Oakton Outlook September 2019 Issue

OAKTON

FALL 2019 | ISSUE 27: OUR STORIES

finding balance

between work

and school

Page 32 >>

the official magazine of oakton

high school. find more inside

CONTENTS

The Oakton Outlook is the

official school newspaper of

Oakton High School.

Page 19

WILL FRESHMAN

FOOTBALL BE

THE CHANGE?

Can the team’s spirit lead

them to a season of success?

Read Ethan Heard’s

piece inside.

Page 27

THE HOPE OF

THE HOPE

FOUNDATION

A second change for

people living with HIV, as

reported by Zoe Sauger

Page 38-39

WHAT OAKTON

CLIQUE ARE

YOU IN?

A fun(ny) flow chart by Zoe

Siamon

Page 29

BEHIND THE

LIFE OF MINH

NGUYEN

The story of an Oakton

custodian, as told by Nour

Alkaaby.

Page 07

CONTROVERSY

IN THE LOT

Is Senior Parking worth the

money? An investigative

piece by Riya Jain.

Page 09

TO DROP OR

NOT TO DROP?

Oakton’s trend of dropping

classes and its impact

on learning: A story by

Sameeha Khan

Page 04-05

OAKTON X

MULTIMEDIA

Learn more about the

Outlook’s push for multimedia

journalism inside,

by Ashleigh Tain and Emily

Richardson.

>>

LETTER FROM THE EDITORS

welcome to the

september issue

It’s a new school year so that means a new Outlook

staff! We are excited to announce the new editors-in-chief,

Ashleigh, Emily, Sahithi as well as the new

editorial board. This group of people will make sure

that the Outlook is the best it can be.

In order to make our stories more student-driven,

we will be highlighting the use of interviews and also

check us out online

be using the “feature” section of our newspaper much

@oaktonoutlook

more. This means that our staff will be more involved in

Ooaktonoutlook.com

the Oakton community and will work hard to document

what is going on in the student body. Another

new change this year is our new project: Oakton x

Multimedia. The point of this project is to highlight the

underrepresented voices and opinions at Oakton. We

will be doing this through mini-documentary series,

social experiments, and social media posts. So make

sure you follow us on Instagram and Twitter for all of

the updates.

Once again we have re-done parts of our newspaper

this year to make it more sleek and attractive. We have

changed our format, updated some of our fonts, and

added a new pop of color into the magazine. To match

that everyone on the staff will be working extremely to

step up their designs.

We are incredibly excited about the start of the new

school year, and can’t wait for everyone to see all the

new things we have planned.

Page 37

Best,

DOES GEN-Z SPEND

Ashleigh Tain

Emily Bach

TOO MUCH MONEY

Sahithi Jammuladaka

ON ICED COFFEEE?

Editors-in-Chief

Find out about Oakton’s

caffeine habits in this piece

by Kinsey Clements.

6

A Different Kind of Homecoming

Many Students Have Alternative Plans for Homecoming on October 5th

Unfortunately, there has been a

scheduling mishap. Oakton’s

Homecoming is to take place on

the same day as a drama field trip, a band

competition, and a cross country meet,

not to mention the October SAT. This

is going to hinder a number of students

from celebrating the way they might have

envisioned. Here’s the general consensus

of those affected by each event.

No-Show

There is a trip to Oregon that will prevent

some drama students from going to

Homecoming. Some have arranged to

celebrate back in Virginia in an unconventional

way, but generally, the tight-knit

drama community is not too concerned.

“It’s usually a night to have fun with your

friends, and those on the trip will just do

it in a different state,” says Abby Cortez, a

junior. The expectation was set that those

on the trip would have to miss Homecoming,

too; attendees are enthusiastic about

the wonderful shows and workshops to

come in Oregon. “Perhaps we will all miss

dressing up and going to a nice dinner,

but for me, the theatre in Oregon makes

up for it,” she says.

Off-Key

Though they will be cutting it close by

performing at a competition in the late

afternoon, marching band students will

still have the opportunity to attend Oakton’s

Homecoming. They have even been

given permission to leave the competition

as early as possible. “It really isn’t creating

much conflict,” says Dhriti Gampa,

a junior. Gampa does note that competitions

can wear students out; they might

not be apt to attending Homecoming. In

particular, freshmen are conflicted about

what to do. Gampa and her friends hope

to unwind and have fun at home for their

homecoming night.

Across the Country

26 Varsity runners will be in North

Carolina for an invitational meet

on the day of Homecoming. “Generally,

people aren’t too bothered

by it,” explains Carly Odom, a

sophomore who will be attending

the meet. Given that they are

attending the event based on merit,

these runners are likely willing

to make sacrifices for their sport.

“I’m fine with missing it because

I’d rather be at a meet than

a dance,” says Odom. However,

she notes that the few

freshmen going are sad to

give up their first homecoming

experience. Some

team members have also

made plans to go to other

schools’ homecoming

dances.

Testing, Testing

The October SAT will take place in the

morning on the day of Oakton’s Homecoming,

meaning that some students will

have quite an eventful day. This may be

stressful. Homecoming can be considered

a reward for a strenuous few hours of

testing, though. “I think it’s funny how I’ll

start the day in sweats, glasses and sneakers

and end the day in a dress, jewelry and

heels. I am, however, excited to relax with

my friends after the stressful test,” says

Sydney Chen.

Photo Courtesy of Oakton Cross Country

“Everyone seems content

with their plans.” - Abby

Cortez

haley longfellow | staff writer

Photo Courtesy of Oakton Drama

7 september issue

riya jain | editorial board

The Controversy In

The Lot

Oakton High School seniors reflect on the daily

parking situation and if the parking passes are

really worth it.

In the first few weeks of the school year, seniors scrambled to the

sign outside of the main office to see if they got a parking pass in

the second lottery. Due to renovation, Oakton High School has

limited parking available to both students and teachers; of course,

the teachers are given priority in the parking lot. The remaining

spots that are left in the lots are granted to seniors. They, however,

must have a parking pass in order to “legally” park in the school lots.

To get the pass, they had to enter a lottery system this past summer

with information about themselves. During cougar kickoff and a few

weeks into the school year, two lists came out with which seniors

were granted a parking pass. If they got a parking pass, they would

have to pay $200 to the security office. Otherwise, if they park without

a parking pass, they are fined $25. Juniors and those that couldn’t

get a parking pass end up parking on Sutton Road or in nearby

communities. This, however, causes students to show up to school as

early as 7 am.

Though being able to park at the school may seem like a convenient

option, many seniors regret paying money for their pass and prefer

to ride on the bus or park on Sutton Road. This is due to the fact that

there is only one exit out of the lot in the afternoon, and so, it takes

time for all the cars in the lot to exit one-by-one. In addition, the road

the cars have to follow to exit the school feed into the same road that

kiss-and-ride and busses use to exit the school. Thus, at 3:05 pm, all

cars have to wait for all busses to exit the school. Many seniors claim

they get back home at the same time that they would have if they

went on their bus. Amy Dai (12) says that she has waited up until

20-30 minutes to get out of the Oakton lot. She says that she has only

found her parking pass convenient when she has to stay after school

for extracurriculars, and that the system needs to be changed. She

further explains, “The lot is not accessible or convenient, and is too

expensive considering the current situation.” Clare Sparling (12) says

that she sees many seniors running towards the senior lot as soon as

the last bell rings so that they can beat the traffic. After reflecting on

the parking situation, she’s surprised that there hasn’t been an accident

yet in the lot as there are many cars trying to leave all at once.

Despite these inconveniences, many seniors still continue to use the

lot as many play sports and also don’t want to waste the money they

spent on their pass.

8

How to Ask for a Letter of

Recommendation

shevany moharir | staff writer

What is the best way to approach a teacher about writing a recommendation?

As fall approaches, the top item on every senior’s agenda is college applications. From the essays and the SATs, the

whole process can be extremely stressful. But one aspect of a college application that can be particularly intimidating

is the one that the student doesn’t even have to write. That is teacher recommendations — specifically finding a

teacher to write one. Asking a teacher for a recommendation can be scary and confusing because it can make or break your

application. Therefore, it is extremely important to find and ask a teacher for a recommendation that will demonstrate who

you are as a student.

Ask a teacher who has taught you recently. The more recently

a teacher has taught you, the more they will be able to

write about you. This is important because in order for a recommendation

to be strong, the teacher should have enough

to talk about. Therefore, it would be ideal to ask a teacher

who you had in junior year. Your freshman and sophomore

teachers may not remember what you were like in their class

which will make it much harder for them, so they are also

more likely to reject you request.

Choose a teacher who you know well. This may seem obvious,

but it is very important to get a recommendation from a

teacher who will be able to write strongly about not just you

as a student, but also you as a person. When asked about his

opinion on what type of student he would consider writing

a recommendation for, Oakton English teacher Mr. Flowers

says, “It can’t just be the one kid who sat in the back of the

class and never contributed. Then, I don’t know who they

are.” He then continues “Anyone who’s asking for a recommendation,

just make sure you have something else with that

teacher besides just that student-teacher relationship.” If you

have a good relationship with the teacher, your recommendation

will stand out and be much more meaningful.

Stay organized. Make sure you have all of the paperwork

and information the teacher might need in order for them

to complete the application. Remember, the teacher does

not have to write a recommendation, so you should try your

best to make it less work for them, if possible. Part of staying

organized means staying on time. Don’t ask the teacher a few

days before the application deadline. This will add unnecessary

stress on both of you. Try to ask the teacher at least

a month in advance in order to give them time to write a

quality recommendation.

Expect to follow up. After you have asked for a recommendation,

make sure you visit the teacher to show your gratitude.

This visit can also serve as a reminder to the teacher to

write the recommendation if they haven’t already, without

having to say it explicitly.

9 september issue

To Drop or Not

to Drop?

sameeha khan|staff writer

Oakton juniors and seniors load on AP classes to

compete in a race of prestige and academic excellence,

constantly comparing the amount and rigour of their

courses to their peers. The average AP classes taken

by an Oakton upperclassman amounts about 3 or four,

but students can take as many a six or seven APs in one

school year. The increase in average AP classes directly

corresponds to an increase in an action that is popular

among AP students: dropping classes. But how does

dropping a class hurt students and how do Oakton

teachers really feel about students dropping their class?

photo credit: @oaktonhighschool on Instagram

“Until about the second

semester, 10-15% percent

of students in AP Chemistry

drop the class”

Students who consider dropping a

class, both AP and not AP, are often

torn with this question: “Would it better

for me to get a bad grade in a hard

class or a good grade in an easy class?”

In respect to college admissions,

students know that course rigor is

substantial in an admissions decision,

but are usually unsure of whether it is

considered so heavily that it outweighs

a few GPA points. Frequently,

dropping a course involves losing an

AP credit and a prerequisite to a more

advanced class. It is crucial to look at

the pros and cons before dropping

a class and to seek advice, as it can

help students be more successful and

better understand the dynamic of the

course to prepare for the rest of the

year.

FCPS policy allows students to

drop classes without leaving evidence

of the course on a student’s transcript

unless it is dropped five days after the

first quarter ends. After that period of

time, either WP (withdraw passing)

or WF (withdraw failing) is recorded

next to the course, but the grade given

at that time is not considered in the

student’s GPA. Colleges tend to factor

in dropped classes into admissions if

they are visible on a student’s transcript

and if there are multiple classes

in one year, but if a student dropped

because of an external circumstance,

admissions officers are generally understanding,

especially if an explanation

is provided. The leniency given

by the Fairfax County school administration

allows for students to take

advantage of the system and sign up

for hard AP class just to try them out,

relying on dropping the course if they

feel it’s not for them.

Often in justification for a bad grade,

Oakton students rumor that in more

challenging courses, teachers make the

first tests or few assignments extremely

challenging to ‘weed’ out students that

are unprepared or unwilling to work

hard in the class. This rumor is quickly

rejected by AP/Honors Chemistry

teacher Mrs. Bingham, who states that

instead, it is the students who are getting

more accustomed to new a class and

testing structure. “In fact, the first unit

is always review,” Bingham said. On

the other hand, teachers at Oakton do

not structure the beginning of an AP

class to be easy to keep students in the

course, as Bingham mentioned “It’s an

AP level course and we, as teachers, have

a curriculum that is dictated by College

Board and based on the AP exam in the

spring.” At Oakton Highschool, science

AP courses are considered to be some of

the hardest APs and Bingham considers

this when preparing her Honors

Chemistry students for more advanced

material. “Until about the second semester,

10-15% percent of students in AP

Chemistry drop the class, but very few

students switch into AP Chemistry,” she

states.

Mrs. Bingham believes that “students

should only take AP courses that they are

truly interested in” and in some cases,

withdrawing from AP Chemistry can be

beneficial, as students are able to pursue

extracurriculars or other courses that

they have more interest in.

