volume 48, issue 6

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march 1, 2010 Walt whitman High school 7100 whittier boulevard Bethesda, maryland 20817 theblackandwhite.net

Inside Look photo by CAROLINE LIPPOLD

Analysis: Scoring
2 NEWS handicap knocks 3
#1
Maryland’s rank among
high schools out of
U.S. News top 100
country’s high schools for
AP passing rate. by jessica gelfarb and james dionne
Throughout the Bethesda community,
Whitman is known for its overachieving students,

8 OPINION extensive extracurricular activities and top- notch

teachers. For two years, U.S. News and World
Report acknowledged these accomplishments
and recognized the school as one of the top
100 in the nation. But when the magazine
released its new list this December, Whitman
was missing, dropping from number 44 in 2009
The disasters to an honorable mention in 2010. Also missing
and triumphs of were Churchill and Wootton, two other Maryland

9 IN-DEPTH
Chat Roulette. high schools included in the magazine’s top 100
last year.
Baffled by the drop, school administrators
and parents searched for an explanation. U.S.
modern News analyst Robert Morse published a blog Dec.
family 18 on the magazine’s website, entitled “Why Three
Montgomery County Schools are Honorable
Mention.” Morse explained that Whitman,
Wootton and Churchill didn’t meet criteria for
test performance improvement in English and
math HSA’s in 2007-2008, the year on which the
2010 rankings are based. This means that though

GIRLS SWIMMING
most Whitman students scored extremely high
on the HSA’s, the scores weren’t high enough
to counterbalance the generally lower scores of

14
students with free and reduced meals (FARMS),
FEATURE DOMINATES METROS who make up a small percentage of the school’s

“
So now students
can feel more
connected to their
incoming class and
university well before
by caroline lippold
The girls swim team clinched their first-ever Metros title the weekend of Feb.
student population.
Because only 1.9 percent of the total student
body in 2007-2008 - the lowest percentage in the
county - was a part of the FARMS program, the
students considered to be in poverty would have
needed to score higher than students at a school
with a higher student poverty rate. U.S. News

”
stepping foot on 24 at the 46th annual Washington Metropolitan Interscholastic Swimming and uses this methodology based on the premise that
campus. Diving Championships. schools with fewer FARMS students face fewer

19 ARTS On the girls side, captain Danielle Schulkin, a senior, set a Metros record in
the 100-meter butterfly with an automatic All-American time of 55:07. Schulkin
later teamed up with co-captain Lauren Poore, sophomore Reia Tong and freshman
challenges than schools with numerous FARMS
students.
“We measure how the students in poverty are
Charlotte Meyer to win the 400-meter freestyle relay by over four seconds. performing relative to expectations,” Morse said
Oscars
On the boys side, captain Serge Gould, also a senior, finished second in the in an interview with the Black & White. “Whitman
predictions
200-meter individual medley. has a very low ‘poverty’ percentage, so the bar
from Danny
Unlike dual-meets, Metros requires swimmers to compete in a preliminary was set very high.”
Parris
round for each of their events. The top 20 swimmers from preliminaries advance Montgomery Blair High School, the highest
to finals where the top 10 swimmers are placed in the “A” heat and the next group ranked MCPS school, had one third of its
of swimmers compete in the “B” heat.  see RANKINGS page 3

Per year credit requirements go into effect next school year

by alex zimmermann
Next school year, students will have to earn a
minimum number of credits each year in order to
advance to the next grade level.
The current policy only requires students to have
earned 22 credits in a specified number of courses before
the end of senior year, but next year students will also
have to earn a certain number of credits by the end of
each individual year. If they fail to pass the required
courses, students will have to make up the credit by
repeating the grade or attending summer school.
If students choose to not attend summer school, they
cannot be promoted to the next grade and must retake
the failed course the next year.
“It gets more demanding as it goes along,” principal
Alan Goodwin said. “It’s almost more of a reminder of
the way things should have been all along.”
The aim of the policy is to ensure that all students
take the four courses that correspond to the four HSAs—
biology, algebra, English 10, and Government—before
their senior year.
“This isn’t an additional requirement,” said Carol
Blum, MCPS director of High School Instruction and
Achievement. “We’re just trying to make sure students
take courses early enough to be prepared for the HSA
before senior year.”
Although a recent Education Week study revealed
see CREDIT page 12

SGA Boy Auction raises over $4220 for LLS

by stephanie haven and
rachel nussbaum
A few hundred wound-up girls and a
few token guys spent some serious dime
in the first ever Boy Auction Feb. 25,
where the SGA raised over $4220 for the
Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Emcees junior Rachel Norris and
senior Mel Schwed auctioned off the 21
dates to the crazed audience.
Enthusiasm ran high as the boys
showed some classy dance moves and
pretty dapper outfits to entice bidders.
When the boys strutted on stage and
the emcees read their bios, girls howled
“Ow ow!” and screamed in excitement.
Bidding started between $10 and $20
and reached as high as $440 for a cookie-
baking date with Connor Gordon, Miles
Davis and Bryan Joel.
Junior Danny Parris’ video intro took
a humorous look into what motivated the
boys to participate in the auction and
what they expected from their dates.
“It was supposed to be funny, not
a serious date date,” said sophomore
Sarah Backenstoe, who is co-planning
the event. “It’s more like groups of
people could buy a group of guys for
fun.”
Boys used a variety of tactics to
raise the bidding. Senior Sam Lilek,
who offered swing dancing lessons as
his date, danced with a stool. Senior
Richard Scordato went full out in his
yellow argyle golf outfit, complete with
high socks and 9-iron, and junior Jeff
Gruen, with the assistance of classmate
Ben Golan, beatboxed along to a rap.
“We encouraged anyone to buy the photo by KEEGAN BARBER
boys, including their friends, instead Juniors Bryan Joel, Miles Davis and Connor Gordon pose on stage during the Boy Auction. This
of making it just about a date,” Norris date and 20 others helped raise thousands of dollars for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
said. auction silly and fun. While the Leukemia and Lymphoma
The concept for the auction came The grand finale stunned the crowd Society’s high school hero, Tim King, was
from a “One Tree Hill” episode where with the surprise auction of assistant too sick to come out to the boy auction,
they had a Boy Toy Auction. While the principal Kathy McHale’s parking spot. he was in people’s minds as they came
television Boy Toy Auction was flirtatious Junior Nicky Kaufman bought the out to support his cause. 
and sexual, the SGA tried to make their coveted spot for $550.
2 news
Burst pipe
destroys both
gym floors
Teams, P.E. classes
may be without gyms
through spring season
By Rachel Lerner
Winter sports teams have had to
trek across the county for rescheduled
practices and games. The P.E. department
has had to hold classes in the cafeteria and
computer labs, and now spring sports can
get ready to add themselves to the list of
people bemoaning the Feb. 1 pipe burst
that flooded both gyms with gallons of
hot water, causing $215,000 worth of
damage.
This damage may keep the gyms
closed until the end of the spring season,
athletic director Andy Wetzel said.
“I opened the doors, and it felt
like a sauna,” he said. “The steam was
unbelievable.”
The administration went into
emergency mode, first calling Bethesda
Maintenance to bring in fans and then
the county, whose contractors and
insurance adjustors deemed the floors
unsalvageable.
Principal Alan Goodwin said the new
floors, covered by MCPS insurance, will
have a space built below them so they can
dry out in case of a leak.
It’ll take at least two months to get
the gyms back in shape, so until then,
the P.E. department will hold classes in
the wrestling room, cafeteria, auditorium
and, as soon as possible, on the fields and
courts outside.
Goodwin said the P.E. department has
even found students to assist t in clearing
snow off the basketball courts and track.
Maintenance workers strip gym floors. Repairs will take two months and cost over $200,000.
“They’ve been creative,” said Goodwin,
laughing.
Winter and spring sports teams
have had to be flexible. Instead of teams
playing on the same day, games are now
scheduled for separate nights.
Finding practice space at gyms across
the county has been extremely difficult for
winter sports teams, Wetzel said.
“If a school doesn’t have a game, they
have practice,” he said. “There is just such
a lack of available gym space.”
Teams haven’t been able to practice
at Pyle’s gym, which flooded a few days
after the Whitman flood. Boys and
girls basketball teams have had to be
resourceful, practicing everywhere from
Westland Middle School to senior Kenny
photo by JESS ICA LITTMAN
Wine’s indoor gym.
Junior Clara Kelly, who plays on the
varsity team, said that the gym problem
is not going to alter the dynamic of the
season, but she’s disappointed with not
being able to play on her home court.
“We go all the way out to Magruder,
and no fans come,” she said. “It just sucks
because we’re actually good this year, but
we don’t have the support of our home
fans.”
Even after the snow melts, practice
fields will be too soggy to use, so spring
sports teams are looking into renting
batting cages and indoor turf facilities.
“This has been a terrible inconvenience
for teams,” Wetzel said. “But we’re doing
the best we can.” 
march 1, 2010
Maryland
leads country
in AP scores
By Jess Littman
Maryland high schools led the nation in
the number of students passing Advanced
Placement tests last year, according to a
Feb. 10 College Board announcement.
With 24.8 percent of students in the class
of 2009 passing AP exams, up 1.4 percent
from 2008, Maryland topped the rankings
for the second year in a row.
AP tests are graded on a scale of one
to five, where three is a passing grade,
and a four or five generally earns college
credit.
MCPS tries to get students to sign
up for AP classes by encouraging them
academically and recommending
advanced courses to them, according to
MCPS spokeswoman Kate Harrison.
“Closely following student
performance data and using information
from tests like the PSAT…can help
educators discover students who would
benefit from AP classes,” Harrison
added.
In 2009, almost two-thirds of
Montgomery County students took an
AP exam, with 48.7 percent earning a
passing score.
At Whitman last year, 82.3 percent
of students took at least one AP test, with
75.2 percent earning a passing score,
more than three times the overall rate for
Maryland. Only Wootton and Churchill
surpassed Whitman within MCPS.
New York, which used to lead the
nation in the number of students passing
AP exams, came in second to Maryland,
with Virginia rounding out the top three.


O’Malley unfreezes tuition for public Maryland universities

by sahil ansari
After a four-year freeze on in-state tuition,
Maryland public university students may face a three
percent increase in tuition next year as part of governor
Martin O’Malley’s 2011 state budget.
Facing a $2 billion budget shortfall, O’Malley
decided to end the tuition freeze he had promised to
implement in the 2006 gubernatorial elections.
Despite the increase, some prospective students
think the university will still be a more cost-friendly
alternative to other private colleges.
“Going to an in-state school in Maryland is still
probably going to be the cheapest option for most of us,”
senior Jacob Newman said. “I don’t think that the price
increase is going to be enough for some not to attend at
all, but it depends on how much tuition is raised.”
Currently, the in-state tuition cost at University
of Maryland is $8,053 per year, which means a three
percent increase would be less than $250 more.
Others find that despite the economic problems the
state is facing, in-state schools shouldn’t be the ones to
have to raise tuition.
“I know it may be necessary for the college to
increase prices to keep up with the necessary spending,
but this may become a problem,” said Cassey Elder
(’09), now a freshman at St. Mary’s College of Maryland.
“Think about the people who don’t have the money
to throw down $21,000 in a year. Even a little bit of
increase makes a difference to those who are taking out
loans for their full tuition. We aren’t getting any more
services for the extra money we are putting in.”
Unlike Newman, Elder said she thinks increased
tuition may play a role in college decisions.
“There are a lot of people who are deciding to go to
college or not, and this may become the deciding factor,
which is not a good thing,” Elder said. “It should be all
about the education.”
However, Jeff Smith, the Associate Director
of Admissions at St. Mary’s, doesn’t think that the
governor’s decision, however it will directly impact the
school’s budget, will be a deciding factor for students.
“I don’t necessarily think it’s going to affect
admissions here,” Smith said. “I think that most graphic by ELENA TOUMAYAN
students are doing their college search, and they
hopefully know the value of an education and especially highest in the nation, whereas now, after remaining
a St. Mary’s education.” constant for three years while other states’ tuitions have
After a 30 percent tuition increase during his term, risen, it is predicted to be the 21st highest, according
former governor Bob Ehrlich instituted the freeze after to the University of Maryland’s school newspaper,
pressure from O’Malley and other Democrats in 2006. Diamondback. 
In 2006, in-state tuition in Maryland was the sixth

