987, NBPTS has given out the award to teachers and counsel-ors who hold a bachelor’s degree and have three years of experience in the school system. Applicants also had to complete a series of tests, essays and portfolios; Mrs. Vandenplas was tested in the content area of French and Ms. Smith and Mrs. Reynolds in counseling. NBPTS looks for educators, “focused more on impacting the school overall,” says Ms. Smith.

Ms. Smith came to Blake as a guidance counselor in the school’s third year. Even though she originally wanted to pursue psychology and theater, vol-unteering with kids made her realize counseling was her true calling. During

her time at Blake, she has initiated the student-teacher aid program Educorps, and Blake Student Assistance Program (BSAP), which helps students overcome substance abuse and violence.

Mrs. Vandenplas took five gradu-ate classes at George Washington University, which helped her complete the certification process in one year. “I put in a lot of effort,” says Mrs. Vandenplas. “I was just relieved to...be done.” In order to meet the criteria of the certification, Mrs. Vandenplas had to develop four portfolios and took test in areas including Oral Proficiency, Interpreting Aural Texts, and Written Communication.

Mrs. Reynolds and Ms. Smith be-gan the process together and completed their certification in three years. Mrs. Reynolds was intrigued that counsel-ing was a new board certified area and says, “[Certification] helps strengthen the practice of what you currently do.” Originally a business major, Mrs. Reynolds was persuaded by a mentor to pursue a career in counseling.

Among Blake educators that have won the award are AP Government teacher Mary Wagner, Spanish teacher Monica Abuliak, and AP World His-tory teacher Jeffrey Newby. Says Mrs. Vandenplas, “[NBCT’s] are dedicated, reflect on their teaching, and are not afraid to take risks.” NBCT’s across the county will be recognized at a pinning ceremony January 27 at Montgomery County Education Association (MCEA) in Rockville.

by Somala Diby & Blaire Hoffmanx

PTSA stations Education Foundation to improve students’ financial situations

PTSA members and Blake parents are in the process of developing an orga-nization known as the Blake Education Foundation. The foundation’s purpose would be to provide educational resources and financial support for Blake students.

The foundation is being developed in response to the many budget cuts that have affected Blake’s academic and extra-curricular programs. Says PTSA president Robina Barlow, “We must act now to maintain what we have and to improve or enhance the educational experience of our students.”

Mrs. Barlow, who founded the orga-nization, has been inspired by many local high schools that have set up similar suc-cessful foundations. These local schools include Bethesda Chevy Chase, Walter Johnson, Walt Whitman, Churchill, Paint Branch, Blair, Kennedy, and Richard Montgomery.

The foundation hopes to raise money through donations from Alumni, parents, local businesses, and fundraisers. Mrs. Barlow also plans on creating an Alumni database and establishing a stronger sense of a Blake community in the surrounding area such as Silver Spring, Olney, Burtons-ville, Sandy Spring, and Ashton.

The foundation could potentially

benefit summer programs for incoming freshman, provide help for those struggling academically, create scholarships, and promote teacher training. The foundation also hopes to contribute to a technology fund that will keep resources for students up to date. Adds PTSA vice president Beth Blevins, “I am especially interested in education equity—helping lower income students at Blake prepare for college and pay for college.”

However, there are numerous dif-ficulties in establishing this foundation. With the current economy, parents and local businesses may be hesitant to contribute. Another challenge is finding people who are interested in the foundation and will-

ing to put in the time and effort as a board member.

Mrs. Barlow wants people to under-stand that a triumph for the Blake com-munity is a victory for all. “People have to buy into the fact that there is a real need at Blake and that they have a stake in the success in Blake,” says Mrs. Barlow.

Although it’s in its early stages, the foundation has great potential to be a note-worthy organization. Adds Mrs. Barlow, “I can only believe that with effort, we will have a successful foundation.” With optimistic leaders, eager parents, and a supporting community, the foundation can benefit numerous students and improve education.

by Cynthia Chow& Miles Johnsonx

I think it’s a very good experience for anyone who would like to...learn from others.

JULIE HULEIS

New NBCTs include guidance counselors Gale Reynolds and Jean Smith (top); and French

teacher Francoise Vandenplas. --photos by Sasha Herrera (top) & Kara Korab.

December 18, 2009 The Blake BeatA4

CONTINUED FROM A1

engage his Improv Group in more commu-nity service activities. He says, “Sometimes just being there and doing nice things is…more important than giving $1,000 to some charity you don’t even know.”

English teacher and mother Katina Chappell, along with a few other moth-ers, will be organizing baskets for five expectant mothers on bed-rest at Howard County General Hospital. The baskets will be filled with goodies like pajamas, fuzzy socks, lotions, and gift cards to help keep these mommies in good spirits during the holidays. She plans to deliver the baskets this weekend. “Any of us who can feel thankful for a roof over our heads, food in our cupboards, family to surround us…should feel compelled to share our joy and resources with those who have less than we do,” adds Mrs. Chappell.

Special Education Para-educator Christal Messett began a fundraiser to aid some of the troops stationed in Afghanistan. She was able to $350 and used the money

to buy soccer and footballs, games, socks, and various food items. She also received donations of toiletries, DVDs, books, magazines, and additional food items. The donations were shipped last Friday to ensure their arrival in time for the holidays. Says Mrs. Messett, “Even if someone just gives you a quarter or whatever change that they had in their pocket, it all adds up.”

In addition to the donations, students and faculty signed a card that will be sent to the troops. “[Volunteering] makes you feel so good,” says Mrs. Messett, “especially for the military troops because they’re just giving up so much for us.”

Today, the LEO Club completed their annual toy drive and will be sending them to the St. Ann’s Infant & Maternity Home in Hyattsville, MD. St. Ann’s hopes to collect enough toys for each child, staying at the shelter, to have a toy. “During the holidays…is when people need the most help,” says LEO club president and junior Jennifer Lien. “[Volunteering] gives people

a chance to make a difference in [another] person’s life.”

Last year, the club collected around 100 toys and they hoped (or hope, depend-ing on whether or not they already know they’ve exceeded it) to exceed that number

this month. As an added incentive, the club gave out breakfasts on Tuesdays and Thursdays to students who donated toys, a tradition carried on from last year. If you would still like to donate a toy, a collection box will be in the main office until the end of the day.

To help ill children in the Children’s Inn at the National Institutes of Health

(NIH), the fifth period leadership class made boxes to hang outside the doors of young patients and filled them with handmade cards and games. Says leadership class teacher Erinn Rigney, “Each child receives something special each day to hopefully brighten their day in the face of a devastating disease.” The class also helped promote the LEO Club’s Toy

Drive.“I believe that my peers should [vol-

unteer] not only because it’s a great thing to do to show you care,” says Lyons, “but…because you never know when you may need help yourself.”

Bengals volunteer by helping troops, donating to worthy causes

Paraeducator Christal Messett (Top left) displays the $350 donated so far that wil go to troops in Afghanistan. Seniors Ting-Ting Zheng (Above left) and Caitlin Mitchell help collect gifts before school on behalf of the Leo Club. Seniors (Bottom

left) Rachel Plafker, Caroline Zebrowski, Ashley Haymaker and Karina Orellana prepare cards and games for sick children at Children’s Inn at the National Institutes of Health. --photos by Tu Truong

During the holidays... is when people need the most help. [Volunteering] gives people a chance to make a difference in

[another] person’s life.Jennifer Lien

December 18, 2009 The Blake Beat A5

These members of theJames Hubert Blake

community wishyou and your family

a terrific holiday seasonand an even better 2010.*

*and pledged money to help defray the cost of this issue

The Aaron FamilyThe Arias Family

The Family of Rachel BabcockThe Berry Family

The Bloomrosen FamilyThe Bradshaw Family

The Bush FamilyThe Brodersen Family

The Cali FamilyMaia, Talia, Orit & Steve Chicherio

The Corcoran FamilyThe Diby Family

The Dionne FamilyThe Dowdall Family

Gelb: Wishes to Senior Class OfficersThe Hedgepeth FamilyThe Hoffman FamilyThe Hylton FamilyThe Jaeger Family

The Johnson FamilyThe Joiner Family

Linda Keegan/LDK AssociatesThe Klemko Family

The Family of Robert KorycinskiJoseph L. Kraut

The Leishman FamilyThe Family of Jourdan Lewanda

The Lyons FamilyScott Trenton Mallory, Blake Beat 2004

The McMullen FamilyThe McNamara Family

Mrs. Moore, College & Career CoordinatorCoach Murfin, Bengal Baseball

Jim NorbergThe Ostermeyer Family

The Paunil FamilySteve, Beth, Betina and Justin Pereira

The Perry Family: Calvin ‘13, Kayla ‘09The Pledger FamilyThe Plihal Family

The Family of Brooke RehmanThe Family of Ryan Reynolds

The Riesenfeld FamilyThe Family of Christopher Riley

The Family of Cecil RobersonMrs. Rowe and Family

Sammy + Lindsey ComerThe Family of Joseph Samowitz

The Sigwalt FamilyThe Stevens Family

The Family of Britney StuartThe Watt Family

The Wilbur FamilyThe Zaika Family

December 18, 2009 The Blake BeatA6Chaotic cafeteria causes conflict, thieves in student body

Ron Ferguson, the cafeteria manager, points to the two lines and kiosk he closed to curtail the rampant amount of lunchtime theft.

“Lunch is out of control,” he says. “[Students] leave their trash all over the tables; they’re pushing other students around to get in line first, and once they [do], they have terrible language toward the cashiers.”

An anonymous freshman ex-presses her discomfort in the cafeteria. “It’s way too loud, and people stare at you. Students could try being more respectful and act how they would when eating dinner.”

According to Mr. Ferguson, cafeteria etiquette has gone out the

window. “[The cafeteria] looks like National Lampoon’s Animal House, with a food fight. [The students] have free run of the school,” he adds. “The conduct is very bad.”

However, not all agree. “I don’t think there’s a discipline problem,” says frequent cafeteria patron, senior Kristin Corcoran. “I don’t think there’s one grade in particular that has outstandingly bad behavior. Each grade has some students with behavior issues.”

Senior Brenda Flores has seen some of cafeteria staff’s frusration. She says, “Once I was paying three dollars for lunch and when I handed them a $10 bill, they rolled their eyes and grunted.” Though Flores rarely buys school lunches, she agrees with the

decision to close the lines because the stealing, she says, “needs to stop.”

Lunchtime theft comes at a steep price—a daily $40-$50 deficit. Noting that positions and employees’ hours have been cut due to low-earnings, Mr. Ferguson adds, “My supervisors [at the food division] say, ‘Do the best you can,’ but that’s not good enough.”

One student has his own rea-sons for misbehaving. “Stealing gives me an adrenaline rush,” says an anon-ymous junior, who admits to thieving, on average, three times a week. “The [cafeteria-made] food tastes like road-kill and I’ll want other snacks. I can get away with it, so I do it.”

Escaping consequences is a grievance of the cafeteria staff. “I can’t

get the administration’s cooperation,” says Mr. Ferguson. “At a point I said, ‘I have to do something myself.’” Though Mr. Ferguson has attempted to buff up security around the lunch line doors where students crowd, he says that he has a “problem” with security “doubting their jobs.”

“I think we do a pretty good job,” says security guard Walter Leslie, in response to Mr. Ferguson’s claim. “If you get 400, 500 kids trying to eat at once, there’s going to be a little chaos, but I don’t see it as a problem-atic place.” He adds, “We don’t doubt our jobs.”

Assistant Principal Joe DuBoyce disagrees with Mr. Fer-guson’s allegation that the admin-istration doesn’t cooperate. “I don’t

know why he would say that,” he says. “Many days there’s at least one of us in the cafeteria, either in the line or out in front. It’s not a crisis.”

To control the behavior, Mr. Ferguson proposes two lunch peri-ods restricted to the cafeteria, which seems counterintuitive to Flores. “That would mess up everything for students and teachers,” she says. “We should be mature enough to deal with buying lunch.”

Mr. Ferguson, who plans to open the other lines again if there is extra security says, “These kids are mature adults now.” He adds, “I’m reprimanding kids and it’s not my job. I just want to get them fed and out the door.”

by Merissa Dyerx

Digital photographers needed for The Blake Beat 2010-2011 staff!

If you’re interested, bring your portfolio to Mr. Keegan

in room A205A.

December 18, 2009 The Blake Beat A7

December 18

December 22

December 21

December 19

OCT

10

Varsity Boys’ Basketball at Paint Branch, 7pmJV Boys’ Basketball at Paint Branch, 5:15pmIce Hockey Club vs. Walter Johnson at Rockville rink #2, 3:30pmVarsity Wrestling Bulldog Duals Tour-nament at Churchill, TBA

Swim and Dive vs. Poolesville at Gaithersburg Aquatic Center, 11:30amContinuation of Varsity Wres-tling Bulldog Duals Tournament at Churchill, TBA

Varsity Boys’ Basketball vs. Damas-cus, 7pmJV Boys’ Basketball vs. Damascus, 5:15pmVarsity Girls’ Basketball at Damascus, 7pmJV Girls’ Basketball at Damascus, 5:15pm

Varsity Wrestling vs. Churchill, 6pmJV Wrestling vs. Churchill, 7pmThe Orchestras and Bands Present Winter Pops Concert on the Main Stage, 7:30pm

December 24Holiday-no school through January 3

Indoor Track vs. MCPS Developmen-tal Meet #2 at PG Sportsplex, 11am-5:30pmJV Wrestling at Whitman JV Invita-tional, 8am

BLAKECALENDAR

DEC

18

Newsbeats

n n n The following students will be participating in the second qualifying meet of the Montgomery County Forensics League January 9: freshmen Assoumou Diby, Darien Ellis, Jourdan Lewanda, and Ryan Reynolds; sophomore Sarah Prather; juniors Daniel Arias, Pearl Bentum, Maia Chicherio, Shekara McLaren, and Max Sabelhaus; and seniors Aurelia Akpan, Bryndon Cook, Elise Gifford, and Becky Joiner.

n n n Junior Max Shannon tied 5th place out of 125 stu-dents at the MCPS Coed District Tournament for golf. Shannon is qualified to play in the Maryland State Golf Tournament at the Potomac Ridge Golf Course.

n n n Senior Uche Ogodi and sophomores Amanie Musa and Sarah Lipkowitz have been chosen to perform with Maryland All-State Choirs. Ogodi will be performing in the Maryland Senior All-State Mixed Chorus and Musa and Lipkowitz will be performing in the Maryland

Senior All-State Women’s Choir. Their concerts will be held at the Downtown Baltimore Convention Center in March.

n n n The Eubie Awards for the month of November are in. Senior Brenda Flores won in Child Develop-ment, junior Rachel Cooper won in Dance, junior Mark Fearson won in Drama, senior Kirsten Petersen won in English, sophomore Sarah Lipkowitz won in Foreign Language, sophomore Jeramiah Medina won in Health, sophomore Mary Fernandes won in Math, sophomore Matthew Grady and junior Delilah Gates won in Music, senior Christian Kuhn won in Physical Education, senior Yonit Addisse won in Science, junior Ryan Frazier won in Social Studies, freshman Emily Eaglin won in Technology, and senior Beatriz Brizuela won in TV Production.

n n n The following students were named to the Field Hockey All-County Team by The Gazette: senior captain

Justine Allen was named 1st Team All-County, fresh-man Caroline Wannen was named 2nd Team All-County, and junior Bridget Hawvermale was named honorable mention. Football players who have been recognized by The Gazette include Kwabena Asante, Stephen Campbell, Brandon Simms (1st Team); Will Morris, Steven Pen-land, Bevin Walker (2nd Team); Dylan Gomez, Chris McSwain, Devonte Sayas, and Willy White (Honor-able Mention). Senior volleyball stars Chris Callahan and senior captain Caitlin Mitchell were chosen to play in the Montgomery County Public Schools Coaches Senior All-Star Game with 22 other players from around the county. The match was held December 2 at Magruder High School.

n n n The following poms were named All-Americans: seniors Jazmine Dandrige, Ashley Haymaker, Zoe Ligon, Leah Rich, Caroline Zebrowski and senior captain Alexa Norberg.

Rachel Cooper

Ryan Reynolds

Yonit AddisseCaroline Wannen

Ryan Frazier

December 29

January 5Varsity Boys’ Basketball at Einstein, 7pmJV Boys’ Basketball vs. Einstein, 5:15pmVarsity Girls’ Basketball at Einstein, 5:15pmJV Girls’ Basketball vs. Einstein, 3:30pm

December 18, 2009 The Blake BeatA8

Section B Blake Beat Opinion December 18, 2009

Two experts on girls share their wisdom, knowledge with student population, p. B6

Bye, Bye, Bye Timberlake, make room for new JustinFifteen-year-old Canadian singer pops his way into music scene

I remember the good old days when I was nothing but a scrawny pre-teen, drooling over singers like Jesse McCartney and Justin Timberlake, and getting way too excited over their cheesy songs.

Now that I am nearly 18, I have good reason to believe I have outgrown that phase of my life, right? Well I guess not, because now I have discovered Justin Bieber.

