unexpected,” said Senior Carrie Thysse. “Except that in college, you have to live on your own and make your own rules and study a lot harder.” 

In September of 2006, the senior class began its first year at Briar Woods. A majority of students came from the feeder middle school Eagle Ridge or private schools like St. Theresa’s while others moved from different towns, states or even countries. They

stemmed from different places but they were brought together by their status as freshmen. While the diversity of a college campus is certainly more magnified, it is subsequently more interesting; students from all fifty states and several different countries are enrolled in most schools. But despite which high school students graduated from or which continent

VOLUME I, Edition I (Senior Farewell, Class of 2010) Free

WE DID IT

Over the past four years, the graduating class of 2010 has tripped and s tumbled through young adulthood—more commonly known as the height of a lifetime. With graduation, students receive freedom, independence, opportunities and responsibility. Armed with diplomas and support, many students will further their educations; some may drive a half hour commute while others may venture to the other side of the country. As 2010 seniors leave behind the comfort of high school they will gain countless experiences in new environments, perhaps experience culture shock or maybe a bit of homesickness. However, students will definitely undergo one change that may take some adjusting to—the transition from the known to the unknown, one that is strangely familiar. 

“I think being a freshman in college will be the same as being a high school freshman in the way that eve r y t h i n g w i l l b e n e w a n d

they were raised in, they will always be united as freshmen. 

Senior Katie Bell said, “Being a freshman in high school means fear. As for college, freshman year means freedom. As you enter the unknown, you enter a world where your talents and knowledge define who you are. College means the real world.” 

September came and went for the freshmen, and many began to get involved at their new school. They

began to join clubs that fit their interests both recreationally and academically; as a result, the freshmen met students that had similar interests, strengths and goals. Friendships sparked that lasted throughout high school and college resumes began to build. As this very same class

graduates from its beloved high school, and its members advance on to college, they will experience the

same thing; tons of new activities are offered at m a n y s c h o o l s

A Farewell to Born Again Freshmen 

College MapView a comprehensive list of all Seniors

and their college choices, with spotlights on those traveling far from home

Pages 14 - 15

A Year in Review

• September 8, 2009 – Briar Woods seniors

began their last first day in the school,

with initial costs ranging from $200 to

participate in a Varsity sport, to another

$200 for a year-long parking permit.

• October 10, 2009 – Homecoming filled

u p t h e g y m n a s i u m , w i t h a n

overwhelmingly large freshman class and

huge participation from upperclassmen.

• October, 2009 – Throughout the month,

Briar Woods’ NHS organization under

Mr. Moser, Mrs. Moser and Mrs. Berger

collected over $2000 for Susan G.

Komen for the Cure in their fundraising

efforts. Starting off it’s 6th year in

existence as a recognized chapter, this

feat was well received by all.

• November 14, 2009 – Briar Woods

cheerleaders clinched the AA State

championship in Richmond, VA..

• December 21, 2009 – Winter break

begins two days early as a snow storm

blankets the D.C. Metro area.

• Fe b r u a r y 5 , 2 0 1 0 – B i l l e d a s

“snowmageddon” and “snowpocalypse”

by major news outlets, D.C. was pounded

with feet of snow, with estimations

around 30-36 inches for Ashburn.  Even

more troublesome, a second storm the

next week dropped another foot of snow.

Through it all, school was closed down

for over a week and a half, the federal

government had to shut down for four

days, and piles of plowed snow remained

in parking lots well into early spring.

• Early May, 2010 – AP exams begin, and

due to budget restraints, students must

pay $87 per exam they plan to take, as

well as to receive their 1 point GPA

boost.

• May 8, 2010 – The junior class throws a

memorable prom at the Hyatt Regency

in Reston, with an impressive club theme

and performance by well-renowned

Mercury in Summer.

• June 21, 2010 – At 2 in the afternoon,

Briar Woods seniors conclude their 4

years of high school with graduation

ceremony at the Patriot Center at George

Mason University.

Drama Senior Superlatives By the Numbers Photos

Page 12 Page 4-5 Pages 3 Page 8

View photos from all past plays, and ones from seniors 4 years ago to now.

After nearly 4 years without superlatives, they have finally been re-released! View classmates for superlatives the class of 2010 voted on.

With a spectacular club theme, prom at the Hyatt was a blast. Recollect with plenty of photos, and view some of the most memorable outfits.

Review the year with photos f rom this year’s top moments and events.

Story by Kiley GarrettPhoto by Brandon Weight

(Cont. on page 9)

2 Open Letter from the Staff

“Honest NewsIn Your Hands”

Editors

Clarke WillaimsEditor in Chief

Brandon WeightPrint Newspaper Editor

Art Director

Julianne LewisAsst. Print Newspaper Editor

Managing Editor

Erin PellitierAsst. Print Newspaper Editor

World Editor

Casey FabrisVoice EditorCopy Editor

Josh PlumhoffSports Editor

Bailey KirkpatrickFeatureEditor

Abbe RamananArts & Culture Editor

Staff Writers

Jacob OttenheimerKiley Garrett

Veronica CuadradoOsama Farroqui

Devin WilliamsAbby CommLauren Young

Aaron McAndrewKiersten Kampshroeder

Faculty SponsorsMrs. Hoffmann

Ms. JamesMr. . Noland

The views expressed in this newspaper are the sole property of the authors, and do not necessarily reflect those of our faculty advisors, nor Briar Woods High School as a whole.

All work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0. For more information, go to creativecoommons.org

Briar Woods High School22525 Belmont Ridge Road

Ashburn, VA 20148703-957-4400

It’s been a rough year. Senioritis kicked in around sophomore year, and our post AP-exams foci turn to the impending rooming process and meal plan choices. While it is important to base thought processes on the debate between the need for a bacon, egg, biscuit, cheese and pancake buffet every morning or otherwise, it’s hard not to celebrate what a wonderful year we ’ve m a d e i t . I n 1 8 0 d ay s , cheerleaders have taken their first state championship, an overwhelming number of students produced an impressive college list, and despite whatever economic adversity entered Loudoun County, this school has fostered a set of students well prepared for the world. With late night project r u n s f u e l e d by t h e n e e d f o r ae s the t i ca l l y -p l ea s ing midyear transcripts, it’s been a rough year, yes. But it’s also been one of Briar Woods’ finest.

Here at the Falcon Forum, we are dedicated to giving the Senior Class the praise it deserves. We thrive by recognizing great efforts through our passions. Whether an editor, a staff

writer, or an individual never versed in the Journalism pre-requisite, we are all personally driven student journalists dedicated to promoting honest journalism.

Also, we believe that the news should be represented in a medium that is tangible, one that can be saved forever. Yes, newspapers are tossed and recycled, but exemplary work and truly memorable pieces are saved forever. It does a disservice to athletes that are r e l e g a t e d t o v i e w i n g t h e i r accomplishments online. The ease of access is important, a fact not to be easily discarded. But when it impedes on the right for a mother to pull out a scrapbook page detailing her son’s or daughter’s accomplishments 20 years down the road, it is not fair.

What you're reading the brainchild of nearly two years of struggles and defeats. And for our underclassmen editors and writers, this represents the hope for the future. With at least another year in high school, they'll be able to build of this success, and continue to produce a great publication.

As for the seniors this year, we hope to continue our talents where we study.

The Falcon Forum would like to dedicate this paper to the school, faculty, and student body, of which we would have no reason to celebrate. We honestly couldn’t have published this paper with out the constant flow of support. We had to name a few individuals below for the i r remarkable support as counselors, accountants, editors, and supervisors, especially when their job title gave no such indication of these activities. And even if your name is not listed below, just remember, this is your paper. You could be the cheerleader that won a state championship, the drama student who worked for four years under Black Forest Productions, fashionista or fashionisto haute couture at Prom, regardless, you are yourself. And to fellow members of Briar Woods High School, we thank you. And now, let us enjoy our bacon, egg, biscuit, cheese, and pancake buffet.

Est. 2010

TOP ROW (From left to right): Clarke Williams, Brandon Weight, Julianne Lewis, Erin Pellitier, Casey Fabris, Josh Plumhoff, Bailey Kirkpatrick, Abbe Ramanan. BOTTOM ROW (From left to right): Aaron McAndrew, Abby Comm, Devin Williams, Jacob Ottenheimer, Kiersten Kampshroeder, Lauren Young, Kiley Garrett, Osama Faroqui, Veronica Cuadrado.

An Immense amount of thanks go to:

Our Advisers

Mr. Starzenski, for allowing us to continue our passion in a professional manner; Mr. Legg, for all of his witty guidance; Mr. Noland, for believing in his students and pushing them in the right direction; Mrs. Berger, for knowing everything; Mrs. Hoffmann and Ms. James, for taking on this project under the Senior Class name,

and allowing us full reign with coverage; Mrs. Smith, for allowing us time after time after time to check on our account balance; Ms. Holder, for allowing us to visit everyone in the office at least twice daily; Mr. and Mrs. Moser, for their words of support when times got tough; The Kirkpatrick Family, The Pellitier Family, The

Fabris Family, and The Weight Family for hosting numerous teenage kids at a time, and giving us the tools we needed - whether chocolate cookies with white chocolate chips or a 24'' iMac - to create this paper; and Brandon's Camera Bag, for housing every other piece of equipment, akin to Barney's craft bag.

3By the Numbers

PROM ON A BOATHeaded by the wonderful efforts of Miss Nicole Ivey, and a

superb then-junior class, the 2009 prom garnered the most votes for best moment in

high school.Top 5 Most Favored Teachers

1. Mr. Legg

2. Mr. Noland

3. Mrs. Berger

4. Mr. Benson.

5. Mr. Celio

Classes r

equiring

the most

work.

1. AP and Academic Chemistry

2. AP Government

3. AP U.S. History

4. AP Literature and Composition

5. Pre-Calculus and AP Calculus AB

(But don’t worry;

all teacher of these

classes were voted

at least twice as a

favorite teacher)

BY THE #’sRequiring quite a bit of student input, we

took your thoughts on these past for years, academically and otherwise.

First Dayof School

The first day of school is what over 30% of students said was the one day in high school they’d love to revisit. Another 17% would like to replay their senior prom, while 13% said that there were just too many wonderful days.

Top 20 Spots to Hang Out

1. Chipotle

2. Friend’s Houses

3. Movie Theatre

4. Brambleton

5. McDonalds

6. Tyson’s

7. Caribou

8. Reservoir

9. Downtown Leesburg

10. Lifetime Fitness

11. Ice Rink

12. Reston

13. D.C.

14. Panera

15. Flatbread

16. Georgetown

17. Great Falls

18. Kings Dominion

19. Harper’s Ferry

20. IHOP

289Seniors attended Briar Woods High School in the 2009-2010 school year. If everybody in school only missed 5 days, the class of 2010 would have been in school for a combined 52,020 days, or 364,140 hours

12,513Number of words in this publication, including the ones you’re reading right now!

