True Star Junior Fall 2015

FALL 2015

BLACK-ISH STAR

MILES BROWN

CHATS IT UP WITH TRUE STAR JR

E E

GUNS DOWN CHICAGO!

INSIDE MEET: PAPA JAY, SUNNY MALOUF, AMBER MONTANA & THOMAS BARBUSCA F R

DEALING WITH BACK-TO--SCHOOL BACK TO SCHOOL ANXIETY

Are You A

TRUESTAR?

REAL TEENS

REAL ISSUES STYLE TRENDS

CELEBRITY INTERVIEWS

HEALTH,

NEWS, SPORTS

AND MORE! CHECK OUT WWW.TRUESTARIS.COM

CONTENTS EXPOSE’

6: GUNS DOWN CHICAGO BY JACQUEZ ROBINSON 7: TRAVEL GUIDE BY KELSI WILLIAMS 8: DONALD TRUMP’S PRESIDENTIAL SPEECH

BY MAGALY MURO 9: ARE YOU BEING BULLIED? BY ALANI GILDERSLEEVE 10: UPPERCLASSMEN ARE NOT THAT BAD!

BY KELSI WILLIAMS 11: MARRIAGE EQUALITY BY RITA ORDAZ

TALKIN’ NERDY

12: CAN VIDEO GAMES ROT YOUR BRAIN?

BY ANAYAH SCOTT 13: IMPROVE YOUR GAME BY BLAKE CARNES 14: THE FUTURE IS TODAY BY BLAKE CARNES 15: FOR THE INSPIRATION & RECOGNITION OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY BY ZOE H. MITCHELL 16: ORGANIZING YOUR SCHOOL YEAR, BY KENNEDE COLEMAN 17: BACK-TO-SCHOOL ANXIETY

BY ABIGAIL F. DIZON 18: GREAT THINGS TO LOOK FORWARD TO BY KELSI WILLIAMS 19: CATCHING ZZZ’S

BY ALEXANDER PRATT

HOT OFF THE PRESS

20: WHO IS SUNNY? BY MAGALY MURO 21: PAPA JAY BY TRUE STAR STAFF 22: GETTING TO KNOW AMBER MONTANA BY MAGALY MURO & ALANI GILDERSLEEVE 23: UP CLOSE WITH THOMAS BARBUSCA

BY TRUE STAR STAFF 24-25: GETTING TO KNOW MILES BROWN

BY KELSI WILLIAMS

FASHION

26-27: INSTAFASHION 28-31: FALL FASHIONS ON FLEEK

4EVER YOUNG

32: BACK-TO-SCHOOL EARLY MORNINGS BY MAGALY MURO 33: ARE UNIFORMS NECESSARY?

BY JOHN IVY III 34: NEW SCHOOL, NEW FRIENDS

BY MAGALY MURO 35: STARTING THE SCHOOL YEAR

BY KELSI WILLIAMS

KEEPIN’ SCORE

36: BALANCING ACT BY ALEXANDER PRATT 37: THE RISE OF PARKOUR BY ALEXANDER PRATT 38 : DANCE YOUR HEART OUT BY RITA ORDAZ 39: SKATEBOARDING SAFETY BY EBEN IVY

CREATIVE & CULTURE

40: YOU CAN CREATE A COMIC BOOK BY CARLOS SANDOVAL 41: I AM BY NYLIAH NEELY 42: BROKEN BY JOHN IVY III 43: TIPS FOR CREATING A GREAT VILLAIN BY BLAKE CARNES

DEEPER THAN SKIN

44: EATING HEALTHY FOR THE SCHOOL YEAR

BY KENNEDE COLEMAN 45: DRINKING WATER: POSITIVE & NEGATIVE EFFECTS BY JACQUEZ ROBINSON 46: TACO BELL’S “MEXICAN FOOD”

BY MAGALY MURO 47: HARMFUL WAYS BY KENNEDE COLEMAN

PLEASE LET US KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS ON TRUE STAR JR. MAGAZINE CONTACT US: LETTERS TO TRUE STAR JR. 1130 SOUTH WABASH, SUITE 302 CHICAGO, IL 60605-2717 EMAIL: TRUESTARJR@TRUESTARMAGAZINE.COM

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

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

CONTRIBUTORS

Alexander Pratt

Anayah Scott

Parker Jr High School Flossmoor

Kenwood Academy

Blake Carnes Whitney Young Magnet School

Eben Ivy

Jacquez Robinson

Learn Charter School

Lindblom Math & Science Academy

Jazz Dunn LaSalle Language Academy

not pictured: Abigail Dizon, Lindblom Alani Gildersleeve, Disney Magnet Zoe Mitchell, Lindblom Carlos Sandoval, Chase

John Ivy III

Jordan Dunn

Learn Charter School

LaSalle Language Academy

Kelsi Williams Lindblom Math & Science Academy

Kennede Coleman

Nyliah Neeley Kenwood Academy

Disney II Magnet Elementary School

Magaly Muro Lindblom Math & Science Academy

Rita Ordaz North Scott Jr. High School, Iowa

EXPOSE’

Guns Down Chicago!

BY JACQUEZ ROBINSON, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY

“W

ake up Chicago! Do you not see the murder rate rising? Do you not know we are the murder capital of the world?” said Christopher Rowans.

Rowans has lost most of his friends due to gun violence and he wants it all to end. Rowans said he does not like going to certain areas because he knows how bad some neighborhoods are and he just doesn’t feel safe. “I do not like going in the Englewood neighborhood or the Roseland neighborhood because I do not feel safe walking and driving around that area because of the murder rates in those areas.”

As you may already know there is a lot of gun violence going on right here in our city. There are a lot of teens getting shot and/or wounded due to gun violence. By August 25, 2015, there were nearly 2,000 gunshot victims reported, according to the Chicago Tribune. In 2014, there were 2,589 shootings reported for the year.

Madison Robinson said being safe is the most 6 TRUE STAR JR.

important thing to her. “I do not like staying out late with my friends because I wouldn’t want to risk getting shot and hurt due to gun violence,” the 16-year-old said. “I like to be in the house by 11 p.m. where I am safe.”

This year alone so far we have had many murders/manslaughters. According to DNAinfo. com, Chicago has had 300 murders, with nearly 50 percent occurring after 6 p.m., and the year is not over yet! When does this end? When will Chicago realize that they are hurting and decreasing our future generation? Many kids can’t even play outside like they used to because so much is happening in our city. Chicago is such a nice city, but with the gun violence going on the city doesn’t look so nice.

“Do guns make people feel more powerful?”

Robinson asked. “Do people hate people so much that they want to kill them?” The gun violence in Chicago really needs to stop. Guns down Chicago!

Travel Guide

BY KELSI WILLIAMS, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY

T

raveling is a great experience that provides a rush of adrenaline. Whether it be to New York City or to Ireland, I am up for the trip. Traveling can sometimes be a hassle, but exhilarating all at the same time. Last year, I went on a trip to Ireland, England, Wales, and France.

It was an amazing experience and something that I would love to do again. While the trip itself was a dream, getting myself ready for the trip was an actual nightmare.

Make Sure You Have Everything One of my downfalls on this trip was forgetting my own credit card. I asked my mom to mail my card to the hotel, but I had moved to another hotel by the time it arrived in Ireland. The whole thing was a catastrophe. If there is something you can’t replace while overseas then please do not panic. Panicking makes the loss worse.

Bring Appropriate Clothing Once I got to Paris, it was a lot warmer than I had anticipated. I did not bring a bunch of

sweaters or anything that would have caused a heat stroke, but most of my shirts were darkly colored and I had no shorts or skirts to keep my legs from catching on fire. And having comfortable shoes is just as important as clothes.

I had to do a lot of walking on my trip.

