December 2006 - Cesar Chavez Academy High School

The Eagle’s Talon
December 2006
Volume 4, Issue 2
Choral concert brings holiday
cheer to CCAHS
The Official Student Newspaper of Cesar Chavez Academy High School
Mrs. Bemus and her students put on a magnificent show for the first
annual Winter Choral
Concert
Winter Break
January 15
Martin Luther King
Holiday – No School
PHOTO BY SOMEONE
Above: Mrs. Bemus and her students perform an eclectic mix of traditional Christmas songs and popular
showtunes for an audience of students, staff members, parents, and guests in the CCAHS cafeteria.
Bemus. “We have been practicing everyday for the concert
since we received our music in
October. The concert as a whole
went really well. The student’s
nerves had an impact on their
confidence and it changed the
sound of the group. You can
expect that to happen, though.”
For future reference, Mrs. Bemus
added, “We can expect more
great things for the spring concert.”
How to prepare for this important exam
BY DESHAWN WOODS
Staff Reporter
Students – are you ready to take the You will need to create some sort of
ACT? The next test date is only three study journal to make sure you are
months away. There is plenty of time covering ground. At least schedule
to prepare for this standardized / pre- yourself for 15 hours a week to study.
dictable test. The ACT can be used Make sure you plan out your studyfor many reasons. One, it’s a college ing time; do not get side tracked.
admission consideration and also a
consideration for a variety of schol- Study Material
arships. There are many steps one
There are tons of resources that
must take to get a satisfying score.
Put on your helmet, because you are will be beneficial when taking the
going to learn how to do it in this ACT. A good choice is The Princeton
Review on Cracking the ACT. This
crash course on the ACT.
single book has everything you need
to know about the content on the
Time Management
ACT. There are many online materiBe prepared to give up your free als that would also be a great help
time when preparing to take the ACT. preparing for the ACT.
Sports
Homecoming preview
Basketball
Blood drive
Wrestling
(Page 2)
(Page 4)
BY BEATRICE PLASCENCIA
Staff Reporter
January 7
Meet the ACT!
News
events
December 22-
BY BEATRICE PLASCENCIA
Staff Reporter
There was certainly Christmas
spirit at Cesar Chavez Academy
High School on Thursday,
December 7. Handcrafted decorations lightly accented the windows and walls of the cafeteria
where CCAHS had its very first
Winter Choral Concert. Parents,
staff, and guests sat in chairs
aligned together facing the stairways where Mrs. Bemus stood to
kick off the show.
The choir began with “Seasons
of Love” from the Broadway
musical Rent. With Ms. Wheeler
on the piano, they sang a variety
of songs, including some traditional Christmas carols, like
“Silent Night” and “Rudolph the
Red-Nosed Reindeer.” Joined by
the audience, the choir wrapped
up their set with “Jingle Bell
Rock.”
Mrs. Bemus and her students rehearsed months in
advance to prepare. “We were
able to start singing with a piano
in mid-September,” said Mrs.
Winter 2007
(Page 3)
(Page 3)
Jeanette Hernandez, choir
member, said, “I was nervous
seeing all the people there. But
we sounded good and I’d do it
again. It was fun.”
Ms Wheeler had her
own positive input as well. “I
was very impressed by our students. I give congratulations to
Mrs. Bemus. It takes a lot of
effort to move students from just
being in a class to actually performing in front of others. The
students seemed to truly enjoy
themselves.”
Mrs. Bemus also says
that Mr. Moreno is starting a
Latin Singers Group, meeting on
Wednesdays after school in his
room, for anyone interested. His
group was asked to perform at
the Cinco de Mayo parade. If
anyone is interested in choir or
Latin Singers, contact Mrs.
Bemus so that she can get you in
the choir class.
ACT Content
posed of 75 questions and they give
you only 45 minutes to complete it.
