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Dialogue//Dec. 19, 2018
SPORTS
STUDENT LIFE
KNOCK OUT
CHAMPIONS AGAIN
PAGE 21 » Afterschool boxing program teaches life skills to Southeastern students
PAGE 14 » MLK wins another football title
THE STUDENT VOICE OF DETROIT’S HIGH SCHOOLS
TRADITIONS STUDENT LIFE
PAGE 16 » Alumni, students bring long-time holiday event to new Mumford
SPORTS
ACADEMICS
HOMEWORK HEADACHE PAGE 18 » Is take-home school work worth it? STUDENT LIFE
MAKING MUSIC PAGE 10 » DSA student pursues composition
A PUBLICATION OF
IN THE TRENCHES
PAGE 13 » Henry Ford gymnasium renovation includes new student zone DETROIT
RIVERFRONT REDESIGN
PAGE 8 » Gift to update park
CRAIN MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY DETROIT HIGH SCHOOL JOURNALISM
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2 DetroitDialogue.com Dec. 19, 2018 DETROIT
Renaissance alumnus publishes children’s book
Dialogue
Vol. IV, No. 2 | Dec.. 19, 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.
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 MSU student designers: Amanda Barberena & Luke Olosky
2016 grad who attends Howard writes about HBCUs
By Imani Jackson RHS Stentor Kyle McMurtry, a 2016 Renaissance graduate who now is a junior at Howard University, has published a children’s book that encourages K-5 students to attend HBCUs. “Henry’s Going to an HBCU” was released early November on Amazon eBooks and late November on paperback. In the book, Henry gets accepted into his number one school of choice, Howard. Hope, his younger sister, has much excitement for her brother, but has no idea what an historically black college or university is. Henry explains to Hope the importance of HBCUs for the African-American community. Through the story, Henry tells her that many lawyers, actors, professional athletes, doctors and important figures have been part of the HBCU experience. McMurtry reflects his own experience since attending Howard, where he studies political science with a business minor. “Going to an HBCU has been very empowering,” said McMurtry. “Learning a lot of black history, talking about all the diversity everyone has gone through.” He desires the book to encourage future generations, particularly students of Hope’s age, to become an HBCU scholar. “If they start that early with motivation to go to an HBCU, by the time they get into high school, they’re ready to accomplish so much,” McMurtry said. Since attending Howard, he said he’s become “more confident, more capable, and optimistic.”
COURTESY PHOTOS
Renaissance High School alumnus Kyle McMurty, right, wrote “Henry’s Going to an HBCU, which was released in November. McMurty is a junior at Howard University.
Renaissance “No dream is too small,” he says. Beyond the book, Kyle gives advice to students who are considering attending an HBCU. “Go for it, visit colleges, get a vibe for it, don’t get discouraged.” You can learn more about McMurtry and his work at his website, www.kylemcmurtry. com.
2018-2019 CRAIN MSU DETROIT HIGH SCHOOL JOURNALISM PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS
MSU design adviser: Richard Epps
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
Henry Ford High School Michael Mokdad
Renaissance High School Principal Verynda Stroughter
Detroit School of the Arts Principal Lisa Reynolds
Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School Principal Deborah Jenkins
Southeastern High School Principal Damian Perry
East English Village Preparatory Academy Principal Charlene Mallory Frederick Douglass Academy for Young Men Principal Willie White
Mumford High School Principal Angela Prince
West Side Academy of Information Technology and Cyber Security Principal Andrea F. 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 Luckwald and Terry Driscoll.
Dec. 19, 2018 DetroitDialogue.com 3
THE DIAGNOSTIC Benjamin Carson High School of Science and Medicine | carsondiagnostic.com STUDENT LIFE
Seniors reach milestone
THE DIAGNOSTIC
Senior class president Tajayla Lemm gives a speech during the Senior Pinning ceremony on Nov. 29.
By De’Audree Battle The Diagnostic Nov. 29 was a huge night for the Benjamin Carson High School seniors. BCHS recently held its Senior Pinning ceremony. For the seniors and their family members, that night marked a promise for them to come out of high school strong and get ready to start a new chapter in their lives. “Our senior pinning is our first
milestone to becoming adults in the real world,” senior Jordan Bowers said. The Senior Pinning commences with the seniors and the parent that will pin them, saying a creed to each other. The parents telling their child how proud they are and how they watched them grow to the young adults they are now. With the seniors telling their parent how thankful they are for them being
beside them and accepting their pin. The night ended with the seniors making a commitment to strive forward and make the best of their senior year and go beyond after they graduate and welcome the challenges that come their way. “I went home tonight feeling proud of myself and accomplished” senior Issac Whitfield said.
STUDENT LIFE
STUDENT LIFE
Future Americans denied rights?
By Sara Kabala The Diagnostic President Donald Trump caused an uproar Oct. 30 after declaring he was planning to end birthright citizenship, the 14th Amendment, for children See CITIZENS on page 19 »
OPINION
Studying abroad can be beneficial THE DIAGNOSTIC
Chief Petty Officer Anthony Kurt addresses a squad of cadets after the weekly inspection
B AT TA L I O N
STRENGTH By Isaac Whitfield and Victoria Downer The Diagnostic Benjamin Carson High School is home to one of only two naval JROTC programs in Michigan. They call this battalion the “Shark Battalion.” Last school year, Petty Officer William Justice resigned as an instructor
and was replaced with Chief Petty Officer Anthony Kurt. Chief, as he likes to be called, had a long-standing career in the U.S. Navy for 24 years. He noticed the JROTC program while recruiting. “I thought it was a really good program,” Kurt said. He added that he enjoyed kids
THE DIAGNOSTIC
being involved in the program that may have the idea of joining the military. “It’s a nice way to teach kids and guide them in the right way,” Kurt said. “I had fun when I went to these schools, it would be something cool to do when I retire. A way to give back.” Although there are positives
Editors-in-Chief: Arissa Cotton & Ja’Lynn Jones Adviser: Frank Odeh Crain Mentor: Chad Livengood
and negatives to any job, Kurt appreciates the students that are seriously interested in the program. He said he would rather not force kids into the program. Junior Justin Pickens, a three- year veteran of the program said, “Chief is fun, and I enjoy the program.”
By Milisa Carter The Diagnostic Attending college in another country introduces you to new cultures, people, and experiences. You’ll have a chance to explore different kinds of food and scenery full of exciting landmarks. Experiencing new people and a new culture first-hand will introduce you to new perspectives and give you a better insight of the world subsequently causing you to challenge your biases. Sara Moussa, a junior at Wayne State who is going to Spain to study abroad this summer, said, “I feel very independent and open to allow myself to be submerged in a totally new environment and to experience a different culture.” Living in a new country could give you the initiative to develop See ABROAD on page 9 »
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CT VISIONARY
TECHNICALLY SPEAKING A public forum for the community of Cass Technical High School | ctvisionary.com STUDENT LIFE
Dare to be different By Carlyn Brown CT Visionary Detroit is known for having a plethora of cultures within it. When you walk down midtown, you will find all types of styles. However, the true magic comes from what you don’t see. Many people within the city have a negative perception of certain subcultures, but why? American author Andrew Smith once wrote: “People fear what they don’t understand and hate what they can’t conquer.” When people notice someone that stands out from the norm, they might instantly want to crack a joke but, they are not see-
ing it for what it really is. These subcultures consist of punk, cybergoth, cosplay, straight edge, psychedelic, and more. There are people in these subcultures who have been ridiculed and made fun of for the way they look, dress, and the music they listen to. Most of them are comfortable within themselves enough to not care, like Detroit School of Arts junior Kameron Davis, who identifies with the gothic/alternative community. “Almost daily someone asks me why I do certain things, or they’ll call me a Satanist when really I’m not afraid to live on my own terms,” he said.
“I used to be very scared but now I’m just living my truths and having a great time with it.” Julian Taylor, aspiring model and creative
Many teens in these subgroups notice that they are different compared to most people. Davis said: “I think I’ve always felt different. I grew up hating sports and video games, so I never really fit in from the
CT VISIONARY
See DARE on page 5 »
Julian Taylor and Cameron Davis.
ACADEMICS
STUDENT LIFE
Student group celebrates hair, curls
what you choose today will impact the rest of your life places a lot of stress on young adults. The added pressure from parents and society does not ease this stress. “I was pressured by my parents, family, teachers, even my counselor to go for the practical choice or to just go to college in
By Kennedy Byrd CT Visionary In 2016, two Cass Tech teens teamed up to create an exciting, inclusive, never-before-seen club that changed the attitude towards natural hair. Janae Arnold is an eccentric senior who is also the president and co-founder of Cass Technical High School’s Curl Talk. “I wanted (girls and boys of Cass Tech) to embrace their natural beauty no matter how their hair is styled,” Arnold said. “(I wanted) them to open up to a new group of friends that they would meet throughout their years in high school.” Curl Talk is the first club of its kind at Cass Tech. “I was really surprised (to hear about Curl Talk),” senior Kyra Henderson said. “There has never been a specifically for natural hair, so I was really intrigued.” Because the club has both an informational and social root, new ideas are always being brought to the student body. The club’s main goal is to encourage girls and boys of color to embrace the beauty that is their natural hair, whether it is
See CAREER on page 7 »
See CURLS on page 5 »
CT VISIONARY
According to “Choosing Your Major: Practicality vs Passion” in The Reporter, the pressure of having everything figured out during your high school and college years is overwhelming.
PRACTICAL VS. PASSION Students weigh options for future careers By Aja Abney CT Visionary Young adults are constantly faced with the task of choosing practical or passionate futures. It is that time of year again.
Teenagers are starting to transition into a new phase of their lives. Many have the opportunity to decide if they want to take a practical or passionate route in their journey to the future. They are gearing up for the process of deciding their majors or careers. “The process of choosing a major or career is hard for some,” said University Prep Science &
CT VISIONARY
TECHNICALLY SPEAKING
Math High School senior Jaya Pullen. “Some people already know what they like and want out of life. Others aren’t quite sure.” According to “Choosing Your Major: Practicality vs Passion” in The Reporter, the pressure of having everything figured out during your high school and college years is overwhelming. Actively knowing and feeling that
Editor: Aja Gaines Adviser: Stephanie Griffin Crain Mentor: Don Loepp
Staff: Jourdin Robinson
Dec. 19, 2018 DetroitDialogue.com 5 STUDENT LIFE
Scoliosis will not slow student By Ama Russell CT Visionary Cass Technical High School has over 2,000 stairs and for Ariana Lowe, who is battling scoliosis, getting up these stairs can be difficult. Thank goodness for elevator passes. Scoliosis is a sideways curvature of the spine. It is very common, and there are more than three million U.S. cases per year. Treatment can help, but this condition cannot be cured. It can last for years or even a lifetime. Cases of scoliosis happen
around the world and even in our own Cass Tech community. Lowe is a sophomore at Cass Tech. She was diagnosed with scoliosis when she was 5 years old, but did not receive treatment until last year. She had undergone physical therapy for the first year. She eventually needed surgery this year because the curve of her back was over 15 degrees. A curvature in the spine greater than 10 degrees requires treatment. However, there was a great deal of preliminary appointments and procedures to pre-
Cass Tech pare her body for the surgery. Lowe went to get an MRI but was not able to sit up straight. This resulted in her being given anesthesia, so that she was not conscious for the procedure. The day of the actual surgery, Lowe had to be at the hospital at 6 a.m. “The time finally came I went to the back and they prepared me for surgery,” Lowe said. “I woke up and everything was done with.”
Although the surgery was indeed over, she still had some hurdles to overcome. “After surgery it got hard because I wasn’t able to do what I used to do,” Lowe said. “It’s going by slowly and it takes a lot for me not to do all this the things that I used to do.” When she mentions the things that she used to do, she is referring to, “bending, running and everything I used to take for granted.” “I have a lot of restrictions of things I can’t do,” she said. “I can’t twist my body how I used
See SCOLIOSIS on page 12 »
DARE
OPINION
Ready, get set … for life. Maybe By Courtney Whitaker CT Visionary We all know that math is a required course for all grades, but have you ever thought about a time where, in your future, you needed to know the domain and range of a function? Unless, you want to be an engineer. Of course, we can’t go on in life without basic math skills, but we should have a class that will benefit all students in the long run. Cass Tech should create a course to help students learn essential life skills. “Many high school students are fortunate enough to have parents that can teach them how to pay bills or do their taxes, but what about the students who don’t have anyone at their exposure? That’s who we’re doing it for,” Briauna Willis said. It is very unfortunate how these life skills aren’t taught in all schools, everyone should have an opportunity to learn about it. Lack of knowledge of financial literacy can risk you getting scammed or even getting in debt. But there is not a class like this at Cass Tech and some students here feel that it would be very beneficial to them and others. “I think that starting this class would be a great idea, this could even go beyond Cass and influence other schools locally,” Cass Tech senior Justin Golden said. “Many people are going bankrupt not knowing how to finance themselves, so again this is a very proactive plan.” “Once a week or maybe every other week, there will be a class after school, absolutely free of charge, where you learn to be ready for life,” Destinee Shelly said. Life can be hard for the undereducated because you must know how to balance or how to finance your money. If not, life can get the best of you. Our goal is to help you fight life, so life doesn’t beat you up.
to. Sleep how I used to.” Lowe was out of school for two months recovering from her surgery. Although she went through this experience, she refuses to let this define her. Lowe takes her studies very seriously. After being out of school for two months, she immediately started going to tutoring for her honors chemistry class. Lowe also is an avid reader and enjoys watching TV. She is a member of the Rhonda
It takes time to feel comfortable in own skin FROM PAGE 4
CT VISIONARY
Elnora Browne, Maliyah Alston, Leila Norman, Angel Rucker, Dymond Blakenship, Kennedy Byrd, Sarah Staten and Torence Ireland are all about Curl Talk.
