SHS_Warrior_proof (1)

theWarrior

47th Year, Issue No. 1 October 31, 2024

Sherwood High School: 300 Olney Sandy Spring Road, Sandy Spring, MD 20860

www.thewarrioronline.com

English Department Curbs Phones

by Katie Ng ‘25

The English Department has implemented

a new phone policy for the 2024-

25 school year. Students are now expected

to put their phones, earbuds, and other

electronic devices in their bags, and put

their bags in designated areas at the start of

class after the teacher outlines what materials

they need for the period. No other department

at Sherwood has a uniform policy

on phones during class instruction.

With the new phone policy in place,

English teachers are seeing improvements

to the classroom environment. English

teacher Elizabeth Kominski had her doubts

about the phone policy at first, but now she

sees the policy paying off. “I see the difference

in their attention spans. I find the

majority of kids really focusing on the content,”

said Kominski.

English teacher Ashley Graham-Bell

notices her students are interacting with

each other and participating in the classroom.

“Students are not self-isolating and

alienating themselves from each other [because

they are looking at their phones],”

said Graham-Bell.

According to the English Department’s

policy, students who repeatedly use their

phones during class will face consequences.

The first time a student has their phone

out during instruction, they will receive a

verbal warning from the teacher. The second

time they have their phone out during

instruction, they will receive a lunch detention,

and the teacher will enter the infraction

Student-made App Offers Students Way To Voice Concerns

many hours into the final product.

Pending final approval to allow

access across MCPS schools,

Praneel hopes the app sets an

example for what each and evby

Zach Geller ‘25

Closed bathrooms are no

strange sight to Sherwood students,

but rounding the corner at

the start of the 2024-25 year, a

team of student software developers

is making an app to counteract

issues like these, enabling students

to report school-wide issues

across MCPS. Ripple is an app

for students to report problems in

their individual schools.

The hope for Ripple is to

give students a voice and hold

MCPS accountable for providing

the best schools it can. “I think it

could help bridge the communication

gap between students and

admin, and help improve student

experiences by providing data

on the small issues that students

have,” said new SMOB Praneel

Suvarna.

Once opened on either

see PHONES, pg 4

Cliff Vacin ‘25

Phones remain in backpacks in front of English teacher Ashley Graham-Bell’s classroom.

chromebooks or phones, Ripple

gives students a map of the county

and a list of reports they can

make. These reports are customized

for each school to better reflect

issues that may be specific to

each school. The possible reports

can include anything from locked

bathrooms, missing menstrual

products, nonfunctional water

fountains, broken infrastructure,

and anything else staff members

see as an issue.

If a student hypothetically

spots a locked bathroom, they

may select their MCPS school,

click on the “Closed Bathrooms”

issue, and then type in the room

number nearest to the problem

and voilá. Their anonymous report

is submitted and may be seen

by teachers, staff, and even the

principal. The map is also updated

to show the issue in that particular

school.

“We’re able to pull this data,

send it to (MCPS) Central Office,

and then they can start taking action,”

explained lead developer

Pranav Karthikeyan, a senior at

Poolesville. He believes Ripple

will act as a more efficient and

timely alternative to the end-ofyear

surveys students fill out, as

it eliminates the need to comb

through questions that don’t

apply to the individual and go

straight for the prevalent issues.

Pranav is a part of a team of

three, made up of two students

from Poolesville HS and one

from Clarksburg HS. The group,

who met SMOB Praneel through

a robotics team, spent a combined

400-500 hours developing Ripple

over the summer. They said that

being students was an advantage

for them, allowing them to log so

MCPS Cuts Virtual Academy from

Budget and Increases Class Sizes

by Evelyn San Miguel ‘26

MCPS has reduced the budget for the

2024-25 school year, cutting programs

like the Virtual Academy, increasing class

sizes, and delaying the expansion of the

pre-kindergarten program. The cuts come

as a result of losses in pandemic relief

funds and also a $30 million shortfall of

the Board of Education’s funding request.

As the 2024-25 school year crept closer,

MCPS faced the pressing issue of how

to compensate for a financial loss from

the Elementary and Secondary School

Emergency Relief (ESSER) fund as a part

of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic

Security (CARES) Act, passed by

Congress at the start of the pandemic.

This loss of funds, combined with receiving

around $30 million less than what

it requested for approval by the Montgomery

County Council, led MCPS to cut the

Virtual Academy. Facing pushback over

the closure, Superintendent Thomas Taylor

proposed the expansion of more hybrid-learning

opportunities, though stated

that reopening the virtual school was “not

an option.’’

As a result of tighter staffing, increased

class sizes have posed difficulties

for teachers as more students translates to

larger workload. Schools have been forced

to accommodate larger classes, and as operating

costs have risen, administrators

and school boards have to tackle the question

of which programs need to be cut.

MCPS in the 2022-23 school year

What’s Inside: News 1-5, Opinions 6-8, Pulse 9, Spotlight 10-11, Humor 12-13,

Entertainment 14-17, Sports18-20

alone saw the resignation of more than 635

teachers in core subjects, including English,

Special Education, Art, and Music.

The county has been forced to make up for

staff shortages, compensating for the unintended

consequences of the pandemic with

enlarged classes and cut programs.

MCEA Sherwood Representative

Glenn Miller discussed the budget cuts

with Sherwood staff. “There was a lot of

anxiety about what those cuts would do,”

said Miller. Many staff have reported increased

class sizes and a need for further

support through hiring more teachers, but

that has been unable to happen “because

we aren’t given the staffing [in the budget].”

From what he has been told from

staff, the trends for class sizes are impacting

mostly core classes, with many teachers

“seeing upwards of 30 to 34 [students

per class].”

The toll of larger classes on teachers

is an emotional one. “When class sizes increase

something has to give,” said Christine

McKeldin, the head of the social studies

department. McKeldin spoke of her

own experiences juggling multiple roles

at once in her job and at home, where the

question became whether to do less for her

students, her family, or herself.

Among herself and her colleagues,

McKeldin said that the eventual choice was

to sacrifice the time spent for themselves.

“If I wanted to give individual attention to

my students” remarked McKeldin, “they

could each have less than 90 seconds.”

Zach Geller ‘25

SMOB Survarna endorses new app, Ripple, available on App Store.

ery MCPS student is capable of:

“Any student who has a solution

to an MCPS problem should

reach out. We’re ready to hear

them!”

Spotlight

Read about the 2024 Presidential

Election.

Pages 10-11

Sports

Read about how the fall season has

been going so far.

Pages 18-20

2

The Warrior • News

October 31, 2024

TikTok Sued for Mental

Health Damage to Teens

by Josh Pulaski ‘25

TikTok is being sued by 13 different states plus DC under

the claims that TikTok’s core design is constructed in

such a way as to addict young children and teens deliberately.

The states’ attorney generals allege that the TikTok

company has been untruthful about the risks of the app to

the public. TikTok has claimed that the accusations from the

state officials are false or misleading, according to TikTok

spokesperson Alex Haurek. He added that the company remains

active in safeguarding children and works diligently

to protect teens from potential dangers.

Internal communications and documents from TikTok

executives that are central to the lawsuit have been leaked to

the media. According to NPR, “the portions of the suit that

were redacted, highlight TikTok executives speaking candidly

about a host of dangers for children. The material is

mostly summaries of internal studies and communications.”

According to NPR, TikTok officials responded that

“this complaint cherry-picks misleading quotes and takes

outdated documents out of context to misrepresent our commitment

to community safety.”

MD Requires ELA Proficiency

Test for Third Grade

by Lilly Mains ‘25

Maryland is poised to join more than 25 states that require

third graders to demonstrate proficiency in reading and writing

skills to advance to the fourth grade. Third graders who are not

deemed as on track for reading at a fourth-grade level will be

held back one year.

This is a part of Maryland’s aggressive new goals to boost

literacy and student achievement for the state. Maryland ranks

40th for National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)

achievement and is aiming to raise their ranking to the top 10 by

2027. According to Maryland’s Department of Education, students

in grades K-three would be screened three times throughout

the year to identify those who need supplemental reading

instruction, at which point students who are struggling would

receive extra attention including before and after school tutoring

from reading specialists in an effort to help them improve

skills such as reading comprehension, phonics, and vocabulary.

To better prepare teachers to handle the change, the policy

would call for professional development which will be free

for the staff as part of the ‘science of reading’ program. The

U.S. Department of Education has allocated $149 million to

improve literacy programs across 23 states, and Maryland received

a grant of 90.3 million dollars over the next five years

from this allocation to help fund literacy proficiency initiatives

for young students.

MCPS Implements New

Hate/Bias Response

by Katie Ng ‘25

MCPS has introduced new procedures for reporting

and responding to hate-bias incidents, which MCPS considers

as “any disruptive conduct (oral, written, graphic,

physical, or electronic communication) that includes intentional

discriminatory behavior based on personal characteristics.”

MCPS will now respond to hate-bias incidents using

a tiered system that consists of three levels based on intent,

impact on school community, and criminal elements: level

red, orange, and yellow incidents.

Level red and orange incidents are both serious incidents

in which schools will contact the police. Level red incidents

likely involve criminal offenses, require contacting

involved students’ parents, and warrant sending a community

letter. Level orange incidents may potentially impact the

school community, which may warrant sending out a letter,

but criminal elements are unlikely. Level yellow incidents

are not serious incidents or considered hate-bias. They are

handled through the Student Code of Conduct.

MCPS has made these adjustments due to an increase in

hate-bias incidents. According to Moco360 and The Washington

Post, from 2022 to 2023, these incidents increased

by 200 percent, and 61 percent of the incidents reported

were school-related. Many reports involved race; religion,

including antisemitism; gender identity; and sexuality.

Students wrote messages on a poster dedicated to Sanaa Vil, who died in a car accident on October 2.

Community Grieves Death of Student

On October 2, the Sherwood

community was shaken by a car

accident which took the life of

senior Sanaa Vil and injured

two other students. Sanaa was a

star basketball player and active

member of the Black Student

Union, beloved by students and

teachers alike. This terrible tragedy

was recognized by the school

with a moment of silence held

during announcements along with

a memorial organized by the SGA

where students decorated Sanaa’s

parking spot with flowers, stuffed

animals, and posters.

In devastating moments like

these the hope is that the community

is able to come together

to support each other. The tributes

and remembrances continued

at school-wide events with

the football game on October

10 featuring a blackout theme

with red ribbons with Sanaa’s

basketball jersey number, #24,

handed out at the gate. A poster

with sticky notes featuring pictures

and thoughtful words was

also present at the game accompanied

by red cups on one of the

stadium fences spelling out LLS

[Long Live Sanaa] 24. The obvious

focus on Sanaa at this game

showcased students’ commitment

to honoring her memory and ensuring

she got the recognition she

deserved.

Support was also extended

to the Vil family along with the

families of the other students involved

in the accident. Other people

in the community set up multiple

GoFundMe and meal trains

pages to aid the grieving families

in their time of need. Condolences

also poured in from across the

community, including the principal

of Good Counsel High School

in an email to Principal Timothy

Britton, offering their support in

the wake of the loss.

Cliff Vacin ‘25

Sherwood also offered support

to students with one school

based counselor and one member

of the MCPS crisis response

team in each senior English class

the day following the accident

to aid students in processing the

traumatic events that took place.

The College and Career Center

was also opened up as a space for

students close to Sanaa to gather

and grieve together. The counseling

department made it clear

that they were there to help both

students and staff struggling with

what happened, providing a safe

haven for anyone who needed it.

Sanaa was born on April

16, 2007. She is survived by her

parents Jean and Arielle, and her

siblings Ruth, Joshua, Naomie,

and Hannah. As her family and

friends continue to grieve, Sanaa’s

memory will continue to inspire

and live on for all who knew

her.

MCPS Plans on Enhancing Security Measures

by Laurika Pich ‘27

As the first quarter of the

school year comes to an end,

MCPS school leaders are continuing

to explore new security

measures and policies in response

to increasing safety concerns. Incidents

have occurred in recent

years, including bomb threats,

student arrests for bringing guns

to school, and altercations at

football games. The recent high

school shooting in Georgia,

which resulted in the death of two

students and two teachers, has

intensified parent concerns even

further.

Montgomery County Police

Acting Assistant Chief David Mc-

Bain emphasizes the importance

of comprehensive safety measures.

Doing so would demonstrate

the goal to ensure safety

“inside the school, outside the

school, around the schools, and

obviously, to provide safe routes

to school,” commented McBain

in an interview with Moco 360.

This commitment is shared by

new Superintendent Thomas

Taylor, who has school safety in

MCPS as his “No. 1 priority.”

Taylor’s approach focuses on

improving emergency preparedness

through active communication

and collaboration. Marcus

Jones, serving as the head of security

and compliance for MCPS,

Google Images

is developing a culture that emphasizes

collective responsibility

in every faculty member and other

employee in maintaining a safe

environment, stating “We’re all

in this together.” In the process,

MCPS is developing enhanced

training for students and staff on

school safety procedures to ensure

that everyone is well-prepared

for potential emergencies.

At the beginning of October,

Sherwood students received new

expectations for a student-identification

program. MCPS has

mandated that all high schools

should adopt the program by November

2024 requiring staff and

students to wear IDs all day.

After students received their

school photo IDs for this school

year, Sherwood distributed lanyards

for students to attach their

IDs. “Students will be required to

have the ID with them at all times

[in school and during school

events],” said Principal Tim Britton.

“However, we are not requiring

the ID to be worn at all times.

We will not be checking IDs at

the door, but at any time security

and admin can ask for identification.”

This program aims to ensure

quick identification of individuals

on campus, enhancing the

overall safety climate.

In addition to the ID program,

MCPS is exploring new security

enhancements, consisting of refining

the system’s response to

bomb threats, blocking access to

social media on the MCPS network,

and launching a pilot program

to restrict cell phone use

during school hours. Utilizing

funds from a Juul Labs legal settlement

will help pay for vape detectors

in schools, although Britton

notes, “there are still glitches

being worked out with the product.”

