SHS_Warrior_May

THE CLASS OF 2025 EDITION

MAY 2025

2

The Warrior • Senior Columns

May 29, 2025

The Song Is Over: Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of the Moon and Me

by Audrey Farris ‘25

Senior year descended

with a heavy weight, each tick

of the clock echoing the relentless

march toward graduation.

My world was shifting,

soundtracked by the echoes

of 60s and 70s psychedelic

rock. Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of

the Moon became a constant

companion, especially “Time”

which wrapped itself around

my soul.

The idea that nothing lasts

forever started to sink in. Every

moment felt precious and fragile

as the months slipped away,

and a quiet worry about what

was coming began to grow. I

found myself clinging to everything;

Friday night football

game with friends, hours spent

working on the newspaper,

the electric energy of Rock n’

Roll Revival. Each laugh, each

shared glance, felt like a memory

in the making, a whisper

to my future self that said, “remember

this.” I was running,

trying to “catch up with the

sun,” as the song so poignantly

puts it, but it kept sinking, always

just out of reach.

The opening lines of

“Time” with its cacophony of

clocks, became a metaphor

for my senior year. Each day

was a reminder that “the time

is gone, the song is over,” or

at least, that this particular

chapter was drawing close. I

Live in the Springtime

by George Awkard ‘25

Compared to Spring, the

other seasons seem long-awaited.

Spring’s rainy days seem

endless, the daylight stretches

on like a never-ending to-do

list, and the end of school feels

light years away. Yet, spring

holds something special, especially

for seniors. With Prom,

the last day of high school,

graduation, and Beach Week

all just around the corner,

spring truly becomes the backdrop

to many of our most unforgettable

moments. If spring

is where so many memories

are made, shouldn’t we embrace

it instead of wishing for

it to change?

We only get one chance

to experience life, and it’s too

short to waste on worrying

about things beyond our control.

When we learn to accept

what we can’t change, we open

ourselves to greater happiness

and joy in the everyday. Too

many people find themselves

trapped in the past or anxious

about the future, missing out

on the beauty of the present.

The seasons remind us of this

truth, showing us how to live

fully in the moment.

There’s a lyric from “House

Song” by Searows that perfectly

captures the power of living

in the now: “Now you’re taller

than you’ve ever been, There’s

a mark on the wall, you see,

I’m sure that someone will

draw a new one, And cover it

before they leave.” The “mark”

symbolizes what we leave

behind for the world — a reminder

that the only moment

we truly have is the one we’re

living in. If we don’t appreciate

it, it’ll slip away before we even

realize it. Your so-called “mundane”

moments are far more

important than they seem, but

only if you choose to notice

them.

So, if the days start feeling

long when you wait for Spring

to change to Summer, or if the

daily grind starts wearing you

down, remember that this is

the season of growth, change,

and renewal. Take the time

to enjoy life — whether that

means hanging out with family,

trying something new, or

practicing self-care. As senior

year draws to a close, take a

moment to cherish the small

moments because, in the end,

those little memories will

mean just as much as the big

milestones.

found myself questioning how

I was spending my time, wondering

if I was truly living in

the moment or just passively

watching it slip away. The lyrics

“ticking away, the moments

that make up the dull day” resonated

deeply, a challenge to

break free from the monotony

and embrace the experiences

unfolding around me.

As I write this, there are

by Jordan Costolo ‘25

only three weeks until graduation.

When you read this, graduation

will be just a day away.

As I picture myself standing

on that stage, diploma in hand,

I’m flooded with a bittersweet

sense of satisfaction. “Time”

has reminded me of three

truths. First, change is an inevitable

aspect of impermanence.

Change is scary, but change is

necessary for growth. Second,

life is worth living when we

acknowledge our limited time

we have to spend it. Third, trying

to relive or overextend the

same pleasant moment makes

it invaluable.

This year has been a whirlwind,

a blur of laughter and

tears, triumphs and setbacks.

Through it all, I’ve learned the

importance of slowing down,

existing in the present, and

appreciating the people who

have made my journey unforgettable.

I’m endlessly grateful

for the people in my life

who pushed me to chase my

dreams, even when I felt lost or

uncertain. As the song reminds

us, “no one told you when to

run, you missed to starting

gun,” but it’s never too late to

start running, to start living, to

start making the most out of

the limited time we are given.

And even if “ten years have got

behind you,” the future is still

wide open, waiting to be written.

Committing to the Bits

I’ve done a lot of dumb stuff

over my time at Sherwood.

I competed in a watermelon

eating contest and lost terribly,

dressed up in embarrassing

costumes for spirit days, did

jokes in front of random people

that only my friends and I

found funny. I was loud, sometimes

obnoxious, and overall

spent a decent amount of my

high school career just generally

making a fool of myself.

For some odd reason, though,

I don’t regret a majority of the

odd things I’ve done. While

this might be because I lack

self awareness or even shame,

I like to optimistically hope

it’s because of a much greater

reason. Every time I did something

during my high school

years, I tried my best to fully

commit to that action.

I think too many people

in high school are afraid of

committing to something, as if

showing enthusiasm or being

really engaged is embarrassing.

Just take our school-wide spirit

days, where a majority of the

Sherwood population simply

watch the few people who do

participate with critical eyes.

This judgement can be seen in

all kinds of other situations as

well, such as participating in a

class, or embracing things like

a personally unique style. High

school should be a time to experiment

with interests and

self-expression, not shy away

from and be ashamed of it.

Too many people are afraid to

break from the herd in any way

shape or form at the risk of being

judged or gossiped about.

You don’t have to do something

extreme and crazy, or

break any big social barriers,

but you should try and do

something that might be a

little bit embarrassing at first

but that you can fully commit

to. While yes, I did a lot

of random, unrelated things,

this philosophy also helped

me when it came to auditioning

for theatre or Rock N Roll,

both things I ended up with

leads in. I fully committed

to helping with the film club

and newspaper, both of which

I also still do. Finally, I made

the big decision to commit to

being the Class of 2025 graduation

speaker. True, not everything

I did went perfectly,

but they were all a worthwhile

experience. So do everything

you want to and can with everything

you got, and who

cares if you draw attention, or

even make a fool of yourself?

You’re going to be out of here

in at most four years anyways,

so try to enjoy yourself.


May 29, 2025

Everyone Should Be More Cringe

by Declan Rooney ‘25

As a freshman coming into

Sherwood I was self conscious

of everything I did. I was

scared to talk to kids I didn’t

know. I was scared to go out

and do things because of how I

thought people might perceive

me. I’m sure we all can relate to

the struggle to “fit in” coming

into high school. The need to

try and blend in. Be less cringe.

More quiet. To camouflage

yourself among the masses.

In Greek mythology, Sisyphus

was the founder and king

of Ephyra. He reveals Zeus’s

abduction of Aegina to the river

god Asopus, thereby incurring

Zeus’s wrath. His punishment

is pushing a boulder up

an infinite mountain forever.

Despite these attempts to

not be seen as cringe or awkward

I still look back and think

to myself “Dear God what was

I doing?” It is inevitable that

one day you’ll look back on

your present self and think that

same thought, and it’s bound

to happen over and over for

the rest of your life - like Sisyphus

pushing the boulder up

the mountain for the rest of

time.

Looking back on it now, I

almost wish I was more cringe

and more insufferable, as long

as it meant I wasn’t scared of

doing new things. My inner

desire to conform with the

masses seems so silly to me

now, especially because it prevented

me from doing so many

fun things I wanted to do.

Be more yourself. The

struggle to conform is pointless,

so do away with it. By

trying to conform you deprive

yourself of those fun and not

so fun learning experiences.

It’s Not That Deep

by Paloma Illanes ‘25

Thinking back on the last

four years of my life at Sherwood

and trying not to sound

too cliche is difficult. Like everyone

warned, it’s gone by in

the blink of an eye and I can’t

seem to wrap my head around

the fact that I’m graduating

soon. I’ve grown as a person,

but I’m also still very similar to

the girl I was freshman year.

Like so many people, I

chased academic validation,

basing my worth on the only

letter I’d deem acceptable to see

on a report card. That pressure

came from standards I placed

on myself, and the mindset

that I had to be perfect. Because

of my high expectations,

school was usually associated

with stress and dread. After

years of constant studying and

countless hours poured into

homework assignments, I can

confidently say there’s a fine

line between putting in effort

and taking academics seriously,

versus wasting time worrying

about details that won’t

affect the big picture of my life.

There are so many experiences

to enjoy, and spending

too much energy panicking

over every little thing won’t

make it better. Worrying about

grades, the fear of failure,

and how others perceive me

plagued my mind constantly.

The only thing that would help

me break out of a never ending

cycle of overthinking was the

advice my family gave me.

As I vented to them about

all the negative thoughts

flooding my brain, they’d listen

and give advice that always

seemed to make the situation

better, especially my big brother

who’d repeatedly remind me

“it’s not that deep.” Sometimes

all it took was for me to say

what I was nervous about out

loud for me to realize how silly

it is to “sweat the small stuff.”

It’s like if Sisyphus threw away

his boulder. What would he

do for eternity then? We’re all

destined to be pushing that

“cringe past self ” boulder up

the mountain forever anyways,

so make your boulder as awful

and cringe and as packed with

lessons and experience as possible.

You want to look back

upon yourself and have that

icky feeling because it means

how much you’ve grown. A

heavier boulder means your

legs are stronger. Your past self

is a testament to how high up

on the mountain you’ve gotten,

and that is something to

be immensely proud of.

Albert Camus, the French

novelist and absurdist philosopher,

sums it up well. He said,

“The struggle itself toward the

heights is enough to fill a man’s

heart. One must imagine Sisyphus

happy.”

by Cliff Vacin ‘25

3

Getting Involved

by Seph Fischer ‘25

When I first entered high

school as a freshman, I didn’t

quite feel like I had any sort

of concrete “goals,” and my

awareness of and interactions

with school and social activities

outside of my own personal

life were limited. Progressing

through the years, that

awareness has slowly grown—

perhaps as a result of maturity—

and I’ve come to realize

that I enjoy social interaction

far more than I previously

thought. I’m immensely grateful

for the social circle I have,

but I wonder if I couldn’t have

made more connections with

interesting people and developed

stronger communication

skills if I had come to this realization

sooner.

Maintaining the openness

to change what you previously

thought about yourself is an

important part of developing

throughout high school. Being

resistant to those kinds of realizations,

or not putting yourself

“out there,” as I did, limits

your opportunity to gain new

knowledge about yourself that

can lead to those realizations.

By detaching from your social

environment in this way,

you artificially stunt yourself.

Participating in school activities

like Rock ‘N’ Roll Revival,

joining extracurriculars, and

generally opening yourself up

to your social environment—

and the possibility of engaging

in it—will put you in a far

better position in the future

than ignoring those possibilities

and closing yourself off.

Even if you conclude that you

still very much enjoy having

solitude sometimes, building

up the opportunity to engage

socially doesn’t rob you of that

ability. Similarly, being more

social earlier on lets you form

connections that can continue

throughout your high school

years.

Even if you only see someone

every so often and say

“hi” in the hallways, it’s nice to

know that you have that social

connection through that brief

exchange. During my senior

year, I’ve tried to be more sociable,

and it’s surprising how

many people are genuinely

nice and interested in you,

even when you didn’t think

that would be the case.

Fake It Till You Make It

I’m confident enough to

say that everyone has sad or

stressful periods throughout

high school. My freshman,

sophomore, and junior years

were filled with a lot of misery,

with most of the fault being my

own. A lot of stress manifested

throughout that time, and it’s

hard to look back at my younger

self and be proud of how life

was.

My life wasn’t balanced

properly, and I often neglected

how I felt. My rationale was

that if I ignored my feelings,

they would go away–but they

didn’t, and it reached the point

that every non-positive feeling

manifested into sadness.

This was fine for me, until it

turned physical, and I watched

both my mental and physical

state fail me. I had no help, so I

thought abstractly and decided

I was going to force myself to

be happy until I achieved true

happiness.

It was difficult. I didn’t

want to be happier, and I had

no willpower in standing up

for myself. Starting small, I

changed certain unnoticed

habits about myself. I stopped

listening to music that upset

me, and I started paying

more attention to my outfits

and the weather around me.

Albeit small, giving yourself

things to care about will boost

your overall care for life. As

my senior year came around,

it became much easier to be

happy. Seeing the prospects of

freedom and getting close to

the end of a painful time for

me, it became easier to live.

Breathing became natural, and

I finally could stand up for myself.

I watch the people similar

to me, ones who entered high

school with a lot of anger towards

the world, the same

people who would leave high

school full of love. While adolescence

and high school can

foster a lot of sadness, high

school also causes a lot of development

around you. As an

adult, I hold a lot of love for my

younger self because, despite

my immaturity and hopelessness

surrounding life, I made

it through.

4

by Justin Lakso ‘25


May 29, 2025

Your FOMO Is Too Loud

by Nick Hammond ‘25

Living with a Bob Ross Mindset

We all know that losing

sucks. Maybe you got a bad

grade on a quiz, maybe you

didn’t do well in a sporting

event, or maybe it was just

losing a bet with a friend. The

main thing is, none of these

losses are going to affect your

life forever. If you told that to

a younger me, it would’ve gone

in one ear and out the other. I

had a bad habit of taking every

loss too personally. Academics,

athletics, everything else, I

wanted to be the best. It caused

me to get mad at the smallest

things I failed at, and overall

just be miserable all the time

… unless I was winning.

