Bianca Edwards a.k.a. Miss B performs her new hit single No Lip Gloss Baby, at a block party near Howard University.
The national and local news media have often been criticized for only publicizing negative stories about DC public schools, but this school year has been an anomaly with respect to that type of coverage, at least for Theodore Roosevelt High School. Positive stories about the accomplishments of students and staff at Roosevelt have appeared numerous times on WJMAL (ABC) news, in the Washington Post, the Washington Informer, Digital Sports and other national publications.
Roosevelt senior Betika McKeever poses with actor Nate Parker (The Great Debator) after a debate in Chicago.
Senior Betika McKeever made news when she earned the right to compete in the Chase Urban Debate National Championship held in Chicago in April. She teamed with Angela Lubkeman from Mckinley Tech and they were the subject of an article in the Washington Post written by Timothy Wilson (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/09/ar200804091474.html). The DC team won three out of five matches.
Rough Riders Veronica Torres (softball) and D'Angelo Johnson (basketball) were selected by ABC news as Athlete of the Week for their performance in the classroom and in their respective athletic sports. Their stories were aired on ABC's 5 o'clock news show. For Veronica's story see http://cfc.wjla.com/searchvideos.cfm?k=Veronica+Torres+x=16+y=7. In order to see D'Angelo's story go to http:cfc.wjla.com/videoondemand.cfm?id=9010. D'Angelo was also the subject of another feature on ABC news which highlighted his ability to overcome adversity and still achieve academically. This gripping story can be obtained by going to http://cfc.wjla.co/videoondemand.cfm?id=9341.
Bianca Edwards is making a name for herself in the music industry. She has been accepted to Belmont University, which is one of the best music schools in the nation as well as Syracuse University. She has published her first CD entitled "Miss B" and her first music video (One Step Away) can be seen on the Washington Post's online site.
Darin Drakeford
Junior scholar Darin Drakeford has been selected as one of the nation's highly talented prep stars by an organization called Collegiate Sports of America (CSA). He is being recruited for football by schools like the University of Maryland, the University of Illinois, Michigan State University just to name a few. His biography will appear in CSA's national publication next month. Darin was also the subject of an interview that can been seen on the Washington Post's online web site (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-yn/content/video/2008/04/23/VI2008042301880.html?referrer=emaillink).
Roosevelt's Digital Sports web site has been selected by the managers of Digital Sports, Inc. as the best sports web site on the "East Coast". An article was written in the Washington Informer about our own Dr. Maurice Butler and his indefatigable effort to get his students to write and publish (http://washingtoninformer.com/sproosevelt2008mar20.html).
Juashuanna Kelly has been the center of a firestorm when she was not allowed to participate in a track meet in Maryland because of her uniform. The news media jumped all over this story because of Juashuanna's religious beliefs and it received national coverage. She was also the subject of a story in the Washington Post that related to her participating in track while fasting. The web sites are too numerous to list here so in order to read the coverage you should just Google her. She has recorded the fastest time in the District this season and recently won the gold medal in the 3200, 1600, 800 and 400 meter run at the DCIAA East/West Championships. She has committed to run for Coppin State University next fall.
Members of Roosevelt's Golf Club work out at East Potomac Golf Course (l-r Lamar Bradley, Marcelles Young, Marcus Gladney, David Smith, Roger Wood, Tommy Swinton).
The sun began setting against an auburn sky. A cool spring breeze rustles through the trees singing a song of calm and serenity. The awesome silence was interrupted by a flock of geese swooping down and landing on a golden pond in a synchronized formation that brought to mind a choreographed dance in a Broadway show. A deer, with its' offspring in tow, peered harmlessly from behind a bush to see what was going on before it stealthily continued searching for food. The closely manicured green grass was soft and flowing, adding to the picturesque scene that entices people of all ages and sizes and from all walks of life to come in search of the perfect swing, the perfect drive, the perfect score.
The golf program at Theodore Roosevelt High School has introduced students to a new world. A world where the hustle and bustle of the real world is suspended in time, if only for a brief moment; a world where the constant noise of hate, violence, crime, poverty, racism, and economic chaos is replaced by the rules of proper etiquette, dress, fair play, and honesty; a world where the sounds of hip hop, rap, reggae, and acid rock are replaced by the sounds of nature and the sounds of silence; a world where accountants, bankers, presidents, and politicians can mix with students, teachers, and the average hard working citizens with one goal in mind...putting a little ball in a hole in the ground. A world where you can constantly fail and have fun doing it!