While these upgrades are in

the preliminary stages, they represent

a significant change in how

MCPS schools address security.


October 31, 2024

AP Exams To Go Fully Digital

by Nisha Khatri ‘26

An increasing number of AP

exams are being moved to the

Bluebook digital testing application.

College Board states that

the new format is user-friendly,

improving the focus of students

and enabling them to write faster.

AP exams at Sherwood that will

be digital in May 2025 include

AP Comparative Gov, AP Environmental,

AP Human Geo, AP

Lang, AP Lit, AP Psych, and AP

Seminar.

Teachers at Sherwood are altering

their teaching methods to

better prepare students for their

AP exams. AP Lang teacher Lynnette

Evans-Williams, for example,

states that the English department

is making minor changes.

“During the second semester and

as AP Classroom rolls out their

prep for the Lang exam, we will

do more typing online and just

getting familiar with the interface

of Bluebook,” she explained.

This transition comes in part

because of the covid pandemic,

as AP exams quickly digitized.

School systems struggled to

maintain the educational system,

especially for those who did not

have reliable access to internet.

Exams such as AP Gov were put

online for the first time in 2020,

with this trend only accelerating.

Online tests come with some

disadvantages, however. According

to a study by the American

Google Images

Institutes for Research, students

who take tests online perform significantly

worse than those who

take tests on paper. Testing online

also removes the option of physical

annotations and handwritten

responses. AP Lit teacher Patty

Jasnow worries about “passive

reading and annotating since it’s

on the screen … [and] about tech

issues that occur mid-test.”

However, the process to improve

reading comprehension

remains the same. “Regardless

of what format test they take,

students who perform well have

practiced close reading strategies

and process of elimination strategies

extensively,” said Jasnow.

The new format also allows

students to utilize the line-reading

tool to enhance their focus when

reading lengthier passages. Further,

students tend to type faster

than they write by hand, and remaining

time is displayed directly

on each students’ device, enabling

them to manage time more

effectively.

College Board is presently

updating the layout of AP Classroom

to aid students in preparation

for their exams. According

to the College Board website,

AP Classroom has been renovated

to include new videos,

progress checks, topic questions,

and question banks. A round of

updates took place in July 2024,

with more coming throughout the

school year.

“I’m curious to see what AP

Classroom and the College Board

will push out to us as teachers as

far as supports to have students

transition to the digital exam,”

said Evans-Williams. “I anticipate

little hiccups will come

along, but overall I hope that it’s

a really smooth process.”

3

Bathrooms Remain Open

by Shannon Naas ‘26

To avoid a repeat of last

school year when there were often

closures of bathrooms during

the school year, the administration

is taking steps to prevent the

school from having to lock bathrooms

because of student misbehavior.

The measures include

closing bathrooms at certain

times of the school day, as well as

more frequently monitoring the

bathrooms.

“We have been doing a better

job of security and other staff

periodically checking those areas

and if we find students that are

hanging out and not using the facilities,

we immediately are moving

them out,” explained Principal

Tim Britton.

Thus far this school year,

there has been an improvement

from last year when as many as

five bathrooms were closed at

some point, according to Britton.

The decision to close bathrooms

last year, particularly in

the K-wing, resulted from several

factors including incidents

of vandalism as well as students

breaking toilet seats. Britton said

that occasionally there were some

students who were held accountable

but other times it was difficult

to identify the student doing

the damage to bathrooms.

In the most recent effort to

identify concerns about restrooms

or issues in the hallways, Security

Team Leader Dom Dixon has

placed QR codes inside various

display cases around the building.

Britton sent out information

to teachers, parents, and students

that the QR code will pull up a

Google survey form that will allow

the person to anonymously

identify a problem or issue. The

intention of this effort is to allow

for administration and security to

follow up more efficiently and if a

name(s) is provided, proper consequences

and better safety can

be accomplished.

Britton said that the school

put in a maintenance order with

MCPS “to have doors and gates

on all bathrooms so if something

would happen, we could temporarily

lock it down [for as long as

needed].” This would correct the

problem in past years when the

school had to use a bolted wood

plank to prevent entry to a closed

bathroom. For example, the boys

bathroom in the upper C-hall

was boarded up for nearly eight

months last school year.

Although there has been

overall improvement from last

school year, some problems

have persisted. In late September,

Britton emailed teachers that

staff bathrooms would be locked

because students were entering

them. He stated that teachers

should unlock and then again

lock the staff bathrooms when using

them.

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4


October 31, 2024

Student Trips Make an Exciting Comeback

by Rachel Themistokleous ‘26

Music teacher Emily Chu is

bringing back student travel trips,

with one to Disney World and

one to Ireland. Many years ago,

Sherwood was known for these

opportunities when it had an “International

Studies” signature

program. More recently, recently

retired French teacher John Falls

honored this tradition by taking

students to France, and now with

Chu taking the lead, student educational

trips are making a return.

Chu is organizing these trips

because she thinks it is beneficial

for students to travel. “Traveling

at this age is super important because

… it teaches you responsibility

and how to be an independent

person,” said Chu.

The trip to Disney World

will last five days, taking place

from March 20 to March 24. The

cost will be $1,300 per student,

and buses will transport students

there. This trip is strictly for students

in the music department,

and it was chosen due to its imagination

campus. Within this, students

will get to work with conductors

from Disney World to

expand their musical knowledge.

They will learn how to sight-read

music and create their own recordings

with what they learned.

Students will also get to enjoy the

parks and other activities Disney

Zach Geller ‘25

Music teacher Emily Chu is sponsoring trips to Disney World and Ireland.

has to offer.

The second trip to Ireland

is a part of the Education First

(EF) program run by a teacher

at Kennedy High School, who

does tours for this program often.

The invitation for this tour

was extended to Sherwood, and

Chu happily accepted. This trip

is open to anyone who wants to

join, will last nine days, and costs

$3,800. There is no set date for

the trip yet, but it is confirmed to

take place in late June and early

July. The EF program covers most

expenses, including hotel and

transportation costs. On the trip,

students will start by exploring

the capital city Dublin and then

branch out to other towns. They

will also have many opportunities

to attend tourist experiences

and see places such as the famous

Blarney Stone and numerous animal

sanctuaries.

Chu enjoyed traveling to different

places and gaining a new

perspective of the world as a kid.

“I’m in a place [when traveling]

where I don’t know anyone…

[and] I get to challenge myself to

explore different parts of myself,”

said Chu. She took this chance to

allow students to experience the

same opportunities she had, and

expand their understanding of the

world around them. She feels that

trips are also a good way to bond

as a community, while making

meaningful friendships and memories

one can carry with them for

the rest of their life.

Phones Restricted in Classes

from ENGLISH, pg. 1

into the Synergy Contact Log and

email the student’s parents. If the

student refuses to place their bag

in the designated area of the classroom

or they have their phone

out during instruction for a third

time, they will be referred to their

grade-level administrator.

English teacher Chris Lock

supports the policy as other efforts

to get students off their

phones were not working, and

she has noted that students are

spending more time completing

assignments during class time

now that they cannot have their

phones. But, she said that her English

classes of seniors are more

resistant to the phone policy, with

some “rolling their eyes” about

having to put their phones away.

The actions of the English Department

reflect a movement of

restrictions on phones in schools

across the United States. Some

schools only ban phones during

instruction, but permit them in

the hallways and at lunch. Other

schools require students to silent

their phones. A number of schools

have even purchased locking

pouches and require students to

place their phones in them at the

start of each school day.

A couple of high schools in

MCPS have school-wide bans on

phones in classes and are piloting

the phone pouches. MCPS’ personal

mobile device policy states

electronic devices are not permitted

during instructional time.

According to Assistant Principal

Tamara Jennings, Sherwood’s

policy mirrors MCPS’ policy, but

departments have their own discretion

in how they enforce this

policy.

School districts are restricting

phones in school because of

concerns that phones are a distraction

and disruption to the

learning environment. According

to the Washington Post, a study

from 2022 shows that not having

phones in the classroom can help

students learn, and a Pew Research

Center survey from 2023

shows 72 percent of high school

teachers reported phones were

distracting students.

“It puts the focus back on

student learning, which includes

collaborating with peers and the

teacher in an authentic manner,”

said Jennings about the English

Department’s phone policy. “Students’

undivided attention is given

to class instruction instead of

what’s going on in a text message,

TikTok, or Instagram. Teachers

have continuously voiced their

concerns about cell phone use

during instructional time. It is and

has been a concern.”

End of ‘50-Percent Rule’ Grade

May Improve Students’ Effort

by Deepika Shrestha ‘27


October 31, 2024

A new MCPS grading policy

for high school has gotten rid of

the so-called “50-percent rule” in

which students received an automatic

minimum 50 percent on

assignments even if they did not

do any work or turn in the assignment.

This school year, students

get a zero if they do not attempt

the assignment, do not turn it in

by the final deadline at interim

or the quarter, or put “minimal

effort” into it. The policy is set

in place for all subjects at Sherwood.

Schools around MCPS have

some discretion about how to

support students and help them

complete assignments and tests.

If Sherwood students are not

completing their assignments,

teachers should contact parents

and may set aside time for students

during class to complete assignments

or have them come at

lunch or an advisory period. Students

can also turn in assignments

after a five-day late deadline for

a grade of fifty percent, but they

can not turn it in after interims, or

the quarter.

Sherwood’s administration

and Instructional Leadership

Team looks at student grade data

at interims and at the end of quarters.

According to the school’s

Staff Development Teacher Sarah

Pruchniewski, the data from the

first interim indicated an increase

in the number Es, which she believes

could correlate with students’

attendance. Students with

chronically unexcused absences

are receiving zeros for missing

assignments and assessments

rather than an automatic 50 percent.

Health teacher Heather

Giovenco is in favor of the new

grading policy and thinks it prepares

students for life after high

school. She believes the “50-percent

rule” led students to believe

that in the real world doing the

bare minimum will be acceptable

for college and working jobs.

“The 50-percent rule teaches students

they can get credit for doing

nothing and minimal work

is good enough when in the real

world not doing more than fifty

percent gets you fired,” said

Giovenco. Giovenco has seen the

policy make kids more productive

to turn in work and keep their

grades up than in the past. “Students

are definitely more motivated

to get their grades up,” said

Giovenco.

Social studies teacher Scott

Allen has seen an increase in engagement

with students and also

from their parents if they see a

zero in the grade book rather than

a grade of 50 percent on an assignment.

“Parents seem to take

much greater notice when a Z or

zero shows up in the grade book

because it has a much larger impact

on a student’s grade than a

50 percent would,” said Allen.

New Superintendent Faces Challenges

by Audrey Farris ‘25

and Seph Fischer ‘25

Superintendent Thomas Taylor assumed the office on June 25, 2024.

Thomas Taylor, appointed

school superintendent on June

25, faces a daunting task. He

became the leader of MCPS at a

time when the nationally known

school district was in crisis following

the departure of former

Superintendent Monifa McKnight

amidst a litany of controversy

over her handling of the sexual

harassment allegations against

former Farquhar Middle School

principal Joel Beidleman. In the

wake of McKnight’s abrupt exit

as superintendent, Taylor’s ‘Entry

Plan’, as highlighted on the

MCPS website, includes efforts

to rebuild trust and transparency

in which MCPS improves communication

with parents, staff and

the broader community.

Additionally, highly publicized

incidents of bomb threats,

hate crimes, and fights have

alarmed many parents and raised

concerns about student safety.

“Our no. 1 priority is making sure

that our students, our staff and our

visitors have a safe, welcoming

and inclusive environment,” said

Taylor at a press briefing hosted

by County Executive Marc Elrich,

concerning rates of school

violence in MCPS. This, at least

on its surface, displays a marked

shift in emphasis from the McKnight

administration, which prided

itself on “expanding restorative

justice supports” to address

student behavior. Part of this refocus

includes the appointment of

Marcus Jones, former Montgomery

County Police Chief, to the

position of Department of Security

and Compliance chief. Under

Taylor’s leadership, MCPS also

has initiated new security measures,

such as requiring students

to wear or carry their school IDs

during school. However, other

suggested measures, including

vape detectors in bathrooms, thus

far lack details or implementation.

The new superintendent is attempting

to tackle complex issues

through his “E3” plan. Standing

for Engagement, Evaluation, and

Empowerment, the plan involved

first engaging with the community

through meetings and school

5

Google Images

visits, then evaluating what must

be done to fix important issues

facing the MCPS community and

drafting a new MCPS Strategic

Plan, and finally empowering

members of the MCPS community,

through frequent communication

with staff and families. An

interest survey compiled by the

new administration has revealed

to Taylor the top issues that need

to be addressed according to the

community. Lacking educator

support, poor student behavior,

and unnecessary administrative

hurdles for both educators and

families made the top of the list,

giving the new administration

clear data on the issues that most

concern MCPS families, students,

and staff.

December Issue:

6

The Warrior • Opinions

October 31, 2024

STAFF

Editor-in-Chief ........................................... Audrey Farris ‘25

Managing Print Editor ....................... Evelyn San Miguel ‘26

Managing Online Editor .................................... Ziv Golan ‘26

Print

News ..................................................... Evelyn San Miguel ‘26

Opinions ............................... Seph Fischer ‘25, Cliff Vacin ‘25

Pulse ............................................................. Maya Dorsam ‘27

Spotlight ...................................................... Audrey Farris ‘25

Humor ........................................................ Declan Rooney ‘25

Entertainment ........ George Awkard ‘25, Jordan Costolo ‘25

Sports ................................Cara Farr ‘27, Andrew Fenner ‘27

Copy and Content

Director of Copy & Content ................................ Katie Ng ‘25

Copy and Content Editor ............................. Justin Lakso ‘25

Business and Social Media

Director of Social Media ............................ Declan Rooney ‘25

Director of Advertising ............................. Jordan Costolo ‘25

Photography

Photographers ..................... Cliff Vacin ‘25, Zach Geller ‘25

Nick Hammond ‘25

Matthew Leighton-Jones ‘25

Staff Writers

Taylor Adams ‘27, Madelyn Awwad ‘27, Lilah Boig ‘26,

Reid Duvall ‘27, Jack Engelhardt ‘25, Ryan Green ‘26,

Matilda Hawkins ‘27, Paloma Illanes ‘25, Nisha Khatri ‘26,

Isabella Landaverde ‘27, Miriam Lev ‘27, Emma Link ‘27,

Fiona Lipczenko ‘25, Aby Lo ‘26, Shannon Naas ‘26,

Laurika Pich ‘27, Josh Pulaski ‘25, Molly Schecter ‘27,

Deepika Shrestha ‘26, Chase Sondike ‘26,

Rachel Themistokleous ‘26

The Warrior serves as Sherwood’s news source,

receiving numerous state and national honors

over the 46 years it has been in circulation.

