The Observer » Observations

Film Club

adviser — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 17:53:14 +0000

choose to go out with their friends, while
some frantically study for upcoming
tests. But the Film Club does something
different–they relax and watch movies.
The club meets in sponsor Wesley
Russ’s room from Wednesdays to Fridays
at lunch to watch different films
each week.
“You do not have to join, just come
in and watch a movie,” president of the
Film Club senior Paul Oh said. “You can
leave or come whenever you want, there
is zero commitment.”
The club features many different
films, ranging from romantic comedies
to anime movies. They choose their
movies through Facebook polls where
any student can vote on which movie he
or she wants to see in upcoming weeks.
Some of the movies that the club has
watched so far include X-Men, 500 Days
of Summer, Back to the Future and The Social
Network. Upcoming movies include
Across the Universe, and The Sting
Along with a movie, the club
also attempts to provide snacks
such as pizza and popcorn during
the viewings.

Race to Nowhere Club

adviser — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 17:50:34 +0000

The movie Race to Nowhere calls on
families, educators and policy makers
to challenge current assumptions on
how to prepare America’s youth to become
effective and responsible leaders.
The new Race to Nowhere Club
serves as CHS’ acknowledgement of
the movie’s goal. The club provides a
forum where students can comfortably
voice their opinions while working
to improve the school’s educational
and social environment. Students are
encouraged to share personal stories,
ask for advice and discuss concerns
about the various pressures associated
with CHS’ competitive atmosphere and
demanding curriculum.
Senior Brandon Fisher, co-leader of
the separate Churchill Chat club, created
the Race to Nowhere Club with seniors
Daniel Freidman and Neil Suttora, junior
Johnny Franceski and freshman Danielle
Fisher with the goal of providing
students a refuge from stress. assistant
school administrator John Taylor agreed
to sponsor the Race to Nowhere Club in
hopes that it and initiatives the school
has introduced will give CHS students
a forum for discussions on social and
academic stress.
“Ultimately the concerns of stressed
out and overly anxious students are a
community issue,” Taylor said. “These
students exhibit a range of behaviors
that impact parents and the community
from suicide and other behaviors that
lead to crisis intervention, to drinking
and other self-medicating behaviors, to
simple increased irritability and unpleasant
behavior.”
The club meets in room 244 at 11
a.m. on the second Wednesday of
each month and welcomes students to
join the discussion on student stress,
enjoy free pizza and learn strategies

Girl scouts recognized

adviser — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 16:36:48 +0000

Congratulations to seniors Emma
Glass and Chloe Hand for earning the Girl
Scouts Gold Award. The Gold Award is
the highest honor a Girl Scout can receive.
Both are members of Girl Scout Troop
3288, and Glass has been in Girl Scouts
for 11 years, while Hand has been in Girl
Scouts for 10 years.
To earn this award, each girl had
to submit a plan based on interactions
within the community and the community’s
sustainability, then organize,
manage and complete the plan. Emma
Glass made a website for the Fox Hills
Civic Association, and Chloe Hand
created a children’s scavenger hunt
for the Locust Grove Nature Center
in Bethesda.

EHS holds book drive, donates to Children’s Inn

adviser — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 16:34:12 +0000

The English Honor Society raised $570 though pizza sales and dues to purchase and wrap 125 new books for The Children’s Inn Foundation, which benefits children with terminal ilnesses. They also held a book drive and collected hundreds of gently used books to be donated to students being tutored at the YMCA.

CHS athlete commits

adviser — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 16:32:35 +0000

Congratulations to junior Matt Leonard, for verbally committing to play Division I lacrosse at Towson University. Leonard has played lacrosse since age 10 and has been on the varsity team at CHS since his freshman year. He also trains with Next Level and Performance club lacrosse teams.

Civitans hold fundraiser

adviser — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 16:29:08 +0000

The Civitans Club held a cereal
drive and pizza sale during the
week of Dec. 15.
All cereal boxes collected will be
donated to the Manna Food Center
to support the fight against hunger in
Montgomery County and all proceeds
from pizza sales will be used to fund
upcoming fundraisers.
“Our goal in Civitans is to make it
easy for students to get involved in the
community,” club vice president Hai-
Li Kong said. “Participating in these
fundraisers is a good way to raise community
awareness.”

NSPA recognizes ‘Observer’

adviser — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 15:08:47 +0000

The Churchill Observer received
an All-American ranking from the
National Scholastic Press Association
(NSPA) for last year’s publications.
The All American is the highest
rating that the NSPA gives to a pub-
lication. To receive this ranking, the
Observer needed to earn a total of
3,200 points or more, along with at
least four marks of distinction.
In addition to earning 4,038 points,
the Observer received four marks of
distinction for leadership, coverage
and content, layout and design and
photos, arts and graphics.

CHS athlete commits

adviser — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 13:49:27 +0000

Congratulations to senior Sarafina Arthur-
Williams for signing her letter of
intent to play basketball for
the University of North Carolina at
Greensboro.

She has played basketball
for eight years and has been on
the CHS varsity girls basketball
team all four years of high school.

CHS athlete commits

adviser — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 13:47:05 +0000

Congratulations
to senior Laila Judeh
for verbally committing
to play tennis at
Cornell University
next fall.
Judeh began playing
tennis at age 7,
played for the CHS
varsity team her junior year and currently
trains in Virginia.
Congratulations to
senior Timmy Faerber
for committing to dive at
the University of Michigan,
Ann Arbor next fall.
Faerber began competitively
diving at age 7 and currently
trains at Dominion Dive in Fairfax, VA.

Sophmore wins Churchill’s Got Talent

adviser — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 13:44:48 +0000

Sophomore Adam Settlage won
Churchill’s Got Talent Oct. 27 for
singing “Keep Your Head Up.”
“I was extremely surprised,”
Settlage said. “When my name was
called I couldn’t believe it. To win
something like Churchill’s Got Talent
is one of the biggest honors I
have ever experienced.”
Settlage began singing as a kid
and participates in Showstoppers and Blast.