"I joined the golf club because I wanted to do something challenging and different," stated Marcelles Young, a junior at Roosevelt. "I like learning new things and I love to be challenged. I also like the quiet environment. When I went out on the course I found it nice and peaceful. There was not a lot of noise like at a football game or like when I ran track. Sometimes I need it to be quiet and peaceful.
"It is a soothing sport," exclaimed Whitney Simms, a star point guard the girl's basketball team and short stop on the girl's softball team. "When you are out on the course you can really clear you mind and it relieves your stress." Simms, who has been playing golf since she was 13 years old, has found golf to be as challenging as the other sports that she has mastered. Her five foot frame may fool many people but she can hit the golf ball a country mile. "Golf is a fun sport and you have to really focus on getting that tiny ball in a tiny hole in a certain amount of strokes. I like being able to hit the ball far and I love the sound it makes when the ball goes in the hole!"
The golf program is in its' second year and has gotten plenty of support from all areas. The Roosevelt Alumni Association paid for the practice sweats and the uniforms. Members of the Roosevelt staff, including the principal, help students work on the fundamentals, pay for green fees, help transport members to golf courses and participate in a faculty-golf team tournament. Many staff members come out and practice with the team. "I tried golf for health reasons," Roosevelt's athletic director, Mr. Daryl Tilghman stated. "I wanted to do something to get some exercise. I think it is fairly easy to learn, but difficult to master. That is when the obsession sets in because you start to try to get better and hit the perfect shot. The competition, the people you meet, the friendships you make, the networking that goes on is all a part of golf and is good for the kids."
The golf team practices at area golf courses including Rock Creek Golf course, Paint Branch Golf course (MD), Langston Golf course and every Tuesday the team travels to East Potomac Golf course. The team received equipment and training from an organization s called the "Kids Hooked on Golf program, spearheaded by former ABC news anchor Paul Berry. Through the Paul Barry program the team was equipped with bags, clubs, balls, mats and free access to the golf course. At the end of the five-week training session the program sponsors a golf tournament where players from the participating schools play a 9-hole match. Participating schools included Roosevelt, Dunbar, McKinley, Anacostia, Wilson, Bell and Eastern.
With all of the advantages that golf has to offer, the central themes seems to be the calming effect that it has on anyone who dares to venture into this world. "My first impression when I went out to Paint Branch Golf course was that I could stay out here all day," senior Tommy Swinton exclaimed with a twinkle in his eye. "Golf is a fun filled stress reliever. If you have problems in your family, you can come out here and it will take your mind off of things!" "I like the environment," freshman Roger Woods said. "The green grass, the water, the trees, it makes me feel like I can do anything!"
Chancellor Michelle Rhee Announces That Roosevelt Will Change Next Year
By Carrington Gibson and Rashauwn Foreman
Staff Writers
Will Roosevelt become a charter school next year? Will all of the teachers and administrators be fired? Will students have to apply to attend Roosevelt? Who is all of this new construction really for anyway? Inquiring minds want to know!
Rumors are running rampant around Roosevelt these days concerning what the school will look like next year and who will be here. Rumor has it that this year's graduating class will be the last for Roosevelt High School as it exist now, or that a charter school will take over next year and all students will have to apply to get in or go somewhere else, or that the administration and teachers will all be fired and a new staff will be brought in. As a result of these rumors, some students are beginning to look for other schools to go to next year, faculty members are getting their resumes together, the alumni and parents are up in arms and ready to fight, and fear of the unknown is spreading. Those are the rumors, here are the facts.
According to Chancellor Michelle Rhee, "there are 27 District schools that are in restructuring status according to the federal No Child Left Behind Law (NCLB) and Roosevelt is one of the schools. Roosevelt has acquired 'restructuring status' because the school has consistently fallen short of goals to help students to meet Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). As a result, the federal government requires that we must do something significant in order to increase their academic progress. We must change the way the school is governed, and NCLB gives us five possible ways to do so. We have to pick one of those choices after researching each choice, examining data about Roosevelt, meeting with...the community, and talking to the Local School Restructuring team (LSRT).
DCPS Chancellor Michelle Rhee
The choices do not move Roosevelt students to another school, so [students] will still be able to attend school at Roosevelt next year. [Students] will not have to apply to attend Roosevelt, but the way that the school is managed will change."
The five options from which the Chancellor will choose include: (1) Reconstitution or restructuring; (2) having a private company take control of and run the school; (3) turn into a charter school; (4) have the state government [DC] take over running the school; (5) allow the school to develop a partnership with an outside educational entity (like American or Howard Universities) who will help make decision in the school along with the administration.
