The D.C.-based electronic rock group Power Pirate closed out Dec. 5 with enough views of its video in the online NAMM SchoolJam Battle of the Bands to qualify for the finals in Anaheim, Calif. NAMM, the trade as-sociation of the international music

products industry, includes school-aged musicians in its major gatherings of music product pros.

Power Pirate–Emily Paukulski (guitar and vocals), Michael Garate (keyboard) and Annika Monari (drums) head–for the finals during the NAMM

Show in mid-Janu-ary. Look for an in-depth interview in the February is-sue of YDC.

YDC talks to Metrobus riders Internet battle of the bands yields trip to Anaheim for local trio Power Pirate

Wilson SHS breaks ground on renovation

See WilSon Renovation, page 3

Volume 19 • Number 3 • December 2009 Please display through Feb. 15

In this issueEntertainment 9–10Humor 13 Lifestyle 5–7News 1–4On the Street 16Sports 12Viewpoints 14–15

Lab’s James Abbott has his eye

on school recordp. 12

Big rewards for video contests

p. 10

Abigail MelickYoung D.C.

It’s not the norm for one public high school to send all its students to the same college. However, freshmen through seniors alike from Woodrow Wilson High School in Northwest D.C. are off to college in the fall of 2010. Planners and admin-istrators gave the a-okay to push renovations forward, and what else could house approximately 1,500 kids? Wilson’s swing space during the much needed renova-tion is one of the University of the District of Colombia’s empty buildings—newly renovated Building 52 to be exact.

Monday, Dec. 14, after Principal Pete Cahall unveiled the one-year plan to modernize the main building and two wings of the school, students tittered joy-ously around the school. Many said they were happy to finally hear that the grimy auditorium, drab cafeteria and musty hallways of the school, built in the 1930s, would be refreshed.

Ninth grade student Isabel Di Rosa said, “I’m really excited, I think it will be a nice temporary change.”

However, YDC talked to Class of 2011 members who are not thrilled about having to spend their last year in a foreign place. Some students are concerned about how the move will affect the organization and classes at the school. Eleventh grader Sydney Allard said, “I’m glad they found a place that can have all the students but, it sucks because when you’re a senior your on top of the school. At UDC, it’s like we’re freshman again, not being in a familiar place.”

It was not clear a few weeks ago that UDC was keen to let so many high school students into their facilities and neighborhood. The backup plan was to develop swing space in recently renovated Alice Deal Middle School across Chesapeake Street from Wilson. Tom Israel, father of two Wilson students and an active member of the Local School Restructuring Team, said, “The decision to relocate to UDC is a wonderful one. The kids will all be in one place, and the alternative—the portables at Deal—would not have been good for Deal or Wilson. It’s good to know the city can help us out in letting us have this space.”

With no time to waste, Cahall, Mayor Adrian Fenty, Ward Three Council Member Mary Cheh and members of the Fenty administration held a renovation

Eyen Zame JohnsonYoung D.C.

Since school started in the fall, there have been three Metrobus acci-dents in D.C. alone. Local accidents in-volving Metrobuses lead many to ask if taking the bus is really safe. “Yes, prob-ably so. I have almost been hit by a Metrobus, but I feel pretty safe riding. Ever since I’ve been living in D.C., since the 1980s, the bus drivers are rude and inconsiderate to the elderly and handicapped,” said Mrs. Barbee, a se-nior citizen.

Metro reports that passengers boarded Metrobus 133.8 million times last year.

Abby Mills, a resident of D.C. said, “The bus drivers are a little crazy but overall Metro does a good job.” The system has over 2,400 full and part-time drivers and YDC only talked to riders in the Columbia Heights area.

Since Sept. 3, when the driver of an out-of-service Metrobus hit jogger Amanda Mahnke, the communication’s director for a member of Congress, public outcry is louder over people in-jured or killed by reckless bus driving. YDC talked to riders who ask why the bus drivers are not properly trained. “They almost hit me, some drivers come [to work] mad, I think,” said Robert Contreres.

In the case of Mahnke, who suf-fered a fractured skull and other injuries, this was not the driver’s first accident. Sept. 16, James Hohmann of The Wash-ington Post reported that driver Carla A. Proctor, 43, was responsible for two bus collisions in 2003 and 2004. Sept. 24, Metro released a statement that the driv-er—not named in the release—was dis-missed Sept. 21 for failing to follow op-erating procedures Sept. 3.

Photo courtesy of Power Pirate

Power Pirate rocking the mainstage at The Black Cat, Dec. 11. See MetRobuS, page 3

News t Young D.C. t December 2009 December 2009 t Young D.C. t News

Alicia Williams, 18, a senior at Wil-son Senior High School responded to YDC’s question about thinking she had come close to being hit by a bus, “Maybe once or twice. Sometimes they don’t pay attention and I’m worried that the bus will crash. The other night, I was on a bus and the driver almost got in an accident. For the most time, I feel safe.”

Despite the multiple accidents, it ap-pears that Metro has not experienced a de-cline in the number of people who ride the bus over its 1,500 square-mile rail and bus service area. Metro is still a way of life.

Eyen Zame Johnson, 13, is a home-schooled eighth grade student in the District of Columbia.

Metrobus drivers prompt concerns

UDC Building 52 to house Wilson students next fall

Young D.C. is an independent newspaper written by and about metropolitan area teens.

Address correspondence to: Young D.C.

1904 18th Street, NW Unit BWashington, D.C. 20009-1707

tel: 202.232.5300 fax: 202.232.5306www.youngdc.org

Copyright. All rights reserved.

Reporters: Charity Ajayi, McKinley Tech (D.C.); Faith Ajayi, McKinley Tech (D.C.); Melissa Belk, The King’s College (N.Y.); Archie Brown, Temple University (Pa.); Mohammad Diallo, Syracuse University (NY); Jade Earle, University of Missouri (Mo.); Allie Frith, South Lakes HS (Va.); Jessica Gelfarb, Walt Whitman HS (Md.); Noah Goetzel, Churchill HS (Md.); Dana Harrison, Wootton (Md.); Eyen Zame Johnson, homeschooled (D.C.), Melanie Kates, McKinley Tech (D.C.); Abigail Melick, Alice Deal MS (D.C.); Matt Nguyen, McKinley Tech (D.C.); Caitlin Peterson, John S. Burke Catholic HS (N.Y.); Andrew Pollowitz, The Lab School of Washington (D.C.); Megan Ternes, Charlotte Catholic (N.C.); Jonathan Ward, St. Albans (D.C.); Priscilla Ward, Temple University (Pa.); Hafie Yillah, University of Maryland

Artists: Steven Anderson, King’s College (N.Y.); Casey Drogin, Einstein (Md.), Lisa Hu, Wootton (Md.)

