Perspectives Winter 2013

CYBER-

BULLYING Government

SHUTDOWN

Back In Business with

D.ROSE Newest

WINTER

Fashion Tips

GAMING

Consoles

LETTER FROM OUR PRINCIPAL

Congratulations to PMA scholars for a wonderful job on your True Star Magazine. I am excited, encouraged, and inspired to see all of the tools learned in writing, photography, reporting, and interviewing come to life through True Star. Allow this experience to be a foundation in journalism that you can continue to grow and develop. Again, congratulations on a job well done!

Sincerely, Sauda Porter Principal of Perspectives Middle Academy

CONTENTS WHAT’S HAPPENING

5: REAL WORLD EFFECTS OF THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

BY ARMARIA BOYLES 6: ASIA’S ADDICTION TO THE BETEL NUT BY JEANETTE JONES

THE FUTURE

7: NEWEST GAMING CONSOLES BY MARCEL JOHNICAN 8: CHANGES TO FACEBOOK PRIVACY SETTINGS FOR TEENS

BY DESHAWN WASHINGTON 9: INSTAGRAM FACTS BY DESHAWN WASHINGTON

YOU GOT ISSUES

10: CYBERBULLYING BY TIFFANI SPROUTS 11: ARE YOU SAD OR ARE YOU DEPRESSED BY ARMARIA BROYLES

HOW TO

12-13: COOKIES!

POP OUT

14-15: WINTER’S FASHION PICKS BY WINTER JACKSON 16-19: FASHION PAGES

THAT’S MY JA-ZAM

20: LIL WAYNE BY MARCEL JOHNICAN 21: WHO IS B-5? BY JEANETTE JONES

PLAY BALL

22: D. ROSE BACK IN BUSINESS BY TRESHAUN JACKSON 23: DANGERS OF CHEERLEADING BY ALEXANDRIA GREEN PLEASE LET US KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS ON PERSPECTIVES MAGAZINE CONTACT US: TRUESTARJR@TRUESTARMAGAZINE.COM TRUESTARIS.COM TO DONATE TO TRUE STAR FOUNDATION, VISIT TRUESTARFOUNDATION.ORG

EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS DEANNA MCLEARY & NA-TAE’ THOMPSON MANAGING EDITOR MARTI PARHAM EDITORIAL COORDINATOR SERENA BOLDEN ART DIRECTION DESIGN & ILLUSTRATION ANGEL D’AMICO-BAUER PHOTO COORDINATOR DESHAUN ADAMS

Turn Down 4 What Turn Down 4 What Turn Down 4 What CONTRIBUTORS

Armaria Broyles

Edward Porter

Ishaiah Zeigler

Winter Jackson

Zari Wiseman

Marcel Johnican Not Pictured:

Jeanette Jones Deshawn Washington Tiffani Sprouts

Treshaun Jackson

WHAT’S HAPPENING

The Real World Effects

of the Government SHUTDOWN

BY ARMARIA BOYLES

T

he government shutdown was a shame because people couldn’t do things for their families. It hurt lots of people and they couldn’t change things and they were really upset about it. It left people wondering why important things were shutdown like the Daley Center. When people tried to go to a national park it was closed. Government employees missed out on $2 billion worth of pay.

It took 16 days for them to restart. Most people couldn’t do their job if others didn’t do theirs.

The economy is so different now. If they had a

two-month shutdown it would push us back into recession.

My Aunt worked for the Daley Center. It really hurt her because there were days where she needed to pay bills and she couldn’t because she didn’t get paid. The day it was over she got her back-pay and was finally able to pay her bills. When things happen in Washington, it sometimes feels like it doesn’t affect us. The government shutdown showed that decisions made in Washington definitely have an effect on us in ways we never thought of.

