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Dialogue//Nov. 7, 2018
STUDENT LIFE
DETROIT
OBAMA AT CASS TECH
COMING OUT WALL
PAGE 16 » Students share secrets, support via hallway installation
PAGE 5 » Former president visits Michigan to rally Democrats ahead of midterm elections
THE STUDENT VOICE OF DETROIT’S HIGH SCHOOLS
LEAVING SPORTS
HER MARK
PAGE 22 » The only girl on the football team, Southeastern’s Azia Isaac builds her reputation for being a tough player STUDENT LIFE
SPORTS
A VARSITY LETTER IN GAMING PAGE 3 » Will MHSAA add esports? SPORTS
PLAY BALL
PAGE 10 » Miguel Cabrera hosts events for kids at the Corner A PUBLICATION OF
Water issues Schools cope with contamination PAGE 2 » DPSCD responds to copper, lead issues in drinking water PAGE 24 » Some students favor new water stations
STUDENT LIFE
BALANCING ACT
PAGE 13 » DPSCD addresses security
CRAIN MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY DETROIT HIGH SCHOOL JOURNALISM
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2 DetroitDialogue.com Nov. 7, 2018 DETROIT
Water crisis: Is Detroit the new Flint?
Dialogue
Vol. IV, No. 1 | Nov. 7, 2018
Detroit Dialogue is published by Crain Michigan State University Detroit High School Journalism to showcase the work of student journalists in the city of Detroit. Dialogue has been established as a forum for student expression and as a voice in the uninhibited, robust, free and open discussion of issues.
By Oumie Camara The Communicator It’s been three years since the Flint Water Crisis first made headlines. Now, many Detroit schools are being affected with dangerous levels of lead and copper in some school buildings. According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) lead consumption can affect the heart, lungs, and kidneys, and comes along with many other long-term health effects. Detroit Public Schools Community District superintendent
Communication & Media Arts Nikolai Vitti went to action with transparency and a task force geared to alleviating the problem for the students, faculty and staff in the district. Water dispensers were placed in the schools with pallets of bottled water for safe consumption. Schools were instructed to post warning signs in lavatories not to drink the See CRISIS on page 9 »
OUMIE CAMARA/THE COMMUNICATOR
Students are drinking more water.
All content is prepared by students at participating Detroit high schools. Students receive advice and training from program staff and professional journalists from Crain Communications Inc. throughout the publication process. Michigan State University, Crain Communications and participating schools assume no liability for the content of Dialogue, and urge all student journalists to recognize that with editorial control comes responsibility, including the responsibility to follow professional journalism standards. Opinions expressed in Dialogue are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect those of participating schools, Michigan State University or Crain Communications.
ABOUT CRAIN MSU DETROIT HIGH SCHOOL JOURNALISM Crain MSU Detroit High School Journalism enriches the educational experiences of students in the city of Detroit. Our work brings high school students together with professional journalists, Michigan State University faculty members and MSU journalism students to produce a newspaper and news website about the issues affecting students’ schools and their peers. The program is coordinated by the faculty of the School of Journalism at MSU with the support of Detroitbased Crain Communications Inc..
OUR TEAM Joy Visconti, joyvis@msu.edu Director, Crain MSU Detroit High School Journalism
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Jeremy W. Steele, steelej @msu.edu Scholastic journalism outreach director, MSU School of Journalism Joe Grimm, jgrimm@msu.edu Program adviser & editor in residence, MSU School of Journalism
RAECHEL DAVIS/MUSTANG VOICE
Junior DeAndra Welch fills a cup at the water cooler on her way to class on Nov. 1. The coolers were placed next to drinking fountains along with signs reminding students that tap water in the school is only for washing; not for drinking.
DPSCD HAS PLAN AFTER COPPER, LEAD FOUND IN SCHOOLS’ DRINKING WATER By Divine Crawford and Yoder Faulkner Mustang Voice Vomiting, diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea, liver damage and kidney disease. Those are possible effects of having elevated amounts of cop-
year without drinking fountains because test results showed unsafe levels of copper and/or lead in several school buildings. Mumford’s problem is copper. Senior Lashawn Elliott had heard about the water problems
Mumford per in your body. Every school in the Detroit Public Schools Community District (DPSCD) started the school
but didn’t know the specifics. “I never heard anything about copper. Like everyone else I know,” Elliott said, “I thought it was about lead.” For many DPSCD schools, See WATER on page 21 »
2018-2019 CRAIN MSU DETROIT HIGH SCHOOL JOURNALISM PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS
MSU student design team: Amanda Barberena, Audriana Gibson, Madison Loney, Nadia Mustin, Luke Olosky & Devan Pennington
Benjamin Carson School for Science & Medicine Principal Charles Todd
SUPPORTED BY
Cass Technical High School Principal Lisa Phillips Communication & Media Arts High School Principal Donya Odom
Detroit Cristo Rey High School Principal Kevin Cumming Detroit School of the Arts Principal Lisa Reynolds Frederick Douglass Academy for Young Men Principal Willie White
Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School Principal Deborah Jenkins Mumford High School Principal Angela Prince Renaissance High School Principal Verynda Stroughter
Southeastern High School Principal Damian Perry West Side Academy Principal Andrea Ford-Ayler Western International High School Principal Angel Garcia
THANK YOU TO OUR CRAIN MENTORS AND SUPPORTERS In addition to the professional mentors listed along with student staff members in this publication, we wish to thank the following Crain employees for their assistance: KC Crain, Jason Stein, Krishnan Anantharaman, Kristen Pantalena, Eric Cedo, Phil Nussel, Dan Jones, Alan Luckwalk and Terry Driscoll.
Nov. 7, 2018 DetroitDialogue.com 3
THE DIAGNOSTIC Benjamin Carson High School of Science and Medicine | carsondiagnostic.com ACADEMICS
School closing affects 200 students By Sheria Henderson The Diagnostic When Delta Preparatory Academy for Social Justice suddenly announced it was closing on Sept. 27, about 200 Detroit area high School students were left without a school. The school announced that it will cease operations on Oct. 1,
leaving the students to scramble to find a new school before count day on Oct. 3. “I felt it was bad situation, and left a bitter taste in my mouth,” said Paul Bennett, who attended Delta Prep Academy since 10th grade. The fiduciary for the school is Ferris State University. EQUITY
Education, the management company for the charter school, has recommended parents sign up for two of its other high schools. Edith Frylie, the school board president, said a plan presented by Equity was not sustainable and felt they needed to close the school before student count day, the Detroit Free Press reported.
STUDENT LIFE
“Our enrollment specialists along with the surrounding DPSCD high school ... leaders are planning to attend the two parent meetings scheduled,” Chrystal Wilson, spokeswoman for the Detroit Public Schools Community District, told the Free Press. DPSCD Enrollment Specialist Monica DeGarmo has confirmed
23 former Delta Prep students are currently attending DPSCD schools. The students are attending Communication & Media Arts High School, Martin Luther King Jr. High School, Westside Academy, Henry Ford High School, Ben Carson High School, and East English Village Preparatory Academy.
SPORTS
SHOULD GAMING BE A VARSITY SPORT?
Gaming in this generation is taken quite seriously, but some feel like it should be taken as seriously as varsity sports such as basketball, football or baseball. The Diagnostic surveyed 225 students.
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30 25 20 15 10 5 0
GRADE 9 10 11 12 GENDER Female
9 10 11 12 Male
YES
9 10 11 12 Female
9 10 11 12 Male
NO
POLL BY CHRISTOPHER PATTERSON AND AZARIA JOHNSON/THE DIAGNOSTIC
KELLY WHITE/U.S. AIR FORCE
Even though the schools and the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) are trying to stop students from vaping by making ads about the dangers of vaping, students still insist on doing it.
VAPING
EPIDEMIC? By Jubair Ahmed, Nowrin Isla & Tafsia Tonmi The Diagnostic Statistics show that vaping is even more common than smoking cigarettes in the U.S. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 15 % of U.S. adults smoke cigarettes whereas, 3.2% of adults vape. According to The American Psychiatric Association, about 13 percent of eighth graders,
24 percent of 10th graders, and nearly 28 percent of 12th graders at U.S. schools reported using a vaping device in the past year. “Vaping has become a big issue because it distracts students from academics,” said Benjamin Carson High School teacher Francisco Algarra. “No, no, no, no, no, vaping is a big problem and can lead to heart disease, lung disease, and brain damage,” said Benjamin Carson principal Charles Todd. “It can
THE DIAGNOSTIC
also lead to gateway drugs, and I wouldn’t wish it upon my worst enemy.” Even though the schools and the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) are trying to stop students from vaping by making ads about the dangers of vaping, students still insist on doing it. Teens are finding ways to conceal and use vaping devices, and sellers are making it easier by creating smaller and more compact vapes.
Editors-in-Chief: Arissa Cotton & Ja’Lynn Jones Adviser: Frank Odeh Crain Mentor: Chad Livengood
Will MHSAA add video gaming as a varsity sport?
By Paul Bennett, Brice Logan, Azaria Johnson and Christopher Patterson The Diagnostic Video gaming a sport? The Michigan High School Athletic Association is considering adding it as a varsity sport. Some people think video games aren’t sports because they don’t require any physical endurance. “I don’t think it should be a sport, and I believe the MHSAA won’t make it one,” said Yasir Hamdan, athletic director and dean of students at Universal Academy in Southwest Detroit. A recent poll of 225 students conducted at Ben Carson High School found that 51 percent believed video games shouldn’t be a sport while 46 percent think that video games should be a sport. The poll also found females oppose video gaming becoming a sport more than males. Ninth grade student Michael
Roberson said, “ If I was still into it like I was, I would want it to be a varsity sport, but I’m not into it anymore.” Ninth grader Shyniah Lewis said, “Video gaming is very popular, so yeah it should be a sport.” Video games have a huge competitive scene as big as or bigger than sports organizations such as the NBA, NFL, and MLB. To put into perspective how big the Esports scene is in 2016 the Grand Finals for the popular fighting game Street Fighter V had more viewers watching on ESPN than the NBA Grand Finals. “Gaming should be a varsity sport because it’s fun and competitive,” said Hussain Mahbob, an 11th grader.” However, 12th grader Tyrone Taylor said it shouldn’t be a varsity sport “because you’re not exercising and sports are very physical and you’re not getting any physical movement.”
4 DetroitDialogue.com Nov. 7, 2018 OPINION
STUDENT LIFE
Benjamin Carson
THE DIAGNOSTIC
LEFT: Class representatives getting ready for a pie eating contest. BELOW: Seniors getting fired up at the pep rally.
Funeral home story hits close to home By DeAudree Battle The Diagnostic On the night of Oct. 12 in Detroit, at Cantrell Funeral Home on Detroit’s east side, 11 bodies of infants and still born babies were found in the ceiling. I was shocked by that. I’ve been to that funeral home multiple times when I was younger. The last time I was there I was at a viewing for my grandfather. Years before that, it was my other grandfather’s service at the very same funeral home. It’s in the neighborhood, and to find out that dead bodies of babies were found was shocking and horrifying. I been living in that neighborhood, since I was 7 years old and never thought that something like
Benjamin Carson that could happen. Earlier this year, Cantrell was shut down due to “unsanitary conditions.” As reported by WXYZ Channel 7 Detroit the property’s current owner, Naveed Syed, who recently purchased the property, was the one who called the police after discovering the gruesome site. Remains were found in boxes and two small caskets. I hope that the families of these babies get justice and that police find out who was responsible for this, so they can be held accountable for their crimes.
STUDENT LIFE
RALLY
PEP
Carson royalty honored
THE DIAGNOSTIC THE DIAGNOSTIC
Juniors get ready for the prep rally.
