America's culture has teens constantly plugged into their headphones and cells, listening to the latest tunes or watching videos on YouTube. But for some Blazers, American entertainment has its limits.
As April comes to a close, MCPS students are getting hyped up for another election of their own - Student Member of the Board (SMOB) elections. And of course, the most important thing to do before checking off the ballot on April 29 is to get to know the SMOB candidates. Since it might be difficult to reach the two candidates personally as they are busily campaigning around the county, Silver Chips Online has just the tool to help voters make the right choice on election day.
Twelve Blazers were named semifinalists in the 68th annual Intel Science Talent Search (STS) on Jan. 14, out of a total of 300 semifinalists. The names of the 40 finalists were released on Tuesday, although unlike in previous years, none were from Blair or Maryland. Blair had the second-highest number of semifinalists of any school in the nation, rising from eighth-highest last year. Overall, Maryland had the third-highest number of semifinalists with a total of 21 students, including 17 from Montgomery County, the most from any jurisdiction nationwide with the exception of New York City.
Most chick flicks are predictable stories ending with a typical Disney-styled happily-ever-after, but what distinguish the good from the horrible are originality and a unique moral. "Bride Wars" lacks both, and even the queens of romantic comedies, Kate Hudson ("How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days") and Anne Hathaway ("Princess Diaries"), can't save the movie from its mundane and sexist plot.
Junior Lydia Elizabeth Belayhun went missing on Dec. 6 and the police are asking for the public's help in finding her. She was last seen midday in the 8500 block of Second Avenue in Silver Spring and is now considered critically missing as an endangered runaway, according to both the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children and Montgomery County Police Department (MCPD) spokeswoman Lucille Baur.
This year's presidential race, which ended just over a week ago, sure got a lot of people talking. Recap videos were uploaded on YouTube, blogs were constantly updated with the most recent political gaffes and political commentators either lauded or lambasted candidates and campaigners for their latest antics. Although the end of the presidential race sadly marks the end of priceless election moments, Silver Chips Online is here with the best moments of the 2008 campaign.
While sweet and sour chicken may not have actually been a true, traditional Chinese dish, it is now a staple of Chinese restaurant menus in America. The dish's placement on the menu is well-deserved, as everyone enjoys the taste of fried chicken covered in the tangy sweet and sour sauce that makes it so popular. But for those who cannot afford ordering Chinese takeout every night, here is an alternative: learn to make your own! Apart from saving money on pricey Chinese restaurant food, homemade sweet and sour chicken will also probably be healthier as well. And if sweet and sour sauce is not the right taste for you, you can always invent your own sauce!
The Student Government Association (SGA) will be adding monthly community service trips to its calendar of events for the school year. Other planned events include Homecoming, the canned food drive and mock elections.
One of the 17.5 mandatory course credits required for graduation, the technology education credit, used to be easy to earn, with a choice of 17 different technology education classes at Blair. Thanks to a new Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) technology education program, students are now faced with limited course choices, and classes that currently offer the credit and valuable technological skills are now fated to disinterest and decreased student enrollment.
After a long school day, a voice over the intercom announced a long-distance phone call for Joseph Bellino, a bewildered new English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) teacher. The caller was a teacher in Arizona, who had subscribed to Silver International, Blair's international newspaper that Bellino created. She needed to share with Bellino an "amazing thing that had just happened."
The yearbook for the 2007-2008 school year will be distributed to seniors in the auditorium during both 5A and 5B tomorrow, May 28. Other Blazers who ordered copies will receive their yearbooks during lunch on Thursday, according to yearbook staff.
Though traditionally made during the Chinese New Year as a symbol of prosperity and growing fortunes, the Chinese turnip cake is a dish enjoyable at any time. It is commonly found as an item on dim sum menus, but no restaurant turnip cake can ever compare with the homemade version, stir fried with shrimp, mushrooms and Chinese sausages, then steamed and pan fried to a golden brown. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the delicious taste of Chinese turnip cake slowly melting in your watering mouth.
The last spirit week of the school year will be held next week, from April 14 to April 18, and will include lunchtime performances and an outdoor pep rally. The SGA will also hold an outdoor "Screen on the Green" film screening of "Ferris Bueller's Day Off" at 8 p.m. Friday in the stadium.
