Now that the sun has decided to come out and play, there is no excuse to get dressed in the dark anymore. Spring is here, giving life to new styles and trends that will be sure to brighten up a muted winter wardrobe.
Junior Maya Baum is on the verge of insanity. She is a mother, grieving over the loss of her child–in iambic pentameter. In front of a panel of judges, other contestants and an audience, Baum takes the stage of the New Shakespeare Theater in Washington, D.C. to reveal the tragic tale of Constance from Shakespeare's "King John" in a heartfelt monologue. After months of rehearsal and preparation, she is among 30 other talented high school students from Maryland, Virginia and Washington, D.C. competing in the District's National Shakespeare Competition.
For every little girl who ever watched Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" and promptly dragged her mother to the Disney Store in search of a yellow sparkling dress identical to that of her princess idol, reliving the beloved childhood classic on stage years later is a dream come true. Too much pressure for a high school production? Apparently not for directors Kelly O'Connor and Miriam Plotinsky who captained the Blair production of the stage adaptation of Disney's "Beauty and the Beast." Opening with an attendance-office blowing sold-out show, the cast and crew gave the audience a true happily ever after.
Board games aren't just for the bored, as sophomore Robert Wallace can testify. With his eyebrows knitted in concentration and his eyes sparkling with energy, he recounts his last quest to conquer the territory of a 19-by-19 board from his opponent. Strategy is essential – as are an open mind, quick decision-making skills and a cool temper – but Wallace says that these skills come with practice. Go, a Chinese board game and Wallace's favorite hobby, is certainly more than the average game of checkers.
The 50th annual Grammy Awards show is approaching and for once, people are showing some interest. With the striking Hollywood writers announcing that they will not picket the yearly music extravaganza, the Grammy Awards may be the only major awards show to fight its way onto a live telecast this year.
With holiday festivities past and exams upon us, the urge to roll out of bed and begin the trudge to school without changing out of those cozy sweat pants may be overwhelming. But despite the cold, many Blazers are still sizzling in the latest fashions, which will keep you toasty and trendy through ice, snow and scantrons.
Each year, director Kelly O'Connor challenges young thespians to assume alternate identities. After months of rehearsal, the ordinary student may change their mannerisms to channel the inner princess, cowboy or pirate that the director is coaching her to embody onstage. In the coming months, students throughout the school will take on the demeanors of lively teapots, flirty feather-dusters and playful foot-rests.
Fighting off the "Z"s during first period is a challenge many students have sought to master over the years. If a good breakfast won't help, then a cup of Starbucks coffee must. But for students in Robert Gibb's first period, staying awake is not a problem. No heads are on their desks in this Modern World History class, as every eye is glued to the projector screen where a Roman battle scene rages. After several minutes, the YouTube clip concludes and Gibb continues lecturing his students, who are now eager, awake and experiencing a rejuvenated interest in the Roman Empire.
So maybe the little old lady who hands out quarters instead of Halloween candy gave you an odd look last year when you arrived at her door with a trio of pals scrunched into your Disney Princess costumes from fifth grade. Perhaps you felt a flush of shame when that jerky pack of Power Rangers giggled at you from behind their little orange buckets of Junior Mints and Twizzlers. You know what they're all thinking: Aren't they a little old?
In the mood for Mexican? Drop the phone, forget take-out and head to the kitchen to cook up a fiesta of flavors in one hour flat. This easy recipe for chicken enchiladas will satisfy that craving for Mexican flair in the comfort of your home.
It was mid-August and Blair seemed empty, except for one solitary man striding down Blair Boulevard. Gazing up at the threshold of the main staircase leading toward the high turquoise ceiling, Darryl Williams stopped in his tracks. Everything was oversized, built to hold the diverse mix of students constituting the largest high school in the county, but without them crowding the halls, its vastness engulfed him. Williams was standing in the midst of the high school which was to become his new home.
Within the realm of the new school dress code, Blazers may find it harder and harder to stay in vogue. A few fashion pioneers, however, have managed to break through the barriers and create fall styles of their own. Silver Chips Online has spotted and reported the hottest trends of the season from Rodeo Drive to Blair Boulevard to help the everyday Blazer dress to impress beyond the first week of school.
