Welcome, readers of SCO! You are part of a very lucky and blessed group to have come across the last Ask Chips this year. We know, we will be dearly missed.
Team A, made up of seniors Andrew Das Sarma, Sandra Yan and team captain Alex Briese as well as sophomores Viju Ilangovan and Sam Zbarsky, won regionally and placed second at the National Science Bowl in D.C., which ran from April 28 to May 2.
Congressional leaders agreed late Friday to a compromise that will keep the federal government funded for the remainder of the fiscal year. House Speaker John A. Boehner (R-Ohio) announced the deal, which had a midnight deadline, just before 11 p.m. If finalized, the measure would cut $37.8 billion from the federal budget through the end of September
Forty-one students, comprised mostly of Communication and Arts Program (CAP) freshmen, drove to Annapolis to speak with Maryland House and Senate representatives on March 7.
n 8.9-magnitude earthquake, epicenter on the Miyagi Prefecture off the east coast of Japan, caused the formation of 30-foot tsunami. The powerful earthquake that unleashed a devastating tsunami Friday appears to have moved the main island of Japan by 8 feet (2.4 meters) and shifted the Earth on its axis.
Student Member of the Board of Education (SMOB) Alan Xie spoke with members of Blair's Students for Global Responsibility (SGR) about the Gifted and Talented (GT) label Today. SGR is working with the countywide organization Montgomery County Education Forum (MCEF) to remove the GT label in elementary schools across the county.
Observe the group of teenagers sitting around their watering hole, a dingy local coffee shop in Takoma Park. The group lounges, discussing ironic pop culture. These high school students make up a new branch of the Homosapien species: hipsters.
Students and Blair faculty evacuated the building Wednesday due to a fire in the boys' bathroom facing room 217. The fire did not damage the bathroom.
Four Blazers signed on to full scholarships to Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Division I or II colleges in a small ceremony in the media center today.
Hastily mashed-up promos featuring hard partying began appearing on MTV in late fall last year. This time, it features teenagers in Baltimore instead of guidos in Jersey Shore. This time, it causes even more controversy.
an 8. - Tuscon native Jared Loghner, 22-year-old, shot 19 civilians and fatally wounded six at a local Safeway during a constistuent meeting. United States District Court for the District of Arizona Chief Judge John Roll was among the six killed.
Silver Quill was awarded first place with special merit by the American Scholastic Press Association (ASPA) for its 2009-2010 edition, "Ink Track." In addition, nine individual Silver Quill submissions placed in the Maryland-District of Columbia Scholastic Press Association (MDCSPA) contest.
Assange faced two separate sexual assault allegations, was jailed in the UK and was released with bail on Dec. 16.
The Wheaton Redevelopment Advisory Committee (WRAC) and Wheaton Urban District Advisory Committee (WUDAC) held its fourth planning board workshop session on Dec. 9.
Dec.11-Nearly 200 countries attending the United Nations climate change conference agreed to create a $100 billion fund to help developing nations deal with global warming and to increase efforts to reduce emissions from deforestation.
Nov.19-20 - The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in Lisbon this weekend focused on coordinating the end of the Afghanistan war, placating with Iranian threats on European nations, and forging closer ties with Russia.
Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, Governor Martin O'Malley, National Education Association (NEA) President Dennis Van Roekel and Superintendent Jerry Weast visited Blair yesterday morning.
A long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, there once was a Silver Chips staple called Ask Chips (AC).
The Blair Rubik's Cube team placed fourth in the "You CAN do the Rubik's Cube" competition at the National Mall on Saturday.
The Blair Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) showed the documentary "Papers" as well as testimonies from undocumented Blair alumni on Friday.
Blair's literary arts magazine Silver Quill was awarded the highest honor from the Columbia Scholastic Press Association (CSPA) for the magazine's 2009-2010 edition "Ink Tracks."
SCO's personal pop culture pundits are here to break down the new shows with the most buzz. Get your remotes ready. Get your couch potato sweat pants set. Go!
Sept.11 – In an appearance on NBC's "Today" show, Pastor Terry Jones canceled burning copies of the Quran on the anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. Jones cited protest against plans to build an Islamic center near where terrorists brought down the World Trade Center nine years ago as the reason for the burning.
Off the record, it doesn't even matter; Galarraga will be immortalized. This "imperfect" game is more special and honorable than any perfect game in history.
