Currently Browsing: Sports
Girls lacrosse competes in Annandale Invitational tournament
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Written by David Hookey, Sports Editor
On March 20 and March 27, the varsity girls lacrosse team competed in the Annandale Invitational tournament held here at AHS. The team placed second out of five teams, losing to Chantilly HS in the final, 8-7. For more photos of the tournament visit www.briarcreekphoto.com.
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Currently Browsing: Story of the Day /Top Stories
IB Candidates pitch “Walk for Darfur”
Photo Credit: Haumaira Safi
Students watch a the "Walk for Darfur" informative video on genocide in sub-Saharan Africa.
Written by Haumaira Safi, Staff Writer
During flex on Monday April 5, all teachers were asked to show their class a motivating video created by the IB Diploma Candidates that encourages students to take part in the fourth annual Walk for Darfur, to be held at Lake Accotink park on Saturday, April 10.
“The video was very informative and the charity they’re donating to seems more of a direct charity in the sense that the money is going directly to the cause” said junior Liam McGhee.
Though the previous Walk for Darfur was a success, this year the hosts expect to attract even more participants.
“I hope that it will attract as much support. This year we’re having music and a speaker from the Holocaust Museum,” said event sponsor Holly Miller. Students will also be selling t-shirts for $10 and serving food.
“I think it’ll be pretty fun. The weather’s been nice and Lake Accotink has really nice trails” said McGhee.
The Walk for Darfur was organized by the 2006 IB Diploma Candidates to raise awareness about the genocide in Darfur. The subsequent classes of IB Diploma Candidates have continued the tradition” said this year’s event sponsor Holly Miller.
“I think it’s a good idea. It’s important to help out a third world country,” said sophomore Esrael Muche.
Students must register during their lunch or sometime before the walk begins at 10:00 am. On April 10, check-in will begin at 9:30 am. Everyone must pay $5, or $20 for families of four or more
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Students spring back to work after Spring Break
Photo Credit: Hiba Abuelhawa
Sophomore Hiba Abuelhawa used Spring Break to visit Georgetown on the Potomac river.
Written by Natalie Johnson, Staff Writer
Spring Break has ended, and provided students with an opportunity to relax and temporarily drop all of the stress that school places on one’s shoulders. Many students took the time to visit family or friends.
“I… had a barbeque with my friends where I got a ton of food. We played volleyball in the yard and then ended with a bonfire,” said sophomore Willie Labarca.
“I went to the Onondaga reservation in New York and was chilling with my native friends and family. We went to different reservations for lacrosse games and we went to the longhouse,” said junior Trey Laffin.
Others took the opportunity to travel.
“Over Spring Break I visited my hometown, Chicago. I got to spend time hanging out with my family and catching up with old friends,” said senior Mike Slaughter.
“I went to Boston to look at different colleges, visit my sister, go to the Celtics basketball game, and see Wale,” said junior Edcel Argueta.
Some simply used the time to catch up on much needed sleep and rest.
“I did absolutely nothing over the break. The Saturday [on which] Spring Break started I was playing basketball at Audrey Moore Recreation [Center] and twisted my left ankle…So basically my break was TV, food and ice,” said senior Andrew Braden.
With so much time away from school, many sports players needed to continue to practice during the break.
“Over the Spring Break I went to New Jersey with the wrestling team to compete in a tournament. It was a great trip and kept me in shape over the break,” said sophomore Ali Musa.
Many students had an exciting and eventful break, meaning going back to school was difficult. Thus, students have been trying to find ways to get back into the flow of school and not be distracted by the warming weather.
“I’m going to just do my best for the rest of the year, listen to my teachers and study a lot so that I can boost my grades,” said Musa.
For students, the impending conclusion to the third quarter added further academic pressure to the return from break.
“It was definitely hard coming back because the break felt like summer. It’s going to be hard to finish off the quarter strong because I have to get back into school work and I only have a week to do it,” said Laffin.
“I feel a lot less stressed coming back to school because I got a nice long and relaxing break. I would say it’s harder to bring my grades up due to the fact that there’s a lot to make up and to cover with not that much time left in the quarter,” said Slaughter.
However, some students were not so concerned about academic pressure.
“I don’t really care about school anymore. I’m a senior and I’m in college so I don’t feel the need to do work. Also, coming off of a break and going back into school is incredibly hard especially when I have no incentive to do so,” said Braden.
Overall students seemed to have enjoyed their breaks. With only a quarter left in school, students will have to quickly get back into the swing of things.
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Interims get sent in a new way
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Written by Mackda Dinberu, Staff Writer
Third quarter interims are here! It is the time for either praise or criticism by parents about grades. This quarter, interims are to be distributed differently then previous quarters. Before, interims were sent to the homes of all students. But now, the interims will be handed out to students in their R7 classes. The reason for the difference in the distribution is unidentified as of now. But it is rumored that the reasons could range from budget cuts to the snow days delaying the schedule (making the interims late).
Many students enjoy having the interims being distributed in school rather than being sent home. This may be partially due to the fact that students get to see their grades before parents.
Freshman Michelle Dong said “I’m really happy that they are giving the interims out during R7 because I get to see it before my parents do.”
