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Under
The
Mclean, VA
Shell
Spring Issue Volume I, Issue II
The Costs and
Benefits of Prom
Ann Tait Hall ‘16
Junior group attends Madeira Prom in late April. Photo by Laura Dunlop.
A
s any senior knows, and any junior
recently learned, prom is exhausting.
I’m not just referencing the bags under student’s eyes the next day but also any prom
goer’s drained emotional reserves and
frightfully empty wallet. Prom is not just an
event that lasts a few hours, but an almost
month long experience. From the dress
to the date to the dancing prom does not
begin or end in one night. It’s no wonder a
stone could be thrown and it would hit just
as many people who hate prom as those
who love it. I remember in the week before
prom of my junior year it was all anyone
seemed to talk about, though hardly a word
was said in excited anticipation of our Night
in Monte Carlo. Rather the air was rife with
complaints, concerns, and criticisms. What
causes people to gripe so much about a
party that is supposed to be fun?
The shattered remains of our
piggy banks for one. The Guardian reports
that the average teenage girl spent $919 on
prom in 2015. Right now I bet some of the
readers are saying “Who could ever spend
that much?” or “Not me, I spent twelve
dollars on my whole look and I still looked
like a million bucks.” Others meanwhile
are probably thinking, “Ha. My dress alone
costs that much.” We all have different situations and different amounts we are willing
to spend on a fancy party. That doesn’t
change the fact that we all leave prom a
little poorer than when we started out.
If averaged together those who spent twelve
dollars on their dress with those who spent
$900, and all the people in between, the
prom dresses normally cost about $250.
Shoes usually range from “I found these
in the back of my closet” to “Two Benjamins for these beautiful babies is really
There are hours of our lives
dedicated to deciding the
tiny nuances of how we
want to look at prom that
could have been spent with
friends or on schoolwork.”
just a steal.” Hair, makeup, and nails can
write a check for anywhere between $25
to $250, depending on whether the party
goer decides on the YouTube tutorial or
full Princess Diaries stylist approach to
dolling themselves up. Limos usually range
upwards of $200 dollars; it varies if people
decided to go with the roof top Jacuzzi
premium upgrade, disco ball included.
There are also the more mundane costs of
prom including corsages, dinner, tickets,
and the occasional hotel room after the
school sponsored party ends. That’s pretty
penny to spend on dance in a dark room at
a half decent hotel.
Prom doesn’t just cost students
either. While individual students spent
somewhere around $900 dollars on prom
last year, the Madeira School (according
to Ms. Walton, who was gracious enough
to share the school’s expenses with me)
spent $20,000. The venue cost the most, the
five hours we spent dancing last year cost
$12,000. Decorations, food, and entertainment added on to that initial cost to reach
$20,000. The school did make back money.
Prom tickets might not be cheap but there’s
a reason for that. What we paid in ticket
sales, all $14,025 of it, helped bring the cost
of prom down to $5,875. Donations and
the fundraising efforts of prom committee
helped make it so that Madeira lost $3,700
on prom. Due to the Moulin Rouge theme
change and few less expensive food options
the DOS predicts that they will only spend
$1,605 on prom this year. Still, that’s a lot
of money for a dance juniors and seniors
could have in the Student Center.
Of course, I’ve only thus far
mentioned the monetary costs! Crawling
through stores, dress fittings, hours spent
in one position getting hair done, and
the eternal minutes spent agonizing over
whether to send that one risky text to the
person who would just be the perfect date,.
There are hours of our lives dedicated to
deciding the tiny nuances of how we want
to look at prom that could have been spent
with friends or on schoolwork.
I went to three stores in one day last
year looking for a dress and ended up just
ordering one online! And I know my experience was tame compared to many others
who went on entirely separate shopping excursions for their outfit, shoes, and
Continue Article on Page 6
White Dresses and Red Roses
A
Seniors Reminisce at One Hundred Days
s a new junior, I was pleasantly surprised to come to a high school that
places so much significance on graduation and pre-graduation ceremonies. Celebrations such as “100 Days Seniors” are
normally more valued on college campuses.
I am not alone: “The purpose is to get me
thinking, these are my last days so that it
does not just shoot by. It’s a check point. To
get the seniors thinking. It’s almost over,”
says Cornell-bound senior, Faith Slaughter.
The night before the 100 Days
ceremony, three soft knocks happen on my
door followed by the entrance of a silky
white gown. It was my friend, and senior
calculus protégée, Michelle Hong. Despite
the faintness of Michelle’s initial impression, the boldness graduation dress taught
me to not judge a book by its cover. Clad in
formal white attire, there was little formality between Michelle, my roommate, and
me. For the next thirty minutes of quiet
hours, we spoke about the abstract concept
Gifts for the seniors line the CA stage at the 100 Days Ceremony. Photo by Mrs. Ali Southworth.
of the future, “College doesn’t matter,”
Michelle jokingly said. We all laughed. I
cringed at the thought of not sharing these
moments with Michelle after 100 days.
As seniors filed into the auditorium for 100 Days ceremony and began
chanting the notorious Hark the Heralds
song, I internalized their pride in graduation. For Faith, saying the cheer for the first
time was exciting, “When I was a freshman…I was like this is ridiculous. This is
crazy. Oh my god. They are saying like jail
and sex. But now I’m just like yeah I’m out
of here. And I’ve made the decision to say it
Lexi Gage ‘17
now which I think is really hilarious.”
According to Madeira’s archivist
Ms. Brooks, “100 days is a great stepping
off point more so for the underclass
women, so that you can visualize what’s
going to happen in 100 days. You can visualize the girls walking to graduation and
the juniors assuming the senior leadership
of the school and the girls rising up in the
ranks. While I think it’s a nice opportunity
to support and applaud our seniors, I’m
not sure where it sort of started or where it
came about. And I like the idea that underclassmen give them gifts to support their
rise into college.”
Senior Ellianne Espinoza reiterates the tight-knit, inclusive community at
Madeira, “At my old school it was cliquey.
Here there’s a sense of community in the
sense of opportunity. You can do a lot
more…It’s like you have a million sisters.”
Continue Article on Page 6
OPINIONS
F
or my whole academic career everything that I have pursued has been
given a mark of achievement, decided by a
third party armed with a red pen. Passing
out the first issue of Under the Shell earlier
this year, I expected the same.
Looking around the mass of
students filling out of the library, I watched
their faces as they skimmed over the articles
I has spent the last mod living and breathing, but the pride I felt was accompanied
by apprehension. I waited for someone to
give me the approval I had sought most of
my academic career. I waited for a grade.
Waking back to the student center I felt
that this major accomplishment had not
truly come to a close; that it’s success was
in limbo, at the will of the greater Madeira
community.
It seemed foreign to me -- a
junior at the eye of the tornado that is the
college process -- that something that I
had poured my heart in to would not be
recorded in my academic profile. That no
matter how much work I put in to revive
and launch the newspaper, no matter how
many afternoons and evening spent in the
musk of the School House One Mac Lab,
my editorship would boil down to a “pass”
in publications mod 5.
Although I don’t like to think of
2
myself as a resume builder, that’s
what an academic culture
focused on college has taught
me to be. Everything I have
contributed as a student
will be sent off with my
GPA and test scores to
a list of universities,
to be later scoffed at
by a scruffy admission
official after seeing a
lack of activities and B
in history. It’s hard not
to get caught up in that,
to resist the cycle of basing
your personal success on a
transcript.
It wasn’t until later that night,
when I looked over the newspaper alone
in my bedroom, that I realized how special
it was. I reread every article and knew of
the meticulous process that every page
had undergone in the weeks before and
thought: This will be my mark on Madeira. I
created this. That night I didn’t care that no
one had told me that I had impressed them.
I didn’t care that my GPA was not going
to change even though I had put in more
work to the newspaper than I
had in most classes. What
really made me happier
than any letter grade
ever could have was
placing that newspaper in the little box
I kept tucked away
in the back of my
closet and having
something important enough that
I wanted to look
back on, knowing
that I made something. Knowing that
I impressed myself.
In Search of the Perfect Roomate
There are only a
few weeks until the submission of roommate
applications are due,
but I have not found a
suitable roommate for
next year yet. I don’t want to live with my
best friend because I think we both need
some privacy to maintain our friendship. However, everybody else seems to be
already paired up and are ready to submit
the form. What should I do?
Sincerely,
Room For Roommate
Hi friend,
Don’t worry, I’m sure other girls
are going through the same issues. Trust
me, I know plenty. When it comes to
picking a roommate we should be very
wise. It is a person that you will have to live
with for a whole year and sometimes small
habits may get annoying after a while.
My recommendation is to room
with a friend that you get along with, but
’ll admit it- freshman year was a bit of
a mess. Although the year isn’t quite
over yet, I’m certain that the only thing I
can compare to my freshman year is a bad
breakup: the occasional emotional breakdown, consistently poor eating choices,
and everlasting hope for less anti-climactic encounters with boys. I can’t forget
to mention that lingering, desperately
hopeful undertone that maybe, just maybe,
things will turn out alright.
