NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION

U.S. POSTAGE PAID OAKTON, VA

PERMIT No. 337

OAKTON HIGH SCHOOL 2900 SUTTON ROAD

VIENNA, VA 22181

County Executive releases proposal for FY 2009-2010 budget, including

compensation

news

page 09

Senior class visits Capitol Hill,

Supreme Court and Library of

Congress

academics

page 10

Girls Basketball captures Regional

Title beating the T.C. Williams

Titans

sports

page 20

out lo

ok03.09.09

oakton

Graduating IllegalImmigrants fight the

odds for education...page 05

Fairfax County Executive Anthony Griffin released his plan to balance a budget plagued by a massive economic recession. His proposal, released on Feb. 23, ultimately denied the school boards request for a $57 million increase for the 2009-2010 school year, freezing funding at last years $1.627 billion.

In such troubled economic times, not even Fairfax County is immune from the recession. In response to a $650 million shortfall, Griffin had to limit more than just school funding.

Among his list of proposed budget alleviations is a 13.5-cent increase on the property tax, the elimination of 524 full-time jobs and about 300 part-time jobs and the closure of several community, senior and health care centers across the county. Between the increase in property tax and his slimmer-than-usual $3.3 billion spending plan, Griffin hopes to compensate for the recessions effects on Fairfax County.

[Griffin] increased the tax rate and then proposed spending cuts, and between the two of them, it will completely eliminate the $650 million shortfall, said Pat Herrity, supervisor of the Springfield District.

Griffins plan, however, is still only a proposal. Nothing is set in stone until late April when the final budget has been voted on and determined.

The board of supervisors will use it as a starting point to get to a final budget, Herrity said. The board will make adjustments to it. We actually approve the final budget on April 27.

Until April 27, the board of supervisors will conduct a budget committee meeting on March 16 and then will hold public meetings on March 30, 31 and April 1.

Meanwhile, in the Fairfax County Public School system, the school board has been left to cope with a significant gap in funding. Under Griffins proposal, FCPS will not receive its requested $57 million increase, despite an estimated enrollment increase of 5000 students for the 2009-2010 school year.

Basically, we made some assumptions about our budget, and based on those assumptions we decided we needed about $57 million more from the board of supervisors to keep things from getting worse, said Dan Storck, chairman of the Fairfax County School Board.

While the hopes for such a large sum of money were slim, Storck and the rest of the school board felt it to be completely necessary.

I think we understood that the county executive would have a difficult time funding our request because the county revenue has gone down a lot as well, Storck said. But we also knew that we had already cut tens of millions of dollars out of our

budget, and we didnt feel that we could cut much more without affecting the quality of our education.

Storck, along with Superintendent Jack Dale, will have to search for even more ways to cut spending for next year.

We would have to increase class size by up to two students, Storck said. The budget that we have already sent to the board of supervisors has an additional half-student per class. The reason class size is often picked is because staff salaries represent about 88 percent of our budget. The way to reduce our budget easily is to cut employees.

In January, Dale predicted that without the $57 million, FCPS would also have to cut summer school all together and eliminate athletic programs, namely indoor track and field. However, only 76 percent of the school systems budget comes from the county.

76 percent of our revenue comes from the transfer from the county, 20 percent [comes] from the state and two percent comes from the federal government, said Phil Niedzielski-Eichner, school board representative from the Providence district and budget liason.

Without a sufficient sum of money from other sources, FCPS is faced with two options: lobby the board of supervisors for more money, or find ways to cut even more.

Herrity said he doesnt feel that Griffins proposal is going in the right direction.

Im disappointed with the budget, Herrity said. I think it

lacks any creativity or reorganization. Basically, it doesnt set the right priorities in my mind.

Herrity has his own ideas on cutting school funding, ideas that he will lobby for when it comes time to formulate the actual budget for the fiscal year 2010.

I think we need to look at the school administration for reductions, Herrity said. We have one assistant principal for every 400 students in Fairfax County, and we have 17 assistant

superintendents in the school system. We need to put those funds into the classrooms.

When looking to reduce costs, transportation is generally a good place to start. Herrity said he feels

streamlining bus routes will drastically curb transportation costs.

The school transportation system [still operates by using] scissors, note cards and envelopes. We have 22 people to do the entire planning for the bus routes. If you look at FedEx and UPS, they plan the routes so they only take right turns, Herrity said. The more money you save in bus routes, the more money you save in the transportation system.

page 03

03.09.09

featureBUDGET UPDATE

fast

fact

s County Executives proposal did not include the school boards requested $57 million increase 76% of school funding comes from the county board of supervisors; the rest comes from state and federal funding FCPS consumes about half of the countys total budget

- chris weil and shayda shahbazi, feature editor and staff writer, can be reached at chris.weil@oaktonmedia.net and shayda.shahbazi@oaktonmedia.net

13.5cent increase on the property tax

$57 millionincrease in funding requested by the school board to com-pensate for an estimated 5000 student enrollment increase in 2009-2010

$1.627 billiontotal part of budget allotted to Fairfax County public schools

$650 millionbudget shortfall that must be compensated for through cuts and tax increases

$3.3 billiontotal Fairfax County budget spending plan for FY 2010

524full time county jobs to be cut out of the budget

300part time jobs to be cut out of the budget

49days until final budget for fiscal year 2009-2010 is approved by board of supervisors (April 27)

$ County Executive releases budget proposal, including compensation for a $650 million shortfallFairfax County Budget:By the Numbers

see opinion on page 17

feature 03.09.09

Next Stop:Bogot, Colombia

Bogot is known as the Athens of South America. Its high altitude, 2640 meters above sea level, makes it the third highest major city in the world. The Jovene family will be packing up and moving approximately 2,365 miles from Washington D.C. to the capital of Colombia, South America. However, moving is harder for the Jovenes than the typical family.

The size of our family makes it very difficult, said senior Jamie Jovene. Were all going to different schools and have to readjust.

Vince (19), Jamie (17), Rachel (15), Joshua (12), Faithrenee (9), Joseph (5) and Jonathan (1) make up the seven children in the Jovene family. The challenges posed by their family size are further magni-fied by the frequent moves.

Its so difficult to move because everyone has so much stuff, Rachel said. We have to decide how much we can take and how much we cant take. We have a limited amount of weight we can carry. Sometimes you have to get rid of stuff you dont really want to.

Nevertheless, experiencing a new culture and often a foreign language may be daunting but also beneficial.

Three of my younger siblings can speak sufficient Ger-man, Jamie said. Later in life theyll be able to say that they learned a different language and go back to Europe and interact with people.

The family, which is moving on June 30, has already begun preparations for the much warmer South American climate.

Weve already begun to look at schools, Rachel said. Someone is finding a house for us there. Weve had to re-new our passports and [undergo] psychological testing.

The psychological testing was designed to assess whether

each family member was mentally fit to undergo the dra-matic shift in cultures and language.

They asked me basic questions, Rachel said. Like if Ive ever done drugs or alcohol, or if I take any medications.

In addition to passport renewal and psychological tests, moving provides exciting new ways to experience a foreign culture for prolonged periods of time. Instead of visiting an area briefly, living in a different culture gives in-depth insight into regional customs and traditions.

You get to see a lot of cool places and meet dif-ferent people, Rachel said. There are a lot of oppor-tunities. Germany was my favorite. You always saw farms. It was open and beautiful. The food was

delicious, and theres a lot of interesting history. However, leaving friends and an environment you have

just adjusted to never gets easier. The hardest part is leaving people and knowing that

youll probably never see them again, Jamie said.As a senior, Jamies life will change dramatically. While

she attends college in the U.S., her family will be living south of the equator.

During the holidays I will want to go visit them and experience the culture, Jamie said. Ive really come to see moving as an adventure and new experience. It is conve-nient sometimes when you get sick of a place.

Although Jamie is reaching the end of her high school career and will no longer have to move so often, she plans to continue expanding her love for traveling.

I would love to go back and visit the places Ive been to and more, Jamie said. Moving has instilled a desire [in me] to see as much of the world as possible.

- daphne martschenko, staff writer, can be reached at daphne.martschenko@oaktonmedia.net

For freshman Rachel Jovene and her sister, senior Jamie Jovene, Oakton is just one of many high schools they have attended. As the children of Air Force air-tache designee Jim Jovene, the girls are used to packing up and moving all over the country. This summer the family of nine will find themselves outside the U.S. in Bogot, Colombia.

page 04

Packing in preparation for the move to Bogot, Colombia freshman Rachel Jovene sorts through items to bring along. The family, moving June 30th, has a baggage weight limit and must decide whats worth taking.

daphne martschenko

Jovenes move to Virginia. Jonathan is born here

Jovenes move overseas to Colombia

Jovenes move to Alaska. Vincent and Jamie are born here

Jovenes move to Delaware. Rachel is born here.