Board of Directors: Nate Beeler, George Curry, Tom Donlan, Hector Ericksen-Mendoza, Rich Foster, Mary Hanley, Judy Hines, Sean Jensen, Cynthia Farrell Johnson, Rosamond King, Carol Knopes (chairman), Carol Lange, Kathleen Reilly Mannix (ex officio), Sarah Menke-Fish, Bob Neuman, Michael Phelps, Reginald Ragland, David R. Rapp, Phil Reid

Young D.C. is supported by The Bureau of National Affairs, The Children’s Charities Foundation, Herb Block Foundation and sponsors of Cartoons & Cocktails, an auction of editorial art held last Oct. 22 at the National Press Club which also benefited the Cartoonists Rights Network International. Sponsors included BNA, C-SPAN, D’Orazio and Associates, Federal Computer Week and 1105 Government Information Group, Andrew Hagan, Jennifer Lewington and George Pearson, Joe and Anne Murphy, Marianne Pastor, Politico, Frank Quine, James Smallhout, The Washington Examiner and members of the YDC Board.

Letters to the Editor are welcome and sometimes published, either whole or in part. Letters are subject to editing. Readers writing to the editors should include contact information: name, age, telephone number.

Fran DjoukengMontgomery Blair HS (Md.)

Managing Editor

Copy EditorSebastian Swain Lab School of Washington (D.C.)News EditorSophia Deng Montgomery Blair HS (Md.)Lifestyle EditorCourtney SteinTrinity University (Tex.)

Sports EditorHojung Lee Mt. Hebron HS (Md.)

Entertainment EditorsSareum KimCentreville HS (Va.)Asha JohnsonEmerson Prep (D.C.)Lindsay RennieMount de Sales Academy (Md.);

Hojung LeeYoung D.C.

When it comes to an issue the United States has been unable to solve for almost 50 years, it might not just be a nuisance at the White House. It is also affect-ing the opinions of typical American citizens, ranging from high school students to adults. This is true in the case of North Korea-US relations–progress has been stagnant and future looks obscure. Now, what should be the United States’ next step?

“It is really important for countries to recognize that being self-sufficient isn’t efficient at all,” said Ad-eola Lawal, an 11th grade student in Mount Hebron High School in Ellicott City, Md. “In order for any country to succeed–this isn’t only applicable to US–I think that every country needs every other country. We live in an era where internationalism is important.”

Lawal said she believes the United States should strongly consider joining the multilateral talks pro-posed by Kim Jung Il. “I am not saying that the US should welcome North Korea with open arms. But we should still in some manner be very diplomatic and know that we can’t trust them but we should still think about how would it benefit us if we did trust them, hypothetically speaking.” Lawal said. “I still think that there is an opportunity especially with the new US ad-ministration.”

Conversely, Lauren Weiser, 15, sees aggression as the only key for approaching the current Kim ad-

ministration. “I tend to see good in everyone so I would like to think that North Korea will finally come to their senses if the US adopts a nicer, friendlier policy to-ward them,” she said. “Then I become realistic and think about how this will never work until North Ko-rea has new governance. So right now I’m thinking the US should try some aggression to bring Kim Jung Il to give up his nuclear power.”

A 42-year-old Howard County teacher who ma-jored in international relations, also agrees. “Much like his father Kim Il Sung, Kim Jung Il had a pattern of conciliation – getting what he wants out of the world community – and then immediately backing out on whatever commitment he has made. The North is a master at manipulating the United States.”

He believes the problems pertaining to North Korea are the most challenging issue not only the United States but the world faces. “The Clinton ad-ministration tried to deal with the North Koreans as a rational actor in the international stage [which was] an absolute disaster,” he said. “The Bush administration took a hard-line with them [which was] a complete failure, too.” Now the Obama administration is taking more Bush-like, hard-line stance towards North Korea even after publicly announcing a position more open and similar to President Kim’s sunshine policy.

“We had no success in handling North Korea. No stance has worked. I think ultimately the only thing the United States can do is stand by its most reliable ally

in the world and that is South Korea,” said the adult. “We need to engage with South Korea and ensure their policy comports or fits in with South Korea’s policy toward North Korea.”

Clearly, some see a light at the end of the tunnel; others don’t.

Weiser is less optimistic. She believes that though there are many high hopes, all are impracticable. “When [Kim Jung Il] dies, which should be soon, the US should try out being friendlier and offering aid to the new leader, hopefully encouraging him to work on nuclear weapon compromises,” she said. “[Then] I find it very unlikely that whoever Kim chooses to re-place will be rational for the sole reason that he has been chosen by Kim. So that means that this is a very confusing situation that might not have a solution any-where in the near future.”

On the other hand, the teacher who requested for anonymity sees a possibility for change. “[The next Kim] is the person we really need to focus on–because perhaps, there will be a future. Perhaps there will be a different chance for dialogue with the new generation.”

Hojung Lee, 18, is a senior at Mt. Hebron HS in Ellicott City, Md.

Students, teachers assess U.S.-Korea relations

MetRobuS, fRoM page one

WilSon Renovation, fRoM page one

NEWS AROUND TOWN. NEVER BORING.

Available online at

703.560.4000 washingtonexaminer.com

ground breaking Dec. 15. By January, they hope to begin on two wings, moving all the stu-dents to Wilson’s main building.

While the UDC option for the long-awaited reconstruction was something unfathom-able to some Wilson parents, but Lisa Jensen–PTA member and mom of ninth and eleventh graders–is keeping an open mind. “The facilities will be good, and it’s great that all the kids will be in the same building to keep that high school feel.” Hopefully, by the 2011-2012 school year, debates circulating today in Wilson’s gloomy halls and musty floors will come to a consensus that an 80-year-old building can be made young again.

Abigail Melick, 15, is a sophomore at Woodrow Wilson SHS in the District of Co-lumbia.

Send your comments to MetroAt the bottom left of any page on the

Metro web site, www.wmata.com, there is a list of five options: Home, Privacy, Transla-tions, Lost & Found, Contact Us. Click on Contact Us to get a step closer to being able to comment, commend or complain about a Met-ro employee. It doesn’t actually tell visitors that they have those options, but it’s a step closer. Next, site visitors can choose any of the options under By Mail or in Person, By Email, By Telephone–but By Email offers the Cus-tomer Comment Form. This form has over two dozen blanks, many with drop-down choices. Someone trying to tell Metro about an experi-ence with an employee must fill in all the items that have red asterisks. When all are complete, the person clicks “send form” to submit the form to the customer service office.

December 2009 t Young D.C. t News December 2009 t Young D.C. t Lifestyle LifeStyLe

Lisa Hu Young D.C.

I love to shop. The problem is that when I see something I like, I want instant gratification, which sometimes takes its toll on my wallet. I’m one of those 15-year-old girls without a job or an endless supply of money.

Last summer, I took a trip to my favorite store, Anthropolo-gie. As I walked around some-thing caught my eye. What did I see? Quite possibly the most fantastic head-band I had ever laid eyes on. White slinky rows of sparkling beads wrapped around cool black glass ovals. I loved it the minute I saw it, and even more so when I tried it on. Perfect. I was completely set on pur-chasing it, until I flipped the price tag over and my heart sank: $32. My happi-ness steadily declined as I thought about the price. I couldn’t afford it, because it was really pricey for just a headband. I didn’t know what to do, but an idea popped into my head. If I couldn’t get it, then my mom most cer-tainly could, because she had a wallet full of credit cards. When she heard that price for that headband, her answer was no. Too much to pay. So I didn’t have any choice but to leave it, but as I left the store, I promised myself that I would get it.

