With graduation fast approaching, many seniors are figuring out their plans for the next years of their lives and exploring different career options. This is just the case for GMHS senior Patrick Dassira, who is enrolled in his first year at the Arlington Career Center’s culinary class. Dassira says that his interest for cooking began over the summer, and has increased throughout the year in his ACC class.

Through studying under Chef Natoli and Chef Stephanie, Dassira gained enough skills and confidence to enter in the SkillsUSA Competition for District 5. Dassira was able to show off his talent in the kitchen and compete with other kids from schools from all over Virginia.

A humbled and shy Dassira explained that the competition consists of cooking a given and unknown recipe within the time limit. “I thought the hardest part was getting everything done within the time limit that we had,” he adds.

Dassira won the gold medal at the competition which qualifies him to go on to the state competition in Roanoke, Virginia on April 19.

If he wins the state competition, Dassira can qualify for a scholarship towards culinary school. He says that his plans after graduation are to go to Northern Virginia Community College for two years and transfer to a culinary school.

Read more from Paula O’Rourke >>>

Do you not have time this spring to go out of town, but still want to have fun? Keep reading for some tips and tricks on how to have a great time without leaving the state.

1. Go camping. Just because you can’t go into the wilderness for a normal camping trip, doesn’t mean you can’t spend the night outside with your closest friends. Bring a tent, DVD player, and lots of food outside and sleep under the stars. You can even start a fire, if your backyard is big enough. If it’s too cold, stay inside and set up the tent in your living room. Put a fire on in your fireplace, or on the TV, and pretend you’re in the wilderness. Just don’t put marshmallows in the microwave.
2. Create a beach. Lay out on a chair either outside in the sun or inside with bright lights. Staying inside can eliminate the sweaty mess usually caused at a beach. Play some wave music or movies in the background, and relax.
3. Go sight-seeing. Even if you don’t live near some of the most famous monuments in Paris, or New York, this doesn’t mean there isn’t anything nearby to visit. Go to a popular park or building, something only 15 minutes away that always attracts tourists. If you need hints just Google “where to visit when in ______” and type the name of your city. There are also many events happening only in the spring in Northern Virginia, such as the Cherry Blossom Festival coming out around April 4, or the Memorial Day Parade on May 7. For a few more fun annual activities, visit this website.
4. Go Ice-Skating. Early spring (just before summer) is the best time for ice skating, because while the weather is cold enough that the ice doesn’t melt, it’s not so cold you freeze. Gather a group of friends and head out for a little. Even if you don’t know how to ice skate, slipping around on your butt is pretty fun and will make for a great time. There are lots of great ice skating places nearby, such as at the Pentagon, Sculpture Garden, or Canal Park. For a few more ice skating rinks, go here. MEH used to take a field trip to the Pentagon, and I would give it 5/5 stars.
5. Create a resort. Resorts don’t only offer beaches and pools; they also offer activities and games, which make it so much more fun. Play some games, like Ping-Pong and tennis, or go to the nearby park and play around with a ball. If it’s too chilly, there are many indoor water parks and recreational/community centers that offer the same things. Many have an air hockey table, a foosball table, a pool table, or even an indoor pool. Go hang out there with some friends for a few hours, it’ll feel just like a resort.

Located right here in Falls Church is our own national champion. Although accomplishing far greater than most his age, Rheinhardt Harrison’s timid, boyish disposition betrays his two national cross-country championship titles and 800m Junior Olympic title.

At eight years old, Rheinhardt possesses a maturity that far exceeds others his age. His love for old artifacts is one demonstration of this. Supporting his love for social studies and pottery, he sheepishly explains, “since I won [the 800m in the Junior Olympics] [my parents] got me a dried out bull head.” Expressing his exciting discovery, his wide-eyed look illustrates his love for adventure.

At age three, Rheinhardt ran his first race. He’s not entirely sure why he runs, he “just does.” However, his daring plunge shouldn’t be mistaken for fearlessness. He still gets nervous, very nervous. In fact, interviews “kinda make me nervous… because when you lose its kinda embarrassing when they all want you to win,” he explained.

Albeit young, Rheinhardt has more experience than some aged runners. But no matter his experience, he feels ranging levels of nervousness at each meet. “Like at the Junior Olympics, I get really nervous, but just like a normal meet with not that many people and I feel like I can win, I don’t get as nervous.” Even during races, he has to keep himself “relaxed and calm” by counting numbers in his head, especially during the middle race which he describes as hard “cause people are starting to, well, to pass you.”

With times that would shame veteran runners, Rheindhardt runs a shocking 5:51 minute mile and a 2:39 minute 800m race, which won him a Junior Olympic title and national recognition. From the 400 meter dash to the 2k, Rheinhardt’s favorite race would “probably the 800m [because] you have time to pass people on the other lap. [I] also like the 1500.”

There’s a high possibility you may see him in the future. When asked if he sees himself running in the future, his shyness withdraws as he nods enthusiastically. He wants to go to the Olympics. Flashing a toothy smile, he adds “you get paid lots of money.”

With all the melting snow from the snow day March 8, leaks are happening all over the school building. 