In fear of deterring students from

taking their courses and inciting controversy,

a few teachers declined to speak

on this matter. In fact, a few teachers encourage

their students to stick with the

APs as at the end of the year, the student

will have learned to think critically, practice

a good work ethic, and learn from

their failures. In courses that are known

to be hard, it is important to accept that

students are not always going to get an

A, and oftentimes it is worth sticking

with those courses so colleges can see

the way students react to adversity.

10

Leadership

What is Leadership? Why should you take it?

Around the school, many freshmen

and sophomores have been

spreading the word about this

new elective, although most underclassman

aren’t sure what it’s all about.

“It’s a class of people that want to make

a difference at Oakton,” Said Maddi Kriz

(12). “People who like to take initiative,

and to guide and influence the people

around them.” Leadership is an elective

at Oakton, where the members are responsible

for school events such as sports

games and pep rallies, as well as keeping

Oakton up to date with student interests,

such as culture and trends.

“People join that want to make a difference

at Oakton regarding enjoying being

in school and sporting events,” Maddi

said as she described the goals of leadership.

“Doing the things that make it more

spirited, united, and energetic.” They

spread school spirit by organizing things

such as Homecoming, pep rallies, Cougar

News, and creating posters to hang

around the school to notify students and

teachers on big events at Oakton. Some

class periods are spent discussing ways to

fix student complaints about our school,

others are spent creating advertisements,

digital or on paper, for members of

Oakton to view, some are spent planning

events, and others are spent doing many

more activities to make our school a more

enjoyable environment.

“The Leadership program aims to help

students develop the leadership skills and

traits needed to be leaders in school and

beyond while working to build a sense

Leadership is responsible for

coming up with spirit weeks, so make

sure you show your spirit the week

before homecoming by wearing the

following:

Monday: U.S.A colors

Tuesday: Jerseys day

Wednesday: Pink out

Thursday: Fr - black, So - white, Jr -

burgundy, Sr - gold

Friday: Hawaii day

of community among students, teachers,

staff, and parents at Oakton High School

as a place to learn, work, and enjoy life,”

Photo courtesy of Oakton High

School

said the Oakton High School website

when describing the elective

Many underclassmen question how

the grading system works. “You have to

send in screenshots of your Instagram

and Snapchat stories,” Maddi responded.

Members of leadership are expected to

spread information about Oakton news,

such as posting dates and information

about spirit days, Homecoming, and

other school sponsored events. If you

post pictures supporting these events,

you earn an A.

In conclusion, leadership is the class

to join if you want to leave your mark

at Oakton. I asked Maddi what her

main goal is before she gradutes. “The

big thing in leadership this year is the

fact that there’s so much reconstruction…

so our goal is to make it to see

the positives of Oakton, like how fun

the teachers are at pep rallies or how

fun each student is at the sporting

events… so when our class graduates,

people will continue to influence each

grade.

sara boddie|staff writer

11 september issue

The Yang Gang Moving America Forward

Andrew Yang Pushes up as the Underdog Canidate

brendan bellingham|staff writer

As the term limit for one of the most divisive presidents expires,

the democratic nomination is a hot seat this election cycle. Older white

men top the polls so far as middle America grapples with the fact that

women or people of color can be a figurehead for the free world. Sanders

and Biden are most popular alongside Warren and Harris, but there are a

number of candidates polling low that access the democratic debate stage

via grassroots campaigns. One of those candidates is Andrew Yang.

Yang is not a career politician but rather an entrepreneur. As a child of Taiwanese immigrants, he understands

the American ideal of individualism because his parents have pulled themselves up by their bootstraps and made a future

for their kids. Yang sees the future of the nation in his two sons and believes that the crippling economy forced him to take

action. Yang knows the workforce is rapidly changing with automation taking over jobs in many fields.

The Freedom Dividend is his flagship campaign point. The plan to give every American adult $1,000 dollars a

month is the solution Yang sees fit to aid those at risk of unemployment. Statistics predict an increasing number of Americans

at risk of losing their jobs to new technology. Big business leaders like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos support the idea of

Universal Basic Income as their business models increasingly support automation.

Under a Yang presidency, money for Universal Basic Income will come from taxes on big companies like Amazon, Google,

and Facebook that profit the most from the automation that reduces jobs. Money from the tax will spread wealth into

American homes to create a trickle-up economy that has the middle class building up the economy rather than a trickle-down

model where funds gradually reach the poorest as the wealthy get richer.

A point of contention you’ll hear immediately from the right when discussing this solution to counteract an increasingly

automated world is that this is a socialist agenda. This idea actually promotes a better form of capitalism that promotes an

economy where money begins in the pockets of families and is then spent in markets to build the economy.

As the candidate pool narrows, Yang’s polling numbers will have to increase for him to win the candidacy. Yang will have

to push more moderate policies to override the farther left ones like universal basic income. Most of the U.S population

describe themselves as moderate and Yang has enough middle group polices to appeal to the masses.

POLITICS

The Race For Presidency - Or

Not?

Why Republican Figures Are Chosing Not To Unseat Trump

The past three years with Trump as

president have been very controversial

and have made the president’s

reputation sink, so one might assume

that Republican candidates would

be leaping with joy to one-up our current

president during reelection season. Given

his unpopularity among many voters

from both parties, there’s no way it could

be that hard, right? In reality, many figures

of the Republican party who could potentially

be good presidents have chosen not

to unseat trump. Unseating a president

of one’s own political party is one of the

most difficult maneuvers, especially in

this case. Although many citizens are

unsatisfied with Trump due to his

character, and his political decisions

have gained the support

of social and economic conservatives

because they are

inclined to major companies’

favors. For an alternative

candidate of the

republican party to run,

they would have to have

different policies from

Trump in order to make

them unique but these

changed policies will not

have the support of major

industry influencers.

Frankly, the only opposition

the Republican party has

against Trump is his character.

“He is a person of horrible

character who corrupts

everyone around him, undermines

essential social

standards and is branding

his party with an image of

bigotry that will last a generation,”

reports the Washington Post. President

Trump has shown his disregard for social

standards on several occasions. One

including when President Trump made a

comment regarding three Congresswomen

of color, telling them to “go back to their

broken and crime infested countries.” This

behavior has been unfavorable by many

people of both political parties in branche

s of the

Govern-

ment. However,

for Democrats these events make

their arguments against Trump more

popular, but for Republicans the debate

of policy over character becomes increasingly

stressful. Although someone’s character

is always something to take into consideration,

Trump has much support from

12

a conservative policy standpoint amongst

Republican voters. The increasing popularity

of the Democratic argument has

forced many Republicans to overlook

character and focus more on policy out of

loyalty to their party. Policies related to the

regulation of major companies that allow

them to rule the industry have gained support

through specific industries, purely

because their business is being benefitted.

In addition, many Republicans support

his decisions relating to the appointments

into political office, so regardless of how

terrible some might think Trump is, his

party as agreed to only support his policies.

This brings into question why not have

good character and well-supported

policies? If a candidate has the same

ideas and wants to enact policies

that Trump has already set in

motion, why would they be

voted for over someone who

has been in office for four

years? The opposing candidate

of the same party would

undoubtedly lose but this

action from a societal standpoint

could have a great effect.

Although they wouldn’t win,

standing up to an existing president

purely because the candidate

disagrees and disapproves of

the way the president has been acting

could demonstrate that it isn’t party

against party, its people against an unjust

president.

claudia messina | staff writter

13 september issue

Presidential Candidates and

the Student Loan Debt Crisis

What do Democratic Candidates plan to do about the

Student Loan Debt Crisis?

One of the important issues affecting Oakton students, especially Seniors, is the high cost of

college. On average, graduates of the class of 2017 who borrowed money for college graduated

with $28,650, with there being 1.5 trillion dollars in loans in America in total. Obviously, this

is a big issue that lies ahead for Oakton High School students. So, let’s see what the top 8 presidential

candidates for the Democratic Party plan to do about it.

First up is Joe Biden. Biden’s main plan for dealing with student loan debt is to improve and simplify

upon the already existing Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program, which provides student loan debt

forgiveness to those who work full time at qualifying public service jobs at a local, state, or federal level,

or at a qualifying non-profit.

Elizabeth Warren, the current 2nd place in surveys, is much more radical than Biden in her answer

to student loan debt forgiveness. Warren’s answer to the student loan debt crisis is to simply to make

higher education free for all and cancel all existing student loan debt. Much like Warren, Bernie Sanders’s

plan to deal with student debt loan is to wipe out all existing student loan debt and make higher

education free for all.

Fourth up is Kamala Harris, and she is much less radical on her approach than Sanders and Warren.

Harris plans to allow people to refinance high-interest loans into low-interest loans and expanding

Income-Based Repayment, which allows for people to pay only what they can afford. Harris also plans

to reduce the cost of college across the board.

The final candidate is Pete Buttigieg. Buttigieg plans to make college cost different amounts, according

to income, but overall lower the cost of college. For lower-income families, they will pay nothing for

college, and middle-income families will pay nothing for public college. Buttigieg also plans to expand

Pell Grants, which don’t have to be repaid.

However, this is only a surface level coverage of the issue. To get a better idea of the issue, here’s what

Mr.Waxman, a government teacher at Oakton had to say about it. Mr.Waxman agrees that Student

Loan Debt is an important issue to Oakton students, but more so to upperclass students, and that anyone

who is considering attending higher education should look into the issue. Mr.Waxman personally

believes that there should be more government to lower the costs of colleges and universities, although

plans like Bernise Sanders and Elizabeth Warren’s plans to make all college free, and wipe out student

loan debt are too ambitious.

Overall, Student Loan Debt is a very complicated issue, as are most political issues. Before you vote,

look into presidential candidates’ policies and decide for yourself which one would be best for America.

Don’t forget to look into issues as well, as there are numerous issues facing America today. Plus,

before choosing a college, think about how you plan to repay any loans you may need to take out.

maxwell pfeifle|staff writer

14

Cougars Strike for Climate

A recap of the Global Climate Strike and why students

from Oakton High School protested.

“As people were

walking out of the

Capitol to listen, I

wondered if they

heard us. I hope

they truly saw us

and what we stood

for.”

- Ava Liberace, 11

Three days before the UN Climate Action

Summit, more than four million

people worldwide rallied to show the

United Nations they would not take inaction

for an answer. World leaders have a long

track record of devising inadequate climate

solutions that are unenforceable and too

leisurely for the stringent timeline humanity

is on. The Global Climate Strike that took

place on September 20 was the most massive

mobilization of people for the climate

that history had ever seen, and they were

intended to be acts of power by the masses

to demand bold and urgent climate action

from officials at the Climate Action Summit.

With over 2,500 decentralized actions

in more than 163 countries from all seven

continents (yes, a group of scientists even

protested in Antarctica), the September 20

strike was rightfully a Global Climate Strike.

Close to Oakton High School, the Washington,

D.C. strike was one of the flagship

events. An estimated eight thousand people

rallied in front of the United States Capitol

after marching down Pennsylvania Avenue

from John Marshall Park. In the crowd were

several Oakton High School students that

skipped school to protest. Holding signs

above their heads and shouting for their

lives, they blended in with the body of

chiefly youth attendees. As the demographic

most affected by the climate

crisis, young people have been

the leading voice in pushing for climate action.

Clare Sparling, 12, says, “My younger

brother is only three years old. By the year

2030, he will only be 14. He will be inheriting

a climate he had no say in. So, I struck for

my future, for his, and the future of all those

yet to come. I struck because we deserve a

livable future.” However, Sparling also feels

they should not be alone. Climate change

is an intersectional issue that envelops everyone

and therefore needs everyone. “It

was disappointing that it was mainly young

people. We should not have to skip school

to demand a liveable future,” she said.

Having similar thoughts, Ava Liberace, 11,

protested as well. Liberace describes feeling

furious, sad, and shocked at the lack of

government concern surrounding climate

and the environment. Before attending the

strike, she felt isolated and alone in her fight

to save the planet since she assumed not

Courtesy of

Maren Astell

many youth or adults cared about the environment.

However, after protesting, Liberace

drew great comfort in the thousands of

youth that joined her on the front steps of

the Capitol. During the rally in front of the

Capitol, officials could be seen walking out

onto the balcony to observe and listen to the

strike. “I wondered if they actually heard us.

I hope they truly saw us and what we stood

for,” says Liberace. “There is power in numbers,

and there were thousands to speak

for it in front of the United States Capitol.”

The case is slightly different for Erica

Coon, 12, who also attended the strike

in place of her regular Gold day classes.

Coon is currently taking Advanced Placement

Photography and decided to make

her way to the Capitol to take pictures.

“This is such a big part of history - I wanted

to be there to capture the moments.

Sacrificing some of my classes to go and

march was definitely worth it!” said Coon.