4

SENIOR SUPERLATIVESYou voted, we tallied! Here are your

class of 2010 winners for the first set of superlatives in 3 years

Best SmileDominick Caldwell and Christine Edeline

Best DressedBrandon Weight and Clarke Williams

Most Likely To Make You LaughChristian Flores and Jenn Manes

BraniacMatthew Lunsford and Julia Gillespie

Cutest CoupleChris Butler and Sammy Salguero

Best PersonalityTyler Kirby and Morgan Hall

5

Most SpiritedJimmy O’Neill and Vallie Herndon

Most Likely to SucceedMatt Lunsford and Nikki Ivey

Most AthleticOmar Omokhodian and Kim Bell

Most TheatricalBrett Stockman and Katie Bell

Best to Bring Home to Mom & DadRyan Faulkner and Madeline Moore

Best Friends for Life“Jandy” (Jimmy O’Neill and Andy Luhmann) and Rachel

Stecher and Priscilla Smith

6

Every year, as the end of school nears, anticipation mounts and students wait with baited breath for the beginning of Prom season. Taking its place as a traditional rite of passage in modern teen culture, Prom is the biggest event of the school year. Prom planning starts weeks in advance; as soon as the date is set. High school juniors and seniors frantically scramble for dresses, dates and secure those party busses, dinner reservations, and last minute tux fittings. The night of May 8 saw the final completion of at least for schools’ proms, Briar Woods High School included.

Although not as glamorous as those portrayed on movies and television, there are no campaigns for Prom Queen, there are no practiced dances that everyone knows, there are no killers on the loose and no one spends $100,000 over their allotted budget, Prom is still a woefully popular event. However, this year’s Prom did have a simple “club theme” that was deemed trés chic and deliciously fun. Although no one is promoting the regular attendance of high school students to clubs, the glow sticks and dimly lit atmosphere provided four hours of lasting entertainment while allowing students to enter a true escape from the regular routine of school. Kathryn Davidson, Junior Class President and one of the people in charge of the planning committee, said the club theme was simple, but “something most people would enjoy.”

History teacher and Prom chaperone, Ms. Burgess, said, “I think the theme was cool because all teenagers want to be treated more like adults, and this was an innovative way of achieving that.”

Kathryn Davidson was elected Junior Class President at the end of last year with the understanding that the Junior class had to provide and plan the prom at the end of the school year. With money from fundraising, ticket sales and profits from last year, the Prom committee pulled off a magical evening. However, just as Rome was not conquered in one day, the Prom took months of careful planning and coordinating.

Before school even started, numerous people, including Junior Class Sponsor Mrs. Berger, last year’s Junior Class President Nikki Ivey, Robert Villoch, Brandon Weight, Lindsey Neimo, Julie Wiard and Grace MacJones gathered multiple times to plan for the dance. Just as well, there is a deceiving amount of work that goes into planning a dance for 500 students. Chances are not everyone will be absolutely happy, and many complained that it was not on a boat again, but the majority consensus was that Prom was a smashing success.

“It [Prom] was well put together, it flowed really smoothly, and was an overall success,” said Junior, and Mercury in Summer bassist, Brian Jones.

The Prom lineup was also well-coordinated. Brian Jones and his band, Mercury in Summer, played from 8:00PM to 8:30PM, while students begin arriving, until the full-time DJ stepped up to start the radio hits session of the evening. Caterers had food lined up along the walls, but not a formal dinner like last year’s Prom, which proved to be more successful since students typically eat dinner before the dance. Glow stick necklaces and bracelets became the decorative centerpieces of each draped table, and the dance floor in the middle of the ballroom provided an awesome dance step where everyone enjoyed themselves. Slow songs were played intermittingly between the blaring rap and hip-hop music, which allowed students to show off their dance moves.

There were a few occasions where students were reprimanded; one incident involved a student or groups of students swinging open water bottoms over the crowd on the dance floor, making the floor slippery and dresses wet. However, students recognized the inherent danger of disobeying the school administrators and chaperones and quickly stopped their antics. In addition, one of the most prominent issue at any school dance is the dancing.

‘5.08’ Rocks the Hyatt Regency for a Memorable PromStory by Bailey KirkpatrickPhotos by Devin Williams

(Cont. on page 9)

7

With Briar Woods’ finest in high style fashion at prom, there was no question that this senior class was ready to party in the most regal of ways. From suave tuxedoes from M e n ’ s W e a r h o u s e , t o Bloomingdales’ most beautiful gowns, Briar Woods students dressed to impress.

Prom 2010 was without a doubt a night to remember and will surely never be forgotten by this year’s seniors. Falcon attire was definitely fashion forward at the Hyatt Re g e n c y. Fr o m S t e p h a n i e Peterson’s self-designed, elegant gown, to Chasity Hamilton’s dress hailing from England, there was no s h o r t a g e o f c h a r m a n d sophistication on May 8.

Many of Briar Woods’ senior boys also dressed their finest for the occasion. Some chose to be handsome in tasteful white tuxedoes like Eren Terkes, while others charmingly brought back the classics like Brandon Weight in his self-acquired bowtie and shirt.

These are only a few of the delightfully divine looking senior class on their show-stopping prom night. Each student traded in their sweatpants for a splendid tuxedo or gown, knowing 5.08 would be a marvelously momentous occasion. Naturally, they had to dress the part.

MEMORABLE ATTIREPhotos and Information by Devin Williams

Top Row: (From Left to Right) Kayla Staton—Glory, Katrina Khalil—Macy’s, Elizabeth Kissoon—Mary’s Boutique, Kiersten Kampschroeder—Glory, Elise Guessford—Lord & Taylor, Chasity Hamilton—England, Stephanie Peterson—Her own design

Bottom Row: (From Left to Right)Carrie Thysse—Tennessee, Annemarie Lucernoni—Sway & Cake, Vallie Herndon—Bloomingdale’s, Kathryn Fowler—Promgirl.com 

Guys

(From Left to Right) Eren Terkes—Men’s Wearhouse; Matt Vespestead—Men’s Wearhouse; Peter Nguyen—Express; Brandon Weight—Men’s Wearhouse, Joseph A. Bank, H&M;  Austin Frattali—Men’s Wearhouse; Danny Kim—Korea

View more downloadable photos for free at:

falconforumonline.blogspot.com

Girls

8

Year in PhotosPhotos by Ryan Faulkner and Brandon Weight

9

College ChecklistStory by Jacob Ottenheimer

Electronic staples include cell phones and a laptop. Throughout the year there will probably be several papers and emergencies where one may need either item. Laptops and even cell phones now-a-days can help one connect with friends and provide hours of entertainment.

If you want to remember all the fun times, a nice thing to bring is a camera. One may never know when it could come in handy.

Make sure to bring plenty of clothes. Make sure there is variety of clothing types in your closet, so you have all your favorites but not everything. Dorm rooms have limited closet space though so do not over pack.

One of the most important things is spirit wear, so make sure to stop by the school store and pick some up before and during college.

One controversial item is a fan; dorm rooms can be hot and stuffy and a small electronic fan is a quick fix for that. One could also try window fans as well.

A mini refrigerator or microwave may also come in handy for storing and cooking small snacks, although many dorms have commons with kitchens.

including student radio and television stations, countless honor societies and Greek life.  Similar to their freshman experience in high school, they will make friends and play hard; but as Briar Woods students always do, they will work harder. 

“I’m extremely excited to get involved next year at Virginia Tech,” said Senior Courtney Ngo. “Tech offers e v e r y t h i n g , a n d a l l o f t h e opportunities—both sororities and the academic activit ies—are really spirited. The more involved you are the more friends you’ll make, I’ve learned that much.” 

As the 2009-2010 school year commences, the graduating class holds its seniority with pride. Most

seniors could probably sketch a full blueprint of the school, or find their way to class blindfolded. But when the summer comes to an end and the graduates finally head to college, they may feel just as awkward and oblivious as they did four years ago.  

“Saying good-bye to Briar Woods will be interesting. I will miss all the great friends and teachers I met, but I know I will make new friends at Virginia Tech, so it goes both ways. That little unsettling fear is still present, but it doesn’t bother me all that much because I know that I will do alright in the end,” said Senior Chris Butler 

Enjoy and good luck, class of 2010.

“My least favorite thing was watching people get intensely freaky on the dance floor. I saw a lot of things I hope to never seen again,” said Jones. Burgess, a chaperone of the dance, concurred wholeheartedly. “The dancing was so inappropriate,” she said.

Needless to day, the freak dancing never fazes students, because it only continues. Despite some minor instances Prom 2010 proved on of the best yet. With help from Senior Nikki Ivey, and the support of Mrs. Berger and many other members of the

‘5.08’...(Cont. from 6)

planning committee, Kathryn Davidson truly proved herself as Junior Class President. Prom was unbelievable and al l those in attendance agree that it was a truly amazing night.

Burgess sums it up best in saying, “I think Ms. Berger and Kathryn did a wonderful job and it [Prom] was very successful!”

We Did It (Cont. from page 1)

falconforumonline.blogspot.com

CONTENTYOUWANT

Another thing you do not want to forget is an alarm clock; it is never good to oversleep and miss a class and an alarm clock can help prevent this.

Bath towels and hangers are also some things to think about bringing along. They may not be exciting, but they will be nice to have so you do not have use your friend or neighbors’.

Many girls will probably want to bring their hair dryer, hair straightener and make up-girls necessities.

Many students will also want to bring or buy a television for their room and many guys will bring a video game console.

Another thing that may be beneficial is getting in touch with your roommate. Many people room with other students from their high school, however if you are one of those people who is doing random, getting in touch with your room mate may be something to consider.

One thing you should do is memorize your social security number. One will need this for everything from registering for classes to checking your grades.

Another thing that many freshman stress over is the “Freshman 15,” in other words stressing about gaining weight from eating unhealthy. A good way to avoid this is to work on an exercise plan and to try and eat as healthy as possible. Many colleges have gyms and a good idea is to start a workout regiment before college starts

Though it all can be an annoying and time consuming process, plan accordingly for college and you will not end up with unneeded stress. The best way to prepare is to make a checklist. Make a detailed list of all the things one will need for college and check them off as completed.

Darlings of the indie blogosphere

Vampire Weekend first appeared on

the music scene with their self-titled

debut in 2008, an album that drew

derision as well as praise for coming

across as Ivy League prepsters trying to

play Afro-rock cool, which, indeed, it

was. In their newest work, "Contra",

Vampire Weekend thumbs their noses

at the critics, becoming, if anything,

even more preppy while drawing from

a wider se lec t ion o f Afr ican

influences.

T h e a l b u m o p e n s w i t h t h e

nonsensical "Horchata," a clean,

elegantly arranged track with ornate

electronic melodies providing a

charming groove for lead singer Ezra

Koenig’s ad hoc lyrics, which manage

to rhyme "horchata" with "baklava."

Much of the album follows a similar

pattern, as Koenig weaves smirky

narratives for the prep-school set

through rich, detailed melodies that

manage to come off as light while

borrowing heavily from Afro-rock,

ska and calypso influences. The

band's willingness to sample from

such a wide variety of styles - and be

able to pull them off - sets "Contra"

a step above the average indie-rock

album and Vampire Weekend above

the average pretentious indie-rockers.