This 15 year-old Canadian has won over the hearts of girls in the U.S. and Canada alike with his classic pop-star looks and his angelic, pre-pubescent voice. According to Wikipedia, he even taught himself to play the piano, drums, guitar, and trumpet; but regardless of the accuracy of this statement, the boy’s voice is to die for. I mean, who can resist the high pitched squeak of male youth?

He has also captured my heart through his charming success story. His career started in late 2007 when he began posting videos of himself performing renditions of popular songs on YouTube, so that his family mem-bers, who couldn’t witness his greatness in person, could get a taste of it in the conve-

nience of their own home. Needless to say, he quickly gained popularity and was signed to a record company by October 2008.

The first time I watched one of his fa-mous YouTube performances, I immediately understood how record companies became interested in him, but after viewing a couple of his music videos, I was a little disturbed.

Now, Justin doesn’t quite look his age. His baby face and lack of major muscles, which I have grown to love, make him look to be around the tender age of eight. So, when the videos progressed and I saw that the girls playing his love interests must have been 20 years-old and inches taller, I almost felt like I was witnessing something illegal. But since Justin is only 5’3”, I suppose his producers would have a hard time finding girls shorter than him.

The only question lingering in my mind is what will happen to him when he hits puberty? Will his voice remain high for life like Michael Jackson, or will he wake up one morning a bass? Only time will tell.

Creepy music videos aside, the Jonas Brothers and Robert Pattinson better watch out, because Justin Bieber is sure to steal their fans away in no time.

by Megan Bushx

Simple tips on avoiding those awkward, dreadful first-date moments

If you’ve ever been on a date, chances are you’ve encountered some not-so-picturesque dating moments. As it turns out, romance isn’t as easy as it often looks. Who knew?

Whether a cheesy pick-up line or that inevitable awkward silence is the cause, nobody seems to leave a first date with their egos and emotions unscathed. It’s true what you’ve heard: these moments are sure to emerge, but they’re still not impossible to get past.

At high school age, people tend to be even more unsure of themselves than usual; this is the cause for the majority of these dreadful dating occur-rences. My personal theory is that when we get nervous, we tend to forget all of our common sense.

So first and foremost, if you want to reduce your risk of

ruining a date, take a deep breath and relax. If you don’t, you might just end up saying something ridiculous. And no, you shouldn’t try to break the ice with an offensive joke or the story of your latest trip to the ER.

Next, remember common courtesies. So guys, this means that if you’re going to a movie or restaurant, at least offer to pay for your date. I know times are tough, but do

you have to kill chivalry completely? Nobody likes a rude or ungentlemanly date.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not telling you to be stiff, im-personal, or overly proper—that’s just another disaster waiting

to happen. Find a balance. Be polite, but don’t forget your charm.

If the date doesn’t go well, handle the situation maturely. This means you shouldn’t just start ignoring your date because you feel awkward—I can’t even name all the times I’ve heard of this happening. This is undoubtedly an uncomfortable situation, but grow up and get past it. It’s not rocket science. Just tell your date what’s up.

These are my words of advice, but following these guides still doesn’t

ensure that you’ll be rid of all uncomfortable points in your date. I’ve tried my best, but when such awkward moments are bound to ensue, maybe we’re all better off staying at home.

by Emily Stevensx

Attention Seniors! Show some class; have character, be role modelsWhen I came to Blake, seniors were outrageously

cool; they knew it and they took pride in it. When they saw me as a freshman, with my gigantic backpack, struggling to navigate through the halls, they helped me.

This year’s seniors are also extremely cool, and we know it. However, I’ve noticed that the class of 2010 is not taking pride in being role models for the new, nervous, and sometimes terrified freshmen. As seniors, we have obviously been here the longest. We know teachers the best and have helpful hints that freshmen, sophomores, and even juniors may not yet know.

Instead of improving life for our young Bengals, we spend more time rubbing in their faces how much bigger, stronger, and superior we are. The class color

day incident is just one example of seniors abusing their seniority, but other events are noticeable on a daily basis: seniors show no mercy as they barrel their way through freshmen in the halls, intimidating them out of sitting at a lunch table in the cafeteria.

Far be it for me to suggest that we all hold hands and skip down the hallways, but it definitely isn’t nec-essary for seniors to constantly remind the freshmen of their lack of authority at Blake. Being excited about

senior year is one thing, but acting like an arrogant jerk is another. Seniors, if you think back a few years, you were extremely similar to that brace-faced freshman who you bully every day.

While some things are designated as belonging to seniors by tradition (such as the front rows of the parking lot, or the majority of the cafeteria) it doesn’t mean that if an underclassmen parks in “your space” you paint all over their car. Like I said, you are the oldest--act like it.

Next time you and all of your senior friends go to a basketball game, be a little more approachable. The student section isn’t restricted to just seniors. When you see freshmen walk in, traveling in those awkwardly large packs, they will most likely sit behind the parents in the crowd. If there is a gutsy bunch who dares to loom near the students, don’t scare them away.

The boy’s voice is to die for.

by Max Hedgepethx Underclassmen get lack of respect by older classmates

Chivalry ain’t dead, so leave your ridiculous pick up lines at home

December 18, 2009 The Blake BeatB2No, I will not “kiss your bumper” or go to college in pajamasObnoxious commericals disrupt television experiences for students

“It’s my money and I need it now!” We have all been there before. You’re

watching your favorite show and are suddenly bombarded with an extremely lame commer-cial with horrible acting. All we want to do is yell, “SHUT UP!”

What are we supposed to do during these commercials? Claw our eyes out? Hast-ily reach for the remote? Either one will do, considering the obscene and irrational local TV commercials that have recently butted in on our relaxation.

Since the beginning of the TV age, we have been forced to watch silly singing and

intense feuds between competitors concern-ing which commercial is the catchiest. But at least they have a budget and some sense of decency. On the other hand, local jingles and vocational school commercials are taking over and it must be stopped.

We understand that the economy is contributing to an increase in college com-mercials by encouraging people to go back to school, but seriously, nobody wants to see a girl dancing around in boxers and a tank top advertising Education Connection. Thirteen year-old boys and pedophiles, the people the commercial appeals to, aren’t really the target audience if you want to get more col-lege applicants.

It might be fine to use a rap jingle for

selling products to teenagers, but rapping about Eastern Motors just makes the audience want to slit their throats. It’s uncomfortable to watch these commercials. It’s almost as bad as watching a sex scene with your parents; you look for reasons to sprint out of the room.

The automotive business is also suf-fering from the economic crisis, which of course means more farfetched and low-budget ads are being produced by local dealers. One of our personal favorites is the adorable old man, Jack Fitzgerald, who sits in his chair and pleads for teenagers to flock to his dealership and take away the piles of cars that are begin-ning to rust on his lot.

I don’t know about you, but I wouldn’t really want to take advice from my sweet

grandfather about where to shop for cars. But at least he means well, unlike another elderly advertiser: grandma yelling at you to “kiss [her] bumper!” Who would want to buy car insurance from that?

Frankly, drawing attention to elderly women’s “bumpers” in order to get us to buy your product is utterly hideous, insulting and ridiculous. Besides, the credibility of this grandma is lost once you realize that it’s just a middle aged man in a bra and wig.

We can’t even count how many awful commercials there really are. But in the end, they’re all the same: obnoxious. They have left us all with emotional scars, yet all we can do is watch in disgust and just pray that they don’t actually get us to buy their product.

Bon Voyage 2009: From Kanye’s meltdown to Rihanna’s beatdown

Despite the noobs that thought we’d never see the 21st century (the Y2K Scare, anyone?), somehow the world kept spinning. In honor of the last year of the new millennium’s first decade, here’s a list of the nine unlikely events that changed America.

9. Barack Obama is inaugurated as the 44th Presi-dent of the United States, making him our nation’s first black President, his wife, Michelle, the White House’s first black First Lady, and Joe Biden, the token.

8. Chris Brown and Rihanna are involved in an altercation case that shocks the nation. We don’t know all the details of what happened, but a man should never hit a woman, especially one from Barbados ---those island girls don’t play.

7. Celebrities Dying. Anyone keeping a Celebrity

death scorecard would’ve noticed that the Grim Reaper was really busy this summer. Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, and even Billy Mays left us. Though many regret making fun of Michael, or purposely changing the channel during Billy’s infomercials, without these three greats, we’ll never watch Charlie’s Angels, sniff OxiClean or Beat It the same.

6. Jon & Kate + 8 = the train wreck, known as the Gosselins. They are living proof that no matter how many US Weekly covers, Ed Hardy endorsement deals or steamy affairs you have, you can’t live off a TLC reality show forever.

5. Swine Flu allowed people to be rude. H1N1 made it okay to publicly scorn those who don’t cover their mouths when they cough and wipe their sneezes on their jeans. It was also acceptable to use “Sorry, it’s flu season” as an excuse to turn down a hook-up.

4. Kanye interrupts Taylor Swift at the VMA’s, which results in millions of Tweets and tears (on Kanye’s behalf).

3. The Balloon Boy Hoax meant none of us gullible Americans stopped to consider how homemade balloons could carry a 50-pound kid in the first place. To reward our stupidity, there’s an iPhone app, “Balloon Boys”, where users can make hoax balloon photos.

2. Oprah will off herself in 2011--off the air that is, she decided in November. While housewives mourn, paternity tests will prevail. After all, Maury is now tied with Oprah as the number one talk show among adults ages 18-34. Oprah will always give out free stuff, but we only get to find out Sha’Nay Nay’s baby daddy twice.

1. December 2012 hasn’t happened yet, but the world will end. We know this because some time in between planting chinampas and scribing hieroglyphics, the ancient Mayans were able to set reminders on their Blackberrys to CC every-one an e-mail to go ahead and freak out over the apocalypse three years in advance.

by Merissa Dyerx

by Rachel Babcock& Caroline Pledgerx

We’ll never watch Charlie’s Angels, sniff OxiClean, or Beat It the same.

December 18, 2009 The Blake Beat B3Celebrities play blame game, display lack of responsibilitySeeking public sympathy, “victims” hype up negative media attention

Pointing the finger at someone else for your mistakes is supposed to be an action given up by the age of five, but for celebri-ties, this level of immaturity seems to be the latest trend.

Not only are today’s celebrities too good to take responsibility for their mistakes, but they take the blame game to a whole new level by labeling themselves as victims. Ce-lebrities can’t manage to see past the flashing lights and face the reality that no one feels

sorry for them.Take Jon Gosselin for example. Yes,

that’s the guy from Jon and Kate Plus 8, or what’s now known as Kate Plus 8. After four years of earning millions of dollars exploit-ing his children on television, Jon Gosselin has now decided that he is the innocent one. Unfortunately for him, Kate believes she is the one who did nothing wrong.

Jon is a walking disaster; he hangs out with younger women and goes to bars at all hours. He is doing the media rounds claiming that Kate is the ring leader for the current mess

once known as the Gosselin family and that he is the victim. When held up to the media glare, he professes the media is ruining his life and tries to convince the world that he is righteous in his not-guilty stance of running away from his responsibilities as a father.

And we can’t forget about Carrie Prejean, former Miss California. After being stripped of her title for failing to follow her contract, Prejean decided this was the perfect time to play the victim by sharing her troubles on Larry King. She feels she has every right to complain about the struggles that come with

the Miss California sash, like her problems are larger than that of every day working-class people. It’s ridiculous that Prejean thinks the public will sympathize with her for her leaked sex-tape.

Gosselin and Prejean have perfected the “victimization by the media” to a science. They seek attention and still say they resent the negative comments that come with that attention. So to all the celebrities out there who call themselves victims, own up to your actions and stop milking your fame for all its worth.

by Analise Altobellix

Disclaimer: I love TV. I think it is just fantastic. It is, quite simply, a gift from God. But like all gifts, television is not perfect. There are two main problems that I see with it that annoy me to no end: the repetition among shows, and writers being influenced by actor decisions.

I’ll admit that I watch a fair share of television shows. But I take my TV watching very seriously, so I don’t make the amateur mistake of watching the same genre over and over again. I vary my shows: three half-hour comedies, one family drama, two medical dramas, etc. But even with this variety, it seems to me that producers get ideas for their shows by watching other shows.

It’s ridiculous. Even with my broad range of shows, I’m watching three different people on three different shows battle cancer, four different people deal with pre-marital pregnancies, and five people having affairs. I say that producers of every show need to meet and create sign-up sheets for certain topics so there is less repetition.

Also, writers were hired for a reason. They are able to write engag-ing, interesting plotlines that keep viewers entertained. The actors may know their own character inside and out (hence, the reason they were hired as ACTORS), but they don’t know what is best for the show. It is the most frustrating thing to watch a show that you love, see that a character has been killed off or has left his soul mate and know that it is happening because the actor is choosing to leave the show, not because the writers wanted it to be that way.

I have complete faith in the writers. Even when it seems like none of the characters are going to be happy, I know that they have a plan to satisfy viewers in the end. But when they are thrown a curve-ball by ac-tors, they are forced to write things they weren’t planning on having to write, and change the storyline and their ideas.

So, I hope you’re listening, television gods, because I’m getting really tired of seeing the same problems over and over. And I really don’t want to be so bored that I actually start doing homework or something.

Angry actors, repetitive plot lines cause teen “TV trauma”

by Samantha Steinfeldx

Talking to strangers on Omegle Skype

Jerking Class of 2010 Slacking Off

College Prowler MLIA 2012

Watching TV Shows Online Modern Family

Taylor Swift Paranormal Activity

Lace Tights Braids

Taylor Lautner Werewolves

Justin BieberGlee

Table for TwelveJersey Shore

Leather Jackets White CollarThrift Stores

Ellen DeGeneres

Talking to friends on AIMFacebook Chat

Soulja Boy DanceClass of 2009

College EssaysCollegeBoard

FMLThe Day After TomorrowWatching TV Shows Live

The MiddleKanye West

The Blair Witch ProjectThick Leggings

PonytailsRobert Pattinson

VampiresJesse McCartney

High School Musical (all of them)Jon & Kate Plus 8

The Real WorldBig Puffy Winter Coats

MonkOverpriced Name Brands

Paula Abdul

WHAT’S IN, WHAT’S OUT IN 2010by Juliana Sesay & Kirsten Petersenx

IN OUT

December 18, 2009 The Blake Beat B6

by Anna Chingx

Website makes senior’s life seem more than just average

Real men share wisdom to help peers understand dating infrastructureFemale mind analyzed by experienced fellows

The key thing is to be yourself – as long as “yourself” is the manly, hairy, curling, death metal aficionado, bad boy that we all have inside of us.

Flirting is an ancient art, and in our last issue, girls learned how to bag a guy. So now, our experts will give you studs inside tips to help you attract the ladies.

We each have a PhD in Female Relations from Yale University, so trust us; we know what we’re talking about.

Be Manly: Girls like men who are hairy, strong, and brutish. It’s that natural and primordial feeling that a real male has about him. Hair is essential for this look, so rock a mop like Chewbacca. Don’t stop there; get your fur on like the Yeti. Nothing appeals more to the opposite sex than pure manly power and the ability to throw rocks. In other words, aspire to become a cross between Gimli, the cool dwarf from Lord of the Rings and the dude from Braveheart.

Learn to Play Music: Music is the food of love. From the sitar to the lowly grass flute, every instrument is fair game. Choose music that is simultaneously senti-mental and manly. Stay away from sissy ballads like “My Heart Will Go On.” Instead, go for “Raining Blood,” a beautiful display of passionate emotion and consummate feeling. Pretty much, any song by Slayer will make her heart swoon.

Take up a sport: Sure, you could be a running back or a goalie, but to truly impress your woman, you’ve got to go with something a little more rock involved. Some may not be into the whole throwing rocks thing, but who says you can’t slide ‘em? Nothing exudes manly energy and athleticism more than curling, the sport of hardcore janitorial staffs everywhere.

Be a Bad Boy: Girls love the awesome dude with the flowing cape and dramatic background music. He doesn’t play by the rules, and neither should you. Being the person to run a shopping cart into oncoming traffic with all your friends watching can get you the girl of your dreams. Sure, you might break a few bones or suffer a concussion; but isn’t love worth all that?

The key thing is to be yourself—as long as “your-self” is the manly, hairy, curling, death metal aficionado, bad boy that we all have inside of us.

by Tim Yee & Paul Sausvillex

No shades of grey when it comes to deciphering someone’s true colorsDiscovering a person’s true colors

can happen in one of two ways: you can happily recognize the authenticity of their richness and vibrancy or disap-pointedly realize the darkness that lies beneath what you thought was pure radiance.

A relationship can be broken down into two broad components: Respect, which consists of a person’s integrity and morals, and trust, which consists of a person’s loyalty and honesty. When developing bonds and friendships, all you really need to know about someone are these two things (if it were only that easy).

Now, trust is a very expansive concept. When you say you trust some-body, you are literally giving them a part of you to take care of. How close you become with a person determines how much you trust them and what you trust them with--just a simple secret you want kept safe, or total control of your emotions. It’s a power which you trust they won’t abuse.

