SENTINELC E N T R E V I L L E H I G H S C H O O L

February 11, 2013, volume 22, issue 5

Who would’ve thought an average 17-year-old student at Centreville High School would be performing in front of ce-lebrity judges on the big stage? Maddie Assel (12) has had the remarkable opportunity to make her dreams come true. Assel gave “The Sentinel” the inside scoop and behind the stage de-tails about performing on “The X-Factor” and “American Idol.”

Assel submitted an online video to “The X-Factor”. just for the fun of it. She had no idea that she would be one of the few people chosen to go on the show. In early August, Assel made a trip to Washington State to be one of the bridesmaids at her cousin’s wedding. However, the trip was cut short because just a couple days into her stay, Assel received a call to perform on “The X-Factor.” She flew to North Carolina to perform in front of Demi Lovato, Simon Cowell, LA Reid, and Britney Spears.

Assel was one of the top 400 people chosen for the competition. Kara Perdue (12) and Esther Yoo (12) shared Assel's big moment on stage by being in the audience.

“It was an awesome experi-ence! I was glad Kara and I were able to be there for her and see her do something amazing and something not many people get chances of doing,” said Yoo.

“It was unbelievable watching my best friend walk out on stage in front of thousands of people and the judges. It felt so unreal and I was so proud!” said Perdue.

Assel Goes From School Girl to Superstar By: Soo Lim Assel did not have much time

to practice beforehand because of the very short notice. But, she still managed to have an outstanding performance of two songs, “You and I” by Lady GaGa and “Piece of My Heart” by Janis Joplin.

mother were also in on the plan. Assel’s mother, Teri Mullins Assel, told her that she was going to a college audition in New Orleans. Before Assel went to her “college audition” in New Orleans, Assel, her mother, and grand-mother stopped by a restaurant.

“A band was playing in the restaurant and asked me to join them,” said Assel.

Assel was casually singing and enjoying herself until she noticed cameras com-ing around the corner.

“I thought they were shooting a movie,” said Assel.

All of the sudden, Assel heard a low voice saying “Yo, Maddie.”

From around the corner, Randy Jackson came out and invited her to audition for “American Idol.” Assel was one of the five very lucky winners in the country to be chosen for a surprise visit by one of the judges. Jackson told Assel that she was going to be performing in front of Nick Minaj, Keith Urban, Mariah Carey, and him the very next day.

Assel sang the song “Oh Dar-ling” by the Beatles for the judges, and all four judges gave a yes; Assel was given the golden ticket to Hollywood. Assel’s power-ful voice stunned the judges and many others who tuned in to “American Idol” on January 24.

“I was so thankful that Kara nominated me and it was so unreal that this was all happening,” said Assel.

The “golden ticket” was a free flight to Hollywood where Maddie stayed in a hotel with many other contestants. Since Assel was a

minor, her mother was able to come with her and stay by her side.

“Hollywood week was 4 days a week staying up all night and just practicing and interviewing,” said Assel.

Assel will continue her journey

to become the next “American Idol.” No matter what happens on the show, Assel's career won't end in Hollywood. Tune in to “American Idol” on Wednesday and Thursday at 8 p.m. to see what happens next on Assel's road to fame.

“It was so unreal that this was all happening”

Assel and her mother put on smiles for the cameras as they wait.

“I’ve performed in front of small audiences but I’ve never performed in front of 5,000 people. I couldn’t see anything or hear myself talking to the judges,” said Assel.

For the moment of truth: Spears said yes, Lovato said no, and Reid said no. Cowell had no option because Lovato and Reid said no. Though Assel did not qualify for the next round, she had the opportunity to practice and perform in front of thousands of people and some of the most famous judges.

Once Assel’s journey on “The X-Factor”. ended, a new one began. Perdue, Assel’s best friend, submitted a video of Assel singing to "American Idol" without telling Assel.

“I submitted the video because I knew Maddie would never do it on her own but I know how amazing she is,” said Perdue.

Perdue and the producers of American Idol talked back and forth for about five months, planning to surprise Assel.

Assel’s family and her grand-

Assel performs “Oh Darling” by the Beatles on “American Idol”.

Randy Jackson surpises Assel at a restaurant in New Orleans.

Courtesy of American Idol

Courtesy of American Idol

Courtesy of Maddie A

ssel

Caring For ConcussionsOpinion By:

Michael BollmanGetting the right medical treat-

ment for your concussion can of-ten be a bigger headache than the one you have. In a nation where concussions range from 1.6-3.8 million occurrences per year en-suring you get what you need to prevent further injury and short-en your recovery time is vital.

Health care is present at most high schools and is often man-dated by state law. Athletic train-ers usually have a high degree of knowledge in the medical field and are helpful and qualified to treat a wide range of athletic injuries. But trainersare responsible for the treatment of many athletes. More serious or precarious injuries re-quire more time and attention to detail than a trainer can provide.

Making the right choice and going to a licensed personal doc-tor can mean the difference be-tween a recurring life changing in-jury and a minor inconvenience.

Katrina Wright (12) said, “I received good attention from the trainer, but given the chance, I would go to a doctor first. It could’ve prevented my condition from reaching this magnitude.”

Wright has had six concus-sions in the last four years, four of which have come from her high school athletic career as a field hockey and lacrosse player.

“Make sure you take it easy if you think you’ve just gotten a concussion; rest, take Advil, and go to a neurologist at the first possible opportunity. Doctors help, but neurologists know best, and will help you back to health before you know it. It’s your brain; you need to take care of it.”

Doctors speculate that con-cussions are not increasing in occurrence, as many worried parents across the country fear. Traumatic brain injuries, or TBI’s, are simply being diagnosed at a higher rate. Concussion tests have become more stringent and technologically advanced, al-lowing doctors, medical profes-sionals, and high school trainers to detect and treat a concussion.

