Active Students Around the School

Photos by Timothy A. and Garrett R.

AJ's Antics: Game Seven

This is it, Game 7, win or go home. Let’s Go Caps! Early in the first period when the game started you could hear the fans yelling “Holtby!”(For non-Caps fans, that’s our beast of a goalie) through the TV. The first ten minutes of the game was very bland. There was not much happening at all. Total, there were probably thirty seconds of something interesting happening. Then, all of a sudden, a beautiful shot and a GOAL!! Hendricks shot the biscuit, with a beautiful tip-in from Carlson and an assist from Chimera for a goal, with 8:37 left in the first period. The Caps are down one man after Jeff Schultz tripped Marchand with 1:50 left in the period. We are playing a man down until intermission.

A third of the game over, starting the second period now. The Caps still have the 1-0 lead over the Bruins. The game is still one to nothing with 6:30 left in the second period. Ouch, The Bruins have scored a goal, it was a cheap goal. Holtby was twisted and didn’t see the puck before Seguin saw it and they have tied it up in the second with 5:00 minutes to go. 1:30 left in the period, it is still 1-1 and we need to hold it going into the third. End of the second, the game is still 1-1. 20 minutes left before we go into overtime, hopefully that won’t be needed as we will win.

There are 20 minutes left in this fierce series. The Capitals go on the Penalty Kill for Roman Hamerlik holding the stick. The Capitals have played 7 minutes in the final 20 minutes of regulation, with 13 still to play. The Capitals go on the Powerplay after a Hooking from #37 on the Bruins. Can they capitalize on it? No they cannot, the Capitals failed to get a goal though there were a few opportunities.  With 4:00 to go in regulation, the game is still tied 1-1. The Capitals go onto the Penalty Kill from Chimera with a hold; this is going to be a very big play for both teams. One minute left in regulation. Five on five with 20.3 seconds left in regulation. This game will have to go to Overtime. 20 more minutes will have to suffice for the final game of this series.

Overtime is sudden death; one goal wins the whole series. A shot comes and we are in the offensive zone. A shot to Tim Thomas, a rebound from Joel Ward, and a GOAL! Right through the five-hole for Tim Thomas! Joel Ward has won the 1^st round series for the Washington Capitals. Boston fans, Na na na heeeeeyyyyy ayyyyy, goodbye!

Fantastic Job Capitals!!

We have moved on to Round Two to face the New York Rangers. Hopefully, we will only need to play four games in this series. First game is tomorrow att 3 p.m.  in  MSG (Madison Square Gardens) in NYC

Lets Go Caps!

AJ Orsino

Photo Courtesy of The Washington Capitals

                        

A.J. Antics

The Caps Battle Bruins for Spot in Round Two

Welcome Fans! The Washington Capitals have made it into the 2012 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs! We are awaiting game #7 of the playoffs tonight, playing the #2 Boston Bruins. Both of our Cap goalies were injured before the Playoffs, therefore we called in the Hershey hero, Braden Holtby. This 22-year-old rookie NHL goalie has been on fire in the 2012 Playoffs with the Capitals. With 186 shots from the Boston Bruins, Holtby has only let in 13 goal—an amazing GAA (goals against average). Some of them were cheap goals, but for his first NHL playoff series, he is amazing. He definitely gives off some good rebounds too. The Playoffs are just heating up, and it’s going to be a good Stanley Cup.  

During our series, it has been a long road of cheering and booing too.  The Caps have managed to make it a three – three series, playing six long games, with one game left tonight to see who goes onto the second round. The Capitals have been off and on with the 2012 Playoffs. They need to stay consistent, get themselves together, and win the last and final game of Series One to defeat the 2011 Stanley Cup Champions.  Winning would be fantastic, would give the players some more money, and would move us into the second round.

And here we go Game Seven. It’s a move on or go home game tonight. One can only hope we will win. It’s up in Boston so; we already have a minor disadvantage. But, is they play like they played on Saturday, we will win. If the Hershey hero will stop every shot in that arena tonight and we get an early lead, and hold it, Goodbye Bruins. So, if they rally together, we will win and move on.

Hope everybody’s watching the game tonight.