Respect builds off of trust. It is being conscious of those who trust you as you go through your day. It is pausing to recognize that what you’re doing may be hurting someone you care about, then stopping. Unlike a secret which you may demand privacy for, respect is more of a mutual acknowledgement between two

people, that shouldn’t require request.In an ideal world, a person’s true

colors would glow on the outside for everyone to see, not hide behind a de-ceiving smile, false sincerity, or a fake sense of genuine care. We don’t live in an ideal world, and Blake High School is no exception.

Often times, the people who you have grown to trust the most, become complacent. They comfortably discover that your smile, sincerity, and care are real and regardless of what they do, they know you will always be right there wait-ing for them, like family. So they take advantage. They realize, even admit to knowing what they’re doing is wrong, but continue doing it.

When true colors shine through, it can be difficult to handle, especially if you had no clue they’ve been concealed all along. However, they are not to be denied. It may take five, 10, or 15 months before the person you thought you knew is someone completely different--someone not to trust because they don’t respect you.

As we approach the end of 2009, make it a resolution to not be deceived. Before you fall for the sense of security a smile gives off, or the richness of a sweet talker’s words, decide whether you would feel comfortable enough giv-ing them your heart and trusting them to cherish it without ever having to ask. Sometimes, not even that works.

by Max Hedgepethx

“Today, I answered the door to find a high school girl dressed as Taylor Swift. Half-way through saying, “Trick-or-Treat,” a boy dressed as Kanye pushed her aside proclaiming how much more Beyoncé de-served the candy. They both got extra candy. MLIA”

Even if you think that what you just read was made up, you can’t deny that it’s funny.

As many of you know, My Life Is Average, or MLIA, is a place where anyone can

post things about their normal and typical life, and read about other people’s average lives. Although most of the stories are related to school, relation-ships, awesome parents, or random strangers, stories that are submitted are ridiculous, embarrassing, awkward, or just painful, but of course, average.

Now don’t get me wrong, it’s not that I find painful

situations to be hilarious. But some situations are so stupid that it’s funny. But then again, that is what MLIA is striving for: they post those stories because they want the readers to find them humorous.

A i m l e s s l y s u r f i n g through pages of recent posts, I regularly struggle to catch my breath after laughing vig-orously for a good minute or two. Other times, I find

myself smiling after reading something cute, like when an old man shows up at your front door on Halloween with-out a costume claiming to be Benjamin Button who is “seven years-old, only older-looking.”

Compared to MLIG (My Life Is Great) and other sites that consist of people com-plaining, and TFLN (Texts From Last Night), MLIA is

a lot more entertaining and involves more humor. The stories submitted aren’t from people who want to rant about how they found their signifi-cant other cheating on them in the worst way possible, nor do they include posts that provide too much personal in-formation. I do not need to be informed about what you did last night. Enough said.

Reading one post leads me to read another on MLIA. It’s an addictive and incred-ible source of pure enjoyment. MLIA, you make my life…average.

MLIA proves to be more entertaining, less depressing than predecessor, FML

Tim Yee and Paul Sausville strike a manly pose as an example to all other aspiring casanovas. Clearly, the

solution to all your dating ills is to be a loud, obnoxious metalhead. -- photo by Sharisa Sesawaeng

December 18, 2009 The Blake Beat B7

by Bronte Abell & Kirsten Petersenx

by Nikki CalixRecently, our generation has

claimed certain technologies to be “necessities.” Living without these things is virtually impossible for us, so that’s why I consider the following items some of the best inventions of our lifetime:

Facebook: Honestly, if Fa-cebook or other social networking sites didn’t exist we’d be bored out of our minds. If you think about how much time you spend on Facebook each evening, even during school (you CrackBerry addicts and mobile updaters), it would easily add up to 24 hours a week. When you consider that there’s 52 weeks in a year, that’s 52 days of your life spent (not wasted) cyber stalking. It enables us to catch up with friends near and far, critique people’s pictures, and socialize five steps away from our cozy bed.

Texting: We start from the minute we wake up and don’t stop until we’re asleep. But if you’ve never woken up because your phone was buzzing on your night table and you didn’t text back, then you’re just lying to yourself. We practically text in our sleep. Admit it; texting has become such a huge part of our lives that I don’t think we know how to communicate any other way. Imagine life without texting -- we’d actually have to put the phone to our ear and talk to someone. So unappealing.

DVR: As students, we live such busy lifestyles and seniors have so much homework from their five electives that it’s nearly impossible to sit down at 8PM or 9PM on a Tuesday night and watch your favorite TV show (or if it starts at 10PM, it then becomes a struggle to stay awake). DVR

or digital video recorders have become a neces-sity for avid TV wa tche r s who want to keep up with the current sea-son of their show. You can even DVR the latest Ravens game, and hope that someone doesn’t spit out the final score before you watch the whole thing.

Digital Cameras: It’s impossible to imagine life without a digital camera—how else would we be able to docu-ment our everyday lives, and im-mediately upload them to our computers to share with all of our friends? It wouldn’t be pos-sible. Recall the prehistoric times when you had to buy film, go to the local CVS, get your pictures developed by the professionals, and pick them up a few days later. It’s a relief the process has been expedited.

iPods: We’re a music crazy, internet obsessed, and techno-logically savvy generation. iPods enable us to do it all with liter-ally the touch of a finger. We can check our Facebook, Skype, go on YouTube, pop bubbles, race cars, and take pictures that aren’t super fuzzy. Without the iPod, we’d have to carry a heavy laptop, a videogame console, some bubble wrap, and a webcam to fulfill all of our desires.

Five best inventions of our generationEverday gadgets have become vital lifelines

Seniors reminisce over not-so-fond memories of tumultuous afternoonOnce upon a two-years-ago, two frantic sophomores

scampered through the halls of Blake High School with one goal in mind: to find a cell phone, with service, and subsequently a ride home.

Forty-eight hours before the adventure in question, we were assigned our first article for the newspaper. We were ECSTATIC. We stayed after school on a Friday, despite the absence of activity buses, to conduct an interview.

After leaving the interview, Kirsten discovered that her cell phone battery had died, and Bronte announced that she never had a cell phone to begin with. We were devastated.

We gave up trying to find a working cell phone, and decided to take a Metrobus. We waited anxiously for a

Metrobus in the frozen tundra, but missed said bus while eating the remnants of our lunches. Unfortunately for us, upon boarding our first Metrobus, we discovered that it was rolling toward Silver Spring, as opposed to Olney, our desired destination.

We hopped off the bus to a stop on New Hampshire Ave and danced around in circles for 30 minutes. When we finally boarded an Olney bus, we naïvely sat directly behind the driver’s seat; everyone else on the bus, noticing what we had conveniently missed, escaped to the rear, away from the crazy man talking to himself and the driver.

And this guy wasn’t just crazy—he was drunk. So with our luck he didn’t just sit there, he talked to us and asked us questions; scary personal questions.

Kirsten’s quick thinking gave us aliases, a new school and bumped us up a grade. But he persisted in asking us

what classes we were taking and if we liked them, where we lived, and worshipped our goddess-like beauty.

For the first time, we were truly excited to see the high school as the bus turned on to Eubie Blake Way. We scampered off of the bus, still in an unshakeable state of shock. Within moments of returning to the school, a Good Samaritan came to us in the form of a curly golden-haired Jesus by the name of Ben Werfel. He was with his dad, who had a vehicle and a cell phone. But when Kirsten called her mom to tell her that we FINALLY got a ride home, guess what she said? “DO NOT GET INTO THAT CAR WITH THAT BOY.”

We did it anyway. Moral of the story? When you’ve been out in the freezing cold for hours, don’t be afraid to catch a ride home with a friend. Look at us! We’re alive. Well, sort of.

by Leah Richx

Mother nature brings gust of confusion to one student’s wardrobeI bought a $60 North Face

fleece and a winter hat on sale on black Friday, but it seems like a waste of money since it has not been cold enough to wear them.

At first, I was thrilled with the idea that it would never get cold. I wouldn’t have to deal with the horrible, cold weather. Search-ing for layers of blankets at night, multiple jackets and pairs of gloves for the frosty mornings wouldn’t be necessary. My self-diagnosed seasonal depression won’t come

this year. I’ll never have to wake up

early to defrost my car and I’ll never have to worry about touching the freezing cold steering wheel as it takes the entire car ride to school to warm up my car. I certainly won’t miss the fear of slipping on black ice as I get out of my car and then once entering the building, the scorching heat that causes me to no longer need my jacket.

However, at the same time, I always look forward to snow; not for unique snowflakes, but for the hope that school will be cancelled.

Waking up and seeing the roads covered in snow, or even just a nice, thick layer of ice, is the most satis-fying feeling at 6:30 in the morning. Unfortunately, the random snow storm didn’t help me after snowing on a Saturday morning.

One thing I could always rely on was the weather, whether it snows to cancel school or is sunny for a game of basketball. Even a rainy evening could result in a movie night with friends, but the weather has been less than reliable of as of late.

Now, I have mixed emotions

about the weather. It’s not warm and it’s not cold, it’s the confusing 45 to 55 degrees where Uggs and a North Face are too heavy, but a t-shirt and a sweater may be too light. With wind, it’s quite chilly, but without wind, it’s nice enough to take a stroll with a light sweater.

Dressing accordingly is a struggle. I put my fuzzy bunny slippers on and I’m too warm, I turn my fan on at night and I’m too cold. The mornings are sometimes really cold, but the afternoons turn warm. Sometimes the mornings are really warm, but by 2:10 it feels

cold enough to snow! There is no consistency!

Its three days from Winter Solstice, and I have no idea if the weather will stay cold enough in or-der to have a white holiday season. The forecast according to Verizon (conveniently speed dial two on my cell phone) said the month of November averaged three degrees warmer than last year. Yes, there is the issue of global warming and if we keep polluting the environment, by the time the freshmen graduate, there will be tulips growing in De-cember. This weather is horrible.

December 18, 2009 The Blake BeatB8

Vijay Raju Pradip RamamurtiRyan ReynoldsCHRISTINE RICCIARDIChristopher RichardPatrick RichardAndrew RiedelIsabel RodriguezChelsea RyanLaura SavarySusan Shelton-DerMin ShimLaura SmethurstAnna SteinfeldJasmin StevensonJulia StewartKelly StockJean SuazoJANINE TAIRAEmily TchaiEmily TempchinIdara UmoSopheak UngDenise VeneroNatasha VirjeeWanjiru WaithakaHelena WaksRussell WankeCAROLINE WANNENLillian WatkinsDeneen WatsonNatalie WigginsKielan WilcombKionna WileyBryan WilkersonKarissa WongRACHEL WOOKarim Zarhloul

GRADE 10Mohammed AbbasCody AckerHenry Adjah-ProvencaFrancisca AgbodzahNicole AlexanderDaniel AndurayDERICK ANSAHHenry AparicioIsaac AppelDarren BassCaio BastosBrian BattagliaDanielle BlockerBrittany BradleyANTHONY BUIBlake BuressElizabeth ButlerNicole ByrdCarolina CamachoMAN CHANJoshua ChangVictor ChauJoal ChenCharles ChengHiu ChiuMark CirincioneMolly CohenMIYA COOKGiancarlo CurziPHUC VU DANGBrandon DavisRyan DeaneSavannah Doane-MalotteChristian DomaasFaith ElyKathryn EvansMary FernandesAnthony FischettiHayley FixlerLane FlynnLinus FrancisAmanda FreemanKirsten FreseKathryn FuchsNEVA GAKAVIANValentina GarciaJacob GillCecilia GirolamiHayley GlantzJacob GordonRamanda GrahamFabiola GramajoLucy HarrelsonBradley HarrisonMarvin Hart IVJack HawvermaleJacob HaymanHeather HeimPhuong HoangMarcel HofmannVictoria HongDavid HyltonLucas IrvinJanet JacksonRACHEL JAFFEChristian JeongAlyssa JohnsonDevon Johnson

Names in all caps indicate Straight A’s

GRADE 9Aiman AbdelmoutiCHRISTIAN ABELLPhrasaengd AdhatamsoontraKwame AsanteBrittany AtkinsAngela BairIndia BanksKayla BeardJenna BeersJohn BeersMadeleine BenjoarKATHERINE BLACKFORDCole BradshawNicholas BreenGraylyn BroadnaxMichelle BrooksLilet BroomesMichael BrownMadison BruffyThais CalderonCory CampSamantha CarpenterOlivia CastroMichael ChheangRyan ChoeHoyoung ChoiPeter ChuLindsey ComerAndrew ConchasNICHOLAS CORSILLOLYDIA CURDTSNICHOLAS DAVISJulia DennisAssoumou DibyAlison DionneAlbert Djoum, Jr.McKenzie DreherEmily EaglinDarien EllisMonica EngJulia Estrada-LuyoAlexus FordMatthew ForsytheAryn FrazierConnor GaffneyAnna GaleanoWilliam GareyKimberly GebhardtsbauerChristina GlasgowCorey GlockerDerek GlockerGina GomesChante GoodgerJamil GordonEric GottliebAnjelica GrantCandace GrantPAUL GREGGEmily GreitzerAnna HaleyCharles HarperAntony HarrisKellen HealyVivian HendersonAzalia HernandezRACHEL HEWITTTramanh HoangOlivia HubbardWesley HunnJane HwangSamuel JaffeIrene JonesMelania KarmazynHannah KenneyHamza Khan-TareenBarzillai KimRute KirosMichael KisterKaitlin KlumppFranchesca KuhneyCecilia KwakyeTerrance LagrueAndrew LatonaAshlin LeeDae Kyu LeeWestin LeeSara LettieriJourdan LewandaBlaine LowryCindy LuuMusa MalikEli MarshKrystal MartindaleMayia McKenzieRosie MeileMekayla MekaraCianna MillerYvette MingiaAndy MoralesMatthew NeeMichelle NguyenBrenna NooneDunamis OreAndrea OrtizCalvin PerryHeidi PetersenFenguese PierreMariuxi Pintado

The James Hubert Blake administration, faculty & staff congratulate these students on making the First Quarter Honor Roll:

ASHLEY JUDAH Rebecca KalinichElizabeth KamaraSandra KindeteCross KlemkoROBERT KORYCINSKIKEVIN LAMMelina LatonaZOEY LEEAdele LeishmanIrene LemberosPeyton LeonardSamantha LevittSARAH LIPKOWITZMatthew LipshultzEUGENE LITMANCOLLEEN LIVINGSTONEJenny LonMONIKA LOONEYJULIE LOPATKABrianna LopezDaniel LouloudesStephanie LukPhi LuongMichael MansarayMeredith MathisMelissa McNabbJerimiah Medina MacKenzie MeyerAyola MgqolozanaTerah Minor-JonesTara MitchellDanielle MooreAlexander MoralesArianna MorrellJuan Moscoso Amanie Musa Mihir NakraniVanessa NewmanTayler NineLauren PaniatiSeong Hwan ParkJonathan ParksLeah PattersonAntonella Perez FerreroJessica PerlaAngela PinchinatGrace PlihalSarah Prather Zachary RadovAndrea RamirezTai RamseyBrooke RehmanElizabeth Ann ReyesLoren RiesenfeldJAHMILA ROBERTS Ghulam SallmanKyle ShawMatthew SiegelAndrew Simmons Holly SteinNICHOLAS TATNALLMegan TaylorKalkidan TesfahunEmily TouchKimberly ToxieNam Tran Samara TuNicole TuttleJean-Claude TzeutonDiego VallejosKaren VanegasTracy VelazquezCadijah WalcottAlexis WallaceErica WangZhichen WangBRANDON WEBERJeffery WelderREBECCA WELLMANJenna WilliamsLARISHA WINLEYLEISHA WINLEYEllen WoodRHEA WYSE

GRADE 11Alexandra AbellMorgan AguilarSymphonie Allen Jessica AnaneDaniel AriasNicholas Arnold-MedabalSarah AylorSpenser BalogSadia BanguraLauren BarlowIsabela BarrigaAshley BarteckJoyce BartlettDaniel BellShannon BellMelissa BlueJulia BolandBritney BrincefieldDeandra BrownPeter CalhounJordan Callahan

