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There is something new trending around Falls Church. Here is a hint: it has to do with biking.

Give up yet? Well if you haven’t clued in from the title or the hint, the new thing trending in Falls Church is tandem biking.

There has been a huge increase in the amount of tandem bikes in the last few weeks.  They’re all over the bike path now and it’s not just a youth trend either. Both young and old have been riding these tandem bikes around Falls Church and it’s kind of cool.

With the whole movement on our campus to ride bikes to school instead of driving cars, tandem biking is a great alternative. It’s fun, social, and you get two people powering a bike so it’s probably a lot easier and faster than riding a single person bike.

If you haven’t seen this latest trend, just keep your eyes open and looking towards the bike path because one of these tandem bikes are bound to cross your path sooner rather than later.

Read other articles by Eric>>>

With an amazing turnout, the Mason boys and girls track team faced off in a tri-meet against Strasburg and William Monroe High School last Wednesday, April 18.

The Mason track team won the meet with many runners and throwers achieving new personal records. Since it was the only home meet of the year, it was also senior night. The track team honored their senior athletes, and what better way to be honored than by winning the meet.

If you missed this one and want to go support your Mason track members, the track team will be facing off against Manassas Park High School Wednesday, April 25.

May is in a few weeks, so all of you juniors and seniors know what that means: IB Exams. This can be a stressful time for students in IB classes, so here is the IB exam schedule to help you prepare.

Remember to be at least 10 minutes early to your exam in the Graduate Center (located across the parking lot from George Mason High School’s main entrance) because unlike AP exams, IB exams do not have a makeup date.

The following calendar is adapted from the worksheet Mr. Misra handed out to all IB students.

With the French and the Chilean exchanges coming up, March 24 and 30 respectively, there are a few things you might want to know about your smart phones, laptops and tablets before you go abroad.

All of the devices stated above have many different applications, so it’s only natural for you to transfer more data than you would if you were using a phone designed specifically for voice calls and not texts, WiFi, etc. All of this data transferring can add up in a foreign country, so here are some tips according to AT&T to help keep your bill predictable while overseas:

Editor’s Note: The following information comes from a pamphlet French teacher and exchange program adviser Mr. Kent Foster adapted from - http://bit.ly/GKTVM4

If you want to use and track your usage while abroad purchase an International Data Package. Purchasing an international data package can significantly decrease the cost of using your data abroad. You should contact your cell phone provider to see what data plan is right for you and the most affordable.

Tips- when evaluating which package to purchase, look at your average monthly data usage on past billing statements, and estimate your data needs bases on the number of days you’ll be traveling abroad.  

Remember that streaming audio/video can use up data VERY fast.

Track Your Usage upon Arrival Abroad- Some devices such as the iPhone have native usage trackers, and most communications manager software for laptops will have usage tracking capabilities. You can check online at your phone provider’s website to see if your device has this and if not you can check to see if there is an app or a downloadable device. 

Tips for iPhone users: When you arrive overseas, tap on: Settings-General-Usage-Reset Statistics. Then periodically check your usage against your international data package while abroad (tap on: Settings-General-Usage, and view data sent plus received under “cellular Network Data”).

If you do not want to receive email automatically disable your device’s auto-check functionality. You then can utilize WiFi as a supplement to 3G/GPRS/EDGE to download and manually check email. WiFi is available in many international airports, hotels and restaurants 

Tips for iPhone users: to turn off the auto-check functionality, tap on, Settings-Mail, Contacts, Calendars-Fetch New Data. Toggle “Push” to “OFF” and under “Fetch,” select “Manually.”

Tips for Android® users: Select Settings- Accounts and sync-Manage Accounts. Un-check “Auto-sync” to cancel all auto-sync functions (emails, weather, stock quotes, etc.) or select specific accounts and uncheck sync options.

