Payal Patnaik


Name: Payal Patnaik
Position: Online Editor-in-Chief
Graduation Year: 2007
Payal's bad habits include compulsive apologizing, and....sorry.


Stories (23)


Sherwood Warriors inch forward to victory

By Payal Patnaik | May 7, 2007, midnight | In Blair »

The Blair boys' volleyball team fell to Sherwood's undefeated Warriors, ending its season with two season losses this week and locking in a fifth seed spot for the county playoffs. Second-year coach and Blair alumni Sang Ahn commemorated the seniors of the team in honor of Senior Night. Despite Blair's gallant efforts, the Sherwood Warriors emerged victorious 14-16 in the fifth game after a deadlock at 16-25, 25-23, 18-25 and 25-23. The final two points broke the tie and stripped the hopeful Blazers of a win that would have dethroned the Warriors from an undefeated record.

snoWatch: Let's boycott the calendar!

By Payal Patnaik | Feb. 25, 2007, midnight | In Humor »

In another epic battle against the snow and ice, Montgomery County quickly cleared the main roads shortly after today's snow subsided. And the school system is fighting another battle between hazard and learning, especially since we've been improving so much by county standards. So we musn't slack, should we?

snoWatch: The mayhem continues

By Jeff Lautenberger, Payal Patnaik | Feb. 12, 2007, midnight | In Humor »

4:30 p.m. Thursday update: Well, our streak of perfect accuracy has finally ended with tomorrow's unexpected closure (who saw that coming, seriously?) You gotta admit though, snoWatch had this storm on lockdown from the beginning and we're in no position to stop gloating about it. Looks like we're getting that "lovely seven day weekend" after all, and despite what Jeff said earlier, he will be back (if it ever snows again) to write snoWatch. Until then, we're out!

ID color coding system draws media attention

By Merlyn Deng, Alex Hyder, Payal Patnaik | Oct. 18, 2006, midnight | In Local »

Reporters from several television stations came to Blair this afternoon to interview principal Phillip Gainous, SGA President Eric Hysen and several students about the ID policy after a Washington Post story brought this year's changes, including the new, controversial color coding system to public attention.

Boys' volleyball wins second county championship

By Merlyn Deng, Payal Patnaik | May 19, 2006, midnight | In Blair »

Blair's boys' volleyball team beat the Sherwood Warriors for the volleyball county championship round yesterday, May 18, 25-21, 26-24 and 25-18. After only three sets, the Blazers emerged victorious with their second straight title.

Yearbooks to be distributed this week

By Payal Patnaik | May 16, 2006, midnight | In Local »

The yearbook for the 2005-2006 school year will be distributed to seniors tomorrow.

Boys' volleyball to play in championship round

By Merlyn Deng, Payal Patnaik | May 16, 2006, midnight | In Blair »

The boys' volleyball team has done it once again. In slightly over an hour, the Blazers defeated the number three seeded Rockville Rams in a spectacular 3-0 win tonight, which means that the boys will have a chance to defend the championship title they won last year on Thursday against Sherwood.

"Water" is fluidly eloquent

By Payal Patnaik | May 16, 2006, midnight | In Movies »

"water"

Car chase in Blair neighborhood ensues during rush hour

By Merlyn Deng, Payal Patnaik | April 19, 2006, midnight | In Local »

Two youths attempted to escape with a stolen black Jeep Cherokee in the Woodmoor area, resulting in a minor car chase that climaxed at the intersection of Colesville Road and University Boulevard today at approximately 4:35 p.m. They were caught soon afterwards.

Blazer boys outplay Cavaliers

By Payal Patnaik | April 1, 2006, midnight | In Blair »

After a victory against Damascus last Tuesday, the boys' volleyball team overcame the Kennedy Cavaliers in three sets, 25-17, 25-20 and 25-21, improving their season record to 4-1. Although both teams made technical errors, Blair still emerged victorious from the match. The Blazers faced Kennedy last year in a close semifinal match and was expecting an equally challenging game from this year's team.

Warriors barely creep past Blazers

By Merlyn Deng, Payal Patnaik | March 24, 2006, midnight | In Blair »

MARCH 23, NELSON H. KOBREN MEMORIAL GYMNASIUM– Crowned as county champs last season and fresh from a close shave against Churchill on Tuesday, the boys' volleyball team fell to the Sherwood Warriors yesterday. Playing against the very team they beat for the Ma href="https://silverchips.mbhs.edu/inside.php?sid=5409">county title, the Blazers fought for a victory until the very last point.

Oh so sweet Cinderellas

By Payal Patnaik, Pratik Bhandari | March 24, 2006, midnight | In Print »

Georgetown. George Mason. Wichita State. Bradley. Raise your hand if you had all four teams in the Sweet Sixteen. Put 'em down, liars...

Atlantic Coast Conference still strong

By Payal Patnaik | March 16, 2006, midnight | In College »

Never underestimate the ACC. Although the Big East is probably the strongest conference this year, the ACC has a tradition of excellence in basketball. Not only is the conference one of the most experienced in NCAA basketball history, but the top three teams, Duke, UNC and Boston College, are all forces to reckon with. These three teams have the potential to make the Final Four with their strength and experience, although anything is possible with college ball.

A Cinderella story despite defeat

By Payal Patnaik | Feb. 14, 2006, midnight | In College »

A Cinderella team does not always have to be the most successful team in the conference. It rises from hardships, but it doesn't need to defeat the evil stepmother. A Cinderella team just needs to ruffle its stepmother's feathers a bit.

