Oct 2014
Oct 2014
Oct 2014
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O 2
B 0
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Contributing Writers
Fathi Aden
Malaya Allen
Jawan Bowman
Javoughn Brown
Javon Buford
Gia Carney
Dcoryia Cunningham
Miracle Dawson
Artavis Groves
Deaira Lanier
Marcela Pinedo
Toni Qualls
Erfan Rezai
Leticia Robinson
Toree Sims
Devonte Stephens
Dejana Sullivan
Everette Tuggle
Caitlyn Vannerson
Dwayne Vega
Johnae Walker
Tyler Wolf
Ciera Wordlow
Advisor
Anne Rodier
Submissions:
Yellow Jacket
Times
Inside this Issue
National Guards Go to Ferguson
Its Good that Police in Louisville
America Incarcerated
Domestic Violence in the NFL
Bullying and Domestic Violence
Society Says What You Are
Is Our Generation Weak Minded?
Pros of a Year Without a Summer
Broadcasting in High Schools?
Social Media + College Future
9/11 National Memorial App
Snack Attack
Why Not Consider Wrestling?
Central Soccer Excels
Protesting in the streets every night didnt bring Michael back and it wont
make the judge sentence the officer any tougher. Louisville can learn a lot
from this situation. If you are going to protest, do it in the right places. A
good place to protest in Louisville would be somewhere where there is a lot
of space, like the waterfront. That way you wouldnt have stores closing up
and losing business because of people being angry.
If you are a police officer always travel with a partner so you wont feel as
threatened in a situation like the one in Ferguson. If police officers travel
with a partner, then it will be way safer for them. If theres a 6 foot person
approaching you and you are way smaller, then they are then you would
want to have someone have your back instead of having to depend on your
weapon.
If the people in the city of Louisville remember these two things, then it will be a
great and safe city.
Think carefully about your words, movement, body language, and emotions.
Do not get into an argument with the police.
Anything you say or do can be used against you.
Keep your hands where the police can see them.
Do not run. Do not touch any police officer.
Do not resist even if you believe you are innocent.
Do not complain on the scene or tell the police they are wrong or that you are
going to file a complaint.
REPORT TOTAL
RATE PER 1,000
MURDER
RAPE
ROBBERY
ASSAULT
28
78
613
1,011
0.11
0.30
2.37
3.91
MURDER
RAPE
ROBBERY
ASSAULT
14,827
84,376
354,522
760,739
0.05
0.27
1.13
2.42
REPORT TOTAL
RATE PER 1,000
From: http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/ky/louisville/crime/
America Incarcerated
By: Gia Carney
According to the Bureau of Justice, statistics' report about 2.5 million
Americans are in jail or prison. America has the most people incarcerated out of
any country in the world. About 25,000 people go to jail in a day; prisons cost
taxpayers more than $32 billion a year. Every year that an inmate spends in
prison costs $22,000. An individual sentenced to five years for a $300 theft costs
the public more than $100,000. The cost of a life term averages $1.5 million.
Why are there so many people getting incarcerated? Because, we
imprison people that we are mad at instead of people we are afraid of. This
means we lock up people for misdemeanor crimes such as public drunkenness,
resisting arrest, and simple battery. Usually these people stay in jail for a long
time, depending on how serious the crime is. Instead of wasting tax payers
money to keep people in jail, they should have to do some type of community
work for a certain amount of hours.
The people that get put in jail or prison for drug abuse should be put in
some type of rehab so they can get better, instead of being throw into jail. People
who are in prison for mental issues should be put in a place where they can get
help with their problems, and so they can take their medicine. If theyre in prison,
they still have to deal with the demons that they have .
Most of the time, the people who go to jail are repeat offenders, because
when they get out of jail, they only have what they came in with. For example, I
could go to jail with a t-shirt, and purse and that is what Im going to have when I
get out. No job, no place to stay, no money, no medicine if I need it, nothing. So
what is a person going to do when they dont have anything? Get it the only way
they know how, and its probably not the right way. When a person gets out of
prison, they should get a place to stay, a job, and some clothes so they can start
on the right path on a life after jail.
Basically. The government shouldnt lock up people that they are mad at,
they should lock up people that they are afraid of.
Prison Studies, the U.S. tops every other nation in the world.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/13/incarceration-rate-percapita_n_3745291.html
http://fivethirtyeight.com/datalab/the-rate-of-domestic-violence-arrests-among-nfl-players/
Believe it's okay to use threats or violence to get their way or to express frustration or
anger.
