POWERFUL | SHOWS | SPYING DREAM BEST OF | WOMEN TOSEE |FORFIDEL | KITCHENS | ANNAPOLIS WHY YOU SHOULD HATE THIS SCHOULAt Fairfax’s Thomas Jefferson High School, that kid a couple of lockers down could be the next Bill Gates—and getting a first-class education here doesn’t cost $30,000 a year. But could America’s best high school be too good? SUCCESS FACTORY By DREW LINDSAY ‘Meet Brian Murphy. He’s days away from graduating, fom Thomas Jefferson High School, better known as America's Best High School, winere smart kids from all over Northern Virginia plocto rake over the world, orat [EM least yetinto Princeton, Jefferson isa science-and-technology magnet school with an admissions process more daunting than those that guard the gates ofthe nation’s top colleges. By reputation, i's school of geeks and comprar ers. Brian, however, arrived at Jefferson caring more about history and writing than science, Tall, broad-shouldered, and blond, he’s coeaptain ofthe soccer team and walks with a loose: limbed confidence. Though vored biggest fire by classmates, he’s manure, well spoken, and genuinely nice, IF Brian dies the Jeflerson stereotype, that's because the school is nothing lke it’s supposed to be. Yes, whia-kid sei- smpions roam the halls nalists than probably at entists, computer jocks, and chess el along with more National Merit Semi any otherschoolin the country. But there's also a professional model who juggles New York wigs with dissecting leeches in neuroscience lab. A recent grad Wasa world champion in the martial arts A junior is president of Virginia's Latin society anda college-baseball prospect. 62 WASHINGTOMAN| OcTOSEA 2009, avait Sra) cause it ells top talent from all over, Jefferson is oficn likened to the star-studded New York Yankees— and hated with the same passion, Bue the Yankees sin only in basebull; Jefferson wins a everything, In the school’s orchestra and band, 22 students made All State in 2008—nearly ewice as many as at any other Fairfax school. Classmates of Brian’s won a national bridge championship against middle-age players. The school is even emerging asa sports power, having ‘earned eight state titles since 2000, more than every coun rival ‘except Lake Braddock and Robinson, It wasn’t supposed to be this way. Thomas Jefferson Fligh School tor Science and Technology was created in 1985 a8 2 learning laboratory to sced the workforce for Northern Vi ginia’s growing technology industry. No one expected it ta win soccer games. Texas the ae that Jeleron is gteat ate An anette erythingisa sours of pride bt ako of con- Beadle tbl of cern. Among the faculty, there's afar that len adores the school is becoming. succes fctory—a meal 3 place where overachieer are Science ing up tophiesand college cre ischrology ni up top = techno themselves inthe lab or classroom, The naDS WW4a Melting Roi: thine Ke TOdLe 1 Ed pp ling Poi ‘aint: Heat of fusion OTe TIFF a © seater atta” Olafem* G74 Toro) Oe Seat urn ‘WOCbas) WEE GS lass for ESHNQA-E Won C \S1 4G ees . Ser oe = oases Ov