STUDENT LIFE
STUDENT LIFE
CT student starts new gay-straight alliance By Nyla Carter CT Visionary Imagine what it would be like to put on a mask everyday and cover your true identity. What would it be like to put on a fake persona, to hide who you really are just to survive. Most people camouflage their true identity, because they are afraid of judgement and ridicule. For an ample amount of people in the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer or Questioning community this is a sad reality. At Cass and many other Detroit Public Schools Community District schools there has
The 2018 Ben Carson Homecoming Court included Nyla Ponder (Lady), Jaylin Simpson (Duke), Destiny Brown (Duchess), Latrell Williams (Prince), DayVeonna Jones (Princess), Jamal Thomas (Homecoming King) and Taniya Mitchell (Homecoming Queen).
Cass Tech been an increased presence of student’s that are also members of the LGBTQ community in recent years. However, student members of the LGBTQ community have felt that they have no representation or safe haven group to assist them with issues that impact them daily. According to reports from the Center for American Progress, 76 percent of teens affiliated with the LGBTQ community reported being verbally assaulted and 24 See CT GSA on page 7 »
Surviving cancer and high school By Courtney Mack CT Visionary She survived cancer. Now comes the hard part: Returning to school. Brianna Smith, a Cass Tech senior, is an AP/IB student who recently survived cancer. She was diagnosed with Stage 4 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and that didn’t stop her from being a scholar. She found out about her sickness in the middle of her junior year. Her cancer diagnosis caused her to miss half of a semester of school that year; but she kept going. Because she was to finish high school, she stayed on top of her work even while being treated for cancer. It was a long journey for Smith, but healing was on the way.
Cass Tech Smith found out that her treatment plan was a success and that she beat cancer. While she was happy to beat her diagnosis, she was nervous about returning to school. She didn’t imagine that it would be cordial environment for her especially during her dramatic changes like the loss of her hair and some loss of memory. Yet, none of this stopped her from finishing off high school and Brianna stayed confident in herself no matter what happened. “My cancer has helped me find a new appreciation for people because you never know what someone is going through. It taught me
to be humbler, not that I wasn’t humble before, I just don’t judge anyone because I don’t know what day they had before I said hello to them,” Smith said. Her cancer journey was clearly a blessing in disguise because she said it taught her how to care more. She is continuing to be successful in her life just like she was before she was diagnosed. Smith said she lives her life now by joining new programs like starting a women’s empowerment/support platform that encourages young women to take pride in motivating and complimenting each other. Additionally, she is involved in poetry club, National Honors Society, and Cyber Patriots; a cyber security program.
Nov. 7, 2018 DetroitDialogue.com 5
CT VISIONARY
TECHNICALLY SPEAKING A public forum for the community of Cass Technical High School | ctvisionary.com DETROIT
CT fired up for President Obama Former President Barack Obama brought out the best of Detroit on Oct. 26. Michigan residents stood in lines wrapped around the building because waiting in the cold for hours is worth the wait when it comes to grabbing seat at Cass Tech to see Obama speak. OPINION
Among those waiting in line were, Cass Tech Alumni and candidate for State Rep. Myya Jones. While many Michiganders were in line to hear Obama speak, attendees had the opportunity hear from many Democratic nominees about their political platforms and why
Michiganders should give them their vote. Many Democrats spoke at the rally including: Congressional candidates Elissa Slotkin, Haley Stevens, Brenda Lawrence, Rashida Talib and Brenda Jones.
CT VISIONARY
Former President Barack Obama led a Democratic rally at Cass Tech High School on Oct. 26.
See OBAMA on page 6 »
STUDENT LIFE
Is the future of art at stake? By Aja Abney and Carlyn Brown CT Visionary High school students are missing a fundamental building block in their education at public schools: the arts. When you picture high school, you typically see athletes running plays, school dances, and yearbook photo ops. Rarely do you think of students writing plays, composing the music you dance to, and creating vivid images. Why is that? In recent years, there has been a decline in how the arts, creative and performing, are perceived in schools. The reason for their neglect is budget cuts. Why are the arts the first to go when there are insufficient funds? Simple, they are not seen as important. “The arts are underappreciated forms of self-expression,” Cass Tech junior Miles Richards said. In a poll taken by 32 high school students and graduates, 18.75 percent were not exposed to the arts in the high school setting. Imagine six out of every 32 students nationwide not being introduced or exposed to any form of creative expression in a place where they spend most of their time. That is a reality in the public-school system. According the to Detroit Free Press, 55 out of 81 Detroit public schools had no arts education in their general ed curriculums during the 20172018 school year. What are the arts and why are See ART on page 7 »
CT VISIONARY
Former Cass Tech football player Terry Irby faced dialysis until receiving a kidney transplant. “I went to hospital in a three-piece suit and went into surgery and received my kidney,” Irby said.
PLAYING FOR KEEPS Kidney transplant saves former football player By Aja Gaines CT Visionary Terry Irby is enjoying life after years of pain and depression. At the age of 13, Irby, a former offensive and defensive lineman for Cass Tech’s football team, was sent down to the office during school and was told his bloodwork results were abnormal. Irby and his family rushed to the emergency room to get more bloodwork drawn and to
CT VISIONARY
TECHNICALLY SPEAKING
wait for results. “My sister met us there. Everybody was crying except me. It was kind of hard, I don’t like seeing my family cry,” Irby said. After the doctors took Irby’s blood, they took him to get a biopsy on his kidney. There was so much damage done to the kidney, the doctors said that he was “blessed to be alive.” The next morning Irby went into surgery to have a catheter place into his chest and was put on a dialysis to remove some of the extra fluid from his body. The doctors put Irby on a high dose of steroids to try to
Editor: Aja Gaines Adviser: Stephanie Griffin Crain Mentor: Don Loepp
pump his kidneys back up, but it did not work. After five days in the hospital the doctors told his family that he would need a kidney transplant. Until the surgery, Irby was put on a dialysis and had a strict diet to go by, so he wouldn’t do any further damage. He had to get a fistula to remove the catheter because it can cause damage to the heart. Two weeks after getting out of the hospital Irby was back to practice. He was upset that he couldn’t play football anymore, but he was still a part of the team.
Staff: Jourdin Robinson
“They are like family. Every day I help out the football team as a team manager.” Said Irby. Irby had a dialysis three times a week for four hours a day. Irby said, “I was on dialysis and was still going to every practice and game that I could go to even when I could barely keep my eyes open for nearly two years.” After two years of being on dialysis Terry received a call from his transplant coordinator saying they found a match. “I went to hospital in a See KIDNEY on page 7 »
6 DetroitDialogue.com Nov. 7, 2018
OBAMA
Former president talks Cass Tech football too FROM PAGE 5
“We will win this, we will win this,” Brenda Jones added to her campaign. Lawrence focused on the women in her speech. “All men and women are created equal.” Secretary of State candidate Jocelyn Benson said, “wouldn’t it be nice to not wait in line at the Secretary of State.” Gretchen Whitmer, running for Governor of Michigan said “I’m sick of the Attorney General” and encouraged Michiganders to give them her vote so that she could make change for the state.
“I think it’s cool to have a great football team who’s also called the Technicians.” Former President Barack Obama
Former President Barack Obama made sure to mention Cass Tech’s undefeated football team, which riled up the crowd. “I hear the Technicians got the best football team. I think it’s cool to have a great football team who’s also called the Technicians,” he said.
BELOW LEFT: Democratic gubernatorial candidate Gretchen Whitmer with CT Visionary adviser Stephanie Griffin, right, and editor Aja Gaines.
BOTTOM LEFT: Former President Barack Obama with Cass Tech principal Lisa Phillips.
BELOW: Cass Tech alum and candidate for state representative Myya Jones attended the rally with her family.
The Democratic candidates got the crowd riled up to vote. But Obama really got the crowd excited. During Obama’s speech, he encouraged Michiganders to vote Democratic during the Nov. 6 midterm election. Obama personally endorsed every candidate that participated in the rally, including Debbie Stabenow and Whitmer. Though Obama was at the rally to encourage Michiganders to vote for the democratic candidates, one of the attendees in the crowd shouted for Obama to run for president again. “I can’t do that, baby. I follow the Constitution,” he said. Obama had many standout moments during the rally; however, the most notable moment for Cass Technical High School was the many shoutouts he gave CT. Obama gave a special shout out to the Technicians and their undefeated football team. “I hear the Technicians… I hear the Technicians got the best football team. I think it’s cool to have a great football team who’s also called the Technicians,” Obama said. Obama also acknowledged the Cass Tech Marching Band as they played “Swag Surf” prior to his introduction. “Let’s give it up for the band, Cass Tech!” Obama said, and the Cass Tech VIP section along with the other Michiganders went wild. The rally concluded with a charge for Michiganders to vote Nov. 6. Following the rally, Obama met The Cass Technical High School Marching Band and allowed students the opportunity to take photographs. CT Visionary adviser Stephanie Griffin contributed to this report.
Nov. 7, 2018 DetroitDialogue.com 7 OPINION
CT VISIONARY
While smartphones in the classroom can be viewed as a distraction, there are many educational apps that helps teachers and students.
Smartphone can help classroom learning By Jayla Bracy CT Visionary Today’s youth are looked down on for their social media habits and seemingly chronic use of cellphones. But what if social media benefits kids around the world in and out of the classroom? Social media usage can be a controversial topic. It can be viewed as a distraction for the generation. Some people are even against children using apps such as Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat. However, new apps and different teaching methods involving technology can benefit students. Edmodo, a main tool used in classrooms around the world, is a prime example. Edmodo states that it is a free classroom communication hub that lets you engage with your classes and connect with teachers globally. Students use Edmodo to turn in assignments, to message teachers and students in their class. Overall, students become more invested their school work because of the convenience of access provided by technology. Kahoot! is also another example of beneficial technology. Kahoot! is a free gaming quiz website that is used in classrooms on students’ phones to study for quizzes and tests. Kahoot’s quizzes range from many subjects from U.S. History
KIDNEY
Irby went to transplant surgery in 3-piece suit FROM PAGE 5
three-piece suit and went into surgery and received my kidney.” Irby said. “Since then I’ve been healthy, more active and happier
Cass Tech to Calculus. Kahoot is also beneficial because it allows anyone to create on their website. So, if a “quiz” does not properly cover the topics teachers are trying to cover, they can make their own quiz. Furthermore, students can even make their own quizzes since it is accessible to everyone. Remind is another example of beneficial technology usage. Remind is an app that sends alerts to your device from your teacher. Remind is a tool used in schools to allow teachers to communicate easily with their students and parents. These alerts are sent by staff, including teachers and advisors, to get alerts on homework, deadlines, or communication/help between students, teachers, etc. It is favorable for teachers to communicate to their class and no kids are left behind. It also gives the students a voice, features such as polls and comments are promoted in the app as well. These apps and websites are providing a new era of teaching. It makes the classroom more accessible for both students and teachers. These new creations of technology provide a better understanding and communication for classrooms around the world, all thanks to technology.
because I went through a minor depression while I was on dialysis. I have more freedom now and no dietary restrictions.” After high school Irby plans to go to a community college for sports management and then plans to transfer to the University of Michigan.
CT VISIONARY
According the to Detroit Free Press, 55 out of 81 Detroit public schools had no arts education in their general ed curriculums during the 2017-2018 school year.
ART
Creativity, expression are important for students FROM PAGE 5
they important? “What makes something an art has less to do with content and more to do with lens and approach,” said Devin Samuels, Youth Leadership Coordinator for Inside Out Literary Arts Program. “Approaching any content with the lens of exploration and the tools of creativity spliced with the idea of refinement, improving, could be considered an art.” The arts are activities that allow creative and imaginative
expression. They are often broken into eight forms: architecture, sculpture, painting, music, literature, dance, cinema, and theater. Exposure to these branches of creativity helps to engage the minds, bodies, and senses of the youth. As stated in California’s Statewide Arts Education Coalition 2015’s, “A Blueprint for Creative Schools”, the arts are disciplined processes that require skills, knowledge, and control while involving critical thinking as well as imaginative insights and fresh ideas. All of which are great qualities and skills to have in a successful academic career. A survey given to 32 people in the Metro Detroit Area revealed that 40.6 percent of people, who
did not have arts programs in their high schools, felt the lack of exposure caused a negative impact on their learning experience. 87.5 percent of people who had access to artistic programs felt that they were effective in their learning environment. “A system without creativity, allows limited means of innovation,” says an anonymous source. The arts do not have to die in the public education system. Some solutions are to create and facilitate arts programs as after school activities, implement different forms of arts into common core curriculum, and fundraise to get the arts back into general education.