Use alcohol or drugs.
Can't manage anger or frustration.
Hang out with violent peers.
Have multiple sexual partners.
Have a friend involved in dating violence.
Are depressed or anxious.
Have learning difficulties and other problems at school.
Don't have parental supervision and support.
Witness violence at home or in the community.
Have a history of aggressive behavior or bullying
http://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/intimatepartnerviolence/teen_dating_v
iolence.html
Pay more attention to the outside world instead of what social media offers to us to pay
attention to.
Stand out! Be you; thats why you were born the way you are, to be an INDIVIDUAL not
to be somebodys puppet or shadow!!
Think Free. Be Free
Dont restrict yourself, go beyond your limitations.
You have a say in what you do, do not let society put a leash on you.
Yes! I say our generation is very weak minded, and others do, too. Especially the adults.
This generation is full of followers, easy to persuade, and people that seek the most stupidity. We
follow each other in clothing that I really dont understand. We always look for an easy way out
and seek recognition for the dumbest things.
I know youve seen those outrageous people paying and fighting over high priced
Jordans; this is really making our generation look weak. We pay almost $200 dollars for some
shoes that everybody has when there are other shoes out there that look better than Jordans. We
are too worried about getting judged instead of being ourselves. Teens average spending $5,000 a
year of their parents money on clothes and shoes, according to Herald Sun. This is mostly spent
on the name brand clothes that everybody chooses to wear because they see everybody else
wearing them. Thats one act that shows that our generation has too many followers instead of
leaders.
Additionally, this generation loves to take the easy way out and I dont see why. We have
teens and young adults who dont want to work hard; they want things a quicker way. Some
people would rather sell drugs instead of working hard or going to college just because they want
it now. We have no mental toughness; we begin with a mindset of weakness and laziness,
according to Elite Daily. And its true; we want everything given to us instead of earning it. The
New York Times says, College graduates are jumping into the job market, only to land on their
parents couches. Now the unemployment rate for 16-24 year. olds is a whopping of 17.6
percent.
What also kills our generation are the things we seek recognition for on these
unintelligent reality TV shows, like Love and Hip-hop of Atlanta. True, they are entertaining, but
you have to look on the other side theyre not teaching you anything. Most of the things that
we watch each day show negative vibes instead of positive vibes. Todays 8- to 18-year-old's
spend an average of four to five hours each day watching TV according to, Everyday Life. These
negative TV shows affect Americans in violence, smoking, dating/relations, and body image. We
attempt to copy what we see; we watch these shows for entertainment, when actually we need to
watch TV shows that entertain while teaching our generation something positive.
We also reward stupidity on the social websites that we are always on. Teens and young
adults occupy their time on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter, etc. Our generation plays monkey
see monkey do when it comes to social networks. We all want to be famous on the internet over
the dumbest crucial things. For example, in Delaware, 3 or 4 teenagers beat up a mentally
challenged man for no reason. But these teens thought they were entertaining others, when,
instead, they were looking ridiculous.
Teens, stop trying to fit in! Be a leader!
88% of parents know that their teens typically use the internet to communicate with people they dont know in the offline
world
61% of parents #1 concern with teen social networking is
sharing personal information online
60% of adults think parents should have full control over everything a child does online
47% of parents admit that ensuring their teens are safe
online can be overwhelming
40% of parents worry about their teens social network safety
when online, even at home
34% of parents check their childs social network sites
http://facebook-parental-controls-review.toptenreviews.com/30-statistics-about-teens-and-socialnetworking.html
Year-Round Cons:
teachers and students may have to switch classrooms during the year
limited space availability makes remediation difficult in multi-track schools
additional storage space needed for teachers who are off-track
longer year and more demanding for custodians, cafeteria, maintenance, and administration
parents may have difficulty scheduling childcare for multiple children
limits time for teachers to update skills and earn advanced degrees
Traditional Pros:
its what most of us grew up with (read as: people are afraid of change)
allows time for children to have authentic experiences outside of the classroom
more summer camps and summer activities available to students
more family time away from demands of school
teachers get a real break from teaching and lesson planning
Traditional Cons:
nayre.org reports 2.6 months of learning lost during summer months (though there are plenty
of reports that refute this claim)
finding appropriate childcare can be difficult with many people going on vacation
more time spent on review of previous years material at beginning of school year
teachers get less time to reflect on teaching and students best learning styles
remediation offered in summer is often too little, too late
http://www.redapplereading.com/blog/2012/07/yay-summer-or-not-traditional-vs-year-roundschool-calendars-their-impact-on-learning/
Jawan Bowman
Broadcasting should be a choice available at Central High School. This could be the most
popular thing in years; we could even start a new magnet.