“At first I felt water dripping on my head,” said Owen Miller, “The fact that this school has leaks makes me sad,” he added.

There are at least two big leaks near the library, and tons of other leaks around the entire building.

Look up. Look down.  Look all around because you don’t want to feel water dripping on your head, or worse, slip and fall.

Virginia is expecting heavy snow storm warnings Wednesday, March 6.

According to a recent weather report, Falls Church is one of many cities who will be getting hit by a massive snow storm Tuesday night and the whole day of Wednesday. The rain coming down from states such as New York, Philadelphia, and Chicago are slowly making their way down, mixing snow, wind, and rain to make one big storm.

As of right now, there is a very high chance snow coming our way. Grab your comfy pajamas, hot chocolate, movies and some blankets, because that’s the best way to spend a potential cold school day off, or at least the evening after school.

The status of school on Wednesday will be announced on www.fccps.org as well as on various morning news broadcasts. Stay tuned!

If Mustangs do have the change to enjoy a snow day, how will you spend it?

“Drinking hot chocolate, watching ‘Perks of being a Wallflower’, and cuddling with my dogs” said eighth grader Tina Dao.

“Grading papers,” said history teacher Mr. Chris Pikrallidas “I’m so far behind!”

However you spend your snowy day, have fun, stay safe, and make sure you’re warm!

Mason alumna and now actress Danielle Hoetmer, who participated in many theatre productions here at George Mason, where she discovered her passion for acting, is earning bigger and better parts in popular television shows such as a recent appearance on “Criminal Minds.” Hoetmer, an up and coming actress living in LA, will also be featured on an episode of “Days of Our Lives,” which will air April 4.

Her other accomplishments include co-starring on “Private Practice,” co-starring on “Outlaw” starring Jimmy Smits, a small supporting role in the Pure Flix Movie “What If...” starring Kevin Sorbo, and co-starring on the pilot episode of “The Odds” that starred Donald Faison.

Though she is constantly working on her acting career and hoping to move on to starring in big time television shows, Hoetmer never forgets her roots in Falls Church, VA.

Hoetmer lived in Falls Church from the time she was about two to the time she graduated from George Mason High School when she was 18. “I attended Mt Daniel, TJ and GM.  I was in the FCCPS system [my whole childhood] and never knew how lucky I was until I lived in other cities,” said Hoetmer.

Hoetmer took part in many theatre related activities and clubs that did help later in her decision to become an actress. “Talent shows were my big thing growing up. One summer I even created an entire talent show with one other girlfriend. We had a good turn out and even made money!”

She also took chorus from sixth grade through high school and an acting games class in eighth grade. She also took an acting class the second semester of her senior year and did several school plays. She played the part of “Mimi” in George Mason’s production of “Guys and Dolls” and had a small part in “The Wizard of Oz.”

However, Hoetmer never thought about being an actress until her senior year when she sat down and had a “what do I want to do with my life” talk with herself. Hoetmer said, “The desire was always there in me, I had just never defined it.”

After high school, Hoetmer went on to study at Shenandoah Conservatory of Shenandoah

University in Winchester, Virginia.

After originally choosing musical theatre as her major, Hoetmer decided that she did not have the voice to compete with her classmates. Many of her classmates are now Broadway regulars. Though she was a good singer on Mason production standards, Hoetmer felt that she couldn’t cut it as a singer.

“It was a hard thing to admit,” Hoetmer said, “to swallow my pride and be honest with myself… but it was the best thing I could have done. After that I transferred over to the straight theatre degree and funny enough that’s when I started to excel and fast.”

Her breakthrough lead was during her junior year when she played Mayella Ewell in “To Kill a Mockingbird”. That spring, she landed a lead in the play “Marathon ’33” in which she played Baby June. The following year, she earned the lead as the character Katherine in “The Taming of the Shrew.”

After college Hoetmer moved to LA to further her career as an actress. Her first big role, after being in LA for four months, was on “Private Practice” on ABC. She played Jordana Sampson, lead character Cooper’s date to a wedding. Though only a two day co-star part, Hoetmer had a lot of fun doing it and gained valuable experience.

“It was the most amazing two days ever!” Hoetmer said. “The cast of ‘Private Practice’ are some of the nicest people I’ve ever met. Taye Diggs was so nice he invited me and my husband to his birthday party that week - still the best party I’ve been to since coming to Los Angeles. He even introduced us to his wife Idina Menzel, Broadway legend! It was a very ‘LA’ week for me - one of the best!”

Though many of Hoetmer’s roles have been smaller co-star parts, as she moves on in her career, her parts get bigger and bigger. To improve, Hoetmer trains and practices different acting techniques and strives to get better daily. She just finished a two-year Meisner program (teaching on the Meisner acting technique) that Hoetmer said gave her “the tools to approach any role.”

Though acting is very time consuming and not always immediately profitable, Hoetmer loves it.

“It’s the rare moments when you can truly impact another person by your performance,” Hoetmer said. “He or she may walk away questioning themselves or something in society, even if it’s just for a moment. It’s the shows or movies that you continue to think about or feel great from for hours or days after it’s ended - that’s what I live for - those are the performances I love and want to create.”