A few days later, a friend gave me a great idea. If I couldn’t get the headband I most dearly desired, then why couldn’t I make it? So I Googled direction on how to make a headband, looked at the materials required, and asked my mom to drive me to our local craft store, Michaels. I knew that I couldn’t make the same headband I wanted, but at the very least could make one I liked.

Once home, I dumped the ribbons, superglue, rhinestones and charms onto my bed, and began my project. I cut off all the material on some old head-bands, and wrapped some green ribbon around the

band as a base. Then I studied it to see what I wanted to do next. I glued some rhinestones to the right of it, wrapped some string around it and looped it through some charms and a silver heart. Then I tied it, super glued the loose ends, and finished it by adding some more black rhinestones. I was actually surprised it only took me 90 minutes to do. The fact that I was

able to make it so fast inspired me, and throughout the week,

I made two more. The others weren’t as complicated as

the first one, but I was still proud every time I

finished one. I had one alternating three

different colored ribbons, purple,

brown, and yellow and another with

rh ines tones scattered over it

with yellow rib-bon.

The day I wore the green headband to

school, a lot of people I knew commented on how

pretty it was. Some people, asked where I had gotten it, I

was very proud to say, “Actu-ally, I made it.” They would look

surprised and say that it was so cool I had made a headband.

I realize now that actually making that head-band was much more satisfying then buying one from that store, because who else could have said they made the headband that they were wearing? I’m glad I was inspired enough to try something new for once.

Lisa Hu, 15, is a sophomore at Wootton HS in Rockville, Md.

YDC editors want to hear from other teens who have conquered economic challenges with crafty thinking. Email newsroom@youngdc.org if you have a 100 percent true story you want to share. Please remember to put “attention lifestyles editor” in the subject line and include contact info in the body of your email.

YDC talks to poet, activist E. Ethelbert MillerAsha JohnsonYoung D.C.

No one inspired E. Ethelbert Miller to become a literary activist. He is the first professional writer in his family. Decades ago, as a young African American man, he saw certain conditions around him growing, but there were not many outlets for him or other literary activists. “I wanted to conserve the past. I am concerned that young people learn about the writers that came before them. We must remember them and that they had a lot to do with what I was doing with my life.”

Miller has been the director of the African American Resource Center at Howard University since 1974 and he is identified as a literary activist because of his desire to restore the role of literature in society. Miller chairs the board of the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) and edits Poet Lore Magazine. He is also working on quite a num-ber of projects, “I have a lot of things to do. I am writing a new book of poems. Yes, the title is a secret.” Since 2004, Miller worked with “Operation Homecoming” to preserve the stories and reflections of American troops who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan. “Operation Homecoming” is a project created by the National En-dowment for the Arts and the Department of Defense.

In a wide-ranging telephone interview, Miller told YDC that a young person’s responsibility today is to un-derstand the importance of one’s life. He said that young people must become good citizens, understand their communities and vote when they are old enough. “It is very important to remind young people to live a life of public service.”

He advises youth who want to pursue a career in writing to read, “If you are going to succeed as a writer, it is very important that you read a lot. Study the lives of past writers. Those writers took a lot of time perfecting their craft, but it is im-

portant to read.”YDC asked Miller about three big stories of 2009: one national, one local and

one tabloid.Obama becomes president

When YDC asked Miller about having an African American president and how it has mirrored our post-racial society, he said, “I think that when Obama was elected we tried to figure out about race. I think it’s a very important historical event, but not a way to measure everything. We still have a lot of issues–education,

unemployment, et cetera–but it’s not like we moved. We look to Obama as in inspiration, but the election doesn’t solve problems of a race of people.”Rhee, sixth head of D.C. schools in last decade, gets tough on teachers, principals

Asked if he is a fan of District of Columbia Schools Chancellor Michelle Rhee, Miller said, “I cannot say I am a fan of her because she is not a singer. She is an individual that’s a public official, she is a leader of her community.

“In her position, you have to make tough decisions.” Miller added, “If we look back five or six years from now, we may applaud her achievements and accomplishments.”Tiger Woods swings into lurid headlines

Miller explained that the current Tiger Woods has a message for everyone, “You can excel in anything, but you

can fail in the small things in life. This teaches all of us a sense of responsibility.” “I think it’s another news story. The war in Iraq is a news story; global warm-

ing is a news story. The whole Tiger Woods story is wrong. It’s more about our-selves than Tiger. We look at other people’s lives instead of our own. We are only human beings.”

But, Miller said, Tiger Woods is a public person and his story has become important to us as an issue of privacy. “Being a good golfer doesn’t make you a good husband. It doesn’t make him a god like his advertisements. I respect people in terms of their privacy, so I don’t demand they make a public apology.”

Asha Johnson, 18, is a senior at Emerson Prep in the District of Columbia.

Pres. Obama salutes mentorsExcerpt from Presidential Proclamation on National Mentoring Month

Every day, mentors in communities across our Nation provide crucial sup-port and guidance to young people. Whether a day is spent helping with home-work, playing catch, or just listening, these moments can have an enormous, last-ing effect on a child’s life. During National Mentoring Month, we recognize those who give generously of themselves by mentoring young Americans.

As tutors, coaches, teachers, volunteers, and friends, mentors commit their time and energy to kids who may otherwise lack a positive, mature influence in their lives. Their impact fulfills critical local needs that often elude public services. Our government can build better schools with more qualified teachers, but a strong role model can motivate students to do their homework. Lawmakers can put more police officers on our streets and ensure our children have access to high-quality health care, but the advice and example of a trusted adult can keep kids out of harm’s way. Mentors are building a brighter future for our Nation by helping our children grow into productive, engaged, and responsible adults.

Many of us are fortunate to recall a role model from our own adolescent years who pushed us to succeed or pulled us back from making a poor decision. We carry their wisdom with us throughout our lives, knowing the unique and time-less gift of mentorship. During this month, I encourage Americans to give back by mentoring young people in their communities who may lack role models, and pass that precious gift on to the next generation.

–Barack ObamaJan. 4. 2010

First timer’s guide

Sticker shock prompts teen’s crafty response

photo by Justin Knightcourtesy of Howard University Capstone, March 2009

E. Ethelbert Miller

Discover the Worldfor high school students

updates and information at:audiscover.org

June 21 – July 16, 2010

workshops in:broadcasting

filmscriptwriting

photography videojournalism

or call 202-885-2098S C H O O L O FC O M M U N I C A T I O N

WASHINGTON, DCWASHINGTON, DC

eo/aa

of Communication

American University | School of Communication | Washington, D.C.

December 2009 t Young D.C. Lifestyle t Young D.C. t December 2009

Lisa Hu Young D.C.

Facebook, Myspace and Twitter. What comes to mind when you hear that? Probably communicating with your friends or seeing what everyone else has been up to. Teens use these sites to talk to and keep track of people they know. But there are people out there whose motives are questionable.

