Contents Cover Story: RepJA clothing line: showcasing Jamaican-American culture p.8 It’s time for me, myself and I p.3 Series review: The Legend of Korra p.4 UNESCO Clubs launches in schools p.6 Nail polish summer trends p.7 Lesley McCook wins Miss Immaculate 2012 p.11
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Lionel Messi vs Cristiano Ronaldo: Who is better? p.12 Five things every male student should have at school p.14 Protecting yourself at school p.15 Educational apps worth downloading p.16
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From the Editor
It’s time for me, myself and I T
here are times when you have to take some time to be with you. This might sound weird but there are many persons who have no idea what it means to enjoy their own company. It’s time to focus on you. It’s time to take charge and give yourself the attention that you deserve.
It’s true. The individual who has the capacity to upset your mood was clearly given too much power over you. Take that power back. No one should have that much control over your emotions.
Yes, it’s good to be around your friends. There’s nothing wrong with that, but there comes a time when you have to learn how to channel your energies into rediscovering and rewarding yourself. With all the hassle of school, work and everyday life, it is important to get away for a bit and rejuvenate. Your loved ones will understand when you can’t make that trip to the country with them or attend that sleepover.
Don’t share nude photos On another note, sharing nude photos of yourself, friends, family members, spouse or ex-spouse is not cool. It suggests a certain level of selfishness and vindictiveness that speaks volumes about your character. Ladies, it’s never OK to send nude photos of yourself to anyone. Period. It will come back to haunt you in unimaginable ways. Always protect your privacy and never allow anyone to demean you in any way.
Also, never allow anyone to dictate your mood. There is a popular quote that says, “He who angers you controls you.”
Have a drama-free day, Keresa
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Teen Spirit
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Entertainment
SERIES REvIEw by Alana Gardner
THE LEGEND OF KORRA
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ey guys, so what is supposed to be the funniest month of the year is finally coming to a close, and frankly, it was a huge bore. Not to mention the great deal of dread and depression I’m feeling, knowing that final exams are just around the corner and the current seasons of my favorite shows like Ringer and The Vampire Diaries are coming to a close. But on the brighter side, shows like Game of Thrones, Scandal and The Legend of Korra are just beginning to keep me entertained and sane this summer. So, instead of doing a movie review, I’m doing a series review on The Legend of Korra. The Legend of Korra tells the story of Korra, obviously, the next avatar born in the cycle to the southern water tribe and her jourwww.ezineslimited.com
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ney in a modern version of the four nations. Korra, who is Aang’s (from The Last Airbender) opposite in every way, must learn to become the avatar that the world needs her to be, if she is to save it. Now, I don’t know about the rest of you, but I was a huge fan of Avatar: The Last Airbender and was absolutely left on the edge of my seat at the series finale. The live-action film came out two years after the series concluded in 2010 and was a complete and total failure. I was, however, intrigued by the thought of what would become of the next avatar in the cycle and that’s exactly what this show is.
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My first reaction to meeting Korra when the series premiered was of a girl who didnt fully understand the kind of responsibility that has been placed on her, which made me immediately dislike her. I don’t know, perhaps its my own bias that I expected and wanted her to be exactly like Aang, but the difference is, although Aang didn’t want the duties of what it meant to be an avatar at first, he understood their importance. He was willing to do what was necessary, except when it came to taking a life, much to my annoyance. He was dedicated to his task. Perhaps it’s too early in the series to be so judgmental (the second episode only recently aired), but I really doubt that this series can or ever could live up to its predecessor. Nonetheless, the action and humour was decent enough to earn it three out of five stars, which means I will still be watching to see how this new avatar adventure goes. I want to see if Avatar Korra is worthy to stand beside Avatar Aang, Roku and the other avatars past. Avatar: Legend of Korra airs Saturdays at 10am on Nickelodeon www.ezineslimited.com
Teen Spirit
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News
UNESCO ClUbS laUNChES IN SChOOlS
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he United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisaiton (UNESCO) recently launched a clubs initiative at the Northern Caribbean University in Mandeville. Present at the launch was Lisa Hanna, Minister of Youth and Culture, who highlighted the importance of promoting culture in schools. UNESCO Clubs aims “to contribute to peace and security by promoting collaboration among the nations through education, science and culture in order to promote universal respect for justice, for the rule of law and for human rights and fundamental freedoms, which are affirmed for the peoples of the world without distinction of race, sex, language or religion by charter of the United Nations.” National commissions encourage collaboration between UNESCO Clubs at the regional and inter-regional levels. Schools participate in competitions, such as regional essay and poster competitions, and in the observance of World Book and Copyright Day. UNESCO clubs have also participated in the UNESCO Interregional Project on Young People’s Participation in World Heritage Preservation and Promotion. This World Heritage forum allowed students to submit and display reduced models of heritage sites at the First World Heritage Youth forum, Berwww.ezineslimited.com
