True Star Junior Winter 2015

015

WINTER 2

EARN

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Hanging OUT WITH

OLIVIA STUCK #BLACKLIVESMATTER

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CONTENTS EXPOSE’

6: DO YOUR RELATIONSHIPS AFFECT YOU ACADEMICALLY? BY JOHN IVY III, LEARN CHARTER SCHOOL 7: TEXAS TEXTBOOK SLAVES BY IMANI JOSEPH, KENWOOD ACADEMY 8-9: #BLACKLIVESMATTERCHICAGO BY FATIMAH SKEETS & SHANIYA L. DAWSON, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY

TALKIN’ NERDY

10: SCHOLARSHIPS FOR FUNDING BY LADORA THOMAS, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY 11: 6 WAYS TO DEAL WITH STRESS BY ANAYAH SCOTT, KENWOOD ACADEMY 12: WHY AREN’T THERE ANY BLACK SUPERHEROES? BY JAZZ ALEXANDER, LASALLE LANGUAGE ACADEMY 13: THE MANY MASKS OF ROBIN BY JORDAN DUNN, LASALLE LANGUAGE ACADEMY 14: TOP 5 BLACK LEADERS BY JAZZ DUNN, LASALLE LANGUAGE ACADEMY 15: WRITER’S BLOCK: CAN I OVERCOME IT? BY KELSI WILLIAMS, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY 16: GROWING UP TECH SAVVY BY ALIYAH A. MUHAMMAD, MILLENNIUM SCHOOL 17: ONCE UPON A TIME BY FREE LUNCH ACADEMY

HOT OFF THE PRESS

21: THE EVOLUTION OF VIDEO GAMES, BY JORDAN DUNN, LASALLE LANGUAGE ACADEMY 22: KPOP’S NEW ROOKIE GROUP BY SHANIYA L. & RHANIYA DAWSON, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY 23: SOCIAL MEDIA: CAN WE REALLY TRUST IT? BY FATIMAH SKEETS, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY 24-25: GETTING TO KNOW OLIVIA BY MAGALY MURO, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY

FASHION

26: WORLDWIDE FASHION BY RHANIYA DAWSON, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY 27: TOP 10 HOT KICKS BY RHANIYA DAWSON, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY 28-29: INSTAFASHION 30-33: WINTER GEAR WORTH ROCKIN’

4EVER YOUNG

34: IS DATING APPROPRIATE IN 7TH & 8TH GRADE? BY JORDAN BEASLEY, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY 35: SOOTHING SCENTS BY RITA ORDAZ, NORTH SCOTT JUNIOR HIGH 36: TO ACT OR NOT TO ACT? BY ABIGAIL F. DIZON, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY 37: GIRLS SHAMED & GUYS PRAISED BY BRIANNA RINGO, KENWOOD ACADEMY

CREATIVE & CULTURE CORNER 38: CAPTURING NORTH KOREAN BEAUTY

BY RHANIYA DAWSON, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY 39: RAIN BY JOHN IVY III, LEARN CHARTER SCHOOL 40: MERS IN SOUTH KOREA BY SHANIYA L. DAWSON 41: OUR VOICES BY JORDAN DUNN, LASALLE LANGUAGE ACADEMY

DEEPER THAN SKIN

42: ASSAULT ON CAMPUS - HOW COLLEGES ARE FIGHTING BACK BY FATIMAH SKEETS, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY 43: NEW YEARS RESOLUTIONS BY BRIANNA RINGO, KENWOOD ACADEMY

KEEPIN’ SCORE

44: ARIEL BASKETBALL TEAM’S TIEBREAKER BY LADORA THOMAS, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY 45: FEMALE SPORTS OPPORTUNITIES AT KENWOOD ACADEMIC CENTER BY IMANI JOSEPH, KENWOOD ACADEMY

SCHOOL SPIRIT

46: A BUTLER DID IT BY MAGALY MURO, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY PLEASE LET US KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS ON TRUE STAR JR. MAGAZINE CONTACT US: LETTERS TO TRUE STAR JR. 1130 SOUTH WABASH, SUITE 302 CHICAGO, IL 60605-2717 EMAIL: TRUESTARJR@TRUESTARMAGAZINE.COM

EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS DEANNA MCLEARY & J. NA-TAE’ THOMPSON MANAGING EDITOR MARTI PARHAM EDITORIAL INSTRUCTOR NYKEYA WOODS WEB CONTENT & MARKETING MANAGER JOI MITCHELL WEB CONTENT ASSISTANT HENRY COLLINS ART DIRECTION DESIGN AND ILLUSTRATION ANGEL D’AMICO-BAUER GRAPHIC DESIGN INSTRUCTOR POLINA ZIONTS FASHION CREATIVE DIRECTOR JOI MITCHELL PROMOTIONS MANAGER DESHAUN ADAMS MARKETING ASSISTANT DANEISHA GOODMAN

TRUESTARIS.COM TO DONATE TO TRUE STAR FOUNDATION, VISIT TRUESTARFOUNDATION.ORG

CONTRIBUTORS

Anayah Scott

Aliyah A. Muhammad

Kenwood Academy

Millennium School (Homewood, IL)

Blake Carnes Whitney Young Magnet School

Imani Joseph

Dylan Hunter

Kenwood Academy

Kenwood Academy

Fatimah Skeets Lindblom Math & Science Academy

Brianna Ringo Kenwood Academy

John Ivy III Learn Charter School

Jazz Dunn LaSalle Language Academy

Not Pictured: Trinity Levy-Jones, Kenwood Academy Yahzuri Zebulun, Kenwood Academy Makayla Idelburg, Lindblom Math & Science Academy Abigail F. Dizon, Lindblom Math & Science Academy

Kelsi Williams Jordan Beasley

Lindblom Math & Science Academy

Lindblom Math & Science Academy

Jordan Dunn LaSalle Language Academy

Magaly Muro Lindblom Math & Science Academy

LaDora Thomas Lindblom Math & Science Academy

LePra George, Jr. Lindblom Math & Science Academy

Rita Ordaz North Scott Jr. High School, Iowa

Monet-Aaliyah Harkins Lindblom Math & Science Academy

Rhaniya Dawson Lindblom Math & Science Academy

Shaniya L. Dawson Lindblom Math & Science Academy

EXPOSE’

Do Your Relationships Affect You

Academically?

BY JOHN IVY III, LEARN CHARTER SCHOOL

A

lot of teens think that it’s essential to have a boyfriend or girlfriend. Other kids think that it’s a waste of time to date, fear that they will end up hurt, or believe that dating will have a bad reflection on their grades.

Dalinda Watson, 13, a Learn South Chicago Charter School student, said being in a relationship has changed her grades for the better. “My boyfriend often gets on me if my grades are not satisfactory, or if I get in trouble at school.”

