Outlookvol. 47 | issue 1 | 9.28.12

oakton

inside showtimeFind the perfect homecoming dress from online vendors

spotlightNew teachers share some of their interesting traits and anecdotes

Returning with a RoarStudents discuss how they contributed to and interacted with their communities this summer

2snail mail9.21.12

snailmailfrom the editors

misa mori

Greetings and salutations, students of Oakton. We’re so excited to welcome a new school year and with it a new Outlook staff. We know that most of you are reluctantly

looking forward to yet another year filled with the horrors of home-work, the torture of tests and the suffering of socratic seminars, but this issue will (hopefully) rescue you from the seemingly unbearable stress of school. But first, we’d like to formally introduce ourselves. First we have Madlin Mekelburg, who is as strategic as any cap-

tain. She plots and plans meticulously, setting a schedule and stick-ing to it without hesitation. However, Madlin is not all work and no play. She brightens up the room with stars and the occasional stripe, adding a touch of whimsy to our new room, which has the faint aroma of moldy ceiling tiles. Next is Michelle LoRusso, Goddess of Thunder. Well known for

her electric personality, she is sure to strike your fancy. Even when enraged, she is never one to thunder at the class. Rather, her motto is, “walk softly and carry a big hammer.” Marilyn Yang, who is not necessarily black or a widow, is the

stealthiest of all. One never knows when she will appear beside you, phone handy with an album of Tom Hiddleston (Loki) pictures in case they should ever be needed. Her keen eye for spelling and grammar mistakes, and expert skills in remedying them, ensure that our paper is perfect.Last, but certainly not least, is Gabriela Driscoll. Although we all

know she’d rather be at Panera, soaking in the soft jazz music and sipping a hazelnut coffee, Gabriela’s fiery passion for perfection is much needed in creating the Outlook. Her extra year of experience as an EIC and her “one eye” for design have led her to become the glue binding our editing team together.We hope you’re as excited for the upcoming year as we are. Make

sure to follow us on Twitter @Oakton_Outlook and friend us on Facebook for updates.

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

regards,Gabriela DriscollMichelle LorussoMadlin MekelburgMarilyn Yang

cover photo by alana petersstudent body: 2138circulation: 1300

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Veterans appreciation

game honors a soldier who served: The Dave Sharrett Memorial Scholarship was awarded to a former cougar athlete.

4 New year, new faces:

Learn about some of the newest members of the Oakton community.

5 Student saves turtles in

Costa Rica: Junior does her best to help the declining tutle population through a Rustic Pathways program over the summer.

8touchdown

Golf looks forward

to its future: golf looks for redemption after last season’s shortcomings.

12showtime

Oakton makes

history: summer reading takes an interesting twist when the two book choices make for entertaining reads.

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newsbriefs

4newsworthy9.28.12

The Art Honor Society held an interest meeting to decide what they want to focus on during the upcoming year and to show that the students in the Art Honor Society are more than just artists. “In the upcoming months, we want

to emphasize what the society does and put ourselves out there,” said Yousef Ahmad, senior. “We are more than just artists; we are also athletes and honor students, and we want a chance to advertise that through the murals.”The Art Honor Society plans to not

only create new murals, but also to update the old ones. Make sure to look out for Art Honor Society students working on the murals throughout the year. “We do not want to put down the

murals that are already painted,” Ahmad said, “but some people are unhappy with the current murals, and we want to change that. I am excited, and I think it is going to be a good year for Art Honor Society.”

Art honor society attracts

new members to enhance school

1Senior Dylan Hunzeker won a scholarship from the Emerging Leaders Program,

or ELP, which focuses on college preparation, leadership skills and public speaking skills. The Emerging Leaders Program is primarily for Hispanics in Northern Virginia and holds meetings about once a week. “During the meetings, we talk about how to write resumes and college essays and

are given the opportunity to meet working people from many different industries,” Hunzeker said. The program is free and open to all Latino high school students. The ELP

holds both weekly and biweekly meetings to encourage students to enhance their leadership skills. The program currently only has a branch in Arlington, but will be opening a Fairfax branch soon.“Through the program, I was able to meet people from tons of different schools

which was great because I was able to see what leadership meant to all sorts of different people,” Hunzeker said.

