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EXTRA HOUR OF

Issue 3, Vol.48November 2012

Langley High School6520 Georgetown Pike

McLean, VA 22101

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BIG PLANPage 15 Page 17

MEET THE B-BALLPLAYERS

Page 20

THE SAXON

SCOPENOVEMBER 2012

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NOVEMBER 2012

DEAR SAXONS,

THE SAXON

SCOPE

The Saxon Scope serves students, faculty, and the Langley High School community. Editorials express the opinions of the editorial board. All by-lined editorials reflect the opinions of the reporters and/or artists. Students, faculty, and staff are encouraged to submit material for publication. The Saxon Scope, under the directions of the advisor, reserves the right to withhold or edit material submitted

for publication. The Saxon Scope will not print material found to be in poor taste or detrimental to one’s character. Names may be held upon request. Letters may be placed in the Saxon Scope box in the

office or brought to room 114. The newspaper is published monthly. Newspaper reporting, typesetting, layout, photography, and computer graphics designs are done by the journalism classes at Lang-ley High School, 6520 Georgetown Pike, McLean, Virginia 22101. (703)287-2797. FAX (703) 287-2797 or e-mail saxonscope2013@gmail.com & saxonscopeonline@gmail.com.

Executive News Editor:

Amirah Ahmad

Blair PurdyExecutive Feature Editor:

Riley CosgroveExecutive Online Editor:

Emily FlessasExecutive Sports Editor:

Executive Design Editor:

Na He Jeon

Business Editors: Veronica SmithTyler Seckar

Copy Editors: Neeka EghbaliKatherine RohloffMatt Smith

Staff Writers: Ben CrossAvani HegdeDaniel LevetownBilly Orme

Adviser: Jennifer McAdams

Editors-in-Chief: Aimee ChoCathy Kiess

Mana AfsariBrandon ArcariBrendan CoffeyEllie CrossHaley CurtisAlex De ThierShrey DuaIlene GoudarziMicaela GrassiSabir HathiramAbdullah JamilSusie KimJoey MalpicaCayhan MovaghariChris NameOlivia SalamoneNate ShaferTaylor SnyderDaniel StoneBijan ToddGabrielle Wantula

Reporters:

Online Editor: Harris LaTeef

Li ChienLeila RaminpourJustin Speros

Senior Staff Writers:

4

167 Lessons from Hurricane

Sandy10 Model UN beats TJ

12 Unusual clubs

18 Is more sleep worth it?

20 Basketball boys ready themselves for the season

16 Sucess for the Saxon Writing Center

17 Brendan the Small

19 Fantasy football:HIAATU vs. MGF Grand

NEWS

FEATURE

OPINION

SPORTS

IN THIS

ISSUE

191715

News Editor: Alex Krial

Feature Editor: Sara Guglielmo

Sports Editor: Lizzy Weingast

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We learned that everything is, in fact, bigger in Texas:

the city, the tattoos--we met the second most tattooed man in the world--and the J-love (journalism-love, for all of you non-journalists.) Nine members of the Saxon Scope traveled to San Antonio, Texas to go to the National Scholastic Press Asso-ciation’s Fall Journalism Convention where we attended classes on everything from design to photography to ethics. The trip wasn’t all work though. We went to a dance, checked out the Alamo, walked the famous San Antonio River-walk and attended Sea World’s Christmas Celebration. Although there was some roommate drama, (Harris desperately needed his beauty sleep, and Chris missed his TempurPedic pillows,) we re-ally bonded as a staff over journalism…and Texas-shaped waffles at breakfast. The San Francisco Spring Convention is just five short months away and we’re already talking about who’s rooming with whom. Harris’ roommate is by application only.

Harris LaTeefOnline Editor

Chris NameReporter

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2 news 3 IN THE “LYME”LIGHTSenior Katie Barufka recently competed in

the Siemens Math and Science competition. Thirty teams of two and 30 individuals are chosen from 2,000 applicants to compete in six regions. Katie competed in the MIT region with her partner, Neil Davey, who attends Montgomery Blair High School. “My partner and I won for that region (MIT) and we will compete at nationals,” said Barufka. The two got the win by developing a potential vaccine for cutaneous Leishmaniasis, a skin disease that affects many people living in third world parts of the globe such as the Middle East and South America. According to wusa9.com, they earned $3,000 in scholarship money for their regional win and are now preparing for the national competition, in which they could win $100,000 in scholarship funds. Barufka was motivated to find a cure for the parasitic disease because her mother has Lyme disease, a dangerous illness received from tick bites. The vaccine has been tested on mice and

LONE-STAR STATE, MANY AWARDS

STEPPING INTO LANGLEY

The Capitol Steps comedy troupe is made up for-mer Capitol Hill staffers. They have been featured on NBC, CBS and PBS, according to their website.

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With this past election, there’s never been a more perfect time for a show like Capitol Steps. For

five years now, the show has been completely sold out. Originally staffers for senators, the members of Capitol Steps began their comedy careers when they decided to mock their Senate employers, ac-cording to the Capitol Steps website. Little did they know it would turn into a renowned show, as well as over 30 recorded albums. “It’s a show that’s fun where Demo-crats and Republicans all get equally lam-pooned,” said government teacher Mr. Matt Kissling, who is in charge of the show. “Stu-dents can enjoy what they have learned.” The show, which includes a variety of songs, skits and satirical humor. “I am going because my broth-er is a senior and I’m excited because I heard it’s funny,” said Mackenzie Regen. The show is especially relevant to seniors who all take government.“I think it gives students in government a greater insight as to what is being made fun of. They can enjoy it more because they might understand some of the material and euphe-misms more,” said senior Jack Flatley. The proceeds from the performance will go towards the Class of 2013 All Night Grad Party.“It’s a great way for seniors to raise money for themselves,” said Mr. Kissling. The show will take place in the Langley auditorium on Sunday, Dec. 2 at 7pm. Tickets will be sold during lunch for $30 each.

NATE SHAFERREPORTER

ELLIE CROSSREPORTER

SARA GUGLIELMOFEATURE EDITOR

Neil Davey (11) and Katie Barufka (12) won the regional Siemens Math and Science competi-tion. Barufka and her partner each won a $3,000 scholarship.

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Silence, furiously straching pens and a room of hundreds of intense students—nine Saxon Scope

writers recently experienced this high pressure atmo-sphere during their recent national write off compe-titions. From Nov. 15-18, the Scope staffers visited San Antonio, Texas for the bi-annual National Stu-dent Press Association’s conference for journalists. Thousands of During the conference, the Scope members competed in “write-off” contests that cov-ered a range of journalism writing and publication design categories. Five students were recognized for their stellar performances within their categories.

RED IS DEAD

Chumps is the term senior Phil Novacki uses to refer to students who wear red on Blackout Day. And if this

year’s senior class portrait taken on Blackout Day is any indication, there aren’t many chumps in the senior class. In contrast with the senior class portraits this year’s portrait was mostly a sea of black. Senior Robby Byrne wore red simply to not only follow Langley’s tradition but also his family’s.   “My brother and sister both went to Langley and experienced color day, so I wanted to carry on the tradition,” said Byrne. “I like to break the rules,” said senior Michael Osgood. “I’m proud to stand out from everyone in the portrait.” Some s tudents dec ided to remain neutral. “I couldn’t care less that people wore red,” said senior Brandon Lee. Senior Jessica Weaver added, “Wearing red didn’t harm anyone.” In response to those who wore red, Principal Mr. Ragone said, “I can’t tell the kids what to wear to school. I wish they would wear black, but color day is slowly going away on its own.” Other administrators believed that these seniors wore red for attention. “I think what we’re trying to do is promote school spirit, and these kids who wore red are trying to get people to look at them,” said senior vice principal Mr. Fred Amico.

ILENE GOUDARZI AND OLIVIA SALAMONEREPORTERS

Class of 2009

Class of 2013

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“appears to be successful,” according to wusa9.com. As the two wait for the final competition at George Washington University in December, they hope that the vaccine can become available to the third world people who desperately need it.

Junior Na He Jeon received an “Excellent” (equiva-lent to second place) in infographic design, while junior Amirah Ahmad received an “Excellent” in feature writing. “I was pleasantly surprised with my success because the room was full of such dedicated journalists,” said Ahmad. Three seniors received honorable mentions in the following categories: Ai-mee Cho for news writing; Cathy Kiess for review writing and Alex Krial for editorial cartooning. “I was really excited to hear about my award because there were a lot of people from award-winning newspapers,” said Kiess.