Indeed, even though Koenig

manages to drop references to

sculptor Richard Serra on the

choral-backed "White Sky," the

fellows who asked listeners "who

gives a f—k about an Oxford

comma?" are still as snarky as ever.

The self-depreciating "California

English" mocks the materialism of

hipsters who define themselves by

such arbitrary artifacts as their

organic toothpaste, while "Taxi Cab"

is an affront to false modesty- "When

the taxi door was wide/I pretended I

was horrified/ by the uniform and

gloves outside the courtyard gate."

VAMPIRE WEEKEND // “CONTRA”Review by Abbe Ramanan

If "Contra" is a double-proofed

"Vampire Weekend," that does not

mean the band has merely made a

concentrate of their previous album.

"The Diplomat's Son" features

samples from M.I.A, the Toots and

the Maytals smoothly blended with

the group's trademark precocious

storytelling, and singles "Giving up

the Gun" and "Cousins" show two

years have given these prepsters

polish.

While detractors will probably

manage to find something to

disparage, Vampire Weekend has

shown with their sophomore album

that they really don’t care. "Contra"

heightens all the things that made the

band so lovable in the first place,

while displaying a refreshingly diverse

array of influences. One feels that the

charming boys from New England

have an enthusiasm for their music

that no amount of criticism can

diminish. The group revels in the

world that they have created, and

listeners will as well.

10 Arts & Culture

Tegan And Sara // “Sainthood” John Mayer // “Battle Studies”

On October 27, 2009, Canadian

sweethearts Tegan and Sara have released yet another stellar album on

Sire Records entitled "Sainthood".

With their sixth major release, they have continued their trend of catchy

pop-beats, entrancing melodies, and flowing lyrics. Furthermore, in their

sound, Tegan and Sara project a sense

of maturity that seems lacking in most other pop artists. While their lyrics

continue to have a catchy sing-song focus, the sound behind it develops

into much more than a simple album.

he only negative aspect of the album is the romantic undertones of all of the

songs. While it does seem to be the focus of most pop albums, this is only a

minor flaw at worst. Tegan and Sara

lyrics take on a subtle form, not showing the gooey-lovey influence of

artists like Taylor Swift and Kelly Clarkson. For those that have not

heard the new songs, it is definitely a

worthwhile album that deserves the highest praise. - Brandon Weight

John Mayer is famous for his uncanny

ability to match somber and thought–provoking lyrics with vibrant beats and

captivating tunes. Mayer’s newest

album, Battle Studies was released by Columbia Records on November 17,

and has since garnered high profits, and heaping praise.

Much like Mayer’s previous works,

Battle Studies incorporates both tenderness and a ‘70s California-rock

vibe, creating tracks that few listeners can resist. The majority of the songs

deal with deteriorating relationships

and romantic struggles; yet they are delivered with incredible grace. Mayer

has created an album that is relatable and raw, yet tremendously powerful.

Once again, the artist co-produced the

album alongside Columbia Records, ensuring that each song held an

emotive concept as well as a charming melody. - Kiley Garrett

Passion Pit // “Manners”

      Passion Pit, which started in the

dorm room of then Emerson student Michael Angelakos, has re-released

their second album, Manners, with

three additional songs. The now popular indie electropop hit group

improved upon an already innovative and unique set of tunes when they

released this “Deluxe Edition” on

April 13th. The album contains a range of sounds and beats that portray

a time-line of emotion and showcase Passion Pit’s avant-garde style.

           Eleven songs in,one reaches the

final three songs of the album, the pieces for which this “Deluxe Edition”

was released. Including an acoustic, piano-accompanied construction of

“Sleepyhead” and “Moth’s Wings”,

these last three songs wind down the aforementioned roller coaster. As an

ode to The Cranberries, Passion Pit concludes the album with a cover of

“Dreams”, a fitting finale to an

inscrutably unusual piece of musical art. - Kiersten Kampshroeder

@VIEW THE FULL

REVIEWS

falconforumonline.blogspot.com

CHESS C L U B

Visit Mrs. Cramerfor an amazing

club!

11

Artist SpotlightReporting by Abbe Ramanan

Arts & Culture

A display of pieces from Briar Woods’ artists. (Clockwise from top left) Rodrigo Riviera, Travis Pietsce, Julia Burns, Travis Pietsche

Although perhaps not as widely

recognized as their peers, Briar Woods

boasts a number of prolific senior

artists, both within the Art Department

and outside of it. These student artists

work with a variety of mediums and

produce works that range from

subversive to emotive. Regardless, they

are all very talented and will leave

b e h i n d a l e g a c y o f a r t i s t i c

achievement.

One of these seniors is Julia Burns.

Although she was unable to enroll in

an art class this year due to scheduling

conflicts, Burns still continues to

cultivate her passion for sculpting

outside of the classroom.

     

This stems from a lifelong love of art

that began in childhood. “I’ve been

doing art forever, I was really little

when I started,” said Burns.

This ingrained aesthetic sense allows

Burns to draw from the world around

her for inspiration. Said Burns, “This

is going to sound totally cliché, but

pretty much anything inspires me. A

lot of the times it's music though.”

Though Burns has no plans to pursue

art after high school as more than a

hobby, her time as an artist at Briar

Woods has imbued her with a love of

creating.

“I enjoy my art most when it turns

out to be like I want it to be. Nothing

is as satisfying as having you're idea

come to life before you,” said Burns.

“ ”“ ”“ ”

12 Arts & Culture

T h e B r i a r Wo o d s ’ D r a m a

Department put on yet another engaging display last Friday in front

of a packed auditorium with their

latest production, “Clue”. With broad suggestions of reality, cast

members del ivered an eeri ly authentic performance of the

internationally popular board game.

The highly anticipated drama stayed true to the original storyline while

adding a refreshing twist of its own.The lights dimmed, marking the

beginning of a journey to discover

the identity of the killer. The interactive musical started with 3

audience members choosing from 3 different life-sized decks of cards. As

followed, each picked a killer, a

weapon, and a location at random.  Subjective card selections also

influenced some interchangeable dialogue between various characters

as the play unfolded. With 216

possible conclusions, the play was set to take a new course of action.

At commencement, mystery swept over the confounded audience.

Prime suspects of the whodunit story

made their way across the stage as a gentle hush fell over the crowd. All but

one could claim innocence, yet the

sincerity of each character’s message was called into question. Led by

Seniors Dylan Greer and Katie Bell, as the infamous Mr. and Mrs. Boddy who

were unexpectedly murdered, the

recognizable individuals began to make their cases for acquittal.

“I loved how the play was extremely interactive,” said Junior Donald Ta.

“The play was much more interesting

than it seemed to be before.”The cast added a few refreshing twists

to the traditional storyline, with a hint of humor here and there as well.

Intriguing exchange of ideas with a

lack of veracity of in each person’s statement also created a sense of doubt

in the flow of information. The final senior spectacle definitely went out

with a big bang.

“Clue defin i t e l y exceeded my expectations,” said Sophomore Shreya

Vatsala. “I was at the edge of my seat the entire time.”

The Board Game Come to Life!Review by Osama Faroqui

Photo provided by the Drama Department

Black Forest Productions’09 - ’10 Performances A sampling from three different reviews

‘Glee’ Hits Global High Note  

Tuesday night television is rocking

out to the increasingly popular FOX show ‘Glee’  created by Ryan

Murphy. This electrifying one hour

musical comedy drama pulls one headfirst into the intriguingly

entertaining William McKinely show choir in Lima, Ohio. With

comments like the ‘biting comedy

for the underdog in all of us’ being made by New York Times’ movie

critics, the series’ is inspiring about 13.7 million viewers to do their own

thing while following teen problems

in a way that always concludes with a heartfelt life lesson. Still managing

to incorporate hit songs from the p a s t a n d p re s e n t , ‘ G l e e ’ i s

remarkably relatable and pure fun; it

is no wonder why more and more students are quickly becoming

“Gleeks.”  The series follows the typical nerd,

jock and cheerleader as they all

stumble into their high school glee club, growing closer through song.

The club’s director, Will Schuester, having had hopes to restore it to its

former glory, but has yet to see his

unique group of teens disappoint. They are currently working hard to

sing their way into 1st place at the competition.   

“Glee is the highlight of my week; a

must-see show that nearly anyone can find likeable. Whether they

enjoy it for the music, the witty one-

liners, or a way of remembering what their high school experience

was like,” said Sophomore Rachel O’Keefe.    

From captivating characters like

quirky, self-assured Rachel Berry, played by Lea Michele, to the

bullying, yet charismatic football player Puck, played by Mark Salling,

the show never leaves viewers

untouched, either emotionally or humorously. It is ‘Glee’s radiant cast

that holds the mega musical sensation together and keeps

“Gleeks” on their toes worldwide.   

“The storyline is so well written; the songs, the characters, the plot—it

draws me in every time,” said Sophomore Madi Horner.  

Glee is truly that amusing and

charmingly hilarious show, holding something new and different every

week for every family member to enjoy, guaranteed to leave a smile on

each person’s face by the end of the

60 minute melodious masterpiece.  

Story by Devin Williams

(Cont. on page 17)

Robin Hood

Robin Hood and Cinderella by Abbe RamananPom Pom Zombies by Aaron McAndrew

From its opening scene in the storybook Sherwood Forest, Black Forest Production's "Robin Hood" is a lively, light-hearted play that is a welcome addition to Black Forest's oeuvre.

CinderellaBriar Woods' Black Forest Productions engaged both Cappies critics and theatergoers alike with a musical adaptation of "Cinderella" that proved both comforting and innovative. With both a bubblegum colored set and a sassy godmother, this version of the age old fairytale manages to honor tradition while remaining distinctive and refreshing.

Pom Pom ZombiesBlack Forest Productions has produced a show that includes the element of scary radioactive zombies and meshes it with a funny beach blanket comedy.