2 Emerging leaders program awards scholarship

The veterans appreciated football game not only honors those who have served, but also awards the Dave Sharrett Memorial Scholarship to a graduated senior. This year, the scholarship’s recipient was graduate Mike Turminello. “The scholarship goes to someone who basically represents and embodies

[Oakton’s] football program,” said Varsity head coach Jason Rowley. “The scholarship is in memory of Dave Sharrett, a former Oakton graduate who was killed in Afghanistan and a person who absolutely loved high school football.”Also during the game, Leadership collected red, white and blue shirts to be handed

out right before the national anthem to create a giant American flag in the student section. The shirts were later donated to Goodwill to help those who are less fortunate.

3 Veterans appreciation game honors a soldier who served

2

erin bennettnews editor

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courtesy of dylan hunzeker alana peters

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erin bennett

jacque groskaufmanisstaff writer

The new crop of freshmen has en-tered the home of the Cougars, and they now have to get ready for the

wild and crazy roller coaster of high school. Some freshmen students were already familiar with the school, thanks to the help of Oakton’s summer program Jump Start, while to others it was like walking into the unknown.Freshman year may be an exciting year,

but it can also be a stressful one for some. “I was nervous about coming to high

school in the beginning. I went to a small private school for middle school, so a public high school is really different,” said Caitlin Becker, freshman. “Everyone here is really nice and has welcomed me, so I feel a lot better.” High school has commonly been stereo-

typed as having massive social cliques, with no ability for anyone to break through and join. “When I came to high school, I was worried about the cliques that there might

be,” said Jenifer Hymanson, freshman. “I was pleasantly surprised that Oakton is not like that. The teachers are really nice.” The upperclassmen can play a big role in

the freshman experience, and they know the ropes of being a freshman. “Some kids in the freshman class are really

small this year,” said Alex James, junior. “I see a lot of them running to their classes and it reminds me of when I was a fresh-man. I was worried about being the young-est at the school,” James said.“I call them ‘hobbits’ because some of

them are so short,” said Areeba Mazhar, junior. “They think they are cooler than they actually are, although we were prob-ably the same way when we were freshmen,” Mazhar said.Listen up freshmen, it’s your first year at

Oakton. Take a deep breath, because for the next four years, this school will be like a second home. 5spotlight

9.28.12

ramya mukallastaff writer

I was delivered in a Volkswagen by my father. I used to play three sports a year, and I want my students to look back and say, ‘Mr. Greene helped me so much’. Oh, and I also wear Invis-align.

michael greene, marketing danielle houting, math I used to travel with Ameri-can Music Abroad. With band, I went to Austria, Switzerland, Germany, France and Italy. I was in my high school and col-lege’s band; I played the flute and the piccolo.

matthew dunlap, math Here’s the thing- I hate running. But I’ve run the Pittsburgh mara-thon for a few years now because my brothers and I are really competitive. I also coach freshmen boys basketball.

I typically enjoy run-ning 5-10ks, I have a pudgy cat named Lelu, and my favorite author is Ernest Hemingway. I just graduated from William and Mary and I love the learning attitude in this school.

elizabeth fortenberry, english

Freshman first impressions reina dattacopy editor

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Along with an increase in the teaching staff came a bunch of new individuals. With vibrant personalities, these new teachers all had something to share about themselves, including fascinating stories and various interests.

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“Join clubs early, because then you have your friends with you and you have people to rely on.” - neda noori, junior

“Be social and talk to your teachers. That will help you succeed in high school.”

- blake hooper, senior

“Get to know your teach-ers, because it will help you later in high school when you want teacher recom-mendations.”

- julia brown, junior

Tips to survive freshman year

A new year brings new faces

A new year means welcoming new people and new personalities

sunni beanstaff writer

This past summer, three Oakton students working with GLA (Global Leadership Adventures)

had the opportunity to travel to the Do-minican Republic for a unique volunteer experience. Juniors Dilara Long, Megan Cooney and Jamie Ryan spent three days in the Dominican Republic building a school using plastic bottles, chicken wire and concrete. The school was built for 250 Dominican children who, before this proj-ect, attended school for 30 minutes a day in a cramped garage space. The objective of the project was to build a sustainable school while decreasing pollution. The project started with the Dominican com-munity collecting 30,000 plastic bottles for the base of the walls of the school. “We used plastic soda bottles for material

inside the walls, then chicken wire to keep the bottles stable,” said Cooney. “Then poured cement over the chicken wire so in the end it looked like a normal wall.”