Another student, who wanted to stay anonymous, said he does not date because he has seen many failed relationships because a person’s “bae” had someone on the side. Another reason is because the relationship was going too fast. This student also stated that his [academic] career was not something he was willing to give up for someone who probably didn’t even like him or was not loyal.

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The 2013 study, “Evaluating Impacts of Early Childhood Adolescent Romance,” by Journal of Applied Economics and Business Research, followed students aged 12 to 16 from 1996 to 2005. The study found that “Serious daters were much less likely to graduate from high school and enroll in college than non-daters and moderate daters. While non-daters and moderate daters graduated from high school by the age of 20 at fairly high rates.”

A lot of people think that a relationship is just meant to have fun while the other person in the relationship with other intentions often gets hurt. If both people aren’t on the same page, someone is sure to end up with a broken heart.

If the relationship is not working, you all need to break up, especially if your academics take a turn for the worse.

Texas Textbook

Calls Slaves “Workers”

BY IMANI JOSEPH, KENWOOD ACADEMY

T

exas is known for their rural and racist areas. In late September Coby Burren, a freshman at a suburban high school near Houston, TX, noticed an error in his history book. In the “Patterns of Immigration” section, African slaves were referred to as “workers.” The caption on the page said that the Atlantic Slave Trade occurred between the 1500 and 1800.

However, the textbook does not acknowledge the slaves as slaves.

100,000 textbooks in the Texas school districts, the company is revising the physical and online version of the book, which is forcing teachers to pause and cancel their lessons due to the error.

Burren’s mother Roni Dean-Burren was so outraged she posted a video about the textbook pointing out its flaws. The video had over one million views and caught the attention of the Black Lives Matter organization. Kathy Miller, president of the Texas Freedom Network, said, “It’s no accident that this happened in Texas.

We have a textbook adoption process that’s so politicized and so flawed that it’s become almost a punchline for comedians.”

The Lone Star state has been revising and altering textbooks to their liking since 2010 when they approved the social studies curriculum, such as questioning the founding fathers and putting a good light on republican philosophy. Now the states textbooks are reflecting the Texan conservative outlook. Christina Michelle Horn, 36, a counselor at Kenwood Academy, can see how people can be offended by the term “workers” instead of slaves. She also feels that Republican views being in Texas textbooks are wrong. “It’s okay to question history, but it’s not okay to highlight a political party,” Horn said.

“It’s not okay to have a subjective or inaccurate view of history.”

Due to the public outrage of the misidentified wording, the textbook company, McGraw Hill Education, had to edit the publication. With

Student, teachers and parents are outraged. Kids are not being given opportunities to learn and understand all American history properly.

TRUE STAR JR. 7

#BlackLivesMatter CHICAGO

BY SHANIYA L. DAWSON & FATIMAH SKEETS, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY

#B

According to blacklivesmatter.com, the group is “a chapter-based national organization working for the validity of black life.” It was created in 2012 after Trayvon Martin’s murderer was acquitted and Martin, though dead, was placed on trial for his own murder in Florida. The organization looks to “broaden the conversation around state violence to include all of the ways in which Black people are intentionally left powerless at the hands of the state.”

Founders, Patrisse Cullors, Opal Tometi, and Alicia Garza say that the #BlackLivesMatter 8 TRUE STAR JR.

mission is working for a world in which Black lives are not intentionally targeted for demise.

“Social media has really kept people more informed than the news,” says Kathy Chaney, WBEZ radio station producer/reporter. “Social

PHOTO CREDIT: MATTHEW AVIGNONE

lackLivesMatter has become a part of everyday life. You watch the news, and you see violence, protests, shootings, robbery and other crimes. The news never talks about why these things occur. But #BlackLivesMatter is trying to change the conversation. It’s trying to tell the world that this is a serious discussion that needs to happen now.

PHOTO CREDIT: DESHAUN “TRIG” ADAMS

Above: Founders, Patrisse Cullors, Opal Tometi, and Alicia Garza media is updated by the second, and people can use it to keep themselves up-to-date with #BlackLivesMatter movements.”

Chaney adds, “#BlackLivesMatter has positively affected the Black communities of the United States because it has made people aware of the situation instead of putting it off some more. It’s telling them what needs to happen, what needs to change in society.”

The movement and the organization have gained attention through social media – negative and positive. It has equally as many supporters as it has skeptics. Overall, it has been taken into consideration by many. #BlackLivesMatter continues to fight for the rights of African-Americans in the U.S., and all over the world, and will persevere in the spread of its message throughout the nation.

TRUE STAR JR. 9

TALKING NERDY

Scholarships For Funding

BY LADORA THOMAS, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY

M

any students think that in order to receive a scholarship for college, you must have the highest GPA and SAT scores to even qualify for any scholarship. That is not all true. There are many scholarships that are easy to qualify for and easy to win at your age right now. Here are five scholarship opportunities that will interest you and hopefully inspire you to apply.

•Jif Peanut Butter: Jif Most Creative Sandwich Contest - As a fun way to award students ages 6-12 that are preparing to attend college, students make a creative sandwich using the famous Jif Peanut Butter. The award includes a scholarship worth $25,000, as well as a Jif Peanut Butter Basket worth $50.

• Google: The Doodle 4 Google Contest- This is open to students in grades K through 12 who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Students must design and submit a Google doodle logo based around the given theme for that year and submit a supporting statement of 50 words or less. The winners receive a $30,000 scholarship.

• The Gallery Collection: The Create-A-Greeting Card Scholarship Contest - This contest is open to currently enrolled high school and college students that are at least 14 years old and live in the United States. To enter, you must design a holiday, get well, or birthday greeting card and submit your work to be judged. Anything you submit (photo, art, or graphics) must be your own original work. The prize for this contest is $10,000.

• UNI-GO Flavor of the Month Scholarship: In order to qualify, you must be at least 13 years old and live in America. According to their website, to win, you must submit an online short, written response (250 words or less) for the question: “Summer and ice cream go hand-inhand. In fact, July is national Ice Cream Month, and that’s the inspiration behind this award.

We think people are very similar to ice cream; some are nutty, others a little exotic, while some are very comforting. If you were an ice cream flavor, which would you be and why?” the prize is $1,500.

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6 Ways To Deal With Stress

BY ANAYAH SCOTT, KENWOOD ACADEMY

H

ave you ever wanted to scream so loud that the whole world could hear you because you have two projects and a homework assignment due all on the same day? Maybe you have a term paper due the next day that you never got around to because you had too many other things to work on. Well, you are not alone.

True Star Jr. has tips on how to deal with stress when it hits you hard.

But before we get to the tips, let’s define what stress is. According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, stress is something that causes strong feelings of worry or anxiety. So now that we know that, let’s begin the “how to deal with stress” list, with some tips coming from Helpguide.org.

