There is still, though, a huge swath of dating abuse victims and potential victims who do not have the same national and international attention that some are, rightfully, receiving: men. Young men and minority men are at particular risk for dating abuse. In 2008, 13 percent of male Latino seventh-graders reported that their partners, according to a study by the Journal of Interpersonal Violence, had physically abused them.

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America is outraged, and it should be. Four U.S. marines were videotaped urinating on dead Taliban soldiers in a callous display of dominance. The Marines have always been a respectable institution and these soldiers have betrayed the honor of their role as soldiers. Yet outrage over this video contradicts the society’s passive acceptance of similar behavior in video games.

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In an attempt to foster the skills of young writers and artists, the Alliance for Young Writers and Artists recognizes excellence each year in creations by high school students on a local, regional and national level in the annual Scholastic Art and Writing Awards.

Students in visual arts classes submitted work this year in several of the contest’s 28 categories. Their art was then entered in a selection process, which involves teacher and judge evaluation.

Art teacher Nicole Walter said art entered in the contest is judged on three artistic categories.

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Surveillance systems will soon be installed in the cafeteria after the FCPS School Board approved their use in FCPS high schools on Dec. 16.

“It is a good practice for the safety and security of the staff,” principal Jay Pearson said. “For students waiting for rides, there would be a level of security and documentation.”

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The cyber security team is one of the two Fairfax County high school teams left in the Cyberpatriot tournament.

The team has won two out of four rounds in the Airforce Association sponsored tournament, which consists of four rounds of tests for cyber security teams in high schools nationwide.

“There were a thousand high schools in this competition, now they’re down to the top 25,” academy administrator Jeff McFarland said.

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Following a recommendation to principals from the FCPS Department of Information Technology, Statesmen are now allowed to use their smartphones, laptops and e-readers as freely as their teachers allow.

Teachers may designate their classrooms green, blue, yellow or red, with green designated as “general use” and red as “prohibited.”

“[Technology] is going to be ubiquitous,” Superintendent Jack Dale said. “The question like that is how do we use it?”

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From the self-immolation and death of Tunisian street merchant Mohammed Bouazizi, which catapulted the Arab world and greater Middle East, to the forefront of revolution and even civil war, to the European debt crisis, which plagued European Union nations like Greece with a social discord equal to that of some Middle Eastern countries, 2011 was far from quiet. Greater solidifying 2011 as a crucial year for world affairs was the near-complete withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq and the death of Osama bin Laden, Moammar Gaddafi and Kim Jong-Il.

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The swim and dive team is approaching the District championships on Jan. 27 and 28 following a historic win at the end of its regular season.

The team broke a four-year losing streak by beating South Lakes High School on Dec. 16 and followed it up with a win against McLean High School.

The current record is 3-3 with the team’s most recent win on the Jan. 13 against Stone Bridge High School on senior night.

The swim and dive team lost in a meet against Madison High School Friday. Scores were not available.

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Though substitute teacher Barry Finkelstein calls himself “an open book,” his colorful past, which has had a great influence on him, has only recently been revealed.

According to Finkelstein, his personality and style of teaching are the products of his life in the military and his work for the federal government.

Finkelstein spent 36 years in the government: five in active duty and in the Navy, 27 with the Internal Revenue Service and four with the Department of Justice. His first tour with the U.S. Navy was as a line officer aboard a cruiser in Vietnam.

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Renovations and a rising student population turned Lunch & Learn into an outdated system. Though Lunch & Learn became impractical due to the current conditions of the school, the administration still wanted to encourage students to take time during the school day to get additional help or ahead on school work, resulting in the creation of the Learn period. Learn is a concept that all Statesmen had to adjust to, and as the year progresses, its benefits and flaws are manifesting themselves.

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I’d like to thank you for highlighting the efforts of the GSA to spread tolerance in your last issue. Discrimination by sexuality or gender is still a very real thing in American society and seeing the youth band together to fight discrimination is a very inspiring thing to witness. TheContinue Reading

Twenty minutes to go. A bass-heavy beat pounds through the air, shaking the doors of beat up lockers. Some joke around and chat with each other while others sit in seclusion, eyes focused on a single tile on the dirty floor, ears full of aggressive lyrics blasting through their own headphones. The room reeks of focus and adrenaline, anticipation and anxiety.

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Have you read Looking for Alaska? You really should. As soon as possible. I say that to everyone I talk to about books, regardless of the topic of the discussion. It is my way of recognizing the quality of John Green’s writing; it is worth recommendation no matter the context. Green, who specializes in teenage slice of life/romance, has a rare gift: he can accurately write teenage characters in the first person.

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Teaching dating safety at an early age can provide young people the information and tools they need to build a healthy relationship. After all, early relationships play a pivotal role in teens’ lives and are important to developing the capacity for long-term, committed relationships in adulthood. The quality of adolescent romantic relationships can have long-lasting effects on self-esteem and shape personal values regarding romance, intimate relationships and sexuality.

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This season’s boys varsity basketball team has made a substantial improvement from last year already having beaten last year’s final record with five wins and eight losses.

At this time last year, varsity’s record was three wins and ten losses and it finished the season with three wins and 20 losses.

Varsity basketball has not done this well since the 2009-2010 season finishing with a final record of 12 wins and ten losses.

This year’s team has more returning players than last year’s with five seniors compared to last year’s younger team of three seniors.