SHAINA CALLAHANTaylor CallwoodMaya CampbellJayson CarterKiarra CeasarChristie ChambersJeremy ChenCynthia ChengMaia ChicherioNia ChinGit-Yee ChuRachel CooperJoseph CrewsDelaney CruickshankAlexander CurtinShelby DavisSomala DibyLeanna DiggsChristiane Djoum Kathleen FaiscaMarkus FearsonMason FisherJoseph FranksRyan FrazierDELILAH GATESSylvester GatesGwendolyn GilesZachary GoldbergJerald GomezRAINIER GOMEZAmy GottliebNakea GreenGordon GreggJames HalpinKelly HanlonNeressa HartBridget HawvermaleBrandon HedleyMaria HernandezAnna HindenBlaire HoffmanLily HuaNICHOLAS HUNGDYLAN HYSENTerriza Jefferies Miles JohnsonDonzell Johnson JrMusu Kawusu-KebbayZachary KayeJoshua KenesPeace KishAimee KohorstCorinne KonozaBrandon KrixerGarrett KrixerZakaria Ismail KronemerSara KushnerBrian Lamb JrAshley LarkinDaniel LeeKevin LeeAyantu LemuJennifer LienBrianna LivesayJulia MaasEDWARD MADDEN Austin MalnerNicholas MauprivezMonica Mbuia-JoaoTara McIntyreJoshua MedinaBROOKE MELLISHBrianna MitchellNikhil ModhaGerson Morales Joseph MorsteinNicholas MuggeJade Myers QUYNH-NHU NGUYENPaige O’FlahavanKemi Olowoofayoku Nikki OstrowLeena OwenRichard PakJeongyeon ParkJoshua PaunilMatias Perez FerreroHeather PhillipsJessica PinchinatEric PolowaySonia PolyzosRachel PorzelLINDA POWERSCarley Pressley Niraj RajuRohan RajuJohn RamirezMatthew RankinAlexander RaulCory ReyesNaomi RichardsonSteven RodriguezH RorieMaximilian SabelhausParis SaundersMatthew SchnappAriel SchwartzEmma SemanykIsak ShahMax Shannon

Andrew Shelton DerMariel ShillingCassandra SmithKeonna SmithStella SongGillian SpolarichSpencer SterlingBritney StuartNicholas TaxSimone TaylorAlexis ThweattJamie TranSerge TzeutonAkaninyene UmoVictoria VanlearDavid VelasquezSophia VeneroSHANNON WADEJoshua WaldmanConor WallaceAlex Wells IVWilliam White IIEric WileyKIRA WILLIAMSPatrick XiaoHyo YangJung YangErin YatesBemnet YazewAlexandra Zaika

GRADE 12Bronte AbellOmar AbushaikhaYonit AddissieANGEL AGUILARJosue Aguiluz Oluwaseun AjayiAurelia AkpanJUSTINE ALLENAmber AlstonAnalise AltobelliTHOMASINA ANANERachel AppelKwabena AsanteARGNARAMON ASSIEALEXANDRA AUGUSTEmily BaneNia BanksRobert BennettDarius BillingsMiriam BoussoufGrant BradshawHolland BroadusJEFFREY BRUMFIELDMEGAN BUONOMOAdrienne BushMegan BushNIKKI CALIBETHANY CALLAHANCHRISTINE CALLAHANJulia CampbellStephen CampbellCarina CannonHALEY CARPENTERKatherine CarricoJason CaseJordan ChaconEmily CheungAdrianne ChiaravallottiDANNY CHINGCynthia ChowDawn ClarkeKyle ClemmerBryndon CookMIYA COOKKristin CorcoranMarcelina CordobaUlises Cordova ChavezKeary CristaldiJoel CruzThomas CunninghamSOFIA CURZIAshley DakinsJazmine DandridgeBrandon DavisAaron DeanLamia DeanNicolette DehiRamatullah DemeLauren DeshlerRebecca DoaneSharne DonleyAnthony Donnay-Wood JrMerissa DyerMaria EscobarJonathan Estrada-LuyoSamuel EvansJasmin FerrufinoRobert FlynnJonathan FrameTheotonius FrancisJoseph FruthElise GiffordBrittany GigantiMary GillisMegan GlixonAdria Gloude

Hunter GobleSean GobourneMichael GoldRyan GoodmanNikisha GordonJane GrenaldoAlexandra GuillenAngel GutierrezGabrielle HallNoel HarrisSARAH HARRISONMarvin Hart IVAshley HaymakerMAX HEDGEPETHElizabeth HellmanGina HeniseJorge HerreraSasha HerreraIsaac HirschTIMOTHY HOTODD HOLBERTLauren HubbardJULIE HULEISJeremy IocozziaTHOMAS IRISHJI WOO JANGJennifer JaraMuhammed JawRebecca JoinerErika KalkofenSafa KarzaiKelsey KempJOHN KIMMin Ji KimKellian LehmanZOE LIGONJustina LumorKaylene LyonsMilan MajorMaya MandaikerThomas MasonXAVIER MAUPRIVEZRaquel McKennaCOLLEEN MCMULLANSean McNamaraFRANCES MELGARCHRISTINA MENSHNicole MichurTaylor MillerCAITLIN MITCHELLMyles MurrayGloria NhanJason NkwainAlexa NorbergSara NuttleAlfreda NwosuRebecca OrtizTimothy OstermeyerGrace Elizabeth OxleyAlexander PartridgePhyllicia PattersonKayla PearsonJacob Perry JrKirsten PetersenMarie-Estelle PhamLeslie PhelpsSharice PinaDaniel PistolessiRACHEL PLAFKERIrene PolyzosNICOLE PONTIOUS WILLIAM PRINDLEJohn RamirezJacqueline RevolorioLeah RichCHRISTOPHER RILEYZAHUR SALLMANJoseph SamowitzDevonte Sayas-DrakeSydney Selden IVSharisa SesawaengJuliana SesayGeorge ShawMyoung ShimRebekah SiddiqueNicholas SigwaltTrevor SkibineSamantha SteinfeldEMILY STEVENSCINDY TANMargaret ThomasDezmine ThompsonFrisbee ThracklebsuhAnthony TogbarTu TruongNicole ValerioJOHN VERNONDrew VirgilCHRISTINE WEITHMANCHRISTINA WILBURClaresa WilliamsNicole WilsonDeena WinleyKaitlyn WrightKevan YangHaileluel YazewTimothy YeeCaroline ZebrowskiTING-TING ZHENG

Next Warren Buffets may emerge from students who play the stock market, p. C2

Section C Blake Beat Features December 18, 2009

Glitz, glam, style, boldness, beauty, fierceness: VENGSteer clear, aspiring model turns heads strutting down halls with no fear

Bright flashing lights illuminate the runway of the 2009 Victoria’s Secret fashion show. With glittery makeup and sizzling outfits, the models flaunt their wings, strutting down the runway with fierce, style, and grace.

Junior Pisey Veng watches these models with admiration and awe and loves their bubbly personalities. “I’m just kind of obsessed with them,” says Veng. “Vic-toria’s Secret Angels have inspired me to [pursue] modeling.”

Veng has begun to pursue his dream by participating in FasXion (pronounced as “Fashion X”). Currently, as well as

during his freshman year, he has walked down the runway as a male model.

However, during school hours, Veng sports Uggs, makeup, hair pieces and other staples of feminine beauty. Although Veng first got his eyebrows done in sixth grade, it wasn’t until last year that he gained the confidence to boldly dress the way he feels. “At first I was kind of embarrassed about what people were going to say,” says Veng, “But then I was like, ‘Who cares?’”

Ever since he was young, Veng felt as though he wasn’t the right gender. Says Veng, “I feel like a girl that got trapped in a man’s body.” His desire to dress in girls’ clothes and feminine accessories has also been kindled since childhood. “If I [saw]

a girl wearing a skirt, then I would ask myself, ‘Why can’t I wear a skirt?’”

Veng’s transition from men’s attire to women’s attire was almost effortless. He says, “[I’m] lucky because I [have] so many friends, helping me out and trying to calm me when I’m down.”

Even though Veng says Blake “ac-cepts people as who they are,” he admits he has endured criticism and judgment from both genders. Despite this, Veng keeps his head up and does not let the negative opinions of others bring him down. Adds Veng, “Some girls will hate on me, but I will not let them get in my way.”

Although Veng’s parents have their limits concerning how much makeup he can wear or how short his clothes can

be, they have not prohibited him from expressing himself through fashion. His mother, Mrs. Veng, says, “I accept Pisey for who he is. That’s my son.”

In the future, Veng hopes to undergo a sex change operation. He says, “I would like people to consider me as any other girl…because that is how I feel.” How-ever, he understands that people are still uncomfortable with transgenders. “It’s up to them,” he adds, “I have no power in my mind to make [people] think about me in a certain way.”

Veng is an advocate for coming out and having the courage to express your-self. He says, “Be comfortable with your-self [and] love yourself, because no one can love [you] as much as you [can].”

by Kirsten Petersen & Juliana Sesayx

YouTuber uploads recordings for potential clients, friends to viewYouTube: A place to watch little kids go crazy

after the dentist, pets do cute things, and Justin Timberlake give girls the Christmas present they’ve always wanted. But for senior Jacob Perry, it’s a medium through which he can upload recordings of himself singing for potential clients and friends to view.

Perry has a solo show that he performs around the area, which includes a Broadway Hits collection and a Vocal Jazz routine. He decided to get a You-Tube account to keep potential clients up-to-date on his current musical projects. Says Perry, “I thought it would be a great way for me to put myself out there.”

Perry has uploaded 14 homemade recordings of some of his favorite songs, including “Paparazzi” by Lady Gaga, “Being Alive” from Company, and “Defying Gravity” from Wicked. Of all the videos he has uploaded, Perry is most proud, and most famous for, his cover of “Defying Gravity”, which has over 40,000 views. He says, “I posted that video as a freshman with a newfound obsession with the hit musical Wicked. It’s famous for a ‘special effect’ I added.”

Some people upload tons of videos a day without putting much thought into their work, but for Perry, this is not the case. He says, “I’m super critical of everything that I do, so it takes me forever to record updates…After I’ve uploaded a video, I always feel like taking it down and fixing it.”

Unfortunately, having an account doesn’t always generate encouraging comments. But Perry has gotten used to, and overcome, the criticism that comes with posting videos for anyone to see. Says Perry, “There are always going to be those people that post comments just to try to hurt you. But for me, it’s become really easy to just delete them and move on.”

However, so far, Perry’s decision to create the account has generated a lot of positive interest in him and his work. “I’ve been able to refer several different clients of mine to the Channel so that they can keep up to date with what I’m doing and tell their friends about me,” he says.

Perry’s channel can be accessed by searching “jlpmusic100” in YouTube’s video search box.

by Christine League & Samantha Steinfeldx

Junior Pisey Veng, the school’s first openly transgender student, struts his style. In the left photo, he is seen modeling against a Blake wall. In the upper right photo

Veng is posing against another Blake structure; in the bottom right photo Veng applies make-up in the Dance Studio. --photos by Sharisa Sesawaeng

December 18, 2009 The Blake BeatC2

by Bronte Abellx

No Madoffs here: Stock market rookies learn tricks of the trade, try to beat Wall Street

Seniors endure courses with younger studentsConflicts in schedule cause class collisions

Some students find themselves in classrooms sur-rounded by hordes of underclassmen or the reverse, sur-rounded by scary upperclassmen, because of scheduling conflicts or trying to fill their class schedules.

A senior, who wished to remain anonymous, finds herself surrounded by freshmen in her Honors Spanish 3 class. “They’re still in that middle school phase where they don’t know how to talk in their inside voices,” the senior says. The senior, who has two AP classes around her Spanish class, adds, “It makes me cringe knowing I have to deal with [the Spanish class] in-between my AP classes.”

Though there’s only a three to four year difference in age between seniors and freshmen, the senior says, “They’re immature and you don’t need immature people in your face.” The senior, who is only taking the class to fill a period in her schedule, says, “It’s hard to get the class fo-cused on learning, they get too excited about everything.” She adds, “I don’t like them, and they know that.”

Senior Christina Mensh is taking Honors Modern World History this year because she did not have room in her schedule last year from taking double period AP Biology. “I’m out of my element,” says Mensh, “[the juniors are] no more immature than we were at that age, but sometimes I do feel awkward.”

Mensh is in a class filled with juniors and two other seniors. She says, “Sometimes I do feel alienated, [the juniors] already have their friends in the same grade, so the three seniors work together.”

Senior Kaylene Lyons is taking AP Biology this year because she wanted a lighter schedule for her senior year and took AP Chemistry, generally considered the harder course, last year. “I felt a little out of place,” says Lyons, “there were less people to go to for help.” Lyons, who wants to be a veterinarian, took Honors Chemistry and Honors Biology her sophomore year, AP Chemistry her junior year, and AP Biology her senior year.

Your enjoyment of a class can depend on the course work, the teacher, the time period, your mood, and not to mention the maturity level of your classmates.

“Only buy something that you’d be perfectly happy to hold if the market shut down for 10 years,” said famous stock market guru Warren Buffet. As the world was a witness of Buffet’s success, Blake has become a witness to its very own amateur stock investors. Seniors Christopher Riley and Joseph Samowitz are part of the minority of students that have found value in investing in stocks.

Last year’s recessional crisis prompted both Riley and Samowitz to find a way to make money, which led to the newfound interest. Riley’s father, a financial planner, already knew much about the trade of stock investing and sparked the interest in Riley. Samowitz was influenced by his uncle who allows him to choose companies in which to invest and shares the commission.

Near the low point of the economic crisis, Ri-ley bought stocks and his inventory has since grown. “[Stocks] were cheap when I began,” says Riley. He now owns a total of six stocks in General Electric (GE), the Dow Chemical Company, and Alcoa Incorporated.

Samowitz, who has been investing since he was 16 years old, also purchased stock during the recession. “The best time to buy is when [stocks] are really hurting,” says Samowitz. “There’s more of a chance that they’ll bounce back.” Activision, a videogame company, and Converge, an energy company, are two of numerous companies in which Samowitz owns shares.

As amateur stock investors, Riley and Samowitz have much more to learn about the trade. They both find it wise to hold on to their stocks and watch them grow instead of sporadically buying and selling. Says Riley, “It costs more money to buy so I only buy once in a while.” Both intend to continue investing after graduation and Samowitz is considering majoring in business.

The fluctuation of the market can render some investors nervous and others elated. “[Buying stock] is like a roller coaster ride,” says Samowitz. Still, the rush in buying stock and watching it bloom draws Samowitz and Riley in to making quick and easy money.

by Somala Diby & Arianna Morrellx

They’re still in that middle school phase

where they don’t know how to talk in their

inside voicesANONYMOUS SENIOR

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December 18, 2009 The Blake Beat C3Future teachers explore passion for promoting excellenceStudents pursue their potential careers as educators through association

Members of the Future Educator s Association played with baked food, plastic cheeseburgers, and toy trucks as child development teacher and sponsor Beth Kauffman helped the club members expand their knowledge in their future career.

The FEA is a pre-college program for aspiring teach-ers and gives students the opportunity to explore teaching careers in the future. FEA has over 1000 USA chapters, including chapters at Montgomery County high schools like Whitman, Quince Orchard, Seneca Valley, and Magruder.

The chapter at Blake, which was founded two years ago, is focusing on fundraising for the Theresa Muldoon

Scholarship. Says Mrs. Kauffman, “I’m starting this schol-arship if we get some money.” This year the club wants to strengthen the program by electing officers and setting up fundraisers to raise money for the scholarship.

The club started their fundraiser December 3 with a Kids Fun Night where parents could able to drop off their kids and leave them in the hands of the student members. Among these members were senior Lauren Deshler and junior Keonna Smith. Says Deshler, “[This program] gives me an out of school experience [and] more interaction with the kids.”

Adds Smith, “I knew about [this club] and since I wanted to become a teacher, it’s a good club to be in.”

Both Deshler and Smith have always known that

they wanted to pursue the profession of teaching. Deshler discovered her passion during tenth grade, when she took child development. “I realized how much I liked it and I started working at a summer camp,” says Deshler. “I taught dance and [it] really showed me that this is what I wanted to do.”

Smith’s grandparents were her inspiration. Says Smith, “I’ve always wanted to be a teacher because my grandmother was one and my grandfather [is] a professor. I’ve grown up with teachers.”

FEA plans on promoting academic excellence over the next few years here. Adds Mrs. Kauffman, “I like to just be able to offer scholarships and also remember Theresa because she died of an untimely cancer.”

by Anna Ching & Leah Richx

Staff members endure long commutes on Roads Not TakenFive faculty would travel ‘Thousand Miles’ to teach, guard pupils

Every school morning, five brave staff members get up at the break of dawn to embark on epic road trips across state lines and on back-country roads just to end up here at Blake High School.

Music teacher Johnathan Dunn commutes from Randallstown, MD, the drive averaging about 45 min-utes. In order to arrive in time for classes, he must leave his house at 6am. Mr. Dunn says, “After three years, [the commute] becomes more tiresome.”

English teacher Elizabeth Jones lives in Owings Mills, MD and has to drive 40 miles to school every day. For Mrs. Jones, the drive to school isn’t dreadful. “I consider my morning commute to be my Zen time unless it’s raining or there is a traffic jam,” says Ms. Jones. “If that’s the case, I’m usually a little on edge when I walk into school.”

For special education teacher Rachel Jaycna, the drive from Fairfax, VA to Blake takes around an hour in the morning. Mrs. Jaycna is out the front door by 5-5:30am. Her weekly commute in a Chevy Cavalier consumes about 30 dollars a week as she travels 35 miles to school.

For the past five years, Foreign Language teacher Monica Abuliak has traversed 38 miles daily to school from Alexandria, VA. Her commute each way averages around an hour and often leaves her tank empty. Says Mrs. Abuliak, “If I drive my gas-sipping Honda Accord, my weekly gas bill is between $32 and $35. If I drive my SUV, my gas bill almost doubles.”

