April Issue 2012

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G r a c e

K i n g

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Presidential Candidates Opinions 10

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4301 Grace King Place, Metairie, LA 70002

Monday, April 2, 2012

Voucher program impacts public school system By Bianca Shrestha

April 2 StuCo Sign Up

April 6 Good Friday No School

April 8 Easter

April 10 King vs. West Jeff @BMA 4 P.M.

April 13 Friday the 13th

April 17 King vs. Jesuit @BMA 6 P.M.

April 17 Tax Day

Staff Writer

Governor of Louisiana, Bobby Jindal has proposed a new education reform plan, though it has sparked controversy among educators as well as parents and students. The plan offers parents a choice for their child through scholarships or vouchers and expansion of charters. Low income students can use the state’s tax money to pay private school tuition. Students from a C, D, or F school may be eligible for the program, which is 71.5 percent of Louisiana schools. One of the key provisions of this plan imposes a voucher program which allows students from below average rated school to enroll into private schools with an amount of money given by the government. About $9,500 will be spent on each student who participates in Jindal’s voucher program. The average allotment per student in other states is $3,000-$4,500. The tuition of Jefferson Parish parochial private schools usually ranges from about $7,000-$15,000. President of the Jefferson Federation of Teachers Union, Meladie Munch expresses concerns over the issue. “These bills will use the funding process to virtually abolish public education. Tax dollars will be spent on private and religious schools, virtual schools, home schools and charter schools

Nicholas de la Torre

Jefferson Parish School Board members convene at Bonnabel Magnet Academy on March 27 to consider public hearing dates for additional school consolidations and closures due to budget cuts.

created by corporations, businesses and industry providers.� A c c o r d i n g t o t h e s t a t e ’s accountability system, a student whose family income is at or below $55,000 per year may be be eligible for the program. As a result, about 380,000 students would qualify. A main concern over the voucher program is the impact it will have on the future of public schools. “In theory, the plan has merit to advance student achievement. There

are some concerns. Private schools are not graded so there are parents and students that will have limited information to judge the private school,� School Board member who represents King Mike Delesdernier said. The Jefferson Federation of Teachers’ Union has a less optimistic view on Jindal’s new reform. “These schools will not be held to the same standards of accountability,� said Munch. “The only requirement

See Reform, News 3

CLASS OF 2012: Preparing for life after senior year

April 19

By Jessie Chen

King vs. Rummel

Staff Writer

@Kirsch Rooney 7 P.M.

April 19 Holocaust Day

April 20 StuCo Voting Results

April 27 Arbor Day

May 5 Cinco de Mayo

to teach in these schools will be a %DFKHORUœV GHJUHH QR FHUWL¿ FDWLRQ will be necessary.� First introduced under the Reagan administration in the 1980s, now as many as 42 states are considering similar voucher programs. One of WKH ¿ UVW PDMRU FLWLHV WR LPSOHPHQW WKH program was Milwaukee, Wisconsin where over 20,000 students used vouchers in the 2011-2012 year.

Anna Whitaker

Senior Board President Shreya Kashyap and Senator Andrew LaCour prepare for Senior Countdown.

With summer rapidly approaching, and seniors saying their last goodbyes, there is still plenty to do before they go off into the real world. There are many perks to being a senior, but there are many responsibilities as well. “As seniors, we have to set goals for ourselves after high school and learn how to be more independent,â€? Drewcilla Steib said. Many seniors are still faced with the pressure of passing their courses as well as the Advanced Placement (AP) exams. “I had to balance all my AP classes along with all my extracurricular activities. It was so overwhelming, but in the end, I pulled through,â€? Lily Wang said. For most seniors, applying to colleges requires an extensive amount of work. Besides applications and application fees, many want to apply for VFKRODUVKLSV DV ZHOO DV Âż QDQFLDO DLG SURJUDPV ,Q most cases, application fees cost anywhere from $50-$75. However, some don’t require any. On top of that, seniors must prepare for the SAT and ACT standardized tests. However, the pressures of taking the ACT and SAT weren’t as prominent for some. “It wasn’t pressure in a bad sort of way.

I focused my mind, and for the few weeks that I was preparing for the test, I couldn’t think about anything else. I almost enjoyed the challenge itself,â€? Shreya Kashyap said. Although the application process brings enough VWUHVV DOUHDG\ RQH RI WKH PRVW GLIÂż FXOW DVSHFWV of being a senior is getting everything done and submitted on time. “Sometimes, I’ll be working on three or four different scholarships at once, as well as writing eight essays at a time,â€? Wang said. Struggling to meet all the different application deadlines can be a very strenuous process. As the school year draws to a close, many only have a few things to worry about now, such as waiting for acceptance letters into the college of their choice. “I’m mainly focusing on receiving my credits, maintaining my grades and enjoying my last moments with my friends,â€? Wang said. As President of the Senior class, Kashyap has FOHDUO\ GHÂż QHG ZKDW LW PHDQV WR KHU WR EH D VHQLRU Âł,ÂśP IRFXVHG RQ IXOÂż OOLQJ P\ GXWLHV DV DQ RIÂż FHU and I hope to lay the foundation for future classes,â€? said Kashyap.“Though it has been at times very GLIÂż FXOW KLJK VFKRRO KDV UHDOO\ RSHQHG P\ H\HV DV to who I want to be, how I want to identify myself, the purpose I want to have in the world, and it prepared me for the more formidable years of my life which are hopefully to come very soon.â€?

2

News

Monday, April 2, 2012

Irish Eyes

$FDGHPLF *DPHV KHDG WR 9LUJLQLD Juniors Patrick Le, Alex Korominas, David Dobie, Huy Vu and Senior Chanakya Vattikuti have been selected to attend Nationals in April 27-30 at Oglebay, West Virginia. /XDX WR EH KHOG IRU VHQLRU FODVV Senior Board will hold a Luau on the EDFN ÂżHOG RQ $SULO IURP S P

Compiled by Anna Whitaker Editor-in-Chief

.H\ &OXE HOHFWV RIÂżFHUV IRU QHZ \HDU The new officers for the 2011-2012 school year are President, Austin Gray; Vice President, Rossy Polanco; Secretary, Patriona James; Treasurer, Jack Vega. Key Club also attended Battle for Blood on March 29, Kiwanis One Day on March 31 and will be attending Key Club Convention on April 20-22. 6RSKRPRUH %RDUG VHOOV FODVV FDUGV Sophomore Board will be selling Class Cards for $15 in Mary Biggers Class, Room 20B.

&ODVV RI SLFN FODVV IDYRULWHV The Junior class favorites are as follows: Ă€RZHU ZKLWH URVH VRQJ Âł1HYHU )RUJHW <RX´ E\ /XSH )LDVFR FRORUV EODFN purple, and silver; animal, jaguar; quote, Âł5HPHPEHU \HVWHUGD\ GUHDP IRU WRPRUURZ and live for today.â€? .LQJ KRVWV /$6& FRQYHQWLRQ Executive Director of LASC Phil Gugliuzza visited King on March 21 to scout the campus as a potential host for the /$6& &RQYHQWLRQ .LQJ ZLQQHUV IURP /LWHUDOO\ 5DOO\ GNO Literally Rally was held on March 7KH IROORZLQJ DUH VWXGHQWV ZKR won: Shahan Maqbool, 2nd in Chemistry; Caleb Knight, 3rd in English III; Jessica Richmond, 5th in English IV; Monserrant *RQ]DOH] WK LQ )UHQFK ,, %HWKDQ\ &RDWH

Bianca Shrestha

The 16th Annual Fine Arts Festival was held on March 25. Student performances included dramatic monologues, musical recitals and display of artwork.

