Vol.

14 Fall 2004

The New York Association of Black Journalists Student Journalism Workshop

CO-SPONSORED BY LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY (BROOKLYN C A M P U S )

FIRST TAKE

STUDENTS
By: Tracy Casseus and Cassel Willis
Thousands of people lined up to see runners from all over the world participate in the New York City Marathon, from Mexico to Australia and right here in the U.S. These countries and many others participated in the annual event. The race featured Olympic runner, Paula Radcliffe, who participated in the 2004 Olympics in Athens in the summer. The marathon included four divisions: ING Run for Something Better, the Wheelchair division, Hand cycle category, and regular runners. There were many sites to see at the marathon as people screamed for their families, friends and countries. Fans were supportive in many ways. Some blew horns to signal to their runner, waved their flags to support their countries and shouted cheering words in different languages. Runners also offered their own amusement to the spectators. Runners wore clown noses, colored themselves with many different colors and dressed themselves up in old military uniforms. Many spectators were out there just to watch. I think its just a great event in New York City. I want my daughter to feel the spirit of whats happening, said one bystander, There were many others who were out there for the same reason. Some people could not be interviewed because they were into the vibe and the excitement of the marathon. Experienced runner like Gregg Stein, a native New Yorker and third-time NYC marathon participant, had his girlfriend Mara

TOO MANY

In New York City Schools

As Teyon Felix, a junior at Sheepshead Bay High School, steps off a crowded bus shes determined to get to school on time. But she is just one in a sea of students with the same goal. After swiping her I.D. card at the front door, she treads through multitudes of other students on their way to their morning classes. The rest of the day is much of the same. She struggles to get to and from class, while finding time to socialize with friends without getting into any trouble with security as they sweep the halls for cutters. At the end of the day, Felix dashes to the exit along with all the other students to enjoy the rest of the day outside of the confinement of school. The schools are so overcrowded and it just makes your day harder when people are in the hallway pushing and shoving, says Felix. Over one third of all New York City public schools are overcrowded. Three years ago, President George W. Bush signed the No Child Left Behind Act, which projected an increase in academic achievement and additional funding. The act gives students in low- performing schools the option to get into better schools. In addition, the act makes the schools more accountable for the achievement of their students. The No Child Left Behind Act had brought additional funding to New York City public schools but the act has never been fully funded. To make schools more accountable for their student achievement rates, schools and districts are required to meet annual yearly progress targets. For failing schools, the federal government can either close the school or take it over and break it up into smaller institutions, known as charter schools. When big schools break up and form smaller schools, many of the students that attended the big schools who dont qualify to get into the charter schools transfer into bigger schools around the city. When a school is placed on a list of institutions that need improvement, the attending students are allowed to transfer to a better school. Many high-performing schools are already at or above their capacity to hold students such as John Dewey High School. John Dewey is set to hold 2,900 students, but currently has 3500 in attendance.

These overcrowded schools run into more and more hurdles due to the large amount of students. Teachers and principals tend to apply a great deal of attention to discipline and to administrative tasks, which leave less time for learning. Overcrowded halls intensify the tension between students and as a result can lead to school violence. Yes, definitely overcrowded schools attribute to fights, says, Mr. Patsaricas, a dean at Edward R. Murrow High School. The more crowded the halls, the more likely someone is to bump into another student and not say sorry and then words are exchanged and then that escalates to a fight. The maximum number of students permitted in a classroom by law is 34 and 50 for gym and music classes. Teens, parents, teachers, and administrators are all very troubled by the immense number of students in city high schools. Overcrowding in schools has become one of the most major problems for teachers. More students make it a little harder to teach. Of course it would be more rewarding to have smaller classes, Ryan Mills, a teacher at Edward R. Murrow. Shaneka Caesar, a sophomore at Lafayette High School says, I feel we receive little to no attention from teachers because they seem more focused on the new kids who bring distraction and the teachers really dont teach. The only thing that has improved is that there is more security. Schools that are being broken down into charter/trade schools tend to offer admissions only to students that possess a strong skill such as liberal arts. And, they only admit a small number of those students. In some schools, freshman arent even accepted until next year. There are a lot of new freshmen but not a lot of new students as a whole. My school is a trade school so it draws a lot of people who are interested in these trades, said Kevin Hercules, a senior at William E. Grady High School. In the end, I'm not really affected because Im graduating soon. Myrna Ussach, the business chairman of John Dewey High School said, That the New York City public high schools are left with an insurmountable problem unless all schools turn into smaller schools, therefore where is the equity?