CURLS
Curl Talk club meets every other Thursday FROM PAGE 4
with a silk press or a mountain of coils. Members converse about natural hair, skin care, and mental health. The
club serves as a safe space for the students. “(Curl Talk) made me want to try different skin care routines, hair products, and be educated about curl patterns [different from mine],” said sophomore Alysa Stewart, who has been a general member for two years. “Not
only is this club to talk about skin care, hair care, etc., it’s also a safe space to talk about things and is like a sisterhood.” Curl Talk’s president can be reached at curltalkct@gmail. com. Meetings are held every other Thursday from 3:304:30 p.m.
start.” Julian Taylor, who is an aspiring model and creative, uses his platform on Instagram to inspire. “I feel like I’m different because it’s a lot of people scared to just be themselves,” Taylor said. “I used to be very scared but now I’m just living my truths and having a great time with it.” Taylor was willing to share some of his experiences with being ridiculed by some of the public. “I ended up spiking my hair in liberty spikes and I went to Whole Foods just to meet up with friends and I got so many looks,” he said. “Lots of negatives but many positives. I didn’t let it get to me instead I just felt confident and realized that I’m not for everyone and that’s OK.” It takes time to growing comfortably in your own skin, Taylor said. “For anyone that is struggling with breaking out of their shell is don’t expect an overnight breakthrough,” he said. “Work on yourself every day. Self-love is what brought me out of my shell and it will help anyone feel confident.”
STUDENT LIFE
Got sleep? Eight hours is best By Nyla Carter CT Visionary Sleep is what our body uses to replenish the energy that we use every day. Sleep is essential to the growth and development of high school students. Based on a study from the Center of Disease Control and Prevention, eight hours of sleep is the recommended amount that the average teen should get every night, yet 70 percent of teens in the U.S. report getting less than the suggested amount. A survey
given to Cass Tech students reports that 94 percent of students don’t get the proper amount of sleep at night and this can lead to many psychological and social problems. A 2007 national Youth Risk Behavior survey found that teens who don’t get enough sleep are more likely to engage in risky behavior such as drinking, fighting, and drugs. Spending more time on electronic devices, poor grades, having thoughts of suicide, and higher
Cass Tech depression rates are more likely to appear in students who do not get the proper amount of sleep. According to Dr. Lela McKnight-Eily of the CDC not getting enough sleep and engaging in risky behavior can affect academic success. The CDC says that delaying school start times will help the problem of sleep deprived students but will not completely
fix it. According to reports by the American Association of Sleep Technology, to fix the issues it relies solely on students to make “simple changes in your life such as making sure your room is a quiet place when it is time to go to bed and staying off your phone before going sleep can help you see improvement in your sleep pattern. Taking a hot bath before you go to bed and using aromatherapy will possibly help you relax.”
6 DetroitDialogue.com Dec. 19, 2018
THE COMMUNICATOR
A public forum for the students and community of Communication and Media Arts High School | cmacommunicator.com SPORTS
OPINION
E N T E R TA I N M E N T
Police brutality against blacks We’ve heard of many saddening stories of innocent lives taken from those of color. All different people that Oumie share one story Camara with one thing The in common. Communicator Over the years, African-Americans have been targeted against across America by cops. Racism, violence, and profiling has been apart of this country’s history and unfortunately still is an issue that individuals face. A group of activists created the Black Lives Matter movement, a campaign to shed light towards and create change based on the violence and racism that black people go through. “Black Lives Matter” was founded back in 2013 as it first started off as a trending hashtag on Twitter by Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors and Opal Tometi after the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in February 2012. It was officially recognized then after the controversial shootings of Michael Brown and Eric Ferguson, Tamir Rice, and numerous others. There have been many proceeding responses based on the Black Lives Matter movement. After the hashtag rose to fame, the slogan “All Lives Matter” sprung up many controversial topics on whether or not all lives do matter. Many disagreed with this, because it stripped away See POLICE on page 7 »
OPINION
Christian Johnson The Communicator
History revisited: North Star to return
THE COMMUNICATOR
CMA’s new varsity basketball coach Derrick Edwards discusses plays at his first game against Pershing.
NEW COACH TAKES OVER
By Aaron Butler The Communicator CMA’s high school varsity basketball had a rough season last school year. But the team has a new coach this year, and his name is Derrick Edwards. Edwards made the transition from Cornerstone to CMA and changed the landscape of the program that is the home of the Pharaohs. Senior and starting point guard Staphon Marzette said Edwards made an immediate impact. “Coach E has taught me the most I’ve learned since I’ve been at CMA,” Marzette said. “He puts
the confidence in all of us and encourages all of us to not only work on the court but also in the classroom.” Marzette recently picked up his first offer from the University of St. Mary. “Coach E and the coaching staff helped us regain the confidence in the game we all love,” said senior starting shooting guard Joshua Bumbery. Bumbery has been a member of the program since freshman year. “Being at CMA since freshman year, I have learned the most about the game of basketball this year than my past years,” he said.
HBCU or PWI: Which is right for you? Many high school seniors in Detroit have questioned whether or not they should apply and attend a historically black college or university (HBCU or a predominantly white institution (PWI). Historically black colleges make African Americans feel a sense of community, being around people who look and think like them.
THE COMMUNICATOR
“An HBCU can give you the one on one help if you don’t understand it at the pace the teacher is teaching at,” said CMA senior Ti’Teyonna Williamson. “Also, you feel more at home when you attend an HBCU because you are around people who may understand you a bit better. Also most
See CHOICES on page 7 »
Editor-in-Chief: Tammie Clark Adviser: Robbyn Williams Mentor: Joe Grimm, Michigan State University School of Journalism
By Tammie Clark The Communicator Activist and journalist Shaun King plans on reviving the North Star, an anti-slavery paper published by Frederick Douglass. King plans to work with his friend Ben Dixon to cover heavy hitting issues of today. A few issues are voting rights, police brutality, and mass incarceration. King wants people to be aware and take a stand on these issues and believes that a paper like the North Star can do that. “To bring back something like that for African Americans, is great,” said CMA counselor Cynthia Curry said. Though when the North Star was first published in paper form, the new version will published on the internet in written and oral form. There will be podcasts, videos and video news apps. The app will be accessible for both Android and Apple users. King
and Dixon also plan to generate news specifically for children. “I like news, but prefer it electronically, I am looking forward to reading many stories that will be published in this revision,” said CMA senior Marvelous Alexander. The North Star was first published by Douglass and his friend Martin R. Delany on Dec. 3,1847. In the first issue, Douglass went over the reasons why he wanted to write an anti-slavery paper. Douglass was inspired by white abolitionist William Lloyd Garrison, The Liberator. Douglass felt like any African American authors, editors,and orators who faced injustice should have their own platform to discuss the topics. The North Star was published weekly and was four pages long. They were $2 subscription, and there were about 4,000 readers. Readers were in the U.S., Europe and West Indies.
STUDENT LIFE
COURTESY PHOTO
Darcell Cross CEO of Rich Mindset and Anaya Robinson CEO of Billion Dollar Jars at the Gala at Motor City Casino.
Young entrepreneurs invited to conference By Taylor Stephens and Austin McFarlane The Communicator Many young people dream of starting their own businesses. The reality is that entrepreneurship requires hard work and commitment along with financing. Recently, the National Business League (NBL) hosted its annual Sankofa Conference at the Motor City Casino. This gala was
designed to offer student entrepreneurs an opportunity to meet some of Detroit’s biggest business leaders. The partnership between NBL and the young business owners will provide them with free website, domain name and email address as well as free search engine optimization tools. They also will See BUSINESS on page 7 »
Staff: Oumie Camara, Dylan Daniels, Mark Hardy, Terrel Hicks, Jordan Wiley Assistant Editors: Amaris Hampton, Christian Johnson
Dec. 19, 2018 DetroitDialogue.com 7 OPINION
Holiday stress can turn us all into Grinches Communication & Media Arts By Amaris Hampton The Communicator The holidays are a time for family, being thankful, and festivities in general. With all the festivities come planning, spending, and running numerous errands. The amount of time and effort put into holiday preparation are often unconsidered. It isn’t recognized until the host receives that verbal feedback at the end of the night or on social media. According to Statista.com, Christmas sales have dropped from 5.3 to 4.55 percent in the past year. More people have moved to online shopping or have cut back on shopping altogether. Massive sales alone can turn the jolliest person into a grinch. Many holidays are associated with some form of religion as Americans celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah and Kwanzaa. “I try to celebrate Kwanzaa but I don’t the whole week,” said counselor Theresa BennettGalloway.
THE COMMUNICATOR
Amaris Hampton gives tips on dealing with holiday stress.
The materialism can be a turn off to many. “I’m more of a spiritualist. I don’t like the commercial aspect
of the holiday,” said teacher Michelle Parizon. The holidays can still be filled with cheer. Follow shopping tips
to cut down on spending. Keep family and faith, if you are religious. And remember that having fun is essential.
OPINION
Is the real meaning of Christmas done for?
Terrel Hicks The Communicator
Over the past few years, the true meaning of Christmas has been thrown down the drain. The true meaning of Christmas is giving back to people, spending time with family and friends, and bringing others happiness during this time of the year. It is more of selfless holiday than a selfish holiday. Thinking about the others in your life and showing your appreciation for them with love. Accepting a gift no matter if you like it or not, it’s the thought that counts, but
CAREER
Practical choice might not always be right one FROM PAGE 4
general,” said Cass Tech senior Brandon Seaborn. The biggest struggle of the decision process is the battle between practicality and passion. The youth is often told to follow their dreams and do what they love. However, some of the things they love do not easily translate into a career or major, especially if their dreams are unrealistic and unprofitable. “I decided on my major based on what’s interesting and what I’m good at,” said Michigan State University freshman Darius Modest. Modest is currently majoring in accounting. He described it as a practical choice because of the earning potential it yields
Communication & Media Arts it is not about that anymore. It’s all about money. Adults and even some children don’t expect gifts to anything but monetary. The greed in people is really shown during the holidays and it has butchered the true meaning of Christmas. It’s good to give to people, but for them to only want money with no special context is not what Christ-
for the future. His goal is to work as an accountant and save enough money to start his own retail business. He said, “My entire purpose is to retire early, and accounting will ensure that.” Although the practical choice is often a safe one, it is not always the best or right choice. “Creating art is a passion of mine, having it as a career can only be better,” said Cass Tech senior Jaden Stovall. “I want to be happy with my future career, so it would have to be something that I am fond of.” Stovall said he enjoys creative writing and playing the guitar. He loves doing anything remotely artistic or creative. Although many people have told him to investigate careers such as being a judge or lawyer, he would much rather spend his college years doing what
he loves. He said, “For college I want to go into digital art and design, education and philosophy, or education and English literature.” The stress of achieving their goals as soon as possible has young adults worried. Some advice for the youth is to get a good balance between what they want and future stability, but what are some other things that could help ease the worry and stress? Modest recommends, “Incoming young adults should go for a major or career that gives them a perfect median between passion and practicality.” “I’d let them know that at the end of the day, the choice is theirs,” Stovall said. “Sure, the future is uncertain and scary, but you’ll have to live life. You have to make choices that are best for you.”
mas is about. It’s about spending time with family and friends and appreciating them for being in your life. “Nobody celebrates Christmas for the reasons it was made. They just want gifts and now it’s materialistic,” CMA senior Trisha Sellers said. “I believe that the true meaning is giving to those you love and those without,” said CMA senior Tarik Savage. “The fact that someone took time to think of you out of there life should always count.”
BUSINESS
Entrepreneurs honored FROM PAGE 6
have full access to Google’s cloudbased G-Suite, which includes Google Docs, Sheets, Calendar and more. Among the invites was CMA’s own two young entrepreneurs: seniors Anaya Robinson, who created Billion Dollar Jars, and Darcell Cross, who created Rich Mindset, “This was an amazing experience to be among so many people that look like us that are soaring in the business world,” Robinson said. “Overall professionalism, atmosphere and networking opportunities was great,” Cross said. Robinson plans to expand her business farther then she already has. “I hope to open my own store front in the local Detroit area and partner with other entrepreneurs no matter what kind of business they own,” she said.
POLICE
Community connected through BLM network FROM PAGE 6
from the fact that we should be highlighting the issues that black lives in America have to deal with. Individuals think “All Lives Matter” draws attention away from the Black Lives Matter movement. After many tragic deaths, protesters commenced streets across the country to speak out against the issues and the failures of justice for victims. As of now, black people are more likely to be shot by police than white peers. “I feel like it’s happening too often. Every year the number increases,” said senior Ka’nayy Byrd. “What’s going to happen next?” According to a 2015 analysis by the Guardian, 62.7 percent of unarmed African Americans are killed by police. Today, people from all over including the black community in many cities including Detroit are working together with the Black Lives Matter Global Network to lift up the voices of the black community in the Metro Detroit Area with the hopes to prevent Black lives from further being targeted for demise. “It’s great that they’re trying to bring unity in the city and doing special things to show their affection,” said school counselor Ms. Bennett.
CHOICES
HBCU or PWI? There is no right, wrong choice FROM PAGE 6
of the time you aren’t surrounded by racial slurs that is spat by their students.” However, at a PWIs you get a sense of diversity and get to know other people of other races and ethnicities. “A predominantly black college may not have as good of an education as a PWI because of the color of our skin,” said CMA senior Tiara Rouse. According to via Autumn A. Arnett of Diverse Education: “South Carolina State University in South Carolina and Morgan State University, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, Coppin State University and Bowie State University in Maryland have historically received less funding and inequitable program offering compared to the states’ predominantly white institutions,” Our colleges and universities are changing though, changing in which much more diversity is sought out for. Many universities and college has started offering diversity days and diversity overnight visits. There is no right or wrong answer in choosing between a HBCU or a PWI, it depends on who you are and what you seek.
