THE PANTHER PRESS The Voice of Career High School

March 2018 New Haven, CT careerpantherpress.weebly.com

Senator Blumenthal Visits Career

Ronnie Echevarria

Blumenthal poses with members of the Career community after a round table discussion on March 15. (photo/Mrs. Wilson)

In high school, the hot debate of gun control has never been more apparent. Career High School’s walkout in
protest of school shootings, loose gun laws, and recent issues in school security is evidence enough. Protests
took place all over the country on what was deemed “National Walkout Day,” March 14th, with an estimated
185,000 participators and around 3,100 schools taking part. It’s no surprise that acts of protest like this gar-
nered political attention, and this is the case with Career as well. On March 15th, Connecticut Senator Richard
Blumenthal visited Career High School to discuss the walkout.

For Career High School, enough was enough. Activism and change was the talk of the school, and there was
no better way to do it than to get active politically. A round table discussion was prepared for selected students
and Senator Blumenthal. Multiple news stations, including News 8 and Fox 61 among others, placed micro-
phones before a waiting seat poised for Blumenthal. The room had a nervous but excited air as the senator
made his way to his seat.

Blumenthal asked to hear what was on student minds before he shared his opinion. The discussion took off
with student experiences at the walkout. “It was really impressive. I didn’t think we’d have as big a turnout as
we did. We spoke on a larger scale that went beyond Career.” stated Amanda Mantegna, a Career senior. Jun-
ior Davionne Matthews was quick to add his opinion: “[It was] kind of a good experience; new. All the Career
students showed their condolences. We should have more community events for youth, no one should feel left
out.”

Students were joined by several adults from school including Dream Director Jay Kemp, and Administrators
Corcoran and Duff to support and back them. The adults helped prompt camera-shy students to speak and
share their experiences. Career’s own Student Government President Azhaléia Reyes shared her thoughts.
“Career really came together and showed consideration.”
Story continues on page 2 (Blumenthal, Continued)
1
Blumenthal, Continued
Eventually, a silence fell
over the room and Blu-
menthal seemed to process
all of the students’ worries,
fears, concerns, and heated
opinions. Finally, Senator
Blumenthal spoke. “I have
never been prouder of
young people in Connecti-
cut than yesterday. I’ve
never been more excited as
a public official. This is a
movement. Have no doubt
that this is a movement.
Just like civil rights, just
like women's’ rights. Great
social movements have
always been led by young
people. You walked out, but you didn’t abandon anything; in fact, you embraced a message. I have been
fighting gun violence for more than two decades. I’ve never felt nearer to victory than yesterday. What you did
and what you said will be remembered. You will be remembered. You are giving us [all] hope and inspira-
tion.”

No matter one’s feelings or opinions on Connecticut’s Senator Richard Blumenthal and his opinions or politi-
cal standing, it is a comforting feeling knowing that Connecticut stands with Career students, and students
everywhere.

The Panther Press: The Voice of Career High School

The Panther Press is a squad of students dedicated to getting the truth out to the public. We are determined to
give the people of Hill Regional Career High School a respectful voice.
2017-2018 Staff Writers
Beatriz Cartagena Melanie Velez Jordin Evans Imani Gonzalez Patrick Henri
Jonathan Melendez Solomon Bailey Tajah Menafee Marlon Myers Shaun Sloley
Alexandra Rosario Yaira Roman Jordan Nieves Thais Saucedo Sidem Yilmaz
Ronnie Echevarria Henry Smith IV Josh Wallace Gabby McWilliams
Anthony Troche Christian Soarez Carlos Tafoya
March Contributing Writer
Christa Nuzzo
Faculty Advisor: Ms. Murphy

Visit us online at careerpantherpress.weebly.com. Contact us at careerpantherpress@gmail.com

2
One Day, Nine Overdoses
in New Haven
Solomon Bailey
Panic struck New Haven. Starting at 2:52 p.m. on Thurs-
day, January 25 2018, there was a series of a staggering
nine overdoses. A public health alert was sent out around
4:30 p.m. K2 and heroin are the drugs involved in these
cases. These drugs are sadly too accessible and are caus-
ing tragedies throughout New Haven and especially the
Hill area.
An overdose is when a drug user’s brain is affected by
the drug that slows or speeds up the functions of the
brain, to the point where the brain loses control of basic
tasks for living, such as breathing and keeping the heart
beating.
Overdoses in New Haven are rising. For some people it
seems that there is a epidemic of one singular drug, but
Kenneth V Oliver, Jr., EMS Supervisor for the New Ha-
ven Fire Department, says that the dangers come from
many sources. Oliver stated that “the public should know
that overdoses could be from opioids or other substances
such as K2, marijuana, cocaine, morphine, and others. It
could be prescribed medications or illegal substances,
and most importantly, can result in death.” In regards to
how EMTs handle these situations on overdose emergen-
cies, Oliver reported that the Technician Basic Life Sup-
port (BLS) or Advanced Life Support (ALS) will evalu-
ate the patient for their level of consciousness, breathing
and circulation and treat appropriately.
If you are ever in a moment where a friend or loved one
is experiencing a overdose, time is of the essence. The
more quickly you respond to it, the better chances for sur-
vival and revival. If you see signs of overdose, immedi-
ately call 911. While you wait for a medic to arrive, per-
form CPR if the person is not breathing and if you are
trained to do so. Knowledge is power in these situa-
tions; you to be aware of the trouble that could arise
from drugs. Protect yourself and others by informing
them and yourself.
To avoid all overdoses, just say NO to drugs. If the public
of all ages would just say NO, we all would be better off.
-Kenneth V. Oliver, Jr.
EMS Supervisor, New Haven Fire Department
3
Favorite Classes:
Keep an Open Mind
Jordin Evans
Have you ever actually sat down and thought
deeply about what your favorite class is? A
lot of students figure that out on the first day
of school, but throughout the school year,
their choices can easily change, due to the
amount of work given or even just you get-
ting tired of the class that were once your fa-
vorite.
After asking some students what their favorite
classes were, you may find out that you favor
the same exact classes.
 Nidia Luis Moreno, 10th grade - “My
favorite class is biology, because the work
is easy and we do fun labs.”
 Burcu Tuzcu, 10th grade - “My favor-
ite class is math, because it’s chill and the
work isn’t that hard.”
 Janeli Yepez Gonzalez, 10th grade -
“My favorite class is U.S. History because
the teacher is nice and we don’t get much
homework.”
 Cielo Carvajal, 10th grade - “Probably
Spanish because I speak it well already,
so it’s basically an easy A!”
 Mikayla Middleton, 10th grade - “I
like piano class.”
 Oluwaseni Jengade, 10th grade - “My
favorite class is English because the work
is easy. The only thing that can be diffi-
cult sometimes are the essays.”
Think about which classes that you like. You
might even want to add to your list of favorite
classes. Having a favorite class doesn’t neces-
sarily mean you have to like the work-- may-
be you are good friends with your peers, or
you may even just like the teacher’s personal-
ity and how he/she is not boring. There’s
many ways you can favor a class, whether
you are a freshman, sophomore, junior, or
senior. Even in college you’ll most likely
have a favorite class. Most importantly, don’t
judge a class by the subject, because you may
end up loving it at the end of the year.
Tough Topics: Talking About Separation
Beatriz Cartagena

There are a lot of cases in which parents get to a point in their relationship where they tend to disagree and not
cooperate with each other, sometimes resulting in a separation. Often when this happens, there is a huge im-
pact on students. Their grades might start to drop, they lose focus, and don’t act like their usual self. Few stu-
dents understand the separation of parents and cope with it. Some students have good coping skills, and some
don’t-- and that’s normal in what can be a traumatic event.