Regardless of individual reason, thousands

of young and old people’s lives and

stories intersected on September 20 in

both Washington, D.C. and around the

world. The fight has only just begun, and

will not end until world leaders heed the

calls and demands of millions around

the world. Power comes from below, and

millions of people made known on September

20 that there is an undeniable,

unignorable need for climate action.

wendy gao|editorial board

15 september issue

A Look on the FCPS Board Election

A fetaure on candidate Rachana Hiezer

isabel knipping | staff writer

Courtesy of Fairfax Times

On Nov. 5, 2019, twelve seats

will be up for general election

according to Ballotpedia.

Nine seats are elected by the district,

while the other three seats are elected

at large. The six candidates are Karen

Keys Gammera,, Cheryal Buford, Priscilla

DeStanfo, Rachna Heizer, Abrar

Omeish, and Vinson Palathigal. Hiezer

is running for Fairfax County School

Board at large (county wide). Rachna

Heizer is an attorney, a college professor,

and disability rights activist. She

has worked to help children in Fairfax

County who may not fit into a predetermined

mold, like her two children.

I interviewed Rachana Hienzer about

platform and movations.

“Students should get involved because

it is the only way our democracy

survives. Voting is not the only way

to participate in our society. Civic

engagement through advocacy is also

an important way to leave to have one

voice heard and make a difference.“

said Heinzer when asked about why

it is important to learn about school

board elections. She believes it is important

for students to know about the

school and its members since they are

the ones who make policy for schools.

Hienzer’s two kids went Fairfax

County Public Schools for kindergarten

through 12th grade. She avocated

tested for them and other children to

get the best education possible regardless

of challenges they may face. “As

the parent of two children who have

spent their entire educational careers

in Fairfax County Public Schools I

know firsthand how wonderful our

schools are but also the work needed

to ensure they bring out the best in

every child. I have spent more than

a decade as a community advocate

working collaboratively with school

leadership elected officials and community

activists to improve our education

system.“ Hiezner also believes in

supporting and advocating for teachers

so they can give students a high

quality education that supports their

needs. She has spent time working on

addressing students student mental

health, disability advocacy, and juvenile

justice on a county and state level.

Heinzer has many platforms and

issues she wants to focus on. She plans

to improve the growing mental health

crisis by implementing mindfulness

and peer mentoring programs, as well

as trauma informed education and

substance abuse prevention. She also

plans to add more counselors and

make sure schools have an accepting

and respectful environment. She will

address the students increasing workland

to make sure there not overmellwed

and stress while still making sure

they have a good education. She also

plans to help make sure students have

a well rounded education, with artistic

exploration and project based learning

along with academics and S.TE.M.

She plans on decreasing class sizes to

prevent overcrowding. She will make

sure students are challenged but also

that their strengths are nourished. She

plans to give teachers livable wages

and make sure their needs are taken

care off.

“Community partnerships to expand

career and technical oppernaties and

community schools with wraparound

services, she said. “All students are

equally respected, supported, and

included, regardless of gender identity,

disability status, race, religion, national

origin, sexual orientation or statues.”

16

MLB Playoff Breakdown

jacob rutzick l staff writer

The MLB Playoffs are about to begin and the Oakton

Outlook has the breakdown you need. We have

our picks for the winners of all series including the

World Series.

The MLB Playoffs are about to begin and here’s everything you

need to know about them this year.

The American League (AL) looks to be a two team race in

between the Astros and Yankees. The powerhouse dynasties have

ruled the MLB for the past two seasons. They were the first two teams

to reach 100 wins and were the first two teams to clinch their respective

divisions. They have sat in the top two to three spots in the MLB’s

power ranking all season despite dealing with major injuries. The

astros have rode their MLB best starting pitching staff who happen to

have the ALs top two Cy Young candidates. Justin Verlander is having a

historically good season with a WHIP that would scare even 2004 Barry

Bonds. Garret Cole may get to the 300 strikeout number that is almost

unheard of. Those two combined with a lineup including Jose Altuve,

Carlos Correa, George Springer, and Michael Brantley and you have

one of the best teams in the MLB. The Yankees don’t have nearly the

pitching the Astros have as their ace Pedro Severino sat out a majority

of the year with an injury. However, the Yankees make up for their lack

luster pitching with the best lineup in the MLB. Aaron Judge, Didi Gregorious,

and DJ Lemahiou have all had great years. The Yankees, after

Severino’s recent return, are primed to make another world series run.

The National League (NL) seems to be much less competitive than

the NL. The Dodgers have been the best team in the NL all year and it

hasn’t been that close all year. MVP candidate Cody Bellinger looked

like a lock to win the award earlier this year, but has slowed a bit

recently. The rest of the team including sluggers Justin Turner, Cody

Seager, and Adubal Hererra has been great all year. The great hitting

combined with a Cy Young level season from Hyun Jin Ryu and great

pitching from Walker Buehler and Clayton has made the Dodgers a

very dangerous team that are hoping to make their third straight World

Series and possibly their first World Series win in

those three tries. Scott Sloan, 12, said “The Dodgers

have are definitely the team to beat and I think they

are a lock for the World Series.” The other contenders

in the NL include the Braves, the Cardinals, and the

Nationals. However, it seems as if the Dodgers are a

lock to make a deep postseason run this year.

Prediction time. This year’s NL and AL Champion

Series matchups will most likely be Astros vs. Yankees

and Dodgers vs. Braves. This year’s World Series

matchup will most likely be Dodgers vs. Astros. The

Astros superb pitching will most likely be the key

factor that leads them psat the Yankees powerhouse

lineup. The moment will most likely be too big for

the Baby Braves, and the playoff hardened Dodgers

will take advantage and advance to yet another World

Series. But the Dodgers will end up most likely falling

to the 2017 Houston Astros who will add yet another

World Series title to their dynasties resume.

17september issue

Nobody’s safe in the NFL

The most popular sports league in America has been getting away with murder.

Despite running the most overwhelmingly

popular major sports

league in America, the leadership

behind the NFL has treated players in the

worst imaginable way possible since the

1992 strike.

Michael Rosenberg of Sports Illustrated

interviewed Calvin Johnson, ex-Detroit Lions

wide receiver and all-time NFL leader

in yards per game. He did not hesitate to

criticize the traditions that have resulted

in a history of player mistreatment by both

the NFL itself and the teams within. Johnson

went into detail about the suffering he

endured throughout his nine-year NFL

career, which included nine concussions,

chronic severe pain, and countless losses

and playoff misses on various haphazardly

managed Lions squads. Despite being

possibly the best wide receiver in the NFL

during his tenure with the Lions, Johnson

retired early at the age of 30, due to a lack

of winning and good management, much

like Lions running back Barry Sanders,

who retired at 30 despite being the most

dominant running back of his time.

Johnson painted a vivid picture of the Lions’

mismanagement of him. One particular

instance, he noted, was when he got

a concussion in the middle of a game and

talked about it to the press. After the conference,

training staff members told him

that he passed their concussion test and

that he should change his story and apologize

for saying hat he had a concussion.

Images courtesy of Kevind810 and Jeffrey Beall respectively

Another widespread issue with the NFL

that Johnson brought up was the abuse of

opioids and painkillers. He described how

after a particularly rough game, he would

be able to walk into a training room, ask

for a bottle of Vicodin, and have it handed

to him relatively easily. The issue Johnson

elaborated on is quite widespread.

A study by the Washington University

School of Medicine St. Louis showed that

former NFL players abused painkillers at

four times the rate of the general American

population. Vice Sports showcased a

series with NFL retirees which saw them

talk about how teams often encouraged

players to take painkillers to play sooner

despite a lack of confirmation from team

doctors. They also showcased how they

found themselves saddled with opioid

addictions and essentially endless funding

for it from their salaries during their

playing days.

The NFL’s contract situation is quite restrictive

as well. Unless a player is a star

like the Atlanta Falcons’ Matt Ryan, teams

often pay them in unguaranteed money,

resulting in them essentially being paid

weekly, allowing teams to cut them and

remove their salary from their cap. This

can also result in stars being underpaid

by teams in an effort to save salary. NFL

players have been fighting back against

this system, such as Melvin Gordon of the

Los Angeles refusing to sign a contract for

3 weeks after he felt his team’s $5.6 million

salary offer was not enough for a player of

his caliber, or more famously when Le’Veon

Bell sat out an entire season after the

Pittsburgh Steelers refused to pay him

what he was worth.

Teams, owners, commissioner Roger

Goodell, and even the sports press have

often reacted with anger towards these

attempts at player independence, but they

are fighting a losing battle. In the NHL

and NBA, player rights are emphasized

over everything else and players often

don’t have to sit out seasons or battle just

to get paid what they’re worth. Meanwhile,

the MLB’s free agent arbitration

serves as the purest skill-based assessment

system, with players and teams both

arguing against each other to a board of

arbitrators on how much the player is actually

worth.

The NFL has been host to some critical

issues recently, and they have been consistently

ignoring them in favor of PR moves

and advertising, and it has been working.

Most people don’t care about the thousands

of former players having their lives

destroyed by CTE or opioid addiction,

and they don’t really know how the NFL’s

antiquated contract system works. The

NFL would like to keep it that way, and the

best way to do that is to ignore the issues.

kartik mukalla | staff writer

SPORTS

18

Be the change

How the new football coach led Oakton to victory

portia dai | staff writer

Oakton football has been underwhelming for the past two seasons, but after two years of waiting Oakton has finally won a

game against Fairfax High School. This leaves us wondering what “change” new football coach, Coach Morgan, made that

lead to Oakton’s victory. Regarding the win against Fairfax High School, he says it couldn’t have been a better thing for the

first game of the season. The win was a great thing for the seniors to have and to countless people to whom the win meant

so much too. Coach Morgan regards this to be “one of the best moments I’ve ever had in my life.”

Coach Morgan has

been a teacher for

twenty years, previously

working as a marketing

teacher at Lake

Braddock and a coach at

Woodson. He decided to

come coach at Oakton because

of the school’s history

of success in sports and the

good community as well as

student body. Coach Morgan

is also excited to follow

in the footsteps of great

coaches and “bring Oakton

back to the greatness

we once had.” His goal for

his players is to learn from

football and become better

men. Coach Morgan believes

that football is a sport

that brings everyone together

towards a common goal

no matter race, ethnicity, or

even age. Coach Morgan’s

favorite part about coaching

is teaching his players

strategies and improve their

physical abilities. Outside of

coaching, he enjoys as many

sports as he can. He was a

semi-professional baseball

player for sixteen years and

indulges in watching, playing,

and coaching football.

New football coach,

Coach Morgan

“One of the best moments

I’ve ever had

in my life.”

The Oakton win against Fairfax

Credit to Oakton Smugmug

When asked to share about his

coaching strategies at Oakton

compared to Lake Braddock,

he said that when he coached at

the former, he taught players about his

“ideology, lingo, verbage,” and what to

look for so that everyone would think

on the same level for ease of communication.

He says it took awhile at Lake

Braddock, but eventually, it “trickled.”

By “trickled” Coach Morgan means it

passes down to incoming younger players.

At Oakton, he is trying to communicate

more with upperclassmen so that it

“trickles” down to freshmen and eighth

graders. Coach Morgan also thinks that

the expectations and culture at Oakton

needs to change, but the kids are getting

it. When asked what he thought

about playing the homecoming game

against Lake Braddock, he immediately

answered that he of course wants to

beat them, but that he does have respect

for the kids he has had in class. Nevertheless,

he says that “there would be

no better way to start off homecoming

weekend than with an Oakton win.”

The strategy that helped his players

the most was accountability and learning

that “they only have to do their job

and to trust that their brother will do

their job themselves.” He says the key

part was everyone working towards the

common goal of winning with a calm,

cool, and collective attitude.

We hope that the homecoming game

on October 4th will see another victory

to finish off the season strong; come out

to support the team!

19september issue

Will This Years Oakton Football

Be The Change?

In previous years at Oakton, the football team has had

their fair share of losses. Last season our varsity football

team went on a ten-game losing streak and had a total of

six touchdowns spread throughout the season. This year,

hopefully we can be the change. Micheal flood, a wide receiver

on the freshman football team says that the support

that they are getting from teammates and coaches this year

“is definitely what they need to turn around this year’s football

for the better.” We had a great start to the season with

Varsity’s incredible performance against Fairfax. Although

Varsity lost the following couple of games, we still have the

rest of the season to change. The Freshman team also had a

good game against Woodson where we won 58-6. By keeping

good team spirit, a positive attitude, and having good

sportsmanship throughout the season, the football team

will have hope to win their games.