With a staff of 37 students under the guidance

of Peter Huck, The Warrior keeps the Sherwood

community informed about local and

national events. All opinion articles represent

the viewpoint of the writer.

The Warrior staff invites feedback and corrections

to printed inaccuracies.

The Warrior reserves the right to refuse advertisements

and other promotionals.

Taylor Must Focus on Students’ Priorities

Over the summer, MCPS welcomed

a fresh face in leadership:

Superintendent Thomas Taylor,

who replaced Monifa McKnight.

With a vision to elevate our educational

environment, he has

outlined goals that aim to foster

student achievement and community

engagement. However, it is

imperative that Taylor prioritizes

critical issues that threaten a

successful and supportive learning

environment: school safety,

maintenance of school buildings,

and county-wide access to mental

health support services. A safe,

well maintained school is as essential

to learning as it is creating

a healthier, more secure atmosphere

for everyone.

Threatening behavior and violence

in schools has become

an increasingly frequent occurrence

throughout the county. This

alarming rise should spark urgent

discussion about the underlying

causes of this violence, particularly

mental health issues among

students. To target the students’

safety directly, Taylor needs to

push for additional funding to

add more security personnel in

schools. On Sherwood’s website,

the staff page lists one Security

Leader and three Security Assistants,

which is clearly inadequate

at a high school with 1,700 students

in a building that often is

described as a maze. MCPS also

needs clearer protocol and staff

training on how to deal with incidents

of threats, bullying, and

fights. Ideally, conflicts between

by Miriam Lev ‘27

students can be identified and

de-escalated before they result in

violence. When a fight does occur,

however, it should be more

clear what are the consequences

for those students. When students

are sharing videos of a fight in

the hallways as if it is entertainment,

the administration should

counter with clear messaging

about unacceptable behavior in

a high school. MCPS also should

permit schools to punish students

for fighting and other threatening

behaviors. As the new superintendent,

Taylor should support an

approach in which there should

be mediation and counseling but

also disciplinary consequences

for actions that jeopardize students’

safety.

Students’ mental health is a

persistent issue throughout the

county and for years there have

been initiatives and policy changes

that have aimed to help provide

resources for struggling students.

These resources are long overdue

for an update, and they need to

focus on providing the student

with the most support possible

throughout their entire school

day, rather than just providing a

place for a student to ‘talk it out’.

Implementing a policy that allows

for a student to connect with

a counselor if they are struggling

and allows the student to work on

a plan with their counselor alongside

their teachers reduce the

toll that mental health struggles

have on motivation. It is crucial

that a student feels completely

supported by their school when

struggling; otherwise, they are

less likely to seek help. By prioritizing

mental health initiatives,

Taylor can foster a more compassionate

and supportive educational

atmosphere.

Building maintenance is another

serious issue that has impacted

schools across the county.

Dysfunctional bathrooms, dirty

classrooms, and lack of temperature

control are just some

of the issues commonplace at

Sherwood. Creating a policy that

would ensure frequent check-ins

on building maintenance in every

school in the county is the most

important step in ensuring safe,

clean, and functioning buildings.

Hiring more janitorial staff is also

necessary in order to maintain

an inviting and pleasant school

environment every single day.

Without a maintained building,

the atmosphere of a school is not

going to be supportive to students

and staff.

As Taylor settles into the pivotal

role of superintendent, it is

necessary that he prioritizes addressing

the intertwined issues of

student safety, mental health, and

building maintenance within our

schools. Efforts in these areas are

essential to an approach to education

that prioritizes the well-being

of every student, building a foundation

that fosters both safety and

learning, ensuring that all MCPS

schools become spaces where all

students can thrive.

Make Route 108 Safer for Students

Nearly all Sherwood students

use Route 108 as it is the

only way to get to and from

school. This includes cars, bikes,

buses, and walking. Before and

after school, 108 gets very congested,

increasing the risk to student

safety. The main problem

is that Route 108 does not have

sufficient sidewalks, crosswalks,

traffic flow, and speed cameras.

From Dr. Bird Road to Christopher’s

Garden Center there is

no sidewalk, and from there to

Sherwood Elementary there is

a small path but no sidewalk or

crosswalk, and from then on no

sidewalk or path at all until pedestrians

reach Norwood Rd. A

sidewalk for Sherwood Elementary

school should be constructed

because it is very dangerous

to walk on the grass on the edge

of the road. A crosswalk by Sherwood

Elementary should also

be added with flashing lights to

inform people there is someone

crossing. A stoplight by Christopher’s

Garden Center also will

help cars slow down and create

clear times for pedestrians to be

able to cross Route 108. A speed

camera should be added nearer

to Sherwood HS because it will

influence drivers to go slower.

On the west side of Sherwood,

a number of students live

behind 108 and walk to school

and these and other students also

frequently go to 7-11. A crosswalk

should be in place by 7-11

with flashing lights to inform

people there is someone crossing.

This area might be the ideal

location to add a speed camera.

Route 108 can be dangerous

due to heavy traffic flow and

the many new drivers using 108

to get to school. Traffic flow can

impact accidents because people

are in a rush and not paying

close attention. Only having one

stoplight near Sherwood can

cause people to drive too fast.

New drivers impose danger on

the road because they are not

as experienced, may be unsure

Cliff Vacin ‘25

of the traffic patterns, and may

speed or slow down erratically.

Statistics show that in Montgomery

County around 400

pedestrians are struck by vehicles

a year and that pedestrians

from the ages of 5-15 are at the

greatest risk for car-related injuries.

In 2022, three Montgomery

County students were hit by cars

while walking to school. Two of

the three students needed to be

hospitalized for their injuries.

The Sherwood school community

needs to come together

and advocate for additional

traffic lights and crosswalks at

intersections, as well as a speed

camera nearer to the school.

Each morning and afternoon,

hundreds of cars zoom in and

out of Sherwood’s parking lots.

It’s literally an accident waiting

to happen. Let’s make sure

that there isn’t also a tragedy.


October 31, 2024

7

2024 Presidential Election

“I don’t like Kamala

personally. I don’t think

she’s very intelligent and I

was pleased with what Donald

Trump did when he was

in office.” (Trump)

If you could vote, who would you choose?

“Because there is only one

candidate that I think actually

has any sense of logic and

sense of reality.” (Harris)

“I don’t like either, Kamala

just sucks less.” (Harris)

“The culture around Donald

Trump and his party has

been muddled with racism

and bigotry.” (Harris)

“I would vote for Donald

Trump because I believe

he will bring our economy

back up and running from

the terrible economy we

have today. I also think that

when he was president,

that was the best economy

America has ever had and

there were no wars during

his presidency.” (Trump)

The Warrior surveyed 274 students

in grades 10-12 between

October 1 and October 8.

“I would vote for Harris

because I want a democracy

and value women’s rights.

Trump is a convicted felon

and sexual assaulter.”

(Harris)

“Both Kamala and Trump

don’t seem like they fit the

role of president.”

(Not interested)

“Less inflation, better wages

for blue collar workers, no

new wars for the first time

in 40 years, better border

control, etc.” (Trump)

“Because I don’t understand

politics so I don’t want to influence

it.” (Not interested)

“I’d vote for Kamala Harris

because she cares about

women’s reproductive rights

and she’s also passed lots

of laws to tackle climate

change already.” (Harris)

“Lowering taxes, giving

more food stamps, building

the wall, high wages in regular

pay jobs, lowering illegal

immigration.” (Trump)

“As much as I hate how

Kamala and the Democratic

Party says they care about

climate change but keeps

supporting fracking, Trump

is a threat to American democracy.”

(Harris)

“I would not vote because

I do not think either candidates

are fit to lead the

country.” (Not interested)

Math Grades Should Count

by Ziv Golan ‘26

MCPS implemented a new policy allowing for progress

checks to be given to all students taking non-AP math

classes with these tests accounting for 10 percent of the

student’s grade in quarters 1 and 3. This is a significant

change from previous years when these progress checks

were not factored into students’ final grades. This change

will push students to put more effort into actually understanding

the material they learned throughout the quarter.

Since MCPS got rid of final exams more than 10 years

ago, teachers across the county have complained of grade

inflation and a lack of effort from students. The implementation

of graded progress checks, created centrally

by MCPS, will force students to practice study skills and

demonstrate that they have proficiently learned the material

of the country curriculum. Students who do not take

AP classes have little idea of how to study or take any sort

of final exam but with this new policy, every student will

gain that experience once per semester. This non-retakeable

assessment will make it more difficult for students

to not focus in class and still pass by retaking everything.

Students need to develop core math skills to move on to

more advanced classes, and these tests will motivate students

to truly understand what they are learning.

Stop Cruel Executions

by Maya Dorsam ‘27

This year, the state of Alabama became the first to execute

prisoners on death row by means of nitrogen hypoxia.

The method comprises inmates wearing a masked device

covering their face from forehead to chin, depriving

them of oxygen by 100 percent nitrogen. After the technique

was conducted on two inmates, Eugene Miller on

September 26 and Kenneth Smith in January, the results

prove it is inherently unconstitutional.

Observers noted that Smith frantically and violently

thrashed on the gurney as he heaved for several minutes,

but defenders of the method quickly claimed that these reactions

were a result of a combination of Smith’s attempts

to hold his breath and oxygen leaking into the mask. Later

this year, however, Miller suffered the same effects of continued

shaking for minutes on end and gasping for breath

during the time leading up to his death. Under the Eighth

Amendment, all citizens are protected against cruel and

unusual punishment, and this form of execution is clearly

excruciating. United Nations Human Rights experts agree

by calling the method nothing short of torture, and they

point out that death by nitrogen hypoxia has been proven

to cause suffering to animals. This method of execution

causes a horrible and tortuous death and must be stopped.

What New ID Policy?

by Paloma Illanes ‘25

MCPS recently mandated a policy for students to wear

their IDs at all times. If teachers or security at Sherwood

ask students in the hallway for a form of identification, it’s

expected they have one present. MCPS implemented this

rule vaguely, with little explanation as to why it’ll work,

or what its intentions are. On September 30, Principal Tim

Britton announced the new policy to Sherwood students.

Teachers distributed lanyards as Britton introduced expectations

for students to visibly wear IDs. However, Britton

shared in the same message that if preferred, students can

have their IDs on their person instead. As a result of the

lack of urgency and clarity about the policy, there is no

guarantee students will follow this mandate.

Theoretically, the policy has admirable intentions for

better ensuring school safety. However, very few, if any,

students are seen in Sherwood’s hallways with lanyards

around their necks, and there has been no mention of consequences

for students not having IDs with them during

the school day. If students were given clearer reasons and

incentives for wearing their IDs, more of them may have

been compliant. Instead, the situation with student IDs

remains nearly exactly the same as it was before Britton

announced the new policy.

8

On September 4, 14-year-old

Colt Gray entered his high school

in Winder, Georgia, and opened

fire with an assault rifle, killing

four and injuring a handful of others.

Colin Gray, Colt’s father and

an alleged drug addict, bought

Colt the gun as a Christmas present

in 2023. Just a year before the

shooting took place, Colt was investigated

by police after the FBI

received tips about online threats

the teen made about shooting up

a school. Colin Gray was indicted

on 29 counts, including two

counts of second-degree murder

and two counts of involuntary

manslaughter stemming from his

involvement in allowing his troubled

son access to the firearm.

This is a small price to pay for

the terrible hurt his negligence

caused, but it’s a step in the right

direction of stopping adolescents

from having access to guns.

In May of 2023, the police

interviewed a then 13-year-old

Colt Gray regarding anonymous

tips the FBI received about threats

to commit a school shooting the

teen had made online. They questioned

his father as well, who said

that there were hunting rifles in

the house, but Colt didn’t have


October 31, 2024

Punish Parents and Hold States Accountable for Gun Violence

by Andrew Fenner ‘27

unsupervised access to them.

Even with all this information,

the sheriffs let the boy go. Despite

the evidence suggesting the

teen was not in the right mental

state to have access to a weapon,

let alone a rifle, his father bought

him a firearm just a few months

later. The father, though not explicitly

helping Colt carry out his

shooting, played a big role in allowing

it to happen. There’s little

solace to be found in this tragedy,

but the father’s arrest and potential

conviction is an important

course of action to prevent these

school shootings in the future.

A trial in Michigan earlier

this year resulted in the conviction

of the parents of the teenage

shooter who killed four students

at Oxford High School. The convictions

of Ethan Crumbley’s parents

made them the first parents to

be charged in a mass shooting in

the United States, and they eventually

were convicted for four

counts of involuntary manslaughter.

Colin Gray’s trial will be only

the second time that the parents

of a school shooter are charged in

relation to their negligence.

Parents who don’t keep guns

safely away from the adolescent

children should be held criminally

responsible. However, what

about the states that refuse to insist

that parents are responsible

gun owners? The state of Georgia

is one of the states with the

weakest gun laws, ranked #46 in

its gun law strength, according to

a CBS article. The fact that Gray,

who is a drug addict by all accounts,

would be able to pass the

background checks necessary to

obtain a firearm is startling. This

incident serves as a sign that great

by Lilah Boig ‘26

reforms need to be made to make

guns harder to obtain.

Secure storage laws have

been implemented in 26 states

to prevent tragedies like those in

Oxford and Winder from happening.

These laws legally require

gun owners to lock up their firearms

to prevent them from getting

into the hands of unsupervised

children and young adolescents.