Around my sophomore

year, I came across a video by

As I’ve gotten older, and

especially as my high school

experience comes to a close, I

have begun reassessing what

is truly important to me and

what activities and experiences

I want to prioritize. I have

found great fulfillment and

passion by reaching into many

different areas of creative expression

and work, but I have

also become incredibly burnt

out at times. As I reflect upon

this unique period of my life,

I’ve come away proud of how

much I’ve accomplished, but

I’ve also learned from the

stress that came along with

pursuing these achievements

up to my own standards.

In my four years, I’ve constantly

kept myself busy - well,

somewhat. Despite truly having

a lot on my plate at times,

I rarely allowed myself to feel

rested (even when I had downtime

and breaks) and always

had a nagging feeling that I

should be doing more, or that

there was something more

productive I could be doing.

But all this ultimately led to

me feeling overwhelmed, anxious,

and thus shutting down.

I’ve wrestled with swinging

between feeling over- and under-committed,

but what I am

now working towards is accepting

myself where I am and

feeling okay with not doing as

much - as long as I am spending

my time aligning with my

values and prioritizing the activities

that leave me most fulfilled.

However, I still believe

that committing to a variety

of extracurriculars, clubs, and

relationships can have great

value in these explorative years

of your youth. As long as you

pursue them with honest interest

and curiosity, you can

find new paths to explore in

life that you never would have

considered even a possibility

for you. But what I know

now is to not be so harsh on

yourself. This act of avoiding

overcommitting doesn’t mean

to be flakey, not care, or to not

put an honest effort into these

things, but to me it means to

be realistic with yourself.

I’ve drowned myself in

perfectionism these past few

years, and it’s often left me

enjoying the things I love less

than I could. Be free. If you

commit to a lot, give it your

all, but realize that you simply

cannot perform at your peak

or idealized ability in every

activity or class. Give yourself

time to rest; to appreciate all

that you have achieved. Turn

down your FOMO a bit, and

listen to you.

Bob Ross. For those unaware,

Bob is the host of The Joy Of

Painting, TV show in the 1980s

and early 90s meant to show

that anybody could create art

no matter their prior experience.

I love watching other

people create art, so naturally

I clicked on the video. What

followed was half an hour of

some of the best life advice I

ever heard.

Bob preaches the ideas of,

“there are no mistakes, only

happy accidents,” and, “don’t

get mad at someone doing better

than you, learn from them.”

I wasn’t aware of this messaging

at first, but then I started

watching the show regularly.

Ultimately, his advice caused

me to really take a look at myself

and come to the conclusion

that it wasn’t worth the mental

stress to get mad at myself all

the time.

I’m a lot happier with myself

now that I’ve stopped trying

to do everything perfectly.

Sure, it’s natural to feel a bit

disappointed after making a

mistake, but how you handle

it is much more important.

Don’t lose sleep over a bad

grade. Don’t tell yourself you’ll

quit after a poor performance

in an event. Don’t let adversity

wear you down. After all, as

Bob says, “you’ve gotta have a

few dark days to know when

the good times come around.

If everything was perfect all

the time, you’d never get the

chance to improve.”

How Music Helped

by Matthew Leighton-Jones ‘25

I wasn’t a big music listener

in freshman year, and

I think that’s one thing that

made it worse than my other

high school years. Since then,

listening to tons of different

genres of music helped me figure

out what music I love most

and also helped me figure out

a little more about myself. I

started playing guitar because

of this new love for music, and

guitar distracted me from the

anxiety brought onto me by

by Katie Ng ‘25

school.

I struggled with having

no motivation to do any work

throughout my high school

years. Playing guitar was a way

to escape from all the worry

that came along with me putting

off assignments instead

of doing them when I needed

to. It became even more stressful

because I took a lot of AP

classes but oftentimes the pressure

to fulfill my potential is

actually what got in the way of

me doing as well as I could. But

listening to music whilst doing

work was the one way to help

me get it done. Rather than being

a distraction, music often

gave me focus. This is probably

because it was calming.

Playing guitar was sometimes

a distraction from doing

work, but I think that overall it

helped me. It was a brand new

hobby that gave me lots of joy,

just like listening to music did.

Even now as I’m typing this

column, I’m listening to some

of my favorite artists. Elliott

Smith, Death, Gulch, Brutalismus

3000, Dinosaur Jr., Weiland,

and Tool, to name a few.

It’s hard to imagine not having

the music.

Not the Best Years

In 7th grade, I had to write

a letter to an incoming 6th

grader for English class, but I

was not allowed to scare them

or say anything negative about

Rosa Parks Middle School. I

won’t sugarcoat or censor myself

now though. Quite frankly,

the high school years may not

be your golden years.

I remember my freshman

year, the boy’s bathroom

outside the media center was

boarded up because someone

had tried to rip a sink off the

wall (a devious lick). Additionally,

I found out that the year

before, a student had shoved a

Christmas tree into a toilet in

the upper H hallway bathroom

and then dragged it across the

hall.

Immediately, I was disillusioned

with high school, and

it was only my first or second

week. I felt even more dissatisfied

when I found out there

were a whole host of other

school wide issues: crumbling

infrastructure, a growing mental

health crisis, locked bathrooms,

finding out bullying

is still an issue, you name it.

Some people think teens have

the time of their lives in high

school, but that is just not

the case. It is harder than you

think to romanticize school.

Because if you are like me,

you took or you currently take

high school way too seriously.

I strived for, and I still strive

for perfection. From the get

go, I was worried if I was good

enough for UMD, my dream

school. In the end, I was accepted,

but I paid the price of

perfection. I stressed out and

missed out on being a kid.

When I think about my life, I

wish I had hung out with my

friends more and had more

fun.

Essentially, high school

is no fun when you devote all

your time to academics and

neglect doing anything for

yourself. High school is no

fun when you continuously

struggle with your mental

health. High school is no fun

when you see glaring issues at

school, and little to nothing is

done to address them.

So, if you are an underclassman,

or you are a younger

student reading this, get a grip.

Buckle up. Brace yourselves for

what’s to come. But, remember,

even though there is a lot

to come after I graduate, nurture

your interests the way I

nurtured my passion for journalism

and stay strong.


May 29, 2025

5

WHERE WE’RE HEADED

Tradition dictates that we at The Warrior make our readers aware of where our amazing seniors are attending college next year.

However, for such a special class we thought this simple gesture did not do them justice. So we hopped on the next flight to the beautiful

nation of Nepal to speak with a monk high atop a mountain. There he spent a long time in deep meditation and prayer, and eventually he

delivered to us the futures of each one of our amazing 2025s. These are our futures.

- Courtesy Of Your Amazing 2025 Humor Writers: Jordan Costolo, Declan Rooney, and Josh Pulaski

Audrey Farris

Editor-in-Chief

After attending Syracuse

University Audrey graduated

top of her class with a degree

in Political Science. After that,

she worked for the court system,

eventually being assigned

a spot as the vessel of the soul of

Ruth Bader Ginsburg. She then

took her rightful place as the

Justice of the Supreme Court,

allowing good ol RBG to return

to her throne once more.

Katie Ng

Copy and Content Manager

After getting kicked out

of UMD due to excessive partying

and skipping class, Katie

moved into the trades, learning

the value of hard work while

becoming a plumber. Katie’s

love for political activism

never left her, but due to her

change in profession she now

helped campaign for Donald

Trump’s 5th consecutive term

in 2044, which he won. Thanks

to her work, she was hired as a

news anchor at Fox, where she

worked for the rest of her life.

Seph Fischer

Opinions Section Editor

Cliff Vacin

Opinions Section Editor

Photography Manager

After studying at American

University, Cliff got a cushy,

high-paying job at Lockheed

Martin making secret weapons

that definitely violate the Geneva

Conventions. After tossing

away his moral compass Cliff

settled into the high life, eventually

becoming a top lobbyist

for Lockheed in Washington,

until his untimely assassination

in May of 2074.

Declan Rooney

Humor Section Editor

Social Media Manager

Before going to Delaware

Declan took a gap year to reflect

on all the times Mr Huck

would yell at him for not getting

his articles done on time.

After this Declan never missed

an assignment in his college career,

eventually becoming valedictorian

of his class thanks to

his unwavering dedication to

his studies. Declan rose to the

top of every class he was in,

graduating with a degree in religious

studies. He climbed the

Catholic church hierarchy and

eventually became the 268th

Pope sovereign of Vatican City.

Justin Lakso

Copy and Content Editor

Jack Engelhardt

Staff Writer

After attending UMBC,

Jack was swept up into a Judeo-Christian

cult after he was

mistaken for a reincarnated

Jesus Christ. He spent many

years as the forced leader of

the small group of cultists, so

many that he started to believe

himself to actually be Jesus. The

cult grew in size to the point

where the federal government

started an investigation. Jack

then decided to take his own

life Jonestown style, poisoning

himself with a knock-off Capri

Sun. None of his followers did

the same and the cult disbanded.

Paloma Illanes

Staff Writer

Paloma studied classical

ballet at Butler University, but it

never really captured her heart.

Instead, Paloma fell in love

with drill rap at Butler, starting

a music career as a niche

and creative rapper with a

dedicated cult following. Years

later she moved to Atlanta and

signed a number of label deals,

propelling her music to a wider

audience and achieving superstar

status. Paloma eventually

got to perform at the Super

Bowl, where her music upset a

lot of old white people as rap

music typically does. Paloma

went down in the history books

as one of the best to ever do it.

Josh Pulaski

Staff Writer

Matthew Leighton-Jones

Staff Writer

After attending Montgomery

College for two years,

Matthew decided he needed a

change in scenery, moving to

Japan because he saw on Tik-

Tok they were living in 2030.

Unfortunately for him, Japan

once again descended into facism

during the 30s, resulting

in Matthew being drafted into

the imperial army. Matthew

died honorably in the battle

of Seoul, being stabbed from a

bayonet from none other than

his identical twin Andrew, who

had moved to China because he

heard they were living in 2030.

Zach Geller

Staff Writer

People noticed shortly after

starting his first semester at

Maryland that Zach would appear

an inch taller than the day

before. While initially written

off as a joke the laughs stopped

after students had noticed he

had grown 15 feet in the past

couple of months. Because of

Zach’s ever growing demands

for his height he sued the

school, so that they would be

required to create a multitude

of skyscraper-tall classrooms.

Eventually, the school went into

debt unable to keep up with

the cost of creating even taller

buildings for Zach. A year later

they filed for bankruptcy.

Nick Hammond

Staff Writer

Jordan Costolo

Entertainment Section

Editor

Finance Manager

After studying at Ithaca,

Jordan was sadly unable to get

a job in the conventional film

industry. Desperate, Jordan

turned to the only profession

that granted him financial solace,

a manager position at Mc-

Donald’s. He was named “The

Napoleon of McDonald’s” due

to him running the joint like it

was the Marine Corps and his

awesome sideburns, which he

grew out and kept after college.

Jordan lived a long and prosperous

life, and like a true captain,

went down with his ship,

commanding his McDonald’s

all the way up until his death at

102 years old.

George Awkard

Entertainment Section

Editor

While studying at James

Madison University, George

decided to make an unexpected

change to branch into rugby

after hearing an inspirational

speech from his high school

teacher Mr. Soso. After realizing

that theater was icky and

gross he embraced his inner

Jock changing his name to John

Rugby. He spent his days going

to frat parties and crushing

beers where he unfortunately

met his end after getting into

a drunk driving accident that

killed him and four other people

in the car.

After attending Hamburger

University, Seph decided to go

all in on baggy jeans, buying

more pairs than one human can

possibly wear in their lifetime.

These purchases put Seph into

major debt, and he was eventually

sought out by loan sharks.

Seph fled the country, using the

jeans to create his own island,

kind of like the trash one, but

with denim. There Seph stayed

for the rest of his days, lounging

on his denim beach, in his

denim beach chair, sipping his

denim margarita.

After graduating from

Rowan University, Justin returned

to Sherwood and built

a real pool on the roof of the

school. He then jumped in and

has been swimming laps in the

pool ever since. Legend says

that he shall never stop, and

like Sisyphus, shall remain till

the end of time swimming lap

after lap. Some say that if you

stand on the second floor under

the leaky part of the ceiling,

you can still hear his strokes.

Whilst studying at Loyola

University, Josh found his lifelong

passion in the gym. Josh

became a world-renowned

bodybuilder after graduating as

well as a social media star. Josh

controversially used his platform

to scam his own followers,

selling them bootleg placebo

supplements and rug-pulling

meme coins to make a quick

buck. His lifestyle eventually

caught up to him though,

leading to Josh succumbing to

heart disease at 35, as most Instagram

bodybuilders do.

Even after attending Belmont

university, Nick never got

over the Ninja low taper fade

meme. He continued to reference

it DEEP into his 40s, and

after many, many interventions

by his dwindling friends and

tired family, he was finally institutionalized

after he mauled

a random man with blue hair

nearly to death, proving to be

a danger to himself and others.

He remained for the rest of his

life in a padded room, yelling

about how the meme “Is still

MASSIVE.”

Mark Joseph

Staff Writer

Went to college, got a degree,

and lived a happy, normal

life. The end. :)

6

The Warrior • Crossword

May 29, 2025

Down - - - -

Across - - - -

2. What talented seniors in the band and choir are given during RNR

3. “___ Speak Your Mind” ice-bucket challenge for mental health

awareness in 2025

4. RNR 53, a field trip to Disney World, and the end of Quarter 3 all

happened during this month!

5. Sherwood won the William Beattie ____ award in 2022

6. Senior____: How we kick off our senior year

7. “What’s up___team?”

9. “How Mr. Britton ends every speech- “___ _____!”