Spirit week is a way that students can show their school spirit

and that they support the football teams. It is a way to kind

of build up excitement and hope for the homecoming dance

and game on saturday. With the Freshman vs Langley game

tomorrow and the Varsity vs Langley Homrcoming game on

Friday, we should show our support by participating in spirit

week and by dressing according to the decided theme og the

game. An example of a theme is a Gold-out where everyone

wears gold or a USA theme where everyone wears red white

and blue. Though it might be hard. With the team spirit and

student body supporting the team, I feel that our teams can

come through this season and be the change for Oakton Football.

courtesy of oakton athletics

Why are the Miami Dolphins so

bad?

20

It is usually a major accomplishment to set a record, regardless

of its scale and the specifics behind it. The 2019 Miami

Dolphins, however, are giving new meaning to record-breaking

activity. The dolphins have been outscored 42 to 176

in their first five starts. Let that sink in for a moment. They

have been outscored by their opponents by an average of 35

points, blowing former record-holding teams out of the water.

It does seem like the Dolphins are starting to get their feet

under themselves to a certain extent after experiencing two

mind-blowing beatdowns from the Baltimore Ravens (59-10)

and the New England Patriots (43-0) after losing by much

smaller margins to the Cowboys (31-6) and the Chargers (30-

10), but only time will telwwhether the Dolphins are back on

track.

So we’ve established that dolphins are bad; not just bad, really

bad, historically bad, uniquely bad. All these struggles

beg the question, what is really going on with the Miami Dolphins.

Do they have a shallow roster, a lack of star talent, an

unskilled coaching staff, or are they just simply experiencing

a bit of bad luck. I did some research to pinpoint the root of

these problems and these are the conclusions that I have arrived

at as to why the 2019 Miami Dolphins football team is so

incredibly bad:

ben abrahams|staff writer

21september issue

Dig Pink and the Side Out

Foundation

The story of this Oakton tradition and how it came to be

The Dig Pink charity volleyball

game is coming up on October

third. So before the game comes,

it’s important for everyone to know

where the organization came from.

Dig Pink is a part of the

Side Out Foundation, started by Rick

Dunetz, who is a former volleyball

coach at Oakton. He is still in the area

and coaches at West Springfield. The

side out foundation website defines

clinical trial examines the effects of

individualized treatment on patients

with metastatic breast cancer (stage

IV). Individualized treatment, known

as targeted therapy, provides doctors a

better way to treat stage IV breast cancer,

based not on the type of cancer, but

on its molecular architecture. This gets

us better therapy prediction and better

results and closer to removing the word

‘terminal’ from our cancer vernacular.”

Being a varsity coach comes with a lot

of pressure and responsibility. At the

same time, his mother was diagnosed

with breast cancer. This time was

even harder because his mother was

diagnosed with stage IV breast cancer,

which has no cure. This news motivated

his team to go farther than they ever

had before in the state competitions.

He then used his sadness to help others

who were going through the same

itself as “Schools, tournaments, and

clubs [uniting] their communities by

hosting events that create impactful

experiences and build positive team

culture, all while fundraising for Side-

Out’s stage IV breast cancer research.”

The foundation also looks to empower

communities through their young

athletes in order to fight breast cancer.

The Foundation originally set out to

simply raise money, and donate to

other breast cancer research facilities

in order to find a cure. But, they have

since turned into much more. The

side out foundation has now become

a research facility in itself. The Side

Out Foundation website says, “Our

They have created a clinical trial that is

trying to get to the root of the disease.

The foundation continues

to raise money for their research and

clinical trials through their Dig Pink

Dig-a-Thons all over the country.

They currently have nine thousand

twenty six teams that participate in the

dig pink tradition, including Oakton

volleyball. Through these fundraisers

the organization has been able to raise

fourteen million dollars for breast

cancer research, specifically for their

clinical trial.

Rick Dunetz created the Side

Out Foundation in 2004 while he was

the head coach for West Springfield.

thing as his mom and raise money for

breast cancer research, which started

the Side Out Foundation.

The Side Out Foundation is

an important fundraises and raising

awareness for breast cancer. Luckily,

our school has been participating in

this fundraiser since the beginning,

and it has no signs of stopping this

year. This years fundraiser is on October

third at five o’clock, so be sure to

come support our team then.

lizzie thompson|staff writer

22

alexandra martschenko | staff writer

Luau: a homecoming debacle

Is the Homecoming Theme Cultural Appropriation or are we too Sensitive?

In the age of controversy

and extreme caution, it

is difficult to tell when

something is crossing a line.

Many seemingly innocent

concepts can be perceived

as cultural appropriation to

certain groups and this leads

to a feeling of being trapped

in a box of caution with no

way to do anything without

approaching it with an abun-

"The fact that they’ve chosen this as a

theme is honestly extremely inappropriate

and, frankly, gross” -Bhadra Nair, 12

dance of

care.

As homecoming

approaches

the

seemingly

warm hearted

idea of a Luau has brought

up feelings of concern among

the student population.

Many students have decided

to boycott the dance to stand

up against the appropriation

of Hawaian culture. A Luau

is described as a vibrant feast

with music and cultural performances.

Many students

are concerned that Oakton

won’t honor the beauty and

vivality that a Luau entails

in an appropriate way. Oakton

Senior Bhadra Nair and

Sophomore Pulelehua Mc-

Clung, a Hawaiian native,

stated that “ Oakton has a

reputation of being very inclusive.

The fact that they’ve

chosen this as a theme is honestly

extremely inappropriate

and, frankly, gross” and have

encouraged their friends to

skip the dance in favor of

something a bit more culturally

appropriate. Unsurprisingly,

many people have

jumped on the trend.

Whether or not the homecoming

theme is controversial

is in the eyes of the beholder.

In a world where so

many things have become

off limit, many within good

reason, it’s difficult to do anything

without having someone

complaining. Cultural

sensitivity is important but

there has to be a limit to the

censorship that is put onto

certain objectives. That being

said, Hawaii has extreme

hardships that for the most

part were brought on by people

who only see the island

as a tourist

destination

and not a

land with a

history and

culture. The

natives have

had their own cultures ripped

away by colonizers and now

used by a high school leadership

committee who does

not see the harm in appropriating

other states’ culture. If

the theme had been Arabian

Nights or something centered

around Naive American culture,

there would have been

a huge stink raised about the

issue. But, because Hawaiian

culture has been appropriated

for so many years that

nothing is being done to assuage

the issue.

23september issue

Improved Cafeteria, but Has the

Food Improved As Well?

New lunch room but same food

In the summer of 2017, Oakton High School started

a four year renovation project. The first thing

that has been completely redone is the school’s

cafeteria. Everything about the new cafeteria is newer

and better than the old one, from the massive amount

of space to the food court-like lunch lines. However,

alongside these improvements, has the food changed

for the better? Students from all around Oakton share

their opinions.

Maya Youssef (10) said that “it’s very low quality

food” and that “the food choices aren’t as healthy as

they should be, like the salad, which is supposed to

be a healthy option but is over 400 calories”. When

she was asked if she could change anything about

the lunches, she responded saying the school should

“provide students with a real lunch that is tasty, but

also healthy for them”. She also added that “they

should be able to go to the grocery store and get the

same food the school is providing for them”. Other

students interviewed agree that the foods are not as

healthy as they could be.

Ilyaz Dresser (10) said that “everything is massed produced

with lots of preservatives”, and that the dieted

drinks should be switched back to the normal ones

because the “diet ones have so many more chemicals

than normal ones”. Ilyaz made some good points,

especially with the dieted drinks because when a

drink is made to be ‘sugar free’ or ‘low calories’, the

missing sugar or calories is substituted with artificial

sweeteners which can lead to health

problems later in life.

Aaron Gray (11) said “the school’s

lunch is very artificial looking, and

it feels like the food has never changed from when I

started eating school lunches” when asked what he

thought about the school’s food. He also stated that

“many of his friends have been sold expired products

like smoothies and gatorade”. When asked if there

was anything he would change Aaron said, “I would

like to change the pizzas at the school because the

school’s pizzas are not the best, while microwavable

pizzas are not expensive and better.

Overall, many students said that they want more variety

in general because having the same selection of

food everyday and eating the same thing gets monotonous

and boring. Many also agree that the school’s

lunches are poor quality, and is not as healthy as it is

made out to be. I agree with the students and believe

that if they want their students to eat healthy, they

should make food that the students will enjoy but

also is good for them. The quality of the school’s food

is crucial because it will encourage good eating habits

and keep students happy and healthy. If students

dislike the food, it would just be a waste of food and

money by making food that students do not enjoy and

will end up tossing it at the end of lunch.

katie le | staff writer

OPINION

24

Courtesy of @coxfarmsva

Instagram Feb. 18, 2019


Instagram July 4, 2019


Instagram Aug. 5, 2019

How the Family-Run Farm is Expressing the Importance

of a Voice

For those of us who have grown up in Northern Virginia, Cox Farms has probably

been the source of some fond fall memories. The family-run farm located in Centreville,

most notoriously known in the area for their Fall Festival and Fields of Fear

events, has everything from hayrides and slides to fresh apple cider and kettle corn. They

keep in touch with the community through their email newsletter, website, social media,

and most authentic means of communication are the two road signs outside of the farm.

Aaron Cox-Leow, a co-owner and Co-Farmer-In-Chief of Cox Farms, is in charge of the

social media accounts. During the off-season, “we don’t have a ton of farm-related stuff to

say, so sometimes we use our signs to address other issues,” says Cox-Leow.

Many may be unaware of Cox Farms’ social media accounts, more specifically, their controversial

posts regarding many topics such as gun control, equality, abortions, and immigration;

generally taking a liberal point of view. However, it is important for us to take a

look into the beliefs of organizations that become a major part of our lives, and the impact

these situations can have on our community.

The family-run farm has been present on various social media platforms for roughly a

decade, including Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Their older posts are generally neutral

and what you would expect from a community farm, like pictures of pumpkins and

goats. In June of 2016, they posted a picture of a rainbow wagon with the words “At Cox

Farms, equality is always in season” in reference to the Pulse NightClub shooting. However,

it wasn’t until early 2017 when they truly began connecting their political views to their

business.

Cox-Leow says their decision to begin “fighting injustice” began after a family business

meeting, in which they “agreed that part of living our values meant using our resources

to strengthen our commitment to resist white supremacy and fight injustice, not just as

a family but as co-owners of our business.” So, they literally put that goal into their longterm

planning.

Their iconic cinema letterbox is a recurring picture throughout the account; sometimes

advertising activities, other times expressing political beliefs. In February 2018, the letterbox

read “Resist white supremacy,” with a lengthy caption to clarify the reason they decided

to post these words outside their farm, basically boiling it down to decent humanity.

Additionally, throughout the spring of 2018, they continued to post some more subtle, but

obviously serving a deeper purpose, signs including, “We call cow manure!” and “Make

racism wrong again;” just to give you an idea. You can view the full collection of these messages

under the “Roadside Signs” photo album on their Facebook page, or throughout

their Instagram and Twitter feeds.

They keep in touch with the community through their email newsletter, website, social

media, and most authentic means of communication are the two road signs outside of the

farm.They keep in touch with the community through their email newsletter, website, social

media, and most authentic means of communication are the two road signs outside of

the farm.

The Cox family has received a variety of responses regarding these statements. Some just

hateful responses, others including threats and hostility towards the business. Some have expressed wishes of neutrality. And the

rest, send love and support towards the business. When asked about the topic, Park said, “It doesn’t have an effect on whether or not

I would go[to Cox Farms] or not, but that may be in part because I agree with a lot of it.”

After expressing her understanding of her privilege, Cox-Leow went on to say,” I believe that allies have a responsibility to speak

out in support of marginalized communities.” However, regardless of your political views, Cox Farms is undeniably playing a major

role in the community by choosing to display their values, in which they show the impact of a voice and speaking up for what you

believe in.

payton wozny | editorial board

25 september issue

Cancel culture, and what it

says about our modern-day

world

eileen lincoln | staff writer

Laura Lee was an internet-sensation

with over five million subscribers

on her Youtube channel and multiple

new makeup videos a week. In August

2018, old tweets resurfaced, displaying her

racist and fat-shaming behaviors. As a

result, her career is gone- no more brand

deals, over a million loyal fans lost in her

community, and constant shaming by the

public. Everything she’s worked for for six

years is all gone due to tweets she posted

over seven years ago.

Cancel culture, or call-out culture, is

boycotting or ignoring a celebrity or public

figure, specifically after they make

racist, homophobic, or sexist comments.

Nowadays, “canceling” someone is extremely

common and has happened to

numerous celebrities, most notably Kanye

West, Bill Gates, Taylor Swift, and James

Charles. While there are many strong

opinions on the internet as to whether or

not cancel culture should exist, many fail

to recognize how it represents the values

and morals of our modern-day world, and

how respecting others and their beliefs is

becoming more important to the current

generation.

To begin, one of the primary arguments

about cancel culture is that many of the

scandals have to do with past comments

or issues, they are not an accurate representation

of the person in our current

world. Although strides of progress have

been achieved in the past few decades,

this reasoning is invalid most of the time.