1st in Journalism I; Bianca Shrestha, 2nd in Journalism I; Nga Nguyen, 3rd in Journalism I; Chanakya Vattikuti, 1st in 3V\FKRORJ\ 6KUH\D .DVK\DS WK LQ 86 +LVWRU\ 0XKDPPDG )DURRT VW LQ :RUOG History.

([HFXWLYH %RDUG EHJLQV FDPSDLJQV Student Council registration for next year’s positions will begin on April 2. Candidates running for office will give speeches on April 10 and 11 and campaign from April 12-17. Results will be posted on April 20.

Increasing school violence threatens safety on campuses nationally By Yusra Saad Staff Writer

In addition to stories of violence in national headlines, Jefferson Parish schools have experienced a recent increase in violence. 2Q )HE DQ 2KLR WHHQDJHU RSHQHG ÂżUH LQ WKH FDIHWHULD at a suburban Cleveland high school. A witness claims he saw the gunman targeting a group of students that were sitting together. One student was killed trying to duck under the table and four were wounded. Parents, teachers and administrators expect schools to be safe havens of learning. Acts of violence can disrupt the learning process and have a negative effect on students, the school itself, and the broader community. Students rely on the faculty to provide that safety. When asked how often she witnessed a violent act DW VFKRRO VRSKRPRUH /RQL 0DUOLQ UHVSRQGHG Âł, WKLQN everyone has witnessed violence at Grace King. I’m sure EHFDXVH ÂżJKWV GR KDSSHQ ´ Âł, ZRXOG IHHO FRPIRUWDEOH UHSRUWLQJ D SRWHQWLDO WKUHDW to a teacher or an administrator, but I don’t feel like they do much,â€? Marlin said. The Louisiana School Boards Association (LSBA) has unanimously passed a resolution supporting passage of the

%XOO\LQJ 3UHYHQWLRQ $FW RI LQWURGXFHG DV +% The resolution was proposed by the Orleans Parish School Board (OPSB) and championed by President of the OPSB Thomas Ainsworth Robichaux. Robichaux also called on all local school boards to contact their local legislators in support of the proposed Act. The anti-bullying resolution serves to make schools safer and more welcoming for students from all backgrounds, and will provide outlets for students to report instances of bullying and violence directly to school administrators DQG VFKRRO ERDUG RIÂżFLDOV ,W EULQJV /RXLVLDQD LQ OLQH ZLWK national standards for such laws. In light of the national attention on bullying and an increase in student suicide rates, the OPSB proactively adopted this policy late last year to let all New Orleans students know that they have a safe place to report any incidences and receive help. In a recent incident involving a violent student cartoon of President Barack Obama in St. Tammany Parish. One board member went on to say that the teacher who assigned WKH FDUWRRQ ÂłVKRXOG KDYH XVHG D OLWWOH FRPPRQ VHQVH ´ Students were assigned to draw a political cartoon for an American History class. The cartoon depicted a bullet hole in President Obama’s head. The teachers claimed that there are some racist students and things happen at the school. Jefferson Parish high schools are also facing challenges

in curbing violence among students. In recent weeks, Bonnabel high school has experienced two violent acts that have received a fair amount of media attention. Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies are still investigating an incident where a teenager robbed a student at knifepoint on March 5. Investigators are unsure whether the robber was a fellow student. The victim, a 15-year-old girl, was allegedly walking in the stairwell of the school on at around 1:30 p.m. The victim claims the suspect appeared WR EH DURXQG WKH DJH RI WR DQG KDG UHSRUWHGO\ SXW D sharp object to the victim’s side and demanded her phone, KH WKHQ ÀHG WKH VFHQH A week later, another incident involving Bonnabel RFFXUUHG RQ :HGQHVGD\ 0DUFK $ VWXGHQW UHSRUWHG WKDW a fellow student put a gun to her head. The suspect, a 15 year-old boy claims that the gun was fake. Even though WKH VWXGHQW ZDV IRXQG RI¿FHUV VHDUFKHG KLV KRXVH DQG GLG QRW ¿QG WKH JXQ +H ZDV WKHQ ERRNHG ZLWK SRVVHVVLRQ RI marijuana found in his bedroom. Vice Prinicipal Sandy Phillips who is in charge of discipline encourages students to be aware of the surroundings and vigilant in maintaining the safety of WKH FDPSXV ³:H VWULYH WR SURYLGH D VDIH DQG QXUWXULQJ environment for all of our students.�

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News

Monday, April 2, 2012

3

Jindal’s reform provokes tension in public schools Reform, from front page

Anna Whitaker

Junior Patrick Le asks Juniors Alex Korominas, Aizaz Ahmad, Shahan Maqbool and Senior Muhammad Farooq trivia questions in order to prepare for Quiz Bowl tournaments. The team practices 2-3 months in advance to prepare for tournaments.

Quiz Bowl offers plethora of opportunities In this past month, the team attended the March competition at East Bank Editor-in-Chief Regional Office, defeating four out of four schools. The team was asked It may surprise students that in a multitude of questions in a series of addition to an active student council, as timed rounds, with normal questions well as a nationally recognized dance being worth 10 points, bonus questions team, King also boasts a competitive EHLQJ ZRUWK Âż YH SRLQWV DQG SHQDOWLHV Quiz Bowl team. GHGXFWLQJ Âż YH SRLQWV 7KH Âż QDO VFRUHV King offers over 50 clubs and were: King 270, Higgins 180; King 305, organizations, some of which receive Thomas Jefferson 155; King 335, Ehret little to no recognition. Recently, our 155; King 325, Cox 135. Quiz Bowl team represented King in a Clubs can present great opportunities. series of tournaments, bringing home a For example, they can bestow a richer great honor. background to students. “Quiz Bowl “Grace King’s Quiz Bowl team introduced me to a vast amount of subject continues to be one of two leading matter that I didn’t already know about. teams in the Jefferson Parish Public It peaked my interest in it; I wanted to School System because its members learn more,â€? junior Patrick Le said. are knowledgeable of the content area Clubs not only provide extra of all of the maths, sciences, history knowledge, but students may learn and and psychology,â€? Gifted and Talented grow from participation. Senior Quiz teacher Kirk Steen said. Steen states that Bowl President Muhammad Farooq has by taking higher level maths such as AP been on Quiz Bowl for four years and Statistics, as well as other AP courses, feels that the club has had a big impact gives students on the team an advantage on him. over competitors. Âł, GHÂż QLWHO\ KDYH JURZQ DV D SHUVRQ ´ By Anna Whitaker

Farooq said. “Being president of a club puts responsibilities on you, teaches you how to act in the real world and gets you ready for that.� Junior Alex Korominas, who has been a devoted Quiz Bowl member for three years, states that his devotion will pay off when he’s applying to colleges. “That’s what colleges look for- dedication. It’s easy to be in every club your school has to offer, but it’s not so easy to be committed to them.� A chance to bond with peers is also presented in clubs. Junior David Dobie considers Quiz Bowl a great opportunity to engage in social activities. “We have a great relationship in Quiz Bowl; they’re basically my second family. Not only have I gotten to familiarize myself with my acquaintances, I’ve gotten to meet many new people at our tournaments.� As an avid member, Le feels Quiz Bowl does not receive enough recognition. “We always win our games, but no one really knows who we are. We’re not just another club. We’re the real jocks,� Le said.