At first, everything was exciting
and new. Mixers hadn’t lost their appeal
at this point, and even after countless rejections and awkward interactions, my
friends and I still managed to congratulate
ourselves for trying. Eventually, my experiences became increasingly mortifying and
I would always declare that, “I swear, I’m
never going to another mixer again!” But,
when a new one was announced at CMT,
I would be the first one at the AOD to
greedily scribble my name on the list. I soon
realized that mixers are a science fair of
sorts; you labor over the preparation
process, excited to show
off at the competition,
only to realize that
there’s nothing really
there. At the end,
you find yourself
with a sad little
yellow ribbon,
stamped “Good
Job! You Participated!”
in
tragically
cheap gold paint,
wondering why
you even entered
in the first place .
Yet, in spite
of this all, I
soon became
involved
in
something that
Caricature by Ivy Li ‘18
DEAR LUCY
Dear Lucy,
I
transformed my first year from something
of cringeworthy embarrassment to that
of accomplishment and pride: the school
newspaper.
The newspaper quickly consumed
my life. I sat on the quad benches every
morning, afternoon, and night, smuckers
jelly checkered vest zipped halfway, fingers
smacking the keyboard. On Friday nights,
all the editors would meet up to “work” on
and discuss the next issues, amidst three
large pizzas, a cookie cake, and obscure
Swedish sixties music. It seemed like the
epitome of high school journalism to me.
I am so thankful for the opportunities I have been blessed with this year,
in particular, my editorship at the newspaper. Even though it did struggle a bit at
first, the newspaper has progressed tremendously. In the beginning, Ms. Heishman’s room was a silent space, teeming
with panicked freshman and complacent
seniors, who were unsure of exactly what
journalistic writing entailed and were terrified of the enigma of InDesign. Now, only
several months later, we have a dedicated
staff, equipped with exceptional writing
and ever-so improving InDesign skills (it’s
still pretty scary). Much thanks goes out to
my co-editor, Izzy McMahon for spending
countless hours editing articles with me
and Briana Harrington for not turning out
to be the scary junior who knew InDesign,
but a great friend. Of course, I can’t forget
Ms. Heishman and Ms. Roy for encouraging us from the very beginning, pushing us
to be the best, and polishing our writing
and InDesign skills.
And as freshman year slowly dissolves into (gasp) sophomore year, I will
confess that it wasn’t that terrible. I only
go to mixers for the food now (Foxcroft’s
chips are the best) and I am so excited for
the future of this paper, and the opportunities that surround it.
that isn’t your best friend; like you already
said, privacy is necessary to maintain a
good friendship. Someone that doesn’t do
everything that you do may be a better
choice than someone who likes the same
things and has the same friends as you. You
may get annoyed faster seeing someone
24/7. Also, it is crucial to make sure you
both have similar habits. When it comes
to sleep schedule and cleanliness, it is very
important to have the same idea in mind.
If you can’t think of any person
that you could possibly room with, don’t be
scared to room with a new girl. You never
know if you’ll end up with a new sister!
I know many girls who have ended up
having a good relationship with their roommates even though they hadn’t met before.
The worst thing that could happen is you’d
have to ask for a single and although it may
get a little lonely, always remember that you
will have about other 30 girls living right
next door. Make sure to stop by the AOD,
there is a survey that can also help to find a
roommate.
Good luck,
Lucy​
How to Submit to
Under the Shell
At Under the Shell, we encourage
any member of The Madeira School
to submit to the newspaper. Articles
submitted are subjected to a staff
peer review and edit, then submitted for editorial review. Submission does not guarantee print, but
it does help! Of particular interest
to the staff are articles concerning
the Madeira community, club news
and events, and sports. Submissions should be sent to the editors or
the advisor, Ms. Heishman, aheishman@madeira.org
DISCLAIMER for under
the shell: The content of
Under the Shell reflects the opinions
of the student staff of Madeira publications. The content does not necessarily represent the opinion, ideas, or
attitude of the advisor, the Madeira
School as a whole, or its administration, board of directors and faculty/
staff. Madeira student staff is protected by and bound to the principles of
the First Amendment.
Under the Shell Staff
Nandi Ndoro ‘19
Kathryn Fronabarger ‘19
Ann Tait Hall ‘16
Victoria Akagha ‘19
Lucy Li ‘18
Ivy Li ‘18
Katie King ‘19
Niiki Farkhan ‘16
Lexi Gage ‘17
Brooke Baragar ‘18
Julie Sun ‘18
Callie Jacks ‘17
Chioma Anomnachi ‘17
Ellie Cook ‘19
Ashley Qi ‘18
Contributing Writers:
Kita Konerth ‘16
Emily Bush ‘17
Elliot Jordan ‘18
Theresa Carr ‘19
Maddy Clemente ‘17
Christine Lee ‘17
Isabel Luposello ‘19
Issue Layout Assistant Editor:
Ann Tait Hall ‘16
Editors:
Izzy McMahon ‘17
Ejun Kim ‘19
3
The Media of Terror:
T
Reporting Terrorism on a Global Scale
ragedy appeals to the human desire
to emote and pulls the people’s attention more acutely than any other news.
On March 15th, Brussels was the victim
of a devastating terrorist attack that killed
more than thirty people and injured over
200. At this point it would be a hard
task to find someone who had not
heard of this travesty, nor would
it be easy to meet someone on the
street who was ignorant of the 130
killed in Paris in November. The
coverage on both of these events
has been immense and constant.
News stories, in the days following the Brussels attack, came out
constantly. Within hours every
large news station had reporters
on the scene and specialists on
the air. The American people,
unable to escape the grim scene
in Brussels, rallied in support of
the Belgian people, waving homeland and
foreign flags alike and decrying fanaticism.
Why then has the mainstream media only
focused on Paris and Brussels so heavily in
the past six months, when plenty of other
travesties happen every day?
According to the National Terrorism Base, here are the numbers of deaths
in terrorist related conflicts between the
months of November 2015 and April 2016:
13 died when a bus exploded in Tunisia,
and 7 were kill ed when hotel was attacked
during an election in Egypt. There were 60
killed in a Libyan police training camp, 12
died in Sultanahmet Square, Istanbul, 4
died in an Indonesian Starbucks, as well
as the 4 who were killed in a Shi’a mosque
in Saudi Arabia. In the days following the
attack in Brussels, 4 died in Istanbul, 26
people were killed by several coordinated
car bombings in the Yemen, and 41 Iraqis
were killed by a suicide bomber at a soccer
match. These numbers do not include the
216 reported casualties due to ISIS related
events in Syria since November 2015; ISIS
is connected to all of the aforementioned
attacks. Outside of ISIS, 66 have died in
the Ankara, Turkey by bombings carried
out by a Kurdish freedom group, 68 people
were murdered by Al-Quaeda militants, 70
people were killed in a park in Pakistan on
Easter, 45 died in Lebanon the day before
the terrorist attack in Paris, 45 were killed
in Tunisia near the Libyan border, and over
one-hundred Nigerians have been killed by
a terrorist group called Boko Haram. This
is still an incomplete list.
Why has the main stream
American media not allocated any of these
tragedies more than a spot in the scrolling
news at the bottom of their channel? There
are quite a few possible reasons. It is important to remember that what Americans
consider the ‘mainstream media’ is primarily the United States media. The American
media reports news that affects the United
Americans are conditioned to
expect violence in other places;
we may have become so desensitized that we barely glance at a
Pakistani girl’s catastrophe or a
Tunisian father’s tragedy.
States, and France and Belgium are far
more important to the United States, not
just culturally but economically and politically as well, than all of the other nations
mentioned. America has very expensive
and hefty trade agreements with France
and Belgium, and both of these European
countries are members of NATO (North
Atlantic Treaty Organization). NATO was
started by the United States and is com-
Flash Debate: To
Brooke Baragar ‘18
pple and the FBI have been a major
focal point in the media: FBI’s
demands that Apple create software, which
currently does not exist, that would allow
the FBI to unlock an iPhone. The FBI wants
to unlock the iPhone 5C that belonged to
one of the San Bernardino shooters, Syed
Rizwan Farook, who killed 14 people and
severely injured 22 others on December
2nd, 2015. Although the Apple vs. FBI
case certainly has been a cause of controversy, there is no doubt that the FBI is
making unreasonable demands without
any consideration to the public. At best,
this new software would simply grant
the government access to the iPhones in
their possession. At worst, it would be a
weapon for hackers to use against innocent
people. The government has overlooked a
critical flaw by demanding the creation of
such a software: Apple could not create a
software like this to be used only once. If
Apple creates this software, it would exist
permanently, putting all Apple users at
A
prised of many nations, all of whom, once
members, are obligated to provide military
and monetary support to any other
member when attacked. This makes it far
more vital that the American people know
what the state of security is in those specific
nations. The news outlets would automatically place United States allies on a higher
scale of relevance than a small nation like
Yemen that many Americans might not
even know exists.
It is important to acknowledge
that these European nations are developed
democracies. They are highly connected to
the United States and the American mainstream media, whether through email,
online posting, and video. In both France
and Belgium, the events of November 13th
and March 15th were instantly posted
and uncensored tweets, posts, and videos
flooded the internet. The people in these
nations responded before the American
media even arrived on site. Nobody
needed CNN or Fox News to know something awful had happened. Nations like
Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Nigeria do not
have that degree of self-reporting capacity.
