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APRIL/MAY 2018

UNCAGED. READ ABOUT... FREEDOM’S YOUNGEST TRI-ATHLETE NOVA’S BEST HANGOUT SPOTS

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freedom high school newsmagazine | volume 3 | issue 3

the

STAFF Adviser Dana Baker

Editor-in-Chief Samaleh Omar Managing Editors Amanda PeĂąa Jessica Scott Design Editor Joytsana Sangroula Copy Editor Meghan Adams Business Editor Arnav Kumar News Editors Cayley Kilduff Holly Chun Features Editor Shravani Reddy Culture Editor Erin Janiga Opinions Editor Helina Wondwossen Sports Editor Arnav Kumar Photo Editor Aishwarya Ramesh Staff Writers and Photographers Kayla Cooper Fawaz Khan Aayusha Khanal Thor Moy Ava Proehl Lynne Tran Belle Tran Claire Wodack Kaise Dualeh Emily Peacher Sergio Cervantes Uncaged is the newsmagazine of Freedom High School. The attitudes, opinions, views, and ideas expressed in Uncaged do not necessarily reflect those of this staff, the faculty adviser, Freedom High School, or the Loudoun County Public School system. Uncaged follows the county and state guidelines established for student high school publications, and disclaims any liability with respect thereto the use or reliance on any such information contained in this publication. The Uncaged staff welcomes contributions and encourages the expression of students, faculty, staff, and members of the Freedom High School community.

Cover photo illustration by Joytsana Sangroula

table of contents

â€œ

The caged bird sings with a fearful trill of things unknown but longed for still and his tune is heard on the distant hill for the caged bird sings of freedom. //excerpt from I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Maya Angelou

[news] [culture] [sports] [opinions] [features] [back cover]

4 10 14 20 24 32

CONTENTS

from the editors Welcome back, freebirds! Hey there, free birds! We’re so excited to share this penultimate issue with you. Everyone on our staff has put in the work, and now you get to see the result! We’ve put in our time and effort in order to share the inspiring stories of our peers; never have we focused more on our tight knit community. As some of our senior members prepare to leave the nest, we hope you can look back and still enjoy the little things that made our time at FHS so special. Many of us are itching to take advantage of this spring weather, so go outside, put up your feet and open up a copy of [Uncaged.]. Reminisce about the snow days, and look to the days ahead. Don’t forget to be excited about the wonderful things to come! Of course, this is AP exam season, but this is also the time for prom, Capstone, and finalizing college plans. There’s always something stressful to focus on, but we want to encourage you to focus on the positive. In times of stress, breathe, relax, and tell yourself “you got this.” Before you know it, it will be the end of the year and summer will be upon us. End this year with a bang, and make it a good one. And here’s one final piece of advice from all of us here at [Uncaged.], take advantage of the rest of your year! n

[Photo by Aishwarya Ramesh, 12]

letter from the editors

NEWS

THE SNOW MUST GO ON

istorically, the D.C. area has collected low amounts of snowfall due to our location. However, recently, the annual amount of snow that South Riding received has dramatically decreased, from 22.2 inches in the 2015 - 2016 school year to 3.4 inches during the 2016-2017 school year. Although the overall number of school closings and delays in LCPS has not decreased by much, the reason for those more recent closings is primarily due to low temperatures, icy mornings, and heavy winds rather than actual snow. With dropping temperatures and changing weather in the winter, students are optimistically waiting by their phones for the call from Wayde Byard, the LCPS public information officer. Byard is responsible for making the calls to the students of Loudoun County, letting them know about inclement weather conditions and possible school closings. However, what conditions actually decide

whether school is going to be closed or not? “Loudoun is divided into two forecast zones by the National Weather Service,” Byard said. “The western part of the county has higher elevations and may have more snow and ice than the east. Ice is a particular problem.” The administration monitors weather services in advance of a storm, then on the morning of a forecasted event, support services staff travel roads all over Loudoun County starting at 2 a.m. to check the weather conditions. The decisions are made by 4 a.m. and the public, students and parents, are contacted by 6:00 a.m. at the latest. n [Story and infographic by Aishwarya Ramesh] [Photo provided by Maria Billings]

As of 3/16/18

What do Freedom Students do on Snow Days? “Typically on snow days I like to relax and finish my homework. Normally I’ll have a cup of hot chocolate and watch movies too. I think the meme that is Wayde is funny because people praise him like he’s a god when we have school off. I love snow days because I can sleep in and just chill for the day instead of stressing about school things.” - Petra Jasper, 12

“On snow days, I sleep in then work on my school work for like an hour or so. After that I just watch netflix for the rest of the day. The Wayde meme is funny because people come up with better ideas [every year], however, some memes are becoming overused. I look forward to snow days because it’s a time where I can relax and do my work patiently. On a regular school day, I don’t have a lot of time to do my work, while on snow days, I have a lot more time for me to do work.” - Shashank Balaji, 10

PAY ATTENTION TO THE MAN BEHIND THE CURTAIN

[Hartless pictured with the supplies and tools used to construct the sets for Freedom’s theater productions]

ights, props, colorful set-ups, actors… everyone is familiar with the performance aspect of a play because it’s what they see. What happens on stage, or what the audience experiences all allude to the time spent rehearsing and getting everything perfect for opening night. But are actors going over their lines the only thing that goes into putting together a show? No, and few people know what goes on behind the scenes. Junior TJ Hartless has been one of the resident sound engineers since his sophomore year, and has worked, behind the scenes, on many of Freedom’s theater productions since freshman year as well as during pep rallies and assemblies. While Hartless is not the only student involved in the more technical side of theater, he stands out in particular as one who puts a tremendous amount of effort and time into his work. “It’s kind of like my sport equivalent,” Hartless said. “I found set [design] and I fell in love with [the idea of ] having a second family.” While sound is obviously an important part of theater because the audience needs to actually hear the actors while they’re on stage, that’s not all that Hartless is involved with. Working on sound is one of his primary responsibilities, but Hartless also works with set creation and construction and ensures that everything on

stage is safe for the actors. Even though sound in particular is something that Hartless is very passionate about and has spent a good amount of time working on, there are some drawbacks to having a large amount of responsibility regarding a performance going well. “With sound, no one knows you exist until you mess up,” Hartless said. “You’re also the last to get credit, but the first to get criticized.” Despite the work and precision that impact the success of a performance and the extensive time that goes into getting everything finished and ready to go, Hartless works hard to have everything run smoothly. “You know that [sound engineers] are there, but you don’t know how much work goes into it,” Hartless said. “[The sound engineer] is the most unsung hero.” Students at Freedom do not have to become sound engineers to appreciate the contributions of those who actually do behind-the-scenes work, but next time the theater department is putting on a show, or there is a pep rally or assembly, think about these “unsung heroes” who will be working hard to make sure that everything runs smoothly. n

[Story by Jessica Scott] [Photo by Aishwarya Ramesh and Cayley Kilduff]

