In Loving Memory of Akim King 1988-2006 In Loving Memory of ...
In Loving Memory of Akim King 1988-2006 In Loving Memory of ...
In Loving Memory of Akim King 1988-2006 In Loving Memory of ...
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The<br />
Forecast<br />
JagwireTomorrow’s<br />
High 41°F<br />
Falls Church High School Tuesday, February 14, <strong>2006</strong><br />
Volume 59 Issue 5<br />
Featured<br />
Stories:<br />
Seasonal Affective Disorder Could<br />
Prove Detrimental to Students<br />
Page 2<br />
What Really Entertains Us<br />
Page 3<br />
An Open Letter for those in need<br />
<strong>of</strong> a Valentine’s Day gift also including:<br />
Valentine’s Day Spread<br />
Page 4 & 5<br />
Munich Review<br />
Page 6<br />
Black History Month<br />
Page 7<br />
Super Bowl XL Review<br />
Page 8<br />
Flurries<br />
DECA Students Complete Civic Consciousness Project<br />
Ryan Farrell, Editor-in-Chief<br />
Three Falls Church High School<br />
seniors raised $1,680 for the National<br />
Eating Disorders Association (NEDA)<br />
in completion <strong>of</strong> a civic consciousness<br />
project for their involvement in<br />
the Distributive Education Clubs <strong>of</strong><br />
America (DECA) chapter at Marshall<br />
High School. Dana Cook, Alyssa Michel<br />
and Andrew Forte are all enrolled<br />
in marketing classes at the Marshall<br />
academy; Dana and Alyssa take Hospitality<br />
Management, and Andrew and<br />
Dana take Entrepreneurship together.<br />
On January 18, Dana hosted a benefit<br />
dinner in which she, Alyssa and Andrew<br />
served parents <strong>of</strong> the swim and<br />
dive team Mexican dishes. The money<br />
from the dinner went to purchase items<br />
for a silent auction, which was held<br />
on January 21st at our school’s Little<br />
Theatre. The Foldger Foundation generously<br />
matched the $1,680 that the<br />
students raised to donate to NEDA,<br />
bringing the total to $3,360.<br />
Previously during the month, the<br />
students held a spirit week to raise<br />
awareness <strong>of</strong> the many illnesses both<br />
mental and physical that are associated<br />
with eating disorders. They were<br />
seen on the morning announcements<br />
promoting each day, which began with<br />
“Movement Monday.” Students were<br />
asked that day to sign a declaration<br />
freeing them from “a weight-obsessed<br />
world.”<br />
$3,360 Is Donated to National Eating Disorders<br />
Association<br />
On “Thoughtful Tuesday,” Dana,<br />
Alyssa and Andrew could be seen<br />
circulating around the cafeteria putting<br />
sticky tabs labeled with positive<br />
compliments about one’s personality<br />
on the backs <strong>of</strong> students. They were<br />
encouraging people to say nice things<br />
about someone’s personality rather<br />
than merely complimenting how they<br />
look physically, which they say some<br />
people take too literally.<br />
On “Workshop Wednesday,” there<br />
was a meeting after school to teach<br />
students about the dangers and signs <strong>of</strong><br />
eating disorders.<br />
“Throw Away Thursday” saw students<br />
throwing old clothes that no longer<br />
fit in a bin that was donated to a<br />
local clothing store.<br />
Finally, on “Fearless Friday,” Dana<br />
and the others asked students not to<br />
over obsess about dieting, a typical<br />
sign that one could become bulimic or<br />
anorexic, two <strong>of</strong> the most common eating<br />
disorders.<br />
There are roughly 5,000 DECA<br />
chapters in high schools across the U.S.<br />
and Canada with over 172,000 current<br />
members, most <strong>of</strong> whom are juniors or<br />
seniors. Membership in the high school<br />
division is restricted to students with a<br />
career interest in hospitality, finance,<br />
sales and service, business administration<br />
and/or entrepreneurship.<br />
<strong>In</strong> <strong>Loving</strong> <strong>Memory</strong> <strong>of</strong><br />
Agazit Asihel, Staff Writer<br />
On January 07, <strong>2006</strong>, <strong>Akim</strong> <strong>King</strong><br />
died <strong>of</strong> heart complications, at the age<br />
<strong>of</strong> 17. He died at Fairfax Hospital,<br />
where he stayed from November 28,<br />
2005 to January 2, <strong>2006</strong>. The student<br />
body has mourned his death in various<br />
ways. While some attended the memorial<br />
service that was held for him in<br />
the Little Theatre, others commemorated<br />
him through collecting money<br />
for hospital and funeral bills.<br />
Several members <strong>of</strong> the student body<br />
remember him as being a charming<br />
and charismatic person. Senior Eder<br />
Berrios remembers <strong>Akim</strong> because “he<br />
taught me new and funny words, like<br />
‘wifey,’ ‘do-do,’ etc… Love you man<br />
to the fullest.”<br />
If you are interested in helping his<br />
family, you can directly donate by giving<br />
money to the Leadership Class in<br />
Room 212. Or you could buy a ticket<br />
to the upcoming Sadie Hawkins<br />
Dance, where half the money will go<br />
to his family.<br />
“<strong>Akim</strong>’s big thing was doing one<br />
step better than his brother, and his<br />
cousins. <strong>Akim</strong> was kicked <strong>of</strong>f the<br />
basketball team as a freshman and he<br />
went and asked the varsity coach if<br />
he could practice with us. He tried to<br />
<strong>Akim</strong> <strong>King</strong><br />
<strong>1988</strong>-<strong>2006</strong><br />
work harder than everyone else, and<br />
<strong>Akim</strong> lived his own life. <strong>Akim</strong> passed<br />
happy with himself. He was a great<br />
person and forever will be missed,”<br />
said Senior Chris Jerro when asked<br />
about what he will remember about<br />
his life long friend.<br />
The Jagwire Newspaper would like<br />
to recognize <strong>Akim</strong> <strong>King</strong> by dedicating<br />
this issue in his honor.<br />
Top: Alyssa and Dana embrace on “Thoughful Tuesday.”<br />
Below: Dana, Alyssa and Andrew pose before the Benefit Dinner.<br />
<strong>In</strong> <strong>Loving</strong> <strong>Memory</strong><br />
<strong>of</strong> Cassie Marshall<br />
James Hill, Assistant Editor<br />
1989-<strong>2006</strong><br />
On January 31, <strong>2006</strong> our warmhearted<br />
Cassie Marshall passed<br />
away. A beloved part <strong>of</strong> the PD<br />
Department family, the seventeen<br />
year-old Marshall will always be<br />
remembered for her kind spirit<br />
and uplifting personality. Even<br />
though s<strong>of</strong>t-spoken at times, she<br />
possessed the uncanny ability to<br />
speak her mind and express her<br />
feelings through the simplicity<br />
<strong>of</strong> the single word, “Yeah.” PD<br />
Department Chair Mrs. Allison<br />
emphasized that Marshall’s ability<br />
to converse despite the ability<br />
to communicate fluently was<br />
truly representative <strong>of</strong> Marshall’s<br />
persona as a whole. Her likeable<br />
character and diligence set her<br />
apart as a hardworking, successful<br />
student in her classes while<br />
many underestimated her potential.<br />
Cassie Marshall will be<br />
missed dearly and the Jagwire<br />
sends the heart <strong>of</strong> the community<br />
out to her family during these dif-<br />
ficult times.<br />
The Jagwire Newspaper would<br />
like to recognize Cassie Marshall<br />
by dedicating this issue in her<br />
honor.
