features


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 »


Bumper stickers of Blair

By Charles Lott | March 14, 2017, 8:28 p.m. | In Features »

For the students who drive themselves to school everyday, the car that they take can be one of two things. In the style of "Humans of New York," these are the bumper stickers of Blair.


Flying forward but still looking backward

By Mehana Daftary | March 12, 2017, 10:08 p.m. | In Features »

Black History Month is a time to celebrate black culture and history, which has had an immeasurable impact on America and the world, while acknowledging the hardships the black community has faced. Students learn about black history in classes and through Sankofa.


Redefining the hazy Blazer

By Charles Lott | Feb. 27, 2017, 6:23 p.m. | In Features »

The Blazer is one of the more cryptic mascots in MCPS. Einstein's Titan or Kennedy's Cavalier, just to name a few, are pretty simple to figure out, and even reuse the logos of other prominent sports teams like the Tennessee Titans and the Cleveland Cavaliers. At Blair, different students have different ideas of what the Blazer is. In fact, there are different Blazers all over Blair.


Getting down and dirty

By Amy Forsbacka | Feb. 18, 2017, 7:21 p.m. | In Features »

Secluded in its own little niche just off of the 210s hallway, it's unlikely that many Blazers have ever actually been inside the greenhouse. But for those who yearn to roll up their sleeves and get dirty or to discover the green thumb they never knew they had, this small, glass-paneled classroom is a haven.


Athletically incorrect

By Charles Lott | Feb. 7, 2017, 1:18 p.m. | In Features »

According to some sports enthusiasts, it isn't taboo to go on wearing a politically incorrect jersey. For others, by wearing a player's jersey, a fan condones both what the athlete does on and off the field.


Bocce on the rise

By Amy Forsbacka | Feb. 7, 2017, 12:59 p.m. | In Features »

Junior Falla Mathieu bends down. After a moment of concentration, she gently tosses a ball forward. It bounces once, twice, then glides down the gym floor before coming to stop. It's now the closest to the yellow ball, and Blair wins the game. The sport is bocce, and a small but dedicated crowd goes wild for Blair's close victory.


Measuring snow in pencils instead of inches

By Nikita Singh | Jan. 25, 2017, 10:06 p.m. | In Features »

"Hey, it's supposed to snow next week! Do you think we'll have a day off?" "Maybe; What does MoCo Snow say?"


Skate like a girl

By Ryan Handel | Jan. 25, 2017, 1:31 p.m. | In Features »

The casual observer might not even realize that Blair hockey number nine is sophomore Mollie Dalbey, the only girl on the Blair ice hockey team.


The story behind the ink

By Ellie Williams | Jan. 15, 2017, 7:46 p.m. | In Features »

Is there anything you'd be willing to have inked on your body for the rest of your life? For some, a display so permanent might seem like a mistake, but others think tattoos are a cool way of expressing oneself through art. For a few Blazers, tattoos are a way of connecting and paying tribute to loved ones.

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