In households that lock their

Psychology Brings Purpose

by Nick Hammond ‘25

Bill Pugliano/Getty Images

Jennifer and James Crumbley, parents of Ethan Crumbley, Oxford High School shooter, were convicted of manslaughter.

firearms and ammunition, unintentional

gun violence among

children dropped 85 percent. The

state of Georgia is unsurprisingly

not among the states that have

passed these laws. Irresponsible

parents--and also state governors

and legislators--should not get

away with the role they play in

the scourge of gun violence in the

United States.

As a senior with a full-day

schedule, many classes can feel

monotonous, pointlessly difficult

or easy, or simply annoying.

While I do come to school to

learn, some classes like Calculus

have mostly failed to prove significant

real world applications of

the material, even in a class called

Calculus with Applications. Especially

as I transition to college

- focusing more on my hobbies,

interests, extracurriculars, and

college applications - basic class

content has become even less

enticing. However, one class has

retained and even piqued my interest:

AP Psychology.

I’ve finally found the perfect

class for me: one which is both

challenging, and also directly impacts

my own life. Further, taking

this class this year has also led

me to realizing the value of classes

beyond grades, credits, and

test scores. When schools provide

students with more of these

kinds of courses and relate them

to meaningful things in one’s life,

we become more driven, interested,

and overall just have a better

educational experience.

In my generation, it feels numerous

students have lost track

of the point of actually coming

to school in the first place. While

many still put great effort into their

work and show up consistently,

they may do it due to internal and

external pressures to achieve and

be perceived as capable. However,

the thing that should be most

prioritized is to learn. To learn

well; to learn deeply. To learn in

ways that will benefit everybody:

ourselves, each other, and our

world as a whole.

While our classes strive to

teach students skills and knowledge

that will allow them to be

successful, we need more application

of that information to

one’s personal life, as well as the

state of our entire current society.

For instance, even in our county’s

‘Honors’ classes, I have myself

perceived how often critical

thinking is forgotten as a priority.

Many test questions ask what

is basically common sense, and

written responses often funnel

students into one predetermined

perspective without so much

as allowing us to draw our own

conclusions on things such as the

impacts of history. Yet I’ve long

felt that there is still a drastic gap

in difficulty between Honors and

AP classes, often not allowing

something for students who are

seeking something more than the

base level without a huge jump in

homework and stress.

But these perspectives of

mine have been challenged by

AP Psych. It certainly isn’t a class

without required homework,

preparation, and effort. But to me

it all feels worthwhile. Being able

to learn about the inner workings

and fundamentals which make

up all of us translates to thinking

about and applying the content

out of class, and actually has enabled

me to approach and understand

my decisions from a new

perspective.

Now, I’m not sure I’ll actually

pursue a career in Psychology.

Even so, I can see how much a

greater understanding of psychological

fundamentals and more

applicable, truly interesting learning

is important to incorporate in

our schools. When it feels like

high school is simply an obstacle

in place to move towards college

or a job, classes like AP Psych

help remind me of its value.

The Warrior • Pulse

October 31, 2024

9

The Pulse

FAVORITE TREATS

For this edition, we took a look at the student body’s

favorite things about fall and Halloween. We asked

students to share their fears, traditions, and more.

Do you still trick-or-treat?

Do you like pumpkin spice?

FAVORITE TRADITIONS

My mom makes us mummy dogs and my

grandma makes feet-loaf before we go out with

friends.

-Madeleine Baron ‘27

FAVORITE MOVIES AND SHOWS

My family and I order candy and watch scary

movies together on Halloween.

-Aiden Kincaid ‘25

I like dressing up in a costume, trick or treating,

and carving pumpkins. I also like going to the

pumpkin patch.

-Claire Bergesen ‘27

Having a dinner before Halloween with all of

my friends!

-Ava Ortega ‘28

BIGGEST FEARS

MOST POPULAR HALLOWEEN COSTUMES

Trump’s top issue in his campaign is stopping the influx

of immigrants into America. He has stated in his campaign

that illegal immigrants are “poisoning our country”

by bringing in deadly drugs and creating high rates of

migrant crime. Trump promises that if he wins he will “seal

the border” and begin the largest deportation program

in American history.

During Harris’ time as vice president, she expressed support

for those attempting to immigrate legally and criticized

Trump for killing a bipartisan border bill that would

have introduced new border restrictions and funding.

According to her campaign website, she claims that she

will “fix our broken immigration system.”

Trump’s most consistent stance is that the legality of abortion

should be up to the states. He has not addressed

whether he supports the 20 or more states that have

severely restricted or banned access to legal abortions

since the Dobbs v. Jackson Supreme Court ruling. Trump

stated in the presidential debate that he would veto a

national abortion ban. According to his campaign website,

he states he will oppose late-term abortion while

supporting policies that advance prenatal care, access

to birth control, and IVF.

One of Harris’s top issues in her campaign is her promise

to defend women’s reproductive rights, which she

argues that “Trump’s Supreme Court” has curtailed. She

has attacked states with abortion bans that she says put

women’s health at risk. Harris guarantees that if Congress

passes a bill to restore reproductive rights nationwide, as

president she will sign it into law.

Harris supports many of the Biden Administration’s policies,

including infrastructure and renewable energy

spending. Harris intends to ban price gouging as well as

increase taxes for corporations and Americans making

over $400,000 a year. Some of the regulations Harris intends

to implement include capping credit card late

fees, raising the federal minimum wage, and building affordable

housing units.

Trump plans to cut taxes and enact more tariffs, similar to

promises during his first presidency. Trump has embraced

protectionism, putting tariffs in place in his first term and

starting a trade war with China. If president again, he

has promised to extend his 2017 Tax Law that increased

the tax deductions for large corporations and wealthy

individuals.

Trump has denied climate science and has belittled types

of renewable energy, opting for unlimited production of

fossil fuels. After rolling back more than 100 environmental

regulations during his first presidency, Trump pledges

to further rescind “every one” of Biden’s electricity and

electric vehicle regulations. He has not called for policies

to help communities prepare for natural disasters, rather

blaming “poor management” over climate change.

Harris supports the Biden administration’s general approach

to the climate, supporting renewable energy

and encouraging related programs. However, she has

voiced that she doesn’t support an electric vehicle

mandate and no longer supports a fracking ban. Harris

adopted “environmental justice,” where environmental

programs are set to be focused on low-income communities

and communities with large numbers of people of

color.

Trump has held anti-immigration stances throughout his

first term and intends to prevent any future World Wars,

along with “restoring” peace in Europe and the Middle

East. In regard to strengthening the United States, Trump

proposes a missile defense system for the United States

and building up the military. Trump holds an “America

First” ideology, stating that the United States must always

put U.S. priorities and interests first.

When discussing international policy, Harris stated that

she would “stand with our allies, stand up to dictators,

and lead on the world stage.” In regard to the Israel-Hamas

conflict, Harris has said that Israel should defend

itself, but she also encourages a two-state solution.

Harris has also made her support for Ukraine clear.

Trump’s pick is J.D. Vance, a senator from Ohio. Vance

is an outspoken conservative whose messages frequently

revolve around preserving conservative family values.

Vance first became well known as the author of the

memoir Hillbilly Elegy, and Trump picked Vance in part

to appeal to working-class voters who are essential to

winning battleground states in the so-called Rust Belt.

Harris chose Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running

mate. Viewed as more progressive than Harris, he may

appeal to both younger left-leaning voters and also older

moderates in battleground states like Wisconsin and

Michigan. During his time as governor, he cut taxes for

working families and protected women’s reproductive

rights. Their campaign promises with Walz’s background

as a teacher and member of the military, the Harris-Walz

ticket will continue to defend the working class.

IMMIGRATION

ABORTION

ECONOMY

CLIMATE

INTERNATIONAL POLICY

VP

Artificial Intelligence, also known as

AI, is improving so fast that many are

concerned that it could have serious and

unpredictable effects on the presidential

race and election. There have been examples

over the past six months of AI being

used to create fake photos and spread

false information to influence the election.

AI deep fakes are very easily accessible

and they are likely impacting the

2024 election. In January, fake robocalls

in New Hampshire used an AI-generated

impersonation of President Biden’s voice

to urge Democrats not to vote in the

state’s primary. In July of 2023, a super

PAC backing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis

in the GOP primary used AI to imitate

Trump’s voice in an ad attacking him.

At least 25 states have passed regulations

against election deep fakes, but federal

action remains largely delayed. Senators

have offered two bills to address the

issue, but they have not been taken up

in a vote. The Federal Communications

Commission (FCC) has made it illegal

for robocalls to use AI-generated voices

during election campaigns. The ruling

gives state attorney generals the ability to

take action against callers using AI voice

cloning tech.

Experts are worried about other countries

using AI to interfere in the U.S.

presidential election. One example is that

U.S. operatives found out that Chinese

and Iranian use AI to create fake videos

and audios. Although the operatives never

disseminated the deep fake audio or

video publicly, the previously unreported

intelligence demonstrates concerns U.S.

officials had already four years ago about

the willingness of foreign powers to put

out false information about the voting

process.

Another concern is that AI will be used

to try to disenfranchise voters by sending

out misleading or false information about

how to vote in the presidential election.

According to an article published by the

Brennan Center for Justice, “Generative

AI introduces the possibility of more sophisticated

methods of deception, capable

of being deployed more cheaply and

swiftly on a wider scale. AI’s persuasive

potential may increase over time as current

technological limitations are quickly

surpassed and different forms of AI are

coalesced in new ways.”

AI Deep Fakes Raise Worries

About Election Interference

by Aby Lo ‘26

Maryland’s Senate seat is up for grabs

this November after Senator Ben Cardin

(D) retired after 50 years of service.

Maryland is a staunchly democratic state

that President Joe Biden won by 33 points

in 2020. Despite this, the race to replace

Cardin between Angela Alsobrooks (D)

and former Governor Larry Hogan (R)

remains exceedingly close. A Hogan victory

will have massive, nationwide consequences,

as it could hand Republicans a

critical lead in the Senate. In late September,

polling from The Washington Post

showed Alsobrooks leading Hogan 51

percent to 40 percent among likely voters,

but Hogan is competitive among the

state’s Independent voters and has relatively

strong favorability with a decent

percentage of Democratic voters.

Hogan served as Governor for eight

years and was popular despite being a

Republican in a staunchly democratic

state. Hogan’s popularity among Democrats

can be explained by his more centrist

positions. Unlike many of his fellow

Republicans, Hogan no longer endorses

Trump since the January 6 Insurrection.

Hogan is more liberal on a number of

key issues, such as instituting a comparatively

harsh Covid lockdown in 2020 and

vowing to be a “pro-abortion Senator.”

Hogan’s optics are also starkly different

from most Republicans, being seen smiling

and taking pictures with parade-goers

at a LGBTQ+ Pride Parade this June.

Despite his more moderate views, Hogan

still supports many conservative economic

policies.

Alsobrooks is the current Prince

George’s County Executive and has occupied

that position for six years. She, like

Vice President Kamala Harris, served as

a former prosecutor, serving eight years

as Prince George’s State Attorney, during

which time she oversaw a 50-percent

decline in crime rates. Alsobrooks is a

standard Democrat when it comes to her

views, and she will join her party’s block

of votes in Congress, making her more

favorable to voters who want the Senate

to remain in Democratic control.

Hogan’s stance as a moderate has kept

the race as close as it is. Even though he

still has a long way to go if he wants to

pull off the upset, many media reports

state that they can’t yet rule out Hogan

becoming a Republican senator from the

“blue state” of Maryland.

by Declan Rooney ‘25

Alsobrooks and Hogan Senate

Race Remains Competative

This past July the presidential race was

completely shaken up when President

Joe Biden dropped out of the presidential

race and endorsed Vice President Kamala

Harris. Since then Harris has built up her

campaign, becoming the official nominee

for the Democratic Party in August.

With the introduction of Harris as the new

Democratic nominee, many hoped that she

would be able to turn around many groups

that had previously been resistant to a second

Biden term.

This change in voter enthusiasm has

seemed to coalesce in younger voters who

support Harris in far greater numbers compared

to Biden, according to polls. A US

News/Generation Lab survey conducted

between August 25 and September 3 indicates

a 30-point lead for Harris among voters

18-34 in multiple swing states including

Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada,

Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin, compared

to an 18-point lead Biden held in the same

poll after the first presidential debate in

June.

Harris has made youth appeal a focus of

her campaign, utilizing social media trends

to appeal to younger voters. The Harris

campaign, nicknamed “Kamala HQ” on

social media, has a presence on TikTok

and Instagram among other platforms.

The campaign regularly posts videos using

dances, slang, and music popular among

Harris Gains Traction

Among Young Voters

by Ziv Golan‘26

Gen Z. The campaign has used music from

well-known artists such as Taylor Swift and

Chappell Roan, showing younger voters

that they are in touch with trends and want

to engage them with the campaign. The

Harris campaign has also embraced meme

culture, something that no modern presidential

campaign has really done before.

Memes such as the “coconut tree,” which

is a soundbite of one of Harris’s speeches

that went viral, have been used by the

campaign on TikTok. This excites younger

voters, showing them that politics don’t always

have to be overly serious. The Harris

team hopes that the presence on social media

will serve as outreach to teenagers who

will be able to vote in the not-so-distant future.

By doing this the campaign is trying

to show teens that they are focused on the

future and encouraging them to register to

vote, something they can do at age 16.

This effort from the Harris campaign has

gained endorsements from well-known

public figures such as Swift, who has encouraged

her fans to register to vote. This

has added to the momentum of the Harris

campaign, as well as an increase in voter

registration from young adults. In the immediate

days following her endorsement,

more than 400,000 people visited the government-run

voter information site that

she put in her post with the battleground

state of Wisconsin reporting an increase of

1,300 new voters.

HOW CLOSELY HAVE YOU BEEN

FOLLOWING THE PRESIDENTIAL

ELECTION?

WHAT POLICY ISSUES ARE MOST

IMPORTANT TO YOU?