2<br />
Letter to the Editor<br />
Dear Editor,<br />
I was wondering why you had not responded to my previous<br />
commentory letter. I was merely suggesting the areas <strong>of</strong><br />
your papers weakness. Like many other Editors, I thought you<br />
and your committee would be open to the publics thoughts, afer<br />
all we are who your paper is regarded to, and if you are not interest<br />
in what we might have to say, then how do you know we will<br />
be interested in your paper?<br />
<strong>In</strong> my previous (disregarded) letter I mentioned how the<br />
school might like a humor column or any thing <strong>of</strong> that sort. I<br />
would personally love it if you included some riddles, jokes, issues<br />
<strong>of</strong> the Jagwire.<br />
Thank you for taking the time to read what i have to say, and<br />
I hope you respond to my letter.<br />
General News<br />
Fatima Elamien<br />
P.S. I am really not tyring to <strong>of</strong>fend you or your editing comitee.<br />
I am trying to help you make your Jagwire prosper!<br />
Dear Fatima,<br />
We’re sorry for delaying our<br />
response to your commentary; our first<br />
reply letter was deemed <strong>of</strong>fensive by our<br />
advisor and removed from the newspaper.<br />
It was not “disregarded”, despite<br />
what you may believe. Misconceptions,<br />
like the aforementioned example, are<br />
precisely what we would like to address.<br />
<strong>In</strong> essence, the original letter stated that,<br />
although you “did not intend to <strong>of</strong>fend<br />
us”, most <strong>of</strong> the members <strong>of</strong> The Jagwire’s<br />
staff were in fact insulted by your<br />
first letter, which was interpreted as an<br />
attempt to point out errors in our paper.<br />
We understand that our newspaper can<br />
use improvement, content-wise. Horoscopes,<br />
riddles, and jokes are all feasible,<br />
but at this point we are more focused on<br />
the types <strong>of</strong> articles being submitted and<br />
the layout <strong>of</strong> our paper. <strong>In</strong> fact, improvements<br />
in length, amount <strong>of</strong> articles, and<br />
appealing subject-matter have already<br />
been made. Color is being worked on,<br />
also; we have made our best attempt to<br />
try and satisfy your needs, as the reader.<br />
After all, it is YOUR newspaper. If you<br />
are truly dissatisfied with The Jagwire,<br />
you can write articles, as well, since accept<br />
most submissions from guest writers<br />
to our paper. At that point, if you are still<br />
dissatisfied with The Jagwire, we suggest<br />
that you begin reading a pr<strong>of</strong>essionally<br />
made newspaper. Remember, we are<br />
High School journalists, and everybody<br />
makes mistakes. Thanks for understanding,<br />
and we apologize if we <strong>of</strong>fended<br />
you. We just want to make you prosper!<br />
Sincerely,<br />
The Jagwire<br />
How Winter Weather Affects Adolescent Schoolwork<br />
Caitlin Peck, Staff Writer<br />
Hibernation: One advantage animals have over<br />
high-school students. It seems like such an easy alternative<br />
to classes, exams, and school activities in<br />
general. Who wouldn’t want to binge eat then take<br />
a 3-month-long nap? The general consensus at Falls<br />
Church High School is that winter weather is a real<br />
downer. Junior Shay Saunders states, “Cold weather<br />
makes you not want to leave your house.”<br />
If students have no interest in leaving their nice,<br />
cozy beds, then why would they want to come to<br />
school? Sophomore Megan Paukstitus observed that<br />
“the warmer it is the more willing I am to participate<br />
in activities and keep up with my schoolwork. The<br />
second I get my grades up, I start to relax. Then they<br />
drop again.”<br />
As Megan said, colder weather causes a decrease<br />
in her interest in her usual activities, including<br />
her schoolwork. But why is it that students feel so<br />
dreary and dismal in the months between November<br />
and March? The National Mental Health Association<br />
(NMHA) states that the mental changes may<br />
be caused by the seasonal variation in light. During<br />
the winter months, especially January and February,<br />
there is a shift in our biological internal clocks, also<br />
known as circadian rhythm.<br />
However, the sun may not be the only factor present<br />
in determining a decline in the interest in activities<br />
during the latter parts <strong>of</strong> the year. Women and<br />
adolescents are highly susceptible to a mood<br />
Seasonal Affective Disorder Could Prove Detrimental<br />
Poor grades are a result <strong>of</strong> a shift in circadian rhythm<br />
The Jagwire Congratulates...<br />
disorder primarily associated with circadian rhythm<br />
known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). The<br />
problem: waves <strong>of</strong> depression. The cause: melatonin,<br />
a sleep-related hormone produced at increased levels<br />
in the dark. Melatonin has been linked to symptoms<br />
<strong>of</strong> depression, which is experienced in seasonal<br />
waves by sufferers <strong>of</strong> SAD. Studies have shown that<br />
when the days are shorter and darker, the production<br />
<strong>of</strong> melatonin is augmented.<br />
The NMHA reports that some <strong>of</strong> the symptoms <strong>of</strong><br />
SAD are the following: excessive sleeping and eating<br />
leading to weight gain, cravings for starchy and/or<br />
salty foods, and full remission from depression in the<br />
spring and summer months.<br />
Not everyone who experiences unhappiness and/or<br />
lethargy in the winter has SAD, for example, junior<br />
Andrew Hirsch, who simply feels locked up inside<br />
since it’s too cold to play baseball. However, if you<br />
fear that you may have SAD or another form <strong>of</strong> depression,<br />
please contact your local mental health center<br />
(NMHA Alexandria 703-684-7722).<br />
A common form <strong>of</strong> treatment is phototherapy<br />
(bright light therapy), however, for mild symptoms,<br />
spending time outdoors during the day is a sufficient<br />
remedy. Both are shown to suppress the brain’s secretion<br />
<strong>of</strong> melatonin. For SAD treatment options and<br />
suggestions, visit the Society for Light Treatment<br />
and Biological Rhythm website, www.websciences.<br />
org/sltbr.<br />
The Jagwire would like to congratulate the following Falls Church High School students for their accomplishments:<br />
District Chorus members:<br />
Eisra Ahmed<br />
Walter Beck<br />
Tiffany Jones<br />
Soo-jeong Kim<br />
Anna Massaro<br />
Cherie Neslson<br />
Danielle Pettiway<br />
Daynee Rosales<br />
Scott Silverstein<br />
Taryn Stait<br />
Julie Updike<br />
All-District Band:<br />
Kendra Bellamy<br />