CT GSA
With 70 members, new club becomes one of the largest at Cass Tech FROM PAGE 4
percent have reported being physically assaulted. A report from National Alliance on mental illness states that LGBTQ teens also must deal with the hardships of being rejected by their family, which can cause feelings of isolation, depression, and more long-term mental health issues. Moreover, homelessness is an issue for teens in the LGBTQ community, with 40 percent of LGBTQ teens are homeless due to family rejection according to a study from the Williams Institute at UCLA. These issues can cause problems that will follow these students into adulthood reports The Graduate Center of City University of New York. Cass Tech senior Christian Irving founded a new club called the Gay Straight Alliance to help create a space to work on these issues. The Gay Straight Alliance (G.S.A) is a social club that meets every Monday after school. With 70 members, G.S.A is one of the largest clubs at Cass. “I started the club because when I was in the ninth, 10th, and 11th grade I felt like I didn’t have anybody. I just wanted to normalize being gay,” Irving said. The club not only discusses issues the LGBTQ community, but they also discuss women’s rights and social issues. The Gay Straight Alliance is a safe haven for
CT VISIONARY
Cass Tech senior Christian Irving recently founded the Gay Straight Alliance, which has 70 members.
there members and wants to help flourish in to successful, and confident men and women in society. “The Purpose of the G.S.A is to bring together our community and educate,” Irving said. “The goal of the G.S.A is for there not to be a need for a G.S.A. My mission is to educate and let people know I am a person to.”
8 DetroitDialogue.com Nov. 7, 2018
THE COMMUNICATOR
A public forum for the students and community of Communication and Media Arts High School | cmacommunicator.com ACADEMICS
STUDENT LIFE
Colleges pursue affordable tuition options By Christian Johnson The Communicator What if I told you that you could possibly go to one of the best colleges in the country, free of cost? America’s most prestigious colleges and universities are giving free tuition to admitted students if they make less than $125,000-140,000 and no out-ofpocket costs for school for those of whom who make less than $65,000. “The threshold for a full ride is really low and puts people who make a little more in a predicament,” said senior Jeryn Washington. College is a very expensive investment, however our top colleges for instance: Rice University, University of Chicago, and Stanford University are making that investment reasonable. Many underrepresented impoverished and lower class individuals see these colleges as inaccessible because of their high demanding costs. This discourages many people to even to apply to these schools. “I think it’s fantastic to mingle with the top students in the country, these schools are your dream schools and with these scholarships, it lets your dreams come true,” said CMA college counselor Mrs. HudsonJohnson. These colleges are also making strides in becoming test optional, which sees the student as more of an individual rather than a test score, as well as carrying more weight on extracurricular activities. These attempts to admit unrepresented groups has come into effect this year, making the class of 2023 the first recipients of this gracious aid, equalling more than $5 billion. “Our highest priority is to remain affordable and accessible to the most talented students, regardless of their financial circumstances,” Stanford provost John Etchemendy wrote on Stanford’s website in 2015.
THE COMMUNICATOR
CMA’s Tammie Clark shows off her Princeton gear. Clark, the Communicator’s editor-in-chief, participated in Princeton’s summer journalism program.
CMA student journalist spends time at Princeton By Armaris Hampton The Communicator One of CMA’s own had chance to not only visit Princeton University, but participate in their journalism workshop. Tammie Clark, the Communicator’s editor-in-chief, participated in Princeton’s summer journalism program. The program
took place during Aug. 3-13. Once there, Clark had to adjust not only to the climate and culture of the prestigious university, but to the climate and culture of New Jersey and just being a student in general. From navigating the campsite to the constant workflow of the program, she has learned to do it all.
“The most challenging thing I had to face was adjusting. It was challenging because I had such a packed schedule and I to adjust to getting everything done. Almost every night we had a deadline to meet,” Clark said. Though the experience was somewhat intense she gained a
lot of skills and perspective on the world of journalism. “There are many sides to journalism,” Clark said. “For example, you can handle it from a political,visual, or written standpoint. I learned a lot about making connections and reaching out to those who can help me as well as helping others.”
DETROIT
Students see Obama visit as hopeful sign
Obama
THE COMMUNICATOR
By Tammie Clark The Communicator On Oct. 26, former President Barack Obama made an appearance at Cass Technical High School, along with Michigan Democrats running in the Nov. 6 election. “I feel like this rally was well Editor-in-Chief: Tammie Clark Adviser: Robbyn Williams Mentor: Joe Grimm, Michigan State University School of Journalism
needed, because so many people don’t understand how important voting is and that how that single vote can change things,” said CMA senior Kiarra Swafford. Senior Siana Chandler said, “The climate of politics had a dramatic switch after Donald Trump was
elected president.” The purpose that Obama conveyed was to notify members of the Democratic Party that they had the right to vote and to ensure that their votes matter. There have been recent struggles on voting and who to vote for.
Staff: Oumie Camara, Dylan Daniels, Mark Hardy, Terrel Hicks, Jordan Wiley Assistant Editors: Amaris Hampton, Christian Johnson
Nov. 7, 2018 DetroitDialogue.com 9
CRISIS
STUDENT LIFE
DPSCD kept teachers, students informed FROM PAGE 2
water. However water can be used for handwashing. “It’s unfortunate what has happened—it’s not a situation that’s a quick fix,” said Kimberly Frederick, a multimedia teacher at CMA. “It’s wonderful how so many people have come together in the community to try and help the schools resolve this problem.” “I think it’s a shame that our local government haven’t been proactive in reassuring the
“It’s unfortunate what has happened— it’s not a situation that’s a quick fix. It’s wonderful how so many people have come together in the community to try and help the schools resolve this problem.” Kimberly Frederick, CMA multimedia teacher THE COMMUNICATOR
Sophomores line up to show off their fanny packs. Right to lefft: Aniya Carter, DeAsia Holmes and Ch’miya Curley.
FANNY PACKS ARE BACK
By Austin McFarlane The Communicator Fanny packs: The current fashion trend that has been making it’s resurgence as of late. You can see them everywhere, school, stores, fashion shows, etc, being worn by people of all ages and backgrounds.
Communication & Media Arts What caused this fashion trend from the age of the 80s to come back in such full force? It all started with Kendall Jenner.
Her astounding push and pull in the world of high end fashion has had a ripple effect though the rest of the fashion. Gucci, Versace and Michael Kors have all came out in recent months with some kind of fanny pack variation, and we all see it in our community. CMA senior Asia Ford said,
“Fanny packs are beneficial and useful for people who are on the go these days.” So not only are fanny packs stylish in the eyes of many, they’re also convenient for that on the go lifestyle, but is it really worth that 80s look? I’ll leave that decision and choice up to you.
citizens of Flint,” CMA science teacher Natalie Prytula said, adding that it was reassuring to see school officials be proactive and reassure students and staff in a timely manner. “They must continue working to alleviate fears that they might have with the water quality,” she said. The DPSCD informed employees and students that schools would receive water until the problem is resolved. “I enjoy grabbing a water bottle instead of lines at the drinking faucets,” Communication & Media Arts senior Kaila Davis said. “I am actually drinking more water now.”
ACADEMICS
Meet CMA’s Class of 2019 officers: Ready for ‘successful’ year By Mark Hardy II The Communicator The last senior class of the “teens” organized this final year with the selection of officers. Tiffany Hansbro, president; Siobhan Stringer, vice president; Alonzo Macon, secretary; and Lawren Spark, treasurer, are the new class officers. The vision for the class centers on academic growth, networking and social bonding amongst the class. All of the officers are advancing to college and eager to participate and improve opportunities for the seniors. Mrs. Hudson-Johnson, college transition adviser at CMA, said this year will offer more college visits, representatives for informational/onsite visits, SAT preparation courses and scholarship opportunities. Hudson-Johnson also thanked
parents and students for the success of the Financial Aid /College night and senior meeting hosted at CMA. The 2019 class SAT scores continue to increase with the continued support of faculty, students and parents. Macon said this year the seniors are more competitive than any other class that he has seen in CMA. He said seniors are determined for greatness and no matter what challenges or obstacles are ahead seniors still persevere through it all no matter what. Hansbro said she believes the seniors will be more successful than any other class in the past. She suspects that doors are being knocked down every day with technology being as advanced as it is, and is sure that 2019 will be as successful if not more successful than any other class.
THE COMMUNICATOR
CMA’s class officers (right to left): Alonzo Macon, Siobhan Stringer, Tiffany Hansboro and Lawren Sparks.
10 DetroitDialogue.com Nov. 7, 2018
THE HOWLER Detroit Cristo Rey High School | cristoreyhowler.com SPORTS
OPINION
Is stress normal for teens?
If you talk to any high school student, most will tell you they have an incredibly packed schedule. For example, Esmeralda senior Marcus Hermosillo Morris, presiThe Howler dent of Detroit Cristo Rey’s National Honors Society. His morning starts with the sun still sleeping, as he quickly prepares a prayer for morning announcements. Strolling through the monotone melody of an average Tuesday, he collects “a full set of homework.” But homework is no longer the centerpiece of a student’s afternoon. After an already full day of school that ends at 4 p.m., he volunteers at Centro de San Jose See STRESS on page 20 » JORGE REYNA/THE HOWLER
A young athlete competes for the chance to meet Miguel Cabrera at the Corner Ballpark.
MIGGY BALL AT THE CORNER Local children got chance to meet Tigers great, participate in drills By Jorge Reyna The Howler A chance to meet a former MVP, Gold Glove winner, 11-time All Star, and triple crown winner is the chance of a lifetime, and the opportunity arrived in Detroit on a Sunday morning for kids ages 6-10 at the Corner Ballpark, the former location of Tiger Stadium. On Sept. 30, 120 kids had the opportunity to compete in a series of baseball related activities for the opportunity to meet Detroit Tigers’ first baseman Miguel Cabrera the next afternoon.
THE HOWLER
‘Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey’ is stands out in franchise By Juan Willis The Howler “Assassin’s Creed: Odyssey” is an open-world adventure game and the 11th mainline title in the franchise. Odyssey takes place in the expansive universe of Ancient Greece, embroiled in the Peloponnesian War (431 BC-404 BC). The game provides the option to choose your character’s gender, a first in this expansive franchise which allows you to pick either Alexios, who I played as, or Kassandra. The character takes on the role of a Spartan misthios, or mercenary, and grandchild of
The cold and wet morning may have felt dreadful for the children and parents, but the passion never left the kids as they competed. Jose Rivera, director of the Miggy Ball Foundation event, opened up the day by explaining that the drills would be used to measure consistency of the young athletes by setting up targets for arm accuracy, direction of hitting, fielding and catching. The Miggy Ball Foundation’s goal is to teach kids about active sports in a recreational way. See MIGGY on page 11 »
E N T E R TA I N M E N T
JORGE REYNA/THE HOWLER
Miguel Cabrera signs a young fan’s baseball jersey.
