Please Disregard the Bell

Editorials »

By Ugochi Onyeukwu and Shawntika Johnson

Imagine this: A fire alarm goes off. No one lifts a finger or bats an eye. Teachers continue to teach. Students continue to talk. No one seems to care as we wait for the inevitable announcement that follows almost every fire alarm at Cardozo: "Please disregard the bell." We've all become so used to this; we've become immune to the fire alarm.

The lack of regard for our fire alarm system could prove to be very dangerous. In fact, a few weeks ago, on Dec. 12, someone lit a fire in a trash can in the boys' bathroom. No alarm warned us about the situation, and the school was not evacuated. Maybe the administration thought they didn't need to sound the alarm because no one would have believed that there was a real fire anyway. If the administration had sounded the alarm, how many times would we have to be told, "This one's real" before we reacted?

After all, we have been programmed to ignore the daily false alarms. People's lives are saved everyday by fire alarms. When no one cares about when, how or why these alarms are being pulled, there is a problem.
We all know the reason why most students pull fire alarms. They want to get out of class or possibly, out of school. But they are putting the rest of us at risk. Fire alarms are installed in schools to keep us safe, but with so many false alarms, they don't have much effect on us anymore. The question is: What does the administration think it's proving by teaching us all to ignore fire bells? Do they think this means they're winning the battle of wills with the alarm pullers?

The administration needs to take this problem more seriously. They need to come up with a plan to monitor the fire alarms around the school more closely. Maybe they could use cameras to catch "the pullers" in the act. Students who pull the alarm as a prank should get a proper punishment. By doing so, the administration would send a message that they won't tolerate this kind of misbehavior. Once the situation is under control, students and staff will also need to be retrained to take fire alarms seriously. School-wide fire drills, including evacuation of all classrooms, should be scheduled periodically.

When we can find a solution for these false alarms, we will all finally know that when the fire bell rings we are actually in danger, and it is not just a prank that will be disregarded.

Class of 2008 Graduates

News »

Walter Daniels, one of the 178 graduating seniors, models the mood of the occasion.

By Karen Vanegas

The first class to pass through four years at McKinley since it reopened in 2004 graduated on June 6th. Ninety-eight percent of the students have been accepted to colleges including Stanford, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Columbia, Cornell and Duke.

Continue reading this post »

Two Daring Dressers, One Unique Style

»

Candace Coley, left, and Chyna Allen take a moment to show off their sense of fashion. Cerstin Johnson / The Green Chair

By Cerstin Johnson

Chyna Allen and Candace Coley are known as two of the more daring dressers to walk the halls of Duke Ellington. Allen, a junior, and Coley, a sophomore, have built a reputation for having a unique dressing style that sets them apart from other Ellington students.

When asked about what goes into their different fashion style, Allen and Coley sometimes come off as finishing each other's sentences, sharing smiles and a similar sense of style. Wearing multiple bracelets, long earrings and fashionable belts, the two Ellington students were eager to share what goes into the fashion thought process.

"To be honest, I just throw things together," Coley said, waving her hand. "I take anything that no one else would wear, and just make it look cute."

When deciding on her own outfits, Allen takes a different approach.

"I don't want to look like a clown," she said.

Despite these differences in approach, the two students have developed styles that mirror each other in many ways. When questioned about certain styles, such as pencil skirts, heels, and mismatched jewelry, both girls said they liked them. Allen even went so far as to mention good stores to buy these items, such as Forever 21, Urban Outfitters, and just your average thrift store.

"Something in my outfit has to be normal to balance it out."

"Thrift stores are great because they have everything for cheap," Coley said.

Both girls expressed some doubt about how original their styles actually are.

"I'll never get to the point where I'm the only one wearing a shirt. Until then I'm just part of a trend," Allen said, without shame.

Coley nodded in agreement and added, "We can only buy what's in the stores for everyone."

Even in the face of fashion trends, both girls seem fearless of trying new styles of dress--a nerve they attribute to being Ellington students. "There's no such thing as fitting out at Duke," Allen said.

Coley, who came to Ellington for the first time this school year, said her style changed completely after her arrival.

In fact she felt prompted to do so after only a few hours of walking Ellington halls. "Here you're free to be you--wacky--artsy--whatever," she said, with a smile.