PERSPECTIVES 5

Asia’s Addiction to BETEL NUT

BY JEANETTE JONES

F

ull users of betel nuts expose their habit when smiling. Their teeth are marked a reddishblack, colored from chewing areca nuts and tobacco, gift wrapped in a lime-coated betel leaf. “Some people, after they eat, they’re drinking coffee or tea; always after eating I’m chewing the betel nut. I like it,” says Myo Min Than, a 28-year-old noodle seller at a market in Myanmar’s largest city, Yangon.

he needs his 10 posts a day to stay awake during long shifts at his market stall, which start at 3 a.m. with a trip to the wholesaler, and ends at 8 p.m. when he dumps his unsold stock.

Like tea or coffee, betel nuts are said to give users a lift. But unlike tea or coffee, they also give them oral cancer. Despite the evidence, Than has no plans to kick the tradition. He says

To me it seems that the betel nut helps them to relax and take a break from being stressed out all the time. But I also think it is unhealthy for them and their teeth.

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“I’M WORKING THE WHOLE DAY. IT’S A VERY LONG DAY, SO WHEN I’M CHEWING THE BETEL NUT I DON’T WANT TO SLEEP,” HE SAID.

NEWEST

THE FUTURE

Gaming Consoles

BY MARCEL JOHNICAN

O

“THERE ARE 29 PLUS GAMES FOR THIS SYSTEM ALREADY; THAT INCLUDES HALO 4, COD: GHOSTS, COD: BLACK OPS 2, AND MANY MORE.”

OK, so, we all know about the Wii U,

but what about this new system everybody’s talking about? Yes, everyone, it’s what we’ve all been waiting for. Hearing about its future existence in 2011 and 2012, it has become a reality in 2013: The Xbox One. The first most complicated system in the U.S., complete with a new and improved controller that has hands-on dashboard and advanced gripping and shock system. This is a big step for Microsoft.

There are 29 plus games for this system already; that includes Halo 4, COD: Ghosts, COD: Black Ops 2, and many more. There is also a brand new design for the Kinect.

PS4 has also come out with the release of the Xbox One, but is it better? Said to have more horse power than the Xbox One, this console ranked below Xbox One next to the Xi Piston. Looks like someone’s having a bad

day. Sony, PSN’s producer, thought about using similar software as the Xbox, but decided to be different and go to the extreme, making this console extremely heavy, but surprisingly fast. I thought that with all the weight it would be slower than an old IBM Think Pad, but I was proven wrong.

Also, you may think that just because the PS3’s graphic performance was poor, the PS4’s would be too. Wrong. PS4 has a screen program similar to Xbox One, so the graphics are outstanding.

The controller is also brand new. Complete with a screen on the controller. I mean really, a screen ON the controller? Sony, go home. You’re drunk. Why would you want the controller to be bigger rather than smaller, and the shock system is the same one from two generations back?

But overall, this system has gotten some good reviews, and I look forward to playing.

PERSPECTIVES 7

Changes to

Facebook’s PRIVACY SETTINGS FOR TEENS

BY DESHAWN WASHINGTON

F

acebook’s privacy settings for new teens joining the site, will at first allow only those the teen has “friended” to see their pictures or posts.

If users aged 13-17 so choose, they can elect to have their posts public, but the automatic setting is friends-only.

One problem is many parents don’t understand social media sites well enough to follow all of their kids’ activities. The downside to the new policy is that not only can it keep such parents away from their kids’ pages, but the Internetsavvy will understand how to access the teens’ pages. All of these things are good in many ways, but also may encourage bad behavior.

Parents shouldn’t be afraid of Facebook or Twitter or any type of site, but they need to become highly engaged.

8 PERSPECTIVES

Steve Woda CEO of uknow.com (a site that monitors social media of teens) says that: • Parents are in a better position if they take control right away rather than play catch up.

• Specifically, parents should help their teens set up their accounts, including choosing settings.

• The parents should also have all of the log-in information for their children’s accounts and set limitation and rules that include spot checks of their children’s pages.