“I’d rather have it be given to me, rather than have the possibility of getting questioned by my parents when they receive it first,” agrees junior Lauren Barnard.
Then there are the select few that could care less how the interims are distributed.
“It really doesn’t matter to me. My parents already know what types of grades I get,” said sophomore Tyrek Worrell.
If students have a difficult time breaking the news of a bad grade to their parents, they should refer back to The A-Blast issue 2 for help.
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Students are distracted
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Written by Natalie Johnson
You stealthily pull your phone out in class and tap the buttons feverishly to send out your latest text. After school you go home and open up your laptop planning to do homework, but find yourself checking the latest status updates on Facebook. Later that night you plan on studying but you end up watching the newest episode of American Idol. You find that what seemed like hours of time to do homework has turned into yet another late night cram session.
“I get distracted all the time by the T.V. and my computer to the point that I only get my work done late at night. I always spend more time on the computer or T.V. then I originally thought I would,” said sophomore Edwin Galeano.
Many students today are finding themselves more distracted by technology than they realize. How many stories have been told about a student getting ready to do homework but then mindlessly ends up on Facebook for hours on end. Or saying to themselves they will start studying for their big test at 6:00 p.m. but ending up doing it at 11:00 p.m. because their favorite show came on. Entertainment and technology have become a huge distraction in student’s lives.
“If I’m doing homework on the computer sometimes I’ll just sign in without even realizing it and I end up wasting hours reading what other people are doing instead of doing my homework,” said freshman Betsy Kruse.
Although many people admit that their Facebook and T.V. are more of a distraction than they are help, they cannot seem to get enough.
“Technology distracts me from more important things like homework or spending time with my family. It overall wastes my time but it’s very addicting. When I don’t use technology I feel like I am missing out on something important like a status update or a new episode of my favorite show,” said junior Julia Uglietta.
While technology can be a huge distraction it is helping students to learn time management. Many people are finding that they can still be successful in school and use technology, they just have to learn how to prioritize and balance that two. Students are finding that there are ways to do homework and then use left over time as “entertainment” time.
“I think the best way to balance homework and “entertainment” time is to use “entertainment” time as a reward. After I complete my homework I get to go on the computer or go watch T.V. It’s a nice reward and a great relaxation method after I get all my schoolwork finished,” said Uglietta.
Freshman Betsy Kruse takes a different approach to managing her time.
“I try to stick to a schedule. I’ll check my Facebook right when I get home. After that I’ll watch a little T.V. so that I can relax after a busy day. After all of this I’ll start my homework. It helps so that while I’m doing homework I’m not constantly thinking of ways to procrastinate,” said Kruse.
While many students find technology to be distracting, some do not let the distractions lure them in.
“I don’t think Facebook has that big of an impact on me. It could potentially be a big distraction but I have a lot of other outlets to pass time like sports. I do think it impacts a lot of people negatively however because they pass too much time on the internet,” said senior Murat Gokturk.
Entertainment and technology are huge distractions for students but as long as you learn how to prioritize you can succeed in school and still have fun surfing the web or watching your favorite T.V. show.
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Currently Browsing: Academics
Collaboration Day
Collaboration Day takes place every other Wednesday on White Days where freshmen attend a transition program, all other students go to the gym, teachers meet to discuss ways to be better teachers and administrators direct people where to go.
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Currently Browsing: Featured Multimedia /Homepage Video /News
Currently Browsing: Featured Multimedia /News
Spring Sings 2010
The Annandale Choral Department sung their Spring Sings this past Friday. Instead of Singing Valentines which were delayed due to the snow, the chorus this year decided on the Spring Sings which were still a success.
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“The King and I” under preparation
Photo Credit: Zulay Huma
The initial rehearsal for "The King and I".
Written by Zulay Huma, Staff Writer
The theatre class is working hard to present their new play, “The King and I” which will begin performances on Thursday, April 15.
The actors and actresses mingled and chatted nonchalantly during rehearsal but quickly got into action as choreographers Michelle Kinzer, senior and freshman Debbie Adereton called their attention to start the dance routine. Dancing and prancing to pleasant music, the performers started the run through their dance routine called “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.”
The eighty-minute play is about a kingdom in the land of Siam in modern day Thailand. A king played by Daren Lopez who hires an English teacher named Anna Leonowens, played by Julie Jurenus, to teach the students.
“It’s almost a struggle of Westernization, you know. They’re learning English and new things,” said sophomore Jessica Fredericksen.
As the play goes on, the kingdom in Siam and the king are accused of being barbarians. The king, after fearing an outside attack, organizes a sort of dinner party and a special performance for English guests to disprove his barbarity and confirm his sophistication. The ending, however, was not revealed.
“ I’m not going to give away the ending…it has a mysterious ending, come and see the play to find out!” Jessica Fredericksen said. The actors and actresses seem to be enthusiastic for this play and even though it is lengthy, everyone is invited.
“Overall, I would say that I think it’s going to be great, as they always are,“ said sophomore Danielle Turner.
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Currently Browsing: News
Cherry blossoms in full bloom
Written by Hilla Haidari, Staff Writer
The Cherry Blossom Festival took place in Washington D.C. from March 27 to April 11.
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