by rachel nussbaum
Administrators alerted parents to several
incidents of vandalism around the building and
in the surrounding community through WhitNet
Jan. 25.
In the past few years, graffiti has appeared only
in bathroom stalls, except for the occasional etching
on outside building walls, said assistant principal
Kathy McHale. But, vandals have concentrated
their graffiti in the music department’s storage
and practice rooms, recently writing on walls with
chalk and scratching various surfaces.
“We weren’t happy,” instrumental music
director Terry Alvey said. “We didn’t appreciate it
because it’s costly to repaint the surfaces.”
“In my five years of being here, that’s the first
time I’ve ever seen that,” she added.
In each practice room and on doors and walls,
vandals wrote “Chato de Shamrock.” The name
refers to the protagonist of Danny Santiago’s
story, “The Somebody.” Included in the 10th grade
English curriculum, the story tells of a young boy
who affirms his identity by marking his name arrests.
around the city. If the defacement is easily
Administrators have always taken vandalism removed, like the chalk in the
seriously, McHale said, but Security hasn’t taken practice rooms and in many
any further actions to catch the vandals. When bathrooms, then the student
security officers get an alert about graffiti on usually faces little disciplinary
campus, they immediately check for students who action.
have recently left the bathrooms, view nearby “If it happens again, then
security camera tapes and interview suspected we’ll have to look seriously at
students. it,” Alvey said. “And if kids are
“There’s always a consequence and some sort taking classes down here, they
of restitution,” McHale said. won’t be able to use them. We’ll
If the defacement is malicious, administrators lock them.”
enforce more severe punishment. In addition to the increase
“If it says something violent or about race, then in graffiti inside the school,
we suspend,” principal Alan Goodwin said. “If it administrators have also
says ‘Jonny hates Mary,’ then it’s detention.” noticed a swell in vandalism
If the student has vandalized property on the outside of the building,
multiple times, then administrators increase McHale said. 
the punishment to fit the crime, McHale said. In
rare cases police are involved and might make
march 1, 2010
Capital Improv, Urban
Pranksters spice up D.C.
life with public spectacles
By Sahil Ansari
Bruce Witzenburg strolls up
to the steps of the Smithsonian
in downtown D.C. with a guitar
case in one hand and a tin can
for money in the other. He opens
his case and, to the surprise
of many passersby, pulls out
a plastic Guitar Hero guitar.
After minutes of nothing more
than silently jamming on the
plastic controller, he is joined
by a Donkey Conga player and
a man with a Dance Dance
Revolution mat. Yes, this is
actually happening.
Over the last three years,
Capitol Improv, previously known
as the D.C. Defenestrators, has
organized head-turning, laugh-
out-loud worthy events located
on and around some of D.C.’s
most well-known landmarks.
Capitol Improv first formed
as a part of the Urban Prankster
YOU’LL GET KICKED
OUT OF CLASS.
GUARANTEED!
photos courtesy BRUCE WITZENBURG
network, a global group run by
New York City’s improv group,
Improv Everywhere. Witzenburg,
Capitol Improv’s head organizer,
moved to D.C. a few years ago.
With a background in stand-up
comedy and performing, he was
ready to begin making his mark
on the city.
“D.C. is a great location
because there’s always a
populated area to perform and
bring smiles to many people’s
faces,” Witzenburg says. “I have
met some of the most amazing
people in the D.C. area doing
something that I love.”
A long time fan of Improv
Everywhere, Witzenburg
immediately became involved
in what was then called the D.C.
Defenestrators (Defenestration:
the act of throwing someone
out of a window) and has since
headed 12 “missions” and been an
integral part of several more.
see IMPROV page 13
Every student in every major will get kicked out of class at Longwood
University … straight into one of Virginia’s best internship programs.
Required internships or directed research provide real-world experience
before the real world – a guaranteed advantage.
WhyLongwood.com
800.281.4677
admissions@longwood.edu
news
Scoring bar set ‘very high’ for
Whitman, Churchill, Wootton
continued from page 1 teacher Robert Mathis said much the same about
population on the free and reduced meal plan.
Even with this “handicap,” almost two thirds of
Blair FARMS students passed the 2007-2008
Biology HSA, while less than one third of Whitman
FARMS students passed. Those tests were not
considered in the rankings calculation however.
The fact that Whitman’s test performance
index wasn’t high enough to qualify it as a top
high school begs the question: Are teachers
and administrators doing enough to support
disadvantaged students?
Social studies teacher Colin O’Brien teaches a
“Get Organized” class for students who need help
completing assignments and managing work.
“With so many high flyers and high achievers,”
he said, “it’s easy to put all of our attention into
them, but Whitman would be at a loss if all we did
was focus on them. We need to make sure students
aren’t falling through the cracks.”
Though a significant percentage of FARMS
students didn’t pass their HSA’s, assistant
principal Kathy McHale noted that the school is
focused on helping these students.
“We see what we need to do to get the kid back
on board,” she said. “Sometimes all they need is
a little push.”
The school boasts several programs to assist
students.
High School Plus, an afterschool program,
gives students the opportunity to retake courses
that they failed. Students in need of math support
can take Algebra 1 over two years. To prepare
struggling students for the HSA’s, the school
designates a teacher in each subject.
Biology teacher Sue Kite helps students
working at a remedial level to prepare for the
Biology HSA through afterschool study sessions.
Students who meet certain criteria are eligible
to attend the sessions, which Kite holds once a
week starting in April. Kite also builds practice
HSA days into the on-level biology curriculum to
provide students with extra support.
But while many teachers go above and beyond
to help students, the school lacks a formal program
for helping struggling students pass the four HSA
tests, a requirement for high school graduation.
Beth Rockwell, who heads the English
department, said that aside from teachers
providing individual help, her department has
no special program to assist students struggling
to pass the English HSA. Social studies resource
3
NSL prep, though he noted that the department
provides some afterschool tutoring in the weeks
leading up to the test.
Last year, MCPS introduced the “Seven Keys
to College Readiness,” a plan that encourages
students to take a more rigorous schedule than
graduation requirements necessitate in an effort
to better prepare them for college.
Still, principal Alan Goodwin doesn’t see college
as the end goal for all students. Preparing students
for post-high school jobs and professions is more
important than forcing students down a path that
isn’t necessarily conducive to their success, he said.
While over 90 percent of Montgomery County
students attend college, only 53 percent of them
finish within six years.
“This suggests that not everybody should be
pushed down the college track,” Goodwin said.
“There are kids that would really blossom and
prosper in a trade.”
School board president Patricia O’Neill noted
that the county does take steps to help those
students who aren’t necessarily college-bound,
including offering career internships. While no
MCPS school made the top 100, she added, she’s
confident that MCPS schools effectively serve their
students. .
“I’m not concerned about the ranking, she
said. “I’m sure it’s disappointing for high school
principals, and I’d like see all of our schools ranked,
but I fault the U.S. News’ methodology.”
While much is made of how Whitman’s
omission from the top 100 will affect the perception
of its reputation, local real estate agent Jane
Fairweather doesn’t think that the drop will have
any impact on the real estate market in this area.
No matter what statistics are released, Fairweather
says that the school will always maintain a strong
reputation.
“One thing Whitman has going for it is this
incredible myth that doesn’t die,” Fairweather said.
“There is a strong belief whether documented or
not, factual or not, that it’s the best high school
among the Bethesda high schools.”
While Goodwin agrees that Whitman remains
a top-tier school, he believes that there is still work
to be done.
“I don’t think we ever do enough to help our at
risk kids,” he said. “Every summer, the leadership
team gets together to come up with new things to
do. We’re always looking for new ideas. There’s no
doubt we haven’t solved all of our problems.” 
4 news
Toyota defects cause recalls,
confused owners left in lurch
By zach schloss
Due to a recent slew of recalls,
millions of Toyota owners worldwide
have been forced to bring their cars into
their local dealer.
Toyota officials have announced
multiple recalls for issues including
ill-fitted floor mats, faulty accelerators
and faulty brakes. The company is now
scheduling repairs with customers who
own the defective models, some of which
are as old as 2005. Each repair only
takes a few hours so most people have
not been terribly inconvenienced.
“I have not lost as much confidence
in Toyota as a lot of people have,” says
David Elfin, a Whitman parent whose
family has owned various Toyotas since
1991. “If I had to buy a car tomorrow,
I’d probably have to think about it some,
but assuming I have no problems with
this car going forward, I probably would
not hesitate to buy another one.”
In fact, Elfin thinks the problem has
been overstated.
“I think people are panicking a
little bit,” he says. “Yeah, there have
been some incredibly traumatic, awful
stories, but when you consider how
many Toyotas are on the road, the
number of people who have been
affected [personally] is infinitesimal.
They may have tried to bury [the issues]
in the sand beforehand but once the
media got a hold of it, they seemed to
have done everything you’d want them
to do.”
Many people accuse Toyota of
ignoring complaints from customers
Fewer teens on the road? Check their busy schedules
Introduction of provisional licenses may account for drop; only
30 percent of 16-year-olds held full driver’s license in 2008
By Sahil Ansari
Do teens no longer care about driving?
Has the once cross-generational symbol
of teenage liberation taken a backseat to
various other priorities for many 16-year-
olds across the country? According to the
Washington Post, the answer is yes.
In a Jan. 24 story, the Washington
Post suggested that there has been a large
drop in teenagers getting their driver’s
licenses and stated that this is mostly
because students simply don’t care about
driving as much as they once did.
They based this assertion on recently
released data compiled by the Federal
Highway Administration, which showed
that about 30 percent of 16-year-olds held
driver’s licenses in 2008 compared 44.7
percent in 1988.
While the data seems to clearly
suggest an undeniable drop in the number
of teens pursuing their licenses, Rob
Foss, the director of the Center for
Young Drivers at the University of North
Carolina Highway Safety Research Center,
says otherwise.
Foss says that the trend, as documented
by the Washington Post, is inaccurate
and then being slow to inform customers
of the scope of these problems. a four-page report concluding that state
A recent investigation performed by
Safety Research & Strategies, Inc.
discovered over 2000 reported cases of
sudden acceleration in Toyota vehicles
involving 16 deaths and 243 injuries.
Some local customers have
experienced these problems firsthand.
“My brakes had a problem only
once during a slippery rain storm that
seems similar to what they described in
the news stories,” says Lynn Wegman,
a Whitman parent and faithful Toyota
and Lexus customer. “I tried to brake
gradually but the car kept going and
did not brake until I slammed the pedal
down—then it came to a jarring halt.”
But the real problem seems to be
that many people are disillusioned by
the recalls and the tragic stories of those
who have been physically harmed as a
result of their Toyotas.
“It’s just dismaying to have a car
that has this potential problem,” says
principal Alan Goodwin, owner of a new
2010 Camry.
Goodwin is concerned with the
general safety of the cars, although he
has never experienced any problems of
his own.
“If I had a lot of money I
would get a different car right
now, but I don’t. I assume this
repair will be fine and then the
next time I buy a car it may
not be a Toyota. I might go
back to Honda. I never had
anything like this happen with
Honda.” 
because “intermediate licenses,” like the
provisional driver’s license in Maryland,
have only existed since 1996. The federal
data, however, only considers full licenses
in their statistics, which Foss says means
as many as 50,000 teens with provisional
licenses in his native North Carolina are
unaccounted for.
“The drop is merely in what is counted
as licensed,” Foss says. “The size of this
effect is different in different states, so the
Federal data are pretty much impossible
to interpret, and most researchers who
study young drivers now know not to trust
those data.”
However, while the Washington Post
emphasized lack of interest over lack of
time, the latter seems to be the driving
force among the few unlicensed teens.
Beginning last year, teens must be 16
and nine months to get their licenses, an
increase from 16 and six months. Before
2005, teens only had to be 16 and four
months to get their licenses.
Also in 2005, the number of practice
hours required increased from 40 to 60,
including 10 hours at night.
Thatcher Ladd, one of the few seniors
to have put off getting his license until
Ban on texting while
driving not effective in
preventing accidents,
study finds
By Nikhil Gupta
Handheld cell phone bans have
not been effective in preventing car
crashes. A new study by the Highway
Loss Data Institute revealed that “We
were surprised by the results,” said Russ
Rader, spokesperson for the Institute.
“We’ve done previous research that shows
that handheld cell phone bans do reduce
handheld cell phone use, but this is the
first time we are looking at crashes.”
The research group conducted the
study by examining insurance claim
reports for car damage before and after
state bans on handheld cell phone took
effect. After comparing two years worth
of crash claim records in four areas of
the United States, the institute released
bans did not reduce the number of
claims.
The researchers at the institute said
they do not know for sure why the number
of crashes remains unaffected despite the
ban. In fact another HDLI report from
2005 found that hand-held cell phone
use makes a driver four times as likely
to crash.
As soon as researchers discovered the
results, they began to brainstorm possible
justifications for the inconsistent data.
One theory is that drivers are switching to
Bluetooth devices, which are still allowed
under the ban, but have been found to be
as distracting as hand-held devices.
“Hands-free cell phone use has the
same risk of crashing as hand-held use,”
Rader said. “If people are responding to
the bans by switching over to hands-free
devices, they aren’t actually reducing their
risk of crashing.”
Senior Jillian Shainman believes that
the reason crashes haven’t reduced is that
cell phones are only one of the
many distractions drivers
face.
now, didn’t do so because of a lack of
interest, but because of a lack of time.
“Junior year was pretty tough,”
Ladd says. “I thought I could lessen my
workload, and Driver’s Ed was the first
thing to cut out of my schedule.”
For a school full of hard-working,
extracurricular-laden students,
blowing off the driving process isn’t
unreasonable—but it’s definitely not
without its disadvantages.
With no older siblings at home
to drive him around, Ladd has been
deprived of the independence of
driving that many high school
students consider essential. Even
though he originally aimed to
start the driving process with
others in his grade, he fell
behind quickly and now has
2008 30% of 16-year-olds
to call his friends for rides
all the time.
“Did it seem right
at the time? Sure,” 2009 Age requirement raised 3
Ladd says. “Do I
regret it now?
Absolutely.”

march 1, 2010
“For students, sleep deprivation is a
major distraction,” she said. “Some people
have iPods in their car. Anything that
averts someone’s eyes from the road can
be a distraction and cause accidents.”
However junior Michael Nimerovsky
noted that people are simply ignoring the
ban altogether.
“No one cares – they just [use their
phones] anyway,” he said. “I know plenty
of people who text while driving. I’m
pretty sure they know it’s illegal.”
Peter Newsham, assistant chief of
DC Police, confirmed Nimerovsky’s
observations, saying that police officers
catch many drivers using their cell phones
to talk or text each day.
“There may very well be a problem
with enforcement,” Newsham said.
“The number of people using their
cellphones may be so large that it is hard
to enforce effectively. Another issue may
be that the penalty for disobeying the ban
isn’t great enough, so people don’t have
an incentive to follow the law. All of these
are possibilities.”
Newsham says that the best way to
solve the problem of cellphone use is to
stigmatize it, casting the bad habit in a
negative light through advertising. This
was how the police combated the problem
of drinking and driving years ago, and
could be effective in ending this practice
as well, he explained.
The HDLI is conducting follow-up
research.
“Perhaps it’s that distracted driving
is bigger than cell phones,” Rader said.
“Maybe there are many factors distracting
drivers and causing them to crash. That
is the focus of our research this year – to
try to untangle this mystery.” 
Driving Timeline
1966 44.7% of 16-year-olds
hold a driver’s license
1988 Provisional driver’s
license created
2005 A g e r e q u i r e m e n t
raised 2 months,
practice hours raised
from 40 to 60
hold a driver’s licenses
months
march 1, 2010 news 5

First Lady: ‘Let’s Move’ against childhood obesity

By Rachel Lerner
For those who’ve been skirting cafeteria nutrition
guidelines by stocking up on the brownies and chips,
listen up – favorites like french fries may soon disappear
from under the heat lamps.
Michelle Obama and her “Let’s Move” initiative
promote revitalization of school lunches. The initiative
aims to ease the high American childhood obesity rates
and ties in to President Obama’s reauthorization of the
Child Nutrition Act which would provide $10 billion in
federal funding to help supply students with nutritious
school lunches.
“Without effective intervention, many more children
will endure serious illnesses that will put a strain our
health-care system,” President Obama said in a press
release. “We must act now to improve the health of our
Nation’s children and avoid spending billions of dollars
treating preventable disease.”
MCPS Food and Nutrition supervisor Marla Caplon
said the changes to MCPS will be minimal because the
school system already meets all of the federal standards.
But, she said a nutritional obstacle MCPS will have to
overcome is meeting new sodium standards, which may
be lowered this year.
Cafeteria manager Karen Phillips explained that
everything Whitman offers is both low fat and trans-fat
free, excluding Little Debbie snacks. She also said that
Whitman is able to offer more healthy options than
other county schools have more students on the Free The “average lunch”
and Reduced Meal Program. This is because the FARM
program only allows students to purchase the basic lunch
package, which does not include such a-la-carté items
as a salad bar.
Caplon explains that FARM students have limited 725 calories, 20.5 grams of fat =
choices because the county is only reimbursed on
meals that contain at least two ounces of meat or meat
substitute and a cup of fruit or vegetables from at least 37% of daily calories
two different sources. In cases where a student purchases
a-la-carté items, the federal government won’t foot the
bill.
51% of daily fat
“If a student is making the meal themselves there
is no way to tell if they are actually meeting these
guidelines,” she said.
A favorite, average meal of most Whitman students
is cheese dippers with salsa, french fries, fruit snacks and
chocolate milk. This amounts to 725 calories and 20.5 Requirements based on 2000
grams of fat. According to healthcentral.com, an average calories and 40 grams of fat
daily intake
person should have about 2000 calories a day and 40
grams of fat, so this typical school lunch would account offered at the cafeteria in favor unhealthy alternatives.
for about 37 percent of daily calories and 51 percent of A lunch time survey of 30 students revealed that even
their daily fat requirements. if healthier foods were offered in the cafeteria, 78 percent
“We are proud of our long record of serving safe and of students would still pick unhealthy favorites.
nutritious meals,” according to an MCPS press release. “I would pick a brownie over a banana any day,”
Philips also adds that there are some students who one sophomore said. “I don’t think that’s every going to
still choose to eat badly, avoiding the healthy options change, no matter what the cafeteria offers.” 

Debate breaks TOC qualifiers record at Harvard tournament

10 Lincoln-Douglas competitors earn second bid in prestigious national competition Feb. 15
By Molly Kaplowitz
The debate team made history at the
Harvard National Forensics Tournament
Feb. 15, when the largest number of
Lincoln-Douglas debaters ever qualified
for the prestigious Tournament of
Champions in May.
Ten Lincoln-Douglas debaters from
Whitman qualified for the TOC. Scarsdale
High School in New York held the previous
record, with nine students attending the
tournament.
To qualify for the TOC, Lincoln-
Douglas debaters go through a series
of elimination rounds and must earn
two bids. At the Harvard competition,
debaters had to advance through eight
rounds in order to qualify for TOC.
“The fact that we broke the record
for number of debaters qualified to the
Tournament of Champions really speaks
to the fact that not only do we have one
or two talented kids, but our team has
a depth that a lot of other schools are
lacking,” sophomore Stephanie Franklin
said.
It’s in part thanks to senior Ben Lewis,
Lincoln-Douglas debate captain, that
Franklin earned her second bid to enter
the TOC. In one round of the tournament,
Lewis was slated to face Franklin. Since
teammates can’t compete against each
other and Lewis was a higher seed, he
would have progressed to the next round
ahead of her. Instead, Lewis gave up his
seed so Franklin could advance and have
the opportunity to earn a bid for TOC.
“After I found out I had qualified to
the Tournament of Champions, it was
obviously a great individual achievement
and I was really happy, but to know that
I had allowed us to break the record
just made it that much more of a great
experience,” Franklin said.
Franklin added that she was
particularly thankful to Lewis for helping
her get the bid and contribute to breaking
the record.
Coach Anjan Choudhury cites that
this isn’t the first time Lewis has gone out
of the way for a teammate.
“Last year, as a junior, Ben gave up
his spot to the NFL Nationals–as one of
only two students to receive that honor
in the state of Maryland–so that a senior
on our team could go,” said Choudhury.
“So, [this time] I wasn’t entirely surprised.
That said, there are very few people I’ve
ever met with Ben’s character.”
In toal, 20 Whitman students qualified
to the TOC. Six Public Forum debaters
and four Student Congress debaters will
join the 10 Lincoln-Douglas debaters at
the TOC. In addition, there is another
congress debater and six to eight more
Public Forum debaters who could gain
at-large entry to the competition. 