You may have received friend requests on Facebook from people you don’t know who write that they just want to “get to know you better.” Maybe you’ve been asked for personal information or stumbled across half-naked pictures of teenage girls or guys on Myspace. Or maybe you’ve received an e-mail notice from Twitter saying you have a new follower and wondered Who is that? And why are they following me?

Fortunately, all these social networking sites have introduced new and improved ways to help decrease the chances of these creepy encounters. But which site is providing the privacy settings that best accommodate your preferences?

On Facebook, you have maximum con-trol over who sees your profile. You can set each section as viewable to “only friends,” “my network and friends,” “friends of friends,” “everyone” or a customized list you create yourself. Beyond viewer status, users have options of reporting someone or blocking them or making them undesirable contacts. The privacy settings page lets you block the person by typing in their name or email. If you decide to remove them from your friends list, then they will no longer have access to your private information or be able to find you on search and vice versa. Besides making your profile private, you can customize specifications under the search, news feed, wall and applications tabs can also be adjusted to your specifications.

Some, like Katie Clare, a teen from the Boston area, consider this a very easy process. You can change your profile to private, so that when people click on it,

only your picture, name, and mutual friends come up. If they want to see more information about you, they have to be your friend first. “You can just simply go to settings and check off the boxes provided. When you post pictures or videos it asks you who you want to see the pictures or videos,” she said.

On the other hand, YDC talked to users who say the privacy features on Mys-pace are not quite up to par. Under settings, there are only three options: “every-one,” “everyone under 18,” and “my friends only,” that you can choose for your

profile, comments, friends, photos and streams. There are also the options of hiding your birth-day, appearing offline and blocking users over 18. But these choices do not really enhance your privacy because so many people don’t use their real birthdays when they sign up, YDC polled a random sample of Facebook us-ers about their use of Myspace –and found that almost 60 percent had lied about their age when they joined Myspace. Technically, the site requires its users to be at least 13-years-old, but since so many people lie about their age, how would Myspace be able to tell what a real age is?

Twitter’s privacy settings are simpler than others because the site itself isn’t so com-plicated. It doesn’t have many applications, and its overall design is pretty basic. But this simplicity doesn’t mean its privacy settings don’t work well. Under settings, you can de-cide whether or not you would like to protect your “tweets” — the equivalent of status up-dates on Facebook. Your tweets will no longer appear in a public search, which essentially keeps your account private. You can unfollow them, block them or report them for spam by just going to their profile.

In the end, even though all these social networking sites have good privacy settings, no one is completely safe from pry-ing strangers, so tread carefully.

Lisa Hu, 15, is a sophomore at Wootton HS in Rockville, Md.

Cyberian Tyger

For teens using social networking sites, privacy options are safety imperatives

Scholarship Beat

Video contest deadlines YDC is looking for more Cyberian Tygers. Teens with strong interest in technology and teen techno-skeptics are welcome. Write–with CyTy in the subject line–to the lifestyle editor, newsroom@youngdc.org

www.studentcam.org

CREATED BY CABL E. OFFERED AS A PUBL IC SERVICE.

Create a short (5–8 min.)

documentary includingC-SPAN footage.

For complete rulesand details, visitus online.

2010

STUDENTDOCUMENTARYCOMPETITION

Middle and high school studentsStudentCam, the annual video

contest sponsored by C-SPAN, comes to a close Jan. 20. Students are chal-lenged to create a 5-8 minute documen-tary enhanced with some content that has been aired on C-SPAN. There are lots of options for getting footage.

The 2010 StudentCam topic must be either One of our country’s greatest

strengths or A challenge the country is facing. All the details plus videos by past winners, 2006-2009, can be viewed at www.studentcam.org.Videographers 18 and older

Jan. 31 is the deadline for the “De-mocracy is” three-minute max video challenge. This is a chance to win a trip to D.C., NYC and Hollywood. Check out www.videochallenge.america.gov.

truck security firm. Like everyone else in this recession, Ty is experiencing financial troubles. When his experienced colleagues hatch a plan to steal $42 million from their own truck, he “has no choice” but to con-

Dana Harrison Young D.C.

December brings big box offices earnings and award hopefuls, but January offers little, unless you can get to the Sundance Film Festival in Park City, Utah. Sundance, Jan. 21-31, brims with 200 films chosen from 9,000 submission.Dec. 4 Armored

In an action-adventure heist-gone-wrong film, Columbus Short plays Ty, the new guy at an armored

spire. Oops, there’s a witness; violence erupts. Ty finds himself trapped in the truck, which is his only protec-tion. MPAA rating: PG-13Brothers

Tobey Maguire and Jake Gyllenhaal play broth-ers Sam Cahill, a decorated marine, and Tommy Ca-hill, an ex-con, in this thriller. When Sam’s helicopter is shot down in Afghanistan, he is assumed dead. Tommy steps up to support Sam’s widow and daugh-ters. Over time and grieving, a positive relationship develops between Tommy and his sister-in-law, played by Natalie Portman. When Sam returns, after

The Fantasticks closes Jan. 10Make your way to the Lincoln Theatre

on U Street, the “Black Broadway” of decades ago, to see the Arena Stage production of The Fantasticks. The classic musical, first staged in 1960 in New York, has a few twists in the Arena production. The bandit El Gallo, played by Sebastian La Cause, is now a kindly magi-cian and the setting is an abandoned amuse-ment park.Woolly Mammoth offers two pay-what-you-can shows Mon, Jan. 11 and Tues, Jan. 12, 8 p.m.

Solo performer Mike Daisey weaves memoir, adventure and gonzo journalism to-gether in “The Last Cargo Cult,” about his trip to a South Pacific island. Its natives worship the U.S. in the shadow of an oft-erupting vol-cano. What could go wrong?

Located in the Penn Quarter neighbor-hood on D Street between Oyamel and Rasika restaurants, around the corner from Ticket-Place and down the street from Shakespeare Theatre Company’s Lansburgh Theatre, Wool-ly Mammoth is two blocks north of the Na-tional Archives and National Gallery of Art and two blocks south of the Verizon Center.

Woolly Mammoth Theatre641 D Street, NW

Free, but tickets required: Jan. 18 MLK tribute with India.Arie at Kennedy Center Concert Hall

The Kennedy Center and Georgetown University host a musical celebration, featur-ing Grammy Award-winning, platinum selling vocalist India.Arie and the Let Freedom Ring Choir, with Mistress of Ceremonies Andrea Roane, as part of the University’s eighth an-nual “Let Freedom Ring” initiative celebrat-ing the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Free tickets are required. Beginning at 10 a.m. until noon on January 18, 2010, tick-ets will be distributed two (2) per person, on a first-come first-served basis in line in front of the Concert Hall.Pay-what-you-can previews Jan. 21 and Jan. 22

Constellation Theatre Company, winner of the 2009 Helen Hayes John Aniello Award for Outstanding Emerging Theatre Company, stages a new translation of Anton Chekhov’s “Three Sisters” at Source Theatre.

After Jan. 22 (no performance Jan. 24), the play runs through Feb. 22, Thursdays, Fri-days and Saturdays at 8 p.m., and Sundays at 3 p.m.