The ability to accurately de-tect and diagnose a concussion would be an invaluable abil-ity for high school sports injury first responders such as trainers. Centreville and many schools across the country have invested in the license to use the imPACT test, a cranial health baseline and concussion detection test to help trainers accurately detect the presence of a concussion.

The imPACT test has helped our school immensely by de-tecting countless concussions. It helps, but is often misused. The issues are that it has undoubt-

edly returned false positives for cases that weren’t actually con-cussions, and it lets many actual concussions slip by undiagnosed.

The test is a great way to get an initial idea as to whether an athlete is suffering from a con-cussion and to help with a con-cussed player’s recovery; how-ever, it was not designed to be the final say on a young person’s health. Relying on imPACT alone might make an athelete think, “the test came back negative; I have nothing wrong with me.”

The creators of the impact test have made it clear that the imPACT Concussion Evalua-tion Test is not a definite indica-tor of health or harm. According to their site, “ImPACT assists doctors in making return-to-play decisions and should never be used as a stand-alone tool or as a diagnostic instrument.”

So why is it so often used as one? Athletes at Centreville and

across the country deserve the best for their brains. Action must be taken immediately to-wards improving athlete health care and the education of law-makers, trainers, school officials, parents, coaches, and athletes alike. Incomplete diagnosis and improper usage of imPACT tests put young people at risk of de-bilitating long-term conditions.

1. Men are more likely to get concussions than women. 2. The sport with the highest rate of concussions is women’s

ice hockey. 3. People who have a severe concussion may have

symptoms for more than 21 days. 4. Concussions can affect a student’s academic

performance. 5. The brain moves rapidly inside the skull when a

concussion has occurred. 6. During any sports season, 5-10% of athletes will suffer a

concussion. 7. Of those, 78% of concussions occur during games. 8. Getting one concussion increases your chance of having

another. 9. Approximately 53% of concussions are never reported.10. There are over 1 million concussions in high school

sports each year.

Interesting Facts About 10 ConcussionsConcussionsConcussions

In This IssuePage 2: Course Selections

Page 3: Course Selections

Page 4: Varsity Girls Basketball Winter Sports Recap

Page 5: Valentine’s Day New Year’s

Page 6: Stereotypes Gumbo Mr. Burke

Page 7: Flu Prevention Winter Snow Sports College Applications

Compiled By: Soo Lim

News/OP-ED2 February 11, 2013

As rising juniors and seniors start signing for courses, many are plagued by the decision of what courses to take. Most struggle to decide whether to take a regular or AP class.

Different factors go into whether one should choose a reg-ular or AP class: difficulty, home-work load, interest in the subject, commitment to extracurricular activities, pressure to get into col-lege, etc.

Counselor Nancy Schneider advices people to keep in mind what kind of student they are. Do you enjoy a challenge? Is there an AP course or regular course that specifically interests you? Is your course schedule already too de-manding? Are you usually busy with other sports and activities? Knowing the answers to these questions could really help you in figuring out which courses to take.

For example, some students decide to take an AP for the rigor of the course and enjoy the chal-lenge that comes with taking a higher level class. Carl Ehinger (12) said, “other classes are too easy,” which is why he chose to take four AP classes this year.

Other students take AP classes to make their transcripts look bet-ter for college. Liban Hashi (12) is taking seven APs this year, with 11 total in his high school career; an impressive record. Hashi said, “I only did it to get into college,” but feels it will be worth it, “espe-cially in the long run.” Many stu-

dents have this same mind set as Hashi and feel pressured by col-leges to take more AP or honors courses.

Though taking APs seems like a daunting challenge, the perks come with these courses. When taking an AP course and extra point is added to the grade for that class. Some students take the higher level classes purely for the GPA boost that comes with them.

“It’s better to take an AP or Honors class and get an A- than it is to take a regular one and get an A,” said Sean Kelly (12).

Mr. Baird, who teaches AP Microeconomics, Macroeconom-ics as well as World History 2 and US Government, counters Kelly’s assertion saying that “APs matter but the points don’t” be-cause when colleges receive the transcripts, most of them pull the points out of the grades anyway.

AP classes are not the best choice for all students. Take Kasey Martino (11), for example. Mar-tino plays on a club soccer team and is on the varsity field hockey and soccer teams at school. She found it difficult to balance be-tween practices and her hefty workload from her APs.

“I would recommend taking APs but not three in one year. It was a lot for me,” Martino said.

Personal interest in a subject should be a main factor in choos-ing classes, especially whether to take an AP or not. If you’re not interested in the subject you’re learning, then why take an AP that will be even more difficult?

By: Shannon O’DonnellAre you struggling to choose

the right classes for next year? Well, have no fear there are plen-ty of ways to narrow down your list of desired classes.

As for core classes, check-ing out the graduation require-ments for either the standard or advanced diploma would be a great first step. For students currently attending CVHS there are two different graduation re-quirements depending on your graduation year. Fulfilling these requirements is a priority that ensures a timely graduation and a tidy transcript.

Continuing on to the next level of a certain elective is also something to consider when sit-ting down to chose next year’s schedule. The majority of elec-tives offered have multiple levels so that students can continue to develop their skills in a certain subject area if interested.

CVHS Guidance counselor Mrs. Schneider said that “conti-nuity in electives is important for colleges.”

Thinking about the future is also a good idea. Taking classes in high school that have the po-tential to make college classes seem easier might be the right choice. Knowing a bit about a subject, even an elective subject, before going into higher educa-tion can be an extra boost. Even if the credits from AP exams in AP electives aren’t accepted, the second time taking that class will be much more enjoyable.

