MCPS had six schools ranked in Newsweek’s top 100 high schools in the nation. This

made MCPS the most represented school district on the list. Here is how those schools

faired.

Richard Montgomery-32
Thomas S. Wootton-59
Bethesda-Chevy Chase -63
Walter Johnson-75
Winston Churchill-96

By Andrea Mirviss

The Maryland General Assembly failed to pass a bill that would increase the minimum high school dropout age from 16 to 17 during the most recent legislative session.  The bill passed in the Senate but failed to be passed in the House of Representatives, and is scheduled to be refiled June 16 for the 2009 session.

According to the Department of Legislative Services, if signed into law, the Compulsory Education Bill (HB 21) will take effect for the 2010-2011 school year and will cost the state an estimated $200 million by requiring the employment of 1,100 new teachers and space for 21,000 additional students. In an amendment to the bill, the Senate proposed that the governor will have the responsibility of determining the source of the extra funding. 

By Suzy Rudorfer

Honey bees have begun to disappear from hives around the country, endangering U.S. agriculture. Experts have several theories as to why the bees are deserting their hives and many contend that the environment is a factor.

“Honey bee health has been declining since the 1980s with the advent of new pathogens and pests,” said Kim Kaplan, the director of Food and Nutrition Research Briefs at the Agricultural Research Service (ARS).

By Laura Ardila

Senior Louise Hannallah recently received the inaugural Gatorade Award for best cross country runner in Maryland. The Observer sat down with Hannallah to discuss the award, her past track accomplishments, and her hopes for the future.
Q. How was the award presented to you?
A. I got the award after my cross country season had finished around November. They sent me two plaques, one for me and one for the school, along with a banner and some cool Gatorade stuff in the mail.

By Quentin Jeffries
Ryan Schlesinger

Art teacher George Nemcosky, athletic director Pat Fisher and resource teacher Kathryn Fritz will retire at the end of this year.
These teachers have all had long and enjoyable careers at CHS and have mixed feelings about retiring from CHS.
Nemcosky has worked at CHS for 40 years, teaching drawing and design, studio art and art foundations. The idea of retirement is not easy for him but he looks forward to using his free time for pursuing his hobbies and exploring other job opportunities.

By Sara Gilgore

CHS will be holding its third annual Drama Camp this summer for children in first through sixth grade, offered in two sessions during the weeks of June 16 and June 23.
Drama teacher Jessica Speck runs the camp, along with CHS students who are trained for camp and involved in school productions.
The activities in a typical camp day will include a morning craft, theatre games, storytelling exercises, creative drama exercises, rehearsals and voice exercises, as well as breaks for snack and lunch.

By Alana Serfaty

Beginning next school year, boys varsity soccer coach and physical education teacher David Kelley will replace Patricia Fisher as the new athletic director.

Fisher, who has been athletic director for the past three years, will be retiring at the end of this year, and Kelley, who has taught at CHS for 10 years, has spent the last three years serving as assistant athletic director.

By Josh Fanaroff and Sara Gilgore

Since the April 9 incident at Albert Einstein High School in Kensington, in which six students were charged after a gun was fired in the boys’ bathroom, students and staff are working to change the public’s perception of the school as portrayed by the media.

A police press release issued April 9 stated that five male students had been looking at three handguns with the intention of selling them, at which point one of the guns was accidentally fired. According to Einstein Principal James Fernandez, administration and security responded as soon as they became aware of the situation.

By Elizabeth Barnett

Former member of the CHS class of 2010, Sean Collison, died in a plane crash Friday, March 14 after Dr. Hector Collison, his father, lost control when piloting the plane in the Shenandoah National Forest.

The two departed from Front Royal-Warren County Airport around 11:50 p.m. after Collison was picked up by his father from Randolph Macon, the boarding academy that he had recently transferred to, and were returning to the Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.

By Sara Gilgore and Dina Khatib

This April, students will perform a variety of popular songs relating to “Carpe Noche”, the year’s theme, for the annual, original production of Blast.

Choir and chorus teacher Carlos Barillo is the producer, writer, director and choreographer of the show. The cast not only includes student performers, but also the CHS band, student directors and other professionals hired by Barillo to help him manage certain aspects of the show.

