features

Blazer Social Media Stars: Youtube Edition

By Eric Feigen, Nene Narh-Mensah | Jan. 25, 2018, 9:43 a.m. | In Features »

Diane Dao bobs her head as she listens to BTS. She ponders possible dance routines in her head over and over for her next video. Meanwhile, Ayse Erbas, junior, sits on her bed and considers different challenges she could do for her next video and who to collab with.

Stepping up the game

By Mahnaz Habib | Jan. 24, 2018, 6:54 p.m. | In Features »

Sophomore Justin Haddad comes home on a Friday afternoon, packs his fencing gear, and hops on a plane to Portland for his next competition.

Part Two: What Happens Next?

By Rebecca Wessel, Oreet Zimand | Jan. 21, 2018, 1:09 p.m. | In Features »

Despite the increased media scrutiny of sexual misconduct in the workplace, several groups of people have gotten woefully less coverage of their experiences. This series of investigations reveals the unique struggles that teenagers face in reporting sexual misconduct by teachers and authority figures, and the ways in which their voices were silenced.

What Happens Next?

By Rebecca Wessel, Oreet Zimand | Jan. 21, 2018, 12:59 p.m. | In Features »

For Olivia, a Blair freshman, church has a powerful presence in her life. Her uncle is a priest and her mother is a well respected congregant. Yet, two years ago, the arrival of a new deacon changed her view of the church entirely.

Lifting for the thrill

By Sneha Ojha, Madeleine Tilley | Jan. 2, 2018, 2:50 p.m. | In Features »

Greer walks into the store. She looks around, scouting for security cameras and roving employees. When she's sure that nobody is looking, she shoves three tubes of lipstick and a bottle of nail polish into her purse, then walks out of the store.

Prime real-estate at Four-Corners

By Rebecca Wessel | Dec. 1, 2017, 9:40 a.m. | In Features »

A new school supply is becoming essential in many classrooms and offices at Blair. It often sits on the floor under desks and near crevices, but some are found higher up in cabinets or by sinks. They come mainly in the form of a wooden rectangle, with a spring loaded wire and a tasty treat placed just in the right position. In some cases, they're activated and the treat is gone, replaced by a once-hungry critter who was hoping to get a bite to eat.

On the other hand

By Emma Markus | Dec. 1, 2017, 9:13 a.m. | In Features »

Freshman Nicole Frank takes ambidextrousness to a completely new level. Frank is such a skilled violinist that you wouldn't notice the difference between her left hand and that of the other violinists in Blair's Symphonic Orchestra at first glance. However, Frank was born with very short fingers, often referred to as "nubbins," on her left hand. "Many people tell me they look like toes," Frank says.

An assist to El Salvador

By Rebecca Wessel | Dec. 1, 2017, 7:52 a.m. | In Features »

For many Salvadorans, soccer is much more than a hobby, it's a lifestyle. After a long day's work, it's customary to meet up with friends and family at la cancha , or the field. Unlike in the United States, most people stay on their community teams well into adulthood. And if people don't play, they certainly go to watch the games.

A Lively performance

By Eric Feigen | Nov. 30, 2017, 8:01 a.m. | In Teacher Feature »

Engaging high students is one of a teacher's greatest challenges. Robin Lively, the latest addition to the Blair math department, uses acrobatics as way to motivate her class and foster good study habits in and out of school. If all of her students receive a least C on a major assignment, Lively performs a cartwheel as a reward for the class' hard work.

Weird and wacky phobias

By Mahnaz Habib | Nov. 29, 2017, 9:36 p.m. | In Features »

Senior Moira Johnson walks through Blair Boulevard along with hundreds of other students rushing to get to class. Suddenly, she feels a soft, plush texture brush against her arm and can't help but shriek.

Spitting out family history

By Rebecca Wessel | Nov. 27, 2017, 4:54 p.m. | In Features »

After rummaging through old sepia toned photographs, connecting the branches of extended family trees and reading old letters from relatives from generations past, many questions about ancestry still remain unanswered. The secrets hidden even beyond extensive searches through old family documents can be found in the contents of a couple teaspoons of saliva.

What happens next door

By Absa Fall, Arthi Thyagarajan | Nov. 27, 2017, 2:30 p.m. | In Features »

Typically people imagine firefighters sitting in a circle with their legs propped up on a table, playing cards or checkers, waiting to be sent out for the next fire. However, the reality is that firefighters have an intense workload and are expected to maintain their composure, multi-task, and think on their feet in life or death situations.