Jovenes move to Illinois

Jovenes move to New Jersey. Joshua is born here.

Jovenes move overseas to Germany. Joseph is born here.

Jovenes move back to Alabama.

Jovenes live in Alabama. Faithrenee is born here

Ive really come to see moving as an adventure and new experience.

- jamie jovene, sr.

Theyve been everywhere, man...A timeline of the Jovenes travels across the country, to the world

1990-1991 1994-1996

1991-1994

1999-2002

1996-1999 2002-2006 2007-2009

2006-2007 2009-...?

page 0503.09.09 feature

65,000 highschoolstudents who

graduate each yearare

ILLEGALimmigrants

each figure represents 650 undocumented graduates, a black figure denotes an illegal graduate who pursues higher education

Y ou wouldnt notice anything unusual if you saw Alex* in the hall. His clothes are clean and carefully chosen to fit. His backpack dangles off one shoulder, bulging with the homework from multiple AP classes. He wanders between classes bumping shoulders with hundreds of students whose schedule and workload closely resembles his own. While he blends in with his peers, Alex is not the same; he is undocumented.

When Alex arrived in the United States slightly under a decade ago, he didnt know any English. His arrival was not as dramatic as other news stories might suggest. Rather than wading across the Rio Grande or squeezing through a fence, Alex arrived legally by plane with his parents. When they overstayed their visit, though, their papers expired and the family chose to stay in the United States illegally rather than return home. This was never a large problem for Alex, until he decided to apply to college.

I havent really cared about my illegal status until recently, Alex explains. I try to do well; Ive tried to be a normal student.

Being normal can be extremely difficult for someone like Alex. With no social security number or legal documentation, Alex was instantly barred from applying to a larger university, such as Virginia Tech, despite his numerous qualifications due to citizenship requirements within applications. As a result, he plans to attend Northern Virginia Community College next year.

I would like to go to Maryland to study sciences, but if I graduate from NOVA, I wont know what to do, Alex says. My mom is sad because she wants me to go to a good college. Thats why I came here in the first place--for the education and a better life. They have even considered sending me back [home] to learn but I dont want to [go].

A National IssueAlexs plight is not as unique as one

might think. With 65,000 undocumented students graduating from high schools across the nation this year alone (source: National Immigration Law Center), increased pressure has been placed on Washington to address the issue. One particular bipartisan solution first proposed in 2001 was the Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act, otherwise known as the DREAM Act.

A lot of students have advocated for the DREAM Act,

explains Katherine Vargas, press secretary of the National Immigration Forum. There is a lot of momentum all across the country from students or even friends of students who are doing a lot of advocacy [for the bill].

Vargas, a Columbian immigrant herself, provides both direct legal services and advocacy on issues concerning undocumented minors. Her Latino accent only slightly detectable, she has worked passionately to raise awareness for students like Alex.

I understand what the struggles are and what brings someone to this country, Vargas says. The immigration system right now is very dysfunctional. The country has invested in these children. These are times we want to be as competitive as possible. We want to make sure these individuals are contributing fully to our society.

While it has floated around the halls of Congress for numerous years, the DREAM Act nearly acquired the 60-vote majority necessary for debate in 2007, but fell eight votes short. The bill, targeted specifically for students like Alex, aims to erode the barrier that currently stands between many undocumented students and higher education. Of the 65,000 undocumented students who will graduate this year, a meager 5 10 percent will even attempt to pursue higher education.

It is un-American to indefinitely and irremediably punish [students] for decisions made by adults many years ago, according to a press release by the National Immigration Law Center issued in Feb. Congress would legally recognize what is de facto true: these young people belong here.

A Multi-Faceted ProblemEven if a student like Alex were able to find a

public university in Virginia where he could apply without proof of citizenship, he would likely be forced to pay out-of-state tuition without proper

residency registration. However, nine states have adopted bills to combat this issue.

Texas, California, New York, Utah, Illinois, Washington, Nebraska, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Kansas are where it is being debated, Vargas says. These states allow in-state students who are undocumented to pay in-state prices but

that doesnt mean undocumented students can just move into that state and pay in-state tuition.

As with any bill, not everyone in Washington shares Vargas enthusiasm for the legislation. The Center for

Immigration Studies says the bill would offer amnesty to millions of family members not included in the bills provisions.

Given the difficulty in determining whether an applicant meets the DREAM Acts amnesty requirements, coupled with the overworked nature of the

immigration bureaucracy, fraud could be a significant problem, the CIS advocates. The total number of potential amnesty beneficiaries is 2.1 million (assuming no fraud). This does not include 1.4 million siblings and parents of qualifying illegals who may end up receiving de facto amnesty.

A Face in the CrowdAlex likes to draw, play soccer, watch TV and his favorite

videogame is Call of Duty 4. He has no disciplinary record of any kind, and when he is not relaxing he can be found slouched over a textbook or homework assignment working diligently. While he represents the very best Oakton has to offer, the reality he faces is one he has known for years. No matter how good his grades, no matter how many honor societies or extracurricular activities he engages himself in, next year he will be at NOVA.

I had no choice in coming here, Alex says with a soft voice, lowering his gaze. I had to do what my parents did. Its not really my fault for the situation Im in. I try to ignore it and live a normal life. I just work hard.

of those students,

de

fin

itio

ns

undocumented: lacking documents required for legal immigration or residence (Merriam-Webster) DREAM Act: Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors Act

- matt johnson, editor in chief, can be reached at matt.johnson@oaktonmedia.net

only 5-10%pursue higher

education

EDITORS NOTE: The name of the undocumented student in this story has been changed to protect his or her identity

I had no choice in coming here. I had to do what my parents did. Its not really my fault for the situation Im in.

- undocumented student

As part of our senior gift the Class of 2009, working with local Landscape Architect Doug Bibb, is redoing the Senior Courtyard and

we need lots of help from students in every grade with the renovation!

Work on the courtyard will be done in two, four hour shifts from 8am-12 pm and 12pm-4pm on March 14th, 21st and 28th (weather

permitting). We hope to get between 30 and 40 students per shift.

Student volunteers would be responsible for jobs such digging holes, planting flowers, and removal of debris from the courtyard.

Need Service Hours?

Several student organiziations have already volunteered their time including:

Football, Girls Basketball, Boys Basketball, FHS, APES, Ecology Club, MSA and HHS

See your club sponsor or e-mail Mr. Hopkins at Timothy.Hopkins@ fcps.edu for more information

If you would like to voulnteer please sign up outside of Mr. Hopkinss office in Guidance. Even if you cant stay for an

entire shift please still come for whatever time you can.

Almost everyone is accustomed to the blue recycling bins around the school. Fairfax County imple-mented them about five years ago as part of a new recycling program. But have you ever wondered where the paper you think is

being recycled actually goes? The genuine answer: the trash.

Students see the blue bins as trash cans, said Joe Thompson, football coach who is also head of the custodial staff. Recycling depends on who put the paper in the blue bin, not who picks it up.

FCPS web site describes the recycling program as a school-based effort in which all staff and students are required to partici-pate. There is even a school board regula-tion requiring all school facilities to recycle. However, lack of interest and organization in the past years have led Oaktons program to become just for show.

In past years, we used to have a vendor that came and picked up the paper, said Jeanine Musgrove, AP Environmental Sci-ence teacher. We had students that were really into [recycling], but they have since

graduated.Although the recycling of paper has

vanished, whether the school recycles cans and bottles does remain debatable. To spark students interests again, a new environment-based club will be established, OSSAGA: Oakton Students Serving Against Global Abuse.

Our plan is to have students work with custodians to collect the paper, and to get another recycling vendor to come [and col-lect], Musgrove said.Wed like to buy more recycling bins for the school, partner with the science team and make the club student-driven, but ultimately, keep the paper out of the landfill, said Don Clark, history teacher.

Along with the clubs planned efforts to increase the recycling of paper, the club also wants to increase the students knowledge of caring for the environment.

We want more students to be educated on what happens to the materials and where they go, Musgrove said.

Other schools in the county have excellent recycling programs, such as Spring Hill El-

ementary in Mclean that has a student-run compost method. Many schools have also made the transition to the use of incandes-cent light bulbs, which are cheaper and last longer than the fluorescent light bulbs that are currently recycled.

In the future, wed like to model our program similar to Herndons, which raises money for scholarships through the pro-gram, Musgrove said.

Along with the satisfaction from helping the environment, the school can also make money by selling white paper.

