December 2011 - Banneker High School
Transcription
December 2011 - Banneker High School
Train of Thought Volume 5, Issue 2 Benjamin Banneker Academic High School December, 2011 Tattoos Aren’t Just Body Art by Cherrie Coachman & Oni Crawford W hen senior Kyree Rollins was 15, he asked his mom for permission to get a tattoo. Many of his friends had them and he wanted one too. Of course, she said no. But then he started learning about his Native American heritage from his great-grandfather. He began looking at pictures from his family tree and reading books about Native Americans, particularly the Cherokee, the tribe of his ancestors. He was so inspired by his conversations with his great-grandfather and his reading, that he sketched a tattoo symbolic of his Native American heritage. Then his mother changed her mind. “I was really interested in my background and lineage,” said Kyree, who designed his tattoo with feathers and a band. Tattoos have become a popular form of expression among individuals of all ages. That expression can be anything imaginable, from a favorite phrase to a graphic symbol to a full col- substances. Kyree’s mother took him to Off the Hook, a tattoo shop near the Potomac Avenue Metro station. Before the tattoo process began, Kyree said he did have second thoughts and wondered whether having a tattoo would have an effect on his future. Kyree is a 17-year-old black male with dreadlocks, living in an urban environment, the first generation in his family who will go to college. He said that he worried that having a tattoo might make some people view him negatively, and that tattooed males are sometimes stereotyped, but he holds three part-time jobs and manages to maintain a decent grade point average. “Maybe I’m challenging society, revolutionizing society,” Kyree said. He said one tattoo is enough for now. He will only get another if something else “enlightens him.” Senior Oni Crawford, 17, didn’t or portrait. Kyree’s tattoo includes a band around his left bicep, which is designed from several pieces of his grandfather’s art, and a circle, which symbolizes life. The entire process took two days because the coloring was time consuming. Kyree said it was very painful. “It moves as fast as hair shaving clippers, but with a needle,” he said. Tattooing is not licensed and is largely unregulated in D.C., but anyone under 17 usually will be required to have written parental consent to get a tattoo. The consent form includes questions about HIV/AIDS, pregnancy, and whether the person is under the influence of any mind-altering PHOTO BY MITZI VIVAR body art continued on 3 Kyree Rollins talks about his tattoo and his heritage. Anime Comes To Life by Jia Li Dong Luffy from “One Piece” and Mercury from “Sailor Moon” were among a number of unusual guests recently at the Hyatt Regency in Crystal City. They were attendees of the annual “Anime USA” convention, held from November 18-20. Convention goers also included hundreds of other characters from manga, anime and video games. There were not only people in costume, but also photographers, volunteers, artists who came to sell their works of art, and, of course, people who simply enjoy anime and video games. Tomas Pratt, who used to work with Disney, was one of the artists attending the convention. Mr. Pratt created his webcomic called “Shadowbinders” at shadowbinders. com two years ago after working with comic books for 12 years. Before cre- ating his manga, he worked with Disney under the pen name of “Kneon Transitt” to create the movies “Mickey Mouse” and “Uncle Scrooge.” The anime movies he worked on inspired him to create his own stories. The genres that he usually draws include mostly steam punk and fantasy, along with a little bit of mecha, or robots. On Saturday, Nov. 19, Anime USA featured costumed participants who played “Cosplay Chess”, in which two people use other players as chess pieces on a large board game mat. When one of those pieces is ordered by the player to take out the opponent’s piece, a major battle ensues. The vanquished piece is defeated using the portrayed character’s particular style of fighting. The defeated piece dies a terrible, sad death. anime continued on 3 PHOTOS BY JIA LI DONG INSIDE this ISSUE Mr. Pratt started out as a teenage artist by hand-drawing his pictures and illustrations, then progressed to using computers and tablets when he created his webcomic, using mostly Photoshop tools to mimic art tools to make drawing comics and manga simpler. He is a fan of Transformers and likes the manga “Evangelion” and “Fruits Basket”. His advice to young artists: Practice. “If you wait to be perfect, you won’t get to be. People are afraid to try.” Tattoos------------------------------------------ 1 Anime------------------------------------------- 1 Lunch Diaries------------------------------- 2 Student Driving ---------------------------- 3 School Spirit Photos ------------------- 4-5 Student Writing and Art ----------------- 6 Urban Lit Review ------------------------- 7 As I See It ----------------------------------- 7 White House Trick or Treat ------------ 7 Riddle Box ----------------------------------- 7 Crossword Puzzle -------------------------- 8 2 Train of