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theWarrior

47th Year, Issue No. 4 April 10, 2025

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

www.thewarrioronline.com

Sherwood Community Reels Following

DOGE Assault on Federal Workforce

by Ziv Golan ‘26

March 17, 2025

DOGE officials gained access

to the US Institute of Peace.

Reports have also emerged that

DOGE officials have been illegally

questioning employees

across bureaucratic agencies.

MCPS Will Decide Whether To Expand School Phone Restrictions

by Madelyn Awwad ‘27

Recently, school districts

across Maryland have started

implementing stricter phone

policies, and MCPS is currently

running a pilot program at 11

schools to test new restrictions. If

successful, MCPS could expand

these restrictions to other high

schools, including Sherwood, as

soon as next school year.

The pilot program requires

students to keep their phones out

of sight during class, with some

schools enforcing even stricter

rules such as locking devices in

pouches or storing them in the

main office if students repeatedly

violate the policy. According to

an article in Bethesda Magazine,

early reports from pilot schools,

such as Rockville and Thomas

Pyle Middle School, show mixed

The federal workforce has

changed drastically since President

Trump took office. Shortly

after his election win the President

tapped tech billionaire Elon

Musk to lead an effort aimed

at cutting the size of the federal

government through the self-proclaimed

Department of Government

Efficiency, or DOGE. Since

then Trump has signed a multitude

of executive orders aiming

to cut probationary employees–

those working in a position for

less than a year– and force agencies

to downsize.

Due to its proximity to the

nation’s capital, Montgomery

County is home to a significant

number of federal workers working

in a wide variety of departments

and agencies. The region

is experiencing the brunt of the

Trump Administration’s mass

layoffs and other actions impacting

families across the area.

“I found out on Friday afternoon

[in February] from my boss

that I was going to be let go that

afternoon. He just heard from

our department’s admin officer

who also just found out,” said a

Sherwood parent recently laid off

from his IT position within the

U.S. Department of Health and

Human Services (HHS). “I didn’t

get an email notice until Saturday

night around 5:30pm from

the acting HR head from HHS.”

Due to concerns over privacy and

the potential for retaliation, the

sources in this article are anonymous.

Trump has taken measures

to uproot more flexible working

conditions that federal workers

have built up since the pandemic,

including removing telework.

Numerous federal employees

have largely worked from home

and many are unable to go into

the office five days a week due

to a variety of reasons, making

this move a possible detriment to

the careers of countless workers.

“They took away telework for all

federal employees and although

I tried to get a special accommodation

for a disability, it was

denied saying they could accommodate

my needs in the office and

I didn’t have to work at all from

home,” said another Sherwood

parent who works at the National

Security Agency (NSA). She has

a medical condition that makes it

difficult to go into the office.

Many federal office buildings

are also unable to accommodate

mass numbers of people

after years of only a limited number

of employees reporting to the

office. “The condition of my office

building is not equipped for

all the people who will be coming

back to work,” said a Sherwood

parent recently laid off from National

Institutes of Health (NIH).

“ There are not enough offices and

cubicles, the bathrooms are often

broken, and there is not even a

quarter of the parking needed.”

The claims of the Trump

administration and DOGE that

they are rooting out “waste” and

“bloat” in the federal government

has left federal workers feeling

their work is undervalued. “Morale

in my agency is very low, and

people are afraid of losing their

jobs and don’t feel valued at all,”

said the same NSA employee. “I

do have a fear I could be fired

even though I have 5 years of federal

service, but there are still a

lot of unknowns so no one knows

how many people will be let go

and what jobs or people they are

looking to cut.”

The operation to slim down

the federal government under the

premise of “cost-cutting” and “efficiency”

has largely been viewed

as a disorganized and confusing

effort by federal employees. Some

have been suddenly reassigned to

other positions but are at a loss of

when this will take place while

others have been fired, but have

received the news via emails sent

in the middle of the night and on

weekends. Court challenges have

also put many of these changes

High schools across the country are banning phone use in classes.

see DOGE, pg 3

Google Images

results. Many teachers stated they

have seen improved focus, better

class discussions, and fewer behavioral

issues. However, some

students at the schools have expressed

concerns about feeling

disconnected, anxious, or isolated

without their phones.

This month, MCPS is reviewing

the feedback and other

data and making any necessary

adjustments before releasing the

proposed policy for further feedback.

In May, MCPS is scheduled

to approve the final version, and

schools will begin preparing for

its implementation in the 2025-26

school year. At Sherwood, some

teachers already have different

ways of handling phones in their

classrooms. Social Studies teacher

Shawn Hillman, for example,

has a structured system where

students must place their phones

in designated slots when they

enter class. “If they don’t put it

Actions by the Departmeant of Government

Efficiency (DOGE) to cut Federal Workforce:

January 20, 2025

President Trump signs an executive

order to officially establish

DOGE as an office

within the purview of the Executive

Branch. He appointed Elon

Musk to head the agency.

April 5, 2025

Google Images

Google Images

“Hands Off” protests occur in all

50 states in opposition to Trump

and Musk’s restructuring of the

federal workforce. According to

organizers, millions of protesters

were in attendance.

away, I take it at the bell, and the

consequences involve getting the

parents involved and assigning

detentions,” said Hillman.

Spanish teacher Michelle

Bloom requires students to sign

a contract about phone use at the

beginning of the semester. “If I

see students on their phones repeatedly,

I talk to them once.

Then, I email their parents and

assign detention,” explained

Bloom.

Despite these efforts, phone

use is still a major problem at

Sherwood. Computer science

teacher Jason Daigle has noticed

an increase in distractions over

the years. “Some students have

learned how to manage their

phones, but in general, I see a

lot of students on their phones

throughout the day. It’s definitely

February 13, 2025

All probationary employees

fired from their positions within

the federal government. This

move was challenged in court

and led to the reinstatement of

fired workers.

April 1, 2025

Google Images

Google Images

10,000 employees from across

HHS were laid off including

most communications staff. Offices

working on critical information,

such as HIV research,

were also completely cut.

Google Images

by Ziv Golan ‘26

getting worse,” said Daigle.

Howard County Public

Schools recently announced a

new phone policy for the second

semester of this school year. Students

are only allowed to use their

phones before and after school,

during lunch, and between classes.

Beyond Maryland, other states

are also enforcing stricter phone

policies. Virginia’s governor

signed into law a “bell-to-bell”

policy that went into effect this

past January, and which requires

students to keep their phones

turned off and out of sight from

the start of the school day until

dismissal. As MCPS reviews the

results of its pilot program, it will

need to consider whether an approach

like Virginia’s is too strict

or if it is necessary to keep students

engaged.

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

Entertainment 14-17, Sports 18-20

Spotlight

Find out the best spots to go around

D.C. and Maryland.

Pages 10-11

Sports

Sherwood teams on the path to

compete for state championships.

Pages 18-20

2

AI Cameras To Reduce

Distracted Driving

by Nisha Khatri ‘26

Maryland lawmakers proposed AI cameras to reduce distracted

driving, but doing so has promoted privacy concerns.

Unlike traditional cameras, AI cameras utilize machine learning

in real-time to examine high-quality images and video footage.

Obvio manufactures these cameras and developed the AI-powered

traffic monitor with technology to detect traffic violations,

speeding, close-following, and phone usage. In Maryland, it is

illegal for drivers to use a handheld cell phone while driving,

but distracted driving still accounts for 34 percent of all deaths

in vehicle crashes and roadway fatalities in Maryland.

Bill SB0613 states that an in-camera feature enables focus

on mobile devices and does not capture facial recognition. The

image would have to capture at least two time-stamped pictures

and at least one clear picture of the registration plate number,

along with the driver acting illegally, though their face would be

blurred.

The cameras are currently being tested in Montgomery

County and Prince George’s County; nine captured 2,500

violations each day. Since it is a pilot program, it starts with

warnings and does not issue fines yet, but images taken by the

camera could eventually result in a $40 civil fine. If pulled over

by a police officer for the same offense, a driver can receive a

maximum fine of $83 for their first offense.

Some lawmakers remain skeptical. Maryland State Senator

Mary-Dulany James, for instance, believes the cameras could

be considered intrusive and would come as a shock to people

who receive the ticket and photo images by mail. Others are in

favor, believing that people should not be worried if they are

acting responsibly.

Bakery Opening in Olney

by Aby Lo ‘26

Classic Bakery, a bakery producing fine Middle Eastern

and Eastern European dishes, is opening in a new location at

18195 Village Center Dr. in early April. This is the bakery’s

third store in the DMV, along with locations in Gaithersburg

and Tyson’s Corner. It is taking over the space that was recently

home to Cold Stone Creamery, which has already moved to another

location within the village center.

Classic Bakery is well known for its wedding cakes, cafe

sandwiches, imported coffee, homemade Italian gelato, and

many other baked goods. Opened by Rubic Movsessian and his

father Souren Movsessian, Classic Bakery offers unique baking

traditions from different types of cultural backgrounds including

Persian, French, Armenian, Danish, Greek, and Arab.

The family business started over half a century ago by Grandpa

Souren, when he discovered his passion for baking back in

1947 while he was 17 still living in Tehran, Iran. Classic Bakery

could become a go-to spot to eat for anyone who enjoys a variety

of tasty, high-quality foods in a cozy and warm atmosphere.

Pickleball Athletes go to China

by Isabella Landaverde ‘27

Over this spring break, 31 students from seven different

MCPS high schools will head to China for an opportunity to

build international friendships through pickleball. Organized

by MCPS Athletics, the trip aims to promote cultural exchange

and unity through sports. Students from high schools including

Sherwood, Clarksburg, Winston Churchill, Damascus, Poolesville,

Richard Montgomery, and Wootton will travel to Shanghai,

Shenzhen, and Beijing. Sophomore Haley Corkery, junior

Ryan Prudenti, and senior Ryan Corkery will represent Sherwood

on the trip.

To prepare for this trip, students have practiced on a pickleball

court every Monday and each Thursday attend cultural

sessions to learn basic Chinese and customs for being respectful

during their visit. “I am really looking forward to the friendships

I will build, across borders, through this trip,” said Haley

Corkery. “I have never been to China and I look forward to

experiencing the country and its culture.”

This group is made up of students with a range of pickleball

experiences, from competitive players to those who’ve

only recently picked up a paddle. Weekly practices at Dill Dinkers

Pickleball Club have helped students sharpen their skills and

build teamwork ahead of the trip. Alongside athletic training,

the cultural preparation ensures students are ready to engage

respectfully and meaningfully with others, which will make this

trip much more than just sports.

The Warrior • News

April 10, 2025

Teachers Explore AI for Use in Instruction

by Piotr Popiel-Machnicki ‘26

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is

no longer just a distant idea—it

is here. It reshapes how teachers

teach and students learn. At

Sherwood, teachers are exploring

platforms like Magic School

AI and Diffit that they are trying

out in their own instructional

planning and materials, coming

across both the perks and pitfalls

of this speedily evolving technology.

Last school year, Sherwood’s

teachers received training from

MCPS on AI, though they didn’t

really care for it since the facilitators

spent too much time simply

explaining what AI was. This

year, during a January staff meeting,

Christine McKeldin, the head

of the social studies department,

took the reins, giving teachers a

hands-on introduction to Magic

School AI—a tool that many now

swear by.

Think of Magic School AI

as a digital Swiss Army knife

for teachers. Staff Development

Teacher Sarah Pruchniewski

raves that it’s like a “one-stop

shop… It has essentially everything

that [teachers] need.”

Whether it’s whipping up

lesson plans, generating test

questions, or even drafting recommendation

letters, this AI

powerhouse does it all. Need to

write a mastery objective for the

Trump Takes Over Kennedy Center

by Paloma Illanes ‘25

The John F. Kennedy Center

for the Performing Arts, an

elegant theatre located in Washington

D.C. on the banks of the

Potomac River, is undergoing

significant changes this year as

President Donald Trump takes

on the role of center chairman.

Established in 1971, the Kennedy

Center has brought countless

audience members to its prestigious

venue for an abundance of

art forms, ranging from classical

ballet, the National Symphony

Orchestra, musical theatre,

and more. Trump’s plans as sole

chairman will throw the performing

art center’s 54 years of rich

history into jeopardy as he has indicated

major shifts in what will

be allowed to take its stages.

Upon his self-appointment

to the position of Chairman,

Trump removed previous board

members to appoint his own set

of names, abolishing the bipartisan

tradition. Trump’s selections

to the board include Fox News

host Laura Ingraham and anchor

Maria Bartiromo, which further

add to the potential bias and conservatism

brought in Trump also

fired Deborah Rutter, who had

been president for a decade. He

appointed Richard Grenell, the

presidential envoy for special

missions, as the interim executive

director. “Ric shares my Vision

for a GOLDEN AGE of American

Arts and Culture, and will be

overseeing the daily operations of

the Center,” declared Trump in a

social media post discussing his

reasoning behind the move.

board? Type in the topic, and

Magic School AI delivers it instantly.

Some teachers have also

explored Diffit, another AI tool

with similar capabilities to Magic

School AI, which they use to craft

reading guides, refine lesson material,

and even build interactive

learning activities.

Of course, there are ethical

responsibilities when using technology.

“It’s just like with students—you

type it in, and then

you just submit whatever AI does.

Are some teachers doing that?

I hope not,” Pruchniewski said.

AI can obviously save time, but

it should not replace human judgment.

AI-generated content must

be carefully reviewed to ensure

accuracy and relevance.

Social studies teacher Scott

Allen, who has taken graduate-level

training from MCPS

and did his own research and experimentation

with AI software,

views it as an assistant rather

than a crutch. “AI has the ability

to help teachers be more equitable

in their teaching because it

makes our ability to differentiate

topics, content, assignments, and

feedback much less labor-intensive

and time-consuming,” he

explained. In addition to Magic

School AI, Allen has experimented

with platforms like Snorkel

and ClassCompanion that make it

possible to provide instant feedback

to students, which made the

Trump announced his takeover of the arts center on February 9.

Trump has never seen any

shows at the Kennedy Center,

but among his visions for its future

are making performances

less “woke” and ridding it of any

“anti-American propaganda.” He

has not attended the Kennedy

Center Honors either, a celebration

recognizing top musical and

performing artists for their career

accomplishments. In the past, it’s

been common courtesy for presidents

to attend, but it’s speculated

Trump avoided the prestigious

awards each year of his first presidency

after honoree Norman

Lear’s threat of not going in 2017

if Trump would be attending.

Many patrons and artists

alike worry over what this change

in direction means for the future.

Trump has suggested he wants

to get rid of performances that

he deems detrimental to viewers.

These include shows with

LGBTQ+ themes, apparently a

reference to “Dragtastic Dress-

Up” which debuted last year.

learning process much more efficient

and interactive.

However, AI is not flawless—it

can misinterpret and

falsify facts, or even churn out

generic responses. “AI can’t be

trusted, so teachers cannot make

the assumption that whatever it

spits out is true or correct,” Allen

warned. This is why teachers

must double-check materials generated

by AI and ensure they’re

factual. AI is definitely not a replacement

for human expertise; it

can be only a tool to enhance it.

So, is AI going to stay in education?

It clearly seems that way.

“AI is becoming a crucial part of

the workforce and life in general,

so it also must become important

in education. We need to teach

students how to use AI responsibly

and productively,” Allen

emphasized. That means treating

AI only as a partner, not a shortcut

for laziness. Of course, AI has

the potential to revolutionize, but

teachers at Sherwood need to remain

cautious, keeping in mind

that overdependence could be

counterproductive.

Allen said the message for

teachers is the same as for students.

“Use AI for good! It can

be a powerful partner, but you

still have to be in the driver’s seat

and be educated enough to use it

correctly. Otherwise, it is the user,

and you are the tool.”

Google Images

Trump has stated that he wants to

make the Kennedy Center more

appealing to a broader audience

by paying homage to the history

of America in the shows he brings

in. With more than 2,000 events

offered to the community each

year, Grenell has indicated that

Washingtonians can expect more

country music featured in the upcoming

season.