TOO LITTLE SPACE

2004

NYC MARATHON
U.S. with a time if 2:09:53. Third, was Timothy Cherigat of Kenya at a time of 2:10:00. Ramaala could have been an Olympic runner but he dropped out because he pulled hamstring. In the wheelchair mens division, Saul Mendoza of Mexico, came in first with a time of 1:33:16. Krige Schabort, of South Africa, came in second at 1:33:19. Kelly Smith, of Canada, was third at 1:33:24. In the wheelchair womens division , Edith Hunkeler, of Switzerland, was the first to cross the finish line with a time of 1:53:27. Sandra Graf, of Switzerland, came in second at 1:53:37. Diana Roy, of Canada, was the third to cross the finish with 1:57:13.

By: Mikhail Creary of Frederick Douglas Academy

cheered for him. However, Mara said she wouldnt be hitting the pavement with Gregg anytime soon because shes not that fit.Although it was a 26-mile run, there were runners of different ages, abilities and even disabilities. Some participants even used artificial running legs, wheel chairs and hand cycles to run along with the other runners. Paula Radcliffe came in first in the womens division and crossed the finish line in a time of 2:23:10. Susan Chepkemei, of Kenya, came in second with a time 2:23:14 and Lyubov Denisova, of Russia came in third with a time of 2:25:18. In the mens division Hendrik Ramaala, of South Africa, came in first with a time of 2:09:10. Second, was Meb Keflezighi, of the

Untitled-1 1

2/1/05 5:33:47 PM

USHER FANS
GET THEIR MONEYS WORTH AT THE GARDEN
By: Charlene Farley of Bishop Ford H.S.
Madison Square Garden was bombarded by Usher fans who came from far and wide to see the baby-face crooner with the perfectly sculpted abs perform on Oct. 13, 2004. And they werent disappointed. After the opening acts by well-known pop stars, the lights dimmed and the crowd screamed with anticipation of Ushers arrival. He came out with full of energy as the crowd yelled when he sang Caught Up from the Confessions album. Ushers lively performance was accentuated by vivid scenery, fireworks, energetic back-up dancers, strobe lights and a live band. Usher made sure his adoring fans got their moneys worth as he belted songs from his previous albums including 8701 and My Way. Ushers opening performers included Christina Milian and Kanye West. Christina Milan, a rising pop star and actress, performed a few songs off her latest album Its About Time, including the hit single Dip It Low. Kanye West also performed the singles off his debut album, The College Dropout. Their performances were great and pumped the crowd up for Ushers arrival. Several celebrities made guest appearances. Sean P. Diddy Combs performed with Usher singing I Need A Girl Part 1 and I Dont Know. Rapper Lil Jon and rapper Ludacris accompanied Usher when he performed his hit single Yeah. After his invigorating performance, Usher arbitrarily said Do we have any Jamaicans in the house? and then Jamaicas own Elephant Man came out and performed a few of his dancehall songs to hype the crowd up and get everyone dancing. Usher definitely gave his all at this performance and gets five thumbs up for giving his fans what they wanted, a good time.

Column:

TEEN FASHION
AND

IDENTITY
By: Imani Walton of Union H.S
Its real hard now and days for a teen like me to figure out what to wear to school. We have so many choices and its really hard to pick the right outfit. But the main challenge is how to dress yourself those expresses who you are as a person. Do you dress because thats who you are , or how youre friends are dressing? Or, do you dress to find where you belong? Sometimes for teens, its all of the above. For example, if parents and their teenagers dont get along, teens wont act or dress according to their parents wishes. Well, I dont listen to anything that my mom says about what I need to wear, she thinks she can tell me. Come on, Im a sophomore in high

school, not a second grader, said one teenager in the tri-state area named Lashanna. Sometimes teens perceive by the way they dress, they will be uncool, stupid, or even gay. Sometimes the teen might not know about the sexuality from the home they came up in may not allow their kids to know about that yet. But the way a teen may dress does give a little hint about who they really are, said another area teen Tynia. Sometimes teens dress for individuality because they want to be original. They might like the colors or style of clothing, so they wear it to show their uniqueness. And finally teens might dress that way because of peer pressure. It is hard to belong if you are always going against the grain. Teens are more likely than other groups to succumb to group pressure of conformity. Teens are very quick to notice differences of habit, dress and social behavior. As a result, you might compel to buy the latest fashions. matter how or for what. We are teenagers trying to make it in this world. We do have other things to work out. But the clothes are something we just about have control over.

