inside spotlightA day in the life of twins and just how much people are “seeing double”

showtimeAn close-up on the Great Gatsby including a review of the movie soundtrack

Outlookvol. 52 | issue 8 | 5.20.13

oakton

He said she saidTake a look at the similarities and differences between genders while exposing the true perceptions held by both sides.

2snailmail5.20.13

snailmailfrom the editors

Editorial Policy The Outlook is an open forum for student expression. Unsigned editorials reflect the collective opinion of the Outlook staff. Signed editorials represent the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Outlook or Oakton High School. Reader opinions are important to the Outlook and contributions are welcome. Make your voice heard by sending us a line about what’s on your mind. Letters to the editor may be sent via email to marilyn.yang@oaktonoutlook.com or dropped off in Mrs. Luna’s box in the main office or in room 135. The Outlook reserves the right to edit submissions for grammar and content provided the meaning remains unchanged.

outlook staff adviserlauren luna

gabriela driscollmichelle lorussomadlin mekelburgmarilyn yang

touchdown editor

copy editor

business manager

showtime editor

newsworthy editor erin bennett

spotlight editor

indepth editor

viewpoint editors

online editor

editors in chief

jennifer prosser

ria bhatia

photo editor

oliver lopez-gomez

melanie aguilar

sofia crutchfieldkim gibbons

karli gillespie

reina datta

alana peters

carly stonehouse

jacque groskaufmanis

sunni beanabbey boninalex driscollnatalie eberhartlauren embroskikenneth hippe

staff writerstorri marquisramya mukallalaura murphyanee nguyenerin preaskornalex xenos

your future EIC’s,Alana PetersCarly Stonehouse

cover photo by alana petersstudent body: 2138circulation: 1300

Greetings, Oakton! We are very excited to be your 2013-2014 editors- in- chief of the Oakton Outlook. Fourth quarter is crawling to an end here at Oakton. Students are

finally receiving end-of-year awards (page 7) for all of their hard work. But just because it’s almost the end of the year does not mean we can slack off just yet, cougars. In case you’re already done showing up for class, however, at least try to stimulate your brain by reading about what’s been happening around the world (page 31). Although the stress of exams is overwhelming at times, don’t be

afraid, you’re not seeing double. You’re just noticing the power of the twins at Oakton (page 9). But, if you really don’t pull through on your tests, you may want to look into getting a job over the summer (page 11). As always, good weather brings good cheer. Lots of outdoor events

are happening (page 18), so keep Memorial Day open. Since the weather is so glorious, getting fit is on the to-do list for many student athletes as well. Should you spend your time carefully counting or purposely packing on the calories (page 30)? Whatever you decide, make sure you do what is best for you.And now we face the ultimate question: he said, she said (page 12)?

What do guys really think about the female fads, and how are girls handling hunks with headbands? What do girls carry in their bags, and guys in their pockets? Our investigation will get you those answers.

touchdown indepthnewsworthy

3contents5.20.13

vol. 52| issue 8 | 5.20.13in this issue

Two groups from the girls

crew qualify to go to Nationals in Cooper River, New Jersey.

5 The girls soccer

team makes their post season run as other spring sports contend for the region titles

28 Is there a major

difference between boys and girls? See what’s in their backpacks and find out!

27spotlight

Taking a look at

the twins in our school. Can you tell the difference?

9showtime

Plan ahead

and learn some fun and healthy snacks for your next test day!

19

27

5madlin mekelburg

courtesy of ria bhatia

reina dattacourtesy of derek mccleskey

9

28 19

alana peters

4recurring5.20.13

Mem

orab

le Moments

Someone just threw an apple at me.bob lorusso | 9

“ ”

I got my first ‘F’ in AP World.

abby steinberg | 10

“ ”

I went skydiving. A part of m

e died, but a part of

me w

as born.

nick despins | 12

“

”

betty thorpe | 11

I lost my phone on the m

etro, and we called it a m

illion tim

es until the man w

ho stole it picked it up. We had to

go all the way back to D

C to get it“

”

My sister poured chocolate pudding on my dad

while he was sleeping.

quentin newcomer | 11

“

”

Follow us on Twitter @Oakton_Outlook

Stud

ents

dis

cuss

thei

r most

memorable experiences of the past few m

onths

I went to the em

blem 3 concert and touched one

of their hands.

“ ”

ileana ogden | 9

I ate a Georgetown Cupcake. It was amaz-

ing. The red velvet is crazy.

“

”Iman Ahmed | 9

5newsworthy5.20.13

newsbriefsOakton DECA takes over Anaheim On May 11, the Varsity Crew members competed at the Virginia Scholastic

Rowing Championships. The competition took place at the Occoquan Reservoir, which is where the teams practice six days a week.“On Saturday, both women’s varsity eights got third place at States behind

Madison and NCS (National Cathedral School), making 2013 our most successful season yet,” said Casey MacLean, junior. “We’ve been training since November, so it was so rewarding for the hard work to pay off.” MacLean is a rower on the women’s 2nd Eight varsity crew team and she has

rowed for three years. This will be her second time at Nationals, but it is the first time that a 2nd Eight from Oakton has gone to Nationals. “All the girls except for me and Jill Krajewski are seniors, so it’s really

nice for their last season,” MacLean said. The boat is called the Smitty Werbenjagermanjensen. The name derives from a Spongebob Squarepants episode. “We decided Smitty Werbenjagermanjensen would be perfect because ‘he was

number one,’ and that’s what we hoped to be in our races this season,” MacLean said. The women’s 1st Eight, which is also going to Nationals in New Jersey on May

24, received their boat a week before the competition, and they called it Shark Bait. “We do this pre-race tradition to chant ‘shark bait hoo ha ha’ from ‘Finding

Nemo’,” said Eleni Voudouris, senior. “We call ourselves ‘Shark Bait,’ [and] we have shirts too, so that’s why we decided to name our boat.” The Shark Bait crew dealt with intense competition that could rival any sports

movie moment. “We crossed the finish line, neck-to-neck with T.C.,” said Lorena Croft, senior. “It

was one of those races where you look across the line, and you have no idea who won. We had to wait at the finish line until a referee drove her launch over to our shell and said, ‘Oakton, please head over to the awards dock to claim your medals.’”The crew had to paddle over to the awards dock and were greeted with cheers. “We were all ecstatic, and almost all of us were crying,” Croft said. After Oakton came T.C. Williams High School, McLean High School and

Yorktown High School. “It was a really close race, and none of the other teams really expected us to do as

well as we did,” Voudouris said.

2A quick overview of the past month and a brief look at upcoming school events. Be sure to check out oaktonoutlook.com for more newsworthy stories.

1 Girls Varsity Crew makes history

Competing at the DECA International Career Development Conference is a huge accomplishment for high school students around the world. This year, the conference was held in Anaheim, California. Juniors Briana Phan, Ellis Heijst, Michael Prosinsky, Pasha Mosehnin, and seniors Ryan Lucas and Kali Hawkins competed at the National Conference.Phan placed first in the Apparel and

Accessories Individual Series event at the Virginia DECA State Leadership Conference and placed top ten amongst 16,500 of the best DECA students at the National Conference. “Nationals was much bigger and [more]

overwhelming than states. At the national level, since it was so competitive, judges were harder on us because there were so many people. Despite the more critical judges, I worked my hardest to impress them,” said Phan. “Overall, being a part of DECA has

been amazing. Not only did I learn a lot about marketing, but I learned important skills for the future and how to dress for success. I made a lot of friends at the district, state and national level, and most importantly had fun,” Phan said.

