ANNAPOLIS H.S.

The ScrIBe INSIDE THIS ISSUE: December 2018 Global Issues 1 Sophie Healy V O L U M E 1 , DECEMBER 2017 IB Artist of the Month 2 Meet the Coordinator Eduard Smith The Holiday Season Around the World

FAFSA 3 by Sophie Healy Bennett Wasch In the United States, many Many Germans celebrate their homes with oil lamps Group 4 project 4 people celebrate winter when ‘das ’ called diyas to celebrate the Eva Michie holidays such as Christ- comes on December 25th victory of good over evil. This month in History 5 mas, Hanukkah, and rather than Santa. Other countries that cele- Sabrina Gleitz Kwanzaa. Just as we have What about the Middle brate the five day festival different ways of celebrat- East? In Israel, where the include Malaysia, Nepal, It’s Academic ing the season, so do dif- Christian population is rela- Singapore, and Myanmar. Isaac Riddle ferent regions of the world. tively small, the Jewish The is celebrated The season marks a time festival of Hanukkah is by Christians around the Spotlight on MYP 6 of celebrating with family more widely celebrated. world on January 6th. How- Camille Duplechain, and friends and cherishing Menorahs light up the win- ever, in Spain, Latin Ameri- edited by Madeline what we have, which can dows of homes and busi- ca, and the Caribbean, it is Vieson be seen across cultures nesses, and donuts calls called El Dia de los Reyes Navigating the IB 7 and religions this time of sufganiyot are commonly Magos, or The Day of the Grace Goodwin year. made. This year, it will be Three Kings. Children re- Teacher of the Month In , mar- celebrated from December ceive gifts, parades fill the Neha Bhanot kets with gift stands and 2nd to 10th. streets, and in Mexico, tradi- sweets line the streets, India’s biggest holiday, tional Rosca de Reyes Columbia 8 with one of the most fa- called Diwali, comes well (King’s Cake) is baked and Madeline Vieson mous markets in Berlin, before Christmas begin- shared. Germany. Some of the ning on November 7. Regardless of what you cel- German regions tell their CAS Corner 9 Though it is originally a ebrate, remember to take children the tales of Hindu holiday, Indians of time this winter to celebrate Elcy Canales , who comes with many religions now cele- with your family and connect St. Nicholas on December brate it. Diwali is also to your community. SENIOR EDITORS: 6th to punish the bad chil- called the Festival of the dren. Lights because people light Aolani Gutierrez Katie Fitzpatrick

JUNIOR EDIDTOR

Sabrina Gleitz VOLUME 1, ISSUE 2 P A G E 2

IB Artist of the Month by Eduard Smith

Victoria Frey is one of the eight IB seniors taking IB Visual Arts. Her interest in art first developed when she was young, taking inspiration from her mother’s creativity, Victoria was able to see the joy brought through creating something that she could call her own. From various craft projects with her mother, to hand turkeys in elementary school art, Victoria was able to discover an outlet for all her ideas. Van Gogh is one of Victo- ria’s favorite artists, and she considers him a “trailblazer for his time period.” She finds Van Gogh’s strug- gles to be accepted as a true artist shocking, as she believes his style original and interesting. As an artist, Victoria believes that hard work, dedication, and creativity are all crucial throughout the artmak- ing process. What keeps her motivated is the personal satisfaction gained from seeing her ideas come to life. Throughout her IB art career, Victoria is tasked with thoughtfully developing creative ideas that will allow her to experiment with different art mediums and artistic themes. From her projects, her most favorite piece is Dead Tired, she says “It was very time consuming and required lots of work, but I’m really happy with the overall outcome. Though Victoria doesn’t see herself pursuing art as a profession, she sees herself using art as a form of meditation and as a pastime to distract her from a busy schedule. Art is important to Victoria because it allows her to weave various aspects of her life into all of her art pieces, which represent her at different moments in her life.