11. There are 72 Seniors in this one club

13. What many of us refused to turn on during COVID

14. Like what happens to muscles after Football games and heads

during AP Exams

15. What former music teacher Mr. Dunn did at the class of 2024

graduation

19. “Roll ____!”

21. Synonym for clean that can’t be used to describe the Sherwood

bathrooms

22. End-of-Season Senior Soiree

25. Acronym for the Sherwood music departments biggest annual

show

26. This former staff member won teacher of the year before leaving

Sherwood

27. First initial of all 4 of our RNR Themes

1. Name of 9th grade female physics teacher (only stayed one year)

4. We had to wear these our freshman year

8. Our preceding pandemic

10. The time that half-day seniors leave school

12. What covered the walls of our Las Vegas HOCO Halls

13. Roman numerals for the year Sherwood was founded (Nineteen

Hundred and____)

14. Senior____: End-of-year game involving slippery evasiveness and

paranoia

16. Test-optional schools don’t require this to be submitted

17. The number of Anti-Bullying BMX assemblies we had

18. Senior Vacation after Graduation (two words)

20. 45 is the ____ of 2025

23. The reaction to rats in classes, soap-less bathrooms, and toilet

paper covered urinals

24. The number of weeks Seniors have spent at Sherwood (three

words)

28. The type of bear inflatable that wandered around our freshman

year Hoco Halls

29. The week for throwing sweet mathematical treats

30. Sherwood was _____ after the forest from Robin Hood

Answers on page 15

by Zach Geller ‘25 Katie Ng ‘25 and Justin Lakso ‘25

The Warrior • Retrospective

May 29, 2025

7

2021

MARCH 4

50th anniversary

of Rock ‘N Roll

Revival

AUGUST 30

United States

completes withdrawal

of all its

troops from Afghanistan,

and

the Taliban return

to power

SEPTEMBER 17

Squid Game releases

on Netflix

NOVEMBER 5

Travis Scott Astroworld

Festival disaster in which

a crowd surge results in

several deaths and injuries

JANUARY 6

The attack of the

U.S. Capitol

SEPTEMBER 8

Queen Elizabeth II dies,

Charles III becomes king

JUNE 17

Juneteenth, celebrating

the end of slavery in the

U.S., is recognized as a

federal holiday

SEPTEMBER 2

The Sherwood Class of

2025 starts first day of high

school, with the mask mandate

in full swing. “Mask up

MOCO!”

MARCH 27

Will Smith slaps Chris Rock

at the Oscars to defend his

wife Jada Smith

2022

2023

FEBRUARY 12

MAY 2

Rhianna performs at the

57th Super Bowl halftime

show, announcing her

pregnancy by revealing a

baby bump

DECEMBER 9

OCTOBER 27

Elon Musk officially buys

out Twitter, turning it into

“X”

Writers Guild of America

(WGA) goes on strike to

protest low wages and prolonged

unemployment

Luigi Mangione is arrested

for accused murder of UnitedHealthcare

CEO, Brian

Thompson

JUNE 29

JULY 21

“Barbenheimer”

rules box offices

Supreme Court rules against

affirmative action in higher

education, putting an end to

race-conscious admissions

in universities

JUNE 24

Supreme Court overturns

Roe v. Wade,

returning abortion

legality to the states

OCTOBER 7

Hamas leads a violent

attack on Israel,

killing thousands,

taking hundreds hostage,

and marking

the start of a deadly

war in the Gaza strip

JULY 13

Attempted assassination

of Donalrd Trump during

a presidential campaign

rally in Butler, PA

APRIL 11

Amber Heard vs. Johnny

Depp trial begins

MAY 28

Settlement reached in

sexual assault lawsuit

against former Farquahr

Middle School principal

FEBRUARY 24

Russia invades Ukraine,

starting a war still continuing

today

NOVEMBER 28

Mr. Britton sends out Remind

to whole school:

“Whats up Admin Team”

NOVEMBER 14

Anti-bullying BMX

assembly

2024

2025

NOVEMBER 22

The movie Wicked starring

Ariana Grande and

Cynthia Erivo is released,

sparking a viral press

tour to follow

JULY 21

JANUARY 20

Joe Biden drops out

of the presidential

election, Kamala

Harris replaces him

Trump’s first day in

office for his second

term. DOGE

established on

the same day to

slash the federal

workforce

JUNE 7

British pop star Charli XCX

releases her album “brat”

to kick off the start of a

brat summer

FEBRUARY 16

SNL hosts a three-hour long

celebration event for its 50th

anniversary

FEBRUARY 9

Eagles and Chiefs

face off in the Super

Bowl LIX

APRIL 2

APRIL

The Kendrick vs Drake rap

battle results in several new

songs released by both -

most notably “Not Like Us” by

Lamar

“Liberation Day.”

Trump introduces

retaliatory tariffs

APRIL 21

Pope Francis dies

8

The Warrior • Senior Memories

May 29, 2025

My Favorite

Memory from

freshman year

is...

“Sitting with my

best friend in

the mornings.”

- Joy Martinello

My Favorite

Memory from a

club/sports/activity

is...

“In swim and dive

whenever we won

a meet. In wellness

committee when

the students were

excited about getting

bracelets during the

basketball game.”

- Birdie Ladd

My Favorite

Pep Rally experience

is...

“The BMX

bikes, Of

course!”

- Michael Key

A meaningful

quote about my

Sherwood experience

is...

“When things

get tough,

just keep

floating down

that river”

- Owen Farrus

My Favorite Sherwood

mishap is...

“I feel like at

least one of the

snow days had

completely clear

roads all day…”

- Ethan Deibosdlt

My Favorite

Memory from

Junior year is...

“Meeting 4 old guys

sitting outside 7/11

after the PSAT got

cancelled. Their

Sherwood Senior

Prank was throwing

rocks through

all the windows”

- Nick Hammond

One piece of

advice to beginning-of-senior-year

me is...

“Don’t think this

year isn’t gonna go

by fast. The year

goes by quicker than

you know and I wish

I did more my senior

year. Also go to more

parties”

- Will Petit

My Favorite

Memory from

senior year is...

“Interning at

Greenwood Elementary

and

getting 2nd place

at states with the

cheer team.”

- Sydney Rudnick

The Warrior • Senior Memories

May 29, 2025

9

A meaningful

quote about my

Sherwood experience

is...

“At Sherwood, I

learned that no

one can decide

who you are or

what you become—only

you

can.”

- Natnael Anteneh

My Favorite

Memory from

sophmore year

is...

“Playing cards

and getting to

know new people

while working

concessions

for RNR 51”

- Zach Geller

My one piece of

advice to an incoming

Freshman is...

“Start prioritizing

your time more,

make connections

with the people

around you, and

seek any help if you

feel down mentally

and academically.”

- Jasen Lovato

My one piece

of advice to an

incoming Freshman

is...

“Slacking off

might be easy

but it isn’t the

right choice.”

- Van Mahoney

My Favorite

Memory from

senior year

is...

“Playing Senior

Assassin”

- Keira Hemmer

One piece of

advice to beginning-of-senior-year

me is...

“Go to every

game and dress

up for themes!”

- Katie Reese

My Favorite

Memory from

freshman year is...

“The chaos in

Mr. Goodrich’s

creative writing

class and painting

a tile in Mrs.

Erdman’s molbio

class.”

- Ace Haase

My Favorite

Memory from

freshman year

is...

“Stepping out

of comfort zone

and joining the

track team”

- Ariel Antonie

Rising Seniors-

Senior year can feel like a whirlwind. This is why we wanted to share

something that would’ve been incredibly helpful to have at the start of

our senior year. Think of this as a sort of “advice calendar,” breaking

down what you should focus on each month, from college applications

to scholarships and everything in between. It’s all about making the

most of your senior year without being overwhelmed and feeling lost!

SEPTEMBER

DECEMBER

-December is the perfect time for you to wrap up college applications! Most

remaining application deadlines are this month and early January. Start the

new year without the load of finishing applications!

-Winter break is during this month!

-Some college decision notifications may come out this month (usually if

they are early decision or early action). Keep an eye on your portals/emails for

decision notifications.

-It's time for Winter sports! Go with some friends to support Sherwood

sports teams and athletes that don’t get the recognition they deserve. Try a

girls basketball game or maybe a swim meet.

MARCH

-Once you have all your college decisions, it’s time to start

considering where you will end up! Decision deadlines will

come up quickly, so if you are able to visit schools, research

more information, compare financial aid packages, etc, on

the schools you are deciding between,

take that opportunity!

-Rock n’ Roll Revival will be

during this month. Go support all

the students involved!

You won’t want to miss it.

-The year will begin with Senior Sunset and Senior Sunrise!

Make sure you attend both, take pictures, and enjoy time with your

class before the school year begins!

-It’s football season! Going to games with friends is a great

Friday night activity. Since you will be a senior, your class will be leading

the student section! Follow the themes, bring energy, and have

fun!

-If you haven’t already, and you’re planning on going to college,

start working on your college essay! It might even be worth drafting

ideas for the essay in the summer.

-For college bound students, start asking teachers for teacher

recommendations! Their spots will quickly fill up, so better to ask

sooner than later.

-Pick a new club for senior year to join. Pick one that interests

you, not just for another item on your college application.

OCTOBER

-Homecoming will likely be in this month. Start shopping for dresses/

suits, and figure out if you will go with a date or not.

-If you are applying early decision or early action to a college, those

application will likely be this month. Make

sure you track all of your deadlines and try to

get your application in as soon as possible so

they don’t pile up.

-Some colleges visit Sherwood,

so keep an eye on your email for

notifications about college visits from

the Career Center.

NOVEMBER

-Continue tracking your college applications. Even more application

deadlines will occur this month.

-Start applying for financial aid if you are college-bound. Some

schools require different information and forms to qualify for aid, so

make sure you do your research and know which colleges need

which information.

-The fall musical will be held in this month!

-Rock n’ Roll Revival auditions will be held this month. If you

have any interest, make sure you sign up and try out! This is your last

chance to be a part of the show.

-Thanksgiving break!

JANUARY

-This month is a good time to complete any remaining financial aid forms

as well as check college application statuses.

-Some college decision notifications may come out this month (usually if

they are early decision or early action). Keep an eye on your portals/emails for

decision notifications.

-Prepare for your second semester classes. If college-bound, keep an

eye on your email for schools that request a mid-year transcript, and speak to

your counselor about how to provide schools with that information.

-Beach week, while far away, should start to make its way into your mind.

If you are planning on going, decide who you are going with, and start looking for

houses. They will start to get booked up quickly, and their prices will rise. Now is

the best time to book a house.

-Motivation is likely going to decrease around this time. To make the end of

your year better, try your best to stay focused on school. This will make quarter

4 easier and more enjoyable for you.

-Enjoy your last snow days in high school! Make sure you go out and enjoy

the snow with your friends.

-It’s a new year!--stretch yourself socially and maybe go to that party that

you’ve skipped out in the past

FEBRUARY

-If you were accepted to a school that you applied early decision/early action

to, you will likely have to accept your offer of admission and submit a deposit

this month.

-Start thinking about scholarships! There are a ton of scholarships out

there, some of which you can find through your counselor or the career center,

and some of which you can find through your own research.

-Prom will be in two months! If you will be wearing a dress,

start looking! The dance will be here before you know it.

-Don’t forget! Beach week is in a few months. If you haven’t found a

house yet, book one NOW! You will have a harder time

finding one the longer you wait.

APRIL

-Spring break is a great time to go visit schools if you haven’t

yet and are interested in doing so. Also, it’s a great opportunity to

spend time with friends and family, so try to plan some fun activities!

-Prom will likely be this month, so if you have not found a dress

yet, put that on your to-do list. Also, plan out the night! Make reservations,

book transportations, etc. Get these things done as early in the

month as possible.

-It’s time to lock in. Make sure you have enough credits to graduate

and you have all required SSL hours.

-It’s starting to warm up outside! Celebrate the start of spring

and summer with a late night trip to Jimmie Cone!

MAY

-Decision Day is May 1st! If you are college-bound and committed, wear

some merch from your college to show off your future plans.

-Enjoy your last few weeks of high school. Start to tie up any loose

ends (such as obligations), write thank you notes for teachers you appreciate,

and prepare to transition to college!

-Some colleges have deadlines for health forms, transcripts, and

housing, so make sure you are on top of checking your portal/email to

know what information you need to submit.

-If you are planning on having a graduation party, make sure

you start to plan it in the earlier half of this month. There is a lot of

planning involved, so the earlier you start, the better.

-If you are going to beach week, make sure you get all of your final

details solidified to have the best experience possible.

-Soak it all in!

You got this! Make senior year the best year you possibly can. Never

discount the value of your hard work, your kindness, and your

determination to cross the finish line. And always remember, you

will end up where you are meant to be.

Best of luck,

The Warrior Class of

2025 Staff

12

The Warrior • News

May 29, 2025

What’s Inside: News 12-15, Opinions 16, Humor 17, Entertainment 18, Sports 19-20

Entertainment

Read a staff review about

season two of The Last of Us

Page 18

Semester Finals On The Horizon

by Cara Farr ‘27

ams, they counted for 25 percent

of students’ entire semester grade.

Another significant change is

that, beginning with next school

year’s incoming ninth graders,

MCPS will change how semester

grades are calculated. Rather than

students receiving an upward

trend in which an A in one quarter

and a B in the other quarter results

in an A for the semester, Taylor is

looking at changes to how grades

are calculated so that students are

held more accountable for trying

the duration of the entire semester.