The passage of this bill will have an impact on the students. Andre Perry is the Associate Director for Educational Initiatives for Loyola Institute for Quality and Equity in Education and has expressed concerns regarding the bill. “The overall plan seems more aimed at deconstructing the current public educational system than creating a coherent, more effective one,â€? said Perry. “For that, I’m worried that the initiative is more constructive for the private/parochial sector than the public sector.â€? Despite its positive intentions, the bill has received much criticism from both students and teachers of public schools. “Even if this law was passed, and low income family students did take this opportunity, what makes the government know for sure that the students will learn anymore than they would in regular public schools?â€? senior Lily Wang said. “I believe that any student in a low income family could get the same education in a public school as to private schools because it’s about the student. Their ability to study the subjects they’re taking, their choice to challenge themselves in their classes, and their will to want education.â€? Social Studies teacher Betsy Dyer also expressed concerns over the future of public education. “Because children are our country’s greatest resource, I still feel the country needs a strong public school system and I think the voucher system will kill that.â€? Another potential issue regarding students is how other private school students will perceive a voucher program student. “Once I, a public school kid, walk in, they would completely look down on me because I am basically not one of them,â€? freshman Samah Hammad said. Because the bill allows above average students to transfer into parochial/private schools, public schools may experience a loss of balance in its overall reputation. However, Principal Meg Griffon is not concerned. Âł1RWKLQJ LV D FHUWDLQW\ EXW ,ÂśP FRQÂż GHQW WKDW no matter what happens with this bill, Grace King will thrive.â€? Amendments to both bills is expected. However, Senate Committee Chairman Conrad $SSHO KDV H[SUHVVHG FRQÂż GHQFH WKDW ERWK ELOOV will remain largely intact.

P.S. Happy Belated Birthday, Anna! Love, Trailer Connection

4

Features

Monday, April 2, 2012

Irish Eyes

Addressing health risks associated with marijuana use How marijuana affects regions of the brain

News Editor

Cerebral CortexAltered consciousness, perceptual distortions; memory impairment; occasional delusions and hallucinations HypothalamusIncreased appetite

Amygdala- Anxiety and panic in some cases; reduced anxiety and clocking of traumatic memories in other cases; reduced hostility

HippocampusMemory impairment

marijuana. According to a statement approved in 1988 by the US Department of Justice, “There are simply no credible medical reports to suggest Many students at Grace King will concede that consuming marijuana has ever caused a that they are acquaintances with or at least know single death.â€? A smoker would theoretically have of another student who has experimented with to consume nearly 1,500 pounds of marijuana marijuana. It is taught from a young age that ZLWKLQ DERXW Âż IWHHQ PLQXWHV WR LQGXFH D OHWKDO marijuana is dangerous and addictive, but many response. Research on the correlation between marijuana proponents of the plant try to prove their arguments WR WKH FRQWUDU\ ,W LV GLIÂż FXOW WR XQGHUVWDQG ZKLFK smoking and risk of lung cancer show varying conclusions. Data from various studies claim the points made on either side are valid. Marijuana is used primarily for the risk of lung cancer from marijuana use is worse euphoric feeling high that is produced when than tobacco use, while some studies claim there tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) enters the brain is no increase in risk at all. “It shouldn’t be legalized to smoke unless through the bloodstream when the smoke is inhaled, though in some cases marijuana is used you have medical reasons,â€? senior Sydney for medicinal purposes. THC works by binding Hamby said. “But it should be legalized for other to neurons, cells that process information in the purposes, like hemp paper, clothing and fuel.â€? Medical marijuana laws are in effect in at brain, called cannabinoid receptors. By binding to these cells and mimicking the function of a least 16 states and is used to treat a number of neurotransmitters, THC can interfere with the diseases and disorders including glaucoma, cells normal function. Cannabinoid receptors are Alzheimer’s disease, brain and breast cancers, located in high concentrations in the cerebellum, and HIV/AIDS. “It isn’t that big a deal, and I think it shouldn’t hypocampus, and basal ganglia which control coordination, short term memory, and unconscious be so criminalized, it’s safer than cigarettes and alcohol, and these products are legal,â€? said muscle movement respectively. Although purported to be a health risk, Hamby. “If it is used as a recreational source, it unlike many other drugs including alcohol, it should be treated like you would treat alcohol, is impossible in practical terms to overdose on with age limitations and warning labels.â€? By William Weisler

Brain Stem- Nausea relief; rapid heart rate; reduced blood pressure; drowsiness; pain reduction; reduced spasticity; reduced tremor

Illustration by Anna Whitaker

CerebellumReduced spasticity; impaired coordination

Students encouraged to consider safety when traveling during break and even have a special call center for the tourists. Staff Writer Mexico is not the only country plagued with a negative reputation. Known for having over 250,000 Natalee Ann Holloway, an American travelers every year for Spring Break, student who was from Mountain Brook, Mexico is definitely a hot spot for Alabama, vanished completely on May teenagers looking for fun. Despite the 30, 2005, on a senior graduation trip to warnings and feedback from concerned Aruba with her fellow classmates. Her parents and officials, students still body was never discovered. Due to a choose to travel to Mexico. lack of evidence uncovered by Aruban Cancun, Mexico is a popular tourist investigators, Holloway’s frustrated area. It was an historic area where the parents initiated a boycott on Aruban ancient Mayans built their temples. But it travel. After seven years of investigation is also known as an area that is infamous Holloway was declared legally dead on for their young drinking age of 18 and Jan 12, 2012. availability of illegal substances. The Having its up’s and down’s, Mexico surrounding areas of the city are also is still an area of uncertainty concerning threatened by these ordeals, as well as safety. Those who have visited Mexico drug cartels and gang violence. The on past spring breaks claim they truly problem has escalated so much that there enjoyed their time spent there though. was a need for security cameras to be “I would like to relive my experience in placed around the city to keep an eye Mexico. I don’t regret getting my tattoo, RQ GUXJ WUDIÂż FNLQJ LQFUHDVHG VHFXULW\ but it isn’t something I’d recommend,â€? By Marley Olavarrieta

Erika Weberg said, a massage therapist who had visited Mexico in the past. Weberg stated that nothing had gone wrong when she was there. The only bad thing was that her mother was infuriated about the tattoo she had gotten. The ones who are generally the victims of these dangers are high school graduates and college students. When these students participate in this event, many of them are oblivious to the threats they could possibly face. Even straying away for just a few minutes, can cause them to become lost. Even if the number of help centers for tourists increase, it doesn’t mean it will erase the visitor’s doubts and disbeliefs of the possible threats of the area. Warnings alone are not enough to stop determined students to party on their deserved vacations. The only thing to be wary when visiting this major vacation spot is to avoid areas that are unusually empty.