Tips for Windows Phone 7 users: Select Settings- email & account, and then select accounts. Choose “Download ne content” and set to “manually”. Uncheck all “Content sync”, and then click checkbox at the bottom of the screen to save changes.

Other devices: Check tour user guide

If you want to place calls but not use data:

By default, the settings for most international data roaming will typically be in the “OFF” position. Check the settings on your particular device before traveling abroad. Turning data roaming “OFF” will block email, browsing, visual voicemail and downloads, BUT it will NOT block text messages. International roaming charges apply when you send text or picture/video messages.

Tips for iPhone users: Tap on: Settings-General-Network-Data Roaming (toggle to “OFF” 

Tips for Android users: Tap on: Settings-Wireless and network-Mobile network- Data roaming (uncheck it). 

Tips for Windows Phone 7 users: Tap on: Settings-cellular-Data roaming options (select don’t roam”).

Tips for Blackberry Users: Tap on Settings-Mobile Network-While Roaming (select “OFF”).

Also you must remember that each plan will cost a different amount of money and that the amounts will be different depending on your network provider. I hope these tips from AT&T helped you, so you are not blindsided by a potentially high phone bill when you get back from your overseas travels.

Read other articles by Eric>>>

As many of you know, the French exchange is here with students flying out on Saturday (March 22, 2012). You’ll all probably be jealous of the exchange students leaving before the quarter ends to go to France while you’re stuck at school, but remember these students have to make up all that work and get it turned in before they leave.

If you’re still jealous or envious of your fellow students and friends, here is the itinerary for the exchange trip so you can live vicariously through them, while you procrastinate to the last possible minute to get all of your late work in for the quarter.

Read other articles by Eric>>>

If you read the title of this article, you’re probably shocked.

There are rules? I thought we could go anywhere we wanted within the school property!

Sadly, there are some simple rules which students need to follow who have open campus privileges.

However, during this school year there has been some confusion over what students can and cannot do when they have open campus privileges. Here they are as a reminder:

1. No loitering or wandering the halls
2. The open study card MUST be carried at all times and displayed during the applicable hours.
3. Behavior becoming of a George Mason Student is expected at ALL times.
4. Open Study does NOT permit students to leave campus.
5. Students must remain in designated Open Study Areas.                                                   - Senior Alcoves (if you're a senior)                                                                                       - Library
6. During a fire drill, students are to follow the prescribed procedures and check in with a nearby teacher or staff member.
7. Failure to comply with these rules can result in revocation of the privileges and re-assignment to a study hall.

Just seven simple rules to follow. Not too hard, right? If you are a senior and you want to gain your senior privilege of going off campus, you can get a form to apply for open campus from the office.

Remember to follow the rules because no one wants their open study to turn into a closed study.

Read other articles by Eric>>>

A few weeks ago I got a letter form Dr. Jones. When my dad gave me the letter, I was completely confused as to why I was getting a letter from the superintendent. Was I in trouble? Did I win something? No, that’s not right, I didn’t enter anything-- I’m probably in trouble. Either way, I had no idea what it was all about.

With some apprehension I opened the letter and was really surprised at what I saw. It was a hand written letter, congratulating me on going to states for swim team.

The letter I got from Dr. Jones was really nice. I never would have thought that our superintendent would take the time to hand write letters to the students of the Falls Church City Public Schools.

It was a very nice gesture and I just want to say thank your to Dr. Jones for writing these letters to the students at FCCPS and me. I really appreciated it.

Thank you,
Eric Brown

Read other articles by Eric>>>

In memory of longtime Cable Access Corporation Board Member Bob Morrison (1938-2009), a prominent Falls Church photographer, the Falls Church Board of Directors established the Bob Morrison prize for Photography and Videography to encourage students to capture images of Falls Church City, as Morrison used to do.

How to Enter:

1. Get flyer in the Library
2. Go online to  http://www.fcctv.net/blog/category/Schools/
3. Get an entry form
4. Submit Entry (look to bottom of article for information on where to submit entries)

Your entry should include five still photographs, or one video, capturing the theme of “Falls Church City- My Hometown.” Photo and video winners in grades seven through 12 will receive $200 each. Winners in grades K through six will receive $50 each.