For one last time this season maybe, LET’S GO CAPS!

Adios Amigos!

~A. J. Orsino

Pictures around the school

                                             Students trying to remember lines from their play.

                                                 Students practing a play in Drama.

                                            Students in Drama class.

                                   
                                             Students in Drama practicing a play.

                             Students Aidan M. and Austin F.work on the computer

                                       A student works on the computer in Technology Exploration

                               Students Tyler B., Andrew G., and Adian M. talk with Tech teahcer,
                                                                          Mr. Anderson

                                   Student Matt W. works on the computer in Technology Exploration

Spring 2012 Pony Express Edition!!

Enjoy the latest edition of the Pony Express from this semester's middle school journalism students. Scroll down to see the most recent pages!

A.J.’s Antics

The Caps Road to the Playoffs

By A.J. Orsino

Wasabi Caps fans! What do you think about their 32 and 26 season? It is almost time for playoffs with about 10 games in the regular season left.  They have had some new changes to the season this year. First of all, they have a new head coach, Dale Hunter. He is a former Capital player, when he played with them in 1987. The Capitals eventually retired his number, 32. Once Bruce Boudreau was released from the Capitals, he made some quick moves and got the head coaching job in California with the Anaheim Ducks.

This year, Alex Ovechkin is alright this season, 2 years ago, he was probably the best in his career. Last year, during the regular season, he was good. During the Playoffs of last year, He was just awful. He did NOTHING to help the team last year during the playoffs. This year he has 26 goals, and also 11 Power play goals, and 2 game winning goals, along with a whopping 223 shots on goal.

During the offseason the Capitals also acquired the 6’1” 210 lbs. Czech Republican goalie, Tomas Vokoun from the Florida Panthers.  During the regular season, the Capitals also pulled a beast to the NHL, Dimitri Orlov. This 6’0” 210 pound Russian was originally acquired by the Washington Capitals’s minor team, the Hershey Bears. He was drafted in 2009 by the Bears and this year, the Capitals pulled him up the NHL.                

The person that really sticked out to me on the roster was Jason Chimera. Chimera has played 63 games this season.  He also has 31 points (16 goals, and 15 assists.) He good on Penalty Kills considering he has 2 shorthand goals. A short hand goal is when you are on an on Penalty Kill and you score a man down.  He also has 4 game winning goals with the Caps, also 158 Shots on Goal.          

The season is practically over. Next year, I would really love to see a lot more of Mike Green, you know, the one that is constantly always hurt. He came back 3 weeks ago after a 2 month injury. The Caps also need to go back and re-strategize their lines. Because, if you look at the Caps stats, you will see that Jason Chimera has had a way better season than first line winger, Alex Ovechkin. Ovi has 223 shots, but ONLY 26 goals? That is very small for THAT many shots. Caps really need to think this major decision over, or it might cost them the Playoffs for next year.

So, in review, the Capitals are down by ONE point! They need to win this game tonight against the Devils (3/2/2012) to get into the playoffs! If they do win, and the Winnipeg Jets do lose when they play next, they will get into the playoffs and play the New York Rangers. I think every Caps fan will either be there or watching, as this is a very big game for tonight.  Good luck Caps!!

Lebron 9 Shoes Deliver

By Nate Rivi and Garrett Bainwol

Staff Writers

Lebron 9s. We have all seen them. We all know someone that has these shoes, probably because they are comfortable or fresh.

 The Lebron 9s include an Air Max 180 unit in the heel for support. Nike includes Air Max technology in a lot of their shoes which provides cushioning when running.  In the Freegum edition of the Lebron 9s they include combat support for the ankles.   They also include carbon fiber which help people jump higher.  This shoe has designed shape for support and comfort.

There were high expectations for the Lebron 9s, and for the most part, it seems they have lived up to the hype.

“I love them, they’re really comfortable and give good support when I play sports,” said eighth grader Nick Cata. Cata is a proud owner of not one, not two, but three pairs of the famous ninth model in the Lebron shoe collection. They are the first shoe to combine hyperfuse and flywire technology, making it one of the most technically advanced shoes.