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6 opinion march 1, 2010

Cell tower benefits outweigh possible risks

by Stewart Longsworth
A proposed T-Mobile cell phone tower on school
grounds has triggered plenty of controversy. A group of
parents and nearby residents vehemently opposed to a
cell tower believes the radiofrequency waves emitted will
cause cancer—and other health problems—over a long
period of time. T-Mobile has snapped back, defending
their towers with studies and questioning the validity
of contrary evidence. This debate is just one example
of a larger issue facing communities across the country,
and without long-term studies that will take years to
complete, it is a debate with no answer.
While this debate over cell towers may be confusing,
it is missing a simple truth: if we look around us, there
are radio wave emissions everywhere, from gigantic
radio towers to TV sets. In the big scheme, one weak cell
tower would be relatively harmless. On the flip side, a
cell phone tower would bring better service to the area
and money to MCPS. Ten other schools in MCPS have
already installed cell towers on school grounds, and
Whitman’s PTSA should approve the same.
Evidence of health effects is often speculative; cell
phone towers “might” cause cancer, “could” pose a danger
to our children and “may” be an unappreciated threat.
A few studies correlate radio wave exposure to a higher
rate of health problems, but long-term studies will take
years to prove or disprove the danger. Meanwhile, an
international conference of radio-communication health
experts held at the beginning of February concluded that
there is no evidence for health effects from exposure to
radio waves.
Opponents compare cell phone towers to smoking,
saying the full health risks of smoking were unknown
photo by
Many nearby residents are vehemently opposed to installing
a T-Mobile cell phone tower on school grounds.
50 years ago. While this analogy might put things
into perspective, radio waves from cell phone towers
are nothing like the toxic smoke inhaled from a pack
of cigarettes each day. Most cell sites emit less than
one percent of the maximum exposure the Federal
Communications Commission allows, and T-Mobile
claims their sites emit less than a thousandth of a
percent, making a tower less dangerous than cordless
home phones and WiFi routers. Even if FCC limits
are too high, as many claim, cell towers are within safe
emission levels recommended by experts. Ultimately,
cell phones and two-way radios inches from us are bigger
concerns than a weak antenna 150 feet above our heads
and hundreds of yards away.
Putting a cell tower on school grounds has many
advantages. T-Mobile users in the area would get a boost
in coverage within a current dead zone. In the future,
other cell companies may add extensions to the cell tower
to increase their coverage as well.
The athletic fields are the most ideal site for the
proposed tower. The cell tower could be built into
an existing light pole instead of towering over the
neighborhood, keeping the tower as far away as possible
from people’s homes and minimizing exposure to radio
waves.
Finally, T-Mobile would pay $24,000 a year to
MCPS, two-thirds of which would be split between
Whitman and its cluster schools. With Montgomery
County’s $401 million budget shortfall, schools need
SARA ALLEN extra revenue more than ever.
Radio waves surround our area and many others
around the nation. While it’s understandable to worry
about the effects of these waves, a cell phone tower at
Whitman isn’t going to be the straw that gives all of us
cancer. Instead, it would probably be one of the least
worrisome sources of radio waves around. The PSTA
should approve the construction of a cell tower and
rest assured that they are not condemning the next
generation to death by cell tower. 

School should limit activities

to increase participation
by Stephanie Haven
A boys basketball game: $3. Whitman
Idol admission: $5. Homecoming tickets:
$17. Amadeus: $8. Attending a public
school: not really priceless. Even though
Whitman is located in an affluent area,
it remains a public school. Therefore
the administration and the SGA have an
obligation to keep costs down for students
and spread out school-sponsored events
over the course of the year, diminishing
the demand of time and money on
students.
In particular, the month of February
is filled with an overwhelming number
of events and activities, from Battle of
the Beards and Whitman Idol to Haiti
fundraisers. It may be that Whitman
students are lazy or just suffer from
a bad case of indecisiveness but, with
so many events happening within the
same month, it’s impossible to expect
solid participation at each event from
students who already have too much on
their plates.
For example, there was SGA’s “Seniors
Eat-In for Haiti” fundraiser. In theory,
the event was a sound idea: instead of
spending money on lunch in Bethesda,
seniors would pack lunch one day and
donate the money they would usually
spend to support the Red Cross’ Haiti
relief efforts. But, because the SGA and
other organizations at school had been
holding so many other fundraisers
students were donated-out and, as a
result, no one showed up for the event.
And, even if the sheer number of
activities and fundraisers doesn’t seem
overwhelming, the prices might. Between
the more than $33 it would take to simply
attend Coffee House, Whitman Idol, the
Boy Auction, dodge ball, a boys and girls
basketball game, a wrestling meet and
Amadeus, in February alone, students’
wallets are stretched thin. As a result
fewer students participate in each event,
and the events generate less revenue.
And, even if events can’t be rescheduled,
there are ways to reduce admission to
events while simultaneously increasing
participation. Boy Auction and dodge
ball, for example, charge for participation
in addition to admission. Rather than
double-charging students, more people
would attend
if the event
itself was
free. The larger audience would provide
a greater opportunity for other methods of
gaining revenue including signing up for a
dodge ball team or bidding on the boys. Clarification:
Therefore, the overabundance of
school-sponsored events, activities and Kenwood Country Club
fundraisers overwhelm students who
don’t have an unlimited amount of time was listed as one of the
or money. This inevitably leads to less top five sledding spots
participation in these activities across
the board, meaning less revenue for in the previous snow
the organizations sponsoring them. To supplement, but sledding is
increase participation, the SGA and actually prohibited on their
other organizations should be mindful of
overwhelming students and hold fewer grounds.
fundraisers, spreading them out over an
entire year. 

Volume 48, Issue 6

2009-2010
The Black & White is published 10 times a year by the students of Walt Whitman High School, 7100 Whittier Blvd., Bethesda, MD 20817. The Black & White is an open forum for student views. Subscriptions for the
2009-2010 school year include the Black & White and The Spectator. Pick-up subscriptions cost $20 and mail subscriptions cost $25. The newspaper aims to both inform and entertain. The editorial board establishes
Black & White policy.
Unsigned editorials convey the opinion of the Black & White editorial board. Signed opinion pieces reflect the positions of the individual staff. Opinion pieces do not necessarily reflect the opinions of Walt Whit-
man High School (WWHS) or Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS).
The Black & White encourages readers to submit opinions on relevant topics in the form of letters to the editor. Letters must be signed to be printed, though names will be withheld upon request. The Black &
White reserves the right to edit letters for content and space. Letters to the editor may be placed in the Black & White mailbox in the main office or the editor’s mailbox in room B211, or may be emailed to 2010black-
andwhiteprint@gmail.com.
All content in the paper is reviewed to ensure that it meets the highest levels of legal and ethical standards with respect to material that is libelous, obscene or invasive of privacy. Accuracy is of utmost importance
to the Black & White staff. The address of the Black & White Online Edition is <www.theblackandwhite.net>. The online edition contact is 2010blackandwhiteonline@gmail.com.
Recent awards include the 2008, 2005, 2004 NSPA Pacemaker Online Award Finalist; 2002 NSPA Pacemaker Award; CSPA 2008 Silver Crown; CPSA 2005, 2008 Gold Medalist Award; Quill & Scroll George H. Gallup
Award 2000-2008; 2005, 2004 NSPA All-American Award, 2004 MSPA/Washington Post Advisor of the Year Award.
PRINT EDITION ONLINE EDITION
Editor-in-Chief Sarah Craig In-Depth Writers Rebecca Andrasko Online Editor-in-Chief Surbhi Agrawal
Managing Editor Victoria Scordato Carolina Millan-Ronchetti Online Managing Editors Jenny Baldwin
Writing Coach Chelsea Lo Julia Weingardt Eleanor Katz
Copy Chief Megan Dwyer Andrew Wyner Webmaster Ted Knox
Production & Design Directors Maria Valatkaite Feature Writers Sahil Ansari Online Copy Editor Megan Dwyer
Shinduk Seo Jamie Norwood Online Daily Editor Leah Harburg
News Editors Carolyn Heiman Zach Schloss Online News Writers Alex Zimmerman
Dale Zhou Hailey Siller Stephanie Haven
Opinion Editor Mike Bernhard Nalini Tatata Online Feature Writer Rachel Nussbaum
In-Depth Editors Danielle Bloch Arts Writers Kristin Baglien Online Opinion Writer Alana Neuman
Susan Russell Ryan Hauck Online Arts Writers Julia Dane
Feature Editors Caroline Kahlenberg Adam Glazer Parissa Jaseb
Ellie Golightly Production Assistants Marina Booth Fashion Lindsey Galego
Q&A Editor Richard Scordato Neill Robertson Health Shayna Barbash
Arts Editors Yasmeen Abutaleb Photo Director Sarah Klotz Film Shahana Lal
Nina Slesinger Assistant Photo Director Sara Allen Music Tim Klepp
Ombudsman Sarah Houston Graphics Director Elena Toumayan Tech/Media John Son
News Writers James Dionne Graphic Artists Keegan Barber Politics Beatriz Forster
Jessica Gelfarb Business Manager Hidemi Omori Arts and Entertainment Ollie Tell
Nikhil Gupta Business Assistants Emily Aronson Online News Link Leah Jennings
Rachel Lerner Caitlin DePorter
Opinion Writers Kevin Hoogstraten Kevin Rudd Advisor Louise Reynolds
Molly Kaplowitz Ad Manager Caroline Bartholomew Assistant Advisor Prudence Crewdson
Jessica Littman Public Relations Nikkita Sarna
Stewart Longsworth
march 1, 2010 opinion 7

State should forgive snow

days, not extend school year
by Zach Schloss
The Snowpocalypse. Winter Break
2.0. Snowmageddon. No matter
what you call the barrage of snow that
blanketed the D.C. metro area at the
beginning of February, it all meant the
same thing to students: no school.
However, for parents, teachers and
county officials, the issue was more
complex than that. Throughout the
season, the county has come under fire
for how officials have dealt with the snow.
Residents claimed plows took too long
to clear major roads, parents attacked
the county’s decisions regarding school
closures and administrators debated
the merits of potentially extending the
school year.
Still, the county did an impressive
job of dealing with the snow considering
the tenuous circumstances. Not since
the President’s Day storm of 2003
has the area faced such severe winter
weather. D.C.’s cumulative snowfall
for this year has exceeded 60 inches,
making it the area’s snowiest winter
ever, according to the Washington
Post.
People who contend the county did a
poor job of clearing roads and bus stops
fail to look at the situation realistically.
During a typical storm, the county
relies on 200 employees, 175 pieces of
equipment and 35,500 tons of salt and
sand to remove snow, according to the
MCPS web site. But because the snow
was so heavy and there was much more
of it, workers had to use more resources
and heavier machinery than usual to
remove it. This means that it took more
time, money and machinery to clear the
same number of roads, highways and
cul-de-sacs.
Another issue is that some parents
disagreed with the county’s decisions to
close school on certain days.
Although the county’s decisions photo by SARAH CRAIG
tended to be a bit preemptive—
specifically the decision to close school should have an extra week of school at is already facing, making up these days
on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday the end of the year. isn’t the right option.
before the second snow even started In a perfect world, there would be a The Maryland Superintendent
falling on Tuesday, Feb. 9—these early way to make up every cancelled school rightfully stated in a Feb. 13 Washington
decisions allowed students and parents day. But it’s simply not practical. Many Post article that schools should be
to plan ahead for the impending storm. students travel at the beginning of permitted to hold fewer than the 180
Also, the county correctly predicted summer, either for leisure or for summer required school days. The Governor,
the conditions of roads, most of which jobs and camps, meaning their plans however, will have to make the final
weren’t fully cleared until the following could conflict with the extra school days. decision. Hopefully, he will keep in
Monday. Plus, these make-up days would be after mind the excessive costs associated
But those issues are now in the past. exams, and students would have little to with make-up days, as well as their
The current debate revolves around nothing to do. Administrators also note uselessness, and choose to excuse
whether to make up the 10 missed that make-up days can cost up to several them, ending the debate—at least for
school days and, if so, how. According hundred thousand dollars per day, and, this year. 
to MCPS’s current contingency plan, we considering the budget problems MCPS

Abstinence-only sex education: an uneducated investment

by Kevin Hoogstraten
Tucked away in the Senate’s 425,000-word
healthcare reform bill is a provision so unlikely that
even the bill’s sponsor, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah),
was surprised to see it make the final version. The
clause would give states $50 million to spend on sex-
because they refuse to discuss the value of birth control,
safe sex, and condoms.
These programs don’t include information about
birth control because abstinence-only education
supporters think that discussing the information
would encourage premarital sex. However, teachers
of programs that do include birth control information
rate for teens aged 15 to 19 rose for the first time since the
1980s. After sharply decreasing in the 90s, a drop widely
attributed to increased birth control use, the pregnancy
rate began to level off and eventually rose 3 percent in
2006. This is no coincidence: abstinence-only education
is no match for more comprehensive programs.
Similar studies, with one questionable recent

ed programs that exclusively promote abstinence as
the way to prevent teen pregnancies and STDs. Recent
studies have proven that these “abstinence-only”
programs are ineffective, and Congress should drop the
provision before passing the bill.
What makes this legislation so unexpected is the
combination of a Senate controlled by Democrats—
“
make sure to discuss the consequences of irresponsible, exception, have all reached the same conclusion:
abstinence-only education does not prevent sex. The
The fact is, teens have sex: studies, done by nonpartisan organizations and in some
cases ordered by Congress, have found that though
47.8 percent of American teens the percentage of condom use is consistent among all
reported having had sex on teens, those receiving comprehensive sex education
knew slightly more about STD prevention and correct
the CDC’s 2007 Youth Risk

traditional opponents of abstinence-only sex education—
and the new administration. President Obama essentially
eliminated federal funding for abstinence-only programs
in last year’s budget after they enjoyed more than $150
million per year in funding under Bush. The move was
praised by many liberals as a switch from religion-based
to science-based teaching, and rightly so.
Abstinence is certainly the best and only sure-fire
way to avoid pregnancies and STDs, but abstinence-only
programs overlook life’s truths. The fact is, teens have
sex: 47.8 percent of American teens reported having
had sex on the CDC’s 2007 Youth Risk Behavior Survey.
Abstinence-only programs fail to instruct sexually active
students on protecting themselves from sex’s dangers
”
Behavior Survey.
unprotected sex and to warn students that contraceptives
are never totally effective. Teens already know the basics
about condom use, the morning-after pill and other
contraceptives, so there’s no harm in merely making
sure their knowledge is correct.  Condoms don’t have
a 100 percent success rate, but they’re certainly better
than doing nothing or using prevention incorrectly.
Recently released data collected by the nonprofit
Guttmacher Institute shows that in 2006, at the height
of funding for abstinence-only programs, the pregnancy
use of contraceptives. A study published this month
in the Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine
found abstinence-only education to be effective, but its
“abstinence-only” program only encouraged delaying
sex until teens felt ready and didn’t bring up morality
or religion, like most programs do.
Comprehensive sex-ed programs don’t want to
encourage teen sex, but merely to help reduce its risks
through education. Though programs that include an
emphasis on abstinence can be effective, those ignoring
the alternatives are merely ignoring reality. Congress
should side with the overwhelming evidence and halt
federal funding for abstinence-only programs. 