2nd Eight competing at Nationals for the first time

courtesy of briana phan

1

courtesy of casey maclean

2

6newsworthy5.20.13

For their yearend project, Oakton Independent Art students were asked to create and participate in what came to be called the “Art Symposium.” This perfor-

mance required a lot of preparation but very little time to complete it. Senior Sofia Diez, was among the many students involved in this year’s symposium. “It was so much work. We would sneak to [Mrs. Shark’s]

room for lunch and work on it,” said Diez. “We worked through some Cougar Times, sometimes after school and then presentation day it really hit us hard but we all pulled through.”Working alongside Diez on a seasonal impressionist art

piece was senior Lauren Preaskorn. “My preparation consisted of studying a lot of impression-

ist art work. There are a lot of seasonal pieces out there to study,” said Preaskorn, jokingly. Following Diez and Preaskorn, but taking a different sty-

listic route was senior Ryan Hintzman who showcased his talents by playing the cello as part of his presentation. Being mainly a cellist, Hintzman was new to the idea of combining the two components into one piece. “I’m a cellist. That’s all I do,” said Hintzman, “So when

Shark asked me if I want to perform in this presentation I had never done anything like that before. It was really strange for me in the symposium because you go out and perform, but then you have to go out again doing something completely different later. I had never done anything like that before so that was a real challenge for me.”While not everyone was necessarily excited about the

time and effort spent preparing for this performance, what the students did share was their common love and passion for art and its history. “Studying art history gives you a different way of look-

ing at things and a broader perspective on the world,” Hintzman said, “People may know history, they may know some literature, but when you study art you can really figure out what they were saying, what they were doing and how they were living just by what they created instead of simply reading in a book about what they did. It’s a great way to approach things, and having the skill to see things from a differ-ent perspective is the most important thing art history has given me.”Studying art history in depth has helped the

students make better connections in other areas of their education. “Art gives more of an emotional depth to everything,”

Diez said. “When you are learning history you get the broad perspective, but if you think about it, there are millions of people out there and art, I think, gives more depth to the in-dividual and a better understanding of who they are. It gives a better appreciation to humanity through our thought and expression and, although now-a-days there’s a lot of negativ-ity in the world, art, to me, is like a little bit of hope.”At the end of the presentation Hintzman left the audience

to ponder over the rhetorical question, “What is art?” Junior Eric Lim, one of the musicians in the performance, gave his take on what he believes art is. “At least for me, I think art is the way people can commu-

nicate things to other people,” said Lim. “They don’t neces-sarily have to have an audience or a specific person they’re speaking to but it’s just a mode by which we, as humans, have been able to funnel our ideas to other people.”Differing in opinion, Hintzman shared his idea. “I left ‘what is art’ as the rhetorical question on the end

of my presentation because to be completely honest, I can’t give you a definition,” Hintzman said. “I think it’s fine to say that you just don’t know. You can look at it and sort of

get a grasp of it but to actually articulate into words what art is can be very difficult. Art

is always changing. If you were to ask someone 100 years ago what art is, they might point to something that they thought was art but if you ask someone now, there’s probably someone that can

give you an articulate definition of what they think art is, but it’s always changing and that’s one of the beauti-ful things about studying art history. It’s infinitely vast.”

Independent art students showcased their individual talents and what they learned throughout the year at the Oakton Art Symposium lauren embroski

staff writer

Hintzman showcased his musical talent at the

Art Symposium for Independent art

students. “I’m a cel-list. That’s all I do... I had never done anything like that before so it was a real challenge for

me.”

Students shine at symposium

courtesy of margaret sharkoffmadrid

7newsworthy5.20.13

With the end of another school year comes the award season and the opportunity for students to demonstrate their excellence. After working

hard all year, varsity debate and science Olympiad made it to state competitions, Latin students excelled on tests taken throughout the country, and a few select students made it into Governor’s School. Through their different clubs, extracurricular activities and academic achievements, students are recognized for their exceptional performances. The varsity debate team of juniors Monica Hanratty and

Evelyn Wang made it to the VHSL state competition. The pair competed in the semi-finals and was one of the top four teams that competed in the Policy division. “It was definitely more exciting than normal tournaments,”

Hanratty said. “I was very satisfied with it.”The science Olympiad team attended the state competition

in April. The team placed ninth in the state and received a place of tenth or higher in 14 out of 24 events. With their “Designer Genes” project, senior Julin Justin and junior Shinar Jain received a third place medal. The team of junior Ksenia Sokolova and sophomore Tommy Clark also received a third pace medal with their project “Robot Arm”. “A lot of the better schools were there and it got pretty

competitive,” said Clark. “The robot had to be built to meet certain requirements and be able to pick up certain materials in a specific time limit.” In April the Paragon, Oakton’s yearbook, was announced

as a one of the 2012 Pacemaker finalists awarded by the National Scholastic Press Association. The yearbook was one

of only 50 books nominated out of a total of 402 entries. The yearbooks are judged by a group of experienced journalists and educators, and being chosen as a finalist is a challenging and impressive accomplishment.“It was really cool, it’s the highest award that you can get

for yearbook,” said editor in chief, Kat Fleckenstein. “It really showed off all of our hard work and motivated us to make this year’s book just as good.”The school year is a long distance race. For many students

it’s time to dig deep and reach for the finish line. However, there are those among us who dig a little deeper, accelerate in the final stretch and strive for gold and recognition.

Students from the debate tournament line up for the centennial commemorative picture. “It was really exciting just being there as part of the group that qualified and made it to states,” Hanratty said.

courtesy of janine d’amura

Recognizing students’ success

LatinThis past March, students in all levels of Latin were given the chance to take the National Latin Exam. This test is taken by students across the country and covers the Latin language, history, culture and mythology. Gold Medal RecipientsJuniors Patrick Holcomb, Kimberly Rigger and Anna Ernst Sophomores Jane Nguyen, Alexa Villaflor, Bronson Hall and Eileen Chen Freshmen Sean Xie, Lauren McDermott and Ryan Hill

You had to study really hard for the test; it felt like I was spending all my time on Latin,” said Xie. “I ended up doing really well; I was among the top one percent of students that got a perfect score on the test.

Medusa Mythology examThis is a national test that assesses students from all levels of Latin on their knowledge of Greek and Roman mythology.

Silver MedalFreshman Sammy OrtizBronze MedalSophomore Bronson HallFreshman Andrew Brennan.Corona Laurea CertificateSophomore, Jane NguyenCorona Olivae CertificateJunior Patrick Holcombe

oakton’s clubs and students are awarded for their extracurricular and academic accomplishments

alex driscollstaff writer

“”

Governor’s SchoolEach year a limited group of students from high schools across the state are accepted into Governor’s School. This is a month-long program during the summer where students study an area of specialty, whether it is academic or a visual and performing art. The program is extremely competitive and students compete on a school, county and state level in order to be accepted.

Visual and Performing ArtsJuniors Emilia Brennan and Neil HolcombSophomore John Ferri

Humanities ProgramSophomores Eileen Chen and Catherine Sun Junior Pooja Seth Hayes Parker-Kepchar

Agriculture program Juniors Christopher Suh and Evelyn Wang

Life Science Medicine programSophomore Megh Kumar

spotlight The face behind the microphone

Have you ever had the yogurt or hummus biteables before?AQ :

Where is the best place you have travelled?AQ :

We have all heard her voice, however some may not have the face to match with it. We hear her every morning - she tells us the daily announcements and what is on the lunch menu. Meet Judy Manilli, the Burgundy Office Assistant and our daily announcer at Oakton for the past seven years.

karli gillespiespotlight editor

How long have you been making the daily morning announcements?AQ :

“I didn’t always make the announcements; we use to have students make them. But then it got hard to get the kids in here, and coordinate which kid would make the announcements, so [the job] just kind of fell back to me.”

Did you make the announcements when you were in high school?AQ :

Back in the Stone Ages there weren’t daily an-nouncements, everything was just put on bulletin boards. In high school I played field hockey, I was also in the front guard of the marching band. I was also on intramural teams. At my high school there weren’t organized soccer teams or basketball teams for the girls. I played volleyball and basketball too.”

What do you like to do in your spare time?AQ :

“Well, I love to craft things and make things. Right now, I’m work-ing on building a greenhouse in my backyard. But I love scrap booking, crocheting, cross stitch, quilting and sewing. I’ve been doing those kinds of things for years.”

