SHS_Warrior

theWarrior

47th Year, Issue No. 3 February 20, 2025

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

www.thewarrioronline.com

Hiring SpEd Teachers Harder Than It Seems

by Taylor Adams ‘27

The proposal for next year’s

budget by Superintendent Thomas

Taylor emphasizes adding

more special education teaching

positions and increasing funding

for the special education department.

While this may seem like

it will be an easy and beneficial

move for MCPS and its students,

it’s going to prove very difficult

to find teachers to fill those added

positions and make use of that

funding.

If the proposed budget is

approved by the County Council

this spring, more than $46 million

dollars will be invested into the

department to add 688 positions.

This is partly to meet current

staffing guidelines. Additionally,

school-focused support teams

with experts will be assigned to

school clusters. Some of these

subject experts will be trained in

special education.

Increasing staffing for the

special education department will

lighten the load on current teachers

and be beneficial for students

with special needs and their learning.

This is especially true because

“identification of students

with disabilities who need special

education and related services has

gone up post-Covid closures,”

according to Diana Wyles, the

Associate Superintendent for the

Office of Special Education.

However, staffing special

education positions has been

Olney Theatre Center Renovations Near Completion

by Evelyn San Miguel ‘26

Since its humble beginnings

in 1938 as a summer playhouse,

the Olney Theatre Center (OTC)

has established itself as a beacon

for the performing arts in Olney.

Throughout its over eight-decade

history the theatre has welcomed

a plethora of classic American

plays, musicals, actors, and playwrights.

The Staging the Future

Capital Campaign — one of the

OTC’s most recent projects —

began in 2020 to expand and

broaden its capacity for community

outreach and support of the

arts. The campaign includes a full

renovation of the 1938 Original

Theatre and its exterior, as well

as an addition of classrooms, studios,

house production shops for

difficult for years, and the struggles

for MCPS will only increase

when it has more positions to

fill. With the influx of students

requiring special education or related

services also comes the lack

of trained teachers with enough

qualifications to teach special education

students. Schools around

the country are starved for special

education teachers, and it isn’t

getting better as fewer people are

going to college to get into the

special education field.

A few other districts in

Maryland have offered incentives

for special education teachers in

hopes of hiring more. However,

“this is a challenging time for

funding public education, which

impacts the ability to offer some

of the incentives that were once

available,” noted Wyles.

The professional responsibilities

of a special education teacher

goes beyond instruction in the

classroom and working with students.

“Specifically, there are a lot

of paperwork requirements, meetings,

and assessments that have to

be completed for students with

IEPs,” explained Wyles. “Many

teachers leave the field of special

education within the first five

years because the job is not what

they thought it would be.” Individualized

Education Programs

(IEPs) are special education

students documents that specify

what students are required by

federal law to have in school in

their specific areas of need.

The Olney Theatre Center has been a staple of Olney since 1938.

future stagings, and outdoor theatres.

Set to complete renovations

in the coming year, the OTC is

preparing the theatre for a bright,

bold future, and an exciting production

season as the year unfolds.

Since its start, the campaign

has raised more than $32 million,

just short of its $36 million goal.

These challenges may have

contributed to heavy staff turnover

in Sherwood’s special education

department in which a

number of teachers have retired

or transferred to other schools in

recent years. “The primary reason

for turnover of special education

Zach Geller ‘25

teachers is burnout from heavy

caseloads, paperwork, the emotional

Senior Elsie Groff catalogues performers’ costumes for Rock n’ Roll 53

aspects of the job, and the

fact that all of the work is difficult

to get done in a regular workday,”

expressed Wyles.

Maryland has taken steps

Rock N’ Roll Participants

Reach Greater Heights

towards making it easier to hire by Matilda Hawkins ‘27 ing available. After gaining more

special education teachers. To

confidence and experience in her

and Paloma Illanes ‘25

teach special education you are

position through the years, Groff

required to be certified for it and The annual tradition Sherwood

was asked by costume directors

have taken a certain number of

is so famously known for, Donna Burnsky and Karen Kahn

related college-level classes, according

Rock ‘n’ Roll, will be on stage to do more serious tasks such as

to Caitlin Ennis, the head next month for the 53rd year in a take notes during rehearsals to

of special education services at row. With so many different elements

see what may need fixing, ad-

Sherwood. “However, because

needed to put on the show, justments, or alterations to get

of the state of special education there’s an extensive number of them “show ready.” As a senior,

across the nation, [Maryland] has students who work together as she also is in charge of signing

allowed people who are in the cast and crew in order to make a out every costume, ensuring that

process of getting their special production full of singing, dancing,

every valuable item of clothing is

ed certification to get provisional

and intricate set designs. returned and accounted for.

certifications,” Ennis explained. Here are four seniors who play an Tech Crew hasn’t been just

This would allow the teachers integral part in Rock ‘n’ Roll, and about the work for Groff; it’s allowed

with a bachelor’s degree to finish their journeys to get there.

her to grow strong bonds

their special education certification

Elsie Groff has been work-

with so many people, and the

while working at schools. ing behind the scenes of Rock place where she’s met some of

Wyles encourages anybody ‘n’ Roll since her freshman year. her closest friends. “Rock ‘n’

interested in education to consider

Starting in ninth grade, Groff Roll has seen me throughout dif-

working in special education. joined the tech crew for Rock ‘n’ ferent parts of my life, both the

While challenging, it is extremely Roll and decided to work in the positive and negative, but it has

rewarding, and helps to “develop costume department. This choice always been an escape for me,”

a sense of compassion and empathy

came with responsibilities such Groff shared. She encourages

for students with disabilities,” as becoming accustomed with

said Wyles. different eras and vintage cloth-

see “ROCK N’ ROLL,” pg 3

Google Images

With its plans to “nurture the

next generation,” the Staging

the Future Campaign anticipates

renovating multiple parts of the

14-acre property, including outdoor

facilities and stages. Along

with reducing their carbon footprint

and increasing accessibility

across the property, the OTC

plans to revamp their courtyards

and gathering spaces to “foster

community connections.”

With over 300 performances

a year, entertaining over 120,000

audience members, the OTC has

made a name for itself as one

of the greatest theatre centers in

Maryland. Striving to make new

connections and foster the next

generation of young artists, the

campaign will include several

new teaching spaces, along with

plans to expand outreach for

community members. A dance

studio and two classrooms will

hopefully welcome after-school

programs to meet high-demand.

Among just some of the many

renovations, the 1938 Original

Theatre will be transformed into

an interactive, modernized space

that can be used for all types of

What’s Inside: News 1-4, Pulse 5, Opinions 6-7, Spotlight 8-9, Humor 10,

Entertainment 11-13, Sports 14-16

events, not just theatre productions.

“Imagine a fully-immersive

production of a play or musical,

a high school graduation, an important

civic event, or a wedding,”

said the theatre in a video

introducing the Staging the Future

campaign.

For the 2024-2025 season,

the OTC will host a number of

musicals and live performances,

with several that illuminate the

teenage experience. In the spring,

plays like Sleepova and Senior

Class will bring high school

students’ stories to vivid life on

stage, deep-diving into classic

coming-of-age woes — friendship,

love, life, and loss. Waitress,

the hit Broadway musical, hit the

theatre center’s stage in mid-February

until the end of March.

Spotlight

Read about growing debates over

social media.

Pages 8-9

Sports

Read about swim and dive, boys

basketball, and more.

Pages 14-16

2

County Fights Homelessness

Among Political Tension

by Matthew Leighton-Jones ‘25

On December 3, The Montgomery County Council unanimously

voted to add roughly $3.6 million to the funds for

homelessness services. This is intended to alleviate issues that

came with homelessness service funds that were cut in May.

The county has been using motels as shelters because of major

increases in the homeless population. Nearly half of the total

will be going to short term housing and a resolution program.

The extra funding comes at a time when the issue of homelessness

has become more prevalent across the country. The

Supreme Court ruled last year that cities have the right to arrest

and fine homeless people who are camping outside on public

property. It’s common to see tents on the sidewalk on the West

Coast, but the cities couldn’t legally tear down the encampments

and arrest those living in them.

President Donald Trump has stated his plan to help combat

homelessness as a shift from trying to house to sending them to

mental or drug treatment institutions to address mental illness

and/or drug addiction. Trump has made it clear that he focusing

on the dangers he says homeless people present to city residents

and visitors. Trump’s policy closely resembles that of Republican

president Richard Nixon in the 1970s.

MCPS Conducts Boundary Study

by Cliff Vacin ‘25

With the start of the construction of Crown High School,

the reopening of Woodward High School, and the expansion

of Damascus High School, MCPS initiated a boundary study

to examine how students in neighborhoods and areas will be

assigned to school clusters. New boundaries will take effect

in 2027 and are expected to affect several MCPS schools. All

schools will be opened in Fall 2027.

Other schools may be affected, such as future Sherwood

students living near the high schools in the further parts of

Brookeville and Olney, as MCPS stated that a domino impact

will occur. The Board of Education prioritizes 4 topics--diversity,

proximity, stability, and fiscal responsibility–in setting

school boundaries. However, there already has been some controversy

about the lack of transparency in selecting the company

FLO Analytics to lead the study.

Crown High School has been in the works since 2021; at

about 31.7 acres in size, its student capacity will be 2,219. The

expansion of Damascus was due to an overpopulation at nearby

schools, most notably Clarksburg. Woodward High School

closed in 1987, with students from its area going to Walter

Johnson. The building was demolished, and MCPS started rebuilding

Woodward High School.

MCPS Issues Guidance Letter

Regarding Immigration

by Jack Engelhardt ‘25

The Department of Homeland Security under the Trump

Administration is planning on putting an end to a policy that

restricted Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers’

ability to detain or arrest suspected undocumented people

near or at places of sensitivity which include schools, places of

worship, and hospitals. Concerns have been raised around the

country about what that means for undocumented children and

adolescents attending public schools.

MCPS is among school districts nationwide that have taken

efforts to provide a welcoming community regardless of immigration

status. MCPS recently posted a ‘Student and Family

Immigration Supports’ document on its website providing

guidance into what happens if ICE officers come to a school,

the handling of immigration information, and how families can

create an emergency plan. MCPS also included a ‘Rights card’

provided by the Immigrant Legal Resource Center that goes

over constitutional rights and the answers to give ICE officers.

MCPS also issued an ‘Immigration Response Protocol’

document giving step by step guidance for school staff to follow

if ICE officers were to ever enter a school. The underlying

principles MCPS wishes all staff to keep in mind are the wellbeing

of students, compliance with the law, and clear communication.

To support MCPS’s main goal of inclusion for students

no matter their immigration status, they have included a DO’s

and DON’Ts page instructing teachers and administrations how

to interact both with students at their school and with law or

immigration enforcement officers.

The Warrior • News

February 20, 2025

Sherwood Risks Losing Agriculture Program

by Fiona Lipczenko ‘25

Since 2021, Sherwood has

been the only MCPS high school

besides Northwood to offer the

Curriculum for Agricultural Science

Education (CASE) program.

Due to recent county budget cuts,

the program is in jeopardy at

Sherwood.

After the Board of Education

removed CASE from next year’s

proposed budget, it was eliminated

from Sherwood’s 2025-2026

course offering. “I have been told

that enrollment is not high enough

to keep the program,” said CASE

teacher Glenn Miller. “However,

we have grown over 300 percent

in the past year and if MCPS believes

as I do that this is important

learning, the system will invest in

helping the program grow even

more.”

Current enrollment is low

because CASE does not count towards

a graduation requirement,

so students struggle to fit it into

their schedules. Additionally,

transportation is not provided

for out-of-cluster families. The

Board of Education has opted to

cut the program rather than increase

its accessibility.

CASE is a four-year program

that introduces students

to agricultural research and lays

the foundation for related career

paths. Classes are held in the

greenhouse behind Sherwood’s

main building. “In CASE, students

learn critical skills in agriculture,

science, technology, and

problem solving. In some cases,

more than any other class,” said

Miller.

Students in CASE explore a

variety of engaging learning experiences

to develop their understanding

of agriculture, including

Chesapeake Bay Foundation

field trips, labs studying erosion

effects, and practice working

MCPS Enhances Equity with Add-On to Budget

by Laurika Pich ‘27

In December, MCPS Superintendent

Thomas Taylor proposed

a fiscal year 2026 operating

budget of $3.61 billion, a nearly

9-percent increase from the previous

year. The spending plan aims

to stabilize the school system and

focuses more attention on the

needs for student learning and

school support that will provide

long-term improvements.

Within the budget, Taylor

has introduced an add-on to the

funding formula for school materials

to enhance equity. The $5.75

million program would help to

support certain populations of

students to have a better experience

and environment for their

education by adding to the funding

for school materials.

“In many cases, some students

come to school without the

materials and supplies that they

need to be successful. I would

like to correct that by providing

funds that would offset that

need,” said Taylor. The additional

funding aims to ensure that

all students equitably have the

necessities needed for their academics

by helping bridge the

with plants in the greenhouse.

“The hands-on aspect of CASE

is so important and we do more

labs than any other class at Sherwood,”

said Miller. “That experiential

learning is so fun for students.”

Many community members

believe CASE is a vital program.

“We are focused on the natural

resources that we all want to sustain,”

said Miller. According to

the CASE website, agricultural

learning is essential for nationwide

economic growth, as well as

students’ personal growth and development

of critical skills. Agricultural

education is especially

important in the context of farmer

shortages, Maryland importing

food, and the push for environmental

sustainability.