It is very expensive, though, and would require a grant from the Board of Education.
Even if the board does not give us the money, we might be able to find local support for a CHS
broadcast. Many local television and radio stations might be willing to work with Central. We
can do radio broadcasting, as well as a telecast on YouTube. These casts would be much more
interesting than a regular online news article.
All the students would want to be involved, especially to hear see themselves live. People
all over the city would tune in, as well. We could do informational broadcasts, or funny skits to
lighten up the school day. We could also show highlights of athletics and clubs. Now we need a
teacher who will help us get started!
Malaya Allen
Do you think colleges should look at students social media before accepting them into their school? Like it or
not, they do. It gives them a first-hand look at how a student will behave on campus. Its also a way to find out
about personal problems a student has. Looking at students social media sites can also uncover if a student is
using or selling any type of drugs. Maybe there are students getting bullied or are doing the bullying and
colleges dont want those kinds of people roaming around their campus.
Profanity
Signs of drug use
Gang related activities
Bullying
Nude pictures
Or giving out too much personal information
If you want to get into college or get a good job, then create a good on-line persona. Otherwise, you will
chase away the very people that you want to impress! Check out this website for some great advice on what
to remove and what to add to your Facebook page:
http://collegeapps.about.com/od/theartofgettingaccepte
d/ss/bad-facebook-photos_12.htm
Johnae Walker
We all know that school food isnt the best. In fact its the worst. Many students, including myself, have
written many complaints, but for what? If the food still hasnt changed then its NOT going to change. So
my solution is to stop complaining and to just bring in food from home.
Most high schools have vending machines and snack stands. But those are just snacks; it isnt going to fill
you up. And the snacks are NOT cheap. Most of the prices on the snacks have gone up, too. The small
bags of chips that are 50 cents at a store are 75 cents in the machine. It may not seem like much, but it
adds up at the end of every week. At our snack stand we have chips, cereal bars, string cheese, gold fish,
water, Gatorade, propel, rice crispy treats, juice, and regular water. The snacks taste good, but theyre
not all really that good a source of nutrition.
So. maybe you can pack a lunch. At least youll get to eat food that you like. To keep your food cold,
you could freeze your drink and use it as an ice pack. Its also okay to pack something that needs to be
warmed up because there are microwaves in the cafeteria, and also many teachers have microwaves
inside their class and more than likely, theyll let you use it.
Why complain, when you can just bring food? Weve done enough of it! Here are some really easy
recipes to get you started:
Vegetable Soup
Ingredients
3 tablespoon(s) olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 clove(s) garlic, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1 cup(s) sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup(s) chopped celery
1 teaspoon(s) turmeric
1 teaspoon(s) paprika
1/4 teaspoon(s) cinnamon
1 bay leaf
3 cup(s) vegetable stock
2 large fresh tomatoes, roughly chopped
1/2 cup(s) chopped sweet red pepper
1 cup(s) fresh or frozen peas
1/2 cup(s) sliced zucchini
1 can(s) (small) chickpeas, drained
Directions
1. In a large pot, slowly heat the olive oil and sautee the onions,
garlic, carrots, potatoes, and celery for about five minutes.
Add the spices and stock and simmer, covered, for 15
minutes. Add all the remaining vegetables and chickpeas, and
simmer another 15 minutes. Serve with a crusty country
bread that's good for dunking. It's virtually a meal in itself.
Erfan Rezai
Most kids grow up sleeping with teddy bears or some kind of special blanket, but I grew up sleeping
with a soccer ball. I am from Tehran, Iran but grew up in Kiev, Ukraine. Since I can remember, I always wanted
to be a soccer player and soccer has been my first priority in life. I started soccer in Tehran; I was only 6 years
old and I played for a club called Persepolis. I played there for 5 months then we moved to Ukraine. In Ukraine,
I played for Dynamo Kiev and learned a lot in there. I love playing soccer and soccer means a lot to me.
Since the day I can remember, I have wanted to be a soccer player. When I was only 6 years old, I
always tried to get my friends to play with me, but they were always busy playing with toys or video games. I
just went outside with my soccer ball and played by myself, The only person who actually would play with me
was my older brother. He also played soccer for a club, and he actually was my role model.