There is a demand for [white paper] and while the price fluctuates, we could be selling it to at least cover the costs of col-lection- buying and replacing the bins, etc, Musgrove said.

Although the recycling program has come to a standstill in operations, the future looks positive with OSSAGA helping to reach what is necessary.

page 0703.09.09 feature

The room was dead silent as French teacher Emily Fu-gate-Brunino made her way to the front of the room. The students watched attentively as she opened her mouth, preparing to announce her big news. Guys, Im pregnant, declared Brunino, according to sophomore Yara el Mowafy, recollecting what the teacher had announced during the first week of school.

[The students in her class] were really happy and excited for her and we all began congratulating her the minute she made her announcement, Mowafy said.

Although the majority of students were unaware of Bruninos pregnancy, a select number of students werent surprised with the announcement.

A lot [of my students] knew [about the pregnancy] when the school year began. Im not exactly sure how, Brunino said, currently nine months into her pregnancy. Although pregnancy is an exciting event for the soon-to-be mothers at Oakton, a few negative aspects remain.

Being pregnant hasnt really affected my teaching, Brunino said. Im a bit more tired than usual and I cant move around and be on my feet as much as Im used to. I just started getting swollen feet. I put my feet up while I teach! Thanks to [Tor] Strom, I now have a comfortable pillow to put on my chair and prop up my feet.

The teachers who struggle with aspects of pregnancy including swollen feet and moodiness can rely on their students to assist them during their classes.

[The students] try to help out as much as we can, Mowafy said. Whenever Mrs. Brunino drops something we bend down and

get it for her, because its obviously challenging for a preg-nant woman to squat or bend down.

Pregnancy affects teachers in many ways causing fatigue, swollen feet and much more. Likewise, students with pregnant teachers are feeling the effects too.

Class is a lot more challenging, Mowafy said. We definitely move at a faster pace, and theres that pres-sure to keep up. Its challenging at times, but definitely necessary to move faster if we want to get all of the information in time. Were under a time crunch right now, and Mrs. Brunino wants to ensure that we

learn as much as possible before she has her baby and goes on her maternity leave.

Although working under a limited span of time presents obstacles to pregnant teach-ers, physics teacher Stephanie Stehle, who is eight months into her pregnancy, has more pressing issues to worry about.

Getting ready for the baby [is way more difficult than teaching], Stehle said. [My husband and I] dont know when [the baby] is coming. I know my schedule, I know when I have to have my assignments graded by and when grades are due, but I dont know if Im planning for four weeks from now or eight weeks from now.

For pregnant teachers, planning ahead and balancing time are crucial in order to teach the maximum amount pos-sible before going on maternity leave. Besides the limited amount of time, teachers going on maternity leave face issues regarding their students.

I will be on maternity leave until August, Brunino said. Im going to miss my students very much but am looking forward to spending time with my new family. I am thrilled to be a new mom! Of course Im nervous about how much I dont know, but overall I cant wait.

Pregnant teachers begin to feel the weight

Behind the scenes of being green

fast

fact

s

Paper recycling in 2007 prevented FCPS from throwing away an estimated 3,144 tons of recyclable materialsSchool board regulation 8542 requires all faculties in FCPS to recycleOaktons recycling program has grown inconsistently in the past years due to lack of interest and organization

Physics teacher Stephanie Stehle, now eight months into her pregnancy, lectures her class on material regarding math and science. Stehle is unsure of her babys sex at this point. [My husband and I] are going to be surprised. We just hope the baby is healthy, Stehle said.

French teacher Emily Fugate-Brunino, now nine months pregnant, smiles as she holds her stomach. Im going to miss my students very much but am looking forward to spending time with my new family. I am thrilled to be a new mom, Brunino said.

see opinion on page 19

victoria doxey

- michelle chu and additional reporting by victoria doxey, staff writers, can be reached at michelle.chu@oaktonmedia.net and victoria.doxey@oaktonmedia.net

- daniel chait, staff writer, can be reached at daniel.chait@oaktonmedia.net

victoria doxey

Blue recycling bins litter the hallways and classrooms, but usually contain less recyclable materials than trash. The Outlook explores the history and use - or misuse - of these bins around the school.

Aiden Michael

Campanell was born to Special Ed teacher

Dawn Campanell on March 4 at 6:07 p.m. He was a healthy 7 pounds 10 ounces, 19.5 in.

photo court

esy of

brenda brin

kmeyer

National Guard$10 for a ticketno tickets will be sold at the door

March 2 th

r picLike Its H t

If you need a wa

y to pay for coll

ege

try the

National

Guard College

rst Program

The Army National Guard's college first Program provides:

Up to two years of non-deployment following completion of initial Active Duty.

Up to a $20,000 Enlistment Bonus.

Basic Educational assistance of $317 per month Montgomery G.I. Bill Selective Reserve (MGIB-SR)

Additional Educational assistance of $350 per month - MGIB Kicker 9 (in addition to the GIB - SR and is available to those enlisting in a critical MOS and assigned to a qualified unit)

100% College Tuition Assistance, up to $4,500 per year

State tuition assistance

To nd out more and to see if you may qualify for this or any of the other Great programs that the Army National Guard has to offer Contact: SSG Jeffery Palmer 540-810-3784

New classes create more choices for students

- alex zanin, staff writer, can be reached at alex.zanin@oaktonmedia.net

academics

page 09

03.09.09

There wasnt another chair in the room, so I had to stand. I thought my legs were going to give out from under me; they had turned to Jell-O. My neck felt hot, and my voice was shaking.

What was I supposed to do with my hands? Were people going to be able to hear us from the hallway? I could

perform at Reston Town Center, no problem; but put me in a French class of 20 people, and I nearly pee my pants.

A week earlier, Asli Durak asked me if I would sing a duet with her for an AP French project. She sent me the song and told me to bring lemon juice, her latest fascination; it makes the voice clearer. The next day, after five hours of practicing, we still sounded like 5-year-olds on the track.

I guess we could just perform the song live, she said. Now you tell me, I thought.

On Feb. 19, I met Asli at Mme. Bruninos classroom and waited while one of her classmates presented. The project required students to research a famous person of French descent and present biographical information along with a supplementary art project.

The song Asli chose was called Mme Si by Gregory Lemarchal, a French pop singer who died suddenly in 2007. After Aslis moving PowerPoint, which elicited oohs and ahs from the class, it was our turn to perform. She sang the French verses, and I was in charge of the English, until the end when we harmonized in French.

Asli and I agreed the performance wasnt our best, but everyone loved it. My voice didnt sound as unsteady as I thought it would, and nobody heard the sour note we hit. By the ensuing applause, it was clear we blew everyone away. It wasnt the first time; thats the Asli-Danielle effect.

Our presentation was followed by Sarah Beth Rupps vio-lin performance and Emma Schmitts charades. Literally. In her presentation about Marcel Marceau, a French mime art-ist, she asked members of the class to stand up and silently portray an animal. Her face paint was the highlight for me.

It was nice to be part of a class where everyone was so comfortable with each other. Most of the students have been taking French together throughout high school and were anything but hesitant about presenting in front of each other. It made me a little jealous I wasnt taking French.

Asli and I have been singing together for a few months now, and each time is just as exciting as the last. Next, were working on a cover of Way Back Into Love from the Music and Lyrics soundtrack. Maybe youll see us in the sequel. For now, well just stick to the classroom.

Overheard in the classroom...Learning a language through performance

During AP French, seniors Asli Durak and Danielle Holstrom perform a duet for a project. The project required students to pick a famous French person and illustrate his or her work creatively.

drew

gun

ther

Q: Why would you like to teach this course?A: When I found out about the class, I said that I would love to teach it. I have a background in film and television, I go to the movies almost every weekend and order millions of movies off of Netflix. You could say I am obsessed with movies.

Q: Why do you think students should take the course?A: Many students have a hard time reading and pulling out images with meaning. This class will try to teach students, with film, how shadows or a red scarf can affect a scene and have them learn about symbolism, so they can apply it in English class.

Q: What is the most interesting aspect of the class?A: The most interesting thing about this course would be opening up new films for students which they wouldnt otherwise see, such as films from the seventies or international films they had never been able to watch before.

Film Study is a course focused on watching and analyzing different aspects of films such as the effect of lighting and symbolism. The movies that will be viewed in class contain both older more up-to-date films. Mary-Clare McKesson describes the course in more detail.

Film Studies

Q: Why would you like to teach this course?A: The class is either going to be run by me or Mrs. Fernandez, we dont know who yet. Id like to teach it. Its a good opportunity for a high-level course. Q: Why do you think students should take the course?A: With field trips like the one to Wallops Island, we can offer students with more of a hands-on approach to learning about marine wildlife.Q: What is the most interesting aspect of the class?A: There are more opportunities to do hands-on research outside the class with the limit on the number of classes, not like with the nine classes for geosystems.