Applicants must be in grades K-12 and be enrolled in a Falls Church City Public Schools for the 2011-2012 school year. Only appropriate photo and video content illustrating the theme of “Falls Church City- My Hometown” will be considered and accepted as an official entry.

Photo and video content can include (but is not limited too) local events, landmarks, people, nature, and other visual opportunities that represent the best of Falls Church City and the artistic qualities Morrison captured in his photographs

Entry Requirements: Photographers must submit five, unframed images, no larger than 8 x 10 inches. Images may be submitted as prints or in digital format on CD, DVD, or emailed to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it with the student’s name, home address, name of school, grade and phone number on the back of each photo/video.

All photographs and video presentations must be the work of the students submitting the entry. All submissions become the property of FCC-TV and may be used for station promotional purposes. Videographers must submit a single program or composite presentation that does into exceed 15 minutes. Longer single programs may be edited to 15 minutes representing the videographer’s best segments. Video may be submitted on DVD or VHS tape. Video cases must be labeled with student’s name, address, school name, grade, and phone number. Each video must be the work of the student submitting the entry. All submissions become the property of FCC-TV and may be used for station promotional purposes. K-6 students may enter either category, or both, but they will be eligible to win only one category per contest year.

Judging: Entries will be judged by a three-judge panel on adherence to the theme, creativity, and technical competence. All participants will be recognized at the Falls Church Cable Access Corporation’s annual meeting where the winners will be announced.

Entry Deadlines: All entries must be received by 5:00 on Monday, April 23, 2012. No late entries will be accepted.

Questions? Contact FCC-TV supervisor Michael Palmrose at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or call (703) 248-5692

After two incredible days of swimming, the Mason Swim Team came back with a lot to be proud of.

For the first time, the swim team had multiple swimmers in individual events in the finals, and also for the first time, they had one of the boys (junior Lucas Cherry) bring home a medal for an individual event.

Previously, they’ve only brought home medals for a girl in an individual event and a boys relay.  The boys scored the most points of any Single A team, making them the "Unofficial State Champions for Single A" and the girls had the second highest point total behind Patrick Henry HS.

Unfortunately, VHSL still lumps the single A schools into the same meet as the AA schools, so having our swimmers make it to finals is significant.

The girls 400 Free Relay was the last event of the day and the swim team was off posing for the picture when someone said they had posted the results of the event and the girls had make it to the finals.

The icing on the cake was that girls also set a new team record in the process, breaking the old record set in 2009 by five seconds!  The new team record is 3:59.50 set by junior Julia Estrada, sophomore Angelika Johns, senior Leah Thirkill and sophomore Beth Cashin.

George Mason State Results

Finals:

Boys 200 Medley Relay-- finished 15th with a time of 1:46.06

Boys 100 Backstroke – junior Lucas Cherry finished eighth with a time of 55.66 and sophomore Nick Roberson finished 13th with a time of 57.60

Girls 100 Breaststroke – sophomore Beth Cashin finished 14th with a time of 1:11.84. She lowered her record time in the event at Preliminaries with a 1:11.76.

Girls 400 Free Relay finished 16th with a time of 3:59.95

Lucas Cherry was seeded 14th in the finals of the 100 Freestyle event, but scratched out of it due to knee troubles.  The alternate (the next fastest swimmer in the preliminaries) who replaced him was a senior from Briar Woods (a team in the Dulles District where the swim team swam for the last two years) and he ended up finishing in tenth place, breaking a team record he had been chasing all season.