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Features

Irish Eyes

Senior self-initiates graphic design career By Nicholas de la Torre Photographer

Senior Aldair Sobalvarro is an upcoming 17 year old fashion designer with his own clothing line called “Fly Pedestrian�. Sobalvarro got his start bouncing around ideas with his partner Abdul Hamev. “We just love fashion. It came about just wanting to represent being your own person,� Sobalvarro said. “First, just deciding what kind of demographic we wanted to reach out to then just got right down to designing quality pieces and making connections with quality manufactures.� “Building a loyal team, pushing the name, gaining hype selling tees, then with the internet, we could push to other regions all over,� Sobalvarro said. Knowing local business men helped him land his clothes into boutiques. His clothes are currently being sold at Matso’s in Oakwood Mall, Vivo in Baton Rouge, and

Damon’s, with more vendors on the way. Every month he sells out of almost every unit. Local rappers and other popular faces have been seen sporting the Fly Pedestrian logo, but Sobalvarro does not intend to leach anyone’s successes. He states that he wants to build a name for himself from the ground up. “As for the competition, we’re our own competition. We plan to out do ourselves each and every time,â€? Sobalvarro said. Sobalvarro states that he plans on going to college for a degree in graphic design then putting full attention into his company. However, his backup plan includes using his degree and designing logos for other companies. “Ten years from now, ,ÂśOO EH Âż QDQFLDOO\ VWDEOH DVNLQJ myself where I will be ten years from now,â€? Sobalvarro said. “But for now, we got new stuff on the way including more premium Courtesy of FlyPedestrian garments, more innovative designs, and a new website. Just Senior Aldair Sobalvarro poses with one of his own designs which features the logo for his clothing line, Fly Pedestrian. stay tuned.â€?

Grading adjustments make noticeable presence a nationwide case of constant grade LQĂ€ DWLRQ Features Editor “I’ve gotten C’s on tests that I should’ve gotten a D on,â€? said senior Jorge Orellana *UDGHV EHFRPH LQĂ€ DWHG ZKHQ KLJKHU “I don’t think it’s a bad thing though; it scores are awarded for work that would gives you a chance in a class you might have otherwise gotten a lower score in otherwise be having trouble with.â€? the past. Parents, students, or even the school Grades have been rising at a rate of 0.1 sometimes pressure teachers into curving percent per decade on the 4.0 scale since a grade in favor of the student to either the 1960s, according to Duke University pass, qualify for a scholarship, or make the 3URIHVVRU DQG FHUWLÂż HG *HRSK\VLFLVW 6WXDUW school’s average look better. This could Rojstaczer. In 2002 Rojstaczer collected EH DV VPDOO DV DGGLQJ Âż YH SRLQWV WR D TXL] information from over 80 schools across or as drastic as bumping up and F to a D the country, with some of the info dating for the sake of passing a mandatory class DV IDU EDFN DV WKH V DQG FRQÂż UPHG needed to graduate. By Leonel Castell

Toughest Graders ‡ Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ‡ Virginia Commonwealth University ‡ Purdue University ‡ Reed College

‡ Princeton University ‡ Hampden-Sydney College ‡ University of Houston ‡ CSU-Fullerton

7KH RULJLQV RI JUDGH LQĂ€ DWLRQ FDQ EH traced as far back as the Vietnam War era where teachers would often give students higher grades for the sake of passing since students that dropped out were more likely to join the army and go to war. It is also when community colleges started popping up as an alternative to going to war. Now with so much stress being put into going to good colleges and universities and the standards being so high to gain admittance, good grades matter more than ever to the average high school student looking to make it after graduation. Even in college, professors are known to curve grades out of fear of placing their students at a disadvantage. *UDGH LQĂ€ DWLRQ DOVR PDNHV LW GLIÂż FXOW to identify exceptional students since more students end up with a higher score. Since it is also not uniform across schools, it potentially puts students going into other schools at a disadvantage.

Monday, April 2, 2012

Hip hop fashion inspire change in teen fashion By Linda Lin Staff Writer

+LS KRS IDVKLRQ KDV FKDQJHG VLJQLÂż FDQWO\ during its history, and today, it is a prominent part culture of all ethnicities. Hip hop clothes became fashionable in the 1980s, when established sportswear and pricey fashion brands became part of the hip hop scene. Run–D.M.C., a popular hip hop group at the time, embraced the style of the street by wearing jeans, lace-less Adidas sneakers, big gold chains and their trademark black fedoras. Their simple look encouraged fans to dress in their style. Beyond the 1990s, artists started their own fashion labels and clothing lines. Baggy pants and skinny jeans came into style due to New Boyz’s dance from their song “You’re a Jerk.â€? The hip hop world has seen a resurgence of old fads as well as the emergence of new ones. The last few years gave rise to the popularity of tattoos covering artists from head to toe. Lil’ Wayne and Tyga are examples that have set the trend of being all “tatted upâ€?. +LS KRS IDVKLRQ LQĂ€ XHQFH LV VHHQ DOO over campus: the sagging pants and brand snapbacks. Several of these fashionable trends cuts directly through the school uniform policy. Teachers are constantly telling students to pull up their pants and take their hats offs. Today, hip hop fashion has turned into a global Illustration phenomenon that by Marley generates over $10 Olavarrieta billion a year.

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Monday, April 2, 2012

Irish Eyes

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Sleep deprivation contributes to mental, physical illness By William Weisler News Editor

Sleep deprivation is a problem that has been faced by almost every student at least once during their high school career. Sleep deprivation is the condition of not having enough sleep, and can cause and contribute to a great number of physical and mental ailments. Teenagers, who are biologically predisposed to sleep later and longer than adults do, are at greater risk to suffer from sleep deprivation. The National Sleep Foundation suggests that people 10-17 years of age need 8.5-9.5 hours of sleep daily, something that few people this age achieve. The fact that most teenagers do not get to sleep until late hours and have to wake early to make it to school does nothing to help the situation. Students who get too little sleep in a night are prone to nodding off or falling asleep during the day, and to be unfocused and distracted from lessons and school work. “It’s hard enough to focus in class with boring school work, it makes it worse that you didn’t sleep the night before,� junior Devin Waguespack said. “What good does it do to try to educate teenagers so early in the morning?� asks James B. Maas, psychologist at Cornell University and an expert on sleep. “You can be giving the most stimulating, interesting lectures to sleep deprived kids early in the morning or right after lunch when they’re at their sleepiest, and the overwhelming drive to

sleep replaces any chance of alertness, cognition, memory or understanding.� The National Sleep Foundation states that as people grow into adolescence biological sleep patterns shift into a later time for sleeping and waking, and that not being able to sleep before 11:00 p.m. can be natural for teenagers. This can cause problems when school days begin at times near 7:00 a.m. Rapid Eye Movement (REM) is a stage of sleep characterized by rapid and random movement of the eyes. Normal REM sleep is thought to foster healthy memory, help to prevent depression and promote dreaming. People who do not get enough REM sleep during the night will often suffer from REM rebound, a condition that causes people without enough REM sleep to fall more quickly and deeply into the state. According to the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System in 2009, 43.7 percent of people ages 18 to 24 had unintentionally fallen asleep during the day and 4.5 percent had unintentionally fallen asleep while driving at some point in the month before being surveyed. Drivers who are fatigued or drowsy cause more than 100,000 accidents each year, and young drivers account for more than half of WKHVH LQFLGHQWV DFFRUGLQJ WR WKH 1DWLRQDO +LJKZD\ 7UDI¿ F Safety Administration. Evidence shows that a lack of sleep can contribute to many physical, emotional and psychological disorders such as fatigue, anxiety, irritability, lack of motivation,

drowsiness, depression, ADHD, and dozing similar to what is seen in patients suffering from Narcolepsy. Depression caused by sleep deprivation can cause a person to further lose sleep. Stigma towards students who are sleep deprived and sleep in class may exist, such as teachers or other students assuming that they abuse drugs, are lazy, or do not care about their studies. These assumptions can be harmful and further worsen the situation, by causing feelings of depression or low self esteem in a student, which can cause them to lose further sleep. Negative attitudes surrounding students who are sleep deprived can also cause them to lose focus on their school work by encouraging a negative attitude toward the classroom. The mental, physical, and emotional burden that sleep deprivation places on students, combined with the stereotypes surrounding a sleepy student and the lack of motivation and stake in their school work can seriously affect a high school student’s quality of life and success on campus. Getting a good night’s sleep, maintaining a healthy diet and exercising regularly, along with avoiding substances and situations that can cause your body stress is important to getting to sleep at a good time each night and staying asleep. Non-habit forming sleep aids such as Melatonin, or techniques like reading quietly, listening to relaxing music or dimming the lights could all be effective in encouraging an ideal sleep schedule in teenagers.