The Reading test is composed of 40
questions and they give you 35 minutes to complete it. The Math test is
composed of 60 questions and you
The ACT is composed of five subjects: English, Reading, Math,
Science, and Writing, which is
optional. The English test is com-
PHOTO BY KENNETH SCALES
Above: Getting ready for the ACT is a lot of work, but it can be much
easier with the help of study guides and other resources.
Entertainment
PS3 vs. Wii
Holiday Music
Meet Mr. Goodwin
(Page 4)
(Page 2)
(Page 3)
No school for students
February 14
Count Day
Valentine’s Day
February 23-26
Mid-Winter Break
have 60 minutes to complete it.
Finally, The Science test which is
composed of 40 questions and you
have only 35 minutes to complete it.
Taking the ACT
The night before the test make sure
you get in bed around 8:00, because
you will be testing for about 3 hours.
Make sure you have a complete
breakfast before you take the test.
Before you walk out, do not forget
your ID, a qualified calculator, ACT
assessment ticket, and at least two
No. 2 pencils.
Taking the ACT requires self-discipline, patience and persistence. Do
not take the ACT lightly – this
assessment can assist you if you are
having doubts about your college
admission. Make sure you get you
manage your time when preparing to
take the ACT.
Features
East Side Mario’s
(Page 2)
February 2
Martin Luther King
(Page 4)
New Year’s Resolutions
(Page 4)
The Eagle’s Talon
East Side Mario’s
Page 2
December 2006
Metro Detroit gets a taste of Little Italy
Envision New York City – the skyline, the Statue of Liberty, Canal
Street, hot dog stands on every block
– yes, that’s old New York, alright.
The vision of a restaurant that captures all of the aspect of what makes
New York City the Big Apple is now
a reality at East Side Mario’s Italian
Restaurant. East Side Mario’s gives a
representation of the lower east side
of New York City, serving authentic
Italian cuisine with an American
twist.
Now serving in two locations in the
Metro Detroit area, East Side Mario’s
is fun for a night on the town, dinner
with the family, or even for a drink
with the guys to watch sports on the
three large screens at the bar. East
Side Mario’s provides good food that
everyone can enjoy.
Recently the Eagle’s Talon went to
East Side Mario’s to get a real taste
of Little Italy. Before you walk into
the door, you are overwhelmed my
BY KENNETH SCALES
scents of rich herbs that stimulate
your senses as well as your appetite.
You enter the restaurant with the
view of a rich atmosphere that is full
of color and design. Many sights
catch your eye, such as the Brooklyn
Bridge and the revised Statue of
Liberty (East Side Mario’s symbol)
with tomato in hand.
Something surprising caught our
attention when walking in the door
that Friday night – we were greeted
politely and seated promptly, which
is unusual for many restaurants on
Friday nights. After being seated, I
decided to walk around and check
this restaurant out.
Walking into the bar I found a
beautiful hard cherry wood crafted
bar elaborate in design and welltrained bartenders with a wide array
of drinks to fit your fancy. Another
notable thing I saw was the three
large LCD screens that were over the
bar, showing sports game of all types
PS3 vs. Wii
which make this a pretty cool spot to
catch a game and a good drink.
Going back to the seat we began to
look over the menu, noticing they
had a wide variety of food, from
pasta to brick oven pizza to American
favorites such as ribs, steak, and
burgers. Everything on the menu
looked very tempting, making it very
hard to choose. We decide to get the
opinion of the waitress; she suggested we start of our meal with the New
York combo, which is a trio of
Buffalo wings, mozzarella sticks, and
zucchini sticks with three sauces.
The waitress also suggested we get
a seafood linguine, which is savory
sautéed shrimp with scallops and
mussels simmered in their famous
seafood tomato herb sauce. The
sauce complements the succulent
shrimp and herbs, giving it its own
unique flavor. She suggested, as well,
angel hair pasta in a garlic sauce,
which coincides with the spinach and
Which of the new video game consoles is the one for you?