Some students may start to suffer from PTSD if the way their parents separated was upsetting-- for example, if
they got separated because there were very bad verbal or physical altercations. A separation can leave a child
struggling emotionally. This is normal; people will always have anger or sadness built up inside them, no mat-
ter the age, even if they’re adults. This can lead them to isolation and social difficulties. The child can start to
feel guilty, and blame themselves for the separation. It is understandable, because it is a highly stressful situa-
tion, even though a separation is never a child’s fault.

When this happens, as a parent, you have to make sure you have patience with your child. You have to be a
listening ear for your kid, remind them that they can count on you, and that you will stand by their side no mat-
ter what. You have to find a way to work something out with the other parent, because eventually your child
will start to miss the other parent they are not seeing regularly. Don’t say bad things about the other parent to
your child, you should not put any negative things in their mind. Make sure your child knows that there is no
possible way that a separation was their fault.

Tell your child the truth; they will trust and appreciate you for your honesty. Have a good relationship with
him/her. To any student wanting to talk, “have counseling, talk to a professional like a social worker. We have
Ms. Maria in the clinic. Reach out an adult,” says Ms. Westerfield, social worker here at Career High School.

Long Distance Relationships

Jordin Evans

All around the world, there are people in long dis-

tance relationships. Instead of communicating in per-
son, they may facetime, text, or call each other as
much as they can until they get the chance to spend
time with each other in reality. These type of rela-
tionships can be difficult, but if you have enough
feelings for that person as much as they have for you,
then you’ll both make it work. (Photo/
jatenglive.com)

Statistics show that 3.5 million people in the world

(Photo/jatenglive.com) are dating long distance. This might be because of
job trips, staying with family longer than expected, or
moving to another state/country. Most long distance relationships are temporary because the person returns
after a while, but some aren't. Some people meet online. Instead of waiting to meet each other in person, they
both agree on starting their relationship through the internet. Lots of people are actually satisfied with the fact
that they may never meet their significant other in person. On the other hand, some people have trust issues
and can’t go on with the relationship simply because they think their spouse may be having a face to face affair
with another person.
4
Long distance relationships have been around longer than technology. Before people used computers, they
wrote letters and mailed them off to each other, waiting days at a time for a response. Of course it wasn't a
quick process, but it had to work for them since that was all they had at the time. When technology came into
existence, it still wasn’t a useful source- until 1995. During the year of 1995, the first online dating service,
“www.match.com,” was created by Gary Kremen. By the time 2002 came around, the population of people on
the site escalated to 26.6 million men and women. Ever since online dating became “a thing,” it kept and con-
tinues to keep long distance relationships alive.

If you ever try online dating out, please be wise and very safe. Remember, nothing online is ever cer-
tain.

Krissana McGaw: 19, Career Grad, Navy

Corpsman
Melanie Velez

Though many Career students see college as the only option after graduation,
the reality is that there are many paths that can be taken to achieve our goals.
Krissana McGaw, a 2017 Career graduate, discovered her path in an unusual
setting: she decided to join the navy and become a hospital corpsman.

Sometimes students who finish high school don’t usually end up going
straight to college, but end up in the military or even getting into the military
in order to pay for college, like Ms. McGaw. McGaw didn’t really think
about going into the navy until the end of her sophomore year, but she al-
ways wanted to go into the medical field. Knowing that it would be a lot of
money, she looked into what the navy could provide, and it turned out that
for her, it was a great way to pay for college.

McGaw was inspired to get into the Navy after learning about the prospect of
many college opportunities. As she did more research and really looked into
it, she liked the idea of getting into the field itself. She also said she felt she
would succeed and get more out of her life if she joined the Navy rather than
going straight from high school to college.

Before she joined the Navy, she had expectations just like anyone would. McGaw stated that her expectations
were like what you’d see in promotional videos for the military, with ships and firing missiles and new places.
After getting to experience things in the field, she says it’s really cool, but very different from how she imag-
ined-- like the fact that she is a hospital corpsman and she is only a 19 year old with patients daily.

To the students who want to join the military after your high school graduation, Ms. McGaw has simple advice:
“Do it. I personally think it’s an amazing starting point to build career and life off of. They give you so many
new lessons and qualities and they build you up as a person. So if you want to really go, I encourage you. On
that note, if you’re doing it, you need to be committed to doing your best. I’ve been in less than a year and I’ve
seen a lot of people who are just ready to get out already and who are, excuse my language, s*** sailors. Don’t
be one of them. They make us look bad and if they get in trouble, it causes even more problems down the road.
[They] end up seriously just messing it up for themselves. But don’t let that deter you if you want it. I joined
for the fact I wasn’t ready for college and I thought I’d not only experience more, but improve myself. And I
ended up falling in love with the Navy and my job so far.”

Our sincerest thanks to Krissana McGaw for doing what she does everyday.
5
The Permit Test: What You Need to Know
Gabby McWilliams

So as we know, there is a step-by-step process to getting a driver's license, and passing the permit test is step
one. Many people struggle with passing the test, whether it is from anxiety or the lack of studying. However,
there are some very simple tips to help pass your test where others fail.

Tip 1: READ THE DRIVER’S HANDBOOK. The handbook does include an enormous amount of infor-
mation, so it's easy to get overwhelmed and find other things to use to study. Instead of doing that, I suggest
you break down the handbook in sections just like you would break down chapters in a history book when re-
viewing for a quiz. That could be boring, so make the best of your time; write down anything that comes
across you as important. Speed limits in certain areas? How and when to use your high beams? Fines and pun-
ishments? Etc. This way, when you are done with the book, you have notes with parts that were the hardest to
remember for you. Junior Jadyn Sledge, who recently got her permit, said that “reading the handbook gave me
confidence.”

Tip 2: TAKE PRACTICE TESTS. You have nothing to lose. Not only will you become familiar with the test
questions along with their answers, the actual DMV test will be easier to complete. However, the test is more
than memorizing the rules and regulations. It’s more about understanding them so you can be a safe driver.
Senior Imani Gonzalez agrees, saying, “I used the DMV app, basically. There were three practice tests and I
just did them every day until I got the hang of them. I passed on the first try.”

Tip 3: DO NOT GIVE UP. Everyone doesn’t pass their test on the first go round. According to drivers-
tests.org, “35-43% do not pass the test on the first try.” Failing simply means that you need to prepare better
for next time. You now have the opportunity to learn from your experience. So keep your head up, and prevent
failure from happening again. Jadyn Sledge said, “have faith in the next time, it’s almost impossible to fail
again.”

Remember the important tips that I’ve told you. Take into consideration that you are offered the handbook and
practice tests. Once you pass, the next step is using what you have learned on the road to success. After 6
months of practice OR 4 months if you are 18 or older or attending driving school, you can then get your legal
driver’s license.

Test Yourself:

1. You are driving on a city street and see an emergency vehicle with flashing lights behind you. What should
you do?
a. Drive to the right edge of the road and slow down.
b. Drive to the right edge of the road and stop.
c. Stay in your lane, slow down, and let it pass.

2. For which of the following traffic lights must you always stop your vehicle?
a. Solid red lights, flashing red lights, and blacked-out traffic signals.
b. Solid red lights, red arrows, and flashing yellow lights.
c. Solid red lights, flashing red lights, and yellow lights.

3 If you have a green light, but traffic is blocking the intersection:

a. Stay out of the intersection until traffic clears.
b. Enter the intersection and wait until traffic clears.
c. Merge into another lane and try to go around the traffic. 1. b, 2. a, 3. a

6
Lifeguarding: Saving Lives, Changing Lives
Alexandra Rosario
Lifeguarding: What comes to mind
when you hear it? It's common to see
lifeguards all over television and
movies, but the portrayals of a life-
guard always seem to be a built Cau-
casian. Well, in the New Haven
community, we are all about change.