One way to decide if a course

is the right one is to go talk to that teacher. Teachers can give great insight on what will be covered in the class, how much work or time needs to be put forth, and the level of intensity. Although you may talk to a specific teacher, there may be multiple teachers for one subject.

Sunjoo Lee (12) warns, “don’t sign up for a class to get a certain teacher or to be with friends be-cause that never works.”

Having things turn out unfa-vorably, like not having your BFF in your class or getting the per-fect teacher, is a huge let down. Prevent this by signing up based on your interest in the class.

Considering personal skills

By: Melissa Millis

In 2007, the U.S. felt the effects of the greatest recession since the Great Depression, forcing many Americans out of their houses. Fairfax County Public School wants to protect people from this kind of disaster through educa-tion: Economics & Personal Fi-nance.

Beginning this year, Freshmen are required to take Economics & Personal Finance.

“Students explore economic principles and gain financial lit-eracy.” said Mrs. Patrick, who teaches Economics & Personal Finance.

It is a class that focuses on fi-nancial decision-making, budget-ing, banking, insurance, tax pay-ing and career exploring; a class specifically built to help students to possess practical economic knowledge before entering col-lege. After taking this class, “Stu-dents will be better able to make

A Crash Course in Course Selection

When I look back, my history of electives looks like an experi-ment. I did not hesitate to find new courses that would fit me, and I would enjoy having. Throughout high school, I have taken many elective courses. Some of them I liked and some I regret taking.

AP Environmental Science sounded like a really good class. That's what I thought junior year. But, when school started, I real-ized I had made a mistake. The whole class was seniors except for three or four juniors, includ-ing me. I only knew the juniors, and the seniors that I knew all sat in the back. I sat right in front of the teacher. Because it was the first class of the day, seniors who drove showed up late all the time, saying, "because of traffic." Some just never showed up.

While lessons in that class were interesting,the activities, honestly, were really childish. Most of the activities had food involved. For an example, we had to break a chocolate chip cookie with a pa-per clip. The one that didn't in-volve food was the last activity: create sewage water artificially. That activity kind of grossed me out; my result smelled awful.

On the other hand, I enjoyed my guitar class, my other elective. I played a guitar. Sometimes, in a group, collaborating some tunes. I got to play a handful of famous guitar songs. Through that, I learned new artists to put in my

phone to listen to. I did not mind practicing and playing guitar at home because of how casual it is.

Guitar class offered a more friendly experience than other classes, because I took it for many years. There was little in the way of homework as well, barring the end of the year’s notebook project.

Being together with my friends HOW TO AVOID MY MISTAKES

If Only I Had Known...Seniors Reflect On Course Selection

“If only I’d known more” is the center of my thoughts as I re-flect on the past four years. When thinking about electives, there’s really nothing I’d change.

Taking opinions and sugges-tions from those close to me, the electives I took that affected me the most are Psychology and Orchestra. Others, I would love to talk about, but are irrelevant . Many seem pushed on students against their will.

Orchestra is a class I’ve com-mitted myself to since middle school. I would’ve liked to change some things, but the class itself has been worth it all these years. The class is based on performance and an interest in stringed instru-ments. Tests are excerpts all stu-dents are required to play; they show skill and progression. Or-chestra is really open to any stu-dent, skilled or novice since its levels range so widely.

Psychology not only influ-enced my future plans, it also opened doors to many other sub-jects, including English. It was fas-cinating to learn about something so common. The brain, the body, the relationship between the two were only a fraction of what there was to learn. I would recommend for anyone and everyone even if uninterested in the subject.

By: Shine Kang

used to be my first priority, but I realized that it was hopeless be-cause there is barely any chance of being together with my friends in the same class, because the counselor or whoever assigns the classroom to students does it ran-domly.

However, I recommend new-comers to pick classes that people in the same grade as you would pick, so you don't end up in the same class with people who are about to graduate. They have no work ethic to help you out if you struggle.

Most importantly, choose the elective that has something to do with what you want to do in the future, or at least, take elec-tives that you really want to learn. Continue your electives, because colleges want to see the continu-ity. And don't take other people's advices on selecting electives too seriously, because you might miss the chance to find an elective that suits you.

helps narrow down the list of in-teresting classes. Classes that tar-get personal strengths are more likely to be rewarding internally, through learning and attitude toward the class, and externally, through the grade received. This requires thinking about what you want to get out of the class and deciding which classes will give you what you want.

Amanda Linthicum (12) has experienced this in web-page de-velopment. “I relearned HTML from the Myspace days and love the class,” said Linthicum.

Always remember, when mak-ing decisions give yourself time to weigh your options and to be true to what you want.

Core Courses and Electives: What to Consider To AP or Not to AP?

Personal Finanace: Requirement or Elec-By: Cassandra Cottone sound financial decisions. Stu-

dents will learn how to: manage their credit, pay for college, bal-ance a checkbook, sign a lease, pay for a car, complete basic tax forms, etc.”, added Mrs. Patrick.

The name of this class sounds a bit intimidating to some, but there is nothing to worry about.

“All you need is a composition notebook, pencil, and an open mind”, said Chris Winans (12). “The only down side to the class is having quizzes.”

“I’d recommend this class to anyone who wants to go into busi-ness,” said Chris Nguyen (12).

“There are no prerequisites to EPF; however, we do recommend students take the course after they have completed 9th grade,” said Mrs. Patrick.

An online catalog with a full, in-depth descprition of the Economics & Personal Finance course is provided for students for free on the CVHS website.

When do you chooseyour classes?