By using plastic bottles, GLA put good use to waste materials while also saving money by replacing most of the concrete in a wall with plastic bottles. The girls worked on the project for three days, but the entire process took four months to complete. “[The project] was finished shortly after

we left, but before we departed we made significant progress,” Ryan said.As a result of volunteering for this proj-

ect, these girls and all of the students in-volved with GLA have made a substantial difference in the lives of 250 Dominican students by providing them with a school with six large classrooms and tremendous improvements to their education. “I got the experience of what it’s like in

a Third World country and how hard it is for them.” Said Dilara. “I realized how lucky we are in America to have every-thing: a free education, unlimited water and shelter.”

7indepth9.28.12

indepth Bottled upStudents build a school in the Dominican Republic out of plastic bottles

natalie eberhartstaff writer

Cooney, left, poses with a young girl from a Haitian Refugee Camp in the Dominican Republic.

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Six students attend Virginia Girls State

Six Oakton students were among the 620 rising seniors who par-ticipated in Virginia Girls State, a

“seven-day mock government program where [participants] learned about civ-ics and American government,” accord-ing to the American Legion Auxiliary (ALA). The ALA, which is dedicated to serving military veterans and their families, has been sponsoring the week-long summer program since 1946, and this year’s Virginia Girls State was held in Farmville, Virginia. The selected students were Jackie Akunda, Kat Fleck-enstein, Dylan Hunzeker, Joanna Ro, Melanie Aguilar and Emily Yaremchuk. “When I went into it I was kind of un-

sure about what to expect,” said Joanna Ro, senior. However, the program’s objections

became clearer once she arrived.

“Basically 600 girls are split into two parties, and then everyone was split into 14 cities with about 30 to 40 girls in each city,” Ro said. “Then we ran our own government.” In the middle of the week, once city

governments were established, the state officials had to be elected through each party. “I didn’t find out we could run for posi-

tions until the day before I left. I knew I wanted to run for Attorney General, but I didn’t think anyone would vote for me,” Ro said. “But then I got there and realized how nice everyone was. No one in my city was running for Attorney General, so I thought maybe I’d try.”While Ro was directly involved in the

campaigning process and eventually became her party’s Attorney General nominee, Emily Yaremchuk enjoyed

working on campaign posters and help-ing her city. “I was my city clerk,” Yaremchuk said.

“Everybody was running for something, and I have pretty good handwriting.” Yaremchuk also enjoyed learning about

the other girls in the program. “I think my favorite part was getting

to meet new people. I found the social and cultural differences in Virginia very interesting; I didn’t realize how many people had southern accents,” Yarem-chuk joked.In addition to meeting participants, the

students were also exposed to a variety of speakers such as Gov. Bob McDonnell and Lt. Gov. Bill Bolling. “It was funny when Gov. McDonnell

read the letters [to Girls State partici-pants] from Boys State,” Ro said.

indepth staff

While most Oakton students were celebrating the beginning of summer last June, senior Kwaku Ofori-Atta was traveling across the country to

take part in more of what he had just finished: school. On June 23, Stanford University in Palo Alto, California welcomed over 500 High School Summer College Students in its annual Stanford Summer Session. At this summer program, students could take summer courses and meet students from around the world with similar interests while living on Stan-ford’s 8,180 acre campus. “I got a letter in the mail about it,

and it just seemed like a cool thing to do,” said Ofori-Atta when asked about what motivated him to sign up for the program. “I’ve liked Stanford for a while.” Students had the option of taking a

variety of courses according to their interests. They had to create and plan their own schedules, much like college students have to do. “I took creative nonfiction, data mind

analysis and public speaking. People didn’t take more than five [classes],” explained Ofori-Atta about the class

loads. “On an average day I’d probably leave for my classes at one

and be finished by five because all of my classes were in the afternoon.”The program lasted for two months, but the students did

not spend every single waking hour doing work. According to Ofori-Atta, there was plenty of time to have fun.

