Yellow Jacket Times - Jefferson County Public Schools

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Contributing Writers
Alyssa Allen
Jamar Banks
Kaylee Bealmear
Myles Brock
Davon Carr
Erin Carr
Jameisha Carr
Jasmine Coleman
De’Asijania Davis
Sherman Everette
Andrea Ford
Kyle Givens
Devin Hayley
De’Ericka Jernigan
Jamila Johnson
Jerry Johnson
Courtland Hayne
DeVictor McElroys
Maryan Maalim
Tyshell Morris
Cole Neel
Mu Raw Paw
Cierra Pitts
Lanisha Porter
Antwone Sloss
Erica Talbott
Hawp Ton
Amber Tuttle
Jay”Mia Williams
Advisor
Anne Rodier
Submissions:
Anne.rodier@jefferson.kyschools.us
Yellow Jacket
Times
Inside this Issue
Words of Love, Words for Love Wanna Play Ball?
The Actual Cost of Living
Upholding the Law
Grocery Stores Need to Sell More Annimation; It’s Real
It’s Not Always Your Choice
Vet Tech and Big Ideas
De-Law the Declaw
Future Educator
Considerable Options
Our Children’s Number One Hero
Stupidity at its Finest
Being a Head Coach
Always Be Your Own Person
Ob-Gyn as a Career
Laundry
It’s the Law
You Only Live Once
More than Omelets
Tweeting and Shooting Angry Birds Tuesdays with Morrie
Nobody Likes Dead Puppies
Just Wanna Testify
Sooner is Better
Fences
They’re Still Human
Unconditionally Single
Are You a Victim
I Have a Dream
What Are You Afraid Of?
The Day You Broke My Heart
The Gossip:p Senior Edition
Don’t Break My Heart
I Was There
March Madness
Cheerleading is a Sport

Khadijah & Prophet Muhammad
Maryan Maalim
Khadijah was one of the noblest women around the Arabic world. She came from a very important family.
She was a beautiful girl, and she was a business woman. To marry her would have been a great feat for
any man; many men asked for her hand in marriage, but she rejected them. It was 580 CE when
Muhammad came into her life.
Muhammad was 25; he came from a normal family and he was not a man of many means. Muhammad
was the most honest man around. That is why she was interested in him. That is what attracted her to
him. She was looking for someone honest who would conduct business for her, as she, a woman could not
do it herself. So, he started working for her.
After Muhammad came back from his first business trip, Khadijah asked her servant, who she sent with
him, about him and his conduct. The servant amazed her with his report; this young man was the kindest,
gentlest man he had ever met. Never did he treat the servant harshly, as many others did. Khadijah was
impressed by her new employee.
This new employee was a good businessman, too. He was good at buying and selling, with producing
more and then buying to sell again. All this was enough for her to make the embers of love in her heart
shine, and she wanted to marry this man who was 15 years younger than her.
And then Khadijah sent her sister to prophet Muhammad, and she asked, “Why don’t you marry? He said,
“For lack of means.” She asked if she can offer him a wife, and he asked, “Who can that girl can be that she
will accept me?” When she told him that it was Khadijah, He asked, “How can I marry her? She said, “Don’t
worry, I will take care of that.”
And then they married and they became the happiest family.
Information Source:
http://navedz.wordpress.com/2009/04/03/prophet_muhammad_saw__khadijah_ra_the_greatest_love/

1.
At the age of 40, while engaged in a
meditative retreat, Muhammad received his
first revelation from God through the
Archangel Gabriel.
This revelation, which continued for
twenty-three years, is known as the Qur'an.
Source
pic

What’s the most expensive thing you can do? Buy
The Actual Cost of Living
a car? A house? Wed a beautiful woman that likes shiny
Jerry Johnson
things? The answer is none of these. The most expensive
thing you will ever do is die. I’m not talking about that
expensive funeral you’re going to
leave your loved ones. No, I’m
talking about what leads to it.
According to a study by Harvard
in 2005, medical bills are the
cause of over 60 percent of all
bankruptcies. This doesn’t just
happen to people without health
insurance. Even the people with
what the government and CEOs
call “insurance,” can find
themselves in debt from an
unseen hospital stay.
I’m sure I know what you’re
thinking. What causes all these
expenses? Let me start with the small stuff. Information from Pat Palmer, from Medical
Billing Advocates of America, shows the insane costs start with little things. Here are a few
examples. The marking pen, used to mark body parts for surgery, marks up your bill by
$17.50 (no pun intended). One use of a blood pressure cuff, which I learned to use after one
day in a high school pre-med class, will run you $20. Another unnecessary charge is the
“oral administration fee,” or what one might call shipping and handling. Yes, there is a
charge of $87.50 for a nurse to bring you your pills.
Next is most likely the largest impact on the superfluous health care costs. This is the
obvious; the doctor’s cut. The California Association of Health Plans reported that 24% of
hospital bills went to a doctor’s bank account. If you have enough luck and need surgery,
you may need an anesthesiologist. While I’m sure they have a lot more responsibilities, an
anesthesiologist basically gets paid an average of $321,686 per year
(careers.stateuniversity.com) to watch vital signs after they put you to sleep for surgery.
This, along with other doctor fees, also adds to the most convoluted bill you will ever
receive.
I’ve thrown out some stuff that
shows where these costs come from, but I
don’t believe this shows how ridiculous
prices are. To really get your jaw to drop,
here are some numbers. Try to control your
amazement. The average cost per
emergency room visit is $1,327. Keep in
mind, that per does mean just one trip. The
price per outpatient visit will be around
$2,224. That cost rose 10.1% from 2009 to
2010. Then the heavy hitter is inpatient
admissions. For more than what my car is
worth, the average cost for this is a
whopping $14,662. All of these numbers
are brought to you by a report from the Health Care Cost Institute.
It’s a sad time in American history when we have to worry more about medical bills
than medical problems. With over 900,000 people in the beautiful USA going bankrupt from

medical bills each year, it’s more than clear something has to be done. So what can you do?
Write to your state representative. If you can convince him, he may bring it up to congress.
Now, if you need me, I’ll be moving to Canada where the health care is on the house.
Comparative Cost of Medical Procedures by Country
Surgery USA Colombia Costa Rica India Jordan Korea Mexico Singapore Thailand
Heart Bypass $144,000 $14,630 $25,000 $8,500 $10,000 $24,000 $20,000 $13,500 $24,000
Angioplasty $57,000 $7,106 $13,000 $8,500 $5,000 $19,600 $16,000 $7,500 $7,000
Heart Valve
Replacement
$170,000 $10,450 $30,000 $1,200 $12,000 $36,000 $30,000 $13,500 $22,000
Hip Replacement $50,000 $8,360 $12,500 $8,000 $8,000 $16,450 $13,125 $11,100 $14,000
Hip Resurfacing $50,000 $10,500 $12,000 $8,000 $8,000 $20,900 $12,800 $12,100 $16,000
Knee Replacement $50,000 $7,106 $11,500 $7,000 $7,000 $17,800 $10,650 $10,800 $12,000
Spinal Fusion $100,000 $14,500 $15,000 $12,000 $10,000 $17,350 $7,000 $18,300 $11,000
Dental Implant
$2,000-
10,000
$1,672 $1,000 $700 $500 $3400 $910 $2,900 $3,000
Lap Band $30,000 $6,500 $8,500 $7,500 $5,000 $9,500 $8,430 $12,000 $12,000
Breast Implants $10,000 $2,600 $3,500 $4,500 $3,000 $11,000 $8,000 $5,400 $3,700
Rhinoplasty $8,000 $1,677 $5,500 $3,500 $2,500 $4,000 $4,165 $2,700 $3,400
Face Lift $15,000 $3,305 $5,900 $7,000 $3,000 $3,000 $7,200 $4,000 $6,600
Hysterectomy $15,000 $1,845 $5,500 $5,500 $2,500 $9,000 $6,675 $4,000 $5,000
Updated July 2009
Transplants: Asia Latin America United States
Kidney Transplant $43,550 $30,000 Up to: $150,000
Liver Transplant $134,000 $75,000 Up to: $315,000
Updated July 2009
For more information: http://www.globalbenefitoptions.com/facts_about_medical_tourism.html
The November YJT article entitled, “My Imagination Was Finally Set Free,” was incorrectly attributed
to Christina Dang. It was actually written by Temis Jimenez.

Grocery Stores Need to Sell More Vegetables
Mu Raw Paw
I am from Thailand, but I’m Karen. I love to eat rice and
vegetables, but in the grocery store, there are not all the
kinds of foods I eat. Some people from Myanmar are
unhappy about going to American grocery stores because
they can’t find what they want. We have to go to Asian stores to buy food. It’s ok to go
sometimes because we can get food we like, but there are only a few Asian stores and they are
far from our houses so we can’t go every week.
burmese people who buy in
grocery
do not have to go to many stores.
who only buy food
in grocery
who buy in grocery
and asian
buys only in asian
store
Today, in Louisville there are
about 800 people from Myanmar.
Some of them don’t like American
food and they don’t eat it. They
just like the food that is from
Myanmar. These people would
really like to see more Asian food
in grocery stores. Burmese and
Karen people don’t need to go to
the Asian store because they like
to eat some American food. That
makes it easier for them since they
In the grocery store, there are only 2 or 3 kinds of rice. But it is too soft and some are too hard
for the kinds of rice that people from Myanmar like. Also, there are not a lot of Asian
vegetables in American grocery stores. People from Asian love to eat vegetables and they eat
them every day. In addition, the grocery stores do not have all the Asian sauces we like.
If the grocery store sold more variety of vegetables and rice, it would increase business. One of
my neighbors said, “I will be glad if the grocery sells rice that I use to eat and vegetables, too. I
will stop going to the Asian store and only go to the grocery. If they sell more kinds of foods
that I like, it will be great because I don’t need to go so far for
only a few things that I need.”
If the grocery stores sell more food that Myanmar people like, it
will be great and helpful for the Myanmar people. They will be
happier and won’t waste a lot of their time traveling, or money
for gas. It will give the grocery store more business. It will be
great for everybody because the more vegetables they eat, the
healthier they will be.

It’ Not Always Your Choice
Antwone Sloss
People fear the doctor office, not because of the bad news
they may receive, because of the bill they will receive.
When Americans go to the doctor for their routine checkup, they feel as though they are
in good health. The doctor routinely focuses on 3 things. The first is that they are
overweight, but who in America isn’t? The second thing the doctor tells the patient is that
they are in need of a new vaccine to protect them from either a new or ancient disease that
is plaguing the world. The last thing the doctor says is to ask if the patient chooses to
receive the vaccine or choose to cope with the horrendous consequences if they don’t.
These side effects can be swelling and redness of the eye, stomach aches, cramps, tingling
and irritation to the skin, difficulty breathing, fever, dizziness, tiredness, sweating, muscle
pain, insomnia, earache, nausea, diarrhea, and other flu-like symptoms that the medicine
is supposed to treat or prevent the patient from having. As Americans, we’re supposed to
have the best medical care of any country in the world, but how can this be true when we
have corrupt government agencies, doctors, and pharmaceutical companies trying to get
our money?
Who is on the TV telling you that you need a new hip replacement or a new medicine to
stop the inevitable disease you are positive to get. Is it a doctor, or a money hungry
company paying a doctor to tell you vague facts? If a commercial tells you 60% of all
people over 50 need a hip replacement, did they survey 1000 people or just 10 people
they found limping down the street. Medical companies try to draw in vulnerable people
in hopes of getting a portion of the 200 billion dollar a year American drug industry.
These vulnerable people include the elderly who are trying to lengthen their lifespan,
woman who want to get procedures done to their body parts, and men who are insecure
about their private area.
Medical companies lure us into buying unnecessary drugs and medical supplies, with
phony statistics and results, in exchange for our paychecks. A prime example is the male
enhancement pill companies. These companies charge men extraordinary prices for these
pills in exchange for improving their love life, but is this reward worth the risk? They
don’t tell these frantic men that, in return for their money, they will also have the
opportunity to receive irregular heartbeats, hearing impairment, restlessness, poor vision,
and sleeplessness, as well as seizures and an agonizing death.
When you hear the word generic, you think cheap. When big time drug companies hear
generic, they think expensive. While we buy generics to save a little money, big
manufactures spend their money trying to get rid of them. We buy the generics of a
product sometimes, but why don’t we buy more generic medicines? The reason we don’t
buy much generic medicines is because big drug companies spend their money to say that
there product contains the more quality ingredients, and will prove to be more beneficial
to us if we are willing to spend more money.
It can take decades for a
brand-name drug to
become available as a
generic. The initial patent
life of a new drug is 20
years, but a patent can
be obtained at any point
in the drug-development
stage. If a patent is
obtained early, research
and development time
may eat up a decade or
more of patent life before
the FDA approves the
drug for use. A patent
obtained later in the
development process
may buy more time for
the drug to be sold under
patent protection.
When two or more
generic manufacturers
make a drug, the price of
the generic drug is often
about 50 to 95 percent
less than the cost of the
brand-name drug. The
extent of the price drop
usually depends on how
many manufacturers
make the drug and how
difficult the drug is to
make.
it doesn't hurt to ask your
doctor or pharmacist if
there's a generic
alternative to any name
brand drug you're taking.
Source
Little do people know, the FDA, (which all of us hear every day but don’t know what the abbreviation stands for) requires
generic drugs to have the same quality and performance as brand name drugs. For the math whizzes, this means that
Generic Drugs are greater than or equal to name brands. So next time you go to the store for cold medicine, it would be
smarter to buy the $5 Walgreens Cold and Flu medicine, instead of the $13 Vicks Nyquil.
References:
http://www.cdc.gov/
http://www.fda.gov/
http://www.mayoclinic.org/medical-edge-newspaper-2012/feb-03b.html

De-Law The Declaw
By: Kaylee Bealmear
Did you know that declawing cats is illegal in almost
two dozen countries, including Europe, Australia, and Japan, due to it being considered inhumane and an
unnecessary form of mutilation? Catalonia, Spain also prohibits it under their Law of Animal Protection. As a
cat owner, I am strongly against declawing.
Cats’ claws are not simply just a toenail; they are very closely adhered to the bone. For them to be
removed, the last bone of a cat’s claw must be severed. By declawing your cat, you are amputating the last joint
of their “toes.” Just imagine having someone amputate your fingers at the first joint against your will. A long
and painful recovery time ensues after this serious surgery, during which your cat will still have to walk, jump,
play, run, scratch in the litter box, and everything else a cat does in order to live its life. Not only is this torture
bad enough, but the procedure causes lifelong crippling results. Cats’ claws help them balance, and without
them, the cat’s leg, shoulder, and back muscles will begin to weaken.
This is a picture showing the structure of a cat’s claw, and what their paw looks like after amputation of
the bone.
Whenever I argue the topic of
declawing a cat, someone always has the
rebuttal of, ‘But my cat will tear up my
furniture, I have to have him declawed.’ Which
brings me to my second point; has no one ever
thought that are ways around that? Train your
cat; it is a very simple thing to do. Fill a spray
bottle with water and spray your cat every time they try to claw your furniture. It worked for me; cats are smart
and will quickly learn to stop clawing the wrong things unless they want to get sprayed. It also doesn’t hurt to
buy a scratching post, which you can find at just about every pet store. These are far better alternatives as
opposed to uncalled for disfigurement.
Most people don’t even know why cats use their claws; they think it’s just a bad habit. Well, these
people are wrong. Cats need their claws; they are a necessity. Grooming, for one, is very important; it maintains
health and cleanliness. Scratching and licking prevents fur from tangling, removes dead skin and hair, and helps
waterproof their coat. Cats’ also require a lot of sleep, which is another reason claws are important. Cats need to
stretch and exercise their muscles, which they always do after taking a nap. Clawing is a part of stretching, and
exercises the muscles in the cat’s toes. Claws are used to mark territory, too; if they are taken away, cats may
urinate to replace them.
There are various complications
that could occur with the operation, such
as: adverse reaction to the anesthetic,
gangrene (which could lead to limb
amputation), hemorrhaging (serious
blood loss), permanent nerve damage,