I feel as if those two things are the most important to remember when you are preparing for a trip. Overall, my trip was amazing, even if I did have a few mishaps. I was actually very surprised when I arrived in France because people speak a lot more English than you would expect. Ireland was my favorite place to go because, other than really interesting food, the land that surrounded you told a story without you already knowing it. Of course, in England there were huge castles that told a story, but with those stories you would already know what the story was. My experience will be with me forever, even if I did have a few mistakes. Learn from my mistakes and have your own great traveling experiences.

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Donald Trump’s

Presidential Speech

BY MAGALY MURO, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY

D

onald J. Trump announced that he will be running for president in 2016. During a speech in New York over the summer, Trump started off with comments that have bothered some people. Out of most of the hated comments that Trump made, the ones that seemed to bother people more were when he spoke about immigrants from Mexico. “The U.S. has become a dumping ground for everybody else’s problems,” Trump told the crowd. “When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best. … They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs.

They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists.”

people they might not even be bad.” Thomas went on to question the people with “problems.”

“Perhaps they just did bad things so that they could support themselves and their families in Mexico. We are human and every race has bad people so the U.S. should help the people instead of letting others criticize them,” he said.

Trump was unapologetic about his speech and a lot of talk has been going on on social media and other social networks. In August, two men beat up a homeless Latino man in Boston and claimed Trump inspired them. It is reported they said, “Donald Trump was right. All these illegals need to be deported.”

After his presidential speech, Trump received some criticism while others who disagreed tried to speak out in a nicer way. Outside Chicago’s Trump tower was a protest during the month of July. Ten businesses cut ties with Trump after his remarks.

Will Donald Trump get voted president? Will he just cause a big problem against Mexico and the U.S.? Whatever it is that all this talk has stirred, won’t be settled for a while and it definitely won’t be settled until the end of the 2016 voting for the next U.S. president.

Thirteen-year-old Joshua Thomas thought it was unfair of Trump to single out one race. “Yes, there are bad people, and even with the bad

Strange fact—the clothes from Trump’s clothing line, Donald J. Trump Collection, are made in Mexico.

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Are You Being Bullied?

“NEVER BE BULLIED INTO SILENCE. NEVER ALLOW YOURSELF TO BE MADE A VICTIM.

BY ALANI GILDERSLEEVE, DISNEY II MAGNET ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

H

ave you ever had a friend whose mannerisms or behavior patterns suddenly became different? They may have had a life changing experience, like bullying. Bullying— verbal, social, cyber and physical—is an issue facing children and teens worldwide during their elementary and high school years. The site bullystatistics.org posted a fact from ABC News, which stated that “nearly 30 percent of students are either bullies or victims of bullying, and 160,000 kids stay home from school every day because of fear of bullying.”

Bullying can cause a decrease in students’ scores while in their academic years. There are several symptoms of bullying including missing belongings, anxiety, unexplained injuries, a limited number of friends or depression, according to medicinenet.com. You might see changes in their eating or sleeping habits. That person may have lost interest in their normal hobbies or daily activities. Worst case, you might

ACCEPT NO ONES DEFINITION OF YOUR LIFE. DEFINE YOURS.” -HARVEY FIERSTIEN see that person doing or thinking about suicidal actions or any kind of violence. “A study in Britain found that at least half of suicides among young people are related to bullying,” according to bullystatistics.org.

Now what about the bully, or predator? You might have seen them ditching school, using drugs or alcohol, and they have trouble following the rules. Being a bully can also be about trying to be tough or impressing someone.

Research from webmd.com reported that criminal activity has been found in their records like vandalism, fights or maybe even abuse towards their loved ones.

If you know or see someone with any of these traits of being bullied, don’t ignore them or make it worse. Encourage them to become the person they used to be so they can gain their power and confidence back.

TRUE STAR JR. 9

Upperclassmen

Are Not That Bad!

BY KELSI WILLIAMS, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY

E

veryone has to start at the bottom of the food chain. In high school, people consider the bottom of the food chain to be all of the underclassmen. To a lot of the 7th and 8th graders at Lindblom Math & Science Academy, the older kids are favored more. They also think that the high school kids are mean and do not think very highly of them when that is not always the case.

“Being that I’m a senior, I view them (7th and

Coming from a person who is even higher on the food chain than I am, the underclassmen are only seen as younger students to some of us. The other upperclassmen believe that the younger students can use a little work. Sydney Lee is an incoming sophomore and a member of the junior varsity girl’s soccer team. Lee said, “The younger students are immature and need to learn how to calm down just like we had to.” She also advised them to do their homework so they will not get on the bad side of the teacher.

8th graders) as young students who need a bit of extra help in the beginning,” said Yaira Aich. “Then after a while they’re going to think they’re all that.” The varsity girls soccer team member offered some suggestions to the younger students. “My advice to them would be to start off strong with their academics, that way they’re not picking up their slack as a senior,” Aich said.

In all honesty, the only reason the older students come off as rude is because of the different amounts of maturity that they both hold, which can be agreed with by both Aich and Lee. In reality, the upperclassmen are not that bad! We just all happen to be on different levels, which can cause plenty of misunderstandings.

10 TRUE STAR JR.

Marriage EQUALITY

BY RITA ORDAZ, NORTH SCOTT JUNIOR HIGH

M

arriage: The legally or formally recognized union of a man and a woman (or, in some jurisdictions, two people of the same sex) as partners in a relationship. Note that this definition no longer needs to include the section “or, in some jurisdictions.”

It’s taken 11 years from when Massachusetts first legalized same-sex marriage, for all 50 states to do the same. As of June 26, 2015, no state is allowed to ban same-sex marriage. Out of eight Supreme Court judges five ruled in favor of the decision. The majority finally ruled for what 63 percent of Americans find morally acceptable, according to gallup.com. It’s hard to believe that only eight people determined how millions of citizens choose to live their lives. Why should it even matter who others are marrying and wanting to spend the rest of their lives with? It’s

their life; they should be able to live their way.

Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg said, “People who love each other and want to live together should be able to enjoy the blessings and the strife in the marriage relationship.”

According to gallup.com, 23 percent of Americans are gay or lesbian, and they now have the right to marry who they want. There will always be prejudice people who do not agree with the life choice of people who are in a same sex relationship. The next generations are not going to know the struggles that the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer/questioning (LGBTQ) community went through in order to win the fight. People can now be happy and marry who they want, love who they want, be with and grow old with who they want and so can future generations.

TRUE STAR JR. 11

TALKING NERDY

Video Games:

Can They Really Rot Your BRAIN?

BY ANAYAH SCOTT, KENWOOD ACADEMY

H

ave you ever had a day when you just wanted to come home and play nothing but your FPS (first person shooter) games, a good platformer or even a fighting game? Well, if you’re anything like most gamers, you have. If you identify as a “gamer” or not, chances are you have at some point picked up a mouse or a controller and probably played your favorite video game from 10 minutes to even an hour or longer. But the question is: “If you play video games for too long, can they actually rot your brain?” Well, the answer may just surprise you.

See, the games don’t necessarily “rot” your brain, but they do prevent some areas of the brain from working to its full capacity. A 2002 study by Professor Akio Mori of Nihon University’s College of Humanities and Sciences in Japan measured the brain activity of 240 subjects from the ages of six to 29. Mori measured the beta waves, which show activity in the prefrontal lobe, the area that is thought to be the center of emotion and creativity in the 12 TRUE STAR JR.

brain, and alpha waves, which often appear when the brain is resting. Mori then divided the brain activity of the test subjects into four categories: normal, visual, half-video game, and video game.

The test showed how normal subjects, who did not play video games often, were found to have much stronger beta waves than alpha waves.

And the video game group, which played video games for two to seven hours daily, showed nearly zero beta activity all the time, even when they were not playing video games. This means that those who played video games for more than two hours a day used the creative part of their brain less.

There are plenty of other studies that show that video games can actually help you in life like the ones at mindthesciencegap.org. The best thing to do is have proper balance. Take care of the important things in life, get outside for a while and then pick up the mouse or controller for a little while, nothing more, nothing less.