Meet Your IB Diploma Coordinator: Ms. Newgent

Ms. Newgent began her career in Anne Arundel County 18 years ago as a Social Studies teacher at old Mill High School. As a classroom teacher, she taught a myriad of subjects Including, World History, Government, AP European History, Women’s History, and Sociology. She began her career as an IB Diploma Coordinator in 2006 at Old Mill High School. She chose to leave the classroom because she wished to work with the students in a different capacity. Ms. Newgent was asked to transfer to Annapolis High School in 2012, and although she misses OMHS, she loves her Annapolis High School students and the IB community. When asked, “what is the most diffi- cult aspect of your job”, she smiled and then jokingly stated, “senioritis.” Ms. Newgent also believes that the IB Diploma Programme is the best education a student can receive. While she admits it is a challenging a rigorous program, she also sees the numerous opportunities IB has afforded her stu- dents. Last year, Annapolis High School seniors earned a total of 20 million dollars; however the 75 IB Diploma seniors earned 17 million of that sum, or 85% of all monies awarded. Additionally, she appreciates how IB develops all aspects of the child--emotional, academic and social. She is impressed with the confidence and empathy the program instills within her students, and is always amazed by the many activities and projects they are involved in. Ms. Newgent especially likes the idea of creating “lifelong learners” and IB does this by giving students the skills necessary to succeed in college and beyond. She too is a lifelong learner. She earned her teaching degree at University of Maryland; her Masters of History at Washington College, and her Administrative II Certificate at Tow- son. She is also an IB examiner, as well as an AP grader for European History. When asked what advice she wished to give to her students, Ms. Newgent stated, “ use a calendar or an agenda book to keep track of deadlines and to map out long term assignments… and, do not “suffer in silence”.. If you need help get it… reach out to your teachers, form study groups, talk to Ms. Richburg or myself.” T H E S C R I B E

P A G E 3 PAGE 3

The FAFSA Process by Bennett Wasch

The Federal Application For Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a free online form required for those students seeking financial aid to assist with college. This includes federal aid as well as merit based scholar- ships. Additionally, the document is also used by universities and col- leges to determine what percentage of the cost of tuition a family can afford to cover based on their yearly income; this is defined as the Ex- pected Family Contribution (EFC). Please remember the FAFSA is required for all federal assistance including: Pell grants, Stafford loans, Federal Perkins loans, and Federal work-study programs. A recent study suggested that stu- dents missed out on approximately 2.7 billion dollars in free federal Pell grants by not completing the FAFSA. The FAFSA is available online beginning October 1, but students are able to get a FSA ID before this date. Prior to filling out the form your parents will need to have access to their federal income tax re- turn from 2 years prior, bank statements, records of investments, and records of untaxed income. After completing the FAFSA, students are presented with a Student Aid Report (SAR). The SAR provides a student with their potential eligibility for different types of financial aid, their Expected Family Contribu- tion (EFC), and a summary of the data a student provided in the application. The FAFSA website is very easy to navigate and can be accessed at: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/ fafsa. The website not only allows you to complete and submit the th document online, but also pro- vides an app, FAFSA4castor, to get a free early estimate of your eligibility for federal student aid, as well as assistance on how to complete the form, and what to expect after doing so.

For students wishing to approximate his or her family’s ability to finance the cost of a specific college prior to their senior year, or who are seeking early decision but wish to ensure they can afford their selection, check out the school’s Financial Aid Calculator. This tool will supply you with a fairly accu- rate estimate of what you will be required to contribute towards tuition, and what aid you may receive. Of course nothing that you see on a Financial Aid calculator is certain until you receive the acceptance letter, but it is a good first step. These Financial Aid calculators are usually listed as “Net Price Calcula- tor” and can be found on the college website.

P A G E 4

Group 4 Project by Eva Michie

On the chilliest days of November, the IB science students took a field trip to ex- plore and develop a research question at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. On this trip, students acquired further knowledge regarding how the ecosystem and other various bodies of water affect the environmental factors of the Chesapeake Bay. While collecting data and investigating resources, these IB scholars did not let the climatic challenges of the cold hinder them from succeeding their goals. After the long hours spent at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, students returned to Annapolis High School to finish developing their Group 4 project on a PowerPoint presentation.

Junior, Ali Erlandson, stated

“The whole experience was defi- nitely a challenge… but I learned much about how the Chesapeake Bay is affected by so much more than just pollution. The project was easy to pull togeth- er when you had peers helping and contributing to the assignment.”

The group 4 project is an interdisciplinary activity in which all Diploma Programme science students taking Chemistry, Biology or physics, must participate. The intention is that students from the different group 4 sub- jects analyze a common topic or problem. The group 4 project also allows students to appreciate the environ- mental, social and ethical implications of science and technology. and allows students to understand the limi- tations of scientific study, for example, the shortage of appropriate data and/or the lack of resources. After completing the Group 4 project students are required to write a reflective statement about the experi- ence. P A G E 5

