CAPTURING MOMENTS: A GLIMPSE INTO THE MAKING OF THE YEARBOOK

Karen Cortes | Staff Writer

Hannah Dick and Sierra Martin attend a pink-out on October 11, 2019. Yearbook staff spends time outside of school hours taking pictures for the yearbook. During school, they sort through pictures and conduct interviews in preparation for producing the yearbook. Photo: Jim Klimavicz

The high school yearbook is a treasured part of students’ high school experience, but have you ever thought of the amount of work and time the staff puts into it, or how much pressure they’re under?

The yearbook is not a random collage of pictures. Instead, the staff creates a yearly theme and develops their spreads around that theme.

Chris Colston, advisor of the yearbook staff, said that the theme starts way before the first day of school. “So it takes about the whole year,” said Colston. “We start at a yearbook camp at JMU and we go for four and a half days there and sort of set up the whole thing.”

Hannah Dick and Sierra Martin, Editors in Chief of the Lord Loudoun Yearbook, attended yearbook camp with others to get the theme set. “I had such a good time because they make it really fun while you’re still getting a lot of stuff done,” said Dick.

“I attended it this year and last year and it was so much fun,” said Dick. “Last year I didn’t really know what to expect but I went in and I learned so much about yearbook.”

The logistics of scheduling at our school makes it difficult for staff to meet consistently. As with most electives, enrollment is impacted by other courses students want to take as well as required courses such as personal finance.

This year, the yearbook meets once per day, once on A days and another one on B days. Dick and Martin are both present for. “There’s about five or six of us that work both days and there’s some people that are only on A day or B day,” said Dick.

“Sierra and I both have [yearbook] class on B days, but Sierra is only there during A lunch on A days,” said Dick. This is because Martin had a scheduling conflict on A days, during which she has to take a different class. Her dedication shows in her willingness to work during her lunch shift every other day.

Colston and Dick talked about what the most stressful part about yearbook is. “For me personally taking over this for the first year I just don’t know the ins and outs,” said Colston. “I’m learning as I go. Anytime where you have a deadline with a financial penalty is stressful.”

“I think the most stressful part is having deadlines because if we don’t get enough spreads in a certain amount of time then it won’t be finished,” said Dick.

It’s not as easy as it seems, and it’s a lot of commitment, said Dick. “I wish they knew how much work goes into it cause always people are complaining about little mistakes and we try our best but it is hard to make everything perfect.”

HEAVY LIFTING: ENGLISH TEACHER PLACES THIRD IN WEIGHTLIFTING COMPETITION

Olivia Zavadil | Business Manager

English teacher Paige Illig lifts 48 kilograms in the clean and jerk. Illig has been competing in weighlifting competitions such as the Black and Red open in her free time. Photo courtesy of Paige Illig.

Paige Illig might seem like your average English teacher with her petite frame and mild personality, but she has a surprising talent; Olympic weightlifting. This past year, Illig placed third in her class at the Black and Red open in Reston.

Illig first became interested in weightlifting a year ago when her boyfriend convinced her to give it a try. “I was always really lazy, and I hated working out,” said Illig. “When I started lifting weights, it was fun, and I started to get the results that I wanted.”

Illig also enjoys the challenging and competitive environment that comes along with the lifts. “The lifts are a challenge to do, and it’s a way to add competition to something that wouldn’t normally be competitive,” she said.

Illig competes in various weightlifting competitions throughout the year, most frequently in the Black and Red open competition.The competitions are organized in the same way as a swim meet; you cheer on your teammates, but you are still competing as an individual against them.

While placing third in her class is a huge accomplishment, Illig does not view this as her most notable accomplishment. “Being able to clean and jerk a hundred pounds was a personal victory for me,” Illig said. “Placing didn’t really make that much of a difference to me, but having that personal victory of getting the weight that I really wanted.”

In regards to anyone interested in picking up Olympic weightlifting, Illig suggests doing research and being wary of injury.

“Make sure you know how to properly lift before you start so you don’t get hurt, because it’s super easy to pull something or hurt yourself,” she said. “It’s a very easy thing to fall into, and once you start with that community it’s very easy to reach out to other people that can help you.”

Comparing weightlifting to teaching, Illig noted the reversal of roles from teacher to student. “I definitely see the relation in the way of learning from someone who is more experienced than you, and being more of a student,” she said.