Anothony Come<br />
Lind Conway<br />
Lawrence Laws<br />
Pegah Sadeghi<br />
Loretta Scott<br />
Kelly Slocum<br />
Amanda Weaver<br />
Joe Wilkinson<br />
National Scholastic Art Contest:<br />
Katie Johnson<br />
Maddison Louden<br />
Kelly Ly<br />
Kari Svendsen<br />
Brittany Brooks<br />
Brett Crenshaw<br />
Sarah Kane<br />
Amy Ly<br />
Lucy Ly<br />
Esther Oh<br />
Andre Simmons<br />
Selma Zlatarevic<br />
Senior Portfolios:<br />
Jessica Smith<br />
Selma Zlatarevic<br />
Sasha Zuniga<br />
Congratulations to Mike Berzonsky, whose It’s Academic<br />
Team earned second place in a spirited contest<br />
competitions from Wilson and Eastern on January 14th.<br />
The FCHS participants included: Lawrence Laws (captain),<br />
Loretta Scott and Megan Stegmiller, (performing<br />
cheerleaders), Eva Reissis and Rebecca Hall. The airing<br />
<strong>of</strong> the taped competition can be seen locally on channel<br />
4, an NBC affiliate that serves the metropolitan Washington<br />
D.C. area, on February 25th at 10:00 A.M.<br />
The Jagwire Newspaper<br />
Falls Church High School<br />
7521 Jaguar Trail<br />
Falls Church, VA 22042<br />
703-207-4250<br />
Editor-in-Chief:<br />
Ryan Farrell<br />
Managing Editor:<br />
Diego Plaza<br />
Assistant Editor:<br />
James Hill<br />
Sports Editor:<br />
Dylan Forshay<br />
Entertainment Editor:<br />
Jon Powell<br />
Photo Manager:<br />
Caitlin Peck<br />
Business Manager:<br />
Alex Pham<br />
Columnists:<br />
Ted Wray<br />
Nick Bashore<br />
Thomas Gray<br />
Staff Writers:<br />
Agazit Asihel<br />
Marini Castillo<br />
Candace Square<br />
Lauren Washington<br />
Ervin Uriarte<br />
Alexa Carter<br />
Janine Leki<br />
Helaneh Salem<br />
Seres Snyder<br />
Advisor:<br />
Katherine <strong>In</strong>gwersen<br />
The Jagwire is a publication written<br />
and edited by Falls Church High<br />
School students. Its purpose is to inform<br />
students <strong>of</strong> events and issues<br />
that pertain to their everyday lives;<br />
reflect the ideas and opinions <strong>of</strong> the<br />
student body, and provide a forum<br />
<strong>of</strong> free expression. Advertisements,<br />
news, and editorial columns alike<br />
are intended to serve the best interests<br />
<strong>of</strong> the readers. The staff is<br />
committed to a code <strong>of</strong> journalistic<br />
ethics, which demands accuracy,<br />
objectivity, and good judgments<br />
while maintaining a high standard<br />
<strong>of</strong> truth and appropriateness. Students<br />
and faculty are encouraged to<br />
submit signed letters for length and<br />
content. Editorials are representative<br />
<strong>of</strong> the views <strong>of</strong> the entire staff.<br />
The views expressed in the letters<br />
to the editor, columns and commentaries<br />
do not necessarily reflect<br />
those <strong>of</strong> the Jagwire staff or <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Falls Church High School staff or<br />
administration. Jagwire is a nonpr<strong>of</strong>it<br />
publication <strong>of</strong> Falls Church<br />
High School. Businesses are encouraged<br />
to call regarding advertising<br />
rates. Jagwire reserves the right<br />
to refuse ads.
People & Opinions 3<br />
Bolivia’s Short Term<br />
Beginning<br />
Will the New President do Well?<br />
Diego Plaza, Managing Editor<br />
It seems as though the holiday season has<br />
brought South America: one fallen government,<br />
two leftist leaders, three socialist candidates,<br />
and a fear <strong>of</strong> a communist regime.<br />
The South American continent has begun to<br />
witness a leftist movement in the last couple<br />
<strong>of</strong> years with the help <strong>of</strong> removed democratic<br />
leaders and the growth <strong>of</strong> a poverty stricken<br />
population. Like<br />
Hitler and the Nazi’s<br />
in the 1940’s,<br />
radical groups in<br />
South America are<br />
taking advantage<br />
<strong>of</strong> the economic decay<br />
in many <strong>of</strong> the<br />
Latin countries.<br />
One clear<br />
example is the Republic<br />
<strong>of</strong> Bolivia,<br />
which is located in<br />
the heart <strong>of</strong> South<br />
America. <strong>In</strong> elections<br />
held on December<br />
18, 2005,<br />
Evo Morales came<br />
out victorious becoming<br />
the first<br />
ever indigenous person to become president<br />
<strong>of</strong> Bolivia. He was also the second president<br />
in history to ever get more than 55% <strong>of</strong> the<br />
overall vote since the 1970’s. <strong>In</strong> the first<br />
couple <strong>of</strong> weeks as president <strong>of</strong> the Republic<br />
<strong>of</strong> Bolivia, he has visited the President <strong>of</strong><br />
Venezuela, Hugo Chaves, who happens to be<br />
a leftist leader. He has also visited the dictator<br />
<strong>of</strong> Cuba, Fidel Castro, who is notorious<br />
What Really Entertains Us<br />
By Jon Powell<br />
The addiction known as Myspace has<br />
overcome a stunningly large chunk <strong>of</strong> the<br />
student population here at Falls Church.<br />
Kids spend hours everyday browsing the<br />
pr<strong>of</strong>iles <strong>of</strong> friends and strangers, checking<br />
every few moments to see whether<br />
or not they’ve received a new comment.<br />
Even during school students flocked to<br />
computers to check their homepages to<br />
see who was on and if there was maybe<br />
another comment or two waiting for<br />
them. After the<br />
website became<br />
banned by the<br />
county you could<br />
see kids experiencing<br />
“Myspace<br />
Withdrawal,” to the point where if you’d<br />
ask your friends to go to McDonalds or a<br />
movie after school, they would decline,<br />
sighting a need to go home and check<br />
their Myspace.<br />
As an active user <strong>of</strong> Myspace, I tried<br />
to figure out what the allure to constantly<br />
use the website is by analyzing what my<br />
own motives for using it are. Now, after<br />
sitting here for nearly 15 minutes, I’m<br />
unable to come up with a logical reason<br />
for even using Myspace for myself. The<br />
responses I managed to elicit from others<br />
didn’t yield much insight either. A<br />
common response was “It’s a great way<br />
to meet people and make new friends.”<br />
Picture courtesey <strong>of</strong> www.segundoenfoque.com<br />
for ruling the small island with an iron fist.<br />
Newly elected President Juan “Evo Morales”<br />
Aima, is planning on inviting the Zapatistas<br />
<strong>of</strong> Mexico or the Zapatista Army <strong>of</strong> National<br />
Liberation (EZLN), who believe in liberating<br />
parts <strong>of</strong> Mexico in order to imply a neoliberal<br />
rule.<br />
Being a native Bolivian, I am worried<br />
with the current<br />