The majority of people in these nations do
not have the means to create a trending,
supportive hashtag or post a viral, violent
NEWS
Ann Tait Hall ‘16
video. Sharing their tragedies remains
entirely in the hands of established news
outlets.
There is the matter of prejudice.
Most Americans have the notion
that other countries like those in
Africa and the Middle East are
violent and plagued by constant
terror. While the United States
is a remarkably safe nation,
Americans often take safety
for granted and assume that
the nation is tucked away from
violence. Belgium and France fall
into this category of nations that seem
safe and close to home. Both nations are
democracies, with all the modern conveniences Americans celebrate. France and
Belgium have similarities to the overarching ‘American’ culture. France and Belgium
feel remarkably like home. When bombs
went off in Paris it was easy to feel empathetic to a culture that is familiar. But
some of the other nations that experience great loss and tragedy are
frightfully different from the United
States. Their differences make them
alien, and nearby regions begin to
feel like entirely separate, strange, and
dangerous worlds. Those places also experience terror. Americans and the main
stream American media almost expect
turmoil in strange and distant lands, even
ones as close as Nigeria, Tunisia, and Iraq.
As a result, Americans are conditioned to
expect violence in other places; we may
have become so desensitized that we barely
glance at a Pakistani girl’s catastrophe or a
Tunisian father’s tragedy.
But fear and bloodshed still
breeds further conflict, no matter where
in the world it originates. Placing focus
only on acts of terrorism that are easy to
emphasize with blinds Americans from the
wider, rapidly evolving political landscape.
Americans and the mainstream media may
not look too closely terrorism plaguing
other parts of the globe but it will still
affect the international landscape, wearing
down American allies and pushing NATO
borders. Conflict will continue to rise until
bloodshed is not some tragedy that happens
to European allies on occasion, but a reality
that is bordering on war. And Americans will not have seen this long brewing
conflict stewing over in other regions for
years before it spread to their shore, having
turned away from other terrorist attacks
that at the time seemed far away.
Jailbreak or Not to Jailbreak?
risk. The government is putting Apple in
an impossible position by forcing them to
either betray their customer’s belief in the
security of their devices or to go against
the government. There is always the risk
that the wrong people could get ahold of
the software and misuse it. In the hands
of hackers, this software would lead to a
complete breach of privacy and security. This software could also be further
abused in the hands of the government.
The iPhone belonging to Syed Rizwan
Farook is not the only Apple phone that the
government is struggling to unlock. If the
government were to obtain such software,
they could gain access to every iPhone in
their possession. Giving officials the ability
to look into someone’s iPhone may make
this practice commonplace, compromising
privacy of the American people, opening
the doors to limitless negative reproductions by creating a gateway for misuse of
power at the cost of privacy.
I
n the case between Apple and the FBI,
the issues of privacy vs national security
seem to be divided by a blurred line. On
one hand, Apple makes an ethical stand
to protect the privacy of its customers, but
at what cost? Apple’s rejection to making a
new software to break the encryption of a
shooter’s phone poses many disputable issues. This decision implies that Apple favor
their own reputation over the public’s safety, considering they have opened at least 70
phones for authorities in the past. Access to
the iPhone could provide key information
about other groups involved in the attack,
the source of the gunman’s money, planning of the attacks, and endless additional
information about the case.
The reasoning for Apple’s objection may sound morally correct and acceptable, but their claims are misleading.
The FBI asked Apple to create a software
to break the security encryption of the
iPhone, which had interfered with investigator’s ability to solve cases and stop terror-
Isabel Luposello ‘19
ist attacks. Apple argues that by developing
this software, they will also be creating a
“backdoor” that can be used to access any
iPhone. This scares many people because
they fear for their privacy and the government’s invasion of their personal devices
and files. However, the FBI is not asking for
this software. The FBI was simply requesting the information in the phone but Apple
would have full ownership of the software. This would mean that no key is being handed over to the FBI to use on other
devices, therefore not putting the public in
danger of the authoritative intrusion they
fear. In this case, it seems the company is
putting its reputation, and therefore profit,
over safety. This case brings up issues of the
impending clashes with technology and the
government, as well as making people feel
as though they must choose between two
very important values: safety and privacy.
Both writers were asked to take a side on this
issue; their responses do not necessarily reflect
their personal beliefs.
3
Beyond the Podium:
NEWS
Interview with Representative Barbara Comstock
“Y
ou know, I just love the paper. I
used to be part of my high school
newspaper, and I just love how you can
knock on anyone’s door and get the
inside scoop on anything.”
Clad in a rich navy blue, Congresswoman Barbara Comstock gleefully
tells me of her adventures in high school
journalism as we begin the interview.
Conducting awkward interviews and
snooping around are only a few of the
things she tells me of her high school
career, her nostalgia and love for the
paper being still evident. Aside from her
former newsie status, Comstock tells me
of her life, career, and values, all of which
have taken a rather unconventional path
to where she is now.
“We are using more online
technology to reach a broader
population. We want to make
sure that everyone has these opportunities, no matter what your
economic background is.”
Presently representing the 10th District
of Virginia, Republican Congresswoman
Comstock began her political career at
rallies and protests in the third grade.
Born in Springfield, Massachusetts,
Comstock grew up in an extremely liberal
and Democratic environment, often fol-
Ejun Kim ‘19
portunities. She says. “Women may not
always get as much publicity [as men]...
whether it’s at NASA or at the CIA. So,
it’s important for them to engage in these
opportunities.” Her involvement with
female representation in STEM goes
beyond limits with her recent Inspire
Act, which promotes female representation at NASA, allowing young women
“Do not be afraid to fail. Do not
be afraid to dive into something
new. You will learn as much from
your failures as your successes.”
Ejun Kim ‘19 poses with Representative Barbara Comstock outside the Chape Auditorium after addressing the school in early April. Photo by Mrs. Ali Southworth.
lowing her mother to protests and rallies
promoting racial equality during the 60’s.
Her studies throughout high school and
college led her to a stint in Senator Ted
Kennedy’s office, marking the beginning
of her congressional career. Eventually,
she moved onto law school and settled in
Mclean, Virginia, working as the senior
aide for Frank Wolf, her predecessor.
Years later, she unintentionally ran for a
seat in the House of Delegates, and then
subsequently announced her candidacy
for the U.S. House of Representatives
from Virginia's 10th District, winning
with the majority of the vote. Comstock,
is excited about the future in STEM and
women’s leadership.
Surrounded by engaging and empowered
women in her early life, Comstock reveals
that the constant presence of strong
women has greatly influenced her work
today. Founder of the Young Women’s
Leadership Programs, Comstock wants
to “highlight different career paths for
young women” in junior and senior high
in order to expose them to more op-
to “get into the stream early on through
mentor programs.” In addition, she wants
to democratize these opportunities and
their availabilities, noting that wealthier
communities may get more exposure
than others. “We are using more online
technology to reach a broader population. We want to make sure that everyone
has these opportunities, no matter what
your economic background is.” Aside
from her dedication to STEM, Congresswoman Comstock stresses the importance of confidence. She concludes the
interview with some empowering advice,
“Do not be afraid to fail. Do not be afraid
to dive into something new. You will
learn as much from your failures as your
successes.”
Political Minds at Madeira:
A Look at the Two Student-Run Political Clubs
YOUNG REPUBLICANS
Elliot Jordan ‘18
T
he Young Republicans Club at Madeira
is a group of students who
gather each week to talk
about topics of interest,
ongoing events, political
candidates, and volunteer opportunities within
the political world. We
discuss the topics which
draw the line of the Republican and Democratic Party, such as gun
control, pro-life, immigration, etc. We
share both opinions from the Republican and Democratic side as well as our
individual views in the matter. One of the
major things we learn and talk about is
the political candidates for the presidential election in 2016. We have a project in
which we will act as campaign managers
for different candidates and present what
they are for/against, as well as a method
to connect to the public. Finally, we
discuss different volunteer opportunities,
such as campaign rallies, coffee houses
YOUNG DEMOCRATS
W
hat does it mean to be a Democrat?
To be perfectly honest, the answer
is pretty unclear. There are just so many
issues and so many different positions
to take that it seems absurd to just select
a group of people to belong to. But
maybe that’s the point. In Young Democrats, we get together to discuss events
and topics and share our own personal
beliefs. Everyone brings something a
little bit different to the table. This allows
for some really interesting discussions
where you could be thinking about
something in a whole new way. This
being an election year means that most
of our meetings revolve around events
concerning the campaigns (and with
Trump around we have a lot of things
to discuss). What is really great about
Young Dems is that no prior knowledge
is required. Young Dems is equally dedicated to educating people about politics
as it is allowing them a safe space to share
their own ideas. And education is a chain
reaction. One person learns about the
Bernie win in Wisconsin and goes and
speaks to their friends. Thus ensues a
lively debate about the pros and cons of
socialism (and of course, the proper way
a president should consume pizza). So,
Emily Bush ‘17
we invite you to come to a meeting
(they’re every Wednesday between
A and B in room 26 of Schoolhouse
I). Promise you’ll have a great time.