CASE is also an opportunity

for out-of-cluster students

to experience Sherwood. Many

such students were alarmed when

CASE’s removal was announced.

“It makes me sad because CASE

is the only reason why I’m able

to make it to Sherwood High

School,” said freshman Maddy

Carretero. “I’m sure many other

students like me from different

schools would want to experience

need for specific students who are

Emergent Multilingual Learners

(EML), those qualified for Free

and Reduced Meals (FARMS),

and especially those identified as

special education.

Taylor also takes into consideration

that school characteristics

are different, that some school

communities do not provide as

many resources as other schools

because of economic disparities

among school communities.

Taylor is advocating that MCPS

acknowledge inequities in the

amount of funding directed to

schools.

“Currently, funds are distributed

to schools based on a set

amount. Like $105 per student,

regardless of any other factors.”

said Taylor. “I am proposing that

Cliff Vacin ‘25

Glen Miller teaches in the greenhouse, which hosts the CASE program.

the CASE program, but when

CASE goes down for Sherwood,

other students won’t experience

how the CASE program can inspire

others,” Fortunately, Sherwood

administration ensured

that CASE students from other

clusters are permitted to stay for

the remainder of their four years.

However, Carretero added that he

has a younger sister who wants to

go to Sherwood High School, but

now will not be able to do that if

CASE is eliminated.

This is not the first time

Sherwood has been in danger of

losing one of its unique programs

and community members are

voicing their dissent. Students,

parents, and staff alike have been

spreading the message to save

CASE. “Everyone should write

to the Board of Education and

central office administrators, and

emphasize the important learning

that this program brings to

Sherwood,” said Miller. “CASE

is more than just a program—it’s

an opportunity for students to explore

their passions, gain practical

skills, and prepare for bright

futures. Let’s come together to

ensure it remains a part of our

legacy for years to come.”

Google Images

Superintendent Thomas Taylor addresses the 2026 Operating Budget.

we change that to take into consideration

things like disabilities,

English proficiency, and FARMS

rate by adding more money to the

school account based on those

factors.” The proposed funding

formula also considers other factors

in determining allocations to

schools such as tutoring resources,

school supplies, prom tickets,

and more.

Under the equity add on,

Sherwood would gain an allocation

of $31,778. Springbrook,

which has a similar number of

students to Sherwood, would receive

$77,257. Whitman in highly

affluent Bethesda would receive

an add-on of $19,655 even

though it has nearly 1,000 more

students than both Sherwood and

Springbrook.


February 20, 2025

Rock n’ Roll’s Seniors Reflect on Four Years of Memories

from ROCK N’ ROLL, pg 1

anybody thinking about joining

to put themselves out there, guaranteeing

they won’t regret the

opportunities it presents. “Every

person who has been and is a part

of Rock ‘n’ Roll is just as important

as another. Without each

background singer, spotlight operator,

backstage pager, no matter

the role, the show could not exist,”

said Groff.

Amanda Kraft joined the

dance part of Rock ‘n’ Roll her

junior year. She had auditioned

freshman year but did not make

the highly competitive team and

instead joined the Rock ‘n’ Roll

cast as a background singer,

where she “was a part of a few

songs and was experiencing being

in the show for the first time.”

Not only was her role in the show

different, but the experience in

general was vastly different as a

dancer. Being a background singer

involves doing the backup vocals

for around 3-4 songs in the

show while also learning simple

choreography for each song. This

is very different from being a

dancer, as the dancers do not sing

unless they have a lead and have

more complex choreography.

Being on the dance team entails

practice almost every weekday

for at least an hour, leaving

not much room for outside activities.

The dance team is in charge

of learning 2-3 minute dances for

almost half of the Rock ‘n’ Roll

songs, which adds up to about

20 of them. They have about two

months to get this done, while

also finding costumes for each

Students Cruise for a

Bite across the County

by Madelyn Awwad ‘27

and Aby Lo ‘26

Whether it is seeing the hype

on social media, wanting to try

out a new place, being recommended

to go to the place, or simply

wanting to get out of Olney,

Sherwood students have been hitting

the road to hit some trending

food destinations.

Crumbl Cookies, a cookie

shop that has been blowing up

on social media, is renowned for

its giant, warm cookies in a variety

of flavors that change every

week, either offering new flavors

or bringing back old favorites. All

contain a thick and rich base with

the soft and creamy richful frosting.

Some weeks there are flavors

like classic chocolate chip, while

other times there might be birthday

cake or s’mores cookies. It’s

a perfect place to grab a box and

share with friends during a hangout.

The combination of big portions

and unique flavors makes

Crumbl a must-visit spot in Rockville

for teens.

Wingstop has become a goto

spot for those who love crispy,

flavorful wings. From sweet BBQ

to spicy Mango Habanero, there’s

a wing flavor for everyone. The

wings are known for being crispy

on the outside while still juicy on

the inside, and they’re perfect for

pairing with fries or onion rings.

The fast service and casual atmosphere

make this the ideal place

to grab a quick bite with friends

after school or on the weekend.

Whether sharing a basket of

wings or grabbing a few to go,

Wingstop is a popular place located

in Gaithersburg for students

to satisfy their hunger.

For those who prefer an inexpensive

Americanized interpretation

of Mexican flavors and dishes,

Taco Bell is always a popular

option. Students can load up their

taco with extra toppings, pick favorite

fillings, or even go for one

of the meal deals. It’s a great option

for a quick meal before heading

to the next thing on the agenda.

The most popular destinations

are Taco Bell in Aspen Hill and

Gaithersburg.

If you believe in the “One

Dream, One Love” vision, Raising

Cane’s is a fast food spot that

specializes in chicken tenders and

is quickly becoming a top choice

for teens. This fast food restaurant

serves crispy chicken tenders

that are always fresh and tender

on the inside, paired with golden

fries and a range of dipping

sauces. Their signature sauce is

especially popular, adding the

perfect tangy kick to the chicken.

The menu is simple, but that’s

what makes it so appealing: great

chicken, fries, and dipping sauce,

all served fast. It’s the ideal spot

for a no-fuss meal, with the nearest

location in Columbia.

Chili’s Grill & Bar is a dining

restaurant that serves American

food, Tex-Mex cuisine, and dishes

influenced by Mexican culture.

One of their most popular dishes

that blew up on social media

in the past year is cheesy pulling

Triple Dipper in which customers

mix and match three appetizers

and three dipping sauces. Chili’s

also has some other well known

dishes like signature items on

its menu such as baby back ribs,

sizzling fajitas, burgers, grilled

steaks, and a colossal hand-battered

Awesome Blossom onion.

It’s more than an ideal spot for

students who want a sit-down experience

at a restaurant in Eldersburg

but without spending a lot of

money.

Zach Geller ‘25

Scotty Puente initially did tech crew freshman year before joining band.

dance and remembering them

all. Still, Kraft believes that performing

the show makes all the

hard work worth it. “Being on

the dance team is a fun and exciting

experience for Rock ‘n’

Roll,” said Kraft. “I love learning

new dances and having fun with

my friends. It definitely requires

hard work, but performing in the

shows makes it worth it.”

Menna Yacob is a very important

asset to Rock ‘n’ Roll as

a student director who oversees

almost everything behind the

scenes and relating to the production

of the show. It wasn’t always

like this for Yacob when it came

to Rock ‘n’ Roll. She started her

freshman year as a mic tech,

which was an especially tedious

job during COVID-19. “On top

of handing mics to leads, I would

wipe down the background mics

between each song,” she recounted.

To this day, Yacob doesn’t

know how she became student

director. “One year, I was wiping

mics and the next I was Assistant

Student Director.”

Being the student director of

a show as big as Rock ‘n’ Roll

involves a lot of work. Yacob is

in charge of organizing the inner

workings of the show, and her job

allows it to go smoothly. Yacob

gives credit to the many individuals

who helped her manage this,

including her co-director Marianna

Ona, as well as the rest of the

Rock ‘n’ Roll cast. “The people I

work with make my job easy, so I

have it good.”

Scotty Puente’s position in

Rock ‘n’ Roll is as a guitarist in

the band, but it didn’t start out

3

this way. In freshman year, he

was really interested in the whole

process of the show and production,

but his apprehension toward

auditioning stopped him from trying

out. Instead, Puente worked

on tech crew so he could still be

involved. Then, his sophomore

year, he auditioned for the band

but did not make the cut. This setback

didn’t stop him from auditioning

again and getting a role.

“I really wanted to be a part

of the community that had been

built up for so many years and

performing in front of such a

large crowd was an enticing opportunity,”

he said.

Now, as a senior guitarist,

Puente feels like he’s taking on a

lot more responsibility and contributing

to more. Being a band

member means having work as a

team. “The first couple weeks are

a little chaotic due to needing to

get to know each other and build

up a chemistry with one another,”

said Puente. However, the experience

of Rock ‘n’ Roll is worth

every moment, as these four seniors’

experiences show.

Nationalism Surges Worldwide

by Seph Fischer ‘25

Google Images

In his 1992 book The End of

History and the Last Man, Francis

Fukuyama famously argued

that the world was embarking

on the final form of government

in the form of liberal democracy.

However, the rise of nationalist

political parties throughout the

West in recent years has put this

conclusion into question.

Across Europe and the

Americas, these movements have

lamented a perceived decline in

quality of life, mass immigration

policies, rising cost of living, and

declining birth rates as the result

of an establishment disconnected

from the people they are supposed

to serve. They’ve focused

their energies into political parties

which have seen massive

success recently. The preeminent

figure in this trend is, of course,

Donald Trump and the MAGA

movement he’s spearheaded in

the United States. However, disparate

nationalist movements

have achieved similar levels of

success in other countries, marking

the revitalization of nationalism

as a defining political trend of

the past decade.

Though often expressed in

different forms depending on the

nation they emerge from, nationalist

movements in Europe almost

universally share certain characteristics.

Skepticism of the European

Union, strong opposition to

mass immigration, and populist

rhetoric have caused these parties

to rapidly rise to prominence. Perhaps

the most moderate of these

parties is Reform, which skyrocketed

into the news in July of

2024, when it won the third-highest

vote share in the United Kingdom’s

general election with a

platform of mild skepticism of

both immigration and left-wing

economic policy. France, meanwhile,

held an election in which

the nationalist National Rally

party led at 33 percent of the vote

in the first round of elections,

causing some to expect the party

to outright win. However, more

established parties strategically

withdrew from certain races to

ensure the party did not realize

its gains. Similarly, the Alternative

for Germany (AfD) party has

become the de facto opposition to

the ruling Christian Democratic

Union (CDU) party in Germany,

but has faced a number of challenges,

with discussions of federally

banning the party making

it uncertain that it will be able to

compete in the 2025 German federal

elections.

Some parties within this

broader movement have already

won power, giving a clearer picture

of what other parties might

do when in power. In South

America, the right-wing libertarian

Liberty Advances party scored

a massive victory in 2023, when

it swept Argentina’s general election

and elected firebrand populist

Javier Milei as the country’s

president. At a time of massive

economic and political strife

within the country, Milei and Liberty

Advances campaigned on a

radical upheaval of the current

order, involving a short period of

worse turmoil in order to achieve

long term stability. After a short

period of increased economic

strife, inflation has dropped, and

the government achieved a budget

surplus for the first time in

14 years. Critics point to a sharp

increase in poverty as signs that

Milei’s reforms may not be as

successful as they seem. Despite

this, Milei maintains a relatively

high 48-percent approval rating.

Elements of this movement

are not only expressed in rightwing

movements. Parties like the

left-wing Social Democrats in

Denmark have adopted restrictionist

immigration policies and

remained highly popular. Prominent

challenges remain for these

movements despite successes,

though. Romanian election results

were completely invalidated

by courts in late 2024 when

eclectic populist and conspiracy

theorist Călin Georgescu won

with a plurality of the vote. The

courts argued that Georgescu had

colluded with the Russian government

in his campaign, though

these claims are disputed. Some

described the court’s decision as a

breach of the democratic process,

while some asserted its necessity

to preserve the integrity of Romanian

elections.

There has been a definite

shift in public sentiment towards

the nationalist right globally. With

Trump’s position at the forefront

of this movement, it’s certain that

how the MAGA movement now

governs -- and whether Americans

generally respond positively

or negatively -- will influence this

broader international movement

going forward.

4


February 20, 2025

Trump’s Reshaping of the Country Challenged in Courts

by Audrey Farris ‘25

Trump, since his inauguration, has pushed for massive changes to the Federal Government.

When Donald Trump was

inaugurated as the 47th President

of the United States earlier this

year after his victory over Kamala

Harris in a contentious election

last year, he quickly set in motion

a whirlwind of executive actions

and policy shifts that reflect the

themes of his campaign: economic

revival, immigration reform,

and a tougher stance on international

relations. These, among

other issues, have been grouped

and coined as “America First”

policies. Running parallel to his

efforts to make good on his campaign

promises is the implementation

of the Project 2025 agenda

that Trump distanced himself

from while running for president

last summer.

One of the Trump administration’s

priorities upon taking office

was to reshape the federal workforce.

Trump issued an executive

order aimed at curbing the size of

the federal bureaucracy, pushing

for greater efficiency and cost reduction.