How To Deal With Stress: *Recognize what you are stressing over.

If you know what it is you are stressing about, it’s easier to figure out what you have to do to fix it and what to ask if you need help. If it is more than one thing that stresses you out, write them in order from greatest to least.

*Manage time wisely. If you are stressing over something that has a certain deadline, set up a schedule for yourself so you won’t procrastinate or overwork yourself. *Ask for help when needed. If you have something unbearably hard to do, don’t forget that you don’t have to do it alone. Just ask a friend, parent, or someone else for help when needed. *Be active. If you are stressing over something to the point where you are getting overwhelmed, go outside and do something different, no matter the task. Your mind can clear and you can think better if you can get some physical activity in. *Change your situation. Try to find a way to prevent stress from happening. For example, do an assignment early so that you don’t feel rushed when the deadline arrives. *Think about the bigger picture. Really think about the problem you are facing. Keep in mind that it’s not the end of the world if things don’t go your way. Make your absolute best effort and you will see that you will get through your situation.

TRUE STAR JR. 11

Why Aren’t There More Black Superheroes?

BY JAZZ ALEXANDER, LASALLE LANGUAGE ACADEMY

N

ow, don’t get it wrong; there are Black superheros like Luke Cage, Natasha Irons, Bloodwynd, Black Panther, and more. But how many Black superheroes are there compared to Caucasian heroes? Here are three reasons why there aren’t more Black superheroes.

•We’ve been hypnotized.

In my opinion, we’ve been watching and reading about Caucasians, portrayed as stars, for years.

And Caucasian characters are often the face of American media. The media even went as far as to make the color black evil and the color white good. It’s not much of a big deal, but it’s a way of hypnotizing us. I think, what we need to do is think creatively and make standout, Black heroes.

•Don’t just talk. Do something.

If you say you’re “gonna” make you’re own superhero, do it. It doesn’t matter what kind of character he or she is; just create something.

Make the character go to high school or have him get bullied. These examples might seem cliché, but you have to start somewhere.

• Be unique.

We have too many teenager superheroes. Make them 9 years old because we don’t see enough of that. Also, have characters from different cultures work together. You don’t see Asian characters with Black people on comic book covers, but you should. The artists actually work together. The characters should be able too, as well.

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The Many Masks

of Robin

BY JORDAN DUNN, LASALLE LANGUAGE ACADEMY

D

C Comics’ character Robin has had several lives many people don’t know about.

The writers of Batman, Bob Kane and Bill Finger, wanted to appeal to the younger audience of comic readers so Robin the Boy Wonder, better known as Dick Grayson, was created during the 1940’s.

Grayson was the youngest member of the Flying Graysons, an amazing team of acrobatics who performed in the Haleys’ Circus. It’s when the circus arrives in Gotham that Richard’s parents, Jonathan and Mary, die in front of the audience, according to dccomics.com. It’s revealed that a criminal, tony zucco, sabotaged the act, killing Grayson’s parents. Bruce Wayne decided to take Grayson under his wing and raise him. Wayne tried to keep his secret about being Batman, but Grayson eventually found out and adopted the identity of Robin. It should be noted that Wayne saw a lot of himself in Grayson, and Grayson’s passion for finding justice and helping others.

During the first years of being Robin, Grayson fought villains such as the Joker and Scarecrow, but fighting Harvey Dent was traumatic. Dent

viciously beat Grayson while Batman was forced to watch. This caused Wayne to do the most responsible thing and that was to fire Grayson.

However, this didn’t stop Grayson and he continued to fight crime.

It was also around this time that the original Teen Titans were formed. The Teen Titans are a group of sidekicks and teenaged superheroes.

The first members were Donna Troy, Speedy, Aqualad, Kid Flash and Robin. As the Titans progressed new heroes joined, most notably Starfire, Cyborg, Beast Boy, Raven, Superboy, Wonder Girl, as well as a handful of others.

And the leader of this team was, you guessed it, Robin (though he later gave leadership to Wonder Girl). Over time Grayson became more independent and started doing more solo missions and work.

The Joker would shoot Robin and this leads Batman to, again, fire him. This leads Grayson to quit being Robin and almost quit crime fighting all together. After the support of Starfire, the Titans, and Superman, Grayson became Nightwing.

TRUE STAR JR. 13

Top

5 Black Leaders

of AMERICA

BY JAZZ DUNN, LASALLE LANGUAGE ACADEMY

A

merica was not the “sunshine” place you thought it was. African-Americans have been fighting for equality since being brought to America, and for over hundreds of years there have been a number of people who have helped in that fight. Without further ado, here are the top five Black leaders of the U.S.

No. 5:

It has long been established that Jean Baptiste Point Du Sable was the first person to settle in the area that is now known as Chicago. He has gone down in history as having founded the city around the 1780s.

No. 4:

Huey P. Newton was an AfricanAmerican activist who co-founded the legendary Black Panther Party with Bobby Seale. Newton knew the police were not treating his people fairly so he fought for African-Americans to be able to defend themselves. Newton was shot and murdered by Black Guerrilla Family (BGF) member Tyrone Robinson. Newton’s work lives on.

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No. 3:

Oscar Dunn was the Louisiana lieutenant governor during the Reconstruction era. In 1868 Dunn became the first elected Black person to hold the position. He began to achieve equality for millions of Black people. Dunn, who was born a slave, gave jobs to freedmen and newly freed slaves.

No. 2: Martin

Luther King Jr. helped every Black person get the right to vote. He was a man who did not use aggressive behavior to get his message across. He wanted African-Americans to be treated like men and women should be. He delivered many speeches and his most notable one is “I Have a Dream.”

No. 1:

Malcolm X was born Malcolm Little. His family fell apart after his father’s death and he turned to a life of crime. He went to prison for robbery but sharpened up his mind and saw the fault in his ways.

He later joined the Nation of Islam and became known as El Hajj Malik Shabazz. Malcolm X fought for Black civil rights.

Writer’s Block:

Can I Overcome It?

BY KELSI WILLIAMS, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY

“I

’m at a loss for words” is a line that horrifies writers. With that line comes the dreaded writer’s block. This usually occurs when you are trying to write a story or even a paper for school and you do not know where to start.

Nothing is going right. If you are not aware as to what writer’s block is then you are extremely lucky. It is that awful feeling when nothing makes sense and no ideas come to you. Usually I try to overcome this more modernized version of the Black Plague by reading something that inspires me and even reading my own work. By reading something that inspires me, I get ideas that I can make my own.

“I absolutely loathe writer’s block,” said 15-yearold sophomore Myah Seay. “It really sucks because as much as you want to write, you can’t.”