The Catholic Charities lifeguard

class began in the year 2014 by a
man named Jamell Cotto, who was
inspired to change those views of
lifeguarding. Before Mr.Cotto decid-
ed to begin the program, he noticed
at every swimming pool that the only
(photo/Catholic Charities Archdiocese of Hartford) employed lifeguards were white. He
realized there was a problem with
that. His belief and theory was to show that anyone is able to have the ability to swim, despite all the stereo-
types that are contained within our ethnicities.

Mr. Cotto knew in his heart that African-American and Latino kids could also be certified to save someone's
life. His goal was to demonstrate that kids of all ethnicities are able to swim by holding a lifeguard class. He
didn't expect his idea to have much clout, but after a year and a half the class gained more and more attention
from other cities surrounding New Haven. After the years progressed, classes only got bigger, and in the year
of 2018, this will be the biggest class that Cotto has ever recieved.

Cotto made a decision that changed all of the community of New Haven and showed that within all of our vio-
lence, we can convert that into positive outcomes for our futures. Not only did Mr. Cotto believe in us, he did
everything in his power to show us we need to believe in ourselves.

Overall, the mission of this program is to help keep kids out of the streets, away from hazardous drugs, and
simply away from violence. This program is also to teach ethical lessons in life, to behave the correct way
even when no one is viewing you. This program is to keep teenagres productive, to introduce teenagers to the
work field through lifeguarding, and lastly to teach them maturity and responsibility.

Cotto’s class has what we call “boot camp” for incoming new lifeguards that want to proceed in joining the
actual lifeguard program. For the boot camp, nothing is really much required besides your individual presence,
a swimsuit, and your motivation to get better. However, don't be afraid-- you DO NOT NEED to know how to
swim for boot camp. The goal of boot camp is to get you swimming in no time.

For the actual lifeguard class, you need to be able to show adequate swimming skills in order to join. A screen-
ing will be performed to see where the trainees are with their overall swimming. No skills besides swimming
are needed for the lifeguard class.

There are many ways you can join:

1. Catholic Charities (go to organization and pick up application )
2. Through the instructors themselves (speak to them and they will give you information about the class
and what you need to join)
3. Through a lifeguard friend
7
Killing Procrastination...Tomorrow
Carlos Tafoya

How often do you find yourself procrastinating in your everyday life?

Whether it be at school or at home, it is hard to avoid, but we all do it
sometimes. It's important to know why we procrastinate to realize how to
stop ourselves from doing it most of the time. After all, if you procrasti-
nate all the time, you never get anything done.

The main reason people procrastinate is because they are lazy or they
just don't care about their task. Another small reason why people do it is
because they are just disorganized. To help avoid this, here are a few tips
to avoid procrastination and be productive.

The first way you can avoid this issue is by thinking about your future
and how this problem can affect it; for example if you procrastinate on a
school project or paper, this will result in a bad grade. Another way to
stop procrastination is to simply change your mindset from “I’ll get it done later” to “I’ll start it today,” be-
cause as soon as you set your mind to something, you are more likely to finish it.

One last tip is to get rid of all distractions around you like your phone, TV, and video games. These are dis-
tractions that you will most likely be thinking about during your task, and having them around only increases
the chances of you just giving into the temptation.

Procrastination can also cause consequences that are not intended but still happen. One direct consequence is
you will lose precious time. Imagine that a couple years have passed by and nothing has happened because
you feel the need to push things aside. Once this happens, you have to live with that regret. If you wait a
while to decide something that is important, your anxiety will eventually kick in and force you to make a
quick decision, which will most likely be a bad one. When you’re overwhelmed with anxiety, you will start
making poor decisions. Stress is also a factor in procrastination. It can lead to problems with both physical
and mental health such as depression, insomnia, headaches. To make matters worse, people who constantly
procrastinate might put off a doctor’s check-up which is not healthy.

Procrastination is not the worst thing in the world because it can be fixed, but it can ruin your reputation if
done constantly. Do yourself a favor and learn early to avoid this most of the time in order to be successful.

TEST DATE MORNING EXAMS (8 A.M.) AFTERNOON EXAMS (12 NOON)

AP Schedule:
Week 1 May 7, 2018  Chemistry  Psychology
 Spanish Literature and Culture

May 8, 2018  Seminar  Art History

 Spanish Language and Culture  Physics 1: Algebra-Based

May 9, 2018  English Literature and Composition  Japanese Language and Culture
 Physics 2: Algebra-Based

May 10, 2018  United States Government and Politics  Chinese Language and Culture
 Environmental Science

May 11, 2018  German Language and Culture  Computer Science Principles
 United States History
8
How To Get Through AP Tests Alive
Ronnie Echevarria

As May remains somewhat in the distance, the upcoming Advanced Placement tests are off the minds of most
of the student body, but it’s important to remember that the tests are quickly approaching. It is vital to prepare
far ahead of time, especially if this round of upcoming AP tests will be your first. It can seem frightening or
insurmountable to go through your first AP test (or any test at all, for that matter), but not to worry, this senior
student journalist is here to help! As someone who’s taken and passed two AP tests, and someone who is cur-
rently enrolled in three more AP classes, I can assure you that if you stay on task and follow these steps, you’ll
be fine.

First things first: Find out your test date. Finding out the exact date of your test gives you ample time to
start preparing for the big day. It might seem excessive or extra, but trust me when I say you will want every
spare second to study and prepare for your AP test. Getting a copy of the AP schedule or asking your teacher
when your test is scheduled is a good place to start.

Understand the seriousness. These tests are difficult. They are professionally made to be annoying, hard, and
overall confusing. Understand this, and understand the fact that passing the test with a three or above could
potentially save you a lot of money. If the college you plan on going to accepts AP tests in place of class cred-
its, you could possibly skip a lot of freshman classes, with the credits, for free.

Pay attention in class. Yeah, that one is a given, and a bit cliché, but it is no less true and essential. You will
save yourself a lot of studying if you simply have a good grasp on the material in the first place. If you aren’t
already, start taking detailed, dated notes that will be useful when you want to review.

Ask teachers for extra help. If you are struggling with a particular AP class, request to stay after school or
during lunch for extra help. Most teachers will stay after with you and be enthused you cared enough to ask!
Staying after gives you an edge on the test. Your teachers are here to help you, not hinder you. Don’t be afraid
to ask for help-- that’s what teachers are there for.

Practice released AP questions. One pretty cool thing about the AP tests is that each year the AP committee
releases the old tests’ questions. They’re easily found on google, and there are plenty of YouTube tutorials to
go with them. Whether you practice them on your own or do them in class, it is a very good idea to get used to
the AP style of questioning (that being backwards, difficult, and all-around confusing and extensive).

Finally, ask former and current AP students for help! No one knows about AP testing better than people
who have actually taken the tests before. There is power in numbers, unite with your fellow AP students; you
are not enemies, you are allies in the fight to do well. If you want to know the ‘ins-and-outs’, what to expect,
and the general student opinion on past AP tests, ask your peers. Most everyone you encounter will be happy
to share the honest truth with you about the AP.

Remember that grades and scores have no tie to your worth as a person, and that Advanced Placement isn’t for
everyone. If AP isn’t for you, or you don’t do so well on the test, don’t beat yourself up. You don’t need to be
an AP student to be a good student, or a good person at all. What’s most important is to try your best and stay
motivated.

