Issuu

UNCAGED.

freedom high school newsmagazine | volume 3 | issue

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 Erin White 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] [features] [sports] [opinions] [back cover]

4 12 16 21 27 32

CONTENTS

from the editors Welcome back, freebirds! Well, it’s us… back again! Since transitioning from a black and white newspaper to a colorful, glossy newsmagazine back in 2015, it’s hard to believe that this is already our ninth publication. Time has flown by so quickly since our first ever issue and we can’t thank you all enough for sticking with us! As we come to the end of the first quarter, and, like us, you may still be missing summer, remember that your education is the most important part of your life right now and is crucial to your understanding of the world around you. So, as seniors are dealing with college applications and many of you are involved in sports and extracurriculars, try to enjoy it, because before you know it, high school will be in your rear view mirror. Since the start of the school year, we’ve been working hard to put out a great first issue and we’re incredibly grateful for the support and encouragement we’ve received. We know that you expect great things from our staff, and that’s what motivates us to put out a great issue each and every time. We’ve had a fantastic start to the 2017-2018 school year with the highest number of students Freedom has ever seen, and while that may mean that the hallways will be more crowded than ever, we see it as an even bigger opportunity to reach out even more people in our Freedom community. So, without further ado, what are you waiting for? Turn the page and enjoy! n

[Photo by Jun Wong, 12]

letter from the editors

[Graphic provided by PxHere] [Photo Illustratioin by Joytsana Sangroula]

Hands-On is Minds-On I

n September, Calvin Adams and the other 12th grade government teachers challenged students to bring awareness about problems in the world through the Global Goals project. This project is different because it is applicable to real life and incorporates social media. Students created projects incorporating one of the United Nation’s 17 worldwide goals. These are 17 goals for sustainable development that are projected to be completed worldwide by 2030. Teachers were asked to each teach a lesson called the “World’s Largest Lesson” on one of these goals. “They encouraged teachers throughout the entire world on Sept 18, to do a lesson on one of those 17 goals. So what we did at Freedom, is we decided to sort of twist that,” Adams said. The FHS government department decided to take a different approach

by having students create their own awareness campaigns on social media for the goal of their choice. Students were asked to pick a goal and then choose a more specific subtopic. Students had a lot of freedom in this project as they created a campaign which is meaningful to the world. “Sometimes we don’t think more broadly than what’s right in front of us,” Adams said. “So this is an opportunity [for students] to research something they’re interested in and see how it impacts not only themselves but the world at large.” The objective of this project was to be different and give seniors the opportunity to be creative, using the platform of their choice - Twitter, Instagram, blog or video. The intent was to also have students complete a project they could be interested in and passionate about.

Adams’ goal having students be passionate about their topic was a success with senior Kanwaljit Othee. Othee chose gender equality as her main topic with the subtopic of honor killings. Honor killing is a topic that Othee cares about bringing awareness to, especially because a lot of people have never heard of it. She is using Instagram to create five posts that can educate people about honor killings. “I feel like I’m actually making a change,” Othee said. “I’m bringing awareness to something and I’m not just doing something for no reason, just for a grade.” Like many other students, she had the opportunity to bring something she cares about and not just share it to the class, but to the world.

NEWS

“The essence of learning, to me think nothing does that better Physics department head Jonathan Mason is an avid practitioner of project based learning. When senior students in his AP Physics classes left to complete their Capstone projects, Mason knew that he had to find an engaging way to teach his remaining students. Although his students had already completed the curriculum, having previously taken the AP Exam, Mason wanted them to continue expanding their physics knowledge. “I go to a workshop each year for physics teachers, and they

come up with all these ideas for need, they’ll all ready have an labs and activities for students to application for that.” do,” Mason said. “Basically, I went In order to promote learning through and said, ‘What looks and exploration beyond the interesting?’ And then we found curriculum, Mason also hosts that there was a hovercraft proj“Ask Dr. Mason Day” where his ect in that list.It listed out some students have free range to ask instructions and the materials you him any questions related to would need so I went and bought physics. the materials and went, ‘Here, “[It] is another opportunity have at it.’ They basically just built where it’s not a curriculum stanit on their own using instructions dard,” Mason said. “It’s an explothat I gave them, but I didn’t give ration day. If there’s something them a tremendous amount of that I’m not sure about, we’ll look guidance.” it up, and I’ll be able to explain to In addition to the hovercraft them.” project, Mason has incorporated At the end of the day, Maprojects into the curriculum of son wants to not only teach his both his AP Physics and Academstudents the concepts of physic Physics classes. These include ics, but he wants to develop an applying velocity and force to appreciation for the universe hit a target through a catapult around them, and learn how to project, explaining Newton’s laws tackle problems and solve them. to an alien who doesn’t understand earth physics and designing a roller coaster and calculating its rotational motion and energy. “I tell them ahead of time what the project is going to entail, but I don’t tell them how to go do it,” Mason said. “So now, when I start teaching about projectiles, and about the equation that they’ll [Story by Erin Janiga and Aishuarya Ramesh] [Photos by Aishuarya Ramesh]

me, is in the exploration. And I er than a project.” - Carl Giesy

Math teacher Carl Giesy frequently uses project-based learning in his classroom to engage students. Using unconventional teaching methods, he implements technology and hands-on lessons to deliver information to students. “The essence of learning, to me, is in the exploration,” Giesy said. “And I think nothing does that better than a project.” Giesy is well known for his lack of quizzes or tests in his classes. “Nowhere in real life are you tested or quizzed on,” Giesy said “No job I’ve ever had has required me to take a 90 minute test. To me, it’s a much better way to assess knowledge to have students do these projects. It’s a much deeper form of learning and much deeper form of showing me of how students understand things, as opposed to what they can regurgitate to me in a 90 minute test or a 60 minute quiz.” Giesy is a strong believer in the idea that discovery is an essential part of learning, and would rather have his students learn the material in an interactive manner than standing and giving students notes. “Kids have come into class expecting me to give them these beautiful engraved notes, or fill-inthe-blank notes and they’re always disappointed, because that’s not what real learning is

about in my opinion,” Giesy said. Students in his classes learn how to apply mathematics to real-life problems and occurrences. A recent project that the AP Calculus BC class has tackled is called the ‘World’s fastest…’ where students are responsible for applying the idea of a horizontal asymptote to trying to find the limit of human achievement in certain sports. Students can then apply mathematical principles to real world events like finding the highest possible distance a person can throw a discus or the fastest marathon time possible. In addition to the many projects that Giesy uses to teach his students, interesting classroom materials are used to engage the class during lessons. “I’ve got the 3D printer, Giesy said. ”When we talk about tetrahedrons, parallelepipeds and chairs, and things like that, we can actually print them out. And so you can actually touch and feel and look at them.” Giesy’s purpose in teaching math in this engaging way is to make sure students maintain an interest in math, a subject which is often labeled as boring. He hopes incorporating

fun and interesting projects and making mathematical principles relative to students’ own lives can inspire a passion for math in students. n