Adviser: Sydney Redigan-Barman Crain Mentors: Hannah Lutz & Jackie Charniga
See ODYSSEY on page 21 »
Staff Writers: Estephany Banda, Sierra Dawson, Britanny Gomez, Olga Luna, Jackelyn Gildo, Jessica Gutierrez, Giovanna Gomez, Esmeralda Hermosillo, Yumeri Jimenez, Yoceline Magdaleno, Paula Morales, Daisy Ovalle, Nicolas Perales, Jorge Reyna, Cecilia Rodriguez, Rhiannon Slotnick, Juan Willis
Nov. 7, 2018 DetroitDialogue.com 11 OPINION
How to be a successful student By Yoceline Magdaleno The Howler High school alone is a challenging time in a teenager’s life. However being a Detroit Cristo Rey student makes it even more challenging due to its college prepara-
tory curriculum and Corporate Work Study Program (CWSP). The CWSP allows students to work in professional settings like law firms and hospitals to gain experience in fields they find interesting. As a freshman you
Detroit Cristo Rey need to mature faster than others beginning high school, because the program is what makes Cristo Rey
unique. As a senior, I know how difficult it can be to balance both school and other personal things, but I believe I’ve overcome most See STUDENT on page 21 »
MIGGY
Aspiring athletes learn from Tigers great FROM PAGE 10
“We’re not mentioning how hard (it is) and we’re not here as scouts, but to teach them accuracy and consistency,” said Rivera. Wayne State University outfielder Ryan Mergener and his teammates had the opportunity to participate as a mentor/ coach for the foundation for the day. Mergener said he loves seeing commitment from such young kids, even under difficult circumstances like the cold and rainy weather. “I think it’s a wonderful for my teammates and I to be able to talk to kids and share the same passion,” he said. While the kids stayed warm from running around, the baseball parents were left shivering. However, the weather didn’t stop parents like Elizabeth Suarez and Amber Hawkins from watching their sons, Luis and Jermaine. Both mothers noted how community events such as this are likely to benefit the youth of Detroit. “A lot of kids don’t have the opportunity to come to events like this so I think it’s a wonderful program for the kids of Detroit,” Suarez said. Standing in the cold ultimately paid off for Hawkins
‘Venom’ disappoints, misses key elements By Giovanna Gomez The Howler Despite strong acting, Sony’s Venom doesn’t represent the character for who he truly is. The film, released on Oct. 5, is directed by Ruben Fleischer and stars Tom Hardy as the title character. The film also stars Michelle Williams and Riz Ahmed. Venom is an alien symbiote that requires a human host in order to survive. Two of those hosts are Spider-Man, also
Detroit Cristo Rey
JORGE REYNA/THE HOWLER
Miguel Cabrera greets aspiring athletes on Oct. 1 at the Corner Ballpark.
when she got the call that her son Jermaine was chosen as one of the final 60 kids to return Monday afternoon. The finalists got the chance to not only meet Cabrera, but to also receive training and tips from the former MVP. Jermaine he was able to notice his own game and improvement from this event. “He comes up to me and says ‘Mom, I have really seen improvement on my hitting’ and
it’s always good to hear that” said Hawkins. On Oct. 1, Cabrera finally arrived at the Corner Ballpark to watch the final 60 kids who qualified for Day 2 of Miggy Ball in Detroit. For Cabrera the goal is to be a bigger part of the community and to have fun with the kids. He hopes to be a motivating factor for the kids and believes it is important for them to have role models. Cabrera
and the Miggy Ball Foundation announced that this event will be an annual event for the kids of Detroit. “When I was a kid I dreamed to have something like this in my neighborhood but I didn’t, to have something to motivate me more as a kid,” said Cabrera. “This event isn’t just about learning basics of baseball but learning basics of life and learning our value.”
SPORTS
Girls volleyball ends regular season, 5-8 By Rhiannon Slotnick The Howler The Detroit Cristo Rey Lady Wolves Volleyball team ended its regular season with a 5-8 record, giving them the most wins in the team’s short history. Reflecting back on the season, team members said one of the best experiences is the fun they had. “It’s a great learning experience for me and for the people who haven’t played before,” said Aleena Malik, a sophomore transfer student. “It’s a great way for people to come together and get to know each other.” The team credits their positive experience to good sportsmanship: even when they lose, they don’t make it a big deal. Instead, they admit to themselves
E N T E R TA I N M E N T
Detroit Cristo Rey that they could’ve done better and try harder the next time. In addition to the team earning their most wins in a season, three members received Catholic League Honors. Paige Love received All Catholic, Adriana Dent received All League and Alicia Stanley received All Academic. Looking forward to next year, team members say they will focus on building positive attitudes and keeping their love for the game alive. “Playing volleyball is one of my favorite things to do,” said junior Yulisa Hermosillo, who has been playing volleyball for
BRANDON PEOPLES/THE HOWLER
Girls volleyball members Alicia Stanley, Paige Love, and Adriana Dent all received Catholic League Honors this year.
six years. “When I’m playing, I get this unexplainable feeling
that everyone gets when they do something they love.”
known as Peter Parker, and Eddie Brock. Sony’s newest adaptation focuses more on Brock (Hardy), a journalist who learns of confidential research on the alien symbiotes by Carlton Drake (Ahmed), CEO of Life Foundation. Eddie breaks into Life Foundation to get pictures of what Drake is doing to human test subjects with the symbiotes. During the break in, Eddie is exposed to the symbiotes and becomes Venom. He discovers why the symbiote species is there and tries to put a stop to it. The movie showed Venom’s good and bad side. At first Venom is behind the idea of taking over the world, an evil act, but Eddie brings out his good side. By Eddie being his host and Eddie not agreeing to be his host if he is going to destroy the world, Venom sees that what his kind is doing is a bad thing. Tom Hardy’s interpretation of Venom was excellent and he did a great job of being Eddie Brock and Venom. He showed how terrifying it would be to have a “parasite” inside of you. They grew together as characters. While the acting was good, major problems with the movie were the bad dialogue, bad editing, slow first act, and a terrible wig on one of the characters. The fact that they decided to make the movie PG-13 was the real problem. It took away who Venom really is: wisecracking and violent. If they had only went with Rated R, it would’ve made the movie slightly better. The only thing that truly captured the audience at the end were the two post credit scenes: Cletus Kasady talks to Eddie about what’s to come (“Carnage”) and we catch a glimpse of what’s to come in the new Spider-Man, which is scheduled for release Dec. 14.
12 DetroitDialogue.com Nov. 7, 2018
THE DSA MIDTOWN TEA Detroit School of the Arts | dsamidtowntea.com ACADEMICS
Many career fields don’t require degree By Taylor Kaigler DSA Midtown Tea “Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of the mind to think.” —Albert Einstein Have you ever sat in a class and thought to yourself, “This is not going to benefit my future”? Maybe you even went to multiple college fairs and deep down you had a feeling of certainty that it would not benefit you. You’re
stuck between telling your college adviser the truth or just attending the events despite the decision you’ve made not to go to college, because you feel as though it makes you a failure. How would you feel about taking an alternate route in the educational system starting in High School? Furthermore, what can the educational system do to help those who prefer the alternate route over college? “I believe that having an alternate route or providing an
alternate route for students who don’t want to go to college is a great idea, because college isn’t meant for everybody. One thing the school system could do to improve is find different programs that help students that don’t plan on going to college right out of high school and dropouts so that they can provide opportunities for them to still be successful,” said Delanti Hall, a theatre major at DSA. As of 2018, many career fields do not require college degrees in-
cluding car and diesel mechanics, machine operators, and technicians, but the amount of jobs that do not require a degree should not limit the educational system from giving students the opportunity to make a decision before attending high school and taking standardized testing that are structured to show their “college readiness.” As stated by New York Times, about 65.9 percent of people enroll in college after High School, leaving around 34.1 percent of graduates and dropouts who don’t
need, want, or may not financially be able to go to college. Students are not made aware of vocational classes, military, or as stated by CNBC, 15 percent of companies that don’t require a four-year degree offered in the United States. Alerting the educational system of what needs to change in order for the 34.1 percent of students who do not go to college after high school or dropout would increase the amount of successful students after high school.
OPINION
Empowering women: What does it mean to you? By Taylor Kaigler DSA Midtown Tea Women empowerment is the theme of the decade. Whether it’s African American women expressing their rights by wearing their natural hair or Arab American women standing for their rights, society no longer invades the minds of women who desire to embrace or who are ascending from their cultural roots and standing up for their rights, including those who choose to be feminist. According to Washington Post, six in 10 women and onethird of men call themselves a feminist or strong feminist, with roughly 7 in 10 of each saying the movement is empowering. Empowering women have been impacting the feminist community with its strong purpose to prove equality for all, uplifting all women regardless of race and religion to take part in making a difference for not only society today, but for the next generation of girls. The history of women empowerment in the United States goes back decades, including the events leading up to See EMPOWER on page 19 »
DSA MIDTOWN TEA
Three Detroit School of Arts students work as stage managers at a behind-the-scenes event for Kamal Smith. Being a stage manager is a job typically stereotypically meant for men.
THE DSA MIDTOWN TEA
Editor-in-Chief: Taylor Kaigler Adviser: Beverly Morrison-Green Mentor: Amy Bragg
Staff: Taylor Kaigler, Kandi Alexander, Subria Burkhalter, Treasure Wallace, Chantell Phillips
Nov. 7, 2018 DetroitDialogue.com 13
CRUSADERS’ CHRONICLE A public forum for the students and community of Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School | crusaderschronicle.com ACADEMICS
New adviser helps students
STUDENT LIFE
DETROIT
“School is a place where all types of students go through different situations. You never know what is going on in someone’s mind” — TAT I YA N A J O H N S O N , A J U I N O R W H O S E C O U S I N WA S S TA B B E D AT WA R R E N ’ S F I T Z G E R A L D H I G H S C H O O L
CRUSADERS’ CHRONICLE
Benjamin Harris completed his 11th marathon last month. He trains throughout the year.
Gool assists with transition to college, careers By Shakiya Drake Crusaders’ Chronicle Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School has a new college adviser, Juanita Gool. Her job is to assist in the process of getting seniors closer to their career choice. ‘‘I feel this is so important because I didn’t have anyone to show me the way to college and I just wanted to help,’’Gool said. Like other high schools, King has had college advisers in the past. This is Gool’s first year as a college adviser. Gool is employed by AdviseMI, a program of the Michigan College Access Network that aims to get more high school students to postsecondary education. Advisers work with students in areas such as exploring college options, helping them apply to schools and completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). Having a college adviser is important because many seniors don’t know where to begin in making decisions about life after high school including what their next move is or how to transition into college. Gool worked with first-year college students at Wayne County Community College District and Henry Ford College, but realized students need help before entering college. ‘‘When I heard about this position after I graduated from college, I didn’t want to stop doing what I love,” Gool said. “So instead of waiting for the students to get to college, I wanted to work with them before they head to college.’’ Gool is a product of Detroit’s education system. She attended Northern High School and graduated from Wayne State University where she obtained a Bachelor’s degree in social work. ‘‘After working with students, it really opened my eyes to how necessary it is to have someone to See ADVISER on page 14 »
CRUSADERS’ CHRONICLE
Algebra teacher goes the distance
help, cameras, teachers, security guards, and prayer helps.” DPSCD established a new position throughout the district this school year, Dean of Culture. One of the duties that come along with this title is to work closely with security. King’s dean is Benny White who builds connections with the students and relates to the many circumstances they bring. “Certain communities demand a little more security and attention than others,” said White. “The well-being of staff and students is a constant concern.” When first coming into the school there are security officers and metal detectors.
By Elizabeth Trice Crusaders’ Chronicle Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School algebra teacher Benjamin Harris was one of thousands of runners who completed the 41st Detroit Free Press/Chemical Bank Marathon on Oct. 21. This was Harris’ 11th marathon. Completing the 26.2-mile race that goes through the streets of Detroit and Windsor, Ontario, is no easy task. So he takes time to prepare for the victory of crossing the finish line. “I usually start training a few days after the race [for the following year], so I started training for next year’s” already, Harris said. “As the season goes on, winter training is not as rigorous as spring training. Summer training is the most rigorous training because it’s closer to the marathon.” Harris noticed his time to complete the marathon has changed. He equates age as the main factor. He is now 54 years of age. “When I first started running the marathons, my time was much faster. My first marathon, I did it in 4 hours and 30 minutes (and the) second year 4 hours and 15 minutes. Then, as I’ve gotten older, 10 years later, it takes me an hour longer to finish,” Harris said. “It shows even as you get older or come of age, you still can accomplish your goals.” Last year, Harris experienced pain during the run. Even though it was chilly this year, he
See SECURITY on page 23 »
See RUN on page 19 »
CRUSADERS’ CHRONICLE
Security staff checks students and adults as they enter the building through metal detectors. This and other procedures are in place to ensure safety.