Oceanography explores scientific fields as they relate to the ocean. Along with discussions and labs, field trips will be offered because the best hands-on experiences are through direct contact with the environment. Sean Greeney, geosystems teacher, offers insight into this new course.

Oceanography

danielle holstrom

editor in chief

taylor soldner

taylor soldner

After watching government at work for the day, students travelled back to Oakton. Whether they sat in on a committee hearing or watched the House or Senate at work from the gallery, students were able to witness the information they had been studying in the classroom up close.

The students all learn something that I could

never teach them, said government teacher Eliot Waxman. What I love most about the whole thing is listening to the students talk about it, hearing how much fun they had and knowing that they learned a lot, Waxman said.

page 10 academics 03.09.09

Seniors dabble in politics on the HillFor one day, seniors visited Washington to get a first-hand look at how government works. Seniors chose activities ranging from listening in on a Supreme Court hearing to meeting representatives and senators.

8:45 Arrive at Capitol, tour Library of Congress

10:00 Visit Representatives offi ces

11:15 Meet and Greet with Frank Wolf

Part of the government assignment included visiting representatives and senators of the students choosing. To earn extra points for their assignments, seniors Danielle Scarcella and Nyssa Wratschko spoke with Nancy Pelosis staff assistant Liz Miller. (photo right)

After being sent on a scavenger hunt by my government class, getting to speak with Congresswoman Pelosis staff assistant was a nice suprise, said senior Danielle Scarcella. Because it was her California office, we learned about what legislation Congresswoman Pelosi is working on for her home state.

The morning of the senior Capitol Hill trip, the cafeteria was buzzing with excitement and nerves. As

seniors checked in with chaperones, teachers made sure students had passes for tours.

Everyone had their tickets all ready and we all just got on the metro,

said senior Lihi Tzur. It was very convenient and the weather

was nice so we could just walk there.

After exiting the metro

at Capitol south station, seniors had a variety of places to visit. One of the first stops of the day for many was the Library of Congress where seniors Camille Falisse, Sarah Webster, Jackie Tatge and Kelsey Wiley toured the building.

We tried to do things that we were the most interested in because there wasnt a lot of time, Tzur said. We sat in on the House Appropriations Committee meeting. Then we went to the Library of Congress where the Lincoln Bicentennial exhibit was.

While listening to Frank Wolf speaking with government teacher Jeff Dunson, seniors Camille Falisse and Jessie Hekl completed assignments for government.

[Frank Wolf] talked about how he voted against the stimulus package, said senior Laura Schorfheide. He said we had to focus on what was going on now not what had already happened.

Seniors had the opportunity to meet local Congressmen Frank Wolf and Gerry Connolly at two meet and greets held on the Capitol steps.

1:30 Metro back to Oakton

erica stein

ellie kaufman

erica stein

erica stein

alen

a sc

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- ellie kaufman, academics editor, can be reached at elena.kaufman@oaktonmedia.net

District Band has always been a regular experience to me. I had never really thought of it as something special until this year.

The perfect series of events came together with the right people to make it something worth remembering. I took away how to become a better musician.

District Band is not just one single band, but actually an event in which there are three bands. The lowest is the junior band, for which middle school students can try out. High school students audition for both symphonic band, the middle level and wind ensemble, the highest level.

If you place, you put a concert together in just two days and perform on the last day. While rehearsing the music, you learn things from both the guest conductor, usually from a major university, and from the people around you.

This year, I made the top spot on my instrument. I was definitely happy and thankful for the opportunity.

Districts took place at Chantilly High

School. It lasted Friday and Saturday, with the concert taking place on Saturday night.

When I came into rehearsal the first day, I met my section of people who play the same instrument. We were a small section of only four, so we all got to know each other quite well.

Personally, I learned a few improvisation tricks on my instrument, like how to string different segments of music together in order to complete an improvised solo. Also, I learned how to use the notes from different scales to put together such segments.

Our director, Weiss, from the University of Kansas, had a great impact on me as well. While my section taught me tricks about playing, he taught me about how to shape a piece of music to how you want it to sound, in other words, how to play the piece just right so that the audience could feel it.

Though we were tired from two days of straight rehearsal, when the concert came Saturday night, we came in and played our set. It turned out fantastically, and we even got a standing ovation from the audience. Afterwards, my section and I told each other good bye, and I left to go home after two days that had significantly impacted my playing.

On Valentines Day, several students from Oaktons Choral Department, including myself, performed at Marshall High School as a part of this

years District 12 Chorus. 12 girls from the Oakton Choral Department were selected to participate in this event.

I received my audition piece near the beginning of the school year and had a few weeks to prepare before the audition in October. The audition was blind, meaning the judges could not see us singing. It consisted of a section in which the student sings the prepared piece and a sight-singing portion. Though the audition is fairly intimidating, this year was my fourth time auditioning, so there were no surprises, and I knew what to expect.

Freshmen and sophomore girls went to the womens chorus, and all guys and junior and senior girls went to the mixed chorus. Each choir had a different guest conductor to work with us. I was in the mixed choir, which was fairly large, with more than 150

students from across the district.Since we had received the music

beforehand, we were prepared. During the three-day event, we devoted ourselves to rehearsing the music and making it sound as perfect as possible.

On Friday, we got to miss school and attend a seven-hour rehearsal. It was definitely tiring, but also a lot of fun and a good way to meet choral students from other schools.

What I think makes District Chorus different from normal chorus class is that everyone takes the music seriously, and we are all talented singers. Having to learn six songs in three days was only achieved through our high level of focus and commitment.

People who were members of the Mixed Choir had the opportunity to audition for All-State Chorus, which is the step further from Districts. This year I was fortunate enough to be selected as an alternate for the Alto 1 All-State Chorus.

The concert on Saturday was fantastic, and the audience enjoyed it a lot. I think it was a very rewarding experience because we all left feeling good about being able to successfully perform our selections.

page 11academics03.09.09

Chorus and band students compete in districts

sarah choi, sr.

chorus, alto one

jon reeg, jr.

band, trombone

C L I M B I N G U P T O

IVY LEAGUE SCHOOLS

Though many attribute Ivy League schools solely to students with perfect SATs and GPAs over a 4.0, Oakton graduates and teachers offer oddly normal perspectives of the universities.- alex straton and vipin reddy, copy editor and staff writer, can be reached at alex.straton@oaktonmedia.net and vipin.reddy@oaktonmedia.net

CORNELL

weatherI love the New York weather; its been snowing there since October. Its a step backward coming home [to warmer weather].

science backgroundI took a lot of sciences, including three APs: biology, chemistry and physics. I also did an NSLC engineering program.

women in engineeringFor this group, companies come and give interview opportunities, and stu-dents can talk to major representatives. Its a great way to get a job after college.

Katie BrowningOHS class of 08

COLUMBIA

spanish speakersThe spanish program is very theory-based in that you really develop your values as a teacher. You dont get practice practice, but youre taught core values.

not the harlem renaissancePeople often joked that there wasnt much to do nearby. However, there was more stuff to do if you went downtown.

international cultureI was the resident assistant for the In-ternational House. We housed 75 foreign students, and we held parties and big events, such as flag football.

Steve EslamiSpanish teacher

HARVARD

city lifeBoston may have the highest propor-tion of college students in the country. It has the Charles Regatta, the Boston Marathon and the Red Socks.

governmentAt the John F. Kennedy School of Government, I got my masters in public policy.

famous speakersThe Institute of Politics is a research center that brings big-name speakers to the campus, from foreign leaders to the Bush administration.

Eliot WaxmanSeminar teacher

UPENN

urban environmentThe culture was very similar to Wash-ington, D.C. There were a lot of activities to do, such as sporting events, museums and orchestras.

easy transferI graduated from the Munich American School in Germany. Based on what my counselor said, I applied to UPenn.

athletic rivalryUPenn had rivalries with surrounding schools, such as Drexel University and Temple. Some of the big rivalry sports were baseball, football and hockey.

George HubacMath teacher

Chorus students compete in three-day event with students from across the county

District Band proves to be an enlightening experience for first chair trombone player

I V Y

Performing a play written by the girl next to you on stage is sure to give you a competitive edge, and despite some casting tribulations along the way, this helped the drama department into taking third place at the VHSL Concorde District One-Act Festival on Jan. 26 at Herndon High School, its highest ranking in three years.

The drama department performed Double Shot, a play written by junior Haley Herrinton. She wrote the play from scratch and entirely on her own.

I wrote the play on my own time and submitted it for the competition, Herrinton said.