A comparison between Robinson's bermuda grass and synthetic turf

»

By Robby Panos
"All games for today have been cancelled due to the weather," reads the white board outside the Athletic Office. A serious injury ends an athlete's season. Money is poured into maintaining the game field that will be torn apart after only a few hours of play. Some Fairfax County Schools, including West Springfield and Fairfax High School, no longer have to worry about these problems because they have made the switch to synthetic turf fields.
Recent technology in synthetic turf fields has made them an ideal alternative to natural grass fields. From weather to safety to cost, the advantages of synthetic turf fields are increasing, providing a durable playing surface that both players and coaches alike can appreciate. Others feel, however, that these synthetic fields take away from the game. Another issue is the initial capital outlay required to install artificial turf and finding ways to fund such a huge project.
Synthetic turf fields are completely artificial and usually consist of many layers that mimic qualities of natural grass. The layers of such a field consist of an underground piping system, a geo-textile fabric, a base stone, and finally the synthetic turf layer. The piping system provides drainage to pull water from the playing surface and effectively draw it away from the field while the other layers provide stability yet give cushion to the field. Most fields also have small rubber pellets for added give that help protect athletes.
Weather can be an enemy for many outdoor athletic teams and an immense nuisance to practice and game scheduling. At the start of this year's spring season, most teams spent almost two weeks splitting gym time or making use of the confined blacktop space because of rain. Senior lacrosse and football player Camren Cooke, said, "It would be great to have turf fields so teams can play in any weather and not have to worry about bad field conditions." Even on days when it was not raining, fields remained flooded and continued the halt on practices and games. Where a natural grass field may be unusable when muddy or frozen, a synthetic turf field can be used, safely and without damage, in almost any weather because of the advanced draining systems.
Synthetic fields are also extremely durable and can withstand the wear and tear by athletes. A game played on a natural field during or following rain, however, can tear up a field to the point where it cannot recover for quite some time. In such instances, repairs must be made to the field to make it ready for play. Synthetic fields, on the other hand, do not need to be rested to recover from heavy use and are immediately available for the next activity.
The greatest disadvantage of synthetic turf fields is that they are still very costly to install, upwards of half a million dollars. Athletic director, Mike McGurk, said that cost is the major issue and that "we just don't have that kind of money. McGurk added that if cost were not an issue installing a turf field would be "no question. It would help everybody and there are a lot of upsides to it." Supporters of synthetic turf fields argue that this initial cost is made up for in the long run because the synthetic fields require much less labor and maintenance. Natural grass fields, like the Bermuda grass at Robinson, must be mowed every other day, frequently have lines painted, and treated with special chemicals.
Ways for a school to cover the initial installation costs include making an agreement with a local youth organization, looking to Fairfax County for help, turning to private investment through advertising, or persuading the boosters to take on the project. While joining with a local youth organization, such as BRYC, seems to be the most achievable option, the problem is that the youth teams then have rights to the field, only causing more scheduling issues.
In November 2006 Fairfax County voters approved a $25 million bond referendum to increase the number of parks in the county. Part of the improvement and addition of new parks through the referendum includes converting 12 grass fields to synthetic turf. The fields will be located within Patriot Park, a 97-acre area along Braddock Road near Mott Community Center. The groundbreaking ceremony for the park was held in early March and was open to the public.
Both advantages and disadvantages come with synthetic turf fields. Because so many factors exist, the decision ultimately comes down to the situation of that particular school.

What are you looking for?

»

By Andy Craig and Bob Stevens

On Monday night, some 30 to 40 Annandale students left the Annandale High School parking lot armed with digital cameras and prepared to thoroughly embarrass themselves all for the sake of competition. On February 2, high school students involved in Young Life collaborated at the jock lobby to start their scavenger hunt. Young Life is a Christian organization where high school students can hang out and have fun with their peers. It is held every Monday night usually from 8 to 9 p.m at a member's house. On these nights at Young Life there are many activities to do, such as singing, capture the flag, bowling and in this case, a scavenger hunt.
Sophomore Melvin Robinson walked up to a police car late on Monday night and asked "Sir, may I please sit in your car."
Why? This was one of many activities that could have been done during this past Monday's scavenger hunt.
There was a list of 30 tasks to be completed in a one-hour time limit.
"My favorite task was braiding a random girl's hair," said sophomore D' Angelo Boyce.
This was another one of the many random tasks that could have been completed in your time limit. The points ranged from 10 points to 50 points. For instance, one task was to serve food at a fast food restaurant, which was worth 40 points and was one of the highest ranked point values on the list.
"We asked the manager if we could serve the food to the customers for her. Then she looked at us like we were crazy, but she let us do it anyway," said junior Joe Turner.
Another task on the list, worth a lower amount of points, was to carry a stranger's groceries to their car. This odd job was worth 15 points. There was also an option on the list to create your own task for your team to perform and these made-up tasks were given points based on how funny the action was.
"I sang a Disney song to a women in the Safeway for my random task, but then she ran away," said senior Cason Kynes.
Everyone that participated in the event was divided into teams of four or five people, and every team had a driver to get them from place to place to perform their various tasks. Sophomore Nathan Miller was riding in senior John Copenhaver's car along with other sophomores and some freshmen.
"I rode with Cope, and we just went around doing crazy things. It was a lot of fun."
The team with the most points was deemed the winner of the Young Life scavenger hunt, and received prizes for their victory. All the members of the team got to choose between a best buy gift card or a Young Life apparel as their prize.
Other than going out to do crazy things, Mondays with Young Life can be spent in some one's basement where there are many ridiculous games, hilarious skits, and loud music that will make you want to get up and dance. All of these activities are leading up to the biggest Young Life event of the year. This event is held during the summer and it is a one-week camp with even more enjoyable activities to do. This year's summer camp will be held in New York. These seven fun-filled days are a great experience to all that are interested.
"I am really excited for this year's trip to New York. I have never been to Young Life camp but I am looking forward to it. All my friends tell me it is will be the best week of my life," said sophomore Nathan Miller.