gen, Norway. Jamaica participated in the forum and submitted a model and photograph of the Spanish Town Square. Jamaica first established UNESCO Clubs in 1978. Schools with early UNESCO Clubs were: Mount Alvernia High, Cornwall College, St George’s College, Excelsior High, Franklyn Town Primary, Hampton High, Kingston College, Jose Marti Secondary, Brown’s Town Community College, Shortwood Practising, Denham Town Secondary, Merl Grove High, Westwood High, St Anne’s Secondary, Mico College and St Hilda’s High. Jamaica continues to play a leading role in the reactivation of clubs at national, regional and international levels. Jamaica was given the task in February 2007 to coordinate the organising of the first regional congress of UNESCO Clubs. This was held in Panama resulting in the establishment of a new Regional Federation of UNESCO Clubs, Associations and Centres. It is hoped that the new Federation will strengthen the unity between UNESCO and UNESCO clubs. Jamaica has been a key player in promoting the creation of the new Federation and Everton Hannam, Secretary General of JNC-UNESCO, was elected Federation president. For more information visit:
@UNESCOClubsJa Facebook Teen Spirit
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Fashion
NaIl pOlISh SUmmER TRENdS
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by Kandice Moncrieffe
t’s so unfortunate that we can’t wear nail polish to school, when sometimes we just want to spice up the boring uniformity a bit and show our personality. Well, it’s almost summer time, so we can go all out on our nails. Teen Spirit has decided to give you ladies a heads up on the nail polish and nail design trends for the season. From ombre gradient nails, to cute smiley faces, we’re keeping you in the loop! To get you on top of all the upcoming summer trends,Teen Spirit has included some tutorials on how to do these fabulous looks yourself. Click the photos to view!
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Teen Spirit
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Cover Story
Rep JA
clothing line: promoting Jamaican-American culture by Ava Gardner
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ixing both Caribbean culture with American and giving it a modern flare is RepJA. RepJA is an apparel business that started in 2007 by Omar Thomas and Prince Graham. Their first plan was just to make a few tees that they thought would be cool and represent the Jamaican dancehall scene with shirts called, ‘Badman ForwardBadman Pullup’ and ‘Gangsta Rock’ but now the business has evolved into more than just producing shirts. Omar tells Teen Spirit more: TS: Who are the main designers behind RepJa? Thomas: Omar Thomas and Prince Graham are responsible
for all designs and concepts. TS: What is the aim behind the RepJA clothing line? Thomas: The aim or goal of RepJA is to brand the Caribbean fashion scene beyond the traditional and expected colours and execution. www.ezineslimited.com
TS: Who is the target consumer for RepJA? Thomas: Any and everyone who is influenced by reggae mu-
sic, Jamaica and our culture. Jamaica/Reggae has touched the entire world. TS: What makes RepJA different from other T-shirt clothing lines? Thomas: What makes us different are our concepts and execution of those concepts. We aim to not do the expected. You will always get something unexpected from RepJA. RepJA Clothing blends the Caribbean and American, reggae and rockers. RepJA has taken two traditional fashions and turned them into a unique combination which is your lifestyle, street wear brand. TS: Does RepJA have any plans on diversifying its product line from just T-shirts? Thomas: This year we are releasing our first set of snapback hats and gradually moving into custom cut and sew for the fall collection. Teen Spirit
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TS: What was it like for Heineken to employ RepJA for the production of a shirt for their new product launch? Thomas: We had the most popular T-shirt in the Virgin Islands for
two years in a row (VI Til I Die) T-shirt. Selling roughly 300-500 units a month for two years. Heineken saw the impact that shirt had on the Virgin Islands and contacted us for a collaboration. It was a great opportunity to work with such a major brand in the industry and for them to recognise what we were doing, especially since we are a young brand. TS: Does RepJA have any new shirts or collections coming out soon? Thomas: Our spring collection will drop at the end of April. Our summer collection will drop around June. We have a few tees that will be instant favourites. TS: What plans does RepJA have for the rest of the year? Thomas: One of the major releases from RepJA this year will be our
official riddim entitled the ‘REPJA Riddim’. Everyone will be ready to represent Jamaica this year of our 50th anniversary of independence. We have a few surprise artistes on the riddim already, so look out for it early May.
