For most students, spring break is a time of relaxation; a time to rejuvenate in order to make it through the final two months of the school year. For many of those playing spring sports, however, it is a time of improving and maintaining all that has been built thus far. With no specified school or county guideline regarding spring break athletic activities, the decision is left up to coaches. These coaches have come to take many different approaches, ranging from tournaments to routine daily practice to nothing at all.
If available, tournaments have become an ideal option for many coaches to keep their teams on the ball because they provide an opportunity for players to continue to learn through game situations. Tournaments also benefit teams because many are in other locations against different and often better opponents. The baseball, softball, and girl's soccer teams have all opted to attend such tournaments during spring break. The baseball team and softball teams are both attending tournaments in Myrtle Beach, S.C. while the location of the girl's soccer team's tournament is yet to be determined. Senior baseball player Jeremy Burger, said, "Having a tournament over spring break isn't that bad, especially when it's in a place like Myrtle Beach. Traveling and getting away from Robinson makes it feel like a real break."
The major argument against spring break tournaments is that families have to travel long distances in order to watch them. Players are also more likely to get injured in a game situation than in practice which could put them out for the regular season.
The girl's lacrosse team will be traveling to Camp Highroad over the break to help build team unity. Kelsie Dodd, a senior and member of the girl's lacrosse team, said "[going to Camp Highroad] helps everyone on the team to bond together which really shows out on the field." Camp Highroad is located near Middleburg, Va. in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains.
Many coaches, including those of the boy's and girl's track and field teams and the boy's soccer team, have decided to stick to regular practices throughout the break. "We don't want opponents to gain an edge with the extra week of practice," said Lucas Heck, a senior and member of the boy's soccer team. Continuing practice is especially necessary for the track and field teams because the runners get out of shape, even after only a few days off. Primarily just the competing athletes of the track and field team practice over spring break, however.
The final and most questioned spring break option is to give the players the entire week off. The boy's lacrosse, boy's tennis, and girl's tennis teams plan to take this approach this year after having success with such a schedule last year. The philosophy behind this decision is that a week off from practice gives athletes time to recover so they can make the final push heading into playoffs. This is the time of the year in which players start to get burned out, so a week of practice while friends are at the beach can dampen spirits further. In giving the teams the time off, coaches still expect players to keep up on their skills and work on their own. Senior boy's lacrosse player Josh Kelaher said, "It's not like we completely take a week off from the game. We all know we still need to work hard over the break, either on our own or during captain-held practices."
In an area with such competitive athletics, there is little room to do anything but move forward. No matter what route is taken, the fundamental message from every coaches seems to be same: continue to get better.

In the dead of winter, the SGA is trying to bring students' spirits up by attempting to organize various activities and events to participate in or attend, such as Gatorball, Laser Tag, the Gong Show, and the not-so-popular Snow Ball, to create this winter-long event called Winterpalooza. Most of these activities spark little interest in the student body because they appear to be pointless, boring, and almost as amusing as watching grass grow. It's a shame people aren't buying into it. But then again, who can blame them? There are parties to go to and movies to see, rather than come back to school and enjoy a school-sponsored activity.
In recent years, student turnout for some of the SGA-sponsored events has been low, mostly because of personal opinions about the activities. Although a handful of people enjoy going to certain activities, more students dislike them because of the lack of appealing events. The SGA had, "higher expectations," for attendance to Winterpalooza this year, according to SGA sponsor and teacher Michael Hertz.
"It's hard to draw people to new activities," Hertz commented. Students took some interest in Gatorball and Hoop It Up, while the new "Win a Date with a Senior Gentleman" and Laser Tag did not receive as much attendance as hoped for. Hertz said Snow Ball attendance reached an estimated 100 to 300 students this year and 300 to 400 students at the Gong Show last year, but many are still skeptical to attend such events next year.
Many students don't feel the need to show up in the first place because they know no one else will be there. Freshman Daniel Stettner said, "It's like a cycle. No one goes in the first place, so people are like, 'Oh, no one's going so I'm just not going to go.'" If the only people who show up to these so-called fun events are the students working at the events and their own friends, there doesn't appear to be a point to even holding them. According to Sophomore Carlin Bowersox, the students who actually go to the activities only attend for the sake of "moral support of their friends working at the events." No one wants to go to a school-sponsored event and end up being the only person who shows up. Bowersox commented, "I wouldn't go [to the Winterpalooza activities] if I was just by myself."
Even the word "Winterpalooza" doesn't jolt students' memories, in some cases. Veluz said, "Nobody really tells you about [Winterpalooza]... It just kind of happens and you're like, 'what?!'" Banners, flyers, and signs are posted throughout the hallways. Announcements about upcoming events are also advertised on Good Morning Robinson. Senior Dylan Welter said, "I don't actually know most of the activities because I'm always doing homework during the morning announcements." If all of these reminders are circulating throughout the entire school and yet students tend to pass them by, there must be something wrong. It might be a sign that people are just not interested. Way to talk about wasted effort.