NEWS

Service in the Saddle V

olunteering opportunities are available throughout our community, and those who choose to set aside time to fulfill these opportunities are motivated by different incentives. Some volunteer in order to stand out and be seen as admirable to universities and college boards, while others volunteer to give back to their community or important causes. Freedom High School seniors Jack Tapley, Kathryn Francis and Virginia Campbell volunteer at the Nalani Horse Recovery and choose to spend hours working with the horses because they value their community’s well-being. The students are responsible for different jobs at the horse rescue, including feeding the horses, riding the horses or helping with fundraisers. Their contributions to Nalani are much appreciated. While each individual student has a different reason for volunteering at Nalani, they all want to make a difference. The Nalani Horse Recovery is a nonprofit organization founded by Cherry Tapley, mother of Jack Tapley, and located at Ohana Equestrian Preserve in Loudoun County. The goal of the organization is to rehabilitate and find homes for horses in need. Often times, the horses brought to Nalani have been mistreated and/or abused in the past, affecting both the physical and mental state of the animals. “[The horses] usually come to us with some sort of injury or mental issue because of how they’ve been treated,” Cherry Tapley said. “We have trainers work with them and figure out what they can do so that they can go on and have a safe forever home.” Alongside his mother, Jack Tapley volunteers with fundraisers regarding Nalani as well, and finds ways to help wherever he can. “She had one big fundraiser last year called Bow Ties and Boots, it’s coming up soon and it’s basically a big party,” Jack Tapley said. “Last year it was at my house, so I helped wait on people, but right, now I’m working on coordinating and getting other people to volunteer. ” While Jack is helping with fundraising and getting others involved in the organization, Francis can be found working with the horses of Nalani. Due to her vast experience around horses, she has become comfortable working with them. “They have given so much to me, so I thought by volunteering at a rescue I could give back to them, and give them the opportunity of life,” Francis said.

[Story by Cayley Kilduff and Helina Wondwossen] [Photos by Cayley Kilduff ]

Francis was responsible for feeding and grooming the horses, and occasionally exercise riding. Due to the close interactions made between the rider and the horse, riding was one of the primary ways the horses gained trust and comfort around people. Helping the horses grow and flourish mentally and physically not only benefited the horses, but Francis as well. “I think [volunteering has] made me a lot happier…” Francis said. “I just love being around the horses [and] getting to spend time with them.” Volunteering can change the lives of those who are being helped, and the lives of those who volunteer Francis and her experience serve as an example of how serving others can benefit everyone involved in the act. Campbell began volunteering at Nalani during the organization’s early stages in September of 2016. “When I started working there Nalani only had one rescue horse, and since then they’ve grown in size with horses and people,” Campbell said. Due to the work of the volunteers and employees of Nalani the organization was able to rescue several other horses in the past year. “I think it’s good to help support the causes that you believe and give some of your time to something that helps others,” Campbell said. The hours and effort put into Nalani by our peers helped change the lives of the horses rescued, and benefitted the improvement of the organization in the long run. These students are taking time out of their busy schedules to better their society and to better the lives of these animals. By volunteering at Nalani, each one of the students has made a positive impact on our community, and on themselves. “Something I would want you to know is that we want every experience for these horses and for our volunteers to be positive,” Cherry Tapley said. n

HARVEY NEWS

[Story by Claire Wodack] [Photo by Claire Wodack]

Healing Houston

loods took over the coast of Houston on Aug. 25. Nine days of heavy rainfall and 130 mph winds left the coast of Texas in shambles. More than 200,000 students were out of school because of cancellations. Most schools were turned into shelters, and staff turned into rescuers. After news surfaced of the devastating effects of Hurricane Harvey, local Loudoun resident Jeff Shi made the decision to step up and do everything he could to help the people of Houston. The @SR4Houston Facebook page was born, and the response was overwhelming. The goal was to connect with churches in Houston and provide relief for those who were suffering. Businesses all over South Riding, such as Topkick, Kiddie Academy, Jhovanna Hair Salon and many more joined the effort. Able Moving & Storage provided a 53 foot tractor trailer, and filling it with donations became the number one goal of the volunteers in the area. Many of the schools in South Riding, including FHS, held donation drives in hopes to

help the residents of Houston. “It just seemed like a natural idea to help out,” SCA treasurer Katy Stefano said. SCA announced the drive via Twitter, and students were eager to bring in their donations throughout the next week. “I came in early to set up the boxes [on the first day], and I was like ‘No one’s going to come,’” Stefano said. But to her surprise, students with bags full of clothes, school supplies, canned foods and so much more were rushing through the door Friday morning. “More people were bringing [donations] in faster than I could set up the actual boxes. It was just very inspiring,” Stefano said. “We’ve had buses and trucks come to pick up some of the [donations] because we have so much stuff here. It’s a great thing to have.” As the week went on, boxes became bigger, and donations began to get heavier. For many students, it was important to go out of their way and give to those in need, including sophomore Rebecca O’Connor.

“We have so much, and the people that were affected by Hurricane Harvey lost pretty much everything, so [donating] was the least I could do,” O’Connor said. “A lot of people [were] being really generous,” SCA historian Nathan Tiong said. By Sept. 15, the donations from FHS were serving the people of Houston. “[Donating] is a way to make a positive impact without putting yourself in danger,” Stefano said. “Something could easily happen to us. If we were in a time of need, I think others would help us, too.” SCA will continue to do more fundraisers throughout the year to help others who are also in need. Approximately 30,000 people are still left without homes and need temporary shelter. However, the selflessness expressed by the FHS community through the donation drive will go on to help rebuild many of the lives that were impacted by Hurricane Harvey. n