My brother was my number one motivation. He took me to practices and to my games, and also taught
me how to play soccer. Every day after school he would take me to the park and practice soccer. He would
always tell me that he believed in me, and that he would always support me with anything I needed. If it wasnt
for him, I would never have learned soccer.
After only 5 months playing for Persepolis in Tehran my parents decided to move to Ukraine. I was not
happy at all because I liked my club and I had all my friends there. I was afraid that if we moved to different
country, I would not be able to play soccer. I cried a lot and did not talk to my parents for few days, but it did
not change anything. In September, 2003, we moved to Ukraine.
When we got to Ukraine, I was really sad and angry because I thought soccer was over for me. My
brother told me that he would try to find me a place to play, but I did not believe him. I sat home all day in my
room, and played with my soccer ball that I had brought from Iran. I could not play outside because it was
winter and it was really cold. Every day I would pray to God to find me a club that I could play for. A few
months later, just like my brother promised, he found me a club. It was Dynamo Kiev, the best club in Ukraine.
My brother took me there for tryouts, and I was really nervous because I did not want to mess it up. After the
tryout was over, coach came up to me, and said, You are good enough to play. I was really happy that I could
play club soccer again. I played for Dynamo Kiev for about 7 years.
After 7 years playing for Dynamo Kiev and living in Ukraine, my parents decided to move to the USA.
This time I wasnt so sad because I knew that I would be able to find a club to play for. When we moved to the
USA, the first thing I did was search for a club team. After few weeks of searching, I found club LSA. I am still
now playing for LSA, and my dream is to get to University of Louisville and play on the college level.
Team
Points Confederation
Germany
2176 UEFA
Netherlands
Argentina
Colombia
Brazil
Spain
Chile
France
Belgium
Uruguay
England
Mexico
Italy
Portugal
United
States
Costa Rica
Ecuador
Switzerland
Ukraine
Russia
Croatia
Sweden
Greece
Serbia
Czech
Republic
Denmark
BosniaHerzegovina
Ivory
Coast
Peru
Romania
2075 UEFA
2065
1988
1975
1966
1955
1937
1890
1878
1874
1874
1871
1857
CONMEBOL
CONMEBOL
CONMEBOL
UEFA
CONMEBOL
UEFA
UEFA
CONMEBOL
UEFA
CONCACAF
UEFA
UEFA
1827 CONCACAF
1824
1817
1782
1782
1777
1775
1769
1763
1744
CONCACAF
CONMEBOL
UEFA
UEFA
UEFA
UEFA
UEFA
UEFA
UEFA
1737 UEFA
1728 UEFA
1722 UEFA
1718 CAF
FIFA Elo
FIFA
Team
Points Confederation
Rank Rank
Rank
1
31
Japan
1701 AFC
48
32
Panama
1695 CONCACAF 55
4
33
Ghana
1692 CAF
33
2
34
Turkey
1691 UEFA
38
3
35
Paraguay 1688 CONMEBOL 60
6
Algeria
1685 CAF
20
8
36
Republic of
1685 UEFA
62
12
Ireland
9
38
Scotland 1683 UEFA
29
5
39
Nigeria
1680 CAF
37
7
40
Venezuela 1667 CONMEBOL 66
18
41
Austria
1653 UEFA
39
16
42
Iran
1652 AFC
44
13
43
Finland
1651 UEFA
65
11
44
Australia 1649 AFC
84
Egypt
1643 CAF
61
17
45
Slovakia 1643 UEFA
40
15
United
47
1638 AFC
73
21
Arab Emirates
10
48
Senegal
1634 CAF
36
24
49
Poland
1632 UEFA
70
23
50
Cameroon 1631 CAF
42
19
51
Bulgaria
1630 UEFA
46
32
52
Uzbekistan 1622 AFC
58
14
South
53
1613 AFC
63
Korea
34
South
54
1612 CAF
67
28
Africa
55
Israel
1610 UEFA
64
27
56
Hungary 1608 UEFA
54
25
57
Slovenia 1590 UEFA
53
58
Bolivia
1586 CONMEBOL 94
22
1717 CONMEBOL 47
1710 UEFA
26
59
60
Montenegro
Burkina
Faso
1583 UEFA
43
1581 CAF
48
My Second Family
Ciera Wordlow
I consider Black Achievers to be a second family. I say this because you become one with your
peers and your mentors when you participate. You grow to value, love and care for everyone. It
allows you to see the greatness that each and every person possesses inside of them. The
mentors volunteer their time to help make each participant better and show them the way.
This program made me a strong believer in giving back, and I vow to always reach out to help
someone else.
