SPRING 2017
King
Roscoe & Deetranada GET REAL ABOUT
KDJ ABOVE
Are You PLAYING MINECRAFT?
TO START
GREAT
SUMMER
Reads E
GETTING TO KNOW
HABITS
E
Inside:
Healthy
F R
REALITY TV
WELCOME LETTER
D
ear Friends of Excelsior,
As part of the “Excelsior Family” you help us elevate our communities by lifting up the lives of the young people and families represented in this edition of True Star Mile High! I am honored to present this summer 2017 edition of the magazine focusing on healthy living. Our staff is privileged every day to support youth and families whose personal choices to live up to their human potential makes our communities stronger. The girls and boys you will meet in this edition of True Star Mile High will inspire you by their own decisions to focus on the positive options in their lives to seek good health and stay healthy no matter the odds they face. Their insights on nutrition, self-help coping skills, the beauty and power of music and art to elevate the mind and heart are amazing. Please enjoy True Star Mile High and know our deep gratitude for the generous support you give to our organization so we can continue engaging and encouraging our Colorado youth to reach the highest peaks of their life possibilities! Happy reading and many thanks!
Susan Susan Hebert FACHE, MSW, M.PHIL, M.T.S. Chief Executive Officer
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CONTENTS HEALTH & WELLNESS 6: HEALTHY HABITS BY ANGELINA 8: 15 SUMMER READS FOR 2017 BY NATALEE 9: MYTHS & FACTS ABOUT CATS & DOGS BY NATALEE 10: FOOD FACTS BY MADISON 11: LAUGHING WITH ANDRE BY ANDRE 12: ARE YOU PLAYING MINECRAFT? BY ANDRE
GET REAL TEEN ISSUES 13: PERSONAL STORY BY VANESSA
ENTERTAINMENT 14: MILE HIGH’S FAVORITE THINGS BY MILE HIGH STAFF 16: DEETRANADA BY MADISON 18: WHO IS KING ROSCOE? BY JOSH 20: GETTING TO KNOW KDJ ABOVE BY MILE HIGH STAFF
FASHION 22: TOP TRENDING SHOES BY MIMI 24: STRIKE A POSE
US 28: OUR TRUE STAR EXPERIENCE 30: SPONSOR APPRECIATION
CONTRIBUTORS
Angelina
Andre
“You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, smarter than you think, and loved more than you know.” A.A. Milne
“If there is gold, they’ll be calling it budder.” Anonymous
Josh
Madison
“Standing alone doesn’t mean I am alone. It means I’m strong enough to handle things all by myself.” Anonymous
“I’m a black ocean leaping and wide, welling and swelling, I bear in the tide.” Maya Angelou
Mimi
Natalee
“Your vibe attracts your tribe.” Bohemen
“Fear doesn’t shut you down, it wakes you up.” Tris EXCELSIOR STAFF
Vanessa “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change the courage to change the things that I can and the wisdom to know the difference.” Anonymous
Susan Hebert Executive Director Linda Johnson Behavioral Coach, Program Manager Lisa Post Behavioral Coach, Program Assistant Nancy Jamison Therapist Diana Gonzalez Therapist Nicole Termeer Behavioral Coach Cathy Hughes Behavioral Coach Emily Dombrowski Behavioral Coach TRUE STAR STAFF
William Mason, Sarah Shirazi Editorial Instructor, Project Manger Will Powered Media Photography Beyond Salon & Spa - Chu-Chu Hair and Makeup DeAnna McLeary-Sherman & Na-Tae’ Thompson Co- Founders Marti Parham Managing Editor Angel D’ Amico Bauer Art Direction Design & Illustration
HEALTH & WELLNESS
Healthy HABITS BY ANGELINA
T
eens have stress in their life, but it can be easier to control by using tools to help keep calm. Something that can cause stress in the life of a teen is a relationship. Whether the relationship involves family, friends, or yourself changes can happen that can leave you feeling unsettled. Personally, I am currently going through some stress. I have big changes going on in my life such as switching schools and having different people around me. It is hard for me to handle these changes that are going on. While it is difficult to get through, I have been using coping skills to help me manage my stress. One of the coping skills that I use is aromatherapy. I love picking different scents. 6 TRUE STAR MILE HIGH
Reading fiction The second thing I like to do is read fiction. It helps because it distracts me from reality. The third think I enjoy is taking a walk with my dog. The fresh air helps me clear my head so I can go back to the issue. Health and wellness is amazing for your body and mind. It helps you with everything in your body. It also gives you strength and helps with your state of mind. One thing that keeps us from being healthy is bad eating habits, which can lead to obesity. This is a huge thing in the United States. The obesity problem is just going to increase if we don’t get the word out on understand how to have a healthy routine. One way to help you become healthy is by