When the bell sounds at 2:10 p.m., students pile noisily out of the P.E. hallway, toward their buses or friends. In the midst of the hysteria, a teacher leans casually against the wall outside his classroom, slapping hands, laughing and joking playfully with students on their way out. The day however, is not nearly over for Richard Porac, a notoriously entertaining health teacher.
Think beach week is a time to get away from school? Think again; you may just end up sharing a beach umbrella with Mr. Gainous.
MAY 4-5, SHERWOOD HIGH SCHOOL-
Senior Mike Street swallows a nervous lump as he ties an apron around his waist. He surveys the immaculate personal cooking station before him, registering the raw chicken broccoli, and rice. To his right are spices, seasonings and vegetables; and to his left, cooking utensils and appliances. With one hour and 58 minutes to go, he seizes a handful of flour with one hand and a slab of raw chicken with the other, and begins the race for the title Best Teen Chef 2007.
The lights dim in the Patriot Center and a montage of grainy black and white images-a ram, Miss America, Las Vegas, and the American West-shine on an enormous screen that masks the stage. As the screen lifts, red, white and blue confetti rains down on the audience below. Then come the pounding bass, soaring synthesizer and idiosyncratic vocals. It can only be The Killers.
Inside the walls of the Dance Exchange studio on Maple Ave., more than muscles are hard at work. Juniors Sarah Rothman and Suzanna Vaughan, along with six other teenage girls are deep in thought as they fan out onto the shining studio floor. The girls divide in two groups of four and each begin to talk and move to a mellow techno beat. After ten minutes of brainstorming, the girls have choreographed a 30 second dance. "Show me what you got!" says their instructor. With a confident smile, Rothman urges one of the younger dancers to begin. Taking the first of many risks, the young dancer allows Rothman and Vaughan to lift her into the air.
Think the big bad wolf, Cruella DeVille, and the two ugly stepsisters for a minute. All these characters have gone down in the history of storybooks and animation as the image of inherent evil. But is it fair to agree with this assessment without hearing their side of the story? The musical "Wicked" gives The Wicked Witch of the Witch from the classic book and movie "The Wizard of Oz" an opportunity to redeem name. Hitch a ride on a flying house and take a trip down the yellow brick road of Oz to learn the truth about the infamous Wicked Witch of the West in the magical musical "Wicked."
With St. Patrick's Day weekend just a wee bit away, its time to get started planning for the holiday that makes everyone feel Irish if only for a day. Whether you enjoy tapping your toes to an Irish fiddle, cheering on a spirited parade or diving into a dish of Irish cuisine, this guide to local Celtic fun is sure to bring out the inner green in you.
On Jan. 27, Peace Studies teacher Joanne Malone positioned herself in the midst of a crowd of approximately 500,000 anti-war demonstrators, on the side street of the National Mall where she promised her first and third period peace studies students could find her. But for the students in Malone's Peace Studies classes, attending the protest was more than a show of expression; it was a homework assignment.
February is here and it has brought us freezing temperatures and, well, not much else. But don't let the cold grey weather get you down! Silver Chips Online has compiled a list of fun, closeby winter activities guaranteed to help beat the winter blues. Whether you're into skating in the city, skiing in the mountains, or tubing down a giant hill, each of these places is car or metro accessible, and will help get you off the couch and into this year's winter wonderland.
Blair's Diversity Workshop is being offered to teachers for the first time in Blair history since 2001 at a faculty meeting on Jan. 29. The workshop is one of 10 activities presented to staff as a segment of this month's faculty meeting.
SGA president Eric Hysen and the administration have reached an agreement over the lock-out policy this morning. The SGA will not appeal to the Superintendent's Office in favor of revisions to the lock-out policy and more inclusion in decision-making.
SGA President Eric Hysen received a reply from Principal Phillip Gainous this morning rejecting his formal request for a review of the lock-out policy.