At the same time, Trump

is filling positions both through

nominations and appointments,

with those who share his views

but just as importantly are viewed

as loyal to him. Trump has sought

to expand the use of “Schedule

F,” a classification that allows for

the easier removal of federal employees

based on political loyalty,

which he argues is necessary to

ensure that federal agencies align

with his agenda. Recently, tens

of thousands of probationary employees

who started working in

the federal government in the past

1-2 years have received notice of

their termination.

His administration has also

pushed forward with reducing

union influences in the workplace,

arguing that unions impede

governmental efficiency while

promoting policies that limit the

scope of collective bargaining.

Notably, one of Trump’s executive

orders ended DEI, or Diversity,

Equity, and Inclusion programs,

in all aspects of the federal

government, resulted in mass firings

across government agencies.

In response, many of those employees

with DEI positions or

attended DEI trainings, are suing

Trump and his administration for

wrongful termination.

Trump has consistently prioritized

tightening immigration

policies, most notably with his

“Build the wall” messaging from

his 2016 campaign and his transition

in 2024 to have the “largest

mass deportation program in

history.” Before taking office,

he planned on enforcing stricter

vetting for immigrants and limiting

illegal immigration and had

also emphasized eliminating the

number of refugees and asylum

seekers allowed into the United

States.

Upon taking office, Trump

wasted no time revisiting these

core promises. He signed an

executive order calling for the

immediate continuation and

completion of the U.S.-Mexico

border wall, which had been

stalled during his first term. Another

he signed in an attempt to

end birthright citizenship, which

is a right guaranteed by the Constitution,

but was stopped by two

separate federal judges within

days of being signed. Trump’s

administration has also reinstated

and expanded the “Remain

in Mexico” policy for asylum

seekers, requiring them to wait

in Mexico while their claims are

processed. Additionally, his administration

has called for sweeping

changes to the asylum system,

proposing limitations on political

asylum eligibility and increased

detention time for individuals apprehended

at the border.

In addition to tightening border

security measures, Trump has

emphasized the importance of

cracking down on sanctuary cities

and illegal immigration within

the United States, directing federal

agencies to withhold funding

from cities that do not cooperate

with federal immigration enforcement.

Within days of Trump

taking office, the number of ICE

raids across the country dramatically

increased, and some immigrants

being apprehended by ICE

are being held in the infamous

Guantanamo Bay detention camp,

which was initially established

under the Bush administration to

hold illegal enemy combatants

and terrorism suspects. Reportedly,

some migrant detainees are

being guarded by U.S. military

personnel.

Trump has advocated for

expanding U.S. energy production.

He has promised to roll back

environmental regulations that

he views as restrictive to energy

development, aiming to make

the United States less reliant on

foreign energy sources, further

promoting “America First” policies.

After being sworn in, one

of Trump’s first actions was

to approve of the Keystone XL

pipeline, whose construction had

been stalled under the Biden administration.

In addition, Trump’s

administration has worked to

eliminate regulations on fossil

fuel industries, including easing

restrictions on coal mining and

drilling on federal lands. The Energy

Department has been directed

to increase domestic production

of oil, gas, and coal to make

the U.S. less reliant on foreign

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energy resources.

On the environmental front,

Trump has largely continued

the deregulation approach of his

first term, repealing numerous

Obama-era and Biden-era climate

policies. He has reversed

vehicle emissions standards and

challenged renewable energy

mandates, as well as implemented

executive orders that directly

combat these mandates. These

executive orders have reversed a

tax credit for those who purchase

electric vehicles that was originally

implemented under the Biden

administration, as well as banning

federal use of paper straws

claiming they “don’t work,” and

instead requiring the government

to exclusively use plastic.

Trump’s approach to international

affairs is more diplomatically

isolationist, militarily non-interventionist,

and economically

protectionist. He has pledged the

expansion of the military, as well

as claiming that he will acquire

Greenland, re-acquire the Panama

Canal, and take over Canada,

all evidence of his growing

imperialistic impulses. Trump

also set his sights on the idea of

the United States taking over the

Gaza Strip and that Palestinians

should relocate to such countries

as Egypt and Jordan. Last week,

he talked with Russian President

Vladimir Putin and they indicated

that they will complete a “peace

deal” in the Russia-Ukraine War

that presumably will allow Russia

to retain the land in Ukraine that

Russia occupies.

Since his inauguration,

Trump has withdrawn the U.S.

from several international agreements,

including revisiting his

decision to pull out of the Paris

Climate Agreement and the

World Health Organization. Most

recently, Trump has dismantled

USAID, one of the largest official

aid organizations in the world,

which served as the main provider

of foreign aid in the country.

While both Trump and Musk haven’t

provided clear explanations

with accurate evidence, they have

both made broad claims that US-

AID has abused taxpayer money,

citing a list of USAID projects

including a grant of $1.5 million

to an LGBTQ group in Serbia and

$2.5 million for electric vehicles

in Vietnam among others.

Critics have claimed that

these projects have not been

framed truthfully, though, and a

Trump-appointed judge blocked

a plan to put more than 2,000

USAID employees on leave, calling

Trump’s attempt to dismantle

USAID without Congressional

approval “unconstitutional and

illegal.” Another federal judge

ordered the Trump administration

to reinstate funding for foreign

aid contracts and other awards

while litigation moves forward.

Trump has continued his

hardline economic stance, imposing

new tariffs on Chinese and

Canadian goods, imposing new,

extreme tariffs, and ramping up

sanctions with Chinese tech companies.

He has also advocated

for decoupling the U.S. economy

from China by reducing dependency

on Chinese imports. Trump

has also been vocal of his skepticism

of NATO and other international

alliances, advocating for

a transactional approach to U.S.

involvement in global organizations.

Trump’s array of actions

over the past month have led to

a lot of uncertainty among Americans,

and many are asking questions

about what the next four

years will look like. Currently, it

is uncertain where the executive

orders and other actions will go,

due to the number of judicial disputes

and blocks across various

actions Trump has taken.

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The Warrior • Pulse

February 20, 2025

5

The Pulse

This edition covers all things music. We asked students

what genre they most enjoy listening to, the streaming

platform they use, who should have won the Grammys and

much more after the Grammy results had millions reeling.

4-5 hours

<1 hour

WHAT STREAMING PLATFORM

DO YOU USE?

66.2%

5+ hours

2-3 hours

18%

10.4%

5.4%

About 1 hour

Spotify Apple Music Other/None Amazon Music

OUR GRAMMY WINNERS

SONG:

Die with a Smile

(Lady Gaga

and Bruno Mars)

NEW ARTIST:

Sabrina Carpenter

RECORD:

Hit Me Hard and Soft

(Billie Eilish)

HAVE YOU EVER ATTENDED

A CONCERT?

Yes 63.5%

No 36.5%

OUR CONCERT EXPERIENCES

“I saw the Eagles on their last goodbye tour and

it was incredible. Deacon Frey came out and sang

some of his dad’s songs, along with Vince Gill.”

Country

Indie

Hip

Hop

Rap

“I saw Arctic Monkeys and it was an amazing experience.

Their lead singer Alex Turner purposely sings

songs off-tempo to confuse the crowd and it’s pretty

funny.”

“When I saw Harry Styles, it was so amazing. He

brought so much energy and emotion to his performance.

I went from crying one minute to smiling and

dancing the next.”

Rock

Pop

R & B

*Data collected from a survey of approximately 225 students

“I went to the Eras Tour and I really liked it. It didn’t

feel long at all and I thought it was cool how she

had ‘surprise songs’ to personalize each show. I also

think the concept of the Eras Tour is really original

and something that hasn’t really been done by an

artist before, and the amount of success it had was

really impressive.”

6

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

Director of Photography ................................... Cliff Vacin ‘25

Photographers ............................... Zach Geller ‘25, Matthew

Leighton-Jones ‘25, Elijah Goodman ‘26

Staff Writers

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

Jack Engelhardt ‘25, Ryan Green ‘26, Nick Hammond ‘25.

Matilda Hawkins ‘27, Paloma Illanes ‘25, Mark Joseph ‘25,

Aiden Kincaid ‘25, Nisha Khatri ‘26, Isabella Landaverde

‘27, Julius Lindner ‘26, Emma Link ‘27, Fiona Lipczenko

‘25, Aby Lo ‘26, Shannon Naas ‘26, Laurika Pich ‘27, Piotr

Popiel-Machnicki ‘26, Josh Pulaski ‘25, Molly Schecter ‘27,

Deepika Shrestha ‘27, Chase Sondike ‘26,

Rachel Themistokleous ‘26

The Warrior staff invites feedback and corrections to

printed inaccuracies.

The Warrior • Opinions

February 20, 2025

Sherwood Mental Health Resources

Fail to Effectively Aid Students

by Maya Dorsam ‘27

Sherwood offers an incredible

number of mental health resources,

but I bet you can’t name

half of them or where they are. In

addition to the in-school Bridge

to Wellness team that includes a

Therapist, a Care Manager, and

a Youth Development Specialist

through MCPS’ partnership with

the Department of Health and Human

Services, the school provides

seven full-time counselors, a social

worker, and a school psychologist.

Sherwood also offers various

Wellness/Quiet rooms that

can be used for telehealth therapy

appointments. Upon this discovery,

I was shocked and forced

to ask what the purpose of these

resources was if nobody knew

about them, and how we could fix

them to be more effective.

According to Kelly Singleton,

head of the counseling

department, approximately 300

check-ins to the counseling office

have been recorded for

mental health-related reasons so

far this school year. The number

of check-ins at Sherwood

reflect alarming national statistics

that show that adolescents

are struggling with their mental

health and well-being. One in

six youth have a mental health

condition and more than half go

untreated, while 42 percent of

teens experience feelings of persistent

hopelessness or sadness.

Almost one-fourth of teens have

seriously considered attempting

suicide. About 1,500 students attend

Sherwood, meaning at least

600 of them could benefit from

the school’s resources based on

the data points provided above.

The 300ish check-ins to the counseling

office recorded for mental

health reasons do not begin

to reach the audience that could

be benefitting from them (even

when assuming each check-in

was made by a different student,

which is highly unlikely).

While I truly believe that

the counselors at our school care

about the well-being of students,

the process of leaving class to

seek assistance makes the task

impractical. Take a student with

anxiety, for example. In most

cases, the last thing they would

want to do while experiencing

high stress is miss important class

time to see a counselor only to

return to more work, inducing

further anxiety about catching up.

Many students are left to struggle

through the school day and battle

illness on their own due to these

sorts of dilemmas.

I acknowledge that it is difficult

to address the topic of mental

health when school hours are limited,

but I would like to present

some suggestions. Students and

counselors must establish real

relationships through scheduled

meet-ups during advisory periods

and lunch. I’m not saying these

need to occur often when unnecessary,

but they should be scheduled

during cut-out times that do

not interfere with learning in order

to show that the school prioritizes

the issue. Counselors should

set goals to see and talk to each of

the students on their caseload and

not just those who come to them.

It’s also crucial that teachers

acknowledge their impact

on teen mental health. Finding

better practices that may reduce

unhealthy stress that leads to destructive

behavior is the first step.

It’s easy to forget that students

have six other classes in addition

to home responsibilities, sports,

and jobs. But, with such careless

thinking, students are bound

to suffer its side effects and tremendous

weight. The resources

available for increased student

well-being and when it is best to

seek them must become common

knowledge. Especially at such an

essential stage of life, students

must be met with empathetic figures

in their lives.

Perspective has a direct impact

on teen mental health and

with so many who are fixated on

perfection, they are set up for failure.

A small fix that can drastically

help a number of teens are adults

and positive figures who seek

to reassure such impressionable

minds that the whole world does

not rest on their shoulders. Easing

the stresses of school for example

by explaining that grades truly do

not equal the success of your future,

is an essential factor in positive

well-being for those whose

mental health priorities fade behind

the importance of grades and

athletic success. Increased performance

in school, sports, and life

in general can only be improved

with extensive consideration of

how the entirety of our school approaches

mental health.

If you or someone you know is experiencing

a mental health crisis or considering

suicide, please call or text

988 for assistance.

What’s the Best Time?

Standard Time

by Zach Geller ‘25

The United States should join the rest of

the world and stick to permanent Standard

Time (ST). This is for numerous reasons, especially

the benefits that ST has over Daylight

Saving Time (DST). The first and most

important of these benefits is that ST aligns

with people’s natural circadian rhythm, or the

body’s inner-clock.

The benefits of following your circadian

rhythm are clear and important, such as better

sleep, lower risks of mental illness, and healthier

emotional coping strategies like temper

control. Circadian rhythms match best with

Standard Time, and get out of sorts whenever

clocks are an hour backwards. “Evidence

indicates that the body clock does not adjust

to DST even after several months, so that ongoing

sleep debt and circadian misalignment

continue to persist,” according to the Journal

of Clinical Sleep Medicine. People’s bodies

are meant to rise with the sun and rest in the

night, so even a slight shift has harmful effects.

There’s also the argument of convenience;

Standard Time would align the country with

the rest of the world. Time zones already offset

the time between areas, and having to keep

track of an extra hour switch for the United

States can confuse foreigners. Observing Daylight

Saving Time is unnecessary, and it just

doesn’t make sense.

A national debate concerning Daylight

Saving Time has been rekindled across

the country. According to a YouGov poll, 62

percent of Americans want to abolish the

shifting of clocks forward and back an hour

throughout the year, with only 21 percent

of respondents definitively wanting to keep

it. Although a clear majority of people,

including President Trump, want the cycle

of changing the time to end, it’s split on

whether people want to fully adopt Standard

Time (earlier sunrises and sunsets) or

transition to a permanent DST (later sunrises

and sunsets).