“There’s Palo Alto right there; it’s like a five minute bike ride away. I went out to dinner a lot because eating out was better than cafeteria food. San Francisco was about an hour away, so on weekends you’d just go and chill in the city.” Most students would never even

dream of voluntarily signing up for two extra months of school, but to Ofori-Atta, his experience was much more than just academic.“My experiences passed my expec-

tations by far. I thought it would be more like an academic thing, but I ended up having a lot of fun. I met awesome people who I still keep in

touch with.”

8 indepth9.28.12

torri marquisstaff writer

Senior spends summer at Stanford

Kwaku Ofori-Atta (second from the right) spends the day in San Francisco with his new friends.

courtesy of ariadna grinyo

Kwaku Ofori-Atta, senior, spent this past summer at Stanford University for its annual Stanford Summer Session.st

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Many students consider doing community service over the summer. One of these

students, junior Grace Wagner, traveled to Costa Rica in an effort to help save their population of turtles through the Rustic Pathways program from June 26 to July 11. “I have always wanted to get out and see

the world and this trip was the perfect opportunity. It was really fun,” Wagner said.The trip’s total cost was about $5,000

including plane fare.“We landed in the capitol, San Jose,

but we spent time in Ostional, Samara, Puerto and Carrilo,” Wagner said.Once they arrived, the volunteers were

told that they were not allowed to touch the turtles; however, they got within inches of them. “There was one night, Arribada, which

means ‘the arrival’ in Spanish, when

thousands of turtles go onto the beach at night,” Wagner said.To help the turtles, Wagner and the

other volunteers cleaned beaches and cleared the nests.“Unlike in America, pollution is not as

big of an issue,” Wagner said. “Poaching is more of a problem. However, the biggest danger to turtles is the development of beaches because the lights scare away the turtles.”The sixteen day trip was packed with

all sorts of activities. Though the turtles were the main focus of the trip, volunteers also worked to help the local community. They helped school children with getting supplies, and raising money. “My biggest takeaway was probably just how different people live in other countries, and how it’s different than we think,” Wagner said. This trip was also a good academic

experience.

“It gave us a chance to practice our Spanish because almost all of the guides spoke Spanish, as did the locals,” Wagner said.Wagner would eagerly do it again, and

explains that Rustic Pathways has similar trips in many other countries. “I definitely recommend this trip to

others. It was a ton of fun, and just a good overall experience.”

Student saves turtles in Costa Rica erin preaskornstaff writer

An Olive Ridley turtle approaches on the beach in Costa Rica.

courtesy of grace wagner

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Dear John,Watching you grow has been the best

experience of my life. I am so proud of the man you have become. You should always know that you’re father and I are here for you for the rest of our lives. We can’t wait

to see the amazing things you’re going to do in college.

Love you forever,Mom + Dad

MUST BE SUBMITTED BY OCTOBER 12TH AT 2:00PM

It’s been about three weeks since the close of summer, and most of us have spent that time reminiscing over our long-lost days of rest and relaxation or volunteer work and jobs,

whichever route we decided to take. The conversations between students over the first few days of school are always interesting; while one student may have sat at home and watched TV their entire summer, others may have taken summer classes or gone on mission trips to foreign countries. The opportunities that we can choose to take advantage of over our summer vacation are limitless, but some students prefer to play rather than work. So, what is really the better option? On one hand, as students get closer to

college application deadlines, these kinds of application-boosters become crucial. Colleges look for students who will commit to things outside of school and take advantage of every opportunity they are given. Jobs, internships and volunteer work in the same area of interest that a student plans to pursue as a major in college are even better, especially for specialized and competitive fields like engineering. However, many students choose to pursue activities for reasons

other than college applications. Whether it’s a camp counselor position just for fun, a job for spending money or volunteering for a good cause, these opportunities can enrich a students summer while still being enjoyable. Students meet new people and learn more about the things that they care about. The college application factor is just a bonus. They are able to choose what they want to be involved in, which provides a nice break from the school year and its mandatory classes. On the other end of the spectrum, there are students who do

virtually nothing all summer. They sleep in past noon, watch movies, stay up until 3 a.m. and repeat. This is perfectly fine

too. While these students may frustrate their parents with what may be considered laziness and apathy, that is an unfair statement. Summer is called a vacation for a reason. It is a two month block of time between school years that allows students to do whatever they want. If they choose to relax and catch up on sleep rather than to fill their time with multiple community activities, fine. Their actions should not be scrutinized. Relaxation is just as viable an option as work.One of the most important things to consider when deciding