Patrons and artists are grappling

with whether they should

cancel their memberships and

shows out of protest. People feel

as though the new politics surrounding

the Kennedy Center

no longer align with their ethical

beliefs, and want no part in

Trump’s “Golden Age.” Ticket

sales and donations have reportedly

dropped considerably since

Trump announced his takeover.

Several artists have already

cancelled or relocated, notably

Broadyway’s Hamilton that was

set to return to the stage in 2026.

DOGE Targets Workers

from SHERWOOD, pg 1

in flux; case in point, recently a

federal judge ruled all fired probationary

employees must be

reinstated, causing mass confusion.

In general, the lack of information

has created feelings of

uncertainty that have permeated

into the personal lives of federal

workers. “My daily life feels

significantly different because

the injustice of my job loss is an

ever-present feeling,” expressed

a Sherwood parent recently transferred

from her position as a

lawyer within the Department of

Justice. “Each day counts down

closer to my last day in this job.

Every day I feel the stress of

uncertainty because, although

weeks have passed, I still have

nothing in writing confirming

that I will be transferred rather

than fired. I worry daily about

whether I will in fact be able to

remain employed and provide for

my family.”

Federal workers have had

to change their, or their families’,

lifestyles to accommodate

the shift in their work lives. “My

two close friends have fathers

who have had to go up to DC every

day which has affected their

transportation to school since a

lot of parents have to take a car

their student was using to drive

to school,” explained a Sherwood

student who is the child of a federal

employee.

The student’s mother is employed

by the Food and Drug

Administration (FDA), working

on cancer research, and has had

to return to going into the office

every day. She has had to leave


April 10, 2025

for work every morning at 5am,

and has faced a heavy security

presence when entering the building.

Reports have also emerged

that DOGE officials have been

scanning employee’s badges as

they enter the office to ensure no

workers who have been fired have

access to the building, not even to

collect their belongings.

Many of these federal workers

are at a loss of what to do if,

or when, they may lose their jobs

and have to rework any future

plans they have. This may mean

possibly looking beyond a previously

safe job, as many federal

positions were due to a variety

of legal protections that Trump

is now attempting to remove, to

explore other options.

“I’m trying to look on the

bright side; maybe at age 52 it’s

time to try something new in my

career path, but I will need to retrain,

and that costs money,” said

a Sherwood parent laid off from

NIH who recently began a yoga

teacher-training course.

Demands from federal agencies

to “eliminate positions that

are not required” coupled with the

attempted closure of departments

and agencies such as the Department

of Education and US Agency

for International Development

(USAID), both of which deemed

unnecessary by the Trump administration,

put everyone at risk

from probationary employees to

lifelong feds. There is no doubt

that the Sherwood, and DC, area

will be forever altered by the

mass restructuring taking place

within every corner of the federal

government with the effects already

on full display.

Directive Threatens Colleges

by Nick Hammond ‘25

On February 14, the Trump

Administration’s Department of

Education’s (DoE) Office for Civil

Rights sent out a letter directing

institutions from preschools

through colleges to stop using

“racial preferences” in admissions

and other areas. This came

following President Trump’s various

executive orders deeming

“diversity, equity, and inclusion”

(DEI) throughout the government

illegal. Trump officials declared

that all race-based and DEI-following

educational programs and

policies are discriminatory and illegal,

and gave institutions a twoweek

deadline to comply or face

investigations that could lead to

loss of federal funding.

For college institutions, this

message came abruptly and left

them with a deadline that felt impossible

to meet. Even at private

universities, government funding

that supports scholarships could

be cut if a school doesn’t comply

with DEI guidelines. With the

exorbitant cost of college, this

has left many students concerned

that they would be unable to afford

pursuing their education if

schools do not comply, censor, or

remove their programs to appease

the administration. Even solely

merit-based scholarships could

be cut if a school doesn’t comply

in other areas. Some schools even

began removing certain majors

which focused upon gender or

race, limiting career paths.

On February 28, the original

deadline for colleges to comply,

the DoE clarified its guidelines

in a more formal and legally precise

manner. Throughout a new

letter, it contended that applying

DEI doesn’t automatically

make a program in violation of

civil rights law, that they cannot

require schools to restrict First

Amendment rights or directly

alter school curricula, and culturally-focused

programs are permitted

so long as all students can

participate.

Many administrators found

this second letter useful in reducing

anxiety and better understanding

expectations. However,

many educational institutions

and students still worry about the

effects of the first letter and this

initiative overall. A high-profile

lawsuit has already alleged that

Trump’s orders threaten academic

freedom and access to higher

education by violating the Constitution,

and legal scholars such as

Boston University’s Jonathan Feingold

claim universities are still

rolling “back their legally sound,

morally just and mission-critical

[DEI] programs.”

Incidents Raise Alarms about Air Flight Safety

by Nisha Khatri ‘26

In the last three months, incidents

have raised questions over

aviation safety. From a midair

collision in Washington D.C. to a

plane crash in Philadelphia and a

near-collision at Chicago Midway

Airport, apprehensive air travelers

have reasons for concern. Security

is also questionable, with

a recent American Airline plane

diversion and stowaways in a Jet-

Blue plane at a Florida airport.

The tragic midair collision

of the American Airlines regional

jet and a Black Hawk military

helicopter in Washington D.C. in

late January dominated headlines,

setting waves through the aviation

industry and resulting in the

deaths of 67 people. The helicopter

was reportedly at an increased

altitude of around 278 feet when

the permissible altitude is 200

feet near the airport. The National

Transportation Safety Board

(NTSB) said the cockpit computers

may have provided them with

incorrect information about their

flying height before the crash.

Miscommunication may have

also played a role, with pilots

possibly missing a message from

an air traffic controller warning

them about the nearby plane. Experts

for years have raised concerns

about the levels of air traffic

around Washington’s Reagan National

Airport, and helicopters are

now permanently banned from

flying near the airport in hopes of

preventing a similar incident.

Avian Influenza Still Spreading across U.S.

by Julius Lindner ‘26

What is the bird flu?

The avian influenza, in popular

parlance also known as bird

flu, is a virus that usually spreads

amongst birds and sometimes

even other animals like cats or

cattle. Like other viruses, it has

mutations which are potentially

more dangerous to humans.

Based on the two proteins, which

each have multiple subtypes, they

can be divided into two groups:

highly pathogenic avian influenza

(HPAI) or low pathogenic avian

influenza (LPAI), the main difference

being that HPAI virus causes

more deaths. But some LPAI viruses

can change into HPAI viruses

and therefore have to be closely

monitored. The avian influenza

has been around for a long time

but the first HPAI outbreak in the

U.S. occurred in 2015 and the

second outbreak began in February

of 2022 and has been ongoing

ever since.

How does it spread?

The avian influenza occurs

naturally among wild aquatic

birds and some of them, such as

ducks, may not even get sick.

Nevertheless, it is really contagious

as contact with saliva, nasal

secretions, or feces of an infected

bird can be enough to spread it.

From wild birds it easily spreads

to domestic animals like poultry,

who can infect each other. But

not only birds can get infected,

as many mammals have died of

the avian flu and its victims range

seem to widen. On March 24 in

Recent collisions and crashes have raised concerns about safety.

A few days later, a new story

emerged about a crash of a medical

jet in Philadelphia, resulting

in the deaths of all on board. The

NTSB said the flight’s crew was

in communication with the air

traffic control with no signs of

issues, and it has now been classified

as an accident. The cockpit

voice recorder (CVR) further did

not record the flight and may not

have been for years, prompting

concerns as a functional CVR is

crucial for investigation and data.

At Chicago Midway Airport in

late February, a near-collision

sparked further concern. A Flex-

Jet Challenger business jet entered

the runway without authorization

due to miscommunication,

forcing the Southwest jet to circle

then re-enter the landing. The

Federal Aviation Administration

has since met with general and

England, the avian flu firstly was

detected in a sheep and the British

government says it adds to the

growing list of mammals infected

by the disease, which is fuelling

fears of a pandemic.

Is the bird flu dangerous for humans?

How high is the risk of

people getting infected?

The avian flu can be dangerous

to humans, and there are 70

reported cases of humans getting

infected in the U.S. and one

death. The current public health

risk is still low and the general

public is not in danger, according

to infectious disease experts.

This is mainly due to the fact that

it doesn’t appear to spread from

person to person.

When someone gets sick, it

usually takes 3 to 5 days for the

first symptoms to appear after

they have been infected. It causes

symptoms like aching muscles, a

headache, a cough or shortness

of breath, chest pain and many

more.

What are the impacts on the

economy?

Since this outbreak started

in 2022, 868 commercial poultry

flocks in the U.S have been affected

and therefore the economic

consequences have been sub-

3

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business aviation groups to better

ensure future safety.

Security concerns, along

with technological concerns, are

also on the rise. Originally travelling

from New York to New

Dehli, an American Airlines

flight was diverted to Rome due

to a bomb threat in February. The

threat was sent through email and

was reported by the crew, but

nothing was found after inspection.

Earlier in January, two dead

teenage bodies were found in the

wheel wall of a JetBlue plane.

Authorities remain uncertain

about how they entered the space,

and given the bodies were decomposed,

they were likely there for

several flights. Incidents such as

these raise questions about airport

security measures and access

to aircraft, underscoring the need

for better surveillance.

Google Images

stantial. The avian influenza has

caused an estimated $1.41 billion

burden on consumers in 2024. It

affected 38.4 million commercial

egg-laying birds which led

to a shortage of eggs and an increase

in prices. According to the

Bureau of Labor Statistics, retail

egg prices reached $4.95 per dozen

this past January, an increase

of 96 percent compared to January

2024. Apart from eggs other

animals including broilers (meat

chicken) and turkeys have been

affected.

What is the Trump administration

planning on doing?

The U.S. Department of Agriculture

has announced a $1 billion

plan to help U.S. farmers deal

with the avian influenza. Officials

said they will budget $500m for

biosecurity measures, roughly

$100m for vaccine research and

development, and $400m for

farmer financial relief programs.

However, it will take some time

to resolve the issue. “It won’t

erase the problem overnight,”

said agriculture secretary Brook

Rollins. According to Rollins,

the egg, poultry, and dairy market

will likely not stabilize for another

“three to six months.”

4


April 10, 2025

What’s That Smell?

Education Blueprint Faces Budget Crunch

by Evelyn San Miguel ‘26

and Ziv Golan ‘26

The Blueprint for Maryland’s

Future, passed by the

Maryland legislature in 2021, is

increasingly resulting in significant

concerns around the pragmatism

of the costs and execution of

the Blueprint’s main objectives.

The Blueprint calls for increased

funding across all spheres of public

education, namely teacher pay

and special education programs.

Despite being passed through

Maryland’s house, the plan has

run into increased opposition

from Republican legislators along

with Governor Wes Moore (D)

himself, both of whom support an

abridged version of the amended

bill to include spending cuts.

A $3 billion dollar gap in the

proposed 2026 state fiscal budget

has been one of the driving

factors behind the concerns the

Blueprint has faced, with many

Maryland officials wondering

how the Blueprint’s lofty targets

would be fulfilled. Among the

many asks and changes that the

Blueprint proposes, over a tenyear

period, is changing the ratio

of time spent by educators on

“collaborative time,” which refers

to time spent working on lesson

plans and class curriculum. The

Blueprint aims to increase collaborative

time within the school

day; however, this would cut the

amount of time teachers spend in

the classroom by 20 percent — a

task that would require an additional

15,000 teachers to be hired,

Maryland’s State House is where much of the debate takes place.

an improbable goal for a country

in the midst of a teacher shortage.

MCPS currently employs

around 13,000 teachers for about

160,000 students. This proposed

bill would require a national

campaign to recruit out-of-state

teachers to achieve the ideal of

doubling the number of educators

in the school system. Additionally,

the original bill proposed a

$10,000 raise of the base-level

pay for new teachers to $60,000

as a way to provide educators

with a greater incentive to work

in Maryland. Additionally, the

plan will require school districts

to increase spending in certain

spheres, straining resources and

budget. Another proposed change

to the bill by Moore also includes

allowing individual school districts

to request an exemption

from the proposed raise of baseline

pay. This would effectively

cancel out any possible advantage

that the pay raise would provide,

highlighting the difficulty of implementing

such an extensive

plan.

Another proposed cut to

the bill includes a cut of a poverty

grant, which is funding

that schools obtain based on the

number of students that receive

free and reduced-cost meals. Although

this funding freeze could

save money overall, it would pose

detrimental effects to the future of

such schools, whose communities

and students rely on the funding

to maintain school services that

are offered to low-income students.

Investing in the future of

these schools ensures that these

students are able to access the

same educational opportunities

as other Maryland students. Although

cuts to the bill could provide

a gateway for the full services

of the Blueprint to go into

effect, without proper access to

funds the bill could pull money

away from other areas of support

within the state budget.

Federal Government Targets Transgender Youth

by Cliff Vacin ‘25

Over the past few months,

five executive orders have been

signed by President Donald

Trump about transgender individuals.

Following up on prominent

campaign themes when Trump

was running for president, the

orders employ such phrasing as

“gender ideology extremism,”

“discriminatory equity ideology,”

and “chemical/surgical mutilation.”

On February 5 President

Trump passed multiple executive

orders regarding the status

of transgender individuals, most

notably transgender juveniles in

female sports. One of the President’s

most recent executive orders,

titled Keeping Men Out of

Women’s Sports, relates to prohibiting

transgender women from

using women’s locker rooms and

participating in school-related female-only

sports teams. Although

this executive order mainly focused

on collegiate transgender

athletes, some states changed their

policies for public K-12 schools

to follow the order. A similar bill

was passed in the House of Representatives

but was blocked by

the Senate in March.

Another executive order issued

by Trump titled Protecting

Children from Chemical and

Surgical Mutilation set forward

boundaries that “children—defined

by the administration as

individuals under the age of 19–

will no longer be able to transition

physically. This order has

been temporarily blocked by a

federal judge, and since then, the

ban has been additionally extended.

States have had the ability to

dictate whether or not the youth

in their state would be able to

physically transition. Physical

transition accessible to minors

is quite limited; individuals may

only access hormone therapy at

16 with parental permission, and

sometimes a year or two earlier

if they are deemed a danger to

themself due to gender dysphoria.

Trump’s executive orders do

not only limit adolescents, however,

as Trump targets certain legal

rights that transgender adults

possess. One of the executive orders

passed on Trump’s first day

in office was Initial Recissions

of Harmful Executive Orders

and Actions; which sought to remove

many anti-discrimination

orders made during Joe Biden’s

presidency, including ones that

protected transgender individuals

from workplace and housing discrimination.

Trump’s executive

order entails that individuals will

be able to be refused services for

housing and be fired from their

jobs solely based on their gender

identity.

Defending Women from

Gender Ideology Extremism and

Restoring Biological Truth to the

Federal Government was an executive

order signed on Trump’s

first day in office. Focused on

gender markers in documentation,

this executive order stated

Google Images

that individuals align with their

biological sex and that there were

only two genders. The Social

Security Office has also banned

individuals from changing their

sex on federal documents. Some

people reported having their documents

taken and were not returned.

On February 27, the order

Prioritizing Military Excellence

and Readiness stated that the

United States military would now

exclude transgender individuals,

categorizing gender dysphoria

under mental conditions such as

bipolar disorder, eating disorders,

and suicidality. After two cases

were filed against the executive

order, a judge barred all military

officials from following the new

policy, effectively placing a temporary

ban until the courts could

rule further.

The executive orders at the

federal level follow actions by

many conservative states. More

than half of the states do not provide

full rights for individuals

to transition. Georgia, for example,

has a proposed bill banning

the funding of gender-affirming

care for adults. At least 10 states

have stated that their government

would seek to define “male” and

“female” in their constitution to

align with their biological sex,

along with setting standards to

segregate bathrooms and locker

rooms by biological sex. In February,

Iowa’s governer signed a

bill that removed gender identity

from state civil rights protections.

by Rachel Themistokleous ‘25

Principal Tim Britton sent an

email February 28 to teachers and

other staff addressing concerns

about students smelling like marijuana,

and the smell wafting out

of the restrooms and through the

hallways. At Britton’s direction,

a number of teachers showed the

email to their students for them to

understand new guidelines.