TILL

POLITIC

IMPORTANT
FOR UNDERAGE VOTERS

ALCHOL
ADVERTISING PROMOTES
By: Denise Horn of Scotch Plains-Fanwood H.S. For Lauren Scott drinking is attractive, fun and hard to resist. A high school senior, she knows she is too young to drink, but that doesnt stop her from tying one on with her friends. But it isnt peer pressure that drives her to drink. "Advertisements for alcohol makes drinking look sexy and good," said Scott who believes radio, magazine and billboard ads make alcoholic beverages more appealing to the public. "I have been drinking since I was a freshman. It allows me to relax and have fund with my friends." Advertising for alcoholic beverages is reaching more than adult consumers, it is reaching teenagers; promoting a direct connection to underage drinking. A report issued from a two year study used by the the Youth Risk Behavior Survey of the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta entitled, "Teen Tipplers: Americas Underage Drinking Epidemic" concluded," Underage drinkers account for 25 percent of the alcohol consumed in the United States." Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School Psychology and Health

By: Christine Byrd-Tucker of H.S

influences their lives. Its led them to buy novelty buttons, and other paraphernalia that would help them express their frustrations just short of punching a ballot card. However, just like Charles and millions of other teens, now that President Bush is sitting in the Oval Office once again, those loud young voices will be just a whisper. Perhaps until the next election.

UNDERAGE DRINKING
Teacher, Susan Kling believes consumption of alcohol is on the rise among high school students and agrees with the report. "There is a direct correlation between drinking and advertising because there is a direct correlation between any type of mass media advertising and any group of consumers," she said. "What makes you buy a pair of jeans? If they look good in the advertisements, then theyll look good on me. The same applies to the alcohol industry. If the advertising makes the models appear to have fun, then others will believe that they will have fun by engaging in the same activity." Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have found that most teens who experiment with alcohol continue using it. Among high schoolers who had tried alcohol, 91.3 percent still were drinking in the 12th grade. Students agreed that parents and peers play a major role in the influence if underage drinking as well. Although advertising is a business and the decision to drink is ones personal decision. Kling said that

The first few weeks into a second George W. Bush term as president has left some feeling their voices were heard, and others feeling unheard. But possibly the most ignored of all voices, particularly after last years election were those of pre-adolescents. Through youth voter advocacy campaigns like Vote or Die and Rock the Vote, an emphasis on democratic participation has been placed on those who were old enough to vote last year. Cable networks like Fuse, BET, and MTV have even let some teenagers, who have yet to reach voting age, speak out. But younger ones, like Terrence Charles, a Millenium High School sophomore said that he didnt because he couldnt. Riveted by Michael Moores do c u m e n t a r y F a r e n h e i t 9 / 11 , Charles said he was convinced that President Bush had something to do with the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 and swore that his vote would go to John Kerry if it counted. Documentaries like Moores have fueled opinions among younger teens and encouraged them to find out more about the politics that

responsibility for teen drinking is shared. "Advertisers must claim some responsibility for underage drinking; however, the alcohol advertising industry cannot be made the scapegoat for underage drinking."

By: Shalamagne Bush of H.S.E.S.

COMPETE WITH HIP HOP

IN INFLUENCING THEIR KIDS

PARENTS

In today society, there is often a battle for the attention of teenagers. Its an endless fight between parents and their teens favorite music as they both struggle to keep influence their behavior. It was conventional wisdom that parental guidance ruled, but the hip hop culture has lured them away. Although statistics show that many teens have turned to there parents for their advice and wisdom, statistics also show that the older the teen, the less he or she will approach of their parents for advice. For instance, boys are more likely than girls to say they turn to their parents for advice and reliance on parental advice increases from 67% to 90% between the ages of 12 and