Improve Your Game

BY BLAKE CARNES, WHITNEY YOUNG MAGNET SCHOOL

O

ne of the most famous forms of entrepreneurship is game design. From Monopoly to Magic the Gathering to Call of Duty, people have produced up to billions of dollars selling and spreading forms of entertainment. The turnoff for most teenagers is the fact that it is considered expensive and difficult to produce a game. The truth is, it’s really not that hard! Considering these tips may inspire you to produce your dream game, for fun or for profit. *BOARD GAMES: You don’t need to custom-produce a board for the massive expense that will result. With a simple sheet of posterboard and some markers you can produce a board. Anything from pennies to pawns to poker chips can be used for viable tokens, and rules can be typed up and printed out.

*CARD GAMES: Until you can afford the custom printing costs, either draw up the cards on index cards or use a deck of playing cards and assign information for each card. Even if you don’t want your game to be on playing cards in the final version, it’s accessible and convenient for prototyping and play-testing. *VIDEO GAMES: There are many different softwares and online teaching courses available for producing small video games and then working your way up through the ranks to larger, more complex ones. Scratch.mit.edu provides a software allowing you to drag and drop literal building blocks of code, creating anything from simple clips to complex animations and games. *SPORTS: Utilizing the materials from other games can lead to wonderfully fun sports!

Whether it’s a mash-up of other rules or an entirely new rule set, sports games can be incredibly easy to think up and play.

TRUE STAR JR. 13

The Future Is Now

BY BLAKE CARNES, WHITNEY YOUNG MAGNET SCHOOL

W

ith virtual reality headsets in development and holograms out and about, it seems that our idea of the future is beginning to take place. Every day more and more people are experiencing this future, but is it really worth having such immersive technology? Some argue that such technologies can only be bad, leading to less human interaction and more toward virtual social lives. Others disagree, stating that the technology can bring us together by increasing the ways we can interact every day. The question is: Will new technologies help society or hurt it?

HELP Immersive technology is incredibly useful! It will revolutionize how we interact and bring many new opportunities. Samia Khan, 13, says that it can “let families come closer together if game technology was improved.” She also noted its capability to “bring in lessons that you could need for any particular day of the week depending on which situation you are in.” Elias O’Malley, an avid tabletop gamer, agreed that “tech can only make it easier.”

14 TRUE STAR JR.

Many interested businesses are jumping on this new technology bandwagon as well. The Atlantic states that “Google has invested $542 million in the augmented-reality start-up Magic Leap, while Sony and Samsung are both developing virtualreality headsets.” Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Facebook, agreed that “One day, we believe this kind of immersive, augmented reality will become a part of daily life for billions of people.”

HURT Immersive technology, in addition to severing social ties, will distract us from real life. Yehudah David, 13, feared that “we wouldn’t be social anymore” if we got too into technology. Michigan Daily elaborates that “people naturally gravitate towards activities that offer a certain level of escapism.” They worry that “the higher the fidelity of the illusion, the tougher it will become to unplug.” If we continue production of virtual reality, we may forget about real friends and tend towards virtual ones. Matt Czech fears that “if you played a game by yourself, and you played it a lot, you would grow to be more and more attached to the game and want to spend less and less time with friends.”

For the Inspiration and Recognition

of Science and Technology

BY ZOE H. MITCHELL, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY

F

or the Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) is for anyone who has ever had a gift for science, engineering or business, and it is certainly for anyone who wants to learn. Joining allows the participant to become an engineer way before college by building a robot!

The best part is, if you can read this story you can join a FIRST robotics team. There are four different levels to FIRST: Jr. First Lego League, which starts in kindergarten and goes up to third grade, and First Lego League that goes from 4th to 8th grades. Then there are the First Robotics Competition (FRC) and First Tech Challenge (FTC) which, unfortunately for elementary school students, only allow junior high to high school students. FRC, where you build 120-pound, five foot robots to compete using Java, Python or C to code, is great for students ready for serious competitive mind games. FTC, 18 by 18 inch robots that are cheaper to build but are still programmed and good for learning how to build metal, wood and or 3D printed robots, is also challenging and fun.

FIRST’s co-founder Dean Kamen said he wanted “to create a world where science and technology are celebrated… where young people dream of becoming science and technology heroes.”

The great news is that FIRST offers scholarships, participates in outreach or community service, and uses mentors to teach real life application of engineering to every FIRST participant. Worried it will be unwelcoming or too hard? You don’t have to! The FiRST catch phrases are Coopertition (cooperation and competition) and Gracious Professionalism (just what it sounds like).

FIRST’s other co-founder, Woodie Flowers, elaborated on how FIRST can mature its participant. “Competition [is not] for the sake [of] destroying one another,” he said, “but for the sake of bettering and improving both competitors as a result of the competition.”

Sound too good to be true? Well, instead of taking my word for it, I guess you’re going to have to check it out for yourself at www.usfirst. org. Have fun and good luck!

TRUE STAR JR. 15

Organizing Your School Year

BY KENNEDE COLEMAN, DISNEY II MAGNET ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

M

any people do not know how to stay organized throughout the school year. For those of you in need of assistance, True Star Jr. is here to help you get your life in order with these simple rules.

Rule Number 4:

Make sure that you throw old papers and scraps away so that they won’t accumulate in you bag.

That way your book bag will stay nice and clean and be filled with only the things you need.

Rule Number 1: Rule Number 5: Get a big sized binder and put all or most of your folders or notebooks in it so there will be more room in your book bag for other things.

Having an organized locker helps too. Make sure that you clean out your locker at the end of the quarter so that it won’t become too junky.

Rule Number 2: Rule Number 6: Consolidate where you can. The website instructables.com is a great place to check if you want to get a three or five subject notebook to replace all of those messy notebooks.

Rule Number 3:

Just having your book bag clean and structured in general will make your school life so much easier.

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Avoid clutter because it will only lead to confusion. Holding on to unnecessary items is a no-no.

Getorganizednow.com suggests that you “create separate folders for school announcements, tests that have been graded, papers you must give to your parents and so on. As papers become outdated, such as an event that has passed, toss them immediately.”

Back-to-School Anxiety

BY ABIGAIL F. DIZON, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY

A

s a student gets older, they get into harder and more difficult schools and classes. Though an education is important, this builds anxiety in many teenagers. Before a challenging test or exam, students often get extremely nervous and uncomfortable.

According to doctors and counselors at AnxietyBC, “Anxious feelings are normal and expected during times of transition or change...it can be stressful and disruptive for the entire family!”

Now that the new school year is in session, remember these tips to help tone down the anxiety you may be feeling for a calmer and less stressful learning experience:

1. Eat well! This is said often, but

it’s important that you make sure you’re eating a full and nutritious breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Never skip out on a meal. Eating well will help you focus and function well in school and on the weekends.

2. Get plenty of rest!

This is another common tip. Getting enough sleep doesn’t happen often among most teenagers. Plan your time accordingly so you

can finish your tasks and assignments, but still have time to get some shut-eye. According to the National Sleep Foundation, which is full of doctors and other medical experts, teenagers should get around eight to 10 hours of sleep a night.

3. Talk to someone!

When you’re stressed or really anxious about something, don’t be afraid to talk to somebody.

Whether it is to a parent, teacher, sibling, or even a close friend, it can be helpful to express your worries and talk it out with somebody.

4. Listen to music!

When you really need a break, put in some earbuds and listen to your favorite music, at a medium level. Not too loud, but enough to help you relax. Classical or even song instrumentals are great for calming down the nerves.

5. Do what you love!

Similar to the last tip, find something you really love doing. It could be something like shooting some hoops, sketching in a notebook, or maybe reading a novel. This will help you focus and enjoy some you-time.

TRUE STAR JR. 17

Great Things to

Look Forward To

BY KELSI WILLIAMS, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY

T

ransitioning from a different grade can be a little tough. Sometimes it’s the increase in the workload or just plain nervousness that makes kids not look forward to school or the grade above. Even though it may appear untrue, there are plenty of things to look forward to when moving up in school.

