features
A whole new world
By Josie Callahan | Nov. 9, 2006, midnight | In Features »
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.
Out to lunch
By Lois Bangiolo | Nov. 6, 2006, midnight | In Features »
The lunch bell has rung. But instead of heading for the SAC, pulling out a lunch to eat or standing in the cafeteria line, Amy, a junior, walks straight out the Colesville side door. Ignoring Blair's closed lunch policy, she leaves campus for McDonald's, risking suspension for a bite of freedom and fast food.
Cool carving
By Kate Harter | Oct. 31, 2006, midnight | In Features »
When Halloween rolls around, many preparations for the big day come along with it. You have to get a great, original costume; you have to stock up on tons of candy for the neighborhood kids; you have to plan your night well, whether it involves trick-or-treating, going to a party or watching scary movies with friends; and you have to carve a great jack-o-lantern for your doorstep.
Halloween scare spots
By Miriam Ragen, Ixchel Montenegro | Oct. 31, 2006, midnight | In Features »
Traditions can be fun; trick-or-treating on Halloween, turkey on Thanksgiving and fireworks on the Fourth of July, but sometimes these activities can become monotonous. If you are craving an adrenaline-filled Halloween night, try going to the local haunted places.
For believers only
By Elsi Wu | Oct. 30, 2006, midnight | In Features »
One of the ongoing perks of living just outside the nation's capital is being constantly surrounded by a range of historical landmarks. But, in the spirit of Halloween and all things ghoulish and ghastly, "historical" has become synonymous with "haunted." Although hard to distinguish amid the modern roads and power lines today, old communities such a Rockville, Sandy Spring and Silver Spring boast some of the most dated and most notoriously haunted places in the area. According to Shannon O'Rourke of the Montgomery County Historical Society, "everything around here's supposed to be haunted."
Pumpkin patch passion
By Priyanka Gokhale | Oct. 27, 2006, midnight | In Features »
Crisp weather, lovely foliage and the sweet scent of apples and pumpkins are all signs that fall is here in full swing. And what better way to celebrate the signs of autumn than by heading out to a pumpkin patch? Besides patches of pumpkins, these area farms have hayrides, festivals, corn mazes and more to satisfy your fall cravings. Whether you want to find the perfect Halloween pumpkin or share cider around a bonfire, these four farms will have you covered.
Halloween happenings
By Erica Turner | Oct. 26, 2006, midnight | In Features »
Who ever said Halloween should only last a day? Well, no one around here. So grab your masks, capes and most importantly, your bravery before you hit these Halloween hot spots:
Turned off by other resources, Blazers turn to Wikipedia
By Priyanka Gokhale | Oct. 20, 2006, midnight | In Features »
When freshman Richard Higgins had to do a group project on Native American chiefs, he nixed Newsbank, overlooked World Book and passed by ProQuest. Instead, Higgins went straight to Wikipedia, an online encyclopedia, where he found enough information to complete his part of the poster project: research on the Native American chief "Black Kettle."
Festival of lights brightens up the fairgrounds
By Poorva Singal | Oct. 20, 2006, midnight | In Features »
Freshman Ruhi Vasavada stands in a small tent crowded by performers, dressed in a long skirt decorated with mirrors, a matching blouse and a sash draped over her head. This performance signifies her fourth year performing for Diwali Mela, a fair to celebrate the Diwali festival. And in front of her are hundreds of people, waiting eagerly for the many festivities to come.
Blazer soars in the cockpit
By Rachita Sood | Oct. 10, 2006, midnight | In Features »
A Schweizer 2-33 glider swoops down from the sky and heads into the Boulder Municipal Airport runway to land. Just as the plane begins its descent, an air current rapidly lifts the craft hundreds of feet higher. The pilot deftly tips a wing down and sends the plane into a slip, decreasing altitude. The plane bounces off the runway and skids to a stop. Senior Robert Riker steps out of the cockpit after his third solo flight in Boulder, Colorado, where he obtained his student pilot's license for gliders this past summer.
Rose, William
By Boris Vassilev | Oct. 10, 2006, midnight | In Teacher Feature »
The precalculus student remains thoroughly confused, staring at his math problem, which is a quarter page of mathematical monstrosity. Rescue comes in the form of his new favorite math teacher, William Rose, who enters the Math Help Room with a usual quick and upbeat pace, looking to help anyone with a math dilemma. In a matter of minutes, the problem is quickly deconstructed and the crisis resolved, thanks to a quick intervention by Rose.
Racing toward a better future
By Kate Harter | Oct. 6, 2006, midnight | In Features »
Tomorrow, more than a thousand people will gather at the small field behind St. Bernadette Catholic School for the 10th anniversary of Becca's Run. They are not gathering there for Mass, they aren't there to watch their kids play baseball, football, or soccer. Each year, thousands have gathered to run the local 5K race—or 2 mile walk—that is in memory of Rebecca Lilly, so that, maybe one day, there will be a cure for cancer.
Freshmen candidate profiles
By Priyanka Gokhale | Sept. 21, 2006, midnight | In Features »
Good news, freshmen: You may not have voted in Tuesday's primary election, but that doesn't mean that you won't get your chance to vote at all. On Sept. 28 and 29, freshmen will be voting for Class of 2010 representatives.