Political Party: Republican Current Position: Practicing eye surgeon with the Baltimore-Washington Eye Center District: Eight Political Experience: None
Political Party: Democratic Current Position: Congressional Representative, 2002-present District: Eight Political Experience: Member of Maryland General Assembly, 1990-2002; Federal Affairs for Maryland Governor William Donald Schaefer, Senior Legislative Advisor; United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Professional Staff Member; Defense and Foreign Policy of former Maryland Senator Charles McC. Mathias, Jr., Legislative Assistant
Following the varsity squads, Blair's four junior varsity spring sports teams also look forward to competitive, fun seasons. All four teams are relatively young, as the junior varsity lacrosse program is new to Blair, and both baseball and softball lost most returning players. But confidence from coaches and players promises several successful seasons.
Political Party: Democratic Current Position: Public interest advocate; community activist; lawyer; Executive director of The Arca Foundation, 2000 – present District: Four Political Experience: First executive director of the National Network to End Domestic Violence; executive director for the Center for a New Democracy
The Student Government Association (SGA)-sponsored Charity Challenge will run from today to March 20, according to SGA Chief of Staff Vijay Baharani. Each grade will raise money for a chosen charity, and the winning class will be announced in early April.
Sitting in a third-grade classroom in India eight years ago, junior Srinivas Vasudevan watched two children as they were forced to squat in front of the class and shake their feet from side to side while pulling on each other's earlobes. Vasudevan's teacher was punishing the students for stealing his pencil sharpener. Not only was this humiliating treatment a form of physical punishment, but also a form of demeaning degradation, which has been shown to leave emotional scars.
Fifteen years ago, an eighth grader would be nervously hoping to receive an acceptance letter from the International Baccalaureate (IB) Program at Richard Montgomery High School, inviting him to be one out of only 100 students in MCPS to enroll in the IB. Now an eighth grader applying may still be anxiously awaiting his acceptance letter to the IB at Richard Montgomery, but he will be one out of hundreds of students enrolling because of the open enrollment of the IB in other schools.
Political Party: Democratic Current Position: Congressional Representative, 1992-Present District: Four Political Experience: Congressional Representative, 1992-Present
Political Party: Republican Current Position: Businessman, computer consultant District: Four Political Experience: Ron Paul Campaign activist
Political Party: Republican Current Position: Moshe Technologies, Owner; Montgomery County Young Republicans, President; Maryland Club Developments of Young Republicans, Vice President District: Four Political Experience: Jeff Stein's campaign team during the 2006 U.S. Congress for Maryland's Eighth District, campaign manager
The last Principal Breakfast for 2007 was held on Thursday from 7 – 8 a.m. in the media center. During the breakfast, Principal Darryl Williams introduced Officer Dane Onario, the new Education Facilities Officer (EFO), who replaced Officer Stan Barsch. The PTSA plans to hold more breakfasts in 2008, but the dates are still undecided, according to PTSA co-president David Ottalini.
Mix together an epic tale, some intense actors, amazing computer graphics and you've got yourself an amazingly gruesome movie with some unexpectedly deep underlying themes. While "Beowulf's" plot appears to be lacking, the movie's amazing details makes up for that and more.
The lights dim and a fast, catchy beat slowly seeps out from the speakers, making the audience tap their feet. Eight girls dressed in intricate red and blue costumes stand posed on the stage with their backs turned to the audience. Slowly, two by two, they turn around with their waving arms in the air and start dancing to the rhythm of an energetic bhangra tune.
Japan is famous for many dishes, but the best known is probably sushi. With countless possible toppings and fillings, sushi can be made to fit anyone's tastes. Popular fillings include avocado, cucumber, tuna and crab meat. If none of these options are appealing, then there are always undiscovered combinations just waiting to be tried!
Five Blair alumni from the class of 1956 donated $1,800 to Blair's media center. The alumni presented the check and a commemorative plate on Monday afternoon in the media center.
"Snow White and the Seven Dwarves" is a classic fairy tale that everyone hears when they are kids. But what happens when Snow White goes to college? "Sydney White" takes this tale on a spin, making it into a modern-day comedy, mixing in the theme of geeks taking revenge on the popular crowd. Although the plot is too foreseeable, the movie is still enjoyable, with some pleasant humor and sincere acting.
The Blair Information and Learning Locus (BILL), a replacement to the now defunct Blair Education Network (BEN), will be implemented in the next few weeks, according to network administrator Peter Hammond. BILL will include discussion forums, student schedules, email and task lists among its features.