CULTURE

OUT OF HER COMFORT ZONE

enior Cecilia Barber was skeptical at first when her mother suggested that she spend her junior year in Germany. She was not a risk taker, and going away for a year was not something she was ready to jump into. But Barber applied anyway, though a program called the Congress-Bundestag Youth Exchange (CBYX), and was under the Council on International Education Exchange (CIEE)- one of five regional sectors of CBYX. Fifty students, including Barber, flew across the Atlantic together. After a three-week intensive cultural and language session in Germany, Barber found herself in Munich. Her first host family had two daughters, one of whom was studying abroad in Spain. They lived in a quiet apartment and had a set routine, which was a shocking contrast from her loud, rowdy home in Virginia where a moment of silence was rare because of her three brothers. The environment was not the right fit for her, so Barber switched into a different host family in January. Barber’s new home was still in Munich, but with a single mother, Karola, and Ida, her 17-year-old daughter. While Ida went to a Realschule, Barber went to a Gymnasium- the Städtisches Luisengymnasium München. In Germany, there are three different secondary school options: Hauptschule, Realschule, or Gymnasium. Students attending Hauptschule are taught the same subjects as students in Realschule or Gymnasium, but at a slower pace. Realschule is an intermediate level school which prepares students for trade schools. Gymnasium is the most academically rigorous compared to the other two. Students in Gymnasium plan on attending university after taking a

tough exam called the Abitur at the end of 12th grade. “I walked into last year with a mindset that this is going to be the best year of my life, and it was,” Barber said. “But it was a rollercoaster, which means [there were] a lot of obstacles.” It was challenging for Barber to let go of the expectations she had set for her year. She expected to have difficulties with her German, to miss her family, and to make instantaneous friendships. But her year did not turn out that way. She picked up the language easily because she had been learning it since middle school. She was originally put in a grade with students two years younger than her, and the age difference prevented her from making friends. When her time in Germany was up, she met up with the other 49 exchange students for a debrief and then headed home. It was not obvious to her how much she had changed until senior year began and Barber noticed how things had

shifted at home. In the course of a year, Barber had become more environmentally aware, extroverted and driven. Being in a foreign country built up her courage, and she became capable of stepping outside her comfort zone to try new things like joining European Youth Parliament and attending Zumba classes. “The biggest thing I learned is if you want to do something, do it,” Barber said. “Don’t wait for the chance to come again.” For Barber, there is a new sense of independence. In her year abroad, she realized that she does not have to do things that are expected of her, and that she can branch out and do whatever feels right for her. But most importantly, she learned that she does not have to fit in a mold that is made for somebody else. n

[Story by Belle Tran] [Photo provided by Cecilia Barber]

ormally, when an individual thinks about volunteer work within Freedom High School, opportunities like academic tutoring or sports management come to mind. However, junior Thomas Dang takes a different approach and dedicates his time during lunch to help out the custodians in the cafeteria. It started around the beginning of his freshman year during lunch, when Dang took his lunch tray to the trash can and decided, out of courtesy, to take his friends’ trays as well. “Then eventually [that] just went to taking the trash can to the entire cafeteria,” Dang said. Although he attends Charles S. Monroe Technology Center on A-Days for advanced networking, Dang volunteers his time to help out in the cafeteria during his lunch on B-days. “The janitors already do so much for us and probably deal with some craziness that some students create, so why not help them and make their life a bit easier,” Dang said. When Dang first started volunteering, he wanted his work to be behind the scenes and not the center

of attention. However, Dang was not unnoticed for his work. Freshman Andrew Heer and his group of friends have taken notice of Dang in the cafeteria. “I like Thomas because he is such a great guy for helping out the custodians and just overall being an awesome guy in the cafeteria,” Heer said. By helping out the custodians, Dang was able to acquire 99 volunteer hours. Through volunteering his time, he has created friendships and mutual relationships with faculty. He has become a familiar face to the FHS staff. “I’ve been given gifts for my volunteer work. They gave me a ChickFil-A gift card,” Dang said. In addition to his service in the cafeteria, Dang also helps the librarians in the media center. Since he goes to Monroe, he no longer has his study hall block. Dang is only available to clean up the library on B-Days after school. “My bus gets here a bit later than most, so I just use the 10 minutes that I wait here just to clean up the place,” Dang said.

This is not Dang’s first time helping out in the library. Dang has also volunteered at Lunsford Middle School when he was in sixth grade. He has done various things for the librarians like cutting out papers and reshelving books in the library. It has always been in Dang’s nature to help out wherever he goes. The FHS custodians highly appreciate his work ever since Dang has begun volunteering his freshman year. Making the janitors’ jobs easier for them motivates Dang to continue volunteering in the cafeteria and library until he graduates. In addition to the custodian’s appreciation, Dang wants his volunteer work to have an impact on the FHS community. “I think it would be kind of neat to be known as the kid that helps in the cafeteria and library,” Dang said. n

GIVING HIS TIME

[Story by Lynne Tran and Holly Chun] [Photo taken by Lynne Tran ]

CULTURE

BREATHE IN... AND OUT

chool and stress are a package deal. If it’s summer break, and a child hears the word “school,” a groan may follow shortly afterwards. This may be because students know that once school starts, their days of relaxation in the summer will turn into nights of stress and frustration. Stress is something everyone faces, whether it be because of homework, parents, drama with friends or another factor. However, while everyone faces stress, many people don’t know how to deal with it. Although many students listen to music when they’re stressed, some use these out-of-the-box approaches to cope with stress. n

Chantal Manjarres Frustrations from school, family, or friends can be overwhelming, so much that you want to punch a wall. Instead of ruining a perfectly good wall, Chantal Manjarres kicks and punches out all of her stress at the gym. “I used to get mad or angry, especially with things that took forever, and now I am more patient and my emotions are more controlled,” Manjarres said. It is easy to bottle up all your stress and not confront it. Kickboxing is a great way to fuse out any tensions you have because you can fight your frustration through literally fighting. Manjarres imagines whatever it is that’s stressing her out to be the punching bag, and that helps her liberate herself from her stress and anxiety. n

Rachel Knee

Sometimes, it may feel nice to take a break from your worries and strum away your problems with a guitar. After sophomore Rachel Knee plays tennis, she can be found playing guitar to destress and relax. Many students at Freedom juggle sports, classes and extracurricular activities, with little time for leisure. During these rare occasions, it is crucial to spend your free time doing what you love, which can be playing guitar or drawing, or spend it with people you love. “When it came to balancing homework and being on the team, I would just play guitar a lot if I am really stressed,” Knee said. n

Ann Ganao

Sometimes, it can be hard to describe or say what you’re feeling, especially when what you’re feeling is stress. Sophomore Ann Ganao doesn’t have to talk out her problems to let out the tension that builds up inside her, she draws it out instead. “If I draw something that’s on my mind, it’s just a weight off my shoulders,” Ganao said. Although Ganao has been drawing ever since she was a little kid, you don’t have to be an art prodigy to draw away your problems and your stress. Many students find coloring mandalas or painting in coloring books to be relaxing. Even though stress seems to be a never ending constant in most of our lives, there are also never ending ways to cope or relieve it. n