Follow them on Twitter @RepJA or on Facebook For information on how to purchase RepJA procducts, check out www.repja.com.
o d t o n o t “We aim ” . d e t c e p x the e
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Teen Spirit
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School News
lesley mcCook wins miss Immaculate 2012 by Justine Powell
Miss Immaculate 2012 Lesley McCook is flanked by other contestants after she was announced as winner
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fter weeks of preparation, 12 phenomenal young women vied for the title of Miss Immaculate 2012 last Tuesday in the school’s cafeteria. Seventeen-yearold Lesley McCook came out on top after wowing the judges throughout the different rounds. In the Q&A section, she introduced herself saying “Coco Chanel once said, a girl should be two things, classy and fabulous, but I believe a girl should be classy, fabulous and herself.” The aspiring pediatrician and current fashionista will now begin her reign with the aim of promoting healthy lifestyle by encouraging physical activity and emphasising the importance of good eating habits. Miss Immaculate was more than just a beauty competition and the contestants have gained significantly from the experience. Leading up to the competition day, the ladies were exposed to grooming and etiquette to develop grace and poise, which was done through regular training sessions and a luncheon. Each contestant was required to have a platform geared towards the school’s development. Furthermore, each girl represented a school club and was required to do at least one service activity. Together, the ladies also contributed to their school community through a campus garbage cleanup. The event’s 2nd year of showcasing was produced by the prefect body, which worked tirelessly to put the show together. The afternoon’s event started off with a group dance by all 12 contestants decked out in black dresses and pumps. Following, the contestants took the stage in their ‘personality outfit’, with many using colours, textures and fittings to describe their individuality. www.ezineslimited.com
It was evident at this point that there were a few crowd favourites, namely Shannon Chen-See, Adrienne Bailey and Lesley McCook. However, this did not discourage the other contestants as they all continued to shine throughout the show. The talent section was next. Talents ranged from singing to dancing to dub poetry, even violin and piano playing. However, a cheerful Ms Duke of Edinburgh Adrienne Bailey proved herself most outstanding when she wowed the crowd with her dub poem highlighting her school as the best. By the end of her talent piece, she had everyone jumping and singing “Immaculate! A yaso nice, a yaso nice!” Performances were also well received from reggae artiste Protoje who delivered an engaging set and dancehall artiste Leftside who was able to give the crowd a little piece of every song on his CD in under five minutes. The contestants got the chance to showcase their beautiful evening wear, but not for long, since at this point, the judges were ready to select their top five. Backstage, contestants showed many signs of anxiety but were still able to maintain their composure and elegance. Shannon Chen-See, Lesley McCook, MelissaKim Dunkley, Adrienne Bailey and Afreya Cox proudly made their way to the stage for the question segment after being selected as a part of the top five. After lengthy deliberation, the judges made their decisions and everyone was congratulating Ms. Immaculate 2012, Lesley McCook. Teen Spirit
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Sports Messi
Ronaldo
LIoneL MeSSI vS CRISTIAno RonALDo: WHo IS beTTeR? by Najique Gayle
Since the arrival of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid, whenever they face Barcelona in El Clasico, one of the biggest club fixtures in the world, the major underlying clash is between himself and Lionel Messi. They are undoubtedly the two best players in modern football, but it is always a major debate as to who is better. Many will debate that Messi is the best with his crisp finishing, close control and ability to run past players quite easily, while others might argue that Ronaldo’s lightning quick feet, keen eye for goal and powerful shots makes him a better footballer. First off, let me start by saying it is extremely hard to compare these two players as they have different styles of play, Messi in a possession-playing Barcelona team and Ronaldo in the fast counter-attacking Real Madrid. Both players seem to have been destined to have a highly competitive rivalry as they have won major individual awards, racking up some mind-blowing statistics in the last few years. I’ll attempt to compare both players by using a point system where I will judge three aspects of their play (scoring, passing and dribbling) and rate each out of five with five being the absolute best. Most of the statistics will come from league play as this is where both footballers play each week.