Poor daily dietary choices lead to decline in future wellbeing Staff Writer

Lack of nutrition in teen’s diet is causing health problems later in life. Teens naturally go for their favorite bag of salty chips without realizing how unhealthy that bag of chips really is. Potato chips on average contain about 166.3 mg of salt. Too much of one unhealthy food items can negatively affect the body. Choosing the right kind of snack foods can be a good source of energy depending on what is being ingested. Try to avoid eating too much of unhealthy foods because it would lead to weight gain and obesity. Snack foods can either contain too much salt or too much sugar. “I like to snack a lot so I must constantly remind myself to

choose healthier snack foods,� sophomore Tanja Ripa said. Sugary foods are a major cause of cavities and tooth decay. Any amount of sugar over 18 teaspoon of added sugar is considered to be unhealthy, according to USDA. For example, a large Chocolate Oreo shake contains about 2963 grams of sugar. Teens love the convenience and social affairs of fast food restaurants even though their bodies don't react well to fast foods. Fast foods are high in fats, sodium and sugar and can develop into obesity and a wide range of health issues like heart disease. For example, a Big Mac contains about 540 calories and 1040 mg of sodium. The average person only can intake about 2000 calories and 2300 mg of sodium a day.

Health Quiz True or False?

1) Health is random; it depends on genes and luck.

2) Being low on energy means that you did not get enough sleep.

A healthy diet consists of balanced meals that are low in calories and fat and drinking the right amount of water. Eating healthy can boost the immune system which helps keep the body looking and feeling well. Teens may sometimes run into problems ZLWK Âż QGLQJ WLPH WR HDW D SURSHU PHDO 6RPH teens skip meals thinking it will help them lose weight. Skipping meals is extremely unhealthy; your body is not receiving any nutrients it needs. The metabolism system will start to decrease, contributing to weight gain and poor performance. Skipping meals will alter anybody’s concentration and energy levels. “If I don’t have time to eat a proper meal, I make sure to grab a granola bar or something on the go so I have something in my system,â€? junior Emily Brewton said.

3) Pulling an all nighter will keep your brain active during stressful times.

Eating foods that contain high amounts of trans fat will affect brain neurotransmitters. People that consume high amounts of fats can suffer from mental disorders like depression and Alzheimer's. Junk food can damage the brain by blocking blood supply to get to the brain. Unhealthy food may not only cause mental disorders but problems like anxiety DQG IDWLJXH (DWLQJ IRRG KLJK LQ DUWLÂż FLDO colors, sugar and preservatives can cause problems like hyperactivity. Diet can affect your physical appearance. If someone eats greasy foods everyday, they will run into problems with dramatic weight JDLQ DQG WKHLU VNLQ ZLOO UHĂ€ HFW WKH DPRXQWV of grease consumed. “I try to stay aware of my eating habits because if I were to eat a lot of bad food, I could tell how it makes my body look and feel,â€? Brewton said.

4) If you miss sleep, you need to sleep more the next night in order to catch up. 1) False, 2) False, 3) False, 4) False

By Bethany Coate

tlight

Irish Eyes

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Monday, April 2, 2012

Poor diet can lead to poor lung function or other respiratory problems such as asthma.

Low calcium intake can lead to poor bone growth. Too much junk food leads to excessive weight gain, now or later in life.

Junk food increases risk of heart disease.

,QVXIĂ€ FLHQW VOHHS FDQ lead to acute muscle pain.

Lack of sleep can limit the ability to learn and remember information, like names and dates.

Poor diet contributes to Erectile Dysfunction.

,URQ GHĂ€ FLHQF\ FDQ cause Restless Legs Syndrome, a disorder in which there is an urge to move the legs to stop unpleasant sensations

Lack of sleep can limit the ability to pay attention.

Junk food increases risk of high blood pressure.

Illustrations by Anna Whitaker

Pressure from external sources negatively impact adolescents are becoming weight conscious as young The Mediascope National Television as eight years old, and 80 percent of nine Violence Study found that children are also Copy Editor year olds are on diets. The media is strongly learning aggressive attitudes and behaviors, blamed for this, as magazine articles and becoming desensitized to real world %HFDXVH RI DOO WKH LQĂ€ XHQFH WKH PHGLD other advertisements persuade the idea violence and are developing a fear of being and other sources have, many students of one only being beautiful if she has the victimized by violence. On television, feel pressured during their teenage years, perfect body. In a 1992 study of female perpetrators go unpunished 73 percent of whether it is with their school work, students at Stanford the time, therefore giving their bodies, drugs or other forms of University, 70 percent of the message to teens that Teenagers persuasion. women reported feeling violence is a successful 0DQ\ WKLQJV FDQ LQĂ€ XHQFH WHHQV WR WKLQN worse about themselves method of resolving really just need or act a certain way including television, and their bodies after FRQĂ€ LFWV to learn how PXVLF SHHU SUHVVXUH DQG SDUHQWDO LQĂ€ XHQFH looking at magazines. “Teenagers need to learn to be their own They want to seem “coolâ€?, so they try to do “Teenage girls see a different way to take out person. things they see other teens their age doing, commercials and ads their anger instead of on Camila Milon, even though they know it might not be the everyday of girls with each other, especially girls. sophomore right thing to do. ‘perfect’ bodies, and they 7KHUH V VR PDQ\ Âż JKWV LQ “Instead of students making their own immediately think that school these days, and it's decisions and becoming their own person, they're fat. It makes them just making it seem okay they chose to follow others and let their self-conscious and causes them to have IRU RWKHUV WR Âż JKW ´ MXQLRU 2VFDU $PDGRU friends make their decisions for them. It eating disorders, which can cause major said. tends to make them unhappy, which makes health issues,â€? sophomore Camila Milon Parents can also have an enormous them turn to drugs, alcohol, and violence said. influence on the amount of drugs and to try and make it better,â€? junior Emily Teen boys are also persuaded to have alcohol their children use. If parents smoke Duplantis said. perfect bodies, as there is an alarming or drink while their children are growing Teenage girls are the ones who fall increase in obsessive weight training and XS WKHLU FKLOGUHQ DUH VLJQLÂż FDQWO\ PRUH into the trap of peer pressure the most. the standard being raised to idealize well- likely to turn to drugs or alcohol. According to Crisis Connection, many girls built men. “Teenagers turn to drugs and alcohol in By Destiny Ponville

“

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order to get away from some of the things they go through with relationships, school and their friends. They think it can take the pain away, when it really just makes it worse,â€? Duplantis said. Teens’ choices about drugs and alcohol DUH PRVW LQĂ€ XHQFHG E\ KRZ FORVH WKH\ IHHO to their parents, family activities, parental presence at home and feeling that their parents are concerned, supportive and caring. Teens who have seen their parents drunk are more than twice as likely to get drunk themselves. Those teens who drink are 18 times more likely to have tried marijuana, three times more likely to have friends who use marijuana and four times more likely to be able to get marijuana in an hour. Over a quarter of teens say that marijuana LV HDVLHU WR Âż QG WKDQ EHHU FLJDUHWWHV DQG prescription drugs. “Teens really just need to learn how to be their own person and not make their decisions based on what other people want them to do. With no drugs, alcohol, violence or anything else to stop them, teens would live a longer and happier life,â€? Milon said.