The slide show presented at

the board meeting showed that

the number of absences of students

nearly doubled in quarter

2 and 4, compared to 1 and 2. In

order to prevent this increase in

absences, Taylor is looking to implement

“summative assessment

requirements” and new ways to

calculate grades to make sure that

students are still trying and still

learning in the second and fourth

quarters.

Another adjustment to the

grading policy is the intention to

better standardize the so-called

50%-rule, which MCPS first put

in place in 2008. For a number of

years, students received a 50-percent

minimum grade even if they

After multiple changes to

the grading policy over the past

few years, MCPS Superintendent

Thomas Taylor is looking to revise

grading for the upcoming

school year as a “Return to Rigor”

that will “restore clarity and

establish high expectations for

students,” according to a slide

presentation at the April 10 meeting

of the Board of Education.

The district has been looking to

make changes to the grading policy

after the 2020 virtual school

year, where due dates, deadlines,

and grades were all relaxed.

The most significant change

is that MCPS is planning to bring

back semester exams, which the

county stopped using in 2017,

moving to quarterly progress

checks. By the end of this month,

Taylor has called for MCPS to

determine 2nd and 4th marking

period summative requirements

in which curriculum teams finalize

plans for English, math, science,

and social studies. It has not

been announced if the exams will

be graded as a percentage of the

quarter grade or a separate category

in the gradebook. When

MCPS previously used final exdid

not submit any work. This

school year, MCPS put requirements

in place that students must

complete a minimum level of

work, as determined by the teacher

to receive at least half-credit.

The new grading policy for next

year will further clarify that students

must show evidence of

defined learning to receive a

minimum 50%. Other changes

for next year are to define a clear

retake and deadline policy to be

used uniformly, such as establishing

a maximum deadline window

such as 10 school days after the

original due date.

In the 2023-2024 school

year, the county added end of

course exams for biology students

to take in their second semester.

This counted towards the

grades of the 9th grade students

taking the test, not the 10th grade

students. They also added an

end of course exam for students

taking National, State, and Local

(NSL) Government classes,

where just like biology, it counted

towards the grades of the students

enrolled in the class. At the beginning

of the 2024-2025 school

year, the ten-percent category

was reinstated for English and

Math classes.

Is AI Replacing Learning?

by Julius Lindner ‘26 and

Piotr Popiel-Machnicki ‘26

Even though MCPS banned

most AI tools from the school-issued

Chromebooks to stop students

from cheating with those

tools, the frequency of students

using AI is only increasing. Students

continue to use it for assignments

and studying, while

teachers use it to plan lessons

and generate ideas. Teachers now

recognize and perhaps reluctantly

accept that almost every student

uses AI in one way or another.

That raises the question of how

it affects students’ learning and

how MCPS and its teachers will

respond and adapt.

“The truth is, AI developed

so quickly that schools are still

trying to catch up,” said English

teacher Elizabeth Kominski.

“We’re now responsible for preparing

students for a world where

AI will be a big part of everyday

life—and that includes teaching

new skills like digital literacy and

ethical tech use. But we’re still

figuring out the best ways to do

that. In many ways, it feels like

we’re building the plane while

flying it. It’s a challenge, but also

an opportunity.”

Social studies teacher Matt

Schneider believes nearly every

student has used AI in one

or more of their classes. “I hope

that the positives will outweigh

the negatives, but it is too early to

tell,” said Schneider. “I hope that

as AI improves, we find ways to

use it as a powerful learning tool.

However, we need better screening

mechanisms for cheating and

misuse of AI as well.” Schneider

and other teachers are navigating

how to show students the beneficial

and proper uses of AI while

still monitoring for cheating.

Nevertheless, teachers have

to deal with the current situation.

One way to is to use AI detectors,

which claim to catch text written

by AI. “I typically check more

than one detector at a time, and

if two or three are showing plagiarism,

I trust that,” said English

teacher Christopher Goodrich.

Without reliable detection

tools, teachers are left with no

way of ultimately confirming AI

usage and have to trust the students.

But students seem to use

AI more than they should. “I

think close to all of them use it,”

said social studies teacher Ruby

Whisman.

Several teachers expressed

their concerns about the visible

decline of critical thinking and

human-like curiosity. “There’s no

searching anymore,” said Whisman.

“You just ask, and it gives

you the answer.” Without real

learning at school, students are

missing out on the most valuable

moments of education: developing

ideas, making mistakes, and

building resilience.

“If students rely on it too

heavily, they risk missing out on

important skills like how to write

well, think critically, or solve

problems on their own,” added

Kominski.

Science teacher Michael

Miehl recalled trying to generate

a quiz using AI but found that it

required so much editing that it

barely saved any time. “It became

too much of a chore … I just as

soon made the quiz from scratch.”

Math teacher Heather Baxter

tested using AI for hard math

problems, but realized that it

started just spitting out mistakes.

“I feel like it reaches a certain

level,” she said about AI for

high-level math. “It’s just like a

person reaching a certain level

with their capability.” This risk of

encountering misinformation or

generic, low-quality answers only

strengthens the argument that AI

should only be a support and not a

replacement, especially for learning.

The question is, what can

be done? Completely banning

AI may not be realistic or even

helpful. Already, many teachers

are encouraging their students to

work with AI for brainstorming,

summarizing, or creating outlines.

Whisman described asking

her history students to generate

alternative history images using

AI, which turned out to be “extremely

exciting” and a great opportunity

to deepen involvement

with the material.

In the long run, ChatGPT is

here to stay. So, the future of education

will not be AI-free, but if

schools adapt and teach students

to use it wisely, it could make

learning smarter, not lazier.

Sports

Spring sports approach

end of season

Pages 19-20

MCPS grading policy has undergone frequent revisions in recent years.

Trump’s Letter Demands

End of DEI In K-12 Schools

by Deepika Shrestha ‘27

The Trump administration

sent a letter to every state in early

April stating that any Diversity,

Equity, Inclusion (DEI) practices

would need to stop in K-12

schools or would lose federal

funding for their public schools.

Federal funding is only about 10

percent but still matters greatly

especially for Title l schools that

serve higher concentrations of

low-income students, as well as

for serving the needs of students

with disabilities. The Trump administration

is arguing that under

federal civil rights laws, it has

the responsibility to also protect

white children from discrimination

as much as minority children.

States and school districts were

directed to respond to the letter

certifying they do not discriminate

with DEI practices.

The letter was unclear on what

is considered DEI so state and

district school leaders have struggled

over the past two months to

determine how to interpret the

letter that does not specify if its

learning materials, instructional

lessons, job hiring, or even extracurriculars

like clubs that are considered

under “DEI practices.”

The letter to K-12 school letters

was similar in intent to one

sent to colleges and universities

in early February that they faced

the loss of federal funding if they

continued to include DEI efforts.

Soon after, the federal Department

of Education created an

online portal called “End DEI,”

where parents, students, and others

can send in complaints about

schools that have discriminated

under DEI. Parents from anywhere

in the country can send in a

complaint for a school their child

does not even attend. The Department

of Education stated that it

will use that information to investigate

possible discrimination that

occurs in a school or its district.

Federal judges in Maryland,

New Hampshire, and Washington

D.C. have all blocked Trump’s

effort at stopping DEI in K-12

schools. They essentially ruled

it limits academic freedom, was

too vague, and possibly unconstitutional.

This means that the

administration can not threaten

those states to cut funding for the

time-being. Later, 19 states sued

the Trump administration for illegally

putting in jeopardy funding

that could be used for disabled

students. However, some republican-led

states or their local school

districts have already certified to

the administration that they will

not use DEI practices or instruction

in schools and some states,

including in Texas, Ohio, and

Tennessee, are making their own

laws around anti-DEI practices in

public schools.

There is uncertainty how courts

ultimately will rule on efforts by

the Trump administration to influence

what is taught in schools, as

well as whether school districts in

Maryland will change anything

they currently are doing.

see “DEI,” pg 14


May 29, 2025

TikTok Roped Into Tariff War

by Laurika Pich ‘27

Recently, the social media

app TikTok has been caught in

the crossfire between the two economic

powerhouses of the United

States and China. For years, the

United States has been concerned

that the Chinese government is

using TikTok, owned by Chinese

company ByteDance, for spying

as well as political manipulation.

To avoid these complications,

Tiktok is set to be separated

from its Chinese owner to avoid

a ban in the United States, or to

find a new American owner, such

as bidders “Shark Tank” star Kevin

O’Leary (along with billionaire

Frank McCort), and Amazon,

which have put in a last-minute

offer for the app. Additional investors

would be brought on to

reduce the number of Chinese investors

due to a U.S. federal law,

upheld by the Supreme Court,

calling for no more than 20 percent

of TikTok or its parent company

to be owned by people or

corporations in foreign adversary

countries, which includes China.

However, Trump in his first day

as president paused the enforcement

of the popular app by extending

the TikTok ban deadline

first to April 5 before announcing

a second extension to June 19.

The Trump administration

reportedly is finalizing a deal to

secure U.S. assets of TikTok,

where Trump is to sign an order

initiating a 120-day period for

closing the deal, allowing time

to finish paperwork and cement

financing. Instead of granting full

ownership of the app, Bytedance

and officials in Washington had

set a new ownership structure

where investors would own 50

percent of an American TikTok

entity, while Chinese owners

would retain less than 20 percent.

But then these plans fell apart

when Trump issued his global tariffs

that same week in early April,

raising baseline tariffs on Chinese

imports to 145 percent. China

then implemented retaliatory tariffs

as a way to combat Trump’s

by imposing a minimum 125-percent

tariff on U.S. goods and restricting

exports of rare earths

critical to high-tech industries.

However, the two countries

announced on May 11 that they

would step back from the high

tariffs due to them paralyzing the

trade between the world’s two

largest economies. Both agreed

to lower the tariffs for 90 days

following talks in Geneva over

the weekend. The tax on Chinese

imports to the United States will

drop from 145 percent to 30 percent

while the tariff China charges

on U.S. goods will fall from 125

percent to 10 percent. Given all

the uncertainty over tariffs, what

will happen next with the ownership

of TikTok is anyone’s guess.

In the meantime, TikTok remains

available in the United States.

MCPS Extends School Year

by Evelyn San Miguel ‘26

In order to meet state requirements

for 180 days of instruction,

MCPS extended the school year

to Tuesday, June 17, designating

the last three days of school as

early release days in order to allow

staff to complete end of year

grading and planning, according

to a letter from the county. The

change comes as a result of four

snow and ice days in January and

February, cutting into vital time

necessary for student learning.

MCPS initially extended the

school year by one day in an announcement

made on X (formerly

Twitter) on January 24. However,

as a result of further inclement

weather days, the county was required

to extend the year to meet

the necessary 180-day mandate.

The county attempted to repeal

the added days and requested a

waiver from the state, but were

refused.

Without a justified excused

absence communicated to the

attendance secretary, attendance

is still mandatory, especially for

high school students. The last

days are expected to be similar to

last year, with field days planned

for students to have some leisure

time at the very end of the year.

Since the pandemic and the

evolution of virtual learning,

solving the problem of lost time

was proposed with the announcement

for the option for a Code

Purple, a virtual learning day in

the case of inclement weather

that would count for a full school

day. Despite having the ability to

MCPS added 3 half-days to the school year to account for snow days.

call a Code Purple, MCPS has yet

to take advantage of the virtual

learning opportunity as a result

of Maryland State Department

of Education (MSDE) guidelines

that school systems “can shift to

virtual learning for severe weather

conditions only if they have

utilized all of their “in person”

make-up days designated in the

school year calendar.” The calendar

includes a significant number

of in-person makeup days,

including five at the end of the

school year. For the 2024-2025

school year, the county opted-out

of including Code Purple as an

operating status code because

it was “very unlikely” that they

would shift to virtual instruction

under the MSDE guidelines.

Many parents and students,

with summer plans taking place

shortly after the year ends, feel

frustrated with the announcement.

The added instructional

days extended the school year

Google Images

Plans to secure U.S. assets of TikTok fell through after Trump’s Tariffs.

Google Images

past the weekend into the following

week of June 16-17. In previous

years, the school year has

ended on or around these dates,

but MCPS pushed back the start

of the school year to before Labor

Day, affecting when the school

year ends.

AP Comparative and US

Government teacher Michael

King felt that the school days

would likely vary depending on

attendance. “A lot of it will depend

on who shows up. If there’s

not great attendance, it’ll probably

change what I’m doing [in

class],” said King. His AP Comparative

Government class has

about fifteen students, more than

half of which are seniors. Since

MCPS has no final exams, and

AP testing ends mid-May, King

has noticed a lot of student apathy

toward the final days of the year,

since “there’s nothing that [students

are] necessarily building

towards.”

Returning Staff

13

Editors-in-Chief ................................... Evelyn San Miguel ‘26

Ziv Golan ‘26

Online

Managing Online Editor ................................... Cara Farr ‘27

Print

News ........................................................... Andrew Fenner ‘27

Opinions ................................................. Deepika Shrestha ‘27

Humor ................................................................ Lilah Boig ‘26

Spotlight ....................................................... Maya Dorsam ‘27

Entertainment ................................................... Lilah Boig ‘26

Matilda Hawkins ‘27

Sports .................................................................. Cara Farr ‘27

Chase Sondike ‘26

Copy and Content

Director of Copy & Content ......................... Nisha Khatri ‘26

Social Media

Directors of Social Media ......................... Molly Schecter ‘27

Emma Link ‘27

Photography

Director of Photography ........................ Elijah Goodman ‘26

Staff Writer

Ryan Green ‘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 more than 35 students under the

guidance of Peter Huck, The Warrior keeps the

Sherwood community informed about local

and national events.