“I have never had the pleasure of eating either a hummus or yogurt biteable. And no, I do not have the desire of eating a hummus or yogurt biteable.”

“New England is my favorite. I love the coastline and Martha’s Vineyard. I was born in Pennsylvania, but I love travel-ing up there.[When driving there], I like going up the East Coast and trav-eling down the west side of it. So going up by the water, and coming down through the mountains. It’s a very nice place to hike and just drive.”

karli

gill

espi

e

9spotlight5.20.13

SeeingDouble Doublejack

WadeHarris12

fav. color: orangefav. sport: lacrosse

lucky #: 27college: CNU

jack wadefav. color: orangefav. sport: baseballlucky #: 1college: GMU

AnnaHaley PLatt

Wade Harris may have been born nine minutes before his twin Jack, but it has

never been an issue.“Wade was born nine minutes before

me,” Jack said. “But it doesn’t matter, because I’m bigger than him.”Despite their age gap, Jack and Wade

share similar passions and pursuits.“We have a lot of the same inter-

ests,” Jack said. “We like a lot of the same things, like sports and music and things like that.”The Harris twins have an older

brother, but they acknowledged that they have a special bond, as is often the case with twins.“We’re definitely closer with each

other,” Jack and Wade said simultane-ously.While the Harris brothers feel the

same about their relationship, they have unique opinions on being twins.“I don’t really like being a twin,” Jack

said. “People always assume you’re the same person, just because of that.”Wade disagrees.

“It has its downsides,” Wade said. “But it’s nice to know that you always have someone who is there for you.”

Anna and Haley Platt may share a birthday, but they have little else in common. At first

glance, their physical similarities are obvious, but with a closer look, their unique attributes that classify them as fraternal twins become clear. “I really don’t think we look alike at

all,” Anna said. “We’re like totally dif-ferent people.”Their appearance is not the only

thing that differs between them, their interests and hobbies vary as well. “I think our age is honestly our big-

gest similarity,” Anna said. “We don’t really have any of the same interests.”Despite different hobbies and pur-

suits, Anna and Haley experience a healthy dose of competition that is evident in every sibling relationship, but heightened between twins. “We’re really competitive,” Haley

said. “Anna got her license before me, and she got it late, so she’s trying to make it so I have to get mine late too. We’re competitive about things like that.”

LiamLars rUCKER

From their shared birthdate to their favorite sports, Liam and Lars Rucker have always been

similar. Being identical twins, their paral-lel appearance is usually the first thing people notice about them. “People have different ways of telling

me and my brother apart,” Lars said. “Usually people can see a difference because Liam has a freckle under his left eye and I don’t.”But a mop of blonde hair is not the only

trait the Ruckers share; Liam and Lars have pursued similar activities through-out their lives. “Everything one of us does, the other

one will usually do,” Lars said. “We both have played hockey our whole life, and we’ve been doing crew together all of high school.”Similar interests can lead to competi-

tion, especially between siblings. But it can also help to reveal differences and similarities between people. “Lars is definitely more outgoing than

I am,” Liam said. “I rely on him a lot more for social interactions and things like that. He uses his phone a lot, and I usually don’t. He also usually sets up like when we’re going to hang out with our friends. He might not be better than me at going out and interacting with people, but he definitely does it more.”

fav. color: purple fav. sport: swim

lucky #: 6fav. food:

mac & cheese

anna HALEYfav. color: bluefav. sport: dancelucky #: 27fav. food: mac & cheese

fav. color: bluefav. sport: hockeylucky #: 11ideal vacation: Boca Grande, FL

lIAMlARSfav. color: blue

fav. sport: hockeylucky #: 86

ideal vacation: Boca Grande, FL

1011

madlin mekelburgeditor in chief

10spotlight5.20.13

Oakton’s newest officersThe ballots are in, the votes have been counted, next year’s elected officials have big plans to improve the school

SGA

class of 2014 class of 2016class of 2015

Sponsored by Sean Greeney and Kristi Layman

Sponsored by Stacey August and Dean Grenfell

Sponsored by Brandon McCulla and Adam Cheney

“After my ex-perience as class president, work-ing with teachers and planning events, I realized that I’d love to be able to do that for the whole school,” said Ellis Heijst.

President: Ellis HeijstVice President: Katherine Dun-woody

“I was really excited to hear that I get to be on the Executive Council again,” Uitz said. “We’re in charge of all the senior events like Chick-Fil-A days, t-shirts and everything graduation.”

President: Milan Khadka President: Wilson HeVice President: Anya Heijst

“I want to be president so I could make an im-pact on the school and help bring it together,” Khadka said.

“My brother is school president so I thought it would be a cool legacy thing,” said Anya Heijst. “I want to lead my class and make it a really fun four years.”

“I want to create an en-joyable high school ex-perience for me and my peers,” said Marquis. “I’m looking forward to all of the opportunities of being on Executive Council.”

“I’m new to the school so I wanted to get in-volved right away,” said D’Ambrosio. “Student government is a great way to make friends and know the administrators so I can make an even bigger difference.”

“I like being a repre-sentative for the class, getting students’ input and making decisions to make the school a bet-ter place,” Dunwoody said.

jennifer prossertouchdown editor

Executive Council: Rebecca Clarke and Alex Marquis

Executive Council: Ali Eagen, Carly Stonehouse and Bailey Uitz

Vice President: Giovanni D’Ambrosio

Executive Council: Veronica Silva and Nima Noori

SGA Presi-dent Ellis Heijst

(2014)

SGA members left to right: VP and Student Advi-sory Council Katherine

Dunwoody (2014), Executive Coun-

cil and Student Advisory Council Carter Lawhorn

(2014), Executive Council and Student Advisory Council Ali

Eagen (2014), Student Advisory Council Gil-

lian Townsend (2013)

11spotlight5.20.13

Jobs for hireLooking to find the perfect job this summer, but not quite sure where to look? Follow this guide to find a job opening in the area that matches your strengths and interests.

if you... if you... if you... if you...$ Love the smell of

food in the air

$ Can wrap a mean birthday present

$ Are quick to follow orders

$Don’t mind repetitive tasks

then you should...

Apply to

Work on the Restau-rant Team Member Crew and perfect your burrito building skills.

location:13354 Franklin Farm RoadHerndon, VA 20171

contact:(703) 435-4715

how to apply:Visit http://jobs.chipotle.com/hern-don/restaurant/jobid2200978-res-taurant-team-mem-ber-crew-jobs and apply online.

Chip

otle

description:

gabriela driscoll editor in chief

$ Are comfortable with children

$ Have great people skills

$ Are good with directions

$ Have the ability to multi task

$ Are neat and organized

then you should...

Apply to

Toys

“R” U

s

Work as a Sales Team Member and help customers meet their toy needs.

description:

location:13035 Fair Lakes Shopping CenterFairfax, VA 22030

contact:(703) 803-1050

how to apply:Visit www.snagajob.com/job-seeker/jobs/job-details.aspx?postingid=12788-840 and apply online.

$ Are good with money

$ Don’t mind wearing an apron

$ Are generally fast and efficient

then you should...

Apply to

Home D

epot

Work as a cashier or in the Sales depart-ment, and help cus-tomers address all of their DIY needs.

description:

location:1651 Reston ParkwayReston, VA 20194

contact:(703) 435-0778

Visit www.snagajob.com/job-seeker/jobs/job-details.aspx?postingid=12153312 and apply online.

how to apply:

$ Are handy with a hammer

Apply to

Wat

er M

ine

Work as a lifeguard to supervise and ensure the safety of everyone in the park.

description:

location:1400 Lake Fairfax Dr.Reston, VA 20190

Visit www.fairfax-county.gov/parks/rec/watermine/em-ployment.htm and apply online.

how to apply:

contact:703-471-5415

$ Like to lather up with sun screen

$ Look good in a swim suit

$ Feel comfortable in the water

$ Can project your voice from afar

$ Are good at supervising kids

then you should...