If the school goes through reconstitution this means that more than likely the administration would be replaced and teachers would have to reapply if they wanted to remain. New staff would be brought in along with a new curriculum and resources. The other options include turning over the operation of the school to a private company with a demonstrated record of effectiveness or to the state government (for further information see Questions and Answers on No Child Left Behind www.education.com/reference/article/Re_questions_Answers_No/)
Chancellor Rhee met with members of Roosevelt's LSRT in November and plans to make her final decision by the end of January. Reaction to the Chancellor's proposals has been swift and ranges from passive acceptance to hostile emotionalism. When asked about her opinion on the proposed changes Chancellor Rhee responded, "I absolutely believe [the changes] will be good. The reason for the NCLB law is to make sure that if a school is not set up in a way that helps students gain the skills they need every year, then we need to change the way the school is set up so that students can perform at their best."
There are a lot of questions that students, parents, alumni and members of the community want answered that the Rider Times news staff has been trying to find answers for. For example, if 27 schools (which includes most of the high schools in the District of Columbia Public School System except Banneker, School Without Walls, Duke Ellington, McKinley and Bell) have to be reorganized, where are all of the teachers and administrator going to go if they are released? What happens if parents in the community don't like or want the proposed changes? Will Roosevelt's name still be Roosevelt if a private company or charter school takes over? How did we get in this mess in the first place? Many of Roosevelt's students, staff members and administration are stunned at the Chancellor's mandate because they have only been at this school for a short period of time and Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) has to be demonstrated over a five year period. And what is Adequate Yearly Progress in the first place and how do you demonstrate it?
The answers to most of those questions will have to come from the Chancellor, but as far as the last question is concerned (AYP) it is about test scores! It's about how many people took the test (the Stanford 9 and the DC CAS) and how many made proficient on the test. This is the test that students (now only 10th graders on the high school level) take every April and the same test that many students don't feel is important or "blows off" because it is too long! The law states that EVERYBODY (only 10th graders on the DC CAS) has to take the test and when students don't show up it contributes to the whole school failure.
The No Child Left Behind legislation states: A Title I school that has not made adequate yearly progress, as defined by the state, for two consecutive school years will be identified by the district before the beginning of the next school year as needing improvement. School officials will develop a two-year plan to turn around the school. The local education agency will ensure that the school receives needed technical assistance as it develops and implements its improvement plan. Students must be offered the option of transferring to another public school in the district--which may include a public charter school--that has not been identified as needing school improvement.
If the school does not make adequate yearly progress for three years, the school remains in school-improvement status, and the district must continue to offer public school choice to all students. In addition, students from low-income families are eligible to receive supplemental educational services, such as tutoring or remedial classes, from a state-approved provider.
If the school fails to make adequate progress for four years, the district must implement certain corrective actions to improve the school, such as replacing certain staff or fully implementing a new curriculum, while continuing to offer public school choice and supplemental educational services for low-income students.
If a school fails to make adequate yearly progress for a fifth year, the school district must initiate plans for restructuring the school. This may include reopening the school as a charter school, replacing all or most of the school staff or turning over school operations either to the state or to a private company with a demonstrated record of effectiveness. (for further information see Questions and Answers on No Child Left Behind www.education.com/reference/article/Re_questions_Answers_No/).
Regardless of what name this school goes by or whoever is in charge, if students don't start coming to school everyday and taking the test seriously this situation will never go away.
Does The Practice of Tattoing Hurt or Enhance Our Bodies?
By Becky Okorie
Staff Writer
Rider basketball star Roderick Harris has 11 tattoos. "It might affect me later because when I go look for a job people might think I'm a gangster."
They come in all shapes and sizes and usually if you get one, you'll get two or three or four. Professional athletes sport them, entertainers show them off, and even some adults are caving in to the fad of covering their bodies with pictures, messages and symbols.
Many people might see tattoos as a rebellious, defiant form of expression, while others may feel that it is a form of defacing or mutilating the body. Some say it's just their way to express their individuality. Some people get tattoos to express their love for loved ones and some get them because they feel it will make them happy. Some, on the other hand, do it because it is what they see on television.
"Tattoos and body piercing are a way we can express ourselves nonverbally," exclaimed Sharnetta Hagans and Tamika Liverpool, both seniors at Theodore Roosevelt High School. "I had the word 'blessed' tattooed on my neck because I feel like I am blessed," Roosevelt senior Roderick Harris stated. "When I see people who are handicapped and hear about people being killed I feel like I am blessed." Harris, who has 11 tattoos covering his body also has a pair of praying hands and angels which represents his spirituality.