BY DESHAWN WOODS AND MAIKAL MATEIEVIC
Staff Reporters
PHOTO BY KENNETH SCALES
East Side Mario’s charming decor and authentic atmosphere help to make it a unique dining experience.
sautéed shrimp, giving it an abundance of flavor with a light-bodied
Pinot Grigio – a crisp, clean wine
from Folonari, Italy with a sweet, yet
bold, fruity taste that gives character
to the angel hair pasta dish.
Every pasta dish comes with a soup
or salad and unlimited bread that is to
die for, and the pasta comes in a deep
bowl – trust me, you get what you
pay for. East Side Mario’s is great for
any occasion, whether a party of two
Last month Sony and Nintendo
both released a new generation of
gaming. The Sony Playstation 3 was
released on November 17, 2006 and
the Nintendo Wii two days later.
Currently the 20GB PS3 is going for
$500 and the 60GB is going for
$600. Both are very expensive, but
the question is, is it worth it? The
Nintendo, on the other hand, is
$250, which is the cheapest out the
three (PS3, Xbox 360, and Wii).
The new PS3 has several different
features. One is the new Sixaxis
remote control, which is wireless
and you can connect up to seven to a
system. The Sixaxis controller has a
tilting sensor and also has a
Bluetooth component.
Left: The Sony Playstation 3 is a very powerful (and very expensive) console.
Right: The Nintendo Wii is not as powerful as the Playstation 3, but it innovative and fun to play.
Love in Love
is Required
A POEM BY JONATHAN FLORES
Staff Reporter
Love in love is required,
To love you, to be with you is what I
desire...
Hey, you’ll see how I'll cure,
One by one all the wounds,
that are in your heart.
Don’t feel unsure,
Because what I feel for you is pure,
And there is no way,
That I could hurt you.
I’ll always remember that:
Love in love is required.
We are owners of the same strong
emotions,
The same way that the moon and the
sun,
Own the same sky,
We can escape from these feelings
baby,
That’s why I want to open my eyes,
Every day and night
And see that you are by.
See POEM, Page 3
Superficial Christmas
Editorial
By Estefania Arellano
Staff Reporter
Imagine a world where it’s
Christmas and the city is alight
with parties, Christmas lights, tinsel, and anything else superficial.
No need to imagine, it’s real.
“People are looking forward to
gifts and they don’t worry about
having family around to share
Christmas joy,” said Guadalupe
Rivera, a student at CCAHS.
The season for giving is now the
season for spending. Corporations
resort to cheap gimmicks such as
selling a limited amount of game
systems in preparation for the holidays. People turn into sociopathic
zombies in attempting to throw the
“perfect” holiday parties. The invite
list consists strictly of co-workers,
friends, and “popular” strangers,
but what about family?
Has the spirit of Christmas been
stripped and sold for parts? If you
don’t celebrate Christmas, don’t
worry – I’m sure your holiday is
corrupted as well.
In a recent poll done of CCAHS
students and staff, 39% said that
what they most look forward to in
Christmas is presents. I don’t think
I’m alone in thinking that more
were thinking it but, felt it was the
wrong thing to say.
Are people turning their backs on
the traditional values? Have quiet
family dinners and gift exchanges
around the nativity scene and
Christmas tree been destroyed and
torn apart by the want of being
social?
“Well, I think it all depends on
the type of family you have. If you
have a family who is close, than it
could still be traditional,” said a
CCAHS student who wishes to
remain anonymous. Is that the
case? Does it all go back to family?
One thing is for sure, the honest
Christmas dinner hasn’t gone
extinct. In fact, people should stop
worrying about whether the spirit is
gone and celebrate for themselves.
Maybe they could do something
about it like spreading some
Christmas cheer. But then again, we
could just as easily sit back, relax,
and watch it get torched...
The PS3 also has a Blu-ray Disc
player, which is the new generation
of video playback. Sony’s big title is
Resistance: Fall of Man. Resistance
is the top game for the PS3, which
has some really great graphics for
the gamers, which will definitely
have them gaming for hours straight.