Aside from how great they are for playing basketball, the Lebron nines are being looked at as one of the nicest pairs of shoes you can find. Kids are paying the $170 price. Every week there are more and more kids who walk into school sporting their new shoes. There are more than 15 different color ways so you never know what pair you might see. 

            Every year each model seems to beat the last. The Lebron 8s were the first Lebron to feature carbon fiber.  Lebron first model that was named after him were the Lebron 3s. The Lebron 4-7 models featured something called the “Fairfax Home” edition.  This is very ironic because we are writing this from South County Secondary School in Fairfax County, Virginia. This is rumored to be named after our county.  The Lebron shoes are inspired by one of the greatest athletes of our time.

Personally we think they are extremely comfortable. We would rate them 4.5 stars out of five. They reason why they are not perfect is because they are known to cause blisters. That is the only bad part about the Lebron 9s. Some people dislike the design. It all comes up to you.

Georgetown Cupcakes Satisfy Sweet Tooth

By Haley Denehy, Narjes Bencheikh and Maddi Burcher

Staff Writers

Red velvet cupcakes with cream cheese icing. Or think about vanilla birthday flavor with creamy vanilla icing and rainbow sprinkles. Chocolate cupcake with a creamy, delicious, peanut butter filling topped with a peanut butter chocolate icing. These are all made with the very best valrahona chocolate, Madagascar vanilla, European sweet cream butter and gourmet chocolate sprinkles.  This and so much more at the world famous Georgetown Cupcakes.

Georgetown Cupcakes is located in Georgetown, Washington D.C., and Bethesda, Maryland, with new locations coming soon, in SOHO, New York and Boston, Massachusetts. No matter where you go, there will always be the longest line for these delicious cupcakes. If you wish to bypass the line, you may pre-order and pick up at any of these locations. If you have a birthday or a special occasion coming up, Georgetown cupcakes will gladly cater to your event.

Have you ever heard of the show, D.C. Cupcakes on TLC hosted by the owners of the Georgetown Cupcakes shop, Sisters Katherine and Sophie? Then you probably know that the shop on the show is fairly close to here. The cupcakes are a bit pricey, $2.75 each, $15 a half dozen and $29 a dozen, but once you taste the deliciousness of the cupcakes you know the prices are worth it. Every day they have a special, including Chocolate Mint, Salted Caramel, Cookies and Crème, and so many more. They also have Seasonal Flavors each month such as, Toasted Marshmallow Fudge, Banana Split, German Chocolate Fudge, and so many more.

We all agree Georgetown cupcakes are the best of the best!  We highly recommend for anyone with a sweet tooth to try these cupcakes. Whether you’re a coffee lover or a chocoholic, there’s a flavor for you! We know you will NEVER go back to those old, boring box mix cupcakes.

We give Georgetown cupcakes a 6 out of 6 cupcake rating!!! If you don’t believe us…try it out for yourself!

Grimm Offers New Twist on Fairytales

By Krista Andre

Staff Writer

One TV show that should have the highest ratings is Grimm, which airs on TV on Fridays at 9 p.m. EST on NBC. The show is relatively gruesome, strange, and puts a creepy twist on the fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm.

David Giuntoli plays the homicide Detective Nick Burkhardt, who begins to see strange things. He finds a case that consists of a girl in a red running suit that had gone jogging in the morning, too bad she didn’t know that it would be her final run. When Nick finds her, many of her body parts are scattered around. This relates to the story of Little Red Riding Hood, but is not as cheery as the original.

The characters consist of Nick’s co-worker and close friend, Hank Griffin; Nick’s girlfriend, Juliette Silverton, his cancerous aunt, Marie Kessler, and many other, somewhat strange characters. The person who supplies the best quotes is probably Nick. His happy-go-lucky nature is not befitting of a homicide detective. This is a conversation between him and Hank following an innocent suspect is being let go:

Hank: Pretty excited about being let go.
Nick: Oh yeah, I had to stop him from yodeling.

My personal favorite episode is Danse Macabre, which is about a violin teacher who is killed by rats. Nick thinks that it is the work of a criminal mastermind and later goes after the teacher’s top student. It was impossible for the student to go after the teacher, because he is also a rave DJ, tagged Retched Kat, and had a gig the night of the murder. It makes Nick uneasy that the kid has a way of controlling rats. To know the rest you have to watch it.