This is a picture showing a few unfortunate cats, and the
impediments they have to go through because their owner
inconsiderately had them declawed.
persistent pain, scar tissue formation, bone
chips (which would require additional
surgery), skin disorders, and the nails could
grow back into the paw as well, causing
tremendous pain. Were you aware that
80% of declawed cats developed more
than one medical difficulty, yet 31% of all
cat owners in the United States still have
their cats declawed?
A large number of people believe
that declawing their cats will protect any
small children they have in the house. This
is not exactly correct; claws are a cat’s
first line of defense; if eliminated, a cat
will have to rely on its teeth. In addition, not having claws will put the cat on a higher defense, due to the lack
of self protection; this means they will bite frequently. According to the American Veterinary Medical
Association (AVMA), 33% of declawed cats form at least
one behavioral problem. This will lead to more cats being
surrendered to animal shelters, and most likely being
euthanized, all because an owner didn’t think about the
well being or feelings of their cat.
From one cat owner to another, I hope I have
opened your eyes as to why declawing is a horrifying act
that should never be performed. I have a declawed cat
myself; of course I did not do that to him. He was a stray,
and was already declawed when we found him. It breaks
my heart when he plays with the other cats, and can’t
follow them when they race up a tree. I agree with what a
city council official stated in West Hollywood, California:
This is a picture of the tool used to declaw a cat.
“As guardians of animals, we have a relationship of respect,
that the animal not be amputated or subjected to techniques
that create harm.” If you can’t respect your pet, then you shouldn’t have a pet. I hope you will side with me, and
stand against declawing.
Works Cited
Glamour On The Rocks. "Why you shouldn't declaw your cats. EVER. "http://www. wordpress.com.
.
Veterinarian, Dr. Christianne Schelling. "DECLAWING: What You Need To Know "
http://www.declawing.com.
.
Jennifer Dougherty. "The Facts About Declawing and the Alternatives” http://www.paw-rescue.org.
Partnership for Animal Welfare.
.

Alyssa Allen
Considerable Options
How many animals would you allow in your home? Do you love your
dogs so much that you don’t care to neuter them, having liters that
you can’t keep? According to the ASPCA, there are millions of stray
cats and dogs on the streets, and many more killed in animal shelters
each year. Purebreds are fading out, and huge outbreaks of mutts are
roaming the streets, not wanted by those who allowed their existence
in the first place. If people gave up a few trips to McDonalds, and
spent that money to neuter their animals, there would be a lot less stray pets.
People don’t get their animals neutered because they don’t want to make them suffer or take away their
“man-hood.” All three of my dogs got neutered, and it was out of love. PETA’s resources page showed me that
neutered animals have longer lives, and keeps them from getting uterine or ovarian cancer. Plus, we couldn’t
afford the puppies that would come. Too many people leave their unneutered animals to roam outside.
The price is just right, only about forty-five to a hundred thirty five dollars, depending on weight of animal.
Most community shelters reduce prices based upon the income of the owner. There are many incentives for
neutering your pet, but all that matters is that you go about it! For instance, the Doris Day Animal Foundation
holds an annual Spay Day USA every February with a goal of sterilizing 155,000 cats and dogs across the
country. Price doesn’t matter, what does is making your animal sterile.
Both stray cats and dogs suffer cruelties thing like being put to death by gas chambers. Some shelters engage
in “pound seizure,” meaning they sell homeless or sheltered animals to research laboratories for
experimentation. All of this and much more could be avoided if only people thought about their pets as much
as they do themselves. It isn’t like we’re asking you to give up an arm or leg for your pet, but to give up the
negative circumstances that can come from this. Animals are a part
of the world and have a lot to offer, let’s stop overpopulation and
neuter our animals.
Stray dogs and cats on rise during economic down times
Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2009/05/15/20090515glnwvdogs0516.html#ixzz2DclzgpMA

Stupidity at its Finest
Jamila Johnson
Everybody has something that really grinds their gears, and what really gets me is stupidity. The
dictionary definition of stupidity is, “the quality or condition of being stupid,” but what does stupid mean? To me,
it means doing something you know you shouldn’t, but you do it anyway for whatever reason. I put stupidity in
three categories. People that do everything others do. People who don’t learn from their past, and people who
think being stupid is ok. I’m sure after understanding each category, your gears will explode.
If there’s one thing I hate more than crust on my bread, it’s a person that follows the crowd. Now I know
we’re teens and we are expected to do this, but come on people. Why can’t we just be ourselves? Following
the crowd often leads to others getting hurt. If someone doesn’t have the newest shoes or wear the best
clothes, so what? It shouldn’t matter. All that should matter is if they are a good person. Now I’m not going to
say that beauty is on the inside and all of that, because even though it’s true, 99.9% of people don’t care about
that, but that doesn’t mean it’s ok. Why can’t you be the bigger person for once and do the right thing? I even
know people who have changed everything about themselves to fit into a certain group. Why do we do this? If
you don’t like something, then you don’t like it. You shouldn’t have to force yourself to like someone else just to
feel accepted. I’m short, and there are people out there who don’t like short people, but I’m not going to go out
and get some extra shin installments. This might sound a little more outrageous than what you’re doing, but it’s
really the same thing. If you don’t do this, you’re a “lame;” If you dislike someone, you’re a “hater.” Why is it so
wrong to be an individual?
Canadian author, L.M Montgomery said, “Isn't it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no
mistakes in it yet?” Well actually it is, but not if you make the same mistakes you did yesterday. We are
supposed to make mistakes; we have to, but we do them so we won’t have to make them again. You’re
supposed to learn from your mistakes. If you do the same thing over and over and you expect a new outcome
each time, I’m almost sorry to say that you’re insane. Every day, I hear people complaining about their grades
and blaming the teachers. How is it the teacher’s fault that all you do is sleep or talk? If you do this every day,
why are you surprised you got a U? You deserved it; just be honest with yourself. I know some mistakes may
take a while to learn from, but this is crystal clear. If doing nothing in class is getting you nowhere, then guess
what will? I don’t think I have to say it.
Next up on this train of stupidity are people who think being stupid is ok. This deals with doing nothing
in class again. I know I just discussed that, but this usually happens in pairs. Because your friend doesn’t do a
thing in class, you think it’s ok for you not to. What sense does that make? Telling someone they’re crazy
because they actually do their work, rather than play around, doesn’t seem right. Why is it so wrong to be a
good student and get good grades? Why can’t it be cool to want to be somebody later in life? Why do the
words, “college” or “career,” seem to be foreign to so many? It’s really sad that people think it’s ok to fail. Oh,
and here’s a little tip guys. Girls do not like stupid boys. Now, I’m not saying there aren’t any stupid girls out
there, because there are, but I think we can all agree that we see it more with boys: laughing when they fail a
test, or if they get a U on a test. Yeah, it may be funny to you, but to us, it’s repulsive. Being stupid and not
caring about yourself isn’t attractive. Remember, just because you make her laugh, doesn’t necessarily mean
she’s laughing with you.
“Stupidity isn’t punishable by death. If it was, there would be a heck of a population drop.” Fantasy
writer, Laurell K. Hamilton said this, and although I may not have read any of her books, she couldn’t be any
more right. Why this world is filled with such stupid people beats me. The more important question should be,
“Why are most of them in a building built for education?” Stupidity isn’t taught, and to be honest, I don’t even
think it’s learned. You don’t have learn how to come to class and do work. You do it or you don’t; that’s it; it’s
that simple. You’re not performing brain surgery. You’re a student; all you have to do is act like it.

Always Be Your Own Person
Cierra Pitts
Always be your own person, never follow anyone, and if you’re going to follow
somebody, follow someone who is doing positive things instead of following someone who
does negative things. You know you’re going to get into trouble if you do the things they’re
doing.
When you’re walking into middle school, you go in wondering, “Is anybody going to like
me? Will I be one of the popular kids? Will I have any friends?” That’s when you start looking
around, wondering who you’re going to be friends with or which crew you’re going to be in.
Lots of kids pick the wrong kind of people to hang with. Actually, it’s not really the person that’s
wrong, it’s their actions that are wrong. They know they’re wrong, but nobody is big enough to
speak up and say anything to anybody. Since nobody says anything , people just follow behind
each other and do whatever the next person is doing, because they feel that if they don’t do
what the so called cool kids are doing, they will be called lame.
This is where I come in. I was one of those typical kids who found some people to hang
around, and when I hung with them, I was doing things I knew I had no business doing. I knew
that I wasn’t supposed to be doing these things, because I knew that if my parents found out
what I was doing, I would of got into a lot of trouble. But, the thing was that my parents never
found out what I was doing. So I kept doing what I was doing because I was one of the cool kids
now. I was a somebody.
What I have finally learned from my experiences is that you don’t have to follow people
around just to have friends, or you don’t have to drawn into peer pressure because you’re
afraid of someone, or you don’t want to feel left out. Sometimes it’s good to be left out,
because sometimes the people that you’re following behind don’t even have enough sense to
pay attention to what they’re doing. It’s best to always be your own person and never let
anyone tell you that you have to do something that you don’t want to do; don’t do things that
you know have serious consequences, because even if you don’t get caught doing something,
there is going to be a price you’re going to have to pay in the long run.

Laundry
Alyssa Allen
I can remember watching my mom fold laundry when I was younger. Making it all neat, leaving no
creases and having everything done in no time. I would be amazed at what she was doing, how nice and
smooth everything came out at the end. Growing up, I was always fascinated at the work my mother would do
and how it would come out perfectly, and if not perfect, it was surely close. It wasn’t until my sophomore year
in high school that I learned practice makes perfect; anything you do with life comes out equal to your
dedication and the work you put into it.
It wasn’t until I was made to fold laundry, do the dishes and sweep and mop that I found out all that
stuff wasn’t all a piece of cake and fun to do. Back when my mother was doing it, you wouldn’t hear
complaint one from her, even when it was trying to match those socks that all look alike but have that one
certain feature that can throw someone off completely. It was a weekly choir that just had to be done. It took
a while for me to complete when I went from watching to actually doing.
I would always be told, “If you don’t do it right, you will start all over,” forcing me to have to do my
best. There were a few times when I was made to do it over, causing me to learn from my mistakes, where I
needed to fix them and make that change for the better. I can remember the time I was made to thoroughly
clean my room and and make my bed. The next day, after school, I was surprised by a room that had been
bombarded by my mother. She took everything out that wasn’t in its right place and put in it the middle of my
floor. She left it there for me to re-clean. Next time I had to do that chore again I made sure everything was
close to perfect; just the thought of redoing something gave me the motivation it took in order to get things
done right.
I hated everything about learning to clean the right way. From weed-eating and mowing the lawn, to
the sweeping and mopping of the kitchen floor, I had nothing but smart remarks and grunting noises the
whole time I was doing it. I never have grown to like chores; I moan at the thought of chores period. But never
has my complaining gotten me off of what it was I had to do; I never had a choice and it never mattered how I
felt that day whether I was going to do it or not. I had to learn that it wasn’t whether I wanted it done, but
that it had to get done.
One can compare education to chores, because, just like any teen, we don’t want to be tied down to
household activities, along with classes and homework. Our dream isn’t to do what’s boring, but what’s fun
and exciting; something that keeps our attention for a short amount of time. But you do it anyways with the
knowledge that a household chore needs to be done in order for your home to be lovely and clean. Education
is needed to reach your future goals successfully. So you need to work hard in both things, making sure you do
it right so you don’t have to back track and redo what you worked hard for already. If you learn from what
you’re doing, you will make yourself better in the long run. I work hard and put dedication into what it is I’m
doing so I can show off what I worked hard on.

Sherman Everette
“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” This quote,
spoken by Mae West, really sums up life in a nutshell. That’s why you are
encouraged to take risks and do well in all aspects of life. However, some people
don’t take advantage of life. I know I haven’t taken full advantage of life. Had I
done so, I would be a superstar athlete.
As a young child, I was considered more athletic and stronger than the other
children. I was always engaged in some sort of activity. My favorite sport to play
was football. But, I didn’t play for a team. I played street football with a few
friends. I never really was exposed to an area where they had a real football team.
However, my mom was. She lived right in front of the 10 th street Cardinals practice
field. I was never there to watch them practice, though.
I would always talk about football with my dad. When we’d watch football
together, I was so engaged in what was going on. Later on down the line, when I
turned 12, my friends kept encouraging me to join the 10 th street Cardinals because
I was now a permanent tenant at my mother’s house. I didn’t join though. That was
one of the biggest mistakes I made as a child. . If I could, I would go back to the
first day of little league practice. I’d have been the first person on the field.
As I grew up, I continued to regret not joining the football team. My friends
were astonished at the fact that I wasted my talent. Then I reached high school. I
still was a high caliber football player, but I chose not to play. As each year went
by, my physical prowess was no longer the talk of the city. Since I wouldn’t take
advantage of the opportunity put forth, I was never questioned again.
Regret is a terrible thing to live with. As I got older, I made the decision to
never regret anything. I will do whatever I want to do or be involved in at that
moment. I still don’t play football because I don’t have time for it. However, I do
play baseball. And I will continue to do it. If quitting ever comes to mind, I will
continue to play. Live with no regrets.