Bathroom Vape Detectors

Aid In Catching Students

by Taylor Adams ‘27

The work of Sherwood’s security

guards potentially became

easier with the installation of

vape detectors in bathrooms to

combat vaping and marijuana use

by students. Since the detectors

became fully functional in late

April, security has received an

average of 50 alerts every day, including

both vape and marijuana

detection.

When a vape detector picks

up vaping particles or marijuana

smoke, it alerts school administration

and security through an

app on their phones, as well as

sending them an email. Then, security

officers or administrators

will go down to the bathrooms

and escort students to the office.

However, there is a complication

at Sherwood because there are no

female security guards currently

working at the school. To handle

the vaping alerts in girls’ bathrooms,

the school either sends a

female administrator to go into

the bathroom or a male security

officer to wait outside the bathroom

for the students to come

out, according to Principal Tim

Britton.

In August of 2024, MCPS

announced that it had reached a

settlement with e-cigarette maker

Juul, which provided them $2

million dollars in funding. This

money was for the purpose of

installing vape detectors in bathrooms

and high traffic areas in

high schools to minimize vaping.

Schools have just recently started

implementing these, including

Sherwood.

While the detectors can pick

up both marijuana and vaping,

there isn’t a way to differentiate

between those based on the

detection. According to Britton,

sometimes the detectors will even

pick up things that are not related

to vaping or marijuana and send

a false alert. Due to this, security

can’t tell if students were vaping

or smoking marijuana unless they

confiscate a physical item.

While this recent change

has received negative feedback

from some students, there may

be genuine benefits. A concern

was raised that installing the vape

detectors in bathrooms wouldn’t

be very effective as it would just

divert students to other areas of

the school to vape and smoke in.

However, the reason that students

keep vaping in bathrooms is because

“there will never be cameras

in bathrooms, so they feel safe

to vape there,” explained Britton.

Now that there is a way to catch

them vaping in bathrooms, it may

prove to be a strong barrier for

vaping.

Britton notes that he hasn’t

seen a decrease in students vaping

in bathrooms, but he has seen

a large increase in the number of

students getting caught. While

there has not yet been a noticeable

decrease in students vaping,

Britton believes that changes to

student behavior may be more

apparent next school year.

14

Supreme Court Anticipated To

Support Parents in Opt-Out Case


In recent months, Supreme Court case Mahmoud v. Taylor

has made waves in Montgomery County as the majority conservative

court is likely to rule in favor of the opt-out option.

The parents in favor of the opt-out policy are from a variety of

religious backgrounds, and their requests to opt their children

out from the reading of K-6 books with LGBTQ+ themes have

furthered ongoing debate in regards to parental rights to the

themes that their children are being exposed to in schools. The

parents, represented by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty,

argued that MCPS violated their First Amendment rights to religious

freedom in reversing its policy to allow the opting-out of

readings of books that contained themes conflicting with their

religious beliefs. Since the court agreed to hear the case on January

17, concerns have mounted across the country as to what

the potential ruling will mean for parents, students, and school

systems in the United States.

Criticisms, most notably in an Editorial from the Washington

Post, questioned why MCPS felt it necessary to bring

a mostly “minor administrative issue” to the attention of the

Supreme Court when it was more likely than not that the court

would rule in favor of the parents. Based on precedent from

other Supreme Court cases, the county’s argument revolves

around the idea that parents forfeit some of their discretion to

the specifics of what content their children are receiving in the

classroom. The county has also stated in oral arguments that

the opt-out program would cause significant disruption to class

activities. Expecting a final ruling in either June or July, the

outcome of this case will set the stage for further debate on a

number of prominent issues in American politics.

Anuva Maloo Elected SMOB

by Isabella Landaverde ‘27

On April 30 students made their voices loud and clear

as Anuva Maloo, a junior at Montgomery Blair, was officially

elected as the 2025-2026 Student Member of the Board

(SMOB). Winning 62 percent of the vote, Maloo secured a clear

victory over her opponent, Northwest junior Peter Boyko. More

than 61,000 students participated in this year’s election, making

it one of the most active SMOB elections in recent years.

Maloo’s term officially begins on July 1, and she succeeds Praneel

Suvarna, a senior at Clarksburg High School.

Maloo’s platform centered on issues like access to mental

health support, safer schools, and equal opportunities for all

students. She also centered her campaign around needs like free

menstrual products in restrooms and wider availability of overdose

prevention tools like Narcan.

Sandy Spring Friends School

Saved from Closure

by Ryan Green ‘26

Sherwood’s neighbor Sandy Spring Friends School (SFSS),

a Quaker school serving preschool through 12th grade, will remain

open following a brief period of uncertainty regarding its

future. On April 23, the school’s board announced that due to an

increase of community funding, they have secured to keep the

school operation through at least the 2027-2028 academic year.

The announcement came after concerns about the SFSS’s

financial situation, which led to the board announcing in mid-

April that the school would close at the end of the school year

after being in existence for more than six decades. The community’s

quick response, including fundraising of more than

14 million dollars, played a crucial role in reversing the decision.

“We are deeply heartened by the generous and passionate

responses from across the SSFS community, which reflect the

deep love and care for the school...and the lasting impact the

school has had for many,” said the Board of Trustees.

Christine Lewis, the interim Head of School, emphasized

the importance of community engagement and its Quaker values.

“Our collective efforts have only secured the schools immediate

future but have also strengthened our commitment to

providing a transformative education grounded in Quaker values,”

Lewis stated. The school’s reopening has been met with

only positive encouragement from both students and parents

alike. Plans are underway to continue the school year moving

forward with a focus on community involvement.


May 29, 2025

First Amendment under Pressure

From the Trump Administration

by Madelyn Awaad ‘27

Schools Uncertain What Qualifies As DEI

from DEI, pg 12

In response to inquiries from The

Warrior, MCPS Superintendent

Thomas Taylor responded that the

school district has no intention to

change their values or practices

on DEI. Taylor also stated that

MCPS did not itself receive any

letter from the Trump administration

about DEI practices.

Any subject in schools could

potentially be targeted in the letter

due to the vagueness of what

qualifies as a DEI practice, but it’s

most likely that any impact would

be felt most in social studies and

English classes due to the nature

of the subjects. Social Studies resource

teacher Christine McKeldin

does not have concerns about

what is being taught to students

running afoul of any future anti-DEI

efforts. “We’re teaching

the real history; we’re teaching

the facts,” explained McKeldin.

Jaclynn Lightsey, MCPS

Secondary Supervisor for English

Language Arts, states MCPS

will focus on instruction that is

aligned with Maryland Board of

Free speech is still legal,

but it doesn’t always feel safe

to speak freely. Under President

Donald Trump’s second presidency,

conservative voices have

said that they felt more heard.

But others, including teachers,

college students, scientists, and

activists, have felt pressured to

stay quiet or risk trouble. Trump

signed an executive order to “protect

free speech,” but some have

interpreted it as actually an attack

on the free speech of those that

he perceives as his enemies. The

First Amendment guarantees free

speech, as well as a free press;

however, Trump has taken a number

of actions that are threatening

the media landscape. As Katherine

Jacobsen from the Committee

to Protect Journalists stated in an

interview with NPR, “Press freedom

is no longer a given in the

United States.”

Trump Sues News Show

ABC News quietly settled

a defamation lawsuit with President-elect

Donald Trump for $15

million on December 16, 2024.

The case began after George

Stephanopoulos, during the

March 10 episode of This Week,

incorrectly said Trump had been

“found liable for rape” in the E.

Jean Carroll civil trial. In fact,

the 2023 jury found Trump liable

for sexual abuse and battery, not

rape. Trump sued on March 17,

2024, claiming actual malice, and

in July a federal judge allowed

the case to move forward. That

opened the door to a discovery

process including internal ABC

emails and scheduled depositions

of both Trump and Stephanopoulos.

Rather than face further risk

and publicity, ABC agreed to settle.

The money will go to Trump’s

presidential foundation and museum.

The case is seen as a major

win for Trump.

AP Reporter Kicked Out

In February, the Associated

Press (AP) was blocked from

covering White House events after

refusing to follow President

Trump’s order to rename the Gulf

of Mexico as the Gulf of America.

Other reporters were also

affected. A judge ruled in March

that the government cannot block

journalists for their viewpoints

and restored the AP’s access. The

judge’s ruling emphasized that

the First Amendment protects reporters

from government retaliation.

Pressure on Corporations

60 Minutes on CBS is a wellknown

news show that has been

around for more than 50 years.

Bill Owens, the show’s executive

producer, quit in March 2025 after

new rules were added that limited

what he and his team could

report. Some people think this

was because the parent company,

Paramount Global, wanted to stay

on the good side of the Trump

administration as it worked on

a merger with Skydance Media.

Education standards. She added

that English teachers in middle

and high schools across the

county have diverse materials

from which to choose from. “We

Google Images

Head of NPR testifies to congress amidst threats to pull federal funding.

Owens felt like the new supervision

over stories, especially those

involving the government, was

too much. As a result, his resignation

showed how tough it can

be for journalists to stay independent

when corporate interests get

in the way.

Cutting NPR and PBS Funding

On May 1, President Trump

signed Executive Order 14290,

which aimed to cut all federal

funding for NPR and PBS. He

claimed that both stations were

too biased in their news reporting

and no longer served the public

fairly. The order told the Corporation

for Public Broadcasting to

stop funding NPR and PBS, even

though the CPB is an independent

nonprofit, protected by law from

political control. In response,

CPB filed a lawsuit, arguing that

Trump’s actions overstepped his

authority. Trump also tried to

remove three members from the

CPB board, which sparked even

more controversy. Critics are concerned

that this move could hurt

local journalism and make public

media more vulnerable to political

influence.

Excerpt from Letter sent by The Department of Education on April 3

continue to reassure teachers that

we will support them as they continue

to implement our inclusive

curriculum,” Lightsey explained.


May 29, 2025

Student Turning Cookies Into Cash

by Ziv Golan ‘26

High school commonly is

the time when many first enter

the workforce, acquiring jobs

at places such as retail stores,

restaurants, swimming pools and

summer camps. However, there

are several other creative ways to

make money as a teenager. Student-run

businesses have started

to become a fixture around Sherwood

with advertisements on social

media and posters throughout

the halls marketing services to

students. These businesses have

largely attained some level of

success despite humble beginnings.

Junior Stephanie Rinelli runs

her own baking business. “Before

February, it was definitely more

of a hobby but then I started selling

what I was making and things

have slowly been taking off, but

not to the extent that I can fully

support myself through it. I

would say that it has been pretty

successful,” said Rinelli who sells

brownies and chocolate chip

cookies. “I have a local brewery

that will have my chocolate chip

cookies and my brownies on their

shelves in a few weeks, and I also

have a local law firm that is interested

in having me cater their

corporate events.”

As start-up businesses develop,

social media is a major asset

used to market services to the

community. “I started it [baking

business] in 2020 when the pandemic

started, but rather than a

business it was more me posting

different things that I was making

in hope that people would order,”

explained Rinelli. From here Rinelli

was able to gain traction,

creating a menu and establishing

herself as a true business.

Summer Homework: Help or Hassle?

by Chase Sondike ‘26

As the school year winds

down and students look forward

to summer relaxation, one thing

might still remain on their minds

over their break: summer homework.

While some education experts

and teachers see it as a way

for students to stay sharp, likely

many students view it as an unfair

interruption to their summer

break.

Summer homework has been

debated among teachers, students,

and parents for years. Some believe

that it is necessary as it

prevents students from forgetting

important skills, while others argue

that it simply increases stress

without offering much benefit.

Educators have mixed opinions

on the matter. Some support it,

especially for advanced students,

while others believe a break

should be just that—a break.

Patty Jasnow, who teaches

AP Literature and Honors English

10, wishes students would

read more on their own and that

reading a book over the summer

should be viewed by students as

a pleasurable activity. Students

who register for AP Lit choose a

book to read during the summer

from a list of contemporary nov-

Junior Stephanie Rinelli operates her own business selling baked goods.

As many of these businesses

have developed, they have expanded

their services and reach.

Although the students behind

such startups may make a bit

more than other students with

part-time jobs, the workload is

clearly much more strenuous. Between

booking orders/services,

creating promotional content, and

actually performing the job, all on

top of school work, it can be difficult

to maintain balance.

AP Lit and Lang assign homework.

Elijah Goodman ‘26

Student businesses also have

a unique opportunity to gather a

healthy clientele solely from the

student/teacher population itself.

Multiple students have sold candy

during the school day or advertised

several other services,

such as shoe shining, throughout

the building. The creativity of

students is astounding to see with

high schoolers branching out of

the norm to take on the business

world.

els provided by the AP Lit teachers.

“Students who read the novel

in the summer are actually easing

up their Lit workload in the

first weeks of the semester,” said

Jasnow. “They are compounding

the amount of work at the start

of their senior year by avoiding

summer reading.”

Knowledge retention is the

main argument for summer homework

being assigned to students.

With the summer break being two

months long, it might be difficult

for students to retain information

from the past school year. Hence,

summer homework is a way to

keep students involved consistently

with the academic material

they have covered throughout the

school year. The prevention of

learning loss is also a huge factor

when talking about summer assignments,

as many argue that the

work will stop the squandering

of knowledge that students often

experience. The assigning of

work over the summer will teach

students to manage their time

effectively and encourage discipline

and responsibility as well.

Spreading work out to effectively

complete it and finding time to do

assignments are values that cannot

be overstated when talking

about students who succeed academically.

However, not everyone agrees

that summer homework is beneficial.