Other games that are also very
promising are NBA 2K7, which has
or a table for ten, you are sure to have
great fun and good laughs at East
Side Mario’s.
Visit East Side Mario’s two Metro
Detroit locations:
31630 Plymouth Rd. in Livonia
2273 Crooks Rd. in Rochester Hills
For more information, go to
www.eastsidemarios.com
most of the sport fans leaning more
towards that, but also NBA 07,
Madden NFL 07, NBA Live 07, and
many more.
Nintendo Wii is also a new type of
gaming console. The Wii features a
unique wireless controller with full
motion sensing capabilities, which
changes the way games are played
while also making them easier for
non-gamers to pick up and try without having to learn lots of complicated controls.
The Wii appeals to a larger demographic than the 360 and PS3. It’s
for the whole family. Nintendo Wii
is a more interactive gaming system.
You can live the game with the Wii.
When playing sports games, the Wii
is the best choice. Nintendo puts the
player in the game, so the Wii is a
good investment for the whole family.
Overall, both systems are unique
and have their own advantages and
disadvantages. It is up to gamers to
decide which one is best for their
individual tastes.
Homecoming is coming up!
BY JULIO NUNEZ
Staff Reporter
This year’s Cesar Chavez Academy
Homecoming Dance is going to be
great.
This year’s theme is “Midnight in
Paris.” Homecoming is going to be
on January 27, 2007 in the CCAHS
cafeteria. The time is 8:00 P.M. to
12:00 A.M. The tickets are going to
be $10.00 per person and $15.00 per
couple. But if you pay at the door it
will be $12.00 per person and $18.00
per couple. We have to be in formal
attire. There will be a live D.J. We
will also have live performers, such
as reggaeton artists Supreme and La
Mayeya from Los Politicos records.
According to recent interviews
with CCAHS students, feelings are
mixed about the upcoming dance.
“I think it’s nice. It will be a
moment to remember,” said Nora
Rodriguez. “I’ll be the best dressed,”
she added.
Jonathan Flores said, “I’m looking
forward to it since it’s my last year.”
“I think it’s gonna be sweet and I’m
gonna have a lot of fun and I’m
gonna boogie like I usually do,” Luis
Morales predicted.
But not all of the students at
This year’s Homecoming theme is
“Midnight in Paris”
CCAHS have such high expectations
for Homecoming. Diego Lopez
explained, “I think it will be boring
like last year because everyone just
criticizes, but I’m still going.”
“I think it’s going to be boring and
there is not gonna be a lot of people,”
said Olga Aleman.
Finally, Javier Ramirez said jokingly, “I think it’s going to be wack.
I’m just playing – I think it’s gonna
be tight!”
Page 3
The Eagle’s Talon
The Official Student Newspaper of
Cesar Chavez Academy
High School
Staff: Ashley Anderson, Victor Arellano,
Estefania Arellano, Elizabeth Coronado,
Todd Elvine, Jonathan Flores, Lizbeth
Lucas, Maikal Mateievic, Julio Nunez,
Beatrice Plascencia, Kenneth Scales,
DeShawn Woods
Newspaper Adviser: Mr. Yowell
Guest Contributors: Mrs. Bemus, Mr.
Boutros, Mr. Hassel, Mr. Llanos, Mr.
Moreno
Back by popular demand
Mr. Boutros’
Joke Corner
Holiday Edition
MR. BOUTROS
Teacher/Guest Contributor
Q: Who is never hungry at
Christmas?
A: The turkey – he’s always
stuffed!
Q: What did the bald man say
when he got a comb for
Christmas?
A: Thanks! I’ll never part with it!
Q: Where does Santa Claus keep
his red suit?
A: In his Santa Claus-et.
Q: Which of Santa’s reindeer has
bad manners?
A: Rude-olph!
POEM, from Page 2
I desire to look into your eyes and
get inspired,
And live in love with you,
Because to love in is required,
And to expect something back from
you too.
Hey, you’ll see how I’ll cure,
One by one all the wounds,
That are in your heart.