Grimm is definitely not a show for young kids. It is rated TV-14 and is pretty gruesome. Other than that it is an interesting show, with creepy scenes. Grimm, though it is gory, and creepy, deserves 500 out of 5 stars.

Five Guys Brings Good and Bad

By Sean Epstein

Staff Writer

Even though it hasn’t been here very long, Five Guys Burger and Fries hamburgers have always been one of my favorite fast food menu items. I usually get the Bacon Burger, which has, of course, bacon on a burger. What people probably never realized though, is how much fat and how many calories are in each burger.

When I eat my burger, I always see the grease dripping down, showing that the amount of fat in the burger is somewhat a lot. In a regular hamburger, there are 700 calories and 43 grams of fat. As the number of added condiments on your burger rises, the number of calories also rises. Take this frequently bought hamburger for example. A Cheeseburger with ketchup, lettuce, tomatoes, and onions, equals to 868 calories. I think the average person would not mind eating 868 calories, with a soda, but if you are trying to cut down on your fat, this kind of hamburger would not suit you.

The hamburgers are not the only good options on the menu. It’s called Five Guys Burgers and Fries for a reason. Along with your hamburger, you can order either a regular or a large cup of fries. This of course adds to the number of calories you are consuming. The fries though are made from freshly grown Idaho potatoes and are cooked alongside your burger. The other interesting food you can have is the free peanuts. They give them out in baskets around the casual restaurant. You can get however many you want to eat. I personally do not get the peanuts, as I like to wait in suspense for the delicious burger that I ordered.

The general atmosphere in Five Guys is one you would not expect for a fast food place. It is very open in the building, with lots of place to walk, and not as many tables you would think. It smells like a hamburger place, with the occasional peanut or fries smell creeping in. The service is very superb.  The wait is short; just about 10 minutes for your burger to be cooked and packaged. Although the floor can sometimes be dirty, you won’t be looking at it when your burger comes out.

The food, service, and appearance all are very good. The only concern I would have is the fact that the most of the menu items are very fatty and are high in calories. If you are still working on your new year’s resolution to cut down a few pounds, Five Guys might not be your place to eat. If not, Five Guys should be on your good list for 2012.  It meets expectations and is a good meal on any day. My rating: 4 stars out of 5.

Costco Gives Its All

By Parul Sharma

Staff Writer

Costco is the best place ever. Costco, a warehouse store, is open on Monday - Friday 10 a.m. - 8:30 p.m., Saturdays 9:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. and Sundays 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. The closest location in Springfield, Virginia.

Costco used to be called Price Club. It was founded in Seattle, Washington on Sep. 15, 1983.  The main competitors are Sam’s Club and BJs wholesale. All of the employees are very friendly. The service is also wonderful.

They sell almost everything you can find in a mall. From food to clothes and from furniture to books. They also sell TVs, video games, laptops, office supplies, cakes, etc. They give you a choice on organic foods and non organic foods. You name it and you will find it at Costco.

I love Costco. It is the best place to get anything. However, if you want to go to Costco you need to have a membership. No worries, A Gold Star or Business Costco membership costs $50 per year. An Executive membership costs $100 per year. All the prices are marked down to prices you can’t find anywhere else. I personally love the free samples that they give during lunch or dinner. I like it because it is a little way to see if you like it or not before you buy it. I also like the brownies; they are crunchy on the outside but soft and moist on the inside.

The best place in the world is Costco.  If you have never been there you are missing out on something in your life. You should go to see for yourself. You won’t be disappointed. It is the best place to get anything you need or want.

BGR Delivers on Taste

By Tommy Faiella and Huey Webb

Staff Writers

BGR, also known as The Burger Joint, is a burger retaurant in Springfield where you can enjoy a delicious succulent burger, crisp fries, and a nice cold soda. Diners start off at the counter and place an order. The BGR staff asks what you want on the burger and how you wanted it cooked or you can order one of nine specialty burgers. Then customers walk over to the insane freestyle soda machine which has all the Coca Cola products and all of their flavors. You take your seat and dig in to your burger.