November 2012

ROMEO AND JULIETLEILA RAMINPOURSENIOR STAFF WRITER

CORRECTIONThe Saxon Scope would like to apologize for

our miscalculation in the Issue 2 Feature Story, “The Cost of Being a Senior.” The following error was made in the SAT/ACT Prep info graph:The SAT/ACT Prep should have been at $50 per session, 4 times a month, for 4 months (totaling $800) Instead, of the preceding calculation, we made the error of misprinting it as $180 per session, 4 times per month, for 12 months (totaling $8,640.) Combined with the other costs printed in the article, the above correction is consistent with the previous grand total of $14,286.00. The new grand total is $6,446.00. Again, we apologize for the inaccuracy, and will do our best to provide accurate information in the future. Sincerely,The Saxon Scope

Class of 2012

$14,286.00

Spoiler alert: the Saxon Stage’s production of Romeo and Juliet was nothing like the movie

version with Leonardo DiCaprio. It was better. The set was the most interesting part of the play, and its intricate design is due to the new tech theater class taught by Mrs. Phyllis Jaffe.Mrs. Jaffe said that the new class “enabled us to do an adventurous set for Romeo and Juliet. It was the first time we used scaffolding, and I want to use it more in the future.” Senior Chris Paul and junior Kathleen Welch played the lead roles: Romeo and Juliet. “Playing the lead role was challenging but worth it in the end after all the hard work,” said Welch. “It was a lot of fun. It was daunting at first because it was in Elizabethan, but once I found my rhythm it worked out well,” said Paul. Senior Kaitryn Evans was the Nurse, and junior Vanessa Strahan played Sister Lawrence since the part was originally

Friar Lawrence, a male role. Mercutio was played by senior Charlie Weir.

Kathleen Welch (11) and Chris Paul (12) played the lead roles: Romeo and Juliet.

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L: Amirah Ahmad (11) and Na He Jeon (11) enjoy a break between sessions. The two, along with seven other Scope staffers, learned about writing, InDesign and PhotoShop. R: Saxon Scope staffers visit the San Antonio Riverwalk.

NEWS NOVEMBER 20124

SAXONSPEAK“Sleeping in a little bit more sounds sweet!”

“Sleeping in sounds nice, however with sports it would leave me little time to finish my homework.”

“Getting up early really helps with traffic, though a little more sleep would be nice.”

“It would be a good idea because people would not be fatigued during classes”

“ Should Langley’s start time be pushed back?

”-J.T. Meyer (11)-Steven Bonacci (10)-Julia Pyne (9) - Karishma Sonde (12)

By the time the sun comes up, most Lang-ley students have gotten dressed, eaten

breakfast and headed out the door. How-ever, that could soon change, because the Fairfax County School Board is planning to move all high school start times to 8 a.m. or later. Last April the School Board de-clared its goal to shift high school opening times so that students can get more sleep. “The school board is in the process of hiring a consultant to help FCPS reach this goal,” said Phyllis Payne, a co-founder of the SLEEP (Start Later for Excellence in Education Proposal) organization that has been pushing for later start times since 2004. FCPS hopes to “minimize cost and limit impact to sports and activities,” accord-ing to the resolution. This isn’t the first time FCPS has considered switching high school start times. In 2008, a county task force cre-ated a plan that had Langley starting at 8:55 and ending at 3:45, but it was rejected.

Research shows countless reasons why getting sleep is beneficial to students. According to the Virginia Academy of Sleep Medicine, teenagers need about nine hours of sleep per night. Shifts in teenage brains “make it hard for teens to fall asleep before 11 pm,” meaning high schoolers would need to sleep until 8 am. Meanwhile a lack of sleep leads to anger, impulsivity and loss of motivation. “Later morning start times have decreased depression and the need for medication among students,” said Payne. A National Sleep Foundation poll found that 15 percent of sophomores, juniors and seniors drive drowsy at least once a week, and that more than 25 percent of high school students surveyed fall asleep in class.

Many students agree that more sleep would be a definite advantage. “Think about it, why is Langley’s status going down? Why are kids’ grades going down? Because we are all sleeping in class,” said junior Sid Chawla. “Kids like us have to wake up at ungodly hours, and a lot of us are taking 5 Hour Energy shots.” Freshman Jonathan Canfield agreed. “Having to wake up at 5 a.m. is not preferable to me,” he said.

Just as there are benefits to opening high schools later, there are also many disadvantages. Students would get home much later, leaving less time for homework, sports and extracurriculars. “I actually would not want a late start because I want to get home early to finish all of my work,” said freshman Ananya Hegde. Junior Pallavi Prayaga added, “People who have sports would have to do all their homework at 9 pm.” Langley principal Matt Ragone stated that there would be a huge drop off in academics as a result of later start times. “There would be stress and confusion on how to balance everything,” he said. FCPS Superintendent Jack Dale had a similar viewpoint. “While there is research suggesting students would be better served to have later start times, students in general have not been in favor of doing so.” Mr. Ragone claimed that even if school were to start later, teachers would still arrive at the earlier times to avoid traffic. “Right now, school starts at the only time that we can make it,” he said.  A survey of all Langley faculty showed that 74 percent were opposed to later start times (results provided by Mr. Ragone).

The Downside of Sleep

The next step is for the FCPS School Board to hire a consulting firm and research other school systems that start later. FCPS will then create a “blueprint for change” that will outline modifications as well as the cost for everything. “The transportation system is a tool that can be used in almost any way. It can adapt to anything, as long as the school system is willing to pay for it,” said FCPS Director of Transportation Linda Farbry. “School Board members are set on making it happen,” said Mr. Ragone. However, according to Dr. Dale, the changes will “certainly not take place by next year.” “It’d take a tremendous amount of planning and rearranging,” added senior School Board student representative Lucy Gunter. School Board member Sandy Evans noted that public engagement will play a key role in the planning. “My personal hope would be to see this [change] accomplished by fall 2014,” she said.

Supporters of Sleep

Yes

No57%

43%

*Out of 100 students

Would you be in favor of an 8 a.m. start time?

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EFTIME TO HIT SNOOZE?FCPS considers a later start timeAIMEE CHOEDITOR-IN-CHIEF

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What’s Next

-Additional reporting by Sara Guglielmo

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pledge or if time runs over by a few minutes, teachers will criticize you.” T h e r e is a bottom line, however, which is finishing within the five-minute time slot given to Leadership for the morning an-nouncements. If the slot exceeds five minutes, teachers could be slightly thrown off of their class agendas. High School Game Day might go over that five-minute mark. “It’s hard to be short with the content in five minutes,” said Leadership teacher Ms. Sandy Hamilton. “There are a lot of announcements that have to be made and sometimes they cannot be finished within five minutes.” Whether or not it receives complaints, the announcers are staying positive. “The stu-dent body seems pretty pumped up,” said junior announcer J.T. Meyer.

NOVEMBER 2012 NEWS 5 TALK, TALK, TALKLong winded announcements amuse some, irk othersLI CHIENSENIOR STAFF WRITER

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“High School Game Day” features J.T. Meyer (11), Billy Orme (11) and A.J. Scalia (12) and its length may be upset-ting to teachers.

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J.T. Meyer (11) co-hosts the announcements. Hosts spend 5-10 minutes getting ready to hit the airwaves.

It’s 7: 27 in the morning and while the students are chuckling at the announcements, some teachers

are scrambling to adjust lesson plans at the length of them. Recently, the morning announcements have been passing the five minutes allotted to them. The leadership class has also added an-other new feature to the announcements, extend-ing them even further.

Beginning on the day of the Langley-McLean football game, Leadership added a new special called “High School Game Day,” (a playoff of ESPN’s “College Game Day”). The new pro-gram is designed to inform and excite students about important Langley games. With hosts senior AJ Scalia and juniors Billy Orme and JT Meyer, “High School Game Day” is supposed to pro-vide an engaging way to start the day.

Some teach-ers said the morning announcements are too long and take time out of les-sons. “There may be something that gets rolled over to the next class or a few minutes is added on to the work at home,” said English teacher Kevin Howard.” Meanwhile math teacher Matthew Pitkewicz would like to see the announcements stay at five minutes. “Teachers plan for an hour and 30 minute class.” “A lot of teachers give compliments, but for every com-

pliment there is a complaint,” said announcer AJ Scalia. “If you don’t wait long enough before saying the

SHOW ME THE MONEYNEWS NOVEMBER 20126

Freshmen and sophomores react to new finance class requirementAMIRAH AHMAD & SHREY DUAEXECUTIVE NEWS EDITOR & REPORTER

Ask Career and Technical Education teacher Mr. Everett Rice what classes he took in high school,

and he’ll tell you the typical courses--English, math, science and history. But then he’ll list one that most wouldn’t expect: finance. In the past, according to Mr. Rice, fi-nance was a com-mon class for all students to take. Last year, the Virginia Depart-ment of Educa-tion decided to return to that tradition, when it passed a policy requiring all stu-dents to take a class in econom-ics and person-al finance, according to the FCPS website. A year later, the requirement is being met with mixed reactions. Some students see future

benefits that can come from the requirement. “I think it’s good that it’s a mandatory course because it’ll give seniors coming out of high school better money skills,” said freshman Will Hauptli.

Sopho-more Afham Chotani agreed, “It should be re-quired because when you grow older you’ll need these eco-nomic skills.” H o w -ever, some students feel it leaves less room for oth-er electives.