standing <strong>of</strong><br />
my country and I<br />
am outraged with<br />
the ignorance <strong>of</strong><br />
the newly elected<br />
president. He has<br />
recently stated that<br />
“Cuba is a country<br />
<strong>of</strong> democracy.” Either<br />
he is extremely<br />
ignorant or fails to<br />
understand the differences<br />
between<br />
a free democracy<br />
and a totalitarian<br />
government. <strong>In</strong><br />
my opinion he in<br />
fact may help our<br />
economy by tap-<br />
ping into our natural resources, like oil. But I<br />
fear that he will use up our natural resources<br />
too quickly and not preserve any <strong>of</strong> it for the<br />
future. I also feel that most if not all <strong>of</strong> his<br />
economic as well as political reforms are targeted<br />
towards a short period <strong>of</strong> time and may<br />
not <strong>of</strong>fer Bolivia the long term up lift that it<br />
desperately needs.<br />
Now that’s a fine and dandy answer and<br />
all, but when people say they’re making<br />
friends on Myspace, more <strong>of</strong>ten than<br />
not, they’re browsing someone’s pr<strong>of</strong>ile<br />
that they find physically attractive and<br />
just click the “Add Friend” button with<br />
no real intention <strong>of</strong> ever interacting with<br />
the person. The other common answer I<br />
received on why people use the website<br />
was “It’s a way for me to express my individuality.”<br />
Whether or not there is any<br />
truth behind that statement<br />
I am an unable to<br />
fairly judge, but I don’t<br />
really see how 12 pictures<br />
and a customizable<br />
background can<br />
fully express one’s complex persona.<br />
From what I can tell, the majority<br />
<strong>of</strong> the people I’ve observed using<br />
Myspace, including myself, just use it to<br />
talk to others through comments posted<br />
on a user’s main page. I fail to see why<br />
there are full conversations with 20-30<br />
responses from each person posted on<br />
someone’s home page every now and<br />
then. It may just be me, but I find it considerably<br />
easier, not to mention faster, to<br />
just talk to someone using AIM or simply<br />
pick up a phone and call them. From<br />
what I can tell, all Myspace truly is, is a<br />
flashy, “cool” email service.<br />
Tom Gray on the War<br />
This March will mark the three-year anniversary<br />
<strong>of</strong> the U.S. led attack on the tyrannical regime <strong>of</strong><br />
Saddam Hussein and his terror-funding Baathists.<br />
Before the United States-led coalition entered Iraq,<br />
its citizens suffered relentless attacks initiated by<br />
their ruthless dictator. Hussein ordered the mass<br />
murder <strong>of</strong> Kurds in northern Iraq, at which time<br />
his generals used chemical weapons to exterminate<br />
the Kurdish people.<br />
Now that the United States and its allies<br />
have freed the Iraqi people, they have taken their<br />
country into their own hands; they have formed<br />
a police force, complete with a bomb squad and<br />
patrol unit and multiple military divisions including<br />
armored<br />
vehicles, aviation<br />
units, and<br />
<strong>of</strong> course, basic<br />
riflemen. The<br />
U.S. military<br />
has trained<br />
these Iraqi soldiers<br />
in the<br />
latest <strong>of</strong> tactics,<br />
including<br />
urban search<br />
and seizure,<br />
and maneuvering<br />
strategies<br />
for armored<br />
vehicles. Until<br />
the most recent<br />
elections, U.S.<br />
forces had been<br />
leading the main operations with a small number<br />
<strong>of</strong> Iraqi military and police units tagging along, but<br />
in recent months, the Iraqis have shown that they<br />
are well able to take control <strong>of</strong> the minor cities and<br />
place more units under U.S. command in the Major<br />
cities and hotspots <strong>of</strong> the Sunni Triangle.<br />
The U.S. and Iraqi forces detained 140 terrorist<br />
suspects, catching many in the act <strong>of</strong> placing<br />
or transporting roadside bombs, confiscating and<br />
destroying over ten tons <strong>of</strong> munitions and bombmaking<br />
materials. After an attempted bombing in<br />
Balad, Iraq, the 3rd Brigade Combat Team <strong>of</strong> the<br />
101st Airborne Division captured and killed two<br />
suspected terrorists. One was captured immediately,<br />
but the other was killed after a long chase which<br />
ended in a firefight. The 172nd Stryker Brigade<br />
Combat Team found a small weapons cache in Mosul,<br />
where Iraqi forces seized multiple rounds <strong>of</strong><br />
ammunition from tanks, mortars, rocket-propelled<br />
grenades and launchers, pistols, and AK-47 assault<br />
rifles. Also, coalition and Iraqi forces captured six<br />
suspects while another weapons cache was excavated<br />
in eastern Iraq.<br />
The city <strong>of</strong> Kirkuk is receiving a power<br />
substation feeder cable in March <strong>of</strong> this year. The<br />
Army Corps <strong>of</strong> Engineers is overseeing this project<br />
which will assist hospitals, electric sewer systems,<br />
and water pumping stations, not to mention<br />
the 3,000 people in the city itself. The cable will<br />
be laid under the surface <strong>of</strong> the Iraqi countryside<br />
so insurgents will not be able to destroy the power<br />
supply to the city and the substation currently under<br />
construction in<br />
Kirkuk can be<br />
connected to the<br />
distribution center.<br />
These bits and<br />
pieces <strong>of</strong> news are<br />
only part <strong>of</strong> the<br />
picture that is taking<br />
shape in Iraq.<br />
The American<br />
military forces<br />
and their allies are<br />
doing everything<br />
that can be done<br />
to build this oncehostile<br />
sand-trap<br />
into a peaceful,<br />
democratically<br />
governed country<br />
in the Middle East. It is strange to study the Assyrians,<br />
Babylonians, Sumerians, and other early<br />
civilizations that began in this area <strong>of</strong> the globe,<br />
and the connections that can be made to the area<br />
today. Ironically, the one advancement that has<br />
not taken place in this area yet is democracy. That<br />
seed has been planted, however, and it will hopefully<br />
grow into a large tree, that will reach into all<br />
countries <strong>of</strong> that region, including Syria, Lebanon,<br />
Israel, Palestine, Iran, and Yemen. The wheels are<br />
rolling, the only thing in its way are those who do<br />
not believe it will work. Just remember, the day<br />
we stop believing that democracy can work is the<br />
day we will lose it. Two more countries are believing<br />
now thanks to the American military and its allies.<br />
Hopefully more will join the cause for a better<br />
world.