The burger is perfect anyway you order it, whether it is medium rare or medium well. The freestyle soda machine is a great asset to the burger joint. The shakes are also very delicious and mouth watering. BGR also has a flavor of the month for those who want something different than a standard milkshake.

They’re sauces and extras are good too. They have many mouth craving items like mojo sauce. And with burgers like the Cuban, the veggie burger, the south westerner, the wellington, a turkey burger, sliders, the nine pounder, the Greek, Ahi tuna, or the lobster—the sauce goes perfect.

Fries like the gold standard, the orange standard or the green standard fill the menu. The fries were very enjoyable and one can also get onion rings which are very delicious. The fries are not, however, as good as the burger. The fries are very good and crispy. The fries are a very large serving which is a good thing and a bad thing cause it is a little unhealthy.

Our final rating for BGR is a nine out of ten. The reason that it doesn’t get a perfect ten is because the restaurant is always swarming with children who are screaming and the food is a little expensive. However, keep in mind that if you show your student ID then you only have to spend $7.99 which gets you a burger, fries, and a soda.

The Thrill and Ferocity of Warriors Leaves Readers Begging for More

By Austin Naughton

Staff Writer

Wanna take a trip to the wild side of life? Well open up a Warriors' book and slip into the adventure in the eyes of a cat, journey into the fray of survival, voyage into the pages of this amazing series of novels. Travel into Warriors, a series oozing with creativity and action. The eternal plight has spread to the pages that you grip with your feeble hands and astounded eyes. Flip the pages as your interest gets absorbed into the world of Warriors!

                When I found this book in a library five years ago I had no idea the potential it had to offer my mind.  I checked it out with no idea the chain reaction I set off. I got home and opened up the book, it read Warriors: Into the Wild, the first book of the mind blowing series. It started with a mysterious prologue, talking about prophecies and other puzzling sentences. Then I read on, it was based on a cat named Rusty (a kittypet as called in the book) who lived with humans (named Two-legs). He decides to journey into a nearby forest rumored to have horrors and evil cats. Bravely he marches into the forest to be attacked by a cat.  This cat was an apprentice (“paw”) in the clan Thunderclan.

                Now for a little background info, the forest is home to four clans of rival cats. Thunderclan roam the forests, Shadowclan camp in the swamps, Riverclan existing in a sort of marsh, and Windclan who have set up their home in a small foothill. They all share a fate that when cats die they go to Starclan (like the Heaven clan). Now for the different roles of the clan, let’s start with the kits. Kits are newborn cats that simply stay in camp and play. They are extremely envious and impatient to become warriors.  After six moons they can become an Apprentice. Now for the Apprentice, apprentices are assigned to train under the wing of a Warrior; Warriors are… well they’re warriors. The medicine cat is a sort of doctor who uses herbs to heal wounds and other problems. The medicine cat is forbidden to love for it would interrupt their duties. Then there is the deputy who is second in command, they organize hunting parties and border patrols. Finally there is the leader, they have been granted nine lives from Starclan. They are in charge of all cats in a clan. Every full moon the cats meet in a peace to share news.

                Now for information about real life, such as the author, Erin Hunter is an imaginary character. Four individual authors work under that name. They are Victoria Holmes, Cherith Baldry, Kate Cary, and Tui Sutherland. Victoria handles the story ideas and make sure all the books are consistent. Kate, Tui, and Cherith take turns writing the actual story. They made up the title Erin Hunter to avoid confusion with readers, if you ask me it worked. There are almost 50 Warrior books in total; they are varied among the four sets and some manga and super editions. The manga and super editions are there to explain the unexplained of the four sets. The most recent set (Omen of the Stars) was an amazing achievement. Warriors are the #1 national bestselling series, I completely agree. The books are sold in any decent bookshop such as Barnes and Nobles. The books come in sets or in separate books. The website (warriorcats.com) explains information in forms such as maps, charts, FAQS, forums, and biographies.