Adult general admission is $20 Thurs-day, Friday, Sunday, but $25 on Saturday; the-

atergoers under 25 pay only $17 Thursday, Friday, Sunday, and $20 on Saturday; groups of 10 or more pay $15 each, regardless of per-formance.

Source Theatre1835 14th St. NW on the corner at T St.,

NWtwo blocks from the U St./ Cardozo

Metro; on-street parkingFree recitals and concerts wrap up 2010 Tuba-Euphonium Conference

Check the schedule of the conference for performances in the Kenmore Auditorium at Kenmore MS in Arlington, Va., www.usarmy-band.com/tuba/2010_tuba-euphonium_con-ference_schedule.html

The U.S. Army Band sponsors the An-nual Tuba-Euphonium Conference. The con-ference features concerts, recitals, exhibits, master classes and lectures by leading low brass authorities from around the world.Plan ahead:Second City pay-what-you-can perfor-mance Wed., Feb. 10

Chicago’s legendary comedy troupe Sec-ond City brings “Barack Stars: the Wrath of Rahm” to Wolly Mammoth, Feb. 10-22. After the PWYC performance, tickets are a pricey $45 for nonsubscribers.

Young D.C. t December 2009 December 2009 t Young D.C.

December brings films to last us through the whole winterentertainment

Top left–An amphibious Prince Naveen encounters a skeptical Tiana in The Princess and the Frog

© Disney Enterprises All Rights Reserved.

Bottom left–Chilling at 221B Baker Street: Jude Law as Dr. Watson, left, and Robert Downey Jr. as Sherlock Holmes, right.

©2009 Warner Bros. Entertainment

Above–Morgan Freeman as Nelson Mandela and Matt Damon as Francois

Pienaar savor victory in Invictus

©2009 Warner Bros. Entertainment and Spyglass

Entertainment Funding, LLC.

Right–Chipettes steal the Squeakquel

Photo by Twentieth Century Fox ©Bagdasarian

Productions LLC

Top–El Gallo (Sebastian La Cause) guides the romance of Matt (Timothy Ware) and Luisa (Addie McDaniel) in director Amanda Dehnert’s new interpretation of “The Fanatasticks.”

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made a deal with the devil1,000 years before the action starts. In addition to immortality for Parnassus, it ensures a ready audience for his traveling theatrical troupe Now, it’s time for Parnassus to live up to his end of the deal and sur-render his 16-year-old daughter Valentina (Lily Cole) to the devil. Parnassus renegotiates the terms of the deal and en-lists the help of his colleagues to rescue Valentina. Mysteri-ous outsider Tony (played by Heath Ledger, Johnny Depp, Jude Law and Colin Farrell) agrees to help for a price. Led-ger died just weeks into filming The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. Gilliam salvaged the project by morphing Tony–via Depp, Law and Farrell–when the character travels through time. MPAA rating: PG-13Jan. 11The Lovely Bones

This Peter Jackson adaptation of Alice Sebold’s best-selling novel of the same name is about 14-year-old Suzie Salmon (Saorise Ronan), who is brutally murdered. Trapped in the “in between” world that is not life or death, Suzie watches over her family and cannot rest in peace until her killer is brought to justice. PG-13 Dana Harrison, 15, is a sophomore at Wootton HS in Rockville, Md.

surviving brutal captivity in Afghanistan, the old-respon-sible-brother-irresponsible-brother roles are reversed with dramatic impact. MPAA rating: RUp In the Air

George Clooney stars as Ryan Bingham, who trav-els from city to city while making a living firing employ-ees from corporations and whose long-term ambition is to reach ten million frequent flyer miles. He finally con-templates home and family when he falls for the woman of his dreams and must work with a woman from his nightmares. Worth seeing on the big screen, but think of the Clooney festival you can have at home when DVDs of his 2009 films–Up in the Air, Fantastic Mr. Fox and The Men Who Stare at Goats –come out in a few months. MPAA rating: R Everybody’s fine

Frank, played by Robert De Niro, is a widower get-ting ready for his first Christmas without his wife. When his son and two daughters call to cancel, he realizes that his wife had held the family together. Frank embarks on a trip of his own to visit each of his children to bring the family together again and discovers what they have been hiding from him and how they’ve tried to make him proud. MPAA rating: PG-13 Dec. 11Invictus

Morgan Freeman plays Nelson Mandela in this bio-graphical drama. Aware of newly integrated South Afri-ca’s racial tensions, Mandela came up with the idea of maintaining the name and colors of the South African rugby team, the Springboks, while creating fans among the nonwhites who had rooted against them during apart-

heid. South Africa was set to host the 1995 rugby World Cup, which gave Mandela and white Afrikaner coach Francois Pienaar, played by Matt Damon, a deadline. MPAA rating: PG-13The Princess and The Frog

Disney brings an animated version of the Grimm Brother’s fairy tale “The Frog Prince” to the big screen. Set in Louisiana, viewers are treated to scenes set in New Orlean’s French Quarter and the bayou. There’s G-rated voodoo, ten original songs and the introduction of Dis-ney’s first African American princess. MPAA rating: G.Dec. 18Avatar

James Cameron, director of Titanic, brings his sci-fi epic to the IMAX screen. Avatar is set in 2154 on Pan-dora, a lush moon in another galaxy. Paraplegic former marine Jake Sulley (Sam Worthington) joins human col-onists who work for a mining company on Pandora. The humans seek diplomatic relations with the Na’vi, Pan-dora’s indigenous people. Humans must rely on avatars of themselves to navigate and strip the natural resources from Pandora. Jake is assigned to his own avatar, which allows him to walk again. He must scout the jungles and find ways to outwit the Na’vi. As he learns their culture and falls for Neytiri (Zoe Saldaña), a female Na’vi, Jake’s loyalties are put to the test. MPAA rating: PG-13Dec. 25Alvin and the Chipmunks: the Squeakquel

Alvin, Simon and Theodore are off to high school where they meet the Chipettes, voiced by Christina Ap-plegate, Anna Faris and Amy Poehler. The soundtrack overflows with earworm-inducing goodies including

“Stayin’ Alive,” “We are Family” and most definitely “Single Ladies.” Nine

This flashy movie musical from the director of Chicago, tackles another Broadway hit. Oddly, before Nine went to Broadway, it was the 1963 film 81/2. Nine follows famous Italian filmmaker Guido Contini played by Daniel Day-Lewis. His life is in creative and per-sonal chaos. He must coexist peacefully with his moth-er, wife, agent, mistress and other women from his past and present life while finishing his ninth film. The cast includes Judi Dench, Kate Hudson, Nicole Kidman, So-phia Loren, Sarah “Fergie” Fergusan, Marion Cotillard and Penélope Cruz. Fergie delivers the powerhouse song, “Be Italian.” MPAA rating: PG-13Sherlock Holmes

Detective Sherlock Holmes and his faithful partner Dr. John Watson are back. Director Guy Ritchie doesn’t ignore traits Arthur Conan Doyle gave Holmes and Wat-son in the original books and short stories. Holmes as played by Robert Downey Jr. has all the bad habits and martial arts expertise Conan Doyle gave to the original. The only woman to outwit Holmes, Irene Adler, played by Rachel McAdams, is part of the complicated plot. Faced with a mastermind who launches a threat to Eng-land’s future, Holmes and Watson, played by Jude Law, must use all their mental power and physical prowess to keep up with this crisis. MPAA rating: PG-13Jan. 8The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

Director Terry Gilliam serves up another visually intense fantasy. Dr. Parnassus (Christopher Plummer)

Winter is a great time to check out theater and concert scenes

Entertainment t Young D.C. t December 2009 December 2009 t Young D.C.