SCHOOL SECURITY: A BALANCING ACT
DPSCD creates ‘Dean of Culture’ position to help By Taylin Ford Crusaders’ Chronicle Students come to school with the intentions to get in, learn something, and head home. It is a routine that has been followed for many years. However, getting home safely is not always guaranteed for students nor staff. According to the Detroit Free Press, for some at Fitzgerald High School in Warren, this is the fate they witnessed on Sept. 12, when a student was stabbed to death. “School is a place where all types of students go through different situations. You never know what is going on in someone’s mind,” said Tatiyana Johnson, a junior and cousin of the victim at Fitzgerald. “Because they Adviser: Veronica Hollis Crain Mentors: Mike Wayland & Melissa Burden
are going through something at home, may cause them to come to school and take it out on other people.” This tragedy is not the only example of school violence that has occurred this year. As reported by Saeed Ahmed and Christina Walker at CNN, within the first 21 weeks of 2018, America had faced 23 school shootings. A place believed to be secure and fundamental is now being feared by not only students but their parents as well. The issue of security is now being asked more frequently. “I feel that she is safe. Procedures are put in place to ensure her safety,” said parent Anita Colter whose daughter is a senior at one of DPSCD schools. “Metal detectors
Staff Writers: Shakyra Blackburn, Damyah Bowers, Shakiya Drake, Taylin Ford, Apryl Long, Elizabeth Trice, Ashenna Williams, Angel Woods
14 DetroitDialogue.com Nov. 7, 2018 ACADEMICS
King instructor receives arts award By Damyah Bowers Crusaders’ Chronicle The University Musical Society and DTE Energy Foundation awarded King dance instructor Denise Allen the 2018 DTE Energy Foundation Educator of the Year award. This award annually celebrates teachers’ excellence in arts education. Allen did not know she would receive the recognition and cried while accepting the this honor in an King’s auditorium packed with students, staff and her mother. “I was really in awe and very humbled,” Allen said. “At that moment, I felt like I did everything I wanted to do in dance as a dance teacher.” Allen is a noted champion for the enrichment of the “A for Arts” in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics). She runs one of the few performing arts programs that has remained within Detroit Public Schools Community District and has been instructing at King for 10 years. “It (the award) centered around my ability to motivate and promote the arts within the K-12 setting,” Allen said. “It’s really about what I’ve done with the dance community and dance education with my students.” Allen says one of her great
CRUSADERS’ CHRONICLE
Dance teacher Denise Allen accepts the 2018 DTE Educator of the Year by the University Musical Society and DTE Energy Foundation.
King influences has been her own dance teacher, Debra White Hunt. Her influence led Allen in the direction of being an instructor.
“My dance teacher was a big influence in my life. She was my mentor. She taught me how to teach and made me want to teach others,” Allen said. “I started teaching dance when I was 10. I always enjoyed sharing my love of dance with
others.” Allen inspires her dancers to perform and pushes them to be better at what they do. Having an inspiration and someone to look up to is important for her students. “I started dancing at King my
freshman year and Mrs. Allen has had a great influence on my dance experience,” said senior and dance captain Jalissa Willis. “She pushes me to do better.” Yael Rothfield of Thurston Elementary School in Ann Arbor also received the award.
OPINION
T.H.U.G. is ‘The Hate U Give’
CRUSADERS’ CHRONICLE
New college adviser Juanita Gool is usually seen assisting seniors with requirements for college. She wants to make sure students have the right tools to enter college and careers.
ADVISER
Gool wants students to be college ready FROM PAGE 13
help you and guide you through college life, especially being the first generation in your family,” Gool said. “Giving students the real side of this game of college is what I’m all about because I’ve been in many situations and have many relatable experiences that can really help the students overcome many obstacles they may face.” On Oct. 30, Gool and other senior advisers held a FAFSA
(Free Application for Federal Student Aid) party for seniors. The purpose of the event is to make sure all seniors have completed a FAFSA application. The party was in King’s media center for computer use and space for food, photos and music. “Being a 12th grader can be very stressful at times especially when it’s time to take care of the FAFSA process,” said senior Faith Fizer. “Ms. Gool has taken time out to make a list or her senior students to have a clear understanding of what needs to be done to finish the FAFSA. She is an awesome person and an amazing college adviser.”
Police brutality is an ongoing problem for African Americans in the U.S. It’s become so common of Taylin an issue that Ford when we see Crusaders’ the face of Chronicle another teen or adult that has succumb to unjustified police brutality, all we can do is shake our heads in disdain. We even utter small curses to the country we live in about the blatant lack of care shown to us. Due to our current real-life circumstances, I didn’t make it a priority to go see the movie “The Hate U Give,” which is based off a 2017 novel by Angie Thomas about police brutality and social injustice when it comes to African Americans. Like many of my peers, I didn’t read the book, which made the drive to see this movie even more nonexistent. However, thanks to my journalism class, I made it a priority because the movie dealt with a problem that’s common in our community. I had low expectations about
the movie being impactful and well directed, despite the glistening reviews it was given from Rotten Tomatoes and IMDb. I already had a grudge with the movie due to the casting of Amandla Stenberg as the main character Starr. She is not as dark skinned as Starr is portrayed on book covers, nor does she rock her natural hair, which is an aspect that would have made the movie even more impactful. So, going into the theatre, I was already skeptical of the film’s authenticity. The movie is set in a fictional, poor black neighborhood, Garden Heights. Starr Carter, who is 16 and has been a resident of this neighborhood since she was born, lives in a house accompanied by her step brother Steven (Lamar Johnson), her little brother Sekani (TJ Wright), her mother Lisa (Regina Hall) and her father Maverick (Russell Hornsby). Starr’s father used to be member of the gang that ran the neighborhood, the King Lords, until he exchanged spending time in jail for freedom. The story follows Starr and her two different lives, one in her neighborhood and the other at her predominantly white
King school Williamson. Though I had major doubts about this movie in the beginning, 10 minutes into the film, my mind was completely flipped. “The Hate U Give” focuses on the retold plot of a African American boy Khalil (played by Algee Smith) who is pulled over by the police and shot for pulling a hair brush out of his car which is thought to be a gun. Starr, his best friend, is with Khalil that night and is forced to live with the events thereafter. She struggles with the death of her friend, the struggle of trying to be both a “white school attendant” and “hood” versions of herself, and the realization that her people are treated differently. Without giving next to anything away, this is a movie I HIGHLY recommend everyone sees. Much like the life and music that inspired Thomas to write the book — Tupac Shakur’s THUG LIFE — “The Hate U Give” is eye opening, thrilling, and an emotional tear jerker that requires attention from all ages.
MUSTANG VOICE
Nov. 7, 2018 DetroitDialogue.com 15
Mumford High School | mumfordmustangvoice.com ACADEMICS
STUDENT LIFE
JI’AIR LEVINGSTON/MUSTANG VOICE
Junior Anastasia Quails wearing her “We are one” T-shirt Oct. 29. The shirts were purchased with funds from a $5,000 grant from DPSCD Foundation.
MUMFORD WELCOMES MERGED SCHOOLS By Remi League Mustang Voice “We acted like there was a line in the middle of the class separating us all,” senior Divine Crawford said. She was describing the first week in English teacher Rubye Richard’s AP Literature class. Seniors who came from Mumford High School and Mumford Academy sat on opposite sides of the room “I created a seating chart that forced them to engage with unfamiliar faces and the result has been beautiful,” Richard said. The two schools became one unified Mumford High School this year when the Detroit Public School Community District board voted to combine them. The district saved almost $2 million dollars by combining small schools at Mumford, Cody, and Benjamin Carson/Crockett Career Technical Center in their respective buildings. Angela Prince became principal of the combined Mumford and said she thinks the merger is going very well. “It’s better to have one person over everybody with one vision,” Prince said. “It’s just a change for everybody when you have students who are used to different ways of doing things and have to adapt.” Senior Diamond Elliot said she thinks the schools should have been merged a long time ago. Elliot, who was on the High School side last year, said she’s building bonds with students from the Academy now that they are in classes together. “There’s been no drama, no tension. Nobody says Blue Academy or Burgandy anymore,” Elliot said. “When we were two schools we were missing out.”
MUSTANG VOICE
RAECHEL DAVIS/MUSTANG VOICE
Students play giant Uno while they eat lunch in the Mumford cafeteria on Oct. 25. Giant Jenga and giant Connect 4 are also popular.
MORE THAN LUNCH Hourlong lunch gives students, teachers time to connect
By Tiana Law, Raechel Davis, and Daija Thomas Mustang Voice wo years ago at Mumford lunch was only 30 minutes long, but starting last year, the lunch hour is really an hour long. During the short lunch period students barely had enough time to eat. Now they have time for much more than just eating, and they’ve found lots of options. Many students get their
T
Adviser: Sara Hennes Crain Mentor: Shiraz Ahmed
lunch and play games in the cafeteria like Uno, Connect Four, or spades. Others head for classrooms to get extra help or catch up on assignments. The gym is available for basketball and the counseling center is open for students who need to use computers. Lunchtime karaoke is a big hit with everyone in the lunchroom singing along with administrators.
DAIJA THOMAS/MUSTANG VOICE
Juniors Kenyatta Kurby and Allen Gee Jr. square off in the gym during fourth hour lunch Oct. 30. School culture facilitator Justin Pitts gives out tickets during lunch to students that give them access to the gym.
RAECHEL DAVIS/MUSTANG VOICE
Social studies teacher Matthew Geoghegan clowns around during Chat and Chew in Principal Angela Prince’s conference room Oct. 25. Prince said the event is a time for staff to come together with their lunches to relax, make connections and talk about issues in the school.
Staff Writers: Raechel Davis, Yoder Faulkner, Tiana Law, Remi League, Ji’Air Levngston, Ayrionna Robinson, Daija Thomas
16 DetroitDialogue.com Nov. 7, 2018
RHS STENTOR
A public forum for the students and community of Renaissance High School | rhsstentor.com STUDENT LIFE
OPINION
An open letter to Supt. Vitti By Zharia Akeem and Jalise Little RHS Stentor
school with two full walls of student secrets. Within the first three hours, 100 more anonymous submissions were entered. As a person who identifies with the LGBTQ community, Andres Davis, a 15 year-old RHS junior, said it’s a good idea to have that wall. “There are people who don’t know how to exactly come out to their friends,” Davis said. “It has had a positive impact on the school because those
Dear Dr. Vitti and the Department of Literacy, My name is Zharia Akeem, and my colleague, Jalise Little, and I, both attend Renaissance High School. We are both enrolled in the International Baccalaureate program. Recently, we’ve been analyzing the public educational system’s effects on young African Americans now, and those likely effects in the future. We have found the following: lack of educational resources and supports coupled with the almost non-existent belief in our potential, has led Detroit (majority African American) to have only 7 percent of our eight graders proficient in reading. Our current academic standing will influence our socioeconomic standing in the near future. Numerous career options are available to us. However, we are kept ignorant of these. Per your administration, we were required to take a computerized literacy test to determine our Lexile range on Achieve3000. We are also expected to use the platform twice weekly. The test provides us a list of career paths and the literacy levels associated with them. Upon closer examination of this list, we noticed that a majority of the “careers” were trade-based. Although the recommended jobs are very important to help society function, necessary are those jobs which determine how society functions. We are concerned that absent from Achieve3000 are careers involving economic and political matters and those that require higher levels of thinking and continuous learning. If students do not see those careers as options, recommended on list, could they even fathom the possibility of having an influence in politics, linguistics, and history? Did you consider the expectations set for students when you assigned the literacy test? Do you recommend and approve the careers listed? If so, why? Why are the
See WALL on page 18 »
See LETTER on page 21 »
RHS STENTOR
In the first week, 29 students came out as part of the LGBTQ community, and 91 students posted about having some sort of mental health problem.