12indepth5.20.13

indepthThe carefully worded

rejection. While col-leges were once male

dominated institutions, times have changed. Although certain fields of study are mostly male, female presence has grown to encompass 57 % of undergraduates accord-ing to Time Magazine. A transformation changed the selective colleges such as the University of Virginia and Dartmouth, that weren’t fully co-ed in just the 1970s, to now having to limit their female acceptance rates because of the high number of qualified female applicants. So what has changed in the last 40 years making women so much more qualified?In the end, it can be attrib-

uted to grades and the ways children are taught. College acceptance is based on a variety of academic factors, and women tend to apply for more leader-ship positions and end up hav-ing higher grade point averages, with women at an average of a 3.1 and men at a 2.9 accord-ing to The Washington Post. While men and women do just as well on standardized tests and

SATs, the discrepancy between learning habits is instilled before any of those factors even matter. Beginning in childhood, grades are

based on behavior and the ability to sit still. It is a fact that girls mature faster, and it seems a given that their ability to be attentive in school fol-lows; causing the trend of higher grades. But can young boys really be at fault? The system revolving around sitting still for a long time beginning at the age of five is a hard one to adapt to, and the work

ethic that is established as kids grow up is sometimes lost on boys who mature at a slower rate. Between females being more willing to put themselves out there for leadership positions to the domination of AP classes according the U.S. News and World Report, there is a more competi-tive atmosphere among high school girls stemming from childhood. The problem is that even if the height-

ened acceptance rate is undesirable to females, neither is a school dominated by girls. Take William and Mary: the acceptance rate was 18% higher for men in 2007 making it harder for females to be accepted. Girls dominate the college accounting for 55% of the student body, and nobody wants to go to a school with such an imbalance. As the director of admissions, Henry Broaddus, told the Washington Post, “Even women who en-roll expect to see men on campus. It’s not the College of Mary and Mary; it’s the College of William and Mary.” Does the need for a gender balance outweigh the need for qualified applicants? In the end, if people are driven away by the strong female population, then the most qualified applicants will look elsewhere too. The debate for equality in colleges has

been bounced around for decades. Trying to balance the ratio of genders, as well as upholding a high standard becomes in-creasingly difficult as the gap between the sexes becomes more pronounced. How-ever, if colleges do not value the presence of men, The Washington Post argues that they would often end up with around 80% of the student body being female. And then it comes down to the question is the pressure of being held to a higher stan-dard for women necessarily a bad thing? The competitive push is a positive for women because it gives them a challenge. There are still male students who strive for leadership positions and have a high GPA. In the end, it doesn’t come down to the individuals but a system built on perfectionism, leaving little wiggle room for the ever growing gender gap.

Throughout the past few decades, women have outnumbered men in receiving college accep-tances with more qualified resumes; resulting in more challenging acceptance rates for women

why women dominate college acceptance

Average GPAFemale: 3.1Male: 2.9

Enrolled in CollegeFemale: 57%Male: 43%

SATS (Overall)Female:1501Male: 1525

-Writing Female: 501Male: 488

-MathFemale: 500Male: 533

-Critical ReadingFemale:500Male: 504

sunni beanstaff writer

The perfect dateHere are some suggestions for all the couples stumped about how to shake

things up for their next date. And for those of you too shy to ask that special someone,

maybe these will give you an idea about what sparks his or her interest.

indepth5.20.13

kim gibbonsviewpoint editor

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Dinner and a movie depends: did I make dinner, or did we go out to eat? Did we go somewhere nice? It also really depends on the girl. And if we see a really cool movie, like a super-hero movie, that would be fun.

“

”

Dinner and a movie is really fun because it’s kind of like the classic romantic date that every girl wants to go on. You can really jazz it up and you can go some-where really special for dinner and go see a funny movie; there are a lot of op-tions.

“

”I love picnics. I’ve actually been plan-ning one of these. You can go for a stroll in the park and then sit down for lunch or dinner. Dinner is great, because you can stay there afterward and just wait for the stars to come out.

“

”

I think a picnic date would be really romantic, especially if the guy makes the food, or if you both contribute, and then you can go to a really special place that the two of you may share.

“”

My girlfriend loves baking, so we do that a lot when we’re at home. When you see your date doing something that she really likes and you get to do it with her, she’s just so happy and you can tell she had a lot of fun. Plus, I get to eat it at the end.

“

”

Personally, staying at home is my favor-ite. I like the simple stuff the most. I love to bake, so that could be a really cute activity to do together, and just snug-gling up on the couch afterward; it’s the simple things.

“

”13

14 indepth5.20.13 15indepth

5.20.13

What’s in his/her bag?Though you may not realize it, the items you keep in your backpack could say a lot about you. The difference between what’s in a girl’s bag verses what’s in a boy’s might just surprise you.

A look into what students’ “essentials” areH

er

backpack

Fashion in his/her eyes

HAIR: I prefer it when girls wear their hair down. Pixie cuts aren’t attractive, and a girl looks weird if her hair is too short, so long hair is better. Also, pigtails look silly, we’re not in preschool anymore. Girls shouldn’t do crazy things with their hair, like dying it too much, because it looks much better when they keep it natural. Unnecessary piercings like the nose are a no. Generally, girls wear too much jewelry. My opinion is that girls look better without so much makeup on. The more natural look is better. Some shades of lipstick and lip gloss look really bad. Gener-ally, just go without. A casual look is best. I also don’t understand why girls wear hair ties on their wrist.

CLOTHES: Girls tend to wear skinny jeans a lot, that’s pretty nice. A lot of girls wear yoga pants to look casual, and that’s a good thing. Girls also look nice when they dress up for game day. They look good in athletic clothes. In general, keeping it simple is always a good look. I find that girls look bet-ter in softer colors. Sundresses are ok, but when they’re too formal, it looks awkward. However, I prefer when girls do not wear sweatpants because it just looks sloppy. Sweats are only ok during the winter. Overall, guys don’t care as much about what girls wear, their looks are more important.

HAIR: A guy’s hair shouldn’t be longer than a girl’s. I don’t like their hair when it’s too long, or when they have a buzz cut. Guys also should not get mohawks; it doesn’t look good. Most importantly, guys should

not wear those stupid head bands. Flow bands are a no. It’s also really gross when guys have greasy hair. I think it’s weird when guys wear earrings. Guys should not wear jewelry under any circumstances.

What do they really think?

SHOES: It’s unattractive when girls wear basketball shoes. It’s also not a good idea to wear high heels to school. Boots are good for the winter, but flip flops and sandals are better for the spring.

SHOES: It’s weird when guys wear flip-flops, but I don’t like dress shoes either. Athletic shoes are generally better.

Do you think girls are the only ones secretly critiquing each other’s outfits? Wrong. Guys also look at girls’ outfits, and girls look at guys’ outfits. Whether or not it is said, it is inevitable that some people will have strong opinions about what others are wearing. Sophomores Armand Jeffris and Danni Nicholls share their thoughts on what the opposite gender wears.

erin preaskornstaff writer

reina dattacopy editor

What he says: Armand Jeffris What she says: Danni Nicholls

CLOTHES: First of all, I don’t understand why guys wear another shirt underneath

their shirt. Muscle shirts are usu-ally attractive, but it definitely depends on the guy. T-shirts and sport shirts are better, but not super tight shirts. Those are

just creepy. I also like when guys wear casual jackets. It makes them look dressed up,

but not in a weird way. The more simple a guy’s outfit is, the

better. Their shorts have to be at the knees; it looks odd if they’re any

shorter. I think it’s stupid when guys show their boxers. Just a little bit is fine, but not when I can see your whole booty. Guys should not wear skinny jeans. Colored shorts, like pastels, look good, though. I like it when guys dress up, but the outfit has to work together. Some people wear dress pants and really casual shirts and that does not look good.

Oakton girls can almost always be seen with their Vera Bradley lunch boxes

Girls are notorious for leaving their hair ties everywhere

Makeup is an essential in a girl’s backpack.

Diamonds are a girl’s best friend. Jewelry is common in many girls’ backpacks

His

back

packSnacks are a must have for any

guy who needs energy for sports or school

Guys can keep time while still looking styling with a big watch.