4 Happy Valen<br />
An Open Letter for<br />
Those in Search <strong>of</strong><br />
that Perfect Gift<br />
Dear Fellas,<br />
It’s that time again, yes, the beloved season <strong>of</strong> Valentine’s Day.<br />
It’s at this time where families and communities gather around and<br />
celebrate the mysterious legend <strong>of</strong> St. Valentine, the famed Roman<br />
priest who continued to administrate marriages despite the decree <strong>of</strong><br />
Emperor Claudius II outlawing marriages amongst young men in order<br />
to develop heartless soldiers. As St. Valentine continued to fight<br />
this injustice, Claudius II declared him to be killed for his actions on<br />
February 14th, 269 A.D. St. Valentine became a martyr for love and<br />
we celebrate his passion annually to commemorate his life.<br />
Did you really know that? We wouldn’t have known all <strong>of</strong> that<br />
if we hadn’t just “Googled” it. We always believed that Valentine’s<br />
Day was, well, never really knew what it was. All we know however<br />
is that Valentine’s Day is another chance for outrageous commercialism<br />
and the shelling <strong>of</strong> big bucks to confess you love for your better<br />
half.<br />
Figuring out what Valentines Day actually is isn’t even half the<br />
battle. We spend a good amount <strong>of</strong> time determining what gifts to<br />
buy, and which are appropriate. We take into consideration how long<br />
the relationship has lasted and how much money we are willing to<br />
spend. You can trust us when we say that you can never go wrong<br />
with Tiffany’s Co. but presents are representative <strong>of</strong> how serious the<br />
relationship might be.<br />
Flowers and candy are a necessity for Valentine’s Day, but if left<br />
alone, they will come across as an uninspired gift and should be accompanied<br />
by a more sentimental present. The run-down is as follows:<br />
First two months, flowers alone are acceptable. We don’t want<br />
any <strong>of</strong> our fellow men to fall into the trap <strong>of</strong> the female species haphazardly,<br />
so take it slow, and don’t go big during your first couple<br />
<strong>of</strong> months. For a relationship that has lasted half a year or so, the<br />
significance <strong>of</strong> the gift is more important than a price tag. Consider<br />
a dinner out on the town, or a gift from the heart with sentimental<br />
value. Recall back to any inside jokes or memories that girls generally<br />
suppose “us pigs” would never remember. Guys, this is where<br />
you score big points and can manage to save some cash from your<br />
wallet at the same time. Any relationship over a year, you’re on your<br />
own. Not too many <strong>of</strong> us have been to this uncharted territory before,<br />
but we have heard that the forbidden “L” word could more than<br />
likely resound over dinner. Jewelry is a safe bet, but be sure to outdo<br />
last year’s performance. If you haven’t noticed, women remember<br />
everything, so pace yourself.<br />
Dearest Ladies,<br />
I know you just finished reading all <strong>of</strong> the obnoxiously honest<br />
material we directed specifically to the men. To get down to it, we’re<br />
sorry. We apologize if you see our thoughts as completely chauvinistic<br />
and inaccurate. Our intentions were simply to help your relationship<br />
flourish until this time next year. Hopefully all goes well.<br />
Love,<br />
Dylan Forshay and James Hill<br />
P.S. Disclaimer:: Anything written or inferred from this piece cannot<br />
and will not be used against the writers in the court <strong>of</strong> love. We<br />
apologize ahead <strong>of</strong> time for any misunderstandings by our significant<br />
others. Happy Valentine’s Day!!!<br />
Picture courtesy <strong>of</strong>: hellocrazy.com<br />
Ervin Uriarte, Staff Writer<br />
Marissa Rubenstein-10th<br />
“Chocolate because it’s crazy delicious”<br />
David Medina<br />
Junior<br />
Kaitlyn Robbins<br />
Junior<br />
What’s the best p<br />
Vanessa Escobar- 11th<br />
“Roses because it shows love”<br />
V
tine’s Day!<br />
Valerie Golden<br />
Senior<br />
Josh Knepley<br />
Senior<br />
Phillip Latham<br />
Senior<br />
Anna Massaro<br />
Junior<br />
Christopher Edwards<br />
Senior<br />
resent you’ve ever received for<br />
alentines Day?<br />
Candace Square-12th<br />
“A gold diamond heart shaped necklace”<br />
Lauren<br />
Crumpecker<br />
Senior<br />
Robbie Hayduk<br />
Junior<br />
Lizzi Walter<br />
Senior<br />
Whitney Washington- 12th<br />
“Peach roses from my boo”<br />
Keith Long<br />
Sophomore<br />
Valentine’s Day’s origin is both mysterious<br />
and uncertain. What is clear is<br />
that there are several legends that have<br />
survived attempting to resolve the holiday.<br />
One story dates that while in jail, a<br />
man names Valentine fell in love with a<br />
girl. On the eve <strong>of</strong> his death, he sent her<br />
a note signed, “From your Valentine.”<br />
The most widespread myth or perhaps<br />
truth about the origin <strong>of</strong> Valentine’s<br />
Day is set during the Roman ages. It is<br />
believed that there was a holiday called<br />
Lupercalia that paired a man and woman<br />
together until next year’s celebration.<br />
Years later, Claudius II outlawed<br />
marriages for his soldiers believing that<br />
they would be better soldiers and more<br />
devoted to the empire. A priest named<br />
Valentine believed this law was outrages<br />
and secretly married some men. He<br />
was caught and put to death on February<br />
14. When Christianity became the<br />
widespread religion, Lupercalia was<br />
renamed St.Valentines Day and was<br />
moved to February 14.<br />
This holiday has survived for centuries.<br />
<strong>In</strong> fact, it is the second most<br />
celebrated holiday following Christmas.<br />
<strong>In</strong> the present day world, ap-<br />
5<br />
A Sappy Assortment<br />
<strong>of</strong> Student Serenades<br />
Survey by: Marini Castillo, Janine Leki, Seres<br />
Synder and Helaneh Salem<br />
1. We Belong Together by Mariah Carey<br />
2. Stick Witchu by the Pussy Cat Dolls (PCD)<br />
3. Be Without You by Mary J. Blige<br />
4. Collide by Howie Day<br />
5. You and Me by Lifehouse<br />
6. For the Longest Time by Billy Joel<br />
7. I Miss You by <strong>In</strong>cubus<br />
8. Far Away by Nickelback<br />
9. If You’re Not the One by Daniel Beddingfield<br />
10. Blue and Yellow by the Used<br />
11. If I’m Not the One by N’Sync<br />
12. As Long As You Love Me by Backstreet Boys<br />
13. May It Be by Enya<br />
14. Swing, Swing by All American Rejects<br />
15. My Heart Will Go On by Celine Dion<br />
Did You Know?<br />
By Marini Castillo<br />
Ashley Rosson<br />
Sophomore<br />
proximately 1 billion cards are sent.<br />
Teachers receive the most cards followed<br />
by children, mothers, wives, and<br />
last, sweethearts. Valentine’s Day is<br />
traditionally believed to be the day on<br />
which birds choose their mates. During<br />
the medieval times, girls ate foods on<br />
Valentine’s Day to make them dream<br />
<strong>of</strong> the husband they would one day<br />
have. Also in the medieval ages, it was<br />
believed that the first person <strong>of</strong> the opposite<br />
sex you met on Valentine’s Day<br />
would become your spouse. It did not<br />
become popular to send notes and gifts<br />
till the 17th century. It was during the<br />
9th century that Valentine’s cards were<br />
found in stores, and in 1825, the Post<br />
Office handled over 200,000 letters on<br />
Valentine’s Day. Hallmark has created<br />
about 1330 cards specifically for Valentine’s<br />
Day. A funny fact is that 15%<br />
<strong>of</strong> women send themselves flowers.<br />
<strong>King</strong> Henry VIII made Valentine’s Day<br />
an <strong>of</strong>ficial holiday in 1537. 110 million<br />
roses are brought during the Valentine’s<br />
Day week. On average, 15 couples renew<br />
their vows on the famous Empire<br />
State building on Valentine’s Day.