8 DetroitDialogue.com Dec. 19, 2018
THE HOWLER Detroit Cristo Rey High School | cristoreyhowler.com DETROIT
$200M gift to create parks, trails By Jorge Reyna The Howler On Oct. 17, the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation announced a very spectacular change of scenery that will be under way in early 2019. The deceased Ralph C. Wilson Jr., former owner of the Buffalo Bills, was from Grosse Pointe and always had much love for the city of Detroit. On what would be his one hundredth birthday, the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation announced a gift of $200 million to create new parks and recreational trails in Detroit and in Buffalo, New York. “Ralph simply gave us two directives before his passing; one:
get it done in twenty years and go away, and two: you guys figure it out,” said Jeffrey Litman, Chairman of the board, at the press conference announcing the gift. The plans in Detroit include a makeover of the 22-acre West Riverfront Park, which will be renamed the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park. Construction will begin in 2019 and is estimated to end by 2022. Mark C. Wallace, president and CEO of the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, which worked with the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation to create plans for the park, had a goal of connecting the community.
“We want this to be a place where everyone is welcomed and have many options of activities for kids and adults; to be a place where everyone can look forward to,” said Wallace. To get an understanding of what the people of Detroit wanted, Wallace and the Riverfront Conservancy created a committee of Detroit natives. This committee visited nationally recognized renowned parks in cities that include Chicago, New York City, and Philadelphia to gain inspiration. Denise Kennedy, a Detroit native and breast cancer survivor, found inspiration from New York’s
STUDENT LIFE
CULTURAL CELEBRATION
Photos and story by Edward Sanchez Zavaleta The Howler On Friday, Nov. 16, Detroit Cristo Rey celebrated Diversity Day, an afternoon of learning about different cultures through food, clothing, music and more. Students presented on Colombia; Ireland; Italy; Japan; Korea; Michoacan, Mexico; Jalisco, Mexico, and African American culture.
Governors Island and found peace with the landscape and the unity of the people. She spoke at the conference and said this is just the beginning of making Detroit a better place for all people. She said she will continue to offer her voice as a representative of this project. At the press conference, Mary Wilson, the widow of Mr. Wilson, had a few closing remarks for the audience: “This project means he will not be forgotten and his legacy will continue to live on,” she said. “Ralph was a man that always wanted to go for it on fourth down and one yard and I think this park expresses that.”
JORGE REYNA/THE HOWLER
A model for the Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Centennial Park.
OPINION
2018: Salvaged or lost? Every year, people look back at the memories we made, the pictures we took, the activities we did, and decide whether Jackelyn it was a “good” Gildo year or not. But The an important Howler question that we often forget to ask still lies: Was this year better than the last? Whether it be academically, athletically, or spiritually, we need to stop and ask ourselves this question. How much greater was our progress in comparison to how we did the previous
year? Did we do what we wanted to do, was the year worthwhile or are we in the same place yet again - was 2018 saved or did we lose this year, too? Something always has to ruin the year, right? Just when we think our life is going well and it’s steady, a mishap occurs. We are able to see where things mess up and sometimes do not take the time to grow from that. My questions is: Why do we give unfortunate times the power to destroy our whole year? What I mean is, we don’t have to give up if one thing goes wrong. We’ve all heard about rising from See 2018 on page 23 »
OPINION
Trump immigration policy separates families By Britanny Gomez The Howler President Donald Trump has always shown a strong hatred towards immigration and immigrants; he has made it very clear that he is going to do whatever is possible to stop immigration. In April of this year, the “Zero Tolerance” policy was brought to life when Attorney General Jeff Sessions approved it. The “Zero Tolerance” policy makes it so that any families that immigrated to the United States will be punished and therefore parents will be separated from their children.
THE HOWLER
Adviser: Sydney Redigan-Barman Crain Mentors: Hannah Lutz & Jackie Charniga
The policy caused an uproar all around the country. Over the last couple of months, immigrant families have been torn apart, not only resulting in a loss and suffering for the victims but also struggles for President Donald Trump and Congress. Some of these families crossed the Southwest border looking for a better life, daring to dream for the freedom they could not receive in their own countries because of severe poverty or other factors. Instead, they come to the See FAMILIES on page 9 »
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
Dec. 19, 2018 DetroitDialogue.com 9 E N T E R TA I N M E N T
Review: ‘Crimes of Grindelwald’ is a promising series By Giovanna Gomez The Howler The Crimes of Grindelwald is only the second installment of already confirmed five Fantastic Beasts series. Directed by David Yates, who also directed four out of eight Harry Potter movies, and written by J.K. Rowling herself, The Crimes of Grindelwald seems to be a promising series. This franchise focuses on Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne), a “magizoologist” who studies and rescues magical creatures. This film starts in New York in 1927, with dark wizard Gellert
Grindelwald (Johnny Depp) being moved to another prison. One of his followers interferes and helps him escape. Meanwhile, Newt Scamander is at the British Ministry of Magic, asking for permission to travel internationally, as his rights were revoked after the events of the first film. But the Ministry has other plans for Newt and they ask him to help them find Credence Barebone (Ezra Miller), the orphan from the first film with an unusual power. Newt doesn’t accept the job and goes to meet with Albus Dumbledore (Jude Law). Albus tells Newt that Credence is alive and is in Paris
Detroit Cristo Rey performing in a circus. Years before, Grindelwald and Dumbledore had made a promise to not hurt each other, therefore Grindelwald can’t kill Dumbledore and Dumbledore can’t fight against him. Newt goes to Paris to find Credence. Grindelwald finds Credence and talks to him about joining him. He promises Credence to tell him who he really is, which is a big part of the story. Grindelwald wants Credence to use his special powers to kill Dumbledore. Newt, Credence, and a
few other characters make their way to a cemetery to find out the truth of Credence. Turns out the cemetery was the meeting place for Grindelwald’s followers. He recruits a lot of people, including Credence. Newt and his friends fight hard to get him back, but nothing works. Finally at the end, Grindelwald tells Credence his real name, Aurelius Dumbledore, the brother of Albus Dumbledore. We won’t know if this is true until the third installment. This film did a great job of continuing Credence’s story. It focuses on who he really is and how he discovers the truth about his identity.
Eddie Redmayne continues to deliver the same quirky Newt very well. Ezra Miller really suits his role as Credence. Johnny Depp is excellent as Grindelwald and Jude Law also does a great job of portraying Albus Dumbledore. They all did an extraordinary job of portraying their characters, whether if it’s being quirky, a quiet loner, an evil mastermind, or being painfully in love with the evil mastermind. The movie exceeded all my expectations as a Wizarding World fan. It is an excellent watch and gives me hope for the upcoming films.
OPINION
What you need to know about the 2018 election By Crystal Ramirez The Howler The 2018 midterm elections took place Nov. 6, and while most high school students can’t vote, that doesn’t mean teenagers shouldn’t be aware of what is happening. Many people do not understand to the importance of midterms and their effects since they take place in the middle of a presidential term. However, midterm elections greatly affect everyone, including the president. For example, many members of the U.S. House and the Senate are elected and they will determine what the president’s other half term will be like. Issues like immigration will be greatly affected by this election. For example, democrats are against the anti-immigrant laws that Trump hopes to pass. Other big issues will be the Affordable Care Act, which is commonly known as Obamacare. The republicans have made changes to it and their goal is to get rid of the act. So whoever is in charge of the House will decide how these issues will be handled.
FAMILIES
Many parents still not reunited with children FROM PAGE 8
United States and receive nothing except hate, denial, and the label of “criminals.” Does the United States really stand for “Liberty and Equality for all’’ if immigrants are punished for wanting liberty. Around May of this year, more than 2,300 children were separated from their parents for months. Trump later realized the disastrous mess he created and tried to put a band-aid on a bullet wound by ‘reuniting’ families. As of September only about 2,000 parents have been reunited with their children. This tragic event has made parents miss
Detroit Cristo Rey During this midterm election states’ legislatures and governors were also elected. The state legislatures propose laws on the state-level and are in charge of approving the state’s budget and initiating taxes. They will have an effect as to how public schools will be funded. Governors are in charge of singing the laws or vetoing the laws passed by the legislatures. Lastly, some other issues that are voted on during the midterm elections are ballot proposals. This year, proposals in Michigan included the legalization marijuana and changes to voting rights policies to increase voting access. These topics passed in Michigan. This means large changes for the state. Even though midterm elections do not decide who will be president, important decisions are made at these elections. These are the reasons why not just adults but teenagers should care about midterm elections. the first steps of their children or their first word or even just birthdays. Parents will miss seeing their children, the ones they raised and brought into this world, grow up. Summer is the time to enjoy spending time outside, running and playing with family and friends. This was not the case for some immigrant children. While white children were enjoying the freedom of running around, playing, and enjoying their childhood in their friendly neighborhoods surrounded with people who care so much about them, children of immigrants were kept in detention centers, trapped from the outside world, treated like animals in such harsh conditions. Even with holding these children in detention centers, they have no opportunity of a good education,
THE DIAGNOSTIC
Grace Walter, a BCHS English teacher, studied abroad the summer of her junior year in college. She said she “made connections with other students and professors who I am still in contact with today.”
ABROAD
your communication and leadership skills. You could discover new interests and become increasingly independent. Grace Walter of Benjamin
Carson High School, who studied abroad the summer of her junior year in college, said she “made connections with other students and professors who I am still in contact with today.” Different countries have different teaching methods that can be more beneficial to the type of learner you are. You could also see your chosen major from a new
perspective or be introduced to a major that better suits you. If you choose to go to graduate school your application will stand out. In an increasingly global world you will also impress all potential employers with the experience of studying abroad. Studying abroad is a once in a lifetime opportunity. As Walter said, ”any way you can do it, do it.”
and will probably suffer having to be behind on subjects in school once they return. Alondra Navarro, a sophomore attending Detroit Cristo Rey High School, gave her thoughts on the matter saying, “I don’t believe they should be crossing the border when they know they’re going to be punished and separated from their families.” Patrick Schmidt is a mathematics teacher at Detroit Cristo Rey High School who is a strong advocate for immigration and has helped organize rallies and events in support of immigration rights. He is a part of MIStudentsDream, a local coalition of educators, school staff, youth organizers, students, and families who advocate for immigration justice.
“A child separated from their parents, especially at such a young age, has an extremely high likelihood of being traumatized even if they are returned to their parents at some point,” said Schmidt. These children were trapped for months in centers with harsh environments and no familiar faces. Young children rely on their parents and have that close bond and feeling of safety that will no longer remain due to this traumatic event. These children will always be scared now and worried for their lives, wondering if that will ever happen again. A video went viral of a little three-year old boy that was separated from his family for 4 months. The child was finally reunited with his biological parents, but due to such a long time away from his parents, the child no
longer recognized them. The little boy’s mom would call his name and hug him, but he crawled away, not recognizing who she was. The mom was in tears, trying to help him remember, but he had no interest in hugging her. With this chaotic crisis happening, many were blaming the President and calling him out to take action. Soon after President Donald Trump’s ego could no longer handle all the accusations, he decided to point fingers at the Democrats. Having done that, he decided to sign an executive order making it so that families would no longer be separated. This action that Donald Trump has taken will not change the fact that many families out of the thousands are yet to be reunited.
Global knowledge could help with future career FROM PAGE 3
10 DetroitDialogue.com Dec. 19, 2018
THE DSA MIDTOWN TEA Detroit School of the Arts | dsamidtowntea.com OPINION
STUDENT LIFE
We all need self-love, self-esteem
More than meets the ear
By Taylor Kaigler The DSA Midtown Tea Self-love is the act of reassurance that no matter what you are whole and will continue to be no matter who comes in and out of your life. Self-esteem is the confidence of one’s self worth and abilities to carry out everyday tasks trusting that they are capable of doing it. Society fails at highlighting the advantages of achieving selflove and esteem, instead topics such as relationship goals, social norms, popularity, etc, are the center of discussion. What if society focused instead on looking inward and developing self-love and esteem? “Loving me is something that I had to teach myself,” said Kandi Alexander, president of the Broadcasting team at DSA. “Some of the lessons came from my own family who are one of the main reasons that I had low self-esteem and why I had to work on myself. When you hear from so many people that you won’t be somebody someday, you begin to almost start believing it as you might believe in Santa Claus.” Social media plays a role in the high percentage of women and men who lack the capability to believe that they are beautiful, strong, and important. “Social media has saturated our society with images of perfect bodies, light skin tones, and filtered faces. It’s easy for people to feel like they don’t measure up to the perfect pictures they see in their feeds every day,” said Amy Bragg, a journalist at Crain Communications who works with Detroit School of Arts journalism students. For that reason teens grow to feel self-conscious about their body and decide to change the things about them that are not up to society’s standards. This is where self-love and esteem would come in. Having those two traits would prevent negative thoughts from rummaging through a person’s mind, giving them these unrealistic beliefs that they are not beautiful, strong, and important. In order to reach this it takes time, See LOVE on page 12 »
THE DSA MIDTOWN TEA
By Subria Burkhalter The DSA Midtown Tea Kurton Harrison III is a senior at Detroit School of Arts and he was born and raised in Detroit. Harrison is a talented musician and composer studying piano, trumpet, and guitar since the seventh grade. Inspired to be the change that he wants to see in the world by educating people on their perspective of the word can’t. “While I was pregnant with Kurton the doctors told me that he would never walk, talk, and would have to live in a group home for the rest of his life,” Harri-
son’s mother told the radio show “MOMENTUM,” Nov. 12. “We must teach our students with disabilities that they have a gift, not a limitation. Stop telling our youth what they can and can’t do.” After many medical visits to doctors with false diagnosis, autism was finally diagnosed. One of Kurton’s biggest challenges to overcome in school was bullying, especially in elementary and junior high. With the support of his family and school community Kurton was able to overcome the bullying. “I constantly told Kurton ev-
erything you needed is already within you,” Mrs. Harrison said after discovering Kurton’s unique musical gifts. As a result of his love for music, people who bullied him became his friends and inspired others to believe hatred is not fought with hatred, but with love. On Kurton’s journey to success, he has not only inspired but impacted many lives proving that anything you set your mind to can be reality. “Kurton has been our big brother in school helping and guiding us so we can continue to uphold the Detroit School of the
COURTESY PHOTO
A gifted composer, Kurton Harrison plays his trumpet.