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Goal Scoring Ability:
Ronaldo: 54 goals in all competitions so far (42 in La Liga after only playing in 34 games, three from the Copa del Rey, one from the Spanish Super Cup and eight from the UEFA Champions League)In La Liga: seven hat-tricks, average shots per game: 6.9, percentage of team’s goals scored: 41.6 per cent, penalties scored: 11 Ronaldo gets a score of 4.5/5 Messi: 63 goals in all competitions so far (41 in La Liga after playing 33 matches, two from the Copa del Rey, three in the Spanish Super Cup, one in the European Super Cup, two in the Club World Cup and 14 from the UEFA Champions League) In La Liga: 6 Hat-tricks, average shots per game: 5.5, percentage of team’s goals scored: 36.6 per cent, penalties scored: 5 Messi gets a score of 4.7/5
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Sports
Passing Ability:
Ronaldo: Pass percentage completion: 80.9 per cent Key passes per game: 1.6 Average passes per game: 37.6 Accurate through balls per game: 0.5 Ronaldo gets a score of 4/5 Messi: Pass percentage completion: 84.1 per cent Key passes per game: 2.6 Average passes per game: 64.9 Accurate through balls per game: 1.5 Messi gets a score of 4.5/5
Dribbling Ability:
Ronaldo Successful dribbles per game: 1.8 Average dispossessed per game: 1.9 Ronaldo gets a score of 4.6/5. Messi: Successful dribbles per game: 4.8 Average dispossessed per game: 2.7 Messi gets a score of 4.8/5 www.ezineslimited.com
Ronaldo received an overall score of 13.1/15 while Messi got 14/15. Now you’re probably thinking that since Messi has a higher score than Ronaldo, he must be better than him right? Wrong. Many other factors affect whether or not a player is better than another and from my angle, both players have accomplished almost the same things, just in different ways. Ronaldo is better in the air than Messi but Messi has a more effective dribbling style, though he might not be as flashy as Ronaldo who has more pretty little flicks and tricks. Messi’s effective dribbling style can be seen in the stats. Ronaldo is a far more competitive athlete as he is stronger, faster and taller than Messi, but Messi’s vision is a bit better than his. Messi has been seen to have more impact on games than Ronaldo. He has been blessed with sublime football talent, evident since he was a youngster but Ronaldo’s vast improvement and growth from his days at Lisbon cannot be overlooked. He is a product of much hard work and training, his physical evolution is quite evident and this has definitely helped his game. Being a huge Cristiano Ronaldo fan, it saddens me to say that, at this current moment, the little Argentinean edges out the Portuguese international, but not by much distance. Teen Spirit
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School Life
fIve THIngS eveRy MALe STuDenT SHouLD HAve AT SCHooL by Dervin Osbourne
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’m always observing and being surrounded by high school students in Half Way Tree every day, so I thought of something that I had to write about – the things high school boys should always have. I hope the young men are reading this and if you’re a girl, show it to your male friend. These are the top five things I think young men should always have: RAg/keRCHIef: It is always necessary for a young man to have a rag or a kerchief, especially living in the tropics. There’s nothing neat about walking around looking like you were splashed by a passing car. And please, don’t have it exposed in your back pocket. guM/TIC TAC: You never know who you may meet and
I’m sure you don’t want the first question thrown at you to be “What’s that smell?” If you have no interest in meeting anyone, take into consideration the people who sit beside you on the bus. www.ezineslimited.com
bRuSH/CoMb: There’s nothing wrong with always looking
decent and to be honest, that’s something I think most of us men need to start paying attention to. Always walk with your brush or comb, particularly if you have a nappy head like me. Nothing to be ashamed of. DeoDoRAnT: I cannot stress the importance of travelling with deodorant. Again, living in the tropics has its disadvantages, prolonged heat being one of them. This causes sweating, which causes odour. Also, boys will be boys and we play around a lot. After a day’s worth of fun, having your deodorant with you means you’re taking the world into consideration. bookS: Last and most importantly, guys always have your books, pens and pencils. Don’t be one of those annoying friends who are always asking “Yuh have two pen?” You’re in high school; don’t waste your time. The statistics aren’t in our favour. And by the way, education is something that all men need.