13, but then declines over the next two years, with 65% of 15 year olds turning to their parents for guidance. Parents love to blame rap artists such as Snoop Dogg, Eminem, and Dr. Dre for this development. They call rap music a bad influence because of the sometimes-racy lyrics and even more suggestive music videos. Some parents also associate hip-hop artists with rising incarceration rates of minority youth or other illegal activity such as prostitution. Many of these concerned guardians also have the tendency to dismiss any past hurts that the their son or daughter may have experienced such as being in a dysfunctional family, sexual abuse as a child or even living

on the edge of poverty. When asked whether or not they feel their teen(s) take interest in what they have to say or whats the latest drama with the hip hop artists, many responded yes to the hip hop news being of more interest. Both opinions from moms and dads in the 'hood and in the 'burbs say yes when it comes to the question of whether or not their daily advice over-rides the imitating of violence in the lyrics they listen to. Although these parents give their children the freedom to listen to the music of their choice, doesnt me the like it. Me? Oh no, Dont like hip hop. Its not music, its noise," says Ragineia Daniels, a medical secretary at a foster care agency. Many parents did agree with Ms. Daniels statement, but some also pointed out hip-hop musics good points. " I think that hip hop is corrupting their minds...but at the same

time its giving teens hope because there are some artists that influence education and societys awareness (on important issues) in their songs," says Shanika Gregory, a teachers aid at a New York City High junior high school. Generally parents believe that hip hop is negative not only because of the lyrical content, but because of the music videos as well. The taping of scantily-clad models grinding on the artists while they mouth the words to their song and the promotion of alcohol are among the reasons they feel this way. Parents also realize that not all kids respond to the music the same way. Although parents think they're the only ones struggling for their teens a attention, teen themselves are struggling. "...My mom swears Im not listening to her. Thats all I do is hibernate in my room and listen to my music..," -said 17-year-

old Jennifer Hall. "Every time a good song comes on the radio I turn it up, But I cant even relax with my music without my dad banging on my door telling me to turn it down.because he doesnt feel like hearing that noise tonight," said Max, a 15-year old. Teens also lean towards advertisement because its available. Online, they are able to get free downloads of their favorite music if they buy a certain magazine or sign up on free websites. Teens have often agreed that their music is essential to everyday life. They say it brings them encouragement, relaxation, motivation, and a better outlook on life. Teens also try to explain to their parents they understand that the whole point to the music industry to advertise, make money and to entertain. Its all about the youth, " says 17-

Untitled-1 2

2/1/05 5:34:08 PM

THE

THE SPECIES WITH

By: Grace Arkinrindale of Curtis High School Fair-skinned AfricanAmerican Lisa Flament, 19 years old, recalled a scene in her college English class. Basically, there are two black people in my classI and another dark-skinned girl, and everyone else is white. I have an easy time talking with the white students, but they all just ignore the other black student.Such favoritism, though not necessarily a conscious in mainstream society, still affects U.S. blacks of all shades. Colorism, categorizes people by perceived shades of color. This affects Black women in particular, since they are more concerned with appearance. Historically, black women who are closer to the European ideal of beauty tend to receive preferential treatment from greater social status to economic attainment. As we live in a dominant white society, colorism has until recently been an issue between the white and black races. Now, with the medias powerful influence on black women, they have internalized colorism. Rachel Banjura, of New Brighton, considers herself among one of those women who feel the shortcomings of being dark-skinned. Yes, its true that light-skinned women have an advantage over us, she said. Certain features such as the broadness of the nose, the thickness of the lips, and the kinkiness of the hair have been used to establish the good and bad of African-American beauty. Just a little bit of black in you, and youre [looked down upon]. But if youre mixed,, youre up there, said Silisa Martin, a dark-skinned resident of Rosebank. While there are many factors that reinforce the color ideals,

LINE
STILL RUNS
DEEPFOR BLACK WOMAN
sion or in any type of profession, Wladamir Dorelien, of South Beach, commented. Of the three members of Destinys Child, who do you think is most media marketable? I can guarantee you, if the other members of the group [Kelly and Michelle] were lighter, theyd be more likeable. Such discrimination towards darker women and favoritism towards lighter women in the media serves as a microcosm of black society in general. What affects celebrities in a sense also affects black women and their mentalities altogether. Lisa Flament said, Dark-skinned girls tend to be jealous of us lighter girls. [In the media], stars like Beyonce, and Vanessa Williams get put out there, while other celebrities like Foxy Brownno one cares about them. Eighteen year old Cubie S., who is part white, part black, and part Indian, looked at it this way: Because light-skinned is what is closest to white, light-skinned celebrities are favored and are a reflection of what society wants. Thats not right. Despite the negative portrayal of African-American women by the press, there are still some encouraging signs that role models in the media have made some steps to improving the image of the black woman. Oprah Winfrey is a great role model for darker skinned women who have low-self esteem about their skin, because she broke all the barriers, said Suzette Santana, an 18-year-old Puerto Rican of New Brighton. But she doesnt