Instagram FACTS

BY DESHAWN WASHINGTON

LAUNCHED ON OCTOBER 23, 2010

THE BEST INSTAGRAM FILTER IS MAYFAIR AND NASHVILLE AVERAGE TIME PER MONTH USERS SPEND ON INSTAGRAM IS 275 MINUTES

N 16 BILLIO GET PHOTOS SHARED ALMOST AY EVERYD

1.2 BILLION LIKES ON INSTAGRAM PHOTOS

NUMBER OF LIKES PER SECOND IS 8,500

OF NUMBER TS COMMEN OND PER SEC IS 1,000

WED O L L O F T S O M AM BRAND INSTGRTV (1.752 IS M ION) MILL

9% OF TEENS SAY INSTAGRAM IS THE MOST IMPORTANT SOCIAL WEBSITE PERSPECTIVES 9

YOU GOT ISSUES

“IF YOU WANT TO SAY SOMETHING TO SOMEONE, SAY IT TO THEM TO THEIR FACE.”

CYBERBULLYING

BY TIFFANI SPROUTS

G

irls from every generation have been bullied. Nowadays girls are bullied over the Internet; an act also known as cyberbullying.

If someone puts something on the Internet it is never going away. If you bully someone over the Internet and say something that is not true it will be viewed by hundreds, maybe even thousands of people. Think before you type.

If you want to say something to someone, say it to them to their face. If someone is being bullied over the Internet it gives a lot of people the opportunity to butt in on the bullying and start a whole thing where someone says something and it’s not true.

10 PERSPECTIVES

If someone doesn’t know a person and sees something on the Internet about them, they might think what’s being said is true. The first impression of you from someone else’s point of view might not be a good one because of what someone said about you on the Internet.

If you knew what other girls would do as a joke, that might have been funny at that moment, would you join in? What you don’t know is you could be part of the reason for why someone may want to commit suicide.

TAKE MY ADVICE AND THINK BEFORE YOU TYPE.

Are You Sad or Are You Depressed?

BY ARMARIA BROYLES

M

y thought and feeling is most teens are sad because they go through so much it doesn’t make sense. Then they think about their problems and then they become depressed. So which one are you? When you’re sad the things that happen to make you sad happen right away.

When you’re depressed they load up and a take a long time.

Teens get upset about things that they can’t do or things that don’t go their way. They feel hopeless about themselves and don’t know what to do. You would believe that teens would look at themselves as beautiful or handsome and it’s not true. When teens get bored they mope around the room and see what they can do, which is nothing. A lot of teens are saying that they are bored and don’t have anything to do.

Well, that’s not true. Some days teens will look at themselves and believe that they don’t stand out like others and disregard themselves. All this can lead teens to pushing themselves into using drugs and drinking alcohol or abusing themselves in other ways.

Signs of Depression in Teens: • Sleep excessively • Change in eating habits • Exhibit criminal behavior • Apathy • Headaches, stomach aches, low back pains • Hard time concentrating • Irresponsible behavior • Memory loss • Sadness, anxiety, or feeling hopeless • Being up all night and sleep during the day • Grades dropping • Withdrawal from friends PERSPECTIVES 11

HOW TO

Cookies!

BY CHEF WILLIAMS OF THE CULINARY ARTS AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM PICTURES BY MARCEL JOHNICAN BAKED BY MEMBERS OF THE CULINARY ARTS AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM

1. Start the dough

Beat 1 stick softened unsalted butter and 1/3 cup each granulated sugar and packed light brown sugar in a bowl with a mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Add 1 large egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla; beat.

2. Pick your cookie type Chocolate Chip

Whisk 1 ¼ cups flour and ½ teaspoon each baking soda and salt in a bowl; add to the butter mixture and beat until just combined.

Double Chocolate Chip

Whisk 1-cup flour, ¼ cup natural (no Dutch process) cocoa and ½ teaspoon each baking soda and salt in a bowl; add to the butter mixture and beat until just combined.

Oatmeal Chip

Whisk 1-cup flour and rolled oats and ½ teaspoon each baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a bowl; add to the butter mixture and beat until just combined.

12 PERSPECTIVES

3: Add the chips

Stir in up to 1 cup of any of these; milk or semisweet chocolate chips, mini chips, chocolate chunks, butterscotch chips, peanut butter chips, white chocolate or yogurt chips.