Seay talked about how she fights the terrible, mind-blogging experience. “Being alone and

listening to music that fits the mood of what I’m writing helps a lot. For essays and other school assignments, I just write out all my possible ideas for the topic and try my best to elaborate as much as possible. When my inspiration comes back, I have extra to work with.” This point of view on writer’s block clearly explains how awful it is, but that there are ways to fix the problem.

When you are having a hard time you just have to channel who you are and do things that help you relax. Not everything has to be cute and outlandish just so people will read it. One reason why people always end up with writer’s block is because they will forget that the job is to inform and clarify things; not strictly entertain.

Overcoming writer’s block is about realizing that not everything is going to be huge like Zayn leaving One Direction, but minor like what is happening in local schools. It is just that simple.

TRUE STAR JR. 15

Growing Up Tech Savvy

BY ALIYAH A. MUHAMMAD, MILLENNIUM SCHOOL

L

iving in the 21st century, teens are growing up in one of the most technologically advanced societies. Imagining life any other way for many would be hard. In fact, some have so much exposure to high tech gadgets that they often don’t appreciate their importance. When you think about it, the exposure to technology places teens at a different level than our parents when they were the same age.

When our parents were in middle school, they used typewriters and were introduced to computers. Some of our parents even had a small electronic device called a pager. According to www.businessdictionary.com, “a pager is defined as a one-way communication device that beeps when a page has been received.” Despite having pagers, very few (if any) young people had cell phones during that time.

Today, teens interact with technology daily and it plays a huge role in society. Our peers have more access to information at a quicker rate in comparison to the access that our parents had 16 TRUE STAR JR.

at the same age. In school, teachers use smart boards for lessons rather than a chalkboard.

Most youth are required to take a computer class or conduct research online to complete an assignment. From a social perspective, teens will FaceTime or Skype friends using one of the many electronic devices instead of picking up a telephone.

All of this access to technology can “cause children to miss out on real-life interactions,” according to Essilor. When parents were younger, they learned to interrelate more with their peers.

And parents were more active when they were teenagers—playing games like hide and seek or double-dutch.

As technology continues to evolve, try to find some balance. Visit your friends instead of using social media or texting. Check out a book from the library instead of doing all of the research online for a class assignment. Most importantly, appreciate how advanced we are because of the access that we have to technology.

TRUE STAR JR. 17

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HOT OFF THE PRESS

The Evolution of Video Games Then

Now

BY JORDAN DUNN, LASALLE LANGUAGE ACADEMY

W

inter is here and promises to have some of the best games this year. “Star Wars Battlefront” and it’s incredibly realistic engine, along with “Metal Gear Solid Five” and “Assassins Creed Syndicate,” seem to almost break the barrier between what’s reality and a video game. But they haven’t always been this way. Video games started to pick up in 1978 with Taito’s “Space Invaders” and this led several other companies to try the same thing. Two examples are Namco’s “Galaxian” and Atari’s “Asteroids.” After the success of “Galaxian,” Namco went on to develop “Pac-Man” and it was immensely popular, selling over 350,000 cabinets, making more than 1 billion dollars within 18 months! “Pac-Man” was released in 1980 and 35 years later people are still trying to get the iconic yellow circular figure to eat his way through the maze. “Ms. Pac- Man,” a spin-off, was released two years later and became the best selling arcade game of all time, according to museumofplay.org.

In 1983, North America experienced a video game crash. There were several causes of this, one of them being that the market didn’t

have any credit. For example, Atari ported “Pac-Man” on to its own console, the graphics were significantly downgraded and had no resemblance to the original. Consumers couldn’t trust the industry until Nintendo brought the Famicom to America.

In 1985, the Famicom would be known as the Nintendo entertainment System (NES) in America and sold 61 million units worldwide.

Nintendo’s console wasn’t the only thing revolutionary, their games were “a breath of fresh air” mashable.com reported. “Super Mario Brothers” had side-scrolling levels, “The Legend of Zelda” was the first game that allowed the player to save, and “Metroid” created it’s own genre. With the advancement of technology, the industry saw better graphics, gameplay, and music. Video games began to have stories introducing us to cinematic games like “Metal Gear Solid” and an amazing narrative from “Bioshock.” Video games have grown tremendously and a recent study by the entertainment Association found that 59 percent of Americans play. Video games have grown tremendously and will continue to grow.

TRUE STAR JR. 21

K Pop’s New Rookie Group

BY RHANIYA & SHANIYA L. DAWSON, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY

JYP’s new rookie girl group Twice in their debut music video “Like Ooh-Ahh.”

J

YP Entertainment, a South Korean entertainment company, has a new girl group called Twice. The latest KPop rookies released their first album, The Story Begins this past fall.

The video for their single, “Like Ooh-Ahh,” was released online.

Twice sings KPop, or Korean pop music. They are JYP Entertainment’s first girl group since 2010. KPop has spread widely and is loved all around the world. The members for Twice were determined through the reality TV show “Sixteen” where 16 JYP trainees competed to debut in the girl group. While most reality music shows value talent like signing and dancing, “Sixteen” contestants were also judged on their personalities.

There has been some controversy surrounding the group. An eliminated member was still allowed to compete for a spot in the group and was 22 TRUE STAR JR.

added to the final group. After this occurred, two members decided to leave.

In South Korea, being a KPop star is a big deal. To get into the KPop business you have to audition. There are really big music companies in South Korea that have auditions almost every year. These include: SMTown, YG Entertainment, FNC Entertainment, DSP Media, JYP Entertainment, and more.

When you are a trainee you have to go on a diet to try to get an S-line body shape, you have to exercise and strictly eat healthy foods for a long period of time. Becoming a KPop star is the best part. When you are in a KPop group you are either the visual, lead dancer, lead vocal, leader, sub vocal, sub rapper, or lead rapper. KPop stars get to go on lots of Korean music shows that include: Inkigayo, M Countdown, MBCKPop, and a lot more.

Social Media:

Can We REALLY Trust It?

BY FATIMAH SKEETS, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY

A

ll the entertainment news goes on it, the juiciest rumors come from it, and it gives you the latest celeb gossip. What is it? Social media, of course. But just how accurate is that story you’re reading? Is actor Daniel Craig really going to play James Bond once again? Can we actually look to social media for the answer?

According to speakforchange.org, social media isn’t accurate. Most of the time, the good majority of social media is a rumor. Jaylynn Kim, a 7th grader at Lindblom said, “I don’t trust social media at all. I know from personal experience, that most of the information is wrong.”

Any form of social media— Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, SnapChat, Tumblr, Kik Messenger, YouTube— has its downfalls. “I trust social media 25 percent, because of scams and stolen information,” said Nia Howard.

Social media also has its fair share of dangers to kids. Nygeria Figgers only trusts social media

50 percent, because “people who want to hurt you could be on there.” All of these opinions show how social media can be seen in a negative light.