what to do with your summer, however, is balance. While relaxing sounds fantastic, too much chill time around the house can cause extreme boredom. Conversely, committing to too many work opportunities and community activities can result in stress levels that surpass even those of the school year. The best thing you can do is

find just one or two things that you enjoy or that mean a lot to you and commit to them. Chances are, if you enjoy them, then you won’t feel so much like you are working; rather, you’ll find your activities somewhat relaxing and pleasurable. Whatever you choose to do with your summer, you have

to make it enjoyable. While some summer activities are not optional (such as summer assignments), the majority of what you do during the summer is all by choice. Yes, as you get closer to applying to college, you should probably start filling at least some of your free time with whatever you think will boost your college applications, but even then, there should be a balance between work and play, as you don’t have much time to relax before you are back at school and working hard. Summer vacation is your time to do what you want to do, and it is up to you to make the most of it.

viewpoint Oakton students share their opinions on controversial topics at Oakton and in our community

10viewpoint9.28.12

The Staff Editorial is the official opinion of the Oakton Outlook

Summer break: choose your adventurekim gibbons

touchdown

12touchdown9.28.12

As the varsity golf team’s regular season recently came to a close, post-season thoughts were on everyone’s minds.

Motivation was created from last year’s failure to make the Northern Region Tournament, and the team will look for redemption this year. Freshman Mickey Axelson and the rest of

Oakton varsity golf have high hopes for the rest of their post-season. “I believe that we have a strong varsity team

and that we have a good opportunity to do very well against our opposing high school teams,” Axelson said.Senior captain John McGuinness and standout

Ho Jae Lee provide the needed veteran support for the team both on and off the course. How-ever, the Cougars also have hopes for a solid future with Axelson. “It’s very humbling to watch and learn from

the older and stronger players,” Axelson said. “But it also gives me confidence because I know that if I work hard I’ll be in their spot and leading the team just like they are right now.”Axelson looks to improve and learn from the

more experienced upperclassmen. Young talent is important for the Oakton golf team because they are looking for future leaders that will take McGuiness and Lee’s places. Axelson picked up his first club around the

age of five, and ever since then he has been looking to improve and perform to the best of his abilities. “I have received many criticisms and helpful

hints that I believe will later make me a much better player than what I am now,” Axelson said.

kenneth hippestaff writer

Concussion crisis sweeps through Oakton athletics

Every afternoon the training room is flooded with athletes waiting for their time with Oakton’s athletic trainers, Paul Rupp and

Kelly Robertson. There are athletes getting taped, athletes being stretched and then there are athletes that make up the infamous concussion club. According to the Center for Disease Control,

over one million high school athletes experience concussions each year, with the rate having doubled in the last decade. Oakton has not escaped this rising trend as athletes in sports such as football, field hockey, volleyball, cheer leading, dance and even cross country have reported concussions this season.Football has the highest

national average for concussions with a rate of 76.8 per 100,000 sports exposures. While this may seem low, it is estimated that about one mild concussion happens per game.At Oakton, however, field hockey currently has

the highest varsity concussion rate while varsity football is miraculously concussion free.

“I got my concussion a month ago at practice,” said junior field hockey player Dilara Long. “I can’t even remember what happened. “At practices I just sit out and watch. I still have

bad headaches and mostly do half days of school.”Field hockey’s concussion streak continued when

the next week senior Jenny Bailey was hit by a stray shot during warm-ups before a game. A week after Bailey’s incident, senior Annalise Capalbo was struck in the head by a ball during practice. As demonstrated by

Long, Bailey and Capalbo, concussions often occur without the loss of consciousness. Common symptoms to be aware of are confusion, nausea, headaches, dizziness, sensitivity to light

and noise, and feeling sluggish.“Concussions are way too

common in the training room,” said Robertson. “These athletes need to be careful.”

empowher.com

A concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury caused by a bump, hit, or jolt to the head that shifts the brain inside the skull. Although generally clas-sified as mild trauma, con-cussions can have danger-ous cumulative effects such as chronic head-aches, debili-tating memory loss, and clini-cal depression.