TWO FACES
By: Erica Buddington of Uniondale H.S. Despite worries that they would encourage sexual activity among teenagers, New York high school students approve of having condom availability programs in their schools, more than a decade after they were introduced. The programs were brought into the schools in 1991 as a direct approach to preventing teen pregnancy and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. The condoms were distributed to the students through school faculty. Research done by the American Journal of Public Health showed that condom usage increased among sexually active students when they were provided with them through their schools. The New York City Board of Education is taking steps toward ensuring the youth a healthier lifestyle, and its a small measure taken to decrease the rate of teen pregnancy, said Danielle Waldron, a Midwood High School senior. Her classmate, Tawanna Shaw, also a Midwood senior agreed.Its nothing new seeing a girl pregnant, to me its just another girl, she said. I feel sad because I know that her life is going to change. A survey taken by the city health department showed a disturbingly high rate of 132.9 per 1000 teen medicines. The practice, called Robotripping or Pharming involves getting high on super size doses of over-the-counter (OTC) drugs. Such drugs can be found in cough medicines, decongestants, antihistamines, and even diarrhea remedies. They all have one key ingredient in common, Dextromethorphan or DXM. DXM is an anesthetic that is found in many OTC drugs including Robitussin, Vicks, NyQuil, Benadryl, and Coricidin. When taken at recommended doses, DXM works as a safe and effective cough suppressant. But, overdosing on DXM is a whole different story. Its been said that kids as young as ten abuse these medicines. This trend is especially popular at parties. I know lots of people who do it. Its like they need to live, said Jane, a high school student. I personally dont do it, but hey its access and much deeper than they are bound to receive because they dont have the latest styles for the month. Despite the reward of accolades for keeping ones gear tight, these shopping habits can be expensive. So here are some tips for saving as you shop: - Save money you get from your allowance or job and create a budget for how much youre willing to spend. - Dont sleep on bargain stores like Daffys and Marshalls or TJ Maxx since they carry designer clothing for cheap.

COLOR

there is none that exacerbates the problem more than the media. From television shows to music videos, the media puts forth what people want to see. And what sells is not always encouraging of all black women. Light-skinned actresses run the gamut of television sitcoms and rap music videos. I dont like the fact that there is so much discrimination by the media, Sherece Francois, a dark-skinned woman of Tompkinsville, said. In music videos, it seems like theres two dark-skinned women for every twenty women thats lightskinned. It demeans us as race. were all very beautiful. Some believe that the discrimination issue is something that dark African-American women initiate. Ana Valerio, a somewhat fairskinned resident of New Brighton, said, [Girls] are always like, I gotta act ghetto. Dark-skinned women are more likely to be portrayed as hoochies because of [this] attitude. When was the last time you seen them fully dressed in a video? In the entertainment industry, even celebrities appear to feel the heat. When Vanessa Williams became the first black woman to win the Miss America pageant in 1983, some black critics asserted that her victory was due to the fact that she had Caucasian featuresamong them, straight hair, light eyes, and of course, fair skin. And the most familiar face of the trio R&B group Destinys Child is fair-skinned Beyonce, but little is said of the other two. If youre lightskinned, you have a greater chance of making it in the [music] profes-

pregnancies in 1996. By 2000, the rate of pregnancies had dropped by 25 percent. About 48 percent of high school students noted they were sexually active in 2003. I think condom programs are good for the students who are sexually active in school, said Deidre Willer, a Brooklyn Academy of Science and the Environment sophomore.Willers school, however, has not developed a condom availability program and she has seen the consquences among one of her friends who contracted Chlamydia. She waited too long to go to the doctor, said Willer, who is convinced that a condom availability program could have prevented the transmission. She was no longer able to have babies, she was fifteen or sixteen years old and it was her first time. But health professionals warn that condoms must come with something else, knowledge. I am all for the program, but there has to be some sex education to go along with it, said Michael Iniss, a nurse at Midwood High School who distributes condoms. If you come to me and ask that you need a condom because you are sexually active and want to protect yourself, I will gladly give you a condom, even offer two.But not only as a nurse, but as a health educator as well, I am here to bring to you awareness of the seriousness of your actions. Condoms are not a toy, they can save you from a lifetime of misery and regret, he said.

