The District
McKinley Technology High School » New Engineering Program to Open Next Year (May. 2)
Maryland
Bishop McNamara High School » NEWTONIAN POLITICS (4/22/08) (Apr. 23)
Imagine this: A fire alarm goes off. No one lifts a finger or bats an eye. Teachers continue to teach. Students continue to talk. No one seems to care as we wait for the inevitable announcement that follows almost every fire alarm at Cardozo: "Please disregard the bell." We've all become so used to this; we've become immune to the fire alarm.
The lack of regard for our fire alarm system could prove to be very dangerous. In fact, a few weeks ago, on Dec. 12, someone lit a fire in a trash can in the boys' bathroom. No alarm warned us about the situation, and the school was not evacuated. Maybe the administration thought they didn't need to sound the alarm because no one would have believed that there was a real fire anyway. If the administration had sounded the alarm, how many times would we have to be told, "This one's real" before we reacted?
After all, we have been programmed to ignore the daily false alarms. People's lives are saved everyday by fire alarms. When no one cares about when, how or why these alarms are being pulled, there is a problem.
We all know the reason why most students pull fire alarms. They want to get out of class or possibly, out of school. But they are putting the rest of us at risk. Fire alarms are installed in schools to keep us safe, but with so many false alarms, they don't have much effect on us anymore. The question is: What does the administration think it's proving by teaching us all to ignore fire bells? Do they think this means they're winning the battle of wills with the alarm pullers?
The administration needs to take this problem more seriously. They need to come up with a plan to monitor the fire alarms around the school more closely. Maybe they could use cameras to catch "the pullers" in the act. Students who pull the alarm as a prank should get a proper punishment. By doing so, the administration would send a message that they won't tolerate this kind of misbehavior. Once the situation is under control, students and staff will also need to be retrained to take fire alarms seriously. School-wide fire drills, including evacuation of all classrooms, should be scheduled periodically.
When we can find a solution for these false alarms, we will all finally know that when the fire bell rings we are actually in danger, and it is not just a prank that will be disregarded.
New Engineering Program to Open Next Year
News »
By Faith Ajayi
McKinley is adding a new CTE track to its formal three, and that is engineering. Chancellor Michelle Rhee designated McKinley as a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineer, and Math) school along with some other selected elementary, middle, and high schools in the District of Columbia. This is among the new programs that Chancellor Rhee and Deputy Mayor for Education, Victor Reinoso implemented. The goal is to boost academic achievement in the district's poor performing public schools.
Two Daring Dressers, One Unique Style
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Candace Coley, left, and Chyna Allen take a moment to show off their sense of fashion. Cerstin Johnson / The Green Chair
By Cerstin Johnson
Chyna Allen and Candace Coley are known as two of the more daring dressers to walk the halls of Duke Ellington. Allen, a junior, and Coley, a sophomore, have built a reputation for having a unique dressing style that sets them apart from other Ellington students.
When asked about what goes into their different fashion style, Allen and Coley sometimes come off as finishing each other's sentences, sharing smiles and a similar sense of style. Wearing multiple bracelets, long earrings and fashionable belts, the two Ellington students were eager to share what goes into the fashion thought process.
"To be honest, I just throw things together," Coley said, waving her hand. "I take anything that no one else would wear, and just make it look cute."
When deciding on her own outfits, Allen takes a different approach.
"I don't want to look like a clown," she said.
Despite these differences in approach, the two students have developed styles that mirror each other in many ways. When questioned about certain styles, such as pencil skirts, heels, and mismatched jewelry, both girls said they liked them. Allen even went so far as to mention good stores to buy these items, such as Forever 21, Urban Outfitters, and just your average thrift store.
"Something in my outfit has to be normal to balance it out."
"Thrift stores are great because they have everything for cheap," Coley said.
Both girls expressed some doubt about how original their styles actually are.
"I'll never get to the point where I'm the only one wearing a shirt. Until then I'm just part of a trend," Allen said, without shame.
Coley nodded in agreement and added, "We can only buy what's in the stores for everyone."