9
Start Studying Efficiently
Carlos Tafoya

Even though we pretend it isn’t, studying is essential for school and is something that you need to do in order
to be successful in class with your tests and quizzes. Sometimes kids don’t study because they are lazy or
they don't know how to prepare, so here are a few tips to help improve the quality and effectiveness of your
study time.

When you study, you should always find a quiet room so you are not distracted by electronics or other peo-
ple. Easy distractions like this will make you even more prone to just giving up. Your study area should also
be well cleaned and organized, because if you have a messy area it would seem that you have a load of work
even though you really don’t.

One productivity method that is very useful is the Pomodoro method which was developed by Francesco Ci-
rillo. This method is when you set a timer for 25 minutes. In this time, you are supposed to study. Once the
timer is done, you can take a three-to-five minute break. As you do this more, you can take longer breaks and
then eventually reset it back to five minute breaks.

Using a planner or checklist is an obvious choice and very cheap, but not everyone uses one. This also goes
with being organized because it keeps you in check with what you need to do. This is a great idea for not get-
ting confused and either forgetting about tasks or study something completely incorrect.

There is also a special application on Google called Google Keep which allows you to make to-do lists and
organize the different events you need to do throughout the day. This is useful for people who don't want a
planner, but who want to use a digital approach to making checklists or agendas.

As Quarter 4 and final exams approach, make sure you find something that works for you.

MORNING EXAMS (8 AFTERNOON EXAMS AFTERNOON

TEST DATE A.M.) (12 NOON) EXAMS (2 P.M.)
AP Schedule: Week 2
May 14, 2018  Biology  Physics C: Mechanics  Physics C:
 Music Theory Electricity and
Magnetism

May 15, 2018  Calculus AB  French Language and

 Calculus BC Culture
 Computer Science A

May 16, 2018  English Language and  Italian Language and

Composition Culture
 Macroeconomics

May 17, 2018  Comparative Govern-  Statistics

ment and Politics
 World History

May 18, 2018  Human Geography  European History

 Microeconomics  Latin

10
Matthew Shepard: Our Laramie Project Journey
Thais Saucedo

In Ms. Robinson’s 1A English class, a group of kids worked together to discover

their own Laramie project. What is the Laramie Project? Ms. Robinson taught us
about the story of a young gay man, Matthew Shepard, who was in college. In
1998, he was kidnapped, severely beaten, and left to die on a fence in Laramie,
Wyoming. A lot of people from this small town-- and across the world-- were
affected by this murder.

Many people protested to bring attention to this hate crime. However, some also
somehow viewed this evil crime as a form of justice. For religious reasons, cer-
tain people were basically saying Matthew Shepard made this happen to him be-
cause he was gay.

The two people who were found guilty for this heinous hate crime were Aaron
McKinney and Russell Henderson. They were charged with first degree murder
and given two life sentences. This huge hate crime was heard all over the US after it happened. It was one of
the most known stories across the country. This was in a time when many gay people did not feel safe to be
out. Shepard was out, though, and he was targeted.

Matthew was 21 at the time he was murdered. His parents were devastated from his death. Today, many peo-
ple do not know about the hate crime and murder of Matthew Shepard, even though it was huge news. People
tried to tell Matthew’s story through movies, books, and plays.

This small community of Laramie was surprised at how much media their small Wyoming town was getting
because of Shepard being murdered so horribly just because he was gay, and for being different. Journalists
went into Laramie to interview the people from this small town to find out how they all felt and saw things so
they can write about it from their perspectives. The play they wrote as a result of these interviews is called The
Laramie Project.

Once the whole class learned about what this whole story was about, Ms. Robinson assigned the class a group
project. We were assigned to do something meaningful for our community that would make a positive change.
My group-- Thais Saucedo, Jose Yanes, Denise Morallon, and Jamel Sharhan-- decided to give back to our
school. We all bought candy and printed out meaningful notes and attached it to the candy. We gave them out
to students and teachers. Our goal was to simply put a smile on someone else's face and make them feel good
about themselves .

Our project was done in the spirit of The Laramie Project. It is so sad, but Matthew’s story has happened many
times. Matthew was just one of the many people who got murdered because of who they are attracted to. It
isn’t fair, but it's how ugly the world can be.

I hope many people learn about what happened to Matthew so many years ago. No matter how long it’s been
since it happened, his story touched my heart, it’s such a sad story. No one deserves to go through what Mat-
thew went through in Laramie.

11
Fast Food: How Much is Too Much?
Yaira Roman

How much fast food do you consume in a day, a week,

maybe a whole month? Do you ever stop to think how
much fast food you eat? Many teens do not realize
how much fast food they eat. This is one of the major
causes of obesity in the United States. At Hill Regional
Career High School, there are many students walking
into the school doors every day with at least one item
that they bought from a fast food restaurant. Some bring
Dunkin Donuts iced coffee almost every day. However,
they do not realize the harm that they’re causing them-
selves by consuming iced coffee on a daily basis.

What can cause students or even adults to eat a lot, or eat

fast food constantly? Maybe it's become a habit and it is
not noticeable to them yet. One of the health and science
teachers at Career, Haifa Jalil, says that students have to
change their eating habits, which is difficult when some-
(Photo/newsmax.com) times they may not know whether or not they have a
habit. People wanting to change “have to look back at
their habits and they have to definitely change their habits. It's hard, they would have to talk to someone, to
have them make a plan, like switching to healthy meals.” Some of the healthy meals that Jalil recommends are
snacks of fruits and and vegetables. “Snacking on fruits and vegetables and yogurt is better, instead of snack-
ing [on food] like chips-- they have a lot of calories. Eating healthy foods is a way to cut down calories.”

Though fast food is delicious, have you ever stopped to think about what could happen if you eat too much fast
food? Yes, there are consequences. Many health problems can occur. Ms. Jalil agrees, saying, “of course
there's a lot of health risks! First of all, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes-- some kids might not
see that because they are still young, but it's going to affect them in the long run.”

Some other options that can be helpful is maybe choosing healthier options when eating out or choosing
healthier fast food places. Panera Bread for example, has some healthy food choices-- more restaurants should
follow their path. Jalil says that while Panera Bread is considered fast food, it can be a good choice “because
some of [the meals] have dry fruits. They should give you more options, like soup and salad. Not like fries and
heavy cheeseburgers.”

Some of the reasons why people eat fast food a lot is because maybe they are dealing with emotions. One of
them could be stress or anger. Jalil says people turn to fast food when “they're tired, they’re stressed, or they’re
bored... they try to kind of comfort themselves with fast food.”

Though we’re young, maybe it’s time to think twice about how much fast food you consume maybe in a day
or in a week. It's never good to eat too much fast food. Replace them with healthier foods that are best for you
and you know that you are going to enjoy-- and choose to live a healthy life.

12
Acting Provides Emotional Benefits
Mel Velez

Many people see acting as just entertainment, but not many know
the hard work and effort behind it. Actors and actresses work as
hard as any person would on their everyday jobs, and still make
everything interesting at the end. It takes patience and real courage
to stand in front of an audience or a camera to memorize lines and
even get into character. Acting not only brings entertainment, but
also brings stories on paper into real life.

Senior Tajah Menafee says, “I want to act because it’s so much fun
and you get to play many different characters.” It’s clear that not
everyone is in it for the fame. Acting is not just about being on
stage or in front of a camera, but it is also about bringing
someone’s story to life and impacting the audience. Actors are all
storytellers.

Some people not only use acting to just tell someone else’s story,
but to also cover their own. Sometimes people go through things
and don’t want to be themselves in that moment; they wish to be
someone else. Junior Beatriz Cartagena says, “Personally, acting reduces my stress. I can chose to be some-
one else and forget who I am for just one day. When I’m acting, I feel as if I can escape all of the expecta-
tions society has for me.” Actors don’t only act as different characters in a movie or a play, but also use those
characters to hide or escape from what they are going through.