Arts music department legacy,” said Detroit School of the Arts freshman William Hill III.
OPINION
DETROIT
Can social media have a positive impact?
THE DSA MIDTOWN TEA
Vision male ensemble members take their place on stage for their second performance. In the crowd was hundreds of renowned black business owners.
Black business gala features DSA By Faith Howard The DSA Midtown Tea In the words of Simon Sinek, a motivational speaker and organizational consultant, “Leadership is not about the next election, it’s about the next generation.” Detroit School of Arts Achievers exemplified that during their appearance at the prestigious Sankofa 2018 Black Business Gala and Awards Dinner in Detroit on Nov. 17. Achievers could be found
ushering, working social media, running robotic and studio cameras, and even performing as Detroit School of Arts’ male ensemble, Vision, sang selections from jazz to African renditions. In addition to working at the event, three Achievers, seniors Taaliyah Grayson and Subria Burkhalter and sophomore Jayla Forest, won an essay contest which asked, “Why Do You Want To Start a Business in Detroit?”
Editor-in-Chief: Taylor Kaigler Adviser: Beverly Morrison-Green Mentor: Amy Bragg
Other DPSCD students also won the essay contest, including seniors Anaya Robinson and Darcell Cross, both from Communication Media & Arts High School. The students were rewarded by having reserved seats at the $100/plate awards dinner, where they met black business owners from across the state. “The annual Sankofa Gala/ conference was very fun and entertaining,” DSA sophomore De’onne Reynolds said.
By Kandi Alexander The DSA Midtown Tea Some may say “Social media is so #LIT.” But how “#LIT” is it really? Can a generation, so hooked on social media survive without searching or strolling through a timeline on Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, or Pinterest? According to the Pew Research Center for Internet and Technology, 97 percent of teens in the U.S. ages 13-17 use at least one social media platform daily. But the same study found that those same teens have mixed feelings about the impact social media has on their lives, with 24 percent saying it has negative effects ranging from bullying to peer pressure and loss of connection with friends. When an entire generation is solely focused on becoming social media-famous, is there any hope for creating a positive change in the world? Teens at Detroit School of Arts think so. Can social media can impact someone’s thoughts or actions? “Yes, it depends on a good situation,” Alliyah Ireland said. “If you know someone on Instagram, or any kind of social media and they are doing something good for the community, See SOCIAL on page 19 »
Staff: Taylor Kaigler, Kandi Alexander, Subria Burkhalter, Treasure Wallace, Chantell Phillips
VOICE OF THE VILLE
Dec. 19, 2018 DetroitDialogue.com 11
East English Village Preparatory Academy | voiceoftheville.com STUDENT LIFE
STUDENT LIFE
Detroit supt. meets with student leaders By Jordan’ Burkes Voice of the Ville On Nov. 16, seniors Malik Dann and J’Lynn Nelson from East English Village attended a Student Leadership luncheon with Dr. Nikolai Vitti at the School Center Building. Student leaders had the opportunity to share concerns and challenges of classmates at their respective school, as well as make recommendations for improvements. “The overarching goal is to give a voice to students,” Vitti said. “To this end, the goal is also to establish student governments in all high schools.’ Four high schools were
invited, EEV, DIA, Western and Denby. Each school selected two student representatives. “The purpose of the luncheon was for students who attend DPSCD high schools to identify problems that can be resolved,” Dann said.. New students will attend future luncheons with Vitti Vitti. “I was surprised I was picked to attend the luncheon, but I enjoyed the experience and the opportunity to personally meet Dr. Vitti,” Nelson said.
E N T E R TA I N M E N T
Teacher writes, acts 1950s Detroit play VOICE OF THE VILLE
Senior Keyonte’ Shepard drinks from one of the school’s hydration stations.
Schools update water stations By Jordan’ Burkes Voice of the Ville Students in DPSCD schools are no longer sipping water from fountains. For months students in all DPSCD schools drink water from dispensers. Before the school year started, DPSCD school shut down all the water in the fountains due to problems with the contaminants passing through the school’s pipes, perhaps they were old/ or poorly maintained fixtures. Since it wasn’t safe to drink, Superintendent Nikolai Vitti has made good promises to ratify the problem of students potentially consuming contaminated water in all the district schools. As promised, Vitti replaced the school fountains with water hydration stations. Now students and staff can
VOICE OF THE VILLE
be easily filling their personal water bottles or drink directly from the stations with no fear of consuming polluted water. EEVPA students now gathered around at water dispensers, before reporting to classes. Even though water hydration stations have helped. There are still some cons that comes with the water hydration stations. Once students leave the area, there is little water left in the huge jugs, which creates the next problem, replenishing the water dispensers for the rest of the day. Not to mention, custodians stayed busy mopping up water from the floor around the dispensers. Today, students make their way to hydration stations, get water, and safely walk through the halls knowing their drinking clean and purified water.
COURTESY OF THOMAS GALASSO
Thomas Galasso on the set of “When the Swan Sings on Hastings.”
VOICE OF THE VILLE
East English senior Anthony Werp gets water from water dispenser — soon to be a thing of the past.
Editor-in-Chief: Jalicia Smith Adviser: Cynthia D. Roddie Staff Support: Gail Elam Mentor: Joy Visconti, Michigan State University School of Journalism
By Klo’e Graham, Jalicia Smith and Jordan Burkes Voice of the Ville In addition to teaching teens with Autism, East English Village teacher Thomas Galasso writes historical fiction in his spare time. In 2002, he started writing a play, “When the Swan Sings on Hastings,” at the old Northern High School where he once taught English and drama. His drama class performed the play at the school. Later, he decided to reach a wider audience by writing it into a novel. The novel is historical fiction, and it is about African Americans
who lived and worked in segregated Detroit during 1950s in Paradise Valley. During that time, many African Americans lived in an area of the city called Black Bottom. There, Galasso’s story takes life on Hasting Street. A time when blacks were limited to where they could live. Galasso stated his father told him stories about how busy Hastings Street was and how exciting it was at night. Galasso is also an actor. He stars in a short film based on his book, “When the Swan Sings on Hastings.” A trailer for the movie was shown at the Southfield Public Library in October.
Staff Writers: Jordan’ Burkes, Cheyanne Cargle, Klo’e Graham, Tashaylah Homesly, Mac Swift, Sema’J Williams, Zy’keius Williams
12 DetroitDialogue.com Dec. 19, 2018 STUDENT LIFE
ACADEMICS
Khaki pants now part of uniform By Jalicia Smith Voice of the Ville East English has a new dress code. Students must now wear khaki or tan pants. Some students, especially females, think this is a gateway to potential humiliation if an accident occurs during their monthly cycle. For girls, wearing khaki pants while on their menstrual cycle is risky; so, many girls wear extra layers of clothes just to be secured and free of public embarrassment.
East English Village “Female students must pay special attention to their personal needs when wearing light color pants,” teacher Cynthia Roddie said. Senior Audreyana Johnson said: “To be forced to wear khaki pants is not giving us an opportunity to be ourselves. It is bad that everyone has to dress alike; we should be able to showcase our own style of dress.” After talking with a lot of
students, it is clear, many share her sentiments. “Khakis are not in style, and it’s unfair that we don’t have a variety of colors to choose from,” senior Derica Jones said. It seems everyone has a say about what students are required to wear, even principal Charlene Mallory. “The new uniform policy; I love it,” Mallory said. The dress code may go back to blue, black or khaki pants next year, but for now, students must wear khaki pants.
ACADEMICS
Speech pathologist ‘loves it’ at EEV
VOICE OF THE VILLE
Seniors Ziggy Williams and Jordan’ Burkes use their phones to complete a class assignment.
Are cellphones beneficial tools? By Tashaylah Homesly Voice of Ville We live in a world where almost everything we do involves some type of technology or electronics. One popular technological device is the cellphone. Even kids under the age of 10 are often seen on their phones playing games or on social media, such as snapchat and Instagram. But, should cellphones be allowed in school? Are they useful instructional tools? In school, you usually hear “No Phones Allowed” or see signs, ‘NO CELLPHONES.” And, if you get caught using your phone, there are consequences, including having it confiscated. Phones should be viewed as a learning device, not simply a distraction.
Schools officials prohibit the use of cells for many reasons including cyberbullying, inappropriate use of social media, and cheating on in-class exams. However, they can be advantageous learning tools. Students often access Edmodo, Khan Academy, College Board, and Clever on their phones. These apps promote student learning and allow them to work independently at their learning level. Many DPSCD schools lack basic resources such as textbooks, netbooks and study guides Using their cellphones, students can download lessons, textbooks and even outside of school readings like novels. EEVPA school administration should consider allowing students to use their phones in classrooms as an intricate part of learning.
LOVE
As stated by Katina M. on the Be Yourself website, “Those rituals gave me Purpose. They validated the idea that I did actually accomplish something in the “busyness” of everyday. The importance of daily rituals are that they hold you accountable for Doing You. For being with yourself. For making alone time less lonely.” Lastly, be patient with yourself. A plant never grows just by watering it. Give yourself time to evolve.
Self-love means making yourself the first priority FROM PAGE 10
patience, and action. Begin by finding time that is dedicated to your daily, weekly, or monthly rituals. Set aside time to do the things that make you happy and get in the habit of doing them more often. Make yourself your number one priority.
By Cheyanne Cargle Voice of Ville East English village should be much improved due in part to speech pathologist Rhonda Simon. Simon extends respect to everyone; she stands out in the crowd with her electrifying personality and infectious smile. So, what brought her to the Ville? Simon left Detroit Public Schools Community District after the district had a difficult year in 2015. “It appeared as if DPS would not survive and it would be dismantled,” Simon said. Although she made the move to another school district, she remained passionate about De-
troit students. In fact, she told her previous DPSCD supervisor that she would likely return. Within a year, Simone made her way back to DPSCD. Upon returning, Simon was offered the opportunity to work at EEVPA. Initially, SiSimon mon said she was hesitant about working in a high school. “Now, I love it here; I love working with older kids,” she said. After being at the Ville for two years, Simon said she is recognized by students and
East English Village staff for her tireless energy and outstanding work. She describes herself as “well adjusted.” When asked to describe her personality, Simon points out four characteristics: trustworthy, an advocate for those in need, friendly, and outspoken. For fun, when asked what animal best describes her personality she replied, “a peacock; like it I am self-assured, yet I blend well in a crowd.” Simon said she is looking forward to being involved in school activities, clubs, organizations, games, and other things dealing with the students.
OPINION
Seniors should get schedule break By Cheyanne Cargle Voice of the Ville Senior students shouldn’t have to take unnecessary classes if they have received all their required credits to graduate. Students should be able to take the classes they need and be dismissed. They shouldn’t have to stay a full day if those classes aren’t what they need to graduate. Senior students should also be able to choose the time they will attend school to take their classes either in the morning or
SCOLIOSIS
Not a disease; ‘just happens’ to people FROM PAGE 5
Walker Foundation for girls.
afternoon. This will help students maneuver better throughout the day due to a shorter schedule that way they can just take classes they require. After students leave school they can use their additional time to work and/or plan for upcoming events. Upcoming events such as senior pinning, prom, and graduation. The students that work
wouldn’t have to get home so late and they can be able to have the time to do their homework. Unless, some students desire a full schedule to occupy them all day or if they want the bonus credits. Many seniors may absorb and appreciate the great idea of not having a full schedule. It might be more convenient for many parents as well as students due to the dismissal timing. The proposition of senior students not having a full schedule should be negotiated.
She is very passionate about giving back to her community by donating her time and toys to children in shelters. “I work hard every day just to get to where I am today, so I want to give back to the people who are less fortunate than
me,” Lowe said. Lowe also has a message for all the misconceptions she has encountered. “It’s not some type of disease that people can get if they touch me,” she said. “It just happens to some people.”
East English Village
TROJAN MESSENGER
Dec. 19, 2018 DetroitDialogue.com 13
Henry Ford High School | hftrojanmessenger.com SPORTS
TROJANS DEN BECOMES ‘THE TRENCHES’
TROJAN MESSENGER
A mural was added to the recently remodeled Henry Ford High School gym featuring the Trojan warrior in a game of tug-of-war.
By Jessica Easterling Trojan Messenger The Henry Ford High School Basketball team is building up its fame and fortune with its new mural in the gym by adding a mural called “The Trenches” to its freshly remodeled gym. But the new mural has rose many questions such as, why did the Trojans decided on this mural? Also, a better question, where did the Trojans come up with the name? “Trenches mean growing up hard, most of the boys on the team
OPINION
grew up hard,” said Henry Ford small forward Julian Walker. “Back in the day schools had a team symbol that they represent,” said coach Kenneth Flowers. “I wanted to bring back that feeling with a little trash talk Trojans are always having war in the trenches of the war.” Flowers wants to set a good example by bringing back healthy rivalries in the PSL. The team has big dreams of going to the state championship and they are working hard to make this dream come true they’re practic-
ing day in and day out. Even on the weekends they take time to watch other teams’ games, so they can be the best. The mural features the Henry Ford Trojan warrior drag his competition in a one-sided game of tug-of-war. “There is a lot of love and a lot of hate walking inside of high school is like being a celebrity especially if you on a sports team,” said point guard Deshawn Marbury. “When people walk in, we want them to know where they at, they in ‘The Trenches.’”