LATIN CLASSES MAP ANCIENT ROMAN WORLD ON CLASSROOM FLOOR

Byron VanEpps | Raider Staff

Alec Steel, Coleman Hamilton, and Maddeline Potts color the borders of the map on the floor of the Latin classroom. Over the year, Latin students will interact with the map in order to enhance learning about the history of the Ancient Roman Empire. Photo: Karen Cortes

Earlier this year, Latin Teacher Lynn Krepich unveiled a plan to her students to create a map of the ancient roman world on the classroom’s floor. “I got the idea from watching Peter Jennings on ABC,” Krepich said. Jennings would walk over a map in the studio whenever he was reporting on something overseas. “It really puts you there and gets you more interested in the news and what he was reporting on,“ Krepich said.

Krepich asked for the map to be made in order to help her students understand more about what they’re reading and learning about in class. “I think it makes a lot more sense if students know, well, where is Tuscany?” Krepich said when giving an example about a Latin 4 Class. Krepich also feels it would be good for students to know where certain words or phrases derive from when translating authentic Latin.

To create the map, she assigned junior Jackson Chinn as map designer and leader of the project. Chinn has lots of experience in cartography, so him leading the project worked out well. “I used to make maps when I was little, which is a little unorthodox for somebody to do in their spare time when they’re in elementary school,” Chinn said.

The boundaries, territories, and geography has been outlined using masking tape, with the map covering the entire floor of the classroom. Soon, the masking tape will be painted with different colors representing different land masses. Chinn has already placed the grid of masking tape on the floor of the classroom, made up of 70 by 70 centimeter boxes each representing a 500 by 500 kilometer area. Krepich expects the map to be completed by the first quarter, so that it is able to be used year round.

The map will start off with basic labels, but Krepich and Chinn are leaving it up to the students to help create labels and icons for specific areas on the map. “It’s all going to be based on what they study from the Latin perspective,” Krepich said. Krepich plans to tie this into the curriculum as well, having the icons students create relate to the unit they’re studying. “Latin 2 is currently studying the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, so they could create icons for those areas and place them on the map,” Krepich said.

Krepich hopes students are able to make more connections to Latin through this project. “It is essential that every Latin student understands not only the syntax of the text but also the geography that frames the ancient writing and the roman authors,” Krepich said. 

“I love how now that we’re translating, that we’re able to go in more depth and actually see where Caesar travelled during the Gallic Wars,” Latin 6 Student Christina Kendrat said.

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New beginnings: Q&A with English Language Learners

Brooke Jones | Raider Staff

Imagine walking to school and being worried about whether the color of your shirt might be mistaken for membership in a gang.

ELL students work on their reading skills with teacher Marina Mowery. Students in the ELL program follow a semester schedule in sheltered classrooms to help develop their language skills and readiness for other coursework. Raider Staff Photographer: Robert Wertz

Living in Leesburg, we don’t usually question our safety when we leave the house, but for some Loudoun County students, this was not always the case.

Our English Language Learners (ELL) program currently helps 125 students learn to write, speak, listen, and read in English. The ELL students have all had unique experiences on their journeys coming to the United States and living here without knowing English. Recalling life in their home country versus life here, several students mentioned fear of leaving the house at night due to gang violence and having to worry about what to wear. They praise the educational opportunities found in Leesburg and better-paying jobs in the United States, but they generally miss the family, food, and culture of the homes they left behind.

The ELL program has been in the United States since 1970, and continues to help students around the country.

ELL teacher Marina Mowery has been teaching for 29 years and teaching ELL classes for 10 years. When students first come to the United States they are in sheltered classes, where they learn the language in order to be successful in their regular core classes.

“The students are all very hardworking and very thankful for their education,” Mowery said. Most come from countries where the education system is very different from schools in the United States. “Some of the places they come from, they have to pay for their education, so when it is free in the US, they are very thankful and work hard to access the curriculum.”
Some students are escaping dangerous situations, such as the threat of gang violence, while others are seeking more opportunities. Unfortunately, a lot of time they are leaving their families and coming by themselves.

At Loudoun County High School, students have been in the country anywhere from one week to three years, so the challenge is that everything is brand new. When they arrive here, the vast majority of students are by themselves. “A student might arrive here, and their mom came here when they were two, and the student is now 16 or 17, so they don’t really know their mom. They come here and live with their mom for the basically the first time,” Mowery said.