I have been given the opportunity to learn a lot about the profession I want to pursue. For
example, I am going to be a judge. I am currently in the Law and Government magnet where I
have met attorneys and judges. I utilized this time to actually speak with people who are in a
position that I will soon obtain. Some have actually agreed to mentor me, and told me to call
them with any questions or concerns that I have on my journey. That is amazing. I want to
surround myself with those that have an understanding of what I am trying to do and know
how to obtain it. Black Achievers put me in the position to actually network amongst a group of
elite professionals and this has truly kept a fire burning in me to reach my goal of becoming a
judge. Seeing others that have accomplished it, lets me know it is possible for me, too. I
actually still talk to a lawyer that agreed to mentor me from time to time. She is such a helpful
resource, and I am so grateful for her. Being taught by people who actually work in law
definitely benefits me. They let me know about their experiences, mistakes and achievements.
I am supplied with knowledge and one on one time that I would not get anywhere else.
Community Service is also an important aspect of Black Achievers, and to me, as well. We get
out in the community and get hands on. We take on different projects. I always make it a
point to stay involved and aware of the needs of people in my community. For example, I really
enjoy raising awareness to different causes, like the Lupus Walk. I also like getting out in the
neighborhoods and cleaning up through Operation Brightside, which I do with my mother quite
often. I also assisted in mentoring middle school children via the community centers. Being
involved with giving back feeds my soul. It makes me feel great on the inside; that alone, lets
me know I am doing the right thing as a young black lady.
It makes me so proud to be member of the Black Achievers because it is about achieving my
goals, being proud of my ethnicity, my history and my future. Black Achievers makes
participants think about what we want for our lives and provides us with resources and tools to
plan and obtain that.
Some of my closest friends, I met at Black Achievers. It is funny because we have a friendly
competition of pushing one another to do better. We compare grades, which I believe is great.
It keeps us all motivated and pushes each one of us to do our best and stay at the top of our
game. We understand that as young black future leaders, the best thing to do is surround
ourselves with those that are headed in a positive direction, those that motivate us and
understand hard work. I see all of us having great, bright futures, and there is no doubt that
Black Achievers put us on a great path to our goals.
I would recommend all of our youth to become a member of Black Achievers. I have a sister in
the 8th grade and I have encouraged her to join. I know for a fact it will be a great experience
for her. I can vouch from my experience the amazing difference this one program can make in
her life.
As I move forward in my journey of life, I cant help but to be a little sad that this will be my last
year in Black Achievers. All the wonderful memories and experiences that I experienced
through Black Achievers puts a smile on my face.
Black Achievers doesnt just teach you about the career you want to pursue, it also teaches you
how to be a better person in life - period. It teaches us to focus on things that benefit us. We
spend our time brainstorming about the next steps in our lives to push us forward in the right
direction. This is a program you cant go wrong with. If you are seeking knowledge, growth,
responsibility, uplifting others, continuing education, Black Achievers is the place for you.
I thank each and every person who took their time out to make an impression in my life. All of
the staff is reaching out their hand to lift us all up. For that, I feel blessed to be a part of such a
prestige program such as Black Achievers.
When I think of Black Achievers, the first word that sticks out to me is black. The reason I say
this is because I understand my history and know we werent always allowed the opportunity to
educate ourselves in order to achieve our goals. Many died before me for this right and it is my
responsibility to make sure I make the most of it as a young black woman.
The second word I think of is success. I feel like I am surrounded by successful people in my
community who show me that it is possible to be successful myself and motivate me to achieve
greatness.
Without Black Achievers in my life, I honestly dont know what I would be doing, and I am sure I
am not the only one who feels this way. Thank you for touching lives and assisting with the next
generation achieving, so that we can, in return, touch lives in a positive manner as well.
Everett Tuggle
Have you ever been at the lowest point of your life? Not wanting to do anything or
talk to anyone because the thing you love the most has been taken from you all in a couple
seconds?
Sometimes I sit in my room and think what I couldve done and change so I could
still be playing the game I love so dearly. It was my 10th grade year during a junior varsity
football game. I remember it like yesterday. We were playing Manual, and our coach called
a simple run play for me right before the half. I was just going to try to get a couple of
yards and head into the locker room for half time, but when the ball was snapped and
handed to me, there was a huge opening down the left sideline that I was racing down. I
headed toward the touchdown, not knowing the safety was coming at me at an angle. He
was catching up to me I so I used my stiff arm to keep him from tackling me and he pushed
me off balance. As I fell, I tried to catch myself. I heard the first snap then I just fell to the
ground. Once I tried to get up and push up off the ground, I heard it again snap. Realizing
I couldnt get up, my teammates helped me.