“We were seeing a sudden

uptick of use inside and around

the building,” explained Britton.

“Therefore, I think it was appropriate

to make an announcement

to remind everyone what our

rules are.”

In the email, Britton stated

that if a teacher suspects something

is going on in a bathroom,

they need to let security know

immediately. If a student is then

found hanging out in the restroom,

security and admin will

clear them out and a search will

possibly take place. Administration

also is locking the bathrooms

more frequently.

Britton additionally issued

guidance for what teachers should

do if they suspect a student smells

of marijuana, such as alerting

administration and security right

away. The student will then see

the nurse in the health room for

observation. If it is not clear that

the student was explicitly using

marijuana, the school will just

send a call home to the student’s

parents and the student will have

to go home for the day. However,

nothing will be put on a permanent

record.

MCPS recently reached a

settlement with e-cigarette maker

Juul to use $2 million in funds

to install devices that detect vape

nicotine or marijuana smoke in

bathrooms. The devices were

installed at Sherwood in mid-

March and have caught a number

of students already. When the detectors

pick up smoke, they send

a notification to security and administrators’

phones. Someone is

then sent to conduct a self-search

on anyone within the bathroom.

If a student is caught using or in

possession of any type of drug,

the school will issue an out of

school suspension and notify

parents right away. These new

actions aim to reduce growing

health concerns regarding vaping

among students, as well as creating

a safer school environment

for all students.

“Staff, not just admin and

security, have to help us with

these new rules,” said Britton.

“Checking bathrooms, checking

hallways, and being consistent

about following through with our

consequences [will help guide]

students do the right thing.”

Supreme Court Hears MCPS Case


The Supreme Court on January

17 agreed to hear Mahmoud

v. Taylor, a case repeatedly denied

by the lower courts on the

subject of MCPS parents’ rights

to opt-out their children from the

reading of books with LGBTQ+

themes in K-6 classes. The parents,

who are Muslim, Roman

Catholic, and Ukrainian Orthodox

respectively, argue that the

school district has violated their

First Amendment rights on the

grounds of religious freedom. Set

to have oral arguments heard on

April 22, the case arrives at a time

of immense debate, strife, and

conflict around the subject of parental

rights, religious freedoms,

and the LGBTQ+ community.

Parents, backed by religious

organizations like the Becket

Fund, are advocating for the

county to provide them with the

option to opt-out of the reading

of these books to their children,

which would require a notification

to parents prior to the introduction

of any books that contain

themes that could conflict with

religious beliefs. Initially, MCPS

allowed parents the choice to

opt-out — similar to the option

to opt-out of the Human Life and

Sexuality unit in health classes —

when the books were introduced

in October of 2022, but reversed

that decision in March of 2023.

As Mahmoud v. Taylor

gained traction and was appealed

to the Supreme Court, conservative

and religious organizations

like the Fund — who are sponsoring

the plaintiff in this case

— argue that parents do not give

up their rights to parent their children

just because they send them

to public school. The Becket

Fund argues that the decision to

introduce children to such themes

should be up to parents.

The “inclusivity” books were

announced for Pre-K through

fifth grade in 2022, including

elementary-aged titles like “Uncle

Bobby’s Wedding,” “Pride

Puppy,” and “My Rainbow,”

feature discussions of same-sex

marriage, transgender youth, and

drag queens — all topics that

have been highly controversial

in all spheres of American politics.

These books are a part of

an approved list for MCPS that

are options “made available for

individual reading, classroom

read-alouds, and other educational

activities designed to foster

and enhance literacy skills.”

The parents, who testified to their

apprehension on having children

participate in lessons contrary to

their religious beliefs, consider

the subjects inappropriate for

their children to learn in school.

“The storybooks are not used

in any lessons related to gender

and sexuality. Nor is any student

asked or expected to change his

or her views about his or her own,

or any other student’s, sexual

orientation or gender identity,”

the district maintains. Should the

court rule in favor of the parents,

MCPS will have to alter their

policy to allow the opting-out of

book readings with themes that

conflict with religious faith, and

the implications for the future of

parents’ rights will likely continue

should the precedent be set

with a favorable ruling.


April 10, 2025

Artificial Intelligence Useage Poses Massive Threat to Environment

by Lilah Boig ‘26

As Artificial Intelligence

(AI) impacts increasingly more

aspects of people’s lives, many

are aware of concerns about it,

from students having easier access

to cheating, to privacy concerns

as companies and governments

harness it. However, the

environmental impacts of AI often

go unnoticed.

In order to produce AI, it has

to be run through a large facility,

called a data center, where the

infrastructure used to train and

send out AI services is housed.

These centers consume enormous

amounts of energy and to obtain

that energy, they often burn fossil

fuels, releasing harmful greenhouse

gases into the earth’s atmosphere

and contributing to pollution.

Any addition to the amount

of fossil fuels in the environment

AI utilizes immense amounts of energy, contributing to climate change.

worsens global warming, but

according to the Yale School of

environment it’s predicted that

by 2026 AI data centers in the

United States will consume as

much energy as all of Japan does

today. The more AI is used and in

demand, this will only exponentially

increase. “A request made

through ChatGPT, an AI-based

virtual assistant, consumes 10

times the electricity of a Google

5

Search,” reported the International

Energy Agency.

In addition to the tremendous

amount of energy used by AI,

it’s hardware also requires a lot

of precious materials, including

“cobalt, silicon, gold, and many

other metals,” reports Yale Professor

Yuan Yao, who is part of a

National Science Foundation-led

research initiative aimed at reducing

the carbon footprint of computing.

Many of these metals are

imported from all over the globe,

primarily from China and South

American countries. While the

United States is pushing for new

initiatives to have local mining, it

nonetheless takes billions of dollars

from the economy and disrupts

land around it. Almost every

mining ground releases harmful

toxins into the soil and uproots

the habitats previously there. Although

AI is predicted to be able

to be used to streamline some

mineral mining expeditions, the

process of gaining the materials

to construct AI in the first place

adds harmful mining grounds to

the earth’s environment.

A more local concern of AI is

the amount of water necessary to

keep the production centers running

due to the extreme amount

of heat released from the large

amounts of energy consumption.

According to a study done

by the Washington Post in 2024,

“a 100 word email done through

ChatGPT once weekly for a year

by 1 out of 10 working Americans

requires 435,235,476 liters

of water.” These levels of water

consumption take away from the

finite amount of fresh water the

world has access to. They also

pull from the local water sources

where the data centers are located,

driving up water bills for residents.

While AI presents itself as

modern technology that will propel

humans into the future, the

damage it is doing to the environment

will accelerate climate

change. Due to AI’s rapid development,

it’s hard for people to

keep up with all of the facts on the

effects; but no matter what these

new “AI footprints” will certainly

have even more lasting effects on

Earth.

Student Fights See Upward Trend at Sherwood

by Audrey Farris ‘25

and Jordan Costolo ‘25

Recently, Sherwood has seen a troubling

increase in the number of physical

altercations among students. What was

once a rare occurrence has now become

more frequent and concerning, leaving

students, teachers, and parents alike

questioning the root causes behind these

outbursts, as well as what the school administration

is doing to prevent it.

“There has been an increase this

year than in previous years, yes,” explained

Principal Timothy Britton. He

attributed the recent rise in the number

of fights to the winter months, when students

spend less time outside and more

inside school.

While there is no doubt that the

number of fights occurring at Sherwood

have increased, the number of security

guards on the front line to stop these

fights has been inconsistently staffed.

Many security guards have come

through Sherwood over the past five

years, with only a few of them remaining

for more than a year or two.

“Lots of the people who have

worked here ended up moving to other

schools,” said security guard Brian

Morgan. “They originally thought high

school was what they wanted to do, but

changed their minds. This job can be a

lot. I have done substitute teaching at

some middle schools, and there are a lot

fewer fights than what we have here.”

When other staff such as teachers

are first on the scene of a fight, they

may be reluctant to intervene because

they have not received training from

the Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI)

for how to break up a fight. “There’s no

real restrictions on teachers intervening

in a fight, but a lot of the time teachers

don’t really know what to do, as security

guards are specially trained to stop

student fights and know how to separate

people,” explained Morgan. “Usually,

teachers are helpful for traffic control,

keeping the area clear so security can do

what we can do to separate everyone.”

In the aftermath of a fight, authority

is shifted from security to administration,

who are in charge of dealing

Doninique Dixon, Head of School Security, monitors footage from school cameras.

with the students and any punishment they

receive. “After separating the two parties,

our [security’s] job on the scene is to investigate,

take statements, and really just

try and get the full story on what happened

and why the fight occurred,” explained

Morgan.

Britton said that not all fights will

rise to the level of out-of-school suspension.

When the fight is not considered to

be a formal Serious Incident, the response

“might just be separating the two, having

a meeting, calling parents, and maybe

assigning detention or an in-school intervention

of some kind.” Britain added that

when punches are thrown in the fight and

certainly if one or more students get hurt,

the administration will apply stronger disciplinary

consequences.

In recent years, MCPS has shifted

away from traditional punishment in which

students are simply suspended from school

for fighting. Social studies resource teacher

Christine McKeldin is a team leader of the

school’s restorative justice program, which

is a county-wide effort to use mediation in

Google Images

Admin Attempts Various Approaches in Response to Fighting Incidents

Zach Geller ‘25

response to students fighting. “I think restorative

justice does help in a lot of ways.

It teaches people how to communicate and

solve issues on even ground,” said McKeldin.

“Although sometimes students do

need more than one intervention of restorative

justice, it’s all a part of the process of

learning how to deal with things without

fighting.”

McKeldin explained that restorative

justice at Sherwood is used along with disciplinary

consequences, not as a replacement

for them. The purpose of restorative

justice is for the involved students to mend

fences and stop conflicts from happening

again. “I will say that students that have

had restorative justice are not the same as

they started out in 9th grade,” said McKeldin.

“They show a lot more maturity and

understanding now.”

“What [restorative justice] means is

bringing students together, even the students

that were involved,” Britton explained.

“Trying to have students work out

their problems instead of just saying don’t

do it again.”

Cell Phone Recordings Help

Normalize Fighting

by Aby Lo ‘26

and Shannon Naas ‘26

During this past school year, the

number of fights that have escalated

between students at Sherwood has concerningly

surged. As students become

more dependent on technology, fight

videos tend to spread faster throughout

the school, making it more accessible for

students to see and share with others.

A New York Times article reviewed

more than 400 fight videos from schools

in California, Georgia, Texas and other

states, as well as conducted interviews

with three dozen school leaders, teachers,

police officers, parents, and researchers.

The article found that there was a pattern

of both middle and high school students

using their phones and social media to

set up, capture, and spread the videos of

their fellow peers violently beating one

another. The phenomenon raises concerns

about the safety of schools as well

as about the educational environment in

which students are seen on videos running

down hallways or leaving their

classes to watch a fight.

Principal Tim Britton agrees that social

media as well as students texting on

group chats has increased the frequency

of disputes that sometimes lead to physical

altercations. “I think phones have a

huge impact because students are reacting

to things that they’re seeing through

messaging, social media, somebody

sharing something with them--even if it

wasn’t sent directly to them about them--

and it’s happening in a much faster rate,”

said Britton, who added that there have

been instances when students have faced

consequences when caught recording or

spreading footage to other students.

Brian Morgan, one of Sherwood’s

security guards, has seen firsthand that

phones have contributed to the increase

in fights. “When a fight happens, people

end up sharing it around social media,

meaning more people see it and think it’s

more common than it is,” said Morgan.

“The frequency of fight videos normalizes

fighting in school. It encourages kids,

making kids who might have problems

outside of the building more comfortable

with solving them inside the building.”

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 serves as Sherwood’s news source,

receiving numerous state and national honors

over the 46 years it has been in circulation.

With a staff of 37 students under the guidance

of Peter Huck, The Warrior keeps the Sherwood

community informed about local and

national events. All opinion articles represent

the viewpoint of the writer.

The Warrior staff invites feedback and corrections

to printed inaccuracies.

The Warrior reserves the right to refuse advertisements

and other promotionals.

The Warrior • Opinions

April 10, 2025

Too Much of the Same in Olney

by Ryan Green ‘26

Do you ever get a feeling of

déjá vu when driving around Olney?

It’s probably because you

feel like you’re seeing some of

the same places over and over.

Olney has a repeating feature of

fast food restaurants and grocery

stores while missing a discount

department store like a Target or

Walmart to buy a wide range of

items. Oh, don’t forget that there

is no movie theatre. While many

neighboring towns, such as Rockville

and Gaithersburg, boast

central spots for residents to grab

everything from quality sports

equipment and fitness items to

hammers and ladders, Olney does

not. Instead, local residents are

forced to rely on online shipping

or make 20-minute drives to other

parts of Montgomery County.

This missing cornerstone of community

life is striking, especially

when you consider Olney has five

Starbucks, two Dunkin Donuts,

and four grocery stores.

Olney needs to make room

for missing types of stores by

combining or removing many of

the excess fast food restaurants

and grocery stores. First off, the

Dunkin Donuts off of Village

Mart Drive is only open for 7

hours 6 days a week, which is a

sure sign of a business struggling.

The place is run down, with issues

like cracked glass and poor

parking lots. Instead, take that

prime real estate and make room

President Donald Trump’s

announcement on March 20 to

command new Secretary of Education

Linda McMahon to dismantle

the Department of Education

has sent waves of shock

throughout the country and local

community, but this declaration

was just formalizing something

that’s already been going on since

Trump took office on January 20.

This can be seen through Trump’s

various executive orders and the

actions taken by members of his

cabinet. One major example of

this is the Trump administration’s

elimination of the Office for Civil

Rights’ (OCR) Book Ban Coordinator

at the department, who was

put in charge by the Biden Administration

in 2023 of making

training and planning guidance

to deter schools from banning

books, specifically related to sexual

orientation or racial diversity.

In late January, a Trump appointee

at the Department of Education

officially called a series

of major book ban allegations

being investigated by the OCR

under the Biden administration a

‘hoax’. Following this the Acting

Assistant Secretary for Civil

Rights, Craig Trainor, officially

eliminated the position of a Book

Ban Coordinator outright, ex-

for a small supplement store or a

bookstore, for just two ideas.

The examples of poor planning

pile up as Olney has an

abundance of Starbucks. While

many are placed strategically,

some seem out of place. Nestled

among the tedious number of grocery

stores are three Starbucks,

all within walking range. Not

only would removing those unnecessary

drink refreshers stores

make space, getting rid of the

Harris Teeter or Giant would definitely

make room for a theatre or

a large store like Ikea. There is no

reason to have Giant and Harris

Teeter so geographically close together,

particularly when there is

a Safeway across the street on the

other side of Route 108. Olney

has barely any places to hang out

Trump Admin Is Removing

Protections against Censorship

by Zach Geller ‘25

plaining that it’s an example of

how “the department is beginning

the process of restoring the fundamental

rights of parents to direct

their children’s education.”

Without the position of a

Book Ban Coordinator, the OCR

is left powerless in fighting back

against school book bans on the

national level. This could lead

to some states or school districts

choosing to restrict books and

curriculum that has material that

is deemed as controversial or inappropriate.

The message being

sent by the Trump administration

is that it will not stand in the way

of censorship of material related

to gender, sexual orientation, and

race.

In fact, the federal government

itself might be the entity

that ends up banning books in

schools. Trump signed the Ending

Radical Indoctrination in

K-12 Schooling executive order,

which includes fiery demands

towards Department of Ed. staff,

such as stopping teachers from

calling a student a different name

than their birth name or using altered

pronouns.

The dangers of the executive

order come from its vague

infringements on what is taught

in schools, as it claims it will cut

funding for schools that teach

subjects about ”gender ideology

Matthew Leighton-Jones ‘25

Olney needs more inviting spaces such as Fair Hill Shopping Center.

with friends, and students have

to trek to Regal, in Rockville, to

see a movie. A theatre in Olney

would allow for fun for all ages

and boast a community bonding

location.