A guy’s backpack says a lot about him. The underarmour backpacks seem to be very popular.

In order to keep their mouth minty fresh, guys carry packs of gum in their bags.

Ladies always seem to forget to clean their bags of movie tickets and other evidence of social outings

An iPod is a must for guys who want to avoid awkward small talk or mindless girly gossip

18 showtime5.20.13

showtime

Every year, the town of Vienna comes together to hold its famous carnival, Viva Vienna, right in the

heart of the town up and down Church Street.With musical entertainment, thrill-ing rides and captivating games, Vienna shows its town pride. For the residents, it always has personal meanings and ex-periences that make it a special event to remember. Junior Rachel Huggins, has lived in

Vienna for her whole life and has always enjoyed the experience of exploring her community. “I love how Viva Vienna makes me feel in-

volved in my community. It truly makes me feel like I belong here and have a place to come back to after college”, said Huggins.“When I was younger, I loved the excite-

ment of the rides and the awe of the musi-cal perfor-mances.

The musicians always played my favorite kind of music,” Huggins said.Some of the musical groups that are fea-

tured include local,emerging singers, aspir-ing dancers from the Cuppett Performing Arts Center and unique individuals with extraodinary talents, such as magicians . For example, there is Camille Thornton, a 15 year old pop/country singer-songwriter in Northern Virginia, who will be perform-ing an orginal song on Saturday, May 25. Teenagers can introduce the magic of

Viva Vienna to their younger siblings. “Now it warms my heart to watch my

little cousins feel the same excitement that I felt when I had a new adventure at Viva Vienna,” Huggins said. Many students are appreciative of the Vi-

enna Council for providing this wonderful Memorial Day weekend spectacular to the residents including Alison Ford, junior. “It’s great that Vienna cares so much

about its people and veterans, that they would organize this event for everyone to come together,” said Ford. “I love going on the pulse-beating rides

that give you such a rush,” Ford said. Ford is one of many Vienna residents

that has experienced the rush and exhilara-tion at this occasion. “The festive atmo-sphere is fantastic. The joy is contagious,” At Viva Vienna there are attractions for

all ages that define the sentimentality and memories of the town. Viva Vienna will be from Saturday May 25 to Monday May 27th; 10 am to 10 pm; featuring games, music, rides and plenty of celebration. Check out their website below.

abbey boninstaff writer

Want something fun to do on a rainy day? Looking to learn more about ViVa Vienna? Need to know some healthy snacks that will help you think? Read on, and explore showtime.

ViVa Vienna The town of Vienna brings back its best annual attraction

photo courtesy of mctcampus.com

Junior, Katharine Dunwoody, makes sure to go to Viva Vienna every year. “Viva Vienna is always so much fun because it is a great place to hang out with friends and take in all of the festivities. Once I go to Viva Vienna, that is when summer starts for me,” said Dunwoody.

www.vivavienna.org

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19showtime5.20.13

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20 showtime5.20.13

Never let the spring rain get in the way of having fun on the weekends. Check out some of these indoor facilities for a great time while staying dry.

Located in nearby Chantilly, this indoor water park is a fantastic way to still have summer fun when it is raining. Be sure to ride their giant water slide or hop on the lazy river. To get a student discount bring your high school ID and pay only $6.50.

This giant facility is filled with trampoline floors and foam pits to jump on and into. For just $17 you can jump in the indoor trampoline arena for an hour. The arena is open until 11 p.m. on the weekend. On Tuesday two people can jump for just $20.

This DC hot spot hosts famous comedians such as Godfrey from “30 Rock” and Bryan Callen from “The Hangover.” Tickets can be bought online for about $17. Some shows are free but seating is limited.

Looking for a way to exercise inside without going to the same old gym? Lifetime Fitness has two Virginia indoor rock climbing locations, one in Fairfax and the other in Centreville. Their website offers a free trial club pass if you are 18 or older.

While most golf ranges will be muddy or closed when it is raining, this indoor golf complex makes it possible to golf no matter the weather. It costs $40 per person and the golf complex is open until midnight every Friday and Saturday evening.

Even though a cooking class might seem expensive at $75 per session it is a great way to learn to make delicious food. The best part is at the end of the class you can eat everything you make. The classes are generally at night and about three hours long.

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703-266-6200

Don’t rain on my parade

www.dcimprov.com

www.rebounderzsterling.com

www.topgolf.com

www.fairfaxcountry.gov

www.lifetimefitness.com

www.culinariacookingschool.com

erin bennettnews editor

21showtime 5.20.13

sofia crutchfieldviewpoint editor

The visual master-piece that is Baz

Luhrmann’s “The Great Gatsby” could have only been accompanied by an equally dynamic soundtrack. The fusion of phonographic jazz instru-ments, dubstep and rap frame this modern take on a classic. Jay Z, the over-seer of the music for the film, shows the true range of his musical talent along with his ability to evoke the mood of the twenties in a 21st Century audience.The film’s theme song,

Lana Del Rey’s “Young and Beautiful,” is a soulful and haunting ballad that somehow expresses every emotion of the often silent characters as they stare longingly at each other. During the moments of slow motion close-ups of Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan, the repe-tition of Del Rey’s breathy, otherworldly voice gives a feeling of nostalgia. The slower songs in the film like Emeli Sande’s jazzed up, slowed down cover of

Beyonce’s “Crazy in Love” melt into the fairytale-esque scenes throughout the film.Though “The Great

Gatsby” is a romantic film, there are plenty of scenes that show how serious par-tying was in the Prohibi-tion era. “100 Dollar Bill” is the movie’s transition from an ethereal love story to a fast-paced thriller, with its blend of Big-Band Swing and bass thumping rap by Hov himself. This was an era where dancing in a convertible filled with champagne on the Brook-lyn Bridge was not only common, but the only way to have fun. Though the party-goers

in the movie are doing the Charleston and Fox Trot, this soundtrack is not stuck in the past. The music connects the target audience of denim-clad twenty-somethings to an era where the youth thrived. You’ll continue to love this movie long after you’re no longer Young and Beautiful.

sonaj senior guest writer

The Great Gatsby“Gatsby” takes an American classic to new heights

Director Baz Luhrmann’s adap-tation of F. Scott

Fitzgerald’s classic American novel “The Great Gatsby” is a high-flying showstopper of a film. While it could have been a victim of over-hype, “Gatsby” shines because it goes out on a limb.The story takes off in where

else but New York during the roaring ‘20s, an environment characterized by grotesque he-donism and continuous partying. Tobey Maguire plays the narra-tor Nick Carraway, a young new-comer from the Midwest. The direction of the beginning of the film is off-putting at points; camera shots were shallow and the pace was hasty. People flew by and no one seemed to say anything worth hearing, but the beauty of it is that’s exactly how Nick felt, like an oustider, for

this portion of the book. At a ma-

jor shift in the movie, Leonardo DiCaprio’s enigmatic Jay Gats-by emerges from the hullaballoo of his party with champagne in his hand and something know-ing on his face that tells you the story’s only just begun. From there, the plot unrav-

els in key with Luhrmann’s trademark glorious imagery and what is possibly the cool-est soundtrack you will ever hear. Carey Mulligan’s doe-eyed Daisy Buchanan takes her place as the tale’s love interest in beautiful rooms of blossoms and luxurious fabrics that never seem to outshine her character-istc radiance. Joel Edgerton’s Tom Buchanan is a force that exudes danger and Isla Fisher’s Myrtle is a perfect hot mess. The book is a timeless piece

that analyzes the paradoxical American Dream, but the movie is a unique experience that for-goes Fitzgerald’s clinical depic-tion of the characters in favor of an intentionally over-the-top

emotional whirl-wind. Perhaps

“Gatsby” could be consid-ered more style than

substance, but it has plenty of

both, enough to be the movie of the

summer.