CO-HEADS:
Erin McGovern ‘16
Ursula Hedlund ‘17
SECRETARY:
Emily Bush ‘17
with guest speakers, and working with
different associations in which we can be
involved in helping our political community.
CO-HEADS:
Elliot Jordan ‘18
Lizzy Isacson ‘18
Graphics by Ejun Kim ‘19
6
COMMUNITY
Recapping the Cappies
O
ver the past few months, the Madeira
Cappies have been extremely busy reviewing local high school musicals as well
as getting ready for the 2016 Cappies Gala
at the Kennedy Center.
The Madeira team consists of ten
student critics and writers, all of whom
have attended high school shows and submitted reviews for the chance of being
published by a local newspaper. Student
articles have been featured in news outlets,
such as The Washington Post, Patch Newspaper, and the McLean Connection. The
group usually attends around four to five
high school shows each year and finish
with preparations for the Gala, also considered the ‘Tony Awards’ for high school
students. During each show, the Cappies
team from each school has the opportunity
to nominate cast members and crew for a
Cappies Gala award.
“I’m extremely… optimistic that
we’re going to have a wonderful
lead critic. Hopefully, I’ll be able
to do it again, but if not, I know
that the lead critic will be wonderful, and that the assistant
lead critic will be great as well.”
Last month, the Madeira Cappies
and the Kiss Me, Kate cast and crew
welcomed student critics from Northern
Virginia to the Saturday showing on
February 20, 2016. Although the Cappies
The Costs and Benefits of Prom
Continued from Page 1
Nandi Ndoro ‘19
Katie King ‘19, Magana Ngaiza ‘17, Emily Barré ‘17, and Faith Slaughter perform in “Kiss Me Kate.”
Photo by Mrs. Ali Southworth.
nominations from the other schools were
kept strictly confidential, their written
reviews were selected for publication
and released around mid-February to
early March. The articles were extremely
positive, raising praise for the vocals and
acting of performers such as, Faith Slaughter ‘16 (Lilli) and Emily Barré ’17 (Fred),
and admiration for the set design and
ensemble crew. As Gillian Wright from
McLean High School explains, “Best showcasing Slaughter’s lovely voice was her solo
number, ‘I Hate Men,’ in which expressive
dancing and emotional inflections complemented her singing.” One of the co-heads
for the Madeira Cappies team, Vei Vei
Thomas ’17, shares her excitement for the
upcoming school year as well as choosing a
new lead critic, “I’m extremely… optimistic
that we’re going to have a wonderful lead
critic. Hopefully, I’ll be able to do it again,
but if not, I know that the lead critic will be
wonderful, and that the assistant lead critic
will be great as well.”
A member of Madeira Cappies since her
sophomore year, Vei Vei is now preparing
for her third and final year of being a part
of the reviewing group.
This year, the Madeira Cappies
had five shows to look forward to before
the review season ended: Hair at Woodrow
Wilson High School on November 14,
2015, Les Miserables: School Edition at Annandale High School, Guys and Dolls at
Mount Vernon High School on April 16,
2016, Into the Woods at Riverside High
School on April 26, 2016, and Starlight
Express at West Potomac High School on
May 7, 2016.
Remembering One Hundered Days Continued from Page 1
By highlighting this network of
sisters and honoring the senior class, 100
Days Seniors reminds all Madeira students
about the importance of community. “I
love opportunities that remind the girls
that they are together as a class. So this is
something where they [not only have] the
whole school celebrating them, but they
are celebrating each other. And they celebrate… their achievements thus far. They
celebrate seeing the light at the end of the
tunnel. They also get to celebrate their leadership [which] has sort of been interpreted
by the younger grades. What sort of role
models they have been,” says Ms. Brooks.
For four-year senior Michelle
Hong leaving Madeira, her home away
from home, will not be easy, “I never
thought that I was going to be a senior
but then time passes and it really went by
fast. And senior year goes by really fast.
Like freshman year was like pretty slow…
And I’m actually kind of sad and happy at
the same time because I’m like leaving this
place and I won’t get to see my friends and
my teachers who I’ve made really good relationships with. Just this community. This
welcoming, cheery community. Because
it’s like a small school we have this closeknit relationship with everyone. I’ll miss
it because college is so big.” When I asked
makeup. There is also the amount of
time spent campaigning, fundraising, and
decorating for prom. Students, teachers,
and school staff alike spend weeks planning
music and setup, creating decorations, participating in bake sales, and raising awareness for prom. Weeks of preparation are
culminated in five hours. That is sizable
amount of time, and time is money friends.
How are you spending yours?
Faith how she felt about leaving Madeira,
her sentiment became nostalgic, “Sometimes I’m happy and I’m like oh my god
I’m graduating…and then sometimes I
get all sad and gushy… and like oh no that
was my last musical...oh no that was my
last inner child night. I won’t be doing this
anymore. And sometimes I’ll think about it
a lot and get all sad and like think about the
people I won’t be with anymore.” When I
“Honestly, I’m so glad I came
to an all-girls high school
because it really shaped who I
am today. It really builds a lot
of confidence...”
asked senior international student Michelle
Lee how she feels about single sex education, she brightly discussed how Madeira
has served as an empowering platform,
“Honestly, I’m so glad I came to an all-girls
high school because it really shaped who
I am today. It really builds a lot of conf
dence. Before I came from like a really conservative, male-empowered community
just like that part of the world. It was really
different. The class size is also small so I get
to talk a lot, listen to other people’s views a
lot. I think that really changed my world.
Sequoia Ragland ‘17, Emily Bush ‘17, Emily Barree ‘17, and Sarah
Hussain ‘17 help present the junior class gift at the 100 Days Ceremony.
Photo by Mrs. Ali Southworth.
Like now I’m really talkative in class.” For
Elianne Espinoza, Madeira’s single-sex
educational environment has given her
more confidence. “They promote a sense of
feminism. It’s not in the sense that we are
all competitive with each other. In other
schools it tends to end up like that. I didn’t
have that extra stress of co-ed. It has helped
me refine my voice.”
The senior class’ refinement does
not only stem from their white dress code;
it comes from the passions that Madeira
has helped them develop. For Faith, the
lead in many Madeira theater productions,
she attributes much of her confidence to
heading community service, theater and
performance, “Freshman and sophomore
year you could not catch me being comfortable on stage, but like not just musical
theater, like making speeches doing things,
like all one acts. Anything that I do that’s
like performance… that like builds me up.
And also being at the top now builds me
up because it’s like I am a senior. I am at
the top now. This builds my thing. And it
makes everything easier.”
With that, dear seniors, your days
are numbered. Time is ticking. Preparations are being finalized. At the time of this
paper’s print, you have about 28 days left
until graduation at Madeira. In the words
of Faith, “Make it count.”
Tayma Alassar ‘16, Elle Espinoza ‘16, Grace Huang ‘16, and Carson
Peters ‘16 pose for a photo behind the Chapel Auditorium. Photo by Mrs.
Ali Southworth.
So why is it that such a
troublesome party is so deeply
ingrained in the hearts and
minds of American teenagers
that people still turn out en
masse each year?
Well, this time last year I was spending my
time on the phone with my grandmother,
bless her heart, saying “No I don’t have
boyfriend. No I don’t have a date for prom.
I don’t know there was just never anyone I
wanted to go with!” and trying to convince
her I don’t need a date. Because sometimes
those around us make it feel like a prom
date is almost as essential as just wearing
any form of clothing to prom. I’ve known
plenty of people who felt so desperately
they needed a date they went with people
they didn’t really like in an effort just to
have some arm candy. We are constantly
pressured to fill the +1 on our prom invite
and, without fail, asked about our dates
(committed, inexistent, or pending) from
everyone it seems. The stress of being dateless can wind a person so tight that eventually they end up yelling at their 80 year old
Grammy that, “Just because you had lots
of boyfriends in the fifties doesn’t mean
I want one now!” And then hellfire rains
down upon them in the form of parental
and grandparental retribution.
Considering all the money, time,
and stress that goes into prom it’s no wonder
that there are people who call for its dissolution. It’s no wonder that people refuse
to go, so why is it that such a troublesome
party is so deeply ingrained in the hearts
and minds of American teenagers that
people still turn out en masse each year?
Perhaps it’s just the tradition of prom. From
the time we are children we hear about a
high school party called prom. Our parents
went, our super cool older cousins went,
even our favorite T.V. characters had an
entire episode dedicated to prom. This one
dance is something we seem to hear about
constantly, and exists in our mind as one
of those things people can never remember
not knowing about. It feels like one of
life’s constants: the Earth spins, the oceans
move, teenagers attend prom. Sometimes,
people might not be excited for prom, but
go anyway just because they can’t imagine
not going to prom.