KAMALA

DONALD

TRUMP

2024

PRESIDENTIAL

ELECTION

HARRIS

KAMALA

DONALD

TRUMP

TRUMP

Poll data gathered from a survey of 247

10-12 graders the week of October 1-8

by Lilah Boig ‘26 and Cliff Vacin ‘25






































housing units.







individuals.

















color.































IMMIGRATION

ABORTION

ECONOMY

CLIMATE


VP






























cloning tech.













process.

















by Aby Lo ‘26






































policies.



































Biden term.













June.










Among Young Voters

by Ziv Golan‘26


































1,300 new voters.



ELECTION?


IMPORTANT TO YOU?

KAMALA

DONALD

TRUMP

2024

PRESIDENTIAL

ELECTION

HARRIS

KAMALA

DONALD

TRUMP

TRUMP









































housing units.







individuals.

















color.































IMMIGRATION

ABORTION

ECONOMY

CLIMATE


VP






























cloning tech.













process.

















by Aby Lo ‘26






































policies.



































Biden term.













June.










Among Young Voters

by Ziv Golan‘26


































1,300 new voters.



ELECTION?


IMPORTANT TO YOU?

KAMALA

DONALD

TRUMP

2024

PRESIDENTIAL

ELECTION

HARRIS

KAMALA

DONALD

TRUMP

TRUMP









































housing units.







individuals.

















color.































IMMIGRATION

ABORTION

ECONOMY

CLIMATE


VP






























cloning tech.













process.

















by Aby Lo ‘26






































policies.



































Biden term.













June.










Among Young Voters

by Ziv Golan‘26


































1,300 new voters.



ELECTION?


IMPORTANT TO YOU?

KAMALA

DONALD

TRUMP

2024

PRESIDENTIAL

ELECTION

HARRIS

KAMALA

DONALD

TRUMP

TRUMP









































housing units.







individuals.

















color.































IMMIGRATION

ABORTION

ECONOMY

CLIMATE


VP






























cloning tech.













process.

















by Aby Lo ‘26






































policies.



































Biden term.













June.










Among Young Voters

by Ziv Golan‘26


































1,300 new voters.



ELECTION?


IMPORTANT TO YOU?

KAMALA

DONALD

TRUMP

2024

PRESIDENTIAL

ELECTION

HARRIS

KAMALA

DONALD

TRUMP

TRUMP




12

The Warrior • Humor

October 31, 2024

HUMOR DISCLAIMER: This section is is intended as as satire and uses the tools of of exaggeration, irony, or or

ridicule in in the context of of politics, current trends, recent school events, and other topical issues.

Sherwood High School Institutes an

Unorthodox Interior Design Program

by Fiona Lipczenko ‘25

In order to keep up with development

programs at local high

schools, such as the complete

replacement of Northwood’s facility

and major capital projects

at Damascus and Poolesville,

Sherwood is instituting an innovative

interior design plan. Staff,

students, and parents alike are

stunned by the nonconformist

design choices manifesting in the

building.

To really open up the space,

building services have been removing

ceiling tiles. Not only

does it eliminate mold spores to

improve public health, but it also

contributes to creating an airy

atmosphere that helps students

clear their heads. The exposed

wires and piping double as real-world

examples of engineering

and electrical design for students

interested in such educational

pathways. Due to a lack of window

access to natural imagery,

the school has opted for interior

water features to better connect

students to nature. The most notable

of these is the rain effect,

which has been most notably

tested in B212, the upper H hall

nearby H245, and the cafeteria.

Ceiling tiles unpredictably begin

leaking fresh, rejuvenating water

to simulate natural rainfall, occasionally

landing on lucky, unsuspecting

passerby. The incorporation

of natural elements in the

learning environment has certainly

taken Sherwood by storm.

by Fiona Lipczenko ‘25

Other attempts at reconnecting

students with nature include

wooden boards over bathroom

doors simulating forest-like ambiance

and the introduction of “animal

encounters” programming.

Such programming is evident in

math teacher Babasola Ogusanya’s

classroom, where a swarm of

bees made their home in one of

the light fixtures throughout September,

and in rumors of cockroaches

throughout the building.

The visitation of a raccoon in the

art department over the summer

diversifies these animal encounters

to include mammals. After

all, there is absolutely nothing of

greater importance at Sherwood

than encouraging diversity. Fondly

nicknamed Rocky, the raccoon

left his paw prints in art teachers

Shel Spangle’s and Hailey Mitkoff’s

offices, as well as on the

community’s hearts.

The interior design initiative

has both staff and parents captivated,

and now, even the students

are getting involved. They have

demonstrated skills acquired in

classes such as Studio Art and

Anatomy and Physiology, by decorating

any and all available bare

surfaces with stylistic anatomical

drawings. Sinks, toilets, and soap

dispensers have gone missing

from bathrooms to contribute to

the grunge aesthetic the students

have advocated for. Other contributions

include broken desks and

computer lab devices. The grunge

theme is commonly attributed to

being inspired by the caution tape

over one of the main entrance

doors for the first month of the

school year.

Senior Soapbox

The Kids Aren’t Alright

by Jordan Costolo ‘25

These three-plus years at

Sherwood have been painful for

us Seniors. While the three graduating

Classes before us got lucky

and had at least a year break

from this wretched place due to

Covid, the Class of 2025 will be

the first class in years who will

get the full Sherwood experience.

They say that the years before us

are the brave ones, HAVING to

wake up at 9am and play video

games while a teacher rambles

in a Zoom meeting on low volume.

WE HAD TO ACTUALLY

BE HERE. As if that wasn’t bad

enough, a few colleges and universities

actually have the nerve

to require SAT or ACT scores

for admissions. We can’t catch a

break.

Here we are at the peak, my

fellow Seniors! The best year of

our high school careers according

to our parents and teachers!

At least, it would be, if being a

Senior was still important. Yes,

it’s true: I’m sad to say that by the

time we are finally the big kids on

campus, the filthy underclassmen

have stripped away the powers

the ones before us held so dear.

The phrase “I’m a Senior”

used to MEAN something. When

I was new, things were different.

I was told to FEAR upperclassmen

when I was a Freshman.

Back then, if a Senior told me to

move out of their way in a hallway,

I would move. If they told

me to get out of their lunch spot,

I got up. Now, the kids (who are

supposed to be BENEATH me)

are taking my spot in the Senior

Section during football games???

SO WHAT if I happen to get there

45 minutes late to the game? That

spot on the bleachers is mine!

What happened to respecting your

elders? When I was young, the

Seniors were gods among men. A

higher state of being.

This week, I overheard a story

from a fellow upper-classman

having to deal with Gen Alpha.

He recounted that earlier that

week he had been weaving his

way through the crowds of kids

around the media center during

the change from 1st to 2nd period,

and a Freshman shoulder

checked him to get through. A

FRESHMAN! Now granted, this

Senior is 5’5, 120 pounds, and

wears shirts that say “Game On!”

or “Go Big Or Go Home,”, so I

get the confusion, but that doesn’t

mean he deserves to be man-handled

by a 15 year old who has a

beard and enough creatine in him

to make a mouse the size of a

water-buffalo! Surely the Seniors

before us didn’t feel this way. We

were better.

There’s NO WAY that we’re

feeding into a constant cycle of

hating what comes after us and

sanctifying the things before us,

in a hopeless ritual of stubborn

nostalgia! No, it’s definitely that

the kids suck and we are way

cooler.

by Laurika Pich ‘27

The Warrior • Humor

March 21, 2024

HUMOR DISCLAIMER: This section is is intended as as satire and uses the tools of of exaggeration, irony, or or

ridicule in in the context of of politics, current trends, recent school events, and other topical issues.

13

by Justin Lakso ‘25

Gen Z Slang Guide for

Teachers and Old Heads

by Josh Pulaski ‘25

Does it sometimes feel like

students are speaking a different

language? Is it possible that they

actually do have their own language?

Are you just an old head

boomer no cap? If you’re one of

the unfortunate souls who still

doesn’t know what “rizz” means,

then I’m here to help. Keeping

up with slang isn’t an easy task,

but you’re better off with me than

anything that CNN will tell you.

I’m here to tell you the truth. I

will keep you up to date with all

of the most popular slang terms

currently being used from “aura”

to “zesty”.

Gyatt: Gyatt is an exclamation

utilized to give a compliment

to someone after they get a new

haircut; (e.g. “Hey Alex, nice

Gyatt.”)

Aura: Refers to how someone

smells. Aura works on a numerical

scale: the higher the number

the better the smell, the lower

the number the worse the smell;

(e.g. “Hey Ryan! Plus 250 aura

today!”)

Rizz: Refers to helping

someone with their homework;

(e.g. “Katie is struggling with her

homework Jimmy; you should go

rizz her up!”)

Cap/No Cap: Cap means lying:

no cap means not lying; (e.g.

“This definition is true, no cap!”)

Cooked: A term referring

to when there are no bathroom

passes left; (e.g. “Mr. Hilburger

just caught me cheating, I just got

cooked!”)

NPC: Used to describe a

classroom with a strict no phone

policy. NPC Stands for No Phone

Classroom; (e.g. “Hey Alex, stop

using your phone. This is an

NPC.”)

Fanum Tax: Fanum tax is

a new tax policy recently implemented

where you have to pay

a twenty-five percent tax fee for

‘gender affirmation’ surgery; (e.g.

“I want to transition, but I don’t

know if I can pay the fanum tax.”)

Mukeblobing: Mukeblobing

refers to the act of vomiting

into a crowd as a result of getting

nervous during a presentation or

public performance; (e.g. “Dude,

did you see the debate? Biden

looked like he was gonna mukeblob!”)

Glazing: refers to giving/

helping someone answered while

taking a test; (e.g. “Tom stop

glazing Ronald or I will give you

a zero on this test.”)

Full Jazz: Refers to a famous

prank pulled by a East Mecklenburg

High School student in

which they yelled full jazz into

the PA system and proceeded to

play loud jazz music; (e.g. “You

gonna full jazz it Sabrina?”)

Mogging: Refers to when

someone outperforms a peer in

school; (e.g. “Wow Daniel, Alex

mogged you there. He scored a

9/10 while you only got 7/10.”)

Sigma: Refers to people who

wear goofy mismatched clothes

during the day; (e.g. “Looking

like a sigma today Todd.”)

Zesty: Refers to someone

who has a fun and outgoing personality

while inside the classroom;

(e.g. “Andrew was acting

very zesty today.”)

Now that I have given you

sufficient examples on how to use

these words in a conversation, it

is your job to go into your classroom

and use these words to really

wow your students with your

knowledge of Gen Z slang. They

might shrug their head or roll

their eyes now that their secret

code has been unlocked, but this

should help you better connect

with your students. You’ll finally

be that cool teacher that every

student loves and remembers

long after they graduate.

Why The World Will End Next Year


In the last decade we have

narrowly escaped the apocalypse

so many times, such as global

threats of nuclear war, the entire

year of 2020, and that time

Taylor Swift wore a mismatched

outfit to one of her concerts. But

I’m here to be the bearer of bad

news: the world is going to end in

the year 2025. Some may scoff at

this proclamation, so if you don’t

believe me, here are five reasons

why the world will end next year:

Presidents. With next

week’s election America will

once again be choosing between

which candidate they hate with a

passion less. Why yes this time

around we have a chance to not

elect someone who is 80 years

old and senile. I am here to tell

you that it doesn’t matter who

will win, they will both throw the

entire world into the abyss. With

Trump, you can bet that he’s just

going to start a nuclear war from

raging at Fortnite, which is kind

of understandable. For Harris,

you can bet the cost of Galaxy

Gas and Robux will skyrocket,

immediately starting a worldwide

revolution because people won’t

have the absolute necessities of

life. Either case we are totally

screwed.

Hurricanes. Hurricane season

this year was pretty bad, with

Hurricane Milton wreaking havoc

on Florida, knocking over trash

cans and spraypainting mean

words onto brick walls around

the city. But I promise you as bad

as it is right now, it’s about to get

much worse, and not because of

“global warming” (we all know

that’s not real). It’s going to get

worse because of Florida continuing

to exist. The longer that affront

to the gods exists the angrier

they will get, eventually causing

a superstorm that will make the

effects of Hurricane Katrina look

like a sandcastle getting knocked

2025

down by a wave. I suggested we

manually put the whole state underwater

right now to stop this

madness, but my hastily put together

4AM Instagram story post

fell on deaf ears. So board up

your windows and pop a Chug

Jug, because the storm is coming.

I Might Get Angry. Sometimes

I get carried away. Now I

know I should have more self

control, but I just get so worked

up when I see things that grind

my gears. For example, one time

I was sitting in a Starbucks enjoying

my Pumpkin Spice Latte on

a lovely Sunday afternoon, until

I overheard someone “mansplaining”

to a strong and independent

woman. Hearing this arrogant

man filled my veins with a

blood-boiling rage. I ripped the

counter off the floor in a fit of rage

and chucked it across the restaurant,

and then started shooting lasers

from my eyes which burned

the whole place to the ground.

When stuff like this happens, no

one knows what I’m capable of,

not even myself. So watch out

next year, especially if arrogant

men keep using micro-aggressions

towards innocent queens.

WNBA. We all know that

the WNBA has been for years the

world’s most successful failing

business, but for the uneducated

the NBA has to support the

WNBA financially because the

league has never been able to turn

a profit, which is due to the known

laws of physics. However, I forecast

this is about the change because

of the best basketball player

since Ben Simmons. That’s right,

Cailtin Clark is going to single

handedly turn the WNBA profitable,

tearing a hole in space time,

and opening a wormhole. From

there, not even the best scientists

know what happens. All I know is

that it’s not good.

269-269. We all know Americans

are dumb but relax guys.

I’m an American, I’m allowed

to say this without getting told

to go Euro-Wedgie myself. All

of these dumb, loud, and proudly

ignorant people are held together

by a strong government invented

by some basically British guys

300 years ago; and thanks to that

now we have Triple Stuffed Oreos.