Other Results from Preliminaries:

Girls Medley Relay - 23rd, 2:01.74

Boys 200 Free – senior Alex Valentino - 25th, 2:04.73 and junior Vincent Camacho - 28th, 2:09.35

Girls 200 Free – junior Julia Estrada - 25th, 2:16.09

Girls 200 IM – freshman Sarah Miller - 28th, 2:39.73 and sophomore Angelika Johns - 2:40.89

Girls 50 Free – sophomore Beth Cashin - 28th, 26.30 and junior Leah Thirkill - 39th, 27.83

Boys 100 Fly – sophomore Austin Gogal - 30th, 1:00.98

Boys 100 Free – sophomore Nick Roberson - 34th, 52.03

Girls 100 Free – junior Leah Thirkill - 33rd, 1:00.38

Boys 500 Free – senior Reid Back - 28th, 5:48.57 and senior Alex Valentino - 29th, 5:54.81

Girls 500 Free – junior Julia Estrada - 31st, 6:17.71 and freshman Madison Irwin - 33rd, 6:41.23

Boys 200 Free Relay - Tied for 34th - 1:40.84

Girls 200 Free Relay - 27th, 1:55.54

Boys 100 Back – junior Vincent Camacho - 28th, 1:04.91

Girls 100 Back – senior Genevieve Jordan - 35th, 1:15.34

Boys 100 Breast – senior Sam Cashin - 34th, 1:11.48

Girls 100 Breast – senior Carolyn Schmitt - 23rd, 1:16.67

Boys 400 Free Relay - 23rd, 3:46.86

The George Mason swim team competed at Manassas Park Recreation Center February 4 for the Region B title. The boys and girls both won the title with Lucas Cherry winning the Region B most valuable swimmer award, winning 36 points overall, more than anyone else at the meet.

Everyone did very well at the meet getting best times all around yet again. The following swimmers moved on to the State Meet at the Christiansburg Aquatic Center: Reid Back, Eric Brown, Vincent Camacho, Beth Cashin, Sam Cashin, Lucas Cherry, Julia Estrada, Austin Gogal, Madison Irwin, Angelika Johns, Gen Jordan, Sarah Miller, Nick Roberson, Carolyn Schmitt, Leah Thirkill, Ruth Thirkill, Alex Valentino

The George Mason Swim Team is undefeated in the Bull Run District. Last Saturday, January 28, 2012, the swim team went up against the whole Bull Run District to compete for the title.

The swim team pulled off an amazing victory with both boys and girls winning first place overall. Sophomore Nick Roberson won the boys District Swimmer Award for most points scored out of all the boys in the district in the meet.

Junior Lucas Cherry broke the school’s 50 freestyle record previously held by Sam Butler. Many other swimmers also achieved new personal records.

Coach Janice Nette said, “I don’t know how many there were but, I know there were a lot of them!”

She and Coach Jon-Michael Lemon were also very happy that all 22 swimmers that participated in Districts were able to move on to this week Region B meet on February 4, 2012.

Click graphic to read more>>>

Stress seems to play a major role in the fast-paced, everyday life of a George Mason High School student, and with exams just around the corner, stress is at an all time high.

According to a study in the “Journal of Adolescent Health,” stresses from the daily routine of school and life keeps 68 percent of students awake at night, with 20 percent of them at least once a week.

“Stress levels for high school students are so high because of the pressure to perform well,” said senior Marshal Richards.

A 2006 survey conducted by the College Health Association found that 94 percent of students reported feeling overwhelmed by all that they had to do.

“Overbearing workloads can leave us feeling like there aren’t enough hours in the day to accomplish everything we need to,” said senior Hans Olson.

Unfortunately, stress can also pose major health risks such as headaches, backaches, and increased blood pressure. So the ability to relax rejuvenates and boosts your immune system.

Here are ten healthy ways to relieve stress and leave your body feeling relaxed and refreshed.

It’s that time of year again, a time to me merry and cheerful. We could write a story about how lovely everything is this time of year, but the fact is that the holidays bring with them a tremendous amount of stress.  Not everyone has a “merry little Christmas.”  Despite all the holiday cheer, some people still find ways to hate on everyone’s favorite time of year.  Mason students all love their Winter Break, but here are some of the reasons Mason students dislike the holiday season.