"THUMP!" The pitter-patter of shoes kick the back of the chair. Above the volume of the previews, the unmistakable crunching of popcorn, slurping of soda, and rustling of candy wrappers can be heard. THUMP…CRUNCH…SLURP…THUMP…. The movie theater seems to explode with the cacophony of noise that can only mean one thing: small children. A warning to parents, babysitters, and older siblings alike: drop the minors off at the door, and run, do not walk away from "Unaccompanied Minors."
The SGA will be hosting a talent show in the SAC this Friday, Nov. 17, from 7 to 9 p.m. The show will feature a variety of Blazer-organized performances, spanning from dance to music.
A girl with neon pink leggings, a floral print green dress, gold fairy wings and red rain boots darts quickly through the SAC toward a group of her friends, who are all clad in equally outrageous apparel. Blair Boulevard is alive with decorations of the board games Life, Clue, Candyland and Monopoly. On the way to class one might pass a paper mountain or a giant crossword puzzle on the walls of the hallways. This was the start of spirit week 2006, in which Blair students eagerly anticipated and embraced, while 11 teenage visitors to America stood amid the enthusiasm and chaos in awe.
The camera flashes to Jon Heder, sleeping soundly with his mouth agape, breathing heavily. Unfortunately, this is not "Napoleon Dynamite Two," this is "School for Scoundrels," a film which pales in comparison to Heder's earlier film.
There was a will but not a way for the JV girl's soccer team on Tuesday night against Quince Orchard. Supported by a small but enthusiastic crowd of parents and schoolmates in the stands, the Blazers fought hard to penetrate Quince Orchard's sturdy defense to no avail as their opponent was in possession of the ball for most of the game and Blair could not keep up with their skilled ball handling and speed. The game ended with the Blazers on the losing end of a 4-0 shutout.
Welcome back to Seattle Grace Hospital, where a typical day's work includes performing surgery on a dying baby, confining an outbreak of the dangerous bubonic plague, and messing around with a married attendee in spare time. The third season returns with the same riveting plot lines as before.
It wouldn't be surprising if the Robert Penn novel bearing the same name as the film proved more impressive than the movie. But then again, it would not be a large accomplishment for a book or a movie to surpass the quality of "All the King's Men," an unimpressive movie encompassing the moral and political downfall of Willie Stark, who is based loosely off the Louisiana politician Gov. Huey Long.
The Blair girls' junior varsity soccer team defeated Wheaton yesterday in dominating fashion, winning 11-0. The team's first home game, scheduled for Sept. 5, was postponed due to rain, making yesterday's game the proud season opener for the freshmen and sophomore team.
From the riveting previews for Al Gore's documentary on global warming, one could expect "An Inconvenient Truth" to be frightening, fascinating, compelling and inspiring. The film, however did not fully succeed on any one of these measures, and proved to be 1 hour and 40 minutes of political propaganda. The travesty of global warming is overshadowed by an overview of the noble life of Al Gore, as the movie focuses on his many contributions to the U.S. government and efforts to change environmental policies, scattered with dry details of the upcoming devastation of the world.
Senior Sarah Rothman flaunts a Forever 21 sun-dress in the spring sunshine.
Freshman Hawa Jan can weather any storm in her eye-catching plaid peacoat.
World History teacher Robert Gibb keeps his class alive with a power-point presentation during a lecture.
A more collected, though convincing Miss South Carolina, toilet paper sash and all.
This cheesy, spicy feast majes a fiesta of flavors easy enough for any night of the week.
Senior Keisha McIlwain's Steve Madden stilletos complete her funky fall look.
Senior finalist Lance Zhao performs a piano piece during the ceremony.
Keisha McIlwain's Look: Heart-print frock shirt: Forever 21, $22. Skinny jeans: Nordstrom's brand, $89.99 Yellow stilettos: Steve Madden, $79.95 Bracelet: H&M, $4 Necklace: H&M, $12
Junior Elizabeth Shemondy's butterfly pendant adds a unique touch to her ensemble.
Elizabeth's Shemondy's Look: Floral sundress: Urban Outfitters, $59.99 Brown knit cardigan: Torrid, $58 Butterfly necklace: Icing, $12 Silver Flats: Steve Madden, $68.94
Teens warm up during a Thursday night class at Dance Exchange.