14

American UniversityPamela Davilla Mackenzie Hill

Art Institute of Dulles, VATravis Pietch

Art Institute of WashingtonChelsea HitchcockSarah Abdelkader

Bringham Young University - ProvoCorinne CheneyDavid Mangum

Katie BellRyan Faulkner

Bringham Young University - IdahoDaniel Evans

Christopher Newport UniversityCaitlin BlalockCaitlin Ronan

Hannah RonanJohn Howard

Lauren Young Lea Schild

Natalie DeSanctisNick Perriello

Priscilla SmithCostal Carolina University

Olivia DallasDeVry University

Alex MintonDixie College

Tyler WilkinsonEast Carolina University

Brett ColanJosh Plumhoff

Lindsey RoivasNicole McNey

Eastern Kentucky UniversitySamantha Stevenson

Embry-RiddleRyan Geckler

Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising

Ca' La FacianeFerrum College

Rioll TanelusTavis Henry

Frostburg State UniversityAndy Luhmann

Full Sail UniversityMorgan Sneight

George Mason UniversityDivyavani Rayapudi

Gina KooJonathan Dobles

Marisol YiMark Davis

Michael GruntzSayeef HasanTaren Henry

Tierney RagsdaleYurin Niu

Greensboro CollegeLogan Harris

Groves City CollegeMatthew Rousch

Indiana University of PennsylvaniaChristine Edeline

Danielle DealIndiana University Purdue University of Indianapolis

Ashli MinorJacob University, Breman, Germany

Shon WIlliamsJames Madison University

Abby PotterAmanda GirolamiBrittany Donegan

Carly FirestoneCarrie Thysse

Elizabeth ZwickerJennifer Manes

Jennifer Manes Jesse BhamrahJimmy O’NeillJustin Partlow

Karli MasengaleKatie Ward

Madeline MooreMatthew Vespastead

Meredith BlairNathan Burcak

Ryan EschSameer Saini

Sarah DobsonStephanie Cottone

Steven PageTaylor Ballard

Vallie HerndonZeke Mihelcic

Le Cordon BlueZac Hoffman

Liberty UniverstityAndrea Toczko

Longwood UniversityAllen Jackson

Stephanie PetersonMary Washington University

Emily FarnsworthMarymount University

Elena MartinezRitu Ghuman

Merchant Marine AcademyAlex Maney

New York UniverisityKiersten Kampschroeder

Norfork State UniversityAshley Smith

North Carolina Community CollegeWhitney ChandlerNorthern Virginia Community College

Casey StejbachAmanda Nguyen

Amber ColleyBrandon Doran

Carolina AlverezDale Walby

Danielle BoothDesiree Ozah

Elizabeth KissounErik Vinson

Fabiola CardenasHayley LylesJillian Bigler

Kassandra ZavalaLauren Cole

Luis YnesMackensie Kennedy

Maria Ojeda RomeroMario BallesterosMeghan Wilhelm

Melissa KelleyMichael DodgeMichael Ojeda

Mitu DillonRyan Hill

Sandra SantiagoShauna Spinney

Soraya LawrenceSunil Benjamin

Taide CastroTaylor Long

Terrry HyunhTyler Combs

Zac SelphZach Selph

Zeeshan RohimNorthwestern University

Christian FloresOhio Weslevan University

Juliet HarrisonOld Dominion University

Alana Abdul-Hafiz

COLLEGEJennifer Black

University of British Colombia

Corinne Cheney, David Mangum, Katie Bell, Ryan Faulkner

BYU - Provo

Jinwon (Danny) KimUniversity of California Berkeley

Kelsey AtkinsonPomona

“ Getting international experience, and getting to meet all types of people from all different places, and just being away from home, really away from home.”

“ I want to meet new people, and just gain a new perspective because I’ve lived on the east coast my whole life. I’m looking forward to getting to explore L.A., because I’ve explored D.C. so long because I’ve lived here.”

"It's a really good college and I want to experience the west coast- a new life and new people.”

15

Alexa ZieglerDevin Bostelman

Dominick CaldwellJames Patrick

Jonathan WudijonoNadia Davis

Pacific Lutheran UniversityChasity Hamilton

Pennsylvania State UniversityAdriana Tepley

Emily MooreHolly Dominguez

PomonaKelsey Atkinson

Potomac State CollegeChad Sieczkowski

Purdue UniversityBrett Stockman

Omar OmokhodionRadford University

Breanna ArsenaultCasey RocheChris Walker

Dupinder SinghErica Schmidt

Gage McDonaldHayley Olson

Rajini AppasamySamantha Lee

Rutgers UniversityGabrielle Ryans

Santa Barbara Community CollegeCody Smith

Ethan RichardsShenandoah University

Andrew MaxwellShepherd University

Joseph KayeSlippery Rock University

Chelsea Galbraith

Syracuse UniversityBrandon Weight

Texas A&M UniversityMatthew Lunsford

U.S. Naval AcademyElissa Kim

United States Air Force AcademyRachel Stecher

University of AlabamaLyndsi Owens

Michael LaxMorgan Canada

University of British ColombiaJennifer Black

University of California BerkeleyJinwon Kim

University of HoustonMarta Martinez

University of KentuckyJosh Miller

University of Maryland, College ParkRyland Atkins

University of MiamiErin Pelletier

Sydney HarrisUniversity of Mississippi

Jenna FarisUniversity of Northern Florida

Emily RyanUniversity of Notre Dame

August SantilloUniversity of Pennsylvania

Clarke WilliamsUniversity of South Carolina

Julianne LewisUniversity of Vermont

Julia BurnsUniversity of Virginia

Elise GuessfordKate Fowler

Monika KhotYebin KimZach Lewis

Utah Valley UniversityKimberley Bell

Virginia Commonwealth UniversityEddie DolphinJordan CarrollJoseph BalkasKatrina Kalil

Shannon WoodSravanthi Devabhaktuni

Virginia Military InstituteJacques Cerow

Virginia Polytechnic and State UniversityAlex Frantz

Annemarie LucernoniAshkan Hamidi

Cameron KuklickCassie LintlemanChelsea Susbilla

Chris ButlerChristopher Butler

Claire BaylesCourtney Ngo

Daniel O’KeefeDanielle Craig

Elizabeth GentineEmma Garcia

Fernando OliverosJulia Gillespie

Kerry BormanKyle Haufler

Lauren HerrityMatt Brewer

Morgan McGovernPeter Nguyen

Samanta SalgueroSara Tarnvik

Sean Sangara

Taylor FisherWisam Fillo

Zach DeatonVirginia State University

Kayla StatonWest Virginia University

Alexa PaceAustin Frattali

Billy McDonaldGavin Scherer

Jacob OttenheimerJake Allison

Jennifer CamireJessica Richardella

Joseph IglesiasMatthew Zebell

Megan JoyceRafael Tercero

Western Michigan UniversityJessica Bell

William & MaryChris Farley

Lindsey NeimoMeghana Indurti

Nick MasonWindsor College

Jasmine VirkYale

Nicole Ivey

MAPCOLLEGENicole IveyYale University

Rachel Stecher, Elissa Kim, Alex ManeyMilitary Academies

Matt LunsfordTexas A&M

Jasmine VirkWindsor, Carribean

“I choose it because I have a lot of family there and they have a great engineering school. It also has a lot of opportunities in on campus organizations such as Christian clubs, in the end i've always wanted to go there since i was a little kid.”

"Their medical program is excellent and I can get a degree in four years versus eight in the states.”

“The best part about going to Yale is being able to represent my school, and meet so many different people, people that I’ve never been exposed to before. Also, it’s getting to represent Briar Woods, and Ashburn, and my family.”

The four years that constitute a high

school career seem to go by so quickly once seniors are looking back on them.

However, in fashion years, four years is

more equal to a decade, with hundreds of trends coming and going. Four years

of high school can not only be seen through a senior’s resume, but also

through a senior’s closet and their

evolving style. For most seniors, from their freshman year in 2006 to their

graduation year of 2010, their styles or clothing preferences have grown and

evolved with them.  

Senior Stephanie Peterson said, “I think

that four years is such a long period of time, that it's simply a given that a

person's style, along with so many other

things, will change during that time frame, especially during high school,

where so many changes are already occurring. My style, in particular, has

changed so much since freshman year.

Over the past four years, I've just taken pieces of all different trends and really

tried my best to make it my own.” 

There are few trends that survive

throughout or, rarer yet, surpass the length of a high school career. But,

there are the few trends that do, like the infamous Uggs. As early as 2006, and

even before, the Ugg craze was

unavoidable among the high school set. Whether they be short boots, tall boots,

knit boots or moccasins, the Ugg brand has certainly become one of the most

common among the floors of Briar

Woods High School. Despite the fact that Uggs have been popular since

2006, they still remain popular in 2010, and will certainly be brought on to

college by much of the graduating class.

 “I think that a high school student's

personal fashion definitely evolves a lot over the course of their four years in

high school because it’s during these

years that most people are really finding out who they are, escaping the general

contriteness of middle school, and

maturing. My style has definitely evolved in that I am less focused now

on what is supposed to be "in" and

more into what I personally like to wear,” said Senior Annemarie

Lucernoni.

Much like history, fashion repeats

itself, as can be seen through the 2009 revival of the 80s legging trend.

Though perhaps not in the same bright hues or metallic tones, leggings

first made their comeback in 2009,

and are still prominent today in 2010. Whether worn under skirts or dresses

or even worn as pants, one cannot walk down the hallways without

seeing a legging-clad classmate.

Though popular in high schools, the trend continues to be popular on

college campuses.  

Long popular among musical artists,

models and hipsters far earlier, the skinny jeans made their appearance

on the high school scene around 2007. The slim fit jeans came to be loved by

all, replacing the previously popular

flare jeans. Though occasionally traded for leggings today, skinny jeans

still remain prominent. 

“I wore them [skinny jeans] my first

day freshman year, and I was so nervous about them because I had

only ever worn flares. It wasn't only a trend, I think they changed body

image issues for girls; if you can wear

them, they are so much more flattering than flares,” said Senior

Julianne Lewis.  

Women and high heels have always

had a love-hate relationship, so women are constantly seeking out a

comfortable substitute for them without sacrificing style. In the early

2000s, and with growing popularity

throughout the decade, their prayers were answered with the ballet flat.

Loved by all as they can be worn

with anything and are far superior in comfort to heels,

ba l le t flats, though fir s t

becoming fashionable prior to the entrance of the Class of

2010, have only grown in popularity as time wore on.  

Taking from the closets of 1950s and 1960s women,

2008 saw the revival of the scarf. Though worn in the

50s and 60s as headscarves,

they have more recently been seen first on purses,

and then, around necks. The perfect accessory to

most outfits, the scarf has

become a near symbol of t h e m o r e r e l a x e d

bohemian-chic styles seen today. Though they

have evolved from the

o ld s i l k pa t t e r ned scarves of the 50s and

60s into cotton scarves, often floral or striped,

the origin of this trend

could certainly be cal led a fashion

revival.  

The Class of 2010 has

seen the life and death of many a fashion trend.

As 2010 comes to a close and seniors prepare to

graduate, they prepare not

only to leave behind high school, but also high school fashion trends.

From 2006 to 2010 the students of Briar Woods High School have

grown and evolved in tandem with

fashion. As seniors head off to college, they must prepare to embrace

new trends, even if that includes the revival of the 90s acid-wash jeans.  

 

16

TIMELINE

The Evolution of the Class of 2010’s Closet Story by Casey Fabris

The infamous Uggs boots,

still warming feet today.

Leggings make a comeback

from the 80s.

S k i n n y j e a n s : E v e r y

woman's best friend.

Dress, shirt or long

cardigan? Belt it.

Patter ned tights

liven up winter.Scarves are the perfect

accessory to any outfit.

Ballet flats: the comfortable

alternative to heels.

Classes of students progress through the

school like clockwork, leaving behind legacies, standards, advice, and worst of

all, their friends. As best friends,

boyfriends and girlfriends graduate, it is time to reflect on how to cope with the

distance and sense of grief that comes from “losing” someone, and how this

year’s juniors should spend their senior

year.Although some students choose to live

at home and commute to classes, around 80% of Briar Woods seniors

choose to go to go to a four year college,

which means that, come August, they will be off to experience something

completely new. And, come August, this year’s juniors will become seniors; they

will have to own up to their positions at

the top of the school, and experience first-hand everything that this year’s

seniors complained about.There are two things underclassmen

must realize when their senior friends

depart: first, you will see them again. Second, if you spend too much time

dwelling on the loss of your friend, you will not experience your senior year to

its fullest.