Golf looks forward to the futureFreshman provides depth for aspiring program

jennifer prossersports editor

Focusing on the ball, freshman golfer Nick Wyatt practices his drive at the Oak Marr Driving Range.

courtesy of kim law

horn

laura murphystaff writer

Long reenacts her blow to the head and subsequent concussion. Practices are the most common place for injury.

jennifer prosser

13touchdown9.28.12

“I swam the 100 fly, 200 fly, 400IM, 50 free, 100 free, 100 back and the 200 back. It was a very cool experience for me. It was amazing to see the top athletes and other Olympians and be at the same meet as them. I roomed with Katie Ledecky when I was there, and it was really

special to see her make it to London. I met Missy Franklin and Dana Vollmer there too.I trained for three hours a day, six days a weeks [to prepare for the

trials]. Even though I didn’t make it to London, I felt that it was a great accomplishment, and it is motivation for me to continue.”

Oakton’s olympians

“I swam in the 200 back with Janet. It was my first time at the trials, and it was crazy. The pool was bigger than anything I’ve ever seen; the warm-down pool was the same size as our normal pool. I was ner-vous walking out [to the event], but I was also excited. So many people were there. I got to see Ryan Lochte, Michael

Phelps, Dana Vollmer, it was so amazing.I had to practice everyday and work really hard. But a lot of the

preparation was mental.I had just made the age cut for the Olympics by a few months. And

even though I didn’t make it, it was really exciting just being able to swim at the trials.”

megan byrnes, freshman

janet hu, junior

margaret shark, art teacher

“I saw three events at the Olympics this summer: the women’s soccer finals, the men’s soccer semifinals and the men’s basketball bronze medal game. It was really exciting seeing the games live, and the crowd was just amaz-

ing; they definitely made the experience. To me the most exciting event was the women’s soccer finals when the

U.S. women defeated Japan and won the gold. [For this event] I painted my face with the American flag, and I was dressed in all USA clothes. I was really proud when they won. The crowd made it the best, because every-body, no matter what country they were from, cheered for them [when they won].”

sarah sheridan, sophomore

courtesy of janet hu

alex driscollstaff writer

karli gillespiespotlight editor

Cougar competitors

Cougar spectators

“This was the third Olympic Games that I had been to. Previously I went to Athens and Salt Lakes. But this time I really went there for the art museums. I was able to see the men’s marathon race in front of Buckingham Palace.

All the Olympics are always upbeat, colorful and full of energy. People are so proud of their country, and you saw this through all of the impromptu cel-ebrations on sidewalks. The local pride was different; in Athens they were

over-the-top proud, while the Londoners were very polite and excited but more reserved.”

From traveling across the country for the 2012 Olympic trials in Omaha, to traveling across the ocean to London, Oakton helped support team USA as they took home the gold.

courtesy of michael m

adridcourtesy of sarah sheridan

showtime Along with pencils and pens, gum is a school staple. Here is our guide to this season’s most popular brands and flavors.

14 showtime9.28.12

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The Divergent series Diverge into the newest futuristic series of the school year

Set in a dystopian future, Veronica Roth’s new book, “Divergent,” is a grim warning of what the world

could become. Similar to Suzanne Collins’ “Hunger

Games,” “Divergent” is set in the future with separate factions comparable to the districts of Panem. The difference in “Divergent” is that the factions are categorized by personality as opposed to talent. There are five different fac-tions: Abnegation, the selfless; Amity, the peaceful; Candor, the honest; Dauntless, the fearless; and Erudite, the intelligent. The main character, Beatrice, or “Tris”

for short, has to choose which faction she would like to be a part of. However, factions are not permitted to associate with other factions, so Tris has to choose whether she wants “family or faction.” This novel never ceases to keep a

reader’s attention. It always has the reader guessing what Tris’s next decision will be. Every chapter she has to make a choice, so by the end of the book, her choices make up a full and developed per-sonality. This book is a story of adven-ture and self-discovery, emphasizing the importance of individualism.

amazon.com

abbey boninstaff writer

BOOKS

Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit gum is definitely not worth the buy. While the flavors are alright, they are lost within the first 10 minutes of chewing. The yellow stick of gum is nothing

in comparison to some of its competitors. The mysterious flavor is extremely sweet and re-sembles that of Children’s Tylenol. It also loses texture while turning into a mush that stimu-lates gag reflexes. If you are one of those gum chewers who chews for long periods of time, Wrigley’s Juicy Fruit is not for you.