NEWS

[ to their own beat... ] Elite Squad

unior Shayla Whitlock had never even danced before her freshman year. Now, she’s co-captain of the Elite Step Team at FHS. “When I first joined step I was horrible,” Whitlock said. “I had no rhythm, I didn’t know how to step. After that year, I was able to dance, I was able to step, I was able to get comfortable enough to even perform in front of people because I knew that I was being taught by good people.” Sophomore Sydney Ricks joined step partially because it was interesting but also because she had a family connection to it. “I joined because it just looked like a lot of fun,” Ricks said. “My mom used to step so that kind of inspired me to try it.” The team was started under Janice Johnson, a business teacher here at FHS. She taught the team to incorporate both a dance and a step aspect into each performance. “The steps come from culture, and we use a combination of different steps which goes way back to sororities, fraternities and all that,” Whitlock said. “We use steps that our old sponsor taught us from the past. The dancing aspect is more of us creating dances or using inspiration from ideas of other schools to incorporate into our routine.” Step is unique because it not only is dance, it also includes chanting. This means that the team members have to train all parts of their body. “[During practice] we usually run, we stretch, we do simple exercises in the room,” Whitlock said. “Another thing we do is vocal exercising

to talk while we’re stepping. So what we do is we run around the hallway while saying our chant. We also do wall sits while talking, and then we also lay on the floor while saying our chant because it opens up the diaphragm so you can speak. So when it’s time for the show, we’ll be really loud.” For Whitlock, the best part about step team is the bond between everyone. “I honestly think is being together in the same room is the best part,” Whitlock said. “I mean yeah, the routines are really nice but being together as one, [the team] is like my second family and meeting new people each year that want to join us amazing.” Ricks also loves the team bond, as well as performing. “My favorite part has to be a mix of team bonding, because we get to eat and talk, and doing the pep rallies,” Ricks said. “Pep rallies are so much fun even if some of us are really nervous.” Performing is also special to Whitlock and the other members of the Elite step team, because it allows them to express the great combination of their cultures. “I so enjoy the point of pep rallies,” Whitlock said. “I love seeing the crowd get hype, especially when they’re applauding when we’re stepping. I love it, because I just know the love and support from everyone else, and it’s wonderful.” n [Story and photos by Ava Proehl]

Junior Verse

-pop, or Korean Pop, has slowly began to take on more and more popularity over the years. While it is still fairly uncommon and just another genre of music to many students at Freedom High School, that is not the case for the dancers in the new K-pop dance team. Founded by sophomores Michelle Chae and Grace Kim, the Korean Pop dance team, called Junior Verse, brings a new style and genre of music and dance to the pep rallies. Not many people know what K-pop really is, they’ve simply heard of it. “[K-pop] is like pop music, but it’s in Korean,” Kim said. “It’s in groups and there’s more dancing.” The idea of forming a K-pop dance group has always been in the back of the co-captains minds, and this year they got to bring it to life. They worked with their advisor, Katelyn Neuser, a math teacher at FHS, to get their first performance opportunity at the pep rally in February. They began having weekly practices to rehearse their choreography. “Since we all have different schedules, we only had Wednesdays after school for an hour and some Thursdays [to practice],” Chae said. “We got the idea to form a dance group later on in the year so we only had a few weeks to fully prepare ourselves.” The team got their name, Junior Verse, and their choreography from one of the biggest K-pop groups, and one of their biggest inspirations, BTS.

“Junior Verse is from all the names of the members of BTS,” Chae said. “We [performed] their song for our debut, and we were mostly influenced by them.” Unlike the other dance teams, which choreograph their pieces from scratch or a combination of other steps, Junior Verse members get their dances straight from the K-pop groups they are inspired by. “We practiced using the mirror version of their dance practice video,” Chae said. “We used BTS’s original choreography.” While Chae only advises and doesn’t dance, creating the club was special for the other captain, Kim, because it allowed her to do something she had never done before—dance. “I wanted to bring my culture to the school,” Kim said. After their first performance, Kim reflected on their debut. “I think [the performance] went really well,” Kim said. “We were all really nervous, but when we started to perform, I think we were able to enjoy it and have fun.” n

[Story and photos by Ava Proehl]

NEWS

Bollywood Beats

ance has been an important part of junior Nawreen Ahamad’s life since the end of middle school. “I started dancing five years ago,” Ahamad said, “I started with Bollywood [dancing] and then I came here. I saw that there was a Bollywood Beats dance club, and I decided to join.” Ahamad, one of the clubs co-captains, loves how Bollywood Beats has helped her express herself and share part of her culture with the FHS community. “Bollywood Beats is important to me because it brings me closer to my culture,” Ahamad said. “I think being here, being in such a diverse area, it’s very important to share your culture— to be part of something bigger than you.” Not only does Bollywood Beats allow her to connect and grow closer to her culture, it has also teaches her valuable life lessons and allows her to help others grow. She considers herself a teacher and manager for the team, which has helps her learn more about herself. She loves to help others to “learn a discipline, learn to express themselves, and present yourself in front of an audience,” Ahamad said. Bollywood Beats is actually not just Bollywood dancing. It is a fusion of many different styles and cultures, which allows for each performance to be unique.

“Right now we’re working on doing remixes of American songs and Bollywood songs, but Bollywood Beats also does lots of regional dances,” Ahamad said. “India has so many diverse regions and specific music types. We’re focusing on Northern Indian kind of dances, but before we were doing more film, Bollywood core dances, so we like to vary.” Ahamad’s bond with the group is one of her favorite parts on being on the Bollywood dance team. She and the other team members love hanging out, cooking and sharing their culture with one another. While sharing their cultures with each other is one thing, sharing it with the whole school is another. Performing at pep rallies is one more of Ahamad’s favorite parts of Bollywood Beats. “I love it,” Ahamad said. “I love performing, I love the cheering and seeing everyone smile, and it’s just a lot of fun.” Bollywood Beats, which has been around for five years now, continues to spread their culture and joy of performing with the FHS community. “Bollywood, in its heart, is meant to entertain people. It’s meant to unite people, make people cry, make people laugh,” Ahamad said. “In our heart, we just want people to enjoy themselves and to have fun.” n [Story by Ava Proehl] [Photos by Cayley Kilduff]

As of 3/16/18

t has been senior Anaya Perry’s dream to become an entertainer since she was young. She started off on Vine, but then branched out to Instagram, where Perry started to post skits during the summer of 2016. From there, she started to release her own music on SoundCloud. Since then, she has gone viral, gaining over a million followers on Instagram. “I just started posting every day, and I got a few viral skits from doing that,” Perry said. “I would follow trends, so whatever was popping on Instagram, I would make a skit about it.” Perry’s friends help her brainstorm content and are featured in numerous of her skits, but the rest of the work is done by Perry. Since she draws inspiration from teenagers, her content tends to concentrate on what goes on in a teenager’s life: a mix of what goes on at school and what happens at home. Her skits, which she edits herself, are filmed using a Canon camera and a tripod. Since her viral videos are displayed on Instagram’s explore page, compa-

nies, such as FashionNova and SugarBearHair, have reached out to Perry. For giveaways, companies pay her before the promotion. “When other companies hit me up, they want me to sponsor their clothing, wear it in a skit or just post a picture with it,” Perry said. Perry has gotten the chance to meet some of her fans. “When I go to the mall or to places, people come up to me and [go] ‘Oh my god, it’s Anaya Perry,’” Perry said. No matter how many times fans have recognized her, Perry still gets nervous; however, her fans motivate her to produce better content. “There’s more to it than just getting views and followers,” Perry said. “I dedicate all my time...it’s my main priority.” Through SoundCloud, Perry was able to connect with other musicians. This connection has helped her release multiple singles in the past few years. On her latest single, ‘She Ain’t Me’ which came out in early January, she partnered up with Murph, a SoundCloud producer from D.C.

