Soapbox: Blazers speak out

Running injuries

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"At the beginning of my freshman year I had a stress fracture in my lower back. I was out almost the entire season and I had to stay off it and avoid all athletic activity."
-junior Andrew Lichter

"I pulled my quad muscle playing softball. I had to go to a physical therapist. I have to be careful, though; if I pull it again, it's more of a risk."
-sophomore Molly Nicholson

"I had surgery on my finger; I haven't played football since. The doctor says I can play sports in two weeks. I also broke my wrist [while] skating and got back into it for the love of the sport."
-senior Drew Byron

"I was playing soccer and someone stepped on my ankle and it cracked. It changed the way I play; it has been really bad for me."
-senior Loic Noubossie

What was your and your community's reaction to the earthquake in Haiti on Jan. 12?

"My family lives in Haiti and at first I was really shocked and scared. I wanted to know if they were okay. Afterward, I was really happy about how much people are willing to help and donate."
-junior Daniela Duvra

"I didn't know about it until a week afterward. I'm happy that America has [had] a bigger reaction that we did to Katrina. It seems like a lot of people are helping out."
-junior Anthony Carell

"In my community people have been donating a lot and some people have even been going down there to help."
-sophomore Alex Monsell

Where have you noticed the most gang activity in our area? What do you think should be done about it?

"Definitely not at Blair from what I've seen, but definitely the Langley Park area and some parts of D.C. There's not really that much you can do about it."
-sophomore Sebastian Medina-Tayac

"Right around Wheaton. We should make harsher penalties for gang violence."
-junior Brandon Crabtree

"Langley Park. We should promote peaceful activities and offer support to people who participate in those activities."
-sophomore Xorissa Ravitz

What is your favorite sport to watch in the Winter Olympics?

"I'm a huge Apolo Anton Ohno fan and I had to document speed skating during the last winter Olympics and I fell in love with it."
-freshman Melanie Kibunja

"My favorite winter sports to watch are snowboarding and ice skating. I love to watch snowboarding because it's fast-paced and the tricks are exciting. I like to watch ice skating because I wish I could be that good at it."
-sophomore Rachel Smith

"My favorite part of the Winter Olympics to watch is the hockey tournament, as I really like hockey and I'm looking forward to waching my favorite and best players compete against each other."
-freshman Alexis Ortiz

Do you think the current loss of credit (LC) policy needs to be changed?

"I think the LC policy should be changed. The policy shows that for a certain amount of tardies/absences the student may lose credit. But the policy should be that if the student fails then they lose credit. Sometimes a student is late/absent for a reason they can't control or have a note for. The work they missed should be given to them when they get back. If they don't return it, then it is marked as a zero."
-sophomore Hien Hoang

"I don't think that the LC policy should be changed because if a person does not care enough about their education to be late 15 times or to skip class, then I don't think you should receive the credit for it."
-freshman Thien Nguyendo

"No. I think that if people don't show up to their classes, they're not learning anything, so it's a pretty legitimate policy."
-junior Emma Kaufman