Currently Browsing: In-Depth
Creating a character
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Written by Emily Fruchterman, In-Depth Editor
The gallery images are the first steps a game designer would take in developing a character, as drawn by A-Blast artist Jordan Aman. From here, the images are computerized, animated, and placed into programs that enhance their movement and perfected for the game’s release.
One major step that game designers must complete is the full biography of their character, whether or not it their complete story will appear in the game. This is the story of Gustaf the whale, a lonely ocean-dweller who is leaving his home in the cold, northern reaches of the Atlantic Ocean in favor of adventure. He was raised by a sea anemone and a jellyfish and spend his youth frolicking between the icebergs with his best friend and constant companion, Dina the seahorse, who, unfortunately, is quite absent-minded.
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Currently Browsing: News
SNHS holds fundraiser for change
Sophomore Max Talley drops a couple quarters into the "Pennies for Patients" donation box during C Lunch.
Written by Hilla Haidari, Staff Writer
The Science National Honor Society (SNHS) at AHS is held its first “Pennies for Patients” program to help people diagnosed with blood and marrow cancer pay for their treatment, as well as to extend research for a cure to the disease.
When asked how the “penny wars” worked, president of the SNHS senior Gina Lee, said, “The more pennies that your class accumulated, the more points that specific class earned. Anything other than a penny took points away from the class, so the objective was to put pennies in your class’s box while placing dimes, nickels, and dollars into other classes’ boxes.” This way, there was a fun competition and much money was gained, which then went forth for a good cause.
“The fundraiser has gained around 300 dollars,” said Lee.
The money that was earned at the end of the program was donated to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. A portion of the money also went to the winning class.
According to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, someone is diagnosed with blood cancer every four minutes, but the disease can be treated with gene therapy; a process in which the patient’s DNA is modified so that the cancer causing cells are disabled, as well as with immunotherapy and risk-adapted therapy.
During immunotherapy, the patient’s cancer can be treated with antibodies, or immune cells. Risk-adapted therapy, on the other hand, is a developing treatment which will allow for different patients to use medicine adapted to their body in order to fight off the cancer.
Although there are many options to take care of the disorder, treatment for the disease is expensive.
Sophomore Jerusalem Mekonnen said, “If I were diagnosed with blood cancer, I would hate to handle the burden of my medical bills as well as the disease itself, so I think it’s great what the Science Honor Society is doing.”
In addition to the “Pennies for Patients” program, the SNHS held a free movie night on February 19, where people were asked to kindly donate 3 dollars or more to watch My Sister’s Keeper. This movie tells the story of a young girl diagnosed with leukemia; however, it also questions the ethics of modern science.
The SNHS is mainly focusing on leukemia and lymphoma this year because their goal is to do a research-required science project.
“At first, the SNHS was really working with students to clean the environment up, but the Green Atoms is taking care of that,” said treasurer of the SNHS, senior Vivian Chan.
The “penny wars” had begun in mid-February and ended on March 5. The efforts of the SNHS had been hindered because of the snowstorm, which canceled school for a long period of time, forcing the fundraiser to begin much later than anticipated. It was originally planned to begin on February 1 and end February 28.
“We have a certain set guidelines,” said Chan. “Because we started late, we are behind schedule. Other schools that are also doing this project began their campaign much earlier, and therefore earned well into the thousands of dollars. Having lost one week of campaigning, we lost one week of money.”
Although less money has been earned than was anticipated, it is necessary to point out how successful and benevolent the cause was.
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Currently Browsing: News
Science fair draws strong conclusions
Juinors Edcel Argueta and Josh Tastaca attempt to wow the judges at the annual school science fair. This year's regional fair will be held at Robinson Secondary School.
Written by Charles Simpson, Co-Editor in Chief
Students produced outstanding Science Fair and Group 4 projects during the school-wide competition on Friday, Feb. 19. 29 students scored high enough to progress onto the Regional Science Fair competition “which is a bit higher than average,” said Science Fair coordinator Steve Fenchel.
During the competition, students set up their display boards in the cafeteria and waited questioning from three separate judges about the nature and procedure of their science experiment. Due to the rescheduling of the event on account of snow, a large portion of the judges were not able to attend, resulting in a lengthy judging period.
“Because of the snow, we only had about a third of the judges,” said Fenchel. “The judging was a little more rushed: Less time, more projects,” he said. Despite the impaired judging situation, AHS did relatively well.
“There’s a maximum of 20 projects from each school, including TJ [Thomas Jefferson High School],” said Fenchel. AHS filled 19 out of the possible 20 projects. This success is largely attributable to the genuine interest by students on their projects. “The judges commented that what really stood out was the enthusiasm of the students,” said Fenchel.