Want a pair of shoes or maybe

some new shorts as the weather

warms up? Tough break, the

closest Target is 30 minutes away.

Want some power tools or some

nails? You can’t get any, the closest

Home Depot is 20 minutes

away, and this isn’t even including

common obstacles, like traffic.

As people continue to make

the tedious journey outside of Olney

for entertainment and basic

needs, we should begin to question

the need for repetitive shopping

emporiums and monotonous

fast food restaurants.

and discriminatory equity ideology.”

This creates the framework

for the Trump administration

to order and bully states to

stop teaching topics like racial

inequality and LGBTQ+ struggles,

topics that aren’t fully endorsed

by conservatives. Unlike

removing the Book Ban Coordinator

this order isn’t limiting the

national government’s power to

prevent information suppression,

it’s actively contributing to that

suppression.

Removing the Book Ban Coordinator

goes to show how removing

national guardrails opens

the door for states to ban books in

schools, and Trump’s executive

order demonstrates an attempt to

dry up the flow of information

on controversial topics in K-12

schooling. Both of these actions

further polarize citizens, leading

people to become further set in

their beliefs. Red states stay red

and blue states stay blue, thus the

country stays divided. These actions,

as well as Trump’s new order

to dismantle the Department

of Ed., have a flurry of negative

consequences and ill-intentions

throughout them. It’s necessary

to acknowledge the actions big

and small that have been taken

towards a mutual, counterintuitive

goal that’ll leave Americans

uneducated, stubborn, and lied to.


April 10, 2025

RFK Jr. Risks Our Health

by Mark Joseph ‘25

Prior to his confirmation as

the Secretary of Healthy and Human

Services, Robert F. Kennedy

Jr. made waves as a controversial

pick for the position due to

his alarming history of medical

views, including statements that

there’s no vaccine that is safe and

effective, antidepressants cause

school shootings, and Covid-19

targets white and black people

while sparing Ashkenazi Jewish

and Chinese people. As one

would expect, many credible

members of the medical community

were unhappy with the

selection of Kennedy. More than

17,000 doctors signed a letter petitioning

for a rejection to Kennedy’s

nomination, claiming that

Kennedy’s anti-science views are

“a slap in the face” to doctors that

protect patients from preventable

illnesses.

Nevertheless, in spite of his

purposeful spread of medical misinformation

and the widespread

reproach his appointment garnered,

the inevitable happened.

On February 13, Kennedy was

confirmed 52-48 in a party-line

vote. 52 Republicans voted for

Kennedy while 47 Democrats/

Independents voted against him.

The sole Republican to sever the

conservative unanimity was Sen.

Mitch McConnell. The Kentucky

Senator fought polio as a child

and was a staunch supporter of

the Covid-19 vaccine. McConnell

said he has seen “vaccines

save millions of lives from devastating

diseases” and believes

that the U.S. “deserves a leader

who is willing to acknowledge

without qualification the efficacy

of life-saving vaccines.” Unfortunately,

that’s not what the U.S.

is getting, and we are seeing the

effects of this inadequacy.

In February, a measles outbreak

began in Texas, and it has

now spread beyond. On March 2,

Kennedy wrote an op-ed for Fox

News in response to the scourge.

In the headline, he calls the outbreak

a “call to action for all of

us,” and in the subheader, he asserts

that the measles vaccine is

“crucial to avoiding potentially

deadly disease.” Kennedy may

seem judicious in the beginning

of his article, but as the article

progresses, he regrettably returns

to his roots. Kennedy calls the

decision to vaccinate a “personal

one,” in the sentence before affirming

that vaccines “protect individual

children from measles...

[and] contribute to community

immunity, protecting those who

are unable to be vaccinated due to

medical reasons.”

Yes, vaccination is an individual

choice, but one that just

Google Images

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. testifies before Congress to become Sec. of HHS

so happens to affect everyone

around you. The HHS Secretary

concludes his article by suggesting

that “good nutrition remains a

best defense against most chronic

and infectious illnesses,” alluding

to how America famously beat

measles by eating their broccoli.

The situation isn’t entirely

bleak, though. The Trump administration

recently withdrew

their nomination of Dave Weldon

for CDC director. Weldon

is known for being an outspoken

anti-vaxxer, and he wasn’t receiving

enough support from even his

fellow Republicans, one being

Sen. Bill Cassidy. Cassidy was

undecided, but responded to Weldon’s

capitulation by saying that

the nominee clearly did not have

what it takes to direct the CDC

since he dropped out before the

hearing even began.

We may be heading in the

wrong direction with medicine,

but with enough pushback, we

can avert the worst case scenarios.

7

Locking School Doors

Only Punishes Students

by Zach Geller ‘25

In early March, Sherwood

introduced a new policy that has

become the topic of controversy

and frustration among students

who drive or carpool to school.

Security guards began locking

the doors at 7:46 AM sharp and

stationing themselves outside the

doors to ensure no one lets any

late students in. These students

are now told instead to walk

around to the main office doors to

enter the building. This iron-fisted

change punishes students even

slightly late, forbidding entry

even to students who arrive exactly

at the moment when they lock

the doors. Students may arrive

only a minute late but the walk

around the school pushes their

tardiness even later.

The responses to the policy

appears to be very split between

students and staff: students viewing

it as an unnecessary inconvenience

that ends up making them

miss more of 1st period, while

some staff members argue that it’s

beneficial for school security.

The solution for students

may seem as easy as waking up

earlier, but there are a number

of reasons why students sometimes

do not make it to school

before 7:40. Senior Justin Lakso

is a shining example of this as a

student that’s been locked out a

few days a week since the policy

began. Twice a week Lakso gets

up for swim practice at 4:45, and

between swimming, getting ready

for school, and the traffic driving

over he’s been caught by the

doors just minutes after they’re

Cliff Vacin ‘25

locked. After having to walk from

the back doors to the main office,

he’s late a full 10 minutes to first

period. Lakso is left wondering,

“If the issue is that students aren’t

getting to class on time, then

why create a system which makes

them get to class even later?”

Even if the policy is about

improving security about who is

entering Sherwood, it falls short

as there is still no real way for

them to tell whether someone at

the front is actually a student or

not. With the influx of students

coming through the main office

doors, school staff just have students

sign in, take a pass, and

walk out of there. There is no true

verification if someone is a student

or not.

It’s clear that this policy prioritizes

inconveniencing students

over the actual desired outcome

of getting students into class. The

time it takes to thrust a late-pass

into the hands of a student at the

main office forces them to miss

even more class than they would

have. Overall, the new policy

leaves many students believing

that it is intended to punish students

rather than help them get to

class on time or maintain a safe

school.

RNR#53 Still Rocks


Last month marked the Rock ‘n’ Roll Revival #53

at Sherwood, a tradition that’s become a core part of our

school’s identity. But after over five decades, is it still true

to its rock roots? This year’s setlist blended rock classics

with pop, country, and R&B, which raises the question:

has Revival stayed true to its original spirit, or is it evolving

into something new? Songs like “Rock & Roll Band,”

“Sultans of Swing,” and “Roadhouse Blues” reflected

structures of rock that RRR was built on. On the other

hand, there also were pop hits like “Crazy In Love” and

“Sweet Escape,” country-inspired tracks like “Heads Carolina,

Tails California,” and “Would You Go With Me,”

and soul-driven pieces like “Get Down On It” and “I Will

Survive.” This variety showcased the performers’ range

but also blurred the line between rock and other genres.

Including pop and R&B might water down the essence

of a rock-focused event; however, it could be perceived as

a natural evolution: rock has always drawn from different

styles, mixing sounds in order to create something fresh.

Perhaps that’s the true ethos of rock: adaption, reinvention,

and limit exceedance. After 54 years, Rock ‘n’ Roll

Revival may not be strictly rock anymore, but its energy

and passion remain as strong as ever. And maybe that’s

exactly what makes it timeless.

NIL Out Of Control

by Andrew Fenner ‘27

In July of 2021, the NCAA enacted a policy allowing

college athletes to profit off their name, image, and likeness,

known as NIL. NIL deals have become a substantial

part of collegiate athletics, with the best college athletes

making more money in a season or two than the top-earning

careers in America. Notable athletes who receive absurd

NIL packages include Duke Basketball star Cooper

Flagg with $4.8 million and Texas quarterback Arch Manning

with $6.6 million.

It’s great that athletes can see some of the money that

their talents can generate. But at a certain point, it becomes

excessive. Collegiate recruiting has changed significantly,

with money through NIL deals becoming a large part of

deciding where to go to school. Some states have legislation

that restricts NIL, though in the states where there is

no current legislation, it falls upon the universities to make

their own rules. When choosing where to go to school, it

has become less about playing for a school that’s a good fit

and more about how much money athletes can make. NIL

deals need to have widespread federal regulations that stop

schools from “buying” recruits through their NIL opportunities,

so that NIL is less of a recruitment tool and more

of a way for athletes to earn some extra money to support

themselves.

Unlock Girls’ Restrooms

by Molly Schecter ‘27

This school year has been a struggle for security in

controlling the use of vapes and marajuana by students in

the restrooms. One strategy security has relied on to catch

kids is by walking into the restrooms to clear and punish

students. However, the school recently lost two female security

guards, leaving them with an all-male security staff

who cannot enter girls restrooms. To address this, it appears

that the school has resorted to locking more of the

girls restrooms. This is not a solution that is fair to female

students who simply need to use the bathroom

Locking girls restrooms results in students missing

instructional time by using restrooms further from their

classes. The increased number of locked bathrooms is unfair

for students who don’t smoke yet still face the consequences.

Additionally, female students need access to

bathrooms when their menstrual cycle may cause an emergency

to use the restroom. Limiting the number of bathrooms

for students to use also leads to the open ones being

more crowded and less hygienic. Sherwood should keep

all bathrooms open and ask other female staff to monitor

bathrooms until the school hires female security guards.

Using the bathroom is not a privilege, it’s a right, and access

shouldn’t be limited for all female students because of

the actions of a few.

8

Earlier this year TikTok

was briefly banned in the United

States, before being promptly

reinstated 12 hours later through

an Executive Order by Donald

Trump as one of his first actions

after becoming president. Ever

since, TikTokers have been concerned

about the possibility of the

U.S. government’s censorship of

the app, despite there being no

evidence that the government is

monitoring the app.

On January 19, the Supreme

Court upheld a law passed by

Congress and signed into law by

former President Joe Biden, that

resulted in TikTok being removed

from the app store. The next day,

when users opened the app they

were prompted with a welcome

back message saying that new

President Donald Trump’s efforts

led to the reinstatement of

TikTok. While some celebrated,

many became confused about the

effects this would have. TikTokers

expressed their worry that the

U.S. government was changing

the algorithm of the app to censor

certain types of videos.

After the ban, a belief was

sparked that everything on the

app was being monitored and

censored so that videos protesting

Trump wouldn’t be shown

on the For You Page. These conspiracy

theories mainly came

from the fact that certain terms

The official White House X

page posted a video on February

18 titled, “ASMR: Illegal Alien

Deportation Flight,” and the video

went viral for the wrong reasons.

The video showed ICE agents

chaining up illegal immigrants in

long chains and putting them on

planes. The video received a lot

of backlash, with many calling

the video dehumanizing. There

are others who praised the video

and shared their views that they

would love to see illegal immigrants

go back to their country.

The ‘ASMR’ video came

a few days after the the White

House posted an edited valentine

card with Trump’s and “border

czar” Tom Homan’s faces on it.

The words were, “roses are red,

violets are blue, come here illegally,

and we’ll deport you.”

Since his second presidency has

begun, Trump also posted on X a

Spongebob meme that had a list

of what federal workers got done

when they did not reply to Elon

Musk’s demand that they email

what five things they got done

the previous week. In the areas

of international affairs, Trump

posted an AI-created video of

what would happen to the Gaza

Strip if he took over. The Gaza

Strip would be revamped to have

a Trump hotel, statute, and lots

of money. The White House also

posted a video of a deportation

of an illegal immigrant getting

handcuffed with the lyrics from

the song Closing Time, “you


April 10, 2025

Keywords Won’t Make Progress

by Taylor Adams ‘27

being searched had no results

even though when the terms are

searched in other countries, results

will come up. These terms

were mostly related to Trump in

a negative way, such as “Trump

rigged election” and “fascism.”

This made TikTokers anxious,

and they began using keywords in

videos in hopes of preventing the

algorithm from censoring them.

The main phrase being used to

trick this supposed algorithm into

not censoring or removing videos

is, “cute winter boots.”

In text overlays and captions

are phrases like, “Check out these

cute winter boots.” The videos

behind the text protest the current

Trump administration, such

as showing examples of ways

to cover your face in a protest.

TikTokers also utilize the phrase

“Deny, Defend, Depose.” These

were words written on bullets in

the murder of the United Health

Care CEO Brian Robert Thompson.

It has become a trend on

TikTok to write the phrase on

shoes and dollar bills. On top of

that, TikTokers are making edits

comparing the Trump presidency

to The Hunger Games. They

are comparing popular fashion

to fashion in The Hunger Games

and trying to show parallels.

These TikTokers believe that

posting edits, writing DDD on

shoes and money, and comparing

the current state of the country to

The Hunger Games will have an

Trump Promotes Outrage over Decency

by Deepika Shrestha ‘27

don’t have to go home, but you

can’t stay here.”

The Trump White House is

apparently trying to have an influencer

style of posting in which

messages are directly for the people.

The strategy of the posting

is to aggressively tone out other

narratives against the Trump administration.

The outrageous and

often cruel posts are a marketing

strategy to get people to look at

their content and find support for

Trump. The White House has a

social media team that is working

around the clock in order to make

different content for their page

impact. They don’t understand

that simply posting videos won’t

do anything. To have an actual

influence they need to get off of

TikTok and work towards it in

the real world. This has turned

protesting into a trend, and it is

making teenagers believe they

are helping when they aren’t. Instead

of spending time engaging

in protest, they are sitting in their

houses and posting TikToks.

Additionally, a lot of these

people are posting without actually

being informed on what’s

happening in the country. Lots of

misinformation is spread through

TikTok and TikTokers often will

not leave the app to research more

and confirm information. Therefore,

many are misinformed and

freaking out over simple things.

They need to spend time educating

themselves on current events

and how the government works

before trying to protest.

While it is true that certain

terms are being censored in

search, it’s not for the reason they

think. Terms related to misinformation

are often censored on Tik-

Tok, and in the U.S., videos about

a rigged election are marked as

false information. This is also

why the “censorship” sparked

around the time of Trump’s election.

This created the basis of the

concern that TikTokers have been

expressing. The U.S. government

is not censoring it to limit free

speech like TikTokers believe.

The White House via x.com

and also Trump’s.

It’s concerning that there is

staff hired to specifically make

this type of content that represents

the United States of America and

its current president. There is no

decency with content that makes

fun of people, and it’s especially

wrong when it comes from a national

government. Posts coming

from the White House should

be respectful of individuals and

groups rather than trying to mimic

the styles of popular influencers.

This type of content is an

embarrassment to everybody in

this country.

Musk Represents New Low

by Nick Hammond ‘25

As Elon Musk’s power over

the American people reaches an

all-time high, it becomes more

evident by the day how immature,

unfit, and corruptible he is

in a governmental role. As the

world’s richest man, he has long

held indirect control over people,

but his current proximity to the

U.S. President and influence in

uprooting thousands of people’s

lives sets a terrible precedent.

Since January, Musk has

been at the forefront of Trump’s

newly established Department of

Government Efficiency (DOGE).

While the administration has sent

conflicting messages regarding

how much authority the multi-

CEO has over DOGE, Trump

has also constantly described him

as “in charge” of the agency. As

its de-facto leader, Musk has destructively

fired tens of thousands

of federal workers and shut down

U.S. agencies. While a variety of

unprecedented means, such as a

universal resignation offer and

a return-to-office mandate, have

been used to push government

employees to quit, DOGE further

has directed mass direct termination

of workers. Musk’s team has

sent out condescending emails

to all federal agencies, asking,

“What did you do last week?”,

implying that less productive or

non-responsive employees would

be fired. DOGE has also cut most

employees and contracts at the

US Agency for International Development

(USAID), and soon

seeks to close it entirely. USAID

took up only 0.3 percent of 2024

federal spending, with its initiatives

helping millions in need,

providing medicine and health

supplies to the world’s poorest.