Security assistant Gary Jean-Charles has to trek from Fredericksburg, VA, making his commute the longest of the five staff members. He wakes up at 4am to start the 75-mile trek to Blake. Spending a total of $60 a week on gas and more than two hours in the car daily may seem dreary, but Mr. Jean Charles is used to it. “Long commutes have [always] been a part of my life,” adds Mr. Jean-Charles.

So the next time you see your teacher in a bad mood, don’t make it worse by bugging them. Give them a break and maybe a smile, because they may have just driven through an hour and a half of terrible traffic just to teach you grammar.

by Becky Joiner & Sean McNamarax

The Blake Beat wants to thank allthose community members who

donated money to keep us from goinginto debt with this December issue.

December 18, 2009 The Blake BeatC6Start of new season brings start of new fashion trendsStudents make original outfits with plethora of new winter accessories

Staying warm is not the only concern this winter for stylish teens: they take pride in bringing the hottest and most unique trends to school this season.

Students see this winter as an opportunity to change up their style. Teens adopt a more seasonal approach to their wardrobe, overlapping and adding pieces that keep them both snug and snazzy.

“Winter fashion is my favorite because it involves a bunch of layering,” says junior Sonia Polyzos. She enjoys seeking bargain priced clothes that fit her style. Polyzos adds, “I get most of my clothes from the thrift store be-cause it’s easy to find things that others don’t have at a cheaper price.”

Many students claim winter fashions as their favorite because of the variety of choices it brings. Many wear different types of coats and reinvent dark colors in a fashionable way. High waisted bottoms, shoulder padded blazers, floral prints, lace tights, and of course, leather clothing are some of the hottest winter trends this season.

“To me, winter fashion is more of a comfortable look,” says sophomore Serena Sok. “You can still be cute and comfortable without baring too much skin.”

Winter is a time to be simplistic and sharp. A relaxed and casual look is a common main stay among many fashion and clothing followers. “I’m not a big risk taker when it comes to fashion,” says senior Aureila Akpan.“ My style is more classic with ankle or knee boots and a black or cream pea coat.”

Keeping it simple and sticking with the classics seems to be a popular tactic used by many teens. Many have certain accessories that they always pair to ensure a trendy outfit. Senior Kathia Scott says, “Black leather jackets go with just about anything. They allow your style to look classy, edgy, or even flirty.”

Whether your style is to dress it up or down, classy or edgy; conservative or risky, this season allows a multitude of fashionable choices and opportunities for everyone.

by Domonique Hume & Suzanne Wallsx

Roger that: teachers share military stories of fighting for our countryUnbeknownst to students, heroes walk our halls--

patriots that have served our country, not only as soldiers, but as educators helping to shape our community.

History teacher Pamela Rowe was a Military Intel-ligence Officer in the army for ten years before teaching, and Guidance Counselor Kim Tolbert was an EMT for six. Says Mrs. Rowe, “I like to think that I’ve de-militarized, but every now and then I know the Army isn’t completely out of my system.”

In high school, Mrs. Rowe was introduced to the military through ROTC. She was encouraged by her mother, and applied for a scholarship to the United States Military Academy where she received a free ride. However, she did not plan to stay in the military for as long as she did. Says Mrs. Rowe, “I was having the best time living in Europe, traveling around the world, and doing my job.”

Mrs. Rowe spent time in Germany and Ft. Leaven-

worth, Texas. She had an intriguing time as the Chief of Intelligence Collection and Dissemination along the US sector of the Demilitarized Zone in Korea, where they used a multitude of assets to collect information about the North Korean military.

Due to disagreement with politics at the time, Mrs. Rowe accepted the Army’s offer for a substantial bonus to anyone who was willing to resign. “It seemed like a good time to leave and to profit from it as well,” adds Mrs. Rowe.

Prior to teaching at Blake, she taught at Farquhar Middle School for nine years. However, she still kept her militant edge. “Soldiers in the military know how to sit up straight, be quiet, and know the importance of quick, respectful responses,” Mrs. Rowe adds. “Teenagers don’t quite act the same way.”

Although Blake does not feature an ROTC program, many students still seek advice about joining the military. Says Mrs. Rowe, “I think joining the military, especially at this time and given the state of world events, is a very

personal decision.”Mr. Tolbert didn’t think about the military until

college, where he joined ROTC. His family has a back-ground in multiple branches of the armed forces. Says Mr. Tolbert, “When I thought of any successful black man, he had done military service.”

After college, Mr. Tolbert enlisted in the Air Force reserves as an EMT. He spent six years in the military, gained leadership skills during eight months of training in Wichita Falls, Texas, and helped younger recruits cope with their first time away from home. Says Mr. Tolbert, “I did more counseling there, than I ever have [at Blake].”

As an EMT, Mr. Tolbert worked in triage, ambu-lance, and labor and delivery. Since he has a Bachelor’s degree in rehabilitation, counseling was an easy segue into public education. “I didn’t really see myself as a patriot before the military,” says Mr. Tolbert. “After being in the military, the pledge and the anthem take on a whole new meaning. You see those willing to sacrifice themselves for their country and others.”

by Isak Shah & Gillian Spolarichx

Junior Janjay Davis (left), junior Sonia Polyzos (top right), and senior Kathia Scott (bottom right) proudly

show their unique fashion trends. As the weather gets colder, they adapt their style.--photo by Nicolette Dehi

Express yourself

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December 18, 2009 The Blake Beat C7Don’t call Geek Squad: senior will solve computer needsPast digital rebellion leads to epic internship, passion for programming

Next time you see a broken-down computer here at school, you can rest assured that there is someone among the student population who knows how to fix it.

Senior Steven Mulchi has been working with computers since the age of ten. “I learned some tricks from my uncle who works in [government robotics],” says Mulchi. “I’ve taken [almost] every computer class here at Blake.” These computer classes have gotten him far—he now completes an in-school internship for

school computer technician Tim Hall.Interestingly enough, these two

did not have the most conventional of meetings. During Mulchi’s junior year, his account was shut down for playing a violent video game, Babo Violent 2. To get his account back on-line, he had to visit Mr. Hall. The two got to talking about computers, and since Mulchi needed to fill his schedule this year, he became Mr. Hall’s first intern at Blake.

At first, Mulchi did not care for his internship with Mr. Hall, but now he finds himself enjoying it. Says Mulchi, “I think that learning computer skills that not

many people in the school know about is wicked cool.”

This internship is cultivated by common interests and backgrounds – both play the guitar, both of their fathers have musical backgrounds, and both share a profound understanding of the way com-puters work. “When I look at a program, I think of ways to make it better or more fun,” says Mulchi.

There is very little Mulchi does not know about computers. But, if by some stroke of bad luck he cannot repair a prob-lem for a frustrated teacher, he reports the problem to Mr. Hall. “I like giving my in-

terns a practical experience for stuff,” says Mr. Hall. And so far, Mulchi’s experience has been a very useful one.

“I think it’s a blast because this internship opened me up to a whole new level of computers,” says Mulchi.

Mulchi’s interest in computers may be genetic considering both his parents have backgrounds in programming – his mother is a programmer, and his father designs parts of positron emissions tomog-raphy (PET) scanners. Right now, Mulchi plans to major in mechanical engineering, with a minor in computer engineering and science.

by Joey Fruth & Nicolette Dehix

Student reaches “Nirvana” listening to favorite bandFan devotion to music helps save her life in personal ways

It is common for people to worship higher powers, but it is rare to find that special person who has truly devoted their life to a band.

Junior Simone Kirkland has surrounded herself with every-thing concerning the band Nirvana ever since seventh grade when she heard an unfamiliar song playing through her sister’s iPod. Kirkland was apprehensive to Google the band in fear that they would not meet her standards, but to her surprise, they were everything she hoped for. She devotes every day to finding out more about the band, and says, “They fit my Utopian image, just as their music portrayed.”

Not only is Kirkland a fan of Nirvana’s music, but it also saved her life in many personal ways. Kirkland does not think she is obsessed, she simply believes Nirvana was meant for her. She adds, “Nirvana is a part of me and whether I like it or not, it sticks to me like glue.”

Kirkland is a big fan of lead singer and guitar player Kurt Cobain. “It’s much easier to love someone that only consists of memories,” says Kirkland, “whereas a living person can make mistakes and change.” She believes Kurt Cobain died at the right time, doing all he could with his talent. Kirkland adds, “He is a lot of things: a prophet, a lyrical genius, and he embodies a lot of good.”

Kirkland fills her room with Cobain paraphernalia, making it her sanctuary. She adds, “His imperfections make him perfect.” “Come As You Are” is Kirkland’s favorite song, but she says, “all the rest [of Nirvana’s songs] tie as second.” Kirkland knows it sounds morbid, but she wishes to have the music video of Come As You Are playing at her funeral.

Although it is difficult for many to understand Kirkland’s dedication to Nirvana and some might call her crazy, she adds, “I will never grow out of my pas-sion for Nirvana, just like you never grow out of loving your parents.”

By Rachel Babcock & Blaire Hoffman x

Nirvana is a part of me...it sticks to me like glue.

SIMONE KIRKLAND

Creative Writing club provides outlet for individuality, originalityMembers produce magazine, improve skills on paper, create fundraisers

Explosions of individuality and creativity burst onto the pages of the student magazine, Melody, where works by members of the Creative Writing Club thrill readers.

Members of the club share an inter-est in writing and express their ideas with each other through various mediums, such as short stories, poems, comics, and songs. Says co-editor of the Melody, junior Mary Burke, “[Being in the club] is just about making your voice feel heard--[it feels] like someone is truly listening to what you have to say.”

Adds junior Sheena Afoakwa, “It’s really exciting being in the club, and time literally flies by. You just can’t wait for the next [meeting].”

The club was founded by English

teacher Amy Branson, who discovered there were students who wanted to be a part of the Creative Writing class, but could not because of their schedules. Another reason she created the club was to increase participation in the making of the Melody. “We really want to have participation of all [students] of Blake,” says Mrs. Branson.

The Creative Writing club has many perks, like the opportunity to express your ideas and opinions to the whole school through the Melody, and to improve your creative writing skills. There is also free food at the meetings. Says junior Toan Nguyen, “the experience has been very good; [the] people are friendly and easy to talk to.”

Club members review and edit peers’ individual works as well, offering helpful and constructive criticism. “It’s really stress-relieving because I finally have a

place where I can get good criticism from people who love writing as much as I do,” says Afoakwa.

“Everyone in the club is always will-ing to give a helping hand,” adds Nguyen.

Members come up with a schedule of fundraisers to help fund the production of the Melody, which is produced and sold at the end of the school year. All the works displayed are from students who have taken or are taking the Advanced Composition class and members of the club.

The Creative Writing Club can be beneficial to an aspiring author, artist or just anyone with the desire to express their feelings in writing. Anyone can join, simply by attending the meetings, which are held after school on Tuesdays in E263. “We’re always looking for people to join so don’t be shy,” says Burke. “Any voice is welcome.”

by Nicholas Hungx

Junior Simone Kirkland surrounds herself with Nirvana paraphernalia consisiting

of books, albums, notebooks and pictures. ---photo by Tu Truong

It’s very stress-relieving because

I finally have a place where I can get good criticism from people who

love writing as much as I do.

Sheena Afoakwa

December 18, 2009 The Blake BeatC8

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Section D Blake Beat Sports December 18, 2009

Bengals start season 2-1 with wins over Poolesville, B-CCBoys’ varsity keys in on strengths, sets sights on championship goals

Despite a phenomenal effort, the boys’ varsity basketball team fell to their rival, the Springbrook Blue Devils, last Friday in their first loss of the season.

The Bengals ended the first quarter up 13-12, and a combination of good defense and rebounding helped to extend the lead to as much as 16 points during the second quarter. “Our defense really shines sometimes,” says coach Marcus Wiggins, “It’s difficult to handle all the pressure we cause.”

Entering the third quarter, the Bengals led 30-23, but Springbrook’s DeShaunt Walker responded by leading the Blue Devils on a charge, scoring ten of his game-high 25 points to lift his team to a 45-44 advantage. In the final quarter, the Bengals were unable to continue their strong rebounding, and Springbrook ultimately defeated Blake, 76-70. “We made our runs and they made theirs,” says senior forward Nathan Dalgetty. “We just ran out of time.”

But in a game of disappointments, four Bengals shined: junior guard Ryan Frazier led the team with 18 points; senior guard/forward Carlton Agwu scored 16 points; junior forward Matthew McGugan scored 16 points; and junior guard Brandon Hedley scored 13 points including nine in the fourth quarter.

Prior to facing Springbrook, the team went on the road December 8 to battle the Poolesville Falcons in a game they controlled from the opening tip. Except for an 8-7 deficit early in the first quarter and a 50-50 tie midway through the fourth quarter, the Bengals thoroughly controlled the lead and tempo of the game.

The only notable disadvantage Blake faced throughout the contest was the height of the Falcons’ players. “Our athleticism and speed have to make up for our lack of height,” adds coach Wig-gins. “There’s no choice.” With the help of a lay-up and two foul shots late in the game from McGugan, the Bengals won, 60-55.

To open the season, the Bengals faced off against the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Barons, coached by Blake physical education teacher Damon Pigrom. The team got into trouble early when Dalgetty was charged with two fouls in the first 15 seconds of the opening quarter.

But rather than lose focus, the Bengals took charge and outscored the Barons 26-19 in the first half. With the help of Frazier’s game-high 19 points, the Bengals went on to cruise to a 58-39 victory.

With a talented line-up of return-ing players, the team is well aware of the expectations surrounding their season. “Our goal is simple,” says Dalgetty, “It’s to be at Comcast playing for that state championship ring.”

Tonight, the Bengals visit the Paint Branch Panthers at 7pm.

by Josh Paunil & Jeff Brumfield

Former Blake basketball coach Pigrom returns on other side of courtAt the beginning of each

basketball season, every Mont-gomery County boys’ var-sity team has the same goal in mind—Comcast. In March 2005, Gym teacher Damon Pigrom led the Bengals to Com-cast to compete for their first ever state championship.

Six members from that 2005 team eventually went on to play Division I sports; four

for basketball and two for foot-ball. “We had a lot of talent,” says Mr. Pigrom. “But more than that, those guys were all extremely good kids.”

In 2006, Mr. Pigrom left Blake for an assistant coaching job at Catholic University. “The biggest difference was the ma-turity level,” says Mr. Pigrom. “I went from coaching 14-18 year-olds to coaching 18-23 year-olds.” After three years at Catholic, Mr. Pigrom decided

it was more important to be around for his kids, and made the move back to high school, taking the head coaching job at B-CC.

By complete coincidence, Mr. Pigrom’s first regular sea-son game as B-CC head coach was to be against his former team – Blake. Mr. Pigrom and his new team traveled to Blake for the season opener Decem-ber 4. “It was weird getting off the bus and walking into what

used to be my home gym,” says Mr. Pigrom. “But once we went back into the locker room, I treated it like any other game.”

During his time coach-ing at Blake, Mr. Pigrom was assisted by math teacher Mar-cus Wiggins, who ended up replacing Mr. Pigrom when he left for Catholic. The season opener December 4 was the first time the two friends had ever coached against one another. “It

was definitely weird,” says Mr. Wiggins. “He developed this program, and we still run some of the plays he put in. It was like coaching against family.”

Says Mr. Pigrom, “Even though I’m in the gym all the time, [December 4th] was re-ally the first time I’ve ever re-ally noticed the banners.” The 2005 experience has provided Mr. Pigrom with the knowledge of what it takes to win a state championship at B-CC.

by Max Hedgepeth

Junior Matt McGugan (30) and senior Taylor Miller hustle for a second chance opportunity against the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Barons as B-CC coach Damon Pigrom (left) and Blake

coach Marcus Wiggins shout encouragment to their squads. The Bengals defeated the Barons, 58-39, and play at Paint Branch tonight at 7pm. -- photos by Tommy Irish

December 18, 2009 The Blake Beat D2

Indoor track and field makes strides towards record-breaking year Through experienced coaching, team sprints down path to success

After finishing their last meet on an optimistic note, the indoor track and field team looks to continue their success as the year goes on.

The team took part in the first of two develop-mental meets December 9, where junior Rachel Porzel placed third in shot put and junior captain Rohan Raju set personal records in the mile. Senior captain Beth Hellman also set a personal record in the mile in ad-dition to the record she set earlier in the year for the two mile. Coach Charlie Simms adds, “The results so far have shown the hard work we do in practice.”

In addition to beating a school record, she has also earned the captain role. She adds, “[Being captain] makes me work harder to make sure every-one feels comfortable and well prepared for their events.”

Coach Simms started his second year as head coach during the Howard County/MCPS challenge. Coach Simms feels more confident and comfortable coming into this year. Says Simms, “I work with a lot of them in cross country or outdoor track so they know and understand what I expect from them.”

Coach Simms is very proud of his team and sees a lot of potential for this year, though they hit a

rough spot in their first meet of the year. In the How-ard County/MCPS challenge, the girls ended when finishing up tied for 14 in the team standings and the boys failed to place in the top 25.