Trident Layers Strawberry Citrus starts with a blast of strawberry and then has an even stronger citrus aftertaste. There isn’t enough gum to blow any bubbles, and the elasticity

is weak. The gum is really dense and gets harder to chew the longer you have it in your mouth. The flavor lasts for a good amount of time before wearing off with a final touch of strawberry. The texture is smooth, but has a gritty feel when you chew it for an extended period of time. Overall, this gum is more a summer dessert than a fall treat.

Extra’s Dessert Delights Apple Pie gum smells heavenly. It starts off really strong, with a lot of apple and not so much cinnamon. It doesn’t lose its flavor too fast as it turns into a diluted

apple. The texture is very smooth, but the gum becomes dense and harder to chew. For such a fla-vorful gum, the after taste is minimal yet pleasant. With just a hint of apple and sweet cinnamon, your breath will end up smelling like the perfect fall treat.

lauren embroskistaff writer

anee nguyenstaff writer courtesy of official websites

Taste Quest: Chew on this

Wrigley’s 5 Cobalt gum is packed with intense flavor and can be very strong initially but weakens over time. The minty flavor lasts for hours and is sure to keep your breath

smelling fresh for a while. None of its competitors can compare to it in longevity and presentation. The packaging is very attention-grabbing with its cool designs. If you like

long lasting gum, Wrigley’s 5 Colbalt is for you.

Dress to impress carly stonehouseshowtime editor

15showtime9.28.12

Don’t feel like paying for a designer dress on retail? Rent it. Rent the

Runway gives you the opportunity to get the designer dress of your dreams for a few nights without paying the ridiculous retail price. Considering that most people never touch their homecoming dress again after the dance, this makes an affordable option

while keeping your closet clean. All you have to do is make a free account online and then start clicking away.

Oakton makes historyInteresting summer reading is a pleasant surprise

Some would call it a stroke of luck. Some would call it a miracle. But the select few who actually read the summer reading assignment can tell you that something magical

happened this summer. This is the turn of the century, folks.We actually enjoyed the summer reading. Everyone please

stand up, turn to face administration and commence a slow clap. I sense a keen new future at Oakton.After our trust was weakened by the 2011 school-wide “Salt”

assignment (which I will refer to as The Book That Must Not Be Named), we were weary of starting this year’s assignment. But the general consensus of those who read either “Outliers” or “The Geeks Shall Inherit the Earth” (or, wait for it, both) was: “that was actually pretty good.” History was made. Much unlike The Book That Must Not Be Named, “Outliers”

and “Geeks” were chock full of anecdotes that have sparked dis-cussion. We’ve actually had some interesting discussions about “Outliers” in my fourth period advisory about our opinions on the validity of Gladwell’s claims. We talked about which theo-ries we could believe and which ones were lacking. We talked about how the ideas applied to our own lives and how they changed our views of success.

We did not talk about the science of brine ponds.The bottom line, Oakton, is: you done good. You provided us

with a stimulating sociological read over the summer. For that, I am willing to begin forgiving you for the Salt debacle. You are so welcome.

sofia crutchfieldviewpoint editor

Find the perfect dress for Homecoming 2012

courtesy of the authors’ official websites

If you’re looking for a varied amount of design and styles ranging in

prices from expensive to reasonably cheap, Promgirl.com seems to be the perfect solution. The online store has tons of options to help you make the perfect buy. With dresses to fit every occasion, Promgirl gives you enough options to create the ideal look of the year whether causal or extravagant.

Do you like very unique backs and un-usual prints? This is the store for you.

Social Butterfly is known for its embel-lished dresses for both Homecoming and Prom. Visit the store in Manassas, Virginia and buy the latest designs from GiGi, La Femme, Tony Bowls, Riva, Faviana, Alyce, Jovani, Party Time Formals, Dave & Johnny for your closet this year.

Looking for something eye-grabbing and sleek? BCBG is stocked with a diverse

selection of dresses varying from simple to sleek and extravagant. BCBG offers dresses with intricate details at a reasonable price that will make everyone stop and stare. BCBG is known for being a popular store for homecom-ing dresses, so keep that in mind.

Check out these store websites:BCBG.com, socialbutterfly.com, renttherunway.com, promgirl.com

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