WA L L O F
SECRE TS Students install Coming Out Wall to support LGBTQ+, others
RHS STENTOR
Sterling Blakely stands by first installation of the Coming Out Wall and said he was surprised what people are going through.
RHS STENTOR
Adviser: Kyle Goodall Crain Mentor: Omari Gardner
By Francois Benson RHS Stentor Members of the board game club at Renaissance High School constructed a “Coming Out Wall” in honor of National Coming Out Day, to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and more. The Coming Out Wall posted on the second floor included various “secrets” that were written and submitted anonymously by members of the 1,203 student body. “I’m too fat to be noticed” and “I honestly hate school — I’m miserable here” are just two of the 225 submissions now posted in bright colors. The wall was designed to create a safe space for students, providing a way to come out about various secrets in a creative way. For four days leading up to National Coming Out Day, the board game club collected anonymous posts in closed box. On Oct. 12, one day after NCOD, students arrived to
WATCH Scan this QR code with your smartphone to watch video interviews with students discussing the Coming Out Wall.
Staff Writers: Kevon Askew, Rhyane Banks, Francois Benson, Brooke Morgan, Amare Bradley, Madison Bryant-Carter, Kynnedee Cowles, Tommie Dickey, Tasia Eggleston, Jayla Ford, Kyndall Franklin, Paul Gardner, Bianca Gibson, Destiny Gilbert, DuRon Grant, Antonio Green, Tianna Hamilton, Destiny Hines, John Hopkins, Victoria Huguley, Imani Jackson, Jadyn Jackson, Nijah Jackson. Monique Martin, Erin Maxwell, Joshua McDonald, Zafairanni McQueen, Renee Mitchell, Ma’Laan Moses, Jameelah Muhsin, Michelle Oliver, Samuel Shack, Chelsea Smith, Isaiah Thomas, Keyanna Whitted
Nov. 7, 2018 DetroitDialogue.com 17 SPORTS
THE SEASON MAY END ...
RHS STENTOR
Renaissance defends King’s field goal during its 59-14 loss this season.
...BUT THE BROTHERHOOD CARRIES ON By DuRon Grant RHS Stentor After a 14-59 loss to King, a 2120 win against Denby, and a 42-0 win against CMA, Renaissance Phoenix football team did not get picked for state playoffs. The RHS varsity football team faced CMA Oct. 12 in its last exhibition of the season, well aware that very game could be its last. “If this is my last game, I just want to say: I love all my teammates,” senior varsity captain Dakarai Washington said following the game. “We put it all on the line, and when it counted, they had my back. We had fun today. If this is my last game, it’s for sure a good one.” While players sought to “have fun and make a turn-around,” they could be heard chanting “Good play,” “Let’s Go” and “Way to work fellas!” Even when a player made mistakes, the whole team was cheering him on. Before you knew it, Renaissance beat CMA 42-0, qualifying RHS for states. To qualify for
WATCH Scan this QR code with your smartphone to watch video interviews with Renaissance players.
state playoffs, a team needs to win at least 5 games. Because of the large amount of teams that win exactly five games, however, MHSAA selects who moves on. Senior DeCarlo Merino viewed the team’s chances positively. Merino said, “We went from a team that barely even made cities and having two-win seasons, to a team that could possibly make states. If this is my last
game I still feel like we made a turn-around.” The Renaissance varsity football team devised a fun, but competitive strategy to keep teammates another focused throughout game. Dakarai said, “We were betting each other push-ups on who makes it to the quarterback first. I just wanted to have fun with my brothers if this was my last game.” He said there is no other way he’d end his senior year. The Sunday following, the Phoenix varsity players learned that they did not get picked for state playoffs. Students at Renaissance were heard saying that the team was “cheated,” because Renaissance beat Central, who was picked for states, and because Renaissance beat Denby before Denby won the City Championship. Denby made it to the state playoffs. Accepting the outcome, Renaissance players were still “happy with their season and the bonds that they created with their brothers.”
RHS STENTOR
A strong sense of team helped Renaissace qualify for states this year.
RHS STENTOR
Renaissance’s defense pressures King quarterback Dequan Finn.
18 DetroitDialogue.com Nov. 7, 2018 STUDENT LIFE
Students respond to Coming Out Wall What is school administration going to do about mental health?
RHS STENTOR
Some students found commonalities they didn’t expect to find.
WALL
20 percent of students participated in project FROM PAGE 16
who are dealing with certain issues were given the opportunity to have their voices heard,” said RHS junior D’Andre Jackson. Twenty percent of the RHS student body participated. Observers saw the wall’s statistics posted as well: among the student body of 1,203, 225 students had secrets to share, 91 students were in distress, and 29 students came out as LGBTQ+. English teacher Tory Spring said she thinks the Coming Out Wall gives students an opportunity “to voice their struggles and triumphs without discrimination and fear of shame.” She also said the wall helps the teachers to see and know the problems RHS students are facing. Despite much positive response among students and staff, the wall has come with controversy. Some students laughed at the wall, even posting anonymous secrets to their own social media.
Administration worried that the purpose of the wall would not be taken seriously, and some rumors had spread that the wall would be taken down entirely. “The wall has to stay up,” said sophomore Kennedy Barnes. She urged administration to reconsider. “It is showing real-world problems that we don’t pay attention to,” she added. Members of the student body, including those who didn’t post to the wall, were given the opportunity to write a letter of reflection to the wall, to share how it has impacted them. “I really appreciate and am thankful for all of the students who were brave enough to share a secret to the wall,” wrote one student anonymously. Another wrote, “I didn’t feel like I had anything to say, at first, but observing the wall and seeing the secrets student posted, made me realize that I too have a voice and a story.” Since it began early October, the wall has gained traction. More students are coming out on paper, and more students are finding that they have much in common.
“I just want to be happy.” “I didn’t feel like I had anything to say, at first, but observing the wall and seeing the secrets student posted, made me realize that I too have a voice and a story.” “I’m too fat to be noticed.” “I really appreciate and am thankful for all of the students who were brave enough to share a secret to the wall.” RHS STENTOR
RIGHT: Students lined up throughout the day to submit anonymous secrets. RIGHT, ABOVE: Students arrived to school Oct. 12 to be greeted by “the tea” at the school.
By Victoria Huguley RHS Stentor If you walk down one of the halls at Renaissance High, you’ll see two rainbow wall also known as the “Coming Out Wall.” Since early October, students have written down secrets to be posted to said wall, below results. In the first week, 29 students came out as part of the LGBTQ community, and 91 students posted about having some sort of mental health problem. “I want to die,” a student wrote. This example of distress highlights what some at Renaissance experience, as well as other high school students in general, frequently. “I just want to be happy,” another student wrote. Is this a new norm for teens?
Renaissance The National Center for Children in Poverty states, “approximately 20 percent of adolescents have a diagnosable mental health disorder,” many of which first present symptoms during adolescence. Are we presenting signs? Senior Miracle Morantat recalls a suicide that took place in her tenth grade year, as well as other attempts. “The administration told us if we are feeling any suicidal thought to go to a certain church for help, but they never did anything in the school.” Sophomore Damon DeBose believes the administration should hold an assembly to discuss students counseling and mental health needs. In addition, he says the wall should stay up. “It’s the first time the student body got to have some type of voice,” he said. But sophomore Jaylon Gibbs thinks board game club should take down the wall. “None of this would have been brought up if they haven’t put the wall up,” he said. “I feel like they (the club) forced students to put up their secrets.” The wall has been up for almost three weeks, and students from all grades have commented privately or in letters to board game club. Board game club founding member, junior, Adanna Walker said, “I am very doubtful that admins are going to do anything (about students mental health problems), in the past they See RESPOND on page 19 »
Nov. 7, 2018 DetroitDialogue.com 19 DETROIT
Detroit dances to raise money for families affected by cancer By Jameelah Muhsin RHS Stentor Detroit’s Pinkfunds Organization hosted its annual breast cancer awareness dance on Oct. 5 in Southfield to bring awareness to problems that breast cancer causes, with an exciting twist. “Dancing with Survivors” is an event that features professional dancers from the Detroit area, who are paired up with local breast cancer survivors to create
dances of various styles. “This event is a great opportunity for me to become acquainted with the women I know I can be,” said cancer survivor dancer Sarah Erzen. “You go from being somebody who can’t sit up in a chair, to dancing.” The dancers compliment their dances with different themed costumes to make the dances more engaging and entertaining. “This event reminded me of
Renaissance ‘Dancing with the Stars’,” said Asia Muhsin, an attendee. “Everyone had beautiful outfits, and you couldn’t even tell that these women were once immobilized.” Funds raised will support local breast cancer patients who are currently in treatment. According to Susie, a testimonial from The Pink Fund, “With-
out your charity immediately rescuing us, I don’t know what my son and I would have done for food, shelter and basic needs.” The Pink Fund event started in Detroit to help struggling families, who are dealing with severe medical bills. This organization not only provides help with medical bills, but also food, clothing, and housing. Molly Mcdonald, the founder of The Pink fund says, after she
experienced the hardships of being a victim of breast cancer, she made it her mission to help other women like her and give them hope. An event like this has helped many people, not only cancer victims but also people who are not affected. According to participants in Detroit Dancing with survivors, people have found joy and happiness, always leaving with a smile on their face.
Reclassing is cheating, but currently allowed
RHS STENTOR
The Coming Out Wall drew slow crowds in the morning and eventually became large crowds blocking hallway traffic.
RESPOND
Wall could lead to more support for students FROM PAGE 18
never did anything towards mental help,” said junior Adanna Walker. Walker doesn’t think the wall should come down. “There’s been no concrete, logical reason for it to be taken down.” But school-based clinical thera-
RUN
Strength, drive comes from spiritual place FROM PAGE 13
had a pain-free and successful run. “It was cold, and I was glad I was done. I wasn’t in any pain,” Harris said. “Last year, I felt cramps in my legs, but this year I felt pretty good.” Lakina Moseley, health teacher and trainer at King, stresses that running great distances is no easy task and takes ongoing preparation. “If you are not in shape,
pists at the Development Centers, Inc. in partnership with Principal Stroughter, have designed an LGBTQ Youth and Allies Support Group at RHS, in response to the wall. This collective will meet during seminar period Thursdays, “offering a safe space to honor, identify, and express yourself,” its ad states. If 91 of 225 student posts are from students in distress, another questions is: what causes this kind
it can cause joint and bone problems from the constant repetition from running,” Moseley said. “Sore ankles, sore feet, sore knees and hips are pretty much the downfalls of running.” Harris’ strength and focus to run in marathons doesn’t come from any individual, but more of a spiritual place. “I wouldn’t say that anyone has inspired me, but whatever I do, I try to honor God and give Him glory,” Harris said. “I would say Jesus Christ is my inspiration. He is the one that gives me the strength to run and to train.”
of imbalance? “School and homework is what I think the main causes are,” said sophomore Kaleb Green Sophomore. “It’s like teachers put school before students’ mental health” “School is not the mental safe place for students,” Walker said. The Development Centers, Inc. and administration are brainstorming ways to work with students to establish more supports for students.