These 29 students will participate at the Regional Science Fair on Sunday, March 14 at Robinson Secondary School. There, students from AHS will encounter hundreds of other students from schools across Northern Virginia. “Numbers wise there’s about 890 students and 250 projects,” said Fenchel.
In preparation, the Regional qualifiers are polishing up their experiment spiel to impress the Regional judges.
It’s pretty much the same thing [but] we’ll probably go over our presentation more,” said Regional Science Fair qualifier, senior Gwen Kennedy.
“One of the judging criteria is the presentation, so if they [students] have a really good presentation they can win even if it’s not the best project,” said Fenchel. Fortunately for students, after polishing up their presentations, the Regional competition does not add significantly more work.
“We just need to copy and paste things for our lab report to give to the Regional Science Fair people [judges],” said Regional qualifier, senior Mariam Oweis.
Further benefiting Regional qualifiers, it is conceivable that the Regional Competition could literally pay off the student’s efforts because of potential scholarships.
“Last year the PTA [Parent Teacher Association] donated $500, so there are some scholarships,” said Fenchel. “There were two $1,500 scholarships last year,” he said.
Additionally, students that perform well at the Regional Science Fair qualify for a trip to the State Science Fair in Richmond, Virginia, to be paid for by Fairfax County.
Success at the Regional Science Fair is hazy. Students have unique and well-researched experiments, but the rules of the competition are not in their favor. The judges at the Regional Science Fair are only allowed to send a capped number of students on to states, but want to send as many projects as possible. Resultantly, projects designed by a single student, rather than a group, tend to do better.
“We had a lot of group projects this year,” said Fenchel. “The single projects tend to do better,” he said somewhat despairingly. But the results of Regional competition remain up in the air; results are to be released the week after the competition between Sunday, March 21 and Saturday, March 27.
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Currently Browsing: Academics
Rebecca
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Written by Katie Masters, Staff Writer
The novel Rebecca mirrors the stereotypical English countryside, standing out among mystery novels as an understated, yet surprisingly lush gem of a read. Written by Daphne du Maurier and published in 1938, Rebecca was an instant best-seller, earning cult-classic status in its own right as well as through famous interpretations such as Alfred Hitchcock’s film interpretation, released in 1940.
Rebecca is widely considered the best gothic romance of the 20th century, containing prized examples of the mystery and psychological darkness the genre is famous for. The novel follows a heroine, known as the second Mrs. de Winter, who transcends her position as a personal companion to a social-climbing and gauche woman.
While vacationing with her employer in Monte Carlo, Mrs. de Winter meets her future husband, the broodingly quiet and troubled Maxim de Winter. She follows him back to Manderley, his remote manor on the Cornwall coast. The manor’s impeccable appearance and high esteem serve as an indicator to the inescapable presence of Maxim’s deceased first wife, the beautiful and charismatic Rebecca.
The novel’s mystique is highlighted by its superb cast of characters, and is shown through the viewpoint of Mrs. de Winter. A young lady is somewhat overwhelmed by the life she came into so suddenly. Her understated eccentricities, quiet and reflective air, and supreme naivete perfectly accent the various twists and turns in the plots, which maintain an air of immediacy that ensures she stays as surprised as the readers at the events surrounding her. Her counterpart is the sinister and convoluted Mrs. Danvers, who has an unfaltering dedication to the past.
Rebecca dredges up history that Manderley and its players try to suppress at any cost. As Mrs. de Winter delves deeper into the truth about Rebecca, Maxim grows more and more aloof, unwilling to reveal the troubled and emotional history he shared with his first wife.
Each distinct move a character makes draws the reader closer to the answers that enshroud Manderley: who was Rebecca, who yields such a strong influence on the house even after death? And how did she really die?
What makes du Maurier’s work such a masterpiece is not only the shadowy English countryside she describes so well, but the progression of her characters, each following a different goal but bound together by the strange history that creeps towards an inevitable revelation. Each understated action, each move made by a character, leads carefully to a predestined result, the build-up of suspense making the ending of the story an almost magical experience.
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Currently Browsing: Academics
Dating’s distractions
Sophomores Alec Villafana and Natalie Ford routinely work on homework together.
Written by Jennifer Allshouse and Mackda Dinberu, Academics Editor and Staff Writer
Holding hands, walking down the hallway together, kissing and showing signs of true love is how most AHS couples like to begin their day. There is not a hallway in which a couple is not showing public displays of affection. Although these couples may seem happy and satisfied with their relationship, they may sometimes forget about their achievement in school.
For some couples, their relationship comes before school. For junior Casey Pyne, his grades dropped dramatically. “In some of my classes teachers were handing out our progress reports for the interim and I noticed that my grades had dropped a lot,” said Pyne. “It was really difficult to raise those grades back up. I found myself staying after a lot.”