Musk, however, has continued to

justify his actions with Trump’s

blessings.

Not only have these measures

thrown many careers and

lives into turmoil, but the chaotic

and irresponsible manner in

which it was done has ironically

led to more inefficiency. Two federal

judges ruled that these mass

layoffs were illegal, as there were

no actual individualized or performance-based

reasons for their

termination - and thus the Trump

administration is now reinstating

nearly 25,000 employees. The

Executive Branch’s ignorant actions

have cost them more time

and resources to partially go

right back where they started,

and these reinstated workers have

also been placed on paid administrative

leave. Employees are not

yet allowed to work again but are

Google Images

Trump (left) and Musk (right) speak, Nov. 19, 2024 during SpaceX launch.

still receiving paychecks, leaving

them in limbo and still fearing another

round of layoffs.

Musk’s positions on Trump’s

shoulder and within DOGE

should also be questioned for his

stark conflicts of interest. With

contributions totaling nearly

$300 million, he was the President’s

largest donor during this

past election cycle, drawing concerns

of corruption. He also heads

SpaceX, Tesla, X (Twitter), and

Neuralink - all of which benefit

from the government spending he

is tasked to cut. According to federal

contracting data, his business

deals with the U.S. total nearly

$20 billion over the past 16 years,

and America has especially become

reliant on SpaceX in recent

years with its scientific endeavors.

Further, many of the Executive

agencies which he criticizes

publicly and through DOGE have

taken regulatory or investigative

measures against these companies,

including the alleged illegal

firing of workers (sound familiar?).

While Trump has stated

Musk “won’t be involved” in decisions

regarding his businesses,

there are truly no formal rules or

restrictions restraining him.

Outside of his department’s

reckless actions, Musk demonstrates

how immoral, immature,

and incompetent he is for a job

in the White House through his

public and personal behavior. For

instance, on his own online platform,

X (formally Twitter), Musk

tweets dozens of times a day, often

insulting others he disagrees

with and pushing hateful political

or social accusations backed with

no evidence. But the most concerning

part of all is how much

time he devotes to the doomscroll.

With this amount of activity,

he seems to spend hours on

the platform in a single day. He is

also the father of 13 children with

four different women. While simultaneously

claiming that he is

working 24/7 on DOGE and running

several huge companies, he

cannot possibly have enough time

to make coherent decisions.

It’s obvious that Trump

doesn’t care that Musk is manifestly

unfit for this position. Firing

current employees and dismantling

fundamental systems

enable him to employ thousands

of political loyalists and those

who won’t check presidential

power. DOGE’s authority and

access to information in the federal

government remains mostly

undefined and unrestricted, and

we must fight back to protect the

integrity of our country and the

lives of our people.

The Warrior • Humor

April 10, 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.

Male P’s Rizz Guide

by Josh Pulaski ‘25

For more than 200,000 years,

humans have had three constants

for survival: food, water, and

their rizz game. Being able to attract

the huzz has always been a

difficult endeavor. How do I stand

out from the betas? Does my

hair look good enough? Are my

wooden shoes long and pointy

enough? Well, worry no longer

because, by the time you’re done

reading this three-step guide, you

will be able to attract the huzz on

Aura alone.

Step 1 - The Looks: You

need to look good when trying

to attract the huzz. Unfortunately,

you can’t change what your

ugly face looks like, but you can

change your hair. You’re probably

now asking, “What type of

haircut should I get, glorious rizz

god Male P ?” Simply put, you

need a lowwwww-taper fade.

With the powers of your new low

taper fade your rizz attraction will

be massive; it will be huge. Just

make sure you don’t go to Great

Clips when getting your cut, or

you’ll look like a beta.

Step 2 - Standing Out: To

stand out from 4.04 billion other

men attempting to do the same

thing you are doing, you need

a shtick, a stunt, a gimmick.

We know that teachers or

their kids will inevitably get sick,

have appointments, or just need

a day off. MCPS is dedicated to

recruiting people old and young

alike to step in for our fellow

teachers when they need to take

leave. We do not discriminate in

the hiring process; anyone below

25 or above 75 are encouraged

to apply! If you are interested in

leaving no real impact on kids’

lives, and interacting with young

people who will either ignore or

taunt you, consider applying as a

substitute teacher in MCPS!

Roles and Responsibilities:

What To Expect?

- The substitute teacher must be

prepared to:

- Scream like a banshee when

students refuse to hear their

names called for attendance

- Wear Airpods to stay sane when

it is too noisy or kids are using too

many brain rot words

- Clean up the vomit of a kid sick

with the stomach bug

Butcher as many students’ names

as possible

- Ask a student to teach the class

the day’s math lesson

- Say, “Your assignment for today

is on Canvas”

- Yawn or cough profusely

Something that will really wow

the huzz. Introducing the Druski

dance. To do the Druski you must

put one foot over the other while

shaking your hands left to right.

It’s that easy! With the power

of your new-found tuff as heck

Druski dance, the huzz will flock

to you like crazy. Bonus Tip: Start

a large crowd before performing

the Druski dance to maximize the

chance of rizz.

Step 3 - Personality: Now

that you have both the looks and

the dance moves to back up your

rizz game, you need a remarkable

aura. There are a lot of high-ranking

aura officials to choose from

such as Patrick Bateman and Tyler

Durden. Now that you have

chosen a fictional character to

base your personality on, it’s time

to mimic their sigma routine.

Showering once a year should

help produce your natural alpha

odor, allowing you to scare away

all the betas and rizz all the huzz.

Now that you’re an expert on

all of the most important features

of attracting huzz, your final step

is to get out there and start doing

it. When we return from Spring

Break, I want to see low taper

fades on top everybody’s dome

piece, Druski dances around the

school, and I better smell that alpha

odor no matter where I am.

HELP

WANTED

SUBSTITUTES NEEDED

Qualifications

- High school diploma (but no

proof required)

- A pulse, even it is erratic or fading

- Two references from previous

employers, or friends and family

if not formerly employed (we will

NOT call references)

Preferred Qualifications

- Monotonous or quiet voice

- No knowledge in ANY subject

that would be taught in a public

school, but plenty of boring and

irrelevant stories from own life

- High school GPA of 2.0 or lower,

or completing a PhD program

(no in-between)

Legal Requirements

- You must BARELY pass a

background check to prove that

you are not a serial killer, child

molester, hardcore criminal, animal,

AI robot, or all of the above.

Help Out, Gain Experience

We hope you consider substitute

teaching. The job is difficult,

but ultimately rewarding, with no

classroom like the last! One day,

you could scroll on your phone

for seven hours, the next you

could break up fights that erupt in

the classroom, and the next you

could fall asleep at the teacher’s

desk!

by Katie Ng ‘25

Shocking: JD Vance Does

Not Actually Look Like That

by Declan Rooney ‘25

Internet memes are probably

the greatest invention of the

21st century, bringing joy into

our lives whenever needed as

the world around us spirals into

chaos. But recent studies show

people from around the world are

mentally picturing one of those

agents of chaos, Vice President

JD Vance, as chubbier than he

actually is, due to a viral internet

trend of people photoshopping

him into a multitude of different

things - the most popular being a

chubby little fella with a big ole

lollipop and rainbow propeller

hat. The meme has sparked worries

over the Vice President’s future.

“They say a man dies twice;

first when his body dies, and second

when nobody remembers

his face,” said professor Andrew

Tate. “Unfortunately the latter

is happening to Vice President

Vance before the former - an exceedingly

rare case.” Effects of

Vance’s “second death” include:

slowly turning translucent and

eventually invisible, people not

being able to hear him, and pictures

of Vance slowly morphing

into the fatter version of himself.

The cases of Vance’s face

being distorted in people’s memories

has reached even the closest

people to the Vice President.

Even Vance’s wife, Usha Vance,

is reporting she is now slightly

In just the first weeks of the

Trump administration, executive

orders began rolling out of the

Oval Office like Model Ts. Unfortunately,

some of these orders

were pulled from Trump’s desk

before they could be signed because

of concerns such as, “I was

joking when I said it; I didn’t

think he’d be crazy enough to actually

take them seriously.” My

team of LiARS (Licenced Archivists

of Republican Secrets), and

I have scoured day and night to

find any original copies of the orders,

and I’m proud to say we’ve

just recently struck gold. Due to

our respect for the newspaper’s

size, we’ve compiled a list of just

a few of the many proposed executive

orders.

EO #1-9-84

Section 1: Purpose. This order

demands all media coverage

of the president be framed positively--no,

make that ecstatically--to

boost the perception of

the United States among both its

citizens and peoples around the

world.

Section 2: Policy.

From now on, only biased

right-wing media sources may

be invited to political hearings

9

by Declan Rooney ‘25

shocked when seeing her husband.

“After seeing the memes

on my daily 6 hour bedrot doomscroll,

I just feel he should be fatter

everytime I see him. I mean

I’d feel a little better about marrying

a fascist if he just looked like

a little goober.”

The Trump administration

announced a 3-point plan to try

to save the Vice President should

things continue to get worse; including

mailing a little sticker

of Vance to every American, another

4.4 trillion dollar weapons

package to Israel, and removing

federal funding for children’s

hospitals. “That first one is a preventative

measure,” said President

Trump. “We are hoping

to remind our people their Vice

President is not in fact a chubby

elementary schooler but rather

just your average American who

doesn’t think poor children--or

anyone really--should have decent

healthcare.”

The President was unable

to comment on how the other

two points of the plan relate to

the problem due to their being

a cool bug on the Whitehouse

lawn; which required Trump and

Vance’s “immediate attention.”

People around the nation and

world anxiously await updates on

the Vice President’s condition as

the future remains uncertain.

Executive Orders Uncovered

by Justin Lakso ‘25

JD Vance and JD Vance (the editor isn’t 100% sure which one’s which).

or presidential meetings to cover

the news. President Trump will

not accept any interviews from

deemed “stinky no-good woke

media people.”

All articles covering the

president must refer to him as

“The Amazing and Incredible

Donald Trump,” or any title such

as King or Lord, which uses related

adjectives.

Fire CNN host Anderson

Cooper. We don’t like him and his

hair looks stupid.

EO #1-6-21

Section 1: Purpose. The

number of incarcerated folks in

the United States has exceeded

record high numbers. It is our

mission as a nation to restore

these people - specifically Republicans

- their freedom.

Section 2: Implementation.

Any person with at least

$100M in net worth spending life

in prison may serve the rest of

their sentence as a member of my

cabinet provided they would have

voted Republican in the most recent

election.

If there are not enough agencies

to appoint these individuals

to, the government will make

a new department with a very

vague purpose.

Ex. Department of Thingamajigs

- Sometimes deals with

things that relate to the United

States in some way.

EO #6-6

Section 1: Purpose. I’m

thirsty.

Section 2: Provisions.

Someone get me a Diet Coke.

EO #123456789101121314

Section 1: Purpose. Because

of its critical importance to our

Nation’s economy and its people,

I am directing that we change the

names of some more locations in

the United States.

Section 2: Implementation.

North Dakota and South Dakota

will become one state called

Megakota. This will apply to both

Carolinas as well.

Lake Erie will be renamed

Lake Elon.

That top part of Michigan

will become an official state

called “New Gaza.”

States beginning with the

word “New” will have it changed

to “Better.” Ex. Better York, Better

Mexico, etc. Actually, make

that Worse Mexico.

This also applies to New

Gaza.

We’re giving Alaska to the

Russians as a thank you gift for

Putin’s service to increbible election

victories.

Spring Break

Day Trips

You don’t have to travel far this spring break

for a great vacation. There’s plenty of fun and

adventure within an hour drive from our area!

So if you are looking for a new experience,

look no further than these exciting itineraries.

WASHINGTON, D.C.

First up, a visit to the Washington Monument, the tallest stone structure in the world.

Take in the impressive views of the National Mall and the city. If you’re up for it, consider

reserving tickets to take the elevator up to the observation deck for stunning views of the

Capitol Building, White House, and beyond. Afterward, take a leisurely walk along the

Reflecting Pool, capturing the beauty of both the monument and the surrounding area.

Begin your day by strolling

through the charming Historic

District of Ellicott City. Main

Street is lined with beautifully

preserved 18th and 19th-century

buildings that house unique

shops, boutiques, antique

stores, and cozy cafés. Take

your time exploring the quaint

streets, and stop for a coffee or

a bite to eat at one of the local

eateries.

exhibits on the history of American

railroads, and see artifacts,

old trains, and even hop aboard

a historic locomotive. It’s a

great spot for history buffs and

train enthusiasts alike.

Wrap up your day with an outdoor

adventure at Patapsco Valley

State Park, which is just a

short drive from downtown Ellicott

City. The park offers over

16,000 acres of natural beauty,

with plenty of hiking trails,

scenic overlooks, and spots for

picnicking along the Patapsco

River. Check out the famous Cascade

Falls, which is a lovely waterfall,

especially after rainfall.

It’s the perfect place to unwind

and enjoy nature after exploring

the town’s history.

After, head to the Smithsonian Museums lining the Mall. You can visit the National Museum

of American History to see artifacts like the First Ladies’ gowns or the original Star-Spangled

Banner, or pop into the National Air and Space Museum to explore aviation and space

exploration history. If you’re interested in art, the National Gallery of Art offers an incredible

collection. Since they’re all free, you can choose one or two museums to explore based on your

interests.

To finish your day, check out the cherry blossom trees surrounding the National Mall.

While peak bloom has passed, the trees are still rich with beautiful blossoms and offers a gorgeous

view (perfect for photos too).

Annapolis, MD

Next, head to the Ellicott City

Station, which houses the B&O

Railroad Museum. It’s the oldest

railroad station in the United

States, dating back to 1829.

You can explore the museum’s

THE WHARF, D.C.

B & O

Start your day with a tour of the Maryland State House, which is the oldest state capitol

in continuous legislative use in the U.S. You can explore the historic rooms, including the

Old Senate Chamber where George Washington resigned his commission as Commander-in-Chief.

The architecture and history are fascinating, plus you’ll get a great view of the city

from the grounds.

After the State House, head to Annapolis’ charming historic downtown. Wander the cobblestone

streets, and check out local shops, cafes, and galleries. The area is full of colonial

charm, and you can stop for lunch or grab a coffee. Choptank offers fresh seafood straight

from the Chesapeake Bay for an Annapolis appropriate meal. Don’t forget to swing by City

Dock and enjoy the beautiful waterfront views and to catch a glimpse of the Chesapeake Bay.

To start, take in the lively atmosphere along the waterfront at The Wharf. Stroll along the pier, enjoy the views of

the Potomac River, and watch the boats coming in and out of the marina. You’ll find plenty of places to sit and relax

while enjoying the fresh air. There are also seasonal

activities, like boat rides or even water taxis

that can take you to nearby attractions, such

as Alexandria or National Harbor.

The Wharf is known for its excellent dining options,

so make sure to stop for lunch at The District

Wharf’s Food Halls. With a range of eateries

offering everything from fresh seafood

to gourmet sandwiches, you can sample local

flavors in a relaxed, stylish setting. Some great

choices include Hank’s Oyster Bar for seafood,

or Rebel Taco for casual, flavorful bites.

In the evening, head over to The Anthem, one

of the best live music venues in D.C. It’s located

right on The Wharf and hosts a variety of

concerts, performances, and special events.

Whether you’re into indie bands, electronic

beats, or large-scale acts, there’s something for

every taste. If you’re not into live music, check

out nearby spots for live performances, or simply

enjoy the vibrant atmosphere at one of the

surrounding bars or lounges.

FREDERICK, MD

Start your day by strolling through

Frederick’s charming downtown area.