Tweeting and Shooting Angry Birds
Myles Brock
Nowadays, we use technology for everything. With the endless tasks that
modern technology can efficiently complete, technology is more than welcome in
any field of work, except school. School is one of the places that can benefit from
the use of technology the most, but with the iron fist rules that most faculties
have over student’s useful resources like phones, laptops, etc., they don’t realize
they’re not helping, but handicapping students more than anything. Why turn in
chicken scratch work on crumpled notebook paper, instead of a properly spell
checked Word document? Why fall asleep looking through a 50 year old
pic
dictionary for 5 minutes instead of just Googling a definition in two seconds? Why
spend thousands of dollars buying graphing calculators for students when most
have one right in their pocket? The internet is a vast world full of tools that can teach students like no text book ever
could.
Before 2001, it was illegal to have cell phones in school. They were disruptive, and were associated with drug
deals and other illegal activities. After the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001, parents were concerned about their kid’s
safety, so congress left it up to schools to decide whether or not to allow cell phones. Even with the right to let students
use cell phones, some states, like Rhode Island, still follow the guidelines of the old law, that students can’t carry cell
phones in school. Some schools allow students to bring cell phones to school as long as they’re off and put away. Other
schools still don’t allow students to carry cell phones at all in school. I don’t know about the rest of America, but none of
my friends, or anyone I’ve ever met, has used their cell phone to conduct a drug deal in the middle of class, Nor any
other illegal activity. I’m pretty sure if students public school students were allowed use of their cell phones, they
wouldn’t organize a diamond heist. Also, these guidelines are dated before 2001! That’s over a decade ago, when cell
phones were more similar to a brick than they are to a modern day cell phone.
It kind of becomes a common sense issue after a while. Schools try to rearrange their budgets every year to
make room for new resources. Computers, calculators, and books are all factory apps on a cell phone now days. Not to
mention the various agendas, notepads, calendars, and other functions applicable to school that can be very helpful. A
lot of schools have a strict no-tolerance policy on cell phones. Most schools confiscate them because they’re distracting
students from working. The irony, right? That’s kind of like confiscating a lighter so the camper can make a fire with
sticks. It’s traditional, but it’s not as efficient as a lighter.
Personally, I feel the worst part about the restrictions that schools have on cell phones in school is the fact that,
with the help of educators, students could accomplish so much more with a cell phone than what’s already possible!
Imagine the apps that would spring up for educational purposes. Microsoft Office programs, graphing and scientific
calculators, social networks for study groups, digital textbooks and more! 75% of teens in America own a smart phone.
Why not use this to our advantage? 75% of teens in America have one of the most powerful tools for education at their
disposal, but what are they doing with it? Tweeting and shooting angry birds everywhere. When Ben Franklin discovered
electricity, the world’s greatest inventors didn’t call it shiny and continue living in the dark, they used it to make every
day life easier. Why can’t we do the same now?
It’s not 1999 anymore. According to Moore’s Law, our knowledge of technology doubles approximately every 13
years and it hasn’t been wrong yet. If we could all just step out of the box and try something new, who knows what
direction we’ll go in? Maybe the traditional methods need some tweaking.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moore's_law
http://www.syracuse.com/kirst/index.ssf/2010/09/75_percent_of_us_teens_have_ce.html
http://www.ehow.com/about_6522661_cell-phones-educational-tool.html
http://www.ehow.com/list_6733767_laws-regarding-cell-phones-schools.html

Nobody Likes Dead Puppies
Cole Neel
Every year, between 5 and 7 million stray animals are admitted into animal shelters. Of these 7 million,
more than half are euthanized. Imagine thousands of innocent puppies and kittens euthanized each year. Do
you like dead puppies? Of course not. Nobody likes dead puppies, so why not adopt one before it’s killed?
Did you know that about 26% of adults, 18 and over, in America suffer from some type of diagnosable
mental illness? That means 1 in 4 people are walking around right now with something that just doesn’t
connect 100%. Not only that, but over 45% of Americans will suffer from some type of mental disorder at one
point or another. There’s got to be something that can stop this pandemic, right? Well why not just adopt a
pet? Not only are the effects from owning a pet beneficial to your physical health, but owning a pet has also
been proven to relieve stress, and also cure depression. They say laughter is the best medicine, and I dare you
to find something that will make you laugh more than an adorable puppy doing adorable puppy stuff.
Not only do these adorable bundles of fuzz and love provide a healthier mental state, but as I said
before, they provide physical health benefits. Research shows that those who have owned pets a majority of
their life live, on average, 10% longer than those who never owned pets or owned pets for only a small portion
of their life. Also, studies show that owning a pet correlated to having lower blood pressure and lower
cholesterol. Another study showed that owners of cats were 30% less likely to have heart disease. (Of course,
the same could probably be applied to dogs.) It should go without saying that adopting a best friend that will
love you and keep you healthy is much more desirable than dying 8 years early from high blood pressure, high
cholesterol and heart disease.
America is fat. There’s just no way around that. We have more fast food restaurants here than
anywhere else in the world. Heck, it’s hard to go more than a couple of blocks without finding some kind of
fast food joint or major restaurant chain. It’s something we need to work on as a country to fix. But what steps
can we take to get there? Well, there’s the obvious stuff that you’ve probably had shoved down your throat
more times than you can count: eat right, exercise, blah, blah, blah. What about adopting a pet, though? Did
you know that there’s a connection between maintaining a healthy weight, and owning a pet? Pets love to
play, and owners love to play with their pets, and playing with your pet is some tiring work. Those are calories
that you’re burning throwing that stick to Fido. Also, owning a pet may cure psychological problems that
sometimes contribute to overeating, which means healthier, fitter people. As a citizen of the fattest country
on the planet, I think that owning a pet might just be a good step toward our country’s weight goal. Not only
would we have an excuse to start adopting animals, but maybe we could lose our infamy as the fattest country
in the world.
With all the health benefits you get from animals, you’d basically be killing yourself if you didn’t get
one. There are millions of animals that need saving out there. So go out there, and be their hero. Unless, of
course, you like dead puppies.
Sources:
"Pet Statistics." ASPCA. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Oct. 2012. .
Richard, Jocelyn. "Obesity Rates Rising: 10 Fattest Countries In The Developed World (SLIDESHOW)." The Huffington Post.
TheHuffingtonPost.com, 22 Feb. 2012. Web. 26 Oct. 2012. .

Pet Statistics
Facts about U.S. Animal Shelters:
There are about 5,000 community animal shelters nationwide that are
independent; there is no national organization monitoring these shelters.
The terms “humane society” and “SPCA” are generic; shelters using those
names are not part of the ASPCA or the Humane Society of the United
States. Currently, no government institution or animal organization is
responsible for tabulating national statistics for the animal protection
movement.
Approximately 5 million to 7 million companion animals enter animal shelters nationwide every year, and
approximately 3 million to 4 million are euthanized (60 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats). Shelter
intakes are about evenly divided between those animals relinquished by owners and those picked up by
animal control. These are national estimates; the percentage of euthanasia may vary from state to state.
According to the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy (NCPPSP), less than 2 percent of cats and
only 15 to 20 percent of dogs are returned to their owners. Most of these were identified with tags, tattoos
or microchips.
Twenty-five percent of dogs who enter local shelters are purebred. (Source: NCPPSP)
Only 10 percent of the animals received by shelters have been spayed or neutered, while 78 percent of pet
dogs and 88 percent of pet cats are spayed or neutered, according to the American Pet Products Association
(Source: APPA).
More than 20 percent of people who leave dogs in shelters adopted them from a shelter. (Source: NCPPSP)
pic
Facts about Pet Ownership in the U.S.:
About 62 percent of all households in the United States have a pet. (Source: APPA)
About 78.2 million dogs and about 86.4 million cats are owned in the United States. (Source: APPA)
According to the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy (NCPPSP), about 65 percent of pet
owners acquire their pets free or at low cost.
The majority of pets are obtained from acquaintances and family members. Twenty-six percent of dogs are
purchased from breeders, 20 to 30 percent of cats and dogs are adopted from shelters and rescues, and 2 to
10 percent are purchased from pet shops.
At least one-third of cats are acquired as strays. (Source: APPA)
More than 20 percent of people who leave dogs in shelters adopted them from a shelter. (Source: NCPPSP)
The cost of spaying and neutering a pet is less than the cost of raising puppies or kittens for one year.
The average cost of basic food, supplies, medical care and training for a dog or cat is $600 to $900 annually.
Seventy-eight percent of pet dogs and 88 percent of pet cats are spayed or neutered. (Source: APPA)
Facts about Pet Overpopulation in the U.S.:
It is impossible to determine how many stray dogs and cats live in the United States; estimates for cats alone
range up to 70 million.
The average number of litters a fertile cat produces is one to two a year; the average number of kittens is four
to six per litter.
The average number of litters a fertile dog produces is one a year; the average number of puppies is four to six.
Owned cats and dogs generally live longer, healthier lives than strays.
Many strays are lost pets who were not kept properly indoors or provided with identification.
Only 10 percent of the animals received by shelters have been spayed or neutered, while 78 percent of pet
dogs and 88 percent of pet cats are spayed or neutered.
The cost of spaying or neutering a pet is less than the cost of raising puppies or kittens for a year.
The following data are ASPCA estimates unless otherwise indicated.
http://www.aspca.org/about-us/faq/pet-statistics.aspx

Courtland Haynes
Early childhood education is something that
should be a requirement for every child Every
child should have to go to school at the age of 3.
The earlier the child goes to school the better,
because it gets the children ready to go to real
school.
Children should be in school when they are
able to talk, because it gets their brain working
and gets them prepared for the real world.
www.edutopia.org states, “Nationwide, almost
64% of children attend preschool centers in the year prior to kindergarten, typically at age
four. On any given day, more than five million American youngsters attend some early
childhood education.” That seems like a lot, but you have to realize that www.childstats.gov
says that there are 25.7 million children in the U.S. between the ages of 0-5 years.
While in school, children practice many key components of the school day, including the
importance of routine. That’s key to early learning. They understand carpet time, clean-up
procedures, how to share crayons or even getting their pants off and on without the teacher’s
help. Children that young only have a certain amount of what’s called active working memory.
If a large portion of their brain is figuring out what they’re going to do next, there’s less room
there to spend on learning. Result: Early childhood education has a huge impact on their
ability to keep up in class.
Diane Flynn Keith, founder of Universal Preschool, says, “The only way to prepare
children for standardized testing is to teach a standardized curriculum. Standardized preschool
curriculum includes reading, writing, math, science, and social sciences at a time when
children are developmentally vulnerable and may be irreparably harmed by such a strategy.” If
you try to keep children home until it’s required for them to go to school, they won’t be ready
for school like other students who actually went to an early childhood education institute.
While working at a childcare center, I realized that parents think that their children just
go to school and daycare to play, and that’s not the case. Other parents think that their child
will be scared and over-whelmed going to school at an early age, but most kids actually like
going to school because they get to play and learn with kids that they don’t usually hang with.
The children learn and play all at the same time. If kids play while they are learning, they will
remember more.
While going to these early childhood education centers, children learn to play and play
to learn. Going to school at an early age is good for children for multiple reasons. I encourage
everyone to sign up their children for early childhood education.

They’re Still Human
Amber Tuttle
Some believe it’s a form of contraception, in all truth, it’s a form of murder. There are many views on
abortion, but pro-life has the most logical evidence. As we all know, life begins at conception. We also know
condoms are cheap and there are numerous forms of birth control. In the logical mind, there isn’t a reason for an
abortion to take place.
In everyday American life, we see people sentenced to years behind bars for murdering a human. That
makes sense to us, but what makes abortion different? Life begins at conception. Within the first twelve weeks,
everything is present and most even having function. A fetus is human, so why don’t these people go to jail for
murder?
People come in all forms, colors, shapes, and sizes. A fetus is a person, right? It has body parts and
functions the way we do. So how can people kill a fetus and claim it’s okay, but when a grown human kills
someone else it’s totally wrong? In my eyes it’s the same; murder is murder no matter what stage of life it happens
in.
With today’s doctors and medicine, there are many forms of birth control. It’s encouraged once a girl
becomes sexually active, that they start using a form of birth control. Although birth control isn’t 100 %
pregnancy preventable, there is rarely a case of a female becoming pregnant with the effective use of birth control.
Many claim they don’t use birth control due to the cost and insurance problems. There are cheap condoms.
Many gas stations have machines in the bathroom and for 4 quarters you can have a condom. If a condom doesn’t
work, instead of committing murder to an innocent baby, you could choose adoption. There are many women who
dream of having kids but aren’t given that privilege. You can always give your child to someone like that. You
always have the option to close the adoption or keep it open. Closed means you sign the baby away and don’t see
it again. Open means you send and receive pictures every 6 months and you have the option to see them once a
year. Sounds better than murdering an innocent child, doesn’t it?
With abortions come life-long, intense, psychological stress and pain. Many women abort a child and
expect to have an easy time when they feel ready to start a family. With abortion comes higher risk of ectopic
pregnancy, pelvic inflammatory disease and miscarriage. Also, through the process, you increase your chances to
develop uterine, cervical and breast cancer. Abortion can become a lifetime regret. Eventually might decide you
want a baby, but it’s too late because you’ve developed a complication. You also have to face the guilt of killing
an innocent child. No child asks to be born, it just happens.
We can all agree abortion is a form of murder. People take the life of an innocent child because of a
mistake they made. If people can go to jail for murdering a physically present human everyone can see, why can’t
we charge the people who kill the human inside a woman’s uterus? Murder is defined as killing a human; abortion
is killing a human. They should carry the same charges.
Resources:
- http://www.Christian action.org/za/articles/10rguments.htmhttp://www.pregnancy.ygoy.com/2011/02/16/top-facts-against-abortion/

WHO HAS ABORTIONS?
In 2009, 85% of all abortions were performed on unmarried women
(CDC).
Women living with a partner to whom they are not married account for
25% of abortions but only about 10% of women in the population
(NAF).
In 2009, 55.3% of abortions were performed on women who had not
aborted in the past; 36.6% were performed on women with one or two
prior abortions, and 8.1% were performed on women with three or
more prior abortions (CDC).
Among women who obtained abortions in 2009, 40.2% had no prior
live births; 46.3% had one or two prior live births, and 13.6% had three
or more prior live births (CDC).
Women between the ages of 20-24 obtained 33% of all abortions in
2009; women between 25-29 obtained 24% (CDC).
In 2009, women aged 20-29 years had the highest abortion rates (27.4
abortions per 1,000 women aged 20-24 years and 20.4 abortions per
1,000 women aged 25-29 years) (CDC).
50% of U.S. women obtaining abortions are younger than 25; women
aged 20-24 obtain 33% of all U.S. abortions and teenagers obtain 17%
(AGI).
In 2009, adolescents under 15 years obtained .05% of all abortions,
but had the highest abortion ratio, 785 abortions for every 1,000 live
births (CDC).
Black women are more than 4.8 times more likely than non-Hispanic
white women to have an abortion, and Hispanic women are 2.7 times
as likely (AGI).
The abortion rate of non-metropolitan women is about half that of
women who live in metropolitan counties (NAF).
The abortion rate of women with Medicaid coverage is three times as
high as that of other women (NAF).
37% of women obtaining abortions identify themselves as Protestant,
and 28% identify themselves as Catholic (AGI).
Adoption is a very good option. Many families want babies, but don’t have the option. You could
At current rates, nearly one-third of American women will have an
abortion (AGI).
http://www.abort73.com/abortion_facts/us_abortion_statistics/

De’Ericka Jernigan
Do you or a friend of yours suffer from an Obsessive Compulsive Disorder but are simply not aware of
how to address it? Well I am here to tell you everything there is to know about OCD and how you can treat
this disorder. Your first step is to realize and admit that you have a problem to a professional; your next step is
to get a clear understanding of what OCD truly is.
An Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is an anxiety disorder in which people have unwanted and repeated
thoughts, feelings, ideas, sensations (obsessions), or behaviors that make them feel driven to do something
(compulsions). Often the person carries out the behaviors to get rid of the obsessive thoughts, but this only
provides temporary relief. Not performing the obsessive rituals can cause great anxiety. I personally often find
myself re-checking locked doors or flushed toilets just to make sure of myself that everything is secure. When I
go back to make sure the door is locked or the toilet is flushed, I feel completed in some way and then I would
go on about my day. Although I do not re-check things multiple times, that does not mean that I do not have a
problem.
There are many signs and symptoms that will help you identify whether or not you have this disorder.
Most people who develop OCD show signs by the age of 30, but recent tests show that you can show signs of
this disorder before the age of 30. Other signs include obsessions or compulsions that are not due to medical
illness or drug use, and obsessions or compulsions that cause major distress or interfere with everyday life.
The main types of obsessions and compulsions are checking and rechecking actions (such as turning out the
lights and locking the door), excessive counting, excessive fear of germs, the compulsion to repeatedly wash
the hands to ward off infection, and the person usually recognizes that the behavior is excessive or
unreasonable.
Some reports have linked the cause of OCD to head injury and infections. Several studies have shown that
there are brain abnormalities in patients with OCD. This disorder can be treated using medications and
therapy. The first medication usually considered is a type of antidepressant called a selective serotonin
reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). These drugs include: Celexa, Prozac, Luvox, Paxil, and Zoloft. Although you have
medicine to treat this disorder, OCD is a long-term (chronic) illness with periods of severe symptoms followed
by times of improvement. However, a completely symptom-free period is unusual, but most people improve
with treatment. With that being said, if you are a victim of OCD seek help immediately and follow through
with treatment so that re-checking locked doors and already flushed toilets do not become a part of your life
as a daily routine.
References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obsessive%E2%80%93compulsive_personality_disorder
http://psychcentral.com/disorders/sx26.htm
http://outofthefog.net/Disorders/OCPD.html