By Josh Fanaroff

After serving as the Student Government Association advisors for the past few years, social studies teachers Matthew Schilling and Adam Field will step down at the end of the 2007-2008 school year.

“I want to spend more time with my family. I have a son now and that’s the main reason,” Schilling said. “Secondly, I’m almost done with my degree in political science and I want to spend more time focusing on my AP Government class.”

By Alyse Chirumbole and Sara Gilgore

Senior Brenton Thomas Everson, 17, passed away early morning Monday, Jan. 21, in an automobile accident. He is survived by his mother Cheryl, his stepfather Geoffrey, his sister Brittani, his stepbrother Jelani, grandmothers, several aunts and uncles, cousins and friends.

Everson is remembered as always looking out for those around him and making sure they enjoyed life as much as he did. His hobbies included playing basketball and football, skateboarding with his friends and playing various musical instruments.

By Josh Fanaroff

Effective this school year, MCPS high schools with senior classes of 500 students or more have the option to hold their graduations at the University of Maryland’s Comcast Center, which comfortably accommodates 17,950 persons.

However, CHS, which has over 500 seniors, has decided to not use the Comcast Center. The MCPS website currently states that the CHS class of 2008 graduation will be Sunday June 1, at DAR Constitution Hall in Washington DC at 2:30 p.m.

By Kirsten Appleton

CHS held its second annual male beauty pageant, Mr. Churchill, on Friday, Dec. 14. Contestants completed in several events including a choreographed dance, talent showcase, casual and formal wear, pick-up lines and an individual question from the judges.

At the end of the night, senior Rami Ayyub was crowned Mr. Churchill. Ayyub’s best performance was in the group dance. His talent was performing both Billy Joel’s “Root Beer Rag” and Chris Brown’s “Kiss Kiss” on the piano, and he additionally led the audience in singing “Time After Time.” The Observer sat down with Rami after his win.

By Meredith Kimelbatt and Stephanie Michael

Approximately 40 students from all grades met at lunch Nov. 27 to discuss school pride and alcohol consumption issues at the first ever Churchill Student Chat.

The Character Education and Student Life Committee, a subcommittee of the PTSA, decided to hold student forums once a month so that students could voice their opinions about school issues.

By Eugenia Navarro

After repeated cases of vandalism, security team leader Terry Bell made the decision to lock several bathrooms during the school day. A school investigation that involves visual evidence and input from building services workers has been conducted to find the sources of pen markings that often include obscene and hostile messages.

“If we see a particular bathroom being vandalized, we will lock it and try to figure out who is responsible,” Bell said. “If there is a name [mentioned in the graffiti], we will talk to the person and consider their suspicions.”

By Sara Gilgore

A fire marshal that visited CHS Oct. 26, the morning of the annual homecoming hall competition, informed the administration that various aspects of the halls were in violation of fire code regulations. Despite receiving a warning, the school will continue to hold the annual homecoming hall competition in the future as long as fire codes are not ignored.

Assistant principal Michael Richards met the fire marshal at CHS after receiving a phone call at his home. According to Richards, the paper covering the walls and electrical chords extending across the floors were the predominant violations.

By Lauren Battist

CHS will hold its second annual male beauty pageant, known as the Mr. Churchill competition, Dec. 14.

Over 25 senior and junior boys went through an audition process in which they were evaluated by various judges and asked several questions, including whether they attended the show last year and what aspects they enjoyed. Eventually, the list was narrowed down to seven senior boys and five junior boys.

By Lauren Plotnick

In response to expressed concern that minority students do not feel welcome at CHS, the school, using recommendations of community members and county officials, has created an action plan to address issues pertaining to race and the overall school environment.

A controversial letter issued last Jan. 4 by Principal Joan Benz following a school fight that occurred the previous day inadvertently brought underlying racial tensions and resentments to the forefront and initially sparked outrage from members of the community and media scrutiny.

By Rachel Senker

Due to over enrollment in Honors English 11 and Honors English 12 classes, two additional periods of English will be offered beginning the first day of the second marking period.