8

Sports

Monday, April 2, 2012

Irish Eyes

Softball players struggle with changes in team composition By Eric Sheu Managing Editor

Players of the Month By Staff

Brandon Briones “He is a soft spoken, hard working giant. He’s come a long way since his first year. He has stuck it out and really wants to make a difference for himself and the team. He is a winner.� - Coach Furtado

Sport: Wrestling Weight Class: 138 Grade: Junior Favorite Athlete: Leonel Messing Favorite Food: Burritos Favorite Class: Social Studies Favorite Music Artist: Rise Against

Recent changes in coaches as well as a shift in districts have proven to be a challenge for the Lady Irish softball team. Junior Co-Captain of the Lady Irish softball team Courtney Kissinger looked forward to a nice season in the beginning. “This season has started out good because we have players that haven’t played before and they’re excited about SOD\LQJ IRU WKH ÂżUVW WLPH ´ .LVVLQJHU said. So far in the season senior Captain of the Lady Irish softball team Crystal Freeman leads the team with a batting DYHUDJH RI D VOXJJLQJ DYHUDJH of .800 and an ERA of 3.6. Freshman Amanda Frayle also leads the team with an RBI of 10. “I appreciate the opportunity and love ZRUNLQJ ZLWK WKH JLUOV ´ +HDG &RDFK of the Lady Irish softball team Carolyn +HIQHU VDLG +HIQHU WRRN FKDUJH RI WKH WHDP LQ

February. She has taught with the Jefferson Parish Recreation Department for around nine years and has also coached varsity VRIWEDOO DW +D\QHV $FDGHP\ “We’re hoping for 10 and 11 record so if we can pull that off I’d be really really UHDOO\ KDSS\ EXW LI QRW ,ÂśP YHU\ SOHDVHG ZLWK ZKDW ZHÂśYH GRQH ´ +HIQHU VDLG The team is currently playing in district 5A which means they play schools such as 'RPLQLFDQ +LJK 6FKRRO DQG 0RXQW &DUPHO Academy. The girls were forced to forfeit two JDPHV DJDLQVW $UFKELVKRS &KDSHOOH +LJK 6FKRRO RQ 7XHVGD\ 0DUFK DQG &KDOPHWWH +LJK 6FKRRO RQ 0RQGD\ 0DUFK GXH WR LQMXULHV DQG LOOQHVVHV Âł, IHHO HPEDUUDVVHG PDG IXULRXV EHWUD\HG ´ .LVVLQJHU VDLG (DFK WLPH WKH WHDP IRUIHLWV WKH\ DUH ÂżQHG up to $160 each game which pays for the WUDYHO H[SHQVHV RI WKH JDPH RIÂżFLDOV ,I the team forfeits three times they will be suspended from playing for the next two years. “We need players that are dedicated to play and that have the ability to play VRIWEDOO ´ .LVVLQJHU VDLG Âł'HGLFDWLRQ LV NH\ WR DQ\ VSRUW WKDW \RX SOD\ ´

Areion Phipps Sport: Track Events: Shot put and Discus Grade: Sophomore Favorite Athlete: Chris Paul Favorite Food: Shrimp Favorite Class: Art II “Areion is a very dediFavorite Music Artist: Ne-Yo cated and hard worker. She makes every practice and never gets discouraged. Great team player!� - Coach Bonura

Nicholas de la Torre

Junior softball co-captain Courtney Kissenger winding up to pitch at a game against St. Charles Catholic in Laplace.

Fly Pedestrian Clothing available at Matso’s in Oakwood mall, Vivo in Baton Rouge, and Damon’s

www.FlyPedestrian.com

Sports

Irish Eyes

9

Monday, April 2, 2012

Baseball team eager to compete in district By Nicholas de la Torre Photographer

Nicholas de la Torre

Sophomore Joseph Kuchler approaching third base during the game against Bonnabel.

King’s baseball team is experiencing a successful season so far, overtaking local former district rivals such as Bonnabel and Riverdale with little resistance. Soon they will be facing more challenging teams in district competition. 'HVSLWH ORVLQJ WKHLU Âż UVW GLVWULFW game to Jesuit 10-1, the team’s outlook is still bright, and they do not consider it a set back. “We had a great pre-district and look forward to showing everyone what we’re really made of in upcoming district games,â€? junior Dylan Frese said. Coach Bobby Ledoux states that he is more than pleased with the results so far. “As expected, the 3 loses we had we contributed to more than other team; we made the mistakes, but we’re 12-3. If two months ago you had said on this date you will be 12-3, I would KDYH EHHQ VDWLVÂż HG ´ /HGRX[ VDLG The team’s offensive numbers are more than equal with the traditional power house schools. Six of the nine batters are all earning greater than .300 batting averages, with the team

average at .378. Trent Giambrone and Evan Chacon are leading the team in hits; Giambrone hitting .558 and Chacon .605. The team is second in the state for RBI’s; they average 10.1 runs a game. Pitching is stellar. Chacon boasts an ERA of 2.59 and 45 strike outs in 27 innings, Chase Hymel with an ERA of 2.94 and 39 strike outs in 22 innings, and Cody Cross with an ERA of 0.78 with 24 strike outs in 18 innings. “We need to just stay focused, practice harder and really come together as a team,� senior Trent Giambrone said. “If we go out and give 110 percent every time and just play the game we love, no one can truly beat us.� The team will face Catholic schools such as Archbishop Rummel and Brother Martin, who in previous years may not have considered King a threat. “Jesuit played their ace, and I expect everyone else to do the same. They know exactly who they’re playing,� Ledoux said. As of March 28, the team is 12-3 at 25 in the power rankings with many games left in the season. Ledoux has a positive outlook and is expecting

Girls track continues taking winning strides By Anna Whitaker Editor-in-Chief

Now at mid season, the girls track team is ahead in the race. The team competed in the Riverdale Invitational Meet at Yenni Stadium on March 14. Generally, 400500 athletes attend the Invitational Meets, from First Baptist High School in Slidell, a Class C school; Patrick F. Taylor Science and Tech Academy, a Class B school; to Alfred Bonnabel Magnet Academy, a &ODVV $ WUDFN DQG Âż HOG SRZHUKRXVH VFKRRO In overall scoring, King placed second and third LQ WKH KXUGOHV PLGGOH GLVWDQFH DQG Âż HOG HYHQWV Senior Erikeisha Bailey posted a time of 18.3 seconds in the 100 meter hurdles and 52.3 seconds in the 300 meter hurdles, placing second overall. Junior Gabriela Lepe ran a personal record time of two minutes and 43 seconds in the 800 meter dash, Âż QLVKLQJ WKLUG RXW RI At both the Bonnabel Invitational Meet on March