At plenty of schools, there is a program called the “Academic Center,” which consists of the 7th and 8th grade in a high school environment. In 7th grade you are just getting used to the whole high school experience and the type of workload that will be had over the years. Yes, it’s true that the AC kids can be seen as the bottom of the food chain sometimes and that makes them think 8th grade won’t be any better, but there are things to actually look forward to. Eighth grade is basically the senior year of the Academic 18 TRUE STAR JR.

Center because you get to have a luncheon and you also graduate. This is also the year where you get to see if the high school that you are currently in is the place that you want to stay at for the next four years.

After 8th grade is when things really get exciting and you have a lot to look forward to. Yes, the freshmen are still not the highest on the food chain, but once freshman year starts, so does the new freedom. Freshmen are no longer the tiny AC kids that couldn’t do everything. I’m not going to lie, the workload does increase, but it is strangely satisfying when you have finished it all.

Throughout all of your school years, there are going to be plenty of things that make you dread going to school, but on the optimistic hand, there are plenty of things to look forward to as well.

Catching Zzz’s

EVEN THE LIGHT FROM A TELEVISION SCREEN OR COMPUTER CAN INTERRUPT SLEEP...

BY ALEXANDER PRATT, PARKER JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL

I

n order to have a positive attitude you need to go to bed at a reasonable time every night.

This will help your body get into a routine. It is also good to follow a bedtime routine that will calm you, such as taking a bath or shower. Even reading a book before bed is a great way to relax. You should go to sleep at the same time every night and try not to sleep with a light on. Even the light from a television screen or computer can interrupt sleep. You need also be careful not to drink too much caffeine (pop/ soda/coffee) during the day because it can make sleeping a challenge.

What you watch on television or on the computer before you go to bed can impact you getting a good nights’ sleep too. Scary or high impact movies and videos will increase your adrenaline and will keep your brain thinking instead of settling. Melatonin, a hormone, is an important piece of sleep-wake cycles. When

BE CAREFUL NOT TO DRINK TOO MUCH CAFFEINE DURING THE DAY...

melatonin levels are at their highest, most people are sleepy and ready for bed. Just a half an hour of TV before bed can mess with that enough to keep you up an extra two hours! Cortisol, also known as the “stress hormone,” can impact sleep. When the cortisol level is high, it is harder to settle down, according to webmd.com.

If you don’t get the appropriate amount of sleep, you can possibly get into trouble. You will not feel your best and can become very groggy or cranky. Most kids between the ages of five and 12 only get about seven hours of sleep per night if they are lucky. According to experts, you need eight to 10 hours to fully rest your body.

While staying up late playing video games or talking on the phone with your friends is cool, there is a time to shut down. You will be a better friend and a better you, after getting the sleep your body needs.

TRUE STAR JR. 19

HOT OFF THE PRESS

Who Is Sunny Malouf?

BY MAGALY MURO, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY

“I

want my music to react positively on my fans, and I hope it shows them that, you know, I’m not stuck in a bottle,” said 11-year-old Sunny Malouf.

Malouf, a musician, actress, model and dancer, recently released her first single “Lightning in a Bottle.” She will have her own original music coming out soon. Malouf’s career started when she started dancing at age 3 in a small dance class. When Malouf was 10 she wanted to get into acting and her acting coach got her into singing. From then on her career took off. “I sometimes get overwhelmed because it’s a lot to deal with at the age of 11,” Malouf said.

Malouf said her goal is to leave a positive mark on the world. She wants to do that by using the lyrics in her songs to inspire and to volunteer at places like a hospital. Malouf wants people to keep dreaming and believing that they can do anything.

Although Malouf has had many amazing experiences as a young celebrity, she is also known as a miracle baby because at the age of 8 she lost most of her blood. Her family had to get a donor fast so that she could live.

Thankfully Malouf survived this experience and continued with her career. “I want my fans to know that they are the only ones that hold the key to success, so you should do whatever you want in your life, but do it in a positive way.”

20 TRUE STAR JR.

Malouf said. When Malouf isn’t working on her career she likes to hang out with her family and have fun. Malouf still continues to get her education as she begins homeschooling for the first time this year. When Malouf performs she has a connection to her music that she enjoys. In 10 years, Malouf hopes to be successful and she hopes to be a role model for children.

Chicago’s Own

Papa Jay “The Prince” Makes Big MOVES

BY TRUE STAR STAFF

P

apa Jay “The Prince” may only be 7 years old, but this rapper, dancer, actor, comedian is already receiving international attention in the world of entertainment.

Papa Jay has been entertaining for around fours years and is anticipating a long career. With a Grammy Award-winning songstress mom and a father that enjoys making music as well, it’s easy to see why music came naturally to him. “[He started off rapping] before the dancing, because he came up with a father who rapped and a mother who sings,” says Papa Jay’s dad TeeJay. “So, it was a first passion, a first love even.”

At 2 years old, Papa Jay took a liking to his father’s mixtapes as well as the music his mother played him, thus teaching him the art of building a song by mimicking his father’s work. Soon, he understood the idea of concepts, rhythms, time measures and could count bars.

By age 6, he began taking his talents overseas.

From appearing on stage with Will Smith to headlining a sold out venue of 40,000 in Trinidad with soca singer Machel Monday, this young talent has done more than the average 7-year-old and is steadily rising to the top.

Papa Jay’s father also taught him the basics of acting, and it was discovered through a meeting with actor/comedian Dan Levy that Papa Jay could be humorous. As he became more comfortable with the acting process, he pushed himself to be better. His hard work landed him the roles of a young Nick Cannon in his music video, “Dance Floor,” and a spot as an improv actor on the Comedy Central upcoming special “Baby Talk.”

Dancing came into Papa Jay’s life a bit later.

Early on, he was exposed to a lot of moves via YouTube and began to mimic what he saw and self-taught himself everything he knows.

Papa Jay’s many talents can take his career in a variety of directions, but when he grows up he ultimately wants to make music, “because I like to express myself,” he says. Until then, Papa Jay’s soon to be released EP’s, Born Gifted and the father-and-son project, From a Boy to a Man, should keep you satisfied.

TRUE STAR JR. 21

Checking In With Amber Montana

BY MAGALY MURO, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY & ALANI GILDERSLEEVE, DISNEY II MAGNET ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

O

ver the years Amber Montana has been “playing pretend” using her imagination and turning it into reality. Montana, 16, just finished filming Vanished: Left Behind - The Next Generation in which she plays Gabby Harlow.

Before she played the role of Gabby Harlow she played Taylor Hathaway on Nickelodeon’s TV series “Haunted Hathaways.” The show is about a divorced mom and her two daughters who move to a new house in New Orleans, but their new house turns out to be haunted. When Montana first started the show she said, “It was interesting because I have never been in that kind of environment before, and it’s crazy to go from small town Tampa girl to a huge movie set.”

Montana started her acting career at age 8 when her mom was convinced to get her a few auditions. After five years of auditioning, Montana finally got a part on a TV show and after that she landed Vanished.

After Vanished, Montana wants to continue working on other projects and hopes that her “The movie is basically about an apocalypse,” fans continue to love what she does. Montana Montana said. The movie centers around teens said she is mainly focused on her acting, but at who understand what the wrath means and are times she writes songs. During most of her free surviving in a post-apocalyptic world (minus zombies). Vanished is scheduled to be released in time she likes to hang out with her three dogs – Elvis, Nixon and Simba. When she isn’t playing theaters early next year. with her dogs, Montana enjoys going to the gym “[Fans] have a lot to look forward to,” Montana to workout. She also likes to listen to jazz and really enjoys Amy Winehouse. Montana said one said about her upcoming role. “I want them of the reasons she loves acting is because it has to be excited about my new movie.... There is going to be a lot of talk about it and it’s going to made her who she is and it is a way for her to express herself and her creativity. be really exciting.”