Many students find themselves in those sticky situations. They get their interims and are immediately shocked at how low their grade is, eventually striving to get those grades back up. “I was doing horribly!” said senior Kia Pearce. “The relationship had distracted me from my studies.”
Though some students’ grades are not affected directly, when students are late to class, the teacher is allowed to create consequences. “It didn’t really change my grades much, but I was definitely late to class a lot more.” said junior Cihan Gul.
For those who are able to focus on their schoolwork and maintain a successful relationship on the side, positive outcomes are achieved. “My grades weren’t affected because my boyfriend was really supportive and he always wanted me to do well,” said sophomore Kim Rowland.
In some relationships, both of the people get the benefit. For freshman Kyle Jamison, he was able to maintain an equal amount of time with his girlfriend and doing schoolwork. “Dating never made a difference because my girlfriend always helps me study.”
In many cases he said, relationships and schoolwork are not affected at all. Junior Matt Klima said, “My relationship at the time didn’t affect my grades at all, because I stayed focused and did my homework and staying up late to converse with my girlfriend at the time wasn’t an issue because I managed my time and made sure I slept on time.”
Then, there are the students who have a hard time keeping a successful and fulfilling relationship while in high school, and just choose not to date. High school can be a very stressful time for students. With the large workload and curriculum to follow, having time to spend with others can be quite difficult.
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Currently Browsing: Weekend
San Vito Ristorante Italiano
Written by Rebecca Mazlahn, Staff Writer
As I pulled open the glass door to San Vito I was welcomed not only by the kind waitress behind the bar, but also by the fresh aroma of Italian food floating around me. The booth at which I was seated provided a view of the nearby bar that had a brick oven behind it, where many pizzas were being prepared.
As I sat down I could not help but stare at the elegant pictures along the walls. They allowed me to feel as though I was peering upon Italy’s blue waterways and looking up at the nearby buildings. The dimmed lighting and strings of lights wrapped neatly around the small columns within the restaurant gave it a slightly romantic feel.
After our drinks arrived, the waiter brought us baskets of steaming, delicious bread. I ordered the chicken parmesan because it is a classic Italian food. However, I was upset with the wait I had to endure in order to receive my food. It usually only takes about fifteen minutes, whereas in the restaurant the time seemed to double. By the time the food finally came, my family and I had eaten our way through two baskets of bread. But with a simple whiff of the food that the waiter was passing out to us, my stomach suddenly felt empty again.
My meal did not live up to my expectations based off of the food I had previously tried there, such as the spaghetti, calzones and lasagna. However, it was still very appetizing. I was satisfied with the chicken in particular because it was perfectly juicy, unlike other places where the chicken is dry. However, in the future I would probably order the calzones, because they were simply packed full of deliciousness. San Vito serves many variations of its brick oven calzones, filled with your choice of meats, cheeses, vegetables and hearty tomato sauce.
The large portion size of my meal was too much for me to eat alone or at least in one sitting. For a little more than ten dollars per main entree, you can get a plate of food that will keep your stomach full for a couple of days. Despite the fact that there was no room left in my stomach I couldn’t resist trying the desserts, which were brought out on a tray for us to pick from. Since there were so many tempting choices I decided to get the sample platter, which consisted of any choice of three reduced desserts out of all their Italian-styled pastries. My family and I all got something different and shared with each other, but were greatly disappointed because the beautiful display of the food did not taste as good as it looked.
On Fridays and Saturdays San Vito is seemingly crowded around dinnertime. It is hard to find a parking space, seeing as it is located in King’s Park shopping center. However, it is worth the wait to eat a delicious and filling meal. Given their large potions, they can easily be used for special occasions, such as family gatherings and holidays.
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Currently Browsing: Weekend
Cure that cabin fever
Photo Credit: Jennifer Oakes
After several feet of snow froze all activities and minimized movement in the DC metropolitan region, Spring is finally almost around the corner. “I can’t wait until all the hype about snow is gone and I can get back to my usual schedule,” said senior Vivian Chan. March is the month to get moving and participate in new activities, such as one of the many festivals and events to appeal to each person’s liking. Check out the sections below and mark your calendar for different activities to get you out and about.
Written by Annika Jessen & Jennifer Oakes, Weekend Editors
After escaping the boring confines of your house, your mind is probably craving something interesting and different. Check out the Intersections Arts Festival in DC that features art, film, literary readings, dance, music, and dramatic productions to feed your art intellect. There are six different venues for performers to entertain audiences with their different styles.Sun Trust National Marathon – March 21
The Greater Washington Sports Alliance is hosting a marathon to raise funds for local youth organizations. These organizations will use the funds towards the program that encourages physical fitness and enhances education through sports. This is the third annual race that lasts for 26.2 miles. Even though the route may be long, it is scenic, providing spectators and participants with views of monuments, the National Mall and the city’s best neighborhoods.