The Capitol's Music: Go-Go Music in the D.C. Area by Brittany Morris

»

Go-Go is music that only if you're from D.C. you can understand. There are congas, bells, drums, pianos- all types of instruments. Go-Go is best when it's performed live. Go-Go is the music of D.C, originated in D.C, and only the best in the capitol of the U.S.

Go-Go involves a group of people playing different instruments, some on the mic, playing songs we hear on the radio but just a little differently than you expect. Go-Go music was founded in the D.C area in the mid to late 70s. Chuck Brown had a crowd jumper in 1978 with the single "Bustin Loose." Go-Go has inspired many artists in our time. In the 1980s Salt-N-Pepa was influenced by Go-Go with their song "Shake Your Thang." Also, "Rollin with Kid-N-Play by Kid-N-Play was influenced by Go-Go music. Music you'll probably remember like "Crazy in Love" by Beyonce or "One Thing" by Amerie was also influenced by Go-Go music. Rich Harrison who is a D.C native produced the latter.

Go-Go is a "Whateva I say y'all gotta do" kind of music. Go-Go is known for its live performances, but also for Go-Go dancing. It's hard to explain. It consists of two people battling by dancing, doing something with your body, getting yourself hyped.

There are all types of different bands in D.C. The first bands that came out in the late 70s were Rare Essence, Junkyard Band, Northeast Groovers, Backyard Band, TCB, Familiar Faces, Lissen Band, and Suttle Thoughts just to name a few. Bands then aren't like bands now. Bands now are more explicit and more rowdy. Bands that are still playing and out now are TCB, Backyard Bands, TOB, Rare Essence, New Impressions, Reaction, CCB, MOB, KIB, PIB, and GOB just to name a few.

Go-Go has an effect on many people living in D.C. It's our music, our beats, and our favorite songs. It's the beating of your feet, calling out hoods, and the way of life in D.C. Go-Go is getting so popular; it's not just being played in D.C anymore. People are listening to it in Maryland, Northern Virginia, and other places in the states. It's not just for the young; it's for anyone who enjoys the music.

Feeling the Heat

»

By Baja Poawui

Students in Dr. Monsegue's cooking class have been preparing themselves for the ProStarts completion that happened on March 4th and received excellent ratings. . Winning this competition could mean 500,000 dollars worth in scholarship money for DuVal's Culinary Arts Program. The competition is divided into two sections; the management team and the culinary team where they are judged separately. In the culinary team they must prepare three courses in an hour and prove their knife skills in only 15 minutes. The management team is given a quiz bowl and course study testing their knowledge of culinary and kitchen facts. Be sure to congratulate the team on their accomplishments.

Tech Crew Takes the Stage (Video)

Art & Culture »

It is finally their time! John Shryock takes you behind the scenes to show exactly what equipment is used and what it takes to be part of the Bishop McNamara Tech Crew. This video includes scenes back stage from the April 2009 talent show. This video was edited and produced by Josh Sanders '10, Staff Writer, with assistance from Design Chief Melissa August '09.

They Came To Honor Him

»

Roosevelt Community Dedicates Stadium to James Y. Tillerson

By Jervon McClain and Lawanne Johnson
Staff Writers

James Tillerson and wife Gertie Tillerson were honored before the Roosevelt-Coolidge Clash of the Titans football game. Roosevelt's stadium was renamed the James Y. Tillerson Stadium