On June 8, the Board of Education (BOE) named Myriam Rogers principal of Francis Scott Key Middle School in Silver Spring. Rogers has served as Blair's assistant principal since 2007 and Blair's Principal Intern since 2009.
Summer break is almost here and Blazers are already daydreaming about trips to the beach, pool parties and endless days of sunshine. True, school hasn't ended yet, but that doesn't mean that the fun can't start now.
On May 26, 71 percent of eligible teachers cast the ballot in favor of the renegotiated contract between the Montgomery County Education Association (MCEA) and the MCPS Board of Education (BOE).
On May 28 - 29, senior Dukyoung Park will play for the state champion tennis title at the University of Maryland.
The Moody's Foundation awarded $20,000 in scholarship money to seniors Jacob Hurwitz, David Tolnay, Scott Yu and junior Andrew Das Sarma on April 28 at the Moody Math Challenge. The Blazers worked as a team to solve a problem dealing with the 2010 U.S. Census.
Beginning in the 2011 school year, only one teacher will instruct all Albert Einstein Visual Arts Center (VAC) classes due to county budget cuts, according to VAC instructor Michael Piechocinski.
Following a defeat from rival school Richard Montgomery on Monday, the Blazers (7 - 1) effortlessly won the battle against the Magruder Colonels (6 - 4).
The undefeated Blazers (6 - 0) securely dominated the Titans (1 - 3) in three straight sets, with Einstein trailing behind the Blazers from the very beginning. Although the Blair team wasn't concentrating as hard as they could have throughout the first two sets, they were able to secure a solid win.
The boys' volleyball team (4 - 0) put up a fight against the Walter Johnson Wildcats (2 - 1), but pulled together to secure the win in straight sets, 25-18, 25-18 and 25-22. The Blazers inched ahead in a tight game, with the Wildcats at their heels.
Fans of "The Office" and "30 Rock" will surely rejoice the day sardonic Liz Lemon and clueless Michael Scott meet. Well, "Date Night" comes close to a successful collaboration between comedic geniuses Tina Fey and Steve Carell. It's just too bad that director Sean Levy didn't trust these actors to do what they do best.
Karen Wittmann spots the familiar DARCARS Toyota dealership at the intersection of Colesville Road and Cherry Hill Road and pulls into the parking lot. On this windy March day, Wittmann arrives to have the accelerator on her 2009 Camry fixed. The dealership has changed since her last visit.
The drama department is currently $8,000 in debt to Montgomery County Public School (MCPS) for play security personnel invoices that have not been paid in three years, according to Blair Financial Specialist Donna Franklin. Drama department head Kelly O'Connor was notified of the debt in the fall after producing "The Merry Wives of Windsor."
In their first home game of the season, the boys' varsity volleyball team securely defeated the Paint Branch Panthers in three straight sets. The Blazers gained an advantage early on in the game, achieving an 11-point head within the first 10 minutes.
On Monday, Google closed its Internet search service in China after weeks of negotiation with Chinese government officials over censorship issues. Now, mainland Chinese citizens will be able to access Hong Kong-based google.com.hk, which offers Chinese-language service with uncensored results.
The ubiquitous YouTube page, well known to the millennial generation, fills the auditorium. The sound of excited chatter bounces around the room but when the play button is pressed, the noise fades. All eyes are focused on the movie screen.
We live in an age in which the winners of awards rarely shock and surprise. Instead, the audience watches those who grace the Red Carpet for some spice. The Red Carpet never fails to deliver both shockingly gorgeous and unflattering dresses. As the awards shows wrap up for this year, SilverChic separates the exceptionally glamorous from the rest of the pack.
Magnet teacher James Schafer was recognized as a finalist in the Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) "Teacher of the Year" competition on Feb. 19. The three finalists for the county's "Teacher of the Year Award" will receive $1,000 from the Marion Greenblatt Education Fund and compete for the "Teacher of the Year" title to win additional prizes.
The bell rings - it's lunchtime. Rambunctious, noisy students charge through the halls to the cafeteria. In the midst of the chaos, senior Gemma d'Eustachio breezily walks to her table, pulls out her brown lunch bag and initiates conversation.
The latest Internet fad ChatRoulette is taking over with more than 50,000 participants. The quasi-social networking web site is like a human version of the iPod's shuffle option.