It’s that time of year again, a time to me merry and cheerful. We could write a story about how lovely everything is this time of year, but the fact is that the holidays bring with them a tremendous amount of stress.  Not everyone has a “merry little Christmas.”  Despite all the holiday cheer, some people still find ways to hate on everyone’s favorite time of year.  Mason students all love their Winter Break, but here are some of the reasons Mason students dislike the holiday season.

It’s that time of year again, that’s right Club Picture Day! It’s the one day in the year where students get to miss class multiple times and have a reason for doing it. Below are the scheduled times for when all the clubs have their pictures.  All club pictures will be taken in the auditorium. If you will be attending any club photos, please come at least five minutes early.

For the entire schedule, please click here.

The George Mason Chamber Singers went to Washington Gold and Country Club to sing holiday carols, on Tuesday December 6, 2011. Directed by Lauren Glass, they sung a variety of holiday carols from “Deck the Halls” to “Swingin’ Jingle bells.” Seniors Emma Pierce (soprano) and Jessica Wallach (alto) sang beautifully on their solos in “Ma’oz Tsur.”

The GM Chamber Singers were also joined by two judges as they sang “Carol of the Bells” and “Silent Night.” In addition to caroling at the Country Club, the Chamber singers also performed at the annual George Mason Winter Concert on Thursday, December 8.

“This was the most fun I’ve ever had on a tip” French student Cyril Lome said when asked about what he thought about the Falls Church-Toulouse French exchange and he was not the only one who said this.

The French exchange students loved every moment they were in America. “It’s quite different than France,” Pauline Reybet-Degat said.

Many of the French exchange students were in a sort of culture shock the moment they stepped out of BWI Airport.

“The buildings and roads are so much bigger here” Victor Andre said when he fist saw D.C.

The buildings and roads were not the only thing that shocked them. The French exchange came at the start of Spirit Week at GMHS and they all got to see their host display their Mason Spirit.

Nina Ganchou said “It’s like nothing we have in France. In France there is a very stringent relationship between the teacher and the student.  It’s really cool that the teachers here are like your friends and your school does all these activities!”

“The pep rally was my favorite part of the trip, there was so much yelling and everybody was having a good time” Marilou Alazard said.

The French students also experienced a distinctly American cultural experience: Homecoming.

“I loved it, the music was ok but I really liked the entire dance and the atmosphere!” Laure Cosquer said when asked about Homecoming.

Over all, all of the French exchange students loved their trip and none of them wanted to leave for New York because they said that they were having too much fun! But in the end they all left with out a goodbye, but a “see you later, I can’t wait till you all come to France!”

Three years ago the George Mason swim team dominated the Bull Run District, with a 12-0 record. After that the swim team was moved to the AA Dulles District, they became a very competitive contender, beating out AAA and AA schools even though the odds were stacked against them.

Now after two years, the A school district has reformed and our swim team is now back in the Bull Run, ready to triumph again. Due to this change, Mason swim will be facing off against Central-Woodstock, Clarke County, Madison County, Manassas Park, Rappahannock County, Strasburg, and William Monroe. All of these pools are a considerable distance away, but the swim team is still excited nonetheless.

Senior Virginia Rice stated, “I’m exited for the longer bus rides because I like hanging out with all my friends, it’s a really good team bonding experience.”

Howdy!  It’s country day and the school looks like something right out of the south. Students came to school in their best country get-ups from cowboy hats to overalls.

Everyone’s embracing their country side and tippin’ their hats and saying howdy to everyone in the halls. Even the teachers are dressed up for this day.

Senior Brianna Clark said she was “listening to country music on the way to school to correspond with the day.”

Tomorrow’s rock-n-roll day; we hope to see as many Mason students dressed up for that as they did for today.