Another website, socialsongbird.com, disagreed with these opinions for certain situations. In case of disasters, “Social media can provide opportunities for individuals, the public, and organizations to dialogue with each other at times when disaster strikes.”

Seochat.com also agreed with this statement.

The site reported, “There are also causes and information. Social media has made it possible for like minded individuals to discuss important topics, widen their personal knowledge and discover things they never knew before.”

Well, it’s a tie. Social media can be trusted in certain instances, and not so much in others. In the end, it’s your choice.

TRUE STAR JR. 23

Getting To Know Disney’s

Olivia Stuck

BY MAGALY MURO, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY

L

ike most pet owners, actress Olivia Stuck calls her cat Lenin her baby. Besides Lenin, the 16-year-old has one more cat, three dogs and one bird. And while spending time with her pets is an important part of her life, the Disney actress loves her job. The Midwest native started her career when she was just 6 years old.

“It’s good that I started at a young age,” Stuck said. She currently plays Dawn Buckets on Disney XD’s new show “Kirby Buckets.” “It was so helpful [that I started working at 6].

I’m glad that I was very fortunate to work with the [‘Kirby Bucket’ cast],” she said.

So far, Stuck said she enjoys her part on the show and considers it an amazing challenge that she loves. When Stuck is filming for “Kirby Buckets,” her biggest challenge is channeling her character’s screaming voice. This role is just one of many that Stuck foresees in her future. “I think, to me, it’s a career because it’s the only thing I could ever see myself doing,” said Stuck about being bitten by the acting bug. “I think entertaining people is the greatest thing, so it’s definitely a career.”

24 TRUE STAR JR.

Besides acting, Stuck said she enjoys listening to music, going to Disneyland and just doing stuff with her family. Even though she spends a lot of time working on the show, Stuck manages to continue her education. “It’s not actually hard balancing out acting and school,” she said. “I have a very great team with my mom and dad because they help me with school and when I need them, and my teachers are phenomenal.”

Stuck appreciates all the love and support she gets from her fans and her family. In fact, she was inspired to start acting because of her family and a very famous singer. “My dad is just really funny and my mom is super silly.

In the car my dad would put music on and I would turn on Taylor Swift for some reason. She showed me to the arts even though she isn’t an actor” she said.

At the moment, Stuck is looking forward to seeing if “Kirby Buckets” gets another season, which would be the show’s third. Soon fans can look forward to seeing Stuck in the feature film The Outfield. In the upcoming year she will also have new music coming out for all to enjoy.

“I THINK ENTERTAINING PEOPLE IS THE GREATEST THING, SO IT’S DEFINITELY A CAREER.”

Cover & Inside Photography: Nikko LaMere for Popmania TRUE STAR JR. 25

FASHION

WORLDWIDE FASHION:

The Traditional Korean Clothing

BY RHANIYA DAWSON, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY

A

hanbok is Korean traditional clothing that often refers to clothing of the Joseon period.

Hanboks are now worn mainly on Chuseok (추 석), a Korean holiday described as the Korean Thanksgiving. Usually the colors of the hanbok represent nature. The hanboks were colored with natural dyes such as flowers. The colors on a hanbok represent different things or elements.

White represents metal but can also represent purity and modesty. Red represents fire, blue represents wood, black represents water, and yellow represents earth. These are the main colors worn.

When hanboks were worn, villagers would wear hanboks with faded colors while royalty wore more vibrant/brightly colored hanboks. There are many parts of a hanbok. The first part is the Jeogori (저고리) which is basically the top or the blouse of the hanbok. The sleeves on the Jeogori are round. The Jeogori can be any color.

It can even be two colors at the same time. The next part is the Ot Goreum (옷고름), the tie on the Jeogori. When hanboks were worn, there were no buttons, so they needed something to hold the hanbok closed. The Ot Goreum looks like a one-sided bow. There is a certain way to tie the Ot Goreum. The next part is the Chima (치 마) or the skirt of the hanbok. The Chima, usually one color, is typically one inch off the floor and is rounded. When walking the Chima will be lifted so that you won’t trip or fall. The next part is the Buh Sun (버선). The Buh Sun are the uniquely shaped traditional socks worn with the hanbok.

The final part of the hanbok is the Oriental Knot 26 TRUE STAR JR.

Korean actress Kim Yoo Jung in a hanbok. (동양매듭). The Oriental Knot is actually an accessory that hangs from the Chima. To tie the Oriental Knot there is a string inside the skirt (since they don’t have bottoms) to be tied onto the string. Usually these knots are created with only one string and have unique designs/shapes.

Hanboks are worn on Sae Hae (새 해) / New Year’s Eve and family members of the bride wear them on the wedding day. Hanboks are very important and appreciated in Korean culture. It is their history and their ancestry.

Top 10 Hot Kicks

BY RHANIYA DAWSON, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY

I

t’s every sneaker-head’s dream to have the latest kicks. Check out these must-haves and add a few pair to your wish list.

6. ASICS Gel Lyte III “Silver” Fully silver. Is half of ASICS “Holiday Champagne” Source: hispotion.com

10. Saucony Grid 9000 “Mint” Color: Mint/Black/White Released: 1994 Made of a mix of materials including mesh and suede.

Price: $80 At Rock City Kicks Source: Kicksonfire.com

5. Air Jordan 6 Retro “Maroon” All white upper with maroon accents and translucent outsole. Originally released in 1991.

Price: $220 / Source: sneakerbardetroit.com

9. Air Jordan 8 Retro “Aqua” Color: Aqua/Bright Concord/Black Debuted:1993 Released: 2007 First worn by Michael Jordan in the ‘93 NBA All Star game in Utah.

Price: $55.20-$500.00 Source: kicksonfire.com and kixify.com 8. New Balance 1400 “Heritage” Color: Burgundy/White (This Model) Burgundy upper complemented by white throughout.

Price: $170 at New Balance Source: hispotion.com 7. ASICS Gel Lyte V “Gold” Draped in premium metallic gold leather with a clean white midsole. Part of ASICS “Holiday Champagne” pack.

Price: $130-$220.00 Source: sneakernews.com

4. Adidas Yeezy Boost Price: $350 at adidas Source: hispotion.com 3. Nike Air Foamposite One “Hologram” Features a holographic-like iridescent design throughout the Foamposite upper.

Price: $250 at Nike / Source: hispotion.com 2. Nike Air Force 1High Retro A blue-based nubuck upper with white accents.

Price: $140 at Nike 1. Air Jordan 11 Retro “72-10” Commemorates the Chicago Bulls 72-20 record season.