The biggest reason why students don't even bother attending the events is because of the need to attend to their own hectic lives. Junior Baha Elayan said, "I don't attend after school activities because that means I have to come back to school." Bowersox claimed people don't go because, "Everyone's busy with midterms and tests." Sophomore Tina Connor said, "No one goes to things [at school] on a Saturday night... It's a Saturday. People are out partying with their friends."
If the SGA is trying to cater towards the students when deciding these Winterpalooza activities, there is room for improvement there, as well. Welter said, "It seems like the SGA and administrators are the only ones choosing the events." Hertz said, "The [SGA officers] get in groups and decide on what they want to do... Usually, they [take ideas and] bounce them off their friends...The administration has final approval [of the activities]." According to freshman class Vice President Peter Yount, the upperclassmen in the SGA leadership class "have the most say" about what events occur for Winterpalooza. Bowersox said, "If we had a say in the SGA, it'd be better... What [the SGA] should do is pick a couple of [activities] and have the student population vote on what they want to do." Welter also agreed with the idea of a student poll. "If the SGA had a poll for Homecoming activities and Winterpalooza, we'd have cool activities," he said. In other words, the Student Government is supposed to serve the students and could improve on that duty by catering towards what their peers want to do.
The SGA appears to be slightly desperate to get the student body to lighten up a little and have some fun. In order to do that, they should rethink the events and ask the students what they would want to do. The hype of Homecoming week brings out the best in people, so how about holding something to the same effect? Freshman Arielle Tenorio suggests holding another carnival-style event, similar to Taste of Robinson. Bowersox enjoyed the pep rally during Homecoming and would want to do it again. Hertz agreed that "[The SGA] tries to get the same response as Homecoming week [and] be spirited about school," but also said, "This school has a lot of groups. It's hard to get everyone together [and] it's a challenge to have an event that brings everyone together."
If the SGA would kindly consider the opinions of the entire student body, perhaps there would be more variety in the activities. Surveys, polls, and written suggestions for activities would be a better alternative to just holding the annual activities no one bothers attending. After all, a fresh eye on things never hurts.

On March 2, Virginia Governor Tim Kaine (D) signed legislation that will require
all sixth-grade girls within the state to receive a new vaccine against the genital human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. HPV, a common but elusive sexually transmitted infection (STI), can lead to cervical cancer in women who contract it.
The HPV infection has become a nationwide epidemic and the vaccination has caused a great deal of controversy around the state and the country. According to http://www.cdc.gov/std/hpv/STDFact-HPV-vaccine.htm, "the HPV vaccine is recommended for 11-12-year-old girls, and can be given to girls as young as nine. The vaccine is also recommended for 13-26-year-old girls [or] women who have not yet received or completed the vaccine series." These recommendations have been proposed by national experts from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Experts have recommended that young girls receive the vaccine before they become sexually active, because the vaccine is most effective in females who have not acquired any of the four HPV strands.
Women who are sexually active will benefit from the vaccine as well, but because they may have already been exposed to one or more of the HPV strands, they will not be protected. According to http://www.cdc.gov/std/hpv/STDFact-HPV-vaccine.htm, "Currently, there is no test available to tell if a girl/woman has had any or all of these four HPV types."
Statistics have sparked the desire for a mandatory vaccine of girls as young as nine years old. "Using data from a nationally representative group of 1,921 girls and women ages 14 to 49 who provided vaginal swabs in 2003 and 2004, researchers led by the CDC's Dr. Eileen Dunne found that 26.8 percent were infected with any type of this virus. That rate translates to a total of 24.9 million U.S. girls and women," said the publication of Dunne's report in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The HPV epidemic and subsequent vaccine order has caused controversy on a national and state level. Here in the metropolitan D.C. area, popular radio station host "Kane" from HOT 99.5 expressed his concern about the virus and allowed listeners to call in and express their opinions about the vaccine. Some women and men were passionate about making the vaccine mandatory and others were vehemently against it.
The opinions among teachers and students differ. Chemistry teacher Dr. Karen McLean said, "[the vaccine] should be [given to young girls], because anytime we have the opportunity to vaccinate someone from a dangerous virus, we should do it. Parents should have the right to make that decision, too."
Senior Jenny Wandelt agreed, saying, "All young females should receive the HPV vaccine. There are concerns and accusations that the pharmaceutical companies are profiting from this, but you cannot put a price on something that can prevent a young woman from getting cancer.