Jumeca Evans, class of 2004, has seven tattoo's and now says that she regrets getting them.
While tattoos and body piercing are ways of expression many people never stop to think about the dangers and drawbacks of getting them. People are beginning to see that having their bodies tattooed has repercussions that could create problems later in life. Jumeca Evans, a Roosevelt alumnus from the class of 2004, now regrets getting so many tattoos. "I have seven tattoos," Jumeca lamented. "I got my first one in 2001 and now I really regret getting them and if I had to do it all over again I wouldn't do it." Jumeca is attempting to earn a living as a professional model and the tattoos make getting modeling jobs difficult. She stands to lose a lot of money because some photographers don't want to spend the time or money trying to work around tattoos.
"Photographers have to use a computerized air brush to remove them [tattoos] from the photo and that causes them to have to do more work," Jumeca stated. "They would rather shoot a girl without them. The money I stand to lose varies on the type of job I get. I haven't gotten one of the really big jobs yet, but I have gotten jobs that pay $150 per hour."
When students were asked to reflect on how their tattoos could affect them in the future several responded by implying that too many visible tattoos could have an impact of how individuals are perceived by members of the business community, which could impact on getting high paying jobs. Roderick Harris stated that, "it could affect me because people might think I am a gangster or something when I go looking for a job."
"Lots of employers won't hire you if you have too many," Jumeca reflected. "I even had a job at MacDonald's before and they made me wear long sleeves to cover up my tattoos, even in the summer time! Wearing long sleeves in the summer was ridiculous, but I had to do it to keep a job."
Some of the dangers associated with tattoos include the possibility of contracting infections and diseases. If the needle are not clean one could run the risk of getting Hepatitis C or even AIDS. Another thing that people don't think about is what the tattoo will look like when they get older. Will it stay the same or will it prune with the skin as the years pass? Some even put the name of a person whom they love at the time, thinking that the love is forever, but when the love fades away or turns in the direction of another the tattoo remains.
Is it worth it? Is this a fad or will it stand the test of time? What will happen when it's not cute or popular anymore? After thinking about all of the risks you also have to remember that tattoos are forever. You can get rid of them but it is an expensive and painful process. Removing a tattoo can cost between $150 and $200 per session for laser removal which is a painful procedure and you have to come back for multiple sessions.
If you are thinking about getting a tattoo you should be careful and think hard and long. Make sure that the needle is fresh out of the package and that the person doing the procedure is licensed. Remember, if you don't like it when it's done you will have to live with it until the end of time.
"If I had to give students advice about tattoos, I would say DON'T DO IT," Jumeca Evans emphatically exclaimed. "It's not worth it! It's cute now, but will cost you later!!!!!"
The Roosevelt boys varsity basketball team completes an historic season finishes with a record of 19-5 and capturing their first DCIAA championship since 1972.
While college teams scramble through the madness of March, trying to see who could get to the coveted championship game, members of the Roosevelt athletic department can easily shed some light on that subject. Like the Rider football teams of the 1970's or track teams of the 1980's this year Roosevelt's sports teams have had the opportunity to participate in and/or win the championship in their respective sports so much so that this could be referred to as the Year of the Rider.
The Lady Rider Cross Country Team.
This fabulous year started off with our Lady Rider cross country team who captured their first ever DCIAA Cross Country girl's championship in school's history. After placing a disappointing 2nd in last years' competition, the Lady Riders stayed focused on one goal...winning it all this year. The coaching staff instituted a rigorous practice schedule which included 7:00 a.m. and after school practices, and workouts on Saturdays and Sundays. The hard work paid off as the Lady Rider's placed multiple runners in the top 10 finisher's of every race, while capturing the East/West Championship and the DCIAA City Championship.
Members of the Lady Rider Varsity Basketball Team celebrate victory over Anacostia in the semifinals of the DCIAA Basketball Tournament.
Our Lady Riders' basketball team earned its' six consecutive appearance in the DCIAA Girls Basketball championship game, with this year being the most challenging. Coach Tyrone Pittman put together a challenging pre-season schedule that included schools like Holy Names, St. John's, Georgetown Visitation and Cal Poly of Baltimore all designed to give his team the type of competition that he would face in the playoffs. Added to a tough schedule was the fact that the Lady Riders had to overcome the injury bug that sidelined senior point guard Whitney Simms for a number of crucial games and the loss of senior leader Asyja Smith for most of the season. With the emergence of Raven Brooks (the areas fourth leading scorer), who put this team on her back, the Lady Riders overcame those obstacles and worked their way into the championship game before succumbing to the eventual city champions...HD Woodson.