According to assistant principal Leo McDonald, the maximum number of students in English classes should ideally be 28 students. In CHS’ attempt to abide by this regulation, seniors and juniors will be forced to switch English teachers and possibly have further schedule changes to accommodate the recently added classes.

By Eugenia Navarro and Sara Gilgore

When students enter Honors Biology teacher Wendy Saoutis’s classroom, they are greeted by corn snakes, Caledonian Crested Geckos and Sugar Gliders. Besides providing students with an initial shock, this unique pet collection allows students to experience exotic creatures firsthand.

Saoutis first requested permission from science department head Clint Brown to bring in her corn snakes and make them classroom pets three years ago. Although her students have interacted with her animals in previous years, she is now using them more frequently in her lessons.

By Jennifer Hwang

The attractively painted wall covered with messages that now greets students as they pass through the social studies wing is the result of a fundraiser that the Leadership class held last year to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Students were able to purchase spaces on the cinderblocks for $15 to write messages. This fundraiser, along with donations from Pound ticket sales and online donations, helped to raise approximately $2,900 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

By David Michaels
Sports Editor

The CHS football team hopes a coaching change, revamped defensive scheme and a rigorous workout program will help it rebound from last year’s disappointing 3-7 season as they look to return to the playoffs for the first time since 2004.

Just weeks after last year’s final game, head coach James Collins stepped down from his position due to health reasons. He was replaced by Greg Neuendorf, who served as an assistant under Collins for one season.

By Zach Greenwald
Staff Writer
Garrett Johnson
Online Sports Editor

The boys soccer team hopes for a strong season this year after returning from an impressive 11-3 season that ended with a heart-breaking 3-2 playoff loss in overtime to rival Whitman in the second round of the playoffs.

Last season, the Bulldogs won many close games with strong defense and an explosive offense. Nine of CHS’s 11 wins came by two or more goals.

By Kirtie Appleton
Laura Ardila
Kelsey O'Donnell
Staff Writer

Despite losing four vital players to graduation, the golf team hopes to win its sixth consecutive state title this year.

“We are losing four players who have been key performers for us,” coach Arnold Tarzy said. “One of the players, Billy Peel, was an All-Met and All-County player for the year. His ability to perform at a consistently high level is a great model for teammates to follow.”

By Cynthia Iselin
Sports Editor

The girls soccer team seeks to surpass last season’s strong record with contributions from each member of the team despite the loss of three talented seniors to graduation.

“The seniors played big roles as leaders and supporters last season,” junior captain Yasmina Hussein said. “Everyone will have to step up to pick up where they left off.”

By Socrates Boutsikaris
Staff Writer
Jamie LaFleur
Sports Photographer

Following a disappointing season in which the girls tennis team failed to win their fourth consecutive county championship, the team looks to regain the county title from rival Walter Johnson.

According to junior Stephanie Mandir, the Bulldogs’ unfamiliar role as underdogs in county play will be the main motivating factor for the squad this upcoming season.

By Kyra Simon

Ben Moskowitz began his term as the 30th Student Member of the Board (SMOB) July 2 after he was elected April 25 to represent MCPS for the 2007-2008 school year.

Moskowitz, a senior at Walter Johnson, beat his opponent Will Bucher, a senior at Blair, by 6.75 percent. Moskowitz and Bucher became finalists for the SMOB position through a nominating convention held at Blake High School last February. Delegates from almost all MCPS high school and middle school narrowed down the semifinalists after hearing speeches and asking questions.

President Megan Raker
“[I plan] to see the student body become more excited about coming to school each day and have more fun here. I’m focusing on new opportunities and getting fresh faces involved in SGA.”

VP Josh Oppenheimer
“I plan to work very closely with Megan Raker and help her with anything she needs. I promise to represent CHS as best as I can and display the most spirit.”

By Brett Mead
Staff Writer

The CHS girls volleyball team looks to improve on last year’s 7-7 season in which they fell to Magruder in the second round of the playoffs, despite losing several strong senior leaders.

The Bulldogs lost seven seniors to graduation and will rely on an almost entirely new starting line-up to match their previous season’s success.

“We’re a really young team,” former senior captain Rita Wu said. “There will only be two returning starters from last season.”