The play stars junior TJ Markham, junior Jordan Trostle, senior Chris North and Herrinton herself. Markhams and Herrintons characters begin the play as a married couple, as do Trostles and Norths, but as the play progresses, the characters fall in love with each others spouses.

Its about two couples in a small town who sort of cheat on each other with each other. Its meant to be funny and ironic. said Herrinton.

The play experienced a few setbacks during its production, including some major last minute casting changes. North had to give up his part for a trip to Hawaii, opening the role for his understudy, senior Ross McEwen. Markham became ill the day before the competition, passing the role on to junior Albert Anderson.

Ross came in a week before, and Albert was cast the morning of. They both did a really good job, said Herrinton.

McEwen took over the part of Noah, one of the four main roles.

I got the part the week before we went up, McEwen said. I had trouble learning all the lines. That was the biggest

road block. For Anderson, the cast change was a blessing.I ended up with the part I wanted from the beginning,

Anderson said. Haley had shown me the play about a year before and I had really liked it. When I read it, I really liked and felt connected to the character I ended up playing. I only had about five hours to learn all the lines, but it was really exciting.

The cast agreed that working with the original playwright bettered the experience overall.

I was one of the four main characters. It was easier to act [in] my own play, because I knew how the characters were supposed to be and I could change lines [without messing up the story], said Herrinton.

While she didnt direct the play herself, Herrinton did have input into its overall direction.

It definitely helped us get the characterization right, said McEwen. Haley could help instruct how the character was originally envisioned.

The drama department will perform Double Shot at Oakton on March 9, as well as three other plays. The plays include Loves Labors Lost and The Audition, as well as another play written by Anderson entitled No Clue.

Despite the emergency casting changes in this performance, Herrinton and the cast were thrilled with the competitions results.

I was really pleased with how the whole thing turned out. We got third, so I was really happy, said Herrinton.

Student playwright helps drama take home third place in districts

- kyle hughes, staff writer, can be reached at kyle.hughes@oaktonmedia.net

page 12 academics 03.09.09A shot of victory...

ADMIT ONESee the

DRAMA DEPARTMENTperform

DOUBLE SHOTand three other plays

LOVES LABORS LOST THE AUDITION NO CLUEMonday, March 9th at 7PM

Tickets $10

Haley Herrinton performs Double Shot, a play she wrote herself. I

was one of the four main characters, said Herrinton. It

was easier to act [in] my own play

because I knew how the characters were

supposed to be.ka

sey

sher

man

Important dates:March 12: AP/Honors nightMarch 17: Sophomore parents programMarch 25: Tri-M solo and ensemble concert

Science Olympiad places at RegionalsScience Olympiad competed in the Langley Regional Tournament on Feb. 28. Seniors Thet Aung, Saruul Sergelenbaatar, Boyuan Wang and junior Patricia Raditch won second place. Seniors Boyuan Wang, Dylan Vaughn, Trevor Vaughn and junior Warsan Yusuf won third place. The students will compete in a state-wide competition on March 21.

Students place at regional art awardsStudents competed and placed in the 2009 Regional Scholastic Art Awards. Seniors Genevieve Duy, Yoon Hee Kim, Gladys Manzur and junior Daniel Millogo recieved gold key awards. Seniors Sean Czerniak, Katie Haynie, Natalie Kerby, Ke jun Liu, Lauren Williams, Jimin Yeam and junior Catherine Harman recieved silver key awards. Seniors Katie Haynie, Yoon Hee Kim, Gladys Manzur and junior Hannah Vansickle also recieved certificates of merit. The awards ceremony was held at Ernst Cultural Center at the NOVA Annandale campus.

Students make All-State OrchestraEight students auditioned for All-State Orchestra at James Madison University on Feb. 28. Of the eight students, six were selected among hundreds of students to participate in the All-State Orchestra event from April 2-4. Senior Adam Celli, juniors Evan Cannon, Danny Song and freshmen Stacy Ham and Mikey Lankenau were selected.

Band to host Jammin CoffeehouseThe band will host a Jammin Oakton Coffeehouse with Rachel Carson on March 21. The jazz, steel band and percussion ensembles along with Rachel Carsons jazz ensemble will perform at the new talent showcase. Tickets are $5 per person or $15 for a family.

Drama 2 performs in D.C.Drama 2 traveled to the Folger Shakespeare theatre in D.C. on March 4 to present Legally, Loves, Labors Lost, a 30 minute version of Shakespeares play done in the style of Legally Blonde. The play will also be performed during the theatres One-Act evening on March 9.

Regional College Fair to be heldGeorge Mason University will host the Northern Virginia Regional College Fair on April 22 at the Patriot Center. College representatives will be available to talk to potential students and parents about their respective institutions and to answer questions.

Career Center to host college visitsThe following colleges will be visiting the Career Center in the upcoming weeks. To attend, pick up a pass in the Career Center from Mrs. Kenderick. March 13: United States Military AcademyMarch 17: Mississippi State UniversityMarch 24: Allegany College of Maryland

news briefs

- ellie kaufman, academics editor, can be reached at elena.kaufman@oaktonmedia.net

clubspage 13

03.09.09

Best Buddies creates lasting friendships

How can Superman and Spiderman be in the same movie? asked junior Shelby Parsons, teasing Kyler Reese, freshman and a buddy in the Best Buddies club, during a meeting.

Hey, its my movie, thats why, Re-ese said, while talking about the cast he made for his movie Spiderman 3, which he presented at the beginning of their February meeting.

The Best Buddies club, which al-lows intellectually-disabled students to form one-on-one relationships with other students, meets the sec-ond Wednesday of every month and holds an event once a month. Dedi-cated members, like Parsons, help students with intellectual disabilities form friendships that they might otherwise not have.

I joined Best Buddies because K Scarry, the president [of the club], is my best friend, Parsons said. She always talked about how fun it was, and I got interested, and now here I am.

Parsons has been a member of best buddies since her sophomore year, and her current buddy is freshman Matthew Nelson

[Nelson] is a lot of fun, Parsons said. I love spending time with him; its great to be able to make a differ-ence in his life.

To be in Best Buddies and be paired with a buddy, members have to talk to them twice a week and hang out with them twice a month. Parsons has done her best to go beyond this requirement.

[Nelson] and I hang out a lot. We go out for ice cream, we went to a play, I went to his basketball game, and hes coming to my orchestra concert, which Im excited about, Parsons said. Its great to hang out with him.

Like Parsons, junior K Scarry makes sure to spend a lot of time with her buddy and puts a lot of commitment into the club.

My buddy and I do tons of stuff over the weekends. We go to the movies, we went to a super bowl party, and we just have a lot of fun together, Scarry said.

By forming relationships with individual buddies, the club aims to benefit the lives of intellectually-disabled students.

We just want the buddies to have the best high school experience they possibly can, Scarry said.

Parsons stands by the mission state-ment and her belief that it makes a difference in the buddies lives.

Not everybody is accepting of people with intellectual disabilities, and they might be isolated from the students and not have the same friends if they didnt have that dis-ability. Some of the disabilities are social, so they dont know how to relate to people as well, Parsons said. We make sure that everyone has friends and that everybody gets to hang out with people. When you go to lunch and look around and dont know who to sit with, you feel lonely, but now they have us to be with and theyre not just by themselves.

The club has events with other Best

Buddies clubs at schools around the region in order to provide the bud-dies with this experience.

We had an event where the bud-dies got to meet Miss Teen USA and Miss Universe, and we also had the Special Olympics, Scarry recalled. It was a great experience for them.

The buddies have a lot of fun at the events because they get to connect with not only their peer buddies, but with the other members of the club.

My favorite [event this year] would have to be the Valentines Dance at George Mason, said sophomore buddy Lauren Hyer. It was fun because you could invite people from other schools, and other

schools went, so I got to see some other friends from middle school.

The buddies get a lot out of the club because they are able to form the relationships the mission statement aims for.

I like [Best Buddies] because I get to meet new people, I get to go out, have fun and go places where I have never been, Hyer said. You get to hang out at your buddys house, and we dont normally get to do that, so its fun.

Hyer was able to meet many

students she didnt know before best buddies, and she encourages every-one to join the club.

It impacted me especially when I first started. I didnt know that many people coming into high school from middle school, and it changed my life, because I now have a lot of friends, Hyer said.

However, the buddies arent the only people that benefit from the bonds formed at the club. Parsons has made many friends through the program by meeting other people from the various Best Buddies chap-ters from other schools at events.

It probably made me a little more well-rounded. I see the buddies as if they were my other friends, and I am more understanding of different situ-ations of people with different lives, Parsons said.