4. Pick your mix-ins

Stir in up to ½ cup of the following ingredients (optional): Coconut, honey roasted peanuts, raisins, chopped banana chips, dried cranberries, diced strawberries

5. Bake the cookies

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough and roll into balls. Arrange on parchment-line baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Refrigerate 30 minutes, then bake until the cookies are golden on the bottom, 12 to 15 minutes.

Cool on the baking sheets, 10 minutes then transfer to racks to finish cooling. Makes 24 to 32 cookies.

PERSPECTIVES 13

POP OUT

Winter’s Fashion Picks

BY WINTER JACKSON

T

he latest fashion of Forever21 has hit the scene and is taking over, but don’t forget Charlotte Russe is catching up.

Harem Pants and zipper jeans from Forever 21 are great for lounging around while making a fashion statement.

Jackets are quick and easy to pull on as well as fashionable. These three are from Forever 21.

14 PERSPECTIVES

These shirts and tank tops are where it’s at for a throw on and out the door outfit.

These fashions can be paired with these cute and flirty accesories also from Forever 21.

Charlotte Russe’s shoes are so fly that you can add them to your Forever 21 style. So check out the wedges and sneakers for comfort and affordable statements!!!!!

These are the party nights and the just-beingcute-cause-you-want-to shoes that will shock the world.

Winter’s Fashion Tip:

Check out Bath and Body Works Perfume because you have to smell irresistible.

MINDING OUR BUSINESS

IF THESE HALLS COULD

TALK

ALWAYS ON TOP

THAT’S MY JA-ZAM

LIL WAYNE

BY MARCEL JOHNICAN

D

wayne Michael Carter, Jr. is best known as Lil Wayne, one of hip-hops greatest rappers.

Known for his wild lifestyle and his explicit verses, Lil Wayne is focused on his career and creating sick raps to spit out at the world, but he also has a sort of role model appearances.

At the age of nine, Lil Wayne joined Cash Money Records as the youngest member of the label, and half of the duo, The B.G.’z, with fellow New Orleans-based rapper B.G.. In 1996, Lil Wayne joined Southern hip-hop group Hot Boys, which also included rappers Juvenile, B.G., and Young Turk. Hot Boys debuted with “Get It How U Live!” that same year. Lil Wayne got most of his success with the group’s major selling album “Guerrilla Warfare” (1999). So, this rapper was spitting even before he was 13. Let’s look at some of his hits from 2008 to 2012.

Follow Wayne’s career with us: Love Me and Lollipop 2008 Forever 2008 Drop the World 2009 I Can Only Imagine 2011 She Will 2011 Give It Up to Me 2011 6 Foot 7 Foot 2011 Mirror 2011 No Worries and Faded 2012

Tha Carter III Heartbreak Drake Rebirth Nothing but the Beat Tha Carter IV Tha Carter IV Tha Carter IV Tha Carter IV Careless World: Rise of the Last King

Those are just some of Lil Wayne hits, but this year it’s something new, with Paris Hilton called “Good Times.”

Though he has had complications with the law, they haven’t stopped this rapper from continuing his wild lifestyle. Lil Wayne will always be known as the wild rapper with the long dreads on his head.

20 PERSPECTIVES

Who is

B5?

BY JEANETTE JONES

R

&B group B5 busted on the scene in 1998. Originally from St. Petersburg, Florida, the group, made up of five brothers, Dustin, Kelly, Patrick, Carnell and Bryan Breeding, now reside in Atlanta, GA . They were formerly known as the TNT Boyz that had only the four older brothers, but changed their name to B5 when Bryan, the youngest brother, joined the group. In late 2009 and the beginning of 2010 they changed their name to Audio and then, back to the name B5 at the end of May. The name B5 was selected because their last name, Breeding 5, is similar to that of the famous boy band Jackson 5.