Symptoms of Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder
A pervasive pattern of preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism, and mental and interpersonal
control, at the expense of flexibility, openness, and efficiency, beginning by early adulthood and present in
a variety of contexts, as indicated by four (or more) of the following:
Is preoccupied with details, rules, lists, order, organization, or schedules to the extent that the
major point of the activity is lost
Shows perfectionism that interferes with task completion (e.g., is unable to complete a project
because his or her own overly strict standards are not met)
Is excessively devoted to work and productivity to the exclusion of leisure activities and friendships
(not accounted for by obvious economic necessity)
Is overconscientious, scrupulous, and inflexible about matters of morality, ethics, or values (not
accounted for by cultural or religious identification)
Is unable to discard worn-out or worthless objects even when they have no sentimental value
Is reluctant to delegate tasks or to work with others unless they submit to exactly his or her way of
doing things
Adopts a miserly spending style toward both self and others; money is viewed as something to be
hoarded for future catastrophes
Shows significant rigidity and stubbornness
As with all personality disorders, the person must be at least 18 years old before they can be diagnosed
with it.
Obsessive-Compulsive personality disorder is approximately twice as prevalent in males than females, and
occurs in about 1 percent of the general population.
Like most personality disorders, Obsessive-Compulsive personality disorder typically will decrease in
intensity with age, with many people experiencing few of the most extreme symptoms by the time they
are in the 40s or 50s.
Movies Portraying Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder Traits
As Good As It Gets - As Good As It Gets s a 1997 romantic comedy starring Jack
Nicholson who portrays an obsessive-compulsive author and Helen Hunt, who plays a
waitress who has to deal with him.
Mommie Dearest - Mommie Dearest is a 1981 biography of Hollywood Actress Joan
Crawford, played by Faye Dunaway, who, according to the account in the movie,
exhibited Obsessive Compulsive, Borderline and Narcissistic Traits.
Sleeping With The Enemy - Sleeping with the Enemy is a 1991 psychological thriller
starring Julia Roberts, who tries to escape from her abusive husband, who suffers from
Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder.
The Aviator - The Aviator is a 2004 drama film starring Leonardo DiCaprio based on
the life of aviation pioneer Howard Hughes, a successful inventor, film producer and
aviation pioneer who exhibits a number of severe obsessive-compulsive traits.

What Are You Afraid Of?
Jasmine Coleman
My biggest fears are dying, thunderstorms and being chased by
clowns. People always called me weird for being scared of clowns, but I
couldn’t help it. After a while, I got tired of being the only one known for
being scared of clowns, so I went around school and asked some students
what their biggest fears were, and here’s what I got:
“I’m afraid of death, because I’m afraid of not being here on earth anymore.” Kai Wade
“I don’t know, there is something weird about clowns. It seems like they are so happy just to get you.”
Tyshell Morris
“I don’t like being home alone.” Kayla Drake
I’m afraid of crossing the street because I’m scared I’m going to get hit and die.” Somalia Pumphrey
Being afraid of death or dying is called Thanatophobia. It affects most people in the world, but
only 20% of those people have documented treatments and are on record for this phobia. Coulrophobia is the
over whelming fear of clowns. I have this phobia, but with me, its not how they act that scares me. It’s the
way they look. When I see a clown, I instantly see the red mouth and the white face, and after I see that, I
start to panic and try to get as far away from the clown as possible.
Astraphobia refers to the fear of thunder and lightning, it is a type of specific phobia. It is a
treatable phobia that both humans and animals can develop. Symptoms of Astraphobia include trembling,
crying, sweating, panic attacks, feeling of dread and rapid heartbeat. When it thunders, I experience
thoughts and feelings of dread and rapid heart beat. About 19% of Americans have Astraphobia, and about
15% of the world has it.
Here’s a List of Other Bizarre Phobias
Clinophobia is an abnormal and persistent fear of going to bed. Sufferers experience anxiety even though
they realize that going to bed normally should mot threaten their well-being.
Automatonophobia is the fear of ventriloquist’s dummies, animatronics creatures, or wax status. For
some odd reason this fear is justified.
Hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia is the fear of long words. I wonder how people with this phobia
talk about it since this is a long word itself.
Zeusophobia is the extreme fear of God or Gods. Another similar phobia is Theophobia which is the
extreme fear of religion or Gods – “I’m scared of God because he’s the only one that can take my life”- Torrell
Standard
Nyctophobia is a phobia characterized by an acute fear of the darkness. Nyctophobia generally relates to
children, but according to J. Adrian William’s article, “Indirect Hypnotic Therapy of Nyctophobia: A case

eport,” many clinics have pediatric patients who have a high chance of becoming adults who have
Nyctophobia.
Here are a list of just the phobias that begin with the letter, “A.”
A-
Ablutophobia- Fear of washing or bathing.
Acarophobia- Fear of itching or of the insects
that cause itching.
Acerophobia- Fear of sourness.
Achluophobia- Fear of darkness.
Acousticophobia- Fear of noise.
Acrophobia- Fear of heights.
Aerophobia- Fear of drafts, air swallowing, or
airbourne noxious substances.
Aeroacrophobia- Fear of open high places.
Aeronausiphobia- Fear of vomiting secondary to
airsickness.
Agateophobia- Fear of insanity.
Agliophobia- Fear of pain.
Agoraphobia- Fear of open spaces or of being in
crowded, public places like markets. Fear of
leaving a safe place.
Agraphobia- Fear of sexual abuse.
Agrizoophobia- Fear of wild animals.
Agyrophobia- Fear of streets or crossing the
street.
Aichmophobia- Fear of needles or pointed
objects.
Ailurophobia- Fear of cats.
Albuminurophobia- Fear of kidney disease.
Alektorophobia- Fear of chickens.
Algophobia- Fear of pain.
Alliumphobia- Fear of garlic.
Allodoxaphobia- Fear of opinions.
Altophobia- Fear of heights.
Amathophobia- Fear of dust.
Amaxophobia- Fear of riding in a car.
Ambulophobia- Fear of walking.
Amnesiphobia- Fear of amnesia.
Amychophobia- Fear of scratches or being
scratched.
Anablephobia- Fear of looking up.
Ancraophobia- Fear of wind. (Anemophobia)
Androphobia- Fear of men.
Anemophobia- Fear of air drafts or
wind.(Ancraophobia)
Anginophobia- Fear of angina, choking or
narrowness.
Anglophobia- Fear of England or English culture,
etc.
Angrophobia - Fear of anger or of becoming
angry.
Ankylophobia- Fear of immobility of a joint.
Anthrophobia or Anthophobia- Fear of flowers.
Anthropophobia- Fear of people or society.
Antlophobia- Fear of floods.
Anuptaphobia- Fear of staying single.
Apeirophobia- Fear of infinity.
Aphenphosmphobia- Fear of being touched.
(Haphephobia)
Apiphobia- Fear of bees.
Apotemnophobia- Fear of persons with
amputations.
Arachibutyrophobia- Fear of peanut butter
sticking to the roof of the mouth.
Arachnephobia or Arachnophobia- Fear of
spiders.
Arithmophobia- Fear of numbers.
Arrhenphobia- Fear of men.
Arsonphobia- Fear of fire.
Asthenophobia- Fear of fainting or weakness.
Astraphobia or Astrapophobia- Fear of thunder
and lightning.(Ceraunophobia, Keraunophobia)
Astrophobia- Fear of stars or celestial space.
Asymmetriphobia- Fear of asymmetrical things.
Ataxiophobia- Fear of ataxia. (muscular
incoordination)
Ataxophobia- Fear of disorder or untidiness.
Atelophobia- Fear of imperfection.
Atephobia- Fear of ruin or ruins.
Athazagoraphobia- Fear of being forgotton or
ignored or forgetting.
Atomosophobia- Fear of atomic explosions.
Atychiphobia- Fear of failure.
Aulophobia- Fear of flutes.
Aurophobia- Fear of gold.
Auroraphobia- Fear of Northern lights.
Autodysomophobia- Fear of one that has a vile
odor.
Automatonophobia- Fear of ventriloquist's
dummies, animatronic creatures, wax statues -
anything that falsly represents a sentient being.
Automysophobia- Fear of being dirty.
Autophobia- Fear of being alone or of oneself.
Aviophobia or Aviatophobia- Fear of flying.
To view the rest of the alphabet, go to http://phobialist.com/#A-

Hawp Ton & Devin Hayley
Hawp:
There I was, sitting in English, waiting for the bell to ring. It was the day of Central’s Championship game
against Belfry and I was ready to see them play. As soon as that bell rung, I hurried out of class and went to the
designated bus I was assigned. Looking around me I saw at least a hundred others excited and ready for the
football game, just like I was. As soon as we departed, the countdown began. There were only few hours
separating us from our destination to WKU. The ride was long, but when you’re going to see your team play their
final game of the season, it’s all worth it.
After a couple of hours sleeping in those uncomfortable bus seats, the time had came. We arrived at WKU
and excitement was in the air. Everyone was hyped and ready to support the Yellow Jackets.
Getting off that bus was a relief. My legs needed that stretch and walking to the stadium we were playing
at was even better. Looking around, I realized how beautiful WKU’s campus was. I followed the crowd to the gate
and as soon as I got to the front, I presented my ticket and went onward. I ended up following a group of people to
the wrong side of the stadium, but quickly did a turn about and found my seat on a bleacher close to the field. I
guess you could say I had front row seats.
This was the first time I’ve ever seen the Jacket’s play at a Championship game. I was excited and
prepared to see what the outcome would be. I already knew we had it in the bag, though. I’ve went to a couple of
games that lead up to this moment, and I wasn’t disappointed. We won several times and I know that all of the
hard work they put into practice, would pay off right here on this field.
The game was about to start, but my mind wasn’t focused on the game just yet. I was actually paying
attention to our opponent’s supporters right across the field from where I was sitting. All I saw was the color red.
They all looked like cherries in a basket, but what they didn’t know was that they were about to get squashed yet
again.
All I could hear was people shouting and I stood there wondering why when the game hadn’t started yet. I
soon realized that both teams were about to run out to the field. The Yellow Jackets came first, and everyone,
including myself started shouting for them. They ran out on the field ready to demolish Belfry. Next came them.
The returning losers. I have to admit that their idea of running out from behind a giant banner was pretty neat, but
that didn’t matter. What mattered was how the teams played on the field.
Half time arrived, and boy was I hungry. I got up from my seat and saw how long the line was to get food.
I didn’t feel like waiting, so I marched over to the other side of the stadium since the line was shorter. I ended up
getting something that wasn’t worth buying. The portion size of my popcorn chicken was not worth the money I
had spent. A bit overpriced is what I would say, but I got over it. It satisfied my tummy just a bit and that’s all that
mattered.
Half time was almost over and I was anticipating to see how the rest of the game would play out. I looked
over at the score board to see who was in the lead. We were tied 6-6. Third quarter had begun and everyone was

eady to watch. By the time the game was nearly over, we all were trying to figure out who would break the tie.
Would it be Belfry or us?
The end of the third quarter came to an end with the fourth quarter rolling in. This was it. We either make
it or break it. The score was still tied up 6-6.
Devin:
The game goes into OT. Coin toss. Coach Scroggins and Demonte Boyd meet Belfry in the middle of the
field. Central wins the toss and decides to defend because Coach Scroggins trusts our defense that much. The first
to score will win. Belfry moves the ball a couple of yards up until the QB fumbles it. The ball moves back on the
4 th down. Belfry throws and the ball gets deflected by Dominique Tolley. It’s Central’s ball. Sydney Tedford
comes in at QB. Central gets stopped for a first down, then a second. The third time’s a charm! Tedford sends an
amazing pass to Marcel Malone for a touchdown! The Yellow Jackets storm the field for a well deserved win.
Hawp:
There I was chanting “Central” and “3-Peat” with the crowd. We won, once again! Not only did we just
demolish Belfry, we successfully did it three years in a row. Belfry walked away in disappointment, but the
Jacket’s all doggy piled up on Marcel Malone. He was the one who gave us that point. Everyone in the stands
stood up, applauded and shouted in happiness because our Jackets did it once again.
That wasn’t the end of it, though. To further the celebration of our victory, the band came behind us and
started blowing their trumpets, banging on their drums, and slammed their cymbals. It was like being in the
middle of a crowd at a concert.
The time came to board the buses and venture off into the night to go back home. It was a long ride back,
but at least we didn’t leave in disappointment. Anything is worth it when it comes to supporting your school, and
I’m glad I had the chance to be there and support out Jackets. It’s a day that I’ll always remember.
Pictures courtesy of Mrs. Schmidt

3-peat
Champions

The Gossip :p
Senior edition
By Tyshell Morris
Hey, guys! Lately I have gone around the school and passed out some questionnaires. Here are some of the
answers I have gotten from a couple of our senior classmates!
1) If you were to compare your personality to the qualities of an animal,
which one would best fit you? Why?
-Heaven T- “A puppy, because they’re so nice and loving and love to have all the attention.”
-Lanisha Porter- “A fish. I’m a very fluid person and my world is like an ocean of emotions and dreams.”
-Erica Talbott- “I would compare myself to a mother swan, because I consider myself graceful and calm, but like a
mother swan, if anything happened to her babies, she’d go to war. If anything happened to my loved ones, I’d go to
war! lol.”
-Akilah W- “A monkey, because I like bananas.”
-Jameishia Carr- “Dolphins, because I’m smart. A Spider because, I’m scary and sneaky. Jaguar, because I’m
vicious sometimes -I’m also genuine
-Danielle Spencer- “Mine would be a kangaroo, because I’m carrying a child and they like to fight for their family so
I would do that.”
-T’asia P- “I think a monkey, because I’m wild and monkeys can be wild at times.”
-Tara Jordan- “A cat, because a cat is laid back and not really around people as much and that fits me.’
-D.Tolley- “A lion, because they’re the king of the jungle.”
-Hawp Ton- “A monkey would best describe me, because just them, I may be wild at times and I love to have fun.”
2) What foreign country would you most like to visit? What draws you to
that certain country?
-Jerri Thomas- “I would like to visit China, because I like how they make things to help us. Most of our materials
are made from China.”
-Chase Miller- “Puerto Rico. The girls, what more reason is there for me to go?!”
-Tiasia Bledsaw- “Brazil or Africa, because they have a lot of beautiful attractions and its part of my heritage.”