Citizen journalism connects people to media

by sarah houston
Over the past decade, viewers, listeners and
readers have become much more than just an
attentive audience. Now more than ever, we are
ombudsman
suffering drastic cutbacks and readership levels blog TechPresident.com and a group of volunteer
are declining. software developers on NPR’s VoteReport project
Important and shocking events have been to create a way for people to report on their voting
captured on digital cameras and cell phones by experiences via Twitter, text messaging, voicemail

seeing regular people inserted into all forms of
media. The popularity of reality shows is at an all
time high on stations like MTV (“Jersey Shore,”
anyone?), high school students are being discovered
on online sites such as YouTube and MySpace,
and newspapers and other new sites are using
citizen journalists to augment and improve their
reporting.
Citizen journalists come in many different
forms, but all of them in one way or another add to
the journalistic process.
Technology columnist Mark Glaser of PBS
describes citizen journalism as, “people without
professional journalism training [who] use the tools
of modern technology and the global distribution of
the Internet to create, augment or fact-check media
on their own or in collaboration with others.”
Newspapers have incorporated this “citizen
journalism” in their pages to lure readers by utilizing
writers and reporters who know what it’s like to
be in the reader’s shoes, to give the point of view
of the person experiencing the event, not just the
journalist.
These “journalists” are people who are interested
in what’s going on around them and take the
initiative to evaluate information, form an opinion,
and spread ideas that might have been overlooked
without their voice.
Since reporters can’t be everywhere at once,
citizen journalists can bring us important information
when writers can’t. These men and women are
even more critical now that print journalism is
regular people and shown across the globe. Although
journalists can’t always be at the scene in time,
they can use these important pieces of information
to present an accurate story. When the latest
presidential elections took place, many of the stories
came directly from citizen journalists.
National Public Radio used their vast audience to
help cover the 2008 presidential election. President
and CEO Vivian Schiller says NPR worked with the
and an iPhone app.
Because NPR couldn’t cover every aspect of the
election, they used thousands of different stories
found through VoteReport and combined them to
create a truly diverse and in depth look at what was
going on. NPR even brought citizens on air to debate
about specific elements of the election so they could
truly report on what voters were thinking.
PBS’s Glaser notes that some journalists
complain that these citizens don’t have the proper
training to report. But many readers gravitate
towards the idea that people without journalistic
training can still have a voice in our media outlets.
The Black & White has incorporated this concept
in the past few years. Although we have a dedicated
staff of photographers, many moms and dads have
submitted photos to go into the paper and online.
The staff should encourage parents (especially ones
with fancy cameras) to take more photos at sports
games because we all see those parents cheering
their kids on and snapping photo after photo. Why
not put their efforts to good use?
The Spectator should also use online sites like
twitter to report scores from the sideline as the game
is being played. That way, students can know what’s
happening even if they aren’t at the game.
The B&W should follow the efforts of major
newspapers everywhere and bring more average
citizens (or students) into the journalistic process.
Our job as a school paper is to be the voice of the
student body; why not involve them in it while we’re
at it? 
8 opinion
Bethesda Ave. should become pedestrian walkway
by Rachel Nussbaum
Anyone who has visited downtown
Bethesda, especially since the opening
of Sweetgreen, Georgetown Cupcake
and Five Guys, has probably witnessed
at least one or two pedestrians dashing
across Bethesda Avenue to get their
salad, cupcake or burger fix. To avoid
these pesky pedestrians, cars are forced
to brake abruptly, usually eliciting a honk
or two from the drivers behind them.
Bethesda Avenue is constantly
congested and usually filled with
pedestrians who disregard traffic laws
when crossing the street. To make the
area safer and more community-friendly,
Bethesda Avenue should be turned into
a pedestrian walkway.
Over the next 14 months, drivers and
pedestrians can temporarily test-drive
this idea. The development of the parking
lot next to Ourisman Honda and across
from Barnes & Noble into an apartment
complex will shut down most of that
block of Woodmont Avenue and part of
Bethesda Avenue.
Cars will not be able to go from
Wisconsin Ave. to Arlington Rd., said
Dave Dabney, executive director of the
Bethesda Urban Partnership, which
will effectively show the county what
a full-time pedestrian walkway would
Grey Area!
Read
all
over...
by Elena Toumayan
resemble.
If a pedestrian-only Bethesda Ave. is
as successful as Bethesda Lane, another
road-turned pedestrian walkway, then
the county should consider turning
Bethesda Ave. into a pedestrian right-
of-way permanently.
A pedestrian zone would also increase
the safety of Bethesda Ave. Pedestrians
are regularly seen dodging cars and
risking their safety, Brett Cooper, an
employee at the Bethesda Apple store,
said. He believes that people already
treat it as a pedestrian walkway. Most This map shows the blocking of Bethesda Ave. for a pedestrian walkway, which would increase
people don’t respect traffic laws or safety and possibly revenue.
crosswalks, Dabney seconded.
Besides safety, the Partnership has Many people do depend on Bethesda
turned the street into a functional space Ave. as a main thoroughfare. But, this
before for events such as “Strut Your traffic could simply go one street over
Mutt” and the Fine Arts Festival. Due and use Elm Street instead.
to these successes, the Partnership is Or, drivers could p a rk i n t h e
considering doing so more regularly underground garage replacing the lot next
on the weekends—and could hold more to Ourisman Honda in Bethesda, which
events more easily in a permanent is perfectly situated for a pedestrian-
pedestrian-only zone. only zone.
Five hundred people enter Bethesda Although the street parking on the
through the Capital Crescent Trail every Ave. will be gone, the new garage, and the
hour on a nice Saturday or Sunday, garage on Elm Street, will outweigh the
Dabney said, from stroller-pushing loss. Federal Realty Investment Trust,
moms to speed-walking grandparents. which owns the Bethesda Row property,
If the Avenue was pedestrian-only, they contracted with Colonial Parking to open
could safely take full advantage of its a garage under Lebanese Taverna to
shops and restaurants. accommodate patrons and apartment-
by Jamie norwood and zach shloss
Set up your webcam, go to ChatRoulette.com, click “accept”
and before you know it, you’ll be face-to-face with strangers from
all over the world. If you don’t like what you see (and trust us,
that’s your most likely reaction), you can simply hit the “next”
button and move on to a new and potentially creepier user.
Chat Roulette, the newest Internet sensation, is a great way
to meet new people… or scar yourself for life. The website simply
pairs you up with a random stranger for a video chat. Whether
you end up chatting with a group of hormonal 13-year-old girls
or a lonely 40 year-old-man, chances are you’ll be reaching for
the keyboard.
Don’t get us wrong, you can meet some pretty cool
people: a college-age Briton, an adolescent Irish lass or
even someone from down the street. Good conversation
(with a few profanities mixed in) and cool people (with your
occasional shirtless old-timer) are sure to provide some laughs.
But be prepared to shield your eyes and click the infamous “next.”
For one reason or another, many guys find it amusing to share
their… gift… with you via webcam. If you’re willing to take that
risk, Chat Roulette can provide a one-of-a-kind experience.
While surfing Chat Roulette, you’re able to see, hear and
type messages to the random people (and other things) you’ll
encounter. Have some fun with it; make up a fake persona.
Try out a foreign accent or a new name. Even pretend like you
know the person from summer camp or an old school. Here’s
your chance to start over.
Looking for love? There are plenty of single people on the
site. Think about being able to tell your kids you met your better
half in between conversations with a drunken middle-schooler
and a giggling Scottish man. True love at its finest!
So, if you haven’t yet experienced the wonders of ChatRoulette.
com, we suggest you check it out. Just don’t be surprised if you
find that “next” button a little too useful. 
march 1, 2010
N
dwellers. This little-known garage on
Elm Street is actually cheaper than
meter-parking in most situations.
Additionally, the garage next to
Chicken-Out currently has entrances
and exits onto
Bethesda Avenue and Elm Street.
Even if the entrance on Bethesda Ave.
was turned pedestrian-only, the cars
could still use Elm Street to get in and
out.
Bethesda Ave. should be converted
into a pedestrian walkway. Walkers
would be more able to safely use the
area, and drivers woul be saved from the
frustration and dangers of jaywalking
pedestrians. 
Students, parents,
counselors
should avoid
teacher shopping
By Jamie Norwood
We’ve all heard it many times: “you can
only change your schedule if you’re switching
levels.” Although no-teacher-switching is the
official policy, it’s rarely enforced. Somehow,
every semester, students still head down
to guidance to “shop” for their favorite
teachers.
Administrators say that students who
want to switch their teachers just for their
own satisfaction will always be turned away.
But students and parents seem to think this
rule doesn’t apply to them, and guidance
counselors cede to their wishes.
Montgomery County policy strictly
prohibits any changing of schedules after the
semester begins. Before the semester starts,
however, guidance counselors do their best
to serve their students and will do what they
can to alter schedules for their students’
preferences.
Students should learn to deal with their
teacher assignments and adapt to different
teaching styles. Parents should understand
the burden their requests place on guidance
counselors and stay out of the process—at
least when students only want different
teachers.
Pampering students in this way creates
chaos. The administration and guidance
department work diligently to compose the
master schedule, trying to fit students into
their selected classes with prescribed class
sizes for teachers. Parents and students
disrespect their efforts by expecting and even
demanding schedule changes.
Transferring in or out of a class after
the classes have been leveled leaves some
classes full and others, well less than full.
This is unfair for teachers with bigger classes
compared to others.
Aside from switching between levels and
classes, the master schedule should be locked
from the get-go. Assistant principal Jennifer
Webster says when students are switching
in and out of classes, the whole process of
leveling becomes complicated and makes it
difficult to stay accurate with the maximum
cap size. If guidance counselors don’t bend
the rules for any one student, then they’ll
have much less of a hectic situation as the
semester changes.
Naturally, we would all like to switch
to teachers who give less homework, but
that’s an organizational nightmare and
logistically impossible. Guidance counselors
and administrators should stick to their guns
and not bend the rules and students should
bite the bullet and just accept their class
schedules as they are. A no-teacher-switching
policy should be strictly enforced for all
students at all times. 
march 1, 2010
modern
family
Mrs. Smith
cooks dinner
as Mr. Smith arrives home from work and
little Betsy and tiny Tommy play ball in the backyard.
A white picket fence surrounds their indistinguishable brick
house, located on a perfectly paved cul-de-sac.
This is the 1950’s, and the Smiths
are the prototypical nuclear family—two
parents, two kids, and a golden lab. Fast
forward to today and each Tuesday and
Thursday (and every other weekend) little
Betsy and Tommy eat microwavable pizza
in front of the TV while they wait for their
(single and looking) dad to get home from
work. During the remainder of the week,
the siblings are welcomed home by their
stay-at-home step dad and new (artificially
conceived) baby brother.
The conflicts and attitudes that now
define the 21st century have drastically
altered what was once thought to be the
idyllic family structure. The nuclear family
of the ‘50s has gone out the window and,
for better or for worse, the family dynamic
has changed.
For one, divorce has become
increasingly prevalent. In the United
States, almost 50 percent of first marriages
end in divorce, the most of any country in
the world according to the Forest Institute
of Professional Psychology. In fact,
in-depth
Divorce Magazine reports that 37 percent
of American children do not grow up with
both biological parents.
Perhaps the most notable example of
changing values is gay marriage, which has
become legalized or otherwise accepted in
17 states. Hardly even a topic of discussion
50 years ago, gay marriage has introduced
a new kind of family dynamic. Adam and
Eve have become Adam and Steve. What
once would have dropped jaws and elicited
confusion—two dads or two moms—is
becoming more widely accepted as a new
and equally valid type of family.
The increasingly globalized economy
has also affected the family dynamic.
Nowadays, it’s not uncommon for dad to
commute to Los Angeles for the day to
attend a conference or for mom to take the
train to New York every week. According
to the Word Press, the number of workers
commuting more than an hour every day
has increased by 50 percent between 1990
and 2000. While for some families, a
parent’s absence at the dinner table isn’t
by Sahil Ansari, Jamie Norwood and Zach Schloss
9
a problem,
for others, it
can diminish
communication
and sever
family ties.
In addition
to the increased
divorce rate,
greater acceptance of same-sex marriage,
and elongated commute times, our family
roles have also evolved. Dad is no longer
the family’s sole provider. The once stay-
at-home mom has exchanged her apron
for a pants suit and briefcase. Women now
comprise 63 percent of the U.S. labor force,
versus 44 percent in 1950, according to
Humanresources.com.
But amidst all these challenges, the
perseverance of the American family has
shone through. Who knows? Maybe 20
years from now, little Betsy and Tommy
will have families of their own. How the
values and behavior of their families will
compare to ours is anyone’s guess. 
10 march 1, 2010 in-de

soccer practice
4:30-6:00

Mom gets home from

family
business trip 8:00
Tommy’s recital
7:30
MD U

Marriage rate per 1,000 population 6.5 7.

As family obligations increase, Divorce rate per 1,000 population

% of births to unmarried mothers
3.0
40.9
4.
39

dining room table gathers dust Teen birth rate per 1,000
Average age of men at first
33.6
27.4
41
26
by Julia Weingardt “It’s really hard for our family to find time for marriage

J
immy has soccer at 6 p.m., Julie has pottery dinner because my brother and I now work, and Average of women at first 25.9 25
at 6:30 p.m. and Jacob has basketball at we don’t get back in time for dinner,” Perl says.
7 p.m. on the other side of town. Sound “When we do eat together our parents pretty much marriage
familiar? Today’s families are busier than just ask us like the necessary questions like ‘how
ever, and consequently, the once-essential family was school?’ and we really just want to be doing Average age of women when have 33.3 25
dinner often slips to the bottom of the to-do list. other things.” first child
Though a number of American households— Junior Nikki Heimberg’s family doesn’t eat
14 percent, according to a University of together most nights, Average family size 3.13 2.