“I feel like it’s a little ridicu-lous to make students take

another class. They shouldn’t just add on a class for requirement,” said junior Alex Dunbar. Similarly, students like freshman Ja-

son Guidi believe in freedom of choice. “People should choose what they want to learn,” he said. The two classes that fulfill the re-quirement are AP Micro/Macro Economics and Personal Finance. AP Macro and Micro is more focused on national and world economics. “We recommend students complete the requirement during junior and senior years because there’s more space in their schedule and the type of curriculum matches older students better,” said Director of Student Services Ms. Sonya Williams. Because the requirement is still so new, Langley is still working out how to handle the influx of students into finance class, according to Ms. Williams. New personal finance teachers are being considered, yet social studies, math, market-ing teachers are certified to teach the course as well. Whether students like finance class or not, there is one upside that ben-efits everyone. Because Economics and Per-sonal Finance requires computers, there is a chance Langley’s old desktops will be replaced. “We’re making decisions about whether or not desktops will be used in the future. We’re gearing more towards tablets and smartphones,” said Mr. Rice.

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EFMatt MacDonald (12) and Alex Ehat (12) consult their finance textbooks while working together on a project. New class re-quirements will put more students in finance classes to help them prepare for dealing with finances in everyday life.

LEILA RAMINPOUR & CATHY KIESSSENIOR STAFF WRITER & EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

VOTING NOT WASTED ON THE YOUNGHalf of youth in battleground states determine the vote

Half of the youth who voted this Novem-ber decided the battleground states of

Virginia, Pennsylvania, Florida and Ohio. A recent study by Tufts University found that almost half of all young people eligible to vote in the election earlier this month hit the voting booths, reaching a new high with 22-23 million participants between the ages of 18-29. Although the majority of Langley stu-dents can’t vote, many have political preferences due to Langley’s close proximity to the nation’s capital. The study noted that if half of the 19% of youth that voted in Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Virginia had voted conservative, Romney would have won the battleground states, giving him the elec-toral votes necessary to become the next president. Although contradictory with the Tufts study which said that 60% of youth fa-vored President Obama, many students feel that the country needed a new president. “Romney should have won because, as any teacher at Langley will tell you, no one gets an extension if they come in on the due date and say they need more time for their project,”

said junior Ben Parker. “Well, no one but Obama.” Othe r s b e -lieved that Obama did not follow through with his motto of change. “I really believed that after the first four bad years, people would want some real change in the White House,” said freshman Katherine Chura. Some said that Mitt Romney was exactly who we needed. “Mitt Romney was the more qualified can-didate, with his vast economic experience and expertise, as well as his success as a moderate conservative governor,” said senior Anne Gent. The victorious candidate, President Obama, also had his fair share of supporters at Lang-ley. “By understanding, listening, and connecting to the people, Obama makes sure it’s known that he is in the White House solely as a representative of the peo-ple and not of any major company or corporation,”

said junior Lindsey Hogge. President of the Young Democrats Club Cynthia Ding was “really pleased with the election results. I feel great that I helped with the election this year, with Virginia staying blue this year though most people thought it would go red. Overall I’m really excited for the next four years,” she said.

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-Reporter Ellie Cross also contributed to this story

L: Natalie Fahlberg (11) spent Election Day passing out sample ballots.R: Rokhsane Mahmoudi and Megan Flynn (12) attended an Obama rally on Nov. 3.

NOVEMBER 2012 NEWS 7

SAXONSPEAK“I played Monopoly and told stories by candlelight, it was a simple time.”

“I worked on college applica-tions.”

“We never lost power, so pretty much the same as always.”

“ WHAT DID YOU DO DURING THE STORM? ”-Sean Gordon (10)-Dana Khatib (9) -Natalie Rasmus(12)

Langley students take Hurricane Sandy head onSUPERSTORM SANDYLIZZY WEINGASTSPORTS EDITOR

She gave us a five-day weekend and some time to relax and watch T.V, but she also killed over 20 people, caused over 12,000 power outages and destroyed hun-dreds of homes along the East Coast. Thanks, Sandy. Despite the devastation and closed roads, Langley kids found ways to communicate with their friends. Students continuing to communicate throughout dangerous weather leads many to believe that with a snowy winter ahead, Langley students will still find ways to catch up with their friends. Sandy caused many Langley stu-dents to lose power and resort to the use of flashlights and candles. Some students such as senior Erin Long maintained their power with the help of underground landlines. With a snowy forecast ahead, junior Emma DiGiammarino claims that “I’m excited for snow this winter, but since I lost power during hurricane Sandy, if we have a blizzard I will most likely lose it again”. However, students like junior Killeen Rivers who assumed that they would lose power charged their devices the day before the storm hit. “I charged my computer and then kept a cord so once the power went out I could plug my phone into the computer to keep it charged,” she said. With the help of fully charged computers and phones, Langley students were able to use their beloved iMessage, Twitter, Facebook and Instagram throughout the hurricane. This winter before a snow storm hits students will most likely resort to the “fully charged electronics” method again to insure that their friends are only one text away. Instead of just texting with friends during Sandy, junior Tori Robinson decided to hang out with friends. The Robinson family opened their house to numerous Langley stu-dents such as juniors Julia Peirce and Olivia Brodnax.  “Having friends over was a lot of fun because we always found something fun to do, and it never really got boring,” said Robinson. Instead of hanging out with friends during the

storm senior Riley Cutler caught up with friends before the storm hit. “I went over to my best friend’s house to hang out Sunday night before the storm hit Monday morning,” said Cutler. As a result of the hurricane, many stu-dents spent more time with friends, proving that if a blizzard were to hit this winter, it would ultimately bring Langley students together as opposed to apart. From pouring down rain, sixty miles per an hour winds and possible feet of snow tihis winter, Sandy proved that no obstacle is too large for Langley students who want to communicate with and see their friends.

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HURRICANE RELIEF EFFORTS After hearing the devastation that accrued in New York and New Jersey following Hurricane Sandy, the leadership class decided to stand up and try to make a difference. Heading the project was Se-nior Riley Cutler, who heard that Churchill Elemen-tary School was holding a drive and wanted Langley to do the same. “I emailed the principal there to see if Langley could contribute by holding a drive for the same supplies. She agreed and now I’m working with the mom that organized it there,” said Cutler. From flyers to Facebook groups, the leadership class is tak-ing advantage of social media to urge students to do-nate. Some of the supplies that first aid responders are calling for include blankets, cleaning supplies, coats, school supplies and toiletries. The collection at Lang-ley was during the week of November 12. During tragic times like this Langley students are finding a way to contribute in any way possible. Leadership is proud to say that Langley is making a difference to the many victims located in New York and New Jersey area. --Lizzy Weingast, Sports Editor

Junior Katherine Gallo’s beach house in New Jersey was badly destroyed during Hurricane Sandy. Parts of her house flew off due to the harsh winds of Hurricane Sandy.

-J.T. Meyer (11)

“My uncle came to see us from overseas.”

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NEWS NOVEMBER 20128 SYSTEM OVERLOADComputer labs closed during Saxon Time

Besides computers in teacher’s classrooms, stu-dents can use 55 computers located in the

library during Saxon Time. But with the addition of computer labs, which sit empty just down the hall, that number would jump to 155. Until a few years ago, three computer labs were open for student use during Saxon Time. Now, they sit unused except for teachers who reserve them for their classes. The main reason the labs are closed is because of a lack of available teachers and faculty members. “It’s been an issue of having available people to monitor the rooms,” said head librarian Philip Clark. “We have a history of students de-stroying the equipment. We can’t have a room open with a bunch of students in them without an adult.” Up until the labs closed, teachers from the Humanities Department monitored them

HARRIS LATEEFONLINE EDITOR

during Saxon Time. “I do think the humanities teach-ers thought that manning the labs was a burden,” said Social Studies Depart-ment Chair Steve Plunkett. When the Langley administration tried to spread the duty between all the dif-ferent departments, some de-partments objected. “No de-partment wanted to do that,” said Assistant Principal Jessica Statz. “It wasn’t fair to have one department man the labs.”

Start This Year at the Top of Your Class!

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The computer labs in room 207 and 193 are vacant during Sax-on Time. If they were open, over 100 more computers would be available.

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However, students feel they would benefit from the open labs. “By closing the labs, students can’t properly study because of the new online textbooks and our new dependence on technol-ogy,” said sophomore Class President Fakhri Naji. Senior Jenna Dean has also been affected by the lack of available computers. “You’re staying up to 3 a.m. and you have some assignment that you didn’t prioritize for and you go to the library and they’re already turning people away,” said Dean.

“Five out of six times last year, I wouldn’t turn in a homework assignment be-cause there weren’t any computers in the li-brary,” said sophomore Nirosha Beekhuysen. “We have the computers for a reason. We should be able to use them, otherwise, it’s just

a waste,” added freshman Kerry Bush.

NEW COMPUTER LABS POLICYAFTER SCHOOL

The Langley administraton has opened the com-puter lab in room 193 on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays from 2:30 to 4:00 pm for students to complete academic work.