22 TRUE STAR JR.

Up Close With Thomas Barbusca

BY TRUE STAR STAFF

B

eing an up-and-coming actor can be a little difficult, but Thomas Barbusca is showing us how to do it. Barbusca has appeared in shows like “The Thundermans,” “Grey’s Anatomy” and is featured in the Netflix show “Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp.” Barbusca recently talked with True Star Jr. about his new show, how he copes with being an actor and his life as a teenager.

“SO FAR MY FAVORITE ROLE

“The first time I saw myself on TV, it was kind of weird at first,” he said. Barbusca followed in the acting footsteps of his sister, Brielle, and has been featured on TV since he was a toddler in shows like “Sam & Cat” and “Anger Management.”

“So far my favorite role has been playing Drew on ‘Wet Hot American Summer.’ He is a camper and I really like camp, plus he is a bit of a trouble maker,” he said. Barbusca noted that “Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp” is a prequel to the original movie which came out in 2001.

Barbusca mentioned that he gets to work with a lot of well-known actors such as Paul Rudd and Bradley Cooper. He finds it an honor to be able to work with them and said, “It’s pretty fun.”

His favorite actor is Leonardo DiCaprio, but he hasn’t been given the honor of working with him yet. Overall, Barbusca said that he’s just a regular teenage boy that likes to act.

HAS BEEN PLAYING DREW ON ‘WET HOT AMERICAN SUMMER.’” – THOMAS BARBUSCA When given the opportunity to have some free time, Barbusca does normal things that other teenagers would do. “I like skateboarding, basketball and video games,” he said. When it come video games, his current faves are GTA5, Mortal Combat X, Minecraft, Battlefield Hardline, Assassin Creed Unity and COD. Barbusca is also a fan of pizza. “I like taking the cheese and the sauce off my pizza. So I like to have naked pizza.”

When asked what he would like to be doing 10 years from now, Barbusca stated, “Hopefully exactly what I am doing now.” He also mentioned that he would someday love to have his own television show.

TRUE STAR JR. 23

GETTING TO KNOW

Miles Brown

BY KELSI WILLIAMS, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY

Y

ou may know Miles Brown from his role as Jack Johnson on the ABC comedy “Black-ish.” what you don’t know is just how enthusiastic and goal orientated the California native is. True Star Jr. writers were given the opportunity to talk to Brown for a few moments to get to know him better.

Brown is a 10-year-old actor/dancer whose career initially started off with dancing on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” when he was around 4 years old. He can be seen in other projects such as “Battlefield America,” “American’s Got Talent,” and “Shameless,” but “Black-ish” is his first television series.

“It’s very cool, and getting to work with so many veterans on my first series is fun,” Brown said about the series itself and the experience he is getting from it. Tracee Ellis Ross, Anthony Anderson and Laurence Fishburne also star on the show and have been acting since before any of the children actors on the show were born.

Even though he started off with dancing, Brown said that he enjoys dancing and acting equally.

He also said that he hopes that he is doing both 24 TRUE STAR JR.

of these things 10 years from now. Even though he is on the road to being a person that we will see everywhere, he still considers himself a normal kid. When asked what he does for fun he said, “I like to play video games about sports, play basketball and ride on my air board.”

While he really enjoys dancing and acting, Brown also said if he was not acting that he would like to be a professional basketball player or an astronaut.

Brown is also known for his nickname “Baby Boogaloo.” He received this nickname from his father and it is based off a dance group he saw on “Soul Train,” a musical variety television show that ran for 35 years. Brown would like all of his fans to know that he is not just African-American.

He is also Hispanic and Filipino. He said that he would someday like to learn other languages such as Spanish, French and Japanese.

The young talent can be seen on “Black-ish” this fall on Wednesday nights at 8:30 pm. According to the entertainment site IMBDd.com, fans can also look forward to seeing Brown play the role of Clarence in the upcoming drama Believe, which is scheduled for a 2016 release.

PHOTOGRAPH BY: BEN MILLER STYLIST: SHANNON KOMSKY

TRUE STAR JR. 25

Insta FASHION @MIKAYL A

@CHARISMA

@EDWARD

@LYRIC

@JANIYA

NY @ANTHO

@ALIYA

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26 TRUE STAR JR.

@KAMAAL

@LYN’NIKKIA

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@ALYSHA

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EON @JAHKIL

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TRUE STAR JR. 27

FALL FASHIONS ON FLEEK

Latrell Blue Shirt, Bow-Tie and Khakis – H&M Shoes – Tods Jordan Denim Jacket, Black Shirt, Gray Pants – H&M Shoes – Zara

28 TRUE STAR JR.

Tia Pink Hoodie with Maroon Logo - H&M Maroon Circle Skirt - Ross Black Knee Socks Burlington Circus by Sam Adelman Black Ankle Boot with Maroon Laces - Burlington

Tachela Beige Herringbone Wool Blazer - H&M Pink S/S Golf Shirt H&M Heather Maroon & Ecru Joggers - Marshall’s Tan Roxy Vintage Style Flat Boot - Ross Pink Bow with Silver Trim - H&M

Alexis Maroon Sheer Knit Sleeveless Sweater Marshall’s Khaki Skinny Leg Pant - Ross Maroon and Black Suede Platform Ankle Boot - H&M

Azaria Red and White Heart Print Sleeveless Button Up - Marshall’s White and Navy L/S Woven - Marshall’s Red and Navy Wool Plaid Mini Skirt Marshall’s Brown Flat Knee Boots Burlington Navy Levi Backpack - TJ Maxx

Jahbril White Shirt & Black Pants – H&M Shoes: Balenciaga

Rita Black Floral Print Open Cardigan - Ross Black Fedora - TJ Maxx Acid Wash Denim Joggers - Shop.Outfit101.com Circus by Sam Adelman Black Ankle Boot with Maroon Laces - Burlington

Alexis White Cotton Double Breasted Jacket - Burlington Blue and Red Plaid Woven - Burlington Frayed Denim Jeans - Shop.Outfit101.com Tan Ankle Boots with Side Zip - Ross

Latrell Bucket Hat, Plaid Shirt & Jeans – H&M Shoes - Adidas Shell-Toes

Jordan Black Hoodie, T-Shirt, Black Jeans – H&M Shoes – Converse

30 TRUE STAR JR.

Photographer: Shelby Brown Fashion Stylists: Nicole Parrott for Kaleidoscope

by Kolaberri & Dutch Davis Makeup: Shekayah Wallace for Pinkkisses Makeup Creative Director: Joi Mitchell Creative Assistant: Daneisha Goodman

Tia Dark Denim Dress - Shop.Outfit101.com Blue & White Striped Woven - Marshall’s Dolce Vita Black Leather Platform Ankle Boot Burlington Blue Multi Heart Print Backpack - Marshall’s

Azaria Brown & Beige Plaid Wool Blazer- H&M Pink S/S Golf Shirt- H&M Maroon Sheer Knit Sleeveless Top- Urban Outfitter’s Stretch Maroon Skinny Leg Pant- H&M Brown Leather & Suede Doc Marten’s- Ross

Jahbril Blue Jacket, T-Shirt & Black Joggers – H&M Shoes – Adidas Samoa

Rita Maroon 3/4 Sleeve Blazer-Marshall’s Tan Diamond Texture Skater Dress- Marshall’s Knee Socks- Burlington Sperry Brown Suede and Leather LaceUp Booties- Burlington

TRUE STAR JR. 31

4EVER YOUNG

Back-To-School Early Mornings

BY MAGALY MURO, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY

M

ost students despise the idea of early mornings, but they still wake up and go to school every weekday. Now that school has started, most students have to get back in the habit of waking up early. That means no more all-nighters, unless you want to wake up tired for school all the time.

Getting adjusted to the time changes of sleep may be difficult, but our bodies will soon adjust after they get used to the early mornings.

Basically, our bodies are just adapting to waking up early. We still may be tired because the early mornings stop us from getting more sleep, which we are known to have during the summer.