ATTENTION ALL FRESHMEN

reshman year is the start of a whole new chapter of a student’s life. They enter a new school, take harder classes and begin their journey through high school toward college. While high school can be one of the best experiences of one’s life, it can also be overwhelming with all the new changes. The seniors have experienced this transition firsthand, and have some helpful advice for the freshman class on everything from teachers, resources and clubs. Senior Emily Heer received valuable advice from her teachers in freshman year. “I overheard my freshman math teacher say something that has stuck with me: ‘If you’re not struggling, you’re not learning,’” Heer said. While she struggled in her math class that year, she still recommends taking challenging classes in the early years of high school. She also has some advice of her own for the current freshman class. “Don’t think that being a high schooler is uncool, or participating in the activities is uncool, because it’s fun,” Heer said. “You’ll have the most fun once you get into it.”

Lucia Biondi

College applications, AP classes and standardized tests that take an abundant amount of your free time can push aside laying back and the feeling of senioritis. Senior Lucia Biondi deals with these things and other outside factors, but instead of letting these stressors build up inside of her, she releases her worries through meditation and yoga. “There is a lot that goes into meditating. It can be as simple as just standing and just closing your eyes for a second and being aware of your body,” Biondi said. In addition to yoga and dance class, Biondi meditates at home after long days at school. ”It’s nice to just take a few seconds to just be aware if you’re feeling any pain and to relax muscles and to focus on your breath,” Biondi said. “It just makes your mind really clear.” n

[Story by Aayusha Khanal] [Photos taken by Aayusha Khanal] [Photo Illustrations by Meghan Adams]

SCA President Molly Kammerdeiner has a different approach on classes. She took classes that her friends were taking, and also tried different classes like art. She spent a lot of time during freshman year having fun, and her advice to the freshmen is about time management. “Definitely use your time wisely while you’re in school, not just at home because you can use so much time to get things done so you don’t have to do them at home,” Kammerdeiner said. Key Club President Megan Thomas reflected on how freshman year was one of the most stressful years of her life due to thinking about college and worrying about not being involved. “Just [don’t] worry about college yet,” Thomas said. “It’s going to all work out. You’re not going to be alone struggling.” At first, she was anxious about where she wanted to go for college and having enough service hours, but talking with her teachers and counselors relieved some of her stress. In addition, she also recommended joining clubs. “If you don’t know what you’re interested in, ask somebody and they will give you a list of all the clubs that we have and you can just go to the interest meetings,” Thomas said. “If you’re not interested then don’t go again, but if you are, then go again!” n [Story by Ava Proehl]

FEATURES

HOPE FOR A BETTER FREEDOM

hen you walk down the hallway, do people say “hello” to you? Something as simple as a “hello” in the hallway can make a big difference for somebody, especially a special needs student. Oftentimes students in special education go unnoticed in high school, and that is why HOPE club exists. HOPE club is all about spreading awareness and giving students equal opportunities and experiences. An important aspect of HOPE club is not only revolving around social inclusion, but also the relationships that students develop. “I would like to see HOPE club con-

tinue to move in the positive direction that it’s going, I think the big push for us is going to be really increasing the relationships, the [personal] relationships that our members are making with our students with special needs,” dean of special education Jenna Arndt said. In HOPE club, each special needs student is paired with a HOPE buddy. HOPE buddies help students with their academics and contribute to building an essential relationship that students can rely on. Senior Caroline Doskey was inspired to become a HOPE buddy during her freshman year because of her sister. Doskey’s sister has autism, and she felt a sense of responsibility to become a member of

HOPE club to help other special needs students feel more included at FHS. “I really wanted to help other kids because coming with a background from living with someone with autism I know what it’s like,” Doskey said. Although Doskey has had experience working with special needs students, not everyone has. Oftentimes, general education students will walk by special needs students in the hallway without a second glance, but that’s not the way it should be. What HOPE club strives to do is to positively change the dynamic between general education students and special needs students. One way the club and its members achieve this goal is through the HOPE dance.

County with special needs can attend and we have a lot of students in our general education [classes] participate in that dance and help out,” Arndt said. The HOPE dance is a great opportunity for general education students and special needs students to create relationships in a safe environment where students can be themselves without any fear of judgment or exclusion. Many students benefit from this dance because they are able to develop stronger relationships that can transfer into their social lives at school. The classroom environment for special needs students differs from what the general student body is used to. It is a more structured environment with many

breaks and extensively planned activities, which can leave students feeling isolated at times. The special needs department combats that potential isolation through work experience, which then plays a key role in social skills and relationship building for students. “[Students] also go out into the community and [get] job related work experience,” special needs teacher and HOPE club sponsor Kelsi Yingling said. “They can transfer those types of experiences and skills to their secondary life.” Every skill that students gain, including both work experience and their HOPE buddies, transfers into their school life. They may be learning many useful skills, but sometimes efficient social inclusion is

best achieved through the actions of the general student body. In order to break down these social barriers, the general student body needs to make an active effort to include special needs students in daily school activities. HOPE club has and continues to make student life better for special needs students every day. Now it is up to every Freedom student to make a personal connection. Put in the effort to make a change towards progression and make choices in your day to find ways to connect students to each other, despite any differences. n [Story by Kayla Cooper]

FEATURES

T H E

F AMAZING RSUPERMAN E E D TITLE O MVS. AB

alking through the doors of Freedom High School, one realizes the sheer diversity that the nearly 2,000 students bring to the school. This provides students the chance to open up their minds to different ways of thinking and different methods of expressing their identity. Teachers have also been impacted by the multiple cultures that make up the FHS community. Spanish teacher, Lauren Shoemaker, is exposed to a variety of cultures every day. She is one of many people at this school who realizes the importance of diversity and how the variety of backgrounds that form the backdrop of this school contribute to our learning and global understanding.