But what would happen if that

Government was suddenly deadlocked

thanks to a historically

unprecedented Electoral College

tie. This election is close, and all

it would take for this to happen is

a couple of scenarios where the

swing states are split, and Harris

wins two of the three electoral

college districts in Nebraska. If

this were to happen the Republican

controlled house would vote

on the President, and the Democratic

led Senate would elect

the Vice President. In short this

would immediately lead to a civil

war, leading to millions of American

refugees fleeing south to

Mexico, and then from there this

massive country of morons would

be let loose on the globe. So get

ready, College Gameday is coming

to your village in Kazakhstan.

14

The Warrior • Entertainment

October 31, 2024

Pop Princess Supernova: Female Stars Redefining Music and Culture

by George Awkard ‘25

Audrey Farris ‘25

Matilda Hawkins ‘27

Over the past year, the music

industry has experienced a sonic

boom of rising female pop stars

who have taken the reins of the

pop sphere and dominated the

charts. Their music has served

as a voice for women, promoting

the ideals of female empowerment,

self-confidence, and independence.

These pop princesses

have made it clear that they’re the

future of the industry, building a

legacy that will inspire generations

to come.

As “children” of Taylor

Swift, Sabrina Carpenter and

Gracie Abrams can credit some

of their rise to fame to Swift after

gaining worldwide recognition

opening for her critically

acclaimed Eras Tour. Carpenter,

a former Disney Channel star,

had her breakthrough in the pop

industry with her infamous ‘Nonsense’

outros riddled with humor

and wordplay, catching the attention

of the internet. She was further

boosted into the mainstream

with her smash-hit “Espresso,”

an empowering anthem about

female independence. Now, Carpenter

is selling out arenas across

the country, solidifying her role

as one of the most popular female

pop artists of the year. Similar to

Carpenter, Gracie Abrams was

also boosted by the influence of

Swift after featuring Swift on her

track “us.” Abrams further catapulted

into the public eye with her

track “I Love You, I’m Sorry,” a

pop ballad that admits her wrongdoings

in a previous relationship,

which climbed to No. 45 on the

Billboard Hot 100 chart.

Your ‘favorite artist’s favorite

artist’ Chappell Roan exploded

seemingly overnight. Whether

people know her from her Statue

of Liberty homage look at Governors

Ball or from hearing “Casual”

on TikTok, this young, queer

icon is constantly making waves.

With festival attendance hitting

over 100,000, Roan has taken pop

music to a whole new level and

has been rumored to represent a

new era of pop music. Roan built

her career from the ground up

completely independently, and

it wasn’t until she served as an

opener for Oliva Rodrigo’s GUTS

Tour that she began to rapidly

gain recognition. Not only has

this “Midwest Princess” fought

tooth and nail for her spot in the

pop music industry, but she also

doesn’t let anybody disrespect

her. From yelling at impolite reporters

to calling out fans for

disrespecting her personal space,

Roan has made a point to ensure

that her boundaries as an artist are

respected.

Some artists that grew to

fame in the late 2010s but have

flown under the radar over the

past few years have come back

into the pop spotlight by showcasing

their musical versatility.

Olivia Rodrigo and Billie Eilish

have been dominating the pop

music industry since the start of

their music careers. With both

of their debut albums hitting the

top charts and demolishing industry

records, Rodrigo and

Eilish opened the doors for the

new generation of female pop

artists. Rodrigo is most known

for her breakup ballads that resonate

with young women across

the globe, expressing feelings

that, while common, are underrepresented

in modern pop. The

emotional “bedroom pop”-esque

sound isn’t the only thing she can

nail, and some of her songs such

as ‘get him back’ and ‘brutal’

feature a heavier “riot girl” vibe,

showcasing not just her versatility

as an artist but also the wide

variety of emotions that young

women experience. Eilish also

shifts her sound often and creates

quality music that her fans love.

Her songs “NDA” and “xanny”

appeal to those who enjoy an

alternative dark-pop sound, but

for many who enjoy mainstream

pop, she has created upbeat tracks

“BIRDS OF A FEATHER” and

“Happier Than Ever.” Her ability

to stay relevant with influential

singles like “What Was I Made

For?” and performing in sold out

arenas across the globe proves

that she will stand the test of time.

For those who don’t prefer

the sound of the mainstream, other

women in the music industry

have success in their own right.

Charli XCX has hit a complete

360 back into popularity with

her newest album brat, influencing

a trend that adolescents have

Google Images

Google Images

coined “brat Summer.” Not only

has this electro pop diva helped

bring back club music to Gen-Z,

but also has made neon green a

huge trend for teenage girls. With

her hit song “Apple” becoming

viral on TikTok, this young female

is showing a promising future

in the music industry. Renee

Rapp is another young female

rising to fame, especially with

her recent performance in “Mean

Girls.” This young queer icon

has created a safe space for girls

like herself. With sonical influence

from the 90s, her music has

opened itself up to listening from

older generations, along with the

younger fans she has had already.


October 31, 2024

Saturday Night Makes Every Second Count

by Jordan Costolo ‘25

NBC’s Saturday Night Live

is a television institution, featuring

some of the most talented

comedic writers and performers,

together with famous guest celebrities

and musicians. But six decades

ago, SNL was an obscured

live show made by a group of

twenty-something comedians that

executives thought were destined

to fail.

The movie Saturday Night is

a biopic about the 90 minutes before

the first Saturday Night Live

episode aired in 1975. The movie

itself (minus credits) is roughly

90 minutes, tracing the events of

the night minute by minute, being

almost completely accurate

to the events as they happened

in real life. The writers achieved

this by interviewing many of

the cast and crew members who

worked on the premiere episode,

most of them recalling it as one of

the most stressful nights of their

lives.

Directed by Jason Reitman,

Saturday Night does an excellent

job portraying the chaotic whirlwind

that was the crunch time

before SNL first aired. Through

rapid camera movements and

masterful one-take shots, the audience

is able to see the full space

of NBC’s 8th floor, where the

show broadcasts from. The constant

movement of every character

in every shot, along with

the camera itself, makes the entire

floor feel alive with anxiety

and excitement. The score also

heightens the experience, with

most scenes being put to intense

jazz music, which alone puts an

audience member on the edge.

Not only is the general ambience

of the movie bright and

Paloma Illanes ‘25

This year, the theater department

will put together a production

of Mamma Mia!, a musical

full of exciting dance numbers,

singing, and drama. The storyline

is based around the songs of

Swedish band ABBA, who was

first popular in the 1970s and early

80s for a multitude of hit songs

like “Dancing Queen,” “Chiquitita,”

and “Waterloo.” The original

musical was first performed in

London in 1999, and later made

into a movie adaptation in 2008

starring celebrities Meryl Streep,

Amanda Seyfried, and Pierce

Brosnan.

Mamma Mia was chosen by

director Elizabeth Kominski to

highlight the talents of the current

students in the program and also

produce a fun and exciting show

for the community. Expectations

for the sets, lighting, and performances

are set high thanks to the

“extremely talented crew both on

the stage and off,” said Kominski.

Audiences can look forward to a

new twist involving staff members

in cameo performing roles,

and “maybe even your principal

on the stage,” teased Kominski.

With rehearsals now in full

swing, the show is gearing up to

be a huge success. The students

have been focused and working

hard. The production process this

year seems to flow very smoothly,

according to Kominski, who added

that senior Avery Fox has been

contributing excellent choreography.

Kominski believes that the

exciting, but many of the characters

and performances are as well.

Most of the original cast of SNL

are such characters in real life that

depicting them on screen is an

easy task. The cast who portrays

these stars is mostly made up of

younger actors, who while talented,

don’t have much to show filmography

wise. Even so, almost

every performance in the movie

is bursting with energy and expertise,

to the point where some

of the more unknown actors, such

as Matt Wood portraying John

Belushi, or Cory Micheal Smith

portraying Chevy Chase, outshine

old pros like Willem Dafoe

or J. K. Simmons, who portrays

David Tebet and Milton Berle, respectively.

Balancing both the development

of so many strong characters

and the quick and stressful atmosphere

would be difficult for most

movies. Saturday Night pulls it

off skillfully. The movie does this

by inserting small moments of intimacy

between characters amidst

the frenetic environment. These

short interactions between two

or three characters at a time lets

actors fresh and seasoned breathe

life into their different portrayals.

The strong chemistry that the

entire cast shares shines in these

moments. Even though the fast

paced tensions throughout the

movie are entertaining, the true

draw lies in the love and care

that was given to each character.

These strong bonds make the

eventual airing of the first episode

that much more rewarding.

Grade: A+

Google Images

ease and excitement that Mamma

Mia! radiates might be due to the

fact that students are more familiar

with the music and show.

The students involved in the

musical are just as excited. It feels

like the “perfect show” to end

on, said senior Ellie Schwam as

15

The Wild Robot Pays Its

Respects to Original

Dreamworks Classics

by Evelyn San Miguel ‘26

George Awkard ‘25

this is the last fall musical of her

Sherwood career. The sense of

community and the bonds among

actors is strong, and it’s exciting

for them to be able to perform

alongside one another. “Some of

these people I’ve never gotten the

chance to be on stage with at the

Since its release in theaters on

September 27, Dreamworks’ The

Wild Robot has become an instant

classic among audiences, solidifying

its legacy among some of

the animation studio’s greatest

films. Based on the hit children’s

series of the same name by Peter

Brown, The Wild Robot is set on

an island in the Pacific Ocean in

a futuristic world. The island,

untouched by mankind, collides

with the man-made world when

a helper robot named Roz (Lupita

Nyong’o), crashes on the island’s

shores. Left without a task to

complete, Roz wanders the island

for her purpose, disrupting the

lives of the wild animals that live

there.

Through an unfortunate

series of events, Roz ends up

adopting a gosling — Brightbill

— who believes Roz is his

mother. Coded to adapt to simple

domestic tasks — essentially the

equivalent of an ultra-intelligent

and anthropomorphic Alexa more

than anything else — Roz finds

motherhood a far more difficult

assignment than she feels she is

capable of completing. Entrusted

with raising Brightbill and teaching

him to fly by autumn, Roz and

her friend/co-parent Fink (Pedro

Pascal) take up the challenge and

joys of being Brightbill’s parents

and guardians. Brightbill, played

by Heartstopper lead Kit Connor,

brings a sweet and endearing

voice to one of the movie’s central

characters. Told through beautiful

writing and groundbreaking

animation, The Wild Robot tells

an emotional story of family,

love, and finding your place in

the world. While its message of

found family is nothing original,

The Wild Robot is a feel-good,

family-friendly adventure, with

animation that celebrates the legacy

of Dreamworks’ animation

studio and the veteran creatives

that worked on the project.

Through impressive voices

like Nyong’o, Pascal, and Connor,

The Wild Robot is enhanced

by its A-list cast, bringing the

characters to stunning and vivid

life. As Roz makes the island

her home, she and the animals

around her adapt to their changing

world, uniting and breaking

the boundaries of predator/prey

for the sake of saving their home.

With moments recalling Dreamworks’

masterworks like How to

Train Your Dragon and Puss in

Boots: The Last Wish, The Wild

Robot brings a beautiful addition

to Dreamworks’ portfolio of visually

phenomenal and artistically

magnificent animated films.

After the film’s raving reviews

from Rotten Tomatoes,

IMDb, and The New York Times,

The Wild Robot is expected to be

on streaming sites in the following

months, bringing audiences

closer to the film’s unforgettable

story through the comfort of their

own homes.

Grade: A

Fall Musical Mamma Mia Will Bring Out Your Inner Dancing Queen

Sophmore Leo Hoffman and seniors Ellie Schwam and Katie Reese rehearse “Super Trouper” for the fall show.

same time” said Schwam, who is

playing the role of Donna Sheridan,

one of the leads as owner of

a hotel, mother, and friend.

Playing the role of Sophie,

the leading character trying to

find out the truth about her biological

dad, are seniors Ali Weinrich

and Melia Walz. There is

lots of excitement regarding not

only the musical but the part of

Sophie for these actresses. Weinrich

feels some kinship with Sophie

because of her “goofy and

cheesy but mostly really kind and

sentimental” personality. Playing

a lead is a big responsibility and

a challenge with learning all the

lines, dances, and songs, but she’s

looking forward to helping “make

a show come to life and have an

audience connect” with her character.

This year’s fall musical of

Mamma Mia! is expected to be a

hit with audiences as the cast and

crew are putting in lots of effort

to make the production a wonderful

success. Kominski and actors

alike encourage everyone to come

see the show from November 21-

24 for a student price of $10, and

can’t wait for audiences to experience

the fun and excitement on

stage.

16


October 31, 2024

What We’re Listening To...

Figure 8 - Elliot Smith

Figure 8 by Elliott Smith was

crafted and released in 2000 three

years before his death at the age of

34. Among Elliott’s unique gifts were

his incredibly creative chord progressions.

“Son of Sam” opens the

album with an amazing harmony

throughout the song. The piano and

vocals on “Everything Means Nothing

To Me” are performed in unison

and the track ends with a beautiful

orchestral performance. Tracks like

“L.A.” and “Junk Bond Trader” are

very lively with both encompassing

exciting riffs and lyrics. The album

takes a turn with “In the Lost and

Found (Honky Bach)”/“The Roost”

when Smith performs a honky tonk

with very interesting chord changes.

by Matthew Leighton-Jones ‘25

SOUR - Olivia Rodrigo

Google Images

“Can’t Make a Sound” is one of the

last tracks, and it is one of the best.

Two Star & The Dream Police - Mk.gee

Compared to an early

Prince by Eric Clapton, Mk.gee is a

unique guitarist, vocalist, and producer

who explores a wonderful

soundscape. Blending ‘80s synths,

smooth R&B production, and a darker

shade of psychedelia, his album

from earlier this year ranges from

somber to impassioned. Throughout,

the dynamics and effects are

distinctly manipulated to immerse

the listener directly in his emotions.