Others do not agree with Kaine, like senior Anna-Kate Collier. "I believe young women should have the option of receiving the shot, but it should not be mandatory," said Collier.
In the coming months, as more states address the vaccine, this controversy will continue among parents, doctors, and young women.

Seniors who have been already accepted to colleges and know where they'll be for the next four years are showing their anticipation by coming into school later in the day and leaving early, showing off their college T-shirts and other gear--or showing it on popular Web site Facebook. While many seniors belong to general Facebook groups like "ALL SENIORS '07" and "Senioritis 2007," those who are now bound to a university have joined groups like "CNU class of '11" or "Clemson University Class of 2011."
"I joined [a James Madison University Facebook group] a couple weeks after [I found out that I was accepted in January]," said senior Erin Mull. "I've been able to see a lot of people who are going to JMU...it has made me so much more excited to go there."
Many seniors agree that Facebook groups for incoming college freshmen simply play a 2007 version of a role that college receptions and showing off a school's clothing did in years past. On the groups' message boards, students discuss the university, housing, classes, majors, financial aid, and more.
Senior Karen Pulju said she has learned a lot about the University of Virginia since joining the "University of Virginia 2011" and "UVA CLASS OF 2011" groups after she was accepted. "I was unsure about going to U. Va. at first," said Pulju. "However, the other people in the group are completely infatuated with U. Va., which makes me more excited to go there." She said she has seen several discussions among group members about U. Va. football games, dorms, and roommates since joining the groups in December.
Senior Wes Chappell, also accepted at U. Va. for next year and a member of both U. Va. groups to which Pulju belongs, said that many are using Facebook to find roommates. However, he is not. "It's just a neat way to get to know the people I'm going to school with next year," said Chappell.
Senior Eugene Diefenbach, who is headed to Clemson University, is scouting out roommates on Facebook. Diefenbach said, "I don't...have to put 'random' as my roommate anymore, because I am figuring out who to room with by talking [to group members] online. There are also a bunch of people from around [the Northern Virginia] area, which is exciting," he added.
On the other hand, senior Katie Vallas says that the groups she belongs to for Skidmore College, "Skidmore '11" and "Skidmore College C/O 2011," have made her more nervous about her choice. "It's been great to talk to some of my future classmates, but every conversation makes me more nervous than I've been since Skidmore accepted me. Every time I'm talking to any of them, I'm thinking, 'Is she going to be my roommate? Are we going to be friends?' It's nerve-racking! I have to keep reminding myself that first-day nervousness is still months away," she said.
Facebook, a social-networking Web site that many call "this year's MySpace" for its rapid sweep of high-school and college student populations, claims to have "over 18 million users" in a Feb. 23 blog posted on the site. Facebook allows users to post pictures, comment on other users' profiles, organize and join groups, publicize events, and write blog-style notes.
Facebook has been a constant in the news lately because of its skyrocketing membership and increasing presence within society, politics, and popular culture. Recently, several stories about Presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) have mentioned his strong base of student support on Facebook. A Feb. 17 Washington Post article cited Obama, Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) and former Sen. John Edwards' (D-NC) attempts to use Facebook to garner support for their Presidential campaigns.
The three-year-old Web site includes well over 500 people who list Robinson as their high school, from graduating classes ranging from 1977 to 2011. As of late February, over 350 Robinson students listed themselves as seniors, over 230 as juniors, over 170 as sophomores, and nearly 100 as freshmen--adding up to nearly one-fourth of the school's population.
Dorian Shaw, a senior who committed to playing softball at the University of Michigan last summer, is a member of a Facebook group called "Accepted: University of Michigan Class of 2011." "Because I've known where I was going for so long, I've been excited for a while," she said. "But the group makes it feel more real, like I am not the only one...I can get to know the people I'm going to college with--college! It's crazy!" laughed Shaw.
Many major state schools, including the University of Mary Washington and the College of William and Mary, will be sending Regular Decision letters by early April. As more and more seniors hear from universities in the next few weeks, the population of students in "the class of 2011" on Facebook will likely only grow.

The 2007-2008 course catalogue features three new courses, in addition to those that are already offered. Next year, Chinese 1 will be offered to students for the first time. In the math department, Applied Statistics is brand new. In addition to courses being offered for the first time, one elective, IB Social Anthropology SL, will be returning after being eliminated from the course offering.
Around the beginning of December, when most students are just beginning to feel the stress and strain of their school work as they look forward to winter break, the Guidance department meets to begin planning for the next school year. Their first step is to evaluate and prepare a list of courses that will be available for students to take.
Their next step is to begin orientation for the rising senior class during the first week of February. The new classes make their debut in the course catalog as the juniors are given the first priority to creating their schedules for next year.