Counselor Presentations Scheduling with Counselors

2014January 30 and Feb-ruary 1 in English 11

classes

February 7-15 in US-VA History classes

2015March 4-5 in

World History II classes

February 19-26 inEnglish 10 classes

News/OP-ED 3February 11, 2013

cadet and that they are more like a teacher in the classroom” Beatty added.

The class and the internship benefits students interested in being a teacher.

“It is the perfect opportunity to work with kids in a classroom environment. Also we get to watch and learn from the teacher that we are working with,” Bollman said.

The students can choose the grade level they want to work with. They go to middle schools and elementary schools that are in our area.

Mrs. Beatty likes watching high school students in the elementary and middle school classrooms.

“They all have a great way of working with students and do a wonderful job of teaching the students the material. It really touched my heart to see a cadet making a difference with the students, to see them teaching the students something they had trouble with, and then to hear the

Teachers for Tomorrow, Learning Today

Teachers for Tomorrow introduces juniors and seniors to a career in teaching and education. A student’s GPA has to be of a 3 or higher and the student must have a good attendance. This course is very helpful for those who want to be a teacher.

Caroline Bollman (11) is a teacher entolled in Teachers for Tomorrow. She said the most memorable and fun thing has been teaching elementary kids during the internship. She goes to Union Mill every A day to help a kindergarten class.

“It is so much fun to work with the kids because they are all so sweet and adorable,” said Bollman.

In the first quarter, the students learn all about the different styles of learning and teaching and ways to tend to students’ specific needs.

“We also learned about special education and ESOL programs,” Bollman said.

People think it would be hard to teach and help students while you are a student yourself. According to Bollman, it isn’t hard to teach kids while being in high school because it is fun to go to the schools and working with the kids. The teacher cadet class prepares students for the internship.

“The students in this class get a crash course in the Foundations of Education,” said Kathy Beatty, who teaches the course. “They learn how to work with students who are at different levels with the material, how to work with students who are discipline issues, and how to work with teachers as an adult.”

The teachers prepare the cadets really well for their internship. Interns have to have done well on their work in the first quarter. If they haven’t done well, they don’t have the internship.

“We talk to the cadets a lot about their responsibility as a

by: Savannah sher- Editors-In-Chief:Soo Lim

Michael Bollman

Business &Advertising Manager:

Michael Bollman

Section Editors: Brenda Nguonly (News)Stephanie Wiggins (Fea-

ture)Erin Shin (Op-Ed)

Katie Blumer (Sports)

Staff Writers:Katie Blumer, Michael Bollman, Cassandra

Cottone, Shine Kang,Nathanael Kim, Jea Lee,

Soo Lim, Melissa Millis, Brenda Nguonly,

Shannon O’Donnell, Savannah Sherman,Erin Shin, StephanieWiggins, Jack Will

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Sentinel Corrections:

pride and joy as the cadet shares their experience.” Beatty said.

This course is so interesting to students because they are helping with younger kids in middle schools and elementary school. At Centreville, they are students, but as interns, they become the teacher.

“They are professionals when they enter the classroom. The cadets are responsible for getting the curriculum across to the students in a way that the students remember it. The cadets are responsible for instilling a passion for learning in these little students. The cadets have to dress for success and act as classroom teachers.” Amy Balint said. Balint, co-teacher of Teachers for Tomorrow, likes watch the relationships that the students build with the younger students.

“It is the best class to teach and best class to see growth in my students and to see them make a difference,” Beatty said.

Stock Photograph courtesy of Stock Xchg

Film study is one of the most popular electives at Centreville. Available to students in all grades, film study involves the study of award winning films and classics. Students watch and critique these movies while learning about the developmentof film elements like theme, plot, and characterization. They also learn much about the vocabulary of filmmaking and film history.

Film study seems to be a fun and relaxed class for its students. Jimmy Nicholas (11) took the course his freshman year.

“My favorite part of the class is that you get to watch movies,

To obtain the advanced diploma, students must have at least four science credits. They earn two of these by taking the required classes of biology and chemistry during freshman and sophomore years. But, they have a wide variety of classes to choose from for their last two science credits. Oceanography is a unique class open to juniors and seniors.

“Oceanography encompasses a lot of different aspects of science. We have a little bit of each science in the class. We have a lot of hands on activities, and not so many power points, that are used to explore the world that most of us are very familiar with,” said oceanography teacher Caitlin Rock.

Unlike many high school science courses, oceanography offers real world applications of science. Students use lab skills such as observing, hypothesizing, data collecting, analyzing, synthesizing, and applying knowledge for many hands-on activities and labs.

“I love that there’s still a lot to explore in oceanography,”

which every student loves to do in school. It’s relaxing,” said Nicholas.

However, film study does not just involve sitting back and watching movies. Students analyze these films using many different approaches. As with any Centreville class, students are expected to do a certain amount of class work and homework.. Each movie has its own unit and assignments.

Ashley Lieghtely (11) said, “film study is such a fun class, the movies are awesome and I learned a lot about some of them.”

Film study looks at film making as an art. Students go way beyond what everyday people think of when they watch movies.

When it comes to the history of the movies, the class takes a very in-depth approach. Students keep a log of the major movies that have been made since the inception of the film industry. They often examine the history of these movies with group activities.

“It was a great experience and I had a lot of fun with friends,” said Nicholas.

Fun Class Offers More Than Just Watching Movies

said Jordan Jenkins (12). Even students who are still undecided about what their major should be could take this class.

Though oceanography appeals to students like Jenkins who hope to study the subject in college, even students who are unsure of their major can benefit from the class. According to Rock, colleges like to see students take unusual courses.

“Any time a student takes an extra science class, or a science class that is not in the typical science curriculum, it shows that the student is actually interested in science and willing to explore,” said Rock.

Oceanography gives students the opportunity to view the physical world around them differently and experience new things. Not only can it be used for one credit in reaching for the advanced diploma, it can also open a student’s eyes to a new career they could later pursue.