NOVEMBER 2012 NEWS 9 SURVIVING SHOPPING MADNESSLangley mall workers survive the Black Friday rushCATHY KIESSEDITOR-IN-CHIEF

As many Langley students risked sleep depriva-tion to get one-time deals, two Langley stu-

dents worked to give them. Seniors Kevin Her-man and Hoai-Nam Bui gave the Saxon Scope a behind-the-scenes look at working in retail on the busiest shopping day of the year.Saxon Scope: Where did you work on Friday and what were your hours like?Kevin Herman: This is my sec-ond year at the Old Navy in Tysons Corner, but my first do-ing the Black Friday night shift. I worked from 11:30pm Thursday to 10:00am on Friday, working until 2 am before I got a break.Hoai-Nam Bui: I worked at Abercrombie Kids from 10:30 pm Thursday until 7:30am Friday morning, 2pm-2am Friday-Saturday and 5-11pm Saturday.SS: Where there any incidents or unusual cus-tomers you saw when you were working?KH: There was a table of neatly folded shirts, and I thought, “Those won’t last very long.” And sure enough, a lady walked up and knocked off five

piles of shirts just to pick up one shirt and look at it, before putting it down and walking out of the store.HB: There was one lady who was apparently really angry about waiting an hour in line to buy her clothes, so she literally walked up to a table and flipped every pile onto the floor. SS: Was there anything unusual or different from your normal working experience?

KH: The line for the cash register wrapped around the store a couple times and stayed that way for hours, taking 30 minutes just to check out. Also, the managers had made a spreadsheet of where every-

one was going to be and when the breaks would be for the entire shift, and they’ve never done that before.HB: There are a lot of teenagers who work there, and on their breaks, some kids would hide in what we call the “base,” a bunch of rolling drawers in the back, and sleep in the stockrooms.SS: How would you describe the people who were shopping?

SINGING SENSATION TAKES NATIONAL TV STAGE

Around the holidays, most students spend their time relaxing and watching TV. This Thanks-

giving, freshman Annie Mae Weiss did that as well—but when she watched TV, she was watch-ing herself. Weiss and her father, two-time

Olympic figure skater Michael Weiss, performed in the Musselman’s Apple Sauce Family Skat-ing Tribute this month, with Annie Mae singing while her father did a skating routine. The show featured renowned skaters such as Kristi Yamagu-chi and Nancy Kerrigan, and the skaters’ children.

“We went to Phoenix, Arizona to tape the show in front of a live audience,” said Annie Mae. “After it was edited, it aired on NBC.” Annie Mae, who has been singing for seven years, sang “Don’t You Remember” by Adele. She described the taping experience as “really cool,” especially since it gave her the opportunity to meet re-nowned country singer Jewel. “Although I have performed thousands of

Freshman Annie Mae Weiss and her father perform in televised NBC skating special AIMEE CHOEDITOR-IN-CHIEF

times, this was one of my most memorable perfor-mances. I was more nervous than normal, as I did not want to mess up her moment on TV,” said Mr. Weiss. Annie Mae takes private voice lessons once a week and is also a member of the Langley treble choir. She has already recorded two songs—Adele’s “Don’t You Remember” and “God Help the Outcasts” from the Hunchback of Notre Dame. Her dream is to write and record her own songs in the future.“I want to be famous one day,” she said. Her father is no stranger to the spot-light, either. He’s won three national figure skat-ing championships, competed at the Olympics twice and toured with Stars on Ice. He is retired from performing now, but he still commentates for NBC Sports’ Grand Prix of Figure Skating and runs the Michael Weiss foundation, which awards scholarships to promising skaters. Even with all of his accomplishments, Weiss makes sure to put his family first. “I gladly juggle my schedule to meet the now hectic sched-ules of my kids,” he said. “I think Annie Mae has a gift of a beautiful voice, and she can take it as far as she likes. She has a natural ability to perform her best under pressure.”

KH: You know that jittery feeling people get when they are on caf-feine? It was like that, an energetic buzz. You would try and have a conversation with someone next to you, and a cus-tomer would walk right in between you.HB: I discovered that people are ac-tually animals on Black Friday, and I have never actu-ally slept a full 12 hours straight until that weekend.KH: You know that feeling after you finish run-ning a cross country race and you feel like, “This is never going to end,” but after you finish you feel splendid? It felt like that.

L: Annie Mae Weiss (9) and her father, Olympic skater Michael Weiss, performed together for a televised skating tribute. R: Weiss sings Adele’s “Don’t You Remember.”

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Hoai-Nam Bui (12) works at Abercrombie Kids, where she clocked a total of 28 hours over the Black Friday weekend.

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“One lady walked up to a table and flipped every pile onto the

floor.”-Hoai-Nam Bui (12)

NEWS NOVEMBER 201210 MODELING SUCCESSLangley Model UN team debates its way to the win

They write papers in their free time that are over 20 pages long. They consult 200-page bind-

ers of research. They devote more time than they would for an AP class. They are the Model UN team, and they just beat TJ to win Best Large Delegation (first) at their last national conference. Model UN is a club that debates world issues with other high school delegates from around the nation. Members are assigned to represent different countries, and debate anything from human trafficking to Mid-dle East uprisings, according to senior treasurer Cynthia Ding. Coming off a success-ful season last year, when they were ranked 22nd in the nation, the team had one goal this year: beating TJ at the annual William and Mary con-ference in November. Not only did they achieve their goal, they also bested Huntington Beach High from California, which is eighth in the nation, and the University of Chicago Laboratory School, which is third in the nation, according to junior member

Jiho Kim. “It may sound effort-less to some, but Langley’s win was no easy fight,” he said. “It feels fantastic to beat TJ, as all our preparation paid off. More than beating TJ was just knowing how every mem-ber of the team helped each other to help Langley win,” said Ding.

Ding, Jenna Smith, and Ra-chel Stone, junior Jiho Kim and sophomores Cameron Davis and Rachel Wu—placed first in their commit-tees.

“All the work that we put into prep is finally paying off. We just put ourselves on the map for the entire year,” said senior Jenna Smith, who is the Under Secretary-General (vice presi-dent) of MUN. The members were quick to point out their win wouldn’t have been possible without math teacher Ms. Jillian Busath, the club’s new sponsor this year. “Without her, we wouldn’t ex-

ist,” said senior Mujtaba Wani, who is Secretary-General (president) of Model UN. The team doesn’t show signs of slowing down any time soon. They continue to meet every week, and will be attending national level confer-ences at Duke University and the University of Pennsylvania in the next few months, according to Ding. Kim hopes that the team will be able to boost their national ranking even more. “Every-one feels strongly the rankings are going to be very different by the end of the year.”

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The Model UN team poses with the silver platter they won after being named Best Large Delegation at their William and Mary competition, beating out TJ for the first time in years.

NEEKA EGHBALI AND AIMEE CHOSTAFF WRITER AND EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

“We just put ourselves on the map for the entire year.”

Jenna Smith (12)

11 feature November 2012

climbing unharnessed on rickety, unsecure scaffolding. Running on a leg that’s just

been hit by a falling bed of wood. Suffering the occasional burn from an overheated metal nail. Welcome to a typical day in the life of the theater- tech crew. This year is the first that Technical Theater is offered as an elective class, but the eclectic group of students--“techies,” as they refer to themselves--has been putting in countless hours behind the scenes of Langley’s theater productions for years. “We’re here from the end of school to 5:30, sometimes 7:30, every day leading up to the shows,” said junior Julia Walker, who is the Director of Scenery and Art. “We also come in on weekends.” On performance days, the techies are at school for 20 hours each day. They’re in charge of everything from building sets and designing lights to creating props and making sure everything goes smoothly backstage. “We pretty much do everything,” said Sound Design Manager and senior Kate Fraser. To make things even more difficult, the crew usually only has about a week’s notice before they have to spring into action. “We never know ahead of time what show we’re going to do. It’s really hard to plan because of that,” said Fraser. For the theater department’s most recent production, Romeo and Juliet, the tech crew decided to go in a completely different direction than anything they’d ever done before. Skipping the typical balcony and pillars, they opted for a futuristic cityscape with grunge scaffolding. “Having the technical theater class

Left: Alex Swann (12) tightens a screw in the scaffolding for Romeo and Juliet. Middle: Julia Walker (11), Director of Scenery and Art, adds paint details to the scenery. Right: Construc-tion Manager Heather Rody (12) puts the finishing touches on the paint for the scaffolding.

“When a show is over, it’s not taking down the set that’s hard for me. It’s that we don’t know

what to do with ourselves.”-Ben Kenna (11)

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enabled us to do an adventurous set. It was the first time we used scaffolding, and I want to use it more,” said theater teacher Ms. Phyliss Jaffe. Pulling it off was no easy feat. “It took us two full days to build the scaffolding. We had

to do one layer at a time, then climb up in order to build the next layer. It wasn’t always necessarily secure,” laughed Rody. After the initial foundation was built, painting the set took about a week. “The paint

needed several layers, so I ended up painting everything about four times total,” said Walker. The long hours have allowed the

AIMEE CHOEDITOR-IN-CHIEF

techies to become a close knit family. They spend lunch and Saxon Time together every day, even during the off-weeks when there’s no work to be done. “You’ll always find us together. We’re a huge family,” said Walker. “Here, I’ve found some of my best friends in the entire world,” added Fraser. Surprisingly, the techies don’t mind much when it’s time for them to dismantle all of their hard work at the end of each show. “When a show is over, it’s not taking down the set that’s hard for me,” said junior Ben Kenna. “It’s that we don’t know what to do with ourselves.” Walker added, “You spend so much time with these people, and so much time working, that when it’s all over it’s just kind of weird.”