Aromatherapy
Drinking Water eating several small nutritious meals throughout the day. Drinking lots of water is good for you too and helps you stay hydrated. Experts recommend drinking nine 8oz. glasses a day. If you are not feeling balanced, working toward a healthy lifestyle will help you regulate yourself. It is very helpful for you to create a stimulated exercise plan. That way, you are most likely to stick to it. Setting realistic goals for your health is helpful. Take baby steps by exercising a few minutes a day and work your way up to a longer routine. Bring a friend along to keep you company and help mix things up in your routine. To check your progress, use a journal to keep
Exercise track of all the exercises and new habits you are establishing. This can also help you to get used to your new routine. Once you have finally achieved your goals you can celebrate your success! In my routine, I exercise regularly and eat smaller meals. This helps me because it helps with my hormones. Your body will hurt at first, but as you keep working the pain eases with time. Working out helps me feel happy, at ease and more focused. Your body will appreciate your workout and feel more relaxed. Most of all, you feel accomplished. TRUE STAR MILE HIGH 7
15
Summer Reads for
I
2017
BY NATALEE f you’re looking for a way to mentally escape the everyday hassles of life try picking up a book. Here are 15 good reads to dive into this summer.
9 Divergent By Veronica Roth 9 Insurgent By Veronica Roth 9 Allegiant By Veronica Roth 9 Four By Veronica Roth 9 The Clockwork Angel (The Infernal Devices Book 1) By Cassandra Clare 9 The Clockwork Prince (The Infernal Devices Book 2) By Cassandra Clare 9 The Clockwork Princess (The Infernal Devices Book 3) By Cassandra Clare 9 The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak 9 The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky 9 The Host by Stephenie Meyer 9 My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult 9 The Princess Bride by William Goldman 9 The Life of Pi by Yann Martel 9 The First Princess of Wales by Karen Harper 9 Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare 8 TRUE STAR MILE HIGH
Myths & Facts About
Dogs & Cats
D
BY NATALEE
ogs and cats are probably the two most popular pets in the average American household. Here are just a few myths and fast facts about the cuddly creatures.
Pet Myths
Pet Facts
*You can’t teach an old dog some new tricks.
*A cat has 32 muscles in each ear.
*Dogs only see in black and white. *A 1-year-old dog isn’t seven years old in human years. *Cats don’t always land on their feet. *Cats don’t have nine lives.
*The world’s heaviest dog was 319 pounds. *Every known dog has a pink tongue, except one breed, and that breed is the Chow; the Chow’s tongue is black. *Walt Disney’s family dog, Lady, was a poodle. TRUE STAR MILE HIGH 9
H
Food FACTS BY MADISON
ave you ever wondered what goes into your food or whether what you eat is healthy? These are the nutritional facts (on average) for some of the most popular foods in America.
The Cheese Burger
The Reuben Sandwich
*Has 303 calories *14 grams total fat *5 grams of sugar *589 mg of sodium *15 grams of protein
*Has 640 calories *30 grams of total fat *1610 mg sodium *7 grams sugar *32 grams protein *Steak has 71 calories *4.21 total fat *105 mg sodium *0 sugar *7.77 g protein
(May vary depending on ingredients)
The BLT / Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato Sandwich
(May vary depending on ingredients)
(May vary depending on ingredients)
Macaroni & Cheese (May vary depending on ingredients)
*Has 270 calories *10 grams sugar *16 grams total fat *760 mg sodium *12 grams protein
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*Has 250 calories *3 grams of fat *570 mg of sodium *6 grams sugar *9 grams protein
Laughing
WITH Andre BY ANDRE
N
eed a few good giggles to help you get through the day? Let Andre help bring a smile to your face with these jokes and riddles. Joke: What did the janitor say when he jumped out of the closet?
Joke: What did the wall say to the other wall? Punchline: I’ll meet you at the corner! Joke: Why did the picture go to jail?
Punchline: Supplies!
Punchline: He was framed!
Joke: Why couldn’t the lifeguard save the hippie from drowing?
Joke: What kind of wich is at the beach?
Punchline: He was too far out man!
Punchline: A sandwich!
Joke: How do you get a Pukacher on the bus?
Joke: Knock-knock; who’s there? Broken pencil; Brocken pencil who?