Sophia DengYoung D.C.

She’s already a wife, a daughter, a mother and a Peabody and Emmy award-winning journalist. Now Maria Shriver can add namesake to her list of feats. In her chapter in a new report bearing her name, published Oct. 20, the First Lady of California examines the fundamental change – “the emergence of working women as primary breadwinners for millions of families” – that has been taking over the U.S. in the 21st century. Her partner for the project was the Center for American Progress. To obtain statistics, research-ers interviewed women and men from five U.S. cities about the economic, po-litical and social shifts they had experi-enced in everyday life, if any. In an ev-er-changing world, one which is embracing the change heralded by Pres-ident Barack Obama’s election, “The Shriver Report: A Woman’s Nation Changes Everything” offers a deeply insightful look into the new familial trends that are reshaping the society in which we live.

Shriver’s observations about a woman’s role in society are refreshing, honest, and especially timely. This year “fully half of U.S. workers are females,” according to the report. In part, this is due to the fact that jobs America has lost in the last ten years were ones that were dominated by male workers. Shriver also notes that “mothers have become the primary breadwinners in four in 10 American families.” The re-port brings to light a growing trend the American people may not have been aware of. In reporting so deftly and comprehensively, it enables readers to see not just the economy but the world at large through multiple new perspec-tives, particularly in terms of gender.

The method used to present this hefty material is even more admirable. It does not simply spout facts and figures. Instead, Shriver and her colleagues are engaging, able to the tell stories of the women and men they met.

Shriver herself tells the reader personal stories involving her own experi-ence of what it means to be a female in the U.S., including her mother Eunice Kennedy Shriver’s influence in becoming a strong, “manly” woman. Eunice Kennedy Shriver, sister of President Kennedy, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and Sen. Teddy Kennedy, created the Special Olympics. By connecting to readers through

emotions and facts alike, Shriver truly inspires them to assess American society as “A Woman’s Nation.”

What sets “The Shriver Report” apart, makes it respectable and highly re-garded, is the fact that Shriver is not a radical, biased and crazed feminist who ar-gues the superiority of women. She is an objective journalist who presents all sides of the issue. Her fellow contributors, 23 in all including six men, add to the objec-

tivity. Not only did they interview women from Silicon Valley, Seattle and Detroit, but they also interviewed men regarding their emotions and struggles to adjust to women becoming increas-ingly independent and financially suc-cessful. Rather than witnessing abso-lute conflict between genders, the research discovered an active role of negotiation between men and women, particularly husbands and wives. The broadening of Shriver’s argument to universality enables readers to see in a way never before seen.

In “The Shriver Report,” Shriver describes a nation turned completely upside down by the increased impor-tance of women in the workforce. Women only earn 70 percent of the sal-ary men make in the same jobs. Yet, the involvement of women affects health care, education, business, media, faith, marriage and almost every institution in between. In the marriage sector, for instance, there is more flexibility in who assumes which roles due to wom-en’s breadwinner status. With her deep thoughts on women’s role in society–including the statement that society will always consist of male-female interac-tions–Shriver and the Center for Amer-ican Progress helps readers understand the dramatic yet vital shift towards women’s equality in the 21st century.

The Shriver ReportA Woman’s Nation

Changes Everythingby Maria Shriver and

the Center for American Progresswww.awomansnation.com/index.php

available for reading online or as an ebook

Sophia Deng, 17, is a senior at Montgomery Blair HS in Silver Spring, Md.

The Shriver Report defines our nation

Is  there  any  group  that  doesn’t  feel  like  fish  out  of water? I was relieved to discover during my travels that many younger couples aren’t so wedded to old stereo-types. When one twenty-something woman’s live-in boy-friend lost his job in Detroit, she told me, “The expectation was that we would just pull together and figure it out. Peo-ple from my generation just expect women to work.” And I was glad that so many young men starting out today have a whole new sensibility about fatherhood. They told me they just expect to be active in their children’s lives and help out at home, and they want it that way.

For some, of course, women as primary breadwinners is old news, especially among Latinos and African Ameri-cans. Said one black man, “When I see a strong woman, I’m actually more attracted to that, because that repre-sents the women I was raised with.” And a Hispanic single mother in Los Angeles said, “My mother taught me to work and be successful and not depend on a guy for all the things that I need.” Gay couples aren’t following old stereotypes either. One lesbian partner told us, “When we go to soccer and back-to-school night, usually we are the ones where both parents are there. We don’t have gender rules, so we’ve always joked, ‘Who’s gonna be the husband tonight and take out the trash?’”

– Maria Shriver“A Woman’s Nation” chapter

The Shriver Report

Terra Cotta warriors of Qin Shi Huang

Eyen Zame JohnsonYoung D.C.

The first thing to catch a visitor’s eye is the striking detail of each of the 15 figures from the face to the hair textures. “Terra Cotta Warriors–Guardians of China’s First Emperor” is a unique exhibition at the National Geographic Museum. Warriors, pre-served underground through the passage of 2,000 years, are the showpieces, especially the final eight of the “Armies Unearthed” section of the exhibition. It is the fourth of the themes National Geographic created to help visitors understand the history and setting of a vast army of life-sized clay figures discovered by well-digging farmers near Xi’an, China, in 1974.

“I’m happy to see so much history because I really enjoy history” said Josh Ve-lazquez, 13, and a student at Stafford HS in Virginia.

“I thought that it was amazing how they were preserved. The chariots were my favorite,” said Bobby Cirzi Houtchens, 60, who is from California.

Earlier sections tell interesting facts about China’s first emperor, Qin Shi Huang. Emperor Qin had parks and zoos molded and sculpted from clay to be buried with him along with terra cotta civilians, musicians, warriors, gardens and extravagant chariots. Many visitors expressed enthusiastic feelings toward the exhibit and many seemed ea-ger to learn more about the warriors. And “many” is one of the challenges of any long-awaited event.

National Geographic Museum is the last stop on a two-year tour of the Qin dy-nasty treasures drawn from 11 different collections in China. The tour started in Califor-nia and worked its way east. To cope with the “last chance” crowds, National Geo-graphic offers lots of advice, a teacher’s guide available by clicking “for teachers” to anyone who wants to download it, and the chance to buy tickets through its website, www.warriorsdc.org. Tickets are timed and dated. They can also be purchased by phone or at the museum ticket booth near the exhibition’s entrance. A companion audio tour, offered in English, Mandarin and Spanish, is available for $5.

YDC met a family from Philly that came down to D.C. to see the show. “I think they’re really cool,” said Chloe. “We wanted to be here longer,” sister Lori added.