Junior Varsity Basketball team.
While our varsity girls and boys basketball teams garnered all of the attention in their march to greatness, our junior varsity basketball team flew under the radar and conducted a march of their own. The JV Riders entered the DCIAA Junior Varsity Basketball Tournament in the middle of the pack, but quickly emerged as a front runner after blowout victories over School without Walls and McKinley Tech. Following a victory over archrival Coolidge, the Riders earned a berth in the championship game against Woodson, which was for some reason held in Woodson's gym instead of a neutral site. The Rider put up a valiant fight before succumbing to the Warriors.
Our boy's varsity basketball team started the year off establishing themselves as a force to be reckoned with. They played anybody and everywhere (e.g. New York, Virginia Beach, Maryland) in the quest to prepare for post-season competition. They defeated Hylton High school at their own site, a school in Virginia and perennial power who had not lost a home game in two years, as well as Severn High School to capture the Bob Ormland Memorial Basketball Championship held at St. Albans High School.
Our Riders captured their first DCIAA basketball championship since 1972 with a thrilling victory over Dunbar and earned its' first ever appearance in the boys city championship game against the Washington Post's number one ranked team Gonzaga High School. Though victory eluded our Riders in this game the seasons was extremely successful....With the spring season upon us we look for further success from our baseball, softball, tennis, outdoor track and golf teams. To be continued!
Roosevelt students William Idrissi and Veronica Torres receive the coveted Trachtenberg Scholarship worth $250,000 to Gearge Washington University.
As students and parents filled the auditorium of Banneker High School yesterday (Friday, April, 4, 2008) they were met by a gauntlet of television cameras, professional photographers, new reporters, proud teachers, counselors and well wishers. Students and staff members at Banneker are no strangers to celebrations of achievement because the majority of the students who attend this school for the academically gifted were achievers when they got there. But this day was a very special day, for on this day nine very special students stood before that bevy of cameras and well wishers and received a coveted $250,000 scholarship from the president of George Washington University, Mr. Steven Knapp.
The nine students who were honored on this day did not all come from Banneker, however. The master of ceremony began announcing the winners by calling the name of the school first (e.g. from Wilson High School..., from the School without Walls... from Banneker High School...) then the honorees name and accolades. Then all of the sudden the master of ceremony exclaimed "and from Theodore Roosevelt High School...." There was an eerie silence followed by small, polite applause. Much to the amazement of some members of the audience the MC announced "and also from Theodore Roosevelt High School...."
Yes, two of the nine Trachtenberg Scholars in the class of 2008 are Roosevelt Rough Riders, Veronica Torres and William El Idrissi Echbihi. Veronica and William strolled proudly to the stage and accepted their awards, in the presence of school chancellor Michelle Rhee, with the knowledge that they no longer had to worry about finding money to support their educational dreams.
Veronica Torres and the GW mascot.
Veronica, no stranger to academic and athletic accolades and who has already been accepted to Johns Hopkins University, seemed reserved on the outside, but must have been exploding with joy on the inside. Her remarkable journey started in El Salvador and she came to the United States knowing very little English. "I did not know any English when I got here and began learning it by watching television," she elatedly exclaimed. "I was able to learn a lot more when I got to Roosevelt and got in the ELL Academy. There I was around people who helped me a lot and I felt very comfortable. I pushed myself to do well in school because I wanted to go to a good college. My parents never got the opportunity to go to college and I wanted to make them proud of me."
William Idrissi receives congratulations from DCPS Chancellor Michelle Rhee and George Washington University President Steven Knapp.
William's reaction to receiving this award was quite evident as he accepted his scholarship with a smile so broad it could brightened a dark room. "I never would have been able to take that walk across this stage today if it weren't for the programs at Roosevelt," William reflected. "Gear-Up [in particular] was the grease that got me here today." Williams' journey started at DeMatha High School and has taken many detours. He spent three months this summer in Morocco learning Arabic and helping deliver flour, sugar, water, cooking oil and other necessities to the people in Khemissett.
Both students follow a proud tradition of Roosevelt graduates who have been the recipient of the Trachtenberg scholarship and have attended and graduated from George Washington University. In the ten year history of this award eight Roosevelt students have received the scholarship. These awards ($500,000) will make a significant contribution to the goal of the class of 2008 to reach two million dollars in scholarship awards.
(l-r) Lyrica Montague (Counselor), Jennifer Mitchum (Gear-Up Coordinator), Williams Idrissi, Saavetria Francis (Assistant Principal) and Veronica Torres.
Stomp The Yard and "Rep" Your Set...No, Not That One!