The streets are lined with beautifully preserved

historic buildings, boutique shops,

art galleries, and cafes. Make sure you

stop by Rock n’ Roll Graveyard, an artsy

locally owned record store that stocks

a range of new releases and old underground

albums from every genre.

After your downtown exploration,

head to the National Museum of Civil

War Medicine. This unique museum tells

the story of the medical practices and innovations

during the Civil War, focusing

on the challenges faced by doctors, nurses,

and soldiers. It’s a fascinating and educational

stop that provides an in-depth

look at this important aspect of American

history.

If you’re looking for a bite to eat,

Frederick offers a lot of options. For one,

Sabor de Cuba offers classic Cuban fare

in a down-to-earth atmosphere. If you

are feeling something lighter, Maxwell’s

Burgers and Shakes is a great spot for a

quick meal, curating an artsy, homey environment.

Finish your day with some outdoor exploration

at Gambrill State Park. Whether

you’re up for a hike or simply want to

enjoy a scenic drive, the park offers beautiful

views of the Catoctin Mountains and

Frederick City below. There are several

hiking trails of varying difficulty, or you

can relax at the overlook

and take in the

surrounding

natural beauty.

If you’re looking for a sweet treat, stop by Annapolis Ice Cream Company for local, delicious

ice cream to round your day out. Be prepared for a line though, as visitors and Annapolis natives

alike cannot get enough of their ice cream.

Georgetown, D.C.

Begin your day by exploring the heart of Georgetown’s historic district. M-

Street and Wisconsin Avenue are lined with high-end boutiques, trendy shops, and

cafés. Enjoy the beautiful architecture, which blends colonial-era buildings with modern

styles. Take some time to browse the unique stores and stop for a coffee at one of

the cozy cafés, like Blue Bottle Coffee, which serves a range of espresso based drinks,

perfect for a pick-me-up after shopping.

After exploring the main streets, head down to the Chesapeake & Ohio Canal

(C&O Canal) for a peaceful walk or bike ride along the towpath. The canal was once a

major trade route, and now it’s a scenic escape with lovely views of the water, historic

lockhouses, and lush greenery. You can stroll or bike along the path, or even take a

boat tour to learn more about the canal’s history.

End your day with a visit to the Dumbarton Oaks Gardens, one of the most

beautiful spots in Georgetown. This 27-acre estate features lush gardens with a variety

of landscapes, including terraced gardens, a formal rose garden, and a quiet woodland

garden. It’s a peaceful spot to relax and enjoy nature, and the site is a lovely blend

of art, history, and horticulture.

12

The Warrior • Pulse

April 10, 2025

The Pulse

This edition covers everything you may need to know about

the screen use of Sherwood students. We sent out a survey

through English classes and received phone use habits and

opinions of approximately 250 students.

NATIONAL STATISTICS

TEEN SCREEN TIME

SHERWOOD STATISTICS

SCREEN TIME

MOST USED APP:

TIKTOK

32.6%

36.9%

8 HOURS 39 MINUTES

12.4%

13.3%

4.7%

5-7 hours 3-4 hours 8-10 hours 1-2 hours 10+ hours

NATIONAL

YES

50%

NO

50%

DO YOU HAVE

A PHONE

ADDICTION?

SHERWOOD

NO

43.8%

YES

56.2%

To see how you compare to the national and Sherwood statistics, navigate to your settings app and scroll

to click the purple icon labeled “Screen Time.” From here, you can see your phone habits by clicking on the

“See all App & Website Activity.”

COULD FRESHMEN LAST A FULL DAY WITHOUT THEIR PHONE?

“No, I could not; I use it for work and to stay connected

to my family and friends.”

-Sahana Gunnala ‘28

“Yes; however, I believe phones are essential to

accessing material the school has blocked, being

able to be notified quickly of club meetings through

the Remind app, and easily communicating with

others. Just because some people are unable to

properly maintain their device usage doesn’t mean

it needs to be completely restricted for everyone.”

-Rania Dukuray ‘28

“No, I couldn’t. In case of emergencies, I need to

have my phone.”

-Aylea Ford ‘28

“Yes, but it would be hard because of the need

of messaging others online or going on social

media.”

-Mario Ogans ‘28

“I think I could last at most half a day without

my phone, but it would take quite a lot effort.”

-Clark Babbitt ‘28

“No, I wouldn’t. What makes my phone essential

is any easy way to check time and easier

way to check when class ends because I have

the app “Saturn.” I tend to contact my friends

and my mom throughout the day also.”

-Grace Hainer ‘28

The Warrior • Pulse

April 10, 2025

13

HOW DO SENIORS THINK THEIR PHONE USE IMPACTS THEM ON A DAILY BASIS?

“Using my phone definitely makes me more anxious

and less present. I think it draws my attention

to what other people are doing instead of

what I am doing.”

-Helen Bash ‘25

“I think it’s mostly positive. I use it to check

emails, talk to friends and family, and research.

It can be negative when I want to do something

on it when I should be doing something else, but

I feel as though I have good self control.”

-Aiden Kincaid ‘25

0-75

75-110

110-150

HOW MANY PHONE PICKUPS DO YOU

AVERAGE PER DAY?

“Sometimes I could just be sucked into my

phone while someone like my mom or brother

is trying to talk to me. I could also be sucked

into it before a meal, causing me to procrastinate

eating, which I’m sure isn’t mentally

healthy.”

-Ousman Ceesay ‘25

DO YOUR PARENTS/GUARDIANS DO

ANYTHING TO RESTRICT YOUR PHONE USE?

YES

23%

SOMEWHAT

26.6%

NO

50.4%

150-200

200+

DO YOU HAVE BLOCK BLAST?

ARE YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS PUBLIC?

YES

60.9%

NO

30.9%

YES

46.4%

NO

53.6%

DO THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF TECHNOLOGY USE

CONCERN YOU?

SOMEWHAT

54.2%

NO

32.9%

YES

21.8%

14 The Warrior • Entertainment

April 10, 2025

Video Game Movies Are The Ultimate Hit or Miss

by Jordan Costolo ‘25

and Justin Lakso ‘25

No one likes the Minecraft

movie. This is no exaggeration.

There are thousands of videos on

multiple social media platforms

of people tearing apart the trailers,

hating on the cast, making

fun of the special effects, and

insulting anything else they possibly

can about the upcoming

film, scheduled for release April

4. General audiences and critics

alike are anticipating that the new

Minecraft movie is going to be

the worst video game adaptation

to ever be put on screen. While

this is a bold claim, saying that a

movie is the “worst video game

movie” isn’t really a new thing.

Video game movies time and time

again have earned a reputation of

disappointing fans and general

audiences alike.

Since the early 90s, countless

franchises that have been adapted

for the big screen, some notable

ones being Uncharted, Tomb

Raider, Resident Evil, and Mortal

Kombat. These movies got terrible

ratings from fans and casual

movie-goers alike. They were

seen as cheap cash grabs that

cared little about what they were

actually making, and more about

drawing in audiences of these

popular game franchises. This

brings up the main reason why

movies based on video games

aren’t always done well: little respect

for the source material. As

video games are a newer medium

than film, when these early adaptations

were made, video games

were viewed as a lesser artistic

medium which were made for

children and fast entertainment.

The pioneers of video game movies

had little interest in the actual

games and no appreciation for

them, their creators, or their fans.

Directors also rely on A-list

actors to attract a broader audience

rather than catering to the

fans of the game. Fans want faithful

interpretations of their favorite

characters that aren’t reduced

to flat, generic movie protagonists

by a studio which prioritizes a box

office gain over accuracy. Actors

like Chris Pratt in The Super Mario

Bros. Movie, Ryan Reynolds

in Detective Pikachu, and Jack

Black in the upcoming Minecraft

movie have caught backlash for

being bland and having no actual

character, partly because of the

writing, but also because of their

lackluster performance.

One movie series that has

been an outlier to bad video game

movies has been the Sonic The

Hedgehog movies, the first one

garnering enough love to spawn

two separate sequels, two and

four years after the original came

out in 2020. The reason for its

success was because the directors

actually listened to fans and respected

its source material. When

the first trailer came out in 2019,

Sonic’s original movie design left

fans disgusted, and many criticized

Marza Animation for their

mismanagement of the character.

Thankfully, Marza listened

to fans’ criticism and redesigned

Sonic from the ground up to look

much more like he does in his

Google Images

in-game appearances. The story

was also mostly original but incorporated

just enough of Sonic’s

source material to result in a great

family movie which anybody can

enjoy, lifelong fan or not.

The Minecraft movie seems

to be going in the opposite direction.

Instead of hearing public

criticism and fixing its most

important problems, this movie

seems to make people angry.

While this outrage does have

more people than ever talking

about the movie, the publicity

they are getting isn’t necessarily a

good thing. People will be watching

this movie, to make fun of it.

Revival of Vinyl ’n’ CDs Revolts against Digital Streaming


In an era, in which music

is at our fingertips, some of the

younger generation are abandoning

the endless scroll of streaming

platforms for something more

tangible—vinyls, CDs, and even

cassettes. Despite the obvious

convenience of digital music,

there’s an undeniable allure that

pulls people back to physical formats.

Nostalgia plays a key role in

why this phenomenon is happening.

Even for those who’ve never

lived through the golden age of

vinyls or the mixtape era, there’s

something so deeply satisfying in

holding an album in your hands.

It’s something more than just music—it’s

a ritual. Taking the vinyl

out of its sleeve, placing it on the

turntable, and smoothly lowering

the needle… it’s an experience

that streaming is not capable of

recreating. Collecting vinyls calls

to mind creating a personal history

museum of music, a way to

physically possess and relate to

songs that define different times

of a life.

There’s also a thrill of emotions

connected with hunting. Unlike

an infinite streaming gallery,

physical formats have a sense of

rarity, which makes them special.

Limited editions, vinyls in

various colors, elusive artwork—

these additions make the album a

subject of collecting, something

that is worth being sought for and

looked after. Finding a rare pressing

or a vinyl in perfect condition

is great fun, like hunting for a

treasure with a deeply personal

reward.

Vinyls not only recreate the

music—they “breathe” it. That

warm, rich sound with subtle

crackles of dust particles, the way

bass hums through the room—it’s

immersive in a way that digital

music just isn’t. CDs, on the other

hand, often assure crystal-clear

quality, giving listeners every

single detail the artist intended

to include. It could be said that

streaming is indeed handy, but it

strips the music of its soul.

Apart from the sound, collecting

vinyls is also an aesthetic

and social experience. Vinyl

shops are going through a renaissance,

becoming the place

of music lovers’ gatherings, who

come to discover and share their

finds. Thrift stores, flea markets,

and online searches add onto another

level of excitement—every

chest is a potential opportunity to

find a goldmine, and every purchase

could be a story waiting to

be told. Some prefer brand new,

shrink-wrapped editions; others

embrace the worn-out, well-loved

records that carry the fingerprints

of past listeners.

Despite the dominance of

streaming services, physical music

is thriving. Artists are fueling

the trend by releasing exclusive

vinyl and cassette editions, feeding

the demand for music that

isn’t just being listened to but

also held in hands. Nostalgia,

the character of collecting, better

sound quality—it’s not just a

passing phase. It’s a movement,

a rebellion against the nature of

digital music culture.

Minecraft and Sonic The Hedgehog have recieved opposite reactions from fans of the games.

Wonder Book (Rockville, MD)

A local gem with community events and rare vinyl selections

Target (Rockville, MD)

Growing retro section with a mix of mainstream and indie

Google Images

Rock N Roll Graveyard (Frederick, MD)

A quirky haven known for offbeat and vintage finds

Google Images

Google Images

Barnes & Noble (Rockville/Columbia, MD)

Beyond books—a growing vinyl section perfect for both casual

listeners and avid collectors

Google Images

Trax on Wax (Frederick, MD)

Indie hub offering fresh releases and rare finds

Google Images

The Record Exchange (Frederick, MD)

Curates a mix of classic and modern records with a retro vibe

Google Images

Best Buy (Rockville/Wheaton, MD)

Surprising variety of records alongside electronics—ideal for discovering

new sounds

Google Images

The Warrior • Entertainment

April 10, 2025

Mickey 17 Is Bold and Vibrant, Yet Convoluted and Rushed

by Jack Engelhardt ‘25

Mickey 17 is written and directed

by award winning director

Bong Joon Ho, known for previous

works such as the critically

acclaimed Snowpiercer and academy

award winning Parasite.

Adapted from the 2022 novel

Mickey7 by Edward Ashton, the

story follows Mickey, played by

Robert Patterson, as an expendable,

disposable crew member

selected for a space mission to

perform deadly tasks for the betterment

of mankind. His body can

be renewed after death, with his

memories remaining intact. But

after plans for the 17th Mickey

go awry, his promise of renewal

is challenged and dark political

secrets begin to unfold.

This movie has a lot of positives

to offer, first with its stellar

performances. Patterson delivers

a great performance unlike any

other he’s done, rendering him

unrecognizable from his previous

roles. Another notable performance

is Mark Ruffalo, as he

offers an absurdly over the top

look at an evil political villain,

taking comically obvious jabs at

real-life political figures along

An Emotional Yet Thrilling

Supernatural Teen Drama

by Matilda Hawkins ‘27

the way. While the comedy in this

film can best be described as dry,

and maybe not being an outloud

laugh type of film, it does offer

up clever and dark jokes to keep

the film entertaining. Another

gleaming positive is the beautiful

cinematography. Darius Khondji,

Google Images

Paramount in early March

released the entirety of the second

season of School Spirits. The

show follows the main character,

Maddie Nears (Peyton List), a

teen girl stuck in the afterlife with

no recollection of how she died. It

turns out that when people die in

Split River High, where Maddie

attends school and died in, their

ghosts remain stuck there with no

way to leave. Throughout the first

season, with the help of a fellow

ghost, she tries to figure out how

she died but in the end discovers

she was possessed by Janet Hamilton,

a ghost from the 1950s.

The second season picks up with

Nears continuing to figure out

the mysteries revolving around

her death while continuing to get

close with the ghosts who also

roam the school she is stuck in.

Both seasons contain many plot

twists, heartfelt moments, and interesting

mysteries. Additionally,

the season also ends on a significant

cliffhanger, hinting at a probable

third season.

While having supernatural

parts to make it more interesting,

School Spirits also contains relatable

content, especially for teenagers.

Nears’ backstory explores

the subject of familial issues,

specifically events pertaining to

her mother. Her mother has developed

severe alcohol problems,

which developed after Nears’ father

passed away years before. It

results in Nears practically having

to take care of her mother, rather

than the other way around. Not

only is she a character with whom

many teenagers can resonate, but

the other characters in the show

also have the same features. They

each have complex backstories

and personalities that allow viewers

to connect with multiple characters..

Following the relatable aspects

of this show, the supernatural

and dramatic themes engage

the audience at an even deeper

level. The idea of these ghosts being

trapped in this school with no

way out, alongside the living who

are constantly trying to figure out

how to escape, keeps the audience

anticipating more. School Spirits

also contains many cliffhangers,

keeping the viewers curious and

wanting to continue watching.

Not only are the mysteries engaging,

but the drama that goes along

with them also keeps the audience

paying attention-- whether it is

characters fighting over relatable

things or crazy plot twists that

continuously shock the viewer.

Overall, the show is a great watch

for teenagers trying to figure out

life’s ups and downs, and who

love a good plot twist.

Grade: A+

whose expertise was seen on the

likes of Se7en and Uncut Gems,

makes the vibrant whites of the

desolate snowy landscape of Niflheim

pop against the characters

inhabiting it, while also capturing

life in the spaceship Mickey lives

in with all the grimey, mechanical

Google Images

detail.

While the world these characters

inhabit is beautiful, the

story surrounding them gets a

little convoluted. The narrative

is negatively impacted by the

sheer amount of creative ideas

put into it. Mickey 17 feels like

Grade: B-

15

a mere glance into a vibrant and

interesting world, leaving viewers

disappointed at the end when

these ideas were not fleshed out

completely. Due to the complexity

of this film, it rarely elaborates

on the different details of the

world it mentions, making it feel

like audiences only got a taste of

what this film had to offer before

the credits began to roll. Another

thing that takes away from this

movie is the amount of explaining

it has to do for its ideas. Instead

of letting the beautiful world and

character interactions do the explaining

for the viewer, Ho opted

for Patterson to voice over a good

chunk of the film, telling his story

rather than showing it to us.