Thought Kiosk Brings New Lunch Payment Options by Hagos Hagos In addition to a slightly higher price for a school lunch, there is also a new machine in the old Banneker cafeteria. Instead of handing lunch money to a cafeteria employee, students now deposit money into the Kiosk in the corner of the cafeteria . Lisa McCorse is the new cafeteria employee who is responsible for helping students with the Kiosk machine. She said that the lunch options are locally produced, and not at all like the unhealthy fast food school lunches she remembers from the past. There’s also a new lunch option – the salad bar. The options change daily but include tofu, shrimp and sometimes chicken and barbeque. PHOTOS BY MITZI VIVAR The newest addition to the cafeteria “staff”. Students can use ID cards to pay for lunch. Lunch: It’s Not Just About Food by Reniya Dinkins Day 1 Day 2 Loud singing voices rang through the cool air of the bright cafeteria. “Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you!” All eyes turned toward the table surrounded by approximately 30 Banneker students who obscured two dozen cupcakes and the birthday kid. “Whose birthday is today?” I asked my friends, who only replied with shrugs. “Happy birthday, dear CJ!” the voices yelled. “CJ! It’s CJ’s birthday!” I cried. I jumped up and ran over to the table, squeezing my way through the crowd of people who all wanted a cupcake. “Excuse me. Excuse me. Excuse me!” I yelled. I finally reached the middle of the commotion. CJ was sitting at his table smiling and passing out cupcakes. “Happy birthday!” I said to him excitedly. “Thank you. What kind of cupcake would you like?” CJ asked. On the table were sitting chocolate cupcakes with a football ring stuck into each one, along with vanilla cupcakes. “Vanilla, please,” I told him. He handed me a delicious-looking cupcake with vanilla icing and vibrant rainbow sprinkles. Yum. “Yay! Thank you!” I said. I squeezed my way back through the crowd of sweet-tooths and skipped back to my seat. “Life is sweet,” I thought. I walked into Ms. Carter’s already full room. Chatter of the Student Government Association played throughout the dim room. As the door closed my boots creaked against the wooden floor. I sat down next to Camisha, who was flipping through a prom decorations catalog. “We’re going to decide on the theme for the Winter Ball today,” she told me. “Cool,” I replied. “What if we had a carnival theme? Or a circus theme?” I said as I eyed a picture of a tiger in the catalog. “That would be kind of cool, but I think they are trying to do a theme related to wintertime,” Camisha told me. We glanced at a few more themes in the catalog and brainstormed a few reasonable ideas. The entire SGA came together as a group and decided to take a poll. The options were: “Winter Wonderland”, “A Winter Night,” and “A Winter in Paris.” “A Winter in Paris” won with eight votes, while “A Winter Night” had five votes and “Winter Wonderland” had no votes. “Wait a second,” I thought. “What if we combine ‘A Winter Night’ and ‘A Winter in Paris’ to become ‘A Winter Night in Paris’?” I asked. The people around me agreed that it was a good idea. We took it to Ms. Carter, who asked the rest of the SGA for their opinion on the idea. Everyone liked the combined theme, so it was decided. “A Winter Night in Paris” would be the theme for the Winter Ball of 2011. Day 3 A volleyball flying through the air was the first thing I saw as I entered the gym with Deanna. “Oh crap!” I yelled out loud. “We’re going to have to run,” I told Deanna. We quickly ran across the gym to the bleachers that my friends and I call the “Sophomore Side.” I sat down in the empty bleachers. It was still the first half of the lunch period, but that didn’t stop the guys from playing volleyball. I engaged in conversation with a few people around me about different teachers and classes. As the time went by, students gradually began filing into the gym. Sophomores wandered through the doors and sat down as the “Sophomore Side” filled up soon. I was squished and surrounded by the loud voices of many students. Suddenly, I heard a piercing scream and looked up in time to see the volleyball flying at full speed straight towards me. I shifted to the left as the volleyball brushed my right arm. “I need to get out of here,” I thought to myself. I looked up again to see the volleyball hit a freshman girl who was sitting on the opposite side of the gym. Wincing, I watched her hand fly immediately to her head where she was hit. Yet as I looked around, it didn’t seem as if many people had noticed. Everyone was laughing and having fun. I, on the other hand, was a bit shaken up. In my opinion, the gym is a dangerous place to go at lunchtime. Beware of flying volleyballs. 