-Davon Carr- “China, to see if everything REALLY is made in China, and if so, how do they do it.”
-Myles Brock- “Canada, because of the Vancouver Film School.”
-Hawp Ton- “I want to visit Vietnam, my mom was born there, that’s her homeland and she talked about how
beautiful it was, so I want to see it for my own eyes.”
-Iesha Johnson- “I’ve never really had a big thing to go to a foreign country but I guess Greek because I like
Mythology.”
-De’Ericka J.- “I would love to visit Peru because I heard it’s a beautiful and relaxing place.”
-Kaitlyn Turner- “I would most like to visit the foreign Country Egypt. The Style and culture is what draws me to the
country. The people and the mood seem very exotic and interesting. I would love to meet my future husband there
because Egyptians are very attractive.”
-Ravan Lee- “Tokyo, because it’s a big city with pretty lights and it’s known for its exclusive technology.”
-Ladiomnique Garvin- “Brazil, because of the nude beaches. I can see sexy men walk down the beach with no
clothes (: that’ll be sooo AWESOME !”
-Anthony Thompson- “Egypt or France because of tourist attractions.”
-Erin Carr- “Puerto Rico, because it looks so tropical there. Nice and peaceful, plus I know my friend who’s from
there.”
-Kai Wade- “I would like to maybe visit China.”
3) What city do you see yourself living after college? Why did you choose
that city?
-Bobby Hughes- “Louisville, Because I love my city and I don’t plan on moving out of it.”
-Dominique Chandler- “Louisville, Kentucky”
-Nigel Ketchens- “I’ll probably stay here in Louisville or go to Michigan.”
-Asia Gibson- “I see myself staying here in Louisville. Just because of the fact I’m a home body and this is where
all my family lives. I don’t even want to leave the city to attend college, so why would I want to leave after college?
Lol (:”
-Brazil Payton- “C.A.- Los Anglos. That’s where I am from.”
-Bryant H- “San Diego. Because I miss my hometown.”
-Tasia Bledshaw- “Maybe I might stay home for my 4 yrs of college then when I go to medical school, California.”
-Chase Miller- “Louisville or Atlanta.”

-Jerri Thomas- “After college, I would like to go to New York or Florida to finish my life. Or I could go to Vegas
where most of my family lives.”
-Iesha Johnson- “Probably Toronto or Atlanta, if not Kentucky, because those are my other home towns and it’s
somewhere positive I wanna be.”
-Hawp Ton- “I see myself living in New York City. New York is all about fashion and journalism and those are my
two favorite things.”
-Myles Brock- “Probably Texas or Arizona, because those are the best places for a career in technology.”
-Kai Wade- “Carolina, Atlanta or California because they’re the fun city.”
-Erin Carr- “Houston, Texas. I have lots of family down there, plus their market is BOOMING!”
-Maka Haji- “Boston Massachusetts, because that where I will be going to college and I will live there after college,
as well.”
-Anthony Thompson- “Somewhere in the state of California. Many resources and outlets to success and growing
business.”
4) What’s something you want to do before you get too old?
-Kai Wade- “Get married at the Bahamas to a rich man who is talented and very smart.”
-Asia Gibson- “I have a lot of goals and priorities set for myself to accomplish before I get old. My main goal is just
to be successful. I don’t want to grow up with financial problems; I don’t want to have to struggle to pay my bills or
anything. Before I get too old, I want to have the ideal family and house that I have pictured for myself. :)”
-Ladiamonique Garvin- “I want to go scuba diving, skydiving, and bungee jumping.”
-Ravan Lee- “Get married have a nice family, house and kids.”
-Reshawn Robinson- “I want to be a top singer and to be a track star.”
-Sharetta Green- “I want to go to Paris with my soon to be husband and have a fun life before I get too old. But
you’re never too old to stop having FUN :) !!”
-Erin Carr- “I want to read the whole bible and I want to run track pro.”
-Brazil Payton- “I want to go skydiving.”
-Bryant H.- “Before I become too old, I would like to go skydiving and sky boarding.”
-Taisa Bledshaw- “Meet Nicki Minaj and overcome my fear of heights.”
-Chase Miller- “Be as athletic as I can.”
-Jerri Thomas- “I know I would like to visit all around the world. I also want to go to another country. Most of all, I
just want to complete all my goals that I have in life.”

-Iesha Johnson- “Experience life!”
-Myles Brock- “Get healthy enough to take care of myself.”
-Anthony Thompson- “Break every Track & Field record possible!”
-Davon Carr- “To experience or try to do every fantasy or dream I ever had. Also to meet a faithful girlfriend for
once.”
- De’Ericka J.- “Before I get too old I would like to visit Europe and see the beautiful art work they have.”
5) Who our dream date celebrity and where will y’all go and what would
y’all do?
-Asia Gibson- “My dream date celebrity would be my baby, Chris Brown, of course! We would go on a normal date
without any cameras around or anything. First we would go out and do something fun, like skating, then go
somewhere romantic later on, like out to eat. I want everything to be as normal as possible since he’s a celebrity. I
just want him to be himself around me. Instead of me just seeing who he is on cameras, I wanna see who he is off
camera. While being on this date, I would suggest that we go into the studio to see him work on a song, just
because I know that’s something he likes to do :)).”
-Ladiamonique Garvin- “Bow Wow; we would go to a very nice restaurant (5-star), go to the movies and just hang
out afterwards. Nothing too extra, just normal things average people do on dates.
-Jerri Thomas- “My dream date celebrity is Yo Gotti. I would like to travel around with him, visit his family, let him
meet my family; we would just have a very nice time and enjoy each other.”
-LaTerria Thomas- “Justin Bieber. What me and him do is confidential.”
-Torrell Standard- “My dream date is Beyonce, we would go out to eat and do anyhting else she wants to do.”
-Kai Wade- “Chris Brown is my dream date celebrity; we’re going to go out to eat and watch movies at his house.”
-Erin Carr- “Frank Ocean. He’s FREAKING AWESOME! We would talk at a coffee shop, then go shopping.”
-Brazil Payton- “Chris Brown, we would go to Kart Kountry and have fun afterwards.”
-Tasia Bledshaw- “Langston from the Rangers, and we would go somewhere in California.”
-Chase Miller- “Rihanna, whatever she wanted to do.”
-Anthony Thompson- “MINE IS RATED ‘R’.” lol
-Iesha Johnson- “Khelo Thomas - just a movie and dinner.”
-Dominique Chandler-“Rihanna is my dream date celebrity; we would go skydiving.”
-Davon Carr- “Rihanna or Melyssa Ford. I would basically take her out to a dinner, shopping, and be an all around
gentlemen and treat her right and show her a good time.”

Cheerleading is a Sport!
By: Jay’Mia Williams
Many say that cheerleading is not a
sport, but cheerleaders get injured just like
any other athlete. According to the
Associated Press, cheerleading should be
considered a sport to make it safer for young
men and young women. The American
Academy of pediatrics says cheerleading has
become more physical and athletic. I believe
cheerleading is a sport. This is not because of
personal experience, but because of sure
signs that cheerleading is defiantly a sport.
What is your definition of a sport? It
would be something physical; right or
wrong? According to the dictionary, it is “An athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of a
competitive nature; such as racing, bowling, wrestling, boxing, hunting, fishing, football, soccer, and baseball.”
Cheerleaders have competitions; so why not say that cheerleading is a sport? Cheerleading is physical and takes a lot of
strength. I should know from personal experience. Lifting a “Flyer” is not an easy job, no matter how small or short they
are. Tumbling, somersaults, back hand springs, round offs, and lifts all take strength. Most boys’ think that all
cheerleaders do is run, jump, say things that rhyme, and support the players while they run the plays. Cheerleaders do
much more than what it seems like they do.
It has been often debated whether or not cheerleading is a sport. The AACCA (American association of
cheerleading coaches and administrators) have talked about this issue. On their site (AACCA.org), it says that
cheerleading is looked on as a school activity. The fact that cheerleading is not being recognized as a sport is beginning to
make the funding for the cheerleading programs decrease. Eventually, cheerleading will barely exist. I know people
whose life is dedicated to cheering and supporting their team. Saying that cheerleading is not a sport is an insult to
cheerleaders across America.
The New York Times says that cheerleading is the fastest growing girls’ sport, yet still more than half of
America’s population does not believe it is a sport. Some people think that all cheerleaders are sideline cheerleaders. The
truth is that is not the case; there are sideline cheerleaders that cheer at games to show total school spirit and faith in their
team, or cheer at the games just to get
in the games for free. Then there are
competitive cheerleaders that are all
for the competitions, winning, and
having school spirit. Being a
competitive cheerleader is basically
the full package cheerleader, and a
sideline cheerleader is a half way
cheerleader who can really care less
about a competition. Sideline
cheerleaders are basically for
entertainment at games. I understand
that type of cheerleading not being
considered as a sport. Competitive
cheerleading, on the other hand,
should be considered a sport.
According to the Association
of Cheerleading Coaches and
Advisors, a sport is “physical activity
[competition] against/ with an
opponent, governed by rules and conditions under which a winner is declared primary purpose of the competition is a
comparison of the relative skills of the participants.” Cheerleading follows these guidelines. In a football or a basketball
game, you can’t go out of bounds. It’s kind of the same for cheerleaders in a competition; they have to stay in a certain

area of the mat or they will be disqualified or points will be deducted from their scores. In a Basketball game or a Football
game you can have overtime, but in cheerleading, when you’re in a competition, you have three minutes and fifteen
seconds or less to do a whole routine. Guidelines have to be followed, just like any other sport.
Athletes lift weights, which cannot be as heavy as a flyer who is lifted in full extensions for two minutes or more,
by one or more females. I would love to see a football or basketball player throw someone in the air, watch them spin and
catch them on beat. It is not as easy as it seems. To do back hand springs, it takes time and training. Cheerleaders do not
just learn the flips and tricks they do over night. Just like a baseball player doesn’t know how to hit a ball with a bat over
night. Nothing is overnight. No SPORT is learned over night! It takes true physical training and dedication to do a stunt or
a lift. Not two seconds, the amount of time it can take to learn how to throw a football.
IN any sport, things can go downhill and take a turn for the worse. If you don’t know how to lift someone in the
air properly, then they can fall and break something. I know from personal experience in middle school. Just like a
football player, a cheerleader can get a shoulder injury or a torn ACL (anterior cruciate ligament). Cheerleading injuries
are two times more severe than in other sports because cheerleaders don’t wear any protective gear. Also mats aren’t used,
because most cheerleading teams have no funding. You cannot buy something with no money; sometimes you wish you
could but truth is you can’t.
Cheerleading consists of lots of physical activity. Just like gymnasts, cheerleaders must learn how to tumble.
Cheerleaders lift teammates in the air, throw them up and catch them. Most Football players can’t lift one of their team
mates. On ESPN they have shown cheerleaders in competitions. ESPN is a sports channel, Right? I believe ESPN stands
for
“Entertainment and
Sports
Programming
Network”.
Keyword Sport! Now
if cheerleading
isn’t a sport then why
do cheerleading
competitions air on
ESPN? Now
come on ESPN is the
number one
sports channel. So I
believe that if
cheerleading is
shown on ESPN,
then it is a sport no
matter what
anyone says.
pics

Annimation, It's Real. Myles Brock
What is animation? Oxford dictionary defines it as the state of being full of life or vigor; liveliness. This
describes the way I look at it perfectly. Animation, to me, is just that. Making life of anything! Your
wildest imagination in plain sight. It can be as basic as drawing on a flip book, or as advanced as CG
animation used in our favorite films, shows and videos today. In my opinion, Animation is the most
magnificent production tool ever created, and with the right tools, anyone can broadcast their
thoughts vividly through it alone.
Most people see animation and think "This isn't real," but that's just it, it is. When you're watching a
movie, Marvel's: The Avengers, for example. The visuals in that film are just stunning. The Heroes
some people only saw in comic books actually there, with personalities. Anyone with common sense
knows that Marvel's comic book superheroes aren't real, and they aren't really in New York City
fighting Loki, the Norse God of Mischief and his Alien army, but in that hour or so the film is on, you're
seeing it! We all know the saying, "I'll believe it when I see it." Well, you're seeing it.
My Interest in animation started very early. Growing up, I was on the internet a lot, like most of my
generation. When I was 12 or 13 years old, I discovered Flash. For those who don't know, Flash is a
very popular animation software that's used professionally and domestically. Some examples of
shows that are made with Flash are Bob's Burgers, launched by 20th Century Fox; Ugly Americans,
launched by Comedy Central; Total Drama, Johnny Test, and Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends,
all launched on Cartoon Network, and various others.
I found Animation on Youtube. Flash to be exact. I started with leisure animations that weren't really
serious. I'd maybe show some friends and that's all, but after months of steady improvement and
encouragement from friends and family, it became a hobby that I would love to have a career doing.
When I first found out about animating, I didn't think of it as a career. It was always something I did
when I had free time. There was one project, though, that I was working on for about 3 weeks - the
longest animation I'd ever made at that point - about 6 minutes of a ninja stick figure fighting other
stick figures. I showed it to my Dad and he suggested that I post it somewhere, so I uploaded it to
Youtube. This was the point where animation became serious. This was the first time I actually got
feedback, both positive and negative. This also lead to me watching other people's animation much
more, and lead to me animating more and putting much more thought into my animations.
I started joining different Animation forums, like Fluidanims and Stickpage; Animation became the
most time consuming hobby I'd ever had. I met some amazing people who helped me reach a
potential I had no idea I had. After a while, I became the guy teaching new guys how to animate. I
learned the software inside and out and began producing animations way beyond my original
expectations. After about 2 years of animating, I decided that I loved it, and I want to do it for the rest
of my life.
My 1st college choice would be Full Sail University. "Full Sail’s Computer Animation program was
designed to prepare you for a career in this exciting field. By expanding your abilities as an artist and
learning the latest tools, applications, and design theory used to create 3D content for different media,
you’ll not only be able to take your art in new directions, but also put your skills to work realizing – and
sometimes even improving – the creative vision of others." (http://www.fullsail.edu/degrees/computeranimation-bachelors)
I'd love to attend Full Sail, but it's in Florida and I don't know if I can afford it. My second choice is

Sullivan University in my hometown. I still want to go to Full Sail, but I want to use my experience
from Sullivan to be more successful at Full Sail. Sullivan has a really good graphic design program
where I could get an Associate’s degree in one year and have life-time job assistance from them. This
could definitely come in handy if I'm going to move to a different state.
If I do become a successful animator, my long term goal is to become an animator for big productions
like video games and films. I'd love to get a job at Pixar or Universal Studios, or maybe Activision or
EA Games as an animator. I also wouldn't mind working on other visuals and storyboards. The typical
day for an animator consists of sitting with a client and discussing their vision, which sounds like fun
actually.
The salary doesn't really interest me. Growing up, my parents always taught me that money doesn't
buy happiness, so I always strive towards careers that make me happy, rather than careers like the
cliche Lawyer or Doctor rich guy jobs that parents want their kids to be. Personally being a Lawyer or
Accountant sounds awful to me. The money would be great, but I don't want to wake up every
morning and go to my stupid Lawyer job. I'd rather wake up and be happy to go to work.
To view some of Myles’ animations on his Deviantart.com site:
Stick People Annimation 1
Stick People Annimation 2
Stick People Annimation 3