6 Entertainment<br />
Nick’s Movie Review<br />
Munich Takes the Gold<br />
“Munich,” as you might already know, is a controversial<br />
drama about loyalty, terrorism, and revenge. That’s not to say<br />
that it doesn’t provide a good dose <strong>of</strong> excitement. Directed by<br />
Steven Spielberg, the film tells the story <strong>of</strong> a group <strong>of</strong> secret<br />
assassins hired by the Israeli government. Their job: to kill the<br />
terrorists responsible for the 1972 murders <strong>of</strong> all eleven Israeli<br />
Olympic athletes. The motive: revenge. The point: …unclear.<br />
As we watch the ongoing tribulations they face—finding the<br />
right guy, building the right bomb, separating their targets from<br />
civilians—we, as they do, begin to question the overall outcome<br />
<strong>of</strong> their mission. And questions, as with any good drama, are at<br />
the core <strong>of</strong> this movie’s greatness.<br />
I suppose it would be right to say that the film’s protagonist<br />
is Aver Kaufman, a former bodyguard, for Israeli leader Golda<br />
Meir, but that feels a little unfair. To say that there is a protagonist<br />
is to suggest that the film has us rooting for one specific<br />
character; one single good guy fighting against all the bad guys.<br />
That is not the case. Aver is the main focus, but we hope he<br />
makes it not because his quest is a particularly noble one, but<br />
because we like him. He’s a nice guy. So are his targets. When<br />
we meet the first man on his hit-list, he is jokingly introducing<br />
a copy <strong>of</strong> The Arabian Nights that he has translated into Italian.<br />
Afterwards, when Aver and his team confront him in a deserted<br />
stairwell, he wins our sympathy when he tries innocently to coax<br />
them into lowering their guns. He’s a grandfatherly character,<br />
Sudoku Reigns!<br />
Japanese Puzzle Becomes Latest<br />
Fad in Many Teens Lives<br />
Alexa Carter, Staff Reporter<br />
The word Sudoku comes from two words in Japanese,<br />
one, “Su”, meaning number, and the other, “Doku”, meaning<br />
the single place in the puzzle the number can fit into. Although<br />
the name Sudoku is Japanese, its origins are actually<br />
American and European. A Swiss mathematician named Leonhard<br />
Euler developed the idea <strong>of</strong> a “Latin Square” where<br />
numbers in a grid appear only once. Then in the late 1970s,<br />
Dell Magazines began publishing what we now call Sudoku<br />
puzzles using Euler’s concept. They called it Number Place.<br />
When a Japanese company began publishing versions <strong>of</strong> the<br />
game, it soon became a huge hit. They soon began to improve<br />
the game by limiting the amount <strong>of</strong> numbers shown. Newspapers<br />
and magazines started adding in Sudoku puzzles daily,<br />
and the country became addicted. America, too, it seems has<br />
become captivated by these logic puzzles. By the summer <strong>of</strong><br />
2005 most major newspapers and magazines had a place for<br />
these puzzles. Sudoku is an enjoyable and challenging way for<br />
people <strong>of</strong> all ages to sharpen their deductive skills.<br />
We asked the following people these<br />
questions:<br />
1) What’s your favorite article <strong>of</strong> clothing<br />
to wear in the winter?<br />
2) Where do you go to shop?<br />
3) What is your favorite color to wear in<br />
the winter?<br />
4) What shoes do you prefer to wear in the<br />
winter?<br />
5) What is your favorite brand in the winter?<br />
6) What would you not wear in the winter?<br />
7) What piece <strong>of</strong> clothing could you not<br />
live without in the winter?<br />
8) What inspires you to wear what you<br />
wear?<br />
9) How long does it take you to get ready<br />
before school?<br />
Hanan Mohammad- Ahmed- Senior<br />
1) Fitted jackets<br />
2) Forever 21, Urban Outfitters<br />
wise and scholarly, and yet he took part in the brutal murder <strong>of</strong><br />
eleven innocent people. Aver struggles to make sense <strong>of</strong> moral<br />
complexities like these throughout the film, along with the rest<br />
<strong>of</strong> his group, an assortment <strong>of</strong> specialized agents from a variety<br />
<strong>of</strong> ethnic backgrounds.<br />
The varied dialogue among this bunch is <strong>of</strong>ten pr<strong>of</strong>ound. For<br />
example, a seemingly unscrupulous French contact reveals his<br />
sideless opportunism to be the result <strong>of</strong> a hard-born disillusionment<br />
with all forms <strong>of</strong> government. A man who is basically the<br />
antithesis <strong>of</strong> everything Aver is fighting for talks calmly to Aver<br />
about his perspective <strong>of</strong> things, days before the two face <strong>of</strong>f in a<br />
brutal shootout. Scenes like this more than compensate for the<br />
rare passages <strong>of</strong> clunky conversation that take place in the film.<br />
There, were however, a few things I didn’t like about Munich.<br />
I didn’t see why Aver and his group <strong>of</strong> assassins were completely<br />
kept <strong>of</strong>f <strong>of</strong> governmental records, as their prime purpose was<br />
to make a statement to Israel’s enemies. I was annoyed by the<br />
use <strong>of</strong> insipidly ethereal new-wave music in a few scenes that<br />
would have been better left untouched. A flashback at the end <strong>of</strong><br />
the movie was a bit too melodramatic, and in its context, kind <strong>of</strong><br />
silly. But I barely had time to notice these small grievances until<br />
after the movie ended because I was so caught up in its story.<br />
Ultimately, Munich is about much more than the trials and<br />
errors <strong>of</strong> an Israeli team <strong>of</strong> assassins. It is about the usefulness<br />
<strong>of</strong> vengeance. The film takes its characters on a wild, tense roll-<br />
Give It A Try!!!<br />
1 5 7<br />
1 6 8 2<br />
3 8 6 4<br />
9 4 5 6 7<br />
4 7 8 3<br />
7 3 2 6 4<br />
4 8 1 9<br />
1 7 2 8<br />
5 3 7<br />
Winter Fashion<br />
Candace Square and Lauren Washington, Staff Writers<br />
3) Turquoise because it’s bright and wintry<br />
4) Flats<br />
5) Anything<br />
6) Skirts<br />
7) Black button-up jacket<br />
8) Beyonce<br />
9) 45 minutes<br />
Tristin Simmons- Senior<br />
1) Roca Wear Sweater<br />
2) Oakwood, Canal St. in New Orleans<br />
3) Blue and Black<br />
4) High- top Nike to keep my ankles<br />
warm/ Timberlands<br />
5) Roca Wear<br />
6) Shorts<br />
7) My black hoody<br />
8) Girls<br />
9) 15 minutes<br />