The girls' basketball team (8-11) struggled against nearly undefeated Gaithersburg High School (16-2) due to some poor execution, mishandling of the ball and overall unsteady efforts. Though the team kept up an aggressive defense at the beginning of the game, the Lady Blazers lost the energy to remain competitive by the second half and lost, 38-61.
Heavy advertising for this romantic film began extremely early in the fall of 2009. The trailer features 2009's feel-good anthem "I've Gotta Feeling" as well as more than fifteen A-list celebrities, ranging from romantic-comedy veterans Julia Roberts and Queen Latifah to rising stars Taylor Lautner and Emma Roberts.
Urban designers commissioned by the Montgomery County Planning Board are creating new guidelines to turn sections of downtown Silver Spring into large public green spaces.
The Blair Green Club is launching a new campaign to encourage the Blair community to replace traditional forms of energy with wind power through Clean Currents, a small Maryland-based green energy company.
Senior point guard Inkera Patterson eagerly crouches in anticipation for the sound of the whistle. Her heart races as she focuses on the opponents around her. The shrill ring of the whistle shatters the tense silence and she springs into motion, gliding across the court with the ball.
JD Salinger was a man who understood the angst-filled, awkward years of young adulthood better than anyone. His famous best seller "The Catcher in the Rye" revolutionized literature. Although "Catcher" was criticized initially, reading the novel has now become a vital rite of passage into adulthood.
After a seven-year hiatus, Mel Gibson returns to the other side of filmmaking in "Edge of Darkness." Gibson made his mark as director of the heart-wrenching and controversial "Passion of the Christ" in 2004. Indeed, "Edge of Darkness" will be known as Gibson's comeback film.
A combination of skill and intensity enabled the Lady Blazers to defeat the Magruder Colonels 75-37 on Wednesday. The team controlled the game with aggressive defensive strategies. After scoring the first point within 20 seconds, the girls played consistently throughout the rest of the game.
To say the least, the noughties, another term for the 2000s, have been an interesting decade, but they didn't turn out to be the happiest in history. The nation recently went through the worst economic depression since the 1930s, a frightening terrorist attack in 2001, two wars and a devastating natural disaster.
Montgomery County Council members passed a measure on Nov. 17 requiring some restaurants to post calorie counts on menus and menu boards. The law, which was passed by an 8-1 vote, requires restaurants in the Maryland county with 20 or more outlets nationwide to post calorie counts alongside food items and provide additional nutritional information to customers upon request.
The Blair administration and security team reopened bathrooms on the second and third floors during 5A and 5B lunches at the beginning of last week, according to Principal Darryl Williams. Security team leader Cedric Boatman implemented the lunchtime bathroom closures to prevent students from skipping classes in the upstairs bathrooms.
The girls' varsity basketball team (1-2) was unable to prevent a powerful rally by the undefeated Paint Branch Panthers (3-0) on Friday evening. Starting the game with a disadvantage, Blair tried unsuccessfully to manage a patient offense and consistent defense across the court.
Silver Quill will host its second "Open Mic" event during 5A and 5B lunches tomorrow in the Media Center, according to senior and Silver Quill Editor-in-Chief Emily Jones.
Over 70 years ago, "Snow White" broke the boundaries of film. Not only was it the first full-length color feature in motion picture history, but it also created a magical legacy that would capture hearts around the world.
The bathrooms on the second and third floors are now locked during 5A and 5B lunches due to a new bathroom policy that began at the start of the second quarter, according to security guard Adrian Kelly. Building service and security workers implemented the new policy due to security shortages.
Junior Andres Gomez makes his way down the stairs of a modest building in D.C. A refreshing, cool atmosphere replaces the hot and sticky summer air. A dimly-lit, moderately-sized room filled with about a hundred people comes into his view. Tables are stacked with a rainbow of sneakers that lights up the room. The characteristic rubbery smell of shoes floats heavily in the air as Gomez drinks the scene in.
Very few films have enough bite to divide people. Only a dim pool of films can cause heartbreak and simultaneously saturate with dark humor - but one film does all in vampire-galore. It's the long-awaited sequel in the "Twilight Saga," "New Moon." With comedy-gold Director Chris Weitz, "New Moon" glorifies the essence of the supernatural, angst-ridden teen novel more truthfully than its predecessor through a more threatening, mature film.