Riding to the hospital, not being able to finish the game, I was already furious. I was
thinking Id be okay; I was just a broken wrist. Theyd give me a cast and Id be right back
on the field in no time. Was I totally wrong? Yes! When I got to the hospital , the doctor
gave me an x-ray; he came back and gave me the worst news I had ever heard. He told me,
showing me the x-ray, Im sorry to tell you this, but because of how severely you broke
your bone, you wont to be able to play football anymore.
I replied, Youre just talking about this year, right, Doctor?
He said, No, I mean never. I just sank my head to my lap and cried, not knowing
what I would do without football in my life. Football was everything to me; all I knew; I
lived for and loved the game.
I went a couple of months, lost, not knowing what I would do without the game I
loved so much. I tried other sports, but none of them was like football. I even got a job, but
still football would never leave my mind. Shortly after, a man came to my school for
assembly. Ill never forget the words I heard from him. He said, Eventually all of the pieces
fall into place, until then, laugh at the confusion, for the moment, and know that
everything happens for a reason! Right after that, my mom told me she was pregnant. I
didnt believe her at first until I saw her getting bigger and bigger. Then I realized, I have
something to live for from now on-my first sibling.
At that moment, I realized football was good while it lasted, but I have to move on
to bigger and better things in my life now. The biggest thing I learned from this experience
is that what doesnt kill you makes you stronger.
Javon Buford
Studies show that kids who play video games often do better in school. Many
people see video games as a childish thing and think they are for little kids to do
in their spare time. That is not always the case. Video games can help with school
in a variety of ways. Video games can give players an idea of what life was like
during medieval times, expand vocabulary, and teach more about Greek
mythology.
Videos games are not always just for entertainment; there are some games
especially made just for learning. There are even websites full of games made for
learning and helping with school. www.cool-mathgames.com is one of them. Not
only computer games teach, but games like, Catherine, on Playstation 3, is a
puzzle game that helps you think quicker.
Video games based on medieval times give players a chance to relive those
moments all over again. Reading books and watching movies about the topic
dont actually give the sensation of being there during playing the games gives.
Games such as Skyrim and fable are very well known games based on
medieval times and are very enjoyable to play.
If you take a Greek mythology class or even just want to know more about
the subject, nothing is better than learning about it through gaming. There are
many games based on Greek mythology, such as God of War and Darksiders.
Video games increase brain power, teach you to multitask and look at multiple
things at once and help you throughout your student career.
Playing more video games can help you in many different ways with school.
I highly encourage you to start playing more and see for yourself. Your grades will
improve.
1964 or 2014?
by Javoughn Brown
Ambition
By Leticia Robinson
Most people look up to celebrities, but my mother is my idol. My mother has taught me
everything I know. From her Ive learned that no matter what life brings you, there is no excuse
not to accomplish your dreams; everyone is as successful as they want to be. I am not a first
generation college student; my mom went to college but my father did not.
All through high school, she was in the top ten percent of her class. She was a
cheerleader and she was also a majorette. While doing extracurricular activities and working
two jobs, she still managed to maintain a 3.8 GPA. She watched her mom battle Lupus. While
my grandfather worked 12-hour shifts at Ford, she had to take care of her two younger
brothers on a daily basis.
Despite everything that was going on, my mom graduated at the top of her class. Being
one of the very few minorities in her school, this was a big accomplishment for her. Because of
my grandmothers illness, she didnt want to travel too far from her home in Cleveland, Ohio,
for school, so she decided to go to the University of Toledo. Her freshman year she received a
call saying that her mother passed away. Being the strong woman that she is, she continued on
her road to success. About six of her friends founded the Sigma Lambda Gamma sorority on the
University of Toledo campus. Sigma Lambda Gamma is a Latina sorority that focuses on
sisterhood and personal development.
Her junior year she met my dad and got pregnant. She finished her junior year at UT and
went back to Lorain to get married. While she was pregnant, my father stole from her, and he
beat her. About a year and a half later she filed for a divorce.
Her last years of school, she attended the University of Cleveland. She was a single
mother and she still managed to get her education so that I could have a better life. She
graduated when I was about four, and to this day I still remember sitting on my grandfathers
lap and watching her walk across the stage. This meant nothing to me at the time, but I grew up
and realized that not going to college was not an option. If a woman in her early twenties, who
had gone to through as much as she, could get her education, I could, too.