SOUND TRACK

all images courtesy of warner bros

22 viewpoint5.20.13

viewpoint

Never judge a book by its coverPeople need to distinguish between common sense differences and false stereotypes

The Staff Editorial is the official opinion of the Oakton Outlook

alana peters

Obviously, there are many differences between the two sexes. However, in today’s age people are supposed to act as if everybody is equal at everything. In reality,

girls tend to be better at some things while boys are better at others.Take physical activities as an example: men tend to build more muscle, while women tend to be more flexible. It is usually true that women are better multi-taskers than men are. Such differences are not negative and they can’t be used to argue that one sex is superior to the other; they’re simply differences. People should feel comfortable with their differences, and should feel no need to pretend that inequalities do not exist.The true problem lies with stereotypes which are often false

and offensive. It should never be assumed that because someone is a girl that she would not make a good mathematician or because someone is a guy, he would not be able to do ballet. Stereotypes have no place in evaluating skill sets, and assumptions don’t benefit anyone. Furthermore, just because something tends to be true does

not make it always true. Men tend to be physically stronger than women, but that does not mean there are not strong women or that strong women are rare. Women tend to be

better at multi-tasking, but that does not mean that there are

not men who can do four things at the same time; there are undoubtedly plenty. The world is vast and diverse, and it is not served well by stereotypes that limit those factors.Stereotypes also have a negative effect on how society sets

expectations for the two genders. Because of the more active role women have played in the family home throughout history, women were, and are, often unjustly discriminated against in

the workplace. Despite years of exponential progress, women still hold an unacceptably low percent of high-level executive positions. There is also the stereotype that men cannot succeed in “effeminate” career paths, such as nursing. Neither men nor women should be

dissuaded from pursuing a career because it does not fit what is expected of them. This highlights the need for our society to be able to distinguish between common sense, often trivial physical and mental differences and unfair, ignorant cultural stereotypes.Those who use stereotypes to guide them through life will

indubitably end up disappointed. There are a lot of women who know how to handle a car and hate talking on the phone. There are shopaholic men who can’t tell the difference between a Toyota Prius and Shelby GT500. People are always human more than they are a man or a woman, and their identity is always more than their chromosomes.

23viewpoint 5.20.13

Narcissism plagues U.S. media coverageAmericans have become increasingly ignorant and un-aware of current events occurring beyond our borders

In the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings, Americans were left with feelings of outrage, confusion and an over-whelming sense of nationalism. Many watched as Mas-

sachusetts police embarked on a manhunt, searching for the perpetrators in a nearly cinematic manner. The whole scene was horrific, so naturally it drew the attention of many. After the initial bombing, Twitter, Facebook and other social media sites were showered with condolences in statuses and hashtags. This response, as a whole, is appropriate in a way that demonstrates our concern. This is the kind of support that needs to be outstretched to victims after they endure a tragedy.So why doesn’t the American public express identi-cal concern and give adequate attention to everyone when they need it? Just three days after the events in Boston, 185 people, including a vast number of civilians, were ruthlessly killed in Nigeria during a struggle between their military and Muslim extremists. The same day, a 6.6 level earthquake in China killed over 300 people and injured more than 3,600. If either of these events had taken place in somewhere like Texas or California, people here would still be hearing and talk-ing about them to this day.

Regardless of the magnitude of these two events, they were still practically ignored. First, they received little-to-no news coverage, and even less recognition from the American public as a whole. After gunfire and riots had plagued the streets of Nigeria, and China scrambled to the aid of 3,600 of their

wounded citizens, the nightly news in the U.S. barely seemed to change. Replay upon re-

play of the three-day-old Boston bombing continued to play; meanwhile, hundreds were dying on the other side of the world and nobody seemed to care. The ways in which news is reported have been swayed in an increasingly U.S.-centric manner. It’s not to say that the American people don’t care about foreign affairs, it’s that many simply

don’t notice, and that’s the problem. The news, Twitter and other social media

sites have bred a fixation on localized issues, giving the public information that they think will interest them. Although there’s nothing wrong with being interested in affairs within our own borders, it is vital that we adjust the ways in which we distrib-ute our attention; otherwise we’ll reach a state of utter igno-rance.

jacque groskaufmanisstaff writer

Graduation is 18 school days away and there isn’t much learning I’ll be doing between now and then. As of now, the only homework I’m getting is to finish work

that I couldn’t in class. This tiring workload includes in-class projects, assignments based in class intended to keep our brains from rotting, book discussion and a film study (in a class that is not film study). While I do appreciate the change of pace some of my harder classes have taken, I can’t help but match the ease of my classes with an even more apathetic work ethic. I have already taken most of my finals and none of my classes have an SOL, yet there is still a lofty expectation for us to be here every day until our last final in three weeks.This isn’t me trying to be lazy. I’m just trying to be more, well, considerate of the senior psyche. Unfortunately, for better or for worse, has all but burned out from four years of high school, months of college applications and weeks of finals and AP test-ing. The only way for us to get cured is to leave school, relax and get a diploma. Terrible I know, but considering this happens every year you would think there would be at least some leeway given to the teachers on how to handle it.My proposal is to get rid of the final exam requirement, or have that requirement be more flexible for all seniors and Advanced Placement classes. As it stands, every class has to have the

final on the same day in June, but most AP classes have them before the test. Is it really necessary for me to take another final in June for a class I finished in April? Most senior classes are already speeding towards their conclusion, moving the final up by a week or two shouldn’t hurt it too much. By doing so it would cut down on time wasted by both the teachers and the students going over what has already been learned and tested. For example, this could allow for the final to be moved up to the SOL testing block, if that class doesn’t have an SOL of course and allow that class to use the extra time for something really special and make it worth our while to stay.Above all else understand this is coming from someone who has learned a lot from this school but has also wasted a lot of time in it as well and I can no longer stand idly by as weeks more are wasted. You know when these extra weeks would have been use-ful, before the AP exams. The grades are set, the fees turned in, the only thing we honestly have left to do is to walk across the stage and get our diploma, and anything else is really just filler. I’m more than ready to graduate and I know I’m not the only one.What do you think? Take the Poll online at www.oaktonoutlook.com

A call for decencyGraduation is more pomp than circumstance

oliver lopez-gomezonline editor

•

•

•

•

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26viewpoint5.20.13

Educators and students alike are often considered exempt from copyright laws by way of fair use: using mate-rial that is not one’s own for educational purposes is, in

many cases, considered okay—and for good reason. There are many valid arguments for why teachers and students should be able to use material that they didn’t produce to educate or be-come educated. How could a student write an essay about 1984 without quoting some of George Orwell’s writing? How could a teacher teach history without using sources from the past? Using the published literary analysis of a professor or writer to provide further insight is a crucial process in studying any literature just as using case studies in an environmental science class is paramount to giving an idea of the real-life application of the material.Oakton students are held to a certain standard of excellence.

They know that when they write a paper, they have to provide a works cited page to show where they found the information they’re using. They know that while they can almost always use it, they always have to cite it.Their teachers don’t.Fairfax County Public Schools does

not have a policy that requires teach-ers to cite their sources for material used on assignments or material provided to students in the form of study guides, excerpts or handouts. In other words: FCPS does not have an honor code for teachers. Only the students are held to the highest of standards. According to the absence of regula-tion, the teachers can do what they want.Why not? Why do teachers get an exemption?While legally there are no applicable laws or district policies

concerning direct plagiarism in the classroom by a teacher, teachers should give credit where credit is due for a variety of reasons. First is professional integrity. Leaving out citations, or even forgetting to cite something is grossly unprofessional. In most institutions or businesses, getting caught plagiarizing is punishable by dismissal and/or revocation of a degree. People lose their doctorates and can easily get fired over a simple copy-paste. They might not be prosecuted in Fairfax County, but the higher law, the principle should still reign.The professional community not only expects teachers to cite,

it expects them to lead by example. The number of lectures given yearly at Oakton High School about the correct citation of sources and why plagiarism is wrong probably outnumbers the word count for this editorial. If a teacher doesn’t practice what he or she teaches, then why should students bother to pay any attention? Obviously, little of the lesson will have any value in