As in the Laura Lee case, her racist tweets

only went back to 2012. While the public

has further acknowledged and become

more aware of racism within the past few

years, this doesn’t mean it wasn’t wrong

seven years ago. While she probably

would never have imagined how admired

and famous she would become in less

than a decade, it still demonstrates how

how her ignorant and harmful actions

truly have an effect on others. Making excuses

such as these for wrongful behavior

only enables it in the future. Other examples

include celebrities who have sexually

assaulted or abused others, such as Harvey

Weinstein and Kevin Spacey.

In fact, “this legacy of cancel culture

even goes back to the 1960s with the director

Alfred Hitchcock and his abuse of

Tippy Hedren on the set of the movie The

Birds, which was highly inappropriate in

the way in which he acted towards her,”

says Elizabeth Sullivan, a senior here at

Oakton. “The fact that actors are finally

getting justice that previous generations

couldn’t means that cancel culture is doing

some good in the world.”

While these problems have existed for

decades, the newer phenomenon of cancel

culture allows for victims to finally

promote change in our world.

Additionally, many have suggested that

cancel culture is unfair and unreasonable

because it destroys one’s career and further

opportunities. However, rather than

ignoring problems in the world, cancel

culture authorizes standards to be set on

social issues and indefensible doings. It

obliges celebrities who have committed

unjustified actions to be forced to own up

to their responsibilities and face consequences.

While, it is understandable how

others may feel as if call-out culture may

be harsh at times, especially with thousands

of social media users commenting

hateful or rude messages, their success

is not always demolished, as shown in

several cases. For example, take the Kim

Kardashian and Taylor Swift fiasco a few

years ago, in which Taylor Swift was “cancelled.”

Since then, almost everyone has

overlooked that drama, and she has gone

on to release multiple record-breaking albums

and songs.

Cancel culture imposes consequences on

those who have performed inappropriate

actions, yet also enables those who have

displayed change and growth as a person

to learn from their mistakes and continue

with their careers.

So, while many provide strong takes

on whether cancel culture is beneficial

or not, there are multiple cases for each

viewpoint. While it forces celebrities and

influencers to own up to their wrongdoings

and create change on critical issues,

it doesn’t always allow people to improve

from their mistakes. Ultimately, cancel

culture represents how this generation is

becoming more sensitive to certain issues

and uses social media as an outlet for addressing

the problems in our world. Additionally,

it symbolizes a sense of optimism

for future generations with increased activism

and engagement with necessary

problems in an effort in order to establish

a more respectful and thoughtful population.

26

GROWING UP DY LEXIC

I fell in love in third grade, not with the

boy that sat next to me in math class or

a dreamy television supermodel, but with

language. Growing up dyslexic, I’d been

taught certain things about my condition:

that it would inhibit my reading abilities,

perhaps make me more creative, but most

of all, that a love for language was all but

forbidden.

Beginning in kindergarden, it was evident

that I didn’t see words like the other kids.

My sentences looked more like abstract

paintings than the portraits they were

supposed to represent: the Is were often

too large, Ps replaced with Qs, Ms mistaken

for Ns. Paragraphs looked more like

alphabet soup than anything resembling

order, a trait that often earned me poor

grades.

For a while, being dyslexic felt like starting

a race from 100 meters behind. I spent

many years struggling over texts and looking

for hints in the pictures of assigned

readings that my classmates grasped easily.

Being called on in class summoned

feelings of intense embarrassment as I

cracked through each of the words, pausing

before even small qualifiers like “the”.

I was never a good reader or the champion

of the school spelling bee, and for a

while, I resented my condition. I’ve never

been someone that wants to be “normal”,

but I wanted to be good enough - to be

able to keep up with my younger brother

when he read Harry Potter or bring home

a perfect spelling quiz. I wanted to live up

to the expectations placed on “normal”

kids.

As I matriculated through the education

system, I found ways to compensate for

my condition. The version of English that

I taught myself can’t be summarized by a

set of trends, but I understand it anyways,

similar to the way that most Americans

recognize a green light as symbolizing go,

even if we haven’t been formally taught it.

In doing so, I taught myself a different

way of writing, and truthfully, of living.

English in schools is approached in a very

formulaic manner, similar to math. While

we don’t learn rules of addition, we learn

combinations of letters that “make sense”

together - that q+u=correct and -tion is far

more common than -tiom.

We’re taught from an extremely young

age that there are formulas to our ways

of speaking, communicating, and as a result,

living. We learn that language exists

only within the confines of spelling and

grammar itself, but I never saw grammar

or spelling in the static way that it was

portrayed. To me, spelling shifted just

as much as letters did when I read, and

grammar changed with it. I didn’t identify

with the definition of language that I had

been fed, and as a result, had to build my

own.

I found my definition in abstract art. I

came to view letters as symbols, not as

pieces of a formula. I saw language as fluid

and constantly changing, not as a constant,

unalterable tool. In turn, I learned

to view the world in a more changing

light. I saw documents as evolving with

the times, literature as open to interpretation,

and the people behind them as complex,

multifaceted writers. Language is

fundamentally the basis of our communication,

and as a result, of our understanding

of each other. In learning to view it in

a less formulaic way, I began to appreciate

the nuances of humanity: the ones that often

fall between the couch cushions or are

cut off before their ending.

Being dyslexic made me an

artist, not because I was

ever trying to create art, but

because my day to day is

filled with incomplete drawings

that I have to attempt

to understand - puzzles with

pieces that I craft.

Being dyslexic taught me that the best

writers aren’t artists because of the way

they weave sentences together or use fancy

vocab terms, but because their work reflects

humanity: evolving, changing, and

impossible to describe in formulas.

27 september issue

The Hope of the

HOPE Act

The HOPE act is giving patients with

HIV a second chance in life

When someone says they are HIV positive, you immediately

back away a couple of inches and express how sad it is. There

is a negative stigma around the disease, yet many people

don’t understand that someone can live a perfectly normal, healthy life

with HIV. In the 1980’s there was an epidemic of AIDs, which is an autoimmune

disease that can develop from being HIV positive. The majority

of the people infected with HIV/AIDS were members of the LGBTQ

community and because of this AIDs was viewed as a disease for those

who are ‘dirty’, pairing the disease with a negative outlook.

However the negative connotation around the virus, social media has

helped spread a positive outlook on the disease, and slowly as the pride

movement is taking place and increased acceptance of the LGBTQ

community, people who are HIV positive are experiencing less social

turmoil.

When someone who is HIV positive needs an organ transplant, they

are put at the end of the transplant list with limitations around receiving

the organ, basically putting the patients on a deathbed. The reason for

this rule is that UNOS (United Network for Organ Sharing) does not

want to give a healthy organ to someone who will always be ‘sick’ or

have the disease versus giving a healthy organ to someone who will be

‘healed’.

Recently, a doctor performed the first (assumed first) organ transplant

from someone who is HIV positive to another person who is HIV

positive. The procedure was a kidney transplant that took place at John

Hopkins, and so far both patients, the donor, and the recipient are recovering

well. The second transplant took place at Duke university and was

the first live kidney transplant.

Both of these transplants are under the HOPE act, an act that allows

people with HIV to donate to others with HIV. This act was passed in

2013 and only allows five hospitals with transplant centers to

perform the procedure, including Duke and John Hopkins.

The kidney transplants performed at John Hopkins and Duke

has led to many more people who are HIV positive wanting to

donate their organs. This has not only helped soften the stereotype

around HIV but also other diseases such as Hepatitis

C and Hepatitis B. This could be the way of the future and give

the opportunity for people with HIV/AIDs to live a longer and

healthier life.

zoe sauger | editorial board

Photo courtesy of voanews

Photo courtesy of nbcnews

Photo courtesy of UAB

Photo courtesy of Duke Health

FEATURE

Dragonfly; NASA’S Wonder of the

Sky

NASA’s Nuclear-Powered Self-Driving Drone and its mission

to unravel Titan

Dragonfly, NASA’s nuclear-powered self-driving drone sounds

like an impossible creation from a dystopian novel. In reality,

this awe-inspiring machine is made up of technology which

can be found in many common drones and technology today, though

its purpose is far greater. The probe’s mission is to explore the mystewrious

terrain of Titan - Saturn’s largest moon!

The probe itself is a dual-rod quadcopter, otherwise known as a

drone with four rotors, with a motor and propeller on each rotor. The

size approximately resembles a compact car, whichseems bizarre to

think that such a bulky device was created to hover over the surface of

Titan. While the quadcopter portion of the probe is something anyone

can easily find on Amazon in normal drones, the probe’s nuclear-powered

quality can be attributed to the technology NASA uses for its Curiosity rover on

Mars.

But why explore Titan? Unique to the 150 known moons in our solar system, Titan is not only the only one with a considerable

atmosphere, but it’s also the only location aside from Earth which has liquid in the form of seas, lakes, and rivers on the moon.

While Titan differs in the sense that its liquid involves hydrocarbons as opposed to water, it still has cycles of evaporation and

condensation much like our planet Earth. Furthermore, Titan’s terrain closely parallels Earth’s, although the frigid temperatures

and different chemical composition,unfortunately, make it impractical for human habitation. The temperature, an astounding

-290 degrees Fahrenheit (-179 degrees Celsius), causes the surface of the planet to be encased in ice water that serves the purpose

of rock on Earth. Much like bodies of water shape the terrain of planet Earth, methane and ethane carve Titan’s surface into river

channels and lakes filled with natural gas - a terrifying concept on Earth, but just another one of Titan’s unique features, The

similarities don’t stop there, however - there’s also dunes on Titan which resemble those of the desert of Namibia in Africa! With

a coffee-grain like appearance and a dark hydro-carbon composition, these particles stretch

across the moon’s equatorial regions and add to Titan’s mystique.

Yet another one of Titan’s special qualities is its thick, primarily nitrogen

atmosphere. Of the 150 other moons, it’s the only one to have this characteristic,

even if it tragically lacks some of the key elements needed to

make the planet safe for humans to occupy. This nitrogen and methane

filled atmosphere are partly responsible for the thick haze which

surrounds the planet, which happens as a result of the methane and

nitrogen in the air constantly being recycled. But while the source of

continuous methane on the planet is unknown, it’s clear to see that

there’s plenty of reasons for NASA to gather more information on the

inner-workings of this astounding moon!

Once the probe has been launched from Earth in 2026 and has arrived

in Titan in 2034, the probe will drop from its carrier capsule and begin

making a series of “leaps” across the planet to map the terrain, and finally

unearth the wondrous astronomical body underneath.

28

elene lipartiani | staff writer

photos courtesy of NASA/JPL

29 september issue

Behind the life of Minh Nguyen

A feature on school custodian, Minh Nguyen.

nour al-kaaby|staff writer

Students are promised a safe and clean learning environment

by FCPS. None of that would be possible

without the help of our school custodians. Minh

Ngyen, one of the eighteen school custodians, spoke to

us a little about herself and what she does. Nguyen and

her husband Loc Bui work with others from 7 a.m. to3:30

pm to maintain a clean and secure environment.

Minh Nguyen and her husband Loc have been married

for 9 years and emigrated from Vietnam to America

in 2015 with their two kids at the time for a better life.

Nguyen told me about her struggles coming to America

and starting from scratch. Learning a new language was

one of her biggest challenges. Now they live in Sterling

with four kids.

Nguyen began working at Oakton 6 months ago and

says it has one of the best work environments she's been

in.

“it's great when in the morning they come and [say] ‘good

morning.’ It's so kind, it makes us happy,” Nguyen said.

One of her favorite parts of working at oakton is when

students greet them. “The reason we have such [a] good

experience is because of our supervisor,”said Nguyen.

Like everyone else Nguyen, has a life outside of

Oakton, and a good amount of hers is dedicated to the

upbringing of her four kids, the oldest only eight years

old. Nguyen says that she takes her kids volunteering

frequently to teach them to help others and take time to

be kind to their community. She also tries to take them

to church as much as she can. I asked Nguyen what she

would do if she wasn’t so busy all the time she told me

that she would go back to school and get a good education.

Throughout our interview, she talked a lot about

the importance of education and how she believed it was

essential for everyone to get a good education.

Take a moment to get to know the people around you;

you never know what you can learn. Life’s too short to be

careless. Start thanking school staff and take time to talk

to them about their day. It's no secret that everyone at

Oakton is too busy to blink, but taking time off our work

to build relationships with those around us is essential

and will be beneficial in the long run.

“People will forget the good things you do for them but

what they will never forget the way you made them feel,”

said Nguyen.

30

Best study spots near Oakton High School

Every high school student who would not admit to spending hours pouring over homework in

some sort of coffee shop or cafe is lying. While a lot of people choose Starbucks over a smaller,

lesser known coffee shop, there are tons of hidden gems near Oakton.