SETTING THE STAGE First ever theater tech class sets the scene for “Romeo and Juliet,” changes the direction of the Saxon Stage

FEATURE NOVEMBER 201212 NOVEMBER 2012 FEATURE 13

Bollywood ClubT he flashing sequins and rhythmically swaying

skirts so common in Bollywood have always been missing from the halls of Langley. That is, until juniors Alisha Luthra and Riya Nag created the Bollywood Club. “Bollywood is basically the south Asian Hollywood, where every movie is a musical. It is one of the greatest representations of Indian culture,” said Nag. The two friends hoped to use this movie-empire as an educational example of Indian life by playing Bollywood clips at club meetings and then allowing students to immerse themselves in Indian culture through related activities. Throughout the year, club members will be dissecting Indian clothing, entertainment and tradition through this media-based approach. They will also be planning a “Color K” based off of the “Color Run,” a charity race in India.

Food Appreciation ClubFood Appreciation Club is exactly what it sounds

like: warm brownies, the smell of dishes from all around the world, and the sound of students grow-ing closer as they chow down. Members of the club meet every week to enjoy treats. In this way they share not only their favorite meals, but aspects of their heritage as well. “I am really looking forward to trying all of the ethnic foods,” said Kristian Stanford. Food Appreciation Club members not only plan to do fun activities such as cooking competitions modeled after “Iron Chef ’ and Bobby Flay’s show “Throwdown,” they are also very passionate in giving back to their own community. They hold canned food drives to donate and help others that are less fortunate. “Everyone has a morbidly obese person inside of them,” said senior Food Appreciation Club vice president Luke McLindon, “and this club lets me embrace that.”

Southern Girls ClubMembers of the Southern Girls Club gather every

Thursday for a day filled with apple pie and sweet tea while watching classic southern movies and having a good time. The club is all about promoting southern hospitality and traditions by homely gather-ings and volunteer services. “We always have funny topics to talk about,” said junior club president Eliza-beth Chapman, “yet we still always manage to get things done because it’s hardly even work, since we’re all friends.” Southern Girls Club also gives back to the community by donating baked goods, volunteer-ing at the Sunrise retirement home, hosting a USO drive for America’s soldiers and having car washes to raise funds. Additionally, the club’s members got to show off their southern wear on the popular spirit day “cowgirl day” this year.

White blurs fly through the air every Friday as Langley’s champion ping pong players emerge

every after school to practice their paddle-skills, prepare for competitions, and just have fun. This is a typical “meeting” for Langley’s Ping Pong Club, started by Jane Ong, a senior last year. Members set up ping pong tables and play games for two to four hours, rotating partners. “Most meetings there isn’t enough space for everyone to be playing at one time,” said senior club president Ali Zaidi. Although they’re not as competition-oriented as other sports at Langley, Zaidi mentioned starting club tournaments at different times during the school year, and starting a student versus faculty tournament as well. “A lot of players in the club are extremely competitive and are

always looking to show their skill,” said Zaidi.

BRIDGE CL B

PING PONG CLUB

POI CLUB

BLAIR PURDY AND SUSIE KIMFEATURE EDITOR AND REPORTERLayout by Blair Purdy, Brandon Arcari and Brendan Coffey Graphics by Blair Purdy

Two sets of partners sit around a table in room 234, playing a game that involves auctions, dealing and a 52-card deck. The game is bridge and it was brought to Langley through Bridge Club, an after school activity created to teach students

the ropes of the trick-taking card game. The game revolves around bidding auctions in which players attempt to establish a “contract” and eventually win by accumulat-ing more points than their opponents. In addition to learning the complex rules of bridge, students also get the chance to use their skills in a competitive atmosphere. “The Club intends to develop competitive bridge skills so that we can compete against other schools, such as TJ, who have had a Bridge Club for over a decade, and also compete in local clubs and tournaments against experienced adult players,” said club sponsor Mr. Paul Setzer.

Rings of fire and swinging weights define a skill that many students have started to master through Langley’s very own Poi Club. Poi is a performance art originating from New Zealand

that uses lighted, tethered weights and fire to create patterns in the air in time to music. Langley students replicate this complex art by swinging tennis balls and lengths of rope, as well as glow sticks, and then trying different media as they move up in skill level. Members of the club practice their talents in large open spaces, trying out new tricks and techniques, in preparation for bigger stages. “In the future, we hope to perform during some of the indoor pep rallies or assemblies. It really is a flashy and impressive skill,” said junior Poi Club president Ellen Cantor.

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We’ve all heard of the

Community Service

club, the chess club and the

Spanish club. However, some of

the most intriguing and unique

clubs in Langley are often

overlooked. The Saxon Scope

decided to find out more about

these ball flying, card playing

and food sharing clubs.

A SPOTLIGHT ON SOME OF LANGLEY’S MOST ORIGINAL -- AND FUN -- AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES

CRAZYCLUBS

FEATURE NOVEMBER 201214 LIKE A GOOD NEIGHBOURMATT SMITHCOPY EDITOR

Langley student and his cat take on the webWHEN IN DOUBT, YOUTUBE HELPS OUT

-Avani Hedge and Nate Shafer, Staff Writer and Reporter

“Just the way he puts them to-gether and uses his cat makes

them re-watchable.”-Sid Venkatraman (12)

At Langley, you know him as senior Philip Neighbour. But on YouTube, he is known by

a different name: philipthecow. For several years now, Neighbour has been creating and uploading popular videos starring himself, his friends and his cat Sinus. The senior made his first video in the seventh grade for a school project and while it didn’t instantly spark his desire to make videos, it at the very least helped him learn valuable skills. He enjoys the process of filming and editing them, but believes that videos without a purpose are pointless. “I make them because I am inspired,” he said. With only nine uploaded videos, Philip’s YouTube account currently has around 4,250 views. He’ll be quick to point out, though, that not all his videos are on his own

account. A video he co-made called “Origami Epic – Stop Motion,” which has around 1,500 views, currently resides on his brother’s YouTube channel. The most popular video on Philip’s channel is titled “Glass Table Breaks,” which features Philip and some of his German

classmates filming a video innocently. Things go awry when one of his classmates pushes another classmate, who trips backwards and falls through a glass table. Philip’s videos are well known at Langley, especially

among the junior and senior classes. “His videos are extremely funny,” said senior Sid Venkatraman. “Just the way he puts them together and uses his cat makes them re-watchable.” While some question Philip’s motives as purely monetary, he hasn’t made a single cent on any of his  videos. But it’s not like he hasn’t had the chance to earn money on them. “Someone offered me 100 Euros to buy my glass table breaking video, but I said no,” added Neighbour.

When you’re having trouble with your homework, who do you go to for help?

Your teacher? A tutor? What about YouTube? Lately, more and more students have been turning to YouTube and other online video sites, such as Khan Academy, for help with school work. Some teachers, such as physics teacher Mr. Robert Culbertson, post videos on YouTube that explain problems students may have trouble with. “I’m not interesting in boosting grades, I’m interested in boosting understanding,” he said. “I think it’s more informative if you can see the problem being solved rather than just seeing the answer. It’s not more effective than getting help from a teacher but it’s a good supplement.” Several of his students and even students from other schools use his videos for help on physics. “It’s very helpful and you can use it whenever you want without staying after,” said junior Rachel Myers. More and more students seem to like the idea of using YouTube as a source of help. “I plan to use YouTube to help review for my classes,” said freshman Matthew Arrison. Khan Academy is another popular site for Langley students, offering video tutorials in which a narrator explains the subject with drawings and writing on the screen. “I use it because I don’t understand calculus very well,” said junior Claire Doody. “It makes it easier if I can’t see the person because then there are no distractions.” Khan Academy provides videos for a variety of subjects. “It’s really helpful because I can rewind the lesson, and sometimes the video has examples that I understand better,” said freshman Swetha Ramesh. Of course, YouTube and the Khan Academy can’t replace in-person learning.“It depends on the student,” said Mr. Culbertson.“If the student is really struggling, they need to come see me and get help. Nothing will replace interaction.”

Philip Neighbour (12) in his video “Backwards.” The video has 309

views, and his YouTube channel philipthecow has over 4,300 views.

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The above YouTube video by Physics teacher Mr. Robert Culbertson (mrcsaxonphysics) explains the kinetic energy in a system when two objects rotate together.