Duke still on top of the NCAA

By Payal Patnaik | Jan. 30, 2006, midnight | In College »

Those ol' coaches have a soft corner for tradition and their favorites. Duke, despite their startling defeat against Georgetown, was ranked second in both the AP and ESPN polls released last Monday after receiving 10 first place votes. UConn, with only one loss in the season, was ranked number one this week with 19 votes. And in the coach's poll, the Blue Devils were only three points behind the Huskies. Georgetown captured the rank of 21 in the NCAA in the AP poll, but remained unranked in ESPN's.

New magnet programs to be implemented in Montgomery County

By Payal Patnaik | Jan. 21, 2006, midnight | In Local »

In the fall of 2006, Poolesville High School will become one of the three highly rigorous instructional programs in Montgomery County, joining the Science, Mathematics and Computer Science Magnet Program at Blair and the International Baccalaureate Program at Richard Montgomery.

"King Kong" is a new classic

By Payal Patnaik | Dec. 20, 2005, midnight | In Movies »

The timeless tale of beauty and the beast is the sweet story of Ann Darrow and her devoted protector King Kong, which was rekindled last Wednesday in theaters nationwide. The original "King Kong," directed by Merian C. Cooper, who also shares writing credits, enamored audiences in 1933 and launched the story to celebrity status. After years of movies based on the King Kong legend, including the 1976 flop, this new release directed by Peter Jackson finally does justice to the original.

The spirit of the ACC captured in first few games

By Payal Patnaik | Dec. 13, 2005, midnight | In College »

With the start of the ACC season, the followers of the conference were in for a surprise.

"Best of the Box": reality truly is the best

By Payal Patnaik | Dec. 2, 2005, midnight | In Music »

Nirvana's new release "Sliver: Best of the Box" showcases some of the band's most well-known songs in a small package of 22 tracks. To those who own "With the Lights Out," a four-disc tribute to Nirvana released last year, this new album may seem like overkill since it selects the best of the previous release and adds only three unreleased tracks to the list. But to the more enthusiastic Nirvana and rock fans that do not own "With the Lights Out," this CD is a definite addition to have. "Sliver: Best of the Box" follows the band from its bare beginnings in 1985 and gives the listener samples of the house demos made in lead singer/guitarist Kurt Cobain's Aberdeen, WA home, as well as in radio shows and live recordings.

Maryland basketball season preview

By Payal Patnaik | Nov. 20, 2005, midnight | In College »

After a disappointing season with a young and inexperienced team, the University of Maryland (UMD) men's basketball team has trained hard to have a successful season. The face of UMD has completely changed since its prime, as the team had lost all but one, Mike Grinnon, of its championship team from 2002. Through the last few years, they have learned to adjust to a new independence from the reliance on a star player to lead the way. Last season, the fledgling basketball team had to learn how to grow up and fly through another phenomenal basketball season.

Spiritless students fill Blair

By Payal Patnaik, Jordan Goldstein | Nov. 17, 2005, midnight | In Print »

It's three days before homecoming at Colonel Zadok Magruder High School. As students turn into the senior hallway, they walk under a giant green dragon, mouth open wide, greeting them to the medieval scene that lies ahead. As they walk down the hall, other students act out medieval scenes, paper mâche pigs sit in hay, aluminum foil knights guard a working drawbridge and an old wizard stands by his cauldron. All along the walls are intricate paintings of coats of arms and long banquet tables, jailed prisoners and mysterious potions, torches and spell books. About thirty seniors are frantically rushing around, putting the final touches on their homecoming masterpiece. Meanwhile, less than ten miles away, a handful of Blair juniors are putting the final touches on their single pole on Blair Boulevard, decorated with a few posters and flimsy Pacman figures. A few feet down the hall, some seniors are finishing the pole for the freshman class - not enough freshmen volunteered to decorate their own pole.

Libby's indictment: deserving yet unsatisfactory

By Payal Patnaik | Nov. 16, 2005, midnight | In Op/Ed »

Joseph Wilson, the CIA envoy sent to confirm the Africa claim in 2002, wrote an editorial to the "New York Times" about the Iraq-Niger deals being false. This attempt of righting the wrong caused more harm than good. Lewis Libby, Vice President Dick Cheney's former chief of staff and national security advisor, leaked the Valerie Plame's identity as a CIA operative to several journalists. Libby sought to discredit Wilson believing his actions to be subversive, blurring his purpose, and ruining the career of his wife, Plame, by revealing her position at the CIA.

John Mahoney announces decision to run for Maryland State Senate

By Payal Patnaik | Sept. 11, 2005, midnight | In Local »

John Mahoney, the president of the Young Democrats of Maryland (YDM), announced his decision to run for the General Assembly in District 19 on Thursday at the Young Democrats Campaign Kick-Off in Baltimore. He is retiring from the YDM, an organization for Democrats under the age of 36, in order to challenge the current senator of District 19, Leonard H. Teitelbaum, in 2006.



Images (4)


Photo: Sign

By Payal Patnaik | April 19, 2006, midnight | In ‎Latest »

This sign near the 7-11 was knocked over by the stolen Jeep during the car chase on April 19.

Photo: Army Cinema Van

By Payal Patnaik | Feb. 2, 2006, midnight | In ‎Latest »

Blair students board the U.S. Army Cinema Van, which was stationed in the student parking lot on Feb. 2. Several people protested military recruitment outside of the traveling multimedia vehicle.

Photo: Army Recruiter

By Payal Patnaik | Feb. 2, 2006, midnight | In ‎Latest »

An Army recruiter outside the Cinema Van.

Photo: "Sliver: The Best of the Box"

By Payal Patnaik | Dec. 2, 2005, midnight | In ‎Latest »