Though, it is also possible that
prom persists to this day, not just because
it always has but because it is something to
be enjoyed. There is something exhilarating
about dressing your finest and feeling your
prettiest; about eating a fancy meal and
riding in a fancy limo. And you know while
not always everyone’s speed, just for one
night, surrounded by friends jumping up
and down to music you don’t listen to can
fill your chest with warmth. Prom is special
because it is just one night. One night
meant to help you feel your best, with your
best friends around you before you leave all
that frivolity of high school behind. A way
to go out with a bang! Prom seems kind of
silly and probably way too expensive in the
long run. But quite frankly, aren’t memories
priceless?
7
COMMUNITY
Another Successful MadeiraED
Kathryn Fronabarger ‘19 and Katie King ‘19
models of ancient
human skulls and then
print it in durable
plastic. The Betabox
is the future of modelling and design, and
it is easy to see how it
will help the STEAM
program evolve in
future years. Students
passionate in art, engineering, computers,
design and the like
were in love with the
Betabox.
Another
remarkable session was
The BetaBox Maker Space at Madeira. Photo by Kathryn Fronabarger ‘19 “2026.” This session
was about climate change and the effects
or the second year, Madeira held Ma- of our impact on the environment soon
deiraED, an all day conference where to come. It was shown through an interacstudents attend sessions hosted by their tive board game located in the DMV, and
peers. The sessions can be twenty minutes five different towns were shown (Mclean
all the way up to eighty minutes. Students and Alexandria as an example). The goal
either worked by themselves or in groups. of the game was to not run out of food,
Sessions this year ranged from appre- water, health, or energy cards while getting
ciating Korean culture all the way to fly rid of natural disasters such as earthfishing, and were just as popular as they quakes, power outages, heavy rains, and
wind storms. Kita Konerth ‘16 explains,
were diverse.
One of the features of MadeiraEd “All of the challenge cards were based off
was the Betabox. The Betabox is a 3D of real events that happened in the DMV
printing room where people can design and by using real events players in the
anything from monogram keychains to game realize how hard sustainability is to
F
maintain.” There is a maximum of five
teams, no winners, and a whole lot of fun
in this economy based simulation game.
Kita Konerth’s Presentation at MadeiraEd
Another session of note was
the “Harry Potter and the Half Blood
Demigod” presented by Annabelle Pearce
‘19. The session included a lively discussion about the Harry Potter series by J.K.
Rowling, and the series Percy Jackson and
the Olympians by Rick Riordan. Throughout this session students compared the
story structures, plotlines, and characters of both series. Sometimes the discussion veered off to talk about the atrocity
of the Percy Jackson movies, or comparing Suzanne Collin’s The Hunger Games
to Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight, but for the
most part all girls involved got to express
their love for the two iconic book series.
This session was perfect for anyone who
Madeira Becomes Gordon Ramsay
Beech house in which
the dorm members are
to prepare their two
dishes under a time
limit of one to two
hours.
The prize for
the Pillsbury BakeOff is not five million
dollars. Instead, it is
something five times
more valuable: the
winning dorm at the
Pillsbury
Bake-Off
The judges await their taste test. Photo by Mrs. Ali Southworth.
earns dorm points. In fact, the Pillsbury
he Pillsbury Bake-Off is an annual Bake-Off is usually the last big-scale event
Madeira tradition where each dorm of the year where they can be earned. That
cooks one savory dish and one dessert that means that the Pillsbury Bake-Off is always
both feature “the secret ingredient.” After the ultimate crunch time for earning dorm
the secret ingredient has been announced, points.
The Judges for this event included:
each dorm competes to put together the Dr.
Keith
Ward, English Department Head,
weirdest but most delicious recipes to
Pilar
Cabeza
de Vaca, Head of School, and
cook on the day of the bake-off. Every
finally
Grant
Newsome, Mrs. Newsome’s
year on an evening in April, the members
son.
of each dorm head to their designated
Orange, chocolate, and chili upside down cake
prepared by Main Dorm. Photo by Lucy Li ‘19.
Photo by Lucy Li ‘19
Macaron Bee:
3261 Prospect St NW
Washington, DC 20007
Phone: 202.333.2308
Madeira Ed 2016 was a success. Students
got to present their passions and educate
their peers, as well as discover new hobbies
or interests. There were so many highlights;
Mr. Withers awesome entrance on the hoverboard, the Pink award (congrats Lindsay
Klaff ’17), Betabox, and the amazing
student and faculty led events. Get excited
for MadeiraED 2017!
Lucy Li ‘18
1st Place: Main Dorm
Spaghetti with Bacon, Orange, and Prunes
Blood Orange, Chocolate, and Chili Upside-Down Cake
3rd Place: North Dorm
Tagliatelle Orange and Prosciutto
Crab Cake Sliders with Orange Aioli
5th Place: New Dorm
Orange Upside-Down Cake
Slow-Roasted Orange and Fennel Salmon
Spaghetti with bacon, orange, and prunes, prepared by Main Dorm. Photo by Lucy Li ‘18.
Lucy Li ‘19
stablished in 2012 in Georgetown,
Macaron Bee is a pastry shop selling
macarons of various vibrant flavors, such
as rose, chocolate lavender, and sakura
(cherry blossom).
In addition to macarons, Macaron
Bee also features other treats, including panna cotta, tartlets, crème brulee,
tea cakes, and tea. The biggest attraction
may be their wide variety of noteworthy
flavors, which can be found on the website,
(www.macaronbee.com). Although there
is no seating area reserved specifically for
Macaron Bee, in Lady Camellia, Macaron
Bee’s sister company, there is a large tea
room that serves various teas and macarons
from Macaron Bee.
amazing story of her mother who
escaped a war-torn, communist
Vietnam at the age of eleven and
came to America.
4th Place: South Dorm
Orange Chicken
Orange Creamsicle Three-Layer Cake
Madeira’s Got a Sweet Tooth
E
Megan, with the help of Mrs. Grohowski, told the inspiring and
2nd Place: East Dorm
Orange Meringue Pie
Shrimp Ceviche
T
Two Bakeries That Take the Cake
remembers these classic books from their
childhood.
Cold Night was a session held
by Megan Grohowski ‘19 and her mother
Mrs. Grohowski. Megan, with the help of
Mrs. Grohowski, told the inspiring and
amazing story of her mother who escaped
a war-torn, communist Vietnam at the age
of eleven and came to America. When she
arrived in the United States she was unable
to speak English but soon Mrs. Grohowskibecame valedictorian of her high school
class. This session was truly inspiring, and
Mrs. Grohowski’s story demonstrates that
anything is possible with hard work.
Photo by Lucy Li ‘18
Pastry Xpo:
8190 Strawberry Ln
Falls Church, VA 22042
L
ocated conveniently in the Mosaic
District at Merrifield Town Center,
Pastry Xpo presents sumptuous desserts
6th Place: West Dorm
Scone a la Tart
along with coffee, entrees, salads, and soups.
In the Washington metropolitan area,
Pastry Xpo is considered to be a top-tier
pastry shop. Moreover, the shop presents
a huge variety of pastries with many staff
members to help customers. Specifically,
the selection of pastries includes macarons,
cupcakes, eclairs, cheesecakes, and truffles.
Pastry Xpo is truly an expo of
pastries because the wide selection of
carefully-made desserts can satisfy any
customer. In fact, the owner and executive pastry chef of Pastry Xpo, Toni Srour,
has helped design many desserts served
at major hotels in the Washington area.
Overall, based on several visits there,
Pastry Xpo is my personal recommendation because the quality and choices continuously amaze me. Pick up some delicious pastries at the next time you go to
Mosaic District on the weekend! Check out
their website: www.pastryxpo.com.
Phone: 571.282.4970
8
COMMUNITY
Madeira Students Attend Arab League
T
he weekend of April 22, the Model
Arab League D-block left campus
headed to Georgetown University for the
2015-2016 National High School Model
Arab League conference, hosted by the
National Council on US-Arab Relations.
Model Arab League is an activity in which
students represent diplomats from different countries and work together to solve
pressing issues and argue for the ideals of
their respective countries. At this conference, Madeira represented the state of Iraq
and the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
Though some had participated in similar
conferences before, many were newcomers
to the activity and learned over the course
of 4 weeks how to more effectively research,
write an essay, speak in public, compromise, and gain a better understanding of
the problems facing the Middle East.
Participating students spent
all of Module 6 researching and writing
position papers on four topics assigned to
their committees- Defense Council, Social
Affairs, Political Affairs, and more. Their
research spanned weeks and was incredibly in depth: “I didn’t really know what
to expect, in general, I was really intrigued
“I think it’s a great opportunity for us to get engaged with
modern politics..to advocate
for countries in this part of the
world which are often outside
American understanding is a
very powerful experience,”
by the idea of researching one country and
getting to know them well, especially in
this specific area,” says Catherine Daly, ‘18,
who was new to Model Arab League before
this conference. In the Model Arab League,
the topics and countries included can be
controversial, which sparks debate and
Lily Zarafhar ‘18, Parlin Escobar ‘18, Catherine Daly ‘18, Ceci Remy ‘18 at Model Arab League
conference. Photo by Mr. Jeff Meade.
leads to difficult discussions that take place
in every Model Arab League committee.
“As I was representing Palestine… it was
difficult to find sources that weren’t biased
or that didn’t explain away the problems of
Palestine, but also didn’t make them seem
that they were bigger or different then they
were,” remarked Katie Adler ‘18 on the
topic.