Even in the face of fashion trends, both girls seem fearless of trying new styles of dress--a nerve they attribute to being Ellington students. "There's no such thing as fitting out at Duke," Allen said.
Coley, who came to Ellington for the first time this school year, said her style changed completely after her arrival.
In fact she felt prompted to do so after only a few hours of walking Ellington halls. "Here you're free to be you--wacky--artsy--whatever," she said, with a smile.
A comparison between Robinson's bermuda grass and synthetic turf
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By Robby Panos
"All games for today have been cancelled due to the weather," reads the white board outside the Athletic Office. A serious injury ends an athlete's season. Money is poured into maintaining the game field that will be torn apart after only a few hours of play. Some Fairfax County Schools, including West Springfield and Fairfax High School, no longer have to worry about these problems because they have made the switch to synthetic turf fields.
Recent technology in synthetic turf fields has made them an ideal alternative to natural grass fields. From weather to safety to cost, the advantages of synthetic turf fields are increasing, providing a durable playing surface that both players and coaches alike can appreciate. Others feel, however, that these synthetic fields take away from the game. Another issue is the initial capital outlay required to install artificial turf and finding ways to fund such a huge project.
Synthetic turf fields are completely artificial and usually consist of many layers that mimic qualities of natural grass. The layers of such a field consist of an underground piping system, a geo-textile fabric, a base stone, and finally the synthetic turf layer. The piping system provides drainage to pull water from the playing surface and effectively draw it away from the field while the other layers provide stability yet give cushion to the field. Most fields also have small rubber pellets for added give that help protect athletes.
Weather can be an enemy for many outdoor athletic teams and an immense nuisance to practice and game scheduling. At the start of this year's spring season, most teams spent almost two weeks splitting gym time or making use of the confined blacktop space because of rain. Senior lacrosse and football player Camren Cooke, said, "It would be great to have turf fields so teams can play in any weather and not have to worry about bad field conditions." Even on days when it was not raining, fields remained flooded and continued the halt on practices and games. Where a natural grass field may be unusable when muddy or frozen, a synthetic turf field can be used, safely and without damage, in almost any weather because of the advanced draining systems.
Synthetic fields are also extremely durable and can withstand the wear and tear by athletes. A game played on a natural field during or following rain, however, can tear up a field to the point where it cannot recover for quite some time. In such instances, repairs must be made to the field to make it ready for play. Synthetic fields, on the other hand, do not need to be rested to recover from heavy use and are immediately available for the next activity.
The greatest disadvantage of synthetic turf fields is that they are still very costly to install, upwards of half a million dollars. Athletic director, Mike McGurk, said that cost is the major issue and that "we just don't have that kind of money. McGurk added that if cost were not an issue installing a turf field would be "no question. It would help everybody and there are a lot of upsides to it." Supporters of synthetic turf fields argue that this initial cost is made up for in the long run because the synthetic fields require much less labor and maintenance. Natural grass fields, like the Bermuda grass at Robinson, must be mowed every other day, frequently have lines painted, and treated with special chemicals.
Ways for a school to cover the initial installation costs include making an agreement with a local youth organization, looking to Fairfax County for help, turning to private investment through advertising, or persuading the boosters to take on the project. While joining with a local youth organization, such as BRYC, seems to be the most achievable option, the problem is that the youth teams then have rights to the field, only causing more scheduling issues.
In November 2006 Fairfax County voters approved a $25 million bond referendum to increase the number of parks in the county. Part of the improvement and addition of new parks through the referendum includes converting 12 grass fields to synthetic turf. The fields will be located within Patriot Park, a 97-acre area along Braddock Road near Mott Community Center. The groundbreaking ceremony for the park was held in early March and was open to the public.
Both advantages and disadvantages come with synthetic turf fields. Because so many factors exist, the decision ultimately comes down to the situation of that particular school.
What Happened to Sleep?
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More students are sleep deprived now than ever before in history; what needs to be done?
By Paul Mathis
In-Depth Editor
Sarah Lewis, a junior, has a problem with sleep. "I am suffering from a serious lack of sleep," she said. "I fall asleep in class all of the time, I can't do well on class work, I come home and I can't do my homework. It's like a never-ending sickness."