Manga and anime and comic-cons, oh my!
By Courtney Burtraw | Sept. 17, 2006, midnight | In Features »
Spiderman strolls leisurely through a crowded room, narrowly avoiding a nasty collision with Draco Malfoy, who is clutching a tiny stuffed animal and gesturing wildly to his friends. Captain Jack Sparrow swaggers past a Pikachu and, posing for photographers in the middle of the floor, is an impressively accurate depiction of a totoro, straight out of "My Neighbor Totoro."
A "Silver Lining" for China's needy students
By Lois Bangiolo | Sept. 16, 2006, midnight | In Features »
So far, senior Allen Zhang has raised only $300, but in China, each dollar is enough to support a student's basic needs for one day. And his visit to China has showed him the need for each one of those dollars.
SGA tries to show Blair that they are more than just three letters
By Priyanka Gokhale | Sept. 14, 2006, midnight | In Features »
When passing through the 160s hallway, one door stands out from the others. At first glance, it looks like the door to every other room at Blair –- polished wood with a small rectangular window. But the door to room 161 has something extra: stick-on letters in the window that read: "HEY! IT'S SGA!" The interior of the SGA office is just as inviting as the sign on the door –- Room 161 boasts a comfortable couch, a whiteboard with ideas and plans and a life-size paper maché Blazer, among other strange knacks.
A prescription for change
By Ankhi Guhathakurta | July 26, 2006, midnight | In Features »
At 54, former surgeon Dr. Dana Beyer is tall and dignified. With a persona that radiates unflappable efficiency, she busily paces about her Chevy Chase home on a Saturday morning an hour before canvassing the neighborhood in preparation for the bid she is making for the District 18 seat in the Maryland House of Delegates. But for Beyer, the upcoming Maryland delegate elections aren't just about securing a seat in the state legislature; they're about creating a world of opportunity. If successful, she will be the first transgender in the United States to be elected into public office.
Chips summer guide
By Natasha Prados | June 8, 2006, midnight | In Features »
Sick of just doing "nothing" all summer? Now you don't have to! Stop twiddling your thumbs, jump up off the couch, and try out some of Chips' great ideas for a suuuuper summer!
Blair's World Cup
By Abe Schwadron | June 2, 2006, midnight | In Features »
Dozens of students line the perimeter of the arena, raucously rooting on their favorite teams and erupting in cheers after every amazing save, complex move and devastating goal. Although the atmosphere rivals that of a professional event, the players are Blair students, rocketing a soccer ball around the small gymnasium to the screams of their countrymen, fans and foes. The Blair Sports Academy's (BSA) indoor soccer league has become the most popular after-school activity for Blazers, and as the 26-team league reaches its championship game today, Friday, the BSA is the talk of Blair Boulevard.
Learning survival of the fittest
By Keianna Dixon | May 25, 2006, midnight | In Features »
At barely an inch deep, the knife wound to senior Brian Abel's leg didn't faze him. Instead of going for help, Abel retaliated against the older cadets at Massanutten Military Academy, a co-ed school in Woodstock, Virginia, where hazing rituals like stabbings are routine.
Teachers with convictions
By Bridget Egan | May 18, 2006, midnight | In Features »
With scribbled notes about notorious liberal Michael Moore written on the whiteboard and Gandhi quotes decorating the walls in teacher Joann Malone's classroom, it may be hard to envision this ex-nun in a jail cell. However, with the classic prison film "The Shawshank Redemption" on her desk, it suddenly becomes believable.
Horseplay at Blair
By Mary Donahue | April 6, 2006, midnight | In Features »
As junior Margaret Sullivan canters around the ring at Meadowbrook Stables in Chevy Chase; her bright orange blazer stands out against the clear morning sky. Sullivan leans forward in the saddle, fearlessly urging her horse to take longer strides towards the looming jump.
Drawing the future of education
By Bridget Egan | March 30, 2006, midnight | In Features »
While most students recall reading classic novels such as "Anne Frank" and "The Secret Garden" while in their 7th grade English class, junior Jessica Weaver remembers reading ... a comic book?
Behind the ball
By Lois Bangiolo | March 29, 2006, midnight | In Features »
Junior Matthew McClain is an accomplished athlete, having played soccer and basketball for Blair. But when he appeared at the first day of lacrosse tryouts, he had held a lacrosse stick only a handful of times. And without a junior varsity (JV) lacrosse team at Blair, he had no choice but to try out for the varsity team.
A piece of Takoma Park
By Alexis Egan, Meaghan Mallari | March 3, 2006, midnight | In Features »
It is a Sunday afternoon in Old Town Takoma Park and the shops on Carroll Avenue are bustling with people. Bells ring as customers filter in and out of stores carrying bags, holding their children's hands and completing errands. Vendors at the Farmer's Market are packing up their remaining produce into trucks and vans. The clock at the center of Old Town reads 2:15 p.m. It is windy outside, but the sun is shining and the storefront windows decorated with merchandise, mannequins and glittery hangings invite passerbys to enter.
We found 886 results.