This Month in History: The WWI Christmas Truce By: Sabrina Gleitz

This December marks the 104 year anniversary of the Christmas Truce that took place on and Christmas Day of 1914. Just five months after began, Allied and Central troops in took part in an armistice, forbidden by their supervisors. The men that participated were aware that they could be subject to punishment because their actions could be viewed as treason. However, both sides were experiencing the same miseries of war. On Christmas Eve night, German soldiers began to sing Christmas carols and shout good wishes to the Allied troops in the opposite lines. The placed small Christmas trees on the top of their trenches at dawn. Eventually, the troops met in no man’s land and shook hands, conversing mostly in English and even playing games of soccer. Others took the opportunity to bury the dead that had fallen in between the two sides. When the sun set, the men returned to their trenches, maintaining the until at least midnight. While there are accounts of some truces lasting until New Year’s, most troops resumed fighting the soldiers they had connected with just hours earli- er. The next peace that would occur would be at the end of World War I, the 100 year anniversary of which just occurred last month.

A-High Clubs: It’s Academic by Isaac Riddle

The room is silent. You say, “Ernest Hemingway.” The silence sticks hangs in the air for a dreadful heartbeat until you hear “correct,” and the entire room cheers. This is a potential scenario in the It’s Academic team. In this club, team members practice and prepare for a trivia quiz, in the style of 1980’s and 1990’s game shows! The best part is that if you know at least something about anything, you can contribute to the team. This can be literature, sports, math, science, movies, almost every- thing you can think of. The trivia game itself can only have three people on the buzzer, however people are encouraged to participate, as there can never be too many backups. If you are not a senior, this is also a great op- portunity to learn the kind of questions they ask and familiarize yourself with the trivia so you can compete next year. If you’re interested in joining, talk to Mr. Moul in Portable 6.

Source: http://www.itsacademicquizshow.com/ P A G E 6

Spotlight on MYP

By Camille Dupelchain

Annapolis High School’s IB MYP sophomores are finishing their personal projects and completing their written reports. The Personal Project Written Report allows students to reflect on their projects and ex- plain the IB learner traits they had developed while completing it. The first section of the essay, titled Investigating, focuses on how the students came to choose their project, the preliminary research they conducted to begin working on their project, and the goals they had set for the project. Planning is the second section and outlines any and all things the students did before completing their project in order to ensure it would be a success. This section would include aspects like research, materials used, in- formant contacts, and how the student reached out to the community. The next section, Taking Action, describes their final product and how the students created it. The final section, Reflecting, entails just that. Here students reflect on whether or not he final project reached their goals, describe any problems and how they overcame them, as well as reflecting on the IB learner traits they used and refined. Annapolis High School’s IB MYP sophomore's final written reports are due on Google Classroom on December 17th

Kieran Jackson Personal Project by Amelia Farrell

In the 2014 midterm elections, an estimated 143 million eligible Americans failed to vote, marking the lowest voter participation in 72 years. Combatting low voter turnout is one tough feat, but it was an issue that one IB sophomore was determined to do something about. “The youngest demographics live with the consequences of legislation the longest,” says Kieran Jackson, a sophomore at Annapolis High School and future IB Diploma student, explaining why it’s important for young people to vote and get their voices heard in government. For his Personal Project, Jackson printed and handed out over 450 pamphlets outlining voting tips and resources, registering aid, information on specific issues in the midterm elections, and an ex- planation of why voting matters. He distributed these handouts at various local colleges and uni- versities, including the University of Maryland, Anne Arundel Community College, St. John’s Col- lege, and Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, as well as Annapolis High School. Jackson was inspired to make and hand out pamphlets after hearing stories from eligible voters who didn’t vote, and also credits “chronically low turnout rates for young voters,” as his motivation. “My biggest hope is that this change can be spread,” Jackson expresses. And it has. It is estimat- ed that 31% of eligible young people voted in the 2018 midterm elections, one of the highest young voter turnout rates in a midterm cycle in at least the last 25 years. His actions have positive- ly contributed towards increasing young voter turnout, paving the way for a more politically active youth in America.

T H E S C R I B E P A G E 7

Navigating the IB by Grace Goodwin

This month’s issue will focus on IB English. At Annapolis High School, IB English is a required two year class that students take as Juniors and Sen- iors. The course is offered at both the higher level (HL) and standard level (SL), but students are strongly encouraged to take IB English at the HL. During the two years, students will read a variety of fiction and non-fiction works including George Orwell’s 1984, William Shakespeare’s Hamlet, and Duong Thu Huong’s Par- adise of the Blind. IB English is broken down into four parts, two literature sections and two language sections, all of which are covered over the two years. Students learn to analyze language and works of literature in different ways, expanding their perspectives. This year, students will test in May, tak- ing two essay format exams called Paper 1 and Paper 2. Other factors that affect a student’s final score are the mandatory Written Tasks (1 and 2), and internal assessment consisting of the Individu- al Oral Commentary (IOC) and Further Oral Activity (FOA). This scoring format is subject to change in the coming years because IB revises the exams and course guides every couple of years to en- sure a progressive educational environment.