Do you remember how:
Our love started?
Do you know how much I love you
now?
Remember that love in love is
required.
We are owners of the same strong
emotion,
The same way that the blue ocean,
Owns the same beautiful color of
the sky,
We can escape from it baby,
There are not options by love,
honey,
Because love in love is required.
Getting to know...
The Eagle’s Talon
December 2006
Mr. Goodwin
BY JONATHAN FLORES AND
LIZBETH VILLAREAL
Staff Reporters
Do you ever wonder who the
teacher in room 201 is and why he
has his lights off? You know the
teacher who, if it wasn't for his outfit,
would be mistaken for a student?
The 24-year-old instructor, Brian
Goodwin, graduated from Dearborn
Heights Annapolis in 2000 and
attended Wayne State University
from 2000 to 2005. He graduated
with a bachelor's degree in education.
He was inspired by his social studies
teacher from 11th grade: "I have
always enjoyed social studies classes, and that gave me that extra motivation I needed at a time in my life
when I didn't have a clue as to what I
wanted to do," Goodwin said. This
then took him to substitute in
Dearborn Schools for two years
before getting hired at Cesar Chavez
Academy High School as a full time
tracher.
Mr.Goodwin desided to start
working at CCA because he thought
that it would be a great place to challange himself and his teaching abilities: "If you can make it in the city,
you can make it in most places,” said
Goodwin. “I enjoy challenging
myself in everything I do." So far Mr.
Goodwin enjoys working here; he
thinks that CCA is a great school
with fantastic people, from students
to staff to janitors to administrators.
"It's nice to like what you do for a
living. I love what I do."
PHOTO BY KENNETH SCALES
Mr. Goodwin poses at his desk for the Eagle’s Talon while his students take a quiz.
Our social studies teacher loves
running, but, unfortunately, from too
much running he got a stress fracture.
"This is how I got the cane," he said.
Other things that Mr. Goodwin
enjoys doing are reading, watching
TV, and getting together with friends
– and he likes Italian food. He does-
Great start for boys
basketball team
n't have any pets because he thinks
that it is too expensive to have one.
As for why he leaves the lights off?
Well, the answer is really simple: he
likes to have the lights off because he
thinks that it brings a cozy, comforting and relaxing atmosphere for the
students – and of course for him, too!
"There's nothing worse than staring
into those glowing lights for seven
straight hours a day! I try to mix it
up," he explains.
Now you know more about
Mr.Goodwin and whenever you walk
by his room, you wont be wondering
who he is and why his lights are off.
BY TODD ELVINE
Staff Reporter
Cesar Chavez Academy High
School basketball looks to be the
talk of the 06-07 school year. This
year’s team shows great unity and
has made an incredible turn-around
compared to last year’s team.
The team holds a record of 3-0 and
is looking to have a strong season.
The new coach Mr. Leonard Hassel
has added great leadership And also
adds fire to the team by his competitiveness.
Let’s not forget about our
assistant coach Mr. Llanos, who also
is a big factor for the CCA basketball team. Coach Llanos is a cool
coach, but he also teaches discipline
with his “work first, play later” mentality.
The only downfall to start
the season off is that four of the
team’s players will have to wait until
the second semester to play because
they need at least a half-semester at
CCA before they can play. But so far
so good until they return.
The best game of this
year’s season was the big home
opener on December 12, 2006
against Summit Academy. In the
first quarter the team started out
strong, playing great team basketball
CCAHS wrestling
hits the mat
PHOTO BY MR. HASSEL
Above: The CCAHS basketball team is ready to go.
and showing great defense. In the
second quarter the CCA Eagles started off up by six when the score was
11-17 and they let the lead slip away.
Going into halftime the score was
tied 31-31.
After regaining their confidence, the team came out in the
second half strong with their senior
Maikal Mateievic leading the way.
The third and fourth quarters were
their strongest-played quarters with
the final score ending up 63-47 with
the CCA Eagles emerging victorious. Senior Maikal Mateievic led the
Eagles, scoring a total of 31 points.