ELL students have a new home, language, clothing, and food, in addition to a new school. “It’s not one thing that you can pinpoint that is a challenge, it’s everything,” said Mowery.
In one instance, a student expressed regret for not being back home when his grandfather passed away. Another expressed concern that something might happen to her own child on the way to the United States.

The Loudoun Raider sent out an optional survey to members of the ELL program to share the challenges and benefits of being a student new to Leesburg, to the United States, and to English.

TLR: What country do you come from, and how long have you been here in Loudoun County?
Elisandio Isaias: “I’m from El Salvador and I have been in Loudoun County for four months.”
Lisbeth: “I am from Dominican Republic and have been in Leesburg for three months.”
Olmer: “I’m from El Salvador and have been here almost two years.”
Anonymous: “I am from Peru and have lived in the United States for 10 months.”
Anonymous: “I’m from Columbia and I have been in Loudoun County for eight months.”
Anonymous: “I’m from Honduras and have lived in Loudoun County for four months.”

TLR: What aspect of learning English is the most difficult?
Gerson Castro: “Speaking is the most difficult thing about learning English.”
Luis Alfredo: “The pronunciation is the most difficult thing about learning English.”
Anonymous: “The most difficult part of English is reading.”
Yonis Perez: “People talk very fast which makes learning English difficult.”

TLR: What have been some challenges living here?
Olmer: “American traditions have been challenging. For example, Halloween is hard because it has a different meaning in America than my home country.”
Yonis Perez: “One challenge is the cold weather.”
Anonymous: “A challenge has been the language and leaving my family.”
Anonymous: “A challenge has been being away from my mom.”

TLR: What’s been the most helpful part of high school?
Yonis Perez: “The teachers helping me has been the most helpful.”
Anonymous: “Working to get a diploma has been helpful.”
Anonymous: “The most helpful part of high school is learning English.”

TLR: What do you miss the most about your home country?
Anonymous: “Food is what I miss the most.”
Juan Rivas: “I miss my parents and friends.”
Anonymous: “I miss my grandmother.”
Anonymous: “I miss the food and hot weather.”
Anonymous: “I miss my culture and my family.”

TLR: How are you adjusting to living in the United States?
Juan Rivas: “I come to school then I go to work.”
Wilson Triguros: “I have not yet adjusted, I’m still trying to.”
Yonis Perez: “I come to school, then go to work, and on my days off I play soccer.”
Olmer: “Learning the language and learning the traditions is hard.”
Joaquin Yanes: “I have adjusted well to the United States. It is beautiful.”
Lisbeth: “I feel more comfortable here.”

TLR: What surprised you the most when you moved here?
Yalisa: “The cold weather was surprising because it’s always warm where I’m from.”
Anonymous: “The snow surprised me the most.”
Lisbeth: “I was surprised that the food was not good.”
Anonymous: “I was surprised when I met my family in the United States because I hadn’t seen them in a long time.”
Anonymous: “Some people are surprising because they are not nice. When I speak, they laugh.”
Anonymous: “I was reunited with my mother after thinking I would never see her again.”

TLR: What challenges have you faced coming to the United States?
Olmer: “Everything is more expensive.”
Anonymous: “Learning English has been challenging.”
Anonymous: “A challenge for me has been the language.”
Anonymous: “A challenge has been meeting new people.”
Anonymous: “My biggest challenge was getting here. I had to walk, ride a bus, ride a boat, and ride on the back of a truck.”

TLR: Anything else you’d like to share about your journey?
Juan Rivas: “After coming here, I’ve seen some beautiful places.”
Anonymous: “Everything is different here compared to my country.”
Anonymous: “My journey to the US has been a good one, and I’m happy to be in this country.”

Three summer globe trotters: students travel to Mongolia, Thailand, Poland

Kendall Chambers | Raider Staff

When school starts in the fall, students are consumed with studying, extracurriculars, and spending Friday nights at football games. In the summer months, though, students traveled from Europe to Asia exploring foreign customs and cultures. Passports were stamped, world views were broadened, and memories were made. From trying new foods to visiting new cities, three students experienced the adventure of a lifetime.