Some argue that much of the

summer work given is low quality

and often isn’t useful for actual

learning. In fact, it can lead to

burnout, especially when students

are expected to juggle jobs, vacations,

or much-needed rest.

In MCPS, there isn’t a strict

requirement for summer homework.

Schools may assign reading

lists or optional work, but the

trend at Sherwood in recent years

has veered away from teachers

assigning summer homework

and assignments other than in

the AP English classes. For better

or worse, most students are

to decide for themselves whether

to shut down academic learning

over the summer.

15

Comparative Religions Course

Broadens Student Perspectives

by Ziv Golan ‘26

The social studies department

offers a variety of electives

beyond the traditional courses offered

to fulfill graduation requirements.

This includes a Comparative

Religions class described in

the MCPS course bulletin as a

means for students to discover the

basic tenets of each of the world’s

major religions (Judaism, Christianity,

Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism),

along with coverage of

other belief systems.

“I chose to take Comparative

Religions because I wanted to become

more educated on religions

I wasn’t well versed on,” said junior

Catherine Gomes. “I think

learning about different religions

is very interesting, and I even

wanted to discover more about

the faith I was raised in, through

a more objective lens outside of a

religious atmosphere.”

With no standard curriculum

for the course, students are

strongly encouraged to explore

religion on a deeper level through

asking questions and participating

in class discussions. “The class is

a little bit notes in the intro phase

of each religion, but in general

it is a self-discovery,” explained

Comparative Religions teacher

Caitlin Thompson. “I encourage

the kids to work in groups, to talk

to others that have different backgrounds

than their own, and to be

able to think about how religion

impacts daily life and culture.”

As a result of the freedom

given in the classroom, the ability

to gain meaning from the course

depends on students’ willingness

to branch out of their comfort

zone and share. “I think the

class went well,” said Thompson

“I got lucky with a group of kids

that have a diverse set of religious

backgrounds. Everyone has been

willing to share, and I feel like it’s

been a nice environment where

people feel comfortable talking to

each other.”

Thompson’s approach to the

course allows students to make

frequent suggestions on course

content. “Ms. Thompson does a

great job of creating both an unbiased

but also open class; even

as a teacher she is always asking

students about their own religion

and adding that into the course.

For example, me and another student

planned a Passover Seder for

the class,” recounted junior Lilah

Boig.

The tight-knit environment

of the class, with currently 14

people enrolled, allows students

to participate in both small group

and whole class discussions with

ease. However, there is always a

danger the class may not run if the

signup threshold is not met; hence

why the class is not available next

year. The course will continue to

be accessible during course registration

periods, allowing it to

hopefully return to Sherwood after

next year’s hiatus.

Crossword Answer Key

Across

1. Ms. Chugh

4. Masks

8. COVID

10. Noon

12. Cards

13. VI

14. Assassin

16. SAT

17. One

18. Beach Week

20. Root

23. Eww

24. One Hundred Forty

28. Polar

29. Pi

30. Named

Down

2. Solo

3. USC

4. March

5. Sportsmanship

6. Sunset

7. Admin

9. One Sherwood

11. NHS

13. Video

14. Ache

15. Spoke

19. Wood

21. Tidy

22. Prom

25. RNR

26. Dunn

27. TKPD

16

The Warrior • Opinions

May 29, 2025

Immigrants are People Too

by Lilah Boig ‘26

The use of “fearmongering,”The

use of “fearmongering,”

the action of deliberately arousing

public fear about an issue, has

become an epidemic in America

in which those being fear-mongered

are the immigrants of our

country. Putting emphasis on the

“Border Crisis” was the main

topic that cemented victory for

Donald Trump in the 2024 election.

His campaign preached that

illegal immigrants were the “largest

problem in America” as they

supposedly were taking jobs, and

responsible for an abundance of

violence. While not only are these

facts untrue, which is backed by

numerous statistical articles from

the American immigration Council,

the propaganda has caused

irrevocable harm towards fellow

humans.

By making undocumented migrants--as

well as legally protected

refugees--the primary focus of

his campaign and now presidency,

Trump created a feeling of

mass alarm amongst his followers

of the “crisis.” While it is true

that the number of border crossings

had been going up in the past

few years (before declining in

2024), such fluctuations have also

occurred many times in previous

decades without panic throughout

the country. The reason this time

that it appears to be more of an issue

is because of how Trump has

used immigrants as a scapegoat

in their campaign as the people to

always blame. While the purpose

of it was to unite Republicans

under a common fear, the fear

mongering over all this time has

caused people to see immigrants

as lesser people.

One of the more well known

examples of this is the lack of

notice after Trump announced he

was going to be using the U.S.

military base in Guantanamo Bay,

Cuba, as a holding place for the

deportation of illegal immigrants

in February. Although to multiple

lawsuits over this the immigrants

were taken out of Guantanamo by

the end of March the immigrants

who had been put into this prison

reported abuse such as beatings

and extreme isolation. The White

House responded to these claims

saying that, “these are criminals

we are talking about.” Now this

does not morally justify abuse,

but according to the American

Civil Liberties Union the “Trump

administration later admitted that

nearly 30% of the detainees were

considered, “low-threat” and did

not have criminal records.

Since his inauguration in January,

the Trump administration

was able to swiftly change the

immigration laws through an executive

action that ends the United

States accepting immigrants as

refugees, pushing aways those

fleeing war-torn countries or

death. Recenlty Immigrants have

been being deported when they

arrive for their government ordered

immigration check-ins, and

as of this month Trump has attempted

to deport non-libyan immigrants

to Libya, putting them

at risk of the torture and abuse

Libya is known for enacting on

its detainees.

Similarly, early in his presidency

Trump claimed that the Venezuelan

gang “Tren de Aragua”

was invading the United States

in order to justify sending immigrants

to a Salvadoran super prison.

The men he sent later were

seen in shackles and with their

heads shaven. According to AP-

News, “the Trump administration

has not identified the migrants

or provided any evidence they

are members of Tren de Aragua”

Some of these men were deported

to this prison solely based on their

tattoos that the Trump administration

assumed to be gang tattoos.

Among these tattoos were ones of

the sign language of “Mom” and

“I love you,” as well as a clock of

a daughter’s birthday. The detaining

and abusing of people without

real criminal records has become

a trend under Trump’s deportation

spree with more examples of

how his administration views immigrants

a political ploy and not

as humans

When people begin to see other

human beings as lesser than, it

gives them a moral excuse to not

believe they deserve rights and

liberty. The Trump administration

has turned a large population of

Americans against immigrants

that he continues to abuse for his

own political gain. Immigrants

are human and it’s shameful the

way many people turn a blind eye

to what’s happening to them. Not

only is this harming immigrants

but also increasing the prejudice

and racism on many Latin Americans

and Middle eastern Americans

due to assumptions made

from fear. The fear-mongering

from Trump needs to be spoken

out about as the act of propaganda

and ethnocentrism that it is in

order to protect the population

that has made up America from

the start.

SMOB Title Just for Show

by Maya Dorsam ‘27

The “S” in SMOB stands for

stupid. While I’m only joking,

I’m sure the statement would be

widely accepted by a majority of

students and staff in the county.

Each year, MCPS likes to wave

it in our faces that students are

“represented” by a Student Member

of the Board (SMOB), who

is newly elected around the end

of the school year, typically un

April, to prepare for their next

term, which begins in July.

This tradition of electing a

student to represent our collective

student voice dates back nearly

half a century in MCPS, but I’m

sure most students would agree

that these students are anything

but a representation of the average

high schooler. Most often, these

students are overly ambitious and

like to constantly remind us of

the dozens of ways that they’ve

been “serving us” from behind

the scenes up until the time of

their election. They stack up on

extracurriculars and are involved

in any activity you could possibly

imagine. To be honest, most

students can hardly even begin

to relate to these high-achieving

phenomenons.

Did I also mention that the title

comes with a $25,000 college

scholarship once they’re successfully

elected? Yeah, and on top of

the pay, the position also practically

includes an “admit one”

ticket to any top school of your

choosing. On top of that, they

earn SSL hours and an honors social

studies credit. It sounds like a

pretty nice deal.

SMOB candidates tend to include

unlikely solutions in their

campaigns to problems like the

increased accessibility of fentanyl

strips, which newly elected

SMOB Anuva Maloo mentioned

well over five times in her candidate

video. Yes, schools should

make sure to have these strips

in their health rooms in the very

unlikely event that a student takes

a drug that may have fentanyl.

That’s pretty obvious. Maloos’

opponent mentioned his plans to

increase security technology if he

were elected. No one would argue

against keeping students safe,

but the logistics of such measures

would make getting into the

school each morning a larger hassle

that many would disapprove

of. Other attempts at increased

school safety that were greatly

considered a failure this past

school year were the implementation

of the ID policy requiring

students to have it on their person

at all times to be checked by security

when questioned. It feels

as though, through most of their

solutions, they only create more

issues in the system.

MCPS’s efforts to give the

student body a voice have only

come across as a way to prove that

they “care,” but do we really need

someone to tell them the issues

occurring in our local schools?

Are the adults in charge of MCPS

so out of touch that they truly

need a SMOB to tell them what

is going on in their schools? It’s

time for MCPS to step it up and

go further than simply saying that

a SMOB is proof of their efforts.

This institution of a student member

simply serves as the Board’s

way of pretending student voice

matters. Fot the SMOB to be truly

effective reform is needed to

ensure better representation.

A Sweet Trip

by Rachel Themistokleous ‘26

There is talk about introducing a pre-graduation

trip for the graduating Class of 2026. During the SGA

election for class president, junior Stephanie Rinelli ran

to be next year’s senior class president. She built her

candidacy upon the idea that she would get the class a

graduation trip as a final senior activity, organized by

herself and the school. After she won the election, the

plan was pushed into further action. On the morning

of May 14, an email was sent out to the Class of 2026,

with a survey attached asking students if they would be

interested in going on a trip to Hershey Park. A trip like

this is a great idea for the students.

Organizing a trip for the graduating senior class

provides a very fun and memorable way to celebrate the

end of 13 years of schooling. It recognizes all the hard

work students have achieved over time, and rewards

them with an exciting and relaxing trip. It also allows

for a final opportunity to bond with classmates before

graduation, and gives students a break from academic

and college stress. The trip will also help students create

lasting memories with their peers for them to carry

as they go their separate ways after graduation.

Lights Lead to Danger

by Lilah Boig ‘26

Students who usually drive to school from Town

Center along route 108, know traffic in the morning is

unbearable. During this time traffic can be seen backed

up from Sherwood all the way to Olney Theater. This

traffic jam is partially caused by the way the lights are

staggered to change at unsynchronized times. This causes

a phenomenon where the light you’re behind is green,

but nobody can move because of the stopped traffic at the

next light. Cars often get stuck in the middle of intersections

from long backups, leaving them vulnerable to car

accidents. This traffic can take over 15+ minutes to get

through, causing students to arrive late.

Teachers and staff who arrive early may think, “why

can’t students just leave earlier?” Realistically, if all students

began to leave earlier, then traffic would just occur

earlier, doing nothing but moving the issue around unless

students somehow staggered the times they arrived.

It’s also unrealistic that students can leave earlier every

day as lots have other activities or unpredictable homes.

If the lights were synchronized during arrival time, it

would mitigate some of the traffic and help students arrive

safe and on time.

Challenge Douses Stigma

by Nisha Khatri ‘26

Launched by the Mental Illness Needs Discussion

(MIND) club at the end of March, the USC Speak

Your Mind Challenge has been trending on social media

throughout the United States, raising awareness and funds

for mental health and suicide prevention. Participants pour

ice water on themselves and nominate others to join on social

media, creating a continuous ripple effect emphasizing

the importance of conversations about mental health.

Funds go towards Active Minds, an American nonprofit

dedicated to promoting mental health awareness with a

particular emphasis on mobilizing young adults.

Movements like this are especially vital with an increasing

mental health crisis among young people, breaking

the cycle of stigma and sparking real conversations.

In 2014, a similar ice bucket challenge raised awareness

and funds for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Social

media-driven movements are powerful tools for change.

Each participant, whether they like a post or participate

and nominate a friend, plays a crucial role in destigmatizing

mental health issues and breaking down barriers. When

combined, the smallest actions can produce a wave of positive

change.

The Warrior • Humor

May 29, 2025

17

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.

Senior Squirt-Off Goes Wild

by Nick Hammond ‘25

and Mark Joseph ‘25

In April, disaster struck the

Sherwood community as the

equivalent of the Purge began.

Friendships were destroyed, and

families eroded from inside out

as the formerly friendly Olney

wrestled with the burden of hosting

Sherwood’s giant water fight:

Senior Assassin.

One may question the motives

for such violence. Why

would these students, nearing

graduation and soon entering

college, enlist in this warfare?

Why would they throw the “best”

years of their lives away? Simple:

a prize pool of over one thousand

dollars, or in modern English,

enough to buy 50 Geek Bars.

Nevertheless, as Senior Assassin

progressed, things only

got worse. Whether by stalking

the child development students

or driving a car into someone’s

house when they weren’t “invited

in,” this game was tearing

Sherwood apart. One Sherwood?

More like a lot of Sherwoods!

It has even caused senioritis

to reach an all time high, as

students were exhausted from

all night stake-outs in front of

their targets’ houses. Many had

even reported developing PTSD

(Post Traumatic Squirt Disorder),

spending anxious days on

end worried about where a little

Sherwood gremlin may pop out

of. Our school no longer felt like

a school; it felt like a war zone in

which trust was only something

for the wet.