At Career in general, we don’t really have any acting option whatsoever-- which doesn’t really help students
who want to act. Many students have agreed that there should be drama classes or an acting program at our
school. Junior Alexandra Rosario says, “I believe that Career should have a lot more programs for students to
engage in, but most importantly, to show that teenagers who come from bad neighborhoods can also do
something worthy of their lives. A program like acting gives you a perspective of being someone else.”

Not only would acting programs benefit students emotionally, but they could benefit people in many other
ways-- especially to those who want to become big-time actors from underrated states like Connecticut. Stu-
dents who want to act and make a career out of it should start now, because in life, even if there are obstacles
in the way, you still have to try to make it. Mrs. KG’s advice is to go after what you want “Find places to act.
Find an after school or weekend program. Talk to people who act or perform.”

Did You Know…

Several Career students are enrolled in summer acting programs
through Wishbone scholarships. Talk to KG or Ms. Murphy to see
how you can get involved!

13
Stand Strong Against Peer Pressure
Alexandra Rosario

What are the impacts of peer pressure? Genuinely, everyone has different perspectives about what the defini-
tion is. From what I’ve experienced myself, peer pressure is when members of a group get influenced by their
peers to do things that are unexpected-- things that individual would not do on a daily basis.

Coming from a high school student, there is a lot of peer pressure active within school itself. I have seen peo-
ple try to make those who are naturally shy do things you would never imagine a straight-A student would do.
This is because overall, the pressures of high school give you a massive amount of anxiety, pressuring you to
never feel alone. Students usually try to do anything to fit in groups they know they shouldn't be in. But this is
due to the social stress a lot of students go through. Especially incoming high school students, such as fresh-
man, no one in the school body wants to be considered as or feel “lonely.” As a result, students put themselves
in these predicaments that sometimes they can’t get out of themselves.

Peer pressure has a lot of effects on everyone-- not only for individuals currently experiencing it, but for fu-
ture victims. For example, if an individual is getting influenced by their peers, it seems like they will most
likely do what is being asked of them. Their involvement continues the cycle, influencing others who feel like
they need to be included in some type of group. These people will then be victims to the continuation of the
peer pressure cycle. Individuals will do anything to feel important to society, no matter what consequences
come with that group of people. A junior who wanted to remain anonymous said she has experienced the im-
pacts of peer pressure. “I've been peer pressured to change my last name, but I didn't want to because my origi-
nal last name is something I’ve had for 17 years. The way it put pressure on me made me feel claustrophobic,
because it was a [personal] topic that was continuously brought up.”

Peer pressure isn't something that should be continued, and in my generation I believe we have the power to
eliminate peer pressure itself. If you view someone getting influenced by their peers in a way that makes them
feel uncomfortable, you need to be that voice that stands up to someone who can’t say no. If we combine our
voices and stand for something we believe is wrong, we all have the possibility to make change.
#PeerPressureEndsNow

Black History: Not Just One Month

Jordin Evans

As you know, February was Black History month. In 1926, a man named Carter G. Woodson and the Associa-
tion for the Study of Negro Life declared Black History Month on the second week of February. Since then,
Black history month has been recognized. But though Black history is specifically talked about during the sec-
ond month of the year, it should be honored all year round.

As Career celebrates Black History, it’s extremely important to recognize the great achievements and powerful
stories of the African American people in our own community. My mother, Kenya Ezeanuna, a current CNA,
celebrates Black history all year long. She believes that it should be celebrated at all times, not just 28 days.

When Ezeanuna thinks of Black history, she first thinks about the 1800s, when “Black people had a limited
amount of freedom.” It amazes her because no matter what her ancestors and Black people as a whole have
been through, they fought through it all, gaining the rights that we have today. However, she knows that Black
history goes further back than just the 1800s.

In her own memories and experiences through Black history, Ezeanuna was just three years old when the great
Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. She remembers it “like it happened yesterday.”

14
Even though she was very young to know what was going on, she vividly remembers her and her family gath-
ering as one in the family room and “hearing about it that exact night and also the next morning, basically that
whole day as well on TV.” Once she was old enough to understand, her parents told her all about that horrific
day descriptively. They felt like it was important for her to know. By the time Ezeanuna was enrolled in
school, organized school segregation was over, so she fortunately didn’t experience that. She says she had a
normal school life.

Now that she’s older, she realizes how much African-Americans before her time went through. Even though
she doesn’t fully remember what happened when she was little since she was pretty young on the day MLK
was assassinated, her mother still discusses some other big events that occurred back then.

The more that she knows, the more history she’ll always have that she can share with me.

Don’t rely on textbooks to celebrate your history. Ask an older relative, teacher, or family friend about their
experiences.

Senior Cisneros Succeeds in Resale

Thais Saucedo

A lot of people take clothes very seriously. I, for example, love clothes! I
love the different styles, the colors, and the excitement I feel by picking
out new outfits. Some people, however, take it to a whole new level-- and
turn clothing into a business.

Reselling is when people buy certain brand clothes and resell them for a
profit. At Hill Regional Career High School, senior Bryan Cisneros does
this himself. Older siblings often rub off on the younger siblings, and
Bryan says, “my brother had a huge impact in my resale business.” Bryan
mostly resells the brands Supreme, Nike, Palace, and Adidas.

To figure out how to make resale profitable, Bryan first researches the brand/product that will give him the
highest profit and resell their product. Bryan got into doing this because of his older brother. His brother is
very enthusiastic about fashion as well, so he got him interested in it. Bryan saw how successful his brother
was at selling clothing, making lots of profit off a Supreme shirt that originally cost $44, so Bryan wanted to
do the same.

Bryan usually sells to random people on a app called “Grailed.” This is an app that is used to sell street wear.
He builds his customers by improving his reviews whenever he resells, which has made his page very popular.
Now, people hit him up with offers on his clothing pieces. On average, Bryan usually makes $200 a week
profit from selling.

Bryan’s obstacle building his resale business had to be finding customers and them trusting him. It took a long
time for him to build his base of customers that he has today. By telling the story of his experiences, Bryan
was able to base his Capstone project around his resell business. It was a huge success. Bryan passed-- he was
prepared and ready for it.

Three teachers observed Bryan’s capstone: Mrs. Stannard, Mr.Cotto, and Ms. Murphy. They all found his
presentation wonderful, especially his high level of preparation. Mrs. Stannard said she loves “how prepared
Bryan was and how professional,” saying how proud she was of Bryan.

Props to Bryan Cisneros for starting his own business and for finding success through hard work-- and also for
passing his senior Capstone project!
15
 Christa Nuzzo’s Capstone: American Red Cross Blood Drive
On April 30, 2018 from 8:00 am to 1:15 pm, there will be an American Red Cross Blood Drive in the gym.

Why Should You Donate Blood?

 Every 2 seconds someone in the U.S. needs blood
 Blood cannot be manufactured
 Only 37% of our country's population is eligible to give blood, and less than 10% of those who can do-
nate actually do donate annually
 About 4.5 million Americans need blood transfusions each year

Are You Eligible?

You must be at least 17 years old
MALE donors must weigh 110 pounds or more, depending on their height:
If you are 4’10” 4’11” 5’ or taller

You must weigh at least 118 114 110

FEMALE donors must weigh 110 pounds or more, depending on their height:
If you are 5’1” 5’2” 5’3” 5’4” 5’5” 5’6” or taller

You must weigh at least 133 129 124 120 115 110

What Happens During the Blood Donation Process?