The culmination all your research
is a position paper, which is a short essay
(usually only one page long) from the viewpoint of the country that was researched. “A
lot of Model Arab League is going through
all of these sources that aren’t useful or don’t
seem relevant, and when you do get things,
it doesn’t always seem like they connect,
but when it all finally meshes together perfectly is amazing,” said Adler. The position
paper helps to organize your research and
find what is most important about the
topic, so when you arrive at the conference,
you are ready to debate and fully represent
the interests of your country.
Friday afternoon, the group
arrived at Georgetown for the conference.
“My first impression of the conference
was that it would be a really good debate,
and that people were really prepared this
year,” said Reagan Thornton, ‘18, who had
participated in the conference last year
as well. After assembling into councils,
the conference commenced. Model Arab
League requires a particular vernacular in
debate, called Parliamentary Procedure.
“Parliamentary procedure is using... official
English for debating,” said Cici Wu ‘18,
who served as chair of the Environmental
Affairs council. “It was hard because we
didn’t do a lot of preparations for parliamentary procedure, we didn’t necessarily
go in knowing it all, so it was something
we had to figure out along the way,” said
Casey Ocasal ‘19. With a ‘motion to open
discussion,’ the debate began. “Moderated
is a more structured discussion, and you
get to hear people’s thoughts in a more professional way. But it’s a little scary because
modules; the online program and summer
academy are also worth two college credits if
the students arrange their course with a local
community college.
I was ecstatic about the opportunity to work in a NASA-sponsored program,
but I remember feeling apprehensive of all
the forms and due dates. I was just back from
summer vacation and planning ahead to this
huge time commitment and goal seemed
daunting. But the opportunity to learn more
about space and the challenge of working in
the program while continuing my schoolwork won out. I wouldn’t let this opportunity
pass me by! I quickly worked to apply to the
program by meeting with various administrators to get all my paperwork in order.
There was a course transcript, several small
essays, a teacher’s letter of recommendation, and the sending of many, many emails.
The people I communicated with helped me
produce such a quick turnaround for my application that my head was spinning. After I
sent off my application, I anxiously refreshed
my email for news – good or bad – and in
mid-November, I received my letter of acceptance. I was admitted to the program’s
website and began my work immediately.
The modular system of VASTS was
nothing new to me, but the level of difficulty
of the assignments were a tough challenge.
Every two weeks or so, a new module would
open and I’d get to work. The topics of each
module ranged from the International Space
Station to the Moon to Mars! Each module
had about three assignments meant to cover
a range of academic skill sets, like a formal
report or math problems. The reports came
relatively easily to me, be it a potential
design of a spacecraft or a mission’s proposal
and operations, I have written over fifteen
thousand words for the reports alone during
the course. (Whether each module’s report
called for something like two thousand
words per report is another matter…) In
combination with writing until my keyboard
broke, the math presented an interesting
challenge with me. It didn’t quite line up with
my Madeira math or science classes initially,
so I had to read the given VASTS’ materials
and make my way through the problems independently. Many, many calculations were
Theresa Carr ‘19
you have to talk,” said Parlin Escobar ‘18.
However, there are other ways to discuss
a topic in Model Arab League: “In an unmoderated caucus, negotiation is much
more comfortable for me, because I feel
like I can twist words around to suit me
better… I really like negotiating in an
unmod because it’s more like a discussion
than a speech,” stated Thornton, who used
those tactics to make allies in the daunting
Defense Council. Freshman Monica Shen
remarked,“The hardest part is just when
someone proposes some idea that you
didn’t research and you cannot understand
what they’re talking about.” These parts of
the conference, the public speaking, the
negotiating, the parliamentary procedures
can seem intimidating, but not all of Model
Arab League is serious. “We sent anonymous notes to the chair, after the conference, and she read them out loud,” said
Shen, and, “Bahrain wanted to send ISIS to
space,” suggested Ocasal, laughing.
At the end of the conference, each
girl was exhausted from two days of attempting to solve the world’s most pressing
issues.“I think it’s a great opportunity for
us to get engaged with modern politics..
to advocate for countries in this part of the
world which are often outside American
understanding is a very powerful experience,” said Jeff Meade from the History
department, who coaches the team. Adler
later reflected after her experience on the
Political Affairs Council: “It’s really complicated when you hear about Palestine or
Israel or anywhere in the Middle East. Just
off of the news you get generally either a
one sided story… or you get a story that
has been shoehorned into a narrative, and
it’s really complicated because there are
religious elements, but there are also land
elements, and financial elements, and immigration policy… it’s just more complicated than it would seem. There’s no one good
answer.”
Space and Technology Program Vastly Exceeds Expectations
T
Maddy Clemente ‘17
his year I worked in the Virginia Aerospace Science and Technology Scholars
(VASTS) program. It’s an incredibly unique
and challenging experience that I am
thankful to have been a part.
Earlier this academic year, I
received an electronic newsletter about the
program from Ms. Pratt. It linked me to
the VASTS program’s website, showing me
a colorful page of text and application instructions and deadlines. The program is
essentially an online learning experience
meant to educate eleventh grade students
of Virginia in the aforementioned Aerospace, Science, and Technology. (There are
also similar programs in other states.) It’s
split up into eight modules over the course
of the academic year (about mid-November
to April) and supplemented with the additional goal of a free, week-long summer
program at NASA Langley Research Center
in Hampton, VA. The participants of the
summer program are chosen based off
of a scholar’s performance in the online
The course’s varied structure in assignments and topics really made
it an enjoyable and well-rounded
experience that constantly kept me
guessing and thinking critically.
done repeatedly, incorrectly, and sometimes
precisely as the course continued. There were
occasional assignments like forum discussions with other scholars of the program or
graphic designs of a theoretical proposal. The
course’s varied structure in assignments
and topics really made it an enjoyable and
well-rounded experience that constantly
kept me guessing and thinking critically.
In the end, keeping up with my
schoolwork and this program proved to
be the most difficult. Over the course of
a module, I found it hard to work on my
schoolwork and the assignments of the
course in a timely manner. But through some
close calls, I found balance through proper
planning and reviewing my reports and
math throughout the weeks. Clearly, I found
the more I spread out the entire assignment,
Maddy Clemente ‘17
the better the outcome of my work. While
the majority of the work was independent,
scholars were also grouped with a master
teacher who graded our assignments as well
as potentially gave students guidance with
their work. There was also the forums for
scholars’ questions or concerns to which
teachers, other scholars, and administrators could respond. I recently just finished
the online modules portion of the module,
and I am still anxiously awaiting the news of
our final projects and the students who have
been chosen for the summer academy.
The course has only increased my
passion and appreciation of space and space
exploration. As well as giving me a better
understanding of my own abilities to work
independently, VASTS has given me a new
way of looking at the world and considering
different possibilities. Seemingly unconnected ideas have been rearranged in my head:
popular culture like the Star Wars franchise
or The Martian seems to be a closer reality
than ever and my understanding of the
way airplanes and rockets travel is forever
changed. While the online work was challenging, it has given me a valuable example
of how STEM influences careers. The time
commitment could vary, but typically I spent
an average of five or more hours a week on
every module, including reading and doing
the problems. This time and energy commitment is so important to consider when
applying for the program as some weeks
were much harder to work on than others.
The online VASTS experience is most definitely an opportunity for dedicated students
interested in STEM and space exploration
careers.
9
Knowing the Gnome
Gnome spotted lounging in the sun with a potted plant. Photo by Niiki Farkhan ‘16.
O
ver the course of a single interview,
I learned to appreciate the mysterious runaway we at Madeira know as the
Gnome. Despite his reputation for his
reserved demanor, the Gnome was surprisingly open to sharing details about his adventures on the Madeira campus and a bit
about himself. After recovering my nerves
at meeting such a big time idol, I was
humbled by how patient he was in answering my intruding questions. I started my interview with one of
the most sought after questions about Mr.
Gnome- how did he ever end up on the
Madeira Campus?
“Well, I was the youngest of a family with
thirty eight children and I felt somewhat
invisible. I got the idea to run away. I
RAW Corner
caught the first 4:45 snail out of town.
Snails became turtles, turtles became birds,
and before long I had graduated to planes,
trains, cars, and even camels. “Travelling became more than just a way to rebel
against my family and show independence;
it became a lifestyle. I visited small towns
at first. This only sparked my love of ad-
“Travelling became more than
just a way to rebel against my
family and show independence;
it became a lifestyle.”
venture. I soon found myself traveling to
different states and sometimes different
continents. I’ve seen all seven continents
COMMUNITY
Kathryn Fronabarger ‘19
and five oceans. I realized that I was
looking for a bit more stability in my life,
so I decided to stop off at the Madeira
campus,” said the Gnome. “It was the
horses. I’ve always had a love of horses.
Turns out, one of the turtles I hitched a
ride had also made his way here- G.G.- so
it seemed like a sign.”
All this talk of travel, I wonder
if Madeira was indeed the Gnome’s last
stop. How long did he plan to stay at
Madeira? Did he miss his gnomeland?