“My producer, Murph, hit me up saying that he had a studio in D.C… he made the beat and we started to fill it and then the concept ‘She Ain’t Me’ came to my head,” Perry said. Perry plans to release her own clothing line, start a YouTube channel, schedule official meet and greets and to travel to Los Angeles in order to get her name out there. Perry has been building herself into a well-known social media figure, and she doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon. n [Story by Belle Tran] [Photos by Leila Gregorios]

CULTURE

“THERE’S NOTHING TO DO IN NOVA” GREAT FALLS

RESTON TOWN CENTER Reston Town Center offers more than 50 places to shop and 30 restaurants for friends and families to shop and eat. It is one of the most well known places to walk around, take pictures and hang out with friends. During the holidays, Reston Town Center is known for its outdoor ice rink and the annual Christmas celebration with carols and Christmas lights in the street. Various events occur throughout each month such as art galleries, book signings, pet adoptions and much more. Reston Town Center is a place to not only spend time with friends, but also family.

Great Falls of the Potomac River allows friends to explore nature through hiking and the scenery. It provides outdoor activities such as hiking and kayaking, but also indoor activities such as the Great Falls Museum where the history of Great Falls is showcased for visitors. At Great Falls, there are six trails available to the visitors: Patowmack Canal Trail, River Trail, Old Carriage Road, Swamp Trail, Ridge Trail and Matildaville Trail. These trails range from easy, moderate, and hard. Some of these trails are open for biking and horseback riding. Great Falls allows friends and families to spend minimal money while exploring nature.

SOUTH RIDING FOOD TRUCKS The South Riding food trucks are a collection of local food trucks that come together to sell food to the community. They are located behind the 7-11 off Route 50. The South Riding food trucks are available every Thursday evening from 5 to 7:30 p.m. The food trucks offer a wide variety of foods such as ice cream, tacos, burritos, quesadillas, dumplings, cheesesteaks, barbeque, and much more. The South Riding food trucks are a popular local place for friends and families to gather and hangout.

[Story by Holly Chun]

MOSAIC DISTRICT Mosaic District has a very modernized and vibrant environment for friends and families to enjoy shopping and eating. At the Mosaic District, there are many retail stores and restaurants that are not offered in the Chantilly area. It is most famously known for its large green field where people put down blankets during the daytime and stargaze at night. Mosaic District also displays artwork throughout its center, including paintings and inspirational quotes on the walls of stores, which attract many people.

LATE NIGHT SNACKING

hree papers and a project are due within the next few days; practices are taking lots of time, and in result, sleep does not seem like much of an option. And for those who are able to get into bed at a reasonable time, it may be difficult to sleep because they have fallen into a pattern of sleepless nights. There are some foods that can help one sleep at night, but keep in mind that food is only one factor. The other half is to make sure to have a regular sleeping schedule and to create a routine to be followed before bed (and stick with it!)

ALMONDS Almonds contain lots of magnesium which is essential for sleep. When your levels of magnesium are too low, it makes it difficult to stay

DAIRY We have all heard that having a glass of warm milk before bed will help us sleep at night, and there is actual truth to that. Dairy contains calcium which helps a sleep enhancing amino acid called tryptophan. The calcium and tryptophan create a â€œsleep-triggeringâ€? melatonin.

TEA It can be argued that chamomile tea is the best drink to have before bed because it has characteristics of a sleep inducer and a mild tranquilizer. This tea also helps with muscle pain, skin wounds, inflammation, and other pain.

PRETZELS Pretzels, favorite snack of many, can actually make us sleep a little easier. Pretzels are able to increase our levels of insulin and also increase our blood sugar, which results us being tired. (This snack is als2o low in calories and fat!)

LETTUCE A green vegetable that many of us eat with our meals also helps us sleep at night! Who knew? Lettuce contains lactucarium, a substance that is used as a sedative.

VITAMIN B6

B6 is a vitamin that helps produce melatonin, a sleep-producing hormone. Vitamin B6 can be found in many foods, especially fish, bananas, and chickpeas. Information from: Sleep Foundation: https://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-topics/food-and-drink-promote-good-nights-sleep UNC Health Care: https://healthtalk.unchealthcare.org/10-tips-for-healthy-sleep/

[Story by Amanda Pena] [Photos taken by Erin Janiga]

CULTURE

THE MAKEUP OF A MAKEUP ARTIST

he theatre world is dependent on makeup and costumes as they can express the emotion and thoughts of a character. After all, what would a play without details such costume designs or makeup style be? The Freedom High School Theatre Makeup and Costumes Department is headed by Idil Hussein and Sarah Kiel. Hussein and Kiel’s leadership inspires the makeup and design talents of FHS students, such as Lexie Neely and Sweekriti Dahal. Sophomore Lexie Neely has been interested in a makeup career all throughout middle and high school, starting with simple makeup from the drugstore. She has been intrigued by makeup as she continuously watches makeup tutorials, along with pushing herself to improve as much as she can. “I started to watch makeup videos in middle school and then I got basic drugstore stuff, like tinted moisturizer around seventh grade.” Neely said. “Around eighth grade it just spiraled out from there.” Neely creates gory makeup looks, such as zombie looks, torn skin, bite marks and more. She was inspired by Alexys Fleming, also known as madeyewlook on Youtube, to begin exploring the world of graphics and gory makeup, which gave her the creative outlet she desired. Neely does her friends’ makeup for Halloween, school projects and also just for fun. In middle school, she did multiple girls’ makeup for a history project. “That was really stressful because we didn’t really know each other that well

and I really wanted it to get done well, but it was fun still to do the makeup and show other people what I can do,” Neely said. Throughout Neely’s experience, she has learned and encouraged others to persevere through the rough times in makeup. It can be difficult, but without putting the time and effort into it, one will not gain any more knowledge or skills. “Have patience, you’re not going to get it all at once,” Neely said. “Keep practicing, find inspiration, I like to look up pictures and build off of them. You can make it your own as well, don’t feel like you have to follow step-by-step on tutorials.” Hussein approached middle school with the mindset that cosmetics were appealing to all middle school girls, giving her the incentive to do makeup. After years of observing her mother’s makeup routine, she became familiar with the products and learned how to create her own makeup looks. “I was always intrigued by the musicals, so I wondered what I could do to be a part of the theatre,” Hussein said. “I found out that there was a makeup position and I was like ‘I do makeup’ so I joined and I just stuck with it.” Hussein is fascinated by makeup and costumes because of the transformations all characters take part in as they convert into their stage appearance. Working in makeup has given her an abundance of experience, furthering her art skills. “It has made me a better artist, you learn new techniques and there’s always