ACADEMICS
Food drive shows thankfulness By Aleyah Price Trojan Messenger Since, we are a DPSCD school in the community, it gives us an opportunity help others in the community. Food can drive can support hunger, poverty, and homelessness. Our students at Henry Ford High School wanted to support the cause by donating non-perishable items to Gleaners Food Community Bank this Holiday Season. The reality is, everybody can’t afford food, clothes or shelter. The least we could do was grab as many can goods as possible. Helping others makes us feel good because we are able to put smiles on others’ faces. Plus, we want to be recognized more for our good behavior and being a good Samaritans to our city and not just recognized from fights and violence. We want to show more than just trying to prove who’s the best, we want to be known as who’s the greatest school of all time. Students at Henry Ford High challenged each other to be agents of change. Our students want to feel like they are making a difference in the world. If we give them opportunities to create change, they will take those opportunities and run with them. We also encourage our staff members, alumni. and community partners to donate as well. As stated on www.thp.org, “Today there are 821 million people who are chronically undernourished. This is more than the 795 million in 2014, although still down from about 900 million in 2000. Also, 98% of the world’s undernourished people live in developing countries.”
TROJAN MESSENGER
TROJAN MESSENGER
Kodie Hudson and Tekekia Goodin-Artis building machines that emulate humans at a hackathon for high school computer science students.
TROJAN MESSENGER
Henry Ford High School students donate to the Gleaners Community Food Bank. Students said that helping others makes them feel good cause we are able to put smiles on the faces of others.
Where is hunger the worst? Hunger exist in multiple countries such as Asia: 515.1 million, SubSaharan Africa: 236.5 million, and Latin America: 32.3 million. Sixty percent of the world’s hungry are women. The facts help us see the need and importance to other people’s lives, our lives and the world. There should be no excuse why we can’t take the time to help others when Adviser: Ciara Griffin and Dr. J. Lewis Mentor: Joy Visconti, Michigan State University School of Journalism
we have all the resources to lend a helping hand. Helping brings us together as people and a community. The staff, parents, and community of Henry Ford High School will continue to work together to successfully educated our students and prepare them for their next transition. Henry Ford students will continue to master skills necessary to become successful responsible and productive citizens.
Henry Ford teacher gets $7,500 grant By Christian Sheppard Trojan Messenger Technological programming has risen in popularity (and basically dominated) in several industries over the past few decades. As a result, computer science is a high demand field in the 21st century but a field hard for people of color to enter. Data from the U.S. Department of Labor have shown that over one-fourth of computer science degrees belong to
Staff Writers: Aleyah Price, Christian Sheppard, Jessica Easterling
women. African American women comprise of 12 percent of women in this market. Lakeza Ball, a former computer science engineer said: “There have been many times where I was the only African American and female Computer Science employee. Currently, Ball is a high school math teacher at Henry Ford High School. Ball is in her second career. See GRANT on page 19 »
14 DetroitDialogue.com Dec. 19, 2018
CRUSADERS’ CHRONICLE A public forum for the students and community of Martin Luther King Jr. Senior High School | crusaderschronicle.com
SPORTS
DETROIT
King receives award for Legacy March By Damyah Bowers Crusaders’ Chronicle On Nov. 7, King received the 2018, 71st Michigan Roundtable for Diversity and Inclusion Tribute Honoree William H. Beckham, Jr. Community Service Award at MGM Grand Detroit. The school received
this award because of its annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Legacy March, which honors what Dr. King stood for. Principal Deborah Jenkins accepted the award which reads in part “Celebrating Leaders in Diversity & Inclusion” on the school’s behalf.
“She believes in inclusion and it’s not about race it’s about being human beings,” said Michael Joseph, community activist and UAW international representative. “People have come to the march for the last nine years. We created it. We redesigned
the building to simulate the civil rights era and we made it happen,” Jenkins said. “We honor people who are usually not recognized for their community service by uplifting Dr. King’s name and by keeping See AWARD on page 15 »
CHAMPS SPORTS
Football, Dequan Finn, defeated Muskegon 41-25 to win the school’s third state title in four years. “My mindset was just finishing out what we had started. Going into the season we knew
By Elizabeth Trice Crusaders’ Chronicle With 11 offers, senior varsity basketball guard Del’Janae Williams has accepted a full ride scholarship to Indiana State University (ISU). She made it official at a signing party in the media center Nov. 14. “I was excited because I knew that Larry Bird went there, and he was a famous NBA player. He was also a great shooter,” WilWilliams liams said. Williams started playing the game at the age of 4 because her family members are avid players. Once at King, she had her sights on a varsity spot and got it her freshman year under the tutelage of former head coach William Winfield. Winfield retired, and Williams has a new head coach Gwen Burton. “I met Del’Janae Williams, through her older sister Dee Dee. She played at King High School as well,” Burton said. “She (Del’Janae) was always trailing behind her sisters,” After considering other scholarship offers, Williams decided to join ISU’s Sycamores led by head coach Vicki Hall. “The head coach and I have a great relationship because of the fact that she has been recruiting me since I was very young,” Williams said. “When I went on my visit, the campus environment was great.”
See CHAMPS on page 15 »
See GUARD on page 15 »
PHOTOS COURTESY OF CARL JONES
The Crusaders’ varsity football team wins their third state championship in four years by defeating the Big Reds, 41-25.
Crusaders defeat Muskegon Big Reds for state title
CRUSADERS’ CHRONICLE
years, including a narrow victory of 24-21 in week two of the season. It was a loss still on the minds of players as they entered the Nov. 24 championship game at Ford Field. “The most challenging was losing to Muskegon and knowing in the end we were going to Adviser: Veronica Hollis Crain Mentors: Mike Wayland & Melissa Burden
have to play them in the state championship. We knew we would be the underdogs going into the game,” said senior wide receiver and defensive corner Ahmad Gardner. This time, the underdogs came out on top. King, led by senior quarterback and 2018 Mr.
Del’Janae Williams accepts a scholarship to Indiana State University as look on as mother Janet Williams, aunt Sharon Bellamy and coach Gwen Burton look on.
Guard Williams signs with Indiana St.
AG A I N
By Apryl Long Crusaders’ Chronicle The Detroit Martin Luther King football team was out for revenge entering the Division 3 state championship game against the Muskegon Big Reds. The Big Reds had consistently beat the Crusaders in recent
ELIZABETH TRICE/CRUSADERS’ CHRONICLE
Staff Writers: Shakyra Blackburn, Damyah Bowers, Taylin Ford, Apryl Long, Elizabeth Trice, Ashenna Williams
Dec. 19, 2018 DetroitDialogue.com 15 STUDENT LIFE
Students plant trees By Shakyra Blackburn Crusaders’ Chronicle King’s schoolyard appeared empty in front of the building and dull for some time. Now, thanks to English teacher Andrew Kemp and a group of juniors, things are starting to look up. With several after school activities going on, Kemp heads a new program, Tree People. “I have an after school program called Tree People where I’m try-
King ing to get kids involved in planting trees and taking care of trees here at school,” said Kemp. From Kemp’s perspective, planting trees can be beneficial to the environment and the students. “There are many benefits from planting the trees. For starters, we did it for beautification of the
school, shady places to sit and hang out, more oxygen for everybody in the world, and a better understanding with trees,” said Kemp. Junior Caniree Lightfoot, one of seven students who participated in planting the activity said she enjoyed the opportunity because she was helping more than herself. “I felt like I was helping my community. It was a good experiSee TREES on page 21 »
COURTESY OF CHARLES DOLTON
Junior Tay-Ron Lewis and English teacher Andrew Kemp plant trees outside of King for a new program, Tree People. Photo by
CHAMPS
STUDENT LIFE
King has most state titles in the PSL FROM PAGE 14
TAYLIN FORD/CRUSADERS’ CHRONICLE
College adviser Juanita Gool and seniors Angel Collins and Bianca Lockhart perform in the talent show.
Staff step up for talent show
By Taylin Ford Crusaders’ Chronicle On Nov. 18, the auditorium was decorated, stage set, and seats filled with excited students to watch the Crusader staff model and display their talent for a cause. The Teacher Talent Show is an event that not only showcases the creativity of staff but allowed students to see the fun and aloof side of their teachers for an important cause: the science department and a trip to Panama for students. “The kids get a chance to see their teachers with their hair down,” Laurence Stewart, science teacher, coordinator of the event, and participant said. “This year, we’re using the money to support the science club. We’re making it so we can get things for the science
GUARD
Williams plans to study sports medicine FROM PAGE 14
Williams’ father, Delbert Williams said her older sisters are a big part of Williams’ desire to play the game of basketball. “She used to be at different basketball games. She saw what type of joy that me and her mom took in watching the girls (her sisters) play,” he said. Student athletes want to gain
department. Any leftover will be used to help the kids going to Panama in two years.” A wide arrange of talent came across the stage at the event: dance routines, selfmade raps, impressive lip syncing, and of course a recreation of the Soul Train line! Because what event would it be without Soul Train? “It really made me want to jump out of my seat because of the music they were playing was our generations type of music,” junior Carrington Stubblefield said. “It was really entertaining to see the teachers outside of the teaching zone.” The fun filled event was the second of its kind, and this year
Stewart had a different goal. “Last year I was trying to find a way to make money for Gleaners,” Stewart said. “I thought it would be nice to give Gleaners some money for people that don’t get a chance to eat. I was thinking of a way to make money and I thought a teacher talent show would be a nice way to do it.” The room was filled with laughter and loud praise when students spotted their favorite teachers on stage. “I love my school, and I have a school pride. It’s a black and gold Crusader Nation thing,” said Angel Hackett, math teacher and mistress of ceremony of the event. “When you participate with the kids, you build relationships with them that you wouldn’t get if you had not participated.”
scholarship status but forget about the academic dedication involved when it comes their classwork. “My advice to basketball players is always have your academics first, basketball, then your social life,” Burton said. “If you get those things out of order, you’re doing wrong. You always must prioritize. You must be smart. Colleges not only look at your athleticism, they look at your grade point average.” Barry Cannon, assistant principal and athletic coordinator, establishes King’s athletic programs on more than the game
itself. Character and spirituality play an important role to be a Crusader athlete. “My program is built upon two viewpoints. One, you must be a young lady or gentlemen first. Lastly and most important, build up your character,” Cannon said. “Without faith, there’s no works. Your spirit has to be intact when everything that we receive is a blessing.” Williams plan to study sports medicine. She wants to become a personal trainer or physical therapist.
King
that we had to win the state championship and that’s what we did,” Finn said. “We had to keep going hard and put our efforts into it.” Muskegon’s Cameron Martinez scored the first touchdown of the game, but Finn threw a pass to senior receiver Dominick “Speedy” Hannah that tied the game. King’s Finn and Hannah continued to vibe as Hannah caught a second touchdown. The last touchdown was a 22yard pass in the fourth quarter as Finn threw a pass to Gardner. Head coach Tyrone Spencer who as a 10-year career in the game uses proven strategies to keep his team’s mind on success. He made a point of straying away from the norm to beat Muskegon. “The players are different. There’s a lot of mental games and a lot of strategies you use from
AWARD
Jenkins pushed for entire school to be honored FROM PAGE 14
it alive along with the legacies throughout the building.” Initially the award committee wanted to recognize Jenkins, but she was adamant about the honor naming the school and not only her. She made it no secret how everyone contributed to the award. “I agreed to the receipt of the award because I feel that Deborah Jenkins isn’t all deserving. The community service award says Martin Luther King Jr. High School, Deborah Jenkins, Principal and that’s the only way I would take it. I look at when you’re running a school it’s not me, it’s all of us together my students, teachers, administrators, everybody inside the school. If the world is going to exist, we’re going to have to learn to work together,” said Jenkins. Her colleagues speak highly of her dedication to the school
trial and error. Something that fail you take out, what you have success with you keep it. We definitely did somethings differently.” King’s varsity team has won three of the last four state championships, has the most state titles in the Public School League, has won state titles in two divisions, and has played in six state title games. “We try to keep them in the moment without letting the game get to big. In other words, let’s win to play another 4 quarters,” said assistant varsity coach, defensive line Leon Crenshaw. Coaching the team is no easy feat because even though the players are a winning team, they still have personal lives to live. “They’re teenagers and life happens. You have to coach them through whatever they’re going through,” said Spencer. “The hardest part is to keep them always ready to play, always ready to practice hard. Consistency in leading your group, that’s the hardest part.”
and the community. When she arrived at King nine years ago, she worked diligently to have décor that speaks of Dr. King’s messages. “She is someone who is truly vested in the upward mobility of the city of Detroit as well as youth,” said Assistant Principal Lawrence Fitz. “She is definitely a freedom fighter for our community.” The Michigan Roundtable for Diversity Jenkins and Inclusion focus is “to bring diverse people and communities together to listen to each other; learn new information and skills and determine ways to move forward.” “Receiving the award helps me understand that we’re moving in the right direction. It helps me know that there’s still so much work to be done and it can’t stop,” Jenkins said. “When we reach out, we learn more. When we expand our circles, we learn more.”
16 DetroitDialogue.com Dec. 19, 2018
MUSTANG VOICE Mumford High School | mumfordmustangvoice.com STUDENT LIFE
SPORTS
WINTER
TRADITION COURTESY OF DEZMOND GULLEY
The Mumford mascot looks on as Junior Lee Almore shows off during the Mumford Madness dunking contest on Nov. 20.
HOOP DREAMS
Mustangs look forward to winning seasons
Alumni bring old winter event to new Mumford
MUSTANG VOICE
tos with Santa, and a visit from Spiderman, Catboy, and other characters. “Copland Entertainment was in charge of the really cute See WINTER on page 17 »
See HOOPS on page 17 »
TAELOR MOORE/ MUSTANG VOICE
ABOVE: Two young Winter Wonderland visitors shoot webs with Spider Man on Dec. 1. LEFT: Members of the Celestial Children’s Choir of New Prospect Baptist Church performed at Winter Wonderland at Mumford.