Melissa Phan- Junior<br />
1) Knee- High boots<br />
2) Tyson’s/ Springfield<br />
3) Brown<br />
4) Boots<br />
5) American Eagle/ Hollister<br />
6) Sandals<br />
7) Green Jacket<br />
8) Amerie<br />
9) 30 minutes<br />
Rashad Meadows- Senior<br />
1) Hoodies<br />
2) Springfield<br />
3) Black<br />
4) Jordan’s<br />
5) G-Unit<br />
6) Shorts<br />
7) White Hoody<br />
8) My hometown, Miami<br />
9) 1 hr.<br />
ercoaster <strong>of</strong> violent struggles in the name <strong>of</strong> payback; a rollercoaster<br />
that never ends, just pauses to let them <strong>of</strong>f. Afterwards,<br />
we wonder whether their ride was worth it. Seeing Munich,<br />
however, is definitely worth it.<br />
Directions:<br />
To complete a Sudoku puzzle you do not need<br />
any calculation or arithmetic skills. All it requires<br />
to complete a puzzle is a little time and<br />
logic.<br />
1) Every row <strong>of</strong> 9 numbers must include all<br />
digits <strong>of</strong> 1 through 9 in any order<br />
2) Every column <strong>of</strong> 9 numbers must include all<br />
digits <strong>of</strong> 1 through 9 in any order<br />
3) Every 3 x 3 subsection <strong>of</strong> the puzzle must<br />
include all digits <strong>of</strong> 1 through 9 in any order
More News<br />
Black History Month<br />
People <strong>of</strong> Color Living the Dream...<br />
“Until the philosophy which holds<br />
one race superior and another<br />
inferior is finally and permanently<br />
discredited and abandoned, everywhere<br />
is war.”<br />
–Bob Marley<br />
“I think that the quote is saying that<br />
as long as we think that our race is<br />
superior to another, then we are at<br />
war within ourselves.”<br />
-Eddie Kamara, 10<br />
“You don’t choose your family. They<br />
are God’s gift to you, as you are to<br />
them.”<br />
-Desmond Tutu<br />
“I think it’s true because you really<br />
are a gift from God, and there are<br />
people who wish they could have<br />
different families but God gave you<br />
that one.”<br />
-Nancy Valenora, 9<br />
“The greatest discovery <strong>of</strong> all time is<br />
that a person can change his future<br />
by merely changing his attitude.”<br />
-Oprah Winfrey<br />
“I’m all about determination. If I<br />
want something, I work hard until I<br />
get it. And I plan to use this method<br />
through out all <strong>of</strong> life. I can relate a<br />
lot to this quote.”<br />
-Lehi Ruiz, 12<br />
“We must learn to live together as<br />
brothers or perish together as fools.”<br />
-Dr. Martin Luther <strong>King</strong> Jr.<br />
“This quote’s a reality hit, because<br />
there’s always so much drama everywhere,<br />
high school especially! How<br />
are you going to get anything done if<br />
you don’t have anyone on your side?<br />
You won’t…”<br />
-Megan O’Rear, 11<br />
7<br />
“I knew someone had to take the first<br />
step and I made up my mind not to<br />
move.”<br />
-Rosa Parks
8 Jagwire Sports<br />
Dylan Forshay, Sports Editor<br />
Steelers Win Equals Last Stop for Bus<br />
Jerome Bettis, known also as “The Bus,” likely<br />
made his last stop Sunday night in Detroit,<br />
Michigan. It is speculated that Bettis played the<br />
last game <strong>of</strong> his illustrious 13 year career in Super<br />
Bowl XL. Bettis, arguably the most popular<br />
Pittsburgh Steeler, had eluded a championship for<br />
12 years until the Super Bowl, when the Steelers<br />
walked away victorious by a score <strong>of</strong> 21-10.<br />
As a native <strong>of</strong> Detroit, Bettis leaves the game <strong>of</strong><br />
football as the 5th all-time leading rusher in NFL<br />
history.<br />
MVP:<br />
After Pittsburgh had sealed their victory, a question<br />
on everyone’s mind was “who will win the<br />
MVP award?” The Steelers hadn’t done much<br />
<strong>of</strong>fensively, and Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger<br />
went 9-21 with 2 interceptions, so it wasn’t going<br />
Since the beginning <strong>of</strong> time, man has yearned<br />
to break out <strong>of</strong> the ordinary. <strong>In</strong> most instances,<br />
nobody wants to wear the same clothing as others,<br />
share with others, or do the same thing every<br />
single day. Mainstream recreational sports such<br />
as football, basketball, baseball, and soccer <strong>of</strong>ten<br />
intensify the constant redundancy that is experienced<br />
life, and become uninteresting over time.<br />
However, various alternative sports give<br />
new life to athletics.<br />
While one can play, watch, and hear about<br />
the same sports everyday on television, in<br />
the newspaper, and from colleagues, another<br />
option is to “break out <strong>of</strong> the shell” and<br />
enter a vast world <strong>of</strong> sports that has yet to<br />
be thoroughly explored. Some open-minded<br />
athletes at Falls Church High School choose<br />
to play Hacky-Sack or Ultimate Frisbee,<br />
while others opt to participate in games <strong>of</strong><br />
Ping-Pong. Believe it or not, the aforementioned<br />
activities are all established sports<br />
played by students throughout the school.<br />
Hacky-Sack, a game played in a variety<br />
<strong>of</strong> ways with a woven “footbag” filled with<br />
beads, involves passing the sack to other players<br />
without allowing it to hit the floor or the hands<br />
and arms <strong>of</strong> players.<br />
Sophomores Terrell Brooks and Ben Marsh<br />
both agree that Hacky-Sack is an entertaining,<br />
calming activity, along with Brad Weeks, who<br />
to be him. Hines Ward, probably the most deserving<br />
player, only finished with 5 catches and 123<br />
yards won the award for <strong>2006</strong> and was awarded a<br />
new 2007 Cadillac Escalade as well.<br />
Record Setting:<br />
Ben Roethlisberger, the QB <strong>of</strong> the Pittsburgh<br />
Steeler, is the youngest quarterback ever to win<br />
a Super Bowl in NFL history at the age 23 years.<br />
The RB from the Steelers Willie Parker also set a<br />
record <strong>of</strong> longest rushing run in NFL Super Bowl<br />
history at 75 yards. The biggest play for the Seahawks<br />
was the record setting 76 yard interception<br />
by Marcus Herndon.<br />
Play <strong>of</strong> the Game:<br />
With only 9 minutes in the fourth quarter, the<br />
Steelers had to pull the trick play out <strong>of</strong> the playbook<br />
to seal the victory. Pittsburgh used the reverse<br />
hand<strong>of</strong>f pass to set up WR Antwaan Randle<br />
adds that he likes it because “It’s a hippie sport,<br />
and I love hippies. And no ugly girls play.” This<br />