Lewis seems to be in a stressful situation: she is taking 4 IB classes complete with hours of homework each night, works with AHS Theatre after school, and rushes to and from voice lessons throughout the week.
But Lewis is in a state that is not uncommon am many students. In fact, it is clear that in today's society, adolescents are not getting enough sleep. The psychological community contends that students need between 8.5 hours and 9.25 hours of sleep per night, in order to foster numerous new bodily developments, including the solidification of the frontal lobe, the arbiter of the brain. However, in a recent poll done by the National Sleep Foundation, it was found that only 15% of adolescents between ages 11 and 17 get the required 8.5 hours of sleep per night or more, and it was found that over 26% receive only 6.5 hours of sleep or more per night.
The adolescent and teenage lifestyle often inhibits one from receiving enough sleep. Many students cited that school work is one reason for not getting enough sleep at night, due to the fact that many students feel they will get ahead in school if they stay up working or studying. "I stay up all night doing projects, homework, and stuff like that," said senior Daniel Lagdameo. "Just last night I stayed up all night doing an IB Project, and then I had to run the mile today in weight training."
Other students express the same misgivings towards homework and its ability to keep them up. "I don't get enough sleep, partially because of homework," said Lien Vu, a junior. "I think my body is just used to it now."
School itself can be problematic when it comes to getting enough sleep. The circadian rhythm of adolescents causes the average teenager to fall asleep around 11 p.m. If this adolescent were to receive the proper amount of sleep at night, he or she would wake up at 7:30 a.m or 8:25 a.m. Unfortunately, many school systems require students to been in class by 7:20 a.m., causing many students to have to rise at 6 a.m. or earlier.
Often, an adolescent's lack in sleep can lead to future causes of sleep deprivation. Students tend to try and make up for the sleep that they lost during the day by taking naps in the afternoon or early evening. In fact, 38% of students nationwide noted that they take naps during the day to stave off exhaustion. However, napping during the day on throws off an adolescent's sleep pattern to an even greater degree, causing such an adolescent to receive even less sleep at night. "I nap," said Lagdameo. "I probably sleep for an hour or two every now and then when I get home from school, sometimes after I eat or do some homework."
The same problem is attributed to sleeping late on weekends. The average teen sleeps 1.2 to 1.9 hours later on the weekend than during the week. This also throws off the sleep pattern of the adolescent, resulting in a later time of falling asleep and less sleep at night during the regular week.
Many students also engage in certain activities in order to stay up during the school day. Some drink energy drinks or other caffeinated beverages. In fact, it was found in a poll by the National Sleep foundation that 31% of adolescents consume caffeinated beverages in order to stay awake. Caffeine tends to cause a further deviation from a normal sleep pattern in the adolescent, especially for those who consume caffeine in the afternoon or later. Lewis in recent months has tried to cut down on her caffeine consumption: "I haven't drunken coffee in a year or so, because I've heard its bad for you. At the same time though I feel like I have less energy than I used to have when I drank it."
All of this lack of sleep can have many adverse effects on the adolescent mind, the adolescent body, and the adolescent way of life. For those adolescents who are students, sleep deprivation can have a great effect on a student's ability to perform or create. It was stated above that many students engage in late night studying or working in order to keep ahead in classes or do well on exams. However, 34% of students report better grades than those who do not get enough sleep. This is partly due to the fact that increased amounts of sleep allows more time for memory information to be unraveled in the human mind, which allows for greater chances of recall in the future. "When classes are really boring, I get extra tired, and my vision gets blurry; depending on the activity, I feel like I have less energy and ability and I just want to sleep," said Vu.
On top of not being able to perform on tests or create exceptional work, the student who has a lack of sleep has more of a propensity for sleeping during class to make up for the sleep that such a student would miss at night. 28% of adolescents surveyed nationally stated that they had fallen asleep in class more than twice in the last week alone. "In R7 I fall asleep all the time," said Lagdameo. "I guess it's like a combination of not having enough sleep and having weight training R5. Usually I only sleep in R7 when it comes to class, but sometimes I fall asleep in other classes."