“The coffee here is so good,

and I always choose to

come when I’m nearby.”

(Kathryn Edgar,

Peet’s Coffee)

Another great place is Peet’s Coffee. It

has two close locations, one in Vienna,

the other in Fairfax Corner. I usually

order the iced caramel macchiato, and,

if I’m hungry, a chocolate chip cookie.

Their blueberry muffins are a great

breakfast to start off your day. All the

coffees and teas are made expertly and

taste wonderful. The atmosphere is

more business-directed, and you’ll often

see business people having a casual

meeting in person or on the phone, or

working away on their laptop.

“I really love the food,

because it has a great

flavor, and it’s unique to

the area.”

(Leah Campbell,

Magnolia Dessert

Bar and Coffee)

My absolute favorite place to study is

Caffe Amouri. Located in Vienna near

Church Street Pizza, it’s a small coffeehouse

with a very cozy vibe. The walls

are lined with old vinyl covers, and the

menu is written on a chalkboard above

the counter. My go-to studying snack is

the chai tea latte with coffee cake or a

brownie. The latte has a very smooth,

cinnamon taste, and the bakery items

always have just the right level of sweetness.If

you want a fall drink, they also

have the pumpkin pie latte, which in

my opinion is better than the pumpkin

spice latte from Starbucks. The whole

atmosphere is very friendly and community

oriented; whoever’s behind the

counter always greets you with a smile.

“They have the best

croissants! They’re so

buttery and light. I get

them every time.”

(Kate Day, Caffe Amouri)

veronica preaskorn | staff writer

Still fairly new, Magnolia Dessert

Bar and Coffee is a smaller place

with a friendly ambience. It isn’t big

enough for larger parties, which is

really nice for studying. The honey

toast pocky strawberry is a great,

sweet snack to keep you on task. The

cost may seem a little high, but the

portions are fairly large. Their affogato

lattes are the perfect blend of

sweet and bitter, but, if you don’t like

bitter, you can’t go wrong with their

white chocolate mocha. It’s also located

in Vienna, and everyone is really

nice and helpful.

31 september issue

Torn Between Religion and Grades

The internal struggle faced by students of minority religions

lindsay greenspan | staff writer

Separated by ten days are the two

most holy days of the Jewish

calendar, Rosh Hashanah and

Yom Kippur. Parents stay home from

work, and grade school students will

stay home from class as well. They

will go to services at the synagogue

and spend the rest of the sacred day

with other relatives, including grandparents

and cousins. Many Jewish

high schoolers are unsure of what

to do, as both holidays lie on school

days. Do they go to school and feel

guilty for missing services, or choose

to stay with family, and deal with

the stress of making up school

work?

Rosh Hashanah is most

commonly thought of as

the Jewish New Year. It is a

day for remembrance and

judgement. American

Jews celebrate the holiday

in many different

ways. Some traditions

include candle lighting

in the evening and

services in the morning.

Throwing bread

into a body of water for

the ceremony of Tashlich

symbolizes casting our sins

away from the previous year.

Special meals are also eaten

on this holiday, which often

involve a round loaf of challah

bread, which symbolizes a round

year, and apples dipped in honey in

hopes for a sweet year to come.

Yom Kippur, or Day of Atonement,

is the holiest day of the Jewish year.

It is ten days after Rosh Hashanah.

Jewish adults fast on this holiday and

are commanded to do no work. This

is to fully devote the solemn holiday

to repentance and reflection. Services

are attended once again, and

at sundown, families “break the fast”

and traditionally eat a breakfast meal

consisting of items such as bagels,

blintzes, and fruit.

Around the High Holidays every

year, Fairfax County sends

o u t their

Guidelines for Religious Activities.

The policy states, “Fairfax County

Public Schools, as an agency of the

government, shall be neutral with

respect to religious beliefs and also

shall not engage in any activity that

either disparages or advocates religion.”

The guidelines mention nothing

about homework or tests, causing

students to feel hesitant for missing

school for fear of having a lot of work

to make up. This conflict is not just

faced by Jews, but by those of other

minority religions. Muslims must

make this same decision for Eid-al-

Fitr, close to the end of the school

year when final exams are occurring.

When asked about making

this choice, Katelyn

M., a ninth grade student

said, “It makes me feel

sad that I can’t be with

my family during this

time, and I have to

choose between religion

and school.” As

important as these

holidays are to the

Jewish community

and those of other

minority religions, the

overwhelming idea of

catching up on schoolwork

deters students from

missing school.

In the end, what weighs

more for a high school student?

The value of religion or the stress

of schoolwork and grades?

Tiring Days and Busy Nights

Finding out how the srudents of Oakton balance their school and work life.

Sitota Mesfin | Staff-Writer

32

School can be very stressful, what with the long classes, difficult tests, and heaps of homework.

In addition, some students also take on jobs, diminishing more of their time. Including

that, some participate in clubs as well! How can they balance both their school life and work

life, while still staying on top of it all? Is it really worth the stress and late nights that are sure

to come? I asked some fellow Oakton students just how they do it.

“It’s become a little harder to balance school and work because I take APs and those classes usually require a lot more

time … [my manager] can schedule me up to 8 hours a day so it gets tiring coming home and getting school work done, ”

says Daioa Al-Kaaby (12). She also let me know that she participates in many clubs, including NHS, MSA, and BSU. Along

with all of that, she was a manager of the wrestling team the year before. After being asked if her job was worth it, she said,

“My answer to this changes. In a way, I feel so much more productive and good after a shift when I accomplish things and

get recognition … But other times when I’m stressed over school and I haven’t gotten much sleep and my performance at

work isn’t great … I feel like quitting.”

Similarly, after asking a sophomore

if she believed her job was

worth the sacrifices she has had

to make, she says, “Sometimes I

think it’s not … I sacrificed sleep, I

never have free time [because] it’s

either taken up by school or work

or homework.”

While some students are on the

edge of whether they think their

job is worth it, Frank Smoot-Canty

(11) replies with a much different

statement. “Heck yes! I love my

job! My coworkers are amazing to

be with and there are some excellent

benefits to working at a pizza

place … I usually am able to get all

my homework and projects done

when I return from work.”

After looking through it, I have realized that even though work has

taken a lot from these students, including sleep and free time, they push

through. Working a job has made them more mature and focused, and

has even helped with their time management skills. Even though some

may not love their jobs, they still get it done, feeling better in the end.

“Where there’s a will, there’s a way.”-Angela Merkel

33 september issue

The Road to

College Begins

The first few months of senior

year often give students more

stress than they have ever had

before. With early decision and early

action deadlines for college approaching,

students all over the school are frantically

writing essays, filling out transcript

request forms, and asking for recommendations

on top of their heavy course loads

and jam-packed schedules. With this little

sleep, it’s like junior year all over again

for many Oakton seniors as they check

off items on their college checklists.

The first step in the process was deciding

where to apply. Virginia schools such

as Virginia Tech, James Madison, and

the University of Virginia are perennial

favorites. And as always, there are many

high achievers aiming for schools in the

Ivy League, such as Princeton, Harvard,

and Yale, as well as people who just want

to get out of state. Applying early

instead of regular decision

to Virginia Tech has

been a very

popular choice

this year as a

result of the

anticipated

increased

admissions

difficulty

after the

school over

admitted

about 1,000

students last

year.

For some,

once colleges

were

decided,

prep started in the summer. The majority

of college applications opened up on August

1st, and essays were released last year

so that students could get a head start.

Essays were started in coffee shops and

senior profiles begun on beach vacations

in an attempt to relieve stress from the

school year.

Now, crunch time has arrived. The

deadline for transcript request forms was

Monday, September 30th, so many students

spent the weekend rushing to finish

their senior profiles for their counselor

recommendations. On the morning of

the deadline itself, the counseling office

had a line so long that it was bursting out

olivia garrone | editorial board

Everything Oakton seniors have been doing to

kick off college application season

ily, it was

the

of the trailer; luckworth

it for

satisfaction

of completing the first official step on

the road to college.

Transcript requests weren’t the only

thing on seniors’ minds this week; essays

have been even more of a hassle. “The

essays stress me out. I have a lot of them

in the works; I just recently plugged in

my coalition essay and now I have a lot

of supplementary essay happening,” said

Cathleen Papas (12).

Fortunately, the English department has

been lending a hand. 12th grade English

classes at Oakton have been working on

an assignment designed to produce a

personal statement essay that can be used

for college apps. This opportunity for

feedback from peers and a teacher leaves

students feeling better about their essays.

Despite the burden of applications, the

end goal is enough to keep everyone

going. “I’m looking forward to it,

to college, the adventure,

new experiences.

I’m kind of just

ready to

break

out

of

the

NOVA

bubble

of protection,

I want to

leave. I

want to

experience

new

things,

new people,”

said

Papas.

34

Women History Heroes

Featuring women heroes who you might not know

Grace Park | Staff Writer

Helen Keller

Helen Keller was born in Tuscumbia, Alabama, on June 27, 1880. Then, one year later, she lost

her sight and hearing because of a disease presumed to be Meningitis. It took away her ability

to speak. In 1887, Helen met Anne Sulivan, a tutor. Anne taught Helen with passion. A year

later, Helen went to Perkins School in Boston and learned many communication skills

there. A few years later, she applied to Radcliffe College, which then functioned as the

female Havard College. After graduating college, she wanted to speak for disabled people,

so she traveled to 25 different countries and gave motivational speeches for Deaf people.

Also, she wrote 12 books and some articles. Her stories are usually about her life. She wrote

about how she grew and her obstacles for achieving her goal. Helen Keller, the great writer

and speaker, died at the age of the 87 after giving hope to the disabled people in the world.

Courtesy

of Thought co

I surprised about her work. I think she’s a very determined

woman and that finds joy in everything. -Madisyn Moses (9)

Eizabeth Blackwell

Elizabeth Blackwell was born on February 3, 1821, in Bristol, England. In 1832, their

family moved to New York. At first, she applied to many of the medical colleges, but

all of the college didn’t accepted women except Geneva College in New York. On

January 23, 1849, Blackwell finally got a medical degree, making her the first woman

to achieve a medical degree. After she graduated, she decided to found the medical

college for women at New York. It began with small number of students and teachers;

there were fifteen students and the teachers were just Elizabeth Beckwell and her

sister. One year later, she went to the U.K. and educated people and with information

about health, so that people can prevent diseases. She died, n May 31, 1910. She worked

with women’s caste and developed health care for whole life.

Courtesy

of Time

Courtesy

of St.

Teresa

of

Calcutta

Parish

Mother Teresa

Mother Teresa was born in the Republic of Macedonia on Augut 26, 1910. When she was 12,

she decided to commit herself into religious life, then she joined the Sisters of Loreto. In India,

while she was working, she decided to help people. She founded a school for starving

and poor people, and on October, 1950, she established the Missionaries of Charity. New

members of the Missionaries of Charity opened doors around the world, and by the

1990s, over one million people worked for it. For this work, she was awarded the Nobel

Peace Prize. In later years, She suffered two heart attacks with heart disease. At first, she

refused to take medical care of herself on the grounds that the poor she was taking care

of were not allowed, but after the second seizure, she had surgery at the request of the

government and the pope. She came back and died peacefully on September 5, 1997. The

funeral was held as state funeral on September 13. India’s government expressed respect

and condolences.

She seemed like a very generous person because of her heart warming actions! Her mind

to helping the poor truly reveals the affection. -Bibechana Pandey (9)

Sources: Wikipedia, Biography.com, and notablebiogrpahies.com

35 september issue

It: Chapter 2 scares, but doesn’t quite

make it out of the sewer

Horror movie sequel has trouble staying afloat.

Sept. 6, 2019: Horror-hungry

audiences flocked by

the thousands to theaters

across the globe to see

the long-awaited sequel to

Andy Muscetti’s 2017 film It.

In the two years since Chapter

One’s release, fan hype

for the second movie adaption

of Stephen King’s classic novel

has grown considerably. The first

film had broken October box office

records with a $700 million opening,

and is still widely regarded as one of the best movie adaptations

of a King book. This second movie was well placed

in relation to Halloween, so the overall spooky mood was

alive and well when moviegoers took their seats.

Considering all this hype, it’s a bit of a letdown that

Chapter 2 lacked the same ferocious bite of its predecessor.

That’s not to say that It: Chapter 2 didn’t float; the

movie had a very successful $384 million opening, and

was relatively well-received by audiences. Critics weren’t

as friendly, giving the sequel a mere 63% on Rotten Tomatoes

as compared to their 86% consensus for Chapter 1.

Look at those numbers for a second. Audience interest

in the movie dropped from a record-breaking $700 million

to $384 million, which is still incredible for a Horror

movie… it’s just nowhere near as groundbreaking as

Chapter 1.