Hellman says, “The team is still pretty small, but I feel like there are more dedicated runners and throw-ers this year.” Senior Grace Oxley ended up placing second in the triple jump relay and senior Anthony Donnay-Wood placing ninth in the shot put relay.

Come cheer on the indoor track and field squad at their next meet December 29 when they travel to the PG sportsplex in Landover, Maryland to take part in the second of Developmental Meets.

by Jonathan Frame x

Swim team dives into season with many new members

With a win over rival Paint Branch, the Bengal Swim and Dive team started their season off on the right foot, posting better times in nearly every event.

The Bengals began the season with a lot of returning swimmers, but are led by six new captains. Senior captain Adrienne Bush says, “This division has changed a lot this year. It will be a good challenge.” Accompanying Bush at the helm is junior captain Spencer Sterling who believes the boys have the potential to break some records this year. “We look good this season and can do some severe damage in our division,” says Sterling.

For the past two meets the Bengals have been missing swimmers because much of the team is part of separate club teams. Says freshman Daniel D’Amico, “[Kids swimming for club teams] has really cost us so far, hopefully that will no longer be an issue.” Once the Bengals can get the entire team together, they will

be serious competitors. Even being short many of their swim-

mers, the Bengals were able to put forth a good fight against the Blair Blazers. Says senior Becky Doane, “We were missing a lot of people, but we still had high hopes, and lots of confidence.” The Bengals hope they can rebound tomorrow with a win against Poolesville.

A young Bengal dive team looks to emulate returning divers such as seniors David Hudson and Trevor Skibine. “We have a lot of new faces on the team but the return-ing divers hope to lead the team and create a legacy for future divers,” says Hudson.

The Bengals are looking to gain mo-mentum and improve throughout the season. Freshman Anna Hayley says, “We did well in our first meet against Paint Branch, we slacked off a little against Blair, but hopefully we can regain our confidence and get a win against Poolesville tomorrow.”

The Bengals look forward to secur-ing a winning record and sending many swimmers to the Washington Metropolitan Championship.

by Samir Battou & CJ Robinsonx

Bengals bring body breaking pins, competition consequently crushedWrestlers battle through opponents; triumph towards wrenching wins

Getting off to a solid start, the varsity wrestling team has a record of 2-1, including big wins over the Einstein Titans and the Blair Blazers, at a tri-meet at Blair.

The wrestling team par-ticipated in the Mad Mats Tournament last Friday and Saturday. Junior captain Ed-ward Madden took second place, while sophomores Edwin

Callendar, Brian Battaglia and junior Nicolas Mugge placed fourth. Says Callendar, “This is my first year on varsity so I expected to get better competi-tion. I believe I held my own.”

Despite the close finish December 9, the squad suffered a disappointing first loss of the season to BCC, falling 36-41. “It shouldn’t have come down to the last match to win it,” adds Callendar. “We had three of our vets pinned, which gave up 18

points. That should have never happened.”

The season kicked off with a tri-meet at Blair against the Einstein Titans and the Blair Blazers. The team took out Ein-stein with ease, crushing them 69-5, then beating the Blazers, 54-22. Says Mugge, “We were focused and determined to win the season opener. We didn’t want to start off in the hole.”

The team is very optimis-tic for the rest of the season

based on their start. Says junior Josh Kenes, “Our team is start-ing out on a strong note. The season will end up with us over 500 and several guys going to states.”

Looking ahead to the upcoming matches, some are preparing for those that will come down to the last pin. Adds Callendar, “I believe that Springbrook and Sherwood will be some pretty close and tough matches.” For others, they take

it one match at a time. Says Battaglia, “I pay no

attention to who I’m wrestling. I just go out and wrestle who-ever’s out there.”

Hoping to continue their thriving season, the wrestling team will be participating in the Bulldogs Tournament at Winston Churchill tonight and tomorrow. The squad will be hoping to place high in the competition and have a prosper-ous season.

by Chris Jaegerx

Veteran leadership gives guidance, creates big splash with young squad

Adrienne Bush Mary Gillis

Junior Will Morris plants a punishing pin on his Bethesda-Chevy Chase opponent during a grueling, gripping match. Despite their loss, the team showed grit and

tenacity against the competition. The squad’s next match will be in the exciting Bulldogs Tournament at Winston Churchill tonight. --photo by Beth Callahan

December 18, 2009 The Blake Beat

Varsity girls take control of 3A courts

After only three games, the girl’s varsity basketball team looks poised to take the 3A Division by storm as they easily walk over opponents Bethesda Chevy Chase, Pool-esville and Springbrook.

Last Friday the Lady Bengals went up against the Springbrook Lady Blue Dev-ils. Lead by senior captains Christine Weithman and Gabi Hall, the Bengals crushed their arch rivals, 58-38. The girls struggled according to their high standards, but by going 14-15 from the free throw line they were able to seal the win. “[It felt] excellent because it’s my last year and they’re our biggest rivals,” says senior captain Justine Allen. “It was our one chance at them so we went out with a bang.”

Tuesday December 8 the Lady Bengal’s picked up their biggest win of the season thus far in a 59-31 win over the Poolesville Lady Falcons. The Lady Falcons failed to match up with the versatile Lady Ben-gals who were revved up by the loyal fans in the home opener.

Hall led all scorers with a sea-son high 14 points, followed by Weithman with 11 points. “I think my confidence feeds off the team’s confidence and our work at practice helps us play better as a team,” says Hall.

The season opener De-cember 4 was marked by a dominating second half per-formance by the Lady Ben-gals. The game was tied at the

half after the girls bounced back from a 12 point deficit early on. After the first quarter Weithman took over, dropping 38 points en route to setting the new school record for most points scored in a game. “After the first quarter it felt like al-most every shot was dropping in,” says Weithman. “It felt like all my hard work paid off.”

Unfortunately for the

girls, a game in which there was so much to be excited about was also marked by the loss of one of their starters, se-nior Angie Domingo. Domingo tragically hyper extended her knee costing the Bengals a starter for the long term. Fill-ing in for her starting position is freshman speedster Caroline Wannen who adds to the ath-letic ability of the team.

The team’s athleticism has been a key component in their latest wins. Their press has been very successful and the Bengals thrive off of the fast break where they produce a lot of their points. The Lady Bengals go on a two game away trip and won’t play an-other home game until January 8 against the Wheaton Lady Knights.

Community hockey team looks to bounce back after difficult startSquad strives to ice upcoming opponents, hopes to freeze loss column

While the Blake community ice hockey team may not have pro players like Ovechkin or Crosby, they have not given up hope yet.

The Bengals first faced off against Churchill High School December 9. They suffered a disheartening 9-0 loss in a game where the defense tried vigi-lantly to hold off the Bulldog offense, but the Blake forwards couldn’t get any shots in. Junior forward Daniel Bell says, “There were a few really close shots, but [Churchill] just wouldn’t give

us an opening.”The following game against Whit-

man High School last Friday ended in an even bigger loss with a final score of 26-0. “I’d blame our youth as a team,” says junior defender Matt Rankin. “We may not be a power house like Whitman but our practice is definitely paying off.” The first losses only leave room for more improvement.

Despite a rough start, the ice hockey team remains dedicated to their practices and anxious for their approach-ing season. Says senior defender Samir Battou, “Each practice makes me feel

more confident in our abilities.” While the first two games resulted in losses, the hockey team has nine more chances to bring themselves out of a deficit. Their eleven game season stretches into February.

The team strives hard to work out its flaws. During a recent practice, Rankin fractured his wrist after a colli-sion with another teammate. He may be out for the majority of the season due to his injuries. “Ice hockey isn’t a slow sport,” adds Rankin, “it’s fast paced and injuries happen all the time.”

Blake’s Ice Hockey team is not

restricted to a single sex or, in fact, even to our school. Members come from other schools than Blake. Senior defender Dylan Drzewicki attends Paint Branch but because his school lacks a team he plays with the Bengals.

The Bengals play the Sherwood Warriors tonight at seven. You can see them play at the Rockville ice rink (Rink #2). Senior right-wing Jordan Klemko says, “We’re pretty pumped for this game. All the guys want a win really bad.” The Bengals hope to climb out of their losing streak and make this season one for the records.

by Sean McNamarax

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Senior Gabi Hall drives past Springbrook defense as the Lady Bengals take their third win of the season. The 20-point gap led

them to an excellent 3-0 record before last night’s game against consortium rival Paint Branch. --photo by Michael Mugo

Lady Bengals terrorize opponents

December 18, 2009 The Blake BeatD4

by Sammi Levitt& Savannah Tryensx

by Stephen Kaex

by Max Hedgepethx

Ladies look to cut through competition, power in the paintGirls get their heads in the game, look to grab another win at Damascus

After a winning home opener against the Poolesville Lady Falcons, the JV girls’ basketball team continued their excellent play by beating arch-rival, Springbrook Lady Blue Devils, 59-13, December 11.

Everyone contributed in the game since over half of the team scored more than five points each. Sophomore captain guard Sarah Hagan says, “We definitely played our best against Springbrook…there was no competition.”

Freshman forward Colleen Bur-khardt says, “Even though the season just started our teamwork is fantastic.” After a six point loss to the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Lady Barons, the Lady Bengals pounced back and took on the Poolesville Lady Falcons.

Hagan adds, “Our team needs to work on getting back on defense; we lost [the Poolesville] game by all the fast breaks we gave up.” Early in the game the Lady Bengals were composed against the Lady Falcons who were well equipped with a

supreme height advantage. The Lady Bengals scored most of

their points in the paint along with oc-casional midrange shots, but the Lady Falcons managed to keep up.

During the third quarter the Lady Bengals played solid defense containing the Lady Falcon offense and forcing them to just swing the ball outside the arc during nearly all of their possessions.

Poolesville scored only once during the third quarter, but they came even harder in the next quarter. The Lady Bengals were

not fazed by the attempted comeback of the Lady Falcons as they still managed to pull out an impressive win, 35-30. Burkhardt adds, “We definitely could have won by more if we didn’t make silly mistakes.”

Although the Lady Bengals started their season off with a loss against B-CC, they have not lost focus. Hagan confidently adds, “We’ll do great and strive to have a winning record.”

The Lady Bengals take on the Da-mascus Lady Hornets this Monday at Da-mascus in hopes to secure another win.

JV boys’ basketball team uses speed to fly past early opponents

Young wrestling squad starts season off on right foot, gets the pinBengal Cubs show off potential in first meet, do varsity brothers proud

Losing only four total match-es in their first meet against 3A competitor Bethesda Chevy Chase, the young JV Wrestling team shows promise for the rest of the season.

The first match of the season started off shaky for the Bengals who opened with two pins and a close 7-5 overtime victory by freshman Kwame Asante. “It was a scary start, but I knew we were better than that

from the talent that was displayed at practice,” says sophomore Matt Lipshultz, who is a first year wrestler at Blake.

As the match continued, freshman Justin Kirby, brother of state champion and Blake graduate Rasheim Smith, inspired the team with their first pin of the night. After that, five straight pins by junior Mikhail Iriarte, sophomores Da’Shawn Hall and Nick Tatnall, and freshmen Anthony Rozario and Danny Gonzales ended the match.

Says Tatnall, “I was proud of the team. We executed nicely.”

Coach Dustin Jeter expects a successful season. Adds Jeter, “Many of the guys on the JV team are very athletic and they are picking up the moves very quickly…guys will be good enough to challenge for a varsity spot by the end of the season.” Jeter believes that this season’s new experiences will help build a stronger and wiser team.

Members of the Varsity team also seemed to be impressed by JV

as they stood by and cheered on the young team. “I am confident that in the future members of this team will be able to lead our Varsity team,” says junior captain Eddie Madden. “With more practice they’ll be very strong competitors…they’re young but they are determined.”

The Bengals will face many challenges this season. In their upcoming matches they take on Churchill, Northwest, Sherwood, Walter Johnson and Whitman. All are tough matches, and all lead up to

the MCPS JV Tournament, February 13. The tournament is an opportunity for JV wrestlers to showcase their talent and earn a spot on the varsity roster next year.

For a team that has more first year wrestlers than returning ones, the Bengals are off to an impressive start. As the season goes on, the team will develop some experience and be a force to reckon with. “It may be tough now but I can see myself continuing to wrestle throughout high school,” says Tatnall.

Speed kills, and the JV boys’ basketball team has plenty of it. This year’s team is made up of several experi-enced second year players and some talented freshmen. The one thing they all have in common: speed.

Last Friday the boys displayed their fast paced style against a tough Springbrook Blue Devils team. After four phenomenal quarters of intense playing, the game went into overtime. “We were definitely tired,” says sophomore guard Ricardo Mancia, “but our adrenaline helped us finish.” The Bengals ended up losing the game, 70-68. Adds Mancia, “We had them, a couple mistakes just killed us in the end.”

Prior to facing the Blue Devils, the JV boys journeyed to the outskirts of Montgomery County to take on the Pool-esville Falcons. The Bengals proved that speed beats size as they ran right past the bigger Falcons in an impressive, 67-45, victory. Says sophomore guard Thomas Handy, “Coach is always telling us to get the ball out and run, and this time we did.”

In the season opener against the Bethesda-Chevy Chase Barons, the Bengals jumped out to an early lead against the Barons and never looked back. “We knew we couldn’t start the season 0-1,” says freshman forward Eddie Bonsu. “I think that’s why we came out so strong.” Bonsu is one of two freshmen to start for the Bengals, along with

lefty Breon Herbert who’s contributed as point guard with quick moves and mature decision making.

So far the Bengals have shown off their skills against some tough teams. By the time January comes around, the team expects to be able to run right past the 3A competition. “Playing Springbrook and other good teams early on will definitely prepare us for division play,” adds Mancia.

Tonight the Bengals travel to northeast consortium rival Paint Branch to take on the Panthers at 5:15pm. The boys will attempt to bounce back from their overtime loss against the Blue Devils and boost their record to, 3-1. “We have to focus up and get this win,” adds Handy. “We refuse to lose back to back games.”

Sophomore Nia Edwards impressively drives past a Springbrook defender en route to an easy fast-break bucket during the JV Lady Bengals’ 59-13 victory

December 11. The 46-point margin of victory was one of the largest in the history of the JV girls’ basketball program. --photo by Michael Mugo

December 18, 2009 The Blake Beat D5

Cheerleading squadfinishes fourth

amid controversy

Varsity cheerleaders faced a challenging situation at their first competition of the year at Blair High School November 21, losing their first place spot to Northwood following a 25-point deduction caused by a safety violation that occurred during their routine.

The squad placed fourth at the competition after one team-mate kicked away a ribbon that fell out of another teammate’s hair during the performance to avoid it causing injury. Still, the judges acknowledged this as interfering with a prop, which led to the deduction being enforced. Says senior co-captain Colleen McMullen, “In the future, we’ll be taking things down a bit in our routines. Ribbons look pretty but they don’t get you points.”

This was not the first time the squad has faced problems at competition. At last year’s tournament, the team took home eighth place after having problems with their pom-pons during a routine. Determined not to have history repeat itself, co-captains Alexis Thweatt and McMullen worked hard preparing the team.

The squad made sure they were ready for the compe-tition by scheduling practices after every football game and on weekends. Says Thweatt, “Compared to last year we worked harder…This has been a really big improvement.”

Cheerleading Coach Ali Williams and Blake’s Athletic director Butch Hilliard both tried to refute the call but nothing could be done. “That’s life,” says coach Williams, “You can try to plan for every possible event, but there is always something that can come up.”

Despite this letdown, the team’s spirit has not been broken as they are planning to compete again at an invitational competi-tion February 20. Although the outcome of their first competition was not what the team had hoped for, they still stayed strong during the announcement. “When we heard the news, we tried to keep it in, but this was definitely not a time to try and perk everyone up,” adds McMullen. “We stayed positive and everyone there knew there was no one to blame.”

After learning to accept the judgment, the team is sure that things will work out in the future. Thweatt adds, “I see it now that someone really could have hurt themselves on the ribbon. But to know that we beat the other team, Northwood, by three points [before the deduction] felt so good. It gave us confidence to know that the routine we did was first place material.”

by Arianna Morrell & Caroline Pledgerx

Varsity cheerleaders, led by senior captain Colleen McMullen and junior captain Alexis Thweatt, cheer on the side after performing at the Division 3 County Cheerleading

Competition (top photo) at Blair High School November 21. Though they placed fourth after a rules violation, cheerleaders stay upbeat. --photos by Michael Mugo

December 18, 2009 The Blake BeatD6

by Joey Samowitzx

Flyer than the rest of them, NBA is soaring to new heightsTop five reasons to watch this year’s exciting season of pro basketball

While everyone is going NFL crazy, the NBA is gearing up into a fresh and ex-citing season. Don’t believe me? Well, for all the doubters and nay sayers, here are my top 5 reasons to tune into the NBA:

1. The Rising East: The Orlando Magic, Cleveland Cavaliers, Boston Celtics and the Atlanta Hawks are in the top ten power rankings of the league. The Magic looks strong with a dominant Dwight Howard and reenergized Vince Carter. The Celtics also have a healthy Kevin Garnett, a key component they lost in the playoffs last year.