“In class, there is this ocean organism of the week and I get to learn about a new organism that I have never heard of,” said Jenkins.

by: Jack Will

by: Cassandra cot-

Oceanography? Dolphinately.Film Study

• On page 1 of Issue 4, Mrs. Willmann is incorrectly spelled with one “n”

• On page 3 of Issue 4, Mikael Mantis is incorrectly spelled Mikhael Mantis.

• On page 3 of Issue 4 in the “Pick Your Poison: SAT vs. ACT” story, there is a typo in John Clements’ (12) quote. “However” is incorrectly spelled “howeber.”

• On page 6 of Issue 4, in the article “Lunch Lacks,” the last quote is not credited to school librarian Noël Miller. Also

earlier in the article, Thomas Le’s name is incorrectly spelled as “Thomas Lee.” Le was the only senior interviewed.

• On page 7 of Issue 4, in the “Varsity Football Student Section Wrap Up,” there is a error in Tyler Gambone’s (9) quote. “Not” was misspelled “n\not”.

Junior guard Jenna Green dribbles the ball to the basket against Herndon guard Chloe Owens (12).

Making a Turnaround:

Girls Basketball Improves to 18-2BY: SOO LIM

Junior guard Madi Simons (11) gets ready for the ball to be thrown in.

Though the varsity girls bas-ketball team has a weakness in strength and height, the girls’ skills, endurance, speed, and ability to get through some of the toughest defenders has en-acted them to beat some of the strongest teams in the district. The team’s strong bond allows them to work together on the court and communicate posi-tively in and out of the gym.

“You can count on your team-mates to be there on and off the

court,” said Ailyn Kelly (11).With the help of new head

coach, Tom Watson, the team has definitely improved a lot this season. Watson, hired last win-ter, has been an assistant varsity coach for seven years and has created close bonds with the girls over the years. Watson’s intense, but helpful coaching has made a difference. The squads cur-rent 18-2 record is the best since 2007-2008, when the team com-peted in the District Semi Finals.

“He’s very encouraging, boosts the confidence of the team, and

creates an environment where players feel comfortable,” said Kelly. The girls practice very hard for six days a week for two hours, along with an av-erage of two games per week.

The team consists of a few new players from the 11-12 JV squad, including Gretchen Kernbach (10) and Chrissy Jacksta (10).

“They’ve definitely contributed to the team and are getting better every day,” said Jenna Green (11).

The girls basketball team is composed of many strong players, including Green, 2012 2nd team all Concorde District and 2012 1st team all Concorde District, Katie Blumer (11), HM All Concorde District, and Caroline Wakefield (10), who was awarded Concorde District All Defensive 2nd Team.

The team has won by an in-credible 20 points in some games including those against Herndon, Robinson, Lee, Marshall, York-town, Fairfax, and South County. The team has lost two games in total, one against Madison (48-53) in the December 27 Bulldog Bash, a three day tournament over winter break, and another against Oakton on January 18 (48-65).

The team played an amaz-ing game on January 10 against the Bulldogs, overcoming the “bad luck” associated when play-ing Westfield. The Bulldogs have been Centreville’s rival team since the school was built in 2000. The Centreville girls fell short

in the beginning of the game by 15 points in the first quarter and struggled to make their shots. However, Centreville made an in-credible comeback in the second half. Both teams lacked intensity until Centreville finally took the lead in the fourth quarter. Green (11) led the team with 17 points, Blumer (11) with 13 points, and Tori Collar (12) with 8 points.

“Defeating Westfield was a feeling of beating your older brother in basketball for the first time; the feeling is so much dif-ferent from winning against any other team,” said Blumer (11).

The January 18 game against Oakton was a tough one for the girls. Since the girls lack height, it was difficult to get around Oak-ton’s center, Elizabeth Manner (12), who proved to be a chal-lenge. Manner scored 37 points and had 14 rebounds against Centreville’s posts. Unable to get around the tough Oakton de-fense, Centreville fell short in all four quarters. Oakton, currently number one, has dominated the Concorde District for many years. Centreville’s loss was an improve-ment from last season’s defeat of 35 points. Green led the team with 12 points, Collar scored 10 points, and Kelly was the third highest scorer with 8 points.

On January 22, Centreville took on the Chantilly Chargers at home. The game started off slowly, and Centreville was up by

only five points. However, the de-fense dominated the boards and was able to get around Chantilly’s big post player. The team even-tually picked it up in the second half and defeated Chantilly 48-28. Blumer led the team, scor-ing 12 points, Collar scored 11 points, and Richards had 9 points.

The varsity girls basket-ball team seems to be well on their way to the District finals.

The team hopes to “win districts and to improve as a whole,” said Green (11).

Soo Lim

Soo Lim

Swim and Dive Gymnastics

Wrestling

Indoor Track

Boys Basketball

Winter Sports Re-BY: BRENDA NGU-

Girls Basketball

“We play music with large speakers before meets on the bus to pump everyone up,” said Laura Eom (11). The beats are certainly working, proven by the highlight of the 2012-2013 season: the girls win against Chantilly at Audrey Moore by 2 points. “They fought hard and earned every bit of that victory. A great team effort; I couldn’t ask for anything better than that,” said new Coach Bob Brofft. Girls also placed eighth in the Kecoughtan Invitation-al. The win was a first for dual meets since 2009-2010.