THE EDUCATION
By: Shania Pinder of A.P Randolph H.S.

GAP
on the inside as well as out. Today, there are about 1,530,000 black women with a four year degree, compared to only 1,146,000 black men. Black women have 57 percent of all bachelor degrees earned by blacks in the U.S. In 1976, black women were 10 percent more likely than black men to attend college. Today, that figure is nearly 25 percent. This is bad. Black men need to step up and go to college to get that degree, and stop the stereotypes that black men are uneducated. This is a very serious issue among the black community, said Allan Lightbourn, Jr., a senior at A. Philip Randolph High School. A study found that in 2000, there were 791,600 black men in jail or prison, and 603,032 were enrolled in colleges or universities. Some criminal-justice experts stated that it was somewhat misleading to compare the number of black men in jail and prison with the number in colleges and universities. One reason is the number in jail and prison included all adult black men ranging upward from 17 years old, while the number in institutions of higher learning was confined to a smaller age range. Nonetheless, the studies show that there are way too many black men in jail and not enough in college. We need to get more our black men in college and fill in this gender gap.
PHARMECITICAL COMPANIES

In recent years, the number of African American males in college has steadily declined, while the number of African American women in college has increased at twice the rate. In addition, as the rates of black men in college drop, their prison rates have skyrocketed. Why is there a scarcity of black males in higher institutions? Its because of the lack of good visible role models on a daily basis. For many black families, there is a single parent who may or may not tell the children about college or other opportunities. Among black women, the number of degree earners has soared 219 percent, but for black men it has increased only 5 percent. Black students also are still more likely than whites to drop out of college, and they depend on financial aid more so than their white peers. Black male athletes make up the majority of black male students that are enrolled in college because of financial aid and as they view sports as an open doorway for paying for college. A key reason there are more African American females in college is because of their efforts to combat negative stereotypes such as sex objects. In many situations, African American women constantly try to push negative images and shine light on more positive ones. By going to college, black women are proving that they are not just sex objects, but intellectually beautiful

BECOME

DRUG DEALERS
FOR TEENS
By: Christian Bridgewater of Science Skills Center

THE NEW

Although drug abuse in the U.S. has gone to an ultimate low, now teens are getting high off of basic cold

the other stuff and it has the same effect. There are many slang terms used for DXM products such as Skittles, Red Devils, Robo, Triple Cs Tussin, Dex, C-C-C and Candy. Also DXM abusers may be called syrup heads, robotards and robotrippers. Medicines are being used as the fastest and most accessible way to get high. Unfortunately, you cant prevent teenagers from buying OTC drugs. Its perfectly legal to buy cold medicines from your local pharmacy. This makes it even harder to track DXM abusers. Parents who are aware of this trend are outraged. This is my first time hearing about this and Im shocked, said Jeanine Ferguson, a concerned parent. Im angry that parents arent more aware that this is going on!. The media focuses on illegal drugs and not the legal drugs.

By: Welsy Lynch of Leon M. Goldstein H.S.

BIGGEST BANG
FOR YOUR BUCK
IN THE MALL

GET THE

I remember how many times my parents told me, you are oing to school, not to a fashion show.. But my usual response was: but theres nothing wrong with trying to look good, right?.Lots of teens are likely to lean toward the latter retort as they stroll Kings Plaza Mall or the Fashion District in Manhattan. For us, those are the closest places to the fashion runways of Paris, London or Milan. Most adolescents feel they have to shop even when they dont need any new clothes. Others shop because they want to be en vogue and avoid the abysmal shunning that

- If a particular store happens to be your favorite go there often to youll know when theyre selling what you like. If there is a sale, thats good time to get what you want especially if it had been expensive. - Ask a person whose taste in clothes you like what stores they shop at. You might wind up with a favorite new store. - Instead of always buying new clothes, buy shoes of different colors that can be mixed and matched with most of your outfits. - Buy cheap accessories and handbags.

