theheraldDecember 2, 2016 Volume 24, Issue No. 12 Credit: Kent Hoshiko Food by Irma The Person Behind the Fish Tacos by Meg McEwen When Irma Rodriguez completed the online appli- Credit: Evie Fordham cation to be a dishwasher at It’s A Wonderful Ball PHC, she did not expect to cook, and she certainly did It’s A Wonderful Ball not foresee students begging for more of her ethnic dish- PHC Celebrates the End of the Fall Semester With the Annual Christmas Ball es and calling her the “Mi- chael Jordan of the kitchen” Christmas classic that nearly decorations, I would do pro- months later. These days, by Beth Bergstrom everyone loves, and it takes us motion, Danielle would get a students at PHC cannot get back to our childhoods to re- facility, and Blaire would do enough of Rodriguez’s fla- PHC hosted the annual mind us what Christmas is all food. We picked the theme vorful, authentic Mexican Christmas Ball last night. It’s about,” explained Blaire Bayl- early on, so once Danielle dishes that she makes in A Wonderful Ball was held at iss, a member of the Christ- nailed down a facility, I went PHC’s global food center. the Bush Tabernacle Skating mas Ball planning committee. to work designing posters and “God just put it on my Rink. “I wanted to do something a tickets,” said Becca Samelson, heart because I wanted to After deliberation on a little different from the usual a committee planning mem- serve, and I know that you theme, the planning commit- ‘snow’ and ‘trees’ themes, and ber. “Brenna talked to Dean guys study God’s Word and tee selected It’s A Wonderful I thought this might be some- Corbitt to get our money so that really drew me because Ball. “We really wanted to do thing new and fun to try!” we could buy decorations and I did not even know that something a little different According to the commit- food and to see what types of PHC had a kitchen,” Rodri- from previous years, some- tee planning members, a profit decorations we had access to. I guez said. thing that would capture the was made from presale tickets. then picked people to sell tick- Rodriguez grew up cook- nostalgia and joy of Christ- “In September, we divided mas. It’s a Wonderful Life is a up roles: Brenna would do continued on page 3 continued on page 3 theherald volume 24, issue no. 12 thestories socialmedia embassy dinner page 4 For more, find us on social media. Facebook: Herald Media tree of life page 4 Instagram: @heraldmedia mental health open letter page 5 Twitter: @heraldmedia harmonicomedy page 6 poet lauren mitchell page 7 contribute kondak market page 7 Notice an error? Interested in submitting an editorial? christmas top ten to-do page 8 If so, contact Beth Bergstrom at: young engagements page 10 [email protected] profile: luke shanahan page 12 disney karaoke page 13 studentgovernment profile: aaron k page 14 The Fall 2016 Chapel Assessment Commis- snow page 15 sion Report was amended and passed unani- profile: sarah pensgard page 16 mously by the Student Senate Wednesday basketball page 17 night. One of the primary recommendations dr. spinney’s bible study page 17 is the development of an alternative punish- review: fantastic beasts page 18 ment for students who skip chapel 10-15 opinion: santos debarros page 19 times in a semester. Rather than completing two hours of community service, the report recommends that students listen to the themasthead chapel they missed and write a response or re- editor beth bergstrom flection paper on the chapel, like the assign- layout editor evie fordham ment for students who miss Faith & Reason copy editor rebekah jorgensen lectures. backpage editor giovanna lastra On behalf of Student Government, enjoy staff writers harvest prude an extended break away from the stress of meg mcewen coursework, and have a Merry Christmas. leah greenwood We’ll see you back here in January. victoria cook -Tim Kocher, Senate Speaker bruce truax theherald 3 Students Dance the Semester Away continued from cover portant to enjoy the time spent not just with your date but with the group you go ets, wrote a chapel anouncement, picked a with and everyone else at the ball,” said date for the anouncement, then watched Danielle Fife, a member of the planning the drama unfold.” committee. “Go, eat good food with your As dates were made, dresses bought, date and the group you go with, have fun and meals planned the annual Christmas at the dance, and go out after if you want. Ball came and went. It is all about forgetting about the loom- “I think there is this expectation that ing finals and how you are going to fin- the night needs to go perfectly and that ish everything with just a week left in the Credit: Evie Fordham nothing can go ‘wrong.’ I think it is im- schedule.” s Freshmen Leah Widener and Leo Briceno A Passion for Service and Authentic Flavor continued from cover made Mexican clothing and jewelry. Her “I’m a senior, and I can say with abso- ing meals for herself and her family in store closed six years later, and Rodriguez lute certainty that some of the dishes Irma Mexico City. “My mother used to give decided that she wanted to serve. When- has made have been the best food I have me 20 pesos to go to the market and get ever Rodriguez drove by PHC, she wanted ever had in the dining hall. Her style is something to eat. So I went home and I to work here but did not even know that also something very different from the made us fish or I made us salsas,” Rodri- PHC had a kitchen. One day she checked usual fare, so the new option is heavily guez said. She only planned to leave her the website and noticed that the school appealing to students,” Santos DeBarros collegiate studies in Mexico and help her needed a dishwasher. Even though Ro- said. sister in America for six months, but she driguez knew that her skills lay in the “Irma is like an onion. She has many forged a life for herself here and remains culinary department, she decided to ap- layers. Every time I come to the dining 35 years later. ply. Michelle Del Mundo told her that a hall I find a new delicious layer she has Rodriguez worked with computer tech- position had just opened up at the salad prepared for us,” sophomore Cooper Mill- nology for the government for 17 years un- bar, and she officially joined PHC’s staff house said. til her office shut down. She opened her on July 1. “Living in Southern California and own retail clothing store and sold hand- Rodriguez thought that the menus having spent a week in Mexico, I can could use a little Mexican spice. On a positively say that that is quality Mexican whim, she asked the chefs if she could food. It’s great to have food that isn’t just make a small addition to the menu. She decent, but restaurant quality,” sopho- cautiously put together tostadas with left- more Elias Gannage said. over ground beef and a moderate amount At first, Rodriguez only had the ingre- of salsa, not expecting students to like it, dients at hand ordered by Bon Apatite. as her kids were not enthusiastic about Gradually, she began requesting for spe- ethnic food. To her astonishment, posi- cific ingredients or donating her own to tive review cards began flowing in and the cause, like corn tortillas or dry hot lines started forming behind the food bar. peppers for the salsa. One time Rodriguez “They were shocked because one time did not have avocados for a dish she was I was making quesadillas I had a line of making, but she knew that the combina- students… and then everybody was crazy tion of jalapenos and a lot of cilantro about the fish tacos and I was like, ‘What? tastes like avocados, so she supplemented That’s so simple!’” Rodriguez said. Soon, those ingredients in the recipe. “I think the new Global Food Center at PHC’s din- the secret of all the dishes is the salsa that ing hall opened, and students responded you put on or the combination that you with overwhelmingly positive reviews. put in,” Rodriguez said. s Credit: Becca Samelson 4 theherald Christmas Dinner at Pakistani Embassy Masih reached out to Josiah by Evie Fordham DeGraaf, president of PHC’s All Neighbors Loudoun County is Jim Elliot Club, for help re- seeking volunteers for its first Christmas cruiting students as volunteers and Happy Holidays Celebration Dinner to set up and attend the ban- at the Pakistani Embassy on Dec. 9. The quet. DeGraaf attended All free event will include a speech from Paki- Neighbors’ Easter celebration stan’s Ambassador to the United States, in March at Eagle Ridge. Both Jalil Abbas Jilani, and a traditional Paki- programs have similar struc- stani meal. Ilyas Masih, who grew up in tures. Pakistan, founded and directs All Neigh- “The Easter dinner was re- bors. He is expecting around 250 Muslim, ally neat,” he said. “The first Courtesy: Ilyas Masih Hindu, and Christian guests at the din- half was in an auditorium. The Ilyas Masih and family ner. Statesmen sang, Pakistani kids When appropriate, you can talk about “My goal for this program is to help danced, and there were some local politi- your faith,” he said.