something new happening, due to trends, so you are always improving,” Hussein said. “It’s taught me to just keep going and to keep getting better at what I do.” Dahal has been creating makeup looks since she was a young girl, as she was inspired by her mother to do her own makeup. “Ever since I was little, I always saw my mom do her makeup and I guess that inspired me,” Dahal said. “I’d always go to her drawer and try it on me because I always thought it was cute and fun to put it on.” Dahal is a main makeup artist in the FHS Theatre Makeup and Costumes Department, giving her a lot of experience in working with different looking people requiring unique makeup looks. Each makeup look is different, as it depends on the set of the performance and the time period the performance is trying to depict. “It all depends on the time period,” Dahal said. “So if it’s the 80s, the 60s or modern day, the makeup will match that time.” For Dahal, makeup has been a way to express herself and share her talent with the world. To share her talents further, Dahal runs an instagram account dedicated to her makeup, with the handle @makeupbysweek, where she shares her makeup looks and gives brief tutorials. Dahal finds makeup relaxing and uses it as a way to find peace throughout stressful times, giving her an outlet for her creativity. n

[One of Neely’s Special Effects]

[Story by Emily Peacher] [Photos taken by Kaise Dualeh and provided by Lexie Neely and Sweekriti Dahal]

STORIES BEHIND THE STICKERS

aptop stickers have become a phenomenon among Freedom High School students. When walking throughout FHS, one can see multiple items, such as laptops and water bottles, adorned with stickers carefully placed stickers. By taking a closer look, the owner’s message is clear. Most of the time these stickers have a purpose: to symbolize someone’s personality, interests or hobbies. Sometimes they are there to tell a story, or they are placed there just for fun. No matter what the owner’s purpose is, stickers are a big part of student culture. Junior Maryclaire Rowland decorated her laptop with stickers that represent her love of travelling. “I love travelling so whenever I’m at a new place, I am always looking around for more stickers to put on my laptop,” Rowland said. ”My favorite sticker is the one that is a bull and says España on it. I like the design and that trip to Spain was my favorite vacation I’ve ever taken.” Junior Sydney Niemala’s water bottle is decorated with various stickers ranging from artists like Khalid to Vine references like the iconic, “I never went to oovoo javer” to movie references from Mean Girls. However, to Niemala, there is only one sticker that she likes more than the rest. “[My favorite sticker is] my ‘Mom of the Year’ sticker because it has [my] favorite character, Steve Harrington, from Stranger Things,” Niemala said. When placing stickers on personal belongings, the owners randomly pick the stickers or there is a theme present that the owner wants others to see. For Niemala, there was clearly an overall theme— memes. “[The theme is] mostly memes because it brings humor and it keeps my friends and I entertained in class,” Niemala said. For junior Grace Little, the three stickers on her laptop tell a story of her past. The Axis Dance Studio sticker is for the time she has spent dancing, the Puravida sticker symbolizes the time she gifted bracelets for her friends, and the Freedom football sticker represents her time managing the team. Because of this, it’s tough for Little to choose a favorite. “I’m tied between my Axis dance sticker and my Puravida sticker,” Little said. Junior Caroline Sullivan decided to put stickers on her laptop because she was fascinated by the look. From then on, she collects stickers to place them on her laptop. “It sort of became a hobby of collecting stickers wherever I go, and my laptop became a platform to show them off...[The stickers] are definitely a reflection of me because they are things I like— the beach, dogs, my favorite tv shows and my favorite brands,” Sullivan said. n [Story by Lynne Tran] [Photos provided by Maryclaire Rowland, Sydney Niemala, Grace Little and Caroline Sullivan]

SPORTS

TRIPLE THREAT J

uggling both sports and schoolwork is challenging, typically making the sport season a hard time for student athletes. It is not uncommon for students to play multiple sports throughout the school year, it is very rare that there is an underclassmen that plays a varsity sport every season. Freshman Morgan Koneke is doing just that. Koneke has played on both the varsity field hockey and basketball teams so far, and is currently playing on the FHS varsity lacrosse team. Playing varsity sports comes the commitment of practices, games, and offseason workouts. Along with all of her sport commitments, Koneke had to also make sure she stayed on top of her studies. “I went to [conditioning] in the morning, went to school, got my work done in study hall, and then I would go to practice after school. If I didn’t finish homework then I would do that after practice,” Koneke said. Usually, varsity sports teams consist of upperclassmen, however, Konecke is playing on a varsity team as a freshmen. She is transitioning from playing on middle school travel teams to playing against girls who are two or three years older than her. “It was a lot different because for travel, everyone was the same age. For varsity, everyone is older and everyone is more experienced so you have more options to learn,” Koneke said. Most freshman come into school playing on junior varsity or freshmen sports teams, which can help ease them into playing a high school sport. But Koneke had no problems going straight on a varsity team from playing travel sports. “It’s fun [playing on a varsity team] because I get to learn a lot from [the upperclassmen] and they are really good at the sport too. They are really nice and sweet and everyone always makes sure you are having a good time,” Koneke said. Throughout the course of the year, Koneke has had the chance to experience her sports at a higher level than she previously did. While she had played basketball and lacrosse before, this was her first time playing field hockey. She was able to have the opportunity to learn a new sport from upperclassmen who had been playing longer than she had. Although it is a lot of work to balance school and sports, Koneke has found that she enjoys staying busy, and being able to play the sports she loves with her teammates. Koneke is able to find the balance between sports and school. She also encourages freshmen who want to join varsity sports teams to go for it. “Just always work hard and keep working on time management,” Koneke said. n

[Story by Cayley Kilduff]

[Photos provided]

ver heard of a scrum? A hook? A prop? All of those terms originate from rugby, a sport that originates from England and is not very popular or well known in the U.S.. While most Americans may not be familiar with rugby, Freedom High School sophomore Kyle Cooper enjoys playing for the Loudoun Dragons, a local rugby club, in his free time. He began playing rugby in the seventh grade after being introduced to it by a friend. “Rugby is a game of discipline and is like a nonstop game of football,” Cooper said. Cooper also plays for Freedom’s football team. Rugby and football are both very physical, full contact sports and rugby is most similar to a combination of football and soccer. Two teams of 15 players play with an oval shaped ball that can be passed by an underhand throw, kicked, or handed off. In order to score points a team must “ground the ball,” meaning that the ball is in physical contact with both the player and the ground behind the opponents’ goal line. Another way of scoring points is by kicking it between the goal posts in a similar manner

RUGGED RUGBY to kickers in American football. Rugby has a reputation of being an aggressive sport, but it also requires tactics and quick thinking. Cooper relies more on skill than just brute strength. “The team works together in two units, the forwards,” Cooper said. “Big guys like me and the backs, [the] smaller and faster guys, work together as a whole.” Like many athletes, Cooper gets many helpful tips from his coach, Steve Lough, who helped found Loudoun Rugby. Because rugby is not as well known in the U.S., his coach plays a significant role in his development as a player. “My coaches help me all the time, I am constantly learning new and better things,” Cooper said. Although Cooper may not receive the recognition that other athletes do, he hopes to continue to play rugby throughout his school [Story by Thor Moy} career. n [Photo by Kayla Cooper]