social sport sometimes constitutes inflicting pain<br />
on players with the sack, which appeals most to<br />
Junior Dwight Bell, who, as most “Hacky-Sackers”<br />
do, plays the sport many times a day-“Once,<br />
twice, three times…”as Senior Luke Haines puts<br />
it.<br />
On the other hand, the sport <strong>of</strong> Ultimate-<br />
Frisbee is a non-contact, player-regulated sport<br />
played similarly to American Football, which<br />
Senior Chris Jerro likes because “The junx is<br />
tight like football”. Yet, he plays rarely, only<br />
“Once in a blue moon,” in his words. Michael<br />
El, who was a quarterback in college, to throw a<br />
43 yard pass to MVP WR Hines Ward. This made<br />
the score 21-10 and gave the Seahawks no hope<br />
<strong>of</strong> coming back.<br />
Out <strong>of</strong> the Box, Away From the Ball<br />
Alex Pham, Business Manager<br />
Steelers Win Equals Last Stop for<br />
the Bus<br />
Loudoun Who?<br />
Ervin Uriarte, Staff Writer<br />
As most <strong>of</strong> you have probably already noticed<br />
there is new school in the national district this<br />
year. Loudoun Valley, a school out <strong>of</strong> the AA<br />
Dulles district in Loudoun County, is part <strong>of</strong> the<br />
redistricting that has occurred in the Northern<br />
Region. The induction <strong>of</strong> this new school has<br />
had a major impact on our district as Loudoun<br />
Valley either won districts or came in Second<br />
in every fall sport. The Viking’s football team<br />
most evidently displayed the shift in powers<br />
as they stole the district chanmpionship from<br />
Edison and in the process knocked Yorktown out<br />
<strong>of</strong> the play<strong>of</strong>fs. Many teams in our district feel<br />
that it is unfair to have a team solely compete<br />
in the post-season, as Loudoun valley does not<br />
compete in our district in the regular season only<br />
in post season play. Specifically, our very own<br />
field hockey team feels that they were the most<br />
affected by this decision, as they won the district<br />
field hockey tournament which previously had<br />
determined the district championship. They<br />
were shocked to find out that their record during<br />
regular season play determined who won the<br />
district. “I feel we were robbed because Loudoun<br />
Valley doesn’t even have a team so I don’t see<br />
why it should apply to us” stated junior Minnie<br />
Wodatch. Kira Schoenfelder added “I was pissed<br />
<strong>of</strong>f; we didn’t know that the rules had changed till<br />
half way through the season.” However, some<br />
teams benefited from Loudoun Valley entrance,<br />
such as our Volleyball team who tied for the<br />
district championship based on their record<br />
during the post season. Once Loudoun Valley<br />
showed up to the district tournament they easily<br />
won the tournament as they posted a record <strong>of</strong><br />
55-0 over the past 4 years.<br />
One <strong>of</strong> the main reasons that most people feel<br />
that Loudoun Valley is a nuisance to our district<br />
is the commuting time it takes for us Northern<br />
Region teams to travel to Louden host games<br />
and vice versa. “I don’t think they like traveling<br />
down hear either, I mean it’s like 2 hours” stated<br />
Alternative Sports at FCHS<br />
Super Bowl XL MVP Hines Ward celebrates<br />
after scoring the game’s deciding touchdown<br />
junior Alexa Carter.<br />
Our District is not the only district that is<br />
under these similar circumstances; the Liberty<br />
district has similar feelings as they too have had<br />
a Loudoun County school entering their district.<br />
Every district in our region had some change<br />
occur in some way or anther. The Patriot district<br />
saw rivals split as Robinson left and Lee high<br />
school entered also newly founded school South<br />
County became a member <strong>of</strong> the Patriot district.<br />
The Condored district saw the entrance <strong>of</strong><br />
Robinson and Fairfax and saw Thomas Jefferson<br />
leave.<br />
What ever your opinion may be these changes<br />
are permanent as the districts must say the way<br />
they are for a minimum two years. The Jagwire<br />
would also like to hear your opinions on this issue.<br />
If you have any comments or suggestions please<br />
bring them to room 219 in the History Hallway<br />
and we will publish them as soon as possible.<br />
“Yeti” Jerdak, a Varsity Football Player, likes the<br />
sport because it allows him to flaunt his athletic<br />
ability- “An exceptionally good vertical jump<br />
and great agility”- and he plays frequently during<br />
the summer, like Senior Tom Moore, who<br />
played every Friday at one point. Tom plays with<br />
close friends, and enjoys its need for sportsmanship<br />
and teamwork.<br />
Another sport, Ping-Pong, stresses individual<br />
talent, unlike Frisbee. When interviewed,<br />
Chris Edwards, Samear Khatib,<br />
and Alan Asher all said it honed their handeye-coordination<br />
skills, and is a competitive,<br />
enjoyable sport. Edwards likes the fact<br />
that “Nobody can beat me in it,” and he<br />
plays almost everyday with his family and<br />
friends Lehi, Jamie, Maxx, Phillip. Samear<br />
Khatib plays whenever he can, not just with<br />
friends, but with children at his mosque.<br />
Similarly, Freshman Alan Asher enjoys<br />
playing with whoever he can, whenever he<br />
can, and loves “Smacking those balls as fast<br />
and hard as I can”.<br />
<strong>In</strong> essence, alternative sports all help with<br />
the regular physical skills, but whether it’s Frisbee,<br />
Hacky-Sack, or Ping-Pong, most alternative<br />
sports can all be easily accessed and enjoyably<br />
played.<br />
FCHS P.E. teacher Mr. Thorpe demonstrates<br />
a correct throwing <strong>of</strong> the frisbee<br />
Pr<strong>of</strong>ile<br />
<strong>of</strong> an<br />
Athlete<br />
Eric Huggins<br />
Senior<br />
Q:How long have you been diving?<br />
A: Since I was twelve years old?<br />
Q: What seed where you in the district<br />
tournament?<br />
A: I was 4th out <strong>of</strong> 32<br />
Q: What is your best dive?<br />
A: Front one and a half 3 twist<br />
Q: Do you want to dive in college?<br />
A: No, because I wanted to play<br />
lacrosse<br />
Q: What will you miss most about<br />
diving?<br />
A: The friendships I share with the<br />
team<br />
Q: What is your favorite moment on<br />
the swim and dive team?<br />
A: Winning districts<br />
FCHS swimmers celebrate after a victorious meet (from<br />
left): Kira Schoenfelder, Irene Howe, Kathy Walter and<br />
Christina Smith