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The student news site of Oakton High School

Oakton Outlook

The student news site of Oakton High School

Oakton Outlook

The student news site of Oakton High School

Oakton Outlook

Kathryn Tatum

Kathryn Tatum, Editor-in-chief

Kathryn is an Editor-in-Chief of the Oakton Outlook and has been part of the staff for four years.  She has previously served as the Photo Editor and the Feature Editor of the publication. Her favorite journalistic pieces to write are human interest stories. In addition to leading the Outlook newsmagazine, Kathryn is also a Center tutor, a runner on the Oakton Cross Country and Track teams, and a piano player. Kathryn’s favorite thing to do is spend time outdoors — whether it be biking, running, hiking, or camping. She is excited to explore some more story ideas and continue to grow the Outlook in the future.

All content by Kathryn Tatum
Advice to Rising College Freshmen

Advice to Rising College Freshmen

Kathryn Tatum, Editor-in-chief | June 12, 2017

"If I could give one piece of advice to incoming freshman in college, it would be to meet as many people and remember as many names as you possibly can. In the first few weeks – especially if you go...

The forecast of snow from now until Tuesday, Mar. 14. (Courtesy NBC Washington).

Blizzard 2017

Kathryn Tatum, Editor-in-chief | March 13, 2017

Over a trillion pounds of snow is set to fall on Fairfax County in the coming days. The news of the impending snow storm on the East Coast has students eagerly anticipating a day or more off from school. When...

Senior class trip to Capitol Hill

Senior class trip to Capitol Hill

Kathryn Tatum, Editor-in-chief | March 3, 2017

Students taking any level of a government class, which includes all seniors, took a trip to Capitol Hill on Wed. March 1. Government teachers, other faculty, and parents also joined them to direct the...

Courtesy of Susan Silva

Doubleheader basketball games versus Chantilly

Kathryn Tatum, Editor-in-chief | February 4, 2017

Both Oakton girls and boys basketball teams faced Chantilly on Friday, Feb. 3 for an exciting doubleheader. By the start of the varsity girls game at 5:45 p.m., students filled the stands. The Oakton student...

Curriculum Fair 2017: Which courses should you select?

Kathryn Tatum, Editor-in-chief | January 6, 2017

The 2017 OHS Curriculum Fair will take place on Wednesday, January 11. If you’re a student struggling with deciding which courses to select, here is some more information on courses you may be considering...

Leadership opportunities for the 2017-2018 school year

Leadership opportunities for the 2017-2018 school year

Kathryn Tatum, Editor-in-chief | January 6, 2017

Leadership opportunities within extracurricular activities and clubs are a great way for students to get more involved in their school community and stand out in the college admissions process. As current...

Oakton tutors at the conference

Tutors present at the 2016 CAPTA Conference

Kathryn Tatum, Editor-in-chief | November 14, 2016

A group of tutors from the Oakton Center for Collaborative Learning attended a tutoring conference at George Mason University on Friday, Nov. 11. CAPTA (Capital Area Peer Tutoring Association), a nonprofit...

What makes a good teacher?

What makes a good teacher?

Kathryn Tatum, Editor-in-chief | October 30, 2016

62 Oakton students were surveyed to determine what the student body believes to be the most important quality for a teacher to have. All of these qualities and more combine to make a good teacher. And...

High School Volunteer Programs Take a More Innovative Approach

Kathryn Tatum, Editor-in-chief | October 3, 2016

   Taking part in volunteer projects is a generous way for people to spend their time. For high school students, volunteering can be an important part of their religious, extracurricular, or in-school...

Photo courtesy of CBS Sports

Rio Olympics: USA Medal Count

Kathryn Tatum, Editor-in-chief | August 20, 2016

The 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio have been historic for the United States. From Michael Phelps claiming his 22nd gold medal to the "final five" winning the team all-around competition, U.S. athletes...

Lindsey Jacobson (middle) and Jillian Tate (right) perform in Mary Poppins

Competition: Performing ● Innovating ● Racing

Kathryn Tatum, Editor-in-chief | May 19, 2016

  Performing Pacing the waiting room of a Baltimore community college, Jillian Tate sang a scale to warm up her voice. The 17-year-old Oakton junior was awaiting her turn to impress the judges...

Kutyna and the crown

Kutyna and the crown

Kathryn Tatum, Editor-in-chief | April 6, 2016

Lover of the spotlight and all-things performance related, 16-year-old Oakton junior Ann Kutyna shines in the pageant world. Kutyna held the title of “Miss Teen Virginia” for the 2014-2015 year, and...

NCAA March Madness Tournament

NCAA March Madness Tournament

Kathryn Tatum, Editor-in-chief | March 30, 2016

With the first games of the NCAA March Madness tournament about to start, everyone – basketball fan or not – is rushing to fill out their bracket. The first game of the tournament starts Thursday Feb....