One of the most documented

tragedies of Senior Assassin was

that of infamous twin siblings

Owen and Audrey Farris. When

Owen was initially asked what

his game plan was to achieve victory,

he simply said: “Oh, win.”

Unfortunately, his scheme did

not come to fruition when he was

ambushed by his own sister in

the supposed safety of his living

room.

“We don’t talk anymore

(like the song by Charlie Puth).

We don’t talk anymore like

we useeeed toooo dooooo! I

wish I could go back to before

I ever even picked up my shark

squirter,” murmured Owen.

He luckily found the strength

to seek vengeance, and had Audrey

ambushed from the branches

above. Despite getting drenched,

she was still a good sport about it.

“Aw, tree? Fair is fair!” she commented.

Aggressive powerhouse

“The Wet Willies” started out

their game as the tightest friend

group since middle school. But

after weeks of starving on the cold

battlefield and pointing blame towards

each other, the stress broke

them.

“I thought we would be together

forever, but even us Willies

couldn’t handle the squirt,”

cried self-proclaimed “Big Willie.”

Despite the energy and time

these students devoted to the

craft, an anonymous insider reported

that their efforts may be

futile. All one thousand big ones

are being held onto by Liat Tuchman,

the admin of the event. Unbeknownst

to the participants,

she will be embezzling every last

doubloon, and spending it all on a

mini yacht. Yuck, man.

by Deepika Shrestha ‘27

and Laurika Pich ‘27

by Lilah Boig ‘26 by Katie Ng ‘25

18

The Warrior • Entertainment

May 29, 2025

The Last of Us Proves Every Path Has a Price


Since its smash hit release

in 2023, HBO’s The Last of Us

redefined the zombie apocalypse

genre, telling a beautiful story

wrought with grief, love, and loss.

Adapted from the beloved video

games of the same name, The Last

of Us stretches beyond the typical

end-of-the-world story, focusing

not on the blood-thirsty zombies

and the ruined world but instead

deep-diving into love in all of its

shapes and forms and just how far

people will go for those they love.

The second season, a certified

masterpiece like its predecessor,

expands the themes introduced in

the first in the most heartbreaking

of ways. This is not a zombie-show,

let it be known. The

Infected are merely a backdrop to

tell a heartbreaking story, with a

particular focus on the purest love

that exists — that between a parent

and their child.

For those who have not yet

watched the first season or simply

forgot, here’s a quick recap. The

world ends as we know it in 2003.

The entire globe is taken over by

a type of fungal infection called

Cordyceps that infects human

beings worldwide, turning them

into zombie-like monsters called

Infected. Ruined by the death of

his daughter on outbreak night,

Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal) spends

the next twenty years closed off

from the rest of the world, falling

into violence working as a smuggler

in Boston. Joel meets Ellie

(Bella Ramsey), a fourteen-yearold

foul-mouthed spitfire of a girl

who just so happens to be the

only immune person in the world.

After being tasked with taking

her across a ruined America to a

hospital so that a cure for the infection

can be made, Joel and Ellie

develop a close father-daughter

bond, finding comfort in one

another amidst a world filled with

loss. When they reach the hospital,

Joel learns that the only way

to make a vaccine is by killing

her. Incapable of losing another

daughter, Joel saves Ellie through

means that have serious consequences.

There are too many

spoilers to say anymore than that

about the first season.

This season can only be described

as nothing less than absolutely

stunning. Moving, devastating,

and hauntingly beautiful,

season two explores more of the

complex world Joel and Ellie

live in and how violence and loss

can mold the path a person leads.

New characters come into Ellie’s

life, namely Dina (Isabella Merced)

and Jesse (Young Mazino).

Merced as Dina is a delight on

screen. Her romantic chemistry

as Ellie’s love interest and “rideor-die”

is the perfect picture of

queer love and serves as the light

in the darkest of moments. Mazino

— coincidentally a Sherwood

graduate — is excellent as Jesse

and serves as a balance to Ellie’s

reckless nature. Others, serving

as Ellie’s brutal opposition, stun

in their roles. Kaitlyn Dever,

playing the daughter of the doctor

Joel murdered to save Ellie, is excellent

in one of the series’ most

complex roles, bringing new life

Innocence for Influence

by Emma Link ‘27

and Molly Schecter ‘27

The documentary Bad Influencing:

The Dark Side of Kidfluencing,

released on Netflix on

April 9, uncovers the dark secrets

behind popular influencer Piper

Rockelle. Many teens grew up

watching her on Music.ly and

YouTube, and in recent years, her

following has transferred to other

platforms like TikTok, Instagram,

and Twitch. Viewers growing up

alongside Piper Rockelle watched

her big friend group, “the squad,”

evolve and drastically change.

Without truly understanding why

people were coming in and out of

the squad, rumors surfaced online

and filled Piper’s comment sections.

The documentary reveals

disturbing truths about these relationships

influenced by her mother’s

actions, the media team, and

what it was truly like to film the

content that so many teens loved

to watch.

Piper Rockelle was exposed

to the entertainment industry at

the young age of 3. Her mother

put her in beauty pageants, inspired

by the reality show Toddlers

& Tiaras. She won her first

title at that young age, marking

the beginning of her career and

natural talent. These performances

transitioned into a profile on

Music.ly at the age of 7, which

eventually transitioned into You-

Tube, where her following continued

to grow exponentially.

Piper’s mother, Tiffany Smith,

noticed and took advantage of

this following.

Bad Infuenceing features the

perspective of 11 former members,

including squad members,

who claimed to suffer emotional,

physical, and sexual abuse from

Tiffany Smith. Sophie, a former

squad member, and Claire Rock-

Smith, another former squad

member and cousin to Piper, describe

what it was like behind the

scenes. They explain how Tiffany

Smith demanded long working

hours at such a young age, and

encouraged inappropriate and

sexual content outside of their

comfort zone. The former members

and their moms explain how

they would sometimes spend 12

straight hours filming, with short

breaks until the next filming session.

The moms recall not being

able to watch the kids make the

content under Smith’s supervision.

Under these extreme conditions,

parents and members themselves

found it was in their best

interest to leave the squad. The

documentary brings awareness to

the issue of child influencers and

exploitation. It raised concerns

over so many children with mass

followings who are parent-managed.

Viewers never truly know

what is happening behind the

scenes for some of the most popular

influencers.

Google Images

to her video game-equivalent

who caused immense controversy

upon The Last of Us Part II’s 2020

release.

In terms of set design, costuming,

and cinematography,

there is no crew more obviously

dedicated to the story of

The Last of Us. Massive visual

undertakings including entire

towns, hordes of Infected, and the

stunning scenes of nature-overridden

America are present in

every well-planned scene. Each

episode is perfectly paced, with

award-winning writers, directors,

set-designers, stylists, and actors

all putting their entire selves into

the series and its execution.

Already set for a third season,

The Last of Us is expected to

stretch across at least four With

its seventh and final episode airing

on May 25, The Last of Us

season two is a spaectaculaqrintroduction

to Ellie’s new reality,

where she must look for the light,

or lose herself in the darkness.

Grade: A+

Suzanne Collins released

Sunrise on the Reaping, another

prequel to her iconic young adult

series The Hunger Games, on

March 18. The book focuses on

Haymitch Abernathy, who was

featured in the first book as a disgruntled

mentor to the series’ protagonist,

Katniss Everdeen, and

his experience as a tribute in the

50th Hunger Games. The prequel

provides fans with valuable insight

into one of the series’ most

beloved characters, building upon

the dystopian world established

in the previous novels.

Many fans of the series and

readers of the new novel took to

social media to discuss the connections

between the novels and

the real world. Fans have noticed

that the examples of censorship

described in the book often align

with what they believe is happening

in actuality, particularly

the blocking of content on social

media.

The world Collins creates

in her award-winning novels is

set in a country called Panem. It

is divided into twelve districts,

each responsible for producing

a specific resource, and the Capitol,

which controls the districts.

The Capitol is wealthy, while the

districts are mired in poverty and

oppression. As a result of a rebellion

from the districts, the Capitol

created the Hunger Games, where

one girl and one boy from each

Sinners Blends Genres

by Aby Lo ‘26

and Shannon Naas ‘26

Sinners, written and directed

by Ryan Coogler, is predominantly

about two twins, Stack

and Smoke, who return back to

their Mississippi hometown in

1932 from Chicago to open up a

juke joint, only to find out that a

greater evil is waiting to welcome

them back. Sinners is an important

and great film that explores

racism, racial heritage, and communities

through the thread of

music. And somehow it’s also a

vampire movie.

The film’s narrative begins

when Smoke and Stack, both

played by Michael B. Jordan,

arrive back in Mississippi after

living in Chicago with a new

mindset and the need to start over.

Cousin Sammie (Miles Canton),

who is really good with playing

the guitar, decides to join their

juke joint business and share his

talents with others who come to

the club. They also get several

other old friends to help with the

grand opening of the juke joint

where they have a night of dancing,

singing and mingling with

one another.

Sinners explores its themes

in different types of ways, including

supernatural horror, historical

references, and the depiction of

systematic oppression. The film

uses vampires as metaphors for

white supremacy and its effects

on Black communities, highlighting

the dangers of assimilation

and cultural appropriation. The

film is a powerful testament to the

district are forced to fight to the

death in a televised arena.

Collins shows the glamorization

of violence as a disturbing

aspect of the Capitol’s control.

The Hunger Games is seen as

a form of entertainment in the

Capitol, where people watch the

brutal murders of children as if

it were a sport. The tributes are

crafted before being sent to the

arena to please the Capitol’s citizens,

turning them into objects of

spectacle before they are sent to

their deaths. In the newest book,

it also highlights how the use of

media in the world is used to hide

the behind-the-scenes horrors that

occur to these tributes.

Media censorship is a prominent

topic in this new release. Its

featured from the very beginning

when Haymitch was picked to

be a tribute in an illegal way, the

footage was strategically altered

to make it look like a normal

reaping, which is what they call

when they pick the tributes. There

are several other instances where

it is confirmed that the footage the

Capitol citizens see is edited to

leave out rebellious actions that

Haymitch partakes in.

Although these are not the

only issues Collins highlights

in the series, these two are very

prominent issues that occur in

reality. Collins was specifically

inspired to start this series as a

result of the war in Afghanistan.

She was scrolling through TV

ongoing struggle for Black freedom

and self-determination.

The vampire fight scene

at the juke joint is easily one of

the most memorable scenes in

Sinners. The scene begins with

music playing low in the background

then randomly explodes

into a chaotic scene, fire spreading

throughout the building.

The jukebox continues to play

through the violence as the characters

fight for their lives. The

blend between action and horror

makes the scene a highlight of the

film.

An additional scene that

was very meaningful is Sammie

playing his blues music. There

was foreshadowing in this scene

as they showed multiple people

dressed in clothes that matched

the genres they were intending

to represent, displaying the roots

of black music to modern forms.

This scene starts off with the

blues playing, then evolves into

electric blues, and incorporates

elements of hip-hop along with

rap vocals, modern trap and even

G-Funk. African tribal drumming

is also included along with Jimi

Hendrix-style rock guitars.

Jordan’s performance helps

capture the convolution of the two

brothers trying to steer a world

full of trouble and supernatural

beings. This movie is definitely

a must-see as it explores vampire

horror through the lens of Black

American history and culture.

New Hunger Games Book Parallels Reality

by Matilda Hawkins ‘27

Grade: A

Google Images

channels and flicking between

reality television and news channels

showing graphic clips of the

war, and she recognized her desensitization

to the things going

on around her. These channels

were utilizing the violence shown

in the war as a form of entertainment

to interest their audience.

She used this as fuel for the Capitol

citizens who receive their entertainment

through the form of

violence.

The Hunger Games series

overall shows how the media can

be used in detrimental ways, like

violence glamorization and censorship.

Collins depicts the Capitol

as similar to our wealthiest

parts of the nation, showing that

the Hunger Games itself is a deliberate

and obvious allegory to

the United States and the trajectory

that Collins felt the nation was

heading towards when she wrote

the series.

The Warrior • Sports

May 28, 2025

19

Class of 2025

All-Senior Team

The 2025 All-Senior Team was chosen based on multiple factors including

leadership, individual accolades, team success, and contributions to Sherwood

Athletics during the athlete’s high school career.