Overall Warriors was a great read, I don’t regret a single second that I spent reading this series. I experienced the love, the betrayal, the fear, the courage, and all the pain the Warriors cats go through to survive. In fact this series has inspired me in many ways like the stories that my school requires. This series is just plain amazing; I’d like to see someone think different. This book should have its own genre. It’s like a smoothie of fantasy and adventure, of drama and action, of horror and romance.  It’s out of the norm of regular books; it demonstrates the ferocious ways of nature and the world of war in the eyes of a cat. You should probably go shopping now, literally now! Now go get sucked into the realm, the kingdom, the fray, the series of Warriors!

Eating Tasty Tutti Fruitti

By Abby Murray, Louisa McPherson, and Jenny Sklar

Staff Writers

Modern decor with a little bit of magic, that’s Tutti Frutti when you walk in the door. The closest Tutti Frutti location  near South County is 2700 Potomac Mill Circle, Woodbridge, 22192. There are more than 18 frozen yogurt places all around the world. If you need any additional information this is the website, www.tfyogurt.com.

Frozen yogurt to some people is like soft serve ice cream, but it’s not. Frozen yogurt is healthier, and it’s a good substitute for ice cream. As mouth watering as this sounds it also being healthy, it gets better. Tutti Frutti is a frozen yogurt place where you can pick and choose what you would like to get. It is a very popular yogurt place, however it is not like most yogurt places.  You serve yourself. First you choose what size cup. Then you choose your flavor and how much of that flavor you would like. Next you choose which toppings and how much of those toppings you would like. You can also mix flavors. And all of this is for a whopping $0.39 cents per ounce.

 Tutti Frutti was established in 2010. At this groovy place of frozen yogurt there are over 50 flavors, but you don’t get to choose from all of these flavors at once. They switch them out every couple of weeks. Even though this is considered a desert, all the flavors are 50 calories or less. It has great nutrition. The frozen yogurt also prevents colon cancer and strengthens the immune system.  “Tutti Frutti premium frozen yogurt products made from the finest dairy products worldwide,” said the workers of Tutti Frutti.

The first time you take a bite of the great frozen yogurt your heart fills with the delightfulness. This yogurt place is the best. It has huge variety of flavors, ranging from peanut butter to melon to cheesecake to chocolate. All the flavors melt in your mouth when you take a bite. The experience of this modern place fills our heart, then once you finish putting all the frozen yogurt that you would like into your cup, the variety of the toppings is amazing. There are 50 of the best toppings to choose from. There are chocolate chips, rainbow sprinkles, gummy bears, cookie dough, fruit, and many more. Tutti Frutti even has chocolate sauce you can drizzle over your frozen yogurt.

Tutti Frutti is a delicious and nutritious place. We rate it 4 stars out of 5. We would definitely recommend people of all ages to go to Tutti Frutti. There are so many flavors and toppings, each time you can experience a wonderful, tasty new combination.

Saturday Nights Spent Watching SNL

By Abe Ansari, Maddy Ayalew and A.J. Orsino

Staff Writers

Saturday Night Live is a late night comedy show on NBC. It has a series of skits in each episode, as well as a host and a musical guest. The cast has 14 people who are all ridiculously hilarious. The show is hosted in New York City, and obviously, on Saturday night. It comes on during fall and winter at 11:30 p.m. EST. Since it’s a live show, there is an audience that is always, constantly laughing at the skits. Though some of the skits are pre tapped, most of them are in front of the audience.

In the beginning of each show, there is always an opening skit identifying the host, and announcing that it’s Saturday Night, in New York.  At the end of the skit, the band plays the SNL theme tune, and the host comes from behind two wooden doors. They usually talk about current and random information, and then announce the musical guest.  After that, the sounds of clapping takes place by the audience, and then, it turns to commercial. When the show comes back on, they start their skits. Sometimes they add twists on politics or they make commercials for random items and places.

SNL is currently on season 37. The show started back in 1975 hosted by George Carlin, and is still showing today in 2012. Bill Hader, Andy Samberg, Kenan Thompson, Kirsten Wiig, and Seth Meyers are some of the more popular actors and actresses. They are included in many of the skits; along with the eight other cast members.  They are all creative and funny in their own ways, which makes the show more different than others of its kind.

We think that SNL is like no other show on television. It’s very amusing to watch since all the actors are entertaining. It is also very lively with the non-stop laughter and clapping from the audience. The actors perform their skits so well that you just want to stay up and watch more. Although the show is very funny, some of the jokes have a little sexual content, and the comedy can sometimes be mature.