After our bodies finally get adjusted to the early mornings, we won’t feel as tired. For some, it’s not easy. Victoria Pagsanghan finds waking up early a change. “Yeah, I guess sometimes it’s 32 TRUE STAR JR.

hard to get your body use to early mornings again once summer is over,” the 13-year-old said.

Not everyone thinks that it is hard. one of the best ways to make sure it’s an easy transition is to prepare for school the night before.

Parentmap.com recommends that you create a consistent sleep routine. For some students, their bodies get adjusted to the early mornings right away. It all depends on the student’s sleeping pattern. If a student’s summer sleeping pattern was similar to back to school early mornings than it will be easier for that student to get adjusted to that schedule. If a student’s summer sleeping pattern was not similar to back-toschool early mornings than it might be harder for that student to adapt to that schedule. Backto-school early mornings are something that all students have to get adjusted to now that school is back in session.

Are Uniforms

NECESSARY?

BY JOHN IVY III, LEARN CHARTER SCHOOL

P

roCon.org stated that school uniforms are being adopted by U.S. schools in increasing numbers. Almost one in five U.S. public schools required students to wear uniforms during the 2011-2012 school year. Uniforms are often used for structure and business, but we’re kids; we don’t like structure. So why do some of us have to wear uniforms?

“Uniforms allow structure for business attire, but at times it can get quite frustrating to have to wear the same hot clothes every day just to abide by the rules,” said Learn South Chicago student Lynneah Cardine. “So it’s a 50/50. Lots of kids agree that uniforms suck but if we all look the same no one can bully others based on their appearance and you don’t have to wake up worrying about what you have to wear. We deserve to express ourselves to show the world who we are.”

One major reason for having to wear uniforms is bullying. There can be endless teasing about what you wear and worrying about what you have on, like wearing Payless ShoeSource instead of Nike’s Air Jordan’s. Eighth graders often think about uniforms when it comes to picking a potential high school. They also question if everyone is dressed the same, will they still be bullied? Some people say your self-esteem should be high enough that you shouldn’t care what people think or say about you or what you have on. According to a Department of Health and Human Services study, one out of three students say they have been bullied at school. In addition, teasing and name-calling are among the most common types of bullying.

Uniforms are just clothes. Your clothing only expresses a small percentage of who you are.

Your behavior and attitude show who you really are. If someone does not like you for you, it’s their problem, not yours.

TRUE STAR JR. 33

New School

New Friends

BE

YOURSELF.

BY MAGALY MURO, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY

W

hen you’re going to a new school it can be stressful and scary knowing that you’re going in without any friends. “In fall 2015, about 50.1 million students will attend public elementary and secondary schools,” according to the National Center for Education. A large number of these students will be attending a new school.

common. If you find a friend that has things in common with you that’s great, but remember the saying “opposites attract” applies to friendships too.

“I remember starting off in a new school with no friends. It was nerve-wracking at first, but I made new friends naturally,” Marisol Gomez, 14, said.

• HANG OUT WITH PEOPLE YOU WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AS FRIENDS AND JOIN IN WITH THEIR PLANS UNLESS YOU REALLY DISAGREE. • BE YOURSELF. • ACCEPT PEOPLE AS THEY ARE. • YOU DON’T HAVE TO KNOW ABOUT OR HAVE AN OPINION ON EVERYTHING. • BE A GOOD LISTENER SO THAT OTHERS CAN TELL THAT YOU ARE REALLY INTERESTED IN WHAT THEY ARE SAYING. • ASK OTHER STUDENTS ABOUT QUESTIONS. • BE A POSITIVE PERSON; TALK ABOUT THE GOOD THINGS IN YOUR LIFE. • JOIN A SCHOOL SPORTS TEAM OR CLUB.

Some people make new friends naturally, as in it just happens. Others, however, find it hard to make new friends. If you find it hard it’s okay.

Making new friends isn’t that difficult when it really comes down to it. To make new friends all you have to do is talk to people in your classes and get to know others. If talking to people is a problem, that’s okay too. Some people can be shy. If you don’t talk to your classmates there is a chance they will talk to you first. If that doesn’t happen right away just wait a bit, because most of the time friends just become friends naturally.

Keep in mind that not all friends have things in 34 TRUE STAR JR.

Here are some helpful tips from Women’s Health Network for making friends.

Starting the

School YEAR

BY KELSI WILLIAMS, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE

T

the work out by doing a little each day if it isn’t due immediately.

With the start of the school year there is going to be overwhelming stress with the workload but, there are ways to deal with it. One way is to just not procrastinate. I know that is a rule heard over and over again, but it is extremely relevant. Half the time, things seem harder and workloads seem bigger because of how long people wait to do the project. Another way to deal with the workload is to spread your work out. If you honestly have a lot to do, then spread

The stress can take away all of the fun that school can actually hold, such as interacting with new people and being able to see your friends more often. From personal experience, I know that it is difficult to start a new school and make new friends, which is stressful in itself, but meeting new people can open you up to new opportunities, which is always an interesting thing to experience. Friends can always make a bad situation seem better. So if you are ever thinking about school and how much you REALLY do not want to go, remember this: We get Christmas, spring and summer breaks.

he beginning of the school year is the end of freedom. It is a drastic way to think of things, but that is how it is. Getting back to school can be a little difficult. But there are ways to get through the dreadful beginning of the end.

TRUE STAR JR. 35

KEEPIN’ SCORE

Student Athletes and

Their Balancing Act

BY ALEXANDER PRATT, PARKER JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL

S

chool just started, and student athletes are gearing up to tackle the big challenge of balancing academics and athletics. Successful students are only able to accomplish the perfect balancing act by understanding their priorities. Priority number one – school! Being a student athlete is actually very hard work. You have to be dedicated and determined. As tired as you may be after practice, you still have to have enough energy to do your homework. Breakingmuscle.com offers the following tips to keep it all together: Get organized and stay organized.

Use your phone to set up reminders for projects, assignments and game and practice times. Some schools provide students with a planner. If you know when assignments are due and when there is practice or games, there will be no surprises.

Manage your time. With competing demands placed on your time, you must plan your known time schedule. Known times are school time, game and practice time, and travel time to and from school, as well as travel time to and from sports practices and events.

Plan your week. Don’t let your week plan you. Look at your calendar and note when you have projects due, tests scheduled, and practices and games scheduled.

Use your weekends wisely. Use your weekend as preparation time for the week ahead. Start homework for the upcoming week.

36 TRUE STAR JR.

Use your travel time to and from school, practices, and games wisely.

Review notes, read chapters, study or read books.

Do not procrastinate. Do assignments as soon as they are given, rather than waiting until the last minute.

Do not get behind. Whether this pertains to homework, schoolwork or sports practices, it is easier to stay ahead of schoolwork rather than to play catch up with grades, missed assignments or missed sporting events.

Take advantage of study halls and free periods. Do homework, ask for help, study and get ahead of your work.

Take advantage of school resources, such as tutors. Many sports teams want their athletes to succeed in school and offer programs to help their athletes. If your school or community offers these opportunities, take them.

The Rise of PARKOUR

BY ALEXANDER PRATT, PARKER JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL

I

t can be seen in movies like Casino Royale, The Matrix and Predator. It even has a presence in video games such as Assassins Creed, God of War and Mortal Kombat. Parkour originally called, “method naturelle” (natural method) is more than running, climbing, swinging, vaulting, jumping and rolling. Parkour is a training discipline using movement that was developed from a military obstacle course. According to Parkourpedia, “Parkour is a method of physical training that develops one’s ability to overcome obstacles (both physical and mental).”

ACCORDING TO PARKOURPEDIA, “PARKOUR IS A METHOD OF PHYSICAL TRAINING THAT DEVELOPS ONE’S ABILITY TO OVERCOME OBSTACLES (BOTH PHYSICAL AND MENTAL).”

The French soldier George Hebert was inspired by the athletic abilities of the natives in Africa when he served in the army. He studied, researched and developed Le Method Naturelle.

This was based on the idea that people had 10 essential movement capacities to walk, run, jump, climb, move on all fours, swim, balance, lift, throw and engage in self-defense.