“Finding out that there are 6,000 more warriors that have yet to be unearthed was my favorite part of the exhibit,” said Steven Hicks, 46, from D.C.

Terra Cotta WarriorsClosing March 31, 2010

10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with extended hours on Wednesdays until 9 p.m. Support from The PIMCO Foundation support makes 200 free day-of tickets

available for the 6:00 p.m. exhibition viewing every Wednesday. These tickets are distributed at 5:30 p.m. with a limit of two tickets per person.

National Geographic Museum17th and M Streets, NW

Washington, D.C.To purchase tickets by phone, call (202) 857-7700

More on tickets and pricesTicket prices are $12 for adults; $10 for seniors, students, military personnel and

National Geographic members; and $6 for children ages 2-12. Children under age 2 are admitted free. Prices for groups of 10 or more are $8 per ticket, and K-12 school groups are $6 per person with one free adult ticket for each group of 10 students. For more in-formation on group sales, call (202) 857-7281.

P.F. Chang’s China Bistro is offering $2 off a full-price exhibition ticket for guests at its nine D.C.-area restaurants. Guests will receive a special promotional code that can be used when purchasing tickets online, by phone or at the museum.Check the www.warriorsdc.org for news about Feb. 6 celebration

In addition, National Geographic will host a Chinese New Year celebration on Saturday, Feb. 6, 2010. P.F. Chang’s China Bistro, presenting sponsor of the celebra-tion, will provide complimentary tickets to the exhibition that day. Details on how to receive these tickets will be made available soon. Additional support of the Chinese New Year celebration is provided by The PIMCO Foundation.

Eyen Zame Johnson, 13, is a homeschooled eighth grade student in the District of Columbia.

Photo by Mark Thiessen/NG Photo Studio“Terra Cotta Warriors,” on exhibit through March 31 at the National Geographic Museum at 17th and M Streets, NW, is arranged in four themed sections.

Home screening

Are teens watching programs on television or computers?

We’ve heard the rumors, but don’t know the truth.

So, esteemed readers, are you tun-ing in to “House,” “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart” and sports program-ming on a television or clicking to view favorite shows on your computer?

Are you a fan of “appointment TV” or using time-shifting via cable

features or TiVo or viewing on your computer?

Tell us how you are home screen-ing by writing to the entertainment edi-tors at newsroom@youngdc.org, with “television scheduling” in the subject line. Letters should be mailed to Enter-tainment Editors, Young D.C., 1904 18th St., NW, Washington, DC 20009.

December 2009 t Young D.C. Young D.C. t December 2009Humor

Casey Drogin, 17, is a senior at Einstein HS in Kensington, Md.

Andrew PollowitzYoung D.C.

The Lab School of Washington, with a population of only 137 students, has a basketball player who is about to reach a milestone. He is close to scoring 1,000 points in his high school basketball career. Talent like this does not come often. Senior James Abbott is currently on pace to achieve a 1,000-point banner to hang in Lab’s gym.

YDC talked to Abbott and head coach An-gelo Carmina. To score hundreds of points in games, took Abbott countless hours of practice with head coach Carmina and assistant coach Darrel Parker. Abbott told YDC that he didn’t realize until his junior year that he was within reach of scoring 1,000 points. He said this achievement could take him very far in life by helping him get into a good college.

Currently Abbott is the captain of the team and a senior. He said, “I have been a captain for three years. Each year, I feel more responsible for controlling this talented team.”

Carmina said, “It has been a pleasure. I got to see him grow in maturity and confidence. Throughout my four years [coaching] James, it has been a pleasure to see this young man achieve many accolades in regards to his bas-ketball career. He will be truly missed.”

Only two other players in Lab’s history have reached this milestone, one male athlete and one female athlete. Brent Campbell played 1998-2001, and Alicia McNeil played 2000-2004.

Campbell achieved a banner in only three seasons. He told YDC the achieve-ment helped him psychologically by showing him that all things are possible through hard work and determination. He represented the U.S. in a tournament in Valencia, Spain, the summer before his senior year at Lab. He went on to play two seasons at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and three seasons at Bowie State University. Campbell told YDC that the greatest thing his coach said to him

was, “working hard was not an option. That has stuck with me until this day.”

Alicia McNeil was the first female athlete to win the 1,000-point banner. McNeil said this achievement helped her in life by “understanding that with determination and drive you can achieve everything you want with discipline and focus.”

Although she was a great basketball player in high school, McNeil did not play in college be-cause she tore her ACL playing soccer. When she healed, she ended up playing lacrosse. She said the greatest thing that Lab’s girls varsity basket-ball coach Tanya Rorie-Bryan told her was, “be patient and to work hard on the court and off the court at this.” McNeil added that she understood this advice better after college.

Players like Abbott, Campbell and McNeil are very special to the Lab School. Its banners show that the Lab community respects what these outstanding players can do on and off the court.

Andrew Pollowitz, 17, is a junior at the Lab School of Washington in the District of Co-lumbia and manager of the school’s basket-ball team.

SportS

Andrew PollowitzYoung D.C.

Sunday. Dec. 6, marked the fifteenth annual BB&T Classic basketball event at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C. It featured two NCAA basketball games in front of a crowd of 16,389. George Wash-ington University Colonials played the Naval Academy Midshipmen and Vil-lanova University Wildcats played the University of Maryland Terrapins. The result of game one between the Colonials and the Midshipmen was an 81-69 victo-ry for the Colonials, and the result of game two between the Wildcats and the Terrapins was a 95-86 victory for the Wildcats.

All of these teams have local play-ers. On the Midshipmen squad, they have Greg Brown of Waldorf, Md., who had two points in the game. For the Colonials, they had Lasan Kromah from Greenbelt, Md., he had 16 points in the action. The biggest star of the tournament came from

Lab’s Abbott nears high scoring milestone

BB&T Classic offers showcase for local talentPhoto by Andrew Pollowitz

Half time Dec. 15, against Grace Brethren of Waldorf, Abbott takes three-point practice shots with Lab teammates.

Photo by Andrew PollowitzVerizon Center Dec. 6, BB&T Classic, Game Two, Villanova vs. Marlyand–Scottie Reynolds makes a free throw when the game was close.

Villanova–senior Scottie Reynolds from Herndon, Va. He scored 25 points.

Struggling shooting the basketball as of late, Reynolds has always seemed to play well in the Verizon Center. During the post-game press conference, another reporter asked him if com-ing home is a remedy for shooting woes. He answered, “I don’t know. I just gotta think I’m playing in the Verizon Center every night. Hopefully that will work.” He told YDC he is excited that he will play in the Verizon Center again Feb. 6 against the Georgetown Hoyas.

With so many great young athletes down here, Villanova’s head coach Jay Wright said, “There are so many, so they all can’t go to Maryland and Georgetown. So we’ll take some.” Villanova team also includes Maurice Sutton from Upper Mar-lboro, Md., and Isaiah Armwood from Baltimore, Md.