Teacher of the Month: Mr. Russell by Neha Bhanot

Mr. Russell is one of many new additions to the IB Program at Annapolis High School this year. He teaches IB Physics 1 and 2, as well as 10th grade Chemistry. Mr. Russell has been an IB instructor, on and off, for the past seven years. Russell believes that IB is a “complete program that connects with the context and people” and does a great job at preparing students for col- lege. He would advise his IB upperclassmen to dedicate time and temper, with good time management, to completing all the requirements because it does pay off by helping learn college skills. Mr. Russell loves teaching in the IB program because he be- lieves that it truly helps acquire skills for college and he loves working with motivated and intelli- gent students. Mr. Russell has experienced IB in different ways, in different places. He has taught IB students in Peru, India, Brazil, and now Maryland. One of his favorite places he has been is Rishikesh, India. P A G E 8

by Madeline Vieson Columbia University

Columbia University is a private university in Upper Manhattan, New York City. It’s one of nine colonial col- leges founded prior to the Declaration of Independence, originally called King’s College but renamed Co- lumbia College in 1784. Scientists and scholars of the school are affiliated with notable discoveries and contributions to their fields, including much of the initial research and planning for the Manhattan Project during World War II. The university is broken into 20 different schools, one of which is Barnard College. Barnard is a Seven Sister school, founded in response to Columbia’s men-only policy. Though it is legally and financially separate from Columbia, it issues $5 million annually to remain affiliated. 56% of its 6,000 undergraduates are non-white, with social sciences and engineering the most popular majors. 15% of its students participate in Greek life. The university offers more than 500 clubs and organizations, 31 Division 1 varsity teams, and dozens of intramural teams and community service or- ganizations. It’s creative and performing commu- nity is robust, and its student body is one of the most politically, environmentally, and socially active in the country. In 2018, the school admitted 5.5% of applicants, making it the third most selective college in the country. It accepts both Coalition and Common Application and allows applicants to self report their SAT and ACT scores. Application essay, extracurricular, recommendations, and GPA are among the most important factors of a student’s application. The SAT range for the current freshman class totaled at 1450-1580, with a 32-35 on the ACT. Application cost $85 but an automatic waiver form is available. Regular decision application is due January 1. The estimated cost per year to attend is $77,411, including tuition, room and board, and various supplies and personal expenses. Of the 54% of students who applied for need-based aid, 94% were judged to have need. 94% of them were offered aid through the school, and 94% of them had their full need met. For stu- dents whose household made less than $60,00 annually, their full need, including costs other than tuition, is met. Grants are also available for studying abroad. Columbia University has a very generous IB recognition policy. Please access the following link to view a list of the college credits awarded for IB Diploma subjects: https://www.ccis.edu/offices/registrar/evaluations/transferguides/internationalbaccalaureate.aspx

P A G E 9 CAS Corner Tyler Elementary Achieve Program by Elcy Canales

Candidates for the IB diploma are required to earn 150 total CAS hours. CAS is an IB acronym that stands for Creativity, Activity, and Service. IB students have to accumulate 50 hours in arts or any other experiences or tasks that involve creative thinking, which are counted towards cre- ativity hours, an additional 50 hours in any physical activity like sports, which are counted towards action hours, and 50 hours in volun- teering, which are counted as service hours. CAS is a man- datory core compo- nent of the IB diploma which helps students build great time man- agement skills while also aiming to keep a student balance and busy by having fun while completing CAS hours. On Wednesday, December 5, 2018 many IB students had the opportunity to go to Tyler Heights Elementary school and tutor all the students that participate in the school’s homework club. Tutoring is a great way to earn CAS hours because not only is it beneficial to- wards an IB student but its also a great way to give back to the community and help the little ones who are struggling with their homework or need guidance towards their core subjects. Tu- toring not only gives you the power to teach someone else but it also provides a warm uplifting feeling to know that your doing something good for those students who might be struggling. Without CAS who knows if students would have the availability or the motivation to help anoth- er, it was beautiful and encouraging seeing all the IB students taking the time to tutor all the little kids and it was an amazing feeling knowing there were so many students willing to help. I en- joyed seeing all the charming smiles on all the kids faces when they saw so many IB students willing to help them with whatever they need.