I will not have a family until after I graduate, but when times get hard, I will not give up.
I will think about everything she went through for me. Everything she has ever taught me has
made me a better person. Ive learned to never let anyone get in the way of my dreams.
Ambition is the key to these dreams. Without ambition, my mother would not have succeeded,
and without ambition, I will not be able to achieve either. When I achieve my dream career, I
will make sure I give the world back to my mom because she made sure she gave me everything
I ever wanted and needed.
Wishes
Marcela Pinedo
My Music
Devonte Stephens
All my life I have been into music. The first time I heard a musical note I fell in love. Ever
since then, I have not been able to escape the addicting sounds of music. The smooth melodies
and rhythms do one of two things, they either relax me or put me in a hyper type of mood.
Music has become a major part of my life and my daily activities. I feel like I cant live without it,
and that is actually the reason Im going to pursue music as career after college.
It all started around the age of two or three. Growing up around teenagers, a thousand
or more songs were constantly being played. Over time, I eventually got accustomed to the Hip
Hop and R&B styles of music that were brought to my attention. New musicians have come and
gone, but the styles of music have generally remained the same. Throughout the years, I have
listened to more and more music, and though the loud sounds could potentially damage my
hearing, I continue to listen due to the love I have for music.
By the time I was thirteen, I really began to understand lyrics and eventually developed
my own. At younger ages I enjoyed the sounds, but as I grew up, the words and stories, began
to make sense. I realized people were telling stories with creatively rhymed words. It was even
more impressive to learn that the artists had to keep up with the tempo of the beat and
manage breathing while recording. This discovery left my mind blown, and it inspired me to
give it a try.
Becoming a creative musician became my goal, but I had a rude awakening because it
turned out to be way harder than it looked. I made a thousand attempts to do things such as
tell stories, stay on beat, and rhyme creatively using syllables, but it all seemed to make no
sense. This process was very frustrating and challenging mentally, but I knew if I really wanted
to be successful, then throwing in the towel was definitely not an option. After years of practice
and long nights of repetition, writing quality music became far less challenging. People began to
acknowledge my music, and I felt a sense of accomplishment knowing my hard work was at
least starting to pay off.
After mastering music production, I began to receive a little bit of local recognition.
Soon when people saw me, they asked for me to help them with things music related. People
always expected me to perform or entertain them right on the spot, and 85% of the time, I
actually did. At first I had no problem entertaining them, but after a while, they got carried
away and it annoyed me. But through the struggles and adversity, I continued to live my life,
enjoy myself, and do what I do best.
I feel as if music has honestly been a part of me since birth. I have developed an
unbreakable bond with anything music related. It has overtaken me in a way in which it
controls my mood and feelings. I really do have talent and plan to use it to its full potential. I
will utilize it by working, making progress and doing whatever it takes in order to have a
successful music career in the near future.
Dcoryia Cunningham
As musicians, we often neglect the credibility of the internet. By doing this, not only are we
creating a delay in our careers, but also in our pay check. We really must use the internet to market
our music.
Music has been a passion of mine for the past twelve years. I must say there have been many
challenges. I have gone from studio to studio, going from broke to broker, and sad to depressed, yet
this has not stopped me! If you are interested in a career in music, you, too, will face challenges
throughout your career, but I'm here to tell you one way to prevent many of these challenges.
You can do this by using the internet! However, the internet is not some quick scheme. It is not a
hop, skip and jump to fame. Posting a link on Twitter to your YouTube video will not bring money in
quickly, instead strategy, consistency, and dedication will. There are many artists who did this who
are now famous. As an example, Justin Bieber did not just upload a video in one day and get
discovered. He uploaded multiple videos consistently, and with each video uploaded, he began getting
more views.
The internet not only exposes you to all kinds of people, but also ideas! There are so many
tips online for musicians. For instance, websites such as taxi.com, hypebot.com, and
musicthinktank.com, have much to offer musicians. The information about navigating the music
business found on these websites can help you boost your career. Most of the information is free! Not
only will you use this information to become knowledgeable, but also for strategies towards how to
market yourself.
Social websites such as Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram are not the only websites you can use
to share your music. Although these websites are, in a way, a necessity, they are not the only sites to
post your music. There are several more! For example, online platforms such as Reverbnation,
SoundCloud, and Soundclick are very helpful with marketing. These websites are specifically made
for musicians trying to market their music. Not only will you be marketing your music, but many
other musicians will also. This will also allow you to network with other musicians across the world,
which is also branding yourself and making yourself known.