Features a full black upper with red accents, white midsole and translucent outsole. Available 12/29/15 Price: At Nike for $210/ Source: hispotion.com TRUE STAR JR. 27

Insta FASHION @ANT ONIO

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WINTER GEAR Worth Rockin’

Tia Pink Rose Taupe Cable Knit Sweater Dress: Marshall’s Vest: Shop.Outfit101.com Boots: Burlington

Janiya Jacket: Marshall’s Jeans: Jimmi Skouls Boots: Chernin’s

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Daria Creative Director: Joi Mitchell Creative Assistant: Danisha Goodman

Sweater- Marshall’s Scarf, Headband and GlovesMarshall’s Boots - Burlington

Photographer:

Mia

Shelby Brown Fashion Stylists:

Leggings, Dress, Scarf & Hat: Marshall’s Boots: Burlington

Nicole Parrott for Kaleidoscope by Kolaberri and Dutch Davis Make Up: Brittany D. Beach for House of Her and Shekayah “Sparkle” Wallace for Pink Kisses Hair: Diamond Beach for House of Her

Jamari Jersey: Amlxlhmdi Hoodie: H&M Jacket: PRSVR Jeans: Zara Shoes: Adidas

Kamren Shirt: H&M Jeans: K&G Coat: Zara Shoes: PRSVR Hat: Urban Outfitters

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BLACK AND

Jamari Extended Shirt: H&M Sweater: Moschino Pants & Shoes: Adidas

Janiya Vest: Ross Sweater: Jimmi Skouls Jeans: Jimmi Skouls Boots: Burlington

Tia ShirtL Jimmi Skouls Hooded Fleece, Leggings & Hat: Marshall’s Boots: Stylist’s Closet

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WHITE

Kamren Hoodie: H&M Pants: Adidas Shoes: New Balance Scarf: Urban Outfitters

Daria Leggings, Vest & Crewneck: Marshall’s Boots: Burlington

Mia Sweater, Leg Warmers & Gloves: Marshall’s Coat: Ross Blouse: Jimmi Skouls Boot: Burlington

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4EVER YOUNG

IS DATING

Appropriate

In 7th & 8th Grade?

BY JORDAN BEASLEY, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY

B

ae. One True Pairing (OTP). Ship. These are all modern words that can be used to describe a dating couple in the 21st century.

With so many new words to describe young love, it is easy to imagine how young kids would feel influenced to begin dating as young as possible.

Eric Smith*, an educator at Lindblom Math & Science Academy, said people began dating around 7th grade when he was growing up.

Lots of people see 6th to 8th grades as a mature transition from kid to teenager, however, others think that those years are the time to prepare for young adulthood and remain innocent. These different points of view bring up the question: “Is dating appropriate in 7th and 8th grade?”

When asked about the appropriate grades to date,16 7th and 8th graders responded with the grades displayed in the chart below:

Most 7th and 8th graders today believe that they are either at or past the age that dating becomes appropriate. However, when asking freshman and up, 50 percent said sophomore year was a more appropriate time to date.

Seventeen percent said freshman year and 32 percent said 8th grade. It was also observed that people who were more independent and alone had higher grades, and thought that people should wait to be more mature before mingling. However, people who were sitting with friends, on their phones, or being social said that it is perfectly fine to begin dating young.

According to a study by the University of Georgia, “Students who date in middle school have significantly worse study skills, are four times more likely to drop out of school and report twice as much alcohol, tobacco and marijuana use than their single classmates, according to new research.” With all this in consideration, what age is too young or just right to be in a relationship? *Name has been changed.

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Soothing SCENTS

BY RITA ORDAZ, NORTH SCOTT JUNIOR HIGH

A

romatherapy can come in a variety of ways. There are different oils, candles and incense. My favorite use of scents comes from burning candles. I use them most when I have a headache, after dance to calm me down, or when I do homework to stay focused. Below is a list of my favorites.

Top 10 Best Scents

To Reduce Teen Stress •Roses

- The scent of rose is usually used to calm and sooth the mind.

•Lavender - Research shows that

•Sandalwood - Sandalwood

is used to induce a clam and meditated state.

•Geranium

- Geranium oil is used to treat acne, sore throats, anxiety, depression and insomnia. It can also uplift your mood and emotional wellness.

•Cinnamon

– Invigorates and warms the senses and can give you a feeling of joy.

Make Your Own Candle:

lavender lowers heat rate and blood pressure, putting you in a relaxed state.

•Chamomile - Studies show that

chamomile relaxes muscles, emotions and brain waves.

•Lemongrass - Lemongrass can calm you down, relieve stress and insomnia.

•Citrus

- All different citrus scents can better your digestion, reduce stress and nausea.

•Jasmine - The aroma of jasmine has

a pleasing and uplifting effect that can fight depression.

•Vanilla - The antioxidants in the scent

of vanilla can protect the body from infections, some forms of cancer, repairs damage already done to the body and stimulates repair.

You’ll need the oil or whatever you are using to get the scent, wax or crayons, a glass container, a strip of string/rope (for the wick), a pot, a pencil and water.

First, put the water in the pot. Boil it, and then set the glass container in the pot. After you do that, tie the string/rope on the pencil and place it on top of the glass container. When you have all of that done, place the wax and oils in to melt.

Once they are melted and blended together, take the container out of the water after it has cooled down. Cut the string off the pencil. When that is finished, you have a personalized DIY candle ready to light.

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To Act or Not to Act?

BY ABIGAIL F. DIZON, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY

W

illiam Shakespeare was an actor and writer that lived from 1564 to1616. During his lifetime, he wrote 37 plays and wrote countless sonnets with his own language.

Shakespeare was well known for his writing, which included a great amount of Early Modern English vocabulary. As Shakespearean language gets older and older, the interest among people decreases, especially in today’s youth. Though many find the subject boring or confusing, there are several groups maintaining that appeal to the amazing works of Shakespeare.

Hyde Park, one of the most diverse neighborhoods in Chicago, is home to a group called Shakespeare’s Youth of Hyde Park (SYHP). Lincoln Brown, the co-founder and director of SYHP, said, “Shakespeare’s Youth of Hyde Park is a working Shakespeare theater group, [where] we do Shakespeare plays, in particular, a full-length play each year.... It’s [made up of] youth from the surrounding area, usually about ages 8 to 12, sometimes up to 15 or 16. We’ve been developing this core of great actors for eight years.”

This group of young actors is just one generation of the 10 years SYHP has been together. Getting to learn and understand the language was just one perk for the actors in SYHP. One of the group’s senior actors, Susan McDougal, said, “I really enjoyed the texts and got super into Shakespeare and the prose, which was fantastic; but the people were probably my favorite part. I got to befriend and work with some of the coolest people I’ve met to date, and I’m so grateful for that chance.”

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In each play, admission is free. They get their money from doing several fund raisers, such as car washes, bake sales, T-shirt sales, and more.