14%
Minnesota study—no longer acknowledge but that doesn’t affect
its importance, the family dinner has their relationship,
proven itself as a key indicator of teen
success. According to a 2005 study by
the National Center on Addiction and
Heimberg says.
“My dad works
late and with all of the
what is a
modern
Substance Abuse, teens who eat dinner Of households don’t activities we have going
with their families at least five times per acknowledge the importane on we’re just on the
week are 40 percent more likely to get A’s of family dinners run,” she says. “That’s
and B’s in school and are significantly less the way it’s always
likely to abuse drugs. The same study notes been, and we’re still
that teens who don’t have frequent family dinners really close.” Christina Davis, 12th grade
are three times more likely to smoke marijuana While Perl’s and Heimberg’s situations seem “I think that any family can be
and three and a half times more likely to abuse to be the norm, American families are beginning considered a modern family. There’s no
prescription drugs. to realize the true importance of the family dinner. set criteria for that.”
Still, some families find it difficult to schedule Fifty-eight percent of 12- to 17-year-olds said they
time to eat together when their schedules are ate dinner with their families at least five times
overbooked. a week, up from 47 percent in 1998, according to
Sophomore Sarah Cutler’s family makes an the CASA study.
effort to eat together at least four times a week. The media seems to emphasize the importance Edem Dzotefe,
But with two younger siblings each participating in of family meals as well, perhaps a throwback to 10th grade
equally time-consuming extracurricular activities, earlier times. Stouffer’s released an ad campaign
that’s easier said than done. last year encouraging parents to eat dinner Susan Buckingham, “I think the
“I have Hebrew school, my sister has with their kids, and numerous organizations English teacher modern family
gymnastics, my brother has wrestling—it’s just and parenting blogs are urging families to eat “I think a family us a is a divorced
very hectic,” she says. together. If you’re a little late catching on to the group of people who are family.”
It may be tough, but many families say that idea, don’t worry—it’s easier than you think, child either related by blood or
finding 20 minutes to eat together is well worth development teacher Marjorie Eiserike says. by choice.”
the sacrifice. For the Cutler family, dinner is the “Even if it can’t happen every night, I think
time for everyone to catch up and talk about their it’s important for families to choose one or two
day. nights a week that are kind of sacred,” she says.
“It’s nice because I wouldn’t really see my “It doesn’t have to be a big elaborate ordeal.”
parents during the day because we’re all just In the Cutler household, the three kids switch
running around all the time,” Cutler says. “We off cooking dinners. Some of the most popular
definitely wouldn’t know so much about what’s menu items include homemade macaroni and
going on in each others’ lives.” cheese, Vietnamese noodle soup and ceviche.
Cutler’s parents agree that dinner is the time “Get your kids to make dinner—you’re doing
to enjoy one another’s company. “We always try them a favor,” Rosenthal says. “They learn how to
to find some interesting political or current event cook and how to plan.”
to talk about,” Cutler’s mom, Dale Rosenthal, Even if your family doesn’t possess any
says. “Even if we never manage to actually find culinary talent, getting takeout still provides a
something, it’s good to just be able to sit around quality family experience, Eiserike says.
and talk.” “If a family dinner is ‘let’s go to McDonalds
But for junior Gavi Perl’s family, dinnertime and pick up food,’ then that’s fine every once in a
together has become less important as she and her while,” Eiserike says. “It’s not so much the food;
siblings have grown up and become busier. it’s the whole family sitting down together.” 
 epth March 1, 2010
Betsy’s Birthday!
dinner
Dad’s weekend
U.S. China Italy Brazil
More and more families separated by
.3
.9
8.2
1.8
5.4
0.27
-
0.26
miles as parents move away for work
9.7 - - - ‘Now, we have what are called ‘extreme commuters,’ who travel two, three or
1.9 - 6.7 45 four hours a day, one-way,.’ --Maria Mastria, author of “Conquer the Commute”
6.6 23.8 30 28 by carolina millan-roncheti
F
or most teenagers a lunch
date with their parents usually
5.0 22.1 27.1 26 wouldn’t be a highlight of the
weekend. But senior Gabby
Mahdesian cherishes any moment she
5.2 - 28.7 21 can spend with her dad, who works in Los
Angeles and only returns to Bethesda for
two or three weekends every month.
In recent years, a combination
.59 3.2 2.6 - of suburban growth and advancements
in travel and communication has
contributed to an increase in the number
of parents who work in one city or state
and whose families’ live in another. This
n family?
way of life can pose challenges for those
involved.
Commuting to work began
with the creation of suburbs in the
1950s. However, as closer suburbs
became saturated and property values
Taylor Ricketts, 9th grade increased, longer commutes became the
“I feel like a modern family is a norm for those seeking better housing
mom and a dad and their kids.” and educational opportunities, explains
Marie Mastria, a psychologist who
authored “Conquer the Commute: Tools
Cynthia Skelton, for the Road and Life” and founded the
English teacher coaching program “Commuter-Assist.”
“Now, we have what are called
“A family is a ‘extreme commuters,’ who travel two,
group of people who three or four hours a day, one-way,” she
have chosen to have says. “‘Cross country commuting’ is less
relationships with each common and tends to happen to people
other.”
with higher-end jobs who don’t want to
give them up.”
Mahdesian’s family originally moved
to the D.C. area from Los Angeles when
her father, Michael Mahdesian, got a
job at the White House. After 7 years,
he returned to working for the family
company, Servicon Systems Inc. based in
California. However, the family decided
to stay in the D.C. area, so Michael has
made the coast to coast trip two or three
timesa month for the past 10 years.
“Both my mom and I didn’t want to
move to L.A. when he got his job there
because Whitman’s a great school, and
we have lots of friends here,” Gabby
explains. “They had moved to the east
coast before and [my mom] didn’t want
to move her life one more time because
of his job.”
Junior Emily Madden’s father
commutes home by train every weekend
from his job as an attorney in New York
11
City. Mastria explains that keeping notice a drastic change in her family life,
the commuting parent involved in the as she already took care of her children
household is critical to prevent family on a daily basis when her husband
relationships from deteriorating. worked in D.C., and arrived home late
Additionally, home parents need to be in the evening.
understanding and avoid overwhelming “The one thing that changes is
commuter parents with the week’s that you don’t have a good cop, bad
problems as soon as they get home. cop situation when there’s only one
Both Whitman families have remained parent; I was all rolled into one,” she
together over years of commuting by explains. “But you have to make sure to
adhering to this advice. be independent enough to do it.”
“I feel that [my dad’s] really involved Mastria says that children and their
because he comes to my performances non-commuting parent often become
all the time, even if he has to come home much closer as they spend significant
on a Tuesday, and he calls almost every amounts of time together, and both
night to talk to me for about 20 minutes,” Emily and Gabby count their mothers
Emily explains. “I don’t really know how among their closest friends. Commuting
much a dad would usually be involved parents, on the other hand, risk having
with that kind of stuff, but I think he weakened relationships with their
does a really good job being there, which children and increasing resentment on
is important.” the children’s part, Mastria adds.
Emily’s mom, Linda Madden, adds “There’s always this thought of what
that though the overall amount of would have been if he’d been there all
time these spend together may have the time,” Emily says. “But the fact that
decreased, the quality of the time they he tries so much makes it hard for me
spend together has improved. to feel resentful toward the fact that he’s
“When Michael was still here, he not here.”
often had to work on the weekends Gabby says that growing older
because his job required it,” she says. has helped her cope with her father’s
“Once he moved to his work to New York, absences.
he really pretty much never worked on “When I was younger I would miss
the weekends—he would come home him more,” she says. “I wasn’t used to
and be totally involved in the kids’ it and when you’re younger you have a
“
activities.” whole lot of free time, so I’d wait around
Although for him and miss
both Michael him. I definitely
M a d d e n Even though I don’t see him got upset when
and Michael every day, when I do see him its he missed my
Mahdesian much nicer; it’s more special. I birthday. Now
”
remained I know that if
involved
get excited when he comes home he misses my
in their because it’s only twice a month. birthday, we’ll
children’s do a family
lives, they -Gabby Mahdesian, senior c e l e b r a t i o n
do note that either the
their wives have a larger impact on day- weekend before or after.”
to-day family activities. Overall, Gabby says she doesn’t
“Most of the big decisions we made all resent how the commuting affected her
together, but my wife did the everyday— relationship with her dad.
making sure they got their homework “Honestly, I think the relationship
done and making sure there was dinner got better,” she explains. Even though
on the table,” Michael explains. “My wife I don’t see him every day, when I do see
did that, almost like she was a single
mother, for those three or four days him its much nicer; it’s more special. I
during the week.” get excited when he comes home because
However, Linda Madden didn’t it’s only twice a month. 
12 feature MArch 1, 2010

Sex party host causes stir in neighborhood

Promoter of “Long Live the Kink” must stop charging admission, follow zoning laws
by Zach Schloss
On Tone Drive, off River Road, a stone’s throw from
Whitman, neighbors refer to house, number 6304, as “the
castle.” The stone house, with a rose -covered window
and a British flag jutting out from the balconyabove the
doorway (is that right?), looks like it jumped from the
pages of a fairy tale.
But if you were to venture inside that house, this
vision—along with your innocence—would almost
certainly be tarnished.
Welcome to the residence of Paul Pickthorne, a self-
described “kinkster from the other side of the pond.”
This is where the red-headed Briton hosts monthly
BDSM—bondage and discipline, dominance and
submission, sadism and masochism—sex parties.
Pickthorne recently received a zoning violation
warning from the county for running a commercial
enterprise in a residential neighborhood because he
charges for admission to his parties. Pickthorne’s
antics came to light after a Feb. 4 article came out in the
Washington Post, detailing his sordid soirees.
Senior Nick Barton lives a few houses down from the
castle and finds the situation a “little weird.” He says
it’sbecause Pickthorne hosts the parties late at night and
into the early morning, that most neighbors don’t notice.
But Barton often gets home from work late at night and
says the neighborhood is usually alive and packed with
cars on party nights.
But in many ways, Pickthorne has been a polite
neighbor. He even developed a solution to the problem
of his guests’ cars taking up neighborhood streets.
According to multiple sources, Pickthorne had his
guests park in the Unitarian church on Whittier Blvd.
and had a shuttle bus bring them to his house.
Despite Pickthorne’s peculiar hobbies, none of the
neighbors has ever had a problem with him.
“The guy who owns the house is actually really nice,”
neighbor Cecelia Marquez, a junior, says. “He offered
to fix my garage. He’s just not exactly what I expected
him to be.”
Both Marquez and Barton say that their families
didn’t have much of a problem with the antics going on
down the street, especially since the noise level remained photo by SARAH KLOTZ
low.
Pickthorne takes his business seriously and even runs Residents call Pickthorne a good neighbor and nickname the
his own website, www.britishluckypaul.com, where he sex party location as “the castle.”
posts dates and themes for parties as well as links to the
classes he teaches on party-throwing. The site, which stops charging admission, public officials say Pickthorne
displays the motto “Long Live the Kink,” features links is doing nothing illegal.
to sites that sell sex accessories and “British Lucky Paul” “It is very important for BDSM practitioners to
t-shirts. The website warns people to only enter if they be able to gather in peace among other adults,” wrote
are 18 or older, and for good reason, as much of the Susan Wright, spokesperson for the National Coalition
material contains sexual references and imagery. for Sexual Freedom, on Pickthorne’s website. “Paul is
Pickthorne’s business has expanded. Now you can an educator who travels around the country volunteering
even follow Paul on Twitter. his time to teach safe sex skills. What he does in his
But as far as the future of Pickthorne and his tenants private life in his own home should not be the concern
go, things seem to have calmed down. And as long as he of anyone else.” 

Changes in credit policy mandate per year requirements

graduation rates by ensuring seniors have
continued from page 1 earned enough credits and met all state
requirements in time to graduate.
that the MCPS graduation rate is “If students fail the HSA in their
tied for first among the nation’s 50 senior year, they run out of time to do
largest school districts, Blum said that bridge projects or retake the course,”
the ultimate goal of the policy is to Blum said.
improve four-year county graduation Although the new policy will impose
rates. Although the policy mandates stricter requirements, school principals
that students meet certain requirements will have the final say in whether a student
before moving on to the next grade level, will advance to the next grade.
Blum said that the policy could improve “I can speculate that they were
finding more and more seniors who
were called seniors but were not able to
graduate because they didn’t have the
requirements,” Goodwin said. “One of
the ways a state and county is judged is
by their graduation rates.”
Although the new policy would likely
not cause scheduling issues, Goodwin
said it could place some older students in
classes traditionally designed for students
in lower grade levels.
However, according to Blum, repeating
a grade level or attending summer school,
might be worth it for students on the verge
of not graduating.
“Some people are concerned that
if someone isn’t promoted to the next
grade and can’t go to homeroom with
his friends, there may be some social
consequences,” she said. “But another
person said that it would be worse if they
got to twelfth grade and realize they can’t
graduate.” 

Seniors Lack of UMD housing necessitates

beware!
by julia weingardt
After a stressful junior year, most students
look forward to catching “senioritis,” a condition
characterized by chronic procrastination,
lack of motivation and a plunge in academic
performance.
But seniors beware—your slacking could send
your acceptance letters down the drain.
According to the National Association of College
Admission Counseling, over one-fifth of colleges
reported having rescinded an admission offer in
2008. Reasons for the withdrawal ranged from
disciplinary issues to falsification of application
information, but the vast majority—65 percent—of
admissions revoked were because of poor final
grades.
“I definitely feel less of an urgency to go to class
considering that my grades don’t matter so much
now,” an anonymous senior says.
This attitude may be contagious, but seniors
shouldn’t forget about the section of the application
that’s due after admission.
“Your application isn’t complete without the
final transcript,” career advisor Janice Marmor
says. “Colleges don’t like the idea that they think
they’re getting one thing and then get something
else in the end.”
So while senioritis can be tons of fun, a severe
case could disrupt more than just your free time. To
avoid that senior slump, here are a few tips:
Drink only caffeinated drinks, at least 3 times a
day—this will postpone the caffeine crash until late
at night, after you’ve done all of your homework.
Do your homework—who cares if it’s illegible?
Don’t underbook your schedule—you will be
bored to tears and will resort to napping.
Keep at least one eye open at all times so that
you don’t fall asleep in class. Plus, you can pretend
you’re a pirate. 
admission for spring semester
BY JAMIE NORWOOD
The University of Maryland typically accepts 5,000
freshmen each year. But only 4,000 will be admitted for
the fall, leaving the remaining students to start in the
spring semester.
The university decided to admit students solely for
the spring semester seven years ago, says Barbara Gill,
assistant vice principal for enrollment planning and
undergraduate admissions.
“Our enrollment is over capacity in the fall semester
but lower in the spring so we started admitting more
students for the spring semester,” she says. “We then
got a lot of complaints from parents and students, so we
created a program called Freshman Connection.”
This is the fourth year of the Freshman Connection
program, a program in which spring-bound students are
able to catch up with their credits by enrolling in UMD
courses and utilizing campus resources in the fall.
A senior girl was accepted into the spring semester
but has mixed feelings about living off campus.
“The Freshman Connection program could be great,”
she says. “If someone was very passionate about going to
Maryland it would be a great option, but I would prefer
to get a real college experience living on campus and
being a part of the entire student body.”
While some do see the Freshman Connection program
as a great opportunity, others think differently.
“I would feel like a fraud,” the girl says. “You’re kind
of stuck in the middle, you go to UMD but you have
designated hours separate from the other students and
your own housing. Not too appealing.”
If the senior girl decides to enroll at Maryland for
the second semester, she would consider other options
rather than be a part of the Freshman Connection.
“I would probably go to another school for the first
semester and then transfer my credits,” she says.
See more at TheBlackandWhite.net
● News: Hallway flood disrupts Feb. 23 dismissal
● Opinion: What happened to healthcare?
● Blogs: Textbooks as dry as this headline
While attending Maryland solely for second semester
doesn’t appeal, she encourages other students to try it
out.
“It’s a great school and a good buy,” she says. “But
personally, I want to feel more a part of the community,
and I know I wouldn’t feel 100 percent at home if I joined
the Freshman Connection Program.”
Gill notes that although Freshman Connection
provides students with courses similar to those admitted
to the university, students committed to the program
don’t have access to on-campus residency.
“The university offers courses through what we call
extended studies,” Gill says. “These are programs at a
non-traditional hours taught by Maryland faculty to
make up for their lost semester.”
While only about 75 percent of UMD students are
from Maryland, nearly all the students accepted solely
for the spring semester are in state.
“Students admitted from out of state often have
applied to many other schools,” Gill says. “Accepting
state residents for the spring semester is our way of
giving Maryland residents more options.”
During the application process, multiple committees
review students’ applications before deciding whether to
accept the applicant for the fall or spring semester.
“The hardest part is when we decide who we want
to generally admit,” Gill says. “The group of students
admitted to the fall semester is generally more
competitive academically.”
However, Gill notes that when looking at the range
of GPAs and test scores for the fall versus the spring,
there are some overlaps.
“It’s just that we don’t have space in our main
freshman classes and in the residence halls so we offer
students housing in off campus apartments.” 
March 1, 2010 feature 13

Trend: Downloading textbooks

by Becca Andrasko weight of a textbook to their already hefty backpacks.

The College students are often concerned with budgeting

– budgeting their time, their resources and their money.
Online textbooks, or eTextbooks, and renting textbooks
Some teachers require that students bring their
textbooks to class every day, so some students, like
junior Justin Cinkala, use online textbooks.
“I use the online Biology book to help me with my

Black & White offer the newest way for college and high school students
to conserve all three of these assets.
These eTextbooks usually cost up to 50 percent less
class if I forget my textbook,” Cinkala says.
His biology teacher, Melanie Toth, recommends
that her students use the online book, because it has

buys itself a man than traditional textbooks. CourseSmart.com boasts

by stephanie haven and rachel nussbaum
Awkward is a relative term, we like to believe. But
on the night of Feb. 25—the night of the boy auction—
awkward reached a whole new level.
Some claim they did it for charity. Some claim it
was a joke. Some were just really passionate about
finding true love.
But we—we were on a mission. Given the generous
sum of one hundred dollars, we were told to buy a boy,
let him take us out and chronicle it all for the Black &
White. Of course, for bdubbs. We were also told to not
let anyone else know about it.
What we were not told about, however, were the
weird looks that would come at us from every direction,
like a million little hot whispers. Or the blinding
flashlights that somehow didn’t block out those looks.
We understand why some girls were literally bouncing
in their seats or shaking as they gave their information
to the organizers. One girl could barely write down her
own name from the excitement, to give you some idea
of the situation.
the largest selection of online textbooks, with 9,061
textbooks currently available in 1,010 course areas. The
average college student spends about $1000 per year on
textbooks, often one of the largest expenditures after
tuition and room and board, according to the New York
Times. The average savings for an eTextbook user is a
whopping $67.34.
“Budgeting/expenses is definitely a major concern,”
Nikki Brand ’09, a freshman at University of California
at Berkeley, explains in an email. “I’m already paying so
much money for tuition and housing, so I try to limit my
outside spending to necessities, including textbooks.”
The average college student spends about $1000
per year on textbooks, which represents one of the
biggest expenditures after tuition and room and board,
according to the New York Times. However, the new
eTextbooks can save a college student up to fifty percent
on their textbook expenses.
Plenty of websites, like Campusbookrentals.
com, allow users to download large selections of
instant textbooks through a variety of mediums, from
downloading a personal computer to portable devices
like iPhones, iPads or BlackBerries. has never rented a textbook from the school store or
While most high school students borrow textbooks
from their school, students often don’t want to add the
interactive features that the print edition lacks. Some
online textbooks are free, like the one used by AP Biology
classes.
While most high school students use the print
edition of their books that the school provides,
more and more college students are often renting or
downloading textbooks from websites or dealers, such
as CengageBrain.com.
Cengage Learning, one of the largest textbook
publishing companies in the nation, began renting
books to students at the beginning of this school year at
about 40 to 70 percent the cost of a new book. Cengage
Learning’s rental program was piloted this year in
several college bookstores, including at U.C. Berkeley
and University of South Carolina.
Through these programs, students have the option
of renting a book for 60, 90 or 130 days and, at the
end of the term, have the choice of buying or returning
them. The publishing company also runs the site
CengageBrain.com, which sells and rents textbooks,
both in electronic and printed form.
Brand’s school is one of the first colleges to promote
textbook rentals in their campus bookstore. While she
online, she says that her friends do take advantage of the
rental and used books offered through the school. 