BY MAIKAL MATEIEVIC
Staff Reporter
The Cesar Chavez Academy High
School wrestling team is back in 0607. The season already began and
the team will have many matches at
their school and others.
A few returning players like
Michael Andron and Demetrius Kirk
bring experience to this talented
team.
The Eagle’s Talon spoke with
Michael Andron about the expectations for this season.
“Well, since a lot of wrestlers quit
or went on to college,” Andron said.
“There are at least a lot of new people. The wrestling team is not the
greatest, but it’s a work in progress.
A few of the players slack a lot – I
ain’t gonna say names, but hopefully they will get it together.”
The team does have Andron, Kirk,
and a few promising players, so we
will see how the season goes. The
good thing is that it is only the
PHOTOS BY KENNETH SCALES
Above: Wrestlers Michael Andron and Demetrius
Kirk are fierce competitors.
beginning of the season and the team
has a lot to learn.
The coaches of the team are head
coach Armando and assistant coach
Joshua Parinasan, who was a
wrestler for Armando back in the
days of Holy Redeemer High
School.
The Eagle’s Talon
Music for the holidays
Page 4
December 2006
Christmas compilations in every genre ensure that all music
lovers can find something they like this season
By Victor Arellano
Christmas, a time for family, tradition, and Fall Out Boy? That’s a new
twist on an old Christmas classic.
Lately, there’s been an outburst of
Holiday-related songs and albums.
But this isn’t a new invention – Elvis
Presley did it, The Vandals did it, and
even The Beatles did it. Then again,
that’s what a lot of band’s these days
seem to have in mind. Is there something more to this phenomenon? Is it
just some artist trying to make some
extra cash? Maybe.
Recently, the albums that have
been released are actually for a good
cause. There is still the occasional
case when an artist makes an entire
album of Christmas songs, like
Mariah Carey’s Merry Christmas,
but these are a bit harder to come by.
Mariah’s Merry Christmas is an
amazing record, with vocals that lay
shame to many artists out there. With
CCAHS
New Year’s
Resolutions
Staff Reporter
excellent covers of old Christmas
classics like “Silent Night” and “Joy
to the World,” it is no surprise that it
is a holiday music classic.
In recent compilations, bands
record exclusive tracks just for the
compilation. 30 Seconds to Mars
recorded “Santa through the Back
Door” just for Kevin and Bean’s
Super Christmas. The same compilation also boasts notable tracks from
+44 and Angels and Airwaves, two
bands that both feature members of
Blink-182, as well Taking Back
Sunday, and many more. Super
Christmas is also full of jokes and
intermissions from Family Guy, Stan
Lee, Will Farrell, and many others. A
share of the profits also goes towards
charity, and the CD is available for
under $10 at most retailers, but be
warned that it is only for the holidays.
A Santa Cause: It’s A Punk Rock
Christmas, Volumes 1 & 2, have had
several “big” bands such as Blink182, Fall Out Boy, Sugarcult, From
First To Last, MxPx, and many others contribute songs. A portion of the
profits, yet again, goes to benefit
charity. Many of the songs are exclusive to the compilation as well. The
lyrics, particularly, “It's time to be
nice to the people you can't stand all
year,” from Blink-182’s “I Won’t be
Home for Christmas,” sum up
Christmas perfectly, don’t you think?
Come this holiday season, make
sure you pick up one of the many
great Christmas albums available.
From exclusive tracks to funny jokes,
these compilations have it all. It’s
worth $10 to hear metalcore band It
Dies Today sing “Feliz Navidad,”
and at the same time you get tons of
other tracks. Regardless of what
Staff Reporter
Gabby Putek: “Improve my academics.”
Ms. Simmons: “Complete my masters degree in leadership.”
Antoine Eggleston: “Graduate.”
Mr. Silva: “Try to spend more time
with students; my duties often take
me away from that.”
Ms. Gillman: “Be nicer to people.”
Ms. Camarena: “Do more charity
work.”