While Mickey 17 may have its

issues, it was still very intriguing

and left me entertained until the

very end. Supported by fantastic

actors and jaw-dropping setpieces,

Ho should be proud to add this

film to his impressive repertoire

of movies.

16


April 10, 2025

What We’re...

Listening To...

End of The World - Searows

Listening To... Reading... Playing...

Where You Been - Dinosaur Jr. When Marnie Was There Anton Blast

Google Images Google Images Google Images

Google Images

by George Awkard ‘25 by Matthew Leighton-Jones ‘25 by Laurika Pich ‘27 by Josh Pulaski ‘25

End of The World by Searows is

a full-length album released in 2023.

With only six tracks, this album may

seem short, but it is full of haunting

melodies, devastating lyrics, and

chilling song structure. Most tracks

are on the longer side, coming in at

five of six minutes. Every track possesses

immense charm; however, the

fourth track, Funny, is the highlight

of this album, featuring an mesmerizing

instrumental and effortless

blend of both chorus and the bridge.

Searows is not a stranger to great artistry,

but his work on this album is

executed flawlessly.

Where You Been by Dinosaur

Jr is a 10-track album released

in 1993. A classic of the grunge era,

Where You Been features incredible

solos by lead guitarist and vocalist J

Mascis. With some slower and more

emotional songs, like “Not The Same”

and “What Else Is New,” this is one of

the more passionate albums by Dinosaur

Jr. and showcases Mascis’ ability

to write heartfelt lyrics. For listeners

of alternative music Dinosaur Jr. is a

must to hear a great band that influenced

countless other bigger names

in the indie music scene that dates

back nearly 40 years.

The 1967 novel When Marnie

Was There by Joan G. Robinson is

heartwarming yet mysterious. Anna

is an isolated and introverted girl

who spends the summer on the coast.

During her time, she grows interested

in a particular house known as the

Marsh House and later befriends its

inhabitant, Marnie. As their friendship

grows, it seems that Marnie may

be closer to Anna as she uncovers the

secrets of the ties between the house

and Marnie. This is a book painted

with the breezy coastal town life

setting along themes of loneliness,

self-discovery, and the supernatural.

Anton Blast by Summitsphere,

is a fast-paced action platformer

inspired by the old Warioland

games. You play as either Anton or

Anton’s coworker Annie on a quest to

retrieve your alcohol, after the spitefilled

satan steals it from you in his

blinding jealousy over you being more

red than him. You are forced to roam

the open plains of Florida looking for

them. Smash your way through buildings,

rocks, and moles to get back at

satan. It is a unique game with an exciting

story and gameplay that I have

not seen done before in any other

game.


April 10, 2025

17

Apple TV+’s Severance Simply Succeeds

by Seph Fischer ‘25

Films and television series

are frequently described with the

phrase, “great concept, terrible

execution,” when the good ideas

behind them don’t quite come to

life on the screen. This being the

case, the 2022 Apple TV series

Severance could best be described

with the phrase “great concept,

great execution.” The series stars

Adam Scott as Mark, an employee

of Lumon, whose consciousness

has been “severed” between

his work life and his home life.

To Mark, alongside his co-workers,

the second they enter the elevator

for work in the morning,

they’re walking out again in the

afternoon, with his inner self being

woken up during the time in

between. As the series progresses,

though, employees like Mark and

his friends discover Lumon might

not be what it seems.

The cast, including celebrities

such as Christopher Walken,

give outstanding and believable

performances, truly selling

their characters. With an engaging

premise, good writing, and

thoughtful, unique filmmaking,

the series might just be the best

thing on TV today. It’s no wonder,

then, that Severance has

maintained its high quality into

its second season, while continuously

upping the stakes for Lumon’s

employees. The show’s

first season leaves off with Mark

making the discovery that his

wife in the outside world, who

had supposedly died years ago,

was still alive and well in the severed,

work world. In the second

season, Severance dives headfirst

into the implications of this

troubling revelation. Mark begins

the dangerous process of reintegration—merging

both the severed

and “normal” self into one,

and the looming question of what

the “work” the severed employees

are doing on the basement

floor of Lumon finally begins to

be answered.

Severance is, at its core, an

incredibly competent series. It

remains consistent in creating

expertly captured scenes, and

the way in which the mystery of

Lumon unravels is unpredictable

and well written. The set and

design work on the show is an

underappreciated aspect, with a

clear aesthetic vision being presented

by the show. One of the

most compelling critiques that

could be made of Severance,

however, is that the competence

of the writers, set designers, cinematographers,

and other artists

who worked on the show actually

outpaces the vision of the show’s

producers and directors, such as

Ben Stiller. While the show’s concept

is certainly innovative and

interesting, what the showrunners

do with this interesting concept

is nothing groundbreaking or

particularly thematically powerful.

Worldbuilding in the series

is limited, leaving many of the

characters’ lives feeling hollow

and therefore making their character

itself less compelling, and

some episodes go on for extended

periods without any particularly

engaging shots to “hook” the

viewer. Still, as Severance was

recently renewed by Apple TV+

for a third season, there’s time to

expand upon these minor issues.

Grade: B

Google Images

Snow White Poisons Disney’s Lasting Animation Legacy


Disney’s Snow White and the

Seven Dwarves, released in theatres

in 1937, was just the first

of the many animated feature

films that cemented the legacy

of the world’s largest and most

successful animation company.

Now, almost a century later, the

film studio has become obsessed

with recreating their classics into

live-action movies. Their most

recent endeavor, Snow White —

featuring stars like Rachel Zegler

and Gal Gadot — hit theaters on

March 21.

Since Disney’s first live-action

remake of Cinderella in

2015, the studio has banked on

audience’s nostalgia to see beloved

animation films in a different

format or as sequels. With upcoming

releases like a live-action

Lilo & Stitch, and sequels to popular

series like Frozen, Toy Story,

Moana, and Inside Out, Disney

has never failed to go for the cash

grab. That much is evident when

watching the newest edition of

Snow White.

Opening with a storybook

and some classic fairytale exposition,

the movie jumps right

into a musical number. Showing

Snow White (Zegler) and her

childhood before the Evil Queen

(Gadot) came into her life, the

movie shoves its message into

its audience’s faces right away:

kindness is key. Snow White’s

parents empower her to be compassionate

to all those who live

within her kingdom. It’s one of

the few things that the movie gets

right, sending a positive message

and showing a female protagonist

who leads with both goodness

and strength.

As the plot thickens it strays

from the plot of the original story

quite significantly, mostly with

the addition of Jonathan, Snow

White’s love interest. Where

Snow’s original love interest was

the unnamed Prince, Jonathan is

a Robin Hood-esque bandit that

evokes the style of love interests

like Tangled’s Flynn Rider. Jonathan,

played by Andrew Burnap,

is an odd and unwelcome addition

to the movie’s plot. Snow

White and Jonathan have minimal

chemistry, and even after

several song and dance numbers

to establish their relationship,

their compatibility falls flat.

Among the rest of its cast,

Zegler performs well in song

and dialogue. The songs, while

not particularly reminiscent of

the original Snow White, are a

good fit for her Broadway-trained

vocal range. Gadot, on the other

hand, struggles in her role as

the so-called Evil Queen, Gadot

appears lackadaisical at best. In

the Queen’s solo, “All is Fair,”

Gadot’s performance is utterly

lacking in the character, style, or

energy required of a Disney-level

villain. While many old Disney

villains make up for their irredeemability

with personality and

charm, Gadot’s Evil Queen falls

short in both.

In terms of acting and visual

effects, Snow White fails to impress

or live up to Disney standards.

The CGI utilized is clearly

intended to evoke the painterly

storybook style of the original

film, but appears cheap and substandard.

The seven dwarves

placed from their cartoonish style

look absurd and almost disturbing,

though fit well enough within

the mostly-CGI world that the

film cultivates.

With the announcement of

live-action remakes like these

and many, many more to come,

What To Watch Next!

The Uninvited

April 11

audiences are left dissatisfied at

remakes that were unnecessary

and did nothing but denigrate

beloved classics. Disney, with

its latest calendar of anticipated

releases, is expected to continue

pumping out sequel after sequel

and remake after remake after

what the company has decided is

a clear lack of interest in original

stories — where the opposite is in

fact true.

Since the Covid-19 pandemic,

the entire film industry has

been struggling to recover from

the loss of funds coming from box

offices. Movies like Lightyear

(2022), Elemental (2023), and

Strange World (2022) performed

incredibly poorly in box offices

upon release. Disney, however,

often put out little marketing for

those movies, and allowed them

to go to theatres or their streaming

service, Disney+, like ships in

the night.

The cycle perpetuates, then,

with failures of original stories

from a lack of proper marketing,

leading higher-ups and executives

to believe that viewers

just don’t want new content, and

hurting animators, directors, and

storytellers in the process. The

A night in the Hollywood Hills

quickly gets interesting when unexpected

guest, Helen, shakes things

up at a party hosted by Rose and

Sammy. The film explores pressure

within the glam of Hollywood.

Queens of Drama

April 18

A musical satire that follows the story

of new star Mimi Madamour and

her love affair with icon of Punk,

Billie Kohler.

Off the Record

May 2

A future singer’s life takes a turn for

the worse after entering a relationship

with an old rock star.

Lilo & Stich

May 23

The beloved Disney classic comes

back with a live action adaptaion!

Hopefully, it does better than Snow

White! (Mentioned below).

Materialists

June 13

A young New York City matchmaker’s

lucrative business gets

complicated as she finds herself torn

between the perfect match and her

imperfect ex.

Posters From Google Images

mind-numbing crawl of making

sequel after sequel is not only felt

at Disney — it can be seen at other

animation studios as well. At

Dreamworks, How to Train Your

Dragon is getting a live-action

remake, only less than 15 years

after the animated movie’s initial

release and only six years after

the last film in the trilogy. At Illumination,

the Despicable Me series

turned into a seven-film long

succession of tiny yellow minions

and progressively tiresome

fart jokes that would be certain to

turn any fresh-eyed animator or

creative into a worn and wearied

veteran.

Now more than ever, an investment

in new stories, fresh

perspectives, and brand-new art is

vital. In a world where originality

and creativity are becoming less

prized, receiving support from the

globe’s most influential animation

studios could put a foot in the

door for an entire sector of creative

thinkers. But if Snow White

is any indicator, then studios

seem to be taking steps backward

for the animation industry.

Grade: C-

18

The Warrior • Sports

April 10, 2025

Fantastic Playoff Run Ends in 3A Title Game


At the beginning of the season,

there were no clear-cut expectations

for how the boys basketball

team would perform. With

a whole new group of starters for

the program, most thought this

year would be somewhat of a “rebuild.”

But the Warriors quickly

shook off the uncertainty and any

doubts, going undefeated through

their first eight games and ending

the regular season with an impressive

20-2 record. After five

playoff victories, including some

blowout, the Warriors competed

in the the 3A State Finals at UMD

Xfinity Center. Sherwood came

up short, defeated 70-61 against

Baltimore City College, who

were led by a dominant performance

from Division 1 commit

Omarr Smith.

At the end of the first quarter,

Baltimore City College secured a

16-11 lead, out rebounding Sherwood

on both ends of the floor.

At the start of the second quarter,

City College made substitutions

for nearly their entire starting

lineup. The Warriors pounced on

this opportunity, going on a 23-0

run. Heading into the halftime

break, the Warriors were up 37-

23, with notable performances by

senior guard Khalil Wilson and

sophomore forward Jamar Nix.

The main difference between the

two teams was that Sherwood

forced turnovers and converted in

transition, allowing the Warriors’

defense to feed their offense.

City College came out of

halftime fullcourt pressing Sherwood

and putting pressure on the

Warriors’ ball handlers. City’s

press troubled the Warriors, pushing

Sherwood’s turnovers to 22

by the end of the game. With the

game tied at 47 at the third quarter’s

close and the momentum

shifted, City was able to close

out the game. Despite incredible

performances by Wilson and Nix,

who had 17 and 14 points respectively,

the Warriors were unable

to top off their historic season

with a championship.

After the loss in the state finals,

Head Coach Tom Sheahin

talked to the media. “The amazing

thing about our team is that

we lost five starters from last

year’s [team] ... and anytime a

program loses five starters you

don’t expect them to be 25-2

going into the State Championship,”

Sheahin said. “So it’s a lot

of credit to our players … and I

couldn’t be prouder.”

Regardless of the season’s

heartbreaking end, Sherwood had

an incredible season and an even

more impressive playoff run. The

Warriors beat their first five playoff

opponents by an average of 24

points, which included an eightpoint

victory over their rival, a

23-2 Blake team. The Warriors

breezed through their first two

playoff matchups, winning by 15

and 35 points against Rockville

and Magruder, respectively. After

winning their first two playoff

games, only one team stood

in the way of Sherwood’s second

regional title in three years:

Blake with the top-ranked sophomore

in the country, Babatunde

Oladotun. The Warriors played

this game like it could have been

their last, hustling for every loose

ball and shutting down Blake in

the first half to lead 28-16. Sherwood

made a notable switch to

a 2-3 zone defense during this

game, which they would continue

to employ in every subsequent

game.

“We wanted to surprise Blake

with something we have not used

all season,” Sheahin said, “Coach

Holda suggested a 2-3 zone and it

really worked with our athletes.”

Despite a late charge by Blake,

Sherwood closed out the game

and secured the regional title with

a three-pointer from senior guard

Alex Welch.

After coming out of their

regional bracket, Sherwood was

ranked #1 in their division. Yet

even with the pressure mounting,

the Warriors didn’t let up. In their

matchup against Atholton, the

Warriors put up 78 points, beating

their opponent by a staggering

46 points. In their state-semifinal

matchup against Old Mill,

the Warriors crushed the Patriots

in a 54-37 victory, punching their

ticket to the state finals game at

the University of Maryland.

Softball Looks To Repeat as State Champions

Furthermore, additional strength

comes from players knowing

their role on the team and striving

to be the best in that role to help

the team improve individually

and together. Barber said a focus

for the season is to improve incrementally.

Although a strong team,

players recognize there are areas

for improvement. Corb noted that

while their defense is solid, there

is still room for refinement. “As

a team we need to work on being

consistent at the plate and in the

field so we can go into playoffs

confidently.” Senior Shortstop

Keira Schlutz added.

Despite the softball program’s

legacy of success, the

home field has more or less been

just that: an unkept field in the

far back of Sherwood’s grounds.

Around the time of tryouts, the

girls completed the annual setup,

including putting the fence up

around the outfield. To maintain

the field throughout the season,

the girls rake daily, sweep the

dugouts, and redraw foul lines.

All is finally changing as

long-awaited construction of a

softball field and facilities is nearing

completion. The new facility

will include bleachers for fans,

a scoreboard, an irrigation system

in the outfield, a permanent

fence, and dugouts. The new field

should be ready by the end of

April, according to Barber. If that

schedule holds up, the seniors

on the team should get a chance

to play two regular season home

games, plus early-round playoff

games, at the brand new facility.

“Hopefully it will be ready

by senior night, and we look forby

Molly Schecter ‘27

Last year, the girls’ varsity

softball team clinched the 3A

Maryland State championship

with a thrilling 6-5 victory over

Linganore. The game extended

into extra innings, after junior

pitcher Reagan Corb sealed the

win by hitting a walk-off with

two runners on base. Amazingly,

Sherwood softball has won a total

of eight state championships,

including a recent 4A championship

in 2022.

The team is dedicated this

year to be their best and defend

their state championship title.

They got started pre-season by

conducting team workouts prior

to tryouts. The team worked

hard in the weight room and outdoors

to improve fitness and also

welcome players for the season.