Urban Prankster network goes pantless

But that’s okay, because it was all in the interest
of fighting cancer. And fight some girls—and guys—
definitely did. Tension was high as people with flash
lights ran up and down the aisles figuring out which girl
had upped the others’ bids. Maybe it is the competitive continued from page 3
nature of girls that made them bid ridiculous sums for
dates. None of us is that desperate, hopefully.
So how do Witzenburg and his
Our smarminess may be because we were outbid
friends do it? How has Capitol
twice. Or maybe it’s because now we have to explain
Improv put stuffy, corporate D.C.
why, exactly, we were bidding on guys we sit in front
into the national headlines with
of in English class every day but don’t actually know
its hilarious antics? The answer is
(sorry, Adam Goode!)
simple: an enthusiastic community
Honestly, we were awkward, embarrassed and
and some long nights of organizing—
giggling too much at things that weren’t that funny.
sometimes reaching up to 50 hours
Like Joelle Levinas getting outbid by her little sister
a week.
for Kevin Cecala, Joelle’s boyfriend. Okay, that was
“When missions are in the
pretty funny.
works, the time commitment can
We were getting more and more nervous. We
grow considerably depending on
would put up the pamphlet, lucky (?) no. 42, to bid and
the mission,” Witzenburg explains.
take it down, multiple times. Finally, we panicked. Our
“The amazing thing is how much of
options were limited and so was the cash supply. We
a community effort it is. Things that
gave it one last go and came away victorious, trembling
would take a single person months
with adrenaline.
or years to accomplish take the
You may know him by his half-emo, half-just lazy
group as little as a couple of days
black hair, “classy” glasses and quirky personality.
because there are so many hands on
We know him as Nate Eckland: the man, not quite
the complex projects we’re doing.”
the legend. But one hundred percent awesome, and
Witzenburg, who works full time
$85 later, we got ourselves a $15 date to California
at the Patent and Trademark Office,
Tortilla and a movie. photos courtesy BRUCE WITZENBURG
is a self-proclaimed “starving stand-
The bidding continued, but we could finally
up comic,” and although he says Whether it’s a snowball fight or a pantless Metro ride, Capital Improv members say
breathe, and appreciate just how ridiculous the entire
he has loved every mission he has their missions never fail to be rewarding.
situation was. Two words: choreographed routines.
been a part of, some have especially
More words: Bryan Joel, Miles Davis and Connor “just forgot their pants.” Guthman, like Witzenburg, was
satisfied his craving for a comedic
Gordon performed a nearly synchronized dance For fans outside of D.C., Capital drawn to the event for one main
outlet.
number—and in matching sunglasses, no less. Improv documents most of their reason – he’s a performer.
In 2008, the group paraded
Yet, in spite of the altruism, there was a downside missions on Flickr and YouTube. “Everyone’s out there for the
one of their “agents” through
to the boy auction. Imagine how much more ego-tastic The popular videos, complete same reason, as performers who
D.C.’s Cherry Blossom Festival
the guys who got high bids are going to be now. How with zoomed in reaction shots aren’t afraid to make fools out of
surrounded by screaming fans and
will they ever handle dating for less than $300? Well, and dramatic music, have a range themselves,” Guthman says. “It’s
fake paparazzi, with no motive other
I guess that’s the toll of being hot and likable. of comments—some praising the a group of fun people, and Bruce,
than getting some attention.
Phew, date procured. Next problem: going on what group’s sense of humor, and others who’s very clever and funny, is the
This January, Capitol Improv
may be the most awkward outing of our lives. Actually, questioning its patriotism. perfect guy for this.”
conducted the third annual “No
the problem was just being able to steady our knees Noah Guthman, a junior at Most recently, the group
Pants Ride.” And it’s exactly what it
and walk out of the auditorium. the Field School, first found out promoted the Feb. 6 snowball fight at
sounds like—Metro cars packed with
Stay tuned for part II: the date.  about Capitol Improv by watching DuPont Circle on Feb. 7—a do-over
boxer bearing Washingtonians who
some of its videos online. He then of the December snowball fight foiled
participated in the group’s “Conga by a gun-wielding policeman.
Line Tours” as a saxophone player in Popularized through Facebook
a back-up band for a phony dancing and Twitter, the event attracted
tour in the heart of D.C. over 2,000 people suffering from
“D.C. has duck tours, bus tours, cabin fever.
walking tours, segway tours, so why Whether it’s a snowball fight or
not a conga line tour?” Guthman tour fraud, Capitol Improv members
says. say their missions never fail to be
For the event, Capitol Improv rewarding.
went all out, Guthman says, complete “When you pull off a mission
with nametags, signs, pamphlets and get that perfect reaction where
and even fake tour guides. someone can’t help but crack up or
The event was a success, as stare in confusion or watch in awe to
measured by the number of confused a mission that we do, it’s a very big
glances and amused smiles. rush as a performer and as a planner
“We got a lot of funny looks, for the mission,” Witzenburg says.
which is the goal,” Guthman says. “It means we’re doing something
“Making people say ‘What’s going that people really enjoy, and we’re
on?’” doing it well.” 
14 Feature
Facebook groups spur early networking
by Stephanie Haven
Thick envelopes seem to be a
thing of the past. And it’s not because
fewer people are getting accepted
to college. Instead of waiting by
the mailbox, seniors are repeatedly
clicking the refresh button for their
e-mail inboxes, anxiously hoping
for the words, “Congratulations and
welcome” to pop up in an e-mail from
their top-choice college.
And, just like that, the digitized
college experience begins. Next
step? Changing your Facebook status
to announce your acceptance and
joining the group “[Your College of
Choice Here] Class of 2014.” Newly
accepted students proceed to “friend”
each other and get acclimated with
their soon-to-be peers, all before the
second semester of senior year.
“I said if I got in I would put it up
on Facebook,” senior Stefanie Rhode
said. “Not only was it nice to have
so many congratulations from my
current friends but then there was the
added support from the University
of Pennsylvania Class of 2014 group
where I’ve gotten to know some of my
future classmates.”
While the first day at college is
always daunting, Facebook discussion
boards allow students to get to know
some of their class before freshman
orientation packets even come in the
mail.
“They reassured some worries I
had,” Brown University-bound senior
Vera Carothers said. “You get a feel
for the kind of people in your class
and you get questions answered, so,
in general, it makes it a more positive
experience.”
Facebook also provides a unique
opportunity for students who are on
FREE CHIPS
AND QUESO!
sports teams at their colleges to form
friendships with their teammates
before training starts. Middlebury-
bound senior Brandt Silver-Korn even
got in contact with a future teammate
who used to be his competitor.
“When I was 10 years old I ran
in the junior Olympics and I saw the
name of the kid that always used to
win on the Middlebury Facebook
group,” Silver-Korn said. “I haven’t
spoken to him in 10 years and it was
really cool to get to know him again
and time we get to be friends instead
of competitors.”
Further digitizing the post-
admission experience, some schools
use websites to match roommates
before students come to school in the
fall. URoomsurf.com, launched Feb.
1 2009, allows students across the
country to find a same-sex roommate
from their school by filling out a
survey that will match them with
similar students at their college.
“I [started at] the University of
Miami in August 2004, and Facebook
did not exist,” said ECampus managing
partner Justin D.B. Gaither. “So back
then, everyone came in without
really knowing anyone else.  Now
you have sites like URoomSurf that
let students network months before
going to college.   So now students
can make friends, find people with
similar interests, and just feel more
comfortable and connected to their
incoming class and university well
before stepping foot on campus.
The internet has been great for all
of this.”
The University of Georgia, even
created its own roommate finder
called “Dawg House,” which they
strongly recommend for new students
and incoming freshman.
See you at the
Bethesda
cal tort!
Just show your Whitman ID to the
spunky cashier and the Bethesda
California Tortilla will give you FREE
Chips and Queso anytime you buy a
burrito, quesadilla or 2 tacos.
YEE-HA!
California Tortilla - Bethesda
4862 Cordell Avenue
Bethesda, MD 20814
(301) 654-8226
march 1, 2010
“We feel like it has been a positive
change where students are much more
satisfied with their roommates when
they find each other on their own,”
said Shay Davis, Director of Residence
Hall Administrative Operations. “Our
research and national research shows
that a third party trying to match
roommate pairs is less likely to make
students happy than if they have
control over the process.”
Piloted in 2004, the Dawg House
allows students to create a profile and
characteristics about who their ideal
roommate would be.
“The Dawg House makes
students take more ownership, which
I think is really important,” Davis
said. “Students used to blame their
unhappiness with roommates on the
housing department. Now they take
matters into their own hands if they
aren’t satisfied. I want their experience
to be great, and I know that this will
only enhance the process.”
The increased popularity of
Facebook and roommate websites
like URoomSurf and Dawg House
have personalized the system to
allow students to request roommates
without having to meet their peers
firsthand. Getting to know peers
before the fall semester not only
makes the transition from high school
to college easier for seniors, but also
helps them get used to the different
way of living.
“The Facebook groups opened me
up to seeing who I am going to be with
and the people I will be friends with,”
George Washington University-bound
senior Nikki Murarka said.
“It made the process more real,
tangible and exciting. College now
feels less like a crazy idea and more
of a reality.” 
March 1, 2010 feature 15

TOP TEN
FREE GEORGETOWN
CUPCAKES BY Juliet Mullins

Because of their journalistic integrity, five dedicated writers (actually,

four enthusiastic cupcake connoisseurs and one dedicated writer) ventured to
Georgetown Cupcake every day during class for three weeks in order to analyze
and rank Georgetown Cupcake’s TOP TEN FREE FLAVORS.

Cookies and Cream - 

 
Cookies and Cream fully
Georgetown Cupcake give-aways deserves its number one spot. Despite protests from loyal fans of Chocolate PB
Chip, Cookies and Cream stands strong with the little bits of Oreo mixed in its
base and frosting, with pieces placed perfectly on top.
BY Jamie Norwood “We definitely run out of the flavor a lot,”

Two words that everyone loves: “free”

and “cupcakes.”
Yes, it’s true, Georgetown Cupcake is
giving away free cupcakes every single day
this year. All you need is the secret pass code.
Here’s the catch: you have to follow them on
Twitter or be a fan on Facebook.
Log onto Facebook, search “Georgetown
Cupcake” and click to be a fan. And there
you have it: “Today’s secret (Not-on-Menu)
FREE cupcake is…”
Owners Sophia LaMontagne and
Katherine Kallinis created the free cupcake
promotion as a fun way to gain business.
“The two owners decide the flavor each
day, but we take suggestions on our Facebook
and Twitter pages.” Bethesda manager
Jessica says. “It’s a lot of fun for the customers.
A lot of the time they’ll buy a cupcake too.”
The cupcakery bakes approximately 100
of the secret flavor daily and gives them away
on a first come, first serve basis.
Jessica says.
Students are catching on fast, logging
onto Facebook each day just in time to pick
up a cupcake after school.
“I think that they have a great marketing
campaign,” junior Hannah Sherman says.
“Subsequently, I think the rate of diabetes in
Bethesda will significantly rise as more and
more people find out about this.”
Senior Susannah Savage, an employee,
encourages people to follow them on
Facebook and Twitter.
“We think it’s a great way to get people
into the store,” she says. “We also wanted to
bring back flavors that people really enjoy,
not our six standard cupcakes that we sell
every day.”
Free cupcakes everyday for a year— it’s
almost too good to be true. But Georgetown
Cupcake sees it as a business opportunity.
“People love it, and it’s an awesome way
to gain business,” Savage says. “And who
doesn’t want a free cupcake?” 
Chocolate PB Chip-
Chocolate PB Chip elicits mixed reviews; it really
just depends on your opinion towards massive
amounts of peanut butter. Peanut butter chunks
paired with chocolate cake, smoothed over with a
light peanut butter icing, is not for those of faint
culinary heart.
Pumpkin Spice - By far one
of the least heavy of the bakery’s offerings, Pumpkin Spice
tricks you into believing you aren’t consuming hundreds of
calories—for a split second. With a pumpkin bread base and
topped with maple frosting, it’s a refreshingly healthier (or at least you can tell
yourself that) alternative to the sugar-filled treats that leave you wondering
whether you’re eating a cupcake or a hunk of pure butter and sugar.
Caramel Apple - Caramel Apple was the November
cupcake of the month, and from then on, I was in love. When the cupcake made
its debut on Georgetown Cupcake’s Twitter as the day’s free cupcake, I couldn’t
have made it out of Whitman faster. The texture of this treat resembles that
of an apple crumb cake, but with a caramel core and caramel
drizzled on top, it’s like Salted Caramel’s hot cousin.

Strawberry- Strawberry was

such a successful free flavor that it became one of
February’s flavors of the month. Yet another cupcake
with small bits of the key ingredient—in this case,
strawberry pieces—dotting the cake and frosting, this
is a cupcake that you can feel a little less bad about
scarfing down (because hey, you’re eating fruit). This
flavor sparked a trend, inspiring the two popular flavors
Chocolate Strawberry and Strawberry Lava Fudge.

Maple - The thought of pouring maple syrup into your mouth

may occur when you hear the name of this cupcake. But fear not, although a
little sweet, the Maple cupcake makes for a fabulous twist on the flavor.

Toffee Crunch -
Georgetown Cupcake describes Toffee Crunch as a

ters” reality show “toffee cupcake with toffee-infused vanilla frosting

e Sis
topped with crushed Heath Bar.” This cupcake

air “Cupcak doesn’t deem itself anything special until the Heath

TLC to Bar toppings are included, but once they are, this
cupcake could begin to top many people’s lists.

by Hailey Siller Strawberry Lava

Rather than walking to Bethesda for a Georgetown Cupcake, you’ll soon be able
to observe the secret behind the store’s huge success from the comforts of your living Fudge- Strawberry Lava Fudge was created as
room. an accident, but still an accident worth adding to our Top Ten. A variation on
Georgetown Cupcake owners Sophia LaMontague and Katherine Kallinis will star the classic strawberry, this cupcake adds a core of lava fudge. The only problem
in their own reality TV series premiering on TLC in July. The show, “Cupcake Sisters,” with this combo is that there’s a little too much going on the cupcake. Also, a
focuses on the day-to-day activities of the cupcake bakery. word to the wise: bring plenty of napkins when eating this one; lava fudge in
“Cupcake Sisters” joins other TLC food shows such as “Cake Boss,” “Ultimate Cake your mouth – heaven, lava fudge on your mouth — not so hot.
Off,” “Little Chocolatiers” and “Craving Comfort”--a new show which explores America’s
comfort foods.
According to TLC’s Press Release, “Cupcake Sisters will go beyond the frosting to
uncover the secret of Sophie and Katherine’s success and follow the challenges they face
Salted Caramel- After eating my first Salted Caramel,
I felt like I had just finished off an entire Thanksgiving dinner and the table. If
as the business rapidly expands and is poised to explode on the national scene.” you’re craving sugar and don’t mind heavy caramel-drizzled butter cream
Manager Jessie Conradi and LaMontague declined to comment when asked about frosting, go for this one.
the details of the show, citing the terms of their confidentiality agreement.
Employee Molly Schwartz (‘08) says that the filming is exciting and that the crew is
really trying to get to know the employees.
“Hopefully the show will portray how fun it is to be at Georgetown Cupcake and how ChocolateBirthday-
much we really care about what we do,” she says. As much as I love birthday cake, I could’ve made
The crew began filming on Valentine’s Day weekend, which was also the business’ this one with a ‘just add water’ mix at home. This
two-year anniversary. They will continue to film throughout April. cupcake, while still amazing because its free,
Georgetown Cupcake opened in 2008 as D.C.’s first and only cupcakery and now tastes exactly like the millions of cupcakes and
employs over 60 people and bakes 3,000 to 5,000 cupcakes a day, according to TLC.  cakes floating around Whitman on any freshman
girl’s birthday. 
16 feature march 1, 2010