Parkour was made popular in France by Ramond Belle, David Belle and Sebastien Fouean during the late 1980s, and it officially became popular in the late 1990s and 2000s through movies, documentaries and commercials. Parkour is used as fitness training to improve strength, speed, agility, coordination, stamina, endurance, and precision. People that participate in Parkour are called “traceurs.” Today, Parkour can be seen almost everywhere. In Chicago, there are places you can go to learn the technique such as Parkour Ways at 1750 N. Kingsbury Street. Kurt Gowa, teaches at Parkour Ways and shared his experience and how he first started working as a traceur, a skilled runner who teaches Parkour.

“I started when I was 23 years old. I had been training for about six years, and boredom was my main motivation when I first started Parkour. I had stumbled across a video at the right time in my life when I was unhappy.”

Gowa said he is very dedicated to the sport. “I train every day because I teach every day.”

TRUE STAR JR. 37

Dance Your Heart Out

BY RITA ORDAZ, NORTH SCOTT JUNIOR HIGH

M

ost people think of dance as an art.

While this may be true, many studies show that dance is also a physical, mental and social sport.

Dance helps you physically because it can improve your cardiovascular system. You gain muscle tone, lose weight and become more flexible. Dance can also improve your mental health. According to a study in The New England Journal of Medicine, dancing can boost your memory and prevent you from getting dementia.

It can also reduce stress and diminish depression by releasing endorphins.

In a recent interview with Lindsay Boock, dance teacher at Tina’s Dance Studio in Eldridge, Iowa, she shared her story of how dance has impacted her life. Boock admitted that at a young age she could not hit a tee ball. She then turned to dance including jazz, ballet and lyrical. As a young girl, Boock quit dance right before her first recital because she was nervous to be in front of a crowd and it hurt to hold her hands in first position. Realizing how much she loved it, she rejoined. She shared that she was always 38 TRUE STAR JR.

nervous to perform, but dance helped her break out of her shell and gain confidence. “It helped me in social situations talking to people. It helped me gain strength within my body. It helped me determine what I wanted to do with my future,” said Boock.

The art of dance is not just for beauty and entertainment. The training is also used by athletes for balance, muscle building, developing stamina, and according to everydayhealth. com, as a form of physical therapy. For example Pittsburgh Stealers nose tackle Steve McLendon, takes ballet in part of his training to improve his performance on the field. The Dallas Cowboys installed ballet bars outside of their locker room for stretching as dancers do, and Minnesota Timberwolves, Michael Beasley, took ballet as part of his off-season training to strengthen his weak ankles.

As you can see, the benefits of dancing are evident. So the next time you are looking for a new workout, way of relaxation or a new way to make friends, go take a dance class.

Skateboarding SAFETY

BY EBEN IVY, LEARN CHARTER SCHOOL

S

kateboarding is a dangerous sport, but it is also fun. If you hop on a skateboard without having on the proper equipment, which are kneepads, helmet, and elbow pads, there could be problems. If skateboarding is new to you, it is also a good idea to have a friend to hold your body and push you so you can get familiar with the movement of the board.

According to website kidshealth.org, “It’s easy to lose your balance when riding a skateboard.

With every fall, there’s a chance you’ll be hurt and end up in an emergency room. Some of those injuries can be severe, and skateboarders have been killed by head injuries and collisions with cars.”

The way you position your body plays a huge part in the way you ride on your board. When you are getting started for the first time, keep it simple. The website skateboard.about.com recommends beginners “set the board either in some grass, or on the carpet in your living room, and try standing on it, jumping on it, whatever you want.”

If you are comfortable while riding, you can go to the skate park and skate on the ramps. You should start with the mini-ramp and then advance into the big ramp. It is harder to balance while going down the ramp. With practice you can advance into the tricks like a kick flip, using your toe to flip the board to the heel side while doing an ollie. You should practice your ollie – when you jump and the board sticks to your feet – and you should flick the back-tail hard enough to make it go in the air. Another piece of advice: Do not turn with one foot while riding because this can seriously mess up your knee.

Chris, who has been skateboarding for a couple years, said that you should have people helping you instead of just going into the ramp by yourself.

Avid skateboarder Joey recommends watching videos. He said that when he watches videos it helps him skateboard better and builds his confidence in performing skateboarding tips and tricks. This may sound funny, but a great tip is learning how to fall properly because it can help prevent a big injury.

TRUE STAR JR. 39

CREATIVE & CULTURE CORNER

You Can Create

A Comic Book

BY CARLOS SANDOVAL, CHASE ELEMENTARY

C

omic books are very fun to make, but they can also be very challenging to create. It can take some time to think about how to put a good comic together. My teacher recently showed me a website called canva.com. This website lets you create E-books and comics with ease. After a while I started making comics. In order to make them you have to think about your setting, your characters, your plot, your problem or goal (if there is one) and then you have to start creating it! Creating is the fun part of making comics, but if you want to step it up by posting it online for others to see, you have these options to choose from.

40 TRUE STAR JR.

• Create and color the images, put them in order, then put them all together with some software and then post it.

• Use a software to create comics.

• And as I mentioned before, use canva.com, a great software for making E-books, comics and even drawings.

The first ever comic made is said to have been created in 1837 by a Swiss artist named Rudolphe Topffer. The comic was named “The Adventures of Obadiah Oldbuck.” After the first comic came out, comics were becoming famous. They started making many more comics like Marvel DC, manga, which is also known as anime, horror, graphic novels, cartoons and much more! So get out your paper, get out your pencil and start drawing!

I Am

BY NYLIAH NEELY, KENWOOD ACADEMY

I am from music, mirrors, and lipstick.

I am from the big bright yellow sculpture on the block of Eggleston.

I am from the yellow daisies in my yard.

I am from the money green oak trees whose long gone limbs I remember as if they were my own.

I am from family pictures and bean dip.

From Mrs. and Mr. Neely.

I’m from funny jokes, photography and from qq Board of CPS. I’m from learning to never point, to never stare and from learning my ABC’s.

I’m from mac & cheese and Chicken Alfredo.

From the life of the Neelys.

From the portrait on my wall.

From the loyalty in my heart.

I am from….

TRUE STAR JR. 41

Broken

BY JOHN IVY III, LEARN CHARTER SCHOOL

Is this what it feels like to be broken, to hurt from the inside out?

Cheated, emotions played like a poker game and the player with that deceiving face belittling me without saying a word.

The hurt on her face when you tell her the truth is too easy to give into so stay quiet, let her hurt you.

But what she does not know is that I cry every day.

My pain is unbearable, the thought’s so wicked it’s hard to think.

My tears so salty the ocean weeps, for it thinks it’s missing its best water, My words so sharp I wash my mouth with soap at the thought I might say them, My heart so torn it’s hard to feel anything.

So I wait for her to pull the last straw so I can pull away.

But when she does I come back instantly.

I am addicted.

She looks that of a good type of drink, but I come to find out she has all the bad effects.

So I ask for the virgin version of her and it’s still hard to become detached but I try; it is hard at first, but I manage to get away.

Or so I thought. A few days later I fall for her again, this time deeper than a lust form of love. This time it is real.

I love her and it’s killing me.

So I go on letting the demon be belligerent on my emotions.

But what I did not know is that the worse was coming.

So today I sit quietly.

I seem as passive as a kitten, but on the inside the aggression is taking over. I am like lighting, only I don’t strike, because if I do the person I hit might not get back up.

So be careful who you let whisk you and your emotions away, because you might just be dancing with the devil in the moonlight.

42 TRUE STAR JR.

Tips for Creating A Great Villain

BY BLAKE CARNES, WHITNEY YOUNG MAGNET SCHOOL

M

any authors run into the same problem – a villain that you feel is either too shallow, too cliché, or generally bland. For stories with more competent villains, it’s very tricky to create a decent antagonist. These tips will help to add a new layer of depth to your enemy:

3. Pretend you are the villain. What would you do in each situation? Deciding the best possible outcome can lead to more competent enemies.