“I might not be here for much longer,
as I am with most places, but that’s all I
can say for now,” the Gnome smiles slyly.
“I’m content for now on finding good
hiding spots. I still love living at Madeira.
Anytime a group of students walk past
me, I listen to their conversation. (I’m
gnomesy.) But don’t worry, I don’t tell
secrets. How you feel about ASMs, mixers,
and what classes to avoid is all information. I’m low key kind of gnome. The one
thing I hate is when people complain
about my size. Honestly, I just want to tell
people that it is not my problem that they
can never find me.”
So when not hiding, what does
he do? Since we know the Gnome’s past,
could we know his past times.
“I enjoy botany, fine culinary arts, small
animals, stargazing, and long walks on
the Beeches.
Although the Gnome might
seem a bit hard to get to, he’s a very down
to earth guy and just likes to hang around.
Talking to a clay figurine may not be the
highlight of 2016, but as weird as it
seems (and might look) talking to such
a decorated idol was comforting.
A
s a RAW captain, this year has been
one of the most spirited I have experienced in my four years at Madeira.
From the amazing spirit week to the
Madeira flags and pep rally the entire
community has helped to make this year
fantastic! For the first time, RAW included both the artistic and athletic sides of
Madeira. The winter musical performed
did a great job in the pep rally, and we
received so many RAW points for soiree/
musical attendance. I am truly going to
miss my time as a RAW captain. Going all out for spirit week (especially the
hard-rock day) and this year’s pep rally
are things that I will always remember.
We are beyond thrilled to
announce that the RAW captains for
the Red team (GO RED!!!) are Hannah
Adams and Morgan Wallace and the
White Team Captains are Jenna Shackelford and Skylar Meyers. Over the past
four years I have seen RAW spirit grow
into something that Madeira snails get
SUPER excited for: Minute-to-win-it
games, games of the week, and CMT
cheers have kept the Snail pride alive
for throughout the whole year. I cannot
wait to see where next year’s RAW captains take Madeira Spirit! Go Red and
GO SNAILS!!
Julie Sun ‘18
Lily Zarafhar ‘18
Question: What is your favorite Madeira
tradition and why?
A: “My favorite Madeira tradition is
Founder’s day because I love ice cream.”
Question: Name one change of yourself after
you came to Madeira?
A: “Madeira really boosted my confidence
and allowed me to be pushed out of my
comfort zone.”
Question: Who is your favorite Madeira
adult and why?
A: “My favorite Madeira adult is Mr. Dayton because he gives me candy when I am
sad.”
Question: How do you spend your weekend
at Madeira?
A: “I come to Madeira on the weekends
to hang out with my friends.”
Question: Name three Madeira activities or
programs that make Madeira special?
A: “The activities that make Madeira different from other schools are Co-Curriculum, General Tso’s, and Inner Child Night.”
SPORTS
Waging Wars to Checking Sticks:
A Look into Madeira Lacrosse
L
Kita Konerth ‘16
Snail of the Month
acrosse is a long standing team sport
with a rich history. It is speculated that
it may have been played as early as the 17th
century by Native American tribes in an
area that is now part of modern day Canada. As more colonists arrived, interest in
the sport grew, and many English schools
started teams after the game received
Queen Victoria’s endorsements in the late
1800s. Since then, lacrosse has become
a much larger sport, and was even been
included in the 1904 and 1908 Summer
Olympic Games. Since its beginnig, there
have been many modifications to the game,
including the addition of women’s lacrosse
as an almost completely different sport. Today, most schools and universities, including Madeira, have women’s lacrosse teams
that compete at a wide range of levels.
So how does one play lacrosse? It
all comes down to the team. Each team has
12 players: Five attackers, players who attack the other team’s goal, five defenders to
defend the goal, one midfielder, who both
attacks and defends, and one goalie per
team. The games begin with a draw, and
“Madeira girls are really, perseverant and they are resilient and
they like, never give up. And I
think that, that’s what makes our
teams so great, not in skill but
just communication and teamwork in general.”
the ball travels the field by way of lacrosse
sticks, sometimes called crosses. The sticks
have a rounded net at the top for catching and throwing
the ball across the
field, and each goal
is scored when players throw the ball
into the net. Unlike
some other sports,
every goal scored
in lacrosse is worth
one point only, no
matter where on
the field the goal
is scored. Whilst
physical force is
accepted in men’s
lacrosse, it is considered a foul in
women’s lacrosse,
Becca Bishof ‘16 scores. Photo by Niiki Farkhan ‘16.
Victoria Akagha‘19
and only two kinds of checks are allowed,
body checks (without making contact),
and stick checks, in which players use their
sticks to block off opponents.
Although Madeira’s Varsity lacrosse team had a bit of a rocky start this
season, they have had a wonderful comeback, beating Georgetown Day School
12-8 on April twentieth and Maret 11-5 on
the twenty-first. During the home game
against Maret, the team played well, with
strong plays and fantastic teamwork. While
they may not be the best team in the area,
they make up for it with their continued
effort and showmanship. Starting player
Jordan Williams ‘16, says “We always play
our hardest like, every single time, and I
think that’s true for not only lacrosse but all
sports. Madeira girls are really, perseverant
and they are resilient and they like, never
give up. And I think that, that’s what makes
our teams so great, not in skill but just
communication and teamwork in general.”
Communication is the most important part of any team, no matter the
sport, and our teams really embody that.
Lacrosse is a game made for camaraderie and communication, from the earliest
games, which were played by hundreds of
people, to the 24 player lacrosse games we
see today. Madeira’s varsity lacrosse team
has become more than that, in the course
of the season they have become a close
knit group that supports one another both
on and off the field. As midfielder Krysten
Scott ‘19 says about lacrosse: “It’s basically
the highlight of my day... if I’m having a bad
day it’s what keeps me going.”
9
ENTERTAINMENT
The Electric Crate:
Money and Music
T
he process of buying an album or discovering a new musician is no longer
a matter of going to the record store and
sifting through vinyls, but is now only
a click or subscription away. Through
services that provide millions of songs
available for on line streaming, concerts,
interviews, and new releases are now
available at any moment, on any device.
However, with the immense growth of the
online music streaming industry, competition has already begun to take shape, as
both musicians and listeners struggle to
abide by a single service. The most popular
in the streaming market are most recognizably Spotify, Apple Music, and Jay Z’s
Tidal. According to Billboard Magazine,
these three have journeyed into 2016 with
the highest amount of profits, from users
and endorsers alike. However, arguably,
the most pivotal part of creating profit is
attracting reputable musicians and having
a large user base, but what happens when
the needs of users clash with the needs of
signed musicians?
Founded in 2008, Spotify uses
a system of subscription tiers to create
revenue, called “free tier” and “premium
tier.” Users on free tier, who use the service
for free, can listen to Spotify’s vast catalogue of music on shuffle mode, but are
given advertisements from Spotify’s many
endorsers. Listeners on premium tier can
listen to any song without shuffle mode
and download them for offline use, but are
given a $12.99 monthly subscription rate.
According to Spotify Artists, the official
information site for Spotify Music, Spotify
pays artist and label expenses through royalties “by distributing nearly 70% of all
the revenues that [they] receive, back to
rights holders.” Although 70% may seem a
sizeable amount of profits, an article from
The Economist notes that the average artist
“However,
controversy over
payment to artists from online
streaming have also created new
pathways for new companies to
form.”
on Spotify may even earn as little as “less
than a penny per song”, depending on the
amount of plays in each country. Compensation for lesser-known musicians within
streaming companies have sparked a huge
debate in the music world. Pop superstar, Taylor Swift explains in an interview
with Yahoo, “the landscape of the music
industry…all feels… like a grand experiment”. And as many fans may know, in
2014, Swift withheld the release of her fifth
album, 1989, from Spotify and pulled the
remainder of her songs off the service, as
well. Not being the first, many artists have
withheld albums from Spotify to protest
the lack of artist compensation. However,
controversy over payment to artists from
online streaming have also created new
pathways for new companies to form.
Tidal, founded by music mogul,
Jay Z, celebrated its two year anniversary
from its release in 2014. The music software
is very similar to Spotify and Apple Music
in terms of design and access on any device,
however, it promises users “advertisementfree... CD-quality music and music video
streaming.” Being a service created by
musicians, the platform also offers exclusive content and premature releases, including Kanye West’s album, The Life of
Pablo (February 19, 2016), and Beyoncé’s
Lemonade (April 23, 2016). However, with
its many benefits, the service is a costly
$19.99 per month, or $10.99 for a similar,
but downgraded experience. According to
Time Magazine, the release of Tidal Music
sparked a rebellion amongst musicians in
the music industry. The platform was the
first to openly vouch for the higher payment
of artists and their labels who release music
online. By increasing the price of subscription, some may argue, this is the reason for
Tidal’s 3 million subscribers, compared to
Spotify’s 30 million, and Apple Music’s 12
million, all as of March 2016.