“Like last year we’re striving to

win states, and I think if we work

hard enough it’s a fully achievable

goal,” said Corb.

The Warriors have an abundance

of talent, and their lineup

remains similar to last year’s

as they only lost one senior to

graduation. They have also added

freshman left-handed hitter

Gabby Anderson, providing even

more depth to the already strong

lineup. The Warriors are currently

7-0 after beating Poolesville last

Friday 10-0, and they have decimated

the opposition, outscoring

the other teams by a combined

89-7.

Coach Ashley Barber emphasizes

that the team’s biggest

strengths come through their

team chemistry: knowing that

they have each other’s backs no

matter who or how they play.

ward to getting to play on a more

professional field,” commented

senior outfielder Avery Anderson.

During the start to the season,

Sherwood already has taken some

revenge for losses last season.

Damascus has been a rivalry and

one of the team’s toughest regular-season

competitors. Last year,

Sherwood only lost two games,

both times falling to Damascus,

Elijah Goodman ‘26

Boys basketball fell 70-61 to Baltimore City College in the Maryland 3A State Championship on March 15.

Freshman Gabby Anderson on deck to bat in an 11-1 victory over a good Damascus team in late March.

who had a star pitcher that has

since graduated. This season,

the Warriors beat the Hornets by

a score of 11-1. Clarksburg poses

a new threat this season with

a strong sophomore pitcher, who

likely will be on the mound when

the Warriors face the Coyotes on

April 28.

For a team used to competing

for state championships each

www.sherwoodathletics.org

year, it would seem a challenge

to not look ahead to the playoffs.

However, the players seem to

thrive on the buildup leading to

a deep playoff run and possibly a

title. “Everyone is used to playing

under pressure and that is for sure

going to help us when it comes to

playoffs and some of our tougher

games in the regular season,” said

Schlutz.

The Warrior • Sports 19

April 10, 2025

Co-Ed Volleyball Seeks One

Last County Championship

by Maya Dorsam ‘27

Over the last 30 years, Sherwood’s

co-ed volleyball team

has taken home 17 division titles

and 10 county championships. In

MCPS, the county championship

is the furthest the sport goes due

to a lack of competition in other

parts of the state, but this doesn’t

mean the team hasn’t faced tough

competition in their pursuit of

success locally.

The team plans to go out

with a bang in what is rumored

to be the last season of co-ed volleyball

in MCPS, with the fear

that the county will replace co-ed

volleyball with a JV boys team to

go along with varsity boys volleyball.

However, Athletic Director

Jason Woodward stated that

such a change is speculation for

now, and no formal decision has

been made about the future of

co-ed volleyball. If co-ed volleyball

is ended as a county sport, it

would mean stripping Sherwood

of some high-level volleyball and

a chance to see how great it can

be when male and female athletes

come together in a competitive

sport.

Junior captain Ben Kauffman,

one of the team’s starting

outside hitters, says his decision

to switch to co-ed was determined

by his goal to win the county

championship. At joint-tryouts

held for boys and co-ed volleyball,

there were not enough boys

to make a full boys varsity team,

with more than 90 percent of the

boys wanting to join co-ed. Just

last year, the co-ed team was

filled with talent, going 13-1 in

the regular season and making it

to the championship game, where

they fell in a gritty fight to Northwest,

the only team to beat them

in the regular season.

Kauffman expresses confidence

that this year, the Warriors

will “finish the job started last

year” and that they are “working

harder than ever to give 100

percent at practices in order to

perform better in intense games.”

He acknowledges that the game

is very different than in previous

years when he was on the boys

Matthew Leighton-Jones ‘25

Junior Ben Kauffman spikes the ball in a win against Walter Johnson.

team, and he has had to adjust

to the complicated rules and rotations

of the co-ed volleyball,

which require a girl to touch the

ball before it goes over the net

and for boys and girls to alternate

positions on the court.

This year’s team is vastly

different from last year’s roster,

and they are just as hungry for a

chance to win it all as they welcome

the new addition of several

experienced boys from the previous

year’s boys volleyball team.

Another notable addition is senior

Alex Welch, who has been extremely

instrumental in the team’s

perfect 7-0 record just over halfway

through the season, making

big blocks and swings from the

middle. This is a clear advantage

as co-ed teams are typically made

up of a combination of experienced

girls volleyball players and

athletic boys who frequently have

less knowledge of the sport.

Losing over 10 players from

last year means lots of position

turnover and adjustment, but assistant

coach Megan Brady says

they have a “fearless approach

to the game,” making their ambitious

plays exciting to watch.

Both Brady and Kauffman noted

that while the team is strong individually,

the team chemistry on

the court has room to improve.

Brady pushes players at

practice to work for playing time

“determined by more than just

skill.” Especially because only

three boys can be on the court at

one time, nine on the team means

only those “who give 100 percent

for their team, trust their teammates,

push through challenges,

and learn from their mistakes”

will earn a starting spot.

Looking ahead, the team is

hoping to cruise into playoffs,

where it looks like their biggest

competition will be Watkins Mill

and their tough hitters, whom

they managed to beat in the semifinals

last season. Ultimately,

Montgomery County would be

making a mistake cutting such a

fun and competitive sport when

there is not a demand for more

boys volleyball.

Florida Mounts Comeback on Houston


After surging back against

Duke from down 14 in the Final

Four, Houston found itself on the

other end of a comeback. Leading

by 12 points over Florida, all

Houston needed to do to secure

their first-ever NCAA title was

hold Florida at bay for just eight

minutes. Despite Houston’s defensive

efforts in the game, they

crumbled under Florida’s pressure

late, falling 65-63.

Despite a poor first-half performance

from the Gators’ star

guard Walter Clayton Jr., Florida

managed to cling on and only

trailed by three points at the end

of the first half. Coming out of the

halftime break, Houston piled on

to their lead, only to inexplicably

fall apart in the final minutes of

the game while turning over the

ball on four straight possessions

in the final 81 seconds of the

game. The Cougars just couldn’t

hold on against Florida’s late

surge, losing after failing to get

off a shot in the final moments.

Houston’s star guard LJ Cryer

scored 19 points, followed by a

9-point performance from Mylik

Wilson. The box score for Florida

looked similar, with guard Will

Richard putting up 18 points, followed

by forward Alex Condon

with 12, and Clayton Jr. finishing

with just 11 points shooting just

10 shots and dishing out 7 assists.

Florida now has three national

championships, after winning

back-to-back in 2006 and 2007.

South Carolina Blown Out by UConn

by Cara Farr ‘27

UConn easily took home the

women’s collegiate basketball

title with an 82-59 victory over

reigning champs, South Carolina.

This was Geno Auriemma’s, Uconn

head coach, 12th national title.

With a hot start from both teams,

the championship game, ending

the March Madness tournament,

was a high-scoring affair. Azzi

Fudd and Sarah Strong came up

big for the Huskies, each scoring

24 points. Superstar Paige Bueckers

chipped in 17 points to finish

a tremendous run in which she

averaged 26 points per game in

the tournament. South Carolina’s

points were more evenly distributed

among the team, with Chloe

Kitts and MiLaysia Fulwiley

each scoring 9 points and Joyce

Edwards and Tessa Johnson each

Paige Bueckers led the Huskies to an 82-59 victory in the NCAA finals.

scoring 10.

they were given, making 18 of 21

The third quarter is where the from the line. Both teams struggled

from beyond the arc with

Huskies really started to pull

away. Coming out of halftime, Uconn shooting 4 for 17 and the

they extendedtheir lead to a comfortable

62-42 score by the start South Carolina’s defense was not

Gamecocks shooting 4 for 16.

of the 4th quarter. The Huskies good enough to stop the powerhouse

of Uconn’s took advantage of the free throws

offense.

Staff Picks

After the NCAA Men’s Final Four was set, four Warrior staff members chose their favorites to win it all.

With the first all one-seed Final Four since 2008, each game was a toss-up. Surprisingly, all four staff

members incorrectly picked Duke over Houston, and only one member correctly predicted the champions.

WINNER:

93-87

WINNER:

90-79

Andrew Fenner ‘27

Madelyn Awaad ‘27

WINNER:

85-79

WINNER:

94-89

Google Images

Houston guard LJ Cryer drives to the basket guarded by Alijah Martin.

Google Images

Molly Schecter ‘27

Cara Farr ‘27

20

Girls Lacrosse Remains a

Top Team in Maryland

by Emma Link ‘27

Girls lacrosse last season

made it all the way to the 3A state

semi-finals, where it lost to Dulaney,

a powerhouse from Baltimore

County that has played in

the title game the last two years.

Over the last few seasons, Sherwood

has focused on beating its

top competition in Montgomery

County as a stepping stone to

taking on some of the best girls

lacrosse teams in the state come

playoff time.

So far, so good. Sherwood

had a 4-0 record heading into a

game this past Tuesday, April 8,

against conference rival Damasus.

The Warriors have been dominant

at the beginning of the season,

beating Quince Orchard by a

score of 17-11 and then trouncing

Blair 14-1, BCC 14-2, and Blake

17-1

The game against Damascus

should have been a good test for

Sherwood. Last season, Sherwood

won a tight game against Damascus,

and this season the Hornets

reportedly have been focused on

a film study of Sherwood’s plays

and players’ strengths and weaknesses.

A sign of Sherwood’s success,

other strong teams in MCPS

circle the date when they play the

Warriors as one of their biggest

games of the season.

The Warriors are off to a

good start, even after losing six

seniors from last season to graduation.

“The team did not have

The Warrior • Sports

April 10, 2025

an issue, though, and had players

step up and fill their role,” said

senior Abby Sorkin. “The transition

has been smooth, and we haven’t

faced any significant issues

in maintaining our performance

levels.” The team’s star goalie

last season graduated, and senior

Caitlin Fears and sophomore

Chloe LaRoche are now adapting

to playing at the varsity level.

Coach Kelly Hughes frequently

pushes the team to practice

with game-like intensity.

“Our greatest strengths are our

speed and teamwork,” said sophomore

attacker Ashlyn Hambrecht.

”We can move the ball quickly

to make good smart plays.” She

added that the most noticeable

feature of high-level high school

lacrosse is the speed of the game.

Jv and varsity are at different levels

of play, and giving 100 percent

through practices and games

will make the team successful and

with outcomes that satisfy coaches

and players.

After spring break, a big

game for Sherwood will be away

at Whitman on Saturday, April

26. Last season, the Warriors won

a thriller at home against the Vikings.

Sherwood continues to

keep up with practices and games

throughout the rest of the season.

The team is building on last

year’s momentum and aiming for

a strong result. The team’s dedication

will lead them through the

rest of the season.

Baseball Chases Championship


After a tough loss to River Hill in the

regional finals last season, boys baseball is

back and looking to add a fourth championship

ring to their collection in five years.

With shutout wins over talented teams in

the county in the first month of the season,

the Warriors look like they could make a

run come May.

Despite losing key seniors to graduation

last year, the Warriors have come into

the regular season looking just as dominant

as last season. Before the season started,

senior shortstop Ryan Rey, senior pitcher

and second baseman Ty Hames, junior outfielder

Carter Sweeney, and senior center

fielder Jacob Bagania were all named to

the preseason all-state team.

“We have a core of seniors with a couple

of years of varsity experience mixed

with a group of talented sophomores and

juniors,” said head coach Sean Davis. The

team’s talent jumps off the page, with individual

players like Rey and Sweeney both

committed to play Division 1 baseball.

Hames will also be playing collegiate baseball,

having committed to playing Division

2 baseball and handful of other players

have also committed to playing in college

at either Division 2 or 3.

Sherwood as a team has also been

ranked very high in early-season rankings

for the top teams in Maryland. “The early

ranking is a testament to our past success,”

said Davis, who added that any pressure

that comes along with the ranking isn’t a

factor. “We don’t focus on the rankings.

We make it our mission to improve every

day and be the best team we can be late in

the season.”

The Warriors won their first three

games in dominant fashion, allowing just

one run total with zero defensive errors.

Of these wins included a 10-0 victory over

the defending state champion Magruder in

which Hames pitched a no-hitter. “We’ve

got a great infield, a great outfield … so I

try to use those guys as much as I can,”

Hames said in an interview with DMV

Strike Zone after the game. However,

Wootton and Damascus proved to be more

challenging matchups for the Warriors.

Both ranked opponents played Sherwood

tough, each team scoring three runs and

forcing Sherwood to be more aggressive

offensively. Despite the challenge, Sherwood

beat Wootton 9-3 and Damascus 4-3.

Regarding the tough loss to River Hill

last year, Hames says that it has given the

team a lot to think about. “With the way

the season ended last year we have a lot

Boys Lacrosse Rolls On

by Chase Sondike ‘26

Boys lacrosse has been a staple

of success in recent years,

consistently competing at a high

level. As the 2025 season hits its

midway point, the team is off to

yet another impressive start, remaining

undefeated with a 5-0

record as they headed into a big

game this past Tuesday against

Damascus, who entered the game

with a strong 5-1 record. The

Warriors have high expectations,

setting their sights on both the

county championship and a deep

run in the state playoffs.

Boys lacrosse has been thriving

despite a slightly different

look this year. While they have

always been a highly competitive

program, the Warriors have welcomed

a lot of new faces. Five

freshmen are already making significant

contributions to the team,

a call to the depth of talent that

continues to define Sherwood

lacrosse. Assuming the Warriors

added another tally to the win

column this Tuesday against a talented

Damascus team, they now

look ahead to a matchup against

a strong-willed Churchill roster

this Friday. Along with the Damascus

and Churchill games, a

face-off against Whitman later in

the schedule will be the Warriors’

biggest test of the regular season

in their quest for their second undefeated

regular season record in

a row.

“Our goals for this season

are still to win all of our in-county

games and secure the county

championship,” said senior

attackman and captain Andrew

Bergesen. “Then we’ll shift our

focus to making a run in the state

playoffs.” Bergesen believes the

team’s success will come as long

as they can sharpen up their play,

including communication. “We

need to work on being more selfless

on offense and improving

communication on defense,” said

Bergesen. “If we can eliminate

mental errors and improve our

throwing and catching, we’re going

to do great.”

Alongside Bergesen is another

senior captain, Andrew Cavanaugh,

who is committed to playing

lacrosse at the collegiate level at

Towson. “Our offense is younger

this year, and we have more

freshmen contributing than in

Senior Ty Hames pitches in a 4-3 victory against previously undefeated Damascus team.

Senior Attackman Jack Heagy sets up a dodge in a win against Blake.

Elijah Goodman ‘26

to prove,” Hames said. Hames mentioned

that the Warriors have to improve on their

aggressiveness in game, highlighting the

need for stealing bases more often. “Stealing

runs makes it easier on the pitcher and

the team,” Hames said. “We can control the

games if we steal more often.”

Davis is focused on continuing to

maintain a strong program at Sherwood.

“Our philosophy has always been to learn

from failure and adversity and be ready

to play your best baseball in May,” Davis

said. “Our expectation every year is to

compete for a state championship.”

Hames has echoed this same sentiment,

saying that “the team’s goal is to win

a state championship … [and] with the way

the team is playing right now our chances

are really good.”

past years, but our talent is still

at a high level.” The first team

all-county midfielder, Cavanaugh

has continued lighting it up

this season, already recording 22

points through the first 5 games.

He acknowledges that the team

still has room for improvement.

“We need to work on patience

and composure, but at the same

time, it also needs to be pedal to

the metal every minute of every

game,” said Cavanaugh. “We just

need to find our balance.”

The boys lacrosse team looks

to make a run for the state championship.

Led by senior veterans

like Bergesen and Cavanaugh,

the Warriors are ready to take the

next step forward in achieving

their ultimate goal, which they

have come so close to in the past

few seasons, of winning a state

title.

Upcoming

Games

Boys Lacrosse:

@

Girls Lacrosse:

vs.

Baseball:

vs.

Softball:

vs.

Boys Tennis:

vs.

Girls Tennis:

@

Coed Volleyball:

vs.

4/23

4/26

4/23

4/25

4/23

4/23

4/23

Zach Geller ‘25

SHS_Warrior_proof (4)

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