CVHS’s gymnastics team is making back handsprings and beam balancing look easy. Highlights of the sea-son include Ciara Hoernke (10) placing first on bars and first on beam at the Lake Braddock meet where the team placed second, in addition to the team placing third at home and at Chantilly the following weeks. “We have a lot of new faces on the team this year and only have two seniors so we are looking forward to next year and

Boys basketball has had a successful season: varsity wins against South County (48-46), Sewickley Acad-emy (43-45), and Chantilly (56-47), JV wins against Yorktown (57-50) and Washington-Lee, and an 8 win count by the freshman. Varsity’s January 2 game against Chantilly saw a 17 point lead at half-time that they held until the end.

Bolt’s got nothing on CVHS’s tracksters. The team burned up the rub-ber at the PR Holiday meet, where varsity boys Dean Dickinson (11), Young Bin Jin (10), Calvin Jones (12), and Chase Heiner (11) placed fourth in the 4x400 relay, and sophomore Jackie O’ Shea placed eighth in the 3200 meters. The team is wrapping up the season strong with the January 19 Mid Area Track Classic, where highlights include: Rebecca Vinter’s (12) and O’Shea’s sixth and seventh

“We have a lot of talent on JV and first year players are doing an unbelievable job,” said Sajal Rohatgi (10). Highlights of the season include placing second in the December 9-10 NOVA Classic, when Devante Wright (10) placed seventh in the 195 lb. weight divi-sion and Tyler Love (10) took the bronze medal in the 160 lb. division, and Joey Steinbach (12) took bronze in the 220 lb. divi-sion. Seven CVHS wrestlers

With an 8-4 record, JV has played an impressive sea-son, from first win against Lake Braddock 42-28 to latest Herndon win, 62-35. “It’s been a really strong season, and I’m looking

Kevin Lee (12) prepares to dive. Kristen Pistell (12) atop the balance beam before her performance.

Sydney Evans (12) takes a giant leap in the long jump competition.

Joey Steinbach (12) takes down Oakton opponenet.

Brennan Tait (11) goes up to the basket against Marshall defenders.

Reagan Newell (10) goes up for a layup for two points against Fairfax.

Lifetouch

Lifetouch

Lifetouch

Lifetouch

LifetouchLifetouch

Sports4 February 11, 2013

Approximately 150 mil-lion Valentine's Day cards are exchanged annually, making Valentine's Day the second most popular card-sending holiday after Christmas. What accounts for this popularity? How did this holiday even come about? According to one legend, an imprisoned St. Valen-tine actually sent the first "valentine" greeting after he fell in love with a young girl (possibly his jailor's daugh-ter) who visited him. Before his death, it is rumored that he wrote her a letter signed "From your Valentine," an expression that is still in use today. Another legend contends that St. Valentine defied Emperor Claudius II’s de-cree for prohibition of mar-riage during third century Rome by secretly perform-ing marriages for lovers.Despite the fact that St. Valentine was sentenced to death for “his love for love,”

Valentine’s Day has become a day of romance. “It’s a cute holiday,” said Valerie Cateriano (12). “It’s a good holiday for couples.” Valentine’s Day truly has become a day for couples to express their love for one another; hopefully not the only day. Some people, like me, see this holiday differently though, “It’s a holiday to get fatter,” Sunjoo Lee (12) said. It’s hard to pass on a day filled with chocolate, cup-cakes, candy, and treats; all the things we give and receive because that’s what Valentine’s Day has be-come now: an old tradition of coming to school with Valentine-themed treats and cards. It makes one wonder if the “love” that is supposed to be associated with this holiday is really present. “It’s tacky,” stated Minkyu Han (11). Let’s define tacky. Accord-ing to dictionary.com, it means not tasteful or cheap.

Opinion By: erin 280 calories. That’s the calorie count for a large McDonald’s sweet tea. You’re probably thinking this paper is a rip-off, that you didn’t get it to learn the calorie count of a refresh-ing summer beverage that in the early 1900s was “an item of luxury used as an exhibition of wealth due to the expensive nature of tea, ice, and sugar.” (according to Wikipedia). But you most likely didn’t pay for this (please don’t try to awkwardly hand money to Sentinel distributors), so keep reading.

Among other things you probably didn’t do: make New Year’s resolutions. Be-cause yes, it takes another January first to actually get around to reevaluating that situation we call our life. When asked what her New Year’s resolutions were, English teacher Sharon Duncan-Hudspeth said, “Eat healthier, but I’m not giving up my sweet tea.” Junior Julio Mendez also earlier mentioned the noto-rious refreshment, “I need to get more sleep, and drink less sweet tea.” Sweet tea’s never been under so much

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Opinion/FeaturesFebruary 11, 2013 5

Every January First...Valentines Day or Sin-gles Awareness Day?

scrutiny. Diet changes seem to be the trending 2013 resolution in the CVHS community. Sweet tea isn’t alone, ques-tionable rice intake has also become food for thought. While Sue Jung (11) has completely quit the popular carb recently, junior Sae Lee has a different take. “I want to eat Chipotle for breakfast, lunch, and dinner,,” said Lee, mostly because of the large quan-tity of rice each serving provides. Still some of us want to cut down food in general. “I

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It’s no secret that stereo-types exist and that, some-times, they become our immediate judgments of others. As much as many of us may claim that judg-ments aren’t always made based on stereotypes from race, culture, religion, and appearance, they tend to invade our minds anyway. When we hear of certain events, like the committing of a crime or the accep-tance of a Nobel Prize, particular people come to mind because of our prior judgments and frequently-heard stereotypes. Unfor-tunately, these stereotypes may result in prejudice and ignorance. All of us human beings share 99.9 percent of the same DNA. We are all the same under the skin. The other 0.1 percent accounts for the unique differences of our identities. This small percentage is also what we base our stereotypes and judgements on. Three out of the five stu-dents interviewed have seen others subjected to prejudice, and four out of the five have been subjected to prejudice personally. Of course, this is not a thorough sampling of the

Who’s to Judge?By: Erin Shin

As Centreville rings in 2013, fresh and intriguing events await the students. The Music Department at Centreville especially has much to offer, from A Cappella Night to Choral Cabaret.However, the most intriguing musical event of the New Year has to be the timeless and ever popular Acoustic Gumbo, which took place on February 1.