College breaks are long, and during the first semester, not far apart. Many

schools give a fall break sometime in October, a week off for Thanksgiving

break and around a month off for

winter break. In between there are plenty of weekends with teacher work

days for students to visit their college friends.

Erin Pelletier’s best friend, Laura

Starzenski, left for Duke last fall. Pelletier said, “We talked on the phone

every night, which helped to make me not miss her as much. She came home a

lot for breaks and I went to visit her

once during my spring break. Now that she is home, I feel like nothing

has changed.”

However, taking trips to James Madison University, Virginia Tech or

University of Virginia every weekend will not allow one to enjoy their senior

year to the fullest. Seniors, especially,

should make sure that they are spending time with their high school

friends and doing things that matter, because they will become extremely

important in the months before

leaving for college.Sophomore Abby Comm, whose

boyfriend is leaving for college in the fall, said “I want to enjoy my junior

year with my friends, just because

Mike is leaving does not mean that we’ll grow apart.”

Instead of dwelling on how much it hurts to be apart, students should

spend their time getting involved in

school activities and spending time

with friends in their grade that they

might not have spent as much time with previously. Use your senior year

to your advantage: you are eligible to

be president of clubs, you can eat in the courtyard, and you (most likely) do

not have to take your final exams.Furthermore, instead of moping, you

can research colleges; getting yourself

excited about college will make you realize that soon you, too, will be

experiencing something new and exciting.

When you miss your friend’s face,

there is always Skype and Oovoo, which are easy to download and only

require a webcam. But before you know it, breaks will have come and

gone and your friends will be back in

May.Utilize your senior year to the fullest;

while you will miss your older friends, it is your job to be there for the

underclassmen and enjoy your last

year of high school.

17

“To be honest, I didn’t really care

for the show at first. It was not until the end of the 1st half of the season

I realized I loved it! ‘Glee’ has so

many good messages, songs and guest stars, and of course good

drama. So yes, I guess you could call me a “Gleek,” said Sophomore

Sarah Dwinnell.   

The show has already brought back the hit songs, ‘Jessie’s Girl’  by Rick

Springfield and glorifying Madonna tunes such as ‘Like A Virgin’ and

‘Vogue.’ Not only does ‘Glee’ uplift

old songs and current songs, it also creatively brings key aspects of life to

attention, like the importance of staying true to oneself even when it

may seem easier to be something

one is not. Instances like this are shown through the lives of the

characters as well as tougher struggles where viewers see the glee

club truly come together as family.    

“If you haven’t heard of the show, you live under a rock. If you haven’t

watched it, you are choosing to not experience it,” said O’Keefe.  

As ‘Glee’  continues to strike

numerous teen issues, from body image to teen pregnancy, and still

brighten the day of viewers all over with its lively songs and inspiring

musical entertainment, “Gleeks” can

do nothing but enjoy and eagerly wait to see what producer Murphy

has in store for next week’s episode.   “I promise after watching one

episode, you’re hooked,” said

Dwinnell

‘Glee’ (Cont. from page 12)A Letter to the JuniorsBy Julianne Lewis

AP ENGLISH LITERATURE AND LANGUAGE

THANK YOU SENIORS FOR A WONDERFUL YEAR!

// Mr. Noland, Mrs. Berger, Mr. Legg

18

Player Profiles

Sports

All Reporting by Lauren Young // Photos by Brandon Weight

Briar Woods Cheerleaders Capture State ChampionshipStory by Brandon Weight

Priscilla SmithChristopher Newport

Kate FowlerUVA

Andy LuhmannFrostburg State

Tavis HenryFerrum College

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA – After a

year of high-flying performances, the Briar Woods Varsity Cheerleading

program culminated an impressive

season by taking the AA State Championships. Besting the Brentsville

Tigers in a competition including 16 teams, their 261-point, nearly-flawless

performance stunned the audience in

VCU’s Siegel Center. With 6 seniors on the team, the win was a well

deserved mark after four years of hard work.

After six months of conditioning, as

well as 3 and half months of practice for the routine, Brenna Arsenault is

among the hardworking seniors.

Furthermore, her experience at the

VHSL State Championships was a one she’ll always remember.

“It was so surreal,” she recalled. “I could not believe we actually won!”

The varsity cheerleaders returned to m u c h a c c l a i m , r e c e i v i n g

congratulations from nearly every

passerby in the hallways. A recording of the winning performance was

shown during Monday’s morning announcements, and a FLEX

performance was announced as well.

Students were herded to their normal pep-rally locations, but the new focus

was prevalent. Mats adorned the

floor, and the cheerleaders were filled

with their normal peppy spirit. Principal Ed Starzenski welcomed the

crowd, and lauded the achievements of

the cheer squad.

Even with a few technical difficulties,

and a mis s ing per for mer, the

cheerleaders prepared for the routine. The schools namesake blasted out

amid sound bites from 3OH!3, while a p e r f e c t l y t i m e d b a s k e t t o s s

complemented the opening formation.

The tumbling sequence caught the eye of many, filled with round off back-

handspring tucks and an impressive

full by freshmen Holly Johnson. Yet the

entire student body was engaged in the call, repeating “Say what, say what? B

what? B Woods!”

After the applause settled down, the varsity cheer squad was eager to

present with the district, regional, and s t a t e t roph i e s t o ou r s ch oo l .

Forevermore will their triumphs be

remembered at Briar Woods. And for senior Danielle Deal, she feels positive

for the upcoming underclassmen.

“I want them to always stay humble,” she began, “and to never forget how

hard we worked to get to the top.”

Luhmann has been an avid lacrosse

player since 7th grade after being convinced by friends and instantly

fell in love with the game. He will

be playing at Frostburg State University, where he will be a part

of the school's first year lacrosse program.

"Playing for the Briar Woods team for four years was unbelievable,

everything that I have learned is going to help me at the next level,

and it has taught me to always work

on things that need improvment to get better," said Luhmann.

His words of wisdom is to be

passionate about what your doing,

and it will pay off.

Fowler first started playing softball

at the age of 5, influenced by her father who got her into the sport

and kept her in it. She will be

playing Division 1 softball at the University of Virginia where she

hopes to improve on her skills at a higher level. "I was recruited as a

junior at camps, but i was told i was

too short to pitch but they loved my bat," said fowler. After talking to

the UVA coach she was offered a roster spot and would be treated

like a scholarship athlete. Playing

for Briar Woods has taught  her l e a d e r s h i p s k i l l s a n d t h e

opportunity to make friends and memories that she will keep with

her  for the rest of her life  . "Team

sports are the best to play, you have several other teammates that can

pick you up and give you support.”

Luhmann has been an avid lacrosse

player since 7th grade after being convinced by friends and instantly

fell in love with the game. He will

be playing at Frostburg State University, where he will be a part

of the school's first year lacrosse program.

"Playing for the Briar Woods team for four years was unbelievable,

everything that I have learned is going to help me at the next level,

and it has taught me to always work

on things that need improvment to get better," said Luhmann.

His words of wisdom is to be

passionate about what your doing,

and it will pay off.

Luhmann has been an avid lacrosse

player since 7th grade after being convinced by friends and instantly

fell in love with the game. He will

be playing at Frostburg State University, where he will be a part

of the school's first year lacrosse program.

"Playing for the Briar Woods team for four years was unbelievable,

everything that I have learned is going to help me at the next level,

and it has taught me to always work

on things that need improvment to get better," said Luhmann.

His words of wisdom is to be

passionate about what your doing,

and it will pay off.

Sports 19

Just Joshin’ With You

• Lebron James…the KING without a ring

• Philly fly’s while the Bruins blow 3-0 series lead

• The New Jersey Nets win only 12 games and lose the first pick in the u p c o m i n g N B A draft…  the team will move to the WNBA next year

• Adrian Peterson fumbles the microphone at a press conference last week

• S u r p r i s e …Surprise…  Brett Farve considers retirement for the 10th season

• Rickey Williams goes substance free for an entire season for the first time since little league

• Kim Kardashian dumps R e g g i e B u s h a n d upgrades to a Fútbol player

• Tiger on the prowl…enough said

• NFL implements new “hug” policy for after the game since the sport has become too violent for spectators…  and quarterbacks

• T h e Wa s h i n g t o n Capitals deny dental insurance for superstar Alex Ovechkin

For the first time in Briar Woods’

history, there are girls on the golf team.  The golf team’s Coach, Bob Vitti, has

always encouraged girls to try out for

golf, but until this year the team has consisted of only boys.  The two girls

that tried out for the golf team are Sophomore Nicole F lores and

Freshman Mary-Beth Mitchell.

 Flores and Mitchell both tried out for

the golf team for different reasons.  Flores tried out because she enjoys the

sport.  "I get to play the sport I love,"

she sa id wi thout a moment ’s

hesitation.  Mitchell tried out because her older brother had been on the

team, and she wanted to follow in his

footsteps.  Another reason that she tried out was because there are not

many female golfers and she wanted to see more girls try out for the sport. 

Flores and Mitchell mentioned that

being on the team was "fun,"  "exciting," and "a good learning

experience."

Girls on Golf Team Make HistoryStory by Jacob Ottenheimer

Loudoun Students Reach Out at Special Olympics

The Olympics have been around for

thousands of years, and are often used as a unifier, a peace-keeper or just for a

round of friendly competition. What

becomes obvious though, not just in the Olympics, but in many sports, is

that people with special needs or disabilities are set apart from the

group, and often have no way of

competing in such activities. Whether it is because they require special

medical attention or because they simply are not allowed, the need for a

league of their own became apparent

and urgent. Now, with the help of hundreds of volunteers and sponsors,

the Special Olympics, created in 1969, continues to offer opportunities in

every season and in a plethora of

sports, for anyone with special needs to accomplish something amazing with

hundreds of people watching.

On Saturday March 28, the Loudoun

County chapter of the Special Olympics hosted a qualifying swim

meet and was hosted at nearby Claude M o o r e Pa rk . T h e r e w e r e n o

prerequisites to compete, and the

competition was open to anyone. All the smiling yet nervous faces were

enough to ease any tension in the atmosphere and create a buzz of

excitement. Standing along the edge of

the pool were coaches and sponsors, sitting in the bleachers were teammates

and family cheering their swimmers on and behind the lanes were more

swimmers queuing up, waiting for their

turn to shine.

“Community service is great and is very rewarding in many ways; you get

a sense of accomplishment for making

sports available for Special Olympics athletes,” said Vines. “But, community

service is not for everyone, and as a Special Olympics Coach, I’d rather see

one person that wants to be there to

help than a dozen that don’t really want to help the athletes.”

More than 50 volunteers from area high schools and volunteer groups

were scattered along the outskirts of

the pool and helped organize the swimmers. Briar Woods High School

volunteers were accompanied by Paul VI High School, Broad Run High

School and Oakton High School

students as well. Oakton High School is very unique in that the Varsity Swim

Team, of which some members have

siblings that are Special Olympics

participants, created a special team for disabled students where the

Varsity athletes spend an hour or two

every Saturday morning coaching the students and perfecting their strokes.