Wanna Play Ball?
Davon Carr
Anyone out there want to be a professional baseball player? If so, there are many
things that you should know about the sport. In the game of baseball, about 627,000
injuries occur in a year. Out of those 627,000 injuries about 117,000 of them are endured
by children from the ages of 5-14. That’s a lot of injuries; it kind of makes you reconsider
playing baseball since it shows how often you get hurt.
There are other gruesome facts about baseball. The worst is that some people
have died while playing professional baseball. From 1983-2009, there were 52 baseball
related deaths. It’s not as bad as it sounds, because out of thousands of players, only 3-4
die a year. Tragic as it may be, it also goes to show that it doesn’t happen often.
Many injuries occur when you’re running the bases and you pull your hamstring or
cut the corner of a base too early and sprain your ankle. You can also can also get a
common injury, called a “strawberry” where there is a burn or cut on the skin. It usually
doesn’t hurt too badly, but depending on the area of the body where the strawberry is
located, it can be painful in the long run.
Injuries can also come from being hit by a bat or the baseball itself. I’ve had two
experiences being hit with a baseball that caused an injury. My first incident was in
pregame warm-ups last year and the coach hit the ball into the sun and I lost it and it
came down and hit me in the chest and it knocked the wind out of me. My second injury
was this year when the coach, once again, hit the ball up in the sun, but this particular
time I got hit in the eye. I had blurry vision for about 10 minutes and my eye was black
for about three days.
The most common types of injuries are in the shoulder, elbow, knees, muscle pulls,
contusions, and ligaments, black eyes, concussions, and lacerations. If you choose not
to have some or most of these injuries treated, they could be career ending. That is the
worst thing that you can tell an athlete, especially a dedicated one.
Baseball injuries occur to the upper body 51.4% of the time. Injuries to the lower
body occur about 30.6% of the time. That gives you a general idea of where most of your
injuries might be. Half of your injuries will be in your upper body which is the shoulder
region, elbows, neck, forearms, and chest. Every once in a while you might get a lower
body injury that involves the knees, hamstrings, feet, shins, and ankles.
You may think it’s hard to deal with those injuries. Not really; that’s why the teams
should have a team trainer. They will get you on track, or give you some type of
treatment to get you through the injury. If you don’t have a team trainer, then you will
have to worry about the injury and how you will overcome it.
Many wonder why there are so many games in the major league season. In little
league, you don’t really play that many, in high school you only play about 30-40 games,
and in college, you might play 50-60 games. The majors play a total of 162 games before
the playoffs!
Baseball is game of intelligence. You don’t have to be the fastest or the strongest,
but you will have to work hard and be dedicated to learning and practicing the game, not
only 24/7, but as coach says, “25/8,” adding an extra day and hour to be successful in
what you do. Anybody can give baseball a try; you don’t have to be super athletic, just
smart with good instincts. If you’ve been thinking about playing, see Coach Gunther and
find out if this game is for you.
References: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/09/health/09stat.html

Overuse injuries—especially those related to the UCL and shoulder—are preventable. Some
tips to keep you in the game throughout your life include:
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
o
Warm up properly by stretching, running, and easy, gradual throwing
Rotate playing other positions besides pitcher
Concentrate on age-appropriate pitching
Adhere to pitch count guidelines, such as those established by Little League Baseball (See tables)
Avoid pitching on multiple teams with overlapping seasons
Don't pitch with elbow or shoulder pain, if the pain persists, see a doctor
Don't pitch on consecutive days
Don't play year-round
Never use a radar gun
Communicate regularly about how your arm is feeling and if there is pain
Develop skills that are age appropriate
Emphasize control, accuracy, and good mechanics
Master the fastball first and the change-up second, before considering breaking pitches
o Speak with a sports medicine professional or athletic trainer if you have any concerns about
baseball injuries or baseball injury prevention strategies
o
http://www.stopsportsinjuries.org/baseball-injury-prevention.aspx
Youth baseball is a relatively safe sport for children.
Although injury rates and the total number of injuries
declined during the study period, our findings indicate that
there are opportunities for making baseball an even safer
sport for children. We recommend that all youth baseball
players wear properly fitted mouth guards, that all leagues,
schools, and parks install safety bases, that all batters use
helmets with face shields, and that all players use safety
baseballs.
http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/123/6/e1028.abstract

Upholding the Law
Kyle Givens
There are people who break the law and
think that they can get away from the
consequences. These people don’t truly care
about what happens to others, as long as
they have a good time. That is why
communities have prosecutors. They fight
for those who have been hurt. A
Prosecutor’s main objective is to prove,
without a shadow of a doubt, that someone
is guilty. Also, it is their job to make sure
that criminals are punished to the fullest
extent of the law possible. Prosecutors fight
for justice.
Defense Lawyers are another part of
the system to up hold the laws of the court.
Defense lawyers try to prove that the
prosecutors’ case is not one hundred percent
true. They represent the party who is being
charged by the prosecutor in a court of law.
Defense lawyers insure that the party that is
being charged by the prosecutor gets a fair
trial, as well as showing people that there is
no possible method that you could have
committed the horrible crime.
There will always be a need for some
kind of lawyer in our society. Lawyers
represent you and your best interests. Civil
suit lawyers can help you to receive money
for damages done to your property. The civil
lawyers who bring charges against you are
called Plaintiff. Plaintiffs represent those
who have been injured by someone who has
been acting criminally negligent.
When someone acts criminally
negligent, it means that they know what they
are doing is wrong; they just don’t truly care
that it could harm another human in some
way or another. Also, they don’t care if they
destroy your personal property. Civil suit
lawyers can help you to get restitution,
which the individual who has caused some
kind of damage has to pay to you.
To become one of the many types of
a lawyer, you must take an exam called the
Bar Exam. Each state has their own
requirements to pass the Bar exam. Once
you pass the Bar exam, you are licensed to
practice within that state only. You cannot
go to another state to practice law without
passing their bar exam. The only state that
you are allowed to practice law in is
Washington DC. You should learn about
what state you want to practice law in, and
find out what you have to do. In Wisconsin,
you don’t have to take the bar exam as long
as you graduated from a college within that
state.
In Kentucky only two colleges have
a law school. The University of Louisville
and the University of Kentucky; they are
some of the finest colleges anyone could
attend. Louisville law school is the fifth
oldest law school in the United States, and is
named Brandeis. He was a United States
Supreme Court justice, from Kentucky. He
is buried on the law schools grounds.
There will always be a need for
lawyers so people will be represented in a
court of law if they choose to. People will
try to break the law no matter what.
Lawyers will always have a job to do to
protect the interests of people to the best of
their abilities.

Below are some legal specialties
and the kinds of issues each works with.
.ACCIDENTS & INJURIES
Admiralty & Maritime
. Animal Bites
. Aviation Accidents
. Birth Injury
. Brain Injury
. Car Accident
. Class Actions Plaintiff
. Construction Accident
. Cruise Ship Injury
. Dangerous Products
. Defamation
. Drugs & Medical Devices
. Helicopter Crashes
. Insurance Defense
. Medical Malpractice
. Asbestos-Mesothelioma
. Toxic Mold
. Motorcycle Accident
. Nursing Home Abuse
. Pedestrian Accident
. Personal Injury
. Personal Injury Defense
. Premises Liability
. Railroad Worker Injury-FELA
. Rollover Accident
. Sexual Abuse
. Slander
. Slip and Fall Accident
. Toxic Torts
. Truck Accident
. Workers' Compensation
. Wrongful Death
BUSINESS LAW
. Administrative Law
. Advertising
. Antitrust
. Admiralty & Maritime
. Agriculture
. Aviation
. Banking & Finance Law
. Business & Commercial Law
. Business Organizations
. Collections
. Communications & Media Law
. Contracts
. Employment Law (Employer)
. Energy
. Franchising
. Government Contracts
. Immigration
. Insurance
. Insurance Defense
. Intellectual Property
. Mergers & Acquisitions
. Oil & Gas
. Personal Injury Defense
. Securities
. Tax
. Tax Increment Financing
. Transportation
BANKRUPTCY & DEBT
. Bankruptcy
. Collections
. Debtor-Creditor
CARS & MOTOR VEHICLES
. Auto Dealer Fraud
. Bad Faith Insurance
. Car Accident
. DUI-DWI
. Lemon Law
. Motorcycle Accident
. Motor Vehicle Defects
. Rollover Accident
. Tire Defects
. Traffic Ticket
. Truck Accident
CONSUMER RIGHTS
. Auto Dealer Fraud
. Bad Faith Insurance
. Consumer Protection
. Dangerous Products
. Debtor-Creditor
. Drugs & Medical Devices
. Housing & Construction
Defects
. Identity Theft
. Legal Malpractice
. Lemon Law
. Medical Malpractice

. Professional Malpractice
. Securities
CIVIL & HUMAN RIGHTS
. Civil Rights
. Constitutional Law
. Discrimination
. Elder Law
. Native Peoples
. Sexual Harassment
CRIMINAL DEFENSE
. Criminal Defense
. Criminal Law Federal
. Domestic Violence
. DUI-DWI
. Expungement
. Traffic Ticket
. White Collar Crimes
DIVORCE & FAMILY LAW
. Adoption
. Collaborative Law
. Child Custody
. Child Support
. Divorce & Separation
. Divorce Mediation
. Family Law
EMPLOYEES' RIGHTS
. Civil Rights
. Constitutional Law
. Discrimination
. Labor Law
. Railroad Worker Injury-FELA
. Sexual Harassment
. Whistleblower-Qui Tam
. Workers' Compensation
. Wrongful Termination
ESTATE PLANNING
. Elder Law
. Estate Planning
. Guardianship
. Living Wills
. Power of Attorney
. Probate
. Trusts
. Wills
HEALTH CARE
. Bad Faith Insurance
. Elder Law
. Government Agencies
. Government Programs
. Guardianship
. Living Wills
. Nursing Home Abuse
. Medical Malpractice
. Asbestos-Mesothelioma
. Power of Attorney
. Social Security Disability
IMMIGRATION
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
. Copyrights
. Patents
. Trademarks
LAWSUITS & DISPUTES
. Alternative Dispute Resolution
. Arbitration
. Class Actions Plaintiff
. Collaborative Law
. Contracts
. Litigation
. Mediation
MONEY MATTERS
. Bankruptcy
. Collections
. Debtor-Creditor
. Government Agencies
. Government Programs
. Securities
. Social Security Disability
. Tax
REAL ESTATE
. Construction
. Eminent Domain
. Foreclosure & Alternatives
. Homeowners Association
. Housing Defects
. Construction Defects
. Land Use & Zoning
. Landlord-Tenant
. Neighbors
OTHER TOPICS
. Education
. Election Campaign
. Political Law
. Entertainment Law
. Sports Law
. Leisure Law
. Environmental Law
. Ethics
. Professional Responsibility
. Gaming
. Gulf Oil Spill
. Identity Theft
. International Law
. Internet
. Military
. Natural Resources
. State, Local & Municipal Law
. Science & Technology

Vet Tech, and Big Ideas
Cole Neel
If there's one thing I've learned in life, it's that each and every one of us have a deep passion that nothing else in our life can compare
to. For me, that passion has been animals. No matter where I've been in my life; through my darkest moments and lowest points,
they've been by my side, loving me unconditionally. Other careers have crossed my mind, and I've lived through other passions, but a
career with animals has always come out on top.
Now, saying that I want a career with animals is a pretty broad statement. There are hundreds, if not thousands of different careers that
have to do with animals. There's marine biology, vet assisting, animal grooming, animal training, careers with the military. The list
goes on and on. So, what is it that I want to do? Well as it stands right now, all signs point to being a veterinarian technician.
For those who may be confused what a vet technician is, and how it may differ from being an actual veterinarian, let me clarify. Think
of a veterinarian as a human doctor. A veterinarian has an extensive knowledge on veterinary medicine, and is legally able to do
surgeries, diagnose patients, and prescribe treatments. Think of a vet technician as a nurse practitioner of the animal world. They can
do most of what a veterinarian can do (excluding what I mentioned before, of course). However, most of the care work falls onto the
shoulders of the veterinary technician. They take samples from the animals, help during surgeries, and keep a close eye on animal
health when they are being held in the vet building. Basically, they’re the care-takers of the animal world.
There are a lot of advantages to being an actual veterinarian over a vet tech. Vets make considerably more money, probably have a
more fulfilling job, and generally have a higher intelligence. So, with all these advantages (I especially know that some of you might
be wondering why I wouldn’t go for the higher paying career), why would I want to choose to be a vet tech? Well, being a vet tech has
its advantages as well. They’re hours are less demanding (I know a vet personally who works 12 hours just about every day of the
week), vet techs jobs are less taxing (emotionally and mentally), and vet techs get to spend more personal time with the animals.
The place that really inspired me, and showed me what a true animal hospital should be like is “Shively Animal Hospital” in
Louisville, Kentucky. They have not only some of the most amazing veterinarians and vet techs in the entire state of Kentucky, but
they care more than I’ve ever seen an animal hospital care before. They all work with smiles on their exhausted faces, knowing that
while their job is difficult, it’s their lives’ passions. They refer to all the animals as “the baby”, knowing that each animal brought into
there is just as important to the owner as their own child would be. They know the value of our pets, and they treat them exactly how
they should be treated: with love and compassion.
It’s this kind of place that I want to spend the rest of my life in. Working alongside people who care about their job, and what they’re
doing. Working on something that I don’t mind spending the rest of my life doing. I want to wake up every morning and look forward
to my work for the day.
You have to follow what your passion is in life, or you’re not going to be happy. All the dollar signs in the world don’t mean anything
if you can’t wake up in the morning, looking forward to more than something than green paper in your wallet.
Animals are an important part of our lives. They keep us healthy and happy to get us through the day. However, just like us humans,
animals get sick, and when they get sick, they have to go to their own doctor. These pet doctors, these veterinarians, are what keep our
beloved pets healthy, so that they can continue to make us happy with their love. For such an important part of our lives, why does it
seem to be that there are not nearly as many programs to keep our animals healthy as there are for humans?
Now, let me elaborate a bit about what I said. When I say “programs to keep our pets healthy”, I mean programs like Passport,
Medicaid, and other insurance assisting programs like those, that will help the financially handicapped to pay for their pet’s health.
Don’t our pets deserve to be cared for, even if we can’t financially care for them ourselves? Of course we provide the necessities;
food, shelter, water, and love, but sometimes, our babies can unexpectedly get sick or injured, and we may not have the funds for it at
the time. Now, in my own experience, I haven’t found many vet offices that would allow for a “lay-away” plan of sorts, which
allowed you to pay a little for your pet’s visit over time. The very few that I’ve come across that has allowed me to do this usually
charged an extreme interest rate, which isn’t good at all. So what are we to do when our pets need medical care and we don’t
physically have the funds to pay it? Are we to sit and wait, and hope that our pet doesn’t die soon?
Now, I’m not an expert on the economy, or how it works. I’m not going to pretend that I know all the repercussions of instituting a
“Pet Passport” program and I’m not going to act like I have all this entire idea planned out, but don’t you think that this is at least an
idea that should be taken into some amount of consideration?