SPORTS

COACHES CREATING CONNECTIONS

Hard work, dedication, perseverance. Regardless of what sport you’re playing, these qualities are critical in order to be a successful athlete. Some people see sports as a very black and white thing, teams either win or lose. For Freedom coaches, it’s not about breaking records or how many trophies sit on their desks, but rather the lessons they instill in their athletes in order for them to grow into well-rounded individuals.

aren Richardson is not only an English teacher. She also coaches cross country, indoor track and outdoor track and field. Growing up, Richardson’s own running coach inspired her to become a coach. “[My coach] really just taught me a lot of lessons about working hard, being a good teammate and how to be a leader,” Richardson said. Now, she teaches those same lessons into her athletes, her main focus being leadership. She puts a lot of responsibility on the team captains to be in charge of running the meetings and picking the “Athlete of the Week.” “We go try to go by the philosophy that every single teammate has value, and it’s the captains’ job to showcase that value,” Richardson said. Richardson does her best to get to know her runners on a personal level. She runs alongside them for an hour and a half almost every day, which gives her the opportunity to talk to them about more than just the sport. “[Our conversations] could be about anything,” Richardson said. “Where they want to go to college, what they want to do with their life, what they’re doing with their family. That allows me to get to know them better than maybe other sports would simply because the coaching looks very different.” Her strong relationship with each of her runners has made a lot of Richardson’s athletes look up to her as a mentor. “[I teach them] to never limit yourself and always work hard towards your goals because you never know what you’re capable of doing.” Sophomore Grace Maloney runs cross country, indoor track and outdoor track. With Richardson always being the predominant figure throughout her high school running career, Maloney has created a very strong relationship with her. Richardson has become an inspiration and mentor to Maloney. “She’s just very caring and makes sure to create a community and family environment,” Maloney said. Richardson pushes Maloney and her teammates to accomplish goals they thought were impossible to achieve. The girls indoor track team won the 4x800 region championship in February through the help of Coach Richardson. n

[Photo and Stories by Claire Wodack]

RICHARDSON

reg Northart is the wrestling coach at Freedom High School and has lead the team to many championships throughout the last few years. Northart wrestled at Potomac Falls in high school and went on to wrestle for one year in college at Carson Newman University. “I got injured and couldn’t wrestle anymore,” Northhart said. “So I immediately came back to start coaching when I was 21 years old.” Being on the wrestling team showed him what it meant to work hard. It taught Northart responsibility and accountability, and he knew that when he grew up he wanted to teach those same lessons to the next generation. For the past 14 years, that’s exactly what he’s done. The FHS wrestling team has won the Loudoun County Public Schools Championship for the past three years and currently holds the title of Potomac District Champions, but for Northart, titles are simply just titles. “I don’t care about championships,” Northart said. “I care about creating strong men and women.” Northart owes the success of the team to the strong bonds he has with his athletes. “If you don’t have a good relationship with your coach, then why are you going to work hard for him?” Northart said. “If you don’t have a kid willing to run through a brick wall for you, then he’s not going to give you his all every time he’s on the mat.” Northart helps his wrestlers reach their full potential and pushes them out of their comfort zone in the wrestling room. Off the mat, Northart makes sure they are successful in all aspects of their life, not just wrestling. “I want them to turn out to be great people rather than just great wrestlers,” Northart said. The wrestling program focuses on more than just physical strength. Many of the lessons taught can be transferred into the real world, the biggest one being competition. Whether it be in high school, college, or even the world of employment, his wrestlers have been taught to strive to be the best of the best. Northart’s favorite part of being a coach is the relationship he builds with each individual on his team. “We’re a close knit family here and that’s what we always call it,” Northart said. Sophomore Jack Karry looks at Northart as a father figure. Karry started wrestling last year and has already become a varsity starter. “The most important thing he’s taught me is that you have to commit to everything you do, even if you’re not feeling 100 percent,” Karry said. On or off the mat, Northart and the rest of the wrestling coaches have become a support for Karry. “Northart does a really good job at being there for you regardless of how you do,” Karry said. n

NORTHART

[Photo by Claire Wodack]

SPORTS

WHITNEY T heodore Whitney coaches football, Girls Varsity Basketball and Girls Junior Varsity Softball. He also works in the special education department at Freedom High School. Whitney decided to become a coach because he noticed a lot of students needed someone to listen to them, and coaching was the best way to make connections with students. “Sometimes the kids don’t really open up to parents [or] counselors but most of the time they do open up to coaches,” Whitney said. Whitney believes the success that has come out this basketball season is owed to team bonding as well as the trust he has in his athletes. “Really a sport is just a life lesson,” Whitney said. He ingrains what it means to be a hard worker in his athletes minds to make sure they’ll be successful outside of sports. Whitney hopes to continue to help students have a positive experience throughout high school both on and off the court. Junior Jaelyn Batts has played basketball for FHS for three years. Having reached 1,000 points this season, Batts is one of the star players on the girls varsity basketball team. Whitney has been an important coach for Batts during her basketball career. “He’s always helping me to get better,” Batts said. “There are some coaches who just yell at you, they never help you get better. They just expect you to do it on your own.” Batts was named Player of the Year in her conference and recently committed to University at Albany to play basketball. She acknowledged Coach Whitney in her official announcement for her commitment thanking him for pushing her to be the player she is today. Coach Whitney was also recognized as the Regional Coach of the Year. n

[Photo by Aayusha Khanal]

WRIGHTE

aura Wrighte coaches gymnastics at Freedom High School. She has also been a Virginia High School League judge for gymnastics which helps her have a better understanding the standards that need to be met to be a successful team. With the gymnastics team winning multiple state championships over the past few years, FHS has become one of the most dominant schools in the area. Wrighte makes sure there’s a mutual respect in the gym between her and her athletes, which is what creates such a strong team. “I set high standards and expectations, but I find the girls work best in those conditions,” Wrighte said. Gymnastics is a very intense sport that takes a lot of self control and discipline. But many gymnasts who are on such accomplished teams such as FHS become great leaders later in life. “My goal is to make these girls hard-

working, respectful people with good character and determination,” Wrighte said. Wrighte chose to coach high school gymnastics because she loves to watch the growth from freshman to senior year. “I love watching athletes improve during a season and see them reach their full potential and be successful,” Wright said. Sophomore Savannah Lee has been on the gymnastics team for the past two years and has created a very strong bond with her coach. “Coach Wrighte is a very loving coach,” Lee said. “She cares about each one of us.” Wrighte has shown Lee, as well as all the other girls on her team, that being supportive of each other whether they win or lose is the most important thing. “You always know you have your teams back to help you out with any situation,” Lee said. n

[Photo by Claire Wodack]

Being a coach is so much more than building physical strength and skill in their athletes. Coaches can become inspirations and mentors to many students, and the relationships they have can go on past their time at FHS. Many people have argued that athletes go on to become better college students, employees, and parents because of the lessons that were taught by their coaches in their athletic programs.