What This Fraternity/Sorority Thing Is All About
By Bianca Edwards
Rider Times Staff Writer
Dean of Students Aubrey Brown demonstrates the steps he employed when he Stomped the Yard at Virginia Union.
On the playground and streets, there are different neighborhood crews or gangs, with different street names, boys and girls wearing different colors, using scarves, tattoos, handshakes, or other body language to represent what 'set' they claim, but on the college campus there are different fraternities and sororities, represented by different Greek letter formations, where men and women represent what set they claim.
The recent interest in fraternities and sororities has been made popular by movies like Stomp the Yard and School Daze and has people wondering what this fraternity thing is all about. Why do men and women subject themselves to the hazing? What is the real purpose of these organizations and why do so many join?
At the start of the twentieth (20th) century, African Americans began to form organizations on college campuses, prior to then, these brotherhood, and sisterhood based associations were only afforded to the white student body. The first fraternity formed for black students, by black students, was Alpha Phi Alpha Inc. in December of 1906. It was founded on the campus of Cornell University, in Ithaca, New York. African American women weren't far behind; they established the first sorority, Alpha Kappa Alpha Inc. in February 1908, later the sorority Delta Sigma Theta Inc. was founded in January of 1913, both at Howard University, in Washington D.C. While other black Greek organizations followed suit, these organizations were considered the first.
While many neighborhood crews have purposes such as attending parties, marking territory, participating in violence or illegal activities or just hanging out together, fraternities and sororities are developed for a specific reason. For example, A0A (Alpha Phi Alpha Inc.) members all adopt the principles of manly deeds, scholarship, and love for all mankind, while an AKA (Alpha Kappa Alpha Inc.) sister's number one priority is to service mankind in education and religion, and a Delta member focuses on sisterhood, scholarship, and community service. All of these African American (some not limited to African American participation), organizations, for the most part, evolved into, if not were founded, as service organizations, for the advancement of the black race. Some were involved in The Great Depression, Civil Rights Movement, and others in cultural and economic endeavors, helping with health initiatives. Since then black Greek organizations have made a large impact on the community.
Barry Brinkley, coordinator of the Gear-Up program at Roosevelt.
The impact these first African American Greek organizations, as well as others, had in the community was so intense that more and more students aspired to cross over. Aubrey Brown, a teacher at Theodore Roosevelt High School, and member of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity Inc. crossed in the spring of 2000 at Virginia Union University. During a recent interview he explained the undergraduate and graduate benefits of joining the organization, as far as networking. Barry Brinkley, of the same fraternity, and coordinator of the GEAR UP program at Roosevelt stated, as an adult "the best personal experience is, just being able to travel, any where, to any major city in the country, and be able to call one of my 'frat' (fraternity) brothers and have somewhere to stay, have someone to hang out with...".
Sharon Farmer, Instructional Coordinator.
Sharon Farmer, an AKA, crossed in 1972, at Vanderbilt University, in Tennessee, with family members already in Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. She was easily influenced to pledge once she got to college. When asked would she do it all over again, Ms. Farmer stated, "If I could do it again...I would...I never felt like quitting." Alike, Kimberly Johnson, of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. who crossed at James Madison University in fall of 2000, also had no regrets, and expressed the benefits of professional networking if in fraternity/sororities for job opportunities. Between the incredible work ethics of these organizations, members found time to create art.
Crews, break dance, fight, or maybe even play a competitive sport to challenge one another. African-American Greek organizations do something a little different. They Stomp the Yard! Stepping competitions are "good friendly competition," said Mr. Brown. "It is showing expression and recreating art originated in Africa hundreds of years of go." Unlike street crews versus other street crews Greek rivalry is not hostile. "We love each other, and respect each other," Johnson said.
So with all this safe fun going on, and major opportunities, why would anyone not want to join these prominent organizations? Sharon Quick, a communications teacher at Roosevelt, did not join a sorority, but chose to join the Black Student Union to spearhead community service projects related to helping surrounding neighborhoods in North Carolina. In addition, regarding to her former opinion of joining a sorority and its members she stated, "I...thought they were pretty, prissy, little girls that did little cutesy things...." She later on went to say "I lived long enough now, yes, to regret my decision because sororities are an outstanding way to have friendships and bonds." Mr. Andrews, a math teacher, did not join a fraternity because he was already apart of an organization that required his total attention. "I had a wife and son when I was in college," Mr. Andrews said. "A fraternity or sorority was for those young people who wanted to belong to a group. I felt that my family was all that I needed and didn't need to identify with a group. I also thought that the initiation was a little inhuman and wouldn't put myself through it.