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NOVEMBER 2012 FEATURE 15 SHOOTING FOR THE SKYSenior enlists in the Air ForceALEX KRIALNEWS EDITOR

ON THE MENDLangley teacher battles cancerCATHY KIESSEDITOR-IN-CHIEFSpecial Education teacher Ms. Ann Goldstein was recently diagnosed with cancer. If the recent Langley blood drive held in her honor is any indication, Ms. Goldstein’s incredible impact on her students has left them wanting to help her in any way they can. “She cares about each and every one of her students, and her students remember her and understand this fact. She tries to reach every student and tries to motivate them to rise to their potential,” said Special Education teacher Ms. Joyce Spechler. Ms. Goldstein team teaches with English teachers to give additional help to

Next September, senior Julie Jones won’t be packing her bags and leaving for college. Instead, she’ll be headed off to the Lackland Air Force base in San Antonio, Texas to start her career in the military. Raised in a military-oriented family, Jones grew up with the impression that serving her country

was a tradition passed on through the generations. “The one catalyst that made me really want to join was when I went to my brother’s graduation in 8th grade. I saw the path he chose in the military and I was like, ‘Wow, I really want to do that,’” said Jones. Jones started her Junior Reserve Officer Training Core (JROTC) career her junior year at Langley. Enrolled in JROTC courses at Chantilly High School, she leaves classes at Langley several days a week to get her basic training, even dressing in uniform each Thursday. “JROTC is like a step up process to help you get your com-mission in ROTC. It gives you a taste of what ROTC would be like in college,” said Jones. Although Jones is happy with her choice to pursue a career in the military, she has faced many challenges throughout high school. “I make a lot of sacrifices for ROTC,” she said. She’s had to miss many pep rallies and football games because of her dedication to the military. “She’s very motivated and com-mitted to our country; I’m so stoked for Julie,” said senior Lane Anderson. Enlisting into the Air Force wasn’t easy, either. Not only did she have to talk to a recruiter, sign many documents and pass

several tests, but she also had to go through the military entrance processing station. “It’s a giant military building in which everybody and every branch goes through to get processed. You get medically processed and you take a test to qualify intel-lectually for the military, called the Armed Ser-vices Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB.)” The ASVAB   is a multiple choice test, administered by the United States Military Entrance Processing Command, used to deter-

mine qualification for enlistment. “You have to get a certain score to even get into a certain branch. But then there are technical levels to help you qualify for a job,” said Jones. “Once you’re medically and intellectually approved, you sign a contract saying that you are committed.”

The Air Force then posts a list of jobs, called a Job Drop, documenting the positions that they need filled each year. Jones was placed in avion-ics, a branch of the Air Force in charge of performing maintenance on aircraft, troubleshooting malfunc-tions, and working on various control systems. Jones signed her job contract for the military this October, and will be shipping out Sep. 10 of next year to start at Lackland’s avionics department. Jones commented, “It’s bittersweet. I am very nervous but it’s also very exciting!”

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Julie Jones (12) practices accuracy shooting in her free time. Jones will leave for Texas af-ter spending the last two years in the Junior Reserve Officer Training Core.

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Ms. Jennifer McAdams and Ms. Ann Gold-stein team teach English 9. Ms. Goldstein was diagnosed this summer. Retired teacher Ms. Brigitte Lavey is substituting in her classes.

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Principal Matthew Ragone donates blood at Langley’s blood drive in honor of Ms. Goldstein.

students who may be struggling in English. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in humanities and a Master’s degree in special education, according to Ms. Spechler. Sophomore Jovanny Jadacki, who had Ms. Goldstein freshman year, said she found Ms. Goldstein to be a very generous, helpful teacher. “She was great to work with, she has that energy to not give up on her students. She cares and wants me to get better.” English teacher Ms. Jennifer McAdams, who team teaches with Ms. Goldstein, described Ms. Goldstein as a little lady with a huge heart. “She knows how to give that extra push in a way that even some of the more difficult students will listen. Ms. Goldstein is one of the most selfless people that I know. Ms. Goldstein also has told her classes every year about the student who named his dog Humbaba after the character in the epic “Gilgamesh,” said Ms. McAdams. “Ms. Goldstein always gets the most fantastically huge smile when she remembers how that student came in year after year to let her know how Humbaba was doing,” said Ms. McAdams. Ms. Goldstein’s son Ben describes his mother as a loyal, giving and loving person. “She cares deeply about her family, her friends, and

her students. She is someone who is very positive and strong regardless the adversity she faces,” he said. Because Ms. Goldstein is such a selfless person, she hopes that others will help work for a cure, instead of sitting around and worrying about her. “Let’s take her advice and do all we can to raise awareness and support for cancer research--and hopefully one day, we can beat this crummy disease,” said Ms. McAdams. Ms. Goldstein is doing well so far and is waiting to receive further treatment, according to her son.

“Once you’re medically and in-tellectually approved, you sign a

contract.”-Julie Jones (12)

FEATURE NOVEMBER 201216 CENTER OF ATTENTIONSaxon Writing Center witnesses huge growth

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AMIRAH AHMAD & SHREY DUAEXECUTIVE NEWS EDITOR & REPORTERJunior Alisha Luthra peeked into the room during her sophomore year, too nervous to enter. It was her first time seeking help from a senior tutor. She was intimidated by upperclassmen and worried that her essay wasn’t good enough. From the perspective of some tu-tees--those recieving writing help, the Saxon Writing Center seemed daunting during its early stages. “The first time I went there I was

like ‘Uh, what is this place,’ and I didn’t want to show them what I wrote because I thought they would make me feel stupid,” said Luthra. The Saxon Writing Center began last year and has a witnessed a tremendous amount of growth since then. On average, 50 kids visit the center each day about half of them re-quired to go and the other half going on their own, according to senior tutor Elissa Purdy.

The Saxon Writing Center consists of two classes of senior tutors. This allows each lunch to have a dif-ferent set of seniors providing help. Students are able to come in with English and history essays, college essays and class assignments to improve various parts of their writing. The problems the center sees varies by grade level, according to senior tutors Kate Fitzgerald and Caitlin Rose. Freshmen need help in understanding what commentary is, and how to separating it from evidence. Sophomores--who are the most rare of SWC visitors, only need general feed-back. Juniors need to work on structure and the layout of their essays. Finally, seniors get advice on college essays

with one question in mind: “Does it sound good?” Still a little intimidating for freshmen, the writing center continues to grow. “When I first had to go to I thought it would be a waste of time, and I wouldn’t get any extra help. But I have made many improvements with

my writing since then,” said freshman Ashleigh Robie. “I think the Saxon Writing Center is more successful now since it’s more advertised. People last year didn’t know where it was, but now it’s a lot

more recognizable,” said senior tutor Elissa Purdy. The center still has its critics, however. “I knew how I could improve my current essay after going to the writing center, but it didn’t really help me out in terms of the next essay I would have to write,” said junior Diana Handler. In the end, following a teacher’s orders can help students overcome the barrier of the potential awkwardness. “I went there for the requirement, but

Nathan Bala (9) gets advice on his essay from Greg Adams (12) at the Saxon Writing Center. Some teachers require students or offer bonus points for visiting the center. Oth-ers go to improve essays and other assignments.

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HO The scoop on the Saxon Writing Center-The Saxon Writing Center is open during all lunches in room 193 on odd days and room 295 on even days.- Walk-ins are always welcome. Students should bring a piece of writing that they want to improve.- The SWC also posts writing tips on Twitter (@saxonwritingctr) and Facebook (Saxon Writing Center).

“I went there for the requirement, but I thought it

was actually really helpful.”--Kevin Pulley (9)

The little man with the big plan. That was my iconic phrase while running for school presi-

dent in elementary school. While those few words were a big success at the school, I had no idea they would stick throughout my next few years, since I figured I was going to grow taller (I didn’t). Through my elementary years the height issue was not as big a deal; people usu-ally just assumed I was a kindergardener who had wandered into a sixth grade classroom. In middle school I landed a few parts in plays - supposedly due to my height (Dis-claimer: just because the villain was ironically named “Mr.Big,” doesn’t mean my superb acting skills didn’t contribute to my landing the role). These have been the past few years of my short life, yet never until Langley have I felt so large. I wasn’t expecting what was to come on the first day of school: it rocked me like a giant - more like a giant senior who just picks me up and throws me over his shoulder. Luckily, a doctor’s appointment be-fore the start of the school year filled me with all the information I’d need to get by freshman year. Are you a freshman? How old are you? How much do you weigh? WHAT’S YOUR HEIGHT? I’ve never really got this question: you all have eyes - clearly, you can see that I’m short. It’s like everyone thinks I’m some kind of hallucination, and they need to know that I’m exactly fifty five inches (4”7 for those of you who are slower at math) to make sure they’re not crazy. And finally, after hand sizes are compared and I’m benched like a dumb-bell, they’ll ask for my name. That cycle continued with ev-ery male I met in the school throughout the first week. I did have its advantages though: the girls seemed to simply think I was cute (good enough for me). In addition, I would constantly have people whispering about me while I walked down the halls for the first few days, usually catching phrases like, “That kid is so short.” Really? I hadn’t noticed. You folks at Lang-

ley must work on your whispering, if my tiny ears can catch all the hottest gossip, so can the rest of Langley’s. To recap my high school social career thus far,   I’ve been used as a bill-board for homecom-ing, been proclaimed Brad Dotson’s son, and almost been “The Chosen One.” How do I feel about this? For the most part, fine. I really appreci-ate the love I’ve been receiving at Langley. Although I’ve hugged many of you already, as you requested when we first met, I’d do it again just to say thanks. Especially to the seniors, who appear to be my biggest fans (not only height wise). I don’t really even need to walk anywhere after all the piggy back rides I receive from the class of 2012. My only complaint would be to please ask before you pick me up, just common courtesy. If I had the upper body, I’d ask you before picking you up. It’s just a strange sensation to one moment be looking from a fifty five inch perspective, and sud-denly be looking at the world from seven feet, only to look down and realize you’re in the hands of a senior. I’m sure you’ve all had that happen to you before. My doctors tell me I’m probably not

17opinion Little man with a big plan

BRENDAN COFFEYREPORTER

going to grow for a few more years, as a late bloomer thanks to my Mom and Dad, who are now average but were short growing up (Small + Small = Even smaller), but perhaps that’s not a bad thing. I could get used to a few more years of this.