Sophomore Caroline McGrath hangs out with her buddy Lauren Hyer, sophomore, in between classes. Hyer has been a member of best buddies for the past two years and she and McGrath hang out and go shopping. I always went to her swim meets [for Oaktons team] every Friday when they had them, Hyer said.

[Best Buddies] impacted me especially when I first started. I didnt know that many people coming into high school from middle school, and it changed my life, because I now have a lot of friends.

- lauren hyer, soph.

fast

fact

s

Best buddies has many chapters across the country Peer buddies hang out with the buddies at least twice a month and talk at least twice a week The club has events with other Best Buddies chapters in the area once a month

- mayura iyer and zoe mitchell, staff writers, can be reached at mayura.iyer@oaktonmedia.net and zoe.mitchell@oaktonmedia.net

During the Best Buddies meeting, juniors Shelby Parsons and Gabe Makuga write letters to soldiers for Valentines day. I love being in Best Buddies, Makuga said. Ive made so many friends and have done so many things [with the club].(right) Sophomore Caroline McGrath helps buddy Gabe Eli, freshman, frost a heart-shaped cookie for the clubs annual Val-entines Day Dance. McGrath has been helping in best buddies for the past two years and is now a club officer. I chose to do best buddies because at Oakton we have so many opportunities, McGrath said.

mayura iyermayura iyer

zoe mitchell

page 14 clubs 03.09.09

Given the prompt, Emanuel Grant begins to outline how he will answer the presented situation. Having received a marketing question, Grant and his partner must quickly decipher a solution and then address this potential answer to a judge. At least, this is how they hope it will happen.

There are prompts or scenarios given, and you have to give a solution to the judges using effective sales procedures, Grant said.

This category is presented for students who havent placed in individual role plays at Districts or feel that they have a good chance of succeeding with another partner. It is key to always look the judges in the eyes, stay confident and pretend you know everything, Grant said.

The benefit of groups is having an energetic person and a factual person.

Each can serve a function to provide both sides of the solution.

Kids should understand what their strengths are, said

marketing teacher Kristina Gehrki. I tell students that the person in a team who is less animated should be talking about

numbers and facts. The outgoing and energetic students should discuss advertising campaigns.

It is important that students practice beforehand. While many competitors merely walk into the ballroom without any experience.

Then they can specialize on a specific

category. Hopefully students will practice in front of a panel here, Gehrki said. This year the kids will have a mock presentation before they go. It makes a huge difference in the competition.

Johns Hopkins offers two excellent programs to head your college plans in the right direction:

THIS SUMMER, wherever you want to go, Johns Hopkins will get you there!

For more information, please visit www.jhu.edu/summer/ or call 1-800-548-0548.

summer UNIVERSITYTwo 5-week terms of immersion-style classes that let you dig deep into fascinating subjects. Take classes alongside college students and earn college credit.

HOPKINS PROGRAMSShort-term, theme-based, residential programs that expose you to the best of Hopkins and the Baltimore area.

IM A PRE-COLLEGE STUDENT

DECA prepares to compete at state competition

TeamDecision Making

DEC

Afac

ts DECAs club symbol is the diamond. DECA operates in over 4,000 high schools. DECA is co-curricular, meaning it complements curriculum standards with extracurricular activities.

DECA Comprehensive Exam

Are you smarter than a DECA student? These exam questions were developed by Marketing Education Re-source Center. All DECA stu-dents are required to take an entry test to discover how they rank amoung other students. Find out how well you know marketing, man-agement and entrepreneur-ship in business, finance, hospitality and marketing sales and service.

1) Wendys sells the right to operate its restaurants to individuals who meet the companys criteria. The arrangement between Wendys and these indi-viduals is an example ofA. charteringB. articles of incorporationC. franchisingD. a partnership agreement

2) The supervisor has given John directions for several new job tasks. To follow the directions ef-fectively, John should first ask the supervisor:A. whether these will be regular tasksB. who will be working with himC. why the tasks need to be doneD. in what order to do the tasks

3) What is a factor that affects a business rela-tions with its customers?A. Attitude of employeesB. Location of suppliersC. Behavior of competitorsD. Condition of associates4) Which of the following is one of a business big-gest expenses:A. Utilities

B. InsuranceC. RentD. Payroll

Answer Key: 1: C

2: D3: A4: D

Individual Role Play students group together for second chance at marketing competition in Team Decision Making

Four eager DECA students enter the ballroom of the Marriot. They have 15 minutes total to present their manual, which is for a website that tells consumers the waiting time at different local locations, such as restaurants. They have spent all year preparing for this one moment: DECA States.

I spent from September to February writing the paper and from February to March making the board, said Shelby Cooper, senior.

Manual writers have the advantage of being well prepared ahead of time. They can use display boards and flashcards or posters to answer the judges questions. Im not good at on the spot thinking and processing, said Kelly Schnitzer, senior.

The first 10 minutes of their presentation will include an explanation and description of their 30-page manual

followed by 5 minutes of questions from the judges.

Our idea for the manual is a website that tells consumers the

waiting time at different places, said Jordan Lawson, senior.The written document will account

for 60 points and the oral presentation will account for the remaining 40 points of the total 100 points.

Last year the judge wasnt our target market, Lawson said. So he wasnt impressed with our project.

This year DECA students are using their past experiences at DECA states to better this years presentations.

Last years harsh criticism and non-responsiveness has better prepared me for this years critique, Cooper said. I feel more mentally able and ready for the task at hand.

Business Manual

DECA students write business manual for state contest

- tesla jensen, clubs editor, and alex perry, staff writer can be reached at tesla.jensen@oaktonmedia.net and alex.perry@oaktonmedia.net

clubs page 1503.09.09

Two Strangers usually try to avoid eye contact in passing, they ofton pass by without acknowledging one another, and rarely greet each other with a wave or smile. Ethiopian woman Tigst Terefework and senior Sarah Peacock are complete strangers, in fact, they life across the globe from each other. However Peacock and the rest of the Habitat for Hu-manity club are exchanging more than pleasentries with Terefework, they are building her a $768,000 house.

From raising money to helping build condos for many destitute people to collecting toys for children whose parents can not afford to buy their own, Habitat for Humanity (H for H) per-forms all these tasks to give as much help as possible to underprivaleged strangers. The club is currently working on a project to build a condo for Terefework and Yeabsera, her eight-year-old son. She lost her home and is now sleeping on the floor of a friends house, said co-president and founder, Sarah Peacock, senior. She also worked two jobs to send her son to school.

H for H of Northern Virginia has a group called Youth United for those under the age of 18. This group is raising money through donations and fundraising to pay for the building supplies. We need 768,000 dollars to build the condo and we just got a 100,000 dollar loan from State Farm, Peacock said. We could not start in Octo-

ber because of a lack of funding. All members of the H for H club have

a drive to help their community and those around them.

I had done community service previously but I had

never felt that I had made a real difference in my commu-nity, said co-president and co-founder, Camille Falisse, senior. Sarah Peacock told me one of her friends wanted us to start an H for H club at Oakton high school and I thought this could

help me make a real difference. Though they have not even met Terefework, everyone is still looking forward to helping some-one who really needs it. I have not met [Terefework], and neither has anyone in our club, but Im very excited to meet her and build a home for her and her child, Fa-lisse said. One of my favorite parts is that we will

actually be building with her and her child which will really influence us and show us that our ef-forts will actualy make a difference. Through building this family a new house, stu-dents in the club hope seek to build an attachment not just to their work, but to its recipient By meeting with her and working with her, we can build her a house which she will be able to call home, Falisse said.

Habitat for Humanity helps home-building effort

A family living in Kenya stands out side of their new home built by Habitat for Humanity. Around sixty percent of Kenyas population lives on two dollars or less a day and face the constant threat of disease due to their poverty.

Model UN goes to Boston for conference

Habitat for Humanity has built 300,000 houses all over the world.

They have given more then 1.5 million people homes.

H for H has built homes for the impover-ished on every continent except Australia

and Antarctica.

FastFacts

Lego Build BlitzA fundraiser where elementary school kids will get to have two hours to build the best Lego structure.

Oakton Build DayA day where the Oakton Habitat for Humanity Club goes to build the condo.

Act! Speak! Build! WeekWeek dedicated to getting active and trying to encourage young kids to get involved in their community and Habitat for Humanity.

May

YU Build DayA day where all the factions of the YU groups will get together and work on building the condo.

March

Schedule

- owen chesser, staff writer, can be reached at owen.chesser@oaktonmedia.net

Stuck in the airport, juniors Neal Pania and Kevin Chen wait for Mrs. Insanally and Mr. Bostaph. The students flight got canceled due to snow in the Boston area. Because our flight was cancelled, we had to find a later flight and we were stuck in Boston for an extra four hours, Pania said.