“I think [the diversity of the FHS community] helps everybody to be much more open-minded in terms of learning about different cultures and accepting that other cultures are here,” Shoemaker said. Living in Dubai for 11 years before coming to LCPS in 2013, sophomore Najma Abdulkarim is open about what she loves about her Afghani heritage. “In special occasions like weddings we go all out,” Abdulkarim said. “Weddings are very important in Afghan culture, [so the] parties are always really big. Weddings [in the U.S.] are really small and calm, in our culture we go all out.” Due to past experiences, Abdulkarim has been around people of different backgrounds for her entire life. “I feel like if everywhere was more

diverse, people would be more open-minded to different cultures, because not everyone is exposed to that part of the environment,” Abdulkarim said. Senior Moe Bhuiyan is a student of Bengali heritage who sees his culture as something that’s a benefit to him. Family is a huge part of his life. He cherishes the moments during holidays which give any opportunities to embrace not only his culture, but his relatives as well. “I love being with my cousins,” Bhuiyan said. “Especially when they’re younger than me, because they look up to me as a role model and they look at me as an influence. Bhuiyan is conscious about what it means to be Bengali, and is very proud of where he came from and where he is now.

I NLANGUAGES D I V E BOUT

of where he came from and where he is now. “I want people to know that I’m proud about being who I am, and that I wouldn’t trade it any day,” Bhuiyan said. Junior Albert Kim is a Korean student who learned Korean primarily to speak with his mother and grandmother more effectively. “Ever since I was born my mom raised me to learn Korean instead of English, but then, because I went to school, I kept on learning in English,” Kim said. It is clear from the start that Kim believes in learning from those who are most experienced, especially if they are close to you. Although Kim is Korean, he has lived in the U.S. for most of his life. This gives a slightly distant grasp on his culture, as he is not always embraced in it. “My grandma, she can’t speak English

R S I T Y

at all,” Kim said. “So I want to communicate with her, to know how her life is, and she wants to communicate with me also.” Freshman Sharon Sanchez is aware of how her Salvadoran culture plays into her character. She believes that the passion her family has for their culture is infectious. As a member of the freshman class, Sanchez knows to an extent what it’s like being in a new environment. This experience allows her to realize how being connected to your culture can help you fit in. “[A multicultural environment] makes everyone feel more welcome, you don’t feel like the sore thumb in a big crowd,” Sanchez said. “You can relate to other people.” Sanchez also thinks that being connected to your culture can benefit a person in a multitude of ways, some of which might not be initially obvious.

“I really want to work with fashion and business, so I think [my background] will really help,” Sanchez said. “I could pitch in some of my Hispanic culture in my fashion.” The cultures of FHS students not only provide the school with a more diverse learning environment, but they also allow students to enter college more worldly and well-rounded human beings. As Eagles leave the walls of this school to enter the world, they become more aware of the world that they’re entering. The backgrounds that make up FHS should not only be appreciated, but celebrated. n

[Story by Fawaz Khan and Kaise Dualeh] [Photos by Aishwarya Ramesh]

FEATURES

OUTSIDE THE CLASSROOM

usan Nigro is an AP Language and Composition teacher that has an extensive background in writing and language studies, including a French degree. After realizing her French degree was impractical, Nigro decided to start a newspaper in Bellevue, Nebraska. “I ran the newspaper so I was pretty much doing everything, writing the articles, taking pictures, selling the advertisements, hiring and firing paper carriers, mapping out their routes,” Nigro said. After a conversation with her mother about a teaching career, and realizing that she was making less than minimum wage while running the newspaper, she went back to school. She became certified in teaching French and English, and then went to work. “I couldn’t see myself going into a foreign language classroom and singing the alphabet and throwing candy at people,” Nigro said. “I’m just not that kind of a person.” She has taught English courses in four different states: Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri and Virginia, which is her favorite. Nigro has a true passion for her job and loves her students. n English teacher Jessica Connors began ballet as a young child and followed her passion throughout college. “I started like every little girl starts, with lessons when I was three and that was kind of my sport. That’s what I did all the time right after school,” Connors said. “I lived right outside New York City, so I was looking to have access to lots of great teachers and lots of great companies. I was able to make connections and work my way through and I eventually got to dance professionally.” Connors danced for many years in New York City, which made her dreams come true as she danced alongside her idols. She was accepted into one of the top ballet companies, the American Ballet Theatre, which performs in large theatres around the world. “It taught me to work hard if you really want something and to persevere, even if it’s difficult, whether that difficulty is physically or mentally or emotionally... if you put your mind to it and you really want to do something, you can make it happen,” Connors said. n

Amelia Morani earned her bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, and then went on to receive her PhD in bioengineering. She wanted to work on assistive devices, which are technological advancements such as walkers, prosthetics and wheelchairs that help people with disabilities. “Bioengineering is more of my passion because it has that human tie and has a direct affect [on] somebody's life,” Morani said. For Morani, being a physics teacher is a part of her. Having personal experiences in sciences such as electrical engineering run in the family, coming from her father and her grandfather, which brought her to where she is today. She not only has a passion for bioengineering, but for her students as well. “I want them [my students] to feel confidence in their own mastery with physics,” Morani said. “I want them to feel that confidence in themselves, [so] that they can handle it, and even further, they can develop their own capability to teach themselves and that will carry with them through all subjects.” n [Story by Emily Peacher and Sergio Cervantes] [Photo Illustration by Aishwarya Ramesh]

Kelsi Yingling initiated her career path in teaching by obtaining her undergraduate degree is in music therapy and her master’s degree is in special education. “College was probably one of the best opportunities for me to really grow and figure out what journey I wanted to take as a professional,” Yingling said. “So I got a lot of experience working in different environments and with different kinds of people.” During her first day of college, Yingling saw a video of music therapy in use which opened her mind and changed her path to bring her in the towards her passion. “That was the moment where it clicked for me that I was supposed to help people and that I was supposed to be in the field of special education and music,” Yingling said. Now, Yingling runs her own music therapy business and works as the Special Education department chair at Freedom. “I have worked as an autism teacher for the past four years and coming here and becoming the Special Education Department Chair has really helped me grow in my knowledge and started my path of wanting to move on into the administrative world,” Yingling said. n

Michael Comini is a CTE teacher with a large background in gymnastics while he also majored in health and physical education in college. He then earned a degree in industrial hygiene to pursue his job of a health inspector. He later opened his own gym. “At the gymnastics school I taught from all ages, from three years old up to adults, there was quite a variety,” Comini said. In his career as a Health Inspector, he kept people safe by working with the air quality and protecting them from dangerous minerals in the air. “We tested for air quality control, where people were working at and breathing in- making sure there wasn’t a lot of asbestos and things like that,” Comini said. Throughout his construction job, he built multiple local high schools such as Riverside. He recalls that it was a tough job, but he still persevered. “It’s like training or going to school, you don’t enjoy it while you’re in the thick of things, but after it’s all over and done, then you get to enjoy things, and things [that are] worthwhile are always like that,” Comini said. n