The thing is, Chapter 2 wasn’t a bad movie. In fact, plenty

of moviegoers genuinely liked it. Even the most scathing

critics can agree that the acting performances from

Bill Hader, Jessica Chastain, and James McCavoy were

emotionally raw and superbly proportionate to their

younger selves, and Bill Skarsgard delivered a capturing

performance that channeled the creepy demon-clown he

was born to play. It was long, sure, but every scene and

plot development kept the audience alert and watchful

for when Pennywise would appear next. “I thought it fit

pretty well with the book, but I actually liked the movie

better,” says Fairfax student Zoe Varacalli (11). “Even

though I knew what was coming, it was still surprising

and terrifying.”

Yes, the movie was scary. Yes, the cast was

courtesy of Google Images

golden. Yes, there was suspense and

jumpscares galore... but the thing was,

Chapter 2 didn’t feel like the horror

movie it was expected to be. What

had worked in the first film was

the mystery of Pennywise, the capital

letter in It, and audiences left

the theater of Chapter 2 with that

mystery revealed. The ominous thrill

of the film suffered from it, and as a result,

so did its box office results.

Now, plenty of King fans out there will

argue that a movie’s earnings don’t necessarily

reflect its quality. But this goes beyond money.

Somehow, with the same director, familiar source material,

and an all-star cast backing the movie’s release, it’s

success was all but halved in comparison to the previous

film. So, what happened?

Horror movies have been around for a very long time,

and over the years, the worst of the genre has developed

a formula of cheap scares and wooden characters that,

quite frankly, becomes boring after awhile. The simple

truth is, very few horror movies achieve It-level greatness,

or even Friday the 13th cult fame. And once a horror movie

does become mainstream, it generally lacks that extra

substance, that additional depth, to generate a successful

sequel. Chapter 2 suffered that formulaic problem, reusing

instead of improving upon the new and innovative

ways to scare audiences that Chapter 1 had championed

so well.

In the end, It: Chapter 2’s true problems lay in its own

strengths. The aforementioned director and source material

resulted in a film that felt very similar to the original,

except this time, the audience already knew where the

scares would be. The vast scope of the movie, from a killer

Paul Bunyan statue to monstrous god-aliens, was both a

gift and a curse to the film’s believability and scare-factor,

and It: Chapter 2 buckled a little under its own CGI-infused

weight.

A red balloon, when filled with air instead of helium,

does not float, and It: Chapter 2 was filled with a lot of O2.

charlie williams| staff writer

A&E

The Impact of Online Shopping

The recent closing of some of our

favorite stores due to bankruptcy

have shocked many. There

are many contributing factors to these

businesses unfortunate losses, but one

in particular stands out the most; Online

shopping.

Now, not saying that online shopping is

the cause of all evil and must be abolished

immediately. Online shopping has

been around for a while, but in recent

years, it’s gained a lot of popularity

amongst the youth. It’s understandable,

as it’s a convenient way of getting what

you want fast. Popular companies like

Amazon sell cheaper items for higher

quality and variety. Online shopping also

gives the customers a feeling of more

control over what they’re purchasing.

There are no busy crowds, boring lines,

and sales pressure, as it’s all done from

the comfort of your couch. Furthermore,

there are no opening and closing time,

so you can shop wherever, and whenever

you want. There are even ways to send

gifts to family/friends living across the

world through the internet and online

shopping. It saves on time, energy, and

money. It’s amazing how much it impacts

and influences our daily lifestyles.

There’s a long list could go on about the

pros of online shopping, but with the

pros, comes the cons. The increase of

online shopping has caused thousands

of stores to go out of business, which

also means thousands of jobs being lost.

Many also fear that it’ll cause a monopoly.

In 2019, a survey from digital commerce

reported that millenials make 60%

of their purchases online! While there are

many safe places to shop on the internet,

there are also a numerous amount of

online scammers and unfriendly websites.

You are more likely to get scammed

online than you are in real life. Since you

don’t have the ability to physically observe

the items you are purchasing, it can

sometimes come damaged, broken, or not

come at all. Delays in shipping orders are

also quite frequent, some arriving months

after the shipping order. There’s also a

shriya ramanujam | staff writer

36

shipping fee, which can sometimes even

cost more than the actual item bought.

Shopping online isn’t helping our environment

much either. The packaging

with the excessive bubble-wrap and the

unrestricted amount of plastic used are

extremely harmful to our ecosystem. Additionally,

the fossil fuels released while

making the delivery are very harmful.

Now that you’ve heard both the pros and

cons of online, it’s time for you to make

the choice. Shop online more, or shop at

stores more?

More research was conducted by interviewing.

The subject of the interview did

not wish to be recorded.

Introduce yourself please:

My name is Anvitha and I’m currently 18

years old attending high school.

What do you use more, online or in-store

shopping? And do you prefer more?

In-store shopping for both questions because

I don’t trust online shopping. You

can’t try things on online and it’s often

misleading.

What’s your worst experience with shopping

online?

I once downloaded a virus by clicking a

link that I thought was amazon. That was

not fun. Good thing I got it removed a few

days later though. I’m much more careful

now.

What’s your worst experience with instore

shopping?

Not to be rude or anything, but bad

salespeople and customer service. Long

lines are also really annoying. Sometimes

I think that shopping for my product

online would’ve been a better option in

those situations.

What’s one thing you’d like to improve

about online and in-store shopping?

For in-store, definitely the long lines

and customer service. Also, the way the

salesperson bombards you while you’re

trying to shop peacefully is too much for

me to take. I’m a very introverted and

shy person, so it’s really hard for me to

say no and ask for them to let me shop in

peace in those situations. For online, it’s

definitely the way they inaccurately represent

the products you’re shopping for.

Like, you think you’ve ordered a green

dress but it come to your house in pink.

That’s why I personally don’t trust online

shopping and usually prefer to shop in

places where I’m sure that the products

I’m purchasing won’t disappoint.

Are you someone that cares a lot about

the environment

Yes, because this is our home. Why

wouldn’t you care about the environment.

And what’s your thoughts on how the

packaging of online shopping affects the

environment ?

There’s a lot of plastic, which urgently

needs to be fixed. You’re just dumping

more plastic into the ocean, which really

makes me angry and sad at the same

time. Save the turtles.

How do you think we can fix or improve

this problem?

We could fix this problem by limiting the

unnecessary use. Like, do you really need

to use that much bubble wrap? This also

happens in a lot of stores too, not just

online, where they are still using plastic

bags. I know a lot of people are already

doing this, but more people should start

bringing reusable bags. It’s ridiculous! I

definitely think everyone should recycle

and reuse. I feel like not many people are

talking about how helpful it is to reuse

products, so I’m going to mention it. Reusing

is very helpful and will definitely

benefit our ecosystem.

Have you ever been scammed through

online shopping?

I guess yes because some of the things

I’ve bought were way different from what

was pictured. But also no, because all the

products I’ve ordered have arrived safely

and in-tact

37 september issue

Does Gen Z Spend Too Much Money

on Iced Coffee?

Everday teenagers walk around the halls of high school with their iced coffee, prefereblyfrom

Starbucks, at hand but what does this mean for their wallets?

kinsey clements | staff writer

Generation Z is happily spending

more and more money on food

and drinks when compared to the

past generations (Gen X and baby boomers).

Why is this, you may ask. Well, Gen

Z, born between 1995 and 2015, is statistically

the most health-focused generation

thus far and, consequently, will gladly

spend more on alternative milks and/or

food that aligns with their values.

So, what does this mean for Generation

Z’s spending habits on iced coffee?

Considering that Gen Z spends most of

their money on food and drinks, iced and

cold brew coffee has become increasingly

popular with Gen Z and is now the most

popular beverage within this generation.

From 2016 to 2017 Gen Z’s cold coffee consumption

has increased by 50%, which

is drastic compared to Millennials only

20% increase in cold coffee consumption

in the same year. Additionally, Gen Z is

more attracted to gourmet cold coffees

found in coffee shops, as compared to

home brewed coffee and most buy this

drink multiple times a week, which can

add up.

Although Gen Z is a smaller percentage

of the population, when compared to

millennials and baby boomers, companies

are taking into consideration that

they’re more likely to spend money on

things they could make at home, such as

iced coffee. This is causing more businesses

to move towards primarily selling

iced coffees, as Gen Z considers this drink

considered a year-round drink.

To further prove these explanations,

a survey was conducted that contained

the questions: How often do you drink

coffee? How often do you drink iced

coffee? How much coffee do you drink

is considered “gourmet”? If you do drink

coffee, how often is it purchased out, such

as Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts? How

much money per week do you spend on

iced coffee? The survey was sent to 50

individuals from the Gen Z population

and 50 individuals from the Baby Boomer

population.

The results were quite intriguing, as it

proved that a majority of Baby Boomers

drank coffee, but mostly not iced, and a

majority of the Gen Z population only

drank iced coffee. Furthermore, the Gen

Z population mostly drank gourmet coffee

(with flavorings, espresso, etc) when

compared to Baby Boomers, who primarily

drank plain coffee. What I found most

fascinating about this survey was that

almost all of the Gen Z population only

bought their coffee, while Baby Boomers

rarely bought coffee out. Thus leading

Gen Z to spending upwards of $20 a week

on coffee while the average baby boomer

only spent $5 a week on coffee.

If these trends continue throughout

the entirety of Gen Z’s lifetime, and baby

boomers are no longer in existence, most

of the money spent by Americans will

go towards gourmet beverages and food.

Although businesses in this industry

will experience an increase in profit, Gen

Z should evaluate what the majority of

their money is going towards and reconsider

if this will really benefit them.

Coffee Consumption of Generation Z & Baby Boomer

Survey Questions

How often do you drink iced coffee?

How often do you drink coffee?

0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7

Days Per Week

How much money per week do you spend on

iced coffee?

Baby Boomers

Generation Z

Baby Boomers

Generation Z

$0 $5 $10 $15 $20 $25

38

What Oakton Clique

do YOU belong in?

Go to a good

college

Loyal

Your friends would describe

you as...

Starting your

homework

After school you can be

found...

After highschool you

want to...

Getting ready

for your afterschool

activity

Figure it out

later!

Pursue what

you’re

passionate

about

How athletic are you?

Enough to

get by

Yo

wi

walk

flight

Quiet

Talented

VER

Hanging out

with your

friends

People who don’t know you

think that you’re...

Intimidating

Your favorite TV show is...

Gilmore

Girls

Friends

39 september issue

VERY

How comfortable are you in

front of a crowd?

You get

winded

alking up a

ht of stairs.

ERY

Busy

You don’t

really care

Drama Kids

You are meant to be besties with the

drama kids! You are outgoing and fun,

and have such tight bonds with your

friends. You thrive in front of a crowd

but you also enjoy one on one time

with your closest friends.

You don’t

love it but

you’re fine

with it

It’s not your

favorite thing

in the world...

It’s

where you

thrive

zoe siamon | editorial board

Tight Knit

Friend Group

You have a group of

really close friends,

and everyone knows

it. You are typically

known as someone’s

friend, but your

people are YOUR

people. Nothing

could come in

between your group

and a lot of people

are jealous of what

you have, even if you

don’t realize it.

Loud Kids

You sometimes get a

bad rep for being a

little loud or obnoxious

in class, but it’s

just because you are

usually with your

people. You have a lot

of close friends and

are considered to be

extremely extraverted.

You love making people

laugh, and your

teachers either love

you or hate you.

Quiet Kids

You and your friends sometimes are referred to as

the “nice” kids or “quiet” kids, but that’s really just

because they barely know you! You may be quiet or

withdrawn in public, but that doesn’t mean that’s how

you always are! People tend to think positive things

about you and assume you are really smart, and you

are!

The

Office

Is crew a sport?

NO

Clique Based on the Sport you

Play

The people you hang out with usually are on your

team. It’s not like you don’t hang out with other people,

you just spend most of your time with your teammates.

People see you as very

social, and you usually

are.

Yes!

Crew Kids

You belong with the crew kids!

You are so close with your crew

friends because you guys see each

other 24/7. People may claim that

crew is pretty much your biggest

personality trait, and while they

may not be completely wrong,

there are other parts to you and

your friends!

Band Kids

You belong with the

infamous band kids.

You may occasionally

get a bad reputation

as a little awkward

from people who

don’t know you well,

but you have the

closest friends and a

passion like no other.

40

The Five Hidden

Treasures of Virginia

holland cogan | staff writer

Must see destinations for both Virginia tourists and residents alike

The beauties of Virginia are often overlooked, even by Virginia residents themselves, due to the bustle of everyday life.

This is unfortunate, seeing as there are many treasures hidden in the history-rich state that deserve their time in the spotlight.

Here are a few underrated spots that deserve more recognition.