Overall, Saturday Night Live is a great show and everyone can always find something they like about it. We give this show four out of five stars, since the jokes can sometimes be inappropriate, but it’s funny, exciting, and everything you would love about a comedy show. Watch this show every Saturday Night, if you can, because it is most definitely worth your time.

Skrillex Amazes Fans

By Drew MacFarlane

Staff Writer

With all the music that’s out there today, I feel like Dubstep is overlooked. I could go on a long rant on all the popular music out there right now, but this is a review of Skrillex, my choice of Dubstep artists. His career began in 2007, and is still going strong; his latest album came out on Dec. 23, and his music comes out relatively frequently. Though he does remix some popular music, his genius really shows in his original songs, such as ‘Kill EVERYBODY’ and ‘First of the Year’, to name some of my favorites. His popularity is growing, and I would recommend anyone to jump on the bandwagon.

                Most people, upon hearing Skrillex for the first time, would immediately rip the earphones out of their ears and vow to never listen to it again, but this is not because it is bad music. Skrillex’s music is simply different from the norm, but this is by no means a bad thing, in this instance being different pays off. Most would agree that it is like nothing they’ve ever heard before, which is very remarkable in the Dubstep genre, as with little to no lyrics artists are forced to get creative, experimenting with different sounds, beats, and effects. This gives him an edge in this respect, as it sets him slightly apart from the pack. If there is a way to describe his music, it is like your two ear buds are at war with each other and you’re in the crossfire. This may seem unbearable by my description, but there is something truly mind-blowing about the way it sounds, a kind of engrossing intensity that makes it awesome to listen to.

                Compared to other artists in the genre, Skrillex is my favorite for a definite reason. If you were to listen to Justice, Deadmau5, or others, Skrillex would be immediately distinguishable. Not that I have anything against the other DJs, but Skrillex’s music seems to have more presence, it has a certain quality that excites and amazes. It is an achievement by itself that almost all of his songs are unique, and each has its own ‘personality’. Each has a different feel to it, and you almost never find recycled material when listening to all of his work. It takes a great musician to create music that inspires, and Skrillex has definitely achieved that.

                For you pessimists out there, there are little things to nitpick on. Not all of his creations are exactly awe inspiring, and some simply fade into the crowd of dubstep music. Though I deeply enjoy it, I could see how some people may not get it. I would recommend it to everyone, but not everyone would accept. But this can be said about every music creator, and compared to others, I would say that Skrillex gets more praise than stones hurled at it. Overall, I have little to complain about his music.

                 For anyone looking for amazing music, or simply something different than all the mainstream music out there, Skrillex is your outlet. Though I like most of all the dubstep DJs, Skrillex has a very distinct sound that pulls me in and entertains. I have very little to complain about when it comes to his music, and few musicians today can inspire like Skrillex can. For the reasons stated above, I would recommend Skrillex to almost anyone. Skrillex isn’t just the prime of Dubstep; it’s superior to most of the popular music out there today.

Overall Rating:

4.5 Stars, out of 5

South County Middle School Students Engage in Activities Around the School

School Happenings

Race to Nowhere

South County’s PTSO will host a free screening of the documentary “Race To Nowhere” on Jan. 25 at 7 p.m. The event will take place in the Auditorium (entrance #14). Tickets will not be given for the event. It will be first come, first serve. Parents will be asked to check in with the PTSO table at the entrance of the SCSS auditorium prior to finding a seat. Remaining seats will be available on a walk in basic on the night of screening. The screening will be open to all SCSS parents/guardians and staff as well as local elementary school parents, guardians and staff.

-Racheal Mills and Malalay Khalid

Twelfth Night Arrives at South County

Tryouts for the middle school Twelfth Night play were held on Jan. 4 afterschool. Callbacks were the following day. The play is being put on by the middle school drama teacher, Alexis Rose.  There is 21 roles in the entire play. Twelfth night is an original Shakespeare play.  Come out to see the production in March.

-Lynne Taylor and Katie Tesorero

Temple Run

South County is becoming more technological by the second. The iPhone is a particular example. It’s the most common phone in South County. However, there is an app that is spreading extremely quickly. It’s the game Temple Run.