Legends filled with giant dragons, snakes, monsters and lots of fighting are supposed to be exciting and suspenseful. But even though "Dragon Wars: D-War" contains all of the above, it lacks the directing, acting and plot that makes other fantasy films worth seeing. Instead, the film appears to be a rip-off of "Godzilla" and "King Kong" with extra special effects.
Maryland Distinguished Scholar Recognition Day was held on Saturday Sept. 8 at Loyola College, where 43 Blazers among over 300 students were honored as Maryland Distinguished Scholar semifinalists and finalists. Senior Lance Zhao, one of the 10 finalists in the Talent in the Arts competition, performed at the ceremony.
Everyone knows the story of King Arthur and his famous sword, Excalibur. But not many know the story of Excalibur before there was a King Arthur. Based on Valerio Manfredi's historical adventure novel by the same name, "The Last Legion" brings viewers an epic tale of Excalibur pre stone, filled with hectic battle scenes and enhanced by extraordinary acting.
Assistant principal Patricia Hurley announced on July 1 that she will leave Blair for an assistant principal job at Thomas Edison High School of Technology. Hurley is being replaced by Myriam Rogers, who returned from maternity leave on July 3 to take the position.
Michelle Roberts decided in high school that she wanted to teach music. Sitting at her desk, Roberts gives an amused yet somewhat cynical laugh as she recalls her band director's warning. Shaking her finger, Roberts does an animated imitation of her teacher. "You know it's a lot of work, but I'm telling you, it's a lot, a lot, a lot of work," Roberts says in a stern voice, before breaking down into laughter.
Senior Jean Fan, an Intel semifinalist.
Senior Ansh Johri, an Intel semifinalist.
Senior Edward Gan, an Intel semifinalist.
Senior Akimitsu Hogge, an Intel seminfinalist.
Senior Srinivas Vasudevan, an Intel semifinalist.
Senior Sang Tian, an Intel seminalist.
Enjoy some homemade sweet and sour chicken that tastes just as good as restaurant food!
The amount of oil needed will depend on the type of pan. It may be healthier to use less oil and just flip the pieces of chicken over more often so that the sides are still fried evenly.
Try to evenly cover each piece of chicken with the dry flour and starch.
Stir the sauce to make sure the starch has also been spread around before adding in the fried chicken.
Make the sauce, consisting of oil, ketchup and sugar, in the heated pan but remember to add the starch too at the end because the starch will help the sauce stick to the chicken.
Once the chicken has turned the crispy golden-brown color, take it out on of the pot and place it aside to cool.
Once each piece has been covered, place it aside for later use.
Move around the chicken pieces so that they are covered in the sweet and sour sauce.
Be sure you are using boneless chicken before beginning the marinating process.
Be sure to cover the chicken in wetted flour and starch before placing it into the pan to make sure that it will stick to the chicken.
As each piece changes color, flip over the chicken so that each side is fried evenly. Be careful of the sizzling oil!
Even after the students have finished writing for Silver International, Bellino continues to teach and work with them in class.
This year's theme for Silverlogue is "Anatomy of a Blazer." Yearbooks will be distributed to seniors on Wednesday.
Evenly mix the turnip with the mushroom, shrimp and bacon.
Stir and pour in the rice mixture at the same time.
Grate the turnip so that it is shaved into thin pieces.
Make sure the mixture is not too thin.
Cut the turnip in half so that it is easier to grate.
Peel off the skin of the turnip with a peeler.
Try to cut the mushroom into the smallest pieces possible.
Remember to let the rice soften in water overnight.
Once cooked in a rice cooker, the cake should be solid and ready to be fried.
Try not to spill any of the turnip when pouring it in.
Enjoy the Chinese turnip cake!
Mix the bacon and mushroom slices with the shrimp.
Pieces of the cake should be sliced off before frying.
Slice the bacon into even pieces.
Principal Darryl Williams discusses issues that parents bring up during the last breakfast of 2007.
Seniors Tina Zhang and Wenbo Dou and junior Elaine Chung demonstrate the art of Wushu, a type of Chinese martial arts, during the International Talent Show at the conference.
Enjoy the sushi!
Remember to leave the right amount of space at the edges of the noori.
A completed roll of sushi before it is cut in slices.
All the toppings are neatly lined up before the sushi is rolled up.
All the materials and toppings needed to make sushi. Click to see more photos.
Music teacher Michelle Roberts gives her students in Concert Orchestra options on how they want to end the school year.