The internet is used every day by major labels in the music industry to promote their artists.
If they can do it, why cant you? Not only do I believe that promoting online is a great way for
marketing, but music executive, Stan Rapp, does, too. For instance, he says, In the 21st century, the
database is the marketplace. This, alone, is why we musicians must use the internet as a marketing
strategy!
The internet provides so many great services towards independent artists. Social websites, career
advice, and networking platforms are some of the many ways that musicians can use and create
marketing strategies. The internet is now a new world, and in order to experience greatness in your
music career, you must explore it!
Tyler Wolf
Earth is only a stage, on which we play the melodic tone of our dreams. At least that is what
everyone else does, for I do not have a dream. What I have is far more precious, because it is not an
option, but a future accomplishment. My song is a beautiful metaphor of peaceful chaos in the raging
pond of my eyes in many positions. All people are correct to maintain a dream, but I only maintain a
goal. As the world is my stage, I will perform the song the way that I see fit. Now it is time for me to
raise to center stage and to live my life for the crowd, and more importantly, myself.
This goal that I will achieve is to write, and to live through literacy. I will find my way past the
gates of college and then back into college. I will live out all of my final days in college, but it will be as
a professor. I have gained this passion for education throughout my life and I will play the magical
tune of education. Since my years of middle school, what I have learned has shaped me into who I
am today. The precious thing that sparked my will to achieve was discovering that I am not the saving
generation, but that I am to be a kick start for them.
If one wishes to educate, they must first be educated, and if one wishes to succeed they must
also be educated. I will be part of that bridge to success for the future, as teachers are the saviors of
mankind. My observation of the system has turned up evidence that not nearly enough finances are
allocated to educate people. When I was fourteen, I was invited to work at a Boy Scout summer
camp, named Camp Crooked Creek. While there, my education on the importance of education grew
immensely through watching the scouts and how their knowledge increased in so many ways. At that
point, it became my goal to fix the wretched education system to provide a better future for all of us.
Though it was camp that opened my eyes to the power of education, it was simply my kick start
on my path to understanding. I wage war, not with guns, but with knowledge every day. This is a one
sided war that the system is winning, because people are ignorant of the information they are being
denied, or the work that pushes not for mastery, but for tedious action. I wish to be a soldier in this
war for the youth that are having their potential oppressed by my future career. If society would
accept the power of education and could see its current flaws, then the future would be that much
brighter.
My life was decided the moment that I realized the true threat to happiness that ignorance
poses. I witnessed it in my own family. Ignorance caused my parents to get divorced when I was
younger. This direct impact on my life has doubled my household responsibility, as well as letting me
see that you do not have to be ignorant to be affected by ignorance.
If one is to look back on my life, they would see a flux of ups and downs. There have been far
more downs and low lighting on my stage than there have been ups and perfect melodies in my life. I
find all of us important, because we all have the potential to succeed; we just need the proper kick
start to get there. If I were alone, my goal would fade into a superficial dream, but every ignorant
person I meet is my motivation to succeed so I can pass on the luck of success through knowledge.
Javoughn Brown
I am from
By Caitlyn Vannerson
Dwayne
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J E F F E R S O N
C O U N T Y
P U B L I C
S C H O O L S
Employees/Applicants
The Jefferson County Public School District shall not discriminate in recruitment
or employment on the basis of age, color, creed, disability, marital or parental status,
national origin, race, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, religion, or political opinion or affiliation. The District shall promote equal opportunities through a vigorous
affirmative action program as an integral part of personnel policy and practice in the
employment, development, advancement, and treatment of employees of the Jefferson
County Public Schools.
In the Event of Questions
Employees or applicants, report to immediate superior, appropriate personnel
administrator, the Compliance and Investigations Office, or the appropriate enforcement agency if you believe you have experienced harassment/discrimination.
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No student shall be denied equal educational opportunity for any reason by the
Jefferson County Board of Education because of his or her age, color, disability, parental status, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, or veteran status.
Harassment/Discrimination of any type is not permitted. A student has the right
to attend school free from harassment and should not be subjected to discrimination
for any reason. Schools will strive to ensure that these rights are protected and that
appropriate consequences are provided to offenders.
In the Event of Questions
Students and parents/guardians, report to principal, the Compliance and Investigations Office, or the appropriate government agency if you believe you have experienced harassment/discrimination.
Noncompliance with the above policy and procedures may result in disciplinary
action.
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