EMPOWER
Websides Made With Code inspires girls FROM PAGE 12
the 19th Amendment on Aug. 18, 1920 that not only granting women the right to vote, but putting a meaning behind Women Empowerment, the act of empowering women of all ages to be the best they can be. A website, by Made With Code, is inspiring teen girls to not only code, but pursue careers that are stereotypically meant for men. The website offers coding,
Student athletes are reclassing to higher their chances of being successful as a professional athlete. DuRon Reclassing Grant is when a RHS student stays Stentor back a grade for “educational” purposes, but now student athletes are taking advantage of this rule. Some student athletes stay back a grade to play against younger, less experienced athletes. This gives the older students a higher chance of dominating their competition and getting a higher rank in the recruiting process. Holding back is allowed because the recruitment and ranking process is determined graduating class and not age. For example, Hillcrest Prep High School basketball player Kyree Walker, 17, reclassified to heighten his chances of becoming a professional athlete. His birthday is Nov. 20, but Walker is entering his junior
contests, and much more to encourage girls love of science and technology. “Girls start out with a love of science and technology, but lose it somewhere along the way. Let’s help encourage that passion in teen girls,” as stated on the official website, www. madewithcode.com. Despite the acts of today, women empowerment is not practiced worldwide, or even necessarily everywhere in the United States. What can society do to change it? “I feel that woman empowerment isn’t spread worldwide,
Renaissance year. Walker is two grades behind, yet all his coaches know is that he’s class of 2020. Another example is NBA player Josh Jackson, who also reclassified as a student. He used his extra experience to get a scholarship to Justin Siena High School for basketball. Jackson eventually received a scholarship to play college basketball and went to the NBA. Student athletes know this action is legal, but many feel that it should be classified as cheating. RHS basketball player Angelo Robertson said, “The rules should be changed to where you can’t purposely reclass, and you can’t play if you’re over 18 years old, it takes the fun out of the game.” Hamtramck basketball player Terence Ireland also said the rule isn’t fair. “A student shouldn’t have to worry about facing players 2 or 3 years older every year. As a senior, you should be 18, and not a year older.”
because men are afraid of women who are in power and they always want to be the superior,” said Diamond Russell, DSA’s 2019 valedictorian. “Women hold themselves back when men are in the room, because they are scared to be the smartest they can be. In order to change the way society views women empowerment I suggest that women stop being scared of being wrong. “It’s OK to be wrong, the smartest person in the room, and not wanting to be a stay-athome Mom, wanting to work outside the home.”
20 DetroitDialogue.com Nov. 7, 2018
STRESS
STUDENT LIFE
Busy day doesn’t end when classes are over FROM PAGE 10
STUDENT LIFE
‘Unstoppable’ students treated to fall field trip COURTESY OF ANGELA PRINCE
Senior Jamya Currie-Williams picks apples at Blake’s Orchard on Oct. 30. Currie-Williams was par part of a group of students chosen by deans to attend the trip because of their positive attendance, grades and conduct.
FALL FIELD TRIP
Mumford students got to explore orchard, cider mill as a reward
By Ayrionna Robinson Mustang Voice It was a day of firsts for Texas native Taelor Moore when she attended a field trip to Blake’s Orchard in Armada, MI on Oct. 29. First taste of apple cider, first visit to a cider mill, first walk through a corn maze. “It was one of the best field trips we ever had,” Moore said. “There were so many things to do, I was with my friends, and I got to experience new things.” Students were chosen for this special field trip by their deans for excellence in attendance, conduct and grade point average. In the beginning of the school year Mumford principal Angela Prince reminded students and staff to “be amazing,
COURTESY OF ANGELA PRINCE
Mumford principal Angela Prince and students pose with Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow after chatting with her at Blake’s Orchard on Oct. 30.
be unstoppable, be brave, and be agreed and added that it was a very different experience beinspiring . . . be the difference cause students were treated like at MHS!” This trip was Prince’s young adults. way of recog“Ms. nizing students “It was so much fun! Prince let us who were “beMy favorite part was do what we ing” all those when we all played tag wanted, like, things. Junior My- through the corn maze. we didn’t have to be superesha Williams It was muddy and vised,” Bradsaid that she wet, but I didn’t mind ley said. “We really enjoyed getting dirty.” could walk herself. anywhere we “It was so Myesha Williams, wanted and much fun! My junior choose what favorite part we wanted to was when we do.” all played tag through the corn And there was a lot to do. maze. It was muddy and wet, Students toured the whole but I didn’t mind getting dirty,” farm and orchard on a tractorWilliams said. pulled train, visited a haunted Junior Dejaun Bradley
Mumford house, raced through a corn maze, fed farm animals, feasted on cider and donuts, took a hay ride to the orchards at the back of the farm, picked apples and selected small pumpkins to take home. The group also ran into Senator Debbie Stabenow who happened to be visiting the cider mill. The senator answered questions and posed for photos. Lunch choices included corn dogs, chili cheese fries, sandwiches and more cider and donuts. “I think the food was my favorite thing,” Moore said.
as a tutor. Then Marcus rushes to wrestling practice, only to go home and finish the set of homework. Finally, at “2 a.m., I take a shower, sometimes (I) eat in the shower, then go to bed.” He’s not the only one; most students would call that an ordinary Tuesday. It’s certainly not new news for Detroit Cristo Rey Students. We, like many students in a college preparatory high school, are imposed with too long school days. As students in Detroit Cristo Rey, we persevere through the prolonged schedule, from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. But for many, that is only the halfway mark of our day. The other half consists of extracurriculars, work, the responsibility of taking care of younger siblings, fulfilling community service requirements, tackling an abyss of homework, and, for the lucky seniors, filling out our dire college applications. Don’t even get me started with college applications, the epitome of fear of rejection. Just perfect for teenagers who are constantly trying to figure out our place in this complex society. It comes to no surprise that when asking students their sleeping schedule, it ranges from 7 to 4 hours; 3 hours if you are taking more rigorous courses such as AP or IB. According to specialists at the Nationwide Children´s Hospital, teens should be obtaining exactly 9.25 hours of sleep. Those who sleep nine hours we call “the lucky ones.” What’s does it mean to be a teen in 2018? Well according to the American Psychological Association, “teens reported that their stress levels during the school year topped adults’ average reported stress levels.” They’ve also reported that “studies show normal children today report more anxiety than child psychiatric patients in the 1950’s.” Is that what it means to be a teen? To carry a constant burden of anxiety, stress, or even depression? Of course we’re going to have a high-stress level. We’re constantly pushing our limits. But why? Why do we put ourselves through stressful situations? At the end of the day, we can’t deny we like it. We like joining extracurriculars and we like helping others. It’s OK to challenge ourselves, and it’s OK to experience stress. As long as we don’t get lost in the monotonous motions of the days as overly stressed zombies roaming through life. We have to learn to de-stress, find something that makes us happy and make an effort to make time for that, as well. We should always remember that anything well-earned deserves hard work and that means stress.
Nov. 7, 2018 DetroitDialogue.com 21
STUDENT
Grades, scores aren’t the only factors of success FROM PAGE 11
MUSTANG VOICE
Juniors Jacob Cole and Michael McClain get a drink of water on Oct. 30. McClain said he drinks more water from the coolers than he ever did from the drinking fountains. “This water’s good and cold,” McClain said.
WATER
Donations to help install water stations in schools FROM PAGE 2
the problem isn’t copper, but lead which can be directly related to learning and behavioral problems. In a press release, Superintendent Nikolai Vitti said, “I initiated water testing of all of our school buildings during the spring to ensure the safety of our students and employees.”
ODYSSEY
Combat affects all aspects of gameplay FROM PAGE 10
King Leonidas of Sparta. Alexios starts out on the scenic island of Kephallonia, where you are introduced to your surrogate family, Markos-a local merchant and playful entrepreneur, and Phoibe- a young orphan girl from Attica, and your pet eagle and friend, Ikaros. While questing on the island, you take on a much bigger job which requires you to head out on an odyssey of your own to find your real family, bring an end to the war, and save the entire Greek World from an evil cult. Overall I’d recommend “Assassin’s Creed Odyssey” as it provides a breath of fresh air into the series through its dynamic player-choice, meaningful narrative, and the ability to experience your very own odyssey.
When test results came back with evidence of elevated amounts of copper and lead in some schools, Vitti had the drinking water shut off at all schools and provided them with water coolers as a temporary solution. According to a joint statement issued by the Detroit Water Sewerage Department and the Great Lakes Water Authority, the water coming to the buildings is safe. The problem is aging infrastructure, i.e., old plumbing.
Sophomore Deaz McWilliams was surprised Mumford was on the list of schools that had water problems. “The building is new, so I imagined we’d have new pipes,” McWilliams said. According to the Detroit Free Press, Vitti announced on Oct. 9 that DPSCD had received $2.4 million dollars in donations from multiple organizations. The donations almost cover the estimated $3 million it will cost to purchase and install hydration stations in every school in
the district to replace the water coolers. Vitti explained in an email to staff that the hydration stations have filtration sensor technology designed to cool water and remove lead, copper, and other contaminants while filling the students own refillable water bottles in a few seconds. It is planned for each school to have one hydration station for every 100 students in a school. The installations are supposed to be completed by the summer of 2019.
The many little details the world of “Odyssey” immerse the player in the world of Ancient Greece, from the cultural exposure of traveling from region to region, to the many subtle nods to the Greek pantheon in NPC dialogue, and the merchant ships that pass by while traveling throughout the Ionian Sea. One of the most important mechanics of an Assassin’s Creed game is the combat and how it facilitates your interactions on the world. This affects all aspects of gameplay such as the story and the player’s enjoyment of it. Similar to its predecessor, “Origins,” “Odyssey” has a skill tree centered around three major classes: Warrior-close quarter combat, Hunter-ranged damage, and Assassin-stealth combat. By being able to choose where to put your ability points you gain from leveling-up, you can craft your own unique character tailored to your personal play style. Comboing abilities from one skill tree to
another can lead to interesting gameplay, and some comedic ways to take out enemies, such as Sparta-kicking your enemies off cliffs. A returning mechanic is the naval combat, with added customization to your own ship, the Adrestia. A staple for any Assassin’s Creed game is the story and “Odyssey” is quite possibly the best written in the series. With dialogue options being the major innovation for this year’s title it creates a sort of identity crisis for the game as at times it feels like an RPG in the same vein of other RPG titles like “Fallout” or “The Witcher.” But at the same time, “Odyssey’s” lack of depth on these features and overall story and player agency still relegate it to its flaws of the franchise, such as buggy game mechanics, poor voice-acting, and repetitive gameplay. In the main quest line, the player your encounters the ghosts of his past and is forced to deal with buried memories and emotions as
you seek to reunite your family and bring order and peace to the Greater Greece. These newfound choices are at times seemingly inconsequential, as choosing some options may result in the same outcome for certain characters in the story. The many little details the world of “Odyssey” immerse the player in the world of Ancient Greece, from the cultural exposure of traveling from region to region, to the many subtle nods to the Greek pantheon in NPC dialogue, and the merchant ships that pass by while traveling throughout the Ionian Sea. These traits are essential to build a world full of life and activity and to fully immerse the player to have a deeper connection to the world they play in. Overall I’d recommend “Assassin’s Creed Odyssey” as it provides a breath of fresh air into the series through its dynamic player-choice, meaningful narrative, and the ability to experience your very own odyssey.
obstacles to be able to provide some advice in becoming a successful student. During high school, writing down goals is a constant reminder of what you wish to accomplish. Goal-setting allows you to outline your expectations, and it builds confidence each time a goal is achieved. As time goes on, you should be pushing yourself to higher expectations. Grades and scores aren’t what determine whether you’re successful or not, but they are still factors of becoming a better student. Being a top student takes dedication. If you don’t put energy into learning, it shows a lack of interest for improvement. A dedicated student shows responsibility and organization. As corny as it sounds, completing your homework only helps you become an independent and capable student. It shows that you take action for your education. Most students consider homework to be unnecessary, but it’s an easy way of maintaining your grade and perfecting a certain skill for the class. Using a planner is a simple technique for staying organized. Taking eight classes every day can be difficult to handle; you need to remember when certain assignments are due and when tests are scheduled. A planner helps organize your day by prioritizing, giving you a higher chance of completing important tasks first and preparing for the upcoming ones. Although high school is only for four years, it should be a time where you can look back and see growth in yourself. I encourage freshmen to seek out different opportunities to get out of their comfort zone. At the beginning of my freshman year, I was a quiet and really shy student. By my junior year, I was more confident in myself and I was comfortable enough to give a presentation in front of three judges for a robotics competition. Presenting has always been one of my struggles. I tend to get nervous and lose concentration on what I want to say, yet it didn’t stop me from representing the team. Once you’re able to see the change in yourself as a student, then you’ve become a successful one.