This group keeps the interest of old literature alive in today’s community, and the actors’ aspiration to learn more and keep SYHP alive is truly inspiring.

Girls Shamed

& Guys Praised

BY BRIANNA RINGO, KENWOOD ACADEMY

H

ow many girls out there feel they get judged more harshly on certain topics than guys? That’s because it’s true. There are a lot of different things that guys get praised for but girls get shamed for. Here is a list of these double standards.

1. Being Put In Charge Chances are, at some point in your life you’ve been put in charge of someone. Well, being in charge of someone means you can tell them what to do. However, girls who tell people what to do are considered bossy while guys are considered the leaders in that situation.

2. Messy Room Not all of us clean our room on a regular basis.

However, girls seem to get shamed for having a messy room because it’s disgusting. But, when a guy has a messy room it’s okay because he’s a guy and they aren’t always clean.

3. Single When You’re Older When girls get a certain age people would expect them to settle down, get married, and

have a kid. What if she didn’t? What if she stayed single until she was about 40 and made no attempt to settle down? Based on society’s views, people would probably say she is an old maid who can’t get a man. On the other hand, when a guy stays single for a long amount of time it’s because a girl can’t get him.

4. Motherhood vs. Fatherhood There is always the father who doesn’t know how to take care of a child. So when a man doesn’t know how to nurture it’s considered normal, but when a mother doesn’t know how to care for a child it is looked at as unnatural because women should automatically have that maternal instinct.

Guys don’t have the natural instinct to do that, but they have the natural instinct to protect and provide. Jackson Radcliffe, 40, said, “I was not ready to be left alone with a baby. I was afraid something would happen.”

There are even more reasons why girls get shamed and guys get praised. Girls and guys are different, however, that doesn’t mean girls have to be treated worse than guys.

TRUE STAR JR. 37

CREATIVE & CULTURE CORNER

Capturing North Korean Beauty

BY RHANIYA DAWSON, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY

T

here is beauty all around the world, down the street and even around the corner.

Photographer Mihaela Noroc traveled around the world to capture the beauty and uniqueness of the women in Tajikistan, India, Nepal, Afghanistan, China and several other countries. But, one area that was really surprising was North Korea.

Noroc went to this place that is really secure and isolated to capture something that people have overlooked – its beauty.

Instead of shooting every single ugly thing that happens in North Korea, Noroc captured the beauty of the people as well as the culture. Daily Mail.com reported about Norac’s trip earlier this year and said, “In a mission to counteract Western stereotypes, photographer Mihaela Noroc set across the world to prove that ‘beauty is everywhere’.”

People always assume that if someone comes from a bad place then that means they are also a bad person. Most Westerners think that if North Korea is a very strict, isolated and possibly dangerous place, then that means their people are very dangerous, but that is not the case.

We always assume the worse, when in reality we don’t know the actual truth about how their people live and what their country is like.

Noroc has been able to break down those barriers and show us what their country is like and the beauties of it. Noroc has captured scenes that no other photographers have been able to capture.

Who knows, maybe her photos will change the world some day.

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Rain

BY JOHN IVY III, LEARN CHARTER SCHOOL

Rain, the tears of this life, The emotions of others.

The release of depression, A relief of fear.

Why do we cry?

To water the crops of the earth.

When we cry we create rain, And rain creates happiness.

From our depression comes relief.

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MERS In South Korea

BY SHANIYA L. DAWSON, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY

I

n South Korea there has been a virus going around called MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome). This virus originated in Saudi Arabia and got to South Korea by a 68-year old man who came from the Middle East, back to South Korea, and went to the hospital to get treated for the virus. But, he was not sealed off from the other patients because nobody was aware that he had the virus. He went to several hospitals and pharmacies to get treated. As he was doing so, the virus started to spread and eventually the patient, and the others who got infected, were put under quarantine.

Since this patient was the start of the virus in South Korea, they called him Patient 0. Over 1,000 people had contacted the virus and 36 people died, according to FOX and BBC news.

People wore facemasks for protection because they were afraid that they would catch the 40 TRUE STAR JR.

virus. The main side effects of MERS for many people are coughing, shortness of breath, and diarrhea.

FOX News reported in June that on a worldwide scale, there were approximately 1,170 cases and around 480 deaths due to the virus, according to the European Center for Disease, Prevention and Control.

Luckily, now the virus outbreak is over. Korean Prime Minister, Hwang Kyo- ahn said that people can stop worrying and go on with their normal lives. It was said that in order to make the “de facto end� announcement there had to be 28 days without any signs of the virus. The last case was reported on July 4th, according to BBC News. It had been three weeks after that the Prime Minister had decided to declare South Korea a MERS free country.

Our Voices

BY JORDAN DUNN, LASALLE LANGUAGE ACADEMY Movies like memories, frames fall back quickly, And let’s say the hero of this story travels silently searching for someone vague and mysterious.

Let’s say on his horse he will traverse caverns and canyons searching for his vague companion.

Let’s say that in town there is no luck and as night rolls around, our hero has found the one.

And it says lowly its words, hide under the fire, slowly it continues, realizing the meaning is lost, he turns around knowing one day their paths will cross, and at any cost he will find the meaning of what is to “find yourself.”

As the singer sings her voice is lost within the crowd.

Its low, and the instruments are loud. A hush falls over them, no sound is made, the singer stands there, her head bowed down in shame. The noise continues, she holds the microphone tighter.

She can’t lose, she has always been a fighter.

The singer has found her voice.

As the singer stands her voice is there within the crowd, it is strong, and the instruments are loud. She strikes her voice, powerful and strong and there is no sound but the singing.

A warning to my peers, run like crazy, the end is near and all your fears like Duracel for these demons they gotta goal, gotta fight they want your soul, keep calm and control.

Run like crazy, the end is here and everybody has lost their souls, millions on the death toll, man, Apple is on a roll!

These monsters in motion moving like a monorail losing no momentum Too blind to realize that they materialized from our fears.

Peers as citizens, let’s not lose to a clone prison.

Instead of drop dead in all this tension, let’s envision something that brings us at peace.

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DEEPER THAN SKIN

Assaults On Campus:

How Colleges Are Fighting Back

BY FATIMAH SKEETS, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY

A

serious issue that’s been going on all over the nation is finally getting some attention.

People are starting to take up an interest in sexual assault on campuses. Many individuals are getting justice today, as a result of the crackdown on colleges about attacks on campuses.

“Among female college students, 23 percent said they experienced some form of unwanted sexual contact – ranging from kissing to touching to rape, carried out by force or threat of force,” or while they were incapacitated because of alcohol and drugs, according to the new survey by the Association of American Universities (AAU), cnn. com reported. For years, people have gotten attacked, served no justice, and lived their lives in fear of another attack. Today though, colleges are waking up to face the brunt of reality – and fighting back against the perpetrators. Statistics show just how bad the problem is.