Students also suffer from trying to get more sleep in the morning but being inhibited by school start times or otherwise. This often results in students being late to school, and in fact 14% of high school students surveyed noted that they had been late to school at least once in the past week. Lewis and Lagdameo both noted that they are late to school often. "First period is usually the period that suffers in terms of my absence," said Lewis. "It's just too early in the morning and I just can't find a way to get out of bed." Lagdameo agreed. "I am late to school often," he said. "I am more sluggish in the morning, and so I don't make it to school on time."
Beyond academics, the adolescent who suffers from a lack of sleep may encounter many bodily and health-related problems. Besides the direct side-effects of not getting enough sleep, many students say that they do not exercise because they feel too tired or do not have enough energy, due much in part from a lack in sleep. More than 28% of students said that they were often too sleepy for exercise, and thus participated in few to no athletic activities at all.
Perhaps the worst effects caused by lacks in sleep are those relating to mood. On top of the already unstable mood patterns of adolescents, sleep could be inducing changes in mood that are maladaptive and often problematic. For instance, 55% of adolescents polled by the National Sleep Foundation who were found to have a "good" or better mood score stated that they often had "a good night's sleep." On the other hand, among those adolescents polled who had the worst mood score, only 20% stated that they often had "a good night's sleep." "I just feel, like, too tired to do anything or talk to anybody or stuff like that," said Lagdameo. "Lack of sleep definitely affects my mood."
Changes in mood in the adolescent induced by sleep can range from being simply irritable due to exhaustion to completely depressive. Lack in sleep can reduce the amount of control an adolescent has over his or her thought processes or ability to reason, thus potentially causing an adolescent to act out or to succumb to anxiety or depression. It has even been found that students who have a consistent lack in sleep are more likely to use stimulants.
Lacks in sleep can danger not only an adolescent but those around the adolescent. Besides actions induced by depressive states or mood changes, the adolescent cause harm in many ways due to a lack in sleep. Last year it was found that around 100,000 car crashes resulted from driver drowsiness or lack in attention caused by tiredness. Nearly half of these are attributed to adolescents.
Thus, lack in adolescent sleep is dangerous, and is a problem that has to be faced not only be parents and adolescents themselves but by those who shape the adolescent environment, such as school officials or regulators. Adolescents are not receiving enough sleep, and this is causing an inability in adolescents to perform in school, to perform athletically, or even to drive from one place to another. All of society would be benefited: not only the adolescent who feels better and is characterized by a better mood, but the society that can benefit from the fruits of an adolescent's creative, innovative, and active mind.
The Capitol's Music: Go-Go Music in the D.C. Area by Brittany Morris
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Go-Go is music that only if you're from D.C. you can understand. There are congas, bells, drums, pianos- all types of instruments. Go-Go is best when it's performed live. Go-Go is the music of D.C, originated in D.C, and only the best in the capitol of the U.S.
Go-Go involves a group of people playing different instruments, some on the mic, playing songs we hear on the radio but just a little differently than you expect. Go-Go music was founded in the D.C area in the mid to late 70s. Chuck Brown had a crowd jumper in 1978 with the single "Bustin Loose." Go-Go has inspired many artists in our time. In the 1980s Salt-N-Pepa was influenced by Go-Go with their song "Shake Your Thang." Also, "Rollin with Kid-N-Play by Kid-N-Play was influenced by Go-Go music. Music you'll probably remember like "Crazy in Love" by Beyonce or "One Thing" by Amerie was also influenced by Go-Go music. Rich Harrison who is a D.C native produced the latter.
Go-Go is a "Whateva I say y'all gotta do" kind of music. Go-Go is known for its live performances, but also for Go-Go dancing. It's hard to explain. It consists of two people battling by dancing, doing something with your body, getting yourself hyped.
There are all types of different bands in D.C. The first bands that came out in the late 70s were Rare Essence, Junkyard Band, Northeast Groovers, Backyard Band, TCB, Familiar Faces, Lissen Band, and Suttle Thoughts just to name a few. Bands then aren't like bands now. Bands now are more explicit and more rowdy. Bands that are still playing and out now are TCB, Backyard Bands, TOB, Rare Essence, New Impressions, Reaction, CCB, MOB, KIB, PIB, and GOB just to name a few.