Daylight Saving Time

by Nick Hammond ‘25

Hopefully when the United States abolishes

the shift of clocks, the country will keep

permanent Daylight Saving Time (DST). This

simply makes more logical sense for the majority

of Americans.

First of all, the sun setting early in the

evening is a bummer for many people. Think

back to the start of winter - were you really

happy seeing the sun go down around 5:00pm

some days? I certainly wasn’t, and that’s Standard

Time for you. Especially when most students

get home around 3:00pm, we hardly get

any daylight left. In the winter students with

sports or extracurriculars sometimes don’t

even see the sun when they get out of school

and head home. Shifting sunsets an hour earlier

will make the evenings feel fleeting and sad.

While current internal clocks may align

more with Standard Time, if given more than

a few months with DST, people should be able

to adapt and feel better mentally. Furthermore,

the additional sun exposure and vitamin D in

the evenings will also contribute to student

well-being as well as physical health. Foreigners

would also quickly adapt to this change if

we make it apply across the country. Travelers

are already used to shifting time zones, and

wouldn’t have a problem with a time structure

in DST after a very short while.

The Warrior • Opinions

February 20, 2025

Advisory Not Necessary Pay Teachers More,

by Katie Ng ‘25

After students likely voiced

on student surveys that they want

a study hall, Sherwood designated

Wednesdays as Advisory days

in the 2023-24 school year to give

students the opportunity to study.

Sherwood also designated Advisory

for students to visit teachers

for help and complete missing

work or quizzes. At first, Advisory

seemed to run smoothly, with

little to no general complaints. In

fact, Advisory seemed productive.

But as more time went on,

teachers and students began complaining

that Advisory is causing

more harm than good, and

it seems that current measures

to address these issues are like

Band-Aids on bullet holes. Advisory

is not an effective use of the

school day, and administration

should get rid of it.

Some students are not even

in their Advisory. They are wandering

the halls or in school bathrooms,

while others are in their

cars. Students neither attending

their assigned Advisory nor

working with their teachers after

receiving a Purple Pass creates a

liability issue if they end up in an

unsafe situation. Advisory teachers

are responsible for their students’

safety, but they cannot look

out for their students’ safety if

they do not know where they are.

This aimless wandering disrupts

mandatory lessons and students

making up tests or seeking help

from teachers. Security guards

and administration yelling at students

to go to Advisory does not

make a difference.

When students are in their

A course Sherwood students were made to complete during Advisory.

Advisory, the vast majority of

them are on their phones. Even

if there are a minority of students

who use Purple Passes or

do schoolwork during Advisory,

there is no point in having an Advisory

if the majority of students

use it unproductively and teachers

are essentially baby-sitters for

40 minutes.

Even if administration were

to take away advisory, administrators

would still need to schedule

MCPS lessons, counselor

visits, and material distributions.

As an alternative to Advisory,

the Sherwood administration

could consider scattering the required

MCPS videos throughout

the year in core classes. Teachers

would know in advance when

they need to present these lessons.

When counselors need to

talk to students about scheduling,

they could visit students through

English classes, similar to how

counselors visit 12th grade English

classes to discuss the college

application process. In terms

of teachers needing to distribute

report cards, Student Grades and

Graduation Credit Reports, flyers,

and other handouts, administration

could implement a 10-minute

homeroom between 3rd period

and 4th period to provide enough

time for students to pick up these

papers but not strip away as much

time from other periods. Lastly,

as the benefit of Purple Passes

does not outweigh the downsides

of Advisory, to continue to

give students the opportunity to

work with their teachers, administration

can extend lunch by 15

minutes every Wednesday. Many

teachers already provide support

during lunch, and extending

lunch will allow students to have

their own time after they see their

teachers.

Ultimately, if administration

ends advisory, it can create a new

and more cohesive schedule that

better fits teachers’ and students’

needs. Ending Advisory will

likely enhance learning, which

will assist students and teachers

alike in feeling less frustrated and

stressed.

7

Or Cost Our Future

by Justin Lakso ‘25

Teachers are the backbone

of the future. They work countless

hours and deal with constant

stress in both their professional

and personal lives to give students

the best possible chance to

succeed in the future, especially if

the student wants to go to college.

Unfortunately, teachers’ salaries

don’t reflect their hard work. The

biggest issue with low teacher

salaries is that it is decreasing the

number of people who will want

to become a teacher. “A career in

education must not be a lifetime

sentence of financial worry,” says

National Education Association

President Becky Pringle. “Who

will choose to teach under those

circumstances?”

It’s easy to say “just pay

teachers more,” but the real issue

is how to do it. Salaries can wildly

differ between areas because

school budgets are organized at

the district level and largely come

from property taxes of the residents.

This means poorer areas

have school districts with less

money, which means they often

have less to pay teachers. For

example, Montgomery County

has an average salary of $85,000

while Kent County in Maryland

pays its teachers an average of

$58,000. This could be solved

with Blueprint for the Future

signed into law in Maryland. It

guarantees all salaries must start

at $60,000 beginning in 2026. Although

the average starting salary

for a bachelor’s degree in any

profession is $68,000, this is still

a good start. Even still, there are

also other solutions that could be

implemented.

First of all, teachers should

be paid more in the first years

of their career instead of saving

larger pay raises past the 10-

year mark. In MCPS, teachers

get $1,500 to $2,200 added to

their salary each year (starting

at $1,500 and gradually increasing

to $2,200) and after 10 years,

their pay begins increasing more

rapidly ($2,500-3,000 per year)

until the 25-year mark where it

stays stagnant. Instead of this 25-

year plan, teacher’s pay should

receive a flat percentage increase

per year, and the salary should cap

after 20 years instead of 25. The

percentage increase would have

to be determined by the school

district. This would mean teachers

would end up with a slightly

lower final salary, but it would be

more than made up with a higher

salary year-to-year earlier in their

careers.

An alternative method to

funding schools could be to organize

funding at the state level

instead of the district level.

Each school wouldn’t have to

worry about district population

size and property taxes; instead,

each school would have funding

proportional to its size. Counties

would contribute to this state

funding through their local property

taxes. These are only a few

of the ways to adjust teacher salaries

to make the job more appealing

and rewarding, which must

be implemented to keep teachers

afloat in the future.

Flush The Bathroom Passes

by Piotr Popiel-Machnicki ‘26

Bathroom passes: a waste of paper, time, and patience.

Schools claim they’re inevitable for order, but let’s

be real—if a student really wants to skip class, some slip

of paper won’t stop them. Meanwhile, those who actually

need to use the bathroom are stuck waiting endlessly for

a teacher to agree on their basic human right. Beyond the

inconvenience, the system is flawed. Passes get stolen, rewritten,

or ignored. Some teachers don’t even check them,

so what’s the point? Others refuse to let students go at all.

And if a teacher runs out of passes, are we supposed to just

hold it until the next class? The worst part? Some bathrooms

aren’t even open, and the ones that are—well, good

luck finding one that’s clean.

Instead of clinging to outdated, wasteful policies,

why not go digital? Sherwood is already pushing ID policies—why

not integrate a scan system? Then, we’d at

least save some trees while keeping track of students in

a more efficient way. The bathroom pass system isn’t just

not handy, but also it’s an unnecessary blockade to basic

human needs. It’s time to get rid of this broken system and

rethink how we should actually handle student rights. If

schools actually care about efficiency and responsibility,

they should choose solutions that work—not policies that

belong in the past.

Don’t Be Shocked or Awed

by Evelyn San Miguel ‘26

On February 5, Donald Trump proposed an outrageous,

shocking, and absolutely ridiculous prospect —

that the United States “take over” and “develop” the Gaza

Strip. Surprising even his most senior staff, the press, and

Democrats, Trump’s plan to turn Gaza into prime real estate

is just one of many bombardments of chaotic static, a

staple of the Trump Administration and a part of a cultivated

plan. Named “shock and awe” for its effects on the public,

this plan entails what the administration calls a “flood

the zone” strategy.

Trump’s former Chief Strategist, Steve Bannon, commented

that the strategy is used to paralyze the press and

the public, overloading with so much information that the

news cycle can only pick up and focus on a few matters at

a time, allowing everything else to be swept under the rug.

There are far more examples to choose from in the past

weeks in which Trump has employed the ‘shock and awe’

tactic. The point is to create apathy, to stun, to freeze. It is

vital, especially as the news becomes increasingly chaotic

and flooded with outlandish statements, that one does

not allow themselves to be shocked or awed. Don’t panic.

Comb through the jargon, find what is actually happening

beneath the mountain of absurdities, and do something

about it.

Sherwood NHS Needs Reform

by Ziv Golan ‘26

The National Honors Society (NHS) is a staple of the

high school experience for countless American students.

The organization states its goals as fostering leadership

skills among students and building a sense of community

service in secondary schools. In theory this is a noble idea;

however, in practice it has not panned out that way, specifically

at Sherwood. NHS has become a resume builder

that looks good to colleges, with students not really caring

about the impact they can make through the organization.

This, in part, is due to the large size of the Sherwood chapter,

at 180 members. At Sherwood specifically, getting

credits is viewed as a chore by students and the few credit

opportunities each semester are packed to the brim, with

many students unable to complete the activity.

An activity during the first semester to make cards for

retirement home residents ended in chaos after a minimal

number of envelopes were available, and many students

were unable to write a card. Currently, students only need

a 3.7 unweighted GPA, or 4.0 weighted, to be accepted

into NHS, along with two teacher recommendations and a

few short answer questions. Possible changes to raise selectivity

could be to consider the students’ number of AP/

Honors courses and their attendance. A more limited NHS

would propel the Sherwood chapter to greater success.

THE CURRENT STATE OF THE

SOCIAL MEDIA DEBATE

IN AMERICA

NEW PLATFORMS, CHANGING REGULATIONS, AND LEGAL CHALLENGES

HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO INCREASED DIALOGUE SURROUNDING THE ROLE

OF SOCIAL MEDIA THROUGHOUT THE NATION

Bluesky Fails in Delivering Interesting Content

BY SEPH FISCHER ‘25

In the two and a half

years since billionaire

Elon Musk’s acquisition

of the social media

platform Twitter, now

known as X, a number

of alternative sites have

flourished briefly before

dying. Bluesky seems to

be the enduring competitor,

though.

The site, a nearclone

of X, has become

popular with social progressives

disquieted with

Musk’s increasingly vocal

support of right-wing

politics, alongside what

they see as failures in the

site’s moderation policy,

with some left-wing

users abandoning X entirely

for Bluesky. Others

post to both platforms.

Despite its near-identical

appearance, Bluesky’s

content couldn’t be

predominant platform

where news, pop culture,

and current events are

discussed have seemingly

decided that X

remains good enough,

despite flaws. The type

of content encouraged

by the platform is similarly

dull. The site does

not include the popular

X feature of quote reposting,

with which users

can “quote” another

post and contribute their

own thoughts on the

post. This feature allows

for long-ranging backmore

different. It’s in the

site’s content, not its design,

where its flaws begin

to show.

The user base of a social

media platform, especially

a microblogging

platform, is its content.

Much of X’s popularity

can be attributed to

the interesting people

it attracts. Subversive

comedians, avant garde

artists, and independent

scholars interact and

share ideas with each

other and mainstream

celebrities and politicians,

leading to a culture

and environment

which is totally unique to

the platform. A competitor

site can be significantly

better designed,

with far better features

than X, but so long as

it doesn’t have the user

quality that X has, it will

never succeed to the

same degree.

In the case of Bluesky,

user quality is simply

not up to snuff. The site

is mainly populated with

journalists and Democratic

pundits and politicians—the

anonymous

creatives who are the

new progenitors of culture

and have made X the

and-forths between users

and more interesting

discussions. However,

over concerns that the

feature might contribute

to user hostility, it

was deliberately left out

of Bluesky. Instead of

making the site friendlier

to use, this change

has made the site more

boring than it otherwise

would have been.

Bluesky could be

best described as a retirement

home, with

bland discussions of Netflix

series, puns, and nature

photography populating

the timeline, all

of which are discussed in

far more depth and in far

more unique ways on X.

It’s likely Bluesky will

exist as a far less popular

alternative to X, but unless

serious changes are

made, it will never hold

the position of a cultural

touchstone that X does.

Meta Ceases Content

Moderation Effort

by Ziv Golan ‘26

In January 2025 Meta

CEO Mark Zuckerburg,

who oversees

both Facebook and

Instagram, announced

widespread changes to

the companies content

moderation policies.

Zuckerberg announced

the new policy in a video

posted to Meta social

media platforms.

“We’re going to get

back to our roots and

focus on reducing mistakes,

simplifying our

policies and restoring

free expression on our

platforms,” said Zuckerburg.

“More specifically,

here’s what

we’re going to do. First,

we’re going to get rid of

fact-checkers and replace

them with community

notes similar to

X, starting in the U.S.”

Meta claims that the

reasoning behind the

new policy was driven shortly before now

Meta by issues Presents of free speech, President New Trump Reality

retook

power, providing

with some content be-

for Content Moderation

ing taken down unreasonably,

according to

Zuckerburg. Content

moderation systems

will now only focus

on censoring content

promoting illegal activities

such as terrorism,

drugs, and scams.

This excludes any possible

misinformation

on controversial topics

such as immigration,

election results, and

vaccines, issues that

conservative users have

long criticized the platform

for not allowing

them to express their

views on.