1. Registration
Bring a photo ID
Bring the names of medications that you are taking
2. Health History and Mini-Physical
You should feel healthy and well, and meet other criteria
They will take your temperature, blood pressure, pulse, and check your blood count
Questions will be asked during a private and confidential interview
3. Donation
An area of your arm will be cleansed and a needle will be inserted
You can relax, listen to music, talk to other donors, or read while blood is collected (collection takes
about 8-10 minutes)
4. Refreshments
You should spend 15 minutes or more enjoying refreshments (free snacks!)
If you become dizzy or lightheaded, let a staff member know

Quick Tips for a Successful Donation

Get a good night's sleep
Hydrate – drink an extra 16 oz of liquid before and after your donation
Have a healthy meal before your donation – avoid foods high in fat just prior to donation

Additional information can be found at redcrossblood.org

If you would like to sign up or you have any questions, please see me or contact me at
nuzzochrista@gmail.com

16
Read Across America Day: March 2, 2018
Books are exceptional. Books can enhance your vocabulary and help you gain knowledge. Reading books is a
healthy addiction, once you start reading something you like it is hard to stop. There are a lot of topics and
genres that could pique your interest. Once you find out what sparks your interest, you will quickly get hooked
on a book.

A book will never ditch you. A book helps you have more of an open mind, and helps you open up to new ide-
as.

You can start to love reading by creating or finding a comfortable, good reading environment. You can also
track authors or series you enjoy, keep yourself updated with books that impact or affect you. Keep up with
books that trigger your curiosity, follow up with your interests, and embrace reading.

Career: What book changed your life?

“Chasing Red...I didn’t think that you should trust someone 100%, but now I think that you should at least
trust one person.”
--Junior Melanie Velez

“Johnny Angel. It made me realize how a deceased child “Coldest Winter Ever”
can make a mother grieve.” --Junior Kabryah Hamlet
--Junior Alexandra Rosario
“Perks Of Being A Wallflower”
“The Five People You Meet In Heaven.” --Junior Maria Rodriguez
--Ms. DiCocco
“The Skin I’m In”
“The Bible” --Senior Tajah Menafee
--Ms. Regina
“Fences”
“We’re Going To Need More Wine, by Gabrielle Union” --Senior Patrick Henri
--Ms. Rice
“Divergent”
“Among the Hidden” --Junior Marlon Myers
--Junior Michael Watkins
“Mosquitoland, by David Arnold”
“Fresh Off the Boat” --Senior Ronnie Echevarria
--Mr. Festa
“Diary Of A Wimpy Kid”
“Where the Red Fern Grows” --Freshman Dante Mojica
--Junior Miya Darden

“The Great Gatsby...I can relate to Nick because I as well wasn’t doing or saying anything in particular situa-
tions that could’ve changed how something happened.”
--Yaira Roman

“The Hate U Give...It impacted me because it tells the untold stories that nobody else is willing to share, and it
makes sure to get every detail as if it was happening at the moment”
--Junior Tanaiza Glass

17
Opinion: Trump Inappropriate in Targeting
Harp
Beatriz Cartagena

On Wednesday, January 24, there was a mayor’s meeting in Washington D.C. Donald Trump was acknowl-
edging some of the mayors and their accomplishments, and then realized that New Haven’s Mayor Harp was
not present. Trump made some inappropriate remarks about Mayor Toni Harp not being at the meeting. “Toni
Harp. Where’s Toni? Toni? Toni?,” said Trump. “Uh oh, can’t be a sanctuary city person, I know. That’s not
possible, is it?”

That wasn’t really necessary to do on his part. We all should know that Mayor Harp has a lot on her plate. She
has other meetings to attend. Harp has many tasks she needs to take on. Mayor Harp is a very busy woman.
She is asked and called for many things; as Mayor of New Haven, she tries very hard to show the people that
she is here for them.

Mayor Harp’s Director of Communications, Laurence Grotheer, said “Mayor Harp was surprised to have been
singled out since many other mayors decided to make other plans that day instead of attending the White
House event. And some of those other mayors lead large, higher profile American cities, including New
York’s Mayor Bill de Blasio, Chicago’s Mayor Rahm Emanuel, New Orleans’ Mayor Mitch Landrieu, and
Los Angeles’ Mayor Eric Garcetti.” It was unprofessional for Trump to just have singled Mayor Harp out
when there were others who also did not attend the meeting.

As for Mayor Harp’s activities during the meeting, Grotheer said that “Mayor Harp was in Washington, D.C.
for a series of meetings as part of a U.S. Conference of Mayors event. Mayor Harp simply chose to attend a
different event rather than the one at the White House.” Mayor Harp was doing something productive and
something that could have a good impact on lives; she was still doing something helpful, it’s not like she did
nothing that day.

Grotheer says that the message Harp would give to the people of New Haven is that “Mayor Harp remains
steadfast in her resolve to have New Haven known for its welcoming, accepting embrace of new residents
knowing this city – and this nation – will continue to thrive based on the talent, hard work, and contributions
of all residents.” This message shows that Harp is working hard to keep New Haven a good and open place,
wanting to keep New Haven striving for the good of all people. It takes a lot of time and effort to do this, and
that is admirable. The fact that Harp tries to be here for everyone and she tries to help as much as she can is a
good thing-- despite the hate and ignorance that some show.

Want to see your name in print? Do you want to gain experience in

journalism?
Want to boost your resume?
Write for the Panther Press!
We need writers to help cover sports at Career, submit opinion articles, send in poetry and art, and anything
else you can think of.
Email careerpantherpress@gmail.com to get started.

18
Student Spotlight: Why We Walked
Ronnie Echevarria

Student protest took the nation by storm

last week as National Walkout Day took
place on March 14. Thousands of stu-
dents across America decided that
enough was enough, and it was time for
change. This was the case at our own
Career High School as well. Career held
a walk out that drew staff, teachers, and
students alike. A sizeable crowd could
be seen in the courtyard directly across
from the school building for about an
hour. It’s obvious that people walked
out, but is it just as obvious why? Why
did Career walk out?

For junior Jose Yanes it was as simple

as paying his condolences. “[I walked
out] to support the cause and give re-
(Photo/Mr. McTague) spects to the kids who died.”

Similarly, senior Dana McEachern, who had a crucial role in hosting the event, walked out “...to give rever-
ence and peace to the people whose lives were taken.”

“I feel like we should make people see what’s going on in our world.” stated a somber Yazmin Benitez of Ca-
reer’s junior class.

For Career senior Monserrath Xicohtencatl, the answer isn’t so straightforward. “It’s a hard question. It’s hard
to put into words. [I did it] to try and make a movement and prevent anything else like this from occurring.”

“I did it to make a change,” senior Tierra Garner expressed. “But you have to do more than just walkout. The
walkout was just a start.”

Amanda Mantegna, a Career senior, had an emotional statement to share. “I walked out to make a change with
a platform that was larger than just myself or the school,” she shared. “I walked out for all of the victims, and
our voices were heard on a national level. This was a platform to get a revolution started, and I think this battle
is just beginning.

The student government president, Azhaléia Reyes had her own unique
take on the event. “The reason I walked out was to participate in some-
thing bigger than myself. It was to contribute and show sympathy to those
who have been affected by gun violence,” Reyes said in her interview. “[I
walked out] to gather Career students and show them that we support
them, that we support each other.”