Go-Go has an effect on many people living in D.C. It's our music, our beats, and our favorite songs. It's the beating of your feet, calling out hoods, and the way of life in D.C. Go-Go is getting so popular; it's not just being played in D.C anymore. People are listening to it in Maryland, Northern Virginia, and other places in the states. It's not just for the young; it's for anyone who enjoys the music.
Letters to the Editor
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Dear DuValian,
I agree with the whole idea of the newspaper because DuVal has been labeled as the worst school in Prince George's County and the newspaper shows everyone that just a few problems occurred. We students of the school are still getting work done and winning scholarships. I also agree with the first page about that we too overcrowded because most of the fights and arguments in the school comes from everyone being in the hallways all at one time - that's what causes the stampedes. Also, I agree with page 11 because as young people or students they are really interested in what is going on in America today with racism, and the pressure it puts on the students in school. Keep up the good work with the newspaper.
Sincerely,
Faith Hunter
NEWTONIAN POLITICS (4/22/08)
Politics »
with Jason Newton '08
Why a Democratic "Dream Ticket" is the only way they will win in November
It has been nearly four months since the Iowa caucuses in January, and the Democratic Party is still without a clear front-runner for its presidential nominee. While Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) has a clear lead in pledged delegates and popular vote, he has been unable to deliver a knock out blow to his main challenger Senator Hillary Clinton (D-NY). With tension running high on both sides, this prolonging contest has raised fears that the eventual nominee will come out badly bruised against the Republican Party's nominee Senator John McCain (R-AZ.). While they have dismissed this concern, I believe it a concern that should not be taken lightly. As the primary season enters its final weeks, I see a Democratic Party extremely divided. Tensions are running high on both sides and there is no guarantee that the party will unite behind the eventual nominee in November.
For this reason, some within the party have floated the idea of a Democratic "dream ticket," a joint-ticket with both Obama and Clinton (in whatever order that is decided). Both Clinton and Obama say it is still too early to talk about Vice Presidential candidates and both have declined to say whether they would ask each other to join their ticket. The idea has also received a lukewarm response from leading Democratic officials like House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D. Cali.). As far as I can see, the Dream Ticket is the only way the Democrats stand a chance on winning the Presidency in November.
Despite his charisma and ability to "move people," Mr. Obama is still relatively unknown to many Americans, which could pose a problem for him in November. The senator's questionable relationship with his longtime anti-American pastor Reverend Jeremiah Wright and the whole "Bittergate" comments have only raised new questions about the man's electability. Now, do not even get me started on Mrs. Clinton. Despised by Republicans and Conservatives alike, Mrs. Clinton's electability has always been in question, even when she was the front-runner.
Also, let's face it: people are going to be bitter once this thing is decided. Both sides are going to feel they have been cheated of victory. For example, there is already talk among Clinton supporters of backing McCain in the event Obama does win the nomination.
Running separately, the Democratic Party's chances in November have no place to go but down, and the longer this race goes on, I bet my prediction will pan out. Running together, however, I think it is very likely that the American people will embrace a Democratic presidential candidate for the first time in over a decade. Both bring something to the table. Mrs. Clinton brings experience, while Mr. Obama brings the new face and bipartisan attitude that American politics has been lacking for decades. Also, do Democrats really think the American people, no matter how stupid the concept actually may be, will ignore the chance of electing the country's first black president and female vice president, or the first woman president and black vice president? I do not think so.
I mean even another Leftie, Fidel Castro, thinks the ticket is a win.
So I think, at the end of the day, Clinton and Obama are going to have to kiss and make up if they have any chance of standing against McCain, a Vietnam War veteran who has supporters on both sides of the political spectrum. If they do not, then all I can say is Election Night 2008 will be a good night for Senator John McCain.
- Photos: Photo: The Pope and the President
- Features: Eleven Days of Forever
- Poet's Refuge: POET'S REFUGE: There Is An Issue (3/4/08)
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Darnell Lee
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