Meta has been under

harsh criticism

from conservative

politicians and media

in recent years

for, in their words, silencing

right-leaning

voices. Zuckerberg’s

announcement came

for plenty of criticism

that this decision was

an attempt for the Meta

CEO to cozy up to the

new president. Trump

has been at odds with

Meta since leaving office

for the first time after

being banned from

Facebook in January

2021 for “inciting violence”

following the

January 6 Capitol riots.

Zuckerberg’s move

to end fact-checking

has garnered praise

from Trump and other

MAGA allies, such

as X owner and the

inspiration for Meta’s

new policy, Elon Musk.

Zuckerberg’s content

moderation reversal

came alongside the appointment

of Trump

allies Dana White and

Joel Kaplan to key positions

within the company.

“King Donald is

up there, and Mark is

afraid of him,” said a

former Meta executive

critical of Zuckerberg’s

decision. “He’s a chameleon

bowing to the

king.”

Although most can

agree that Zuckerberg’s

decision was most likely

influenced by Trump

in one way or another,

the necessity of the

change has been highly

contentious. Free

speech has long been

a topic of debate within

the United States,

and social media only

complicates the issue

further. Many are

concerned that Zuckerberg’s

decision will

result in a flood of misinformation

on Meta

platforms, making it

even more difficult to

decipher reality from

fiction; however, it

looks like less content

moderation is becoming

a trend in the social

media world. Aided by

a new president who

prefers as little moderation

as possible, it

looks like this may become

the lay of the land

within the American

social media landscape.

Growing Debate Over

Future of Section 230

by Nisha Khatri ‘26

Section 230 of the Communications

Decency Act of

1996 has been the subject of

contentious debate in recent

months. Although it was

originally enacted to protect

social media companies

from liability for user posts,

many now hope for its repeal

or adjustment to hold big

tech companies accountable

for the content posted on

their sites.

At its surface level, Section

230 protects websites from

being punished for what users

post, even if such speech

is illegal. People also cannot

sue users and services for

sharing potentially dangerous

or objectionable content.

Although the First Amendment

was never intended to

protect libel, fraud, or instigation

of violence, Section

230 seems to protect these

types of speech due in part

to its vague wording.

House Energy and Commerce

Committee members

drafted a bipartisan draft

legislation to terminate Section

230 in May 2024. Their

proposal would require tech

giants and other platforms

to work with Congress for

more than 18 months to enact

improved legislation allowing

for creativity and free

speech in addition to a safe

online environment. If tech

giants do not cooperate, the

Committee warns that they

may fully lose Section 230

protections.

Others suggest a “repeal

and renew” approach to

improve the present social

media environment. This

approach would shield the

speech of ordinary citizens

but not social media

giants since it would allow

for differentiation between

protected and unprotected

speech in accordance with

the First Amendment. Users

would have the freedom to

state their opinions, but social

media companies would

not get to manipulate their

algorithms to incentivize

toxicity, intimidation, and

hateful speech for profit-driven

engagement.

Discarding Section 230

completely, though, could

cause major issues. Instead

of solely impacting social

media giants, the move

would also harm small

companies. Online platforms

would need to screen

and approve all content of

their users, placing an undue

burden on newer businesses

who may not have

the resources for this level

of moderation.

In order to enact lasting

change with fewer negative

impacts and prevent further

exploitation of Section

230, Congress could consider

carefully clarifying

portions of it. For instance,

while Section 230 does not

consider platforms as the

speaker of information

being provided, it can be

considered a distributor of

third-party content if it purposefully

enhances hurtful

content. Changes such as

these, along with further

discourse and collaborative

efforts towards transparency,

can help spur reforms

and reduce harmful speech

in the future.

TikTok Banned … For 12 Hours

by Isabella Landaverde ‘27

On January 19 the widely

anticipated TikTok ban in

the United States, expected

to be permanent, only lasted

a day. Many of the frequent

users of this app were very

shaken and upset within

the few hours of this ban.

Many TikTok users turned

to alternative apps such as

Rednote, Lemon8, and Instagram.

Some of the alternative

apps are Chinese-controlled

apps, which was

the primary reason for why

TikTok was supposed to be

banned.

On his first day in office,

President Trump issued an

Executive Order to lift the

ban for 75 days as his administration

looks to find an

American company to buy

TikTok. Trump also floated

the idea that the United

States government could

take ownership stake in Tik-

Tok, though many experts

question whether that is legal.

Trump supported a Tik-

Tok ban during his first administration,

citing national

security concerns, but more

recently he says he wants

to “save” the platform. Tik-

Tok put a message out to

users applauding Trump’s

efforts. Many have argued

that Trump is putting aside

national security concerns

to appeal to the younger

generation.

Initially, under the federal

legislation passed by Congress

and signed into law

by former President Biden,

the app had to be sold or

banned in the United States.

Under the law, companies

such as Apple could have

faced billions of dollars in

fines if they permitted users

to access TikTok.

The originality of the ban

stemmed from the national

security concerns of the

parent company of TikTok,

which is called Bytedance.

Many U.S officials stated

that TikTok posed a significant

risk to American users’

privacy and data security.

The Supreme Court also

played a role in the TikTok

ban as they had to weigh out

the constitutional concerns

of the First Amendment’s

protection of free speech if

a TikTok ban violated its users’

rights. The lower courts

had temporarily blocked the

ban at first, but the Supreme

Court upheld the ‘Protecting

Americans from Foreign Adversary

Controlled Applications

Act’. It is unclear what

will happen in a few months

when Trump’s temporary

extension for TikTok ends,

and whether there will be

pressure on his administration

to follow a Congressional

Act that has been upheld

by the Supreme Court.

Elon Musk’s X Rebrand

Invites Far-Right Influx

BY LILAH BOIG ‘26

The app known as Twitter was

rebranded to “X” on July 23, 2023,

after the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX,

Elon Musk, bought it for $44 billion.

His main promise for his rebrand

was to allow for freedom of speech

on the app, which he believed was

being censored. “Free speech is the

bedrock of a functioning democracy,

and Twitter is the digital town

square,” said Musk before his purchase.

Since then, many changes have

been made that Musk claims are to

push towards this goal. In order to

restructure the system, 80 percent

of Twitter employees were fired.

This left fewer than 1,500 employees

at the company, allowing Musk

to take more direct control in decisions.

Numerous policies regarding

restrictions on what one can post

on topics of sexual identity, immigration,

women, and people of color

have been stopped. This allows for

people to tweet on these subjects in

potentially offensive or hateful ways.

Misinformation restrictions as well

were lifted by Musk, including policies

regarding misinformation on

health crises and election outcomes.

This removes the labels that previously

appeared under informational

posts regarded as “misinforming”

by fact-checkers, replacing them

with contributor-decided “Community

Notes.” Consequences for violations

on the app have also shifted.

The new motto for their policies is

“freedom of speech, not freedom

of reach.” Now, instead of getting

banned from the app, a person will

have their posts less easy to find but

still accessible.

As restrictions have decreased,

Musk has increasingly been using

the app to promote his own views.

Ramping up around the 2024 election,

Musk used X in order to push

out his endorsement of Donald

Trump, Musk also has used the

platform to amplify his overall political

opinions, regardless of whether

things are proven true or false.

Millions of people have used the app

as their source of world news and

political changes. Now under Musk’s

influence, it’s impossible to avoid

pro-Trump and conservative content.

In recent months,

Musk has sent out multiple

tweets supporting far right

political parties and figures in Britain,

Germany, and other European

countries. This allows for people

with views aligning with Musk to

feel more supported to speak out

without fear of backlash. Parallel to

this is that those who go against his

views are being publicly attacked by

him and his followers, discouraging

contrasting viewpoints.

10

Are you looking for any advice at the moment? Send your problems

here:

Q: I lost all my friends because our politics didn’t align; what

do I do?

A: What I suggest you do is pack your bags and move into a really

deep underground cave. That way if you inevitably start screaming

your own political opinions at the walls, the only voice you’ll ever

have to hear will echo what you’re saying!

Q: People at school call me reek freak and they make fun of

me for my putrid odor. What should I do to make people stop

making fun of me?

A: According to my research, there’s a new piece of technology that

you can install in your house to make you smell better than ever before!

It pretty much acts like a dishwasher, but for people. They call

it a “shower.” This, along with another innovative product called

“deodorant,” should get rid of your putrid odor for the time being.

Q: I fell in love with a girl, but she’s moving to Australia. Should

I continue the relationship?

A: Learn to write letters upside down!

Q: How do I stop thinking about brainrot?

A: I’ve been wondering this myself, and I think the only way is to

go completely off the grid. Leave all of your worldly possessions

behind and run deep into the woods. You can build a shelter out of

twigs, feed off the land, and sleep in a deer carcass for warmth. Save

yourself, and live out the rest of your days skibidi-free.

In addition to our expert editors answering questions, we asked

you lovely readers a few questions of our own. Here are some

responses taken from the anonymous population of Sherwood.

Q: Are you an aspiring rapper? Drop a few bars below.

A: “She a feminist she think i’m sexist, Twistin my words I think

she dyslexic” - Central Cee.

A: I may be big and greedy but you’re broke and needy

A: my money it tall like AD

my money it talk like Adonis

don’t sip no Drank just tea, I ain’t Joshin

I be Mobile then park cuz I’m modest

(this is fire and deep I can explain trust)

Q: Have you sinned? Confess us your crimes.

A: I filled a water cup at Chipotle with a dastardly Pepsi-Dr Pepper-Sweet

Tea mix

A: I enlisted someone in the army because they killed me in Fortnite,

chat is this a reasonable crashout?

A: Gluttony.

Q: Who’s the STRONGEST staff member you think you could

beat in a fight?

A: How much prep time do I get? I could beat any teacher with

enough prep time.

A: Mrs. Bloom

A: I think Mr. King needs to be humbled #letsrunitking

Q: Give us ideas for a new school mascot.

A: A tree. That sure wood be great.

A: A burst pipe

A: The Sherwood Philadelphia Eagles

Q: Anything else you would like us to know?

A: Me and the editor’s relationship is purely sensual. Love has nothing

to do with it, just pure animalistic lust. The day he leaves my

supple clutches will be his last.

A: I have stolen 43 chromebook chargers within the last 3.5 years.

If you are missing one, I have it. You’re not getting it back lmao.

A: The fog is coming. The fog is coming. The fog is coming. The

fog is coming. The fog is coming. The fog is coming.

The Warrior • Humor

February 20, 2025

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.

Advice Column Sherwood To Pilot MCPS

by Jordan Costolo ‘25 and Justin Lakso ‘25

Anti-Marijuana Program

by Lilah Boig ‘26

and Katie Ng ‘25

The MCPS Department of

Safety and Security recently announced

that Sherwood will be

a pilot school for a new program

focused on cracking down on

students “using marijuana and

ruining their lives.” This comes

after the in-school administration

had reiterated to MCPS that the

excessive drug usage by students

creates a poor learning environment,

as its odor is distracting,

and that students cannot focus, as

they are way too high. There have

also been complaints that the

halls are so filled with clouds of

smoke that nobody can see where

they are walking. This is seen as

a serious safety hazard that could

cause students to run into each

other and injure themselves.

MCPS announced that their

end goal for these programs is to

catch the deals going down in the

act and trace it back to the dealer,

at all costs. “I have speculation on

what we are looking for. I bet the

dealer is a 28-year-old man who

is friends with a senior, wears a

dark hoodie and bandana, and

looks very suspicious,” said Jim

Lampkey, an investigator with

the Department of Safety and Security.

“We know what every single

drug dealer looks like thanks

to 90s cartoons … and this program

will stop them for good.”

Earlier this year when MCPS

was first investigating the situation

at Sherwood, they interviewed

a student to see if they

could get to the bottom of why

some students feel the need to use

marijuana in the first place. “It

makes me– I mean people- feel

As Donald Trump was sworn

into office on January 20, top

Democratic officials met at a luxurious

resort in Cancun, Mexico

to discuss their plans to blow the

2028 election. After the meeting’s

conclusion, top figureheads from

the party such as 2024 Presidential

candidate Kamala Harris

emerged to each give a speech

about hope or whatever.

“Don’t lose your belief in a

brighter future,” Harris began.

“Sure, we lost literally everything

to the man I called Hitler a

few months ago, but the northern

star guides us and the essence of

America, something something

compassion and love.”

Harris then kicked back in

a beach chair sipping a Margarita

and started talking unscripted.

“Your lives are gonna be miserable

for the next four years, just

absolutely garbage, filthy de-

tingly, you know,” said one junior.

MCPS has indicated that it

plans to take “drastic measures”

and will be inserting an “undercover

detective” posed as a student

in order to sniff out drugs

in places teachers and administration

can’t see. The “student”

will be allowed to ask students to

“share their carts” and ask around

for anyone who is selling or using

marijuana.

MCPS also plans to test out

new programs in the school that if

successfully catch drug users will

be implemented across MCPS.

In the bathrooms, students are

encouraged to press the new button

if they see someone smoking

marijuana. The button will sound

a blaring alarm that will alert the

whole school of the “devious felony.”

Additionally, the plan will

seamlessly replace all air testers

with marijuana smoke testers,

three out of every five therapy

dogs will be replaced with

drug-sniffing dogs, and administration

will install weight sensors

on the bottom of every bathroom

stall to ensure that no more than

one person is in there at a time.

With these measures, MCPS

hopes to eradicate all marijuana

consumption at Sherwood, and

if these measures are successful,

they will soon be seen across all

MCPS high schools.