the real world. Students will just assume that when they’re done with school they’ll be done with citations.Teachers shouldn’t plagiarize because it sets a bad example

but it also causes students to disrespect their teachers for this ‘do as I say not as I do’ policy. The teacher-student relationship no longer supports the archaic idea that teacher is always above student. The world is changing. Students now have just as much to offer their teachers as teachers have to offer their students. Disrespect between student and teacher is the easiest way to cre-ate indolent instructors and absentminded pupils.So how is this relevant? Why should Oakton care?A simple Google search shows that some teachers are using

material directly copied from online ‘homework help’ websites and/or books on the assignments they hand out in class with-out proper quotation or citation. This has led some to doubt the integrity of a few of Oakton’s most revered mentors.If a teacher lectures about the pitfalls in using online as-

sistance, but then copies directly from Sparknotes students might feel much less inclined to complete assignments for the class. If students bothered to do the assignment at all, they could use Cliff Notes and probably never touch the book itself. They wouldn’t find any dilemma in

regurgitating information rather than analyzing for themselves: Those teachers have set the bar low enough that my classmates and I don’t have to read—or think—to pass. This puts students at a disadvantage in terms of college preparedness and under-mines Oakton’s integrity, devaluing the effort of those who complete the original reading.With Oakton’s ongoing fight for honor, including last year’s

“Honor Pledge Competition” and poster campaigns and this year’s new “Honor Council,” it would seem that Oakton High School is doing a great job maintaining its reputation for aca-demic integrity, scholastic honesty and having a strong moral compass when it comes to issues of honor. Oakton students ac-knowledge the first words of the Honor pledge every time they copy it onto the front page of an exam: “Integrity far outweighs any grade I could receive because it is a true representation of my character.” Oakton High School’s students are taught to respect themselves so that others will respect them. Oakton has built a name for itself. A name that equates to hon-

esty, integrity and value: a name that means something on the field, in the classroom and on our transcripts.It is sad that some teachers brazenly undermine it.

Teachers Cheat Too

Editorial Policy The Outlook is an open forum for student expression. Unsigned editorials reflect the collective opinion of the Outlook staff. Signed editorials represent the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Outlook or Oakton High School. Reader opinions are important to the Outlook and contributions are welcome. The Outlook reserves the right to edit submissions for grammar and content provided the meaning remains unchanged.

chauncey crailguest writer

FCPS does not have an honor code for teachers.“ ”

This editorial was submitted as a letter to the editor from Chauncey Crail, senior. It expresses the opinion of the au-thor and is not associated with The Outlook.

On May 3, “Iron Man 3” came out in theaters, promising lots of new action-packed adventures for moviegoers. The movie features wealthy

philanthropist Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jr.) and his stunning assistant Pepper Potts (Gwyneth Paltrow) back for more following two amazingly successful movies. This upcoming addition to the prior Marvel comic screen-adap-tions is still based in Stark’s regular home, Malibu.This, however, is one of the few consistencies with the

prior movies, as director Shane Black changes things up by bringing a darker side to America’s favorite super hero. The film opens with Stark having difficulty sleeping due to severe anxiety attacks he feels from the trau-matic ordeal he experienced during “The Avengers” spin-off movie. This new side of Stark brings out a more human and relatable figure that fans have not seen previously. Stark, who was always portrayed as a cocky, content success, changed drasti-cally with the addition of this weak-ness. Stark isn’t the

only character to undergo dynamic character changes. The super villain Killian (Guy Pearce) uses the character of “Mandarin” (Ben Kingsley), a persona that is both realistic and terrifying. While the origi-nal series envisioned the Man-darin with Asian influences, this new take has strong Islamic ori-gins, with thoughts of Osama Bin Laden constantly being imprinted on the audience’s mind. This was a very effective approach in creating a more compelling film, pulling in real-life security threats that are in the public eye. The addition of a few

lighthearted characters was incredibly delightful to watch and helped main-tain a light nature to the

movie. Happy Hogan (Jon Favreau), the loyal, fun-loving body guard to Stark and Potts, and Harley (Ty Simpkins), the young sidekick that Stark employs in a rural town, were fan favorites that shook the theater with laughter. Even considering these refreshing additions, the fact re-

mains that this is the franchise’s “threequel.” Between this and “The Avengers,” has the world received an overdose of the Iron Man trend? Its incredible box office success, grossing more than $949,046,699 worldwide, says no. These mind-blowing profits render “Iron Man 3” the sec-ond most profitable Marvel production ever.

Maybe there truly isn’t too much of a good thing; as the commercial suc-

cess of “3” seems to suggest. Com-ic book story lines are designed to be re-imagined in differnt formats, from comics to movies to TV

shows to video games. Flexibility is ingrained, so adaptations such as this are given room to

expand.With a more complex storyline, the mature nature of the film steps away from the familiar flashy, action-packed Marvel Studios films. Downey Jr.’s perfor-mance also gives life to the trilogy, busting out witty one-liners and lightening the mood in several tense scenes. Anyone who has enjoyed the previous editions of Iron Man

would definitely enjoy this latest one, though

prepare for plenty of interesting plot twists and

an ending that will leave you satisfied.

Marvel Madness

laura murphystaff writer

“Iron Man” lives on in its box-office-smashing third installment

27viewpoint5.20..13

“

photo courtesy of official website

28touchdown5.20.13

touchdown Spring sports show their postseason superiority

1 2

3

The boys tennis team recently capped their regular season campaign with two impressive 9-0 victories. Their first was against Centreville on senior night on April 23, followed by Westfield on April 25. With their victory over Westfield, they clinched the district title with a final undefeated record of 12-0. Throughout the entire season, the team’s combined record was 96 wins and only 13 losses. The individual district tournament took place on May 1 and 2, which select members from the team participated in. “We are all optimistic, and looking for-

ward to compete to the best of our abil-ity in the postseason,” said junior Bobby Kurtzman.The first round of the regional team

tournament took place on May 13 and 14, where Oakton fell to McLean 6-0.

Boys tennis dominates regular season After a disappointing 5-2 loss to Yorktown on senior night on April 30, the girls

soccer team looks to bounce back as they head into the postseason tournaments. Despite this loss, they concluded their regular season with a solid 8-4-1 record. Two of the losses were to teams in Oakton’s district, against Chantilly and West-field. Even though they have faced some tough opponents, they have also dominated multiple teams like Lee (8-0) and Wake-field (8-0). After a re-cent 4-0 victory over Herndon in the first round of the district tournament, they lost to Chantilly 0-3 on May 15 in the district semifinals.They will take the number 3 seed in the regional tournament.

Girls soccer anticipates postseason run

The girls tennis team finished their regular season with an undefeated record of 12-0, continuing their commanding season with only one regular season loss in the past three years. Even more im-pressive, the lady cougars outscored their opponents by winning a total of 100 individual matches, and losing only eight. Four of those eight losses occurred in pre-season scrimmages; three against Thomas Jefferson, and one against Woodson. The team hopes to continue their winning ways into the postseason, to both the regional finals on May 20, and the state tournaments in early June.

courtesy of Derek McCleskey

Girls tennis obliterates competition

In loving memory of Coach Patrick “Packy” Purcell

Coach Patrick “Packy” Purcell, a member of the Oakton football coaching staff, passed away early Wednesday morning, May 8, 2013, after a long battle with cancer. Coach Packy, as he was known by the players, gradu-ated from Oakton High School in the spring of 2005. As a senior, Coach Packy started at cornerback where he broke the single season interception mark (9). He was honored as a first team all Concorde District player and first team all Northern Region. He, along with his teammates, won the Concorde District for the first time in 25 years. After graduating, Coach Packy returned to Oakton the following season as a part-time assistant coach where he helped the football program win its second Northern Region title in four years and its first state championship in school history.