2. The Wicked West: The Lakers currently have the top spot in the West. Andrew Bynum is falling back into the team very well, nearly averaging a double-double. Kobe Bryant and Carmelo Anthony

are neck and neck, fighting for the top scor-ing position in the league. The San Antonio Spurs may be older than most, but with momentum and good health, the team could be on their way to the playoffs.

3. The Young Guns: The Milwau-kee Bucks are currently the youngest team in the NBA, and feature point guard and rookie of the year contender, Brandon Jennings. Jennings scored 55 points in one game, breaking Lew Alcindor’s team rookie record set in 1970. Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah of the Chicago Bulls are showing the same tenacity that we saw in their legendary 1st round bout with the Celtics. Other teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Golden State Warriors are also putting up big numbers and beating big teams in their divisions.

4. Dynamic Duos: Chauncey Billups and Carmelo Anthony from the Denver

Nuggets are a dynamic combination that is sure to propel the team to the top of the heap. They are only the third duo in NBA history to score at least 30 and 50 points respectively in a game. Other duos like, Lebron and Shaq, Monta Ellis and Stephon Curry, make the game more exciting to watch.

5. The King: Lebron James is quite simply the most dynamic and exciting player in the game. He nearly averages a triple-double, and it is only his sixth year in the league. Remember that game-winning buzzer-beater against the Orlando Magic in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals last year? Well, prepare to see more of those heroics by James this season.

There are sure to be great games and an even greater playoff season on the way. This season, there is something for every-one in the NBA.

by Bryndon Cookx

Young guns shoot to make college hoops more thrilling as freshmen step upThis year’s college bas-

ketball season is shaping up to be one of the best in a long time. This season is becoming the ‘year of the freshman’ because of the one year rule, requiring a year in college before moving onto the NBA level.

The face of college basket-ball this year is freshman phenom John Wall. North Carolina coach, Roy Williams, said that Wall is the best college player since Jason Kidd two decades ago. Without

a doubt, the best game I have witnessed this season came when winless Miami of Ohio came into #4 Kentucky’s Rupp Arena to take on Wall and the Wildcats.

The game was not televised, and my keen interest in the heavily hyped freshman phenom made me watch via ESPN 360. Kentucky is in the most pre-season final fours after the acquisition of Coach John Calipari, and the combination of projected number-one draft pick, Wall, and heavily-touted fresh-man Eric Bledsoe. However, the Wildcat’s pedigree did not phase

the Redhawks, who jumped out to a massive first half lead.

A last-second jumper at the top of the key from the amazing Wall with .4 seconds left secured a one-point win for the Wildcats. The game was undoubtedly a sign for an excellent college basketball season to come.

The nation’s number-one team remains the Kansas Jay-hawks, who look poised to lift the championship trophy this year. With another freshman star, Xavier Henry, on fire from behind the arc, All-American, Cole Aldridge tear-

ing up teams in the paint, Markieff Morris stepping up his game, and All- American candidate Sherrod Collins at the point, the Jayhawks are a force to be reckoned with.

There are few teams that are even worthy of stepping on the court with the Jayhawks, but the Villanova Wildcats is one of them. The new-look, younger Wildcats will look to outperform last year’s Elite-8 team. With Scottie Reynolds, one of the best shooters in the country, there is no doubt in my mind that #3 Villanova can compete with any team, even

the Jayhawks. For those of you worried

about our hometown Terps, worry no more. The team looks poised for a strong ACC campaign. Look for the Terps to break into the Top 25 mid-season.

Kentucky, Kansas, Villano-va, and the defending champions, the North Carolina Tarheels are my final four picks. The Heels, who barely lost to Kentucky already this season, will surely use the loss as motivation. Tournament experience and raw talent make them sure title contenders.

[John] Wall is the best college player since Jason Kidd two decades ago.

Lebron James is quite simply

the most dynamic and

exciting player

in the game.

New InducteesAlexandra Abell

Daniel AriasNicholas Arnold-Medubalimi

Sarah AylorLaouren BarlowIsabela BarrigaAdrienne BushCynthia ChengMaia Chicherio

Git Yee ChuAron Crews

Delaney Cruickshank Somala DibyLeanna DiggsRainier GomezAmy GottliebKelly Hanlon

Bridget HawvermaleAshley Haymaker

Blaire HoffmanLily Hua

Julie HuleisNicholas HungDylan Hysen

Aimee KoharstCorinne KonozaSarah KushnerJennifer Lien

Julia MaasQuynh-Nhu Nguyen

Leena OwenJosh Paunil

Nicole PontiousLinda PowersCory Reyes

Mariel ShillingGillian Spolarich

Britney StuartSophia VeneroShannon WadeKira WilliamsPatrick Xiao

Second-Year MembersYonit AddissieJustine Allen

Thomasina AnaneRachel Appel

Alexandra AugustMiriam BoussoufHolland BroadusJeffrey BrumfieldMegan Buonomo

Nikki CaliCeleste Campbell

Carina CannonHaley-Drew Carpenter

Jordan ChaconEmily CheungDanny ChingCynthia ChowDawn Clarke

Kristin Corcoran

Sofia CurziRamatullah DemeLauren DeshlerMaria Escobar

Brittany GigantiMary Gillis

Jane GrenaldoGabrielle Hall

Max HedgepethElizabeth Hellman

Jorge HerreraTimothy Ho

Todd HolbertJiwoo Jang

Rebecca JoinerZoe Ligon

Kaylene LyonsAshley Martin

Colleen McMullenCaitlin Mitchell

Kirsten PetersenMarie-Estelle Pham

William PrindleChristopher Riley

Zahur Sallman Samantha Steinfeld

Emily StevensCindy Tan

Laura TreacyJohn Vernon

Christine WeithmanKatie Wright

Ting Ting Zheng

The administration, faculty, and staff congratulate these membersof the James Hubert Blake chapter of the National Honor Society:

December 18, 2009 The Blake Beat D7Bengals swim against the current, rise before the sunClub members freestyle, breastroke in show of dedication, adherence

Waking up for school every morning can seem like a nearly impossible task for many high school seniors, but for a select few talented swimmers, waking up at 6:00am seems like sleeping in.

For the elite club swimmers here at Blake, high school practice is hardly even considered a workout. They strive to compete at a much higher level, so they partici-pate on a club team as well as Blake’s team. In order to meet their goals, getting up for morning practice at 4am, although brutal, is necessary.

Sophomore Amanda Freeman is one of these early rising students. Freeman says, “The worst part is the night before because I’m sitting there dwelling on the fact that I

have to get up at 4:20 the next morning.” Similarly, senior captain Mary Gillis struggles to get

enough sleep. Gillis hates waking up early and admits, “It sucks! I don’t really wake up till practice is basically over. I never actually remember what I swim.” Gillis also admits that getting ready for school is hard. She says, “I usually take an hour to get ready, but with practice I only get 20 minutes.”

Club swimming, morning practice in particular, serves as an opportunity to become a better swimmer for many. The extra sets help build strength and stamina, and practicing as much as possible is a necessity to compete at top levels. Says junior Spencer Sterling, “It’s pretty tough and you have to be really motivated for it, but once you start doing it, it becomes a normal part of your day.”

The abundance of club swimmers at our school has also helped to strengthen the school team. Club swimmers are almost always the top swimmers at the high school meets. “Seeing your name towards the top of the results paper makes you feel really proud,” adds Freeman, “and shows you that all of your dedication and hard work re-ally paid off.”

Besides getting up early for practice, swimmers further prove their dedication by traveling great distances to actually compete in meets. “It all depends on the meet. Most meets are in this area, some of the faster meets are far away,” adds Sterling. Local meets are in places such as Fairland, Prince Geroge’s Rec Facility next to FedEx field, and George Mason University. National meets are as far as Orlando, University of Delaware, and Long Beach.

by Jonathan Frame & Joey Samowitzx

Former Bengal athletes reach goal of conquering college playing fieldsFor most seniors in the college

search, academics, campus life, and ex-penses are key elements taken into consid-eration, but for a select few alumni from the class of 2009, sports took a front seat. Alumna Danielle Douglass, a four-year letter-winner with the Lady Bengals basket-ball team, now attends Bryant University in North Carolina. As a Bengal, she led our team to three regional championships, two state championship appearances, and set records in single-season scoring and single-game steals. At Bryant, she averages ten minutes a game.

Says Douglass, “It’s really a lot of hard work and dedication, but if you enjoy playing, it’s worth it.”

For Stephen Klingner, it’s the drive of competition that keeps him working hard. Klingner was one of the Cross Country team’s captains during his last two years at Blake and is now a freshman member of the Cross Country team at Wittenberg University in Ohio. Adds Klingner, “Since you’re competing with people from around the country and all divi-sions, it’s definitely a whole new level and [is] much more intense.”

For some athletes, it’s simply the love of the game. Michael Schmidt, another four-year

letter winner with the Bengals, was a captain during his final two years playing baseball at Blake, and now plays at Saint Mary’s College. “I’m really excited to play college baseball-- it’s always been my dream,” says Schmidt, “I’m training as hard as I can to make an impact.”

Matthew Stevens stresses the differ-ence between high school and college sports. Stevens, a swimmer since age five, was named All-County by the Gazette and Honorable men-tion All-Met by the Washington Post; he is now a freshman sensation at Bucknell University in Pennsylvania. Says Stevens, “Swimming in college is a lot more time-consuming than in

high school…everyone you compete against puts just as much time in the pool as you do.”

Nicole Williams is now a cheerleader at North Carolina State University. For her, the jump between athletic levels is quite apparent. Williams says, “In high school, there would be a couple hundred fans where as at the collegiate level, there are at least 60,000 people.”

Many athletes dream of playing a sport in college from the time they are very young. For these select 2009 graduates, their dream became reality after years of hard work and dedication. The class of 2010 has many promis-ing athletes who look to accomplish the same feat next year.

by Samir Battoux

Woods in rough with spouse after countless mistresses discoveredTiger no longer good role model, rightly losing many endorsement deals

Golf is known as the sport of royalty--a sport for the rich and fortunate--and its king is almost indisputably none other than Tiger Woods.

With 2009 coming to an end, Woods has won 14 Major championships and looks to be-come the all-time record holder with 19 major victories. His estimated net worth nears one billion and his endorsements for Nike, Gatorade, American

Express, and General Mills rack in millions every year.

So what went wrong the morning after Thanksgiving at 2:30am? Woods was in a life threatening car accident, crashing his 2009 Cadillac Escalade into a fire hydrant and a tree. Woods’ wife Elin Nordegren supposedly smashed the back window of the Escalade to free him.

When the story first broke, there was concern for the safety of Woods and his family but little speculation surrounding the

cause of the incident. The next day, a woman

named Rachel Uchitel, a 34 year-old club promoter, claimed she had been having an affair with Woods for more than 30 months and had the text messages to prove it. Woods remained quiet for a few days but eventually broke his silence when a voice recording of him came out from a second mistress, Jamie Grubbs.

The drama continued when a whole cadre of new lady friends appeared, all claim-

ing to have valid proof that they have had a relationship with the married man and father. De-velopments continued as news that Woods’ wife has moved out of their home in Orlando and had bought a two million dollar mansion in her homeland of Sweden.

Woods is now in jeopardy of losing his lucrative endorse-ments; all of his commercials have been taken off the air since November 29.

Woods left an apology on

his website saying, “I have let my family down and I regret those transgressions with all of my heart. I have not been true to my values and the behavior my family deserves. I am not without faults and I am far short of perfect.”

Woods has bruised his reputation in a way no one saw coming. Tiger, we never asked you to be perfect, just for you to be a good person and a role model. Maybe that was too much to ask.

by Samir Battoux

December 18, 2009 The Blake BeatD8

Henry Adjah-Provenca JV FootballAngel Aguilar Boys V SoccerJustine Allen V Field HockeyAnalise Altobelli V Field HockeyDaniel Anduray Boys JV SoccerKwame Asante JV FootballSarah Aylor Girls JV SoccerJoyce Bartlett V Field HockeyBrian Battaglia V FootballShannon Bell Girls TennisMadeleine Benjoar JV CheerleadingMiriam Boussouf Girls TennisGrant Bradshaw Boys V SoccerNicholas Breen JV FootballDeandra Brown V CheerleadingElizabeth Butler JV CheerleadingThais Calderon Girls JV SoccerBethany Callahan Girls V VolleyballChristine Callahan Girls V VolleyballStephen Campbell V FootballMaya Campbell V Field HockeyHaley Carpenter V CheerleadingOlivia Castro Girls JV SoccerJoal Chen Girls TennisAdrianne Chiaravallotti Girls VolleyballCynthia Chow Girls TennisKirstyn Clark V CheerleadingLindsey Comer Girls V SoccerKristin Corcoran Girls TennisKeary Cristaldi V Field HockeyLydia Curdts Girls JV VolleyballJazmine Dandridge PomsDieynaba Diagne Girls Cross CountryLeanna Diggs Girls V SoccerAlison Dionne Girls JV SoccerChristiane Djoum PomsRebecca Doane Girls Cross CountryMonica Eng JV CheerleadingLane Flynn V Field HockeyKristen Frese Girls TennisAnna Galeano JV Field HockeyKimberly Gebhardtsbauer Girls JV VolleyballHayley Glantz JV Field HockeyMichael Gold GolfJacob Gordon Boys Cross CountryAmy Gottlieb PomsBridget Gratton Girls JV VolleyballNakea Green PomsJane Grenaldo V Field HockeyLucy Harrelson JV Field HockeyAntony Harris Boys Cross CountryBridget Hawvermale V Field HockeyJack Hawvermale Boys Cross CountryAshley Haymaker PomsElizabeth Hellman Girls Cross CountryJorge Herrera Boys V SoccerRachel Hewitt Girls JV VolleyballAnna Hinden V CheerleadingPhuong Hoang Girls JV VolleyballThomas Irish Boys V SoccerJi Woo Jang Girls V VolleyballDevon Johnson PomsRebecca Kalinich Girls JV SoccerMelania Karmazyn JV Field HockeyHannah Kenney Girls JV SoccerDong-Hee Kim JV FootballKaitlin Klumpp GolfKara Korab Girls V SoccerBrandon Krixer Boys Cross CountryFranchesca Kuhney Girls V VolleyballMelina Latona V Field HockeyIrene Lemberos Girls Tennis

Samantha Levitt Girls V SoccerZoe Ligon PomsJulie Lopatka JV Field HockeyBrianna Lopez PomsKaylene Lyons Girls V SoccerLeslie Mata Girls JV SoccerMeredith Mathis V Field HockeyColleen McMullen V CheerleadingSean McNamara Boys Cross CountryYvette Mingia Girls JV SoccerTerah Minor-Jones JV FootballCaitlin Mitchell Girls V VolleyballTara Mitchell Girls V VolleyballNicholas Mugge V FootballAmanie Musa V CheerleadingJason Nkwain V FootballBrenna Noone Girls JV SoccerAlexa Norberg PomsPaige O’Flahavan Girls V SoccerKemi Olowoofayoku Girls TennisAndrea Ortiz Girls JV SoccerTimothy Ostermeyer Boys V SoccerLeena Owen V Field HockeyLauren Paniati Girls V VolleyballAntonella Perez Ferrero Girls V VolleyballShaquille Perkins JV FootballMarie-Estelle Pham Girls Cross CountryLeslie Phelps V CheerleadingRachel Plafker V CheerleadingNicole Pontious V Field HockeyLinda Powers Girls TennisSarah Prather JV Field HockeyMatthew Present Boys JV SoccerCarley Pressley PomsRohan Raju Boys Cross CountryBrooke Rehman Girls JV VolleyballLeah Rich PomsPatrick Richard Boys JV SoccerChristopher Richard Boys JV SoccerChristopher Riley Boys V SoccerJoseph Samowitz Boys V SoccerDevonte Sayas-Drake V FootballSydney Selden, IV Boys Cross CountryJuliana Sesay V CheerleadingMax Shannon GolfMariel Shilling Girls V SoccerNicholas Sigwalt V FootballTrevor Skibine Boys V SoccerHolly Stein JV Field HockeyJasmin Stevenson JV CheerleadingKelly Stock Girls JV SoccerNicholas Tatnall JV FootballSimone Taylor V CheerleadingEmily Tempchin PomsMargaret Thomas V Field HockeyTracy Velazquez Girls JV SoccerSophia Venero Girls V SoccerDenise Venero Girls V SoccerJohn Vernon Boys Cross CountryDrew Virgil Girls TennisShannon Wade Girls TennisErica Wang Girls Cross CountryCaroline Wannen V Field HockeyLillian Watkins Girls JV SoccerChristina Wilbur Girls V SoccerJenna Williams JV Field HockeyEllen Wood JV Field HockeyKevan Yang Boys Cross CountryBemnet Yazew V FootballAlexandra Zaika V Field HockeyCaroline Zebrowski Poms

The James Hubert Blake Booster Clubcongratulates these Minds In Motionathletes for maintaining a 3.25 GPA

or higher for Fall semester 2009.

Section E Blake Beat Fine Arts December 18, 2009

Collegeprowler.com given high grades, rave review by one college-bound senior, p. E3

Junior Katie Lingan leaps, glides and spins her way into the performance of The Nutcracker, and she does it all on ice.