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FEATURES FEATURES

BE THE

LEADER Behind every successful organization is a strong leader. As you cheer at the pep rally, you can see SCA President Molly Kammerdeiner organizing the games on the sidelines. As you line up for club pictures, you can see Yearbook Editor-in-Chief Fiorella Izquierdo running around with a clipboard. As you donate to the canned food drive, you can see FBLA president Maria Cresci organizing the overflowing boxes. As you leave the cafeteria, you can see Environmental Club President Nicole Balog picking up any recyclable materials. As you dance away at Pride Prom, you can see MILK President Luke Rahman socializing and making sure everyone is having a great time. Behind every successful organization is a strong leader, but here are your FHS leaders in the spotlight. n

[Intro by Shravani Reddy]

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FEATURES

SCA PRESIDENT

hen thinking about the source of life in the school, the Student Council Association (SCA) almost always come to mind. They spew energy at every pep rally, spirit week and school event that they host, which always changes the atmosphere of the school for the better. SCA is reliant on cooperation from all members to make sure everything goes to plan, and their officers are critical to ensuring progress is achieved every day. At the head of SCA is senior Molly Kammerdeiner, who got involved with the club in her sophomore year and never looked back. “I kind of just get everyone excited about an idea, and being the group of people that [the members of SCA] are they pick it up, they lead it,” Kammerdeiner said. “They want to do the best that they can do with it.” SCA is a student-led organization, so having good leadership is that much more important. For example, in the past year the club decided as a group

to switch their planned winter dance to Freedom Night Live, a talent show that was held this past winter. Ideas like this need to be quickly shifted into action, meaning that everyone in the club has to be pushed to work at their best. “You have to be able to pick up what other people are thinking and understand where they’re coming from and that they have really great ideas,” Kammerdeiner said. Kammerdeiner’s largest role in the club is to encourage people to use their strengths and work at their best potential. One of their biggest challenges is coming up with ideas for the new pep rally games and various events they host throughout each school year. With expectations high to improve year after year, the pressure is always on to create something that will catch people’s attention. In brainstorming for SCA, everyone’s unique experiences can make for innovative solutions, which benefit the

entire club. “I think everyone is a leader in different aspects,” Kammerdeiner said. “Everyone has experience in different aspects of life, but sometimes it takes someone else to show you that you have that ability.” Kammerdeiner was always motivated by an older peer who she considered a mentor to try new things, so she values the importance of supporting her peers in getting involved with multiple clubs and organizations within the school. “Show [someone] how to be a good leader so that they can do it for someone else,” Kammerdeiner said. “Sometimes people are afraid to be leaders or afraid to speak out and be strong.”n [Story and photos by Kaise Dualeh] [Photos provided by Molly Kammerdeiner] [Photo illustration by Jotysana Sangroula]

enior Maria Cresci is viewed as a leader in the Freedom High School community due to the role of president she has taken in the club, Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), as well as her participation in other clubs. FBLA is a club based on business and marketing by completing community service projects and competitions. “[FBLA] was really interesting to me that it not only worked with within the Freedom Community but outside through competition as well, and helping our community as a whole through community service,” Cresci said. FBLA leads several community service projects within the school. They have partnered with ASK Cancer Foundation, and raised money to donate through several events at FHS. They also run the canned food drive, fundraise with candy grams

FBLA PRESIDENT and donate toys. Cresci joined FBLA as a sophomore and since then the club has dramatically grown, along with her involvement. She has been working with her fellow officers to hopefully continue the growth of the club, in both size and involvement, by leading and inspiring the underclassmen at FHS. “I think the whole officer team is good at talking to people about what FBLA was and what it is and how its different from some of the other clubs and what we do, not only with learning about business but making it interesting and fun” Cresci said. FBLA has taught Cresci different leadership skills, including cooperating with her peers and public speaking. In addition to FBLA, Cresci has also found herself as a leader in the FHS community from her involvement in PEER and FELT. “[FBLA] really helped me come out of my shell and be able to market myself to complete strangers and I

don’t think I would have experienced that with anything else” Cresci said. FBLA not only does community service and business work at FHS, but also competes at other locations. By participating in competitions, members have the opportunity to improve their business and speaking skills. FBLA has taught Cresci so many different life skills, both career oriented and character oriented. FBLA, along with PEER and FELT, have taught Cresci how to be a strong leader for her peers to look up to. “Empathizing with people is a really really important skill, being self aware and being a good listener are the most important skills as a leader” Cresci said. Through her involvement in FBLA, Cresci has developed leadership skills that will help her not only in high school but for the rest of her life. n [Story by Erin Janiga] [Photo by Aishwarya Ramesh] [Photos provided by Maria Cresci] [Photo illustration by Joytsana Sangroula]

FEATURES

ENVIRONMENTAL CLUB PRESIDENT

hen it comes to Freedom High School’s Environmental club, the common goal is to influence FHS to have better habits, to make a positive impact on not only the school, but the community and the environment that surrounds it. Senior Nicole Balog, one of the presidents of the environmental club, knows the value of being a leader and what it takes for her and her club to succeed and make a positive impact in the environment. “We just wants to bring awareness,” Balog said. “We don’t expect people to change their entire lives, but as long as they’re conscious of the decisions that they’re making to see how they impact our environment then that’s all we want.’’ Nicole found interest in the Environmental Club wanting to be a part of something impactful and interesting. The goal is to bring awareness to others and to set an example by simply doing everyday things to help the environment, influencing one another to do the same.

“When people bring reusable things such as water bottles, packed lunches, silverware instead of plastic, it helps because that’s the stuff that I do and that’s the stuff that they see me do when I hang out with people outside of school” Balog said. FHS’s environmental club has a set goal that would be impossible without the leadership and influence Nicole has with the club on changing the environment and our school’s habits for the better. Everyone has a role model, for Balog, the FHS cross country coach, Coach Karen Richardson, has had the biggest influence in terms of what it means to lead by example whether it’s in cross country or in school. “Coach Rich is really good,” Balog said. “She does have to tell us what to do sometimes just because we have to get it done, but it’s a lot more like the captains in cross country: you see them do something and you kind of realize that’s what I should do too.” Balog is one of those individuals

who wants to offer a helping hand, benefiting her peers in anyway she can in order for them to succeed, and her peers and club members look up to her because of it. “I’m not there for the title of it. Hopefully I’m one that is more by example and be more of a natural leader. I don’t want to be one where you have to listen to me just because I say so, I want it to be more like ‘I respect her, I trust her’” Balog said. FHS is filled with individuals who care and want to see growth in the school achieving greater things for not only the benefit of themselves but to their peers and teachers as well. Leaders establish a sense of comfort and motivation for individuals so that in the end they accomplish a common goal. n [Story by Sergio Cervantes] [Photos by Kaise Dualeh] [Photo illustration by Joytsana Sangroula]