Coach Packy enrolled at Shenandoah University in the fall of 2007 where he played football for four years and earned a degree in kinesiology. While attending college, Coach Packy always helped Oakton football in the sum-mers coaching our passing league teams, coaching at camps, and helping during two-a-day practices. This season was his first as a full-time assistant coach. He coached varsity defensive backs and helped coordinate special

teams on the varsity level. Coach Packy is an amazing person. Even when he was getting chemotherapy and radiation treatments for cancer, he never missed a practice nor a day of work. In fact, a typical day for him was to wake up, come to work here at Oakton where he worked as an instructional assistant with students with intellectual disabilities, then head out to the football field for practice. After practice, he would often join his father (Patrick Purcell Sr.) and brother (Sean) on the softball field where they won multiple tournaments and local championships. All of this, while undergoing several rounds of chemotherapy. Next to God and family, Oakton High School, and particularly Oakton football, was Packy’s top priority. He loved Oakton! He was living his dream of work-ing and coaching football here. He will be remembered for his high character, his infectious smile, and his willingness and desire to help others. Coach Packy’s motto was, “Never give up!” Something he never did. He is survived by his father, Patrick Purcell Sr; his mother, Janita Purcell; his sister, Ashley Shimer; his brother, Sean Purcell; his fiancé, Caroline Staples, and the thousands of Oakton football players that he touched. He will be deeply missed.

Written by Coach Jason Rowley

courtesy of Judith Turcott

29

While most students spend their summer relaxing at the beach or swimming in the community pool, sophomore Brett

Hugel decided to spend his vacations doing some-thing a little more novel. Since he was 12-years-old, Hugel has gone on month-long biking trips with his friends, visiting locations ranging from Colorado to Quebec City. According to Hugel, it all started with sleep away camp.“I got involved with biking when I was ten and

went to camp,” Hugel said. “It was just [a camp] for general things, but the counselor that I’m friends with now ran the bike program and introduced me to biking. When I stopped wanting to go to the camp, and he didn’t want to work there anymore, we decided to go and do our own trips. So he planned them and we just went out and did it.” Although the summer trips have now become a tra-

dition for Hugel, his parents did not initially accept the idea with open arms.“I was used to staying away from home,” Hugel

said. “So that wasn’t the part they were worried about. It just takes a lot of self-responsibility to go on these trips, because it’s basically like living on your own, you know. You have to wash your clothes and find time to take care of yourself.”Once his parents were on board, however, the trips

became more and more extensive, with last sum-mer’s adventure involving a passport. “Last year we started in Niagara Falls,” Hugel said.

“We drove there and, in eleven days, we biked to the coast. So in eleven days we went close to a thou-sand miles. Then we drove up to Canada and went to Tadoussac, where we went whale watching, and to Quebec city, where we went around the city for a couple days. Then we came back down the East Coast and went city-to-city, just kind of looking at the cool stuff to see.”Although Hugel makes the trip sound relaxing, the

mileage on his bike tells another story.“We bike on average 50 miles a day,” Hugel said.

“But most days are closer to a hundred if you don’t count the rest days. It’s pretty physically demand-ing, so I have to make sure I’m in shape. I don’t nec-essarily have to train to do it, but that’s just because I normally bike a lot. It’s mostly mental.”

Over the years, Hugel and his friends have perfect-ed their routine for traveling.“We always have a truck with us that can hold all

our stuff, so if there’s bad weather we can just hop in the truck,” Hugel said. “If we’re in a city we’ll just stay parked and bike around, but if we’re going to a destination, our counselor will drive ahead of us, park, unload and bike back to meet us. Then he turns around and bikes with us to the car. He’s like 75 and he’s biked his whole life.”While the trips may be of interest to some bikers,

the timing of the trip often proves problematic for Hugel. “The problem is you have to find people who are

into biking, but aren’t into bike racing,” Hugel said. If someone’s into bike racing they’re not going to want to go out because, although it is really good training, it’s during peak race season so no one wants to do it.”Overall, Hugel has found that the trips serve a

larger purpose than simply sightseeing.“You get a full view of all across the country and

stuff,” Hugel said. “I’ve been out to the West Coast; I’ve been out to like Colorado. It’s cool to get a sense of how things are different everywhere, because I know I learned a lot about how people live. I know around here it seems like the normal life is living in the suburbs, but when you go out there you see a lot of rural people and a lot of different lifestyles.”

touchdown4.24.13

Sophomore Brett Hugel spends his summer vacation traveling across the country on bicycle

Why do people commute by bicycle?

From a survey of 2400 cyclists done by Bikesbelong.org

For the environment 82%

For health and fitness 95%

To save money on gasoline 46%

To avoid congestion 52%

To avoid parking costs 34%

Over the river and through the woods michelle lorussoeditor in chief

30touchdown 5.20.13

Get BIG Junior Connor Fagan amps up his diet and his workouts to

prepare for his football future

It’s 6:30 a.m. and you trudge down the stairs to your kitchen to eat breakfast. You pop a piece of bread in the toaster and scramble an egg. Sounds like a typical

breakfast, right? Now imagine that meal multiplied by six and you have the typical breakfast of junior football player Connor Fagan. This breakfast is only one component of Fagan’s current

5,200 calorie diet. He decided to take up this diet about two months ago in order to gain more weight and muscle. “I’m trying to get bigger for football,” Fagan

said. “Division 1 coaches are talking to me now and I know I need to get bigger and stronger and faster.” Although Fagan’s diet consists of great

amounts of food, all of the food is nutritious and good for his body. “My lunch is three cups of rice, eight ounces

of chicken, a cup of lettuce, fifty almonds and a banana,” Fagan listed. “For snacks I have protein shakes and protein bars, and then for dinner it’s four cups of pasta, twelve ounces of chicken, fifty more almonds and two cups of broccoli.” Not only does Fagan have to persist with his

demanding diet, but he must keep up with his workouts. He admits that it is tough to balance it all out, but it is worth it because he has already seen positive results from his hard work. “I need to work out constantly, and balanc-

ing the workouts with how much I’m eating is

tough,” Fagan said. “But in the weight room my numbers have gone up significantly. I have more energy; I feel more athletic.” Fagan hopes that this diet will not only help him for his

senior football season, but also for college football. “My end goal is just to get to play Division 1 football;

that’s always been my goal,” Fagan said. “I’m starting to get looks, but hopefully this will put me at the next level.”

Breakfast Breakdown-Bon Appétit!A typical morning meal for Connor Fagan consists of...

50 almonds

torri marquis staff writer

Fagan works out after school with the football team. “I do all the football workouts and then I lift at XSport on the days I don’t have school workouts,” Fagan explained.

alana peters

courtesy of connor fagan

347 calories

6 eggs441 calories

2 glasses of milk159 calories

2 cups of fruitabout 100 calories

6 slices of toast 399 calories

31misc5.20.13

What in the world? Do current events make you yawn? Does the thought of reading one more article about the economy bring you to tears? Fear no more! Featured below are a handful of truly bizarre news stories from around the world that are sure to strike your fancy.

FLORIDA: Jarvis Sutton was arrested after allegedly calling the police 80 times request-ing the delivery of “Kool-Aid, burgers and weed.” He was charged with the misuse of the 911 system. (HuffPost).

AUSTRALIA: Government authorities have ordered a great white shark hunt after five recent attacks on the Indian Ocean coast of the land “down under.” (HuffPost)

IRELAND: A film crew shooting in Ireland captured footage of what is supposedly the area’s own “Loch Ness monster.” (HuffPost). DUBAI: While performing

a concert, Justin Bieber was “attacked” on stage by a fan. Although the fan made it onto Bieber’s piano platform, she was tackled by security within seconds and Beiber nearly missed a falling piano. (HuffPost)

KIRIBATI: “Two fishermen from Kiribati have been rescued after reportedly surviving almost four weeks adrift in the Pacific, surviving on raw fish and rain water. They were found almost 435 miles from their island home,” (The Telegraph)

SOUTH AMERICA: Geologists have announced the discovery of what has been dubbed the ‘Brazilian Atlantis’- a piece of granite formed on dry land, thought to belong to the lost continent of Atlantis. (The Telegrapgh)

alana petersphoto editor

carly stonehouseshowtime editor

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