Democrats Discuss How

To Blow 2028 Election

by Declan Rooney ‘25

by Lilah Boig ‘26

pressing lives,” she continued.

“That really is a shame. Yeah, can

I also get a refill on this?”

“GOOD MORNING

NORTH DAKOTA,” yelled

Biden cheerfully, smiling at a

brick wall with his back towards

the press. “My uhh my wife uhhhhh

Jill. She uhhh she her she

uhh, and that’s what uhh that’s

why, that’s because America!”

After saying this, he tripped and

rolled down the beach.

Tim Walz also spoke. ”Yeah

this could be the end of democracy

as we know it, but hey, did you

see that 2 for $10 deal and NAPA

auto parts? That really was something.”

A reporter posed a good

question. “Gov. Walz, how do

you plan to protect Minnesotans

from the Trump administration’s

policies?” “Welp, I’m gonna do

my best to protect our citizens,

but what we really need to worry

about is people going too darn

slow in the fast lane, “ Walz replied,

as Biden played Block

Blast on his phone behind him.

Senator Bernie Sanders did

not attend, instead issuing a short

statement online. It read, “I hate

my stupid Socialist life.”

Instead of blandly talking

about hope, peace, or whatever

else for the thousandth time,

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez

from New York took

the time to actually attack the

opposition. “Trump is a fascist,”

she said, shortly before Harris ran

onto the stage and tried to muzzle

AOC. “That rhetoric is exactly

why we lost,” said Harris. “We

cannot afford to further alienate

fascist/sexist/racist/xenophobic

voters!”

“What we need is an older,

balder, more moderate, white

guy who just adores Isreal,” commented

Senator John Fetterman

while wearing a shirt that read,

“Guess who has two thumbs and

loves Isreal? This guy!“

The Warrior • Entertainment

February 20, 2025

What We’re Reading

Absolute Batman is a comic book series from DC comics, written by Scott

Snyder. Its debut six-part edition, Absolute Batman: The Zoo, has been releasing issues

monthly and is almost at its epic conclusion. The stunning art style aside, this

series has the most new and refreshing take on Batman. The most intriguing part of

this series is how Snyder reimagines the life of Bruce Wayne, trading in his usual role

as an eccentric billionaire for the life of a blue-collar construction worker in Gotham.

This new take on a renowned superhero is perfect for former comic fanatics as well as

those wanting to get into the comic scene.

~Zach Geller ‘25

11

In the mood for a fast-paced novel full of relatable characters, compelling

metaphors, and haunting illustrations? Francesca Zappia’s 2022 YA thriller Katzenjammer

grabs you from the very first page and never lets you go. This captivatingly

grotesque book tackles real-world problems—such as school safety, bullying, and

mental health—in a unique yet accessible way. Balancing alternating chapters of unsettling

magical realism and contemporary slice-of-life, Zappia tells the story of public

school student and oddball artist, Cat, who is trapped in a living, breathing version of

her high school and must retrace her memories to catch the killer hiding among the

captive—and slowly transforming—students.

~Fiona Lipczenko ‘25

Only the second of her small but mighty repertoire, Donna Tartt’s The Little

Friend is a dramatic, moving piece of American literature. Resembling the style of

classic American novels, Tartt follows precocious twelve-year-old Harriet Cleve Dufresnes

as she grows up in the backdrop of 1970s rural Mississippi. Tartt opens frigid

and unforgiving, with the death of Harriet’s eldest brother Robin ten years previous

gathering like an impenetrable cloud over her family’s history. As she attempts to discover

his murderer, Harriet faces adulthood — and all of its dangers — head on. Serving

as a delicious commentary on rural Americana, Harriet’s journey tells a harrowing

coming-of-age tale, with a rich cast of lovable characters to adore along with it.

~Evelyn San Miguel ‘26

For a novel over 25 years old, Stephen Chbosky’s 213-page wonder, The

Perks of Being a Wallflower, is timeless. Chbosky beautifully depicts what it’s like to

be a teenager through an observant boy who takes us on his rollercoaster ride during

freshman year. In an easy-to-read format of written letters, Charlie and his lovable

personality allow the reader to experience loss, friendships, football games, love,

drugs, mistakes, mental health struggles, and the discovery of himself and his past. If

you’re looking for a book to capture what it means to grow up, this one is for all ages

to admire with nostalgia and empathy fondly.

~Maya Dorsam ‘27

Containing eight absurdist style horror stories, Your Utopia by Bora Chung

dives into topics of dystopia, immortality, death and dilemmas. In “The Center for

Immortality Research,” a worker in a dystopian future works a low level job at a place

developing immortality for the rich. “The End Of The Voyage,” is about cannibalistic

disease that has plagued all humans, and how a group of individuals escaped on a

spaceship to try and start fresh. “A Song For Sleep” sees into the “thoughts” of an AI

elevator that begins to develop “emotions” towards a human during its intelligence

enquiring. Each story is a new blend of plot twists, perfect for philosophers wanting a

thrill.

~Lilah Boig ‘26

Drama Intensifies between Stars

Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni

by Madelyn Awwad ‘27

Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni,

the stars of the film It Ends

With Us, have been engaged in

a huge legal battle that has garnered

a lot of attention. It all

started when Lively accused Baldoni

of sexual harassment during

the making of the movie. In December

2024, she filed a lawsuit

claiming Baldoni and his production

company, Wayfarer Studios,

tried to ruin her public image after

she spoke out about the issues

she faced on set.

Lively’s allegations began

after a meeting in January 2024,

when she says that she laid out

specific demands to make the

filming environment safer. “No

more showing nude videos or images

of women to Blake,” Lively

reportedly said, according to her

lawsuit. She also asked for “no

more discussions about sexual

conquests in front of Blake and

others,” and “no further mentions

of cast and crew’s genitalia.” She

added that she didn’t want anyone

to comment on her weight or talk

about her late father. Lively said

these demands were to create a

“safe and professional” working

space. However, she claims Baldoni

and Wayfarer ignored her

and later worked to destroy her

reputation by spreading false information.

Because of this, she is

suing for harassment and retaliation.

Along with Lively’s lawsuit,

Baldoni just filed his own legal

action against The New York

Times. Baldoni is accusing the

New York Times of misreporting

the entire situation and publishing

false information. The article,

titled “We Can Bury Anyone:

Inside a Hollywood Smear Machine,”

reported that Baldoni and

his team were behind a smear

campaign against Lively. Baldoni

argues that the Times “cherry-picked”

text messages and

emails to make him look bad. In

the lawsuit, Baldoni says the messages

were edited and taken out

of context. He is suing for $250

million, claiming that the article

is not only false but also caused

serious damage to his reputation.

Baldoni’s lawyer, Bryan

Freedman, said in a statement,

“Make no mistake, we will continue

this campaign of authenticity

by also suing those individuals

who have abused their power to

try and destroy the lives of my

clients.” Freedman also claims

that the media unfairly supports

Lively’s side of the story, calling

the situation a “vicious attack.”

However, Lively’s lawyers

say she is being unfairly targeted

for speaking out. They pointed

out that her case is “not a ‘feud’

arising from ‘creative differences.’”

They also said that Baldoni’s

actions were part of a retaliatory

campaign against Lively

for trying to protect herself and

others on set. “As alleged in Ms.

Lively’s federal Complaint, and

as we will prove in litigation,

Wayfarer and its associates engaged

in unlawful, retaliatory astroturfing

against Ms. Lively for

simply trying to protect herself,”

they argued.

Both Lively and Baldoni are

now asking for a jury trial to decide

who’s right. This legal drama

is far from over, and people are

following closely to see how it all

turns out. With both sides claiming

to have evidence to back up

their claims, the case could go on

for months or even longer.

Exploring Emma Chamberlain’s Journey

by Shannon Naas ‘26

Emma Frances Chamberlain

is a 23 year old American influencer,

YouTuber, model, podcaster

and businesswoman. Chamberlain

was just 16 when she first

launched her YouTube channel.

She started off by creating videos

of relatable content of her regular

teenage life, such as trips with

her friends or getting her license.

Being relatable and honest helped

her build an audience of most

teenage girls and young women.

Chamberlain’s most popular videos

tended to be collaborations

with other social media stars,

which led to the creation of “The

Sister Squad” that took over the

internet by storm.

Once the Covid pandemic

began, Chamberlain increasingly

began to divulge her personal

struggles and focused on her own

mental health and happiness. In

2020, she launched her podcast,

Anything Goes. In a world full of

people who seem to have something

to say into a microphone

and grapple for attention, Chamberlain

manages to stand out the

most by being relatable and genuine

while balancing her signature

take on specific topics such as

mental health, personal growth,

self-discovery, societal pressures,

and how her chaotic life has

shaped her as a person.

Due to today’s societal standards,

it can be challenging when

you constantly feel like you’re

falling behind in life without any

clear sense of direction. The podcast

is directed for people who

need a space for vulnerability

and need aid with self-reflection

which helps the audience navigate

through struggles and gives

a sense of direction. Her candid

discussions come across as heartfelt

conversations with a close

friend rather than a formal lecture.

Personally, navigating through

life’s uncertainties can feel overwhelming,

especially with the

constant pressure of wanting

to have everything figured out.

Chamberlain’s open discussions

help with the feeling of being understood

while also giving unique

perspectives. The podcast is a

blend of vulnerability, insight and

inspiration that can help offer new

perspectives on life triumphs.

As Anything Goes evolves, it

continues to demonstrate Chamberlain’s

overall growth as a

person. Her ability to fearlessly

dissect emotions while staying

authentic has made her podcast

an effective tool for self-discovery

and self-reflection. Listeners

can find the podcast on Spotify.

Grade: B+

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12


February 20, 2025

Marvel Rivals: The Heroes We Needed, And Deserved

by Justin Lakso ‘25

Marvel Rivals released in

early December of last year to a

massive audience of players looking

for a revitalizing take on the

Hero shooter genre. The game

was met with great acclaim from

fans of all skill levels from casual

to champion, and it’s easy to see

why.

The gameplay consists of

two teams of six players each

attacking or defending a certain

objective, such as a payload. Attackers

must escort the payload

to a certain point, and defenders

must prevent the attackers from

doing so. This may sound simple

on paper, but the real complexity

comes from the different playable

characters from everywhere in

the Marvel universe. There are

three main roles in Rivals, namely

Vanguard, Duelist, and Strategist,

which all come with different

abilities. Vanguards are tanky

and great at taking space for the

team, Duelists deal high damage

and are often incredibly mobile,

and Strategists supply healing

and other supporting abilities to

the team.

Every character also comes

with different abilities that are

accurate to their superhero source

material. Spider-Man can move

around the map at lightning speed

with his web sling, Loki can

make clones of himself which he

can swap between, and Doctor

Strange can create portals between

two locations to allow his

team to quickly reposition and

flank the enemy.

A well rounded team composition

is essential to winning,

which is further highlighted with

the Team-Up feature that grants

enhanced abilities if certain characters

are paired together. For

example, Rocket can ride on

Groot’s back and supply him with

more healing, making Groot even

better at taking space. This is an

Hurry Up Tomorrow Completes Breathtaking Trilogy

by Rachel Themistokleous ‘26

The Weeknd, also known as

Abel Tesfaye, dropped his new album

Hurry Up Tomorrow on January

31, along with announcing

a corresponding tour. The album

title was officially announced last

September and has since been

supported by singles “Dancing

in the Flames,” “Timeless,” and

“São Paulo.” This album is the

final installment in his musical

trilogy, following albums After

Hours and Dawn FM, and rumored

to be The Weeknd’s final

album under his Weeknd persona.

On billboards and social media

across the world, The Weeknd

has made many mentions about

“closing this chapter” and how

“The End Is Near.” In an interview

with Variety, after asked

what he was referring to as ending,

The Weeknd simply responded,

“I would say my existence as

The Weeknd.”

As The Weeknd rose to success

with his earlier albums, his

emotional and mental states took

a turn for the worse. This trilogy

demonstrates his healing process,

and talks about the different stages

he went through to get to where

he is now. After Hours is the

first chapter in this journey, and

touches on The Weeknd’s darkest

times, with common themes of

addiction and depression present

in the songs. The second album in

the trilogy, Dawn FM, marks the

start of The Weeknd’s reflection

and healing passage, and how

he overcame multiple obstacles.

Hurry Up Tomorrow represents

The Weeknd’s release of his past

and closure of this chapter in his

life.

Hurry Up Tomorrow consists

of 22 tracks that explore various

different genres of music, along

with featured artists such as Travis

Scott, Lana Del Ray, and

Playboi Carti. The album begins

with the song “Wake Me Up,” a

conversation with God, where

The Weeknd wonders if he is real

or an illusion and how he wishes

to be forgiven for sins alluded to

in After Hours. Following this,

“Cry For Me,” as well as “Open

Hearts,” refers to the heartbreak

and dark times The Weeknd faced

as a result of his breakup with

Selena Gomez. Both these songs

are incredible, with hypnotizing

instrumentals that back up The

Weeknd’s impressive vocal range

and striking voice. Another honorable

mention is “Take Me Back

to LA,” which references The

Weeknd’s previous song, “Escape

From LA,” where he talks about

escaping from the place that began

his cycle of self-hatred. This

new song portrays how it has

now become his home again and

a positive place for him to reflect

and prosper.