Punchline: You Pokem on!
Punchline: Never mind. It’s pointless.
Joke: What Pokeman sounds like a train?
Riddle: What goes up but does not move?
Punchline: Pika-cho cho
Answer: Stairs! TRUE STAR MILE HIGH 11
ARE You PLAYING MINECRAFT? BY ANDRE
H
ow much do you know about the game Minecraft? If your answer is “very little,” here are some fast facts you need to know.
Who: For kids 7 years old or older; both boys and girls can play.
What: It is a game that teaches architecture. There is no goal. It is just for fun.
When: Wherever! In many games, you can lose. When you lose, you start over.
Where: Online. Download on your personal device.
Why:
Because it’s fun! Feel good about yourself and relax.
How to Play: When you sign onto your computer, you start with New World. Begin by walking around, finding trees and collecting wood. Then you make the character punch a tree until you get a block 12 TRUE STAR MILE HIGH
of wood. You do all of this by using the keyboard or controller. Once you have a block of wood you can turn it into four wood planks. Once you collect enough planks you can build a house. In this Minecraft world you can build all kinds of things like shelters for animals and anything you can imagine. But don’t forget everything is made out of blocks. Be careful because there are creepers, zombies, spiders, and skeletons that will fight you or kill you. Creepers explode, so you need to run for your life. I would recommend that you buy a Minecraft book because those are the main source of everything you need to know from the creator of the game. I have been playing Minecraft for fours years. I think it is fun. It is a good way to spend your time because it allows you to create your own world. It helps with math because you have to grid out your area to build your world. It teach science too, because if you run lava and water you get weird stuff!
GET REAL / TEEN ISSUES
Vanessa’s Story BY VANESSA
L
et me tell you a story about me and dealing with fear and grief. I’m afraid people won’t like, love, accepted, or want me if people knew what I used to do. When my mom passed away, my world changed. It basically caused me to make better decisions. I realized everybody has their own journey and this was mine. People shouldn’t judge others and their journeys because we never know what their journey might be. They could be going through some similar struggles. When I turned 16 years old I got diagnosed with a different type of mental illness. I ended up in the hospital eight times. My mom passed away a year ago. When I found out, it was so hard. I ended up drugged out on the streets and having sex. When I realized I lost someone I loved I realized I needed to stop doing drugs and having sex with guys or hanging out with gangs. As I got older and mature, I knew my mom would want more from me.
I accepted and found myself again when my mom passed and I got involved with Excelsior. Excelsior helped me realize some people don’t seem to be who they say they are (older men with teenage girls). Excelsior also helped me with self-confidence. Once I got into the Excelsior program I learned how to express my feelings. I thank them for the therapy. I thank God for finding good programs for me. A prayer, which I just learned and really like, is the Serenity Prayer.
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I can not change. The courage to change the things that I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. I know that I can’t change what has happened but I will try to change the things I can.
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ENTERTAINMENT
s ’ h ig
H e l i M
BY MILE HIGH STAFF
Favorite Things
Top Restaurants Osaka Sushi Olive Garden Annette Mt. Fuji Chipotle Panera Bread TGI Fridays Panda Express Chili’s Applebee’s Outback Buffalo Wild Wings Tokyo Joe’s
Top Places to Go Movie Tavern Park Meadows Mall Elitch Gardens Theme Park Water World Lakeside Amusement Park Celebrity Bowling Alley Dunham Park Boondocks Colorado Mills Mall Dave and Busters 14 TRUE STAR MILE HIGH
Top Musical Artists To Listen to Beyonce
Chris Brown Eminem Lil Wayne Trev Rich Tech N9ne Hospin Migos Wiz Kalifa Twenty-One Pilots Fall Out Boys Five Finger Death Punch Deetranada King Roscoe
Top Favorite Athletes To Watch Aqib Talib Tom Brady Trevor Siemian Stephen Curry Emmanuel Sanders Von Miller Brandon Marshall Michael Phelps Michael Jordan Shaquil O’Neil Odell Beckham Peyton Manning
Top Movies Kubo and The Two Strings Sharkboy and Lava Girl Waterboy The Little Mermaid Westside Story Love and Basketball Poetic Justice Divergent Series Saw The Fault in Our Stars Beauty and the Beast Get Out Split Bye Bye Man
Top TV Shows iCarly Victorious Pokemon A Thousand Ways to Die The Rap Game 13 Reasons Why The Pop Game Bubble Guppies Sofia The First Deathnote TRUE STAR MILE HIGH 15
Deetranada BY MADISON
How rapping makes her feel:
I
t was so nice interviewing “The Rap Game” reality TV star Deetranada! I consider myself her No. 1 fan. Let me tell you more about how I love her. D3X means Dee for the beginning of her name; Tra for three and X for Nada. I really like her because she is a great musician because of how she raps and doesn’t care what people think. She is also very pretty, full of style, and has a great attitude. Check out what she had to say about being on the show and her love for music.