As for Briar Woods volunteers, they were in a unanimous agreement that

the experience was one they will never

forget.

“It was an awesome opportunity,” said Junior Kiley Garrett. “All of the

kids in the Special Olympics were

incredible. It was one of the most touching experiences I’ve ever had as

a volunteer.”

Volunteers come from all walks of life;

many participants are actually volunteers as well. Some, like Charles

Vines, have spec ia l , per sonal motivation to contribute to the

Special Olympics. He was inspired to

get involved because he has two sons with autism that he wanted to begin

exposing to the community and help

them start interacting with more

people. He not only is a Councilman but Head Coach o f Bowl ing,

webmaster of their site, a softball

volunteer, a volleyball volunteer, a basketball volunteer and a bus driver.

The athletes that compete in the

“games” show very sportsman-like

conduct; giving one another high fives, congratulating each other with hugs

and pats on the back, cheering on their teammates and simply being happy

that they tried their best, whether

coming in first or not. They are role models in every sense of the word.

Athletes Robert K. and Adam B.

agreed excitedly, “Special Olympics

offers the best sports in the country.”

So many volunteers and athletes walk away with a certain satisfaction; one

that can only be found by engaging

100 percent in everything one does.

Story by Bailey KirkpatrickA Column by Sports Editor

Josh Plumhoff

Photo by Ashley Haak

(Cont. on page 21)

(Cont. on page 20)

20 Sports

Helping those who truly appreciate

the work one has accomplished is one of the most underappreciated feelings

there is. Robert and Adam both

acknowledged that the volunteers who help with the Special Olympics do a

good job, and Adam added, “Special Olympics offers so many good sports

for people with disabilities.”

It becomes clear to those involved

with the Special Olympics that the lines so often set between “normalcy”

and those with disabilities disappear,

allowing everyone to found lasting friendships and create heart-touching

moments. The opportunities at the Special Olympics are endless, from

softball on Thursdays to fundraising

opportunities to far off places. The

Special Olympics of Loudoun County

is dedicated to both supplying and covering the activities, making it a truly

enjoyable experience for everyone.

The Special Olympics mantra is this;

“the Special Olympics is dedicated to e m p o w e r i n g i n d i v i d u a l s w i t h

intellectual disabilities to become

physically fit, productive and respected members of society through sports

training and competition.” It is true and evidenced in the biggest way

because athletes and volunteers have

nothing bad to say about it. It is truly an organization that strives for the

betterment and acceptance of an amazing group of people that are no

different from anyone else upon close

While the Caps have already captured

the President’s Trophy, the MLS-favored D.C. United take the pitch at

RFK while the Nationals, and their

fans, enjoy the approaching spring weather, Washington is focused on

one, five-syllable, aging athlete - Donavan McNabb. Nearly five months

prior to the start of the season, D.C. is

turning all attention, as always, to the Redskins. Where did this pitfall begin?

When did culture disseminate into the masses, neglecting American pastimes,

national strongholds and intriguing

games? Marked as the second most valuable team by Forbes Magazine at

an estimated $1.55 billion, while also taking the highest revenue of any

other NFL team, the Redskins

d e fi n i t e l y h o l d a n e c o n o m i c importance. But with a dismal record

in the past - not to mention a season that will not begin until students return

to school - it’s time D.C. shares the

love for being one of the most prolific sports towns of the nation.

Home to 4 franchises, the D.C. Metro

Area hosts a wide variety of sports.

Yet, with the shivering months ending,

and the rainy ones beginning, this

town benefits from both the closing of one sport and the arrival of two new.

In the plaguing economy, marketing

experts are facing a problem when exorbitant ticket prices rule the

stadiums. Still, with multiple benefits across the board, going out to a game

can be the best experience heading

into summer.

With the Washington Nationals and D.C. United located farther out in

southeast, fans have the option of

enjoying a day out. A quick metro ride away from the local Vienna

orange line station, as well as stops along the most popular tourist spots,

RFK is one of the best locations.

Also, if fútbol isn’t kicking in, the Washington National’s Park is off the

green line towards Anacostia, with a simple switch at L’Efant Plaza the

only necessary travel change.

These fortunate opportunities should be snatched up by any individual.

The opportunity to enjoy a day away – as well as diversify the sports in

D.C. – serves the interests of both

parties.

One Sport Town: The Pitfall of D.C. AthleticsStory and photo by Brandon Weight

Loudoun Students...(Cont. from page 19)

Softball Season Sets RecordsStory by Abby CommPhoto by Chelsey Hitchcock

The girl’s varsity softball team is doing

extremely well this season. With a current record of 8 wins and 1 loss,

the girls are well on their way to a

district title. New to the team this season are 5 freshmen who have

contributed greatly to the team’s performance. The future of the Briar

Woods High School softball program

looks bright, as does the future of the 4 graduating seniors. The team will be

forced to make adjustments according to the old talent leaving, and the new

talent brought in.

School records have been set with the softball team this year. The team has

taken down other power house team in

the district, including Broad Run

High School and Park View High School. Not only is Broad Run a rival

of ours, but was also ranked

throughout the country and our Falcons beat them 7-5. “The team

has come light-years from our first season,” said Fowler, “Our reputation

is the complete opposite than what it

used to be and we earned it.” With new, effective habits set for the girls

this season, the team should be able to carry them out even with the loss

of 4 talented seniors.

Kate Fowler is 1of the seniors graduating this year. They have both

been a part of the team many seasons

during their time at Briar Woods.

“After graduating I will be going to the University of Virginia and

playing on the varsity softball team,”

said Fowler. Before attending UVA Fowler will be playing with a travel

softball team to prepare for college. “I love being a senior on the team,” said

Fowler, “I couldn’t ask for a better

group of girls, coaches and managers to end my high school softball

career.”

The team has so much potential, the

girls just need to bring it onto the field. The girls believe “If we play our

best, no team can beat us.” The girls

look at every game as the most important one of the season and to

them, that is the only thing that matters. “One day at a time, one

pitch at a time,” said Fowler.

@

21

Distracted Driving and YouStory by Aaron McAndrew

Some years ago, the dangers of being

under the influence of alcohol while driving   caused an incalculable

amount of casualties on the road.

Many public service announcements were produced to discourage drunk

driving. Laws were put in place to prevent this dangerous habit from

claiming any more lives and finally it

seemed as if the roads were safe once again. However, with the current

popular i ty o f tex t messag ing, distracted driving due to texting has

become the newest danger to plague

the roadways.

Talk show host Oprah Winfrey

recently devoted an entire show to the dangers of distracted driving. The

highlights of the episode included

testimonials from victims and the relatives of victims who died in

distracted-driving related crashes. There was also a test to see whether

three contestants could navigate a

simple obstacle course while texting and they could not do so effectively,

thus proving the danger of texting while driving.  For the remainder of

her shows that month, Oprah showed

the faces of those who have been

killed in distracted-driving related

crashes.At the end of her show, Oprah

announced that a pledge could be

made to rally the proverbial troops against the evils of distracted driving.

Those who attended her show that day received a shirt that read “Don’t

tempt f8, that txt can w8.” The

pledge against distracted driving can also be made on Oprah’s website.

Distracted driving is a real issue, and

claims real lives every day. This issue

should be a major priority. Distracted

drivers need to ask themselves, “what

is more important, this call/text, or my life?” Once this priority issue is

cleared, it is almost guaranteed that

the roads will be exponentially safer.

Distracted driving has become one of the most prominent causes of death

and injury while on the road.

Virginia, and fortunately twenty other states including D.C., has laws

that ban texting while driving. However, state laws might not be

enough to get this message across. As

long as there are states that refuse to show concern for this issue, there will

always be a chance for good people to die a tragic death. However, this

problem will most likely solve itself

once the federal government passes a legitimate ban on texting while

driving for all states.

Just Joshin’ With You

• B R E A K I N G NEWS…  it is reported that Tiger Wood’s wife beat him up because he wouldn’t let her be his caddy for the Masters

• Chad “Ocho Cinco” Johnson trades in his cleats for dancing shoes

• If only David Ortiz was swinging like Tiger Wood’s wife

• The clock strikes on BIG BEN again

• Philadelphia Phillies attendance records have up 50 % since a kid was tasered last month

• A f t e r h i s d r e ad f u l per for mance in the Olympics, Canada has deported Martin Brodeur to New Jersey

5. Super Bowl XXXVIII, 2004- Over

the course of three years, Tom Brady had gone from being a sixth round

draft pick and backup to Pro Bowler

Drew Bledsoe to becoming one of the best passers in the NFL. Both offenses

collectively gained 868 yards, but did not explode until the fourth quarter,

combining for 37 points in the final

period. Coming down to the final seconds, kicker Adam Vinatieri further

proved his worth under pressure, hitting a 41-yard field goal to deliver

another championship to New

England. Patriots 32, Panthers 29

4. Super Bowl XXXVI, 2002- Columnists around the nation believed

that the drama could not be topped

from two years ago, when the Rams prevented a last second push for

victory. However, Super Bowl XXXVI further exceeded expectations, taking

it down to the wire. New England

quarterback Drew Bledsoe had been injured in the previous weeks, giving

the nod to substitute Tom Brady. The St. Louis Rams’ offense was viewed as

a potent threat, but was clogged by the

Patriots’ stout defense. Adam Vinatieri kicked a 48-yard field goal, giving New

England their first Lombardi trophy. Patriots 20, Rams 17

3. Super Bowl XXIV, 2000- To kick off the new millennium, the St. Louis

Rams and Tennessee Titans played to one of the tightest finishes in sports’

history. Both teams embraced the

concept of fighting for the whole 60 minutes, as the Rams took the lead in

the last two minutes when quarterback

Kurt Warner connected for a 73-yard bomb to wide receiver Isaac Bruce.

Titans’ quarterback Steven McNair

led the assault one last time, pushing it to the brim and hitting receiver Kevin

Dyson with the clock ticking down. Dyson reached for the goal-line, but

was denied a yard short due to a great

effort by Rams’ linebacker Mike Jones. St. Louis was crowned as champions,

barely escaping defeat. Rams 23, Titans 16

2. Super Bowl XLIII, 2009- Ben Roethlisberger was back for his second

Super bowl appearance in his young career. The game swayed back and

forth, but once again delivered the

ultimate show in the final period. As a wildcard team, the Arizona Cardinals,

led by veteran Kurt Warner and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, had nothing

to lose, but fight for their pride and the

trophy. Taking their first lead in the game with 2:37 left, Arizona had a

chance to hold on. Nevertheless, “Big Ben” Roethlisberger would not go

down without a fight, taking his team

down the field for 78 yards and throwing a touchdown in the waning

s econds to San ton io Ho lmes. Pittsburgh fans around the world could

now wildly wave those “terrible

towels”. Steelers 27, Cardinals 23

"Super Bowl XVIII was easily my favorite Super Bowl of the decade,”

said Junior Curtis Bottoms. “It had all

the elements of a great football game-

a dramatic buildup, a lot of big plays,

and an exciting finish.”