Lingan has been performing The Nutcracker at Columbia Ice Rink for nine years. This year, she earned the part of Drosselmeyer, the Godfather who brings the toys to life, without an audition. When she was not the lead, she played other roles including a Spanish dancer and a party guest.

After skating for 12 years, Lingan cannot imagine her life without it. “It’s in my daily routine, and I’m so used to it that my body is practically programmed to skate,” says Lingan. When she is not performing The Nutcracker, Lingan per-forms in paying shows such as Disney on Ice. She also received her Professional Skater’s Association Membership, which qualifies her as a professional coach and skater.

Although Lingan participated in some competitions, she was forced to quit competing due to a knee injury and a severe head concussion. Says Lingan, “I’ve tried really hard to gain back my skill since that injury.” Even though she has recovered, her injury prevents her

from being able to survive a long com-petition program.

Skating alongside Lingan is sopho-more Robert Korycinski, who plays the prince, as well as a Spanish dancer and a party guest. Korycinski joined the show two years after Lingan. His goal is to win an Olympic Gold Medal in figure skating. Says Korycinski, “I plan on

practicing extremely hard to get all my skills better.”

Ice skating has taken Lingan and Korycinski around the country. Says Korycinski, “Without skating, I’d have too much time on my hands.”

Lingan appreciates her coaches and friends that she met through skating and who have helped her through the years.

She adds, “Skating has helped me grow not only as a skater, but as a person.”

If you missed The Nutcracker, you still have the chance to enjoy the holiday show. Senior Sarah Harrison will perform in the Olney Theatre Center production today through December 26. Details and times of the performance are on the Olney Theatre Center website.

Early cartoons remain victorious over ultra-modern animationsBefore SpongeBob lived in a pineapple under the sea,

and prior to Dora exploring, we lived in an era that produced some of the greatest cartoons of our generation. 90s cartoons allowed us to follow Eliza Thornberry into the jungle, crawl around with Tommy Pickles, and “woogie, woogie, woogie” with Twister, Reggie and Otto.

It’s been about a decade since the reign of shows like Hey Arnold! and Doug, and today’s cartoons aren’t doing much to out-do their predecessors. “The new ones are influ-enced by celebrity media,” says junior Stella Song. “All the cartoons have predictable plots. There’s no imagination and creativity in them anymore.”

No matter how many punch lines and 3-D effects they throw at us, “Newer [cartoons are] more realistic, [and are not] as animated as the old ones,” adds senior Valery Salas. The lack of animation, or exaggeration, in programs you’ll come across today is a result of the show creators’ efforts to mimic real life as accurately as possible in an unrealistic setting.

The foul attitudes new cartoon characters have devel-oped, seem to be negatively influencing their fans. “The most recent ones seem to be a lot more offensive and disrespectful than the other ones,” says senior Chip Selden. “The charac-ters are always misbehaving and arguing with their parents. [They] seem to have a lot of yelling, which may explain why my siblings tend to be so loud all the time.”

Despite the poor evolution of cartoons into the 2000s, vintage cartoon junkies can still get their fix via re-runs. “They bring back memories and are much more fun to watch. Whenever a show I used to watch comes on Boomerang, I feel very relieved,” adds Selden, whose top three 90s cartoons are Rocket Power, Pinky and The Brain and Dexter’s Laboratory. “I remember all the Saturday mornings that I spent watching those old shows.”

90s cartoons bring out our inner child and remind us that no matter how old we turn each year, we can still kick it with Dee Dee in Dexter’s Laboratory and have Recess with TJ Detweiler. “The old cartoons make me nostalgic,” says junior Spencer Sterling. “They remind me of the good old days.”

by Anna Ching & Leah Richx

by Merissa Dyer & Andrea Lorax

Student gets bass pumpin’ with hot internship for radio stationFor most students, “fun” nor-

mally is not factored into the definition of an internship—unless you are as lucky as alumna Lily Reagan, who has scored an internship with the top radio station Hot 99.5. Maybe video didn’t kill the radio star after all.

Reagan, who graduated in 2008, applied for a job with Clear Channel Communications during her senior year of high school, hoping for an opportunity to work in their offices. Instead, she got much more than she expected: an internship on Hot 99.5’s famous morning shows The Kane Show and The Sarah Show. “I was absolutely floored and could not

have been happier,” says Reagan. She began her internship this past August and will finish it in the second week of January.

When Reagan first started work-ing at Hot 99.5, she had fairly simple duties, such as answering phones and uploading podcasts. Says Reagan, “My job has definitely evolved over the past few months.” Now, she filters calls, or-ganizes their music library, contributes ideas, and even provides some enter-tainment for the Hot 99.5 team. There are only three other interns, making Reagan’s responsibilities large.

Not only has Reagan had a chance to learn about radio during her internship, but she has also earned the rare opportunity to get to know the

stars of the shows. “[Kane is] not only hysterical, but he has the kindest heart,” says Reagan. “He’s always twelve steps ahead of you.” She also looks at Kane’s co-stars, Sarah and Samy, and the producer of the show, Erick, with admiration. “[Erick] can always make me smile and work harder,” she adds.

Although Reagan has definitely had her share of good times while working on Hot 99.5’s talk shows, her internship has not been a piece of cake. “I am awake before the sun,” says Reagan, who must report to work by 5:30am. But despite the level of commitment this unpaid internship has demanded, Reagan is far from having any regrets. She adds, “Radio is some-thing that I’ve always loved.”

I was absolutely

floored and could not have

been happier.

LILY REAGAN

[Kane is] not only

hysterical, but he has the kindest heart.

LILY REAGAN

by Emily Stevensx

Ice Princess leaps, skates to new heightsLingan, Korycinski star in lead roles of The Nutcracker

Sophomore Robert Korycinski (center), junior Katie Lingan (right), and Altholton sophomore Morgan Flemming performed

last weekend at the Columbia Ice Rink, adding to Korycinski and Lingan’s wide skating repertoire --photo by Tommy Irish

December 18, 2009 The Blake BeatE2

by Kemi Olowoofayoku & Simone Taylorx

by Kemi Olowoofayoku & Simone Taylorx

Student dancers do backflips, handsprings around JabbawockeezLocal b-boys perform at FasXion, talent show, hip-hop their way to success

So you think you can dance? Well, these boys can do it better. Blake’s very own dance crew provides local entertainment in the hopes of being discovered.

Teens usually spend their lunches catching up on schoolwork, spending time with friends or actually eating. However, the unnamed, self-proclaimed “b-boys” dance crew devotes their time to constantly choreographing new moves. “We just turn on the music and let our bod-ies do the thinking. It’s pretty spontaneous,” says junior Edwin Hong, a member of the crew.

The group was started a year ago by junior Nicholas Tax and Hong. “We wanted to find more people who danced like us,” adds Tax. “We weren’t really prepared for the amount of talent we found.” The group has performed at Blake shows such as the talent show and FasXion. Currently, they’re practicing for the upcoming show this year and hope to gain more fans from the experience.

Senior Kristin Corcoran says, “They’re not like most teenage dance groups. They take it very seriously and it shows.” The dance crew gets a lot of inspiration from the things around them. “A lot of our moves are influenced by things we see on TV, new dance moves and songs,” says Hong. He started dancing about two years ago, and has worked diligently to improve his technique and practices whenever he can.

“There is a lot of discipline between the group members. We sacrifice our time and put everything into our work. It all pays off in the end,” adds Tax. Most of the members hope to pursue a career in the dance field, rang-ing from back-up dancers to participating on talent television shows such as So You Think You Can Dance and America’s Best Dance Crew. With so much attention on hip-hop dancers lately, the ensemble has to stand out from the hundreds of other local groups. “Everyone thinks that we’re just like every other dance group, but we’re really not,” says Hong.

In attempt to stand out from the crowd, the group has developed a theme in which they often perform in masks, similar to the popular dance crew the Jabbawockeez. The only thing the group needs now is a name. “We really want to find something that sums us up. But it really hasn’t been that easy,” adds Hong.

“I look forward to the next time the b-boys perform. They have a really commanding presence, something any good group has to have,” adds Corcoran.

Choral ensembles warm hearts of audience with American classicsCold winter nights have recently been getting

warmer due to the sweet musical sounds of the Blake Music Department. The Blake choral ensembles and the Musical Theater Company have both recently produced winter programs for the Blake community.

The performances began December 3, with the Musical Theater Company’s tribute to 1920s musical composer and creator of the well known Rhapsody in Blue, George Gershwin. Says Musical Theater member junior Somala Diby, “It was a great way to pay tribute to one of the world’s most musically brilliant people.”

The show had a 1940s radio show-based theme and opened up with Duke Ellington’s, “Do Nothing Till You Hear from Me.” It consisted of reenactments of 1940s ads

for Pepsi Cola, Campbell’s Tomato Soup, and Maxwell House Coffee. The show gave viewers a taste of classic 1940s music. Says senior Rachel Plafker, “It makes you wonder about music nowadays and what went wrong.”

Members of Blake’s choral department held a winter concert Wednesday December 9. The performers included members of the Vocal Ensemble, Honors Cho-rus, A cappella Choir, and Revelations. The performers

received standing ovations throughout the night. The Revelations choir, conducted by music teacher

Jonathan Dunn, ended the show powerfully with a perfor-mance of the spiritual “Soon Ah Will Be Done.” Junior Tara McIntyre says, “Their voices were so pure, not like the kind of music we hear on the radio today.”

The performances continue with the Winter Pops Concert December 22 in the Blake auditorium. The Symphonic Band, Chamber Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, Percussion Ensemble, and Jazz Ensemble will be per-forming a series of pieces based on famous works of literature including Moby Dick and Lord of the Rings. The show will also include performances of holiday songs. Junior DeAndra Brown adds, “The best part of performing is seeing your hard work paid off in the audience’s faces.”

Upcoming Winter Pops Concert to feature novel-inspired music

Take JournalismBe a part of something awesome

and join our staff for the2010-2011 school year.

See our advisor, Mr. Keegan,or a staff member for more information

Junior Edwin Hong shows off superior skill as he sticks a handstand. Hong practices along with

crew members daily to develop a unique style. -- photo by Beatriz Brizuela

December 18, 2009 The Blake Beat E3

Ask any senior and they will tell you that the college selection process is not necessarily the most enjoyable ex-perience. But, thanks to the creation of collegeprowler.com, finding the perfect school is less of a hassle.

College Prowler is a website that offers high school students information about every college and university in the United States. And the best part is, the information is free and it comes directly from current college students and recent grads.

The website offers information that cannot be found on any school’s website or in the Fiske Guide to Col-leges. College Prowler has a “Report

Card” for every school on its site, with grades being given on twenty differ-ent categories including: Academics, Campus Housing, Transportation, and many others.

For example, the University of Maryland has relatively high grades on its Report Card. It has mostly B’s and A’s in categories like Academics, Local Atmosphere, and Athletics. To get a bet-ter understanding of what these grades mean, you can search to see the grades other schools got and read the comments from the UMD students.

What makes this website so special is the fact that it provides information that is hard to find anywhere else. You can look at a list of the “Best and Worst Things” about your favorite school, or

read reviews from students who are cur-rently enrolled.

All of these features are available to anyone who visits the site, whether they have an account or not. However, having a College Prowler account comes with a lot of advantages. Students with accounts can take a “personality quiz” to see if they are a good match with the school socially. You can also see how you would fit in financially.

It’s easy for a school to say that they excel in certain areas, but it’s more believable when the student body is say-ing it. College prowler gives high school students a chance to see if they are really compatible with the schools that they are interested in. It is extremely useful for all college-bound students.

Modern Warfare 2, the most highly anticipated game of the year, has finally ar-rived, leaving everyone’s jaws hanging in pure awe and everyone’s hands attached firmly to a controller.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (MW2) hit store shelves November 10, offering the complete gaming experience. MW2 continues the success of its prequel, Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, with some new additions including the new cooperative mode, Special Operations.

MW2’s campaign mode picks up the story five years after the ending of the prequel. The player assumes the role of various char-

acters, engaging in epic battles all across the globe, including missions that take place mere miles away in Washington, D.C. The campaign features an interesting story, although much of the plot is revealed in the cinematic loading screens, and offers many plot twists you will never see coming. My only real complaint about the campaign is the length, clocking in at just under six hours, it left me wanting more.

Spec. Ops, the new cooperative mode, is the most notable addition in MW2. This mode makes up for the lack of cooperative play in the campaign mode, featuring short missions to be played either alone or with someone else. This mode is most enjoyable with a friend and provides a new innovative way to play Call of Duty.

MW2 continues the legacy of the amaz-ing multiplayer feature that will keep you coming back for more. The multiplayer mode plays just like the prequel, with a few addi-tions. Besides the new weapons and weapon attachments, the ability to modify killstreaks is easily the best addition to game play. The player is able to select three killstreaks to play with, such as a Tactical Nuke.

Another improvement over its prequel is the stunning graphics of the game, beautifully depicting snow, jungles and urban settings.

Clearly, MW2 is a must-have for hard-core and causal gamers alike. The top-grossing and overall best game of the year will have you playing endlessly, at least until Modern Warfare 3.

REVIEWS FOR YOUBarcelona screams “color” to music lover

by Christine League

Christine League

College website prowls student, grabbing her attentionby Becky Joinerx

Modern Warfare 2 hits target of excitementBest game of year will have you playing endlessly

by Tommy Irish

by Samantha Steinfeldx

Potential holiday happiness frozen in tracks by tragedy

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Becky Joiner

Tommy Irish

Like most at a concert, I usually waste time buying merchandise, getting snacks, and using the rest room while the opening bands finish. But for once, I caught a glimpse of the opening band Barcelona, and from the first song they played, I loved them.

When Barcelona came out on the stage, they didn’t introduce themselves or say hello. They just got right to the music. I was unsure what to think of the long piano intro without the introduction, but as soon as the beat got faster and the lyrics were sung, they made my heart scream color and I didn’t even know their name.

Their music was soft, yet this didn’t quiet down their strong stage presence, which drew in even the people in the back of

the room. They put a new spin on indie piano rock and had a flare I had never heard be-fore, despite some of their many influences being rather well-known bands such as U2, Coldplay, and Death Cab for Cutie.

After the concert was over, I ran to go and buy their CD, Absolutes. I then got singer and keyboardist Brain Fennell, guitarist and backup singer Chris Bristol, and drummer Rhett Stonelake to all sign it. Unlike other bands, these members took it upon themselves to make small talk, show-ing me that they are just like everyone else. I love that.

As soon as I got home, I listened to their CD; their lyrics intrigued me and I couldn’t stop listening. Each song on their CD spoke to me. That is my favorite qual-ity in music: being able to apply the lyrics

to my life. I know that some of you skeptics out

there may not believe me, so listen up: I’m not the only person crazy about Barcelona. I went to a bonfire and the host had brought a boom-box, but had forgotten a CD. I, not being able to leave the house without taking Barcelona with me, had Absolutes in my purse. I put it in and let it play. Many people left with Barcelona written on their hand for further research.

I’m telling you all this to make one thing clear: although Barcelona may not be popular (yet), don’t let this informa-tion go in one ear and out the other. Go to YouTube right now and listen to “Come Back When You Can” or “Falling out of Trees.” “It’s About Time” you fall in love with this band too.

Samantha Steinfeld

If you’re looking to see a cute, festive, holiday movie, listen up: whatever you do, don’t go see Everybody’s Fine.

At first, I thought the concept was pretty basic, but still good: an absent father’s wife dies, which leads him to discover the only connection he had to his kids was his wife. He decides to set off on a road trip across the country, stopping to visit each of his four children along the way. Throughout the trip, he learns each of his children is not as happy as he had thought, and each has their share of problems.

Sounds like it could be a cute movie, right? Wrong. The way it was executed made it a tragedy (one of the children die) instead

of an adorable movie promoting “family togetherness” over the holidays. But not only was the whole spirit of the movie off, the way the content was presented made it feel very rushed.

Logistically, it just didn’t make sense for a movie that is only an hour and a half to explore a father’s relationship with four different children. We only got to see him at each child’s house for about 15 minutes, which didn’t leave enough time for us, or him, to see beyond the façade each kid puts on to assure him that “everything’s fine”. But on his plane ride back home after all the vis-its, when he reflects back on what happened he manages to figure it all out: his daughter’s husband wasn’t living with her anymore, his son was lying about his upcoming trip to

Europe, and his other daughter had a baby and didn’t tell anyone.

However, the ways he made these dis-coveries were so unrealistic that I swear he had a super-power—a sixth sense that gave him such heightened observational skills that he could pick up everything (something that the writers may have wanted to explore more, because it would have been much more exciting than this movie). Because his daughter’s friend dropped by and asked her to babysit while he was visiting, he assumed that the baby was hers. And he was right. No one would be able to draw that conclusion and be right in real life.

Overall, the movie seemed very dis-connected, superficial, and way too short—definitely not something to spend $10 on.

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Everybody’s Fine, but something’s wrong with film

December 18, 2009 The Blake BeatE4