3 Train of Thought body art continued from 1 have much trouble getting permission for her first tattoo. Oni’s mother has numerous tattoos herself, so when Oni asked for one, her mother arranged the appointment. Oni and her mother went to a tattoo artist that her mother knew. Oni said the safety question did cross her mind, but she was with her mom, a trusted adult. Oni scrutinized her surroundings trying to see if everything used in the process was sterile. “I trust my mother. I watched him open a new set of needles. He used gloves, and it seemed sterile,”she said. Oni was able to get two tattoos in one day. Her first tattoo was an “O” with a crown on top of it, representing her first name. Her second tattoo is a statement of her philosophy: “I have more responsibility and I am required to do more because of the gifts I have.” The “O” is on her PHOTO COURTESY OF ONI CRAWFORD Oni’s regal “O” is the smaller of her two tattoos. back; the statement is written in script down her torso. Oni said that on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the most painful, she would describe her tattoo experience as a 6 or 7. As the needle went into her skin, she said it felt as though someone was scratching her. Oni said she does plan to get more tattoos in the future, such as her lucky number 7, which is the number of siblings she has and the date of her birthday. Kyree and Oni agreed that their tattoos will not affect their future career choices. Their tattoos are in places that can easily be covered by clothing. Kyree said he is not going to allow people to judge him based on his tattoo. “Tattoos are only drawn on the exterior,” Kyree said. “What really matters is evaluating what is inside the person.” PHOTO BY MITZI VIVAR Kyree’s tattoo includes color and required two days to complete. Tattooing in the District of Columbia is unregulated. Tattoo parlors and artists in D.C. are not required to be licensed or certified. The D.C. Council will be meeting to discuss regulation on Dec. 14. anime continued from 1 Can you guess which characters are in these pictures and what manga/anime/video games they are from? Send your answers to [email protected]. PHOTO BY JIA LI DONG 1. 2. 3. 4. The most exciting and dramatic event in the anime convention is the Masquerade, held on Saturday. Cosplayers compete with each other for prizes. They act out short plays and/or perform on stage in front of convention attendees by singing and/or dancing. The acts included how the American Revolution began, in which three cosplayers represented each one of the countries involved in the actual historical event- England, France, and the US. Another performance included an imaginative account of the involvement of a famous celebrity and her obsession with Pokemon. Ticket prices for the convention range from $35-$60 for all three days. Next year’s convention is scheduled to be held at the Washington Marriott Wardman, near Woodley Park in Northwest D.C. For more information on this year’s convention, go to animeusa.org. If you want to go to a convention near you, go to animecons.com/events/. Few Students Take Advantage of Their Right to Drive by Imani Crawford Six. This is the number of students at Banneker who have a driver’s license. Most of these students are seniors, but they are not the only ones eligible to get a license. In D.C., there are three steps to getting a license. In the main program, called the Grad program, there is the supervised learners phase, the intermediate phase (provisional license) and finally graduation to a full license. Any D.C. teen is eligible to begin the process at the age of 16. According to a recent Train of Thought survey, only 16 students have either a permit or provisional license although about half of the Banneker student body is eligible to start this process. Junior Amber Parrish is one of the 16 who is on her way to getting her license. Like many other teens, Amber learned to drive with family members, mostly her mother and grandfather. She said she suggested to her mother that she start driving before her 16th birthday and her mother agreed to buy a car so that she could learn. She said a car is a very big responsibility, especially for a teen living in the metropolitan area where it is not a necessity. Amber explained the many responsibilities that come with her driving. Although her mother pays for her car insurance and her grandfather pays for her gas, she said her mom now sends her to the store to pick up things and also expects her to pick up her sister some days after school. Amber said the test is not difficult, and anyone should be able to get a permit as long as he or she takes the time to look over the manual and makes sure to learn to drive from a licensed adult. Riddle answers from page 7 Air Fire She is a photographer Lounger 4 Train of Thought Yes, We Have Crazy hats take over Banneker Even the teachers have spirit! PHOTOS BY YEARBOOK CLUB Train of Thought School Spirit! Mixing it up and showing class spirit & TRAIN OF THOUGHT STAFF 5 6 Train of Thought It’s a Man’s World by Princess Brown It’s a man’s world. I never really understood that saying. I mean, it’s a man’s world? But women bring the men in And still get no recognition. I don’t really get it. Nine months of carrying, countless hours of pushing, twenty-four hours of nurturing, or twenty-five if you want to count that extra bedtime story she read to baby just to get him to sleep, and don’t forget a lifetime of giving. But it’s a man’s world. It’s a man’s world where woman created that perm that daddy felt was necessary for babygirl to get because those cornrows just weren’t doing it anymore even if she liked them anyway; where