1. Super Bowl XLII, 2008- According

to sports writers across the nation, no other Super Bowl lived up to the hype

and delivered more excitement than did Super Bowl XLII. The New

England Patriots were undefeated so

far, and were looking to end their season at a perfect 19-0, a feat that

had never been accomplished before. On the other hand, the New York

Giants fought in the trenches

throughout the playoffs just to make it to Glendale, Arizona for the Super

Bowl matchup. The “G-Men” attacked quarterback Tom Brady on

all cylinders, and held him to 14

points. It was all up to the Giants’ Eli Manning, and he wouldn’t go down.

Viewed by Briar Woods’ students as the most memorable play of the

decade, Eli escaped the intense

pressure and miraculously threw a deep pass to special teams player

David Tyree in the “biggest play in NFL history”. The Giants went down

to score on a fade to Plaxico Burress,

and held their opponents with time fading. As viewed by many students at

Briar Woods, New York went on to pull one of the biggest upsets in Super

Bowl history. Giants 17, Patriots 14

The Decade’s Best Super BowlsStory by Osama Faroqui

VIEW 5 MORE RANKINGS

falconforumonline.blogspot.com

23

Senior Quotes“To those that may walk these halls, take every experience to heart; every slight

snippet of conversation. Forget everything for one minute and absorb all the senses. Remember this moment. This is what you did your freshmen year.

Learn to love that which you comprehend and say what you believe.”

-Submitted by Daniel O’Keefe

“If it wasn’t for the Crab Counting Club I would not have survived high school. Mr. Anderson is the best!”

-Submitted by Ryan Esch

“Life is short, but sweet for certain.”

-Dave Matthews Band, Submitted by Nicole McNey

“Go big, or go home.”

-Submitted by Andy Luhmann

“You say live in the moment. I say look down the road.” -Emily Farnsworth, Submitted by Corinne Cheney

“These days flew by, but I’ll never forget them.” -Submitted by Madeline Moore

“Enjoy the little things; for one day you may look back and discover that they

were the big things.”

-Submitted by Mandy Girolami

“Believe in your dreams and they may come true; believe in yourself and they will come true.”

-Submitted by Vallie Herndon

“The choices you make today will determine the number and quality of the

choices you make tomorrow.” -Submitted by Whitney Chandler

“When life gives you a hundred reasons to cry, show life that you have a thousand reasons to smile.”

-Submitted by Hannah Ronan

“Everything will be okay in the end. If it’s not okay, then it’s not the end.”

-Submitted by Anonymous

“A third-rate mind is happy when it thinks with the majority. A second-rate

mind is happy when it thinks with the minority. A first-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking.”

-A.A Milne, Submitted by Chris Farley

“Life’s a climb, but the view’s great.”

-The Hannah Montana Movie, Submitted by Elizabeth Gentine

“If you do something, give it 110% and never quit.” -Submitted by Logan Harris

“We only part to meet again.”

-Submitted by Kim Bell

“Dream as if you’ll live forever, live as if you’ll die today.”

-James Dean, Submitted by Claire Bayles

“No one gives it to you; you have to take it.”

-James Joyce, Submitted by Erin Pelletier

“No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” -Eleanor Roosevelt, Submitted by Clarke Williams

“Leaving TJ and coming to Briar Woods was the best decision I made in

high school. I appreciate everything I’ve learned, everyone I’ve met, and every teacher that wanted to make a difference. And there are a lot of

teachers who really care here.” -Submitted by Kiersten Kampschroeder

“We’re not lost we’re on an adventure!” -Submitted by Kelsey Atkinson

“Bom chicka wah wah.”

-Submitted by Wisam Fillo

“Peace. Love. Infinity.”

-Submitted by Lauren Cole

“True love is a friendship set on fire.”

-Submitted by Dani Booth Burgess

Bible Club

Seniors share their favorite reflections, advice, and quotes

that stuck with them these past four years.

"Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father

except through me. If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From

now on, you do know him and have seen him.” --John 14:6-7

Want to live forever? God is your one way ticket there.

24 World

When selecting high school classes and

electives, some students consider an elective’s weight on their resume, or

how it could help them develop an

already budding interest, while others may choose an elective because it

would be “fun” or “easy”. For the select few who constantly worry about

their future, especially in the present

economy, electives and classes are chosen because they will prepare the

student for college. Class choices reflect a student’s interests, and therefore,

what they may want to major in in

college.S tuden t s who choo se t o t ake

Journalism may realize early on that the death of traditional journalism is

looming in the future, yet pursue the

career anyway. Others may choose to take AP Chemistry or Physics, which

will help to prepare them for top-paying jobs in Engineering. For

students who are mathematically

savvy and personable, there are business classes and clubs available.

Then, there are classes for students

who wish to one day help other students the way their own teachers

have helped them, such as Teacher C a d e t a n d E a r l y C h i l d h o o d

development. All of these classes are

helpful in guiding a student towards a major, and eventually, a career.

According to PayScale.com, a website created for employers and those on

the job hunt, engineering majors earn

the most after college. The top three jobs with the highest starting and

mid-career salaries are Aerospace Engineering, Chemical Engineering

a n d C o m p u t e r E n g i n e e r i n g.

Aerospace Engineers often start around $60,000 and can make

around $109,000 by mid-career. The starting salary for an engineer is

comparable to the mid-career salary

for those who majored in Health Care

Administration, Psychology, Interior Design or Art History.

Education majors can expect to begin

with a salary of around $36,200, and make around $54,100 by the mid-

point in their careers. Elementary Education majors make less, and are

second to last on the pay-scale list.

Although these jobs are not as high-paying, many Education majors do

not go into the workforce expecting to make a lot of money. Instead, they do

it for the welfare of the children and

their love of teaching. Senior Mandy Girolami, who is currently a part of

the Teacher Cadet class said, “It’s what I have always wanted to go, and

although I won’t be making a lot, I’ll

be doing what I love. I’ll go into teaching with a Master’s so hopefully

that will help.”Students who wish to major in

Business, or something of that nature,

will likely have the best luck in Finance, Marketing, or International

Business. According to US News and World Report, the top four colleges

for Business Finance are University of

Pennsylvania, New York University and University of California at

Berkeley. Top schools for marketing ma jor s inc lude Univer s i t y o f

Pennsylvania, University of Michigan

at Ann Arbor, and University of Texas at Austin. It also ranks University of

South Carolina as number one in International Business, followed by

New York University and University

of Pennsylvania.Oddly enough , Univer s i t y o f

Pennsylvania, which has the best opportunities for undergraduate

business majors, has one of the

highest acceptance rates in the Ivy League (Cornell University has the

highest, with 21%), with a 17%

acceptance rate. Out of Liberal Arts

colleges, Colgate University, Bucknell University and Swarthmore College,

graduate students who earn the most

after college.In 2010, jobs with projected necessity

(ranked by U.S. News and World Report) are led by positions such as X-

Ray Technic ian , Veter inar ian ,

Meteorologist, Computer Software Eng ineer, F i refighte r, Spec ia l -

Education Teacher, Financial Adviser, Meeting Planner, Funeral Director and

Multimedia Artist. While these do not

guarantee top salaries, they are guaranteed job openings, which will

help anyone looking for work. Although many students choose not to

major in English because of its lack of

job potential, careers such as a Copywriter or Paralegal make around

$54,000 per year, and Technical writers make around $65,700. Furthermore,

English is not the lowest rank on

PayScale.com’s study of high-paying majors; it is about midpoint in the list,

and the last spot is occupied by Sociology, a major that has a projected

starting income of $33,400 and a

midpoint salary of $41,600. Political Science majors will make the most

being an Intelligence Analyst (around $ 8 2 , 0 0 0 ) , a n d $ 7 1 , 5 0 0 a s a n

Employment Placement Specialist or

Operations Manager. Economics majors will make the most as a

Management Consultant, around $122,000.

Students can only hope that the job

market will be better the year they graduate from college. It is important

to remember that although certain majors and jobs have better earning

potential, when people work up to their

highest potential, a salary will not reflect the moral gain.

Your Future: From Electives, to a Major, to a Career

Story and photo by Julianne Lewis

As the end of the year approaches,

Briar Woods High School seniors, along with those around the world, are

happily discussing their quickly

approaching adventures in college life. Some of us are going to schools in

faraway places like California, Florida and the Caribbean, and many of us

will have exciting experiences closer to

home. But for a few members of the

B W H S C l a s s o f 2 0 1 0 , t h e i r experiences will be full of danger,

bravery and impossibly hard work as

they set off for their careers in the military.

Dillon Morrison, widely respected as

one of the most intelligent people in

the Class of 2010,has signed up to join

the United States Marine Corps next year. "I wanted to make a difference

and serve my country," said Morrison.

He has been working closely with a loca l rec ru i t e r, and has been

part ic ipat ing in Marine Crops workouts and training activities while

still attending Briar Woods. "The

recruiters are great," he said. "They’re nice and understanding. The training is

tough, but I love it." Dillon plans to take Marine-conducted classes in the

next 4 years so he can become an

engineer in the future.

Rachel Stecher will be attending the United States Air Force Academy in

Colorado Springs, Colorado. Rather

than join the military immediately after high school and get a degree later like

Dillon, Rachel opted to attend college

and military training at the same time.

"I just love the Air Force Academy," said Stecher. Rachel hopes to become

an Air Force pilot after she completes

her military service.

From the point of view of any high school senior, the upcoming school

year will certainly be filled with change

and opportunity. Dillon Morrison and Rachel Stecher will undoubtedly have

some of the experiences in the adult world that all of us will, and will also

have to deal with certain dangers,

problems, and difficulties others will not. As we say goodbye to our

classmates and go off on our own adventures, we have to take time to

consider the difficult choices of our

classmates.

Classmates take the military plunge

Story by Erin Pellitier

World 25

Somehow the air changes when one travels to the humble town of Cusco, Peru. Located 11,000 feet above sea level, Cusco is famous for inflicting minor to severe altitude sickness on tourists not yet accustomed to the elevation. When I walked off my flight from Lima to Cusco I replayed the advice over and over again in my head given to me the day before I traveled, “Do everything in slow motion on the first day you’re there.” My family seemed to be the only ones who heeded this advice because when we looked around the baggage claim we saw our fellow passengers moving at a normal pace. I quickly realized that we were being a little ridiculous and overly cautious. Nonetheless, when we finally arrived at our hostel, located just feet away from Cusco’s Plaza de Armas or main town square, I felt like a hefty weight had completely strapped my body to the bed. A long wi th a headache , I experienced agitating nausea. I started to pity the uninformed tourists on my flight who hadn’t taken any precautions at all.

Few will dare to make the trip to t h e b e a u t i f u l C u s c e a n mountainside towns or puebletos in their lifetime. However for those who do, the temporary elevation sickness or soroche as i t ’s k n o w n i n S p a n i s h , i s completely worth the discomfort for something the region is internationally famous for. Cusco’s economy flows so successfully due to the mysterious position of one of the seven world wonders nestled cozily in the middle of surrounding roaring mountains. Often known as “The Lost City of the Incas,” Machu Picchu is the spectacular site of Incan ruins that was constructed at the height of

the Incan empire. The city was deserted and completely forgotten unt i l d iscovered by Hiram Bingham, an America historian from Yale University, in 1911. In 1983, the UNESCO announced it as a World Heritage Site. Ever since then, Machu Picchu, along with becoming a national pride, has become the most visited tourist attraction in Peru and a huge revenue maker.