Her biggest threat in the house: Nova
Who she looks up to the most: No one, she is independent.
How she felt about the other people in the house: They are all unique.
Her inspiration in life:
To continue to make people happy. 16 TRUE STAR MILE HIGH
Makes her feel so happy that it feels like she can fly.
The most complicated part of writing music for her:
Wondering if people are going to like it.
Is she surprised by where she is in her life right now?:
Yes. She was first shooting videos on her phone in her bedroom and now she has been on a TV show.
What would she change in her life?: Believing in herself sooner.
Where she sees herself in 10 years:
Being a multi-millionaire or a multibillionaire.
When she started rapping:
She was 10 when she started writing music and 11 years old when she started rapping.
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Who Is
King Roscoe? BY JOSH
I
t’s not easy to be an up and coming rap artist. Especially before the age of 18! I would know. I’ve been rapping since I was 7, so when I got to interview King Roscoe from Lifetime’s “The Rap Game,” I felt really excited. Below is a peak at our one-on-one conversation.
Mile High: Who are your inspirations for rapping? King Roscoe: TI and 2Pac. MH: Why do you like to rap? KR: I like to rap because it helps me to break out my emotions, release anger. MH: How long have you been rapping? KR: I’ve been rapping since I was 8. About five years. MH: Where do you see your self in five years? KR: Dropping my EP on the billboards. I’ll be 18 at the time so I want to be the youngest [to] succeed in what older people do at a younger age. MH: What’s your inspiration for rapping other than people? KR: Inspiration? I live by this motto: You are not a product of where you’re from. Always stay humble [and] grind. MH: Who was your biggest threat in the house? KR: Everyone was the threat! Everyone was dope. Lyrically, Deetranada. Rapping wise, Nova.
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MH: How do you think you changed in the house? KR: By writing. When I came to the house I would say, “Oh, you were good.” Once I left I learned to live it and write it. Better punchlines and entendres. MH: Best motto while living in the house? KR: Train... . Get focused… . That helped me be better as a person... listen and be focused. MH: What changed you and your personality? KR: I would say, episode 12’s battle for the week. That helped me be the rapper that I needed to be. I could be aggressive, but I didn’t want to be aggressive. Had to get ‘em like ‘UH.’ Just like King Roscoe, I plan to succeed at things other people are only trying to do. Sometimes it’s hard to stay motivated when trying to write raps. When asked if he had any words of motivation for up-and-coming rappers, King Roscoe laid it down into two simple words: “Be yourself!” As for me, I say just let it go! Let all your problems go through your lyrics and focus your mind.
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GETTING TO KNOW KDJ Above BY MILE HIGH STAFF
D
enver DJ KDJ Above chats with Mile High about life and his love for music. Mile High: How did you get started as a DJ? KDJ Above: During high school I played in the marching band and tried out for the basketball team. After being cut from the team in my senior year I asked my mom to purchase two turntables and a mixer. It was expensive for me at the time; about $500. MH: How do you pick songs to play? KDJ Above: It depends on the event that I’m doing and the type of crowd that I have. If I know the event in advance I’ll prepare and make a crate. A crate is basically a list of songs that you think about playing. From there, I’ll freestyle and watch the crowd to see what mood they’re in. MH: Why did you decide to work at 107.5? KDJ Above: I was one of the popular DJs at the time and KS107.5 asked if I would like to come on as a mixer. I worked late nights and evening rush hour which is a DJ’s dream.
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MH: How much money have you made being a DJ? KDJ Above: Let’s just say that I’ve made some good money for playing music for people all over the world. MH: What’s your favorite venue to play in Denver? KDJ Above: Club Beta is one of my favorite Clubs to play. As DJs, we like loud sounds and large DJ booths and they have both. You could run the Club. MH: What was the one biggest event that you played? KDJ Above: Besides Summer Jam there was a time when I was playing at a club when Lil Wayne stopped in and that was cool. It was cool because it was unexpected. He came on stage with me. It was also cool because he walked in on one of my nights and we had a great time. MH: Where do you DJ now? KDJ Above: I have a few venues. One of the places is called the Living Room on Wednesdays after work called Wind Down Wednesdays.