Shamrock Fest – March 13
Scream, holler, dance and eat at The National Shamrock Fest in Washington, DC. This annual Saint Patrick’s day festival is loaded with Rock, Irish, Blues, Retro, and Folk music to put your spirit in a festive mood, awaken your rocker attitude, and prepare you for an intense Saint Patty’s day. You are sure to find your favorite style of music in at least one of the more than 40 bands performing on the seven stages. Grab all of your green gear, but leave the beer, and head to Shamrock Fest.
Big Apple Circus – March 6-27
Let your troubles go and be entertained by New York’s original one-ring circus that will be visitng the DC area. Do not be afraid to laugh. The Big Apple performers will surely cause your mouth to drop with their Russian Aniskin Troupe on the trampoline and trapeze and the Italian Curatola Brothers performing an acrobatic duo.
Chocolate Lovers Festival – March 6-7
Old Town Fairfax is holding an annual two-day event to celebrate (and wallow in) its community’s love for chocolate. With events like The Chocolate Challenge, an art contest that showcases only art made solely of chocolate, the Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast and vendors offering samples, this festival is not one to miss if you are a chocolate lover like us. Mark your calendar and attend this event to fully enjoy the wonders of chocolate.
Intersections Art Culture Race – March 5-7
After escaping the boring confines of your house, your mind is probably craving something interesting and different. Check out the Intersections Arts Festival in DC that features art, film, literary readings, dance, music, and dramatic productions to feed your art intellect. There are six different venues for performers to entertain audiences with their different styles.
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Currently Browsing: Story of the Day /Top Stories
Top students enjoy ice cream social
Photo Credit: Alex Davalos
Principal John Ponton scoops out ice cream for deserving top academic performers.
Written by Alex Davalos, Staff Writer
As the last school bell rang on Wednesday, March 3, numerous AHS students rushed to the cafeteria to enjoy thirty minutes of ice cream heaven. Like every other quarter, AHS held its quarterly Ice Cream Social, rewarding the top students of every class with a delicious all-you-can-eat ice cream buffet. The only difference was that this quarter’s Ice Cream Social began a couple weeks into the third quarter due to the unexpected snow cancellations.
The cafeteria tables were filled with scrumptious goodies, toppings and exquisite flavors of ice cream. Serving these treats were the AHS administrators, providing students with a cup of well-deserved ice cream, along with a congratulations.
“Typically, it’s for kids that may not make the honor roll, but have made progress. It’s a good way to reward students and ice cream puts a smile on everyone’s face,” said Principal John Ponton. Many students seemed to enjoy the event and overall it was a success.
“I’m happy that I am getting rewarded for doing well in class,” said sophomore Fatima Ahmed.
Fellow sophomore Jason Moujeas said, “Getting student of the quarter was hard, but it was worth it. The Ice Cream Social is a fun place to hang-out and celebrate with friends.”
The event will occur again at the end of third and fourth quarter, undoubtedly to the smiles of students. Like Ponton said, ice cream puts a smile on everyone’s face.
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Currently Browsing: Story of the Day /Top Stories
Winter Sports Banquet celebrates success
Photo Credit: Jake Barnes
Head wrestling coach Keith Sholders introduces the varsity team.
Written by Esra Gokturk, Staff Writer
Spring is finally here and winter sports have come to a close, each team with a remarkable season. To celebrate each winter team’s accomplishments, AHS held the annual Winter Sports Banquet on Wednesday, March 3. At the banquet, winter athletes enjoyed a potluck with fellow teammates and then proceeded to a gathering with their coaches to talk about the season and receive any earned awards.
These awards include the 3.5 or higher Grade Point Average award, Atomic Achievement Award for athletes displaying outstanding character and varsity letters and stars for athletes who participated on the varsity level.
The winter banquet was a mandatory event athletes were required to attend, but many of them enjoyed it and look forward to the night as a chance to be reunited with their team.
“[I’m] excited to dress up and get back together with my team,” said sophomore track athlete Ashlyn Nisker.
Others were eager to receive recognition for varsity achievements.
“I am so proud of how far we went this year and I can’t wait to get my [varsity] star,” said sophomore Ahmed Bile, who placed tenth in States for varsity boys track.
Each sport had its own unique individual ceremony when the ceremony broke into groups by team. Junior and varsity swimmer Katie Panther said she looks forward this team gathering at the banquet each year.
“We watch a video each year of memories ad achievements of the team throughout the season, and everybody loves it because it reminds us of the fun we had.” Panther and the swim and dive team advanced to Regionals, with some boys progressing to States.
The banquet was very successful and each participant seemed to enjoy it. After a season of hard work, athletes had earned their coaches’ accolades, awards and recognition for their achievements.
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