South Lakes and Herndon: Graffiti Battle or Graffiti Victims?

As students return to school for the 2013-14 school year Tuesday, officials at both Herndon and South Lakes High Schools are working to rid athletic facilities of obscene graffiti spray painted at both schools in the last week.
 
Investigators are trying to determine whether it is one person hitting both schools or students from both schools lobbing insults at one another.

Last week, property at Herndon High was defaced, with the number "666" and profanity sprayed on a shed near the HHS athletic fields, among other places.

On Saturday, just before Reston Soccer was set to host a day-long soccer festival at South Lakes High School, profanity was discovered sprayed on the new turf practice field at SLHS. There was also an elaborate drawing of the Herndon High mascot on the concrete at the South Lakes stadium.

"The Reston Soccer Festival took place on the vandalized fields a couple hours after the mess was discovered," said Reston Soccer President Robert Anguizola. "The community came together -- the South Lakes Boosters, South Lakes students and teachers and staff, parents, all the festival volunteers, and the little 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 year olds cleaned what they could of the mess and then put on a wonderful event.

"They scrubbed the walls and the track, put sidewalk chalk and tents on some of the most vile graffiti and then proceeded to play the beautiful game of soccer.  They were not intimidated or cowed by the stupid acts of a few imbeciles."

Officials are investigating the incidents. SLHS principal Kim Retzer had no comment.