Talking to an administrator of the BosMUN VII conference, senior Jill Burke was happy about winning an award. Burke participated in the Roman Senate and her character part was Marcus Tullius Cicero. I was confident in the last conference, Burke said. I had never been so prepared for my topic before.

The Model UN students prepared for weeks beforehand to be able to effectively argue their topic at the BosMUN VIII conference. The debate is based off of actual UN programs that mimic the way international diplomacy works. Students split up into designated mock programs and debate to solve world issues.

Award Winners

- rachel sapone, staff writer, can be reached at rachel.sapone@oaktonme-dia.net

rachel sapone rachel sapone

Jill Burke, sr.- Gavel for Best Delegate in the Roman SenateChris Wizda sr.- Best Position Paper in the USSR Council of MinistersMira Mehta, jr.- Best Position Paper in the ETAMengtian Xie jr.- Best Position Paper in the Press CorpRichard Li, jr.- Honorable Mention in the UN Commission on Social Development Micheal Nye, jr.- UN Special Committee on Criminal Justice and Criminal PunishmentMaria Laura Crespo, jr.- Honorable Mention on the UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the CaribbeanNeal Pania, jr.- Honorable Mention in the UN Commission on Human Rights

page 16 clubs 03.09.09

Students in Family Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) competed in the district competition on Feb. 7. From this, seniors Dan Nyugen, Elizabeth Edwards, Andrea Bermudez and Allison Stafford won awards allowing them to advance to the state competition taking place on March 27-29 in Virginia Beach. FCCLA is the club that falls under the FACS, Family and Consumer Science, branch. In it, students prepare for future careers and gain experience in the community. Its a national organization, said Family and Consumer Science head Jaquelyn Dresser. Its a leadership organization where students in FACS classes can take any of the related fields such as culinary arts, consumer relations, fashion and interior design and compete. The competition has many different categories, called STAR, Students Taking Action with Recognition, events. STAR events are competitions in which students get recognized for their achievements in their projects, leadership and career preparation in the form of portfolios. First of all they decide on a category they are interested

in that will help them with their career choices, Dresser said. For instance, Dan Nguyen entered in culinary arts. She had to put together a portfolio with photos and letters of recommendation so [Dan] learned how to put together a

portfolio for her future career. To prepare for the competition, students must create and complete a project relating to their field.We did focus on children, Bermudez said. For our project we go to Mosby Woods and teach kids to conserve energy. So we educate the kids and have them make poster boards. We had to take pictures of it and make a portfolio for the competition. Once this is done, the FCCLA members go to Districts where they are asked

questions and their work is reviewed by judges. It was funny because we werent prepared at all to answer their questions, Bermudez said. It felt weird, but we did okay in the end. Bermudez will continue her project through the second week of March, after which she will take it to the state level. What the girls did at the district level was prepare for the state leadership and recognition conference held in March, Dresser said.

Because Districts is mainly preparation, students did not expect to place. We won bronze, Edwards said. It was pretty good. Districts is not that important. The judges tell you what to fix for states mainly, so we did not expect to win and were just worried about finishing our project on time. By doing this project and competing, students are able to prepare for their future careers by gaining experience. I know Allison and I want to be teachers, Edwards said. So it gave us experience for the future. Also, through this experience, students learn about helping the community and what affects it. Small things count, Bermudez said. You dont have to do big things to make a change, and the best way to reach out to the community is through the youth. Along with this, they also gained an appreciation for the topic they chose, which in Edwards and Bermudezs case is the environment. Teaching others makes it more real to you, Edwards said. It was encouraging to see the kids reactions as well. They were excited to learn.

Not just a piece of cake Students in FCCLA learn how to prepare for their future as they win awards in competition

- elise werner, staff writer, can be reached at elise.werner@oaktonmedia.net

T he youth vote was a key to the presidential race last Nov. Although Virginia voted Democrat for the first election in over 40 years, there was a strong Republican turnout in the area. Seniors Allie Reed and Jill Burke are looking to strengthen and expand this base by heading the new Young Republicans club. The Young Republicans are planning to have meetings, socials with other groups like the Young Democrats, making appointments with members of congress, and having guest speakers come in and talk to the students about republican and conservative issues. We are taking a trip to the Capital Center to visit Congressman Wolf and we have guest speakers from the Fairfax County Young Republicans and the C-PAC conference coming in to talk to the students, said AP Government teacher and Young Republican club sponsor Joshua Henry. These meetings and upcoming events demonstrate the tone of the club and the interests of its members and sorts of activities they wish to pursue.

The Young Republicans brings students with similar views together and gives them not only an afterschool extracurricular activity, but experience that they will remember like visiting congressman Wolf in the Capitol. Its important to make it a fun learning experience, Henry said. The groups sponsor, Joshua Henry, enjoys having these meetings

because he has had experience in republican politics and is a government teacher here at Oakton. This enables him to be qualified to sponsor the Young Republican meetings and to be a part of them, unlike with some clubs, where the sponsor doesnt seem involved. This group is convenient for students in this area because D.C. is so close and so they have the opportunity to plan day trips to meet important political figures.

I take a lot of pride in being a Republican, despite the negative connotations associated with being one, said club president and senior, Jill Burke. Especially during the election, I felt that it became more and more necessary to spread the word about what it means to be a Republican in a school full of people who are mostly democrats.

Young Republicans unite under common political colors

Results of District Competition

fast

fact

s FCCLA is a national organtization there are 20 STAR eventsmembers are tested in each event either through cooperative, individualized or competitive activities

I take a lot of pride in being a Republican, despite the negative connotations associated with being one, especially during the election, I felt that it became more and more necessary to spread the word about what it means to be a Republican in a school full of people who are mostly democrats. - jill burke, sr.

- erik gunther, staff writer, can be reached at erik.gunther@oaktonmedia.net

- Joshua Henry, Young Republicans club sponsor

- Jill Burke, Young Republicans co-president

- Allie Reed, Young Republicans co-

president

Young Republicans Club Leaders

meet the members

photos courtesy of jacqueline dresser

- Allison Stafford, sr., Elizabeth Edwards, sr. and Andrea Bermudez, sr.

Focus on Children, Third Place

I like working with kids. You pick a project that meant something to you. -Edwards

- Dan Nguyen, jr.

Culinary Arts, First Place

I enjoy culinary arts because its great to make some-thing not only delicious, but really good. -Nguyen

page 17

03.09.09

outlo

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StaffersAlex BuscemiDaniel ChaitMichelle ChuVictoria DoxeyErik GuntherAmanda HermanKyle Hughes

Business ManagerNyssa Wratschko Yenni Tan (Asst.)

Editors in Chief

Ethan DoyleDanielle HolstromMatt Johnson

Feature Editor

Chris Weil

Opinions Editor

Nia RobersonZoe Mitchell (Asst.)

Clubs Editor

Tesla JensenKirin Gupta (Asst.)

Academics Editor

Elena Kaufman

Insight Editor

Erica Wohlleben

Sports Editor

Alena Schwarz

Copy Editor

Alex Straton

Photo EditorDrew GuntherGladys Manzur

The Outlook is an open forum for student expression. Unsigned editorials reflect the collective opinion of the Outlook staff. Signed editorials represent the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Outlook or Oakton High School. Reader opinions are important to the Outlook and contributions are welcome. Make your voice heard by sending us a line about whats on your mind. Letters to the editor may be may be sent via email to editors@oaktonoutlook.com or dropped off in Chad Rummels box in the main office or in room 196. The Outlook reserves the right to edit submissions for grammar and content provided the meaning remains unchanged.

Mayura IyerSarah KashanianDaphne MartschenkoEmily MillsAlex PerryVipin ReddyRachel SaponeShayda ShahbaziSarah KashanianOwen ChesserDrew HarringtonJessica KlaberElise WernerAlex Zanin

AdvisersChad RummelMary Clare McKesson

Online Editors

Koorosh MassoudiRyan OGorman

Eight Ways to Cut Oaktons Budget1) Students should pay standardized test fees.

The county pays all standardized test fees for AP tests, albeit at a discount, as instated in 2005. Each AP test costs approximately $80 per student. Oakton pays for the majority of all AP testing, as well as PSAT testing for all sophomores at the cost of around $10. These testing fees should be made the responsibility of the students and their families. However, the country should pay testing fees for students who are already eligible for financial aid, so as not to limit educational opportunities based on financial situation.

2) Academy Classes should provide their own transportation.

Bussing students to alternative high school programs, such as Academy classes offered at Oakton, is paid for by FCPS. These students choose to be enrolled in these off school-ground programs and should pay for their own

transportation as the choice to pursue these alternative classes should not effect the finances of students who remain at the school.