Acoustic Gumbo is one of the

Acoustic Gumbo: Atmospheric Polyphony for AllBy: Nathanael Kim largest musical events hosted at

Centreville. There are two Gumbo events: Acoustic, which features all kinds of original music, and Electric, which features many bands and more rock-style music. All prospective performers all auditioned for Gumbo on a certain date (January 10) and those who made the auditions were chosen to play for the event. While Music Department Head Mr. Burke strongly encourages performers to play original compositions, he does allow

Do you ever get labeled with stereotypes? If so, what are they?

How do you identify yourself?

Have you ever been treated differently because of your appearance and/or race or culture?

“People often see me as a goody-two-shoes and assume that I’m judgmental of their mistakes, when I know

“I think people auto-matically assume that my life is perfect, but

News/OP-ED6 February 11, 2013

Sophia Lee (11) James Mekavibul (10) Bria Coleman (11) Miakel Mantis (11) Alex Frigerio (12)

“I try not to put labels on myself, though you could say that I’m an athlete, scholar, chris-tian, musician, etc. I just do what makes

“I’m called the super smart kid because I’m Asian.”

“Sometimes, but I

“I am a person who has fun in his free time but always manages his

“I’m usually presumed as ghetto because I’m black.”

“A lot, especially fresh-man year. I didn’t re-ally talk and I’m black so a lot of people were afraid of me, because ‘I looked mean’ when I

“I don’t see myself as ghetto. I don’t re-ally group myself with anyone. I take APs so I consider myself hard-working and a good

“Nope I don’t. People are always confused about my race so they

“I just say that I’m biracial. I most often associate myself with being Hispanic/La-

“I don’t think so.”

“People think I’m good at math and they always ask if I speak

“Wasian (white and asian). I get the best of both worlds.”

“I have been called a mutt, but other than that I’ve never been treated differently, probably because I

Guitar Teacher Burke Releases Album “Shelter No. 3”By: Nathanael Kim

Do you ever wish you were of a different race or culture? Why or why not?“I think it would be cool to be from some-where exotic, and have a specific heritage that affected my life. A few of my grand-parents are adopted, so I really don’t know

“I wish I was someone who meets the racial quota for college. It’s a

“Sometimes, so I won’t be grouped with “the second floor” kids. It’s annoying and I wish I could be treated the

“No, because I’m happy with who I am.”

“Sometimes I wish I was Korean because I hear it all of the time and I want to

Centreville High School displays a vibrant, thriving musical environment unlike any other high schools. In addition to the four music departments offered, Centreville also hosts numerous events and many students are involved in various gigs around Northern Virginia. Some people even create their own albums. Case in point: Centreville Music Department Head and Guitar Teacher Bill Burke released his latest CD, “Shelter No. 3” on October 12, 2012.

“Shelter No. 3” is Mr. Burke’s fifth CD and is his second solo album. The sheer amount of various instrumental sound

heard in the CD is staggering. All seventeen pieces in the album are completely original, and each song truly provides unique and fresh sound.

Burke utilizes acoustic, electric, and bass guitars, his voice, and the synthesizer to create sounds of the sax, flute, and others. Through multi-tracking, Burke has created many songs that sound as if they are played in a full-scale band. Moreover, his eclectic style truly creates a diverse musical experience that will generate different emotions for different songs.

Although Burke is probably known best for his impeccable guitar skills, he also shows considerable talent in vocals and

students to cover certain songs as well.

Acoustic Gumbo XXII marks the 11th year Centreville has hosted this event. What makes Gumbo such a unique experience is how diverse the event really is.

“What I love about Gumbo is that it really is a mixture of all kinds of styles, instruments, and music. Anyone in the school can play, whether he or she is from band, choir, orchestra, guitar, or isn’t even a part of the Music Department!” said Burke.

Gumbo truly displays the distinctiveness of Centreville, as so many talented individuals of different backgrounds participate. For example, Sarah Nawab (12) has performed and hosted Gumbo for the past three years.

Describing her own Gumbo experiences, Nawab said, “What I love most about Gumbo is the fact that I get to be a host. As a host, on the final rehearsal before the actual concert, I get to meet all the performers, getting to know what they’re playing and any little

interesting thing about them. Then, on the night of the concert, I get to introduce each act as well.”

After the curtain falls and all the acts have performed, students who played are receive a special treat: actual gumbo. Gumbo is a heavily seasoned stew-like dish that consists of a stock, meat, and assorted vegetables.

Danny Cabrejos said, “The best part of Gumbo has to be the great food you get afterwards.”

synthesizer.  “While I love playing the

guitar, the thing about guitar is that when you pluck a string, that’s the loudest that note will get. With the synthesizer, I can create these great crescendos that I wouldn’t be able to develop with just a guitar,” said Burke.

“Shelter No. 3” is a unique CD that provides various instruments, styles, and songs in general. Listening to the pieces truly offers musical tranquility, and that alone makes the CD worth listening to. The CD costs a mere ten dollars, and students who wish to purchase a copy can see Mr. Burke in the Music Department Hall.