7 and the Riverdale Invitational Meet on March 14, freshman Shaenesha Sullivan made her varsity debut as a standout among the region’s high school sprinters by placing second or third in the 200 meter dash and scoring points in the 100 meter dash by making the top 6 at both of the season’s opening meets. She anchored the 400 meter relay with a VWURQJ WKLUG SODFH ¿ QLVK DW WKH 5LYHUGDOH ,QYLWH Top performers include Bailey, senior Drewcilla Steib, Lepe and Sullivan. Bailey, who does 100 and 300 meter hurdles, long jump and triple jump, ranked 23rd in state in the hurdles, working to make top 10. Sullivan, who does dashes and 100 and 200 meters, made top 10 in district. During KHU ¿ UVW VHDVRQ KHU JRDO LV WR PDNH VWDWH UHJLRQDO championship. ,Q RWKHU UHODWHG WUDFN DQG ¿ HOG QHZV GXULQJ the off season, Lepe won two gold medals for the 800 and 1600 meter runs at the USA Track & Field Louisiana Governor’s Games Indoor Track Championship.

Anna Whitaker

Senior pitcher Chase Hymel waiting for the signal from the catcher.

more wins to come. “We control our own destiny. If we go out and play like we’re capable then we’ll do great,â€? /HGRX[ VDLG Âł:HÂśOO Âż QLVK KLJK LQ WKH power rating, just put mistakes behind us, make the next pitch, play the next game and we’ll do great.â€?

Senior Stand Out Carries Team By Tia Banerjee Staff Writer

One of the top performers on the Grace King girls’ track team is senior captain Erikeisha Bailey. She has been running track for nine years. Her favorite event is the 100 meter hurdles, which Bailey has run with a personal best of 16.2 seconds. Bailey does a wide variety of other track and field events, including the long jump, at 17 feet; the triple jump, at 35 feet; and the 400 meter run, in 64 seconds. Bailey plans on taking her track career further after graduating high school. She wants to run track for

Southeastern University and even hopes to make it to the Olympics one day. Bailey says that her biggest accomplishment in track was going to regionals for hurdles last year because it was an event she had only done twice before. Despite this accomplishment, Bailey is constantly training and working on improving her technique.

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tcirisheyes@ gmail.com 504.780.3325 Don’t forget to check out our website! gkirisheyes.org

10

Monday, April 2, 2012

Opinions

Irish Eyes

Meet The Candidates Illustrations by Anna Whitaker

Illinois Senator

Representative from Georgia

Pro-Choice

Pro-Life

Supports civil unions

Against gay marriage

Governor of Massachusetts Pro-Life Against gay marriage

(GLWRU LQ &KLHI UHÀHFWV RQ H[SHULHQFH ZLWK SDSHU Wise Words of Whitaker ¿UVW \HDU LW ZDV HVVHQWLDOO\ DOUHDG\ GHFLGHG who was going to be the next Editor-inChief of my year, and let me tell you, it certainly was not me. At the end of my News II year, it was sprung on me that I was going to be the Editor-in-Chief for the 2011-2012 year. I Anna ZDVQœW KDSS\ , ZDV WHUUL¿HG Stress was never much of a problem Whitaker for me... until this year. My name doesn’t Editor-in-Chief physically appear on the newspaper much, but I put a legion amount of work in the paper. But what exactly does an Editor-in-Chief do? The title of Editor-in-Chief usually is GH¿QHG DV ³D PDQDJHULDO SRVLWLRQ RQH LQ What lies behind the scenes of the Irish charge of the overall content and production Eyes newspaper? Once you’ve seen it, you of a publication�. Yeah, right! As Editor-in-Chief, you not only have cannot unsee it. This is my third year working with the to do the above but must pick up where Irish Eyes :KHQ , ¿UVW ZDONHG LQWR WKH people are slacking. On deadline weeks, News I class, I never expected to be the next the Editor-in-Chief will usually become the Editor-in-Chief. In fact, by the end of my Photographer, Staff Writer, Copy Editor,

Web Manager, Artist, and Layout Editor. I stay at school until ridiculous hours (usually by myself or with 1-3 out of 15 other newspaper students). How many students can say that they’ve stayed at school until 8 at night multiple times just for a club? Basically, I’ve put my blood, sweat and tears into the paper, something I honestly never envisioned myself doing. But I don’t regret it one bit. I’ve grown a lot since I began working with the Irish Eyes. I used to be an apathetic sophomore, and look at me now. I’m head of our school’s nationally recognized newspaper and am somehow still holding it together. I’ve grown quite a lot, and I got a taste of what the real world is like (especially through the eyes of a teacher); people are lazy, people won’t respect you, people will constantly give excuses and overall, life can be harder than having to do ten simple math problems for homework.

Senior expresses concern over illegal downloading for freeâ€?, but that doesn’t really excuse it. People usually put a lot of time, effort, and money into that song you listen to on repeat or that game you play nonstop. If you like it so much, you should pay for it so that person can continue to make the content you love. Not paying for it is, well, stealing. Leonel As someone who loves all the media that Castell surrounds him I make sure that the people that make the things I particularly enjoy Features get money so they can keep making the Editor things I love. Now I know there are a lot of excuses SHRSOH XVH WR MXVWLI\ SLUDF\ OLNH Âł,WÂśV WRR H[SHQVLYH´ Âł, KDWH WKH FRPSDQ\´ RU Âł, hate the developer/bandâ€?, and while those How many of you reading this column are some valid points, in the end they’re download music, video games, etc... ? rendered moot if you still decide to pirate Okay, now how many of you do it legally? the content because apparently it’s still worth experiencing despite anything you Probably not many huh? I can understand why people download have against it. If the content is worth WKLQJV LOOHJDOO\ ,WÂśV WKH PHQWDOLW\ RI Âł:K\ experiencing then it’s worth paying for as pay for something that’s readily available well.

Critiques by Castell

There is the more personal excuse of just being too poor to afford paying for music or video games. These things are typically luxuries to begin with, so odds are if you can afford a Playstation 3 or iPhone 4S then you can afford buying the software you want for them anyway. Even in the scenario where you can afford those things, but for whatever reason you’re completely incapable of paying for the software, there are plenty of free legal sources for this kind of thing. Most artists post their music on Youtube and apps like Pandora. More than half of all the companies that make games today post free demos. Couple that with all the free apps available and all the popular online games going free-to-play, and you actually have an overwhelming number of options to be entertained for free legally. I’m just asking people to be courteous, and if you like something then please pay for it if it’s not already available for free legally.

Pennsylvania senator Pro-Life Against gay marriage

Irish Eyes Volume 44 No. 5 Irish Eyes is a monthly publication in conjunction with the journalism program at Grace King High School. It is a member of the Quill and Scroll Journalism Honor Society, the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, American Scholastic Press Association, National Scholastic Press Association and the Louisiana Scholastic Press Association. Letters to the Editor are welcome and should be submitted to room 210. Irish Eyes reserves the right to edit any submissions. The views expressed in columns are those of the columnists. The views expressed in the editorial are those of the Editorial Board.