mommy witnessed those first steps and although daddy wasn’t there, so that he wouldn’t miss out, she made sure she recorded it. This world where women use their intellect to fight against the deception that she wouldn’t be anything but a housewife or a midwife, as an exception. But anyway she wrote a book, cooked, worked two jobs, and cleaned… Illustration by Jia Li Dong But it’s a man’s world. “It’s a man’s world,” James Brown said. Although the woman loved and gave even when he didn’t deserve it. Only for him to rape her heart. And she got back up to do it again. It’s a man’s world, but the women just keep it clean. Even after she spent countless hours fixing her hair in a new do that you didn’t notice anyway; buying that new dress. But it didn’t matter to you because she refused to slip that dress up at the end of the date. Buying those new pumps that she knew she couldn’t walk in with that new mac to match to hide those blemishes that you probably paid no attention to anyway. It may be a man’s world, But if you ask me, women run it better. I’m not saying men don’t deserve credit. But if you have a woman by your side, please don’t forget her. Because even if you give her a list of ten things to do, most likely she’s going to do twenty-two. Not because it makes her happy, but it’s that ambition in her veins. So when somebody asks, “Who runs the world?” Don’t scream, girls. But remember to whisper… My WOMEN… But, it’s a man’s world. Illustration by Nnedimma Ugochukwu 7 Train of Thought In My Opinion... As I See It... Urban Fiction Keeps It Real by Taylor Speight For many people, the phrase “Urban Fiction” means cursing and obscenity, sex and drugs. Urban fiction is a literary genre that may be too gritty for many adults, but that the younger generation understands and likes. The titles may be vulgar, and the book jackets may show a little more skin than appropriate, but what’s important is the message of the books and what people, young and old, can learn from reading them. It is true that urban fiction novels use vulgar language “straight up.” You won’t find vocabulary words like “harlot” to refer to a prostitute. Teens sometimes complain that they don’t get much out of reading books with words they have never heard before. Urban fiction portrays real- istic stories of urban youth, and reading an urban fiction novel may help teens gain a better understanding or a different perspective on where they stand in life. For example, The Coldest Winter Ever, by Sister Souljah, is a meaningful and beautifully written book about the importance of self-respect. The Coldest Winter Ever is true to life. A drug kingpin can live the high life but once he is brought down, his life is not the only one that is ruined. This is a story of how the downfall of drugdealer Santiaga affected his family and, in particular, his daughter, Winter. Winter becomes caught up in her father’s criminal lifestyle only to have her world crumble because she has never learned the true value of living a respectable life, having an education and earning an honest dollar. How Sister Souljah describes her book in her interviews isn’t the way some people see it. Sister Souljah portrays Winter as girl who changes throughout the book from a control freak to a tame young lady. The key to understanding urban fiction is to open up your mind, body, and soul to find the message that the author is trying to convey. JUST FOR FUN 1) I am lighter than a feather, yet no man can hold me for very long. What am I? 2) Feed me and I live, give me something to drink and I die. What am I? 3) A women shoots a husband, then she holds him under water for five minutes. But ` five minutes later they both went out to dinner. How could this be? 4) What seven letter word becomes longer when the third letter is removed? RIDDLES PROVIDED BY KHADIJAH AKEEM. LOOK FOR THE ANSWERS AT THE BOTTOM OF PAGE 3 First Amendment at School by Detrick Campbell We all have rights, right? Well, kinda. Every citizen of the United States has rights. It doesn’t matter if you’re young or old, tall or short, rich or poor, black or white, or what religion you practice. However, some people’s rights are limited and their voices are muffled. Students are a group of citizens whose rights are often ignored and whose ideas and contributions are taken lightly because of their age and underestimated life experience. There are many rights that students should be aware of, beginning with the first amendment to the U.S. Constitution which guarantees, among other things, freedom of speech and freedom of the press. Schools are places that shape the viewpoints and attitudes of students who will one day be the leaders of society. The schoolhouse is where children spend most of their time during most of the year. Unfortunately, the schoolhouse is also the place where many students’ rights are limited. However, there have been a number of U.S. Supreme Court cases that have defined the limits of student rights. In 1969, the Supreme Court decided in Tinker v. Des Moines that “It can hardly be argued that either students or teachers shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at the school gate.” A subsequent Supreme Court case, Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier, addresses censorship in a high school newspaper. In 1988, Spectrum, a student newspaper at Hazelwood East High School, in Missouri, sued the school district. The student newspaper staff claimed the principal had violated its first amendment rights by eliminating one of their stories without notice. In the end, the lower court ruled in favor of the public school system and allowed limited censorship. The Supreme Court upheld the ruling of the lower court. Since then, seven states have passed legislation that guarantees students freedom of the press without prior review. D.C. is not one of these jurisdictions. In practice, this means that a student in the D.C. area may not be able to express his or her ideas and opinions freely based on the whim or interpretation of a teacher or principal. Students owe it to themselves to know the limits of their first amendment rights. You have rights but you also have a responsibility to know and understand what your rights are and to practice them. Know what you can and cannot do when expressing yourself. You might be surprised to find out how much you know about the First Amendment. USA Today has an online quiz titled “How well do you know the First Amendment” at http://www.usatoday.com/news/ nation/2011-06-29-first-amendment-quiz_n.htm White House Hosts Halloween Trick-or-Treat Event by Nnedimma Ugochukwu Members of Brainfood were invited to the White House on Oct. 29 to work in the kitchen helping to pack goody bags for trick-or-treaters. Six members of Brainfood were chosen at random to participate, including Banneker juniors Nnedimma Ugochukwu and Armonte Butler. The Halloween helpers filled over 4,000 goody bags with orange White House Cookies, Presidential M&Ms and healthy Trail Mix. When the bags were filled, Brainfood volunteers sorted them into baskets, braving the cold weather to distribute the goodies to trick-ortreaters in front of the White House. PHOTO BY NNEDIMMA UGOCHUKWU Goody bags were ready and waiting for trick-or-treaters. The volunteers were joined by White House staffers who were dressed in costumes and greeted everyone as they came by. Even President Obama, the First Lady and her mother came outside for about 10 minutes to hand out candy. The children, who had been invited from a number of schools in Washington, and the adults who accompanied them, were thrilled. Brainfood volunteers distributed candy until dark, when they were invited into the White House for a snack and hot chocolate. They were thanked by the President and his family, the White House Chefs and assistants. Train of Thought is a student publication. The views expressed are those of individual writers and do not necessarily represent the views of DCPS, the school, its faculty, or its students. Train of Thought welcomes comments, letters, queries, and contributions of work. Please e-mail us at : [email protected]. STAFF Contributors to this issue Khadijah Akeem, Nijah Armstrong, Princess Brown, Detrick Campbell, Cherrie Coachman, Imani Crawford, Oni Crawford, Reniya Dinkins, Jia Li Dong, Brianna Little, Hagos Hagos, Taylor Speight, Nnedimma Ugochukwu Layout Mitzi Vivar, Nnedimma Ugochukwu 8 Train of Thought It is Trojan War Month in Latin class, and students are preparing to read the Odyssey in English classes. Latin teacher Ms. Jessica Levknecht has prepared a crossword puzzle to help students learn about some of the greatest literary and historical events of the ancient world. You Asked, We Listened In our recent survey, many of you asked for an advice column in Train of Thought. In the next issue, we will begin the student-based advice column! The advice column will deal with student concerns about school, life, and other teen-related issues. The advice column will be anonymous. Please place your quetions and concerns in the locker marked “Train of Thought.” Watch for fliers with further information on the exact location of the locker. We would like this effort to be informative and constructive. No cruel, obscene, or negative commentary will be tolerated. ? Across 1. This goddess, also known as Minerva, offered Paris wisdom and success in battle. 5. Author of the Iliad and the Odyssey 6. Wife of Aeneas 8. Daughter of King Latinus, married Aeneas 10. Father of Paris and King of Troy 11. King of Mycenae, brother of Menelaus 12. The greatest Greek warrior killed by Achilles 14. Queen of Sparta who was abducted from Greece to Troy 15. Son of Aeneas 17. Wooden animal in which the Greeks hid 19. King of the gods, also known as Jupiter 20. Bride of King Peleus, whose wedding was interrupted by the judgment of Paris 21. Father of Aeneas 22. Husband of Helen and brother of Agamemnon Down 1. Goddess also known as Venus 2. God of the seas, also known as Neptune 3. Achilles’ best friend, killed by Hector 4. Wife of king of the gods, also known as Juno 7. Exiled Phoenician queen of Carthage 9. Son of Peleus and Thetis, who was dipped in the River Styx to protect him 10. Abducted Helen 13. Goddess of discord 16. The epic by Vergil about the fall of Troy and Aeneas 18. Also known as Ulysses, the most cunning Greek ? ? Have a safe and happy holiday!
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