Mk.gee has commented that it follows

the second coming of a hero,

with the story woven through sonically

and lyrically. Through his extraordinary

live shows and YouTube

performances, he even continues

to evolve the album to a whole

new level. This project creates an

atmosphere that’s unlike any other.

by Nick Hammond ‘25

Google Images

Headless Cross - Black Sabbath

After the rough breakup with

a boyfriend at the time, Olivia Rodrigo

stormed into the music industry

with her debut studio album, SOUR.

Reaching the top charts in no time,

Rodrigo uses passionate lyricism

and genre-hopping pop to express

issues that many teenage girls often

experience. The album’s name refers

to the “sour” emotions teenagers

often go through, and the songs

accentuate this theme. Ranging

from the rage shown in “brutal” to

the heartache shown in “favorite

crime,” Rodrigo sums up practically

all the emotions the moody teens

express. This masterpiece is the

perfect comfort album if you’re a

Google Images

struggling teenager filled to the brim

with feelings you can’t describe.

by Matilda Hawkins ‘27

Black Sabbath’s unholy

council came together and concocted

the wicked Headless Cross

in April of 1989. With ungodly, atmospheric

keyboards, “The Gates

Of Hell” sets the tone for what this

album has to offer. New member

Laurence Cottle’s doom-soaked

bass riffs provided the foundation

for heavy metal godfather Toni

Lommi’s mystic guitarwork to take

center stage while also leaving

room for drumming veteran Cozy

Powell to really shine. This expertise

in haunting musicianship lays

the groundwork for vocalist Tony

Martin to relay his fantasy soaked,

frequently magical lyrics to fans.

Headless Cross remains his most evil

and blasphemous work to date.

by Jack Engelhardt ‘25

Google Images

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October 31, 2024

17

Dive into The Hit Music Venues of the DMV

by Jack Engelhardt ‘25

On the streets of the night

exist places that produce cherished

shows, bustling with familiar

friends and new ones alike. In

these tiny clubs, music hungry

fans tear off the walls. Up in the

skies are huge arenas filled with

theatrics and pyrotechnics that

promise to provide you with a

night you will never forget. With

huge open walls, the music pours

over and out into the streets of the

city. While it may not seem like it

from the outside, the Baltimore

and DC areas have numerous music

venues, all different but similar

in their delivery of an unforgettable

concert experience that will

certainly have you coming back

for more.

Metro Gallery

Located in the heart of the

Station North Arts District, Metro

Baltimore strives to have a little

something for everyone. The

Metro is a perfect place for local

bands to thrive while also providing

a place for bigger bands to

play for their adoring fans. With a

small seating area in the back and

a couple tables, the Metro is a majority

standing venue but due to

its size no matter where you are,

you will receive a fantastic concert

experience. The Metro houses

many different genres of music

so it is likely you will be able to

find a show that fits your style, be

it the softest of jazz or the most

pulverizing of metal. The majority

of their shows are all ages with

the only exception being their DJ

nights, which are 21 and over.

Baltimore Soundstage

Located near the Baltimore

Harbor, Baltimore Soundstage is

a medium-sized venue that allows

for an ambient experience that

leaves room for you to hang out

in the back and watch the show

in the front. Separated into two

floors, The Soundstage is a larger

venue while not being too big that

you won’t be able to see the band.

It also provides concertgoers with

a small lounge area to the side of

the venue for those who wish to

have a great view of the show but

not stand up front the whole time.

The Soundstage houses many musical

performances from the latest

metal bands and hardcore punk

bands, to popular country artists,

pop sensations, and 21+ DJ

nights. But the Soundstage does

not only have music. Sometimes,

the venue houses comedians and

dance nights.

Pie Shop

Voted DC’s Best Pie by WCP

13 times, Pie Shop is not only a

well established dispensary for

both sweet and savory pies, but

a bustling venue that provides a

place for local and smaller bands

to perform. Located directly

above the critically acclaimed

shop, the venue portion is, while

on the smaller side, an intimate

space that makes up for its small

size in its professional sound

production and visual effects. It

provides a large outer area with

benches where you can hang out

with friends before going in and

seeing the bands. Much like its

pie, the Pie Shop delivers a variety

in its music. This musical variety

ranges from metal, alternative,

and rock music from local and

non-local talent. If you or your

friends are in a band and looking

for places to play, look no further

Google Images

The Pie Shop, a resturant that doubles as a venue for upcoming bands.

than The Pie Shop. It provides a

comfortable and friendly atmosphere

that allows newcomers to

get their legs musically and perform

an awesome show.

Lincoln Theater

Located in Downtown Raleigh

DC, The Lincoln Theater

may be the area’s premier live

music, concerts, and events venue.

This seated venue provides a

comfortable concert experience

with beautiful architecture and

plenty of seating options. This is

a larger venue that provides not

only musical entertainment but

also comedians, musicals, and

immersive experiences. The Lincoln

provides numerous genres

that allows you to find whatever

it is you’re looking for at an affordable

price. The Lincoln was

always a respected venue in its

ongoing 100-year lifespan. It first

began as a place that was widely

regarded as the finest theater for

African American talent and concert

goers alike. The Lincoln was

also a place for the most elite of

Washingtonians with politicians,

boxers, actors, etc. in attendance.

While it may not be as prestigious

as it once was, The Lincoln still

delivers the same musical and

visual quality, unwavering in its

commitment to treat each concertgoer

with the utmost respect.

Baltimore Soundstage is an indoor concert venue located in the Inner Harbor, offering reserved admission.

Upcoming

DMV

Concerts

Tinashe - Nov 1

The Anthem

Erykah Badu - Nov 2

The Theater

Sixpence None The Richer - Nov 3

The Birchmere

Echosmith - Nov 11

Howard Theatre

Doechii - Nov 14

Union Stage

Slowdive - Nov 17

The Anthem

Don Toliver - Nov 8

EagleBank Arena

Adrienne Lenker - Nov 23

The Anthem

Shakira - Nov 25

Capital One Arena

Liz Peterson Photography

Sourced from Google Images

18

The Warrior • Sports

October 31, 2024

Warriors To Face Wootton in Regional Championship

by Emma Link ‘27 and

Molly Schecter ‘27

Few things in all of sports are

more nerve-wracking than a penalty

shootout to decide the winner

of a game. After 100 minutes of

scoreless regular time and overtime,

Sherwood beat Magruder

7-6 in penalties to advance to the

regional championship against

Wootton on Wednesday, October

29. Junior Elise Rogers drilled

her shot into the lower left corner

to beat Magruder. Junior Sydney

Gould made two clutch saves

during the shootout to help Sherwood

secure the win.

Walking up in front of everyone

to take the shot, Rogers knew

she had to score, or else it would

end the season for the Warriors.

She also carried the weight of

a tough 2-1 loss to Magruder

during the regular season. “How

bad we felt after we played our

hearts out in the season game and

lost, and I didn’t ever want to feel

that pain again or cause it for my

team,” said Rogers.

In the first round of playoffs,

the girls won 4-0 at home against

Kennedy. Despite the relatively

easy win, the players knew they

would have to play better if they

Senior defender Keira Whipple takes possession late in the second half against Quince Orchard in the Pink Out game on Oct. 16.

were going to beat a stronger team

in Magruder. With the win against

Magruder, Sherwood advanced

to play Wootton in the regionals

this past Tuesday at Wootton. To

prepare, the team needed to work

on, “finding the width and attacking

the team’s weak side, and our

quick counterattack,” said senior

captain Liat Tuchman.

The playoffs bring the pressure

of knowing it might be the

last game of the year. “We need to

lock in and play for each other to

bring 100-percent energy. It’s win

or go home,” said senior captain

Candace Woods.

The Warriors ended their regular

season with a 7-5 record, in

which they scored 40 goals with

only 15 scored against them. The

overall result is impressive given

that several key starters from last

season graduated. As a result, the

starting lineup included an unusually

high number of sophomores

and juniors.

Zach Geller

Even in games that the team

lost this season, the scores were

notably closer than games against

the same opponents last year.

With many players returning next

year, the signs are apparent that

Sherwood is ready to compete

against the programs in the county.

Girls in Athletics Club

Empowers Athletes

Thursday Night Lights

Shortage of referees forces changes to football schedules in Montgomery County.

by Cara Farr ‘27

Last year, MCPS struggled to

have the proper number of five to

seven referees for varsity football

games, and occasionally as few as

three refs officiated a game. In order

to combat the referee shortage

throughout the county, MCPS required

each high school this season

to host one football game on

a Thursday night.

According to Athletic Director

Jason Woodward, each high

school had to choose one game

to be played on a Thursday night.

He said that due to a combination

of different factors such as opening

night, the homecoming game,

and senior night, Sherwood selected

to host a nearby rival, Magruder,

for their Thursday night

home game on September 19.

However, the Warriors ended

up having a Thursday night

game on four different weeks this

season. Two of these occurred in

the second and eighth week of the

season, due to Paint Branch and

Walter Johnson choosing to host

Sherwood for their Thursday

night home games. Sherwood

also had to play a Thursday night

game against Damascus on October

10 due to the Jewish holiday

Yom Kippur beginning on that

Friday, October 11.

Since Paint Branch and Walter

Johnson chose their home

games against Sherwood for their

Thursday night games, The Warriors

had one less practice and

prep day before those two weeks.

Sherwood ended up losing 21-20

against Paint Branch on Thursday,

September 12. “We also

have a choice to play on Saturday

afternoons instead of Thursday

nights but that adds more stress

to the players and coaching staff

to plan for the following week

since you would lose a practice

and prep day,” said Woodward.

However, there are similar

disadvantages to playing on

Thursday nights. “It’s definitely

harder to come fully prepared

for a game when we can’t have

our four practices that week,”

Matthew Leighton-Jones ‘25

explained senior captain Brendan

Heyer, who explained that

the football team has to use time

more efficiently in practices because

they have to fit four practice

plans into only three days.

Heyer mentioned that the

increased number of Thursday

night games is not ideal for the

students and for the players. After

some of the games, fans and

players might not get home until

past eleven and possibly even later

depending on where the game

had taken place, and the traffic after

the games. “It sucks having to

wake up early the next morning

all bruised up and having to limp

around the halls from the game

the night before,” he said.

Unfortunately for students,

staff, and athletes, Thursday night

games are something they can expect

in Montgomery County, and

even across the state for the foreseeable

future. ‘Thursday Night

Lights’ will be a part of high

school football unless counties

are able to secure more officials.

by Ziv Golan ‘26

Female athletes have frequently

been the target of gender-based

discrimination and

are often not given access to the

proper education or resources

needed to succeed. These factors

and more led to the creation of

the Girls in Athletics Club, which

is new to Sherwood this school

year. It is described as a space for

female athletes to discuss shared

experiences and offer support

to each other. The club is sponsored

by Health teacher Claudia

Wilks and was started by junior

and cross country and track star,

Madeline Quirion, who serves as

the club’s president.

“I personally have always

really enjoyed participating in

athletics; I grew up playing several

sports,” said Quirion. “As I

got older I noticed two things:

that fewer and fewer girls were

participating in sports every year,

and that my teammates often

struggled with health issues like

period loss and malnutrition that

none of us were very educated

about. Through a bit of research,

I learned these challenges are

very common among all female

athletes. I believe a huge cause

of these issues is misinformation

and a lack of open discussion. I

founded GiA to confront these issues

in the Sherwood community

through education and support,

with the help of my fellow SHS

female athletes.”

The club is set to meet once

a month to discuss any issues

members have noticed along with

planning service projects. “One

upcoming project we’re really

looking forward to is our Rosa

Parks field trip. We will be sending

a couple of athletes to visit

every girl’s sports team at RPMS

to discuss mental and physical

health issues female athletes often

face, how to manage them and

encourage the girls to stay active

as they get older,” said Quirion.

By informing middle schoolers

about issues female athletes

face there is hope that change can

be made in the future as these students

will feel like their struggles

are being validated. Through an

Instagram page, the club hopes

to highlight the success of female

athletes at Sherwood, giving

them well-deserved attention and

respect, and also providing role

models for younger girls to look

up to.

Quirion also hopes to give a

voice in the club to female athletes

from all Sherwood sports.

This way all female athletes will

be able to become better informed

about the struggles many of them

share.

“I’ve had some great conversations

with girls at school about

the issues GiA is founded to combat,”

observed Quirion. “Almost

everyone I’ve talked to has at one

point experienced health issues

as a result of having a poor diet or

intentionally not eating enough.”

She added that a lot of female

athletes severely underestimate

the amount of food a girl who

works out every day should be

eating and that some are over-exercising.


October 31, 2024

Girls Volleyball Sets Sights on Success

by Madelyn Awwad ‘27

and Cara Farr ‘27

After an up and down season,

the program finishes out strong

with a huge 3-0 win in the last

game of the regular season against

Damascus. Finishing the season

9-5, the team has high expectations

heading into playoffs despite

their deceptively mediocre

record. The Warriors were heavy

favorites in their first-round playoff

game at home against Blake

on October 30. They will play

the winner of the Rockville-Magruder

match in the second round,

most likely away at Magruder.

After going multiple games

alternating between a win and a

loss, the team was able to string

together four wins in the last five

games to end the season. Two

tough wins in the regular season

came against Walter Johnson

and Blair. During the annual

“Dig Pink” game against Blair

on October 9, the Warriors won

in four sets. This win was especially

impressive because heading

into that game, Blair was 8-1

with their only loss being Richard

Montomery, who are the reigning

state champions.

The girls have their sights set

on winning the regional championship,

despite many tough

opponents that they would need

to face. “We have a lot of good

teams in our region, but I absolutely

think we have a great

shot at winning the region,” said

Coach Kaitlyn Jain. Assistant

Coach Megan Brady agreed that

Sophmore Kenley Jacobs with a strong serve in a 3-1 win facing Blair.

there are a lot of strong teams in

the region but also that there is “a

ton of talent in our gym.”

Jain said the playoffs require

the team to go hard after every

ball as well as be more consistent

and always ready to play. Brady

also hinted at similar expectations

of hustle. “I want to see them go

out on the court for every practice

and every game and then walk out

with their heads held high,” said

Brady. “That mindset will push

them through playoffs.”