The rest of the tracks represent

The Weeknd’s acknowledgment

of his past mistakes and

relationships, and the growth he

experienced. He ends his journey

with a song titled “Hurry Up Tomorrow,”

which finishes off with

notes that reflect The Weeknd’s

very first song of his career, “High

For This.” Hurry Up Tomorrow

is a crowning achievement, with

deeper meanings behind every

single song presented. The album

is a great way to end Abel Tesfaye’s

phase as The Weeknd.

Grade: A

Google Images

Google Images

amazing feature which doesn’t

appear in other hero shooters,

making Rivals stand apart from

its competitors.

Another benefit of Rivals

is its hardworking development

team. Chinese studio NetEase

Games is very intent on catering

to their target audience of Marvel

comics fans and gamers alike.

The casual players simply want

a fun experience playing as awesome

looking superheroes with

their friends, while the competitive

gamers want every character

to feel equally powerful for

a balanced ranked experience.

NetEase delivers on both fronts.

Anyone can pick up a simple hero

like The Punisher and perform

well in casual play, while the people

spending eight hours a day

on the game can grind through a

fair ranked experience where they

can ban characters who are too

strong. NetEase supplements this

with frequent updates that introduce

new heroes, most recently

the Fantastic Four.

Marvel Rivals is a must play

for long time fans of hero shooters

such as Overwatch as the

gameplay is similar but improved

in all aspects. This combined with

frequent updates ensure the game

will be a long lasting success for

both casual and competitive players

alike. It’s perfectly balanced,

as all things should be.

Grade: A

Squid Game’s Second Season

Stuggles with Being Original

by Josh Pulaski ‘25

The original season of Squid

Game came out at the perfect

time when everyone was forced

to sit in their beds and watch TV

all day. Many expected Squid

Games Season 2 to be a lazy cash

grab riding off the high of the

original season’s popularity that

it gained during the Covid pandemic.

While it was believed that

Season 2 would simply be a rehash

of Season 1 having new contestants

play a repeat of the old

Death Games from before, this is

not entirely the case.

Season 2 starts with Gi-Hun,

the protagonist from Season 1,

shortly after winning the Death

Games and earning 47.1 billion

won in winnings. The starting

episodes follow him trying to

hunt down the organization that

runs the Death Games using his

newly earned wealth. As teased in

the trailers, Gi-Hun takes a more

direct approach to taking down

the games by playing the Death

Games again, hoping to lead

his private mercenary group to

the hidden location of the Death

Games.

The season introduces many

new characters to the plot; unfortunately,

a lot of them feel underdeveloped

because they don’t get

enough screen time. For example,

the show introduces a new character

who is one of the guards in

the Squid Game, intending to try

to humanize the guards as you

only ever see them in a mask

killing contestants. However, this

character is only in five scenes,

and she is shown to be killing

contestants in all of those scenes.

Many new characters outside the

actual Death Games suffer this

same issue of not having enough

development. The show spends

almost 10 percent of every episode

time repeating these voting

scenes where the contestants are

given the ability to go home if the

majority of players vote for it. It

becomes repetitive and a missed

opportunity for character development.

Many of Season 2’s issues,

like ending on a cliffhanger and

many character arcs not being

completed, may be attributed to

the fact that the season was cut

into two different seasons. While

the season did have enjoyable

moments such as the opening

episodes, it’s unable to surprise,

even shock, audiences as the first

season did. One of the appeals of

Squid Games four years ago was

that it seemed boldly different,

but Season 2 of the show isn’t

able to deliver its own originality.

Grade: B-

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February 20, 2025

Commanding the Award Show Spotlight

by George Awkard ‘25

Hosts are a quintessential part of

what makes an award show successful.

Without a good host, an award

show can quickly go south. Considering

the Grammys, Oscars, and

other events are broadcasted worldwide,

it would only make sense that a

network would want the best host for

one of their biggest events of the year.

On March 2, late-night host Conan

O’Brien will take a crack at hosting

the Academy Awards. This past year,

the ceremonies for the Grammys,

Oscars, Emmys, and Golden Globes

have been hosted by notable celebrities

and prompted various reactions

from charmed to appalled.

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Jo Koy

Jo Koy is known to have notoriously

bombed the Golden Globes

Ceremony as a host. At the 81st

Golden Globes’ last year, he

seemed extremely underprepared

and even told the audience to shut

up for wanting a perfect monologue.

He started the award show

by setting low standards for himself,

mentioning that he “got the

job ten days ago” and later started

to blame the writers because of

how bad the show was going.

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13

Trevor Noah

Trevor Noah has hosted many

award shows in his career and has

been well received, but most recently,

he hosted the 67th Grammy

Awards and didn’t do too

hot. He made several jokes about

immigration and insinuated that

“20 million illegals” voted in the

Grammys. Noah has been a wellloved

host in the past, but the audience’s

reactions on February 4

didn’t seem to match his previous

acclaim.

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Nikki Glaser

Nikki Glaser hosted the

82nd Golden Globes’ this

year and was extremely

well received by the public,

she was the first woman

to host the show solo.

Maybe after seeing Koy’s

disastrous performance the

previous year, she prepared

heavily, doing over 90 test

runs. Glaser had a smashhit

opening monologue,

insulting the low patron

count of Paramount. She

changed her dress over five

times, exuding versatility

and class.

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Jimmy Kimmel

Jimmy Kimmel: Jimmy

Kimmel is most known

for his late-night show,

Jimmy Kimmel Live! He

hosted the 96th Oscars,

his opening monologue included

many hilarious jabs

at celebrities. The show

garnered over 19 million

viewers but recently

turned down hosting next

year’s. He complained that

he wants more focus on his

show and that he isn’t the

best at balancing his show

and the Oscars, wanting to

putting his show first.

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The Levys

Dan and Eugene Levy,

the beloved father and

son duo, hosted the

76th Emmy Awards,

calling themselves

“actors” and not

“hosts,” adding a new

spin to the role of a

host. TV fans were extremely

excited to see

some new faces host,

helping ratings go up

for ABC. Between the

two, the unique and

bold banter carried the

show.

Best Pictures of 2025 May Not Be the Ones Winning Oscars

by Jordan Costolo ‘25

This year’s Oscar nominations

were announced January 23,

with top movies of 2024 such as

Dune 2, Wicked, and A Complete

Unknown being nominated for

Best Picture. These well known

movies were alongside many others,

most of them having flown

under the radar of general audiences

until the announcement of

their nomination. Compared to

last year, where box-office hits

such as Oppenheimer, Barbie,

The Holdovers, and many other

popular movies were in the

running, most people have not

had the chance to see many of

the movies nominated for this

year’s awards. As someone who

has spent their time watching all

of the movies nominated, here is

an overview of this year’s Best

Picture nominations, including

which ones are worth watching.

The Traditionals

Conclave, The Brutalist, I’m

Still Here

There is a reputation that

Best Picture nominees occasionally

have of being too complex,

slow, or overall pretentious. Although

this may be the case for a

few critic-acclaimed films, more

often than not it’s that these types

of films are ambitiously challenging

and thought provoking. They

want to do more than just entertain.

Conclave is an innovative

story about Catholic Cardinals

in the Vatican choosing the next

Pope after the death of the current

one, and it surprisingly is an intense

thriller. The only downside

to a potential viewer is that overall,

the whole movie is just people

talking. Yes, it’s still intense but

if you’re looking for action, this

isn’t the movie you put on.

The Brutalist has a runtime of

three and a half hours with an

intermission, making it not the

kind of movie many people are

willing to watch, at least all the

way through. Out of the three,

I’m Still Here is the most accessible

for viewers, with emotional

beats and themes that are easier

to follow than the other two. The

only thing that might make this

movie less accessible is that it is

in Portuguese, meaning subtitles

are needed for English speaking

viewers. All of these films put a

spotlight on the human condition

in beautiful ways, with breathtaking

cinematography and scores.

Yes, these movies will not be for

everyone, but if you’re willing to

stay through the intermission, or

turn on some subtitles, you’ll be

greatly rewarded.

Worth Checking Out

The Substance, Nickel Boys,

Anora

I wouldn’t count on any of

these three movies winning Best

Picture. They lack certain grandeur

or presence found with other

nominees. They are less complex,

and offer a more straightforward

movie experience as opposed

to something that critics rave

about, which is usually more

likely to win an Oscar. Still, all

three of these movies offer something

new or refreshing to their

genres.

For horror fans, The Substance

has a ton of practical effects in the

form of all kinds of body horror,

which at certain points become so

extreme and grotesque it almost

veers into comedy. With content

that is able to make you laugh, as

well as make your skin crawl, this

movie is great for people who are

not faint-of-heart.

Nickel Boys is refreshing

with its camera work, having the

entire movie shot from the main

character’s point of view. This

allows for some really interesting

and new ways for the filmmaker

to tell a story, as there are both advantages

and obstacles that come

from shooting from a single person’s

perspective.

Anora has incredible writing

and balance, possessing the ability

to make you feel terrible for

a character, while also being able

to laugh at their mistakes and

shortcomings. It’s simultaneously

hilarious and heartbreaking, with

the ability to channel humor and

sadness back and forth within a

single scene.

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The Chalamet Specials

Dune 2, A Complete Unknown

Every once in a while, there is

an actor that defines a generation.

An actor that is well known by

everyone of a certain age group,

and that is impossible to escape

from, not only in movies but in

widespread media as a whole.

Timothée Chalamet is shaping

up to be one of those actors.

Coming from last year’s success

in Wonka, and his lead role

in Dune from 2021, Chalamet not

only has two movies he is starring

in for Best Picture but has also

been nominated himself for Best

Actor in A Complete Unknown,

which is a biopic of Bob Dylan.

While Dune 2 and A Complete

Unknown couldn’t be any more

different (classic sci-fi and musical

biopic), Chalamet drives both

of these movies, making his mark

as one of the best actors of the

current era.

Bad Musical, Good Musical

Emilia Perez, Wicked

I don’t think there’s been a

movie up for an Oscar that has

sparked as much outrage as Emilia

Pérez has. Critics dislike it,

general audiences dislike it, and

personally speaking, I dislike it.

Mostly though, I’m confused.

There’s nothing about this movie

that would give anyone any

reason to let this in as a nominee

for Best Picture. Yes, it has representation

of Mexican culture

and problems within the country,

but it’s inaccurate, as the French

filmmaker said he did zero research

beforehand. Yes, it has

transgender representation, but its

representation is done so poorly

that the transgender community

online has shunned the movie.

It just doesn’t really make sense

how Emilia Pérez is up for an

Oscar.

On the other hand, Wicked is

a cultural phenomenon. Since the

movie’s release, it’s been almost

impossible to avoid. The cast has

gone through media outlets and

interviews twice over, and there is

a nearly endless number of brand

deals related to the film. People

can’t get enough of Wicked,

and for good reason. Everything

about it exudes creativity.

14

The Warrior • Sports

February 20, 2025

Girls Basketball Dominates the Court

by Rachel Themistokleous ‘26

At the start of the season, the

girls basketball team proclaimed

that they were going to play with

determination, and that’s exactly

what they’ve done with an

impressive 13-4 record thus far.

The Warriors suffered their first 3

losses at the beginning of the season

against Whitman on December

6, Churchill on December 12,

and Damascus on December 16,

along with a more recent loss in

a rematch against Richard Montgomery

on February 4. However,

they’ve been pushing through

and coming out with significantly

more wins.

“We started off slow, but now

that we’re getting into the flow of

things, we’re playing very well,”

said junior shooting guard Annelyn

Webb. “Our defense has really

started to come together now that

we are building our relationships,

[along with] our offense improving

overall.”

One big challenge the team

has faced this year is a constantly

changing lineup as a result of

the team sustaining a few injuries

throughout the season. “This

has made it difficult to establish

chemistry among our starting unit

and to lock down a rotation that

everyone is comfortable with,”

acknowledged Coach Tammara

Ross. “But I feel our players have

done a phenomenal job adjusting

on the fly from game to game and

not letting that impact them too

much.”

Seniors such as post Avery

Anderson, guard Avery Graham,

guard Adrianna Nnabue, and

guard Shannon Farr have been

key contributors to the team’s

success so far this season. These

players display good leadership

on and off the court, along with

impressive shooting ability and

ball handling during games.

“I have complete faith and

confidence in our team led by our

seniors. They will step in the biggest

moments, and the rest of the

team will follow,” said Ross.

With the season coming to

an end, the team had their senior

night on February 7 against

Choosing Club or School

by Emma Link ‘27

and Molly Schecter ‘27

Many student-athletes participate

in high school athletics

and play for an outside club. This

gives them many opportunities,

lots of time to train, and the pleasure

of playing with their friends

inside and outside of school.

High school soccer teams are

filled with players who participate

at different levels of clubs.

The highest-ranked club teams

require year-round dedication,

and most players are planning to

play in college. With the players

prioritizing their club team, they

gain more attention from scouts

and college coaches and can get

invited to more college ID camps.

The highest league for boy’s

youth soccer is MLS Next, which

restricts high school players from

participating in any high school

athletics.

Junior Timmy De Luca played

for the Sherwood boys varsity

team his freshman year. Then,

in his sophomore year, he joined

Bethesda Soccer Club, where his

highly competitive team plays in

MLS Next, preventing him from

playing at Sherwood for his sophomore

or junior seasons. “MLS

Next also has a rule saying players

cannot play for any other team

outside of MLS Next,” explained

De Luca. MLS Next is a major

pathway for soccer players to

play in college or go professional.