Though creating a large amount
conversation in the media, controversy
over musician compensation has created
opposing sides between both musicians and
their fans. Many celebrities, have defended
the protest against Spotify and Apple Music,
but those opposing the increase of prices
in streaming services argue that musician
compensation is not an issue. Shane Ferro
of Business Insider argues that “... when you
buy an album, you’re basically paying $10
for that first listen. Past that, it’s free. The
artist doesn’t get extra money from the
person who listens to the song 1 million
times versus the person who only listens to
it 10 times.” In her article she contends that
Spotify’s previous pay-per-stream method,
would have an artist more than the average,
one-time record sale.
Whatever the argument may be,
from both fans and musicians, both sides
are in favor of music. As the industry
continues to grow, more outlets are being
created to solve the issues of musicians, and
their followers. However, perhaps listeners
should follow the work of “hipsters”, and
return to crate digging at the record store.
Dorm Delicacies:
Flourless Banana Chocolate Nut Butter Cake (In a Mug!)
A
Niiki Farkhan ‘16
s a foodie, I have been searching for the
perfect mug recipe. I have always seen
beautiful looking pictures of mug recipes
on websites, but every time I tried to make
it, it either tasted like tar or almost broke
my teeth. It became my mission to find the
perfect recipe that will 1) taste bomb 2) not
break my teeth 3) be SO easy that I could
successfully make it even if I were half
asleep. After spending a good hour looking
for recipes, I stumbled upon this yummy
looking one in BuzzFeed. With the short
list of ingredients that you can find in the
dining hall or in your dorm adult’s pantry,
I thought this would be perfect for any
boarder and day student. I decided to try
it out because it looked too good to be true.
I decided to try and make the cake and
rank it on taste, moistness, and simplicity.
Kathryn Fronabarger ‘19
B
efore I talk about tips and tricks to feel
better and accomplish more, I must
stress one point: Overthinking things
and worrying about the past won’t help.
I owned a pair of Crocs, spelled my own
high school name wrong in my application essays, and cut my hair off in middle
school, but that didn’t stop me from living
life now. The 2016 school year is a clean
slate for everyone, and the best way to
evolve is by living in the now and learning
from the past rather than finding new
things to worry about. It’s never too late in
the year to start fresh.
Wa journal can eliminate the clutter
rite in a journal- Keeping up with
added throughout the day. Life gets pretty
hard, and there’s a smorgasbord of reasons
to be stressed. A journal is the perfect way
to rant about (insert name/ issue here),
draw, clear extraneous thoughts, and just
have the ability to say anything freely.
Dalready hard enough amd assure you
on’t stress about outfits- Waking up is
no one will call you out for what you decide
to wear, which means you can make your
fashion life as easy as it gets. One tip is to
have different colors of shirts/ pants/ other
articles of clothing that are easy to wear.
This is key for those who have anxiety or
are foggy in the morning.
Mof thoughts such “Why do I exist,” or
editate - Sometimes the most random
“Why is it called history and not herstory
or theirstory,” pop up, and meditation is the
perfect way to answer these imperative life
questions. Added bonus: it reduces anxiety,
which is basically the mantra of this article.
Rcomic books, science journals, and
ead- It can be fiction, real time news,
anything else. Reading opens the mind to
a new dimension, that dimension could
be anything from Medieval France to the
latest scoop with the Kardashians. When
life gets hard, boring, and/or old it’s always
nice to have the ability to dive deep into
another land.
Ga day in order to be the happiest, most
ive hugs- Try to give at least one hug
thoughtful, and most successful person
possible. I know it sounds odd, but human
connection stimulates the mind and
releases endorphins. Air hugs don’t count.
For those people who are uncomfortable
with the idea of a hug, start with a pet.
Kwith a large variety of friends because
eep up with friends- Keep in contact
they’ll be there when times get tough.
Friends are the extra 25 cents needed to get
a snack at the vending machine.
Ingredients:
- 1 mashed banana
- Dash of water
- ¼ cup of nut butter (3 packs of
peanut butter from the dining hall)
- 2 tsp of sugar
- 3 tbsp of unsweetened coco
powder
- ¼ cup of whatever you
want (chocolate chips, nuts,
etc.)
Directions:
Mash the banana in a large mug with a
fork. Add the nut butter and mix thoroughly. Stir in the sugar and cocoa and
beat until smooth. Fold in the add-ins.
Microwave for 1.5 to 2.5 minutes (depending on the microwave) until risen.
Nandi Ndoro ‘19
How to be a
Good Human:
Tips for 2016
Rmake fatal mistakes in life (curling my
ecover from mistakes-Sometimes we
Taste:
Moistness:
Simplicity:
Average:
eyelashes off accidentally and cutting my
hair off in the sixth grade are just two of
my many mishaps) and need some help.
Telling people can be embarrassing, so my
solution is WikiHow. Wikihow is a website;
it’s impersonal and therefore cannot judge.
If there’s no way to undo past mistakes,
than the best thing to do is just learn from
it.
nly use a bed for sleep - A bed is meant
for sleep and nothing else- it may
sound obvious, but by checking Instagram/
any other social media in a place designated for sleep, it tricks the mind to stay
awake. Keeping a Snap Streak is a priority
but sleep is necessary.
O
11
GAMES
Graduation
Christine Lee ‘17
Word Bank:
AFFIRMATION
COLLEGE
DIPLOMA
GRADUATION
MADEIRA
OVAL
PROM
REDTEAM
RINGSISTERS
ROSES
SENIOR
TASSEL
VALEDICTORIAN
WHITETEAM
YEARBOOK
“Plugged in”
HOROSCOPES:
The Signs at Mixers
Katie King ‘19
CAPRICORN: The reserved friend. *Only talks to
the chaperones*
AQUARIUS: The quiet friend. *Is at mixer the
entire time, no one notices them until the bus ride
back*
PISCES: The friend who hangs out with all the
other schools. *Hits the Quan with Foxcroft*
ARIES: The friend who always ends up in the
middle of the circle. *Starts dance battle*
Callie Jacks ‘17
“i thought you were tired”
TAURUS: The mom. *Kills the boy you were dancing with*
GEMINI: The roaster. *Drags you for your hair,
outfit, dancing, and taste in boys*
CANCER: The friend who NEVER comes to a
mixer. *Promises you she’ll be there, bails on you
for pizza*
LEO: The first one to start dancing. *Dabs (offbeat)*
VIRGO: The nervous friend. *Cries in the corner
because there were too many people*
LIBRA: The clinger *Latches on to you the moment you walk in, and doesn’t leave for the remainder of the mixer*
SCORPIO: The protective one. *Basically murders
any boy who tries to do anything to you*
Ivy Li ‘18
SAGITTARIUS: The MIA friend *Disappears for 3
hours, Squad believes they’re dead*
Washington DC May Calendar
May 3 – 15, 2016
The Wizard of Oz Spring Theater in Washington DC (2016
Show Highlights)
May 15, 2016,
Taste of Arlington 2016
(A Northern VA Food
Festival)
May 20-22, 2016
Northern Virginia Fine
Arts Festival 2016
May 21, 2016
Gaithersburg Book Festival
2016
May 27 - 31
DC Capital Fair 2016 - A
Summer Carnival at RFK
Stadium
Photo Essay
2015-2016 In Review
SWING sisters, Kaitlin McCarthy ‘17, Chanel Dulay ‘17,
Kalyna White ’18, Alex Raposo ‘18, Lisa Oguike ‘18, and
Shayna Riggins ‘18 on move-in day.
Meagan Lane ‘16 and Sequoia Ragland ‘17 at the East Dorm Event.
Christine Lee ’17, Molly Oursiniri ’17, and Nicole Kolmsetter ’17 examine
a set of bones for a forensic investigation.
Madeira dancers show off their pointe work at Winterfest.
Mr. Southworth and Mr. Sharp at
the Halloween parade.
RAW captains, Kita Konerth ‘16, Kiana Seecharan ‘16, Kylie Jordan ‘16, and Dylan Murphy ‘16, preparing for the RAW Battle.
Izzy Hamilton ‘16, Ms. Smith, and Katie Palmer ‘16 carving pumpkins for Halloween.
Seniors celebrate over their victory in the Junior-Senior Dodgeball game.
Chapin Brown ’19, Meagan Lane ’16, Lily Moriarty ’17, Cyan Perdue
’17, Magana Ngaiza ’17, and Kipi Werschler ’18 compete to win trivia
points at Miss Greenway.
Claire Womack ’16, Julia Skinner-Grant ’19 as, Ciara O’Donoghue ’18,
and Lexi Gage ’17 in Relationship Status directed by Meagan Lane ‘16.
All photos by Mrs. Ali Southworth
Ejun Kim ‘19 and Krysten Scott ‘19 at
Beach Party.
Becca Bishof ‘16 playing being defended at the Madeira v Maret varsity
lacrosse game.
Sophia Beneski ‘16, Kylie Jordan ‘16, Kiana
Seecharan ‘16, and Dylan Murphy ‘16
showing off their college t shirts.
Niki Fifield ‘16 leads group of people on their phones with the
Mindfulness class.
Kelly Nance ‘19 and Victoria Akagha ‘19 participate in “Shakespeare on the Oval.”
Bella Valcourt ‘18, Maddie Bennett, Ellie
Jordan ‘18, and Maddie Heilbrun ‘18 pose
on move-in day.