Senior Vlada Costenco emphasizes

the importance of energy on

the court. “We need to keep up

our energy and communicate,”

she said. “Making sure we don’t

get in our heads is important, so

we can put bad plays in the past.”

Senior Makayla Songco agreed

“Communication is key on the

volleyball court; that is something

I believe we can always work

on,” she said. “Energy played a

large role in those wins, and so

did working well as a team.”

HIGHLIGHTS

Nick Hammond

In Cross Country, the boys team is loaded with freshmen and sophomores

and the team placed 8th at the Montgomery Country

Championships and went undefeated in their division. At Counties,

senior Jackson Schade was the top finisher for the Warriors with a

time of 16:56.

The girls team finished 11th of 23 teams, with junior Maddy Quirion

finishing 2nd in a race with 178 girls. Her time of 18:43.00 is the third

fastest time run on the Borher Park course, according to Athletic.

net.

The 3A West Championship meet takes place today at Utica Park

in Frederick, and the boys team is expected to qualify for the state

championship meet on November 9 at Hereford High School.

Co-Ed Golf team completed its season with an 11-7 record, an 8-win

improvement from a season ago. The team also had the 3rd best

scoring average in the county for the season. The season was highlighted

by winning their final match, defeating Wootton, Poolesville,

and Churchill. Senior Corey Abod led the way this season with a

scoring average of 37.50 over 6 matches highlighted with 4 rounds

in the 30s.

Taking the top 4 scores, the Sherwood team shot a 324 which resulted

in a 4th place finish in the county to qualify the team for the

Maryland State Tournament, held October 28 at the Maryland Golf

Course. Congratulations to the state qualifiers: Corey Abod, senior,

CJ Tonnesen, junior Evan Bonnett, sophomore Yitian Xie, freshman

Gia Mantzouranis, and sophomore Chase Althouse as an alternate.

19

Perspective

The Caps Are Back

by Ryan Green ‘26

The Washington Capitals struggled through most of last regular

season, finishing with an overall losing record and squeaking into the

playoffs. After a disappointing, though maybe predictable, post-season

when Washington were swept 4-0 by New York Rangers, the best

overall record in the regular season. The Caps and their fans are hoping

for improvement. It has been six years since the Caps won the Stanley

Cup and it’s mostly been mediocre seasons since then, but there are a

number of reasons why this year should be exciting.

Although the centerpiece of the Capitals remains 39-year-old captain

Alexander Ovechkin, who has led the team in goals every year

since the 2007-2008 season. Failing to score in the series against the

Presidents’ Trophy winner New York Rangers, the team made acquisitions

during the offseason to shape the Caps into a new and improved

team. The Capitals mix of experienced veterans and promising young

talent hope to bring the heat one last time and compete for the Stanley

Cup.

As the metropolitan division continues to secure its spot as a top

division, Washington needs an intense offense to navigate the offensive

zone. The legendary play of Ovechkin will either have the team

succeed or decline as he continues to defy age, being an astounding

39 years old. Averaging .60 goals per game, the captain is on track to

break the prolific career goal record of 894 currently held by Wayne

Gretzky. But the Capitals need more than just a legend. Capitals GM

Chrish Patrick acquired star forward Pierre-Luc Dubois and forward

Andrew Mangiapane to help assist the captain. Not to mention their 1st

round draft pick, Ryan Leonard, who currently sits at 47 points in 29

games played in the NCAA D1 hockey. Washington also supplemented

its forward depth by signing Brandon Duhaime and Taylor Raddysh.

On the defensive side of the ice, the Capitals have made strategic

moves to hold the blue line. Clutching the defensive core together is

strong two-way defenseman John Carlson. But the same theme of getting

old resonates through the whole team. Carlson is 34 years old and

on the backend of his career. The Caps picked up young defenseman

Jakob Chychrun to fix this current issue, who team president Brian

MacLellan has praised for his “ ability to jump in the play.” Blending

the youth and veteran defense is vital for protecting the goaltender

and keeping goals out. Washington also signed Logan Thompson, the

young netminder helps provide stability and more potential for a deep

playoff run.

The new season might be one remembered for the ages. The Washington

Capitals seem equipped with enough talent to be a surprise in

the NHL. If you’re not already on the Caps’ bandwagon, hop on now

early in the season so you don’t miss the excitement.

MCPS is First in Country with

Pickleball as a Varsity Sport

by Chase Sondike ‘26

MCPS is setting a precedent

for other school districts across

the nation by adding pickleball

as a varsity corollary sport this

fall. The sport of pickleball is experiencing

exponential growth,

with nearly 50 million American

adults playing this past year. Not

only is the game popular among

adults, but kids are also getting

in on the fun. In fact, Sherwood’s

coach, Rob Campbell, had to

make cuts at the tryouts because

there was greater interest than the

available number of spots on the

roster.

The captain of the pickleball

team this year, senior Ryan

Corkery, is no stranger to the upand-coming

sport. Corkery, who

was on the pilot pickleball team

last year, has his sights set on a

triumphant season, saying that of

course, the goal was to go undefeated

and win the final tournament.

“We also want to increase

the number of eyes on high school

pickleball,” Corkery said. “Being

the first county in the nation to

have varsity pickleball, we are all

in a unique spot to be at the forefront

of the growth of high school

pickleball.” The introduction of

pickleball in MCPS is a testament

to its relevance in today’s sports

world. Pickleball serves as a fun

yet competitive sport which also

has many social benefits and an

engaging atmosphere.

Pickleball is a corollary sport

in MCPS, which means it is designed

to help provide equal opportunities

for students with and

without disabilities. Half of each

Pickleball roster in every MCPS

school will have corollary students

and the other half will be

made up of non-corollary students.

The objective of corollary

sports is to enhance participation

in extramural athletics for all

students, particularly those with

disabilities. Pickleball was added

to the expanding list of varsity

corollary sports in MCPS, joining

Bocce and Allied Softball.

Campbell emphasized that

his goal as the coach is a blend

of competition and enjoyment.

“I want to create an environment

where players can have fun

while still striving for success

and getting better,” he said. This

particular approach also reflects

the sport’s growing popularity,

to which Campbell credits the

game’s accessibility. “Pickleball

is easy to learn and an overall fun

to play game, making it appealing

to a wide range of age groups.”

20


October 31, 2024

Sherwood Faces Undefeated QO in Season Finale

by Reid Duvall ‘27

Varsity football is off to its

best start since the 2017-2018

season with seven wins and just

one loss, punctuated with a 47-

19 road win against WJ. The

team took a week 2 loss to Paint

Branch personally, and has been

unstoppable since. In the sixgame

win streak, the Warriors

have outscored opponents by

190 points. They have held other

teams to just 45 points, the same

amount they gave up in the first

two games against Rockville and

Paint Branch. “We continue to

work on the fundamentals that allow

us to play fast and physical,”

said Coach Pat Cilento.

The improvements from last

year’s younger team can be seen

in how Sherwood dominated

Blake and Gaithersburg who they

lost to last season. They also added

blowout wins against Poolesville

and at home against Damascus.

Against Walter Johnson,

Sherwood established their momentum

early as they got out to a

20-6 lead at the half. On the opening

play of the 2nd half, sophomore

quarterback Matt Larsen

threw a screen pass to senior,

Jaden Nix, who took it 65 yards

to the endzone to give the Warriors

a 27-6 lead. Later on in the

game, a pick-six by senior safety,

MCPS Kicks Off Its First

Season of Flag Football

by Maya Dorsam ‘27

Brendan Heyer gave the team a

34-6 lead. After 13 more points in

the 4th quarter, the Warriors blew

the game open for the 47-19 win.

“We moved the ball well and we

got to their quarterback early,”

said Quarterback Matt Larsen.

The conclusion of the season

is against an 8-0 Quince Orchard

team that is possibly the best in

the state and just added a win

over Northwest, another top team

This year, MCPS added flag

football to its list of sports offered

to female athletes in the county.

After a long wait, girls couldn’t

be more excited to participate in

the sport that is offered to their

male counterparts, with a few differences

in rules and strategy.

Increasing interest across

the nation led MCPS, Washington,

and Baltimore Counties in

Maryland to take after Fredrick

County’s debut of the sport last

season which ended successfully,

with 280 girls participating in the

league. Twenty-eight states offer

forms of flag football for girls

and it’s even set to become an

Olympic sport at the 2028 games,

which come to Los Angeles in

just a few summers.

The opportunity brought to

many Maryland schools is made

possible by the sponsorship of the

Baltimore Ravens and Under Armour,

which will provide financial

grants towards the costs of

uniforms, coaching salaries, and

team transportation. Their hope is

to produce leaders, grow the love

of the sport, and grant girls the

opportunity to play football just

as boys are.

The flag football games are

7 on 7 with two halves compared

to four quarters. The offense

will progress down the field as it

achieves first downs, given 4 attempts.

Rather than tackling the

player in possession of the ball to

stop the play, their flag must be

pulled.

The Sherwood team is

mostly composed of upperclassmen,

according to social studies

teacher Caitlin Thompson, who

stepped up to coach the girls this

year alongside Rob Hiller, another

social studies teacher at the

school.

“The fall is the beginning of

the school year, and so often of

new experiences, new social settings,

and new challenges,” said

Thompson about why flag football

is a good addition to MCPS

sports, “This game means it’s also

a time of opportunities for female

athletes to be part of something.”

in the county. The Quince Orchard

program has been a powerhouse

in the state of Maryland,

while producing a selection of

big-time collegiate talent. Before

their playoff loss to Northwest

last season, Quince Orchard had

a 39-game winning streak including

4A state championships in the

2021-2022 season and the 2022-

2023 season. This year’s team is

no slouch, only allowing 20 points

Senior Wide Receiver Avery Graham running the ball against Magruder.

Thompson expressed that her

motivation for coaching the team

was the exciting new challenge

it presented. She admits that she

is new to the game, but Hiller,

her coaching partner, contributes

to the team greatly by bringing

critical football experience. The

girls are learning and progressing

quickly as they practice skills and

big-picture schemes each day.

Junior Maryam Habib said

that Thompson expects full effort

and gives helpful constructive

criticism to better the girls. The

sport is no joke; playing time

won’t be given out freely.

“This is a varsity sport,” said

Thompson. “Athletes earn their

playing time with skill, effort, and

dedication.”

Cliff Vacin ‘25

Safety Brendan Heyer running in a touchdown in a dominant 41-7 win against a now 5-3 Damascus.

Zach Geller ‘25

all season, and is the top-ranked

public school in Maryland. Sherwood

currently stands ranked 2nd

among 3A high school football

teams in Maryland.

“Each week we have an opportunity

to showcase our talents,”

said Cilento. “We don’t

focus that much on our opponents

but rather on what we can improve

on to become better. Our

last two opponents present some

challenges, but we will be prepared

for both of them.”

The team seems unfazed by

challenging programs, like 5-3

Damascus and the 6-2 Blake Bengels,

dominating these teams with

scores of 41-7 and 24-0 respectively.

The Warriors went on a 4-0

win streak that carried through

weeks four through seven, with

their defense holding all four

teams to a combined seven points.

“Everyone is contributing,

from the scout team guys in practice

that give us a great look to the

guys that are on the field on Friday

nights. Each week it is a new

person that stands out. The team

continues to perfect their craft so

they can excel.” said Cilento.

Sherwood’s playoff success

has been limited in recent years.

They have made the state quarterfinals

twice and the state semifinal

once since 2010, and last

won the state championship in

2008. It has been a staggering 16

years since Sherwood football has

claimed a championship, and 14

years since the last state semifinal

appearance. This year may be

different. The Warriors are looking

to prove themselves in the

playoffs. Sherwood has a shot at

breaking through in the playoffs,

and a strong performance against

QO will be a signal.

Boys Soccer Advance To Play

Kennedy in Regional Finals

by Andrew Fenner ‘27 and

Chase Sondike ‘26

After a tough 1-0 loss to Churchill

to close out the regular season,

Sherwood finished the regular

season with a 7-5 record that

was a mix of highs and lows. If

the Warriors felt any uncertainty

going into the playoffs, they

shook off the doubts with a commanding

3-0 home win against

Magruder in the first round, and

a win against Rockville 3-2 in the

second round.

Senior right back Adam Levy

said the win against Rockville

was big for their momentum because

although Rockville’s record

was subpar, they were a strong

team. “They were our biggest test

of the season,” Levy said.

In the Regional Final, the Warriors

played Kennedy, who they

lost to in overtime in the regular

season. “We are a different team

than when we played them earlier

in the season,” said Coach

Paul Homon. “Our defensive

scheme is solid, and we have had

strong goalkeeping play down the

stretch. Kennedy has had great

play from their wingers so we

need to make sure we don’t give

them too much space to create.”

Levy said the Regional Final

game is an opportunity to show

Sherwood’s growth as a soccer

program. “Kennedy sent us home

last year, which is why this game

is so big.” Levy said that as long

as Sherwood is able to stay organized

and play their game, they

would have a shot.

Perhaps the biggest highlight

of the season was defeating the

defending 3A state champion Damascus

in overtime 2-1 at home

on October 7. Homon said the

win was a testament to the growth

of the squad as the season progressed.

“The team realized when

we play as a unit, move the ball

quickly, and look to find teammates

… we can be very dangerous.”

Last year boys soccer went

4-7-1 in the regular season and

lost in the first round of the playoffs.

This year, with a deeper core

and vast improvement on the offensive

and defensive sides of the

ball, there was always potential

for a deep playoff run. Regarding

the refinement on the defensive

end, Senior midfielder Alex

Welch said the boost was “due to

our increased focus on communication.”

Homon agreed, and said that

the team has “had a goal all season

to be better at communicating

on the field and it shows.”

Sherwood only allowed 14 goals

through their 12 regular season

games this year, a big leap from

last year’s team that allowed 14

goals in just their first 7 games.

On the frontline, junior striker

Caleb Alie was a key factor and

crucial for the team’s offensive

output throughout the regular season,

helping lead them to a winning

record. Notably, the offense

this year has scored 28 goals,

twice as many goals as last year’s

team strung together.

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