FUTURE EDUCATOR
BY: Erica Talbott
So many people tell me that I look just like a teacher. I remember my freshman year, walking down the
hallway, I saw my friend at his locker with his phone out. Once he noticed me walking, he shoved his phone in
his pocket. When he noticed it was me, he laughed and explained that he thought I was a teacher. Now that I am
a senior, I’m pretty sure there are a couple of underclassmen who may think that I really am a teacher.
It wasn’t until this year that I really thought about becoming a teacher. I think what started it all was
when I started volunteering at a local elementary school. I have experience with working with kids at my church
as a Children’s Church Leader, but something about actually being in a school setting, was so much more
intriguing to me. I can still remember my first day and how all of the kids were so welcoming and just excited
to even get to know me. That is when I knew I would be hooked.
Now, it might be that I love being around kids, or it might be the fact that teaching is in my blood. My
grandmother was a teacher, and my mom was a D.A.R.E. officer (an officer who goes around and teaches kids
about alcohol and drug), for many years. My mom is currently going to college to get a degree in education, so
that is definitely another factor in my sudden epiphany about becoming a teacher.
People ask me all the time, “Erica, why in the world would you want to teach those bad little kids?” I
can only respond by laughing. I love teaching and helping kids with the issues they may be facing. To me, the
reward is seeing them smile or making them laugh. The kids that I work with, at the local elementary school,
have quickly earned a place in my heart in the last three months. I would do anything they asked me to do.
Being an educator is something I have a passion for because I think it takes more than just teaching and
following a certain curriculum. To be an educator, you have to have a heart for the students you’re going to
teach. I believe you have to be able to connect with them in more ways than just as an elder to them. My
favorite teachers were always the ones I could go to for help whether it was dealing with school issues or home
issues. Those were the teachers I felt helped me the most to grow as a student. Since I know the welcoming
approach my teachers gave me worked, that is the type of teacher I want to be.
The thing that does worry me about being a teacher is being responsible for so many lives. Some people
don’t truly understand how much responsibility teachers have in shaping their students for the future, especially
elementary school students. My biggest concern is being able to reach to all of my students and to really guide
them down a successful path. I would never blame a child for not being able to learn something or get mad and
accuse them of being learning disabled; it would be my fault as a teacher. As a teacher, it would be my job to
change my teaching methods to adjust to the type of student I’m teaching. I would just never want to fail at that.
Another reason why being a teacher would worry me is because of the dangers. Just this past weekend,
in Newtown, Connecticut, there was a school shooting in an elementary school. I couldn’t fathom ever being in
a situation like that. What in the world would I do in that situation with my students? Of course I would risk my
life for my students, but the adrenaline rush I would get would be so mind-blocking, I can only hope I’ll make
the right decision. Once I heard that horrible news, I immediately thought about my kids at the elementary
school. I could honestly see myself crying if anything ever happened to one of them. The fact that I would cry
over them and I only see them once a week, makes me wonder how hurt I would be if I was their actual teacher
seeing them every day.
Although an elementary school shooting is not that common, there are still other minor situations that
can occur. For instance, dealing with angry parents, dealing with students who have gotten sick or just basic
disagreements with co-workers can be an issue. That’s something I don’t have any experience with yet.
Whether I’m at the elementary school, or working in Children’s Church, I can always send those issues to either
the teacher I’m working with at the school or the parents of the child at church. That’s definitely going to be
something new to me. I know it’s possible to get through all of those situations. Of course there will be a bad
day here and there, but it’s a part of life; it just happens. What matters is how I respond to those situations that
suddenly pop up.
I know I could be a great teacher. There’s not a doubt in my mind that I can achieve it. If I just keep the
goal in mind, there’s no way I can’t get there. I love teaching and I love being supportive. I love the warmth I
get seeing my kids laugh or smile. Teaching is definitely a passion of mine.

10 Ways Teachers Make a Difference
1. Inspiring
Maybe your love of poetry was inspired by your first grade teacher reading Shel Silverstein's Where the Sidewalk Ends.
Or perhaps you became an engineer because of that cool experiment in your fifth-grade science class. So often it is
teachers who provide that initial inspiration that becomes a lifelong passion.
2. Encouraging
As a kid, this blogger never had any trouble with reading but was terrified by math. But with the patient encouragement
of my teachers, I learned to like - and excel at - math all the way through calculus. When students say 'I can't,' teachers
are always there to say 'yes you can.'
3. Motivating
Even for the best of students, there's always a teacher there to remind us to try harder. Putting 110% into everything
you do can help you succeed in all aspects of your life - and, of course, a teacher taught me that.
4. Realizing Student Potential
For some kids, school work just seems to come easily. And while there's undeniably a genetic component to
succeeding in school, a study published recently in Science reminds us that it takes a teacher to help us realize that
potential. Researchers studying twins found that genetics do account for as much as 82% of variability in children's
reading skills. But children who received more effective instruction (from a teacher, of course) were much more likely to
develop at their 'optimal trajectory.' The lesson here? Nature needs a little help from nurture, and teachers are there to
fill that role.
5. Role Modeling
When you ask kids who their role models are, they're likely to name movie stars or famous athletes. But it's really the
teachers they see every day who influence the adults they will become by modeling positive behavior, good choices and
a caring approach to life.
6. Developing Community
A good school often forms the center of a community, where students and their families come together to learn, share
resources and invest in their children. Teachers are the backbone of this community, creating the classroom and
extracurricular experiences around which everything revolves.
7. Leading
As student advocates, teachers play a crucial leadership role both in their schools and in the greater community.
Nobody knows the needs of students better than their teachers, and these professionals lead the way in creating
effective learning environments from the local to the national level.
8. Providing a Safe Haven
We all wish that the world were safer for our kids. But the sad truth is that domestic violence, bullying, peer pressure,
sexual harassment and discrimination are all things that schoolchildren can face everyday. A good teacher can be a
hero for these children. He or she may notice something's wrong, provide a sympathetic ear and help children find safe
and supportive ways to solve their problems.
9. Rebuilding
This year, World Teachers' Day honored the crucial role that teachers play in rebuilding a community after a natural
disaster or economic crisis. UNESCO reminds us that, 'Without teachers input to shape education reforms, recovery
processes are not likely to achieve all their goals.' Whether it's teachers in Haiti working tirelessly in shacks after the
earthquake, or teachers here in the U.S. providing a safety net for families who lost their income in the economic crisis,
teachers around the world are 'recovery's front line.'
10. Fighting Poverty
Education is the most important tool for fighting poverty. Without literacy skills and a basic education, families cannot
overcome social and economic barriers. Every day teachers in impoverished communities fight poverty by giving poor
children access to the education they need - and deserve - to make a better life for themselves.
http://education-portal.com/articles/10_Ways_Teachers_Make_a_Difference.html

Our Children’s Number One Hero
Jameisha Carr
Every grown up in the world should know by now that children rule the
world. They are the world! Helping every child in the world should not be an
option, it should it be mandatory. This is clearly because children are the
future. The future employees, the future singer, dancers, officers, doctors,
nurses and etc. but for them to be these great people, they need great advisors.
This is where the grown-ups today come in. Not just parents, but doctors and
nurses. Pediatric nurses and doctors are what they are. They are the best
super heroes of all time because when children are at their worst, they are
there to help them get back to their best, which means hope for the future.
They are medical heroes. They work with these children up until their 21
years old.
It amazes me to see the bright smiles on children’s faces when doctors and
nurses complete their mission of getting them well. I can’t stress enough about
how much I love these people because, I was once one of those children, stuck
in a hospital bed. I lay in that bed wondering if I was going to have a future.
Would I ever walk again? Would people still love me and my smile even
though I didn’t have any teeth? Look at me now, writing this and smiling with
my 32 teeth. Exciting isn’t it? They helped me and the other children have a
second chance. I thank god every day for blessing me with another chance.
I’m pretty sure that now those other children who were in the hospital with
me are enjoying their second chance, too.
I want, I have, No I NEED to be one of those heroes in my adulthood. It would
make me feel like the best women in the world. I feel like I would be giving
back something or sharing something that was given to me. I love children
anyway, so why not? I love to hear kids laughing out loud, just like I am able
to do, thanks to a medical hero.

Jamar Banks
I don’t make it to the NFL, I don’t want to give up football because it’s my love. I want to teach kids the game
of football the same way I learned, or maybe even better. I want to be a football coach.To be a football coach,
you have to go through training to develop your skills. In the business world, the coach would be called the
manager or training manager. American football coaches have different responsibilities depending on what level
they are coaching.
A high school football coach has a much more complete hold on the intricacies of the team. The coach might
also have to be defensive or offensive coordinator. Most of the time, high school coaches have to do more work
off the field than on the field. When you are a head high school football coach it’s important that you hire good
coach staff to cover for you in case you get sick and have to miss practice.
One area of difficulty for high school coaches is the parents. Parents often get mad at the coaching staff for not
giving their child enough playing time. I been playing football for about 11 years and it happens every year. But
as a head coach, you must be able to handle any issues that parents might have with the way you run things.
A college head coach has to be the voice and face of the team. The head coach is the one who gets hounded by
the media. Also they have to discuss off-the-field incidents, such as rule infractions or player. When you are a
college coach, it’s more of a career than a job. Some college coaches change jobs every 5 years. They rarely
stay at a school for more than a decade. College coaches have paid staff to help concentrate on the overall team.
Position coaches are responsible for the training and development of the players. They have to recruit and
develop the top players. Position coaches usually hold their practice with their individual players.
NFL coaches are the highest paid professional coaches. They work for millions of dollars a year, and have more
time to work on playbooks, giving them the opportunity to create new strategic plays that can lead to big wins.
Although a NFL coaching job is a very good job, it is also very stressful because so much money is at stake.
According to: http://www.coacheshotseat.com/SalariesContracts.htm
College football Head Coaches
make from $350,000 to $5,500,000.

Ob-Gyn As a Career?
Amber Tuttle
As a high school senior, it’s time I make my final decision about college and my
degree. My nursing magnet has made a huge impact on my decision. I’ve decided I want to
get my bachelors in science with a focus of Ob-Gyn.
An Ob-Gyn is a very hard degree to earn. It’s at least four to six years of college, then
four to six years in residency. Then after those 8 to 12, years you will finally have your
degree and be qualified to be an Ob-Gyn.
Ob-Gyns don’t only see pregnant women. They see females in general. Ob-Gyns can
specialize in everything from pre-natology to cervical cancers, fertility to menopause. They
also do 10-15 ultrasounds a day. Needless to say, some Ob-Gyns perform abortions.
Being an Ob-Gyn can be a busy life. Office hours normally run until 4pm. After that,
they’re on call for labor and delivery. It can be stressful, because you never know when
there will be a call to go to a hospital. Overall, being an Ob-Gyn is a 24/7 job. When dealing
with pregnant women, you must always be by your phone and ready to go. This job takes
passion, love, and commitment.
pic
An ultrasound scan, also
referred to as a sonogram,
diagnostic sonography, and
ultrasonography, is a device
that uses high frequency sound
waves to create an image of
some part of the inside of the
body, such as the stomach,
liver, heart, tendons, muscles,
joints and blood vessels.
Experts say that as sound
waves, rather than radiation are
used, ultrasound scans are
safe. Obstetric sonography is
frequently used to check the
baby in the womb.
http://www.medicalnewstoday.c
om/articles/245491.php

It’s the Law
Lanisha Porter
Law is supposed to ensure justice and keep citizens within the boundaries of the
society. However, more and more on my quest through the legal field, I see that criminal law is not always pure. Law
protects some, but what about those it violates and betrays?
Last year, we studied the case of a man named Alton Logan. Logan was unjustly imprisoned for 26 years for a murder he
did not commit. After 26 years of imprisonment, two attorneys revealed that their former client had admitted to
committing the crime that sent Logan to prison. Attorney-Client privilege had prevented the attorneys from coming
forward sooner. The death of that former client had allowed the attorneys to unseal an affidavit stating that Logan was
indeed not responsible for the shooting. When I learned about that in class I thought, “What if that client didn't die?
Logan would still be sitting in prison…What if both the attorneys died? Then who would've unsealed the affidavit?” It was
that moment I realized I would never be a criminal lawyer. No matter the salary amount.
The boundaries of being a criminal lawyer are incompatible with my own ethics, values, and beliefs. I believe lawyers
should be advocates of justice, but in this case two lawyers delayed justice from prevailing. I do understand the purpose
of Attorney-Client privilege. But in my psyche, I also understand that lawyers take an oath to defend the constitution,
and it could be argued that amendment number eight of the U.S Constitution was violated.
Let’s take a moment to learn what Attorney-Client Privilege is exactly. According to www.sgrlaw.com, “The attorneyclient
privilege is the oldest privilege recognized by Anglo-American jurisprudence. In fact, the principles of the
testimonial privilege may be traced all the way back to the Roman Republic, and its use was firmly established in English
law as early as the reign of Elizabeth I in the 16th century. Grounded in the concept of honor, the privilege worked to bar
any testimony by the attorney against the client. In other words, the Privilege is like a "zone of privacy" for the client no
matter what they did. As the privilege has evolved, countless policy justifications have played a role in its development.
At its most basic, the privilege ensures that one who seeks advice or aid from a lawyer should be completely free of any
fear that his secrets will be uncovered.”
After studying this case my law teacher asked, “If you were in the position of the lawyers what would you have done?” I
deeply considered the question. Without being biased, I thought to myself: I could--A) Honor the Attorney-Client
privilege, keep my license to practice law, advertently let an innocent man sit in prison for something he did not do, and
have guilt gnawing at my heart for 26 years. Or B) I could-- speak out, betraying the Attorney-Client privilege, be
disbarred from practicing law, lose money, set an innocent man free, and sleep peacefully at night. I raised my hand and
told my teacher I would gladly hand over my law license to the state. I’m a person who firmly believes in justice for all.
I don’t believe in justice for the richest, the smartest, the most attractive, or the more pre-dominant. I truly believe in
justice for all. When I think about what is next in my life, I know for sure what I don’t want. I absolutely do not want a
career where I have to compromise my ethics to ensure my livelihood. Just like one of my favorite quotes read, I too
believe that “Solely focusing your life on making a buck shows a poverty in ambition.” What’s the point in going to law
school for all those years and spending all that money to contribute to destruction of humanity? Not all lawyers are bad,
but the system they practice in is!
At this point you're probably asking, "What’s so wrong with law?" My answer is: precedent, racial profiling, how it's
more based on strategic method and finding loop-wholes more so than justice prevailing, and domination of the food
chain. If law was so effective then why are the jail houses still over-flowing with criminals. Considering that the bounds
of our legal system are defined by a document that is more than 200 years old our justice system needs reformation. In
law and government classes I have learned some of the best lessons and have studied some the most interesting cases,
but I have also encountered the worst heartaches. But the more I study law, there’s just so much I don't agree with in
the legal field.
Every system has its flaws, but for such a system that has such a heavy influence of the lives of others, you would think
we would work to improve it. Sure some charges could be expunged but twenty-six years of somebody’s life can’t be

matched or replaced. Alton Logan spent twenty-six irreplaceable years in prison for a crime he did not commit, while
two lawyers were fully aware of it. Two lawyers who vowed to be “advocates for justice.”
What Would You Do?
In Matter of Kozlo~a, ~cli~en t, while consulting Kozlov on an
unrelated legal matter, revealed that a juror in a highly publicized
criminal trial, in which the defendant was convicted, boasted of
his prejudice towards the defendant. The juror had stated to the
client that he purposefully remained silent during voir dire in
order to get even with the defendant.
In People u. Sulli~an,9an~ attorney retrieved a box for his client
containing three handguns used in a previous robbery. The
attorney used his client's claim check to obtain the box. He
testified in the trial of the robbery concerning the identity of the
guns, but refused to disclose his client's identity.
In Colman v. Heidenrei~ha,n~ ~attorney was informed by his
client, while counselling him on an unrelated matter, that a female
friend of his was the hit-and-run driver who had injured an
Indiana track star. Michael Tabereaux was currently being tried
for that crime. The attorney's client asked that neither name be
disclosed to the authorities. Colman, the attorney, revealed this
information to the prosecutor, who in turn told the defendant. The
defendant was granted a hearing on this matter and called Colman
as a witness.
http://www.law.ua.edu/pubs/jlp/files/issues_files/vol08/vol08art11.pdf