The Science Math and Technology (SMT) Academy is organizing a benefit walk for breast cancer that will be held from 1-3:30 p.m. The Walk for the Cure will begin with a breast cancer awareness discussion in the auditorium before moving to Blair's track. Monetary donations will be given to the Avon Foundation, a 501 (c) (3), nonprofit, public charity.
What do mothers with eight children, bachelors and young fashionistas have in common? They are all a part of the reality show cult, allowing cameras into their private lives.
Girls' tennis ended their county and regional playoffs on Oct. 26 with several advances just short of the semi-final round. Two seniors, co-captions Sarah Tran and Deepa Chellappa played a doubles match in regional playoffs but did not advance to the next round.
In the spirit of mischief and mayhem, SCO has watched and ranked three classic Halloween scary movies for spook-o-meter status. Most of them inspired lucrative Halloween franchises but all of them provide suspense, thrills and of course horror. So grab some candy corn, loosen up, invite some friends over and lock the door - these movies are sure to cause a fright.
The Siemens Foundation recognized three Blair seniors as regional finalists and 11 students as semi-finalists of both individual and team projects in the 2009 Siemens Competition last Friday, according to Magnet Senior Research Project teacher Elizabeth Duval.
Steadily gripping her racquet with both hands, Sarah Tran crouches low as she waits for the opponent to serve. In a flash, Tran leaves her spot with eyes solely on the lime green tennis ball. She moves her racquet behind her, preparing for a backhand stroke. The ball comes into contact with Tran's racquet, and a soft pop echoes across the tennis court.
From Oct. 16 - Oct. 17, the Blair Alumni Association, founded by alumnus Mark Levin of the class of 1966, will hold events in honor of 75 years of Blair education and spirit. Events planned include golf and tennis tournaments on Friday, a gala celebration at Strathmore Music Hall in Bethesda and a homecoming parade, pep rally, open house, football game against former rival Bethesda-Chevy Chase (B-CC) and block party in downtown Silver Spring on Saturday.
As girls' tennis winds down their season game schedule, the team still strains to outmatch their competitors. The loss brought the season record down to 3-7. Coach David Ngbea attributed the loss to the team's mistakes; he believed the teams were evenly matched in terms of talent.
The girls' varsity tennis team endured lengthy single and double matches throughout its meet with Walter Johnson, a divisional school. Although the two schools were evenly matched, the Wildcats' stability and consistency secured their win, 5-2.
Perhaps there have been too many films that merge a romantic comedy into a drama without substance. Yet beneath mediocre layers of love story in director Brandon Camp's "Love Happens" lies heart; the actors openly and truthfully address the reality of grief. A-list actors Aaron Eckhart and Jennifer Aniston star in this cheeky, bordering unoriginal film. Despite the familiar formulaic plot, the tender Eckhart engenders the grace to carry this uplifting narrative.
Heading into the mid-season, girls' tennis is struggling to maintain a competitive element. Following two losses to Wootton and Whitman, the Blazers fell to Churchill 6-1. The close match had numerous deuces, but the Bulldogs won overall. The Bulldogs' strong returns and quick swings secured their victory against the Blazers.
Blair's theater program began rehearsals for the 2009 fall play "The Merry Wives of Windsor" last Tuesday. Directed by drama teacher Kelly O'Connor, the play will feature additional scenes in order to incorporate as many Blazers as possible; as a result, the production will feature more performers than those of years past.
The girls' tennis team brought competition to the court Friday afternoon in their season opener against the Paint Branch Panthers. Despite the unyielding sunlight, the Blazers outplayed the Panthers' performance with a decisive 7-0 score.
My summer this year was not spent at the beach or the pool. Instead, I lived the realities of the Chinese countryside and grew to appreciate a way of life so different from the hustle and bustle that characterizes Americans' day-to-day routines.
Comic king Judd Apatow returns with the new film "Funny People," showing a somber, dark side of his directing fans will find unfamiliar. The critically acclaimed director made his mark with the box office hits "The 40-Year Old Virgin" and "Knocked Up."
On May 27, Montgomery County Public School's School Energy and Recycling Team (SERT), headed by Program Manager Hillary Kirchman, awarded Blair's SGReen club $2,000 for placing third in their "Lead by Example Energy and Recycling Awareness Campaign."