4. Justify their weakness. Every villain is defeated eventually, but how will this happen and why?

Be as consistent as possible with your story.

1. Ask yourself: What would the villain’s motives 5. Keep all of the traits of the villain within a be without a hero? The villain’s goal isn’t only to defeat a hero. What then? What was the villain trying to do before the hero came along? What would happen if the villain succeeded in defeating the hero?

few solid themes. Their personality should dictate most of their decisions, from wardrobe to lair, to how to carry out their plans.

2. If you haven’t already, produce a backstory

nothing wrong with taking a few common features of villains and tweaking them a bit for your purposes. The reason that they are tropes is because of their consistency and ability to stand the test of time.

for your antagonist. Even if most or all of it doesn’t make it into the final story this will add a new layer of motives, strengths and weaknesses.

6. Don’t be scared of archetypes. There’s

TRUE STAR JR. 43

DEEPER THAN SKIN

Eating Healthy for The School Year

BY KENNEDE COLEMAN, DISNEY II MAGNET ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

M

ost students like to eat unhealthy foods while they study or do homework.

Instead, students should eat healthier foods such as apples, bananas and gram crackers.

Eating healthy has been linked “to higher grades, better memory, more alertness, faster information processing and improved health leading to better school attendance,” according to livingstrong.com.

Eating junk food can cause students to fall behind in school and can also create health problems, and let’s face it, no one wants health issues. The Healthy Schools Campaign reports that “Research has shown that high levels of salt, fat and sugar in school lunches have contributed

Snack 2: Carrots dipped in Ranch or French salad dressing is one of the healthier choices you can make.

Snack 3: Pretzels are also a good snack to eat. They can give you the salty taste that you would get from potato chips minus the oil.

to the nationwide childhood obesity epidemic.

Today, more than one-third of people under age 19 are overweight or obese. About 151,000 have Type 2 diabetes, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.”

Snack 4: Strawberries and blueberries are also really good to munch on.

They are loaded with vitamins and they taste great too.

Here are five easy snacks that you can eat while studying or doing homework.

Snack 1: Apple slices with peanut butter. This is a snack that you can get sweetness from as you would candy, but it is healthy and good for your body. You can even switch the taste up a little by trying a different type of apple.

44 TRUE STAR JR.

Snack 5: Celery with peanut butter is not only a tasty snack but it’s light in calories too.

Drinking Water:

Positive & Negative Effects

BY JACQUEZ ROBINSON, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY

D

o you drink the right amount of water a day like you should? Most people do not.

According to doctoroz.com, “We should drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day.” There are many positive effects of drinking water and many negative effects of not drinking water. “I, myself, try to drink the eight cups of water a day because I know that it is good for my health,” said Certified Nurses Assistant (CNA) Lisa Wilkins, who has been in the nursing field for more than 10 years.

“We humans need a healthy body.”

EXPERTS RECOMMEND THAT YOU DRINK AT LEAST

There are some positive and negative effects of EIGHT 8-OUNCES drinking water and not drinking water. When you OF WATER A DAY. do not drink the right amount of water your body would not be as healthy as it could be. This means that you are not functioning at your best level. to medicaldaily.com. There are numerous side Water is a necessity for good health. effects of not drinking the eight cups of water, but there are also so many positive effects to “Your body is composed of about 60 percent drinking the recommended water amount. So water. The functions of these bodily fluids include do you drink the right amount of water a day? If digestion, absorption, circulation, creation not, you should try it! of saliva, transportation of nutrients, and maintenance of body temperature,” according to POSITIVE EFFECTS webmd.com. *PREVENTS HEADACHES “I think it is very important to drink the right amount of water because, water is the number one thing that keeps your body healthy and your bones healthy,” said 15-year-old DeAndre Robinson.

Some people do not drink water for several days, and that’s not good. If people go without water for a couple of days their body might start to feel nausea and get dehydrated, according

*PREVENTS COLON CANCER *SKIN STAYS MOIST/BLEMISH FREE *NO KIDNEY PROBLEMS NEGATIVE EFFECTS *DEHYDRATION *ACHING MUSCLES/BONES *DIZZINESS *KIDNEY STONES *HEADACHES/MIGRAINES

TRUE STAR JR. 45

IN THE 1950S, GLEN BELL CREATED ONE FAST

Taco Bell’s

FOOD TACO RESTAURANT

“Mexican Food”

“WITH THE PERFECT MIX OF MEXICAN INGREDIENTS FOR THE AMERICAN PALATE.”

VS.

BY MAGALY MURO, LINDBLOM MATH & SCIENCE ACADEMY

T

serve traditional food and as a fellow Mexican I should know,” the 13-year-old said.

Doritos. But if you were to go to Mexico, Doritos tortilla chips would not be one of the ingredients used to make a taco. This is just one example of how Taco Bell does not serve traditional Mexican food.

In the 1950s, Glen Bell created one fast food taco restaurant with “the perfect mix of Mexican ingredients for the American palate.” In 1964, he opened Taco Bell with hopes of serving “Mexican specialties,” according to tacobell.com.

aco Bell is known as a Mexican food restaurant, but is it traditional Mexican food, or is it just the U.S. version of Mexican food?

On Taco Bell’s menu most of their tacos contain

Tacos were created around 1500 in Mexico.

According to ortega.com, “The earliest tacos were made with thin slices of meat cooked over coals. The meat was then placed in a corn tortilla and topped with salsa, onions, guacamole and lime.” Tacos reached the United States near 1900 and shortly after the hard shell corn tortilla was invented.

Since Taco Bell claims to be a Mexican restaurant shouldn’t it serve actual Mexican food? Raven Williams believes that it should. “Taco Bell is like a rip-off of Mexican food because it doesn’t 46 TRUE STAR JR.

If the Taco Bell restaurant were to at least announce that they were not serving traditional Mexican food, at least then, the customers would know that up front. Although this may seem like it’s not a major issue that needs to be addressed, the fact that the restaurant doesn’t serve what they claim is something that may offend people, so it’s better to get rid of the issue than to wait until it gets bigger. Even though Taco Bell isn’t the only fast food restaurant that does this, it is still important for these restaurants to announce that they don’t serve the traditional food that they claim to serve.

Harmful Ways

BY KENNEDE COLEMAN, DISNEY II MAGNET ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

I

t is not a good thing to sleep next to phones, or any electronically devices for that matter.

According to cancer.org, “Cell phones emit radio frequency energy (radio waves), a form of non-ionizing radiation. Tissues nearest to where the phone is held can absorb this energy.” Radio frequency energy is a form of electromagnetic radiation and can be either non-ionizing or ionizing.

Other devices give off radioactive waves, as well. People are often told not to sleep next to these devices, but most do it anyway. A Pew Research Center study showed that, “44 percent of cell owners have slept with their phone next to their bed because they wanted to make sure they didn’t miss any calls, text messages, or other updates during the night.”

Teens these days are the ones that seem to use electronic devices the most. Sadly, this information would lead you to believe that teens are the

Reason 1: You could set your pillow on fire.

“A teen in Texas slept with her phone under her pillow and woke up to a burning smell. The cause was her Galaxy S 4 burning her sheets and pillows.”

Reason 2: You could keep yourself awake.

“The phone gives off what’s known as the blue light. A type of light that studies suggest can inhibit the production of the sleep-inducing hormone melatonin and disrupt our circadian rhythms.”

Reason 3: The health risks of phones are murky. “There’s been no research that proves cell phone use causes cancer... cell phones are

ones that are being most affected by the harmful rays from the phones and tablets.

said to give off such small doses of electromagnetic radiation....” Despite this information, the risks associated with cell phone usage are yet to be determined.

According to ABC News, there are at least three reasons why you should not sleep with your phone in or near the bed:

Now that you have some of the facts, be sure to place some distance between you and your phone before you go to bed.

TRUE STAR JR. 47

48 TRUE STAR JR.