LETTER
Low expectations can be harmful to students FROM PAGE 16
humanities missing from those? We write subjectively and want to get more information before assuming your intentions. Our purpose is to voice our concern: low expectations can be equally harmful as a lack of resources in a district. We hope your next move raises expectations. Sincerely, Zharia Akeem and Jalise Little
22 DetroitDialogue.com Nov. 7, 2018
HEAR THE ROAR Southeastern High School | SEHearTheRoar.com SPORTS
OPINION
Initial encounter with Goes Global By Lazavier Cole Hear the Roar Have you ever heard of Goes Global? Neither did I, until they came to Southeastern High School with information about leadership and travel. Since I am interested in both, this piqued my interest. The invitation was extended to attend an informational meeting and I was engaged Goes Global is a mentorship program for Detroit 9th graders that prepares participants for
GOES GLOBAL REVIEW SERIES
DOMINIQUE MARTIN/HEAR THE ROAR
Azia Isaac and teammate Damari Covington-Woods face off in practice. Issac is the first and only girl to play on the Southeastern High School football team.
RESPECT ON THE FIELD
16-year-old Azia Isaac is the only female to play on Southeastern’s team
DOMINIQUE MARTIN/HEAR THE ROAR
“I like when they underestimate me because they are not expecting me to play as hard as they play.” AZ IA ISA AC , J U N I O R F O O T B A L L P L AY E R
HEAR THE ROAR
By Malaya Reed Hear the Roar A year ago, Azia Isaac became the first and only girl to play on the Southeastern High School football team, an accomplishment she is most proud of. The 16-year-old junior is dedicated to the sport, which can be seen when she plays. Her efforts have been noticed, as the Detroit News mentioned Isaac in an article when she made seven tackles in a single game. “She is not afraid to mix it up in practice or game,” said Mansfield Dinkins III, Southeastern’s offense and defense line coach. “She is a hard hitter and good tackler.”
Editor-in-chief: Malaya Reed Adviser: Jacqueline Mitchell Robinson Crain Mentor: David Muller
See GLOBAL on page 23 »
ACADEMICS
Program prepares students for college
Isaac plays various positions, including linebacker, safety and corner. “She is one of the toughest young ladies I’ve met,” Dinkins said. “She has the respect of her teammates, both as a lady first and student-athlete second.” Isaac’s love of football started at a very young age. “It was a passion of mine since I was 7 years old,” she said. It started as a hobby until she decided that she wanted to play in high school, a decision she made in her sophomore year. Isaac isn’t singled out because she’s a girl but gets the same coaching and play-
By Treyvon Simpson Hear the Roar The Detroit Parent Network (DPN) helps Southeastern High School students plan for college by conducting workshops at the school during the school day. Since September 19, 2018, DPN Theresa Mitchell, has walked students through a process of selecting and analyzing possible college choices that match their career goals, interests and personalities. They take into consideration factors like school size, geographic location and degree programs. “She told me about October being college month, which
See ISAAC on page 23 »
See DPN on page 23 »
Staff: Lazavier Cole, DeAnna Dawson, DeAsia Freeman, Diamond Gray,KrisTia Maxwell, Dominique Martin, Malaya Reed, Christopher Robinson
Nov. 7, 2018 DetroitDialogue.com 23
GLOBAL
How can you change a world you’ve never seen? FROM PAGE 22
Southeastern college and careers. The founders are brothers and Detroit natives James and Adam Logan and Joseph Bowman of Brooklyn, New York. Their motto is “see the world, change the world,” according to information distributed at the meeting and listed on www.goesglobal.org. The point that really stood out to me is the question they pose on their website goesglobal.org: “How can you change the world and you’ve never seen it?” It made me think of the few opportunities I have had to travel outside of Detroit. This is an opportunity for young people to further their career and experience different things such as culinary arts by tasting different foods from all around the world. Money is usually an obstacle that stops many students from participating in programs that require travel. But with this nonprofit organization, students don’t have to worry about that because there is no cost to the youth. Goes Global pays for
KRISTIA MAXWELL/HEAR THE ROAR
Lazavier Cole participates in Goes Global, a mentorship program for Detroit ninth graders.
the passports and plane tickets to take kids like me to places like Canada, Dubai, Mexico and China.
According to the handouts, Goes Global wants to “eliminate all barriers that can keep them from exceeding the expecta-
tions.” Throughout the remaining issues of the 2018-2019 Dialogue issues, I will review the
program, sharing the great, the good and the challenges with participating in this unique program.
DPN
SECURITY
FROM PAGE 22
FROM PAGE 13
Students do not feel as safe as they used to
Program helps students prepare for college
Southeastern was a chance to fill out college applications for free,” said DeAnna Dawson, an SE Senior who completed five applications that month, saving about $150 in application fees. This is not exclusive to seniors; all students are allowed to attend. Scholarships are particularly important to seniors graduating in 2019. SE Senior Diamond Gray says “she helped me learn more about college tuition” and Senior De’Asia Freeman says the workshop has helped her locate scholarship opportunities. Upcoming workshops include Scholarships, College Fit and Match and FAFSA.
ISAAC
Coach says she’s a great student on and off field FROM PAGE 22
ing opportunities as the other players. “I feel normal being on the team,” Isaac said. “I get the same treatment as everyone else.” Coach Dinkins said Isaac is
JACQUELINE MITCHELL ROBINSON/HEAR THE ROAR
Detroit Parent Network Mrs. Mitchell shares with SE Junior Antonio Preston.
expected to do what the other players do in practice and preparation, and she does it well. She does have a few pros and cons about being the only girl on the team. A pro for her are the bonds and relationships she’s made with her teammates. Everyone on the football team is close-knit and care for one another like family. She also said she feels good
about proving everyone wrong about playing on the all-male team. Coach Dinkins said she is a great student on and off the field. “She’s a great student in the classroom and on the field,” he said. “She is very knowledgeable about the game. I wish I could have an entire team full of Azia’s.” Although there are pros, there are also cons. There were alot of
negative things people said about her, but she doesn’t let it affect her. Isaac says she is very capable of playing and nothing can stop her. Another con for her is that people from other teams underestimate her abilities. “They think that just because I’m a girl they think I can’t play,” she said. “I like when they underestimate me because they are not expecting me
Coupled with this, administration has different drills to elevate safety. “I do think that they (security) try to make sure we’re safe,” said senior Arielle Zander. “I do think that more steps could be put into our safety other than just checking our book bags or making sure we’re not in the hallways.” This country is at a point where many things are being challenged more than ever, and school safety is a big one. Some students do not feel as safe as they once did. “My cousin’s death is another reason I do not feel safe at school all the time,” said Johnson. “That incident has me looking over my shoulders.”
to play as hard as they play.” However, that doesn’t often affect her because of the support she gets from her friends and family. Isaac says she is motivated by them and that keeps her going. The team has made it to the state playoffs and she is happy. “All of our efforts and hard work are showing and we are being recognized for it,” said Isaac.
24 DetroitDialogue.com Nov. 7, 2018
THE WESTERN EXPRESS Western International High School | detroitwesternexpress.com STUDENT LIFE
DETROIT
THE WESTERN EXPRESS
Students and school staff gather outside of Western in July to pay tribute to teacher Terry Butler.
DEARLY DEPARTED
COWBOY
By Breanna Caban The Western Express For more than two decades, Terry Butler was a teacher. But that wasn’t his only role. He was a mentor, athletic director and Detroit Federation of Teachers building representative at Western. Coach Butler could be seen on the field during practices chatting with the players and coaches, and in the hallways between classes distributing spirit wear and catching up with students. He was a friend to the students and staff at Western International High School. His untimely passing this summer was a blow to his Western
family, the southwest Detroit community, and to all that he met. His warm energy could be felt through Butler his daily sports announcements. Each day around 9 a.m., students and staff would look forward to hearing his voice come over intercom announcing, “Good morning Western, these are your announcements from the athletic department.” Butler was also a dedicated member of the Detroit Federation of Teachers. After spending long
hours at school, Butler attended union meetings monthly, often serving as the sergeant of arms. Butler will be missed. His constant efforts to improve the school for the sake of the students is a legacy that will live on in the heart of the Cowboy Nation. Patrick Butler, also an English teacher at Western, said: “Terry loved Western. He loved the neighborhood, and he loved the students. And I loved working with him. He made the people around him want to do more, to be better, to leave more than they took. “I will miss him and the things he did for me, my family and for Western. For that, I am eternally grateful.”
STUDENT LIFE
Citizenship plan could affect students By Karen Sanchez The Western Express On Oct. 30, an interview of President Donald Trump by “Axios on HBO” was released where he expressed his desire to end the idea of birthright citizenship. In the video, he said, “It’s in the process. It’ll happen with an executive order.” Though birthright citizenship is currently protected by the 14th Amendment, Trump said he wants to make this change through an executive order, meaning his
proposed law does not have to go through the legislative process. What does this mean for people Trump in our community? That much remains unclear, however it may negatively impact students at Western International High School. “What does that mean for
THE WESTERN EXPRESS
first generation kids? It’s scary to see how much power he has over something that could affect millions of people so drastically,” senior Jeanette Andrade said. “Most people in this country are immigrants,” said junior Martine Jacobo. “The land was never ours and we claimed it and now people are being ripped off their rights to be a citizen. For many first-generations kids, this country is all they know, and they would basically be sent away to a foreign country.”
Advisers: William Bowles and Dorian Evans Crain Mentor: Michael Martinez
THE WESTERN EXPRESS
Sophomores Ceslia Galindez and Frida Diaz stop to grab a drink at one of the many water coolers available in the halls of Western.
Students see benefits in water cooler switch By Jose Miranda and Karen Sanchez The Western Express Are water coolers better than updated fountains? That was the question posed to several students at Western, and the response was yes. In late August, it was announced that Detroit Public Schools Community District would shut off all of its schools’ drinking fountains due to a testing which found that 16 out of 24 schools, found high levels of lead and copper in their water. A lot of people were concerned to find out that unacceptable levels of lead were in found the water, and the issue dominated the news. While the district announced its long-term plan on Oct. 9, to implement water stations; students interviewed at Western are taking advantage of the water coolers. Though the circumstances surrounding the installation of these water coolers may be less than ideal, it has seemingly brought upon an immensely positive change. Given five minutes of passing time between classes, students often crowd around these water coolers for a drink of water, while some even bring their own bottles and refill them, before heading
Staff Writers: Jose Miranda & Karen Sanchez
“... With the cups, I feel like it’s safer because we use cups and they are disposable.” Denny Arreguin, junior
back to class. Junior Denny Arreguin said water coolers are better and more convenient. “Before, students would always go to the gym to get cold water,” he said “A lot of teachers whose classes were not near the gym, didn’t like students going across the building. Now, teachers are more agreeable to letting students grab a cup of water because the coolers are right outside of their rooms. Kids are staying hydrated.” Arreguin added: “With the fountains there is the issue with hygiene because people put their mouths on the faucet. Whereas with the cups, I feel like it’s safer because we use cups and they are disposable.” Social studies teacher Marsha Lewis said she noticed students were conversing more at the coolers. “It is so great to see students communicating and drinking more water,” she said. “I am drinking more water as well.”