Thursdays, Cold Crush and Mint. Friday’s a place called Proof, Saturdays Italian Lounge. MH: Who inspires you? KDJ Above: There are a few as far as DJs are concerned. One is DJ Kid Depree, DJ Jazzy Jeff and another by the name of Rock Rader. He actually passed away. RIP to him. DJ 8Track is another. He use to be Kenye West’s DJ. MH: Where did you get the name from? KDJ Above: So my name K D J [represent] the initials of a friend of mine who passed away in 2001. I was sitting alone one day and happened
to look at his obituary and his name was Kevin Deon Johnson, and so basically I took those initials as my DJ name because at the time I didn’t have a DJ name. Another reason was because he was a big influence when I started DJing, he was more into music then I was. He would introduce me to new people all the time. I added Above to KDJ to keep his spirit alive. MH: Favorite artist and favorite song? KDJ Above: I would have to say Bob Marley. Favorite song of all time would be Montel Jordan’s “This is how we do it.” That’s one of my favorite songs! TRUE STAR MILE HIGH 21
Top Trending SHOES BY MIMI
Creepers
These are a pretty comfortable and versatile shoe. Dress em’ up or down.
Air Force Ones These are also a dress up and dress down shoe. I have a pair of these and they’re so amazing. Quick tip: Be sure to get a pair you will not damage; very fragile.
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Vans
I also own a pair of these. These vans are such an everyday shoe. I love them. Vans are so amazing.
Timberlands
These shoes are very comfy, more of a winter shoe, though. Plus, are you short? This shoe will add a little height!
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Strike A POSE
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Our TRUE STAR
EXPERIENCE BY MILE HIGH CONTRIBUTORS
A
t first, when we all started to work on this magazine, we did not know what to do. Our instructors helped us learn how to write about what was on our minds. As a farewell, we would like to describe the program that gave us this opportunity.
Madison – I learned how writing can help me cope when I am mad because I can write all my feelings out. I also wanted this magazine to show you how to make your life healthier. My high point was getting to choose what I wanted to write about. I wish I were able to finish all of [my ideas].
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Josh – I learned a lot in the True Star program. I learned how to use a camera. I learned how to write articles in well-structured paragraphs. There was not a low point. I would recommend it to other students.
Natalee – The high point of True Star was everything. The magazine shows we all have different things we deal with. I improved on interviewing and learned how to use a camera. Everything was fun.
Mimi – It was a great experience doing True Star. I loved doing the photo-shoot and I got to make a magazine also. This made me feel accomplished. The low point of the program was not having enough time to finish all my article ideas.
Andre – I liked the True Star program because it was fun. I really liked the teachers and other kids that were there. I’m super excited about this magazine.
TRUE STAR MILE HIGH 29
Sponsor
APPRECIATION
W
e aren’t the only ones who would like to say thank you! Excelsior Youth Center has given us the opportunity to try many programs. I was able to go to a recreational center, which was helpful in managing cravings to use pot as well as managing depression and anxiety. My family was unable to afford the monthly payment. Using the Daniel’s Fund helped cover it. I continued to utilize being active as my main strategy and was able to come off of my medication! The rec passes really helped me to stop using and lowered my anxiety. I would never have been able to go without the help of the Daniel’s Fund. – K 30 TRUE STAR MILE HIGH
I was given the opportunity to take piano lessons, kickboxing, and Zumba classes, which I was able to learn and use as a positive coping skill. – A I am so grateful for the many opportunities to learn positive coping skills through the programs available because of Daniel’s Fund such as True Star. Equine gave me new coping skills. – J Taking guitar lessons gave me an outlet that I didn’t have before giving me a new way to deal with stress and not using. - S Through kickboxing, summer camp, and art this has been a physical outlet that helped us express ourselves and reduce anxiety. - M and J
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The Production of this True Star Mile High Magazine was made possible through funding from the Anschutz Foundation and the Daniel’s Fund for substance abuse treatment programming.
ANSCHUTZ FOUNDATION Anschutz Foundation Mission and Values: The Anschutz Foundation supports giving nationwide with an emphasis on social and cultural organizations which work in areas larger than local communities; support for media projects; projects that support the underprivileged, public policy and traditional family values.
The Daniels Fund provides funding to nonprofit organizations that assist youth and adults with alcohol and substance abuse challenges to achieve and maintain stability in their lives through prevention, treatment, or supportive/after-care services.Â