3) Sports boosters and athletes should provide transportation.

If FCPS were to cut funding for academy educations transportation, the county should also require school athletic programs to pay for their own transportation. At Oakton,

the Athletics Boosters fund school sports, but transportation is provided by the county. The sports should fund their own transportation, saving the county money in bus drivers and gas; even if it may require raising the price of a game ticket.

4) Give an incentive for older, higher-paid teachers to retire.

Teacher salaries are based on years of experience teaching. Teachers who have been teaching for many years are paid more than younger, newer teachers. Giving an incentive to those teachers who are near or past retirement age would allow for younger, lower-paid teachers to assume their positions, lowering the cost of staffing schools.

5) Eliminate unnecessary support positions.

Although it is always hard to eliminate employees from the staff, it may be necessary in these tough financial times to remove some support positions to avoid cutting teaching positions. If it was necessary, cuts could be made in both the security and library staffing departments. This prevents Oaktons student to teacher ratio from exceeding the FCPS limit anymore than it currently d-oes.

6) Reduce the amount of paper used by the school.

Oakton High School can focus on and encourage students to use less paper, which the school

currently spends $40,000 on yearly. All students have access to a computer, whether at home or in the school library, and teachers should increase their usage of digital technology, such as Blackboard, as well as encourage students to turn in assignments through e-mail. Although education should not be 100 percent paperless, if Oakton reduced the amount of paper it used, the school could save a lot of money, and even some trees.

7) Eliminate Monday late buses.

If late buses were to be reduced from two days a week to one, students would still have Wednesdays to talk to their teachers to receive necessary help. If a student needed to stay after on another day of the week they can get picked up by parents or arrange rides home with other students. If Oakton were to reduce late bus days, the county would not need to pay as many bus drivers or pay for trans-portation fees.

8) Rely less on air conditioning and heating.

Oaktons heating, ventilating, and air conditioning, or HVAC, is paid for by the county. If Oakton and other high schools were to keep a stable temperature it could save the county money in HVAC costs. This would require setting the thermostat a few degrees higher in the summer, and a few degrees lower in the winter, ensuring the safety of the environment. Students can easily bring a jacket to school in the winter, and wear shorts, or other cooler clothing during the summer months.

FCPS is suffering from an severe budget deficit of over 650 million dollars for the upcoming fiscal year. The school board will be voting on county wide budget cuts this month, but we feel that each school should also concentrate on what could be reduced separately

this staff editorial is the official opinion of the Oakton Outlook

catherine harman

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see story on page 03

page 18 opinions 03.09.09

P eople immigrate to America for reasons such as war, persecution, family reunification, poverty and other dangers found in their home countries, often without the due process of law.

America is an escape for people in harms way in their own country. The

problem is that these immigrants who need a way out and a safe place to live, go undocumented, leaving them on their own when it comes to such necessities as healthcare, education, and finding jobs. However, they need to abide by immigration laws by applying for citizenship or work visas.

Immigrants can only benefit by becoming legal American citizens. The biggest discrepency with this, though, is that it is a long and arduous task for any immigrant to become a legal United States citizen.

The immigration laws should stay in place, but simultaneously need to be reformed to make it easier for immigrants to obtain American citizenship. Our country should do its part to help all immigrants in need so that their children and their grandchildren can live successful lives as Americans.

Keeping immigration laws helps to maintain order. If they were modified to make it easier for immigrants to become citizens, it would allow them to attend college and hold secure jobs.

Another reason why immigration laws need to stay in place is because it helps regulate how many people are let in. We cannot allow every immigrant in because it could lead to overpopulation.

Some people dont like letting other people into the U.S. because of a fear that jobs will be taken and American culture and language will be vulnerable. Many immigrants take jobs that most Americans often refuse to do, and immigrants try to adapt to our culture as quickly as they can.

Immigration laws are needed, but the U.S. should allow immigrants into our country more efficiently. At the same time, immigrants need to become accustomed to our culture and especially the language, while Americans need to see that everyone deserves equality.

Restrictions bar worthy students from college

erik gunther

staff writer

Its a Friday, and kids are pouring out of school, anxious to arrive at friends houses to start their weekends. However, blue lights and sirens let students know that their weekend is over before it starts. All there is to think of is the trouble theyre in and what the officer will say. When the ordeal is over, theyre slammed with a ticket, a nine hour driving course, and an optional court appearance. Awesome.

Police, stingy when it comes to giving out warnings, and indulgent in giving tickets, seem to be increasing in numbers on the roads around school. Is this fair though? Why are squad cars suddenly swooping upon inexperienced drivers when they should be focusing on legitimate crime?

Motivated by meeting quotas to keep their jobs, officers prey on students to make an easy buck. There are consequences for speeding, but police concentration around Sutton and Chain Bridge Roads

leaving unattended roads across the county, shows that our police officers are taking the easy way out. The biased law enforcement takes advantage of inexperienced drivers who, in most cases should really get away with warnings before

receiving huge tickets and driving school. Granted, we should all slow down a bit, but at the same

time, the police should be more lenient towards kids who have only been driving for a few months. Its nice that

theyre trying to keep us safe, but students should be given a chance to learn from their mistakes before harsh

measures are taken. The other point is the method police officers use

to distribute tickets and warnings. Driving 15 mph over the speed limit and getting a ticket compared to someone driving 20 mph over and getting off with a warning makes no sense. The inconsistency with which tickets are distributed makes getting pulled over a case of luck rather than a standard system for issuing tickets.

Police unfairly profile inexperienced drivers as easy targets

Immigration law maintains order, opportunity in America

Pro Con

- jessica klaber and emily mills, staff writers, can be reached at jessica.klaber@oaktonmedia.net and emily.mills@oaktonmedia.net

High school revolves around my goals. Some students think school is futile. Ninety nine percent of

Oakton students aim for college as their primary post-high-school goals. For undocumented students in VA schools, public university

is not an option.Illegal immigrants in VA may go from

elementary to high school. But doing so, they should know that their opportunities for higher education are limited..Forty-one universities in the U.S. deny

illegal immigrants a proper education. Undocumented students number around 65,000 all of whom will be denied the chance to study, even after assimilating fully to the U.S.

lifestyle. Today, 75 percent of American students go to

college. Contrastingly, only five percent of eligible undocumented students take that next step. It doesnt make sense that the U.S. completely funds

these students education for 12 years, and when the time comes, does not allow them to fund their own. In the DREAM Act, set forth in Congress to

undergo consideration, is a plan to allow innocent students like these the same opportunities that citizens have.

Missing papers are the roadblock at admissions of prestigous universities, forcing illegals to attend institutions of lower rank. Students who have assimilated into the American school system and

providing an option that would heighten competition with other countries, is a worthy candidate for a university spot, despite documentation.

This law is blatant discrimination. For those who have not caused legal trouble, have applied for the correct documentation, and have been brought into the U.S. and assimilated five years prior, and have attended and graduated from a U.S. high school, meeting the set requirements schools judge documented students by, abolishing this law is a necessary fight.

kirin gupta

asst. clubs editor

alex perry

page 19opinions03.09.09

Recycling is a beneficial cause that encourages people to protect the earth and atmosphere. Oakton is one of the many places that encourages recycling

among students but does not pursue this goal. The hundreds of recycling bins in the school send off a hypocritical message to most students and teachers. They believe that the thousands of pieces of paper they are recycling are going to a good cause. However, the papers in the recycling bins are loaded into the dumpster that also holds the regular garbage of the school.

Our school has not always been against recycling. Unfortunately, last year the class of 2008 graduated the only members that actively participated in helping our school recycle. The remainder of the student body needs to step up and take the place of the previous seniors. If students joined together to help our school, we could all help the environment.

This problem needs to be addressed by the students and viewed as a major issue. Anything done to help this cause would be advantageous in many ways. For example, the school could hold monthly earth days where students would dedicate time to separating types of garbage and help clean the school.

Recycling would be profitable to our school as well as to students daily lives. Recycling would not cost the school any extra money. In fact, the school would gain money by recycling. Through the recycling of glass, plastic and papers students get the message to recycle at home and set an example for others to see. There are countless environmental benefits that include saving trees, preventing global

warming, and reducing waste and green house gas emissions.

The school needs to educate students on how to recycle efficiently. The blue bins are strictly meant for white paper while the cafeteria should hold bins for plastic and glass bottles. These bins need to be visible to students to ensure garbage will not get mixed together. Also, it is necessary to have a waste bin beside each recycling bin in order for students to easily separate garbage.

Oakton should serve as a role model to other schools in the country. With all the people crit