Silver Chips Online

"Can we bring down the lights?" University of Maryland Professor Ross Salawich asks. The auditorium gradually dims, enveloping the Blair student audience in a darkness that Salawitch's voice soon penetrates. "It's the little things that decrease our carbon footprint," he says during the environmental assembly.

It is six a.m., and as junior Selena Wyborski is awakened by her shrill alarm clock, she remains under her covers, eyes still closed. She ponders the looming task that lies before her - choosing an outfit for the day - and reminisces about the days before she went to Blair, when she could slip on a familiar uniform every morning without a second thought. But as of two years ago, those days are over.

He hoists the video camera in a steady hand, its lens as his only source of vision, as he maneuvers his way through Blair's hallways like a hunter scoping out his prey. He comes to a halt as he approaches a classroom door and closely observes its doorknob, the focus of his lens.

It's Friday night at Blazer Stadium and Blair fans are going crazy. One group of friends is clapping, shrieking and jumping up and down, causing the gleaming metal bleachers to shake. Other fans are pointing towards the field with wide smiles plastered on their faces.

It's game day and the stadium lights glow as the Blazers stand ready to step onto their turf. Fans are stomping their feet in the stands, decked out in red and white, cheering for their team. Across the field, Northwood students stand equally excited, waiting for the first whistle. Everyone knows that this match is much more than just another game: it's a battle.

It is chilly outside but Blair's media center is warm and inviting. The large audience quietly nibbles cupcakes and cookies as the resonating sounds of voice and guitar wash over them. In the middle of the dreary school day, the Silver Quill open mic has brought student expression alive.

It's dark and rustling leaves can be heard in the distance. Walking along the trail, an ominous feeling fills the air and suddenly something jumps out from the darkness. These spooky trails are so much fun, it's scary. SCO is here with the SCO-down on the best Halloween trails Montgomery County has to offer.

It's Halloween and the wind is swirling wildly as twilight turns to darkness. The air is crisp and leaves crackle as night draws near. Trekking down the dimly lit street are creatures and characters of all kinds. Some costumes make you shiver with fear, some make you grin with delight. And others - well, others might just leave you confused.

For most Blazers, a graduation year is a symbol of both pride and rivalry, a number to chant competitively at pep rallies and emblazon on colorful class t-shirts. But this Friday, Blair alumni with their class years written on small, white nametags met at Strathmore's Auditorium to reminisce about a Blair shared by students for more than seven decades.

Waking up one hot June morning, junior Clara Kelly felt unusually nauseated. As she rose from her bed, aches shot up her back and into her head. Her body felt strangely hot - her temperature had risen to a steep 101 degrees. Lacking the energy to move and the will to eat, Kelly lay in bed for days, hoping to sleep off the illness that had suddenly consumed her. She felt almost certain that an influenza virus had struck her, but the timing seemed strange. In fact, the only influenza virus circulating at that juncture was the H1N1 virus. As the rest of the world grew terrified of the strange new pandemic, Kelly feared what the virus held in store for her body.