No matter why you walked out, or even why you didn’t, Career High
School stands with student youth around the nation. Student lives will al-
ways be at the forefront of Career.
(Photo/Ms. Murphy)

19
Opinion: Teen Parents Need Support, Not
Judgement
Tajah Menafee

In our society, teen girls are heavily criticized for pregnancy-- but has anyone ever thought that girls can’t get
pregnant on their own? Every day, teen girls are being criticized for any and everything such as who we date,
where we go, who we hang out with, and what we choose to wear. Why is everyone so hard on girls? Accord-
ing to www.powertodecide.org, Connecticut is ranked #3 for the least amount of pregnancies in the U.S. Alt-
hough teen pregnancy is comparatively low in Connecticut, you can’t deny that these girls are criticized.

Teen girls know they have to grow up when they have a kid. They know there's no more partying, the baby is
going to have to be the #1 priority. Hopefully, they’re more serious about school and getting a job to support
the baby. It’s bad enough that teen moms have a lot on their plates-- more criticism is the last thing they need.
Instead of being so judgmental, adults who’ve had babies should be willing to reach out and teach the new
moms some tips to taking care of a newborn.

Some people seem to forget that girls can not get pregnant on their own. It takes two to make a baby-- so why
aren’t boys getting the same backlash that girls receive? Boys should be held responsible because they helped
make that baby. A lot of the time, boys do not stay to help take care of their child because they don’t want to
handle that type of responsibility, or they just do not want to grow up. When a guy helps to make the baby, he
should step up to help raise the baby. Society should view teen mothers and fathers the same way.

Young women in America are bashed for everything we do because for years, women were always told what
to do with their bodies and how to live their life. Men were viewed as superior to women. In my opinion, teen
girls who are doing well with handling their business should be rewarded instead of judged. Yes, they might be
young, but they will do everything in their power to take care of their children and still do what they have to
do to take care of themselves.

A lot of people think teen just do not understand the risks of unprotected sex, but others feel these teens are
underestimated. “I feel like teens know what they’re getting into. When they have unprotected sex time and
time again, young females get pregnant even after they are warned about these things, so I think they need to
really start thinking precautions because accidents happen and maybe this will prevent them from having to go
through pregnancy at a young age.” stated senior Jenean Boone.

“I feel like they need to realize that it's not an easy job becoming a parent, especially being young. There is a
lot of responsibility that comes with it” stated an anonymous Career parent. High School in the Community
senior Tymaine Lowery agreed, saying “Having a baby is going to be a struggle at a young age while you’re
still under your parents’ roof. Even though they’re going to be there for you regardless, if you aren’t prepared,
it's not going to be so easy in the long run. You’re going to be angry certain days where you are going to feel
like you can’t handle or take it anymore, or maybe sometimes you might stress because it might be too much
for you. But if you feel like you could do it and you’re mentally ready, you’re going to be fine.”

A new teen mom who wants to remain anonymous states that she was scared about everything-- from giving
birth to being a mom. Her family supported her and never doubted that she couldn’t do it. Her advice to others
who may be going through the same thing? Always be there for your kid-- and just be responsible.

20
 Entertainment
Evolution of Rap
Jonathan Melendez

“All you new rappers don't be talkin' 'bout sh** except doin' drugs
Wonder how you got a name, uh
Sippin' lean, takin' E, Percocets, Purple drank, Xanax, everything sound the same”
--Joyner Lucas

The Rap genre has come a very long way since its first big break back in the early 1980s, with artists like Run-
DMC taking over the rap game. It eventually evolved from party music into “gangsta” rap in the mid-1980s,
with rappers like Ice-T, Schoolly D, and legendary rap group N.W.A. changing the genre. N.W.A changed the
whole rap scene by making a lot of controversial songs about the “reality” of being black in America with
songs like “F*** Tha Police,” “Express Yourself,” and many others.

Eventually, the genre evolved into a more conscious style of music with big names like Tupac, Notorious
B.I.G, and Nas. All three could arguably be the top rappers of all time, and the most influential. These three
revolutionized the rap genre by making songs about the “real world” with their own unique styles.

Later on in the 90s, more rappers with unique styles like Eminem surfaced. Arguably the most controversial
rapper of all time, Eminem shocked the industry by touching on sensitive subjects like the Columbine shoot-
ing, making a lot of homophobic remarks, the reality of domestic violence, etc., all while adding stories of his
life in a humorous way.

Eventually, in the mid to late 2000s, autotune took over the industry with rappers like Lil’ Wayne and T-Pain
being the “go to guys” when it came to autotune. Over time, autotune became more mainstream and many rap-
pers like Young Thug, Future and many more became very successful using autotune. Despite their success, in
my opinion, this is where the genre took a turn for the worse.

After a while, the autotune era inspired many rappers to overuse autotune, and eventually the mainstream rap
turned into hype music. The mainstream fanbase preferred the production of the music instead of the lyrics.
This made rappers like Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Yatchy, Lil Pump, and many more take advantage of this trend and
used it to their advantage and became very successful with this new form of rap called “mumble rap.”

Personally, I think that the autotune era was the downfall of rap. Ever since this new age of rap, the lyrical con-
tent has severely dropped. “It’s just hype without any meaning to the words,” says senior Donald Walker. “It’s
just not my style.” Unfortunately, the worst time for rap is also the “best,” because in terms of sales, rap has
became the most dominant music genre in the United States for the first time.

New Album Releases

21
Join me at my Health Fair, Friday May 4th, 2018! I will be demonstrating the importance of health and health
occupations that can benefit your future. It will take place in the gymnasium from 9:30 am to 12:30 pm. You
will get to meet health professionals and gain expertise on jobs, etc. Come try a free five-minute massage or
get some knowledge into job possibilities.
—Imani Gonzalez

22
Black Panther: Review and Recap
Henry Smith

**SPOILERS for Black Panther***

For those who are familiar with Marvel, many big names like The Incredible
Hulk, Iron Man, and Captain America come to mind. One of these Marvel
characters is Black Panther. Ever since the announcement of Marvel’s Phase
3, Black Panther has been one of the most highly anticipated movies along
with Marvel's Infinity War movies, Captain Marvel, and Ant-Man and The
Wasp. Ever since the teaser trailer, everyone has been pumped for this re-
lease of Black Panther-- and I can see why, the movie was fantastic with the
many intense action scenes, entertaining comedy, good plot, impactful sym-
bolism, and relevance to real world race issues. Not only that, but the cast
had so many people of color, which is something you don’t see very often in
films. It's also something we need to see more of happen in today's society
instead of the whitewashed movies we’ve been getting for years.

The movie starts off with a very comic beginning: a meteor falls made out of
a special metal called vibranium in a nation in Africa, which is then discov-
ered by five African tribes, causing them to fight over it. The fighting ceases
when one warrior takes an herb that was affected by the vibranium and gains
powers and become the first Black Panther. He manages to get all but one
tribe-- known as the Jibari-- to unite to form the nation Wakanda.

Over the years, the nation of Wakanda chose to advance their technology
while hiding their secret from the rest of the world, appearing to be poor.
Fast forward to 1992 in a apartment in in Oakland, California. Two men-- the
current king and Black Panther at that time T’chaka-- visit his brother N'Jobu, a spy from Wakanda who
turned on his brother and started selling vibrainium. This ends badly, and T’chaka kills his brother. When they
leave, a little boy witnesses their departure.

Flash forward to 2016: an explosion at the UN kills multiple people, including T’Chaka. Now, in the present,
T'Challa has taken the throne as King, but first he has a mission to stop a multitude of kidnappings in
Wakanda with the help from Okoye, his best bodyguard in the Dora Milaje; his sister Shuri, a technology geni-
us; and his ex-girlfriend Nakia. They stop the kidnapping, and proceed to the ceremony for T'Challa's rise to
the throne. T'Challa has to complete a trial by combat against any tribe who wishes to challenge him, at first it
is quiet-- but then the Jibari come out with a fierce battle cry. The leader M’Baku steps up to the plate to bat-
tle. The fight starts off with T’Challa with the advantage, but it goes south with M’baku stealing the lead.
T’Challa, losing the power of the Black Panther, has to put out all his strength, but he manages to prevail.
M’Baku yields and admits defeat. T’Challa complete his ritual and accepts his role as king.