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Biology, chemistry, physics. Sound familiar? The latter are possible science classes that one could take at Marshall. But just over the summer, a new alternative was made available by one of our very own physics teachers, Ms. Janet Kahn. Enter the Pulsar Search Collaboratory! This group of students represents MarshallContinue Reading

A melange of sweetened milk and super-dark coffee, Thai coffee is a tasty afternoon pick-me-up. Thai Pilin offers a great version just down the road from Starbucks, near DSW. The drink is smooth and refreshing. The sweetness of the drink makes it a treat on its own. It is reminiscent of Starbucks bottled frappuchinos, although with a more clear and pure taste. For those who are less fond of the coffee flavor, Thai tea is also available. Don’t be intimidated by the sit-down tables; the to-go counter will make a coffee in only a minute or two.

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Athletes win awards by showing extreme dedication in the sport they play, but head athletic trainer John Reynolds has won an award off of the field.

Reynolds received the second annual Vito Perriello Athletic Trainer of the Year for Secondary Schools Award from the Virginia Athletic Trainer Association on Jan. 14.

According to the VATA, the award is named after the late Vito Periello, a Virginia doctor who showed commitment and dedication toward his patients and is now in the Virginia High School League Hall of Fame.

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After flying President Franklin Roosevelt to the Yalta Conference in 1945, former pilot Elmer Smith spoke on his experiences during a presentation hosted by the Social Studies Honor Society on Jan. 9.

At the event, the former colonel of the US military reminisced about his journeys around the world with important dignitaries, such as former secretary of state George Marshall.

Smith recalled experiences such as the time the plane “lost an engine with President Truman on board.”

Smith noted the differences between him and today’s pilots.

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Rule of Thirds, the debut album from Azure Blue, is the perfect example of why indie music is often more impressive than its mainstream counterpart.

Lately, the electro and dance music scenes in America have been dominated by few artists and even fewer styles.

Skrillex, David Guetta, Deadmau5 and Bassnectar are some of the big names that may come to mind when thinking of the genre.

Interestingly, there is far more depth to dance than dubstep. It can be more conventional, emotional and lyrically rich, as evidenced by Azure Blue.

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Students are quick to heap blame on their school for ugly ceilings, missing snow days, and parking snafus, but overlooked in the heap of blame shoved toward FCPS is a little shining nugget that someone got right.

I am talking about the salad bar. The salad bar, in the lunch-line furthest to the right of the cafeteria provides students not only with an alternative to an unhealthy lunch, but also with a better lunch. The result of “a confluence of good luck,” the bar is a good option for students looking to make healthy choices in the lunch line, principal Jay Pearson said.

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1. “Afterglow” – Phaeleh
This is real dubstep; perfect for doing homework to and not at all the “dubstep” that fills up the front page of youtube. Its room-shaking bass makes for nice homework vibes.

2. “Don’t Play No Game I Can’t Win” – Beastie Boys
The most dubby reggae chill session made by white people from Brooklyn since … ever?

3. “Heartbeat” – Childish Gambino
This guy oozes crossover appeal between races, genres and mediums. You already know him from Community, but Donald Glover can also rap Young Money under the table.

4. “Katy on a Mission” – Katy B
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The Golden Globes is traditionally a time for actresses to show off their unique red carpet style. This year, at the 69th annual ceremony on Jan. 15, there was no exception.

Actresses took risks with nude or pale colored dresses and plunging necklines. Mermaid style dresses, a prominent fashion trend at previous events in the past year, also dazzled on the red carpet last Sunday. Relaxed hairstyles and natural makeup with a pop of bright lip color accompanied the trend.

Best-Dressed:
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In search of the kind of charity work he had been part of in his past, senior Ryan Moore drew from his roots.

Before coming to Marshall in his junior year, Moore spent three years in Beijing, China, where, at the International School of Beijing (ISB), he was actively part of Nightingale, one of the school’s charity organizations. Nightingale is affiliated with the Ping An Medical Foster Home.

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Bland office interior. Bleak weather. Tea and whiskey shared among old men and their young successors. If these images do not scream out “international spy thriller” to you, do not be surprised. In an age where films are filled with beautiful women, exotic locations, and explosive combat (look at the James Bond movies and the Mission: Impossible series), the Tomas Alfredson-directed Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is an apple among oranges. However, this change of pace and attention to detail is welcomed.

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Every team has its battles: the practices, the injuries and the daily juggle to balance school with sports. But unlike other sports teams, the indoor track team must overcome challenges unique to the season.

As one of the handful of winter sports available at Marshall, indoor track is handicapped by winter break early in the season. While it is possible for the team to plan around the break, the real issue is much more sporadic. Indoor track is the only winter sport to practice outside and is at the full mercy of the weather.

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This year’s freshman class is the first class required to meet the new Economics course requirement in order to graduate. Many people believe that if people learned more about economics and personal finance in high school, they would not have made some of the bad decisions that led to theContinue Reading

The dark screen suddenly brightens to reveal two cars screeching across the racetrack, hurtling closer and closer to the camera. Just when the pair appear to be on the verge of colliding with the cameraman, the two cars swerve and continue whizzing down the racetrack.

Senior Nathaniel Chen shot this scene in Englishtown, NJ, and incorporated it into his film “Drift,” a montage of drifting culture. The film placed second in the 2010 Video Fairfax Competition and Chen expects to compete again.

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