When high school ends, another chapter of life presents its self. In some lives college will be that next step. Brown, Brinkley, Farmer, Johnson, and Quick, all happen to have one thing in common; they encouraged students to first strive to get a college education, but then later consider Greek life, and to join an organization that best suites them, in other words, step off the playground and on to the campuses, but always Rep Your Set!
Roosevelt's School of Communication Gives Students a Headstart in the Media Industry
By The Aging Adolescent
Guess Writer
Roosevelt student photographers (l-r) Carrington Gibson, Darnell Lee and Anthony Woodland get the opportunity to shoot the 70th Annual Pigskin Awards Banquet where they meet Hall of Famer Redskin Art Monk.
As collegiate teams prepare to march through the madness that is the NCAA Basketball Tournament, a group of excited and very talented members of the Young Journalists Development program sponsored by the Washington Post sit in anticipation in the Verizon Center preparing to rub elbows with professional journalist and photographers as they participate in the media day ceremonies.
Among those excited student journalist is our very own Darnell Lee, who was commissioned by the Washington Post to take photographs as the teams prepare for the first day of the tournament. Darnell is no stranger to demonstrating his skills on a stage this big. In his two years as a member of the School of Communications at Theodore Roosevelt, Darnell and other students at Roosevelt have been given numerous opportunities to demonstrate what they have learned in the classroom in an authentic situation. He was given an opportunity, by Howard University, to photograph Howard's homecoming game and activities, the city basketball championship game (held at the Verizon Center), then 40th Annual Pigskin Awards Banquet, as well as covering Roosevelt's sports season for Digital Sports.
Student journalist work with Athelia Knight, director of the Washington Post's Young Journalist Development program during March Madness Media Day at the Verizon Center. Students include: (front row l-r) Tyneshia McCray, Suitland HS, Jasmine Berry, Gaithersburg HS, Lindsey Hardenbergh, Robinson Secondary HS, (back row l-r) Danny Fersh, Walter Johnson HS, Tom Chalmers, Rockville HS, and Darnell Lee, Theodore Roosevelt High School.
"I've been taking pictures for a while," Darnell exclaimed. "But since I have been at Roosevelt I have had to chance to go to so many places and see so many things and get paid for it. Darnell joined the School of Communications which is a part of the academy system at Roosevelt. Roosevelt is divided into five academies, which includes two preparatory academies (i.e. the 9th Grade Prep Academy and the English Language Learners Prep Academy) and three career focused academies (i.e the School of Communications, the Hospitality and Tourism Academy and the Business and Finance Academy). The School of Communications has a television studio and radio lab, and has established partnerships with such organizations as National Broadcast Radio, Digital Sports, Progressive Sports and Entertainment Alliance, Inc.
The School of Communications offers a three-year preparatory curriculum that is career focused and performance based. Students receive hands on training in several areas of mass media. Students have the opportunity to study journalism, script writing, interviewing, public speaking, debate skills and produce radio and television programs. More importantly students get the opportunity to demonstrate their talents in the real world through internships, video, photography, and journalism products and publications. Activities and products published this school year to date include:
1. The "College 411-Big Things Poppin'" video premiered for Mayor Fenty's College Awareness Week Campaign Kick-off. Anthony Woodland, working with the College Student Center under Ms. Kelly Coble and Mr. Ajuma Clark, was student producer and editor for the 10 minute promotional video that spearheaded the Mayor's initiative.
2. Journalists Bianca Edwards and Lawanne Johnson had articles published in a national music magazine entitled "InTune".
3. Mark Dumas, Jr. and Anthony Woodland attended the JEA (Journalism Educators Association) conference in Philadelphia (Nov. 8-11, 2007).
4. Photojournalists Darnell Lee has been commissioned by the Washington Post to participate in the NCAA Basketball March Madness media day session held at the Verizon Center.
5. Ellen Speight, Brittany Nicholes, Sean Rowe, Khyre Hardy, Mark Dumas and Anthony Woodland were student producers at the September College Fair held at the Convention Center.
6. Photojournalist Shamika Lyons and Frank Tate had their photographs published in the Washington Post's magazine entitled "Shop Talk".
7. Roosevelt's media students were commissioned to film and photograph the 70th Annual Pigskin Awards Banquet held at the Capital Hilton Hotel. Student participants included Tomeka Brooks, Carrington Gibson, Darnell Lee, Brittany Nicholes, and Anthony Woodland.
8. Photojournalist Darnell Lee and Frank Tate were commissioned by Ed Hill (Sports Information Director of Howard University) to photograph Howard's homecoming game and activities.