L
By Taelor Moore Mustang Voice inda Spight adjusted her antlers and posed for a photo with Spiderman and Catboy. The former principal was hanging out with the life-sized cartoon characters because they were featured guests at Winter Wonderland on Dec. 1 at Mumford. Winter Wonderland was hosted by the Mumford High School Alumni Association (MHSAA). Spight served as the contact person, and dozens of alumni and former staff were there to sell merchandise or to volunteer. Spight had experience with Winter Wonderland from her days as Mumford’s principal.
By Tiana Law and Ayrionna Robinson Mustang Voice The whole school gathered in the gym Nov. 20 for the Mumford Madness Tip-off — a fun way to start off the season for both of Mumford’s varsity basketball teams. The event featured a threepoint contest and a dunk contest leading up to a game between mixed teams of girls and boys varsity. Athletic director Kevin Jackson said that besides being a pre-Thanksgiving treat for students, the event was a way to persuade students to attend basketball games. “Attendance at games has been down, and we thought that if students had fun at a game, they might want to attend games during the season,” Jackson said. Mumford Madness was an intense game between two highly skilled teams. Last year, both varsity teams won Westside division championships and Mumford girls went on to capture the city and district championships and the Operation Friendship championship against the Catholic League champion team from Marion H.S.. Girls head coach Kareem Hogan said he’s looking forward
“In the old Mumford they had Winter Wonderland during parent teacher conferences, and the vendors would be set up in the hallways. Parents would finish conferences and then buy items from the vendors such Adviser: Sara Hennes Crain Mentor: Shiraz Ahmed
as food, jewelry, art and more,” Spight said. In addition to local vendors selling merchandise, the new Winter Wonderland featured a children’s play area, a dance troupe, a children’s choir, pho-
Staff Writers: Raechel Davis, Yoder Faulkner, Tiana Law, Remi League, Ji’Air Levngston, Ayrionna Robinson, Daija Thomas
Dec. 19, 2018 DetroitDialogue.com 17 SPORTS
ACADEMICS
COURTESY OF KEVIN JACKSON
Mumford senior Parrish Burton catches for sophomore pitcher Moses Lark during a June 1 game against Osborn.
Baseball champions recruiting for repeat By Robert Alexander and Clint Kyles Mustang Voice Wouldn’t you show up to see your team win the championship? Baseball used to be America’s most popular sport, but that’s changing. Fewer adults follow the game and fewer kids want to play. And hardly anyone shows up to watch the Mumford Mustangs play. Athletic director Kevin Jackson said sometimes the stands are completely empty. “A lot of people think baseball is boring because you don’t have people getting trucked like in football or getting dunked on. It doesn’t have the fast action of other sports,” Jackson said. Jackson said baseball isn’t
Mumford the most popular high school sport, but all DPSCD schools have teams. Interest in baseball is up since the Mustangs won the city championship last year. They beat Osborn for the city title and beat them again for the districts. Their road to the state championship ended at regionals when they lost to Centerline. The Mustangs are already recruiting for this year. Last year the team had 14 members on their roster, but this year Jackson hopes to recruit enough for varsity and JV teams. Practice begins mid-February.
RAECHEL DAVIS/MUSTANG VOICE
Ninth graders Tyreek Charleston and Giovanni Johnson use tablets math class at Mumford HS on Dec. 10. Both students received the tablets from the Sprint One Million Project.
Sprint phone, Wi-Fi giveaway continues By Shanea Dinwiddie and JayVen Franklin Mustang Voice Often cellphones cause problems in classes, but the Sprint Foundation thinks phones are the solution. So once again, some Mumford students are getting free phones and some are getting tablets. In a news release, Sprint CEO Marcelo Claure said, “Sprint’s 1Million Project is an end-to-end solution that enables one million low-income youth to keep learning after they leave the classroom.” Students who participate in the program get a free mobile device and free high-speed Internet service for all the years they are in high school.
Mumford The Samsung Galaxy J3 Emerge phones are mostly going to freshmen, but some sophomore who didn’t get phones last year are getting them, too. Also this year, some freshmen and some students doing credit recovery are getting tablets. Math teacher Peter Cunningham said it works well for math because the entire algebra curriculum can be accessed through an app. With the phones and tablets, students can get to their assignments in class and for homework. But he said it’s not a perfect system. “Students should learn how to be on the phones at the appropriate times and not be on social media
HOOPS
WINTER
FROM PAGE 16
FROM PAGE 16
to another good season with almost everyone from last year returning and some really good new players. “The girls are determined to win the city and state championships this season,” Hogan said, “but it will be hard for the girls because they won last year and now we have a target on our backs.” Boys head coach Anthony Woods has been taking his team on the road for scrimmages so they have experience in a hostile environment because their first four regular season games are on the road. He said he feels good about the season. “When we show up with a big heart we win, and these boys play their hearts out,” Woods said.
characters. The owner Marquis Copland actually graduated from Mumford,” Spight said. The MHSAA founder Denise Cunningham (Mumford class of 1980) said this was the first time the alumni group hosted the event and the first time it was held in the new building. “The alumni association actually started in 2003. We have an annual picnic during the summer and a pancake breakfast in the fall. This is our first year doing the Winter Wonderland event and we plan on doing it yearly,” Cunningham said. Spight said the alumni association likes to have these events to help out the school and give back and to set an
Alumni group wants to hold event every year
Boys, girls teams have eyes on championships
TAELOR MOORE/MUSTANG VOICE
Former Mumford teacher Betty Taylor poses with Santa during Mumford HS Alumni Association’s Winter Wonderland on Dec. 1. Santa graduated from Mumford in 1980.
during class time,” Cunningham said. U.S. history teacher Nicole Brabson said she’s glad students have access to 21st century technology, but she also has seen a downside to the giveaway. “The problem is that some of them don’t respect these items that they are given. They are ungrateful and they misuse them,” Brabson said. “I had a student last year who sold her phone for money and I was honestly heartbroken.” Freshman Giovanni Johnson so far only sees the upside. “When teachers assign us school work and the computers aren’t working, I pull out my tablet and get straight to work. It is a big advantage,” Johnson said. example for the students and also support Mumford. Over the years the group has given scholarships, T-shirts, school supplies and more. “My class, 1980, had our reunion and wanted to do something different — to give out scholarships to students who improved over the year,” Cunningham said. She plans on retiring from the MHSAA soon but said she’s never going to stop contributing to the association. “I want to give students an opportunity that I never had,” Cunningham said. Spight got involved with the alumni association when she was the principal. She continued to work with the group after she retired. “They will always be considered my family. Principal or not — I don’t mind helping out here and there,” Spight said.
18 DetroitDialogue.com Dec. 19, 2018
RHS STENTOR
A public forum for the students and community of Renaissance High School | rhsstentor.com ACADEMICS
E N T E R TA I N M E N T
IS HOMEWORK
Will EU copyright decision ruin web?
WORTH THE TIME? The average number of hours students need to spend on homework is increasing.
By Renee Mitchell RHS Stentor The European Copyright Directive passed in September with the goal to update copyright laws. Article 13 has gained much attention and concern, however, on the internet. Internet users are concerned about this article’s implementation, due to the negative impact on freedom of speech, freedom to publish, and the Internet structure as a whole. Article 13 puts the responsibility of monitoring illegal uploading of copyrighted material on platforms
H
By Francois Benson RHS Stentor igh school students have it hard when it comes to workload. According to a survey of 1,000 K-12 teachers found, among other things, that high school teachers on average assign 3.5 hours of homework each week. For high school students who have a seven-teacher schedule, a high school student could spend 17.5 hours a week on homework. Along with this load, many students face challenges studying, alone comprehending the information learned in class and applying it to the homework. The amount of workload taken home can lead to mental health issues such as “erratic behavior, depression, and sleep deprivation,” according to healthline.com. Students battle these mental health issues because students are challenged to prioritize time, sacrifice personal time at home or postpone certain activities like entertainment and family fun, to finish school work. “I put all of my entertainment on hold, such as my phone and Xbox, to get my work done,” said Jacob Ankton, Renaissance freshman. But this isn’t true for everyone. “I don’t do homework at all, it’s not worth the time,” said Josemaria Umejiego, Renaissance sophomore. The homework struggle According to a National Center for Education Statistics study, high school students dedicated in 2017 around seven hours a week to school work, such as studying, and homework. A similar study in 1964 put the average at less than five hours a week. The number of hours students spend on homework has increased by two hours. “There has been sometimes, where I even had to take my
RHS STENTOR
See EU on page 23 »
OPINION
Do we put the right value on grades?
kinds of access they have. Homework helpers like computers could become distractions, depending on how much selfdiscipline a student has. These distractions, smart phones, games, computers, etc., have a great influence on students. Not only do these distractions compete with homework time, they chance a student’s view on what is important: learning or entertainment. The value of homework has changed because some students aren’t committed to the learning process.
I recently read an article by Eastern Michigan student Dereka Bennett, addressing the ongoing lack of Kynnedee value for learnCowles ing. According RHS to Bennett, Stentor learning now is a lesser priority to “getting” a passing grade. “They only care of finding ways to receive a passing grade, just so they can graduate,” said Bennett. As students compete for college acceptance, for scholarships, administration constantly instills in the student body that poor grades are unacceptable, not the “Phoenix way.” But we as students, at a school of high expectation, constantly striving to “get”
See HOMEWORK on page 23 »
See GRADES on page 19 »
AMARE BRADLY/RHS STENTOR
Two students rushing to do work for their geometry class. ABOVE: A Renaissance student fills out her planner, mapping out how to complete her homework.
work to school because I didn’t comprehend the information learned in class, to know how to do it,” said Renaissance sophomore Grey Brooks. “I’m not going to stay up all night because of homework,” Brooks said. “I feel like the amount of homework I get takes away from the quality of completion, because I am trying to get all of it done, rather than making sure everything is done to the best of my ability,” said Renaissance sophomore Gail Hinkle. Hinkle also believes that the amount of homework she gets “interferes” with her time man-
Adviser: Kyle Goodall Crain Mentor: Omari Gardner
agement and is the reason she doesn’t achieve 8 hours of sleep each day. Distractions and what they take away from students The purpose of homework is to give students additional practice outside of the classroom. The abundance of workload leads to mental health issues in students, yet homework itself may not be the problem. There must be a way for teachers to ensure that students actually comprehend the information learned in class so that students can apply it to homework. It depends in part on how students are raised and the
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
Dec. 19, 2018 DetroitDialogue.com 19
GRADES
STUDENT LIFE
Detroit schools commemorate Veterans Day
Can we change the culture of learning? FROM PAGE 18
JROTC, students participate in annual Elmwood Cemetary event to honor vets By Rhyane Banks RHS Stentor Renaissance’s 7th-hour JROTC class and other Detroit schools came together at Elmwood Cemetery on Nov. 12 for the 34th annual commemoration of Veterans Day. It was an early ceremony that honored those veterans who fought for our country and the 102nd Colored Infantry: a moment of silence, releasing of doves, a gun salute, and red roses placed on graves. Renaissance senior Russel McIntosh, the corps chief of staff, led the ceremony as commander of troops, calling all to attention, for example, parade rest, and present arms, when the flag was being raised. McIntosh said he wasn’t nervous because he took enough time to prepare for the event. He felt “truly honored” to serve in his position. The ceremony included all DPSCD schools, Martin Luther Kings Jr. High School’s marching band, civil war reenactors, community leaders such as Col. George Pettigrew, director of Army instruction, Sgt. Maj. Bishop, and the friends and family of veterans laid to rest there. A wreath was presented to Osborn High School to honor one
SOCIAL
Technology has become important for connection ROM PAGE 10
then it can make you want to do good.” “I do believe that it depends on how the person takes the information and what they do with it,” Taylor Kaigler said. “When I see things on Instagram that involves drugs, violence, and unusual behavior I keep scrolling, because it does not affect the way I view it. I think that people record horrific events, because it has been a chain for years and instead of fixing the problem they continue to follow behind it.” Most do view social media in a more negative way. Some of the most innocent situations on social media could turn into a investigation case. It may not be because of the strict idea of the situation, but it may come from someone else strict idea of the situation.
RHS STENTOR
TOP: Russel McIntosh as commander of troops as JROTC commemorates Veterans Day. ABOVE: Many Detroit schools gathered in celebration of Elmwood’s 34th annual ceremony.
of its former cadets who had died. A speech was given in his honor as well. DezaRay Hall, who is the 7th hour company commander, led her class through the ceremony. According to Psycom.net, “Teens who struggle with social skills, social anxiety, or who don’t have easy access to face-to-face socializing with other teens, might benefit from connecting with other teens through social media.” This is a very common trait not only through teens but also adults. In today’s world, technology is the most important source of connection to human race. Social media connects other people to different countries, cultures, educational sources, and more. It helps humans discover life at its fullest and finest. Some people may encounter a gloomy or cynical day and most may encounter a sanguine or cheerful day. Social media can create a lot of doubts and drama, but it could also create a hero or a motivator. Social media is the closest source to creating a career and changing someone’s life, but the cause of taking a life.