Corinne Fox is a social science teacher who began her career after receiving her bachelors and masters degrees in history. After college, she went to work as an executive assistant for an aerospace company that designs, builds and manufactures rockets, along with other spacecraft while putting her other hobbies to the side. “I knew for a long time that it wasn’t my destiny to be in the aerospace industry, it was a really great place with a lot of great people,” Fox said. “I knew that I wanted to do something that just made me sleep a little better at night and that made me feel like I was giving back to society.” Fox went back to her roots and became a history teacher, and in addition, she has kept her strong passion and love for theatre and the performing arts. For as long as she could remember, it had been part of her life. She has been represented by two agencies in addition to acting and working in the Loudoun area. “My favorite part about theatre is when you and a character click,” Fox said. “You get where they’re coming from, you get their perspective...you’re able to just embody that character and lose yourself, I think really is the most special moment.” n

SPORTS

RUNNING FOR STATES O

nce barely able to field a team, the Freedom girls cross country program is now 30 runners strong. Under the direction of head coach Karen Richardson, the girls team has high expectations for this year’s season. With their commitment, resilience, and unrelenting sportsmanship, they’re “taking it out fast” and farther than ever. “Definitely the program has gained a lot more interest,” Richardson said regarding the improvement of the team over the years. “It does speak to the growth of the program, the popularity, and the fact that people are embracing running as a sport and embracing cross country at Freedom.” Within the team, Richardson has made an effort to implement a strong sense of teamwork amongst all athletes. “I’m big into developing leaders,” Richardson said. “We really do try to focus a lot on team culture.” Regarding team culture, there are particularly high expectations for the captains, who are responsible for consistently leading others towards success both as students and athletes. Two runners in particular, freshman Abigail Church and junior Lauren Osborne, constantly show their admirable dedication and commitment to the sport. As members of the girls cross country team, they, like Richardson, know of the team’s success so far and are eager to push themselves and their team to the fullest potential. “[The] past seasons we haven’t

been this good, and we haven’t been this close,” Osborne said. “We got top three at Great Meadows [and] we have a lot of good shots at getting to states this year.” Osborne started running as a freshman, when she made the track team. Since then, she has seen immense personal improvement by dropping her 5K time by almost five minutes, breaking the school’s two-mile track record, and serving as captain this season. “My responsibilities as captain are to bring my team together,” Osborne said. “Whether that be stretches, [or] just hanging out, it’s good to be a positive influence… and be a leader through example. I really enjoy leading and seeing people improve.” Despite this year being her first on the team, dedicated triathlete Church has already broken the school’s 5K record twice, and hopes to do it again. “I knew that all that [triathlon] training I was putting in would come to something good, and I knew my potential,” Church said. “I’ve come a long way, [and] I feel like we can make states as a team.” In addition to the team’s extensive efforts regarding states, they are taking many new precautions this season. “Coach Rich has been inputting recovery,” Osborne said. “Last year, everybody got injured so this year we’re being cautious about where we run, whether that be hard surfaces or soft surfaces, how much we run, and what

we do after our run.” Despite the high number of injuries being a setback last year, Richardson and the girls team have high expectations for the rest of the season and for those to come. “Obviously, it’ll take a lot of hard work and complete dedication,” Richardson said, “but with the group of athletes that we have and the way that we’ve been able to create a culture that prioritizes [commitment], I think that’s possible.” n

$10 toward first visit

[Story by Shravani Reddy and Jessica Scott] [Photos provided by Nicole Balog]

“T

he basketball is useless without 9 pounds of air. Now, do you want to pin your future on 9 pounds of air? Make sure when you no longer have basketball, you have a future. Get an education,” John Thompson, former men’s basketball head coach at Georgetown University said. While this famous quote from Thompson specifically speaks about basketball, the thoughts expressed can be applied to all collegiate and professional sports. Thompson is expressing the need for collegiate and professional athletes to have a plan for life beyond sports, due to the fragile nature of athletics. While Thompson did his best to ensure a bright academic future for his players, the question becomes if the NCAA as a whole is providing its athletes with the tools needed to become successful outside of athletics. Currently, the NCAA has a published scale that details eligibility standards for student athletes seeking to compete at the Division I level. The scale takes both GPA

and SAT scores into account in order to develop a “sliding” scale. The higher the GPA, the lower the SAT requirement, and the lower the GPA, the higher the SAT requirement. This sliding scale published by the NCAA has left some fans questioning the academic integrity of collegiate athletics. Students with a 2.5 GPA, which is barely passing at FHS, would only require an SAT score of 820, which is 200 points less than the national average. However, former lacrosse player at George Mason University and FHS field hockey head coach Michelle Gibbons believes that the current eligibility standards are fairly reasonable. “I think GPA should be a good indication[of a student’s eligibility] because that takes in a variety of assessments, whereas the SAT is standardized, and not everybody tests well on a standardized test,” Gibbons said. “I want to say I would go with a 2.7 [GPA requirement].” While Gibbons believes that the GPA requirements are fair right now, she rec-

ognizes that the students on the lower end of the academic scale may struggle to keep up with requirements once they actually get to college. “I had a college teammate who didn’t get into [George Mason University] and the coach had beg and plead and pull some strings for her to get in,” Gibbons said. “Then, [once she got in] she struggled.” However, Gibbons also makes it clear that low-achieving students athletes in high school may step up their academic effort once they get to college. Furthermore, she says that athletes’ academic experiences in college sometimes have more to do with their teachers, rather than their academic record. “Some [student athletes] might rise above and meet the challenge, where others might not,” Gibbons said. “It’s all dependent on what the teachers are like in college. I feel like when I went [to college], they were very strict, but I don’t know what it is like now.” n [Story by Arnav Kumar]

atorade… Is it actually good for athletes? Many athletes prefer to drink Gatorade instead of water during physical activity because they believe it is a healthier option or just think it tastes better. And while it is true that in some cases Gatorade can be more beneficial than water, water is healthier the majority of the time. FHS girls varsity soccer coach Chris Campbell does not let his players drink Gatorade before games. “The sugar in Gatorade makes some players uncomfortable… and makes them not feel so great during a game,” Campbell said. “Water preps your body from a hydration standpoint.” A 32 oz. of Cool Blue Gatorade contains 200 calories,