Senior Sofia Fagan spent two weeks traveling through Mongolia on horseback. Her inclination to travel to Asia stemmed from her interest in learning about ancient cultures.

“I think Asia is one of the most diverse regions; it’s extremely different from Western culture, and I wanted to gain a cultural experience by interacting with the Eastern World,” Fagan said.

Fagan describes herself as being selective with her food, so trying meals that incorporated lamb and goat was out of her comfort zone. “Trying new food and getting to experience how different families cook their meals was something that I believe pushed me to not only try new things, but also connect with the families we were staying with.”

According to Fagan, the difficulty of the horseback riding aspect took her by surprise. “We rode six to seven hours on horseback per day, and although I had trained for the trip, I didn’t know it was going to be that intense every day. But, I think the group that I went with was very resilient.”

Recalling her favorite memory from her time spent in Asia, Fagan said, “on the trip we got to connect with five men who had lent us their horses. They were riding with us the entire time for safety measures, and they acted as guides. In the evenings, we would all sing around the campfire with the horsemen, learn Mongolian songs, and teach them American songs as well. I truly loved that experience because we got to share something despite our language barrier, and we were able to communicate without understanding each other.”

Nikki Uehlinger walks an elephant at the Elephant Retirement Park in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Uehlinger volunteered at an elephant retirement park during her summer break. Raider Staff Photographer: Sally Stimpson

In Chiang Mai, Thailand, senior Nicole Uehlinger volunteered at an elephant retirement park. “I got a booklet in the mail for volunteer trips and decided to look through it. I saw the trip to Thailand and immediately fell in love with the idea,” Uehlinger said. During her ten day trip, Uehlinger explored the Thai cities of Pai, the capital city, Bangkok, and Chiang Mai.

Located in Northern Thailand, Chiang Mai is packed with street markets and ancient temples. Aside from the lively culture, Uehlinger’s love of animals encouraged her to participate in this experience, which allowed her to work hands-on with elephants. It expanded my horizons in terms of what I want to do with my life,” Uehlinger said.

When she wasn’t tending to elephants, Uehlinger was making memories with her volunteer group. “When we were sleeping in the jungle in bamboo huts, nobody had their phones, so we ended up just making shadow puppets in the bug nets and telling stories.”

Having no access to technology led Uehlinger to learn just how much she values enriching experiences, which she cites as a common theme of her trip. “The biggest thing I learned from my trip is the value of experiences away from home and immersing yourself in other cultures.”

“The last time I went to Poland was five years ago,” junior Julia Houck said. In June, Houck traveled to the Polish town of Rożnów, where her grandparents reside, and stayed for two months.

With a population of just 1,700, Rożnów boasts mountains and lakes that create picturesque views for its residents. “Not many people know about Rożnów,” Houck said. “It’s an hour away from Kraków, which is a larger city.” The medieval city of Krakow bustles with cafés and is home to the 13th century church St. Mary’s Basilica.

Houck has an appreciation for Polish culture, and even speaks some Polish herself. “I feel like Poland is very similar to the U.S.,” Houck said. “People may think it’s really different, but I feel like there’s a lot of similarities.”

As for her favorite Polish dish: “pierogi with strawberries.” Houck said that though she wasn’t born in Poland, her mother was. “She lived there until she was about 18 years old.” Her grandparents aren’t the only ones in her family who reside in Europe; her cousins from Ireland and France also accompanied her on the vacation. “My favorite memory would have to be when all of my cousins arrived. We all had an amazing time together.”

Youtube Review: Shane Dawson breaks barriers with new docuseries

Alex Weber | Raider Staff

With over 17 million subscribers, YouTuber Shane Dawson announced in September that he would be doing eight documentary videos about Jake Paul. Paul, a stunt devil, also has 17 million YouTube followers and posts videos almost daily featuring stunts and pranks.

Dawson has done docuseries with other YouTubers, but this one is his most controversial.

In the first video, “The Mind of Jake Paul,” he becomes better acquainted with Paul by watching Paul’s videos and his family’s. Paul’s parents and brother Logan all have YouTube channels. We learn that Paul’s dad is a crazy prankster who pushes the boys to be the best they can be at whatever they do, suggesting that this could be a reason for Paul’s extreme pranks.

Fans reacted adversely and passionately to the first video, many worried that Paul is receiving unwarranted free publicity.