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School Life
PRoTeCTIng youRSeLf AT SCHooL by Ava Gardner
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chool, just like any other part of the outside world is dangerous. From the beginning of the academic year, we’ve heard of fights, conflicts, theft, crimes and other drama. You shouldn’t take your safety for granted just because you’re in a fenced area with security. Students should also see about their own safety and Teen Spirit has several tips that can help you protect yourself at school. Need-to-know basis It’s nice to have people to socialise with. Nothing is wrong with talking. The problem is what you talk about. You can’t tell everyone your business and assume that it won’t get around. Everyone has a friend who they like to talk to and share things with. It then becomes a game of Chinese Telephone. Letting out too much information can be sometimes harmful, especially if it’s not retold properly or it’s used against you. Know how you’re getting home If you don’t know how you are getting home, you shouldn’t wait until the final school bell rings to find out.. If you have to stay late for a club or other after school activity, make the necessary arrangements and find somewhere safe, where you can stay until it’s time to leave. An illuminated area close to security would be an optimum place. Bully in the pen If it seems like a schoolmate is about to engage in or include you in wrongful act or any activity that involves breaking a school rule, remove yourself from the area or situation. You don’t want to get involved or get hurt as a result. Getting in trouble can sometimes have permanent damages to you, your reputation and your record.
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Watch what you eat One main gateway to getting sick is your mouth. Since the food you purchase at school is prepared by hands other than yours, it’s best you be very selective about what you eat. Trying something new? Spare yourself the tummy ache and the agony that follows, and seek the recommendations of others. Guard your stuff Fingers have been becoming increasingly sticky these days and because of this, you literally can’t afford to be careless with your belongings. Know where your things are at all times. If you can, get a locker. But, if you’re afraid of losing or having a prized possession stolen, leave it at home. Sports safety Everyone wants to play and show their skills, but you’ll also want to leave the sports grounds intact. Follow the rules of the games and don’t get carried away. Ensure that you’re wearing appropriate gear and are playing in a suitable area. Don’t put yourself in a position to disrupt a good time to be rushed to the nurse’s office. Still don’t talk to strangers Yes, this rule still applies. Strangers tend to be unknowledgeable of the campus, so they’ll probably approach you to ask you for directions. When they do, you can simply direct them to the main office or the nearest authority who can assist them and then get to stepping. Don’t answer any personal questions either. You should also alert a school leader about the stranger(s) on campus.
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Tech
EdUCaTIONal appS wORTh dOwNlOadINg by Micheal Farquharson
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ow this may come as a shocker to many of you, but your phone, table or laptop can be used for more than just playing video games and streaming movies. Blasphemy, right? There are some of us who actually use these devices for their intended purposes and, as such, can survive should there be another, say global BlackBerry blackout. So, on to the apps. There is a wide cross-section of apps that can be used for edifying the mind and stimulating more constructive pursuits. Here are a few: Documents to Go- Multiplatform Even though it was mentioned in a previous article, its usage cannot be over-emphasised. This mobile app has saved me many times. You can use it to edit and view Microsoft Word, Excel and Powerpoint documents and in the premium edition, you can create your own. It’s not even that pricey at US$14. Let’s be honest, you’ve spent far more on shamballas and fitted caps. You can do your IAs and SBAs on your phone or tablet and edit them on the fly with relative ease and convenience. What more do you you want? SparkNotes- Multiplatform Every literature student has used the SparkNotes website at some point during their studies. It is an invaluable tool during the times when the course has reached to Shakespeare, because conversations where people use words like ‘betwixt’, ‘prithee’, ‘onuppan’ or end a random word with ‘eth’ isn’t the most fun thing to read. Now you can have this kind of help on www.ezineslimited.com
the go. What’s good about this app is that once you and other persons have it, you can set up study groups via your device, and the learning can be shared. This way, everybody wins. Spanish Dictionary Pro- iOS (iPod Touch, iPhone, iPad, Mac) Not sure if this app is only available for iOS devices, but the one I found was. It is as straightforward as it gets: an EnglishSpanish dictionary that actually covers quite a bit for a free software. Mark you, it isn’t perfect, as the vocabulary is a bit limited, but future app updates should ensure the longevity of such a useful app. Nook for PC- Windows This is a port for the very successful e-reader Nook, by book sellers Barnes and Nobles. It pretty much does what a Nook will do, minus the Nook price. You can read electronic books on your PC, provided you have a Barnes and Nobles account (which is free, its just really for registration purposes). It will also sync your ebook collection to the application. Quite handy for reading textbooks and such on the go. AllRecipes.com App- iOS This app is particularly useful for the students studying Food and Nutrition. This app is a port of the self-titled website and a link to all their recipes. They are in different categories, such as Entrée, Main Course and Desserts for ease of use. If you think you are up to the challenge, download and enjoy. Teen Spirit
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