Lifetime PTA member Bonnie Perkins organizes Post-Prom

as vice president of Montgomery County non-profit
by Ryan Hauck
On this year’s prom night, almost 13,000 Montgomery
County students will forego drunken revelry in favor
of good, clean post-prom fun, all thanks to Bonnie
Perkins.
Perkins, the mother of three Whitman graduates,
is the vice president of Montgomery County Project
Prom/Graduation, a non-profit group she co-founded
in 1992 to organize Post-Prom events for high schools
throughout the county. However, Perkins’ influence
at Whitman extends beyond post-prom; she is also
directly and indirectly responsible for various Whitman
traditions like Coffeehouse and Homecoming hallway
decorating.
Since Montgomery County Project Prom/Graduation
formed 18 years ago, there hasn’t been a single alcohol-
related prom night death in the county.
“It’s a great feeling,” Perkins says. “If we just saved
one child, if just one student said, ‘Hey wait a minute,
I heard that lady says we shouldn’t do this,’ that would
be worth it. But when we have 13,000 students who
now make the choice to come to these events, it’s
incredible.”
Perkins has devoted her time to this unpaid position
ever since a prom night accident 21 years ago changed
her life.
On April 21, 1989, at 10:30 p.m., Britton Chichester,
for whom the prestigious Chichester Sportsmanship
Award is named, was speeding home from a prom party,
trying to get to his house before his parents. He had
been drinking, but none of his friends prevented him
from driving. He crashed his car under the American
Legion Bridge.
His parents, who were on their way home from
Virginia, saw the wreck and stopped to investigate, only
to discover it was their son.
Three years later Perkins began organizing post-
prom events in an effort to keep teens safe.
The idea behind Post-Prom is to provide a free event
for all Prom attendees that would keep students away
from alcohol and off the roads. Attending students must
sign in and out before coming and going, and cannot
return after leaving. The event runs from 1:00 a.m.
to 5:00 a.m. Students may attend Post-Prom without
attending prom.
Organizers entice students into attending Post-Prom
through numerous activities and prizes. This year’s
Olympic-themed Post-Prom will feature, among other
activities, an obstacle course, a moon bounce and prizes
ranging up to a laptop or a small college scholarship.
Montgomery County Project Prom/Graduation
works with police officers, who will be on patrol and
armed with breathalyzers outside the event. The
organization also trains local limousine drivers to
recognize signs of intoxication.
Perkins is fond of recalling a 10-year Whitman high
school reunion one of her daughters attended, and the
message she relayed to her mother afterwards.
“She said, ‘Mom, all of them asked about you, and
said thank you for saving their lives.’”
In 1994, yet another fatal drunk driving accident
inspired Perkins to take further action. Junior Elizabeth
Clark lost control of her BMW, crashing it into a tree on
River Road over Labor Day weekend. She and another
girl were killed. Two other passengers were injured.
“I decided then and there that the kids needed a
place to go to be together,” Perkins says. “That’s when
I created the ‘We Believe in Our Kids Event.’”
Perkins held the first event in the school cafeteria,
photo courtesy BONNIE PERKINS
with no money, four parent chaperones and a DJ.
Nonetheless, the event was an incredible success, with
over 200 students in attendence. Eventually “We Bonnie Perkins presents the highlights of Post-Prom and plan-
ning to parents at the senior parent meeting.
Believe in Our Kids” evolved into “Friday Night Live,” an
event held after football games with barbeques, DJs and
outdoor movies. “Friday Night Live” in turn morphed
into “Coffeehouse,” long before the Save the Music Post-Prom Highlights:
Foundation became involved with the event.
During this time, Perkins also worked closely with
the leadership classes on the quadrennial “Every Fifteen 1. Tons of free food (subs, baked
Minutes” anti-drunk driving event. goods, etc)
Along with fighting drunk driving during her time
as a high school parent she helped reform Homecoming 2. Giant moon bounce
to attract more students. When then-principal Jerome
Marco originally refused to allow hallway decorations,
Perkins stepped in to convince him otherwise. 3. Record a song in the music
Marco’s successor, principal, Alan Goodwin, first met booth and take a CD home
Perkins in 1999 when he was an assistant principal.
“I was impressed by her determination and 4. Toilet-bowl racing
commitment,” Goodwin says. “It’s wonderful to see
such dedicated parent involvement. It’s always been
positive.” 5. Inflatable octacle course
After Perkins’ last daughter graduated, the school
made her a lifetime member of the PTSA. 6. Having fun with friends in the
“A lot of these things I did are still going strong,” she wee hours of the morning!
says. “I’m still very much the Whitman mom.” 

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march 1, 2010 arts 17

American Idol:
Quit While
Avatar controversy illustrates You’re Ahead
critic overreaction to cigarette by Julia Weingardt

smoking in PG-13 movies
by sahil ansari
Cruella DeVille without her cigarette?
Popeye without his lopsided pipe? Not quite
the same.
Today’s films are riddled with scenes of
drugs, sex and violence. Everything from movies
intended for children, which often have subtle
innuendos aimed at making parents chuckle,
to war movies, which are usually chalk-full
of bone-chillingly realistic gore, are changing
the modern moviegoer’s experience. Seeing
how movie ratings have clearly changed over
the years and have become much more lenient
towards material once considered indecent,
it’s ludicrous that some movie-goers have been
campaigning to give movies featuring tobacco
use an R rating.
The recent controversy surrounding smoking
in the PG-13 film, “Avatar,” provoked both
strong protests and equally adamant rebuttals.
Critics of the character Grace Augustine, a brash,
cigarette-wielding environmental scientist,
slammed the movie for its portrayal of excessive
tobacco use and deemed the character a poor
role model for kids. The main critics, members
of a group called “Smoke Free Movies,” which
has protested all smoking in films and goes so far
as to claim that “any film that shows or implies
tobacco should be rated R,” argued that minor
drug use, like cigarette smoking, shouldn’t be
featured in movies that kids could legally buy a
ticket for and go see.
First and foremost, this complaint, which
is focused on a very petty issue considering
the wealth of much more substantive problems
plaguing modern cinema, violates the true
expression a director is entitled to.
As Cameron stated in an interview with
the New York Times, the criticized character’s
rude, self-damaging behavior had artistic merit
with respect to the film, as she was supposed to
devalue her human body as compared to her
“avatar.” As much as members of the “Smoke
Free Movies” initiative would love the character
in Avatar to be a well-mannered, god-fearing
and vice-free woman, it simply would not be
fitting for the character.
The beauty of the best artistic endeavors
comes from their realism. While I by no means
have a right to tell parents how much of the real
world they should expose their kids to, when
examining something like the rating system,
it’s only fair to examine it in the context of our
society. Kids are just as, if not more likely, to
be negatively influenced by the hundreds of
cigarette advertisements in magazines and the
thousands of people smoking on the street than
by a fictional character in a film.
Now while puffing a cig now and then is
hardly grounds for an R rating, the Motion
Picture Association of America should certainly
pay close attention when films cross the line and
begin to truly promote self-destructive behavior.
Case in point: Quentin Tarantino’s “Pulp
Fiction.” Apart from the language and violence,
this film’s R-rating was wholly justified by its
characters’ heroin use. A far more reasonable
expectation for a higher rating would be films
like Titanic, a PG-13 film with nudity and death,
and even the Indiana Jones series, many of
which are rated PG despite the violence.
Today, whether or not people like it,
standards are changing—Dorothy ain’t falling
asleep in fields of poppies no more. In the midst
of all the blood and gore, cursing and sexuality
that pervade today’s PG-13 films, cigarettes
should hardly be parents’ primary concern. 
The screaming, the golden tickets, the crazy wackjobs who
think they can sing. It was all pretty entertaining—but come
on Fox, it’s getting old.
It’s not just the audition madness of American Idol that’s
getting repetitive. The show is in its ninth season, which
means nine years of Ryan’s perfectly spiked hair and skinny
ties, nine years of Randy’s “Yo dawg I wasn’t feelin’ it man”
comments and nine years of Simon’s boring t-shirts and
equally boring insults.
The opening rounds of the show have really become all
about the judges, when in fact they should be focusing on the
singers. In the earlier seasons, the judges told contestants
that they were pitchy or that they were out of tune. Now
the remarks consist of Simon rolling his eyes or Kara slowly
nodding her head with her eyes watering in amazement. A
judge’s job is to critique, but clearly this group has decided to
leave that up to the voice coaches.
The only real improvement this year is the addition of
Ellen DeGeneres, who adds a comedic aspect and a bit of an
“every man” vibe to the show. Her comments are both witty
and constructive, and her spontaneous personality brings a
much-needed element of originality to the show.
There seems to be a trend in Fox’s judge selection over the
past few seasons. Paula goes a little kooky, so Fox brings in
Kara for a trial season. Next thing you know, Paula’s out, so
now they’ve brought in Ellen—all in preparation for Simon’s
departure next season.
Simon should be ecstatic. He’s jumping off a sinking ship
and landing on a much cooler British one. Rumors have it
that he’s introducing the talent search show “The X-Factor”
to America and bringing Paula Abdul with him. America has
waited long enough for the “Cabdul” showmance to continue,
and the X-Factor’s success in the U.K. is a promising sign for
the show’s American debut.
As if this wasn’t enough, Idol’s ratings are dropping.
Coverage of the Winter Olympics beat the U.S audience
ratings of American Idol—making it the first show to do so in
six years—and also marking the end of an era.
Idol is famous for discovering talent. It’s served its
purpose and provided the world with some laughs and some
good voices. Nonetheless, its time has come and gone, and
it’s time to let the bevy of competitions take over in the talent
search.

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18 arts march 1, 2010

Illegal song
downloads
Ticketmaster, on the rise
Live Nation by Jamie Norwood

merger nearing A junior boy has downloaded

thousands of songs to his iPod, but he

completion graphic by NEILL ROBERTSON

by parissa jaseb
Two giant music competitors—Ticketmaster and Live
Nation—have officially announced that they are joining together
and will formally merge some time this year. The merger was
proposed (and approved) in order to provide cheaper tickets
and better deals, which has other live music vendors fearing a
monopoly. The one huge entertainment company, Ticketmaster/
Live Nation will now handle ticket sales, live music, concert
venues and tours for artists.
Following the concerns of a monopoly, the U.S. Justice
Department stepped in, requiring Ticketmaster to license its
ticketing software to an entertainment group called Anschutz,
the country’s second most well-known concert manager and
promoter. The aim of this mandate is to create at least one other
strong competitor for Ticketmaster/Live Nation to work with.
“Perhaps even more troublesome however,” Steven
Pearlstein, business columnist for the Washington Post wrote,
“is that in order to provide sufficient competition to a bigger and
more vertically integrated Ticketmaster, the government has
put itself in the position of playing midwife to two other vertical
mergers—one involving Anschutz, the other Comcast—making it
even more difficult for small venues and independent promoters
to survive.”
Since customers still fear the price of tickets skyrocketing,
many worry over how the merger will impact ticket sales and
distribution.
has never paid for music. Limewire,
Rhapsody, Kazaa. The list of downloading
sites goes on and on. Paying for music
these days is almost unheard of.
Over 95 percent of music downloaded
Seth Hurwitz, who owns the popular local music venues
in 2009 was done so illegally, according
Merriweather Post Pavilion and the 9:30 Club, said that this
to the International Federation of the
merger could result in higher prices across the board.
Phonographic Industry.
 “It will force bands to make decisions based on big national
Bethesda psychologist Adam Klein
all-or-nothing-offers instead of considering each market
believes illegal downloading is popular
carefully,” Hurwitz explained.
because it’s easy and accessible.
Talk of the merger started last February, and even then
“It’s the experience of the thrill, the
concerns about higher ticket prices and lack of competition in
feeling of getting something for nothing
the box office business had been voiced.
and beating the system,” he says.
In December 2008, Live Nation began selling tickets for
Even though 90 percent of teens
bigger venues and bands, previously having only booked small
surveyed during a 2008 Microsoft News
bands at local clubs and bars. Live Nation soon gained celebrity
Center study believed that stealing a bike
clients, exerting more influence on the music industry.
warranted punishment, only half thought
Ticketmaster, the world’s largest ticket seller, finally faced
that any sort of penalty should be attached
some sizable competition. A mere six months after Live Nation
to illegally downloading music.
burst onto the scene, the company was taking 16.5 percent of the
Klein notes that if presented with the
Ticketmaster’s ticket sales, according to Irving Azoff and Eric
opportunity, most people will take the
Korman, the CEO and president of Ticketmaster, respectively.
easy way out. He relates stealing music
They both believed the two companies would benefit from
to navigating the complexities of high
a merger, instead of facing constant competition from one
school.
another.
“Getting into college and going to
Sophomore Sarah Backenstoe called the merger a “positive
college,” he says. “This is being in the
thing” and said that it would reduce prices.
system. But then there’s the group of kids
“If the companies work together to keep scalpers out, it
who cheat the system by skipping class.”
would keep ticket prices down,” she said. 
One junior girl says she regularly
uses Acquisition.com to download free
music.

Looking into the D.C. jazz scene...

BY SAHIL ANSARI AND ZACH SCHLOSS
Above the din and chatter of the crowded
street, senior Aaron Seeber can hear the sound
of two saxophones. As a piano, upright bass and
drum set join in, he finds himself immersed in
a world of blowing changes, improvisation and
broken time. A stomping ground for passionate
artists, Washington, D.C. has established itself
as home to some of the finest jazz clubs and
musicians in the country.
“U Street is where all the jazz is,” Seeber
says. “If you go there after 8 p.m., everything is
jazz. It’s pretty surprising because most people
think D.C. has a dead jazz scene, but you go there
and a lot of the stuff that they’re playing is stuff
that’s considered to be pretty modern jazz.”
Popular jazz clubs such as Bohemian
Caverns, Cafe Nema, Twins Jazz and U-Topia
all call the U Street area home. On a typical
weekend evening, the area is saturated with
the sound of live music until nearly four in the
morning.
Seeber, who plays drums and has participated
in everything from the Maryland All-State jazz
ensemble to combos made up of the area’s
top players, says he has played jazz in D.C.
around 30 times. With the help of his mentor,
professional saxophonist Paul Carr, he has
landed gigs at U Street venues, other clubs like
HR-57 on 14th Street, private parties and even
some embassies.
Twins Peter and Will Reardon-Anderson
(’05) frequently played at clubs and other
venues in the area, including Peter’s favorite, the
Kennedy Center—gigs they say provided them
with invaluable experience.
“When we were in our junior and senior
years of high school, we had a car so we could
drive down there,” says Peter, who, along with
his brother, is currently working toward his
master’s degree at the Julliard School in New
York City. “You can’t really learn to play jazz
without going out and doing it. You can only
practice so much before you need the actual
experience.”
Peter says his experiences in D.C. readied
him for the overwhelming jazz culture in one of
the world’s jazz hubs, Manhattan.
“It kind of prepared us for New York a little
bit because New York is like [U Street] in a lot
of places,” Peter says. “There are dozens of jazz
clubs here and different places to play. We’re
really fortunate to have D.C. That’s really what
got us started and made us decide that we
wanted to do this for a living.”
Although not especially known for its jazz
scene, D.C. has always possessed a jazz-centric
culture. In fact, jazz legends like D.C. native
and renowned bandleader Duke Ellington and
trumpeter Miles Davis all frequented the local
venues in their heyday.
“The energy is kind of electric,” Carr says.
According to Carr, U Street was revitalized a
few years ago, a change that brought about the
emergence of several new jazz clubs.
“The closest thing it reminds me of is New
York City in the ‘80s, when you could just
walk up and down the street and could go to
different jazz clubs,” he says. “Especially in the
summertime, there are people walking around
and you can hear the music just out of the
windows.”
Drive about two-and-a-half miles from U
Street, down New Hampshire Avenue, and take
a right onto M Street towards Wisconsin Avenue
and you’ll reach Blues Alley, not only the most
popular live jazz establishment in all of D.C., but
one of the most renowned clubs in the world.
Founded in 1965, Blues Alley is the oldest
dinner-serving jazz club in the nation. Tucked
away in an alley off of a side street in Georgetown,
artists such as Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz and Ella
Fitzgerald have performed within its walls.
“Blues Alley gets all the big names,” says
Seeber, who has had the privilege of actually
playing there before. “Really well-known
international musicians play there.”
In fact, students frequently rely on
professionals in the area to tutor them in jazz
music and draw them into the scene. Since Carr,
a musician and educator, first arrived in D.C. in
1983, he has dedicated vast amounts of his time
mentoring promising young jazz musicians. A
frequent player at all the popular clubs in the
area, Carr transferred to Howard University
for the sole purpose of playing straight-ahead
jazz, a widely accepted style of jazz especially
popular in D.C.
With a focus on engaging younger, developing
musicians in the world of jazz, he started the
Jazz Academy in 2002, an audition-only group
of high school students that lands gigs all over
town.
The Jazz Academy also sponsors a summer
camp, known as the “JAM Camp,” to which
Carr brings musicians he knows from across
the country, including famous saxophone player
Branford Marsalis.
“I wanted to have a place where I could
teach young players about jazz in a formalized
camp setting, and I wanted them to play with
professional musicians,” Carr explains.
The Jazz Academy attracts students from all
across the state, including many from Whitman,
with its various opportunities to both study
music and play gigs. It has won the Silver Spring
Jazz Festival high school competition three
times, and held the first annual Mid-Atlantic
Jazz Festival on Feb. 19 this year.
“Some of the most famous musicians in
D.C. came to play and it was really cool being
surrounded by all these jazz musicians all the
time.” 
“I wouldn’t steal from a store because
I see that as morally wrong,” she says.
“Downloading music is different because
it’s so much more accessible.”
In today’s world, new methods of
downloading emerge regularly. The
newest, Dirpy.com, allows users to rip the
audio from a YouTube video, and transfer
it directly to their iTunes library.
A majority of students see nothing
wrong with using these websites.
“I think there’s bigger problems out
there than music being downloaded,”
sophomore Emilia McNally says. “I like
Dirpy because it’s quick and easy; it goes
straight to your iTunes.”
People are prone to illegally download,
or as Klein sees it, beat the system.
While students assume illegally
downloading music has few negative
repercussions, Dave Bett, a design director
at Sony music who has worked with artists
like Bruce Springstein and John Legend,
understands its consequences.
“Reality check: some very talented
person poured his or her heart and soul
into writing and recording that music,”
he says. “It’s their livelihood. They didn’t
intend for it to be free. They need to get
paid like anyone who’s doing a job. So…
it’s stealing.”
Bett explains that because this
generation has grown up downloading
music, they are removed from the visceral
experience of albums.
“The art is totally superfluous when
it’s downloaded illegally,” he says.
Lawyer Mark Schneider was a client
for the Recording Industry Association
of America, a company that represents
major music labels, including Sony and
Universal. He explains that stealing music
is considered acceptable because it’s not
a physical action.
“When you steal a bike you steal it
from somebody,” Schneider says. “As
well as depriving the bike maker of a sale.
But when you steal music, you are not
depriving anyone who bought the music
of anything. You are only depriving the
music maker of a sale.”
The Institute for Policy Innovation
concludes that music piracy has cost the
music industry $12.5 billion in revenue
and 71,060 U.S. jobs.
Schneider believes that people feel
comfortable illegally downloading music
because they can’t immediately see
the effect it has. However, if illegal
downloading of music continues,
Schneider asserts that it will result in the
death of the music industry.
“No money, no music.” he says. “A
few big super stars like Lady GaGa, Pink
photo by SAHIL ANSARI
and Beyonce can make a go of it, but what
about everybody else?” 
march 1, 2010 arts 19