The Terps had several local guys on its team as well. Those players included Eric Hayes Woodbridge, Va., Sean Mosley, Baltimore, Md., Ersin Levent, Rockville, Md., Adrian Bowie, Greenbelt, Md., and David Pearman, Columbia, Md..

All of these young athletes are special to this area and to play for such great schools. Let’s see what will happen in next year’s tournament and if any of the local guys have improved to take a strong leadership role on their teams.

The BB&T Classic benefits the Children’s Charities Foun-dation. This foundation has made grants to Young D.C. for sev-eral years.

Andrew Pollowitz, 17, is a junior at the Lab School of Washington in the District of Columbia.

See local talent, page 13

local talent, fRoM page 12

Local players seem at home on Verizon Center court

Young D.C. t December 2009 December 2009 t Young D.C. t ViewpointsViewpointS

Hojung “Deena” LeeYoung D.C.

To North Koreans, the Duman River is not a place for fishing or camping. It is where they cross over to sell themselves to China for $46 to provide food for family members they are leaving behind. Usually female in their early 20s, they cross a 40 me-ter-river naked below the waist. Next they are shipped to Chinese widowers they’ve never met and forced to run a household.

I saw a photo of such woman in Donga Daily with a story describing a horrid life of a woman with her long natural hair tied up with a chopstick. She was harvesting a crop in rural China. Everyday, this wom-an–like any other North Korean defector–lived, the paper said, in a state of terror and extreme anxiety of repatriation back to North Korea.

From this, I began relate woman to woman rather than communist to democrat. Even though North Ko-reans are under a tyrannical communist regime rever-ing a leader we condemn, I sympathized with the “bride’s” precarious life, which seemed at risk every single moment. This thought terrorized me.

Both Stalin of the USSR and Mao of China had hands in forming North Korea after World War II. The

policies imposed by the international community since 1953 have failed to improve North Koreans’ civil rights.

I am a strong supporter in the alliance between the United States and South Korea. South Korea should build a bridge for the two antagonistic countries to re-late and coexist peacefully. I believe that South Korea, as the democracy North Korea interacts with the most has a responsibility to prioritize this issue in midst of the world’s other international crises. We Koreans all share homogenous blood and language,

However, past Noh and Kim administrations tell us otherwise. To approach human rights problems in North Korea, the South’s president’s willpower and tenacity are imperative. Things started to become more effective as South Korea’s President Lee Myung-Bak took over the administration last year by forming a more up-front, critical attitude toward Pyongyang. The Lee administration generated 100 core tasks in solving human rights issue in his agenda and showed a strong will to carry out his plans. Accordingly, the Ministry of National Unification as well as S.K Hu-man Rights Committee began to focus on the expan-sion of civil and human rights through substantial sup-port from the global society.

South Korea, the United States, and the rest of the world should not take subtle steps anymore to deal with North Korean human rights issue. We have done so for the since 1950. General consensus is that pas-sivity has failed. We should be assertive, but not in excess that we employ complete hard-line policies. On the other side of the spectrum, we should not be completely conciliatory and appeasing. Rather, we should be very vigilant and careful in approaching North Korea but still open up some doors for possible positive economic interactions.

I believe that at the end of the day, North Korea will open up gradually and slowly abandon its isola-tion from the rest of the world. I see hope and opti-mism in rising political generations when the inter-national community continues to actively address and discuss the issue, and successfully execute plans and resolutions. Then, perhaps the in the future, the Duman River will stop being a place for human traf-ficking and become simply a place for beautiful and tranquil nature.

Hojung Lee, 18, is a senior at Mt. Hebron HS in Ellicott City, Md.

Casey’s Corner

Soapbox

How do you feel about receiving homemade gifts?Compiled by Courtney Stein and Lisa Hu

Young D.C.“I feel good receiving homemade gifts, because

it shows how much [the giver] cares about me. It makes it personal.”

Katherine Chacon, 15, sophomore Wootton HS

Rockville, Md.

“I like it because it shows that they personalized it for me and worked hard making it.”

Kara Crowder, 14, freshmanWootton HS

Rockville, Md.

“I think homemade gifts are fantastic. They re-ally reiterate the spirit of the holidays, and are espe-

cially important in our current economic state.”Natalie King, 19, sophomore

Ithaca College, Ithaca, N.Y.

“I think homemade gifts are even better than store-bought gifts because they have to be cre-ative. They’re unique, one-of-a-kind and require an investment [of] time and thought that’s differ-ent from a store-brought gifts. Besides, with the current economic situation, it’s better to save money. If you can’t afford gifts this year, most people will understand.”

Tasnim Shamma, 20, juniorPrinceton University

Princeton, N.J.

“Some people might not like it, [but] I don’t know why they wouldn’t.”

Alison Silverman, 18, senior,Villa Maria Academy

Malvern, Pa.“You can go to any store and buy something

for someone. [A homemade gift] will mean much more to the person in your life because it will come from your heart.”

Anthony Zarsky, 18, seniorSt. Thomas HS,

Houston, Tex.Courtney Stein, 18, is a freshman at Trinity Uni-versity in San Antonio, Tex.

Lisa Hu, 15, is a sophomore at Wootton HS in Rockville, Md.

South Korea’s to-do list for the new decade

Casey Drogin, 17, is a senior at Einstein HS in Kensington, Md.

What’s your topic for YDC to tackle in Viewpoints?The editors would love to hear about things that

inform,concern, inspire, disappoint or drive you crazy.Send your Viewpoints idea to newsroom@youngdc.org

About ViewpointsUnsigned Viewpoints articles, or editorials, convey the

opinions of the Young D.C. editorial board. Any Viewpoint or column that has a byline or is signed by the author reflects the opinion of the individual author. It is not necessarily the opin-ion of Young D.C., its editorial board or staff.

Young D.C. welcomes letters to the editor, comments and submissions from teens (in school or not) for all sec-tions of the newspaper. Please enclose name, address and telephone number on all correspondence.

Address correspondence to Young D.C. Managing Editor 1904 18th Street, NW Washington, DC 20009Young D.C., Inc., a 501 (c)(3) nonprofit organization,

exists to create opportunities for young people from diverse racial, ethnic, geographic and economic backgrounds to work together to develop a responsible, independent media voice.

Its program encourages teens to examine new territory in the region’s fragmented society to produce this newspa-per. In the process, its editors, reporters, photographers, car-toonists, illustrators and interns develop skills for college and career.

Young D.C. t December 2009on tHe Street

Celebrating peace, friendship and trainsMatt NguyenYoung D.C.

Nov. 24, 2009 to Jan. 3, 2010, visitors to the Main Hall at Union Station in D.C. were treated to holiday favorites–miniature villages and train sets plus holiday greens. The trees were decked with American and Norwegian flags. Villages were nestled among snowy mountains. Children and adults stood enthralled. This was the thirteenth year in a row that the Royal Norwegian Embassy brought Norwegian Christmas to the Nation’s Capital.

Photo by Matt Nguyen

Detail photo courtesy of the Royal Norwegian Embassy

Phot

o by

Mat

t Ngu

yen

Phot

o by

Mat

t Ngu

yen

Matt Nguyen, 18, is a senior at McKinley Technology HS in the District of Columbia.