“THE NAME B5 WAS SELECTED BECAUSE THEIR LAST NAME, BREEDING 5, IS SIMILAR TO THAT OF THE FAMOUS BOY BAND JACKSON 5.”

The group was encouraged by their mother and aunt to follow their music dreams. They entered and won many competitions put together by Radio Disney. B5 had many albums but only two main projects – “B5,” released in 2005 and “Don’t Talk Just Listen,” released in 2007. They also have many singles, but their main four hits are “ALL I Do,” “U Got Me,” “In My Bedroom,” which was released when they were younger, and their new single “Say Yes”.

This family has weathered the storm and will be making sweet melodies for years to come!

Check out more on this phenomenal group at www.B5online.com.

PERSPECTIVES 21

PLAY BALL

D. Rose

BACK IN BUSINESS

BY TRESHAUN JACKSON

T

hough Derrick Rose did nothing but win in the pre-season, he brought us back down to earth after losing his first official game back. In Miami on October 29th, everyone was excited to see their favorite, D. Rose, hit the court once again. We were all so excited that we forgot that he sat out for 18 months before his return. The fact that he sat out so long is definitely affecting the Bulls, winning only three games at the start of the season. He still looks like D. Rose, but a rusty version of him.

According to Ricky O’Donnell from BlogABull. com, “The numbers are not pretty. After finishing the preseason with a 34.97 PER per Real GM and posting nearly twice as many assists as turnovers, Rose has looked like a completely different player during the games that count.

ESPN has him at a 1.76 PER right now. He’s tied 22 PERSPECTIVES

for second in the league in turnovers at 5.7 per game, a number that looks even worse when compared to the 4.3 assists he’s averaging.

Rose is shooting just 28.8 percent from the field and 26.7 percent on five three-point attempts per game. His 30.5 usage rate is fourth among players with significant minutes.”

We shouldn’t just fault D. Rose for playing badly the first game. Miami was being really tough in their defense. He should also be depending on his teammates more and stop trying to be the super star he once was, and be a team player.

He also needs to stop trying to hit all those three pointers…build up to that man!

We just all have to wait for D. Rose to get back into his groove and get better. The Bulls also have to step up and help their old friend if we really want that ring this year.

The Dangers

of Cheerleading

BY ALEXANDRIA GREEN

A

ccording to Wikipedia, “cheerleading is an intense physical activity based upon organized routines, usually ranging anywhere from one to three minutes, which contains many components of tumbling, dance, jumps, cheers and stunting in order to direct spectators of events to cheer for sports teams at games or to participate in cheerleading competitions.”

For decades, they stood by safe and smiling, a fixture on America’s sporting sidelines. But today’s young cheerleaders, who perform tricks once reserved for trapeze artists, may be in more peril than any female athletes in the country. Emergency room visits for cheerleading injuries nationwide have more than doubled since the early 1990s, far outpacing the growth in the number of cheerleaders, and the rate of life-threatening injuries has startled researchers.

Of 104 catastrophic injuries sustained by female high school and college athletes from 1982 to 2005 — head and spinal trauma that occasionally led to death — more than half resulted from cheerleading, according to the National Center for Catastrophic Sports Injury Research. All sports combined did not surpass cheerleading.

New acrobatic maneuvers have turned cheerleaders into daredevils. And while the sport has retained its sense of glamour, at dozens of competitions around the country, knee braces and ice bags affixed to ankles and wrists have become accouterments as common as mascara.

With more than four million participants cheering at everything from local youth football games to the N.C.A.A. men’s basketball tournament, female cheerleaders now commonly do tricks atop pyramids or are tossed 20 feet in the air to perform twists and flips. If all goes well, the airborne cheerleader, known as the flier, is caught by other cheerleaders.

Cheerleading is a fun past time that involves dancing and tumbling but today’s cheerleaders need to be careful not to injure themselves.

Don’t do tricks that you aren’t prepared to do. Practice on surfaces built to practice cheer on. Wear the appropriate pads and braces when you are injured. As long as they are safe, cheerleaders can go on to have many years of cheering ahead of them.

PERSPECTIVES 23

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