The freaky fashions of Blair

By Nene Narh-Mensah | Nov. 13, 2017, 7:55 p.m. | In Features »

Halloween. A time when youth and adults alike across the nation dress up in their scariest, most "out-there" costumes. Blair's Costume Day on Oct. 31 drew in plenty of students sporting Halloween attire. Amidst all the spider-people and cats, skeletons and fairy varieties, these Blazer Halloween 'fits were the best of the best.

Best bathrooms at Blair: Girls' Edition

By Sneha Ojha | Nov. 13, 2017, 2:07 p.m. | In Features »

The Blair bathrooms: something that every girl has used.

Tracking the Trend of Anonymous Apps

By Nene Narh-Mensah | Nov. 7, 2017, 2:02 p.m. | In Features »

Who makes you laugh the hardest? Who's always scheming? Who is most likely to win an Oscar? These are now all questions that can be answered with complete anonymity on the popular new app To Be Honest (TBH), the latest addition to the anonymous app market.

Pulling together in a time of distress: Harvey and Irma

By Mahnaz Habib, Nobline Yoo | Nov. 3, 2017, 2:17 p.m. | In Features »

Hurricane Harvey and Irma struck the United States with raging winds up to 150 mph and angry floods. However, they were not just distant events; they affected the heart of Blair. This is the story of how they shook the Blair community.

WWII relics returned to rightful heirs

By Eric Feigen | Oct. 18, 2017, 3 p.m. | In Features »

The smoke clears and the dust begins to settle. Thousands of US marines wander the small island of Peleliu as Japanese soldiers, planes, and cruisers retreat in the distance. The Battle of Peleliu is over. The 13 square kilometer island is finally under US control. Marines explore the deserted tunnel systems, caves and bunkers, now abandoned by the Japanese 14th infantry division.

Excitement and obstacles in portable rollout

By Madeleine Tilley, Oreet Zimand | Oct. 16, 2017, 2:19 p.m. | In Features »

At the far end of Blair, past the SAC doors and the student courtyard, sit four brand new portables, a mass of beige and wood lazing in the afternoon sun. The portables, a result of Blair's expanding student population, are a new addition meant to help with the increasing Blazer population.

Volvo's bold commitment

By Eric Feigen | Oct. 10, 2017, 8:51 p.m. | In Features »

Volvo declares it will discontinue manufacturing vehicles powered solely by fossil fuels.

Rihanna's new Fenty Beauty passes the test with flying colors

By Arthi Thyagarajan | Oct. 10, 2017, 2:27 p.m. | In Lifestyle »

After Fenty Beauty's debut earlier this month, Rihanna's cosmetics line has received praise not only from a wide range of customers, but also from beauty gurus from all around the makeup world.

It takes a village

By Charles Lott | June 13, 2017, 7:44 p.m. | In Features »

Some Blair students have parents who check Edline religiously, help with homework and don't let their children leave the house unmonitored. Others opt for complete freedom, letting their children party and take care of their own business without oversight. Most high school parents fall somewhere between these two extremes, and it begs the question: how much parental involvement is just right?

Protecting the party

By Pedraam Faridjoo | May 26, 2017, 10:41 p.m. | In Features »

Loud rap music blasts throughout the house, the floor vibrating on account of the bass. A soft haze has settled around packed rooms that were nearly vacant only an hour ago. Bottles of alcohol adorn the messy counters and tables around which laughing teenagers converse. This is a typical night for many students who choose to party on the weekend, with the exception of a single individual standing by the door attentively.

From the lab to the kitchen

By Zoe Friedman | May 9, 2017, 1:54 p.m. | In Features »

After school on Thursdays, most students are doing homework, playing sports or relaxing at home. Unbeknownst to many Blazers, a science classroom on Blair's third floor buzzes with activity. The smell of freshly baked bread permeates the room. A toaster oven sits on a countertop adjacent to a cooling loaf of bread. Nearby, students crowd around a table, shaking a mason jar full of cream, laughing. Chemistry is at work.

Technology tries to put an end to stranger danger

By Neva Taylor | March 23, 2017, 12:18 p.m. | In Features »

Tinder, Uber and other services that rely on the trust of strangers are changing the way people interact online. Technology is making it easier and faster to meet, talk to, and work with strangers. But is it safe?

Out of this world planet names

By Alyssa Berrios | March 16, 2017, 1:04 p.m. | In Features »