BRENDAN THE SMALL

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Brad Dotson (12) and Brendan Coffey (9) have forged a friendship, despite difference in size.

Brendan Coffey (9) was featured in this year’s homecoming spirit week video.

Brendan Coffey (9) and Principal Matthew Ragone compete in the Pep Rally relay competition.

OPINION NOVEMBER 201218 EARLY BIRD CATCHES THE WORM?Some want more time for sleep, but others want the time for activitiesMANA AFSARIREPORTER

ABDULLAH JAMILREPORTER

Every morning, as my iPhone’s alarm goes off like a siren, I curse FCPS for starting school so early. It crosses my mind that may-

be they had good reasoning to begin school before even the birds start to sing, but as I slam my alarm on the ground in an attempt to silence it once and for all, this “rea-soning” doesn’t seem to register in my mind. If this

scenario sounds similar to your own mornings, please, read on. For the last fourteen years, FCPS has been consider-ing adjusting the high school schedule to start at 8:00 AM in-stead of 7:20. For a plan that’s been in progress since I was born, it seems strange that they still haven’t come to a conclusion. I, for one, am completely in support of this pro-posal because looking at my classmates, we all need sleep. It’s pointless to expect a high school student to fall asleep be-fore eleven o’clock. I often end up becoming a hopeless in- somniac as well; spend- ing precious sleeping time on Tumblr or Facebook- stalking people I honestly don’t care about. And when morning finally does come amidst social net-works and self-pity, it is actually physically impossible for me to leave my bed. However, once I do, it’s impossible for me, and every other student I know, to be alert when we’ve only gotten five hours of sleep. We all would be more productive and focused if we only had the energy. When you’re rested, you care more about what you’re learning. Your mood is clearly better. And, as we GPA-ob-sessed Saxons will appreciate, you will probably excel in school. Many will claim that there wouldn’t be any time

It’s time for me to go public about my very personal relationship: I am in love with sleep. It’s my longtime girlfriend that I can come home

to every night. But even though love is all about sacrifice, there’s just some I’m not willing to make. Starting school at 8 AM for an extra hour or so of sleep is just not worth it to me. Let’s start with one thing we all hate: traffic. The roads

start to flood with cars around 8 AM because of all the people trying to get to work. I have a 50 minute bus ride to get to school that even my endless supply of Eminem and Tupac on my iPod can’t help. The bus would come even earlier because of the extra traffic too, in order to make it to school on time, so you wouldn’t really be getting that much extra sleep. A longer bus ride with the radio blasting Call Me Maybe every 5 seconds is just atrocious. Being able to get to school on time would be a real challenge, and the extra hour of sleep would be mostly spent on the bus ride to school. Extra sleep is great when it’s in my bed, not when I’m squished next to a random freshman on the bus. A t h l e t e s will have to face a huge obstacle of getting back home from school late and trying to keep their grades up. Athletes will not be able to juggle sports, school and a social life. Langley only has a limited amount of lights on the fields, which would also be a problem, since it gets dark earlier in the fall and winter.

Starting school at 8 AM for an extra hour or so of sleep is just

not worth it to me.

As my iPhone’s alarm goes off like a siren, I curse FCPS for

starting school so early.

I also have a job and work evening shifts, so I wouldn’t

have much time after I get home from school to finish my homework before work. The only thing I look forward to on a school day is when it ends. Even if we start later, just knowing that school ends an hour later than it does now would

make me dread coming to school even more. Sleep, you’re

still my main girl, but we need our space.  

for jobs or sports with the schedule change. Even if you’ll end up coming home late from extracurricular activities, you’ll have plenty of time to finish ev-erything you need to. With more sleep, you’ll perform better in your job or sport of choice anyway. The pressure to be per-fect, a prevailing theme at Langley, is overwhelming, and most often seems impossible to overcome. And frankly, sleep is the place to start.

November 2012 19sports FANTASY FRENZY Competition heats up between Langley fantasy leagues CAYHAN MOVAGHARIREPORTER

For many Langley students, fantasy foot-ball isn’t just a game; it’s a way of life. And that lifestyle has prompted students here at

Langley to create many leagues of their own. Two leagues in particular, however, stand out among the rest. Hey, It’s All About the U (HIAATU) is one of them. This league is comprised of ten football-loving Saxons who compare in competi-tive spirit to that of the NFL players’ themselves. After being denied admission into one of the most exclusive fantasy football leagues at Langley, senior Justin Galiani sat down at his desk. He typed up a list of potential members for a new impressive league, one he hoped would rival the veteran league already holding prestige in the halls of Langley--Hey, It’s All About the U (HIAATU). Galiani’s new league, MGF Grand, was born, and so was a rivalry.

The Creation of HIAATU The Rivalry

The Newcomers

Under senior and Commissioner Keoni Mole-dina, HIAATU was created in 2010.“Admittance into the league is not something we take lightly,” said Moledina. “We’re a 10-man league and do not plan on expanding anytime soon. There is an extensive application and interview process for eligible candidates if we do decide to expand.” While getting into the league is tough, taking home its trophy is even tougher. “Everyone is trying to get that trophy,”said senior member Nicky Guglielmo. “By the amount of time and effort we put into this league, you would think it

“MGF Grand is a league on the rise, with pure dedi-cation to be the best,” said its commissioner, senior Justin Galiani. By combining the best of McLean and Great Falls, Galiani felt it was the only way to make a competitive league that rivaled HIAATU. “HIAATU had a strong base but it needed some corrections. I just took the puzzle pieces and put them together,” said Galiani. He added weekly press conferences, which along with stellar power rankings, have furthered MGF Grand’s legitimacy. “HIAATU’s attempt at replicating our power rankings was pitiful. They know nothing,” said MGF Grand member, senior Nick Lailas.

It was not even a week after its creation until affiliates of the new league were calling out members of HIAATU. One of the main “haters” was Will Byrne, a senior who was once in HIAATU but was kicked out for league misconduct. “As a former member of HIAATU, I felt the need to accept Galiani’s offer to join MGF Grand because of the lack of professionalism, competitive nature and talent in HIAATU. It was an easy decision and a choice that had to be made,” said Byrne. Joining Byrne in the “hate” was senior Drew Armstrong, who compared the rivaling leagues

HIAATU

Team MGF Grand: Nick Lailas, Josh Lupas, Drew Armstrong, Brandon Lee,Thomas Salamone. Botton Row: Jack Reilly, Justin Galiani, Will Byrne, and Brad Jeter

Team HIAATU: Kyle West, Matt MacDonald, Cam Ayoub, Justin Speros, Nicky Gugliemo, Shaun Ahmed, AJ Scalia, Alex Ehat and Keoni Moledina

to England (HIAATU) and the United States (MGF Grand) during the 1700’s. “MGF Grand is superior in both its ownership and excitement, offering more to participants, fans, and followers alike,” said Armstrong. “Does HIAATU even like America?” Those a t HIAATU s t i l l believe they are superior, though. “We made a Twitter, they made a Twitter,” said senior Alex Ehat. “We got a trophy, now they want a trophy. The only thing they haven’t mimicked is our skill level. We take our fantasy more seriously than anyone else out there. If you think you’re better, than you’re wrong.” To cap off the back and forth analogies between the two, senior A.J Scalia felt the need to chime in his ideas. “The young calf [MGF Grand] is of no concern to the Great Ox [HIAATU], as it is blinded by its insolence and cannot see it is being raised only for slaughter.”

MGF Grandwas an AP course or a full time job.”

vs.

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SPORTS NOVEMBER 201220 NOVEMBER 2012 SPORTS 21

NEAL “MELMAN” MANCHANDA, 11 1st year VarsityFavorite player: Derrick RoseFavorite NCAA Basketball School: KentuckyIdeal pregame meal: PastaFavorite part of the team: “We joke around a lot”

In the past five years, Langley basketball brought home four Liberty district titles, establishing itself as a powerhouse in Northern Region basketball. Last season, despite having a team full of talent, the Saxons fell short of their goal, being

upset by Fairfax 49-56 in the district semis. They went on to the regional quarterfinals, where they lost 57-52 to a strong Edison team.