I have a passion for cooking. I love making my own concoctions. Making
DeVictor McElroy
something out of nothing is unbelievably amazing, especially when it tastes so
good. Most expert chefs own their own recipes and that’s what I want to pursue as a career.
Cooking to me is not just about boiling water or scrambling eggs, no; cooking to me is an expression of my
personality on a plate. Growing up, I went through many possible job choices like lawyer, doctor, teacher
etc… I soon realized that those jobs are average, and before I get attacked by those who have these jobs
because of my previous statement, there is nothing wrong with these jobs or being average; it’s just not
for me. I like being bold and outrageous, and with those jobs, there is a certain way that you have to act;
being a chef allows me to be my own boss.
One of the main things I think has been a driving point for me in my pursuit of a career as a restaurant
owner is that I can essentially be my own boss. I do realize that I have to answer to health code
inspectors, customers etc…. but who cares; it’s my job. This need to have my own restaurant and be in
charge comes from a authority issue that I’ve had for a while. I hate to answer to others when I feel like
I’m correct. Being a business owner would make others take orders from me.
One thing that has never been a factor when it came to my career was money. They say money is the root
of all evil; well, I must be a saint because I honestly don’t really care about it much. I might be
exaggerating just a little when I say I don’t care about money, but when it comes to my career, I’ve never
wanted to make a profit out of my life.
I didn’t always want to be a chef/business owner; believe it or not, I wanted to be a singer. Major shift in
careers, yes I know, but it’s because I have a passion for both. Singing and cooking are a way of expressing
me. The reason I settled on being a chef is because who honestly doesn’t like food. Maybe a bulimic, but
that’s a mental disorder, so they don’t count.
I think the one possible thing that might have scared me to pursue my thoughts of being a chef, was the
prospect of more schooling. I can admit that I honestly can’t stand school sometimes, and just thinking
about going back for more training sounded so horrible. After much thought, I realized that culinary
school wouldn’t be so bad because it is expanding on something I love to do, nothing like math or science.
One of the main joys that I receive from cooking is the happiness I see from people eating my food.
Cooking is not a hard thing to do, but it does take considerable time and effort to pull something amazing
off. I love how they appreciate the time I put into something for them. It makes me feel as though I’m
actually doing something pretty special in life.
Something that has always interested me about food is the different cuisine that other cultures offer.
Earlier this year in my Global Issues class, we studied different aspects of China, Japan, Israel etc…
including the food. In my personal opinion, I feel that food is not only the universal language of the world,
but also of love. Who doesn’t love a home cooked meal? Going to different countries, trying new things,
learning another language, tasting different food, seeing new sights; all of these things are beautiful just
like a nice 5 star meal.
I can remember growing up looking at TV; I wouldn’t watch cartoons, but the food network. Some might
think that makes me a fat child, but I think it makes me observant. I always found it interesting how a chef
could change something as simple as an egg, into something of pure delight.
The food network opened my eyes to the magic of cooking.
Food is one of the fundamental things we have to have in order to survive, and
it amazes me how many people don’t see it as such. Wasting good food while
others starve, it’s just not fair. I want to cook so that I can let other people
experience what I do when I taste and cook food. Cooking and being a chef are
my fundamental things I need to survive now.

Book Review
Lanisha Porter
Tuesdays with Morrie, by Mitch Albom. Hypersion Books,1997. 217pgs
In this philosophical novel, Mitch Albom poignantly and
compassionately writes a story on how he rekindled a relationship with his old
professor, Morrie. Mitch is very successful and is greatly invested in his career
as a sports commentator, and a journalist. Mitch’s life revolves around a fast
pace schedule, and he barely takes the time, to cherish time. This book offers
every one advice on how to cherish life and how to appreciate time.
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Morrie is 82 years old and he is dying of ALS disease. Somehow, fate reconnects Morrie and
Mitch during the last months of Morrie’s life. “Morrie was in a wheelchair full-time now, getting used
to helpers lifting him like a heavy sack from the chair to the bed to the chair. He had begun to cough
while eating, and chewing was a chore. His legs were dead; he would never walk again.” Every
Tuesday they meet up at Morrie’s house; reminisce, share the stories that have taken place within their
distant sixteen years, and Mitch searches for answers through his old professor. In short, it’s safe to say
Morrie is schooling Mitch on how to enjoy life. Although Morrie is dying and his health is declining,
he declines to be depressed about life. He inspires others and motivates himself to cherish the time
that's left, and not to count it down in sorrow.
The central theme of this story is to cherish time. Time dictates and touches everything in life.
Big or small, high or low, past or in the future. Marriage is especially touched by time. Mitch and
Morrie talk about marriage and the significance of it. Mitch is always really busy like I mentioned
above, and he expresses that sometimes it's difficult to merge the two-- romance, and work. Morrie
responds, “Love each other or perish.” Morrie conveyed to the readers that there is no greater gift than
companionship that works as a team through both the good and bad. He told how important it was to
make time for love. Work will bring you money, but love will make the house you lay your head in a
home. With time; love prevails to be something beautiful. Next, forgiveness is talked about in the book.
Morrie shares his wisdom on how we waste much time on trivial things that we don't forgive others. “I
was prideful. I shrugged off him, and a few years ago....he.... died of cancer. I feel so sad. I never got to
forgive him. It pains me so much now. ” You can't go back in time, you can only make the best of what
hasn't elapsed of it.
Morrie offers Mitch the best advice on how to live life and enjoy it. Mitch uses intimate and
personal conversations that Morrie and him have had to write the book. The style is very sentimental.
Each conversation becomes like a class for Mitch and he cherishes them, just as ALS seems to shed
another day off of Morrie’s life.
I recommend this book to every human being. This book is refreshing to the way we look at
life, and allows us to look at time and morality in a new light. Like other urban literature this book is
authentic in all its ways and there is never a boring moment on any page. It talks about the same things
people go through in every-day life—work, romance, harboring resentment, friends, health, and so
much more.

Fences, by August Wilson. New York, New York, 1983 120 Pages.
Antwone Sloss
August Wilson presents many situations that are very similar to ones faced in real life
in his books, one of which is racism. In the play, Fences, he stays true to his usual
style. There is a father who abandons one of his sons, and also discrimination and
racism in the workplace. There are also other situations, such as a boy who wants to
go to college but is prompted by his father to stay in the town and get a job to help
support his family, in addition to a mistreated brother who is a mentally incompetent
war veteran. And also there is a man who is cheating on his wife and ends up getting
another woman pregnant.
Troy is an unsuccessful ex Negro League baseball player. In the beginning of
the book he is a father of 2 children, but as the book progresses he cheats on his wife
and has a third child. He works as a garbage man with his best friend Bono. Troy grew up during a racist period
in time, and he believes that his son shouldn’t try to do the things that black people weren’t accustomed to
doing. Troy is having trouble relating to both his kids and his wife. There are money issues and other family
problems that take place within the household. However, throughout the play, Troy’s wife (Rose) and the
mother of one of his children, Cory, is worried about keeping the family united.
Troy and some of the other African American garbage men at the company are starting to think there is
some discrimination within the company’s management. Troy is sick of collecting trash while the white men get
to drive the truck. Although Troy doesn’t have a license to drive he still believes this is serious dilemma with
the colored employees. Because of the consequences that the colored workers may face, Bono warns Troy that
filling a complaint isn’t the best thing he should do if he intends to keep his job. Troy ends up talking to his boss
directly and he avoids the problem by telling Troy to take it up with the Union.
At this point of the story, Troy only has two children, Cory, which he and his wife are currently raising,
and Lyons, who Troy had by another woman but abandoned shortly after his birth. Lyons is a free spirited
young adult who doesn’t quite know what he wants to be later in life. Lyons seldom visits his dead beat dad,
except when he is in need of cash. Troy eventually encounters more problems when he finds out that his son
Cory, who he has been with since birth, decides he wants to follow the path of education and go to college, so
that he can continue his football career. Troy, who is still living in the past, tells Cory that he must go out and
get a job because black people don’t belong in sports, or in college. Cory starts to believe that his dad doesn’t
love him, and when he goes to confront him, his father tells him that his belief that his role as a father is to,
“Provide shelter and food and the gift of life to a son and nothing more.”
Most of this story takes place in the yard by the half built fence. Every Saturday, Troy tells Cory that
that they are going to go work on the Fence that Rose wants them to build in front of the house. Cory and Troy
don’t understand why Rose wants them to build the fence so bad, but later in the story Bono tells them that,
“Some people build fences to keep people out and other people build fences to keep people in." But every
Saturday, Troy blows off building the fence by telling his family he is going to the bar to have a drink and to
watch the game. Secretly, every Saturday, Troy is sneaking off to meet a girl from Tallahassee who he is having
relations with. The story takes a surprising twist when the Tallahassee girl gets pregnant and Troy tells his
family he no longer wishes to be a part of their lives.
August Wilson turns worse into worst when the mother of Troy’s new baby dies while giving birth and
Troy has to try to earn the trust and respect of his family in order to survive. Rose lets Troy back into her life
out of pity for him and respect for the newborn baby. After 7 years, Troy dies of a heart attack, but his death
leads to an astonishing event.
August Wilson brings joy to the reader even through moments of sorrow. Wilson gives the reader an
affirmative mindset during the most miserable part of the book. As everyone is gathered around for Troy’s
funeral, up the street comes Gabriel, Troy’s mentally handicapped brother. Gabriel comes running up the street
playing his trumpet. He announces that St. Peter is going to open the gates of heaven for Troy. There is a
moment of disbelief, but then a light shines down from above and Gabriel screams out, “That's the way that
goes."
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UNCONDITIONALLY SINGLE By: MARY B. MORRISON
Book Review by Andrea Ford
In the story, Unconditionally Single, by Mary B. Morrison, she gives very good descriptions of each
of the characters in the story. She never fails to give the message of the women in the story, and
how they are not the type you want to mess with; while most of the men are low down, grimy, and
good for nothing dudes. In the book you have to stay on your toes and never think you know what
to expect. Be prepared for the unexpected.
Honey Thomas is the main character and her life is anything shy of being exciting. Her life is
unpredictable and anything that can happen does. Honey is a very well-rounded woman. She’s smart, and pretty, but
Honey has a past. Honey used to be a prostitute and madam for Valentino James.
Luckily, Honey was able to let that chapter of her life go and move on to bigger and better things. Now she owns and
runs a counseling center in Atlanta that she founded to help women, like her, make a better life for themselves. The bad
thing is, Honey was only able to fund her business from the money she had stolen from Valentino. Now, her past is back
to claim what rightfully belongs to him even if killing Honey is the only way he’ll get it.
Valentino James, a cold blooded killer, is a straight thug and isn’t afraid to let you know what he’s about. Valentino will
do just about anything to get his hands on some money, especially if it belongs to him. He and his wing man, Benito,
kidnapped Honey in hopes of getting his money back easily, but if Honey didn’t give him his money back, Valentino was
going to “bash her face in.” Pg. 9
Honey had a true love; she just didn’t want to admit it to herself until he came to her rescue. Grant Hill, is not the
average guy he is much like Valentino in some ways. The only difference is Grant has money from hard work and he’s
nowhere near a thug. Grant is so in love with Honey that he is willing to lose everything just to get her to realize how
much he cares for her. Grant had traveled all the way from Washing, D.C. to save her life. Grant is “an honorable man
who will sacrifice everything for family, for success, and love.” Pg. 23
Grant Hill also has a brother, Benito, who is self-centered and unappreciative.” Benito isn’t Grant’s blood brother so if
Grant finds out that Benito has something to do with Honey’s kidnapping, things will get really ugly, really fast. Benito
used to be a pro-football player, he was an outstanding athlete, but talked a better game than he played.
Benito used Honey for everything she had while they were together. Honey had shared her house, jaguar, money,
heart, and the key to her soul with Benito, but Benito is just like a leech and leeches suck blood until they drain their life
support system; then move on to a fresh victim.
Honey isn’t alone because she has a friend and bad ones at that. The number one chick to call when you’re in trouble is
Red Velvet. “A woman’s strength was determined by how much she loved herself” Pg. 44 and Red Velvet loved herself a
hell of a lot. This woman is crazy. Red is willing and capable of tracking down and killing any man living in America. The
bad thing about it is she’s not afraid to do it or get caught.
Sapphire and Onyx are also Honey’s loving friends who care a lot about her well-being. Honey has helped them both
throughout their lives, so it’s only fair that they help her in return. Honey helped Onyx find her dead beat father and
Sapphire to escape her abusive marriage.
Unconditionally Single is a very well-written book and I’m sure lots of teens would enjoy reading it. It’s a thrill going
through each chapter and trying to figure out what’s going to happen next.
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I Have a Dream
By Tyshell Morris
I have a dream that one day
I will go outside and see kids playing instead of fighting
That one day I will see everyone with a smile on their face
That the killing and fighting will stop and the world will keep spinning
I have a dream that one day
I will travel around the world and help the poor
That one day the war will finally stop and everyone will come home to see their
family
That one day that I will go outside without someone judging me by the way I look.
I have a dream that one day
I will see my uncle again
That I will feel happy about my self
That there will be no end to life
I have a dream that one day
We will find a president who will make it easier for people to live
That racism will stop
And the lord will continue to save us from our sins.
I have a dream that one day
The world will be a better place to live
And that I will sleep in peace when I die
That is what my dream is, what about yours?

The Day You Broke My Heart
By: Erin Carr
The day you broke my heart was the day I became a stronger woman
I refused to walk with my head down anymore
It was a rainy cold Tuesday morning
I don’t like the rain very much
But that was the least of my problems, I never cried
But the day you broke my heart, I was flimsy like a weeping willow
My leaves no longer were bright green, orange, cherry red or brown, more of a pale gray
The day you broke my heart, I instantly realized something was missing
Was it your touch that would reassure my place? Or the way you looked at me with the glossiest brown eyes I’ve
ever seen?
As time went on and you forgot about us, I forgot about love
Your love was a highly addictive drug I couldn’t live without
Not like cocaine but more like ecstasy
Nevertheless, the day you broke my heart was the best eye opener I’d ever had
When I was finally able to realize there was life after you
When I finally realized that no matter how bad I wanted you
Like Michael Jackson’s BAD
I realized I did not need you
You were a teddy bear that I could sleep without
When it was cold in the mornings, and I blew my breath in the air
I saw that I could still breathe without you
I was still walking and talking fine without you
This confused me, because I thought I had no future without you in my past
Honestly, the day you broke my heart, I depleted my tears, I am done crying for someone
Who wouldn’t even shed a solid tear for me,
You can’t possibly know my story without seeing my glory

Erin Carr
Across
1. Affectionate phrase
6. What you crave
9. The second month
11. Red and thorny
13. A term of endearment
14. Dearly loved
15. God of love
16. Male companion
17. Vital organ
18. Openly affectionate couple
19. A kind of love song
Down
2. A romantic activity 2 people share
3. The mystery of love
4. Love in Paris
5. Strong emotion
6. Shallow feeling
7. Adventurer in Rome
8. Strong feeling
10. Showing fondness
12. Female companion

By Devin Hayley
Assist
Alley oop
Backboard
Ball hog
Brick
Swish
Buzzer beater
Dime
Slam dunk
Fastbreak
Foul
Free throw
Finger roll
Charge
Penalty
Rebound
Screen
Technical
Traveling
Trey ball