Applying to conservatories: a whole different story

by adam glazer and ryan
hauck
Music emanates from below the
floorboards late into the night. Its 2 a.m;
a figure attacks the piano, her fingers
frantically flying up and down the keys.
To some this may sound a little crazy, but
for Maryam Kheirbek, this is the sound of
her college application.
For most students, there is little they
can do during the college application
process but labor over essays and debate
over which teachers will write them the
best recommendations. Most of what
will get them into school, their GPA
and test scores, is already finalized. But
for students who apply to prestigious
conservatories, hundreds of hours of
practice comes down to a 10 minute live
audition.
“When you apply to these
conservatories, it’s basically a whole other
layer of work, because you have to apply
regularly and write all the essays, and then
you have to go and do the auditions,” says
Andrew Dahreddine, who applied to nine
schools for acting. “It’s much more work
than people think.”
The typical audition involves an
interview followed by two to four
pieces—or monologues for actors—but
requirements differ from school to
school.
“The auditions are definitely the
biggest component,” Kheirbek says about
the process. “There is a lot of preparation
even before senior year. You want to
practice until you think ‘this is the highest
level I can perform at.’”
Preparing for these auditions are
particularly time consuming. Kheirbek
practiced her audition pieces seven
days a week for five to six hours a day
preparing for her audition at prestigious
conservatories like Juilliard, Peabody and
Eastman. A typical day consists of her
finishing her homework in the basement,
starting piano practice at five or six and
ending at 10 or 11 at night.
“I practiced really hard the week
leading up to the audition,” says Sarah
Blush who auditioned at four theater
conservatories. “The night before I
didn’t do anything else; I just read my
monologue a million times.”
Most students agree that intense stress
accompanies the audition process.
“It’s stressful in all aspects: financially,
time-wise,” Dahreddine explains. “You put photo by SARAH KLOTZ
the time in before the audition practicing
Music teacher Wayne Chadwick records with students who plan to send CDs to colleges.
the monologues, and then afterwards you
have to go to the schools.” especially hard because she had to add agrees that counselors are unable to
“Scheduling the auditions themselves travel and practice time to her numerous assist students applying to conservatories
are a little bit stressful, because all of the other extracurricular activities, such as as fully as they can students applying
schools go to New York for one weekend directing the Talent Show and acting in to national universities or liberal arts
to audition, so you have to schedule Amadeus. schools.
around that,” he continues. “Luckily, I “I have to learn lines not just for the “It’s a much more complex process,”
could do three in D.C., but the other six auditions but for the show, and I have she says. “We definitely don’t hold their
I had to carefully map out which school I music on top of that,” Blush says. hand through it.”
could do when.” Blush also says that applying to Although the students know that
But Dahreddine considers himself conservatories proved difficult because auditions are hit or miss, Kheirbek says
lucky compared to others who have to go the counseling department has less she feels confident that her hard work
through the process. experience with guiding students through will pay off.
“I got off easy, only missing one day the process than they do for more “I get less nervous when I’m prepared,”
[of school],” he says. “Some people go conventional universities. she says. “I’ve done as much as I can.
to all their schools individually, and they “I felt a little bit alone,” she adds. Whatever happens, happens.” 
missed a ton.” Guidance counselor Fran Landau
Sarah Blush says the process was

Bigger doesn’t always mean better:
Nominees diverse but uneven in larger Best Picture category
by adam glazer
With the 82nd annual Academy
Awards approaching fast, it seems
like a good time to look back on the
movies that were released in the
last year and think about which will
have classic potential and which
should best be forgotten.
This year has been a good one
for films, maybe not a great one,
but definitely a new and interesting
one. This year’s Oscars, which will
start at 8 p.m. Sunday on March 7,
will be the first in more than six
decades to feature 10 Best Picture
nominees instead of five. Critics
of the change claim that the switch
back to 10 nominees is merely
a marketing ploy to sell tickets
and DVDs with a “nominated for
Best Picture” sticker on them. But
hopefully, the higher number of
nominees will add diversity.
This year’s nominees span
a variety of genres, including
everything from James Cameron’s
blockbuster hit, “Avatar,” to the
critically acclaimed Pixar film,
“Up,” to the heartbreaking and
powerful “Precious.” Though all the
films have their share of memorable
moments and quality directing, two
front-runners stand out for their
refreshing perspectives.
“The Hurt Locker,” directed by
Kathryn Bigelow, who has never
directed a film of this caliber
before, arguably has the best acting
of the year with the portrayal of
soldiers in Iraq. The subtlety of the
performances by Jeremy Renner,
Anthony Mackie and
Brian Geraghty as a
bomb-diffusing squad
is impressive, and
they do a great job
conveying their characters fear and
courage when enemy fire.
Long, well-developed scenes
aren’t often seen these days because
of audiences’ short attention spans,
but “Hurt Locker” doesn’t shy away
from using long shots. Far from
losing the audiences’ attention, the
day-by-day filming of the soldiers
diffusing bombs that have the
capability to destroy whole city
blocks gives the film an almost
documentary feel at times. A
movie with no frills that presents
an apolitical perspective on the
war, “Hurt Locker” deserves to join
the ranks of other highly-esteemed
war movies like “Saving Private
Ryan.”
Quentin Tarantino’s
“Inglourious Basterds,” a feat
of cinematic satire and B-movie
n o s t a l g i a, f e a t u r e s m a s t e r f u l
portrayals of vengeful Jewish-
American G.I.s and maniacal
Nazis who are too smart for their
own good. While quirkier than
typical Oscar’s fare, the lengthy
orchestrated conversations between
characters that have become a
Tarantino signature are refreshing
and keep the film competitive. It’s
also fun to watch Brad Pitt with
a deep southern accent and Tim
Roth, nicknamed “The Bear Jew,”
bring the pain to some evil Nazis.
While the much-hyped “Avatar”
has the potential to revolutionize
special effects, employing jaw-
dropping 3-D in ways that no one
has ever seen before, the plot and
the acting are easily forgettable.
Without the 3-D effects, “Avatar”
would be just another movie
playing at the local multiplex. As
far as war movies go, “Avatar” has
a few undeniably cool scenes, but
I much prefer the realism of “Hurt
Locker.” “Avatar’s” boy-and-girl-
fall-in-love-but-can’t-be-together
and young-hero-switches-sides-
and-helps-the-underdogs/natives
plot has been remade thousands
of times, albeit never in 3-D before
and you can easily bet money on
the outcome if you’ve seen “Dances
with Wolves” or “Pocahontas.”
Another movie that doesn’t
deserve the award is Peter Jackson’s
“District 9,” coincidentally another
sci-fi film. While the acting is
better than that in “Avatar” and
the special effects are of a ‘high
level’, the movie itself seems like a
summer time action movie that has
no business even being considered
for Best Picture. While fans of
the movie consider it an obvious
metaphor for apartheid, and I
agree that the reversal of roles,
where humans enslave aliens, is
intriguing, the movie doesn’t build
enough on these concepts.
Still, both “District 9” and
“Avatar” deserve commendation
for their depictions of aliens, which
are usually either over-the-top
or cliché. The tall, blue people of
“Avatar” were perfect inhabitants
of their lush environment, and the
prawn-like aliens of “District 9”
also fit their trash-covered slums.
But while “District 9” began well
with imaginative aliens and their
attempted relocation by the South
African government, it quickly
lost momentum and fell apart.
This film would have had a chance
to be considered a Best Picture
contender, but unfortunately, they
don’t hand out awards for Best First
30 Minutes. 
A second opinion:
Danny Parris
picks his winners
Best Supporting Actress:
Mo’Nique, “Precious”
Why: The Oscars always love
a comeback, and Mo’nique’s
transformation from pedestrian
showings in movies like “Phat
Girls” and “Domino” to her
powerful performance in
“Precious” will unquestionably
be rewarded by the
Academy.
Best Actress: Sandra Bullock,
“The Blind Side”
Why: The race for Best Actress
can be narrowed down to Carey
Mulligan from “An Education” and
Sandra Bullock from “The Blind
Side.” I give a slight advantage to
Bullock, whose movie grossed 25
times the amount of Mulligan’s.
Best Actor: Jeff Bridges,
“Crazy Heart”
Why: Bridges has won almost
every single notable award
leading up to the this year’s
Academy Awards, and he is
long overdue for an Oscar after
four previous nomination, but
no wins.
Best Director: Kathryn
Bigelow, “The Hurt Locker”
Why: More than 90 percent
of the time the Directors Guild
award and the Academy Award
for directing go to the same
nominee. If the Directors Guild
picked Bigelow, then so will I.

The best of the rest...

Supporting Actress: Mo’nique Foreign Language Film: The White Ribbon
Supporting Actor: Christopher Walsh Cinematographer: The Hurt Locker
Makeup: Star Trek Film Editing: The Hurt Locker
Sound: Avatar Art Direction: Sherlock Holmes
Sound Editing: The Hurt Locker Visual Effects: Avatar
Animated Feature: Up Original Song: “The Weary Kind,” Crazy Heart
Original Screenplay: Quentin Tarantino, Inglorious Basterds Original Score: Up
Adapted Screenplay: Jason Reitman, Up in the Air Costume Design: The Young Victoria
Documentary: The Cove
20 ARTS march 1, 2010

Date Lab BY Jamie Norwood and Kirstin Baglien

It could be the start of something new. This Valentine’s Day,
the Black & White matched up two seniors and two juniors.
Let’s take a look at what happened during their blind dates.

Evan Burnes and Susannah Savage Ned Daryoush and Emily Madden
5:30 p.m. Starbucks 7:30 p.m. Cosi
About the Daters
About the Daters What’s your type?
Ned: I like a girl
What’s your type? that’s got some
Evan: Chill, with a class, who’s intelli-
subtle yet refined gent and savvy but
sense of humor. at the same time
Susannah: I don’t a fun person to be
know if I really have around.
a “type”—but I defi- Emily: Someone
nitely like guys that easy to talk to,
are funny and intelli- nice, interested in
gent. Also, the guy has sports.
to be confident. Confi-
dence is really attractive How would you de-
in boys. scribe yourself in three
words?
How would you describe Ned: Friendly, smart, respectful.
yourself in three words? Emily: Outgoing, motivated, friendly.
Evan: Tall, dark and handsome.
On a Saturday night you can typically be
Susannah: Friendly, quirky and passionate. found…
Ned: With friends or family (specifically my dad).
Do you have any hobbies? Emily: Going to Bethesda to the movies and dinner with
Evan: Playing Frisbee and watching Iron Chef. my friends or my sister-in-law.
Susannah: I play trombone. I also watch Law and Order all
the time. Whenever there’s a Law and Order marathon, I’ll probably be watching it. Do you have any hobbies?
Ned: Not any that I can think of.
On a Saturday night you can typically be found… Emily: I do musical theater. I also root for Duke and Maryland.
Evan: Somewhere in the corner.
Susannah: Watching a movie with friends.
The Play-by-Play
Ned: I wasn’t really sure what to expect because I had no idea who it would be, and
The Play-by-Play I’ve surprisingly never been to Cosi. These two things made me feel kind of uneasy
going into it.
Evan: I felt pretty good about the date—I was pretty confident that it would be fun.
Emily: I was nervous. It could go badly if I didn’t know the person at all; it could
We met up at Starbucks. I was 15 minutes late.
be really awkward.
Susannah: I wasn’t nervous at all. I got there first, so everyone that walked in the
Ned: I got to Cosi maybe 5-10 minutes before she did. It was really weird because
store must have thought I was a little strange, considering I kept staring at whoever
they kept trying to take my order, but I was trying to explain that I was with some-
was coming in.
one else. I did a lot of staring blankly at the entrance, waiting for someone that I
Evan: I thought she was really nice and very fun to talk to. I told her how I won an
knew or recognized.
Oreo-stacking contest in third grade, and then she challenged me to stack Oreos. I
Emily: There weren’t a lot of other people there so I saw him as soon as I came in.
won 38 to 37.
I was excited because I knew he was really nice, but I had never gotten a chance to
Susannah: We went to Giant to buy a bunch of Oreos, since he told me a story
get to know him before.
about how he won an Oreo-stacking contest when he was 8 or something. We had
Ned: When she got there I was very relieved because I know that she has an awe-
our own contest, and I won 39-38.
some personality.
Evan: We went to the metro and took the red line to the zoo. We then saw the panda
Emily: We sat at a table against the wall and both ordered chicken pesto sand-
that was leaving, and subsequently stocked up on panda merchandise.
wiches. While we were waiting for our food there was some interesting music
Susannah: Then we found our way back to the designated Starbucks after nar-
playing. Ned started tapping the drum beat on the table and then he explained that
rowly escaping a fire on the red line and talked for an hour.
since he plays Rock Band so much he just randomly taps beats.
Evan: We talked about a lot of stuff, such as sports, the state of the union, and the
Ned: We talked about the super bowl, TV shows, pretty much everything.
corruption of the college application process. Then I walked gallantly into the sun-
Emily: Ned and I talked about our families and our relationships with our siblings.
set.
Then we talked about sports and stuff.
Susannah: I would say the date was a 7.5-8 [out of 10], because he was so easy to
Ned: There were a lot of times where we just had nothing to say. There were a few
talk to. I thought it was going to be really awkward, considering it was a blind date,
awkward pauses but nothing too bad. On a scale of 1-10 I would give it a 7.5, some-
but it wasn’t at all. I had a really good time!
thing like that.
Evan: I would rate it around an 8. I had a very fun time and the pandas were awe-
Emily: I would probably say an 8. Nothing really went wrong, and nothing embar-
some. And how could you not enjoy stacking Oreos?
rassing happened. It went pretty smoothly.
Ned: It was fun, we had a lot to talk about. She is a very nice and kind girl. 

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