Courtesy of

Smithsonian

Magazine

1. Staunton River state park

A sight for the Stars. Staunton River State park is beautiful in daylight,

but magnificent at night.It is the first Virginia State park to be named an

International Dark Sky park. Park officials go through lengths to make

sure no obstructions are in view and use approved dark sky fixtures in

cabins andparking lots. The Dark sky observation Area is the destination

for astronomers and stargazers.

2. Presidents Heads

A mini Mt.Rushmore sitting in a field, Croaker, Virginia is home to the Giant

President head statues. An eerie destination where tourists seem to flock to take

photos of the crumbling twenty foot statues. There are tours during the day and

night, but many say that the evening tours give off an unsettling vibe. This could

be a spooky destination for upcoming fall activities and good photos. However,

due to the decaying of the statues, people have limited time to venture out and

seek the statues out

3. Fairy Stone State Park

Fairy stones, folklore, and intriguing backstories oh my! Fairy stone state

park is known for the mysterious “fairy stones” that are embedded in the

soil of the park. It is said that the cross shaped stones come from crystallized

fairy tears. If that isn’t enough to catch a person’s attention, other areas of

interest include the Park’s beautiful views of Fairy Stone lake, and a rich

history dating back to the 1920s where it was a mining community with occasional

moonshine activity( illegal alcohol brewing). The trails lead to an old

mine shaft, great views, and cabins.

4. Lake Ann Van Gogh Bridge,Reston

Springtime is a prime spot for the Lake Anne Van Gogh Bridge, located in Reston.

The bridge is a picturesque view and is surrounded by pink cherry blossoms. It can

be found along a running trail and offers a break from the commercial area around it.

The structure was based off of Van Gogh’s paintings of bridges in Arles, France. Daria

Ausen (11) says she would go there because “ I like Van Gogh, and because I would take

pictures there. “

Courtesy of Virginia

Department of Conversation

and Recreation

5. Huntley Meadows Park

Take a stroll on the wooden docks of the park’s wetlands, venture into the meadows

filled with wildflowers, or look out on the park from the observation tower. Huntley

Meadows Park offers water trails on its numerous rivers and land trails that have

Native American roots.

Courtesy of Public Art Reston

41 september issue

How Disney Plus Will Change the

Streaming Landscape

Disney will be coming out with

its own streaming service that

hopes to dethrone the two kings

of streaming, Netflix and Hulu. The service

will be called Disney Plus and it will

include content from all of Disney’s biggest

platforms. Most of the content will be

Marvel, StarWars,and Pixar related since

they are Disney’s most popular companies.

Disney Plus will officially release

on November 12th and cost only $6.99

a month. When it comes to streaming,

mid-November generates more revenue

because it is right before the holidays.

Price wise, Disney will start at a lower

price compared to other streaming services

in order to entice customers into

making a switch. Additionally, the variety

of content is one of the best selling points

of the service. Marvel will be coming out

with tv shows centered around characters

that do not get a lot of screen time in the

movies. Shows like Loki, Falcon and the

Winter Soldier, and Hawkeye will be extensions

of the movie universe they have

created for the last decade. Disney Plus’

biggest early release for opening day will

be The Mandaorian. It will be a StarWars

related show that will focus on bounty

hunting and has a 100 million dollar budget.

The argument to switch is convincing,

especially for fans of the Marvel Cinematic

Universe and StarWars. But will it

be enough to take business away from the

top dogs of streaming?

The Disney executives have come up

with several ways to rip into Netflix and

Hulu business models. All Disney owned

content will leave all other services like

Netflix once Disney Plus launches. This

is very significant because half of Netflix’s

most popular movies are owned in some

way by Disney. Movies from the worlds of

Marvel, StarWars, and Pixar will leave all

services that have movies from those platforms.

Essentially, this also means that

any deals between Disney and Netflix are

dead and they will never add Disney related

content for the future. In addition

to taking business from Netflix, Disney

has bought out Comcast’s share of Hulu.

They have 55% of Hulu which means

they control how the service will move

forward. Disney has announced that it

is bundling Disney Plus, Hulu, and ESPN

Plus altogether. The cost of this bundle

will be 12.99 per month, the same price

as Netflix and still cheaper than HBO.

This bundle changes the current streaming

landscape by giving consumers even

more of a reason to jump on the Disney

Plus bandwagon. When the series was

first announced, the general consensus

was that most people were unwilling to

cave into the fast-growing Disney entertainment

monopoly. Since the bundle

will locklin | staff writer

has been announced, the backlash has

simmered and the media seems to behind

the service because of the outstanding

value that Disney Plus presents.

The rise of Disney Plus might be difficult

for the millions of viewers that pay

for streaming services. Streaming became

popularized because of its level of

engagement and interaction. It’s easily

accessible and provides a variety of content

that cannot be matched by live TV

watching. We pay for a certain streaming

service because of what it offers and how

much value you get out of the service,

however,the 2020’s look like the start of

the streaming wars. All the companies

will be stuck in bidding wars for popular

shows that they own the rights to. For

example, Netflix will lose The Office to

NBC and Friends to Universal because

both Universal and NBC are starting their

own streaming services and want their

original content back. They licensed the

shows over to Netflix and made a steady

profit but as companies have now found

out, it makes more financial sense to start

their own streaming service. Disney Plus

will continue this trend by taking shows

from other services and encouraging

more competition with other multimedia

companies. As a result, the consumers

will be forced to make tough decisions

about the entertainment they want.

42

Disney Remakes:

Is it a worth it?

joe wong | staff writer

With Disney releasing a remake of the classic movie “Mulan” on March 27,

2020 and continuing to follow the footsteps of Beauty & the Beast, Alladin,

and The Lion King, I’ve decided to speak with senior Thu Pham, a student

taking film studies at Oakton, about their thoughts on retelling the classics

we all grew up with.

Back in the early 1990’s, when Disney

first came out with Beauty &

the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion

King, they earned 1.9 billion dollars,

with Lion King earning most of the

money with 968.5 million dollars.

These three films were childhood

favorites - especially Lion King as

it was a masterpiece both cinematically

and musically. The soundtrack

of Lion King was capable of selling

over ten million copies nation-wide.

Today, the new version of The Lion

King, released July 19, 2019, so far

has earned 1.64 billion and Beauty &

the Beast and Aladdin have earned

more than one billion dollars. But

“The problem with these

remakes is that they, in its

core, are merely recollections

and almost exact replicas

from the originals, and

don’t offer anything new in

either themes or storylines.”

-Thu Pham

does that mean they should be recreated?

While talking, we briefly

discussed if the new updates that

are present in the films are still truly

worth watching. She replied, “While

I agree that these movies are visually

stunning and captivating, they

are at the moment just nostalgia factories

for those who need it without

bringing anything new to the table.”

With a remake of Mulan coming

out on March 27th, Pham also took

a small stance about the future of

Disney and her opinions of the upcoming

film. “Based on the other

remakes, I would say to not see the

upcoming movie, but based on the

trailer alone, I might check it out

if given the chance just because I

want to support Asian representations

in Hollywood movies in general.

But no Mushu, no movie”. Of

course Pham was joking about not

wanting to see the movie only because

Mushu isn’t in the upcoming

film though: Disney decided not

to include Mushu to show cultural

appropriation, hence also why it

also won’t contain music numbers.

At the end of the day, Disney’s just

a company that wants to make

money, but that doesn’t mean they

should be repeating movies they’ve

already created just to “retell the

magic in the Disney classics”. Frozen,

for example, in 2013 earned a

whopping 1.27 billion dollars and

has a sequel soon to be in theatres

on November 22 this year and is

bound to be successful. Zootopia,

released in 2016, was able to accumulate

a little over one billion dollars.

Meaning that although these

“classics” are a guarantee of success,

it doesn’t mean they should keep

repeating stories but instead take

chances and create new movies.

43 september issue

What to Expect

4

From Marvel Phase

Keep up to date with all of the MCU’s upcoming releases

Marvel’s Phase 3 of their overarching storyline for the MCU has now

reached its end, topped off with the release of Spider-man: Far From

Home. Marvel phase three has been very generous towards viewers in

terms of content, providing highly awaited and acclaimed films like Avengers: Endgame

and Avengers: Infinity War, as well as bring upon a conclusion to the Infinity Saga, which consists of the three completed

phases comprised of all twenty-three currently existing Marvel films up to this point. Marvel Phase 3 was the conclusion to the

captivating storyline that’s been building up for years, ever since the fateful release of Iron Man in 2008, the first movie apart of the

MCU. With the end of Phase 3 comes a satisfying and fulfilling ending to a generation of well-loved characters and storylines, but it

also leaves the audience with more questions and presents possible future plotline opportunities for characters. While pre-existing

MCU characters will get their time in the spotlight to be more fleshed out and have their adventures put into film, there’s also the

potential for a new batch of superheroes to debut on the big screen for the general public to fall in love with and root for. So, what

can fans of the MCU expect from Phase 4?

Black Widow

May 1, 2020

The Falcon and

the Winter Soldier

Fall 2020

Eternals

November 2020

Shang-Chi Legend

of the Ten Rings

February 12, 2021

WandaVision

Spring 2021

Doctor Strange in the

Multiverse of Madness

May 7, 2021

Loki

Spring 2021

Hawkeye

Fall 2021

Thor Love and

Thunder

November 5, 2021

aubrey harrell|editorial board

Ameer Vann Returns to Music

The former BROCKHAMPTON star’s new EP gives insight into the artist’s

feelings following his controversial release from the band.

max dolinh | staff writer

max dolinh | staff writer

44

During the rapid rise of BROCKHAMPTON in 2017, Ameer

Vann seemed to be one of the stars of the boy band that

was taking the music world by storm. The artist, who was

one of the group’s founding members, appeared on a majority of

their songs. He was the cover star of each of the albums in their

Saturation trilogy which is widely considered to be their best work.

Fast forward a year later to May 2018, he was kicked out of the band.

Following allegations of sexual misconduct by multiple accusers,

Vann was put under fire and the group collectively decided to remove

him. Since the fallout, BROCKHAMPTON has released two

studio albums, Iridescence and Ginger, in which the group partially

addresses the departure of Vann and his past actions. Vann

addressed the allegations through social media, in which he apologized

and described his past actions in relationships as “selfish,

childish, and unkind”, but completely denied any claims of illegal

sexual or emotional abuse. He said that he knew apologies were not

enough, and hoped to be an example of someone who has grown

from their mistakes in the future. Following his departure from the

band, he has left music indefinitely.

The cover of Emmanuel Courtesy of Genius

After over a year’s long absence from music, Vann

released the six-track EP Emmanuel on September 18,

2019. Some fans have remained loyal to Vann, and his

new project still has made enough noise to warrant

reviews from critics around the music world. However

his fanbase is nothing of what it used to be. As for his

new release, Emmanuel, it has garnered mixed reviews.

Aaron Wang, an 11th grader, says, “There’s really only

one good song (Glock 19) out of the six. The production

seems sloppy and I didn’t enjoy it much.”

In the title track, Vann details his experiences and feelings

as a result of leaving the band. He said that he has

lost many friendships over the situation and fell into

a depression. Furthermore, he attributes his dark past

to his childhood experiences growing up around bad

influences. On the track Sunday Night, Vann disses his

former band over how they have handled the fallout.

He criticizes how the members of the group have cut off

contact with him and exploited the situation by using

it as content for their songs when his feelings were not

considered at all. In addition, he says that the band’s

music has not been the same since his absence. “He’s

right about that. Their new albums definitely aren’t

as good as any of the Saturation albums.” Wang also

says. On the other four tracks, Vann mostly discusses

the same themes: his newfound loneliness without the

group, the betrayal that he feels, and his struggle with

his inner demons. Overall, Vann’s tone throughout the

EP is far from apologetic.

Instead of taking a more regretful approach to his

return to music, he uses the project to defend himself

without acknowledging the mistakes that had led to his

downfall, contradicting. On whether or not he will return

to fame, only time will tell. Artists such as Chris

Brown and Trippie Redd have found great success in

the music industry despite their histories of abuse. One

thing is for sure: Ameer Vann will not remain a social

media punching bag for his whole career, and the success

of it will depend on his ability to transform his image.

“Repetition creates pattern,

pattern creates meaning.”

-Ms. Savidge

“Don’t thank God, thank me.”

-Mr. McCulla

“You know you are a

successful parent when

your kid isn’t in jail.”

-Ms. Boyer

memorable

moments:

teacher edition

“Wooowww,

sorry I get really

excited by 3-d

population

pyramids”

-Mr. Krizel

“When I pulled down the lever I

could feel the veins in my arms

fill with the sweet, sweet milk of

democracy.”

-Mr. Krizel

“And remember kids, you

can’t go clubbing if you’re

monk.”

-Mr. Tiller

“Sheep are stupid. The only

thing stupider is my cousin.”

-Mr. Tiller

Oakton Outlook September 2019 Issue

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