Ulysses Klaue, a man responsible for a vibranium mine exploding and and the theft of its contents, has recent-
ly been spotted. He committed a heist, stealing a vibranium artifact from a museum with his partner Erik Ste-
vens, AKA Killmonger. Due to this news T’Challa decides to take this mission on with the help of Okoye,
Nakia, and Shuri. The team shows up to stop Klaue from selling the vibranium and apprehend him. While spy-
ing around, T'Challa sees an old face who is none other than Everett Ross, a CIA agent who has covered for
T’Challa’s possession of the vibranium-- but unbeknownst to him, they have way more than he expected them
to. Okoye’s cover is blown, and a fight breaks out, which causes Klaue to run away and try to escape. This
leads to a car chase with Okoye and Nakia driving one car and Shuri remotely driving another with T'Challa
on top.

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Ross interrogates Ulysses and he reveals some information about the vast amounts of vibranium in Wakanda,
but before Everett can say anything about it, Erik breaks Klaue out of custody, causing Ross to be injured sav-
ing Nakia. T’Challa decides to take him to Wakanda to heal him. While escaping, Erik kills the whole crew
and makes his way to Wakanda start his evil plan.

Shuri uses the vibranium to heal his wound as Erik arrives with the body of Klaue to the elders of Wakanda.
T’Challa meets with Killmonger face to face, and it's revealed that T’Chaka’s brother N’Jobu had a son with
an American woman-- and Erik is that son, making him cousins with T'Challa. Killmonger challenges T’Chal-
la for the throne and battles him in a trial by combat. Killmonger seemingly kills him and wins, making him
the new king of Wakanda and is given the powers of the Black Panther. Killmonger then continues his father’s
plan of distributing vibranium weapons around the world to all the Wakanda spies. He orders the herbs top be
destroyed but not before Nakia, Shuri, Ross, and Ramonda flee with the last one.

They go to the mountains where the Jibari reside and ask M’baku to take the herb so that he can challenge
Killmonger and take the throne from him, but they’re offered another proposition when he tells them that they
found T’Challa’s body almost frozen from the cold. They give him the herb and revive him, now with the
strength of the Black Panther. T’Challa and his squad prepare to stop Killmonger’s plan once and for all.
T’Challa challenges Killmonger to resume their battle since he didn’t yield or die during the fight. Killmon-
ger’s and T'Challa's forces battle it out. T'Challa forces seem to waiver until J’Bari shows to provide their aid.
Meanwhile, Killmonger wears a Black Panther suit of his own.

Their fight is a battle of resolve, with both characters firmly believing the justice of their cause, but T'Challa
prevails as the winner. Killmonger dies but with the belief that he has still won. After the battle, T’Challa take
his throne, and makes the decision to finally become more connected with the outside world and create an em-
bassy for Wakanda.

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#Throwback: Late 90’s-Early 2000’s Cartoons That
Should Come Back
Yaira Roman

Do you remember your childhood cartoons? Wonder why they stopped making them? Well, I believe that
these cartoons of our childhood-- which we watched, laughed, and enjoyed as little kids-- should be brought
back.

One of the 90’s cartoons that I remember when I was a kid was Pink Panther, a classic cartoon show. The puz-
zles solved by the Panther every episode taught us critical thinking, problem solving, and they always made
me crack a laugh. No matter what situation I was in, this cartoon show made me lift my spirits. Yes, Pink Pan-
ther can be found on YouTube, but today’s kids won’t watch it-- it’s just not the same when you go and search
it up rather than watching it on tv.

Some other cartoons that are gone that should be brought back are “The Grim Adventures of Billy and Man-
dy,” “Ed, Edd, and Eddy” and “The Marvelous Misadventures of Flapjack.” It’s not necessary to make a re-
boot-- just put them on air to rewatch the episodes. All these shows were weird, but in a funny and adven-
turous way that made you want to keep watching and follow the story.

Some other cartoons throwbacks from the Nickelodeon channel are “Rugrats,” “Hey Arnold,” “Danny Phan-
tom,” “Catdog,” and plenty more. These cartoons are sometimes aired on Nick at Nite-- however, what child is
going to be up really late at night to watch these cartoons? We do not need a reboot of these cartoons; we
should be able watch the old episodes of them. Today, we talk about these old cartoon shows as if they were
our friends. That is why these cartoon shows were our childhood.

Do TV producers ever think of what the community feels when a cartoon show is stopped on tv? Yes, channels
do give out dates on when they are going to stop airing them, or making new episodes, but some take them
down completely from TV without warning. There is nothing wrong with rewatching episodes from our fa-
vourite cartoon shows. The new cartoon shows are just not as classic as the ones before. It would not hurt to
bring back some of the old classic cartoons back-- especially in a world that needs some more simple pleas-
ures.

First Date Ideas  Road trip

 Roller Skating
Fun First Dates  Carnival
 Sky Zone
 Karaoke Chill First Dates
 Arcade  Movies/ Outdoor Movie
 Basketball/ Football game  Froyo
 Mini Golf  Insomnia Cookies
 Aquarium/Zoo  Walk in the park
 Go Kart racing  Visiting an art museum
 Laser Tag  Painting class
 Ice Skating  Watch the sunset
 Apple picking  DIY crafts
 Bowling  Poetry slam
 Food truck festival  Boat ride
 Amusement park  Trivia night
 Concert  Explore the city
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Classic Movies: Reboots vs Originals
Jordan Nieves

In the movie world, it seems like whenever there's an original, a reboot follows. Whether it's good or not it de-
pends on your perspective, but for me, these originals and reboots are definitely the best of the bunch.

Footloose
In 1984, the world was introduced to Footloose, a movie about a Chicago newcomer Ren played by Oscar
nominee Kevin Bacon who finds out that his new so-called “home” has banned dancing and music-- the two
things he has a passion for. Ren must struggle to fit in and face some new challenges while still getting the op-
portunity to dance around town with newfound crush Ariel and her father Reverend Shaw Moore, who will
stop at nothing to stop Ren from dancing.

In the 2011 reboot, Footloose was brought back to modernize the classic with new hip music and 2011 hits. It
follows a similar story to the original; Ren finds out that music is outlawed and it affects him deeply. He tries
to challenge Ariel's father, who was the reason for the law being passed. The reboot does those the original
justice by modernizing it. Sadly, it didn’t have Kevin Bacon back, but it truly kept the spirit of the original.

Batman
Since 1964, we’ve seen 6 different variations of Batman on the big screen with Adam West, Michael Keaton,
Val Kilmer, George Clooney, Christian Bale, and Ben Affleck who all have given Bruce Wayne and Batman a
different tone-- or in this case, face. While Adam West was a more comedic Bruce Wayne, Ben Affleck was a
darker, older Bruce who has been through 20 years of stopping crime non-stop. Michael Keaton successfully
played the part twice in “Batman” and “Batman Returns,” in which he aced playing the billionaire playboy
more than he played Batman, while Christian Bale played a better Batman by being a darker-toned Batman but
being a lackluster Bruce Wayne, which didn't help his case for 3 movies. But out of all of the Batman reboots,
the Dark Knight trilogy hits me in the spot. Christian Bale played the Batman part in 3 movies, making him
the longest-running Batman, but he just really had something to him that really made him feel like he was Bat-
man, whether it was his battles against the Joker or his final fight against Bane.

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