This season, the basketball team will be looking to retake the title of district champion and rebuild the team after losing many key seniors. “We have a good group of returning players, and I believe we have a game plan that will work with them,” said varsity Head Coach Travis Hess. He expects this year’s team to be bigger in size

than in previous years, therefore the offensive and defensive game plans will change accordingly. For example, the defense will play zone coverage, instead of the regular man-to-man coverage.

“Despite a great regular season, we were unlucky last year with the injuries of Austin Vasiliadis and Justin Galiani, as well as me having to step down as coach because of the situation with my daughter. It was unlucky that we didn’t make it to the district championship,” said Coach Hess.

“I think our starting five are really strong, it’s just a matter of the team’s depth,” added Hess. With eight returning players, about half of the team will consist of new players. One of these new players is sophomore Andrew Haymans, a JV player from last year. “I’m really looking forward to the season and to

contributing to the team in any way possible,” he said.Returning junior player Ross Callaghan

added, “Last year we had to battle injuries and we lost our coach during the most important time of the season. This season will be different with Coach Hess back, and if we can stay healthy, I think it will be a successful year.”

Justin Galiani, a returning senior player, said he is excited for the season and has high expectations for it. “We’re definitely trying to build off of last year and bring home a district championship like Langley is used to doing,” he said.

Langley will take on South Lakes for their home opener on Friday, Dec. 14.

JT “TEDDY” MEYER, 11 1st year VarsityFavorite player: Early BoykinsFavorite NCAA Basketball School: VanderbiltIdeal pregame meal: Bunches of OatsFavorite part of the team: “Brad Dotson”

BRAD “CRAZY BRAD” DOTSON, 122nd year VarsityFavorite player: Muggsy BoguesFavorite NCAA Basketball School: MarylandIdeal pregame meal: Boston MarketFavorite part of the team: “Coaches and that game atmo-sphere”

JUSTIN “TRUSTY” GALIANI, 123rd year VarsityFavorite player:JaVale McGeeFavorite NCAA Basketball School: MarylandIdeal pregame meal: Boston MarketFavorite part of the team: “The support of our fans.”

ROSS “ROBERT” CALLAGHAN, 112nd year VarsityFavorite player:Derrick RoseFavorite NCAA Basketball School: GeorgetownIdeal pregame meal: Boston MarketFavorite part of the team: “Everyone works hard and the seniors are really funny.”

DANIEL “SALLY” SALAMONE, 91st year VarsityFavorite player:Brian ScalabrineFavorite NCAA Basketball School: GeorgetownIdeal pregame meal: PastaFavorite part of the team: “The guys”

ANDREW “LAMENS” HAYMANS, 101st year VarsityFavorite player:Brian ScalabrineFavorite NCAA Basketball School: FloridaIdeal pregame meal: CheetosFavorite part of the team: “Nick Ofeish”

ARMIN “DREAM” AHMADI, 111st year VarsityFavorite player:Lebron JamesFavorite NCAA Basketball School: DukeIdeal pregame meal: Chick-Fil-AFavorite part of the team: “The fresh gear we got”

NICKY “GUGS” GUGLIELMO, 122nd year VarsityFavorite player:Patrick EwingFavorite NCAA Basketball School: DrakeIdeal pregame meal: Deli ItalianoFavorite part of the team: “Hanging out with my teammates”

XAVIER “LOKO” RYAN, 122nd year VarsityFavorite player:Metta World PeaceFavorite NCAA Basketball School: Oral RobertsIdeal pregame meal: Boston MarketFavorite part of the team: “Ross Cal-laghan”

WILL “BIG BOC” GENT, 111st year VarsityFavorite player:Brian ScalabrineFavorite NCAA Basketball School: GeorgetownIdeal pregame meal: PastaFavorite part of the team: “The guys”

AUSTIN “DON’T STOP “ DENHAM, 111st year VarsityFavorite player:Dennis RodmanFavorite NCAA Basketball School: UCLAIdeal pregame meal: Any snack foodsFavorite part of the team: “The locker room”

GARRETT “GARY” COLLIER, 112nd year VarsityFavorite player:John StocktonFavorite NCAA Basketball School: Kansas StateIdeal pregame meal: Chicken-outFavorite part of the team: “Kgosi, from last year”

PHIL “BIG DOG DADDY” NOVACKI, 122nd year VarsityFavorite player:Joakim NoahFavorite NCAA Basketball School: GeorgetownIdeal pregame meal: Beef and BeansFavorite part of the team: “Magic pictures with Nicky”

-Reporter Abdullah Jamil also contributed to this story

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Bijan: We are now more than halfway through the NFL season, and people are already starting to make their Super Bowl picks. Cayhan, if I were to pick right now, I would pick the Falcons versus the Patriots. Both are at the top of their divisions, and well above .500. Who would you choose to go all the way? Cayhan: Granted both teams are over .500. but that’s avoiding the fact that both teams have some of the easiest schedules thus far. Not to mention the Falcons have their biggest challenges ahead. At this point I also take two division leaders, but both have been tested. The 49ers in the NFC and the Ravens in the AFC. Bijan: I know they both have had easy schedules, but the Ravens have had it easy too, playing the Bengals, Browns, and Chiefs. Also, the Patriots and the Falcons both have very solid rosters. At receiving, the Patriots are set with Rob Gronkowski and the return of Arian Hernandez, not to mention the lock at QB with Tom Brady. The Falcons also have a very good depth chart, with the agility and aim of Matt Ryan, and possibly the best tight end ever to hit the league with Tony Gonzalez. That’s what’ll get you to 8-0. Cayhan: Getting to 8-0 won’t win you a super bowl. A lackluster defense is not good enough in this league to even get you to the big game. Offense wins games but defense wins championships. The stellar defenses that both the 49ers and Ravens have can lead them to the big game. Both have hall of fame middle linebackers that are true field generals and veterans of the game. Bijan: The Patriots are averaging just under 300 rushing yards per game, while the Ravens are averaging only 168 yards per game. The Ravens are also getting older, with a 27 year-old QB. Cayhan: On a final note, a championship team needs leadership and although Matt Ryan is young, I do see him with the potential to make it one day, just not now. I also feel like Brady’s time has come and gone. A weak secondary will be the fall of the Pats and leave them vulnerable down the stretch.

Cayhan and Bijan Talk Sports: Superbowl PicksBijan: Falcons (NFC) vs Patriots (AFC)Cayhan: 49ers (NFC) vs Ravens (AFC)

Pineapple

Girls volleyball places third at states

Langley? We’re not so worried about the i r vo l l eyba l l t e am.

That’s what the coach of Fairfax High’s girls volleyball team said when asked about the team’s expectations for playoffs, accord-ing to Langley senior player Catherine Baek. But this season, Langley volleyball proved they were in fact a team to worry about, when they defeated the odds to place third at states. “No one expected us to get through. People underestimated us every single time,” Baek said. “That’s what fired us up and pulled us together as a team.” The team, with 24 wins and six losses total this season, defeated all their op-ponents at districts and all but one of their opponents (Stone Bridge) at regionals. They went on to win the state quarterfi-nals against Patrick Henry High, securing a spot at semifinals against Kellam High. The team traveled to Richmond on Nov. 15 for the big game, which was held at Virginia Commonwealth University’s Siegel Center, and streamed live on YouTube. “We were all super excited to compete in an arena like that,” said junior Alex Andrejev. While the team lost semifinals to Kellam, they were still extremely happy with the season.

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“It was above and beyond. They’ve exceeded my expectations,” said head volleyball coach Susan Shifflett. This year was the first that Langley volleyball has competed at states since 2009. The t eam c red i t s the i r success to their incredible bond. “We’re kind of obsessed with each other,” said senior Jenna Dean. The girls spent two hours a day, six days a week training together in the weeks leading up to regionals and states. “We got so far because of our heart. I truly feel like these girls are my family and I love them to death,” added senior Hoai-Nam Bui. Looking to the future, the team will lose four seniors next year, but will still have plenty of returning talent, according to Baek. “Our team is so young, so we’re really excited for them,” she said.

The varsity volleyball team played in the state semi-finals at VCU’s Siegel Center, losing 0-3.

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25patrons How to become a patron: [1] Visit www.saxonscope.com [2] Go the Subscription Forms tab [3] Download the form and print it out[4] Fill out the form[5] Mail the subscription form along with a check made out to Langley High School to The Saxon Scope

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The Saxon Scope is dedicated to improving our local commu-nity. Every issue, we will highlight a worthwhile local charity.

This non- profit animal rescue foundation has been saving the lives of thousands of animals since 2001. Lost Dog and Cat Res-cue Foundation’s (LDCRF) main goal is to save dogs and cats in overcrowded shelters from euthanasia and put them into loving homes.

Lost Dog and Cat rescue is always asking for the help of volunteers to help at adop-tion events at Petsmarts and Petcos in the Metro-DC and Northern Virginia Areas. LDCRF is accepting any kind of donations and is always encouraging the adoption of their cats and dogs.

Want more information? Learn about volunteering, donating, or adopting by going on www.lostdogrescue. org or call (703).295.DOGS

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