9. Photos taken by Khyre Hardy are on display on the walls in the main hallway at Children's Hospital.
10. The Al Neuharth Free Spirit Journalism Scholars program annually awards $1000 college scholarships to each of 102 high school seniors (a male and a female from each state and the District of Columbia) who are interested in pursuing a career in journalism and who demonstrate the qualities of a free spirit. The top two scholars are awarded $50,000 scholarships. For the past two years a student from Roosevelt has won this award. This year the award went to senior Anthony Woodland.
11. Both Tiffany Thornton and Bianca Edwards were selected by the Washington Post to work with professional and collegiate writers and representatives of the American Association of News Editors on a project that will begin April 12, 2008. Tiffany also is a finalist for the Gates Millennium Scholarship (an all expenses paid scholarship to any college of which she is accepted). Bianca also won the Rotary Club Oratorical Competition and received $250 in cash, the Washington Post Music & Dance Scholarship ($2000), and was accepted at Syracuse University with over a $37,000 financial package.
Journalism students conduct a press conference with Roosevelt's principal Dr. Benjamin Hosch.
(l-r) Tomeka Brooks, Li Thompson, and Brittany Nicholes.
Li Thompson is a winner! She is a product of DC Public Schools (H.D. Woodson High School) and went on to become a successful female in a male dominated industry. She became the first female and first African American professional stadium manager in the country (she worked for RFK Stadium in the District of Columbia). She has been responsible for organizing major local events like concerts at the stadium, the city title basketball games for high school basketball and affairs for DC United (the professional soccer team in Washington). She is one of the movers and shakers in Washington and has personal access to all of the local professional sports teams which includes the Washington Wizards, Mystics, Redskins, Capitals, DC United and the Baltimore Ravens. Many thought she was crazy when she quit her job to start her own company that works with high school students in the District of Columbia, but her company is growing so fast that cities like Philadelphia, Baltimore and Oakland want to purchase it and she doesn't seem so crazy after all.
Ms. Thompson is the founder and executive director of Progressive Sports and Entertainment Alliance, Inc. (PSEA). The purpose of this organization is to give high school age children the training and exposure to become managers of the sports and entertainment industry; to prepare tomorrow's sports entertainment leaders today. Its mission is to nurture students as they become well rounded citizens and encourage each to assume leadership positions in their school, community, as well as pursue a professional career in sports and entertainment management. "I envision that by exposing DC teenagers to all that the sports and entertainment world has to offer, one day Washington DC would become a hotbed for producing the top sports and entertainment management professionals in the world," Ms Thompson exclaimed.
Ms. Thompson, who was born and raised in northeast Washington, DC and graduated from the top of her class at Woodson, knows what DC kids are capable of achieving. She decided to invest her own money in starting this business and started it during the summer of 2005. Already her efforts are paying dividends and many of her program graduates have jobs in the sports industry. Ms. Thompson has interns working all over the country and even has one working as a sports writer for ESPN magazine and one working as a scout for the Baltimore Ravens. She is currently working with Howard University to provide scholarship for her graduates who want to enter the sports management program there. "Professional sports are a very lucrative business but everyone can't be a million dollar professional athlete," Ms. Thompson said. "But you can make a very good living in the areas that relate to sports like sports journalism, sports marketing, field maintenance, events planning, and sports management."
The program is organized into a paid training session during the summer where students learn skills that range from athletic field maintenance to sports journalism and fall internships. In addition to classroom training, students go on numerous field trips that give them an up close and the behind the scenes look at the operations of a sporting event. Students get to go to all of the area professional team games, as well as team-building activities (lazar tag, Dave & Busters, Medieval Times, etc.). The summer program includes the following sequence:
Year 1
Event/Venues management
Media Relations
Athletic Field Maintenance
Game Statistics
Year 2
Merchandise/Retail Sales
Officiating
Marketing
Athletic Training
Year 3
Photography
Sports Information/Journalism
Webpage Development
Television Production
Year 4
Community/Public Relations
Staffing/Hiring
Desktop Publishing
Videography
Ms. Thompson is looking for students who are interested in seeking a career opportunity in the field of sports management. For further information about her program you can go online at www.pseausa.com. If you want to contact Ms Thompson about getting into the program you can email her at lthompson@pseausa.com or call her at 202-320-3738. You could also see Dr. Butler (room 184 in the morning, room B71 after lunch) for applications.
Roosevelt senior Betika McKeever poses with actor Nate Parker (The Great Debator) after a debate in Chicago. 
Darin Drakeford
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DCPS Chancellor Michelle Rhee
