Senior Grant Blumberg is in the midst of his final year of high school and has his eyes set on what lies ahead. Blumberg is humorous in the classroom and always has a witty joke waiting to spill out. Despite having a sense of humor, he is a focused student who has his priorities in the right places. His interest in journalism led to his position on The Sentry as he wishes to pursue a potential career past college.  

Like most seniors, Blumberg is sick of the tedious task of filling out applications; however, he eagerly awaits the excitement of making a decision as to where he wants to go to college. Recently, Blumberg narrowed down a select few schools that have emerged among his top choices.

“The University of Virginia (UVA) definitely interested me. Northwestern University is also a school I would like to go to, as well as William and Mary or Virginia Tech. Those are probably my top four. I have toured William and Mary and UVA and I like both campuses a lot, but I think the atmosphere at UVA is better because they have better sports and a great town surrounding the campus, ” Blumberg said.  

When reminiscing about his favorite moments of high school, his inner love for Star Wars stood out above all.

“My favorite memory is definitely watching Star Wars: Episode 3 Revenge of the Sith in Mr. McPhee’s class last year; that was a blast,” Blumberg said.

Blumberg has a great interest in sports and when it comes to watching sports, he prefers soccer above all else. Despite the inconvenient airing times, Blumberg has grown very fond of European soccer, for the players generally showcase greater skill than in American leagues.  

“My favorite team is Manchester United. I have been following them for about five years because I really only got into soccer about five years ago. I remember going to one of their games at Fedex Field and I just started following them after that game,” Blumberg said.

An avid fan of comics, Blumberg has a special place in his heart for The Dark Knight and his heroic acts.

“My favorite superhero is Batman, and he inspires me because he has principles that he sticks to, like not killing anyone,” Blumberg said.

Given his raw wit, it is not surprising that one of Blumberg’s favorite activities is watching comical television shows, considering his inventory of hysterical one-liners.

“I love Trailer Park Boys. It is a great show to binge, it is very funny, and I think it is a great thing to watch with your friends and laugh at,” Blumberg said.

As Blumberg embarks on his senior year, he is dedicated to finishing off his time in Arlington the right way. Blumberg’s inspirational work ethic and his down-to-earth personality makes him a favorite not only among The Sentry class, but the rest of the school community as well.

When junior Chris Rita is not on the fairway with his 3-iron in hand, you can most likely find him with his eyes glued to the TV, watching whatever sporting event is on. Rita could discuss any professional sport for hours – basketball, baseball, football, you name it. Much of his sports knowledge may come from his experience on the field, having played both baseball and basketball when he was younger. However, he is not just a multi-sport aficionado; Rita has a passion for writing and has mathematics skills that he believes will serve him well in his future career.

“I see myself in ten years doing something in the field of mathematics, whether it is finance or architecture… I am really in to finance… I want to have a job in that field or something related to that,” Rita said.

A huge fan of the Harry Potter series, when asked which movie character he would like to switch lives with, his answer was no surprise.

“I think I would have to go with Harry Potter…. I would not say that in the first three [movies] he was very good… but late in the series he really starts to shine and show his true strengths. It is a true underdog story,” Rita said

The Yorktown golf jock has a strong personality and his sense of humor, kindness and positivity can be felt throughout the classroom by his peers. He was asked which three words he would use to describe himself.

“Outgoing because I feel like I try to initiate conversations with a lot of people… I am very opinionated, I have very strong opinions that I express and I am multi-dimensional,” Rita said.

Rita’s multidimensionalism, as well as his “nice-guy” persona are certainly reflected in the music that he listens to.

“I like country, it is just inoffensive. There are some good songs out there, but mostly it is just kind of played and in general there is just not much to dislike,” Rita said.

When asked what he would choose if he had to pick just one food to eat for the rest of his life, Rita gave another smart, can’t-go-wrong response.

“I would probably choose to go my whole life eating pizza because it is just very easy to binge. I could have that for just about any meal. Once again it is not too offensive,” Rita said.

Rita’s responses show only a glimpse of the lively, dynamic person he is and those traits will certainly serve him well in his junior year of high school. The Sentry is lucky to have such an energetic personality returning for a second year on staff.