De Luca still wishes to play for

the Sherwood team but “the risk

for college is not worth it.”

Similarly, junior Jeremiah Mc-

Guire has been playing in MLS

Next since 8th grade when he

Cliff Vacin ‘25

Senior Guard Adrianna Nnabue making a contested drive to the paint in a Friday matchup against Gaithersburg, which Sherwood won 57-37.

Springbrook, in which the Warriors

triumphed. During the ceremony,

honorary player Sanaa Vil

was recognized, with her family

walking down the court in memory

of her and joining the other

seniors.

Following Tuesday’s matchup

against Paint Branch, the Warriors

will finish out their regular

season on Friday against Magruder.

This team has been incredible

so far, and they hope to

leave a lasting impression and

finish out the season with a bang.

“The [players] continue to make

play after play every game,” said

Ross. ”That makes me incredibly

thankful that God has blessed me

to be their coach and to have their

experience out there on the court

in the biggest of moments.”

joined Baltimore Armour, and

the team plays in MLS Next. His

team is currently ranked 2nd in

Maryland and 67th in the nation.

Although McGuire thinks playing

for his high school team would be

fun, it would limit his recruitment

opportunities for college teams.

“Most colleges do not recruit

from high school,” said McGuire.

“They recruit from the club level

only now so playing at the highest

youth level of soccer attracts the

better schools such as D1.”

Many players in this league

dedicate their time daily to training

and workouts, and they often

fill their weekends by attending

games and tournaments. Not

participating in high school soccer

allows them to focus on club

soccer, with an eye on playing

collegiately. “I train every day,

whether it’s team training or on

my own. I also work out every

day. I regularly do ID camps for

Colleges,” De Luca explained.

Boys varsity soccer coach Paul

Homan understands that players

sometimes have to choose

between club or school soccer,

and that doing both puts a lot of

pressure on the players, coaches,

and families. He also recognized

the importance of recruitment

through MLS Next. He said that

he is aware of discussions at MLS

Next to allow players to participate

on their high school teams.

“I know there are some very

talented academy players missing

out on high school soccer,” said

Homan. “It would be great if they

had the opportunity to compete to

make the team and contribute to

what we are trying to build here

at Sherwood.”


February 20, 2025

Wrestling Looks Ahead to the Postseason

by Chase Sondike ‘26

As the team portion of the season

wraps up, Sherwood’s wrestling

team now shifts its focus toward

the individual competitions

at counties, regionals, and states.

While the dual season had its

challenges, first-year head coach

Nick Arnone remains optimistic

about the team’s top wrestlers and

their chances at success.

Leading the way for Sherwood

are three standout wrestlers: junior

JJ Andews (132 lbs), junior

Connor Flickinger (165 lbs), and

senior Brendan Heyer (175 lbs).

“I expect all three of them to be

competitive at all three levels,”

Arnone said. “Brendan got injured

to end the season last year,

so we really never got to see him

compete at states other than that

first match, and Connor was one

match away from placing at the

state tournament last year. JJ has

proven he can compete with the

best kids this year.”

Flickinger, in particular, has

made headlines this season by

reaching the 100-win milestone,

a rare achievement for a high

school wrestler and especially for

one who is still a junior. Arnone

emphasized Flickinger’s commitment

and dedication to the sport

as some of the reasons for his success.

“I think the number one reason

is the buy-in that he has,” said

Arnone. “He commits himself, he

works hard, he makes sacrifices,

he doesn’t make excuses, and it

pays off.”

While Sherwood has strong

individual competitors, the team

faced several obstacles throughout

the dual season, including

injuries, disciplinary issues, and a

roster filled with many new wrestlers.

One major setback was the

loss of standout wrestler Cade

Muñoz (113 lbs), who had been

one of the team’s top performers

before suffering a season-ending

injury. “Prior to injuries, I would

have thrown Cade in there as one

of our top wrestlers,” said Arnone.

Despite these challenges, Arnone

remains hopeful about the

upcoming individual postseason.

“Wrestling is a unique sport in

the sense that there is an individual

season and a dual season,” he

said. “From the dual portion of

Elijah Goodman ‘26

Senior Brendan Heyer (left) grapples in a match against Churchill.

the season, I think we struggled

for the reasons that I mentioned.

Individually, I think we can still

do very well with those three individuals

performing here in the

postseason.”

As Arnone wraps up his first

season as Sherwood’s head

coach, he reflects on the challenges

and highlights of the role. “I

would be lying if I said it hasn’t

been a challenging year,” he admitted.

“But I have 36 years of

experience in this sport. I grew

up in central Pennsylvania, where

wrestling is a big deal, and I’ve

learned from some of the best.”

Sherwood looks to take on

the postseason and make a strong

push at counties, regionals, and

states. As Flickinger, Heyer, and

Andrews prepare to take the mat,

the Warriors hope to add more

individual accolades to their program’s

legacy.

15

Perspective

Historic NBA Trade Deadline

by Chase Sondike ‘26

In a stunning turn of events, the 2025 NBA trade deadline will be

remembered as one of the most dramatic in league history. The headline-grabbing

move was the Dallas Mavericks trading their superstar

player, Luka Dončić to the Lakers, in exchange for big man Anthony

Davis. The trade left many fans and analysts in disbelief.

Dončić, a 25-year-old phenom, had been the face of the Mavericks

since he got into the league, leading them to multiple playoff appearances

and an NBA Finals berth in 2024. Many considered him to be

‘untouchable’, which is why his sudden departure has left questions

regarding the Mavericks’ decision-making. Dončić was the heart of

the team, a player who could take over games and make his teammates

better. His ability to create offense, hit clutch shots, and dominate

in the playoffs made him invaluable. General Manager Nico

Harrison defended the move, stating “Defense wins championships,”

highlighting Davis’s defensive presence as a key factor in the trade.

However, the Mavericks’ fanbase is displeased, to say the least.

Trading away a player of Dončić’s caliber, especially given his youth

and impact, has led to widespread criticism. Finding a talent like

Dončić is extremely rare, which is why many believe that this move

could set the franchise back. Dončić was the face of the franchise and

by dealing away a generational talent in his prime, the Mavericks

may be pushed into years of mediocrity.

Dončić himself was reportedly as surprised as everyone else,

having not requested the trade. He expressed his gratitude toward

Mavericks fans in a heartfelt message, stating, “I am leaving a city

that will always feel like a home away from home.”

Simply put, trading away a superstar-caliber player is illogical,

especially one entering their prime. While Anthony Davis is a

high-quality player, he is 31 and is currently in his 13th year in the

league, so there are questions about the trade for Dallas in the long

run. The sudden loss of Dončić has not only shocked the NBA community

but also left Mavericks fans feeling hopeless at the absence

of the superstar they thought would lead them for years to come. It’s

impossible to perfectly predict the future, but it’s a safe bet that the

Mavericks may have made one of the dumbest trades in NBA history.

16


February 20, 2025

Swim Makes Big Splash at Metros

by Cara Farr ‘27

Looking into the end of the

season, both the boys and girls

swim and dive teams have exciting

and important meets coming

up. One of the biggest meets

during swim season is Metros,

which took place on February 6

and 7. The meet includes both

public and private schools from

all over the DC area, and Olympic

athletes, such as Katie Ledecky

and Jack Conger, competed

at Metros when they were in

high school.

Swimmers have to qualify for

Metros, ensuring that only the

best are competing. This means

that there is going to be more

competition and higher stakes.

“Just getting to Metros is an accomplishment,”

said Coach Ryan

Burnsky.

Once they qualified, a number

of Sherwood swimmers did

not just settle for being at Metros.

Sophomore Tyler Kominski

placed second in the 500 freestyle

while setting a school record with

a time of 4:28.65, beating the previous

record of 4:37.90 by Mike

Anderson in 2010. Kominski also

set a school record in the 200

freestyle, with a time of 1:42.55,

while finishing seventh out of the

twenty swimmers who qualified

for the finals. Another sophomore,

Nick Liberty, finished in the

Warriors’ Record Reflects an Incredible Season

by Andrew Fenner ‘27

The outlook on the boys

basketball season was uncertain

in the preseason. In an interview

with Coach Tom Sheahin in early

December, he talked about the

players who graduated from last

year’s talented team. Sheahin said

losing so many key players was

a setback, “but I think we’re just

as good, if not more talented.”

Looking at Sheahin’s assessment

now that the season has nearly

finished, he was right.

This year’s team already has

more wins than last season, sitting

at an impressive 18-2 compared

to the previous season’s 17-

6. The Warriors’ only losses come

from Blake and Springbrook,

both teams having lost to Sherwood

once as well. The program

has gotten significant recognition

for their record, being ranked in

the Washington Post’s Top 20

basketball programs in the state.

The Warriors have been ranked

twice, sliding in at number 20 and

later number 19. “Being ranked

in the Top 20 is a privilege,”

Sheahin said, and considering

that the Post’s rankings include

private schools, this is a great accomplishment

for a public school.

“I feel like we definitely earned

being ranked in the Washington

Post,” sophomore Jamar Nix said,

“Sherwood is a great team and we

will go far in the playoffs.”

Aside from rising seniors

Alex Welch, Justin Lawson, and

a few others, this team is very different

from last year’s. Additions

of players within the program

have proved to be valuable assets

top 10 in the 500 free, and senior

Justin Lakso finished 12th in the

50 freestyle. In addition to these

three boys swimmers, freshman

Mason Maready also qualified for

the finals at Metros in two of the

events, 200 IM and 100 back. For

the girls team, Jill Williams qualified

for finals in the 200 IM and

100 fly, as well as junior Corrine

Blachere who was in the finals for

100 breast and sophomore Mia

Fecko, who finaled in 500 free.

Lots of swimmers achieved

a personal best time during this

meet, which is a big accomplishment

and very hard to do. Sherwood

swim and dive showed up

and showed out at Metros with

the boys team finishing in 14th

place out of 54 teams while the

girls finished 22nd.

Showing the depth and versatility

of the Sherwood swim

program, all the relay teams for

both boys and girls qualified for

finals at Metros. Junior Caleb

Alie contributed all season in the

breastroke category, as did Junior

Calum Jagannathan in butterfly.

On the girls side, freshman Allie

Velasquez and freshman Kimiko

Tonkinon were key swimmers in

relays.

Regionals, which took place on

President’s Day weekend, is the

qualifier for states. Swimmers,

once again, must swim a certain

to the team’s success. Notably,

Nix has become a key offensive

and defensive weapon for the

Warriors, being a threat in transition

and discouraging inside play

from the opposing team because

of his height and athleticism.

The Warriors’ talent didn’t

just come from within the program,

but also from impactful

transfers, like senior Khalil Wilson

and junior Tyler Grambling.

“You can put him on their best

player and let him work,” Sheahin

said about Wilson, who has had

great performances guarding

tough opponents, including the

top-ranked sophomore in the

country, Blake’s Babatunde Oladotun.

Wilson’s ability to disrupt a

time in order to qualify for the

States meet, where only the best

of the best in the state participate.

Sherwood’s division does not host

very many MCPS swim teams so

they end up competing with many

schools from Charles, Frederick,

player’s rhythm forces turnovers

and leads to easy points in transition.

Grambling has become

a major part of the Warriors’ offense,

effectively working the ball

around and facilitating plays. On

the offensive side of the ball, both

Grambling and Wilson have the

innate ability to get to the rim and

finish through contact, regardless

of whatever defender stands in

their way.

Welch is a major part of the

Warriors’ offensive production.

In a win over Richard Montgomery,

the senior guard had 31

points, leading Sherwood to a

67-45 point victory. Sheahin stated

that Welch and Wilson are the

glue that holds the team together.

“They are consistent and show

leadership on and off the court,”

Sheahin said about the two senior

guards.

“Our team has improved on

our team defense,” Sheahin said,

adding that “defense wins championships

and we have held our

opponents to 57 points per game.”

This team’s defensive capabilities

are nothing to scoff at. Alongside

Wilson, Nix is a talented defender,

standing at a staggering 6’6”.

Nix averaged 15 points, 8 rebounds,

and 3.5 blocks through

the first 8 games of the season.

It wasn’t just the roster that

saw changes, but also the coaching

staff. The addition of Assistant

Coach Jeff Holda this season

Gary Peters

Sophomore Tyler Kominski swims breastroke against Poolesville at Martin Luther King Jr. Indoor Swim Center.

and Anne Arundel Counties. A

top challenger coming out of

Frederick will be Leonardtown.

Looking back to the last 15 years,

either Sherwood or Blair have

won the region, and it is looking

like history is going to repeat itself

once again. Sherwood has

faced Blair twice this season before

regionals, losing both meets

by just a few points. This made

for a very interesting and competitive

race for first place in the

4A/3A North region.

Cliff Vacin ‘25

Senior Guard Alex Welch dribbles the ball up the court in a 67-40 victory against a talented Springbrook team on Sherwood’s Senior Night.

has also helped push the Warriors

to greater heights. “Coach Holda

is like having an extra Head

Coach,” said Sheahin “He had

some great teams at Gaithersburg

and he knows how to coach. He

does a great job scouting and putting

together a great game plan

and is a big part of our 18-2 record.”

Going into the postseason,

Sherwood looks to end with the

first or second seed in the region,

guaranteeing at least two home

games in the playoffs. As Sheahin

said earlier in the year, “When

we get everyone playing well, we

will be a tough out in the playoffs,”

a sentiment that will be put

to the test in early March.

SHS_Warrior

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