Dawson admitted that he did not expect the backlash, but continued the series, warning, “I also want to do stuff on my channel that I find interesting. The fall of Jake Paul and the darkness of his world, is something that I am fascinated by.”

Paul and Dawson meet in his fifth and six videos where he gets to know Paul and see how and where he lives, which is perhaps the most interesting part, especially when Paul brings a psychiatrist without Paul knowing.

Is Jake Paul a sociopath or not? Time, and the last videos in the series, may tell.

A blast to the past: hairstyles repeat throughout County’s long history

Kevin McIntyre | Raider Staff

Yearbook photos of Toni Rader exemplify how hairstyles have changed since the 1980s. Photos courtesy of the Lord Loudoun yearbook.

Throughout the years of Loudoun County High School, an abundance of hairstyles and colors are inevitable. You’ll never go a year where everyone has the same style. Whether it’s mullets in the 1980s or afros in the 1970s there is always a new trend.

Librarian Tonya Dagstani reflected on styles over the last three decades.  “Back in the 1980s girls had long hair. It was jiggy and different. Mullets and Kid ‘n Play styles were pretty popular. Guys just seemed more adventurous than girls when it came to hair.” said Dagstani.

Yearbook photos of Felicity Francis exemplify how hairstyles have changed throughout the
years. Photos courtesy of the Lord Loudoun yearbook.

Not every teacher has done something as drastic, including: science teacher Kayla Urban. “I have pretty boring hair. I keep it highlighted most of the time, though. I do like how the faculty can get really creative with their hair,” said Urban.

 Judith Shepard who attended this school in 1964 through 1967 had a few interesting details about the styles back then. “In addition to adding colors, such as pink, purple, and blue, they colored streaks and the tips of their hair. They put much more effort,” she said when asked if she thought faculty put in more work in their hair then they did back then. “They changed it a lot more and take more time with makeup and hair” said Shepard.

Toni Rader, an English teacher who has been here for over 20 years,, replied in good detail what hair was like back then. Female teachers spent more time and less products on their hair, except the popular technique, curling. “It’s like a pendulum, some years it goes to extremes and then comes back. Like 80s movies, the popular ‘afro’ was also a growing trend with people of color,” she said. According to Rader, faculty and people in general, are more adventurous and less judgmental.

Yearbook photos of Lynn Krepich exemplify how hairstyles have changed since the 1980s.
Photos courtesy of the Lord Loudoun yearbook.

Teacher Feature: Simms joins English department, tackles yearbook

Charles Coleman | Raider Staff

Shawn Simms and yearbook students brainstorm ideas from previous yearbooks. This year marks the 64th edition of the Lord Loudoun yearbook. Raider Staff Photographer: Charles Coleman.

This year LCHS has a brand new team member who’s taking on a difficult task, yet still excited for her new teaching home. Shawn Simms, the new yearbook advisor at LHCS, was hired this summer to fill Taylor Kanes’ old position. With careful consideration, Simms chose LCHS because she felt it had a “good feel and such a good vibe.”

Despite her having taught for the past 22 years all over the world, with all different types of groups, Simms had never had any experience with the huge task of advising a high school yearbook staff, but she was ready to take on the challenge. “I thought it would be a challenge, I thought it’d be interesting, I love working with the kids at this capacity and I wanted to be at this school,” said Simms. Now already yearbook is in full swing, and one editor, Chloe Adam, is enjoying Mrs. Simms new style so far. “were teaching along with her, so shes letting us incorporate our teaching styles.”

In her past decades on teaching, Simms has taught kids in “Germany…inner-city, and suburbs, and everything in between,” and here at LCHS she is teaching eleventh grade American literature. She finally settled in Virginia to be closer to her family, and had a more freedom to move with all three of her kids being in college.

So far LCHS has made a great impression on Simms and she feels very welcomed and at home here. Many of the staff and community of LCHS have been making sure she’s doing well and helping her with the adjustment. “Kids are really great, and the people are so kind and helpful,” said Simms. Simms has received a lot of support so far, and has made a great impression on the LCHS community. One faculty member, Arlene Lewis reinforced this statement by saying, “She’s a great teacher, she really well organized, knows her material and knows how to deliver on it. She’s a real asset to our department.”

As we rush into the rest of the year, Mrs. Simms will continue to work with students and help creating the 64^th Lord Loudoun.