53 grams of sugar and 400 mg of sodium. If it is consumed on a regular basis, especially if an individual is not exercising at all, the drink can lead to negative health effects including weight gain and high blood pressure. Gatorade is most effective for athletes to drink after exercise instead of before, and in small amounts. “It’s okay to use Gatorade after a game to replenish some of the lost electrolytes, and the glucose will then help players recover,” Campbell said. According to researchers at UC-Berkeley, sports drinks help contribute to obesity issues in the same way sweetened and carbonated beverages do. If someone has an intensive workout, they need to replenish their electrolytes, and Gatorade is useful for that. But if one is not extensively working out, water is the healthiest choice. Considering how Gatorade targets athletic middle aged men as their primary consumers, it should only be consumed by athletes with intense workout routines. For those not extensively working out, water is a better option. [Story by Erin Janiga]

SPORTS

DIC

enior Robert Mayo’s passion for football has helped him become the number eight wide receiver in the state, according to 247Sports. Since Mayo has pursued his dream of being a professional football player for the past 10 years, it has been more and more obvious what he enjoys most about the sport. ”[I enjoy] the leadership and getting closer to new people and meeting new people,” Mayo said. The inspiration behind Mayo’s admirable passion and 10-year long involvement with the sport had to have come from somewhere, and the credit goes to his cousin and older brother, both of which were also involved in football. Mayo began playing football in the first grade and the rest is history, as he is currently a wide receiver for Freedom’s varsity football team. Continuity is important for any sports team, and while there are some new coaches this year, things seem to be going very well so far for the football team “[The transition has] been good,” Mayo said. “All the coaches have been really friendly and they are all about hard work. I think they’ve made us a better team just by their personalities, making us work harder than our previous coaches did.” This season hasn’t been the easiest for the team, but after they won their first game of the season on homecoming Friday, Mayo is in good spirits. ”[The season] been good, even though we don’t have a good record, it’s still been good,” Mayo said. After looking ahead, and thinking about everything he has experienced through his involvement with football at Freedom, Mayo committed to Old Dominion University after viewing several other offers, because of how ODU stood out. “All the other colleges when they offered me, they just stopped talking to me,” Mayo said. “But ODU texted me everyday to see how I was doing. They texted my mom everyday to see how she was doing… it was just like a family atmosphere out there.” All in all, Mayo has shown what it means to be a excellent athlete and his admirable dedication makes him a great asset. His foreseeable future with football is already off to a great start with his commitment to ODU. n

AT IO

CO M

unior Garrett Dunn-Ford has had a passion for football for 12 years and his hard work has led to him receiving an invitation to the reputable USA Regional Development Football camp over the summer. “I’ve been playing flag football since I was about four,” DunnFord said, “[and] I’ve played tackle football since [I was] about six.” Playing tackle football has strongly contributed to Dunn-Ford’s favorite part of football being the physicality. Without it, football would not be the same. Dunn-Ford currently plays for Freedom’s football team as a lineman on both the defensive and offensive lines. The beginning of this season has been admittedly rough with not the best record; however, Dunn-Ford has an optimistic view of the transition to the new staff. “The [coaching] transition [has been] pretty smooth,” Dunn-Ford said. “The only difference probably would be the offensive plays. Last year we ran more of a spread offense, this year it’s more between the tackles.” With the new staff the football team has been using more defensive plays rather than offensive plays. This season has been immensely helpful for players like Dunn-Ford, with the new staff trying to push and motivate players even more than the previous coaching staff had by working to be more involved in helping them correct their errors and by thoroughly supporting all players. At the USA Football camp, where he competed against other players and trained with current NCAA coaches and former NFL players and coaches, Dunn-Ford gained an even better perspective on who he is as an athlete and what college and professional football life is like. “The speed of [USA football games] was a lot faster than what you see here; everyone was a lot faster, stronger and quicker,” Dunn-Ford said. “[The other players at the camp] are the people you are going to see going to the next level. [The camp] helped elevate my game.” Since attending the camp, Dunn-Ford has been able to counter unsuspected plays and read them. The camp can provide some insight to how opposing players might play that he might use later in the season. The camp also serves as a refresher for Dunn-Ford, competing against new teams and players instead of the same teams he faces each year. As he has become more dedicated to and interested in football, Dunn-Ford has started the process of getting recruited, which includes giving out information and statistics to colleges. “The recruiting process has been a little stressful here and there,” Dunn-Ford said, “[but] it is pretty fun, you get some invites, you get some game advice, so you can talk to the coaches a little bit and see some games.” Even now, while his future with football is undetermined, Dunn-Ford remains optimistic. “If [I can’t continue playing] I want to always stay around football,” Dunn-Ford said, “[and maybe] be a personal trainer or a football coach.” n

[Stories by Thor Moy] [Photos by Claire Wodack]

ED-OP

POSITIVE MINDSET

very year, students dread going back to school in August. We long for a return to mid-summer by posting pictures from our vacation on Instagram. We vent about the upcoming stress on Twitter. In general, we make it seem as if the beginning of the school year marks the end of our social lives, yet students seem ecstatic to be back in school on the first day; however, after the first two weeks of school, all the excitement starts to dissipate, matching the behavior we see on social media. This variation in excitement is caused by our lack of a positive attitude. During the first two weeks, waking up in the morning for school is a lot easier because we tell ourselves that there will be something to look forward to. We are elated to see our school friends that we did not see during the summer. We are thrilled for the start of some of our favorite extracurricular activities. It is time for us to understand that we are receiving one of the best educations in the United States. Instead of moping around school with a pout on our faces, we should be walking into school with a positive attitude. It can be hard to avoid being negative when we have a ton of tests on the same day or a million different

assignments due; however, all we need is one thing to look forward to so that we can power through the day. Last year, before I woke up each morning, I tried to think about one activity or class that I was excited for each day. I slowly started to get better at waking up in the morning and I truly started to have passion for learning. Instead of focusing on the negative aspects of classes, I tried to focus on the positive aspects of them so I would be more inclined to head into school with an open mind. I became more receptive to the environment around me, leading to more inspired learning and involvement. I recognize that everyone is going to have bad days in which a positive attitude is not going to help. However, I believe that such days can be limited significantly with just a little willpower. If we can show some resiliency and toughness, we can be very successful in our lives after we toss our graduation caps. n

[Story by Arnav Kumar]