Editor-in-Chief Anna Whitaker Managing Editor Eric Sheu Copy Editor Destiny Ponville News Editor William Weisler Features Editor Leonel Castell Photographer Nicholas de la Torre Staff Writers Tia Banerjee Jessie Chen Bethany Coate Kimberly Dang Linda Lin Nga Nguyen Yusra Saad Bianca Shrestha Marley Olavarrieta Adviser Thomas Curran

Helpful student shows devotion in school clubs I came to Grace King as a sophomore, and I have enjoyed much of my time here. One of the best things I’ve done in high school is join various clubs. I am the president of Latin American Student Association as well as a member of Executive Board, National Honor Society, and 4-H. I love meeting new people and helping the school any way I can. These clubs have allowed me to be more open as a person; it has taught me to be a leader and not just a follower. Joining clubs is easy, but being dedicated and putting some effort in them is what makes it clubs really memorable and worth joining. I can’t wait to see what my senior year has in store, and I hope that I can contribute as much as I can to Grace King. Alba Perez, junior

Advancing junior realizes how quickly life passes Shenanigans with Sheu Eric Sheu Managing Editor

For most students, all they ever want to do in high school is get out of it, but should we really think like that? When this school year ends, most of us will still remain here, I will become a

senior, with only one year left until I go off to college like many others. To most people it seems like a long time, but to me it seems that college and becoming independent is coming at me really fast. While I’m in school I tend to devote most of my time to academics, clubs and organizations. I’m not the only one either. But it seems to me that it’s all that I have done, which doesn’t seem like much at all. When your school life is like this you tend to not have the time to stop and realize what is really around you and try to enjoy it. It turns out that it’s been almost three years since I’ve been here and it feels like I haven’t done much either. I wouldn’t say that my experience so far was bad, but I feel like there could have been more that I could have done. Even though I don’t know where the problem is, it could be attributed

to not balancing my time evenly What I and most of us should really do is slow down a bit. Let’s take a moment to evaluate what we have done so far in your high school career. Look back at what you’ve done and learn from it, if it seemed like it was a waste of time and had no meaning to it, then by all means change it, try something different until you get it right, EXW GH¿ QLWHO\ GRQœW MXVW VLW WKHUH DQG NHHS on going with something that you hate. If what you did wasn’t a waste of time and you actually enjoyed it, keep what you did to have that kind of time. Basically don’t let life pass right by because chances are you’ll realize that you could have done better and especially at an age like this where responsibility, even though it seems like it’s not, is less than what we will have.

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I’m going to Houston, Texas, with all my guy cousins to Seaworld and Six Flags for a whole week.

Khaja Khan

Senior

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I’m going to my grandmother’s condo in Fort Walden Beach, Florida, just hanging out at the beach.

Emily Orfanides

Junior

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I’m going to be at Nationals in Oglebay, West Virginia, for six days for Academic Games.

Patrick Le

Junior

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Chanakya Vattikuti, senior

Junior appreciates Irish Eyes newspaper efforts No one really appreciates newspaper and what they do. No one really knows how much time and money is devoted to being a member. And to give my regards to them, I would like everyone reading this to actually take the time to help support them in everything they do. The next time you see someone from newspaper DVNLQJ \RX WR Âż OO RXW D VXUYH\ RU VHOOLQJ ZULVWEDQGV IRU an event, help them. P.S. I was really disappointed to hear that the last Video Game Tournament was cancelled because Tetris ZDV EHLQJ KRVWHG DQG ,ÂśP GHÂż QLWHO\ QXPEHU RQH DW LW Guang Li, junior

What are you doing for Spring Break?

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Unhappy senior expresses issue of school timing What is independent study [IS]? I thought it was called homeroom? If you’ve even bothered to walk into a classroom during “independent studyâ€? time, you’d stumble upon a complete state of anarchy. IS is just a misnomer and needs to be corrected. First of all, students should be allowed to do whatever they want during one of their only break times at school; studying shouldn’t be imposed upon us, especially after three consecutive, grueling ninety minute sessions to which we have a short intermission of thirty minutes to wait in line for half of our lunch “breakâ€? and then spend half of what’s left actually eating. But what time do we really get to ourselves? School is not seven hours and twenty minutes of studying; if it was, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t be in it. Three minutes to get to class has already cut out much of the social interaction with acquaintances that make school less boring. Imagine sitting in a bleak, grey room Âż OOHG ZLWK VWUDQJHUV IRU VHYHQ KRXUV DQG WZHQW\ PLQXWHV It would basically be a program to transition students into a mental asylum. School should be fun; I want to learn something new every day, but in a surprising way. It’s thanks to eccentric teachers like Betsy Dyer that I actually enjoy coming to school every day.

Freshman points out the positives of high school Many people seem to complaining about public school like GK. However, there are many positive things about our high school, they’re just overlooked. One amazing thing about GK is it’s cultural variety. There are all different kinds of culture here. People are from all around the globe, and it’s wonderful that I have chances to meet and interact them. Learning about other people’s culture, and where they come from, is fantastic. The plus side of going to a public school is that you get to interact with all kinds of people, people that you would most likely encounter in the real life. Public high schools are not as bad as they have a reputation for. Its cultural diversity enables students to experience a taste of the real world and what’s it like. Sure, education is the most important thing in a school, but I truly believe that any school is good as long as the students are willing to put forth the effort. GK is a great school once you get to really look at it’s people and what teachers have to offer. Isabella Cross, freshman

Speak Out

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Letters to the Editor Sophomore feels welcomed by baseball team The baseball team here at Grace King is better than , H[SHFWHG LW WR EH :KHQ , ¿ UVW FDPH WR WKH VFKRRO WKLV year, I had no friends, but the baseball players took me LQ ZLWKLQ WKH ¿ UVW FRXSOH RI GD\V &RDFK /HGRX[ LV RQH of my all time favorite coaches. He watches over us at school and keeps the team connected even if you’re a new member of the team, like me. Over the past couple of months I’ve been here, I have gotten closer and closer to the team. I can’t lie when I say that I love all of them. I’ve made good friends, but we’re more like brothers now. We’re family. I would do anything for anyone of those guys. There’s a special kind of bond we have together. Not many other teams can say the same things about their team. This year we have the chance to do something that never happened before: have a public VFKRRO ZLQ GLVWULFW LQ WKH &DWKROLF OHDJXH 3HRSOH PD\ doubt us, but all that does is get us more excited and make us play even better. We’re a great team and I know we’re going to do some great things. We have something to prove and we will show all the people who doubt us ZKDW ZHœUH PDGH RI &RPH RXW DQG VXSSRUW WKH EDVHEDOO team because it’s going to be a great year! Joseph Kuchler, sophomore

11

Monday, April 2, 2012

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Opinions

Irish Eyes

I’m going to play music for my church.

Yaressi Munoz

Sophomore

12

Entertainment

Monday, April 2, 2012

Irish Eyes

Copy + Paste Senior Chase Hymel

Senior Anthony Tortorich

Junior Devin Waguespack

Linguini from Ratatouille

Social Studies teacher Natalie Almerico

Totally looks like...

Actor Rupert Grint

Freshman Sammy Simpson

Actress Sandra Bullock

Musician Bob Dylan

Sophomore Faghner Silva

Junior Aiman Hamide

Weasley: I have a legitimate excuse, sir.

President Barack Obama

Aladdin from Aladdin

Irish Illustrations: Senioritis: Wikipedia approved! Miss Weasley! Why are you late to class?!

Musician and actor Tom Waits

OH NO! The plague has hit Grace King! RUN, EVERYONE!

Illustrated by Anna Whitaker

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