She said it wasn’t her first time attending. She had attended in the 9th grade. “Going from being within the platoon in 9th grade to being in the front leading,” she said, made
CITIZENS
BCHS is home to many children of immigrants FROM PAGE 3
born in the U.S. to unauthorized immigrant parents. Benjamin Carson High School is home to many students whose parents immigrated to the U.S. The 14th Amendment does “...help the nation a whole lot, this is what the nation was built on,” said Mr. Unaegbu, a civics teacher at Benjamin Carson. Mohammed Rafi, a student at BCHS, also thinks that the 14th Amendment helps the country “by giving the citizens of this country the rights they rightfully deserve. It does also hurt the country because they may come illegally and parents are deported because they come here illegally and the child remains.” Rafi said: “I do not think
her feel that she has grown a lot. During the ceremony, a student from Mumford High School passed out from the locking of his knees. He received prompt care. removing it will help the nation as a whole because the nation has been doing pretty well with it.” By “getting rid of the 14th Amendment, it will not help because the founding fathers knew this land is a land of immigrants,” Edwin Unaegbu said. “Although this land was historically not built for immigrants, it certainly was built by immigrants and I believe that matters because they did put their all into making it into the great country it is today.” When it comes to the problems that may come as an aftermath of ending the 14th Amendment, “all good things that come with immigration will be lost and will take the nation back,” Unaegbu said. “It will not affect the school as much as it will affect the country as a whole, it will affect newly born citizens,” Rafi said.
outstanding grades, to meet the standards set by administration and our parents, called “the Phoenix way,” must value our learning over our letters; we must value education, and be mindful that grades aren’t what grow our minds. At Renaissance, teachers have begun catching on to what students do to clutch a desired grade. Those actions include: cheating, plagiarizing, and copying. It is normal for students to do the bare minimum, just to get through a class. Cramming is another way. As a student, I have realized that I will not fully obligate myself to learn if I do not have an aspiration in that subject. So the question is, what will we do to change the relationship between students and the culture of learning? Some believe it is already too late to change the perceptions of students regarding education, but I would argue that such a change is based on how society frames the value of grades. Our current framing of grades compels students to emphasize a letter or number, rather than an enthusiasm for learning. “I’ll do anything” to get-that-grade and get-thatacceptance-letter mentality is ruining any value of learning. Therefore, we as students and teachers should find it necessary to change our outlook on the way we learn and teach, in order to be successful. We should not let society’s requirements deprive us of our will to learn, and our passion to be knowledgeable.
GRANT
Teacher wants girls to learn computer science FROM PAGE 13
This fall, Ball applied for and received a grant in the award amount of $7,500 from Community Connection. Ball purchased computer programming kits for her students, which will allow them to create animations, simple games, and basic programming. She also teaches three computer science elective courses. “I hope to connect my students, especially my female students, to computer programming and introduce all my students to the realm of computer science engineering,” Ball said. Ball has partnered with several companies to support her instruction in her computer science classes. Professionals in the computer science field partner with Ball to assist her with creating a career pathway for students at Henry Ford.
20 DetroitDialogue.com Dec. 19, 2018
HEAR THE ROAR Southeastern High School | SEHearTheRoar.com
SPORTS
ACADEMICS
REDEMPTION
COURTESY OF DENNIS VEAL
Freshmen Miyanna Williams and the 19th Amendment.
COURTESY OF ALLAN WASHINGTON
Jungaleer football team members with trophy and Principal Damian Perry.
Teacher helps students learn about constitutional rights By Treyvon Simpson Hear the Roar Southeastern High School’s U.S. history teacher believes you are never too young to learn your rights as a U.S. citizen. Dennis Veal assigned the amendment project to his U.S. history students to give them an opportunity to learn about the laws that govern all U.S. citizens. Students research the assigned amendment, and then display their findings in a poster presentation and T-shirt that they design themselves.
“See the hard work students put into their shirts and poster boards,” Veal said. “I am focused on our students taking ownership of the Constitution, just as their ancestors did in the shaping of our nation.” In today’s climate, it is so important for students to know their Constitutional rights. “It is specifically important for black children to understand their rights, to know when they are being violated, and to know that those rights are worth fighting for,” Veal said.
Determined Jungaleers win Division 8 Championship By Malaya Reed Hear the Roar When was the last time Southeastern Jungaleers’ football team won a district trophy? Nine long years ago. But this year the unexpected happened. Southeastern coaches and team contrived strategies and plays that led to what many Jungaleers call “an astounding accomplishment.” Many Jungaleers are “in shock” that the SE football team won the Division 8 District Championship trophy. Everyone else may have been in shock but the team was intentional about what they hoped to achieve.
DOMINIQUE MARTIN/HEAR THE ROAR
It had been nine years since the Jungaleers won the district title.
“It all started in the off season to be honest,” said senior cornerback/ wide receiver Kareem Powell. “Going to the weight room, hitting the stairs, mat day, flipping tires and doing track” helped the team become more disciplined and skilled. Kevin Persons, a Jungaleer as-
sistant football coach, agrees that it was hard work, determination and devotion that stopped the losing streak. “In order to achieve a goal to be a champion, you have to be disciplined,” said Persons. “Our job as See DISTRICTS on page 23 »
OPINION
Goes Global takes students to U-M
COURTESY PHOTO
DPSCD students and Goes Global founder Adam Logan break for lunch from a tour of the University of Michigan campus in Ann Arbor.
HEAR THE ROAR
Editor-in-chief: Malaya Reed Adviser: Jacqueline Mitchell Robinson Crain Mentor: David Muller
By Lazavier Cole Hear the Roar Legend has it that the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor is cursed. There’s a big “M” on the campus grounds; if you step on it you will fail your first blue book test, said campus tour guides. The only way to break the curse is to run from the main door to the flagpole in 60 seconds, they said.
It’s one of the many things I learned about the U-M campus and its history. You may recall that in the last issue I introduced you to Detroit Goes Global, a mentorship program for Detroit ninth graders that prepares participants for college and careers. This issue I am sharing about the college readiness activities. Before the tour, the Goes
GOES GLOBAL REVIEW SERIES Global participants devoted six weeks to PSAT and SAT preparation. I thought this was hard but it prepares us for the real rest we will take as Juniors. So after sitting inside a room for six Saturdays,
See GLOBAL on page 22 »
Staff: Lazavier Cole, DeAnna Dawson, DeAsia Freeman, Diamond Gray, KrisTia Maxwell, Dominique Martin, Malaya Reed, Christopher Robinson
Dec. 19, 2018 DetroitDialogue.com 21 STUDENT LIFE
STUDENT LIFE
“I brought the program to Southeastern because I wanted to empower young people with skills that are transferable to the competitive world.” KIARR A AMBROSE , S O U TH W E S TE R N TE AC H E R
COURTESY OF KIARRA AMBROSE
RIGHT: Freshmen Jasiah Wynn. BELOW: Seniors Kareem Powell and Terry Edwards trying new boxing skills.
COURTESY PHOTO
William Leone’s spanish classes presenting the “Day of the Dead” finale.
Day of Dead show celebrates culture
Boxing program teaches life skills By Christopher Robinson Hear the Roar Freshman Darrielle Aaron describes herself as a quiet, soft-spoken student who usually keeps to herself. But after joining the Boxing, Books, and Nutrition Program by Underdog Boxing and Performance Gym, she’s beginning to see an assertive side emerging. “This program makes me feel confident,” Aaron said. “It makes me want to get out of my shell.” Confidence building is one of the many benefits Southeastern High School participants receive from Boxing, Books and Nutrition, an after school program designed to teach students critical thinking through movement, defense strategies and techniques
GLOBAL
U-M alumni offered advice about college life FROM PAGE 21
learning test taking strategies, we were ready to venture out. In December, Detroit Goes Global took all 10 participants to the University of Michigan. They chose U-M because most of its members are alumni who gave us some advice about their college ex-
through boxing, and the importance of a healthy lifestyle. “It has been shown that boxing helps to improve critical thinking and problem solving,” said Sultan Harper, boxing coach and program leader. Boxing is the perfect defense for dangers, helps to reduce excessive body weight, is beneficial for the heart, bones and muscles; and helps to relieve stress and anger. It’s an outlet for students who want to be active, but don’t want to participate on a sports team, teacher Kiarra Ambrose said. Underdog Boxing and Performance Gym is located at 4892 Grand River in Detroit. The cost
is $80 per student and a grant covers the cost for Southeastern students. “I brought the program to Southeastern because I wanted to empower young people with skills that are transferable to the competitive world,” Ambrose said. “Beginning with building confidence to helping them excel in an educational system that is designed to pipeline them from school to prison (based) in a city that is violent enough to take their life before the age of 18.’’ Aaron sees the benefits. “I want to be capable of defending myself,” Aaron said. “I’ve learned ‘jab, double jab, jab cross and triple jab; my fighting stands and movement and I am more confident.’’
perience. The alumni told us about the different dorm rooms and the cost of living on campus. They told us that it gets really hard and sometimes you want to give up; but they said you can get through it with support from family and friends. The trip also included current college students sharing their opinions about the campus. The advice we received is the real deal about college because they didn’t try to hide the bad or challenging things. “You have to have a tough-skin
in college,” said our freshmen tour guide. “People can say things that will offend you but they don’t know they are being ignorant.” This realistic piece of advice will help me in my selection of colleges and deciding my future because I want to go to a school where I will have support. So far Goes Global has not disappointed; I am challenged, learning and traveling. Look for my review in the next issue as we travel to Toronto and Montreal.
Southeastern
By KrisTia Maxwell Hear the Roar William Leone is serious about his Spanish students learning the culture as well as the language. This fall, Southeastern High School students presented the second annual “Day of the Dead” show that gave students a visible and verbal view of Mexican culture. Since this wasn’t the first presentation, it was easy for the director, Leone, Southeastern’s foreign language teacher, to visualize the event. With the cooperation of Southeastern students, it was easier to turn his ideas into a reality. Leone said the show was a success, and was even better than last year’s because he had a lot of students to help with creating props and organizing the show. Creating props is not as simple as it may look, he said. “It takes critical thinking skills,” Leone said. “It is often very challenging to be able to create or even visualize something that’s just a thought. And the students that participated took well to that. Overall it was rewarding being able to see students work together, and even alone, to create something magnificent.” “I learned a lot about how people of the Mexican culture celebrate ‘The Day of the Dead,’ “said sophomore Shantez Sawyer, who participated by making props.
TREES
Teacher’s goal is to build Arboretum in city FROM PAGE 15
ence to actually plant a tree on my school campus,” said Lightfoot. The trees planted on campus are for everybody’s enjoyment and can be used in Jennifer Boyle’s environmental science class. “Teachers can take their students out in the Arboretum to look at different kinds of trees, habits, and characteristics,” said Kemp. Students in Kemp’s English
Southeastern Some students had mixed feelings. “Even though the show was unorganized it was very educational,” said Treyvon Simpson, another sophomore who made props. “Also it was fun being able to help with props and I feel I could express myself through the art and use my creative mind.” Some said they wanted to see more student participation. “The show was very creative and overall bigger and better than last year,” said Derwin Smith, a junior who was a spectator. “Mr. Leone could’ve made it more great by letting students present their individual projects.” Some students liked all of the information presented but believe it lacked organization. ¨The show was very productive, students gave a nice presentation but I do feel that last year’s was better because it was more organized,” said junior Anaiah Hughes, who created the PowerPoint presentation presented throughout the show. Overall, students enjoyed the show and appreciated Leone’s vision. ¨The show was good,” said senior I’sis Hughes, who helped with props. “It was nice being able to help and I had fun doing it.” classes volunteered to participate, but he wants to eventually extend the opportunity to all grade levels. “The program is for everybody but for right now it’s just my students because that’s who I advertise it to mostly,” said Kemp. Kemp is also involved with an Arboretum called Tree Troit, a program to plant trees in Detroit neighborhoods. “I started out by planting trees at other schools and in my neighborhood. My goal is to build a larger Arboretum in the city,” said Kemp.
22 DetroitDialogue.com Dec. 19, 2018
WEST SIDE TIMES
A public forum for the students and community of West Side Academy of Information Technology and Cyber Security | westsidetimes.com STUDENT LIFE
Teachers give running a ‘tri’ By Talisa Causey West Side Times Sometimes all it takes is a little competition to lead to big changes in life. In January 2017, WSA’s current Dean of Culture, Ashley Monteleone, challenged a group of three other teachers to train and participate in the Epic Races Tri Goddess Triathlon. Math teacher Annie Moore decided to give it a try. Along with the others, she spent six months successfully training for and completing the race that included
a half-mile swim, an 11-mile bike ride and 5-kilometer run. “There were many early morning runs and some late at night,” said Moore. “It was difficult at times, but also a lot of fun.” Since that time, Moore has completed at least one race per month, including two half marathons and a full marathon. The highlight race for Moore was a 198-mile, 12-person group run called the Ragnar Relay. “It was so much fun running with a group of close friends
and competing as a group,” said Moore. The group of women won first place in the master’s division, which consists of a team of people over 40 years old. Along the way, Moore has changed her lifestyle and incorporated a healthier diet and workouts at the gym. Her advice to anyone thinking about taking up the sport of running would be to find a running group nearby and meet them for a run. “You could end up finding a sport you love,” said Moore.
COURTESY PHOTO
Annie Moore’s winning Ragnar team celebrates after completing the Epic Tri Goddess Tri.
ACADEMICS
OPINION
Lead by example
WEST SIDE TIMES
Math teacher Bridgett Brooks works with juniors and seniors on college prep activities.