Survey: How satisfied are you with the Oakton Outlook?

Kathryn Tatum, Editor-in-chief | March 14, 2016

Online Survey maker

Bernie Sanders wins Michigan Democratic Primary

Bernie Sanders wins Michigan Democratic Primary

Kathryn Tatum, Editor-in-chief | March 10, 2016

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders won Michigan over Hillary Clinton in a huge upset on Tuesday, March 8. Sanders won 50 percent of the state’s vote while Clinton won 48 percent. This win for Sanders surprised...

Chorus performers taking a bow at the end of the night

“Destination Disney” is a smashing success

Kathryn Tatum, Editor-in-chief | February 8, 2016

When I walked into the auditorium for chorus' production of "Destination Disney", it was clear this was not a normal chorus concert. The average age of the audience was significantly younger than usual....

Voluntourism: an act of nobility or narcissism?

Voluntourism: an act of nobility or narcissism?

Kathryn Tatum, Editor-in-chief | January 20, 2016

Have you ever stopped to question whether people who volunteer abroad are doing more harm than good? Many people point to “voluntourism” as an example of privileged people using volunteering to address...

How Much Snow Can We Expect this Winter?

How Much Snow Can We Expect this Winter?

Kathryn Tatum, Editor-in-chief | December 9, 2015

As December begins, students anxiously await the first snowfall of the winter. But with climate changes like El Niño, a “White Christmas” appears to be improbable for the Northern Virginia area. El...

VOTE for the Best of Oakton Homecoming 2015

VOTE for the Best of Oakton Homecoming 2015

Kathryn Tatum, Editor-in-chief | November 17, 2015

Which do you think the bestproposal for homecoming was?

..

Kutyna and the Crown

Kathryn Tatum, Editor-in-chief | October 28, 2015

Lover of the spotlight and all things performance-related, 16-year-old Ann Kutyna shines in the pageant world. Kutyna held the title of “Miss Teen Virginia” for the 2014-2015 year, and recently gave...

The Center at the CAPTA Conference 2015

The Center at the CAPTA Conference 2015

Kathryn Tatum, Editor-in-chief | October 24, 2015

A group of Center tutors, along with advisers Beth Blankenship and Stephanie Lin, attended a CAPTA tutoring conference at George Mason University on Friday, October 2. “CAPTA” stands for Capital Area...

21-year-old Monica Ten-Kate

Oakton Alumnus Getting Her Own TV Show

Kathryn Tatum, Editor-in-chief | June 24, 2015

Monica Ten-Kate, a 2013 graduate of Oakton High School and rising junior at Penn State University, is known around her campus as “Monica the Medium." A medium is a person who claims that they have the...

AP Courses: how many is too many?

AP Courses: how many is too many?

Kathryn Tatum, Editor-in-chief | May 8, 2015

Forty-five percent of students at Oakton are currently enrolled in AP, or Advanced Placement, courses. This number speaks for itself –taking AP’s has become extremely common at Oakton. AP courses are...

Oakton track and field on the road to Penn Relays

Oakton track and field on the road to Penn Relays

Kathryn Tatum, Editor-in-chief | April 21, 2015

Outdoor track is in full swing and the Oakton runners have made some impressive achievements. On Saturday, April 18, track and field attended an invitational meet at Lee Davis High School. The athletes...

The girls after a 50-42 win over Madison

Another successful season for varsity girls basketball

Kathryn Tatum, Editor-in-chief | April 8, 2015

The girls Varsity basketball team has had an outstanding history, and the team continued to be successful this winter season. The Oakton girls finished their season with an impressive 24-2 record, and...

Brandie Struggles with Narcolepsy

Brandie Struggles with Narcolepsy

Kathryn Tatum, Editor-in-chief | March 25, 2015

Sophomore Brandie Binns is known by her friends as the sweetest person you will ever meet. A former member of the JV Cheer Team, Binns enjoys being active and expressing her creativity through drawing....

Nobel Prize Announcements

Nobel Prize Announcements

Kathryn Tatum, Editor-in-chief | January 9, 2015

Malala Yousafzai, age 17, and Kailash Satyarthi beat many, including the Pope and Vladimir Putin, to the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize. Yousafzai is a Pakistani teenager who has been an advocate for girl’s...

Top: Courtesy of Hunter Carrico

Bottom: Courtesy of Susan Silva

Metro Meet-ups

Kathryn Tatum, Editor-in-chief | November 10, 2014

Once a month, the Oakton photo and art  clubs go on a field trip to Washington, D.C. called “metro meet-ups”. The students meet at the Vienna metro on a Saturday to ride to D.C. together. They decide...

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