D.J. Robe: “Pass Spanish class.”
Ms. Reising: “Lighten up the load,
relax, and have more fun.”
Ms. Chojnacki: “Try to teach louder
than Ms. Vance.”
Ms. Garza: “Spend more time with
my family.”
Editorial
Staff Reporter
School blood drive
helps save lives
Above: Mayra Monge does her part by donating blood.
PHOTO BY MR. MORENO
By Ashley Anderson
Staff Reporter
On November 20, 2006 there was a donated, which helps 90 hospital
blood drive hosted in the gym. Many patients regain their health.”
student council officials participated
by providing assistance to the event.
ET: “Do you believe that was sucAlso, many students and staff cessful?”
members did their part by donating
blood.
MK: “Yes – our goal was 30 and we
The Eagle’s Talon caught up with got 30.”
Ms. Kosmala to find out more about
the blood drive:
ET: “Did anybody that gave blood
pass out?”
ET: “How many people donated
blood?”
MK: “Some people needed special
attention because they were a little
MK: “Thirty pints of blood were light-headed.”
Students and staff reflect on the
life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
ByAshley Anderson and Todd Elvine
Staff Reporters
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was
a civil rights campaigner, a Black
leader, and a Baptist minister. He
first came to national attention as
a leader of Montgomery,
Alabama. He was one of the
organizers of the march of
200,000 people on Washington,
charity. Be sure to check out some of
these compilations. They are worth
the money.
By Estefania Arellano
Honoring Dr. King
Ms. Wakefield: “Get in shape and
build muscle.”
genre of music you listen to, there is
a CD out there for you. It may not
be easy to find, but there is one. Go
pick one up, and possibly help out a
The legal age for
risking your life
By Julio Nunez
Mr. Sotres: “Look at aspects of my
life and improve areas such as my
personal and professional life.”
Above: Chiodos, Fall Out Boy, and Mariah Carey are just a few
of the artists that are getting into the Christmas spirit.
D.C. in 1963. He was awarded
the Nobel Peace Prize in 1964 for
his work as a civil rights leader.
With the Martin Luther King
holiday coming up in January, the
Eagle’s Talon asked some Cesar
Chavez Academy High School
At 18 you are legally an adult, but
you can’t drink. The age for drinking is set at 21 because “the brain
develops fully around age 21-24,”
stated Ms. Ponce de Leon in a
recent interview. Basically, you are
more responsible and make wiser
choices.
Fine. “Wiser choices,” blah,
blah, blah. The age for voting,
going to war and smoking is 18.
Don’t you need to be capable of
making responsible and wise choices when you’re fighting in a war,
voting for the next political leader,
and smoking tobacco? Shouldn’t
the ages be the same?
I’m definitely not saying the
drinking age should be lowered to
18 – we don’t need any more accidents and deaths. I’m simply pointing out the fact that you need a certain level of maturity and responsibility for these things and according
to National Minimum Drinking Age
Act, that age is 21.
The United States is the only
country with the legal drinking age
as high as 21. The drinking ages in
other countries are 16, 18, 19, and
20. In some countries, there is no
minimum drinking age.
Students at CCAHS were inter-
viewed on the drinking age. “I think
that the drinking age is fair because
irresponsible teenagers already get
a hold of it,” said Fabiola Bravo, a
9th grader. “If you are old enough to
smoke, then you should be able to
drink because in the end, they both
kill you,” stated Marvin Tysinger.
Maybe that’s what it all comes
down to. War, smoking, and drinking can all lead you to death or ill-
ness. Why put off dying of lung and
liver cancer by three years?
students and staff members what
they thought about Dr. King:
Mr. Sotres: “I think he is a wonderful man. He brought peace
without war.”
Antoine Eggleston: “He was a
good leader.”
Candies Cornett: “He had a
dream, that he followed.”
Antonio Lewis: “He was an
inspiration to African American
people.”
Above: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a dynamic speaker
and an inspiring figure in American history.