THE HIGH SCHOOL BOOGEYMAN

igh school is a very impressionable time in one’s life. It is a time where many people get ta taste of independence and make choices that can follow them for the rest of their lives. Because of this, high school students are warned of the dangers of peer pressure by their parents, teachers, counselors and coaches pretty much every adult figure in their life. Peer pressure has become a modern-day boogeyman to most. This fear of the negative aspects of peer pressure is warranted, but it has overshadowed the benefits that can also stem from peer pressure, the reason you should compare yourself to your peers. Let me make this clear, by no means am I advocating for constantly obsessing about how your peers might naturally excel at something that you do not, or have innate qualities that you lack. Instead, I’m suggesting that you use your peers as motivation. It is the responsibility of the individual to surround oneself with those that have similar goals and have the capability to inspire you. For example, if you choose friends that form study groups for the upcoming tests, you will feel more inclined to join them. Thus, their good study habits, will likely rub off on you. Creating an

intellectually-positive support system can make the overwhelming workload that can occur high school much more bearable. According to a 2011 study conducted by Temple University’s professor of Psychology Laurence Steinberg, teenagers were more likely to complete a difficult task and experienced a greater feeling of reward when observed by their peers. The presence of a community serves to encourage adolescents to achieve at a higher level than they generally would by themselves. Using this information, it is clear to see that the role of peer pressure is not always the detrimental factor that can ruin one’s future, but instead has the capacity to motivate oneself to reach new heights. Your friends do not have to only be people you hang out with; they can also be the source of your personal drive, and ultimately, your success. If we could apply this way of thinking into our academic careers, we will be able to achieve things that would seem almost impossible by ourselves. n [Story by Samaleh Omar]

REFORM THE SYSTEM F

reedom High School, to us students, means four years of our lives; whether it be freshman year or senior year, college is always in our heads. It is our motivation to not only do better but put in every bit of effort we have; it is even somewhat of an obligation, as the expectation for the adolescence of South Riding is to attend a four-year university. Throughout these four years some of us strive to become the best of the best while some of us sit back and take it easy, but what all of us may not realize is how extensive the college application process may be despite our GPA, clubs, and sports. As senior year

rolls around it becomes more evident how important factors in our lives may impact our acceptance or rejection from a particular college or university. Race-based affirmative action is an underlying feature in college admissions; it is advantageous to underrepresented groups and has helped minorities to not be overlooked in a crowd full of majorities. In 1961 John F. Kennedy passed this particular order to advocate for the selection of candidates based on racial background, and while this is beneficial to certain groups of people, it can be seen as challenging for many other applicants. This ideology most definitely has its flaws as it is failing to acknowledge undisclosed aspects amongst candidates.

“It is important that we are able to distin guish the differences amongst people that have varied circumstances and do not always have the opportunities that their classmate or next-door neighbor may have. Race-based affirmative action promotes the expectations of quotas for a certain workplace or university; however, this is almost offensive as there becomes a disregard in a candidate’s skill over another. Color-blind affirmative action, on the other hand, fulfills the purpose of affirmative action to the fullest extent as it allows college admissions to see everything an applicant provides them with. As defined by Oxford Dictionary color-blind is “not influenced by racial prejudice” which is what this form of affirmative action would essentially follow through with. This entire process would consist of the admissions deciding on their candidates by using everything but race, which in the end should promote a sense of equal opportunity. This would lead to a better result in terms of what they are capable of doing, what their

”

personal conditions are and what they have accomplished so far in their lives. South Riding is a dominantly wealthy community and the majority of occupations here fall into the tertiary sector, but that does not easily mean that every single household in this region falls along these standards. It is important that we are able to distinguish the differences amongst people that have varied circumstances and do not always have the opportunities that their classmate or next-door neighbor may have. As a region that encourages diversity, we should be able to express our individual diversity in every possible way without feeling like we are unable to speak out. n [Story by Joytsana Sangroula]

ED-OP

SOLAMENTE NOSOTROS ONLY US

am proud of where I come from. I come from a family where my grandparents have a third grade education. They grew up not having much, but wanted to make sure that their kids had more. They had moved from the Dominican Republic to the United States because it had seemed to be the most beneficial option. The amount of work that was put into the move led to a sense of pride. Certain people have these classic Latino stereotypes such as, we only clean and do construction work, in mind when they hear about us. When we interact with those same people and take the time to educate them of the different cultures of the 22 Spanish speaking countries, many of them come to the realization that we’re not all from Mexico, but we all do have pride. Here in the U.S., we stand up for one another because we know what each one of us is going through. The discrimination, the hate, the ignorance is all the same for us because here we are viewed as a whole, disregarding the fact that we come from different countries, but that is what makes us more united and able to stand up for one another as if we are one. Sadly, many individuals use stereotypes to group people together, but when this is done, the individuals

are blinded and will only limit their knowledge; essentially, using a potential flaw to define a particular group. The ignorance leads to the continuation of speaking negatively about different countries and their cultures, but the cultures are what open doors. You become more accepting to the different traditions and cultures, our experiences become similar if they aren’t already. It starts with the curiosity of wanting to know the similarities that your culture has with another. When I was 7 years old, I had gone to Dominican Republic which really opened my eyes and allowed me to be grateful for what I have here. Seeing a man with no limbs because he couldn’t afford to go to the hospital, watching cars drive down the opposite side of the street to avoid traffic, being in the car in the middle of the highway when a person throws a rag that has soap and water on it in hopes to wash the windshield and earn money are all things that I hadn’t seen before, and the likelihood of my classmates sharing a similar experience was slim. Many of which still have not. Being exposed to that at a young age wasis a reality check. It made me realize that not many people live the same way that I do, and definitely made me more humble and empathetic.

“Always be proud of where you’re from, and don’t be afraid that it’ll make you any less

”

American. Many of us are comfortable enough with our cultures to understand the stereotypes, but that doesn’t mean they should be continued. If people are better educated about other cultures, they are capable of becoming more accepting of them. As individuals from different backgrounds, we should accept the fact that many people will ask about our heritage. Individuals will challenge our beliefs and traditions because it’s different from what they’re used to, but just because something is different doesn’t mean it’s bad. Respect it and move on. You can’t allow for a person to talk badly about your culture. Don’t cower into a corner. Stand up for it. You can’t put yourself in the box that the stereotypes have made. Without that tie to your heritage, there will always be a piece of you missing. Use that as your motivation, your drive, and keep

pushing and pushing to break the boundaries to prove one’s preconceived thoughts wrong. Use your heritage as a motivator, make your people proud. Being from another country can benefit you. You must accept who you are, that you are different, and then use that knowledge to grow. We all have different traditions and aspects of our lives that are solely meant for us. As an individual from a different country, you have to continue those traditions because if you allow your heritage to die, then you lose a piece of yourself. Always be proud of where you’re from, and don’t be afraid that it will make you any less American. You are just as American as the person next to you. This country is based on immigrants and because it’s a big part of the American identity, it is our job as Americans to keep our culture alive here. n [Story by Amanda Peña]

[Artwork by Maddy Jarama]