- Compiled by Declan Rooney, Chase Sondike, Cara Farr and Maya Dorsam

Avery Anderson

Softball right field and

center field, 4-year

varsity, captain; Basketball

post, 3-year varsity,

captain; Volleyball

outside hitter, middle,

2-year varsity

Vlada Costenco

Girls Volleyball middle

hitter, right side hitter,

outside hitter, 3-year

varsity; Co-ed volleyball

outside hitter, setter,

3-year varsity, captain

of both, committed

to St Mary’s College of

Maryland

Rylie Friend

Softball left field,

3-year varsity, captain;

Field Hockey 3-year

varsity, center forward,

captain

Andrew Bergeson

Lacrosse midfielder and

attack, captain, 4-year

varsity, committed to Randolph-Macon

College

Andrew Cavanaugh

Lacrosse midfielder and

attack, captain, 4-year varsity,

committed to Towson,

leading scorer in boys lacrosse

history

Harrison Eustace

Golf 4-year varsity; Lacrosse

long stick midfielder,

3-year varsity

Brendan Heyer

Football free safety and

wide receiver, 4-year

varsity, 2-year captain;

Wrestling 177 lbs, 3-year

varsity; Track and field

100M dash and shot put,

3-year varsity; committed

to play football at Wagner

College

GIRLS

Shannon Farr

Girls Basketball 2-year

varsity, shooting guard;

Softball 2-year varsity,

2nd base, captain; Flag

Football 1-year varsity,

quarterback, captain of

23-24

Avery Graham

Lacrosse midfielder,


Basketball guard,


Cross Country 2-year

varsity; Flag football

wide receiver, 1-year

varsity; committed to

play lacrosse at the

University of South

Florida

BOYS

Justin Lakso

Swim, specialized in freestyle

and butterfly, 4-year

varsity, captain; 2 school

records in 200 free relay

and 100 IM, committed to

Rowan University

Justin Lawson

Basketball center/power

forward, 2-year varsity,

captain; Football linemen

during field goals and right

tackle, 1-year varsity

David Mutter

Swimming 4-year varsity,

2-year captain, committed

to Randolph Macon College

Akhili Reece

Outdoor Track Sprinter,

jumper, hurdler, 4-year varsity,

captain; Indoor Track

Sprinter, jumper, hurdler,


committed to Frostburg for

Track and Field

Amanda Kraft

Poms 4-year varsity,

captain; Track mid-distance

varsity, 4-year

varsity

Charlotte Rosado

Cross country 4-year

varsity, 2x captain;

Track, 2-year varsity

Keria Schlutz

Softball 4-year varsity,

shortstop, catcher, right

field, captain; Flag

Football 1-year varsity,

running back

Candace Woods

Soccer holding center

midfield, 3-year varsity,

captain; Track 2-year

varsity, committed to

Stevenson University for

soccer

Ryan Rey

Baseball shortstop, captain,

3-year varsity, committed to

Sacred Heart University

Alex Welch

Soccer center-mid, captain,

4-year varsity; Basketball

shooting guard, 3-year

varsity, captain; Co-ed

volleyball middle blocker,

1-year varsity, committed

to The Catholic University of

America for Basketball

Khalil Wilson

Football wide receiver,

free safety, 1-year varsity;

Basketball point guard,

shooting guard, 1-year

varsity, captain, committed

to Stonehill College for

football

(transfer from Richard

Montgomery)

Warrior staff members give their heavily-opinionated sports

takes and we rate them.

Best Sports School in the County

Sherwood is the place to be for all high school sports and is the

best school for sports in MCPS. The number of spring Sherwood teams

currently ranked highly in the county and even the state proves it, as

does the number of fall and winter teams that advanced deep into the

playoffs. You won’t find another MCPS high school that boasts the

type of resume for sports that Sherwood does.

- Andrew Fenner ‘27

The 2012 Ravens

While it’s true I’m a Ravens fan, anyone should appreciate the greatness

that was their Super Bowl run in 2012. After defeating a young

Colts team with rookie Andrew Luck at quarterback, they shocked the

Denver Broncos, led by Hall of Famer Peyton Manning. Then, after

upsetting Tom Brady and the Patriots in the AFC Championship game,

they defeated the 49ers in the so-called Harbaugh Bowl. This run, conquering

football legends in the process, was truly monumental.

- Chase Sondike ‘26

To Play or Not in College?

by Maya Dorsam ‘27

Only six percent of high school

athletes go on to play at NCAA

schools of any level. This low

figure is mostly an indication of

the high distinction of excellence

at the collegiate level, but it is

also the result of the reality that

playing requires high school student-athletes

to consider many

factors before deciding to take

their athletic careers at the next

level. For some people who potentially

could, they must note

the trade-offs and sacrifices to

play a sport they love. Both Alex

Welch and Avery Anderson went

through the recruitment process

experience and ended up making

different final choices.

Welch, a multi-sport varsity

athlete who committed to play

basketball at The Catholic University

of America, and Anderson,

a dominant force on the

softball field who declined the

opportunity to play collegiately

for now, say that it requires great

sacrifice and discipline to continue

with sports at a high level.

They emphasize that the leading

reason for playing a sport at college

should be love for the game.

Anderson said that one of the biggest

appeals of playing collegiately

is that “you will always find

teammates who love the sport like

you do.” However, Anderson said

the flip side is that collegiate athletes

are placed under a lot more

pressure to succeed. “Those who

stress the importance of playing

for elite schools have a tendency

to lose the fun that makes sports

what they are,” said Anderson.

Anderson advises those to “be

honest with yourself about what

you really want out of college.”

For her, this meant also considering

the financial and academic aspects

of schools, which led her to

attend the University of Maryland

at College Park, where she plans

to play club softball and looks

forward to trying out for a girls

softball walk-on spot.

Welch says if you’re considering

playing in college, to “go

for it if you’re passionate and

willing to work hard.” He knew

he had what it took to make this

leap when he realized he consistently

surpassed the level of competition

among peers and gained

interest from college scouts. The

next step was creating highlight

videos and attending showcases

to get more recognition. This

came with sacrificing more social

events since late junior year,

when he first started the process.

His commitment during the recruitment

process helped show

that he had the level of dedication

needed for collegiate athletics.

He received many high-level offers

and others from developing

programs, ultimately choosing

Catholic University because of

the balance of athletics and academics

it provides. The coaching

staff and team environment appealed

to him.

Anderson similarly started the

process later in her junior year

and into her senior year. She notes

that it can be costly, as camps and

resources to get to the next level

typically are. Division III schools

don’t grant athletic scholarships,

and DII schools often don’t grant

much financial support either.

For high school athletes, the

choice might not necessarily be

between a lot or not at all, but instead

how much. Most colleges

offer club and intramural athletic

teams. Students who try out and

make a club team get the opportunity

to compete against other

colleges, just as your typical college

athlete. Intramurals tend to

be more lax as they are typically

thrown together by a few friends

looking to have fun. For now, this

is the level of commitment that is

right for Anderson, while Welch

arrived at the decision that he’s

ready to play high-level basketball

at Catholic University.

20

The Warrior • Sports

May 29, 2025

Sherwood to Debut First Mascot in Fall 2025

For the 2025-2026 school

year, Sherwood will be getting

its very first school mascot. The

idea has been talked about for a

very long time but never came to

fruition. However, when a student

approached Athletic Director

Jason Woodward with the idea

and actually volunteered to be the

mascot, the idea took a big step

towards becoming a reality.

“I think it’s a great idea,” said

Woodward. “I think it’s great for

school spirit. I think it’s great for

the community, and it’s someby

Rachel Themistokleous ‘26

Softball Competes for Back-to-Back State Wins

by Molly Schecter ‘27

Girls softball team has again

astonished everyone with a regular

season record of 15-0 before

losing their first game in the

county championship, falling to

Northwest 10-9 in extra innings.

Undeterred, the Warriors re-focused

and had a brilliant run in

playoffs, making another appearance

in the state championship

on Friday, May 23. After a bye in

the first round because the team

secured the number one seed,

Sherwood mercied Atholton and

Reservoir in the first two rounds

Baseball Makes Run To State Championship

by Andrew Fenner ‘27

The Warriors have steamrolled

their opponents in their first

couple of postseason outings, triumphing

7-1 over both Atholton

and River Hill, the latter being the

team that knocked Sherwood out

of contention the previous season.

This win gave them the regional

title. In the state quarterfinals

matchup, Sherwood pummeled

Arundel 6-1. Sherwood has remained

dominant all season long,

but especially during the playoffs.

Coming into the state semifinal

An exceptional season for boys

lacrosse came to an end with a

loss in the Maryland 3A state

quarterfinals against Marriotts

Ridge in a heartbreaking 9-8 defeat.

The Warriors were trailing

throughout the whole game, but

towards the end started to make

a push and left it all out on the

field. They had the opportunity to

force the game into overtime with

a little over a minute left in the

game, but Marriots Ridge fought

valiantly, and ultimately Sherby

Chase Sondike ‘26

thing that is identifiable and [a

good representation] of Sherwood

at games and other community

events, such as Olney Days.”

The first step in the design

process has begun with the updating

of Sherwood’s official

logo. Sherwood staff and alumni

are working on tweaking the

current mascot portrayed in the

logo, making it appear more up

to date and three dimensional,

while still maintaining the traditional

warrior features that the

school was originally built upon.

Alumni coaches, along with the

student leadership council, have


Senior captain Keira Schultz catches a pop fly in a 10-0 regional win.


Senior Avery Graham takes the ball down the field in state semi-finals.

also started the process of designing

the physical costume for the

mascot, making it fit to no specific

gender so it represents all students

at Sherwood.

“I think Sherwood student

body does a great job of staying

engaged at athletic events and

school functions and I think by

adding a mascot, it’s not only

going to enhance that [but] I’m

[also] hoping we can start some

new traditions [and activities]

with the student body during

game time,” said Woodward.

With the introduction of these

new ideas, there will also have to

Another Appearance at Semifinals for Girls Lax

by Emma Link ‘27

A great season for the girls

lacrosse team ended with a loss

of 16-6 in the Maryland 3A state

semifinals against Howard County’s

Marriotts Ridge. The game

started evenly between both

teams. After the first quarter ended,

Marriott Ridge quickly took

the lead and kept it throughout

the entire game. The Warriors

held their heads high, proudly

recognizing their success and

accomplishments throughout the

season. “The girls fought to the

Boys Lacrosse Falls in State Quarterfinals

wood’s season came to a close.

This marks the second year in a

row the Warriors were eliminated

by Marriott’s Ridge in the state

quarterfinals.

In the loss, senior attackman

Jack Heagy scored three goals

and an assist, including the goal

to get the Warriors within one.

Heagy said there was some extra

motivation to try to get back

at Marriotts Ridge after losing to

them last year, but that revenge

will have to wait for next season.

The Warriors went an undefeated

12-0 during the regular

matchup, the Warriors have only

allowed a combined three runs

while scoring 20 against their

opponents. When speaking to the

team’s defensive success, head

coach Sean Davis said, “We have

played 23 games this season and

only allowed more than 3 runs

twice, which is impressive.”

The Warriors started the

game strong, jumping out to a

two-run lead against Chesapeake

heading into the top of the third

inning. Sherwood added two

more runs heading into the sixth

inning and managed to hold Chesapeake

scoreless to close out the

game. Bryce Sheahin pitched all

seven innings, allowing just three

hits and striking out six batters,

an impressive statline that speaks

to the Warriors’ defensive depth.

“The pitching staff and defense

have been the cornerstone

of our success,” Davis said regarding

the team’s success this

season. “We have had some of

our younger guys step up and win

some position battles.” With just

one more game to win, Davis has

one message for his team: “Don’t

be happy, be here. Go win it!”

season and then beat Whitman

by a score of 17-8 in the MCPS

County championship. Throughout

the regular season, boys lacrosse

outscored their opponents

192-65. After winning their first

two playoff games comfortably,

by a combined score of 37-11, the

Warriors beat Blake to claim the

regional championship for the 5th

straight year. The Warriors beat

all of their division opponents,

leading to another division title

for the Warriors. Despite another

successful season, the team left a

lot to work towards for next year.

be a face behind the mask. Woodward

stated that he will hand over

the head piece and the costume

to SGA, so they can help with

how the mascot will contribute

to school spirit. The student that

has talked to Woodward about

becoming the mascot is very excited

for this new tradition being

brought to Sherwood, but

has hopes to remain anonymous

throughout the year.

“I’m going to try my best to

not tell many people and keep the

mask covered in order to remain

anonymous,” said the junior. “[I

am] excited to see everyone’s

of playoffs. The mercy rule is enforced

by the state, and ends the

game if a team is leading by ten

after the fifth inning. Therefore,

both games ended with a score of

10-0.

After a quarterfinals victory

over Wootton by a score of

15-0, the Warriors took on Dulaney

in the 3A semifinals. They

played great defense to support

their struggling offense in a low

scoring game for both teams resulting

in a 2-0 win for the Warriors.

The Warriors looked to win

consecutive state titles in a game

reaction to the new environment

that we’re creating and see how

games and school spirit changes

with this.”

The student was first inspired

by the idea when they went to a

Sherwood poms competition in

the fall. They noticed the other

schools competing had mascots

there to support the team, and was

disappointed that Sherwood did

not have one to support their own

team. “I think it would be great to

play a mascot role as the first ever

one at our school, and hopefully

continue on as a new tradition,”

said the student.

Gary Peters

Senior Bryce Sheahin pitches well against Chesapeake in semifinal win.

end and we can not be prouder of

what we have achieved this season,”

said senior captain Abby

Sorkin.

Added senior captain Avery

Graham, “it was an amazing season

with a great group of girls.”

The Warriors went undefeated

16-0 during the regular season,

followed by a dramatic 15-13 victory

over Quince Orchard in the

MCPS county finals.

Quince Orchard put up a

fight, but Sherwood held their

ground and secured the win to

last Friday against second seed

Chopticon, with a record of 15-1

and their only loss being against

Leonardtown. Chopticon also

breezed through the first couple

rounds of the playoffs, beating

the first two teams by the mercy

rule with respective scores of

12-0 and 10-0. In the state semifinals,

they beat 3 seeded Northeast

in a high scoring affair 12-4.

Both teams looked to keep their

winning streaks alive in the finals.

Because of being the top seeded

teams, it was expected to be a

great game, and it was just that.

bring home the county title. The

Warrior cruised through the opening

rounds of the playoffs; after a

bye, they crushed Guilford Park

16-0 in the second round. Sherwood

then faced Reservoir and

won 19-4 to bring home yet another

regional title and solidify its

status as one of the very best girls

lacrosse programs in the area.

As the season concludes,

they look forward working hard,

performing their best, and finding

ways to improve while forgoing

weaknesses.

Gary Peters

Senior Andrew Cavanaugh getting by a defender in a close 9-8 loss.

SHS_Warrior_May

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