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“In a given calendar year, nearly one in 20 U.S. college women will be the victim of a completed or attempted rape,” according to a 2000 Justice Department report. The report added that, “during the course of a typical five-year college career, that means as many as 20 to 25 percent can become rape victims.”

Those statistics are pretty high, and colleges are finding creative ways to fight the criminals and get justice for past victims.

As a result of college and university assaults, this past April the University of Michigan created a Special Victims Unit “focused on reducing the incidence of sexual assault and related crimes on the Ann Arbor campus.”

“The Special Victims Unit will be dedicated to responding to and investigating sexual assaults, domestic violence, stalking and child abuse,” said Robert Neumann, University of Michigan Ann Arbor’s chief of police. The school is hoping this new division will increase safety for women.

New Year’s Resolution Solutions

BY BRIANNA RINGO, KENWOOD ACADEMY

A

ccording to the Statistics Brain Research Institute, only eight percent of people follow through with their New Year’s resolutions. Yes, a lot of people strive to be better when the New Year comes around, but most of us make resolutions that fade away before February gets here. These are some solutions to keep up with your resolutions.

Be Realistic

Don’t make resolutions that you know you are not going to keep up with, like giving up your favorite food. You know you are going to eat it again when you get tempted.

Tell Other People

Don’t keep your resolutions to yourself. Tell people, especially people who are around you all the time. They can help you keep up with your goals.

Get Over Mistakes

We are all human and we make mistakes. Just because you break one or two resolutions does not mean you have to go crazy and give up. Start over and try not to do it again.

Create A Schedule

If you want to keep up with the resolutions you better make a schedule. Set goals on certain dates to keep up with the resolutions. Even set dates when you can just kickback and celebrate such as birthdays and holidays.

Not All Winners

When your plan is at an end you may or may not have succeeded in it. If you did, great for you. Try to make it a long-term thing. If you did not succeed, then there’s always next year when you can try to find other ways to keep up with your New Year’s resolutions.

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KEEPIN’ SCORE

Ariel Basketball

Team’s Tiebreaker

BY LADORA THOMAS, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY

A

riel Elementary Community Academy was led to the championships, undefeated, by Marquise “Kezo” Brown and Chase Adams in the basketball season of the 2013-2014 school year. Unfortunately, last year they did not compete in the final championship game. Ariel’s rival team, Beasley Elementary School, went undefeated and won the championship. But, is this Ariel’s season to come back, better and stronger than ever to break the tie?

The Ariel Storm players said they feel as if this year will be the tiebreaker between the two teams.

The team is confident about this year because of the addition of five new players. All of the players have played on AAU teams either with each other or outside of school. Being able to play with each other often has helped them connect more as a team and as a family. This has given them an extra boost of confidence to achieve what Adams and Brown did two years ago.

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“I love my team and there is no doubt that we are going to take it all the way,” said 8th grader Terrence Boykins. Boykins plays point guard for the Ariel Storm.

Fellow teammate Kevin Drumgool, also an 8th grader at Ariel and power/small forward for the Storm, said he feels the same way. Yet, he knows that they will have to work really hard in order to win. “The stuff that they [Chase and Kezo] did was really rare, and we have to really work hard to achieve it,” Brumgoole said.

Ariel has to trust that their teammates know how to play and defend any team that goes against them.

Ariel’s comeback is centered on trust, love and family, because when you love your family, you can trust them with anything, including the championship game point.

Female Sport Opportunities At The Kenwood Academic Center

BY IMANI JOSEPH, KENWOOD ACADEMY

G

irls at Kenwood Academy Academic Center have limited athletic opportunities. On the school’s website, girls’ swimming has no facility or staff available. There are five other female sports on the website that are labeled “coming soon.” Why are girls’ sports merely coming soon when the male sports are in full motion?

Thirteen-year-old Anjonae Coleman is lucky. She found a sport at Kenwood she can participate in. That sport is basketball, one of the few available during the first semester of the school year. Coleman weighed in on the issue. “Luckily, I don’t play those [other] sports, so I have no strong dislike or like [about not having more options],” said Coleman.

There are others who don’t directly participate in girls’ sports, but they think that something should change. “I feel that they are not giving girls an opportunity,” said Azeez Adedji, a male student.

The main reason girls’ sports teams are not active at Kenwood is because there are no

women or male coaches available. “The male coaches are tied to the high school teams,” said Evan Saurdi. “Find the time and I would [coach].” Saurdi teaches at the school and coaches girls and boys cross country.

Since girls were given the opportunity to participate in sports due to Title IX of the Education Act in 1972, the number of girls who play sports has jumped 400 percent.

“Girls and women who play sports have higher levels of confidence and self-esteem and lower levels of depression,” according to womensportsfoundation.org. The website Active For Life reported more good news about female involvement in sports. According to the site, girls aged 12 to 24 who participated in sports reduced their chances of developing breast cancer. These reasons alone are enough to demand that more sports for girls be put in motion at Kenwood. Hopefully things will change soon.

TRUE STAR JR. 45

SCHOOL SPIRIT

A Butler Did It?

BY MAGALY MURO, LINDBLOM, MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY

I

t was great! Lindblom Math & Science Academy actors performed “A Butler Did It?” during the month of November. The actors performed for three days.

Several students had a chance to check out the play. Most liked what they saw. “I think the play was good. I liked how all the characters never broke scene. They always stayed in character,” said Kwinton Berry, 14.

The play, written by Robert Scott, focuses on the dysfunctional Butler family who came together for the funeral of their beloved—not so much— Aunt Francesca. However, various members of the family have dark secrets and sinister motives, leading to a corpse and intrigues aplenty in this murder-mystery farce. The play is an agony filled comedy that takes place in the Butler’s “late” Aunt Francesca’s home.

The play was filled with plot twists here and there. It is a play that any age could watch and be entertained. “I think the play was interesting,” Jonathan Howell, 14, said. “I feel like the whole fact that everything was unexpected really made the play better.”

Lindblom staff and students put in lots of hard work and collaborated to help make the play possible. Adia McCastle, 14, was happy to be part of the cast. She said working on the play was a great learning experience. “It wasn’t really hard learning the lines when I put my mind to it,” said McCastle who played Kimberly Butler, aunt Francesca’s niece in-law. Kimberly was also the wife of Andrew Butler. “I became friends 46 TRUE STAR JR.

with the other cast members,” she said. “So now we see each other in the hallway and say, ‘Hi.’ It’s nice having new friends, and I’m really glad everyone enjoyed the play.”

Lindblom’s scenic designers (stage crew) did a great job lighting and making sure the scenes looked authentic. Without the stage crew the performance would not have been possible. We thank all those who participated and those who came out to support our young actors.

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