Underclassmen meet with their counselors to discuss scheduling within the following weeks. According to guidance counselor Amy Beth Marta, "Courses are generated by departments themselves and then approved by administration."
While scheduling was taking place, IB students have been reminded of the returning IB Social Anthropology course. The course was taken away because the instructor, Hernan Ruiz, "opted for one year to revise the ideas of the class," said Eileen Noonan, Social Studies Department Chair. "He wanted the chance to teach other courses, such as IB History of the Americas, but he missed [Social Anthropology] and wanted to bring it back," said Noonan. "Mr. Ruiz was recruited to teach the class, which is very impressive," Noonan added.
The year without IB Social Anthropology did not leave students short. Rising seniors, who did not have the chance to take the class this year as a junior, will receive the opportunity for next year.
IB Social Anthropology is an Standard Level IB social studies elective available for IB diploma and certificate candidates to take. "In general, the students examine case studies of different cultures throughout time like the Australian pygmies, Pennsylvania Amish, and tribes in the Amazonian region," said Noonan. If enough juniors are interested next year, Social Anthropology may later be offered as a higher level (HL) course.
As students begin to think about the upcoming school year, they seek advice from their counselors. "Students should choose schedules as rigorous as they can handle without overwhelming themselves. They should be honest with themselves and not overload with IB or Honors classes. Students should challenge themselves as much as they are able to," said Marta.
The choices that students make are made final at the end of March. From March until June, changes are made individually on a case-by-case basis. "Students should choose classes really carefully and have conversations with teaches for input and recommendations, because come fall, it is very difficult to change classes," said Marta.

"Decorum! Decorum!" A chair orders the debating delegates to be silent, while banging a gavel. This is a usual scene for student delegates of Model United Nations.
Twenty students from the club attended a national conference in Baltimore, Md., hosted by college students at Johns Hopkins University. The conference was held Mar. 1-4. Two Robinson students received an award at the end of the conference.
Junior Grant Gibson also received an award, which was the gavel. The gavel is the highest award given at MUN conferences. Gibson represented the Minister of Agriculture at the North Korean Cabinet.
Junior Peter Kim received an honorable mention. He represented the Minister of Defense on the Japanese Cabinet. "Cabinets are generally much smaller than regular committees, and are much more focused and intense. Delegates in cabinets are expected to actively and continuously debate and participate," stated Kim. Kim also spent several hours researching in anticipation for the conference.
Kim said that in his cabinet, there was a "crazy midnight crisis - when North Korea tested a missile and killed hundreds of Japanese people. I had a ton of stuff that I had to do; impose martial law on Japan and coordinate a huge military invasion to North Korea, especially since I was Minister of Defense." These crises were set up to simulate things that would happen in the real United Nations.
"Model United Nations is an authentic simulation of the international bodies. Essentially, students represent delegates from different countries and participate in different UN 'committees' to debate on issues of global concern, such as the AIDS crisis, nuclear nonproliferation, and international human rights," explains senior Mindy Zhang, Vice President of Research.
To prepare for this conference, "members each have to write up their own papers and do their own research but the club officers are there to provide any assistance necessary," MUN president, senior Charvee Patel, said.
At this tenth annual national conference, "nearly 800 students convene for four days to participate in an intensive United Nations simulation," according to the Johns Hopkins Model UN Web site. Students from all over the East Coast come together for four days to discuss different issues all over the world, stepping into the shoes of foreign diplomats.
The process to get the club to the national conference can also be difficult, because "first, we have to register with the university that is hosting the conference. Next, we have to pay delegate fees, reserve hotel rooms, and determine transportation methods and costs. Then, we distribute country and committee assignments and help delegates in preparing for the conference," explained Zhang.
This is a process the club goes through each time it attends a national conference. MUN usually attends two national conferences a year and four or five local conferences. The club attended two national conferences hosted by the College of William and Mary and Johns Hopkins University, and a few local conferences hosted by high schools in the area, like Chantilly and C.D. Hylton. The club even hosted a conference at this school earlier this year, gaining much experience and raising funds for the club.
Members of the club "benefit in a variety of ways. They receive not only concrete benefits, such as CAS hours and awards, but also valuable experiences that help them in developing their public speaking abilities and negotiation skills. MUN allows [students] to see global issues from a variety of different viewpoints," explains Zhang.
Junior Chris Booth says that "I enjoy these conferences because I can politely discuss and debate world issues without being ridiculed for my stance. And I like to think that we're coming up with solutions for the world in our generation."
The MUN club doesn't always just focus on debating world issues. It is a chance for students to meet others in the school who share the same interests and form new friendships. "I actually enjoyed my experiences in MUN, mostly for the new people I met through the club and the different experiences we had getting to know each other and participating in debates. It was the people that made MUN memorable for me," says senior Abel Teklu.