Run, jump, and slide away from what students are calling monkeys. It’s the most downloaded free game. Everyone is trying to get the highest score. However, this game could also bring danger. Are South County students getting addicted? For now, enjoy the game, but don’t get glued to it.

-David Stern

Stallions  Stampede Toward Rising Freshman Basketball

As the year continues to progress, one thing on the minds of many kids is rising freshmen basketball. The eighth grade  students have been waiting to showcase their talents and now they’re finally getting the chance. From point guards to centers, the future student athletes are already perfecting their skills so they can dazzle the fans when their time finally comes around.

There have not been any announcements on rising freshman basketball yet, but Stallions should keep a sharp look out for any word regarding the team or upcoming season. Be ready Stallions, because here comes rising freshman basketball!

-Nate Rivi and Garrett Bainwol

Soles for Souls Drive

Here at South County Secondary, many students and faculty pass by the many collection drives and fundraisers that dot the school hallways in colorful posters, collection boxes, and random fliers. Well, South County is starting another new charity drive to help others in need. This time, it’s the Soles for Souls drive. Starting Wed, Feb. 1, students and faculty at South County will be able to give back to people in need by donating new or gently used shoes. This drive will end on Fri., Feb. 10 so make sure you donate your new or gently used shoes now!

-Arya Pazhawk and Hawa Hamidi

Around the Building

News Roundup

Service Learning Requirements

Throughout the school year eighth grade students must participate in at least 10 hours of service learning. According to the South County website, service learning is students involved in authentic and meaningful service to their communities. Students must complete five hours a quarter for two quarters. After they complete the activity, students must get their spoinsor, or an adult who witnessed the student performing the activity, to sign a form saying they did it. Then, students must write five paragraphs talking about their activity. The deadline for the second quarter is Jan. 20, so eighth grade students will have to hurry to get their forms and essays in or they must wait until third quarter. Students in the National Junior Honor Society will do an extra five hours of service learning for the society requirements. So for some students, 15 hours of community service is required for the school year.

-Sean Epstein

Celebrating South County Secondary School

South County Secondary School invited students and staff members to participate in a “Celebrating South County.” This event was held at Glory Days on Thurs., Jan. 12, from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Ten percent of the proceeds collected from this fundraiser went to the ANGP (All Night Grad Party). From sports to academics, or from fine arts to other activities; whatever the students’ achievement was, South County invited students and families to come along and support and congratulate our South County Stallions in their strive in excellence.

SCSS has a wide variety of celebrations for different achievements by fellow South County students. For example, the 2011 Board of Education Excellence Award is presented to South County students to honor strong academic achievement. SCSS staff also congratulated our fall sports programs, such as football, volleyball, cheer, cross country, field hockey and golf.

-Mariah Mitchell and Melody Amini

Mr. Stallion Competition: The Time is Near

What would it be like to be Mr. Stallion of South County Secondary School?  Walking across the stage with the crowd cheering as the new Mr. Stallion takes a victory wave!  Students now have the honor of being named Mr. Stallion. Students can attend the Mr. Stallion competition on Jan. 24, at 6:30 p.m., in the auditorium. Tickets for this event will be sold during all high school lunches starting Jan. 17.  Tickets are $5.  Come and support your fellow Stallions at the chance to become Mr. Stallion.

-Narjes Bencheikh and Haley Denehy

Twelfth Night is coming to South County

After the success of “Little Shop of Horrors” the MS drama department is now producing a Shakespeare play, “Twelfth Night.”  Students auditioned in early January and some received callbacks for Jan. 5. The play is similar to the modern movie “She’s the Man,” which is about a teenage girl who impersonates her twin brother to play soccer at his school and later falls in love with his roommate who is in love with someone else. Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” is about a ship that crashes and ends up on shore. The main character, Viola, is a stowaway on the ship and disguises herself as a man named Cesario in order work for Orsino because he saved her life.  The play is a romantic-comedy and unlike “Little Shop of Horrors,” it will not be a musical. The play will be performed on March 15, 16 and 17.

-Maddy Ayalew and A.J. Orsino