YEARBOOK EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

any people are familiar with Freedom’s yearbook. Hundreds of students purchase the book in order to reflect on the events that made the school year memorable. The yearbook serves as a reminder and overall appreciation for the success and outcomes of each month spent in school. However, only a handful of students take into account the work and effort that goes into ensuring a quality yearbook every year. Senior Fiorella Izquierdo is one of the handful of students who witness the hard work of the yearbook staff everyday, firsthand. Izquierdo, one of the current Editor-in-Chiefs for FHS’s yearbook publication, has been a member of the staff for almost all of her high school career. Through actively working on all design and photographic aspects of the book, Izquierdo has been able to secure her leadership position. The position of Editor-in-Chief (EIC) entails many new obligations and

forms of commitment, different from Izquierdo’s previous responsibilities. “By becoming EIC I had to learn a lot about being accountable, taking on more responsibility and becoming a kind of self advocate,” Izquierdo said. Although Izquierdo’s focus is centered mainly around features of design throughout the book, her role as EIC pushes her to remain involved in every aspect of the publication. By doing so, she has been able to express her own creative style throughout the yearbook. Izquierdo always makes it her goal to encourage innovative thinking and efficiency in yearbook, and tries to use the uniqueness of each individual’s idea to her advantage. “Every idea depends on the inspiration of the person,” Izquierdo said. “We encourage staffers to always keep looking for inspiration, whether it’s in magazines or in other books; if they see something interesting I want them to let me now.” Izquierdo is also responsible for

making decisions that can ultimately impact what goes into the yearbook. Whether this includes matters of coverage or the design aspects implemented in the book, Izquierdo must oversee everything. “I don’t just capture a story, I capture a story in its essence and and in all honesty,” Izquierdo said. By doing so, she ensures that an honest depiction of the year will be reflected within the book. Izquierdo alongside the rest of the staff are constantly confronted with conflicting views and opinions, since students may disagree with the content included in the book. However, Izquierdo has concluded that how she reacts in these compromising instances proves that she’s fit to be EIC. “I always try to remind myself that I have to be uncomfortable for this to be good,” Izquierdo said. “I have to push this uncertainty to the side so we can make something awesome.” n

[Story and photos by Helina Wondwossen] [Photo illustration by Joytsana Sangroula]

MILK CLUB PRESIDENT

hen junior Luke Rahman during his sophomore year joined Milk Club he never would have guessed that right after its first year he would be the current president. From the very beginning of the club, Rahman was invested and did his best to help the club thrive in every way possible. From fundraising to helping plan meetings, Rahman has been an active and dedicated member of Milk Club fighting for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer rights. Although he has been involved with Milk Club since it first started last year, Rahman is still adjusting to his leadership position. Along with typical school and club responsibilities, there are other outside struggles that leaders must face such as organization, planning and objectivity. “Before, when I was just part of the council I was just another person,” Rahman said. “ Now I’m in Blair’s shoes and I have to meet every single confrontation objectively which has

been very interesting and a bit of a challenge, but I’m glad I have the experience now.” Being the president of a club, let alone one that is dedicated to LGBTQ activism, can be challenging enough as it is. However, Rahman doesn’t let that stop his success. With plans to extend Milk Club’s connections across the county, Rahman intends to make as much of an impact on our community as he can. Rahman hopes to use Milk Club as a means to positively impact the community outside of Freedom. Aside from the many accomplishments Rahman has achieved, there is one particular achievement that he is most proud of: Pride Prom. Pride Prom is an LGBTQ inclusive dance available to all students who attend any Northern Virginian high school. Last year, FHS’s Milk Club played a part in organizing the dance. Rahman and other members of the club contributed to the success of the dance which included choosing the venue and fundraising.

“By myself I raised over a thousand dollars last year,” Rahman said. “I am hoping to do the same this year and I’ve already been doing a lot of fundraisers. So far we’ve raised over 600 dollars at least...hopefully that will continue and we’ll have another great Pride Prom this year.” Aside from the many accomplishments and goals that leaders achieve, there are also varying setbacks. For Rahman, one of these setbacks is self doubt. “I doubt myself all the time, every day.” Rahman said. “It affects the presidency because I feel like sometimes I don’t present myself as confidently as I should.” Although Rahman has his doubts, like many leaders do, he doesn’t let them control the outcome of his goals. Currently, Rahman is continuing to fundraise for Pride Prom working to make it the best one yet. With the leadership of President Luke Rahman and the support of fellow Milk Club members, they hope Pride Prom will be a success. n

[Story and photos by Kayla Cooper] [Photos provided by Luke Rahman] [Photo illustration by Jotysana Sangroula]

OP-ED

let’s talk about... T T E C H N O L O G Y

echnology as a whole is an entire system that evolves with time. These evolutions are completely fresh and can sometimes be perceived as scary. Artificial Intelligence (A.I) systems are essentially when a computer does a task that normally requires human intelligence such as solving an equation. The creation of this system instills fear within some people. The people who fear this change do so because they think A.I. systems will backfire.The fears that were formed as a result were as absurd as thinking that the internet would take over the world. Now the internet is accountable for a number of terrible things such as cyberbullying, but it is also responsible for great deeds such as raising money for charities through donation sites. With this in mind, it stands to reason that A.I will do the same. What we as humans fail to realize is how essential the growth of technology as a whole is to our world. An A.I system will allow a computer to make decisions, talk and comprehend new ideas. That being said, other A.I models are currently undergoing changes that will change the way we look at A.I. According to Business Insider, there is currently a project underway

that makes the system develop its own form of common sense. This project is a gateway for a plethora of possibilities such as making technology more reliable then it already is. They will be used to help our world in either a time of crisis or just making our own experience better. With all these advancements in technology, our world is shaping up to look like it came straight out sci-fi novel. People who fear these changes cite the argument between two of technology’s biggest influencers, Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg. During January of last year, Musk and Zuckerberg debated on social media whether the creation of A.I systems should be considered at all. Musk, who was against the creation of these systems, talked about Zuckerberg’s incident with a pair of two A.I systems, where the two A.I’s began conversing in their own language and deviated from the original program. Following the conversation, people feared the growth of A.I, but there were also people that looked towards the future and sided with Zuckerberg. The debate on the creation and continued development of A.I is controversial, however we must realize the good that can come out of this situation.

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Seeing only the negative side of things can heavily influence your viewpoint on this matter. We can acknowledge that disastrous consequences can result from human error. We can see this at Tufts University where they used A.I systems to find the key to a biological mystery that stumped scientist for years; they wanted to know how a freshwater flatworm could regenerate body parts. The A.I used the results from prior tests to help it reach a result. It discovered two unknown proteins that helped the flatworm in the process. These results will be helpful in the growth of regenerative medication and for all of the world. The growth of A.I is a good thing. It’s helping us discover new things and is slowly starting to change the world around us. If terrible consequences do occur they will happen regardless of preventive steps, but something great will eventually come out of it. The overall development of technology will continue to help us in ways we can’t see yet, but we must have faith that it will be beneficial in the long run. n [Story by Fawaz Khan]

Our world is shaping up to look like it came straight out of a sci-fi novel.