College confusion Application process can be long, confusing By Johnnie Hornsby West Side Times Growing up, you always hear adults say, “You need to go to college and get a good job.” However, it’s not as simple as it seems. Junior and senior years
WEST SIDE TIMES
can be scary for students who are on the college-bound track. Nothing truly prepares you for the long and confusing application process you go through when you’re choosing colleges. Sometimes it seems as if there are no clear, straightforward directions telling you exactly what to do, from the SAT to when you formally accept your invitation to a college Editor-in-Chief: Johnnie Hornsby Adviser: Suzanne Olsen Crain Mentor: Krishnan Anantharaman
or university. For students who have parents who are not as involved, or who may not have gone to college themselves, the process can be daunting. Many students don’t understand the importance of their SAT score, even though our teachers and counselors say how important it is. They think it is just another test they have to take. Some students don’t know
they can schedule college visits in 11th grade instead of waiting until senior year. Sometimes students aren’t informed about applying for scholarships, so some of the smartest students have missed out on college altogether because they were unaware, or scared to take the steps they See COLLEGE on page 23 »
Staff Writers: Talisa Causey, Tashiana Garrett
In this world, everyone is different. You can’t find another person you is exactly like you. People judge others based on Tashiana opinions, but Garrett more so on what West Side they think is right Times based on their own experiences. How does this relate to teens? Too many young people are going through high school struggling and doing things that aren’t right, but they don’t have the guidance they need to tell them that their decisions are going to have consequences after high school. Two of the issues that seem to be steering many students in the wrong direction are using drugs before school, or simply skipping school altogether. Those two behaviors can cause students to become disconnected from their own education. Some students act the way they do because they have not had positive role models in their lives who can lead them in the right direction in life. Too many students are more worried about what others think of them, when they should be concerned with making their education their top priority. If you know your friends are going down the wrong path, you can choose to be the one who leads them towards the road to success. Sometimes being a leader means that you have to lead by example, even when it is difficult and you want to follow the crowd.
Dec. 19, 2018 DetroitDialogue.com 23
COLLEGE
Counseling staff keep students on college track FROM PAGE 22
needed to take along the way. One of the best ways to make sure you are on the right track during your junior and seniors years is to communicate with the counseling staff at your school. Even as a freshman or sophomore, you can start planning ahead so that you don’t end up behind in the college process. West Side Academy counselor Tanya Flonoury recommends that students take control of their education early on. “It is essential for students to own their educational journey,” Flonoury said. “The best way to do that is to pass all of your classes and know your credit and grade-level status. Make an appointment to see your counselor around mid-November and again around mid-April to review your transcript.” She added: “We can’t wait to see you.”
2018
Why do we set goals at beginning of the year? FROM PAGE 8
great falls, but it’s difficult. I’m talking about people trying to make the best of every year, but in the end, it’s the same process we’ve done before. We didn’t get better or stop our annoying habits, we still fight and hate, and we still lose precious moments that could have changed our lives. What’s that phrase we always use at the beginning of every year? The famous “New Year’s Resolution.” It’s a tradition “in which a person resolves to change an undesired trait or behavior, to accomplish a personal goal, or otherwise improve his or her life,” according to Wikipedia. See, the problem with a “New Year’s Resolution” is that
EU
YouTube promotes #SaveYourInternet FROM PAGE 18
such as YouTube, Tumblr or Reddit. In the U.S., the FAIR USE Act, a copyright law, protects such sites. “Copyright material, under certain circumstances, may be quoted verbatim for criticism, news reporting, teaching, and research purposes, without getting permission from the copyright holder,” FAIR USE states. Sites are also protected by the Safe Harbor law, which states that a content site is “not liable if it hosts unauthorized copyrighted content” uploaded by users. This means that the content hosts are not at fault when a user misuses the platform, so long as said website removes the content. These U.S. laws shield websites like You-
DISTRICTS
HOMEWORK
FROM PAGE 20
FROM PAGE 18
coaches is to make sure the players stay focused to reach that goal.” To become a winner, you must think like a winner, Persons said. “Having a winner conditioning program helped them become winners,” he said. “They had to sharpen their weakness; nobody comes to watch a loser lose. But once you start winning, people will come to see you.” In this year of winning, some players stood out and were recognized. Seniors Dwaine Crump (offensive tackle/defensive end) and Powell both earned spots on the Detroit News All-Detroit Football Team. Crump also earned 2nd Team All-State honors in Division 7-8. “My coaches did a great job being the role models my teammates and I needed,” said Crump. “These guys are literally my family. Being able to have that communication and bond with your brothers and coaches is amazing.” Playing on the SE team is more than just a sport; for many players it is place to learn and grow. And that is a game plan for winning and succeeding on and off the field, said Persons. “I feel accomplished,” said fullback Damari Covington-Woods. “Growing up, I didn’t really have that male figure to show me how to be self disciplined. But on this team, we get that from our coaches.”
Renaissance English teacher Sharon James believes there is an “idea of getting a grade and not actually building a level of understanding.” The demand for attention that these distractions have is at an alltime high. According to a report by Common Sense Media, any given American high school student spends on average nine hours each day on media entertainment. The value of the learning process Yet the expected learning time has decreased for most students. “It is a required regulation that teachers give a certain amount of homework certain times,” said RHS film studies teacher Tory Springs. She said it sometimes results in teachers assigning work just to meet the grading requirement. But James is interested in homework’s value. “The homework I give is an extension to the class work and an opportunity for students to apply their knowledge on the content that was learned.”
Coaches, teammates became family
Is there a middle ground?
AMARE BRADLY/RHS STENTOR
An RHS student does his homework at breakfast. Students are spending more time on homework than ever before.
According to James, “students being attentive and enthusiastic to learn is the key.” She says home loses its value when students fail to be interested or are not present in class. Perhaps a new middle ground would resolve this debate. Students can get the extra help to comprehend material, but students must have some form of discipline to get homework done.
they’re predictably irrational. We want to change. For example, you might want to stop a habit of yours. But we are prone to failure. Either that inspiration we once had is gone or we see that we’re not advancing, so we stop trying. If you are, great! Keep succeeding; just don’t fool yourself. It’s bad enough people lie to others, it’s worse when they lie to themselves. Pretending that there’s no problem only moves the solution farther away. I think it’s important to recognize the faulty parts of our lives and evaluate how we can start to works towards fixing them. I may not know much, but I do know this: I can’t live up to a goal made at the beginning of the year; I need a constant reminder to keep me grounded. And although every year we get older, it’s never too late to begin a new story, wherever or whenever, because at least trying to become
better means actually caring about who you are. Why does this resolution only have to be once every year. Let me rephrase that: Is it really productive to create goals at the beginning of the year, then try to see at the end if we accomplished them? Just deciding to write a list of all the things we want to change or amend, then allowing the 365 days to pass by before we reflect again. That’s why planners and calendars exist. Yes, primarily to keep track of the days and our schedules, but we can also write down things we want to accomplish that week. A goal of the day/week can be very small. For example, one night, I simply sat down and wrote down some activities I really wanted to try, I think it was finally taking out the garbage myself or trying to go a day without judging people. Either way, this was hard. The following day, I took out
the garbage and instead of judging, I gave my sister a compliment on her new haircut. This probably means nothing to someone on the outside looking in, but I know my words helped my sister feet more confident about herself. This was a start for me: a step closer to being a better person with a good heart and making people’s day a little less brutal. My room also became 10% cleaner, so it definitely helped! If you really want to start setting goals for the year, you have to make sure the circumstances are rational. When setting goals, you want to create a SMART goal. The acronym ‘SMART’ stands for S- Specific, MMeasurable, A- Achievable, R- Realistic, and T-Timely. The concept of a SMART goal is that they’re set for a period of time that is longer than a day or a week, and is designed to be well-thought out for efficiency. The same mindset you use to approach
a SMART goal should be applied to that of a New Year’s Resolution; thus, making sure your plans are continuing to be in that same direction you initially intended them to be in. If you’re going for something a little more spiritual or morally good, begin with one day at a time. And after the month is over, reflect over the things you’ve done so far. Not to say I’m a saint or anything, I still have a bucket full of things I want to try to fix and a long way to go, but I’m better than I was two years ago. Even if small, taking things a second at a time can ultimately add up to your goal . After all, the purpose of resolutions aren’t for you to change, but to evolve. There are only a couple weeks left for 2018, what will you reflect on this December? Did you make up for the iniquities or did you cater to them? Were the months salvaged by your success, or lost in the days of defeat?
Tube from copyright liability. That is why the creators get copyright strikes and not YouTube as a whole. Article 13 threatens to get rid of the Safe Harbor Law. Without Safe Harbor, the content hosts (YouTube, Tumblr, Reddit, etc.) will be the ones who get targeted by the copyright holders. Companies do not want to take the risk of facing consequences of hosting copyrighted content on their platform. YouTube already has a filtration system that helps flag any copyrighted content. Hereafter, since companies only host content that keeps them clear of litigation, the likelihood that regular usergenerated content will make the cut, is slim. Only big name companies will be able to upload legally under Article 13. September’s proposal is particularly concerning, because of its vagueness. The clause of Article 13 that
worries people: “Online content sharing service providers and right holders shall cooperate in good faith in order to ensure that unauthorized protected works or other subject matter are not available on their services.” This means that anything that has the potential to break this law should not be uploaded unto the website. The wording “in good faith,” could mean anything to the EU. Old content could be seen as copyrighted material, then be required to be removed. The wording of the proposal opens up opportunities for powerful players to manipulate content on the internet. The broadness of this law makes the regulations even more strict. Tumblr has also taken a stand against Article 13. Recently, Tumblr has made a new “No Sex rule,” in order to show how faulty the EU copyright directive is.
Relying on filters for such has not been successful. These “porn” filters, in fact, block content is not porn. Even though these new laws are in the EU, companies will usually comply with the strictest set of rules rather than having different policies for different countries. When such proposals are implemented, the law becomes more easily adapted by others. It will not happen automatically, but it has a strong possibility of happening in the years to come. YouTube creators have started to bring attention to the change, including the CEO Susan Wojcicki. Wojcicki tweeted, “Article 13 could put that creative economy of creators and artist around the world at risk.” She also provided an official statement. “This legislation poses a threat to both your livelihood and your ability to share your voice with the world,” she wrote.
“If implemented as proposed, Article 13 threatens hundreds of thousands of jobs, European creators, businesses, artists, and everyone they employ. The proposal will force platforms, like YouTube, to prioritize content from a small number of large companies.” She further provided a link about how Article 13 threatens the creative economy: goo.gl/xuFkSk Not only YouTube, but also the inventor of the Internet, Tim Berners-Lee, and Jimmy Wales, co-founder of Wikipedia, are against the article. They find the writing too vague in its current form to operate properly. To bring better awareness YouTube has started the #SaveYourInternet hashtag, to bring awareness the new copyright proposal. The European Parliament will vote on the final approval in January. This decision will impact the internet culture as it is known today.
24 DetroitDialogue.com Dec. 19, 2018
THE WESTERN EXPRESS Western International High School | detroitwesternexpress.com
STUDENT LIFE
STUDENT LIFE
THE WESTERN EXPRESS
A group of lawyers recently visited Western International High School to help students learn about their rights. Topics ranging from immigration policies to freedom of expression were brought up during the assembly.
THE WESTERN EXPRESS
Many people have the traditional sugar skull painted on their faces to celebrate the Day of the Dead.
EL DÍA DE LOS
MUERTOS Western celebrated with community
By Karen Sanchez The Western Express The Day of the Dead is a traditional Mexican holiday, in which families gather to honor and re-
member deceased family members. Students from Western and their families gathered on Nov. 2, to take part in this celebration. The Ofendra honors the person who has moved on and often includes things that are representative of their life and what they did in life. According to Mary Cruz with
Life Directions, in addition to items reflective of the dearly departed life on earth, usually present on the altar are: a monarch butterfly, which represents is the representation of the honored home; marigolds, which guide the dearly departed spirits to the alter; and a candle, which symbolizes the honored will always be remembered.
STUDENT LIFE
Students express themselves By Juan Lupercio The Western Express It’s that time of year again when Western students get to show off their talents. On Dec. 20, students will participate in the annual talent show. Mr. Butler, who has organized this event for 11 years said he likes organizing the talent show because he enjoys working with different students bringing out their talents. “I like seeing people’s reactions when I’m dancing,” junior Kavion Bradley said. Western talents were also rep-
THE WESTERN EXPRESS
On Dec. 15, junior Alonna Darnell and senior Joana Sanchez participated in the national oratorical contest organized by Rainbow Push.
resented off campus on Dec. 15. Junior Alonna Darnell and senior Joana Sanchez participated in the national oratorical contest organized by Rainbow Push.
THE WESTERN EXPRESS
Darnell said she joined the tournament because it’s a great opportunity for her to try something new. And it helps her public speaking.
Advisers: William Bowles and Dorian Evans Crain Mentor: Michael Martinez
Lawyers teach students about their rights By Karen Sanchez The Western Express Recently, a group of lawyers came to Western to talk to students about their rights. “Nobody ever takes the time and tell students about their rights,” junior Elizabeth Tinker said. “That’s how I felt until that meeting. I didn’t know about those rights until then.” Students herded toward the auditorium where a presentation took place in which they were informed what to do in the event that they should be detained by law enforcers. Many issues were brought up on that day, shedding light on the fact that through the years, constitutional violations have become far too common in public school settings. One of the lawyers present, Robyn McCoy, who has been hosting these events since February said: “When you see what’s happening in society, we try to do more to help empower kids. When I heard about what happened to Trayvon Martin, I was trying to figure out what to do so I could help. I wanted to do more about treating students better.” Topics ranging from immigration policies, all the way to freedom of expression were brought up during the assembly. Many of the topics discussed included those of which could be very helpful in the future for many of our students.
THE WESTERN EXPRESS
The assembly helped students become more aware of their rights if they are in a situation where those rights are neglected.
Ms. Tellez-Uzark, a Western school social worker, coordinated the event because the attendance committee was worried about removing barriers and found that some students weren’t attending because they were concerned about their safety. The event helped students become more aware of their rights and they now have an understanding of what to do in the event in which a law enforcer, or anyone else, attempts to neglect their rights. “I have a friend whose parents are undocumented immigrants and her dad’s court date was soon so I wanted to grab her the papers to give to her, so he could know his rights and I thought it would help,” Tinker said. “She has a baby so if they get deported, she’ll be by herself.”
Staff Writers: Jose Miranda & Karen Sanchez