On my third day in Cusco, fully acclimated to the elevation, my family set out for our first encounter with the nation’s epic ruins. We took a speedy taxi to a train station that would take us on a three-hour train ride through the mountain valleys and Cuscean nature to the much anticipated w o r l d w o n d e r. M y m o m ’s Christmas gift to all of us was riding comfortable in first class on our train to the town of Aguas Calientes. When we arrived, we boarded a bus that went on the Hiram Bingham Highway, which is a fancy way of saying “the thinnest and steepest road that’s ever existed.” The bus sputtered its way up the mountain with my family on board, along with twenty-five other anxious tourists. When I looked out my window my eyes never met road, just the thousand-foot drop the bus would take if the driver made any wrong moves. Closing my eyes, holding my mom’s hand and saying short prayers in my head helped me get

through the frightening ride up to the gateway to Machu Picchu. When the bus unloaded its passengers into the busy entrance to Machu Picchu, I caught my first glimpses of the ruins. The anticipation began to crawl its way up my throat.

A wave of emotion hit my body when I realized that I was minutes a w a y f r o m e x c e e d i n g a n y monument, beach, or city I had ever traveled to or seen. My family and I passed the gates and all to be seen were lush, green mountains. Our tour guide took us to the highest point of Machu Picchu accessible to tourists and an incredibly intense, yet gentle, wind brushed my hair onto my face. Overlooking the breathtaking views of forgotten ruins, I felt a

rush of inspiration and passion. It was a sensation you could really only experience if you had been standing there with me. With wind scattering my hair against my face and tickling my cheeks, I realized that Machu Picchu exerts a powerful energy that somehow finds its way into your soul. A feeling of complete relaxation and reflection engulfed me. I believe it may be the history that you discover there when you make a visit or perhaps the sense that you just saw one of the greatest existences on our planet. Machu Picchu was by far one of the most fascinating travel experiences of my life and I look forward to making a trip back there, gladly going through all the struggle again, to lay eyes on it once more before I die.

Visiting a World Wonder

Overlooking a World Wonder, Machu Picchu. // Photo by Daniela Cuadrado

Story By Veronica Cuadrado

26 The Voice - Editorials

Spring Fever Disrupts College Life

Story by Clarke WilliamsThe air was thick with smoke as

thousands of screaming students fled the gaseous fumes of James Madison’s

Harrisonburg campus. Pepper spray,

foam batons and tear gas were used to quell the April 9-10 uprising by

Harrisonburg’s civil disturbance officers. What was supposed to be a

celebration for thousands of JMU

undergrads turned into a riotous afternoon that ended with over 20

arrests.College campuses are known for their

lackadaisical follow-ups on campus

mischief. Hundreds of college campuses host annual spring festivals

that boast thousands of students, who usually party into the wee hours and,

in their drunken stupor, are rarely

able to account for their actions. In 2005 Radford University’s annual

Quad Fest, where local 7-11 stores sell

roughly $5,000 worth of alcohol per

day to students, a cop car was stolen and students were arrested for

trespassing onto  the porches and

lawns of various locals. The antics of Quad Fest have lightened since the

incident but the overarching presence of drunken fraternity and sorority

students is still pervasive on the

southern Virginia campus.West Virginia University’s annual

Spring Fest, another infamously popular three-day concert and party,

has suffered the strike of the

economic recession as the college cut funding for the project.  In 2008,

members of the student body and various Spring Fest supporters

pledged to raise the funds on their

own in a last stint effort to revive their annual spring festivities. However, the

students at WVU are currently Spring

Fest-less and there does not seem to

be a return of the all-campus party any time soon.

As exhibited by various colleges in

multiple states around the country, the celebratory nature of spring festivals

can lead to some very negative consequences for students. Little

faculty and administrative support for

these events may, in the long run, hurt undergrads socially and academically.

The safest measure that can be taken during college spring fests is the most

obvious: knowing one’s limit and

sticking to it is the best way to ensure safety. Students must be smart and use

common sense when participating in college activities. It does not take

much for students to go over the edge,

and once there, consequences can be life-altering and even result in death.

for these exams themselves there

would be no problem in awarding the additional 1.0 upon completion of the

exam. However, now that money is

involved in grades and the even playing field is thrown out the

window, it is unfair.

The move to student paid exam fees

was a direct effect of the economic situation at hand. With that being

said, it is safe to assume that if the county must make budget cuts,

families are making them too. Many

cannot afford to pay the $86 for each test. With many students enrolled in

multiple AP courses, testing becomes an expensive proposition, and may

force some students to lose out on the

GPA boost or AP courses altogether. These students will miss out on the

benefits they deserve for the enormous amount of effort they must

put in for these classes and possibly

have lower class ranks or overall GPAs, which could be detrimental to

their college prospects.

alteration to the payment for AP

testing was not the only thing changed; it was also decided that in

order to receive the GPA boost,

students must take the AP Exam at the end of the year. The change in the

weighting of AP classes, however, was introduced last year, with the GPA

boost for AP classes increasing from

0.7 to 1.0.

The economic crisis and its effects on payment plans for AP Exams in

Loudoun County have ra i sed

questions about the justice of the system. Students must take a test

which they must pay $86 for to receive the extra 1.0 added to their

GPA for AP Courses. Many are

outraged by the current system, as it essentially forces students to pay for

an increased GPA. The GPA grade boost is not awarded for the hard

work and dedication that students

must put into their classes, but rather, it is awarded for payment on an

exam. If students did not have to pay

Nearly every high school student in

the nation shares one goal: the attainment of the highest grade point

average (GPA) possible. Students

strive to achieve this not only by maintaining high grades, but also by

taking classes such as Advanced Placement (AP) and Honors classes.

These classes provide students with a

GPA boost, an extra 1.0 per AP class if the AP Exam is taken at the end of

the year. The only way that students can obtain the 1.0 grade boost is

through completion of the AP Exam,

which as of this year, Loudoun County Public School’s students must

pay for. Now that students must pay for these exams, many question the

fairness of the system.

In Loudoun County, prior to the

2009-2010 school year, the county paid for the AP Exams. However, due

to the current economic conditions,

the system of payment for AP exams was one of the first changes to be

made in this year’s budget cuts. The

Everyone has felt the effect of today’s lagging economy; no one begrudges

the county their necessary budget

cuts. However, if the county can no longer afford to pay for the AP Exams

of all students, that should not mean that students are missing out on

challenging, rigorous courses or

increased grade point averages. The county must still strive for equality

among students. Students who take AP courses should still receive the 1.0,

it simply should not be determined by

payment for testing. Need-based scholarship funds must be created for

or qualifications for GPA boosts must be changed, but something must be

done to ensure that all Loudoun

County students are given equal opportunities in their education.

More Money,Better GPAPiece by Casey FabrisPhoto by Brandon Weight

27The Voice - Editorials

Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter are

three modern ways of communication in today’s society. For some, it can

become an obsession. Since Facebook

was founded in February 2004, it now has over 250 million users and is the

largest social network worldwide. With the discovery of these social

connections, it is easy for people to

observe what is on one’s page. As the creator of the profile page, one can

decide who views their profile and what should or should not be public.

However, many people, especially

teens, do not think twice about what they are letting others view.

Some people use Facebook, MySpace and Twitter for communication

purposes, but it can quickly become

very negative. Teenagers are not always careful about what they post.

Photos or comments that might seem funny can make an undesirable lasting

impression. "I see some girls taking

pictures kissing each other, while holding a beer can and smoking. It is

all just sad," Senior, Abby Potter said. Posting pictures like this, even as a

joke, can cause the people involved to

obtain negative reputations, which

could impact their future.Even though these sites can help one

keep in touch with friends and family,

there is a down side. People are not aware that schools, universities and

even future employers, can track down certain computer profiles to see

what one has posted. If profiles have

pictures that display underage drinking or comments containing fowl

language, a college recruiter or employer can use this against an

applicant. Sophomore, Connor

Cashman says, "It causes a lot of trouble when photos or comments are

inappropriate."Although these social networks have

many positives, one negative thing

can ruin someone’s entire future. The competition to be accepted into

college and get a good job is only climbing. Teens could be faced with

unfortunate consequences if they have

inappropriate posts. Candidates need to do everything they can to showcase

their talents and responsible choices, while avoiding problems social

networking sites may cause.

Digital Footprints: The Danger of Online Networking

Piece by Abby Comm

Today, pursuing a college education

after graduating from high school has become extremely common; it is

often even expected. According to the

2006-2007 U.S. Census Bureau releases, 17.6 million students were

enrolled in colleges for the fall, and the numbers are only rising. Now that

a college education has become a

prerequisite for many jobs that students aspire to obtain, even more

Americans are forced to pay the price, quite literally, to achieve their dreams.

           There are few necessities in life

that come at a greater cost than higher education. With tuition, room

and board, textbooks and all the other expenses that college students

find themselves struggling to pay,

education becomes an expensive proposition. While financial aid and

scholarships are available to students, there is simply not enough money to

assist everyone in paying for their

education. Though many students cannot afford the institutions to which

they have been accepted, numerous students are overlooked for financial

aid because they do not need it

desperately enough.  Those applying for academic scholarships face the

same dilemma as well, as competition for grants and other scholarships can

become fierce, with thousands of

applicants applying for the same opportunities.

           With all of the exorbitant expense s o f co l l ege, spec ific

requirements of financial aid and the

severe competition for scholarships, many aspiring college students find

themselves limited when decision time draws near. Some students are

limited to in-state public schools.

With far less expensive tuition fees, in-state schools are often good options,

especially in Virginia where there are

15 public colleges and universities.

However, students need schools with specific programs and majors that in-

state schools do not offer, and they are

forced to pick either giving up their dream or facing thousands of dollars

in debt upon graduation.           In addition to the in-state option,

many students have limitations on

attendance of private or public institutions. As private institutions do

not receive the amount of funding from the state that public institutions

receive, these schools make up for the

difference with a large increase in the cost of tuition. For many private

schools, yearly tuit ion can be anywhere upwards of $40,000

annually. Because of the huge

discrepancy in price, many students eliminate private colleges as options,

which can be detrimental in choosing their career paths. When considering

the benefits of attending a private

institution, they often include smaller class sizes, prestige, alumni relations or

specific majors and programs. However, applicants must determine

whether the benefits outweigh the

literal costs.      That thousands of students in the

United States must sacrifice dreams and opportunities in the collegiate and

professional world or face years of

debt is incredibly worrisome. Finances should not come in the way of the

years of work in high school and the talent that students may have.

Financial aid, grants and scholarships

must become more readily available to the college-bound. Education must

not be sacrificed because of the economic recession that the world

faces or the simple price tag of

college.

The Price of Education  Piece by Casey Fabris

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