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S K I N C A R E

walked down a store’s skin care aisle and noticed a clear distinction between the products. One section of the aisle contained a majority of skin products with dark-colored packaging, while the other section was filled with soft, vibrant colors. After a closer look I realized that the skin care section was divided into masculine and feminine products. Even though the body wash in black packaging looked different than the face wash in pink packaging, both products still had the same purpose. If we were to strip away these gender-specific advertisements, we would probably have more people concerned with the quality of the skin care product rather than its packaging. Although gender-specific skin care products aren’t necessary, many big skin care companies profit from having a masculine line of products that would appeal towards a larger audience. For example, Dove has created a separate skin care line that is geared specifically towards men. On Dove’s website for men’s skin

care, it states that “Dove Men+ Care celebrates a new definition of strength: one with care at its center. Because Dove Men+ Care believes that care makes a man stronger.” Although it is subtle, Dove is expressing the idea that caring for your skin makes you a stronger man. My initial thought on having a skin care line that focused on many men’s skin type was positiveuntil I realized how much these companies profited from gender stereotypes. While the website for men’s skin care was talking about strength, the main homepage for Dove appeals toward women. The homepage says women are a ‘real life version of beauty’ and has a consistent use of the word ‘beauty’. Although I don’t think it’s necessary for there to be a distinction between feminine and masculine skin care products, it’s known that males and females have different skin types. According to the International Dermal Institute, males typically have oilier, collagen-dense, thicker skin than females. However, people oftentimes bring up the fact that males have different skin types

than females just to rebut the idea of having genderless skin care. This being said, isn’t everyone’s skin type different anyways? By dividing these skin essentials into gender-specific sections, these companies are pushing their own agenda of benefiting from society’s standards of genders. It’s evident that these skin care brands have included men on the topic of skin care. The association between skin care and feminity is diminishing, which is a positive change. That being said, de-feminizing something doesn’t mean we should masculinize it either. Skin care should not be advertised to only one gender because taking care of your skin should be a universal activity. Who cares whether your body wash is called “Elixir Black for MEN” or “Love and Sunshine”? The end result of both products would be (hopefully) healthier and better skin. n [Story by Aayusha Khanal]

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If we were to strip away these gender-specific advertisements, we would probably have more people concerned about the quality of the skin care product rather than its packaging.

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OP-ED

let’s talk about... “

With development and greater independence, friends change and their differences become even more highlighted.

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I tried to maintain my

friendships, convinced that we weren’t growing apart, it was everything else.

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FRIENDSHIPS FAILING T he first day of high school, I walked into Freedom with an unwavering enthusiasm for education and an absolute certainty about the future, as any freshman wearing neon pink sweatpants would. After all, it was high school. Me and my absolutely irreplaceable friends were going to have a great time! And three years later, I am having a great time…just without the same friends. However, it’s no surprise that eighth grade promises to be best friend for life have low success rates. According to The Journal of Early Adolescence, the average tween’s prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain which makes decisions, is not even close to full development. The resulting short-sighted decisions mean that 50 percent of middle school “best friendships” don’t even last the entire school year. Tell me about it. We were once used to the easy classes and established social hierarchy of middle school. Now, my friends and I found ourselves in an overwhelming whirlwind of rigorous high school courses, intense athletics, new organizations and never-ending drama. And we delved deep into all of it. More engaged than ever, our Gossip Girl-dominated, small worlds expanded. Now, our worlds were spinning…on completely different axes and in completely different directions. Those first couple months, this wasn’t a cause for concern. We believed what psychology researchers call “the end of history illusion,” the idea that who we are now is who we will always be, regardless of the little changes. But, the changes we experience in high school are certainly not little and they do call it an “illusion” for a reason. We gave up soccer for theater, the guitar for robotics, sanity for APs. We

got really good at time management, but still not that great at history. Then, we got political. Polar political. And soon, we got pretty bad at promises (the BFF contract was a little too binding anyway). After winter break, the occasional catch-up hangouts grew awkward, we started to pick activities that required less talking, the group chat died. Then, we all just had “other things” to do. Still in my freshman oblivion, I tried to maintain my friendships, convinced that we weren’t growing apart, it was everything else. But, this “friendship never ends” Spice Girls-mentality was quite pointless. My sheer willpower could not fight the facts. With development and greater independence, friends change and their differences become even more highlighted. Radboud-Florida Atlantic University studies show the straight A-student will no longer be able tolerate the straight C-student, the theater geek will no longer be able to tolerate the varsity athlete. With every minor difference magnified, literally 99 percent of middle school friendships will fail to last through high school. So don’t make the same mistake I did. Don’t fight the stats, because you probably aren’t the exception. Let your friendships fail. Let them slow down, let them die. And once they do, with the confidence of a freshman wearing neon pink sweatpants, remember that you still had a great time anyway. n [Story by Shravani Reddy]

WHY I’LL NEVER BE A “BIG BALLER”

xcellence. We all strive to be excellent. We strive to be the best. It’s what drives us to hone our craft, whatever it may be. We obsess over constantly improving our skills, so much so that we sacrifice our own happiness. Every weekend, I lace up my basketball shoes, throw on my headband and walk to the court behind my house. It’s become part of my weekly routine. Am I good at basketball? No, I’d probably get cut from the local recreation league. Still, there is something to be said for my desire to play. I don’t play basketball because I believe that I’ll win or because I think that I’ll improve. I play because I find joy in it and that is more valuable than being a “baller.” We’ve developed this culture that is infatuated with the idea of success; success being proven by how much more you exceed at something compared to your peers. We praise those that we deem excellent. It’s the reason why a news story covering a 12-year-old “child genius” accepted into MIT goes viral. Or why we are so moved by the success of Olympic snowboarder Chloe Kim, who became the youngest female gold medalist. We associate their success at such a young age with the ability to identify one’s talents at an early age and devote

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oneself entirely to developing that skill. Let me be clear, in no way am I trying to minimize the success of those who took the necessary steps to become successful. To quote the rapper and my personal life coach Drake, “The only thing they did to end up here is put the work in, and did it with a purpose.” If someone puts in the hours, they should be praised for their commitment, however, that does not mean that success should be our only motivation. We have to learn that our happiness is more valid than our desire to be excellent. Spending time on an activity that you don’t excel at is worth it not because you’ll one day be great at it, but because it brings you joy. We have to make a conscious effort to not feel like we have to only participate in things we can become the best at. So, take that cooking class you’ve been thinking about, pick up interpretative dance or try to learn how to play the piano at an older age. Whatever you do, do it because you enjoy it. n [Story by Samaleh Omar]

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We obsess over constantly improving our skills, so much that we sacrafice our own happiness.

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We have to make a consicous effort to not feel like we have to only participate in things we become best at.

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OF STUDENTS ADMIT TO CHOOSING NOT TO PARTICIPATE IN AN ACTIVITY DUE TO FEAR OF NOT BEING GOOD ENOUGH.

* TAKEN FROM A SURVEY OF 100 FHS STUDENTS. 31

[Artwork by Lizzy Yoo, 12]