For about five months, Centreville seniors have en-dured pain, procrastination, and suffering at the hands of one nefarious adversary: College Applications. The process itself proved to be a daunting affair, as seniors toiled endlessly to improve their SAT and ACT scores, get teacher recommenda-tions, and write tons of es-says. Now, seniors can take a breath of relief, as they have overcome the gruel-ing process. As the prom-ised land of 2nd semester looms in the horizon, some seniors look back on their college application experi-ence and give some valu-able advice to prospective underclassmen.Jonathan Vu is one of the many seniors who applied as an early decision appli-cant to college. He has been accepted and will attend the Virginia Tech School of Engineering with a major in Aerospace Engineering. Vu recollected some of his own opinions on the app process and said, “SATs were definitely the worst part of applying to college. I was always nervous about my scores, and studying was such a pain.”Vu also talked about the

most stressful part of ap-plying to college and said, “Waiting to hear back from Tech was the most stress-ful part. I was filled with anticipation and anxiety about whether or not I got in, so finding out that I got accepted was especially al-leviating.”Lastly he gave some advice to underclassmen as they will soon have to apply for college. Vu said, “Be honest in the application process and try to remember everything you did in terms of extra-curriculars. Make sure to apply Early Decision [or Early Action] so that you don’t have to worry about hearing back from colleges later.”Sabrine Ahmed-Iqbal also applied to colleges early. But unlike, Vu, the early applications she submit-ted were not binding Early Decision, but were rather Early Action. She has been accepted to the Massachu-setts Institute of Technol-ogy, and is considering a double major in Mechanical Engineering and Business along with a minor in Bio-medical Engineering. She also talked about the less than stellar aspects of the college app process.“The most stressful parts

Flu season has already taken its sweep across the nation but it will be back once again to visit before you know it. For the major-ity of people, having the flu means staying home from work or school for a week or two then eventually having to return to the real world and get on with their lives. However, for some, the flu can be deadly. People with health conditions such as asthma, heart disease, diabetes, or a weakened im-mune system can’t survive with the regular medica-tion prescribed by their doctor. Depending on the severity of the flu season, according to the Cold, Flu, and Cough Health Center, between 3,000 and 49,000

die from the flu each year. The more obvious way of pre-venting the flu is to get vaccinat-ed. For thos who haven’t already gotten a flu shot come winter that is okay, but it is recommended to never ignore the necessity of a flu shot. The best time to get vaccinated is early fall. Two years ago, the flu shot protected people from the most widespread flu strain at the current time, the H1N1 “swine flu.” If you can remember, this was a strain that caused panic and desperation among the entire population and flu shot vaccines were recorded at an all time high of 460,000 per day according to the Committee on Flu Protection and Preven-tion. For the people who are fright-ened of needles, don’t try to make excuses for skipping the flu vaccine. Another easy way to get treated is the FluMist nasal spray. This type of treatment is ap-proved for anyone between the ages of 2 and 49 who is healthy and not pregnant. It

By Nathanael Kim

By Katie Blumer

await the opening of these wondrous places, check-ing webcams and weather reports, waiting for the temperature to drop under 32, that magic number. Then one day it happens, the planets align, the frost creeps across the wind-shields, and the snow guns roar into life. It isn’t long before opening day comes and students flock to the mountains like kids to the

Seniors Ahmed- Iqbal and Vu Reflect on College Applications

News/Features 7February 11, 2013

Winter has set in and the ground isn’t covered with the beautiful white dusting you’ve been hoping for, but it doesn’t matter. Where you are on the east coast a lack of precipitation doesn’t faze you; within an hour and a half a Centreville Student can be in magical place where there’s snow made just for you. Many students anxiously

contains a live, but weak-ened form of the virus. There are many ways a person can acquire the flu from another. The virus can easily be passed when a nearby sick person sneezes or coughs. You can pick up the virus from touching any surface. Whether it’s a notebook or a restaurant table, flu germs can linger on surfaces for up to eight hours. Lastly, if someone is in close quarters with another individual, they are more than 50% more likely to get the flu. Yes, close quarters, as in touch-ing another person, being in crowded areas such as movie theatres, stadiums, and malls. Here are a few ways to prevent getting the flu no matter if one received the vaccination or not. Wash

By Michael Boll- tree on Christmas morning.It’s a difficult pastime to get into, but many a kid en-dures the cost and the cold to cut tracks down a frosty face. It’s a popular activity to go off with friends for a day on a road trip to a prime ski location. It may incur a serious monetary cost for those who haven’t made an investment in equipment, but one or two trips a year is a lot of fun

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Twelfth grade English teacher, Kathleen Wilmann wanted to inspire her class to get further into the cul-tural statements made by the novel “The Kite Run-ner” by Khaled Hosseini. So, she invited close friend and immigration lawyer Matthew Rau of Arlington, Virginia to come to her class and talk to students about Afghanistan in the 1970’s.Due to modern history, many Americans think of Afghanistan as a place of eternal turmoil. But as Rau expressed, the conflict going on now would have been a “pipe dream” to

anyone who had lived there in the 70’s. As a child, Rau lived in a facility similar to a military base in Wazir Akbar, the area where Amir, the main character of “The Kite Run-ner,” grew up. Rau went to a school that was mainly comprised of non-Afghani students. It catered to students from kindergar-ten to 12th grade, but was only about the size of one graduating class at CVHS. Sadly, years later he found out that his previous school was dismantled to rubble by the Taliban. The class was astonished at how dramatic the changes of living in Afghanistan were in such a

short period of time.Lucky for the students Mr. Rau enhanced his presen-tation and credibility by bringing in some props. The special guest showed a picture of himself as a teen-ager in Afghanistan that was captioned “Teeny bop-per heart throb in benefit for the Mujahedeen.” The caption was a “joke” at the time it was made, but Rau said that over time, “the caption became creepy,” because it made it seem like he was supporting the hor-rible things that came of the Taliban. Rau made sure to explain to the class that although Americans have access

By Melissa Millis

Rau displays an Afghani artifact to the class while storytelling.

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