Untitled-1 3

2/1/05 5:34:23 PM

NYABJ
NUTURES FUTURE

GENERATION
JOURNALIST
Every year for the past 14 years the New York Association of Black Journalists (NYABJ) has held a High school journalism workshop. Each year, students from high schools around New York meet with both broadcast and print journalists for 8 Saturdays and produce both a print and broadcast piece. Many of the students of the program have gone on to choose journalism as a careers and have worked at such organizations like Vibe Magazine and CNN. Held at the Brooklyn Campus of Long Island University, the students of the NYABJ workshop have access to the universities recording studio and computer lab to help with both segments of the program. The organizer of this years workshop, . Angela Pruitt, who works as a repoter for Dow Jones Newswires, described this years group of students as ... enthusiastic and dedicated to learning the profession. Ms. Pruitt also explained that the NYABJ offers the program because [they] think its important to give young journalists who may not have access to look at top news agencies like CNN, The New York Times, and The Wall Street Journal. T h i s y e a r s c l a s s w e n t through four meetings for print journalism where they met journalists who wrote for different organizations such as the Daily News, Associated Press and Source Magazine. The students discussed with the journalists subjects like

CONDOM DISTRIBUTION IN SCHOOL

By: Erica Jones of Midwood H.S

OF

By: Mera Beckford of Brooklyn Tech H.S

ethics, writing a lead and the life and role of a print journalist. When asked which speakers they liked the most, one student, Tracey Casseus said Austin Senner because he was form the Daily News and he gave the best description of what it was like to be a reporter. The last big event of the print session of the workshop was a trip to CNN in midtown Manhattan. At CNN, the students were given a tour of the general parts of the CNN office, including the graphics room, the different shows, and the website area. The tour was given by Alturo Rhymes, a producer at CNN, who even arranged a question and answer session with several CNN employees to conclude the trip. With the beginning of the broadcast portion of the workshop, the students were divided into three groups. Each of the groups went out and interviewed people near the subway stations in the surrounding area after discussing the basics of broadcasting. The last few broadcast sessions consisted of, learning the studio positions, practice taping in the studio, and a final taping which took place on November 13th. Next years workshop is still in the works, however you can find out more about it through your school, a newspaper, or the NYABJ website, HYPERLINK "http://www. nyabj.org" www.nyabj.org.

Despite worries that they would encourage sexual activity among teenagers, New York high school students approve of having condom availability programs in their schools, more than a decade after they were introduced. The programs were brought into the schools in 1991 as a direct approach to preventing teen pregnancy and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. The condoms were distributed to the students through school faculty. Research done by the American Journal of Public Health showed that condom usage increased among sexually active students when they were provided with them through their schools. The New York City Board of Education is taking steps toward ensuring the youth a healthier lifestyle, and its a small measure taken to decrease the rate of teen pregnancy,

said Danielle Waldron, a Midwood High School senior. Her classmate, Tawanna Shaw, also a Midwood senior agreed. Its nothing new seeing a girl pregnant, to me its just another girl, she said. I feel sad because I know that her life is going to change. A survey taken by the city health department showed a disturbingly high rate of 132.9 per 1000 teen pregnancies in 1996. By 2000, the rate of pregnancies had dropped by 25 percent. About 48 percent of high school students noted they were sexually active in 2003. I think condom programs are good for the students who are sexually active in school, said Deidre Willer, a Brooklyn Academy of Science and the Environment sophomore. Willers school, however, has not developed a condom availability program and she has

seen the consequences among one of her friends who contracted Chlamydia. She waited too long to go to the doctor, said Willer, who is convinced that a condom availability program could have prevented the transmission. She was no longer able to have babies, she was fifteen or sixteen years old and it was her first time. But health professionals warn that condoms must come with something else, knowledge.I am all for the program, but there has to be some sex education to go along with it, said Michael Iniss, a nurse at Midwood High School who distributes condoms. If you come to me and ask that you need a condom because you are sexually active and want to protect yourself, I will gladly give you a condom, even offer two. But not only as a nurse, but as a health educator as well, I am here to bring to you awareness of the seriousness of your actions. Condoms are not a toy, they can save you from a lifetime of misery

VIDEO GAMES
By: Tyrell Carlton of Wingate Campus

AND REAL LIFE VIOLENCE

games that have violent, adult content. This situation has raised many issues about video games and violence. Most of the controversy with video games and violence started with the terrible Columbine High School shootings in 1999. The media has made it seem like video games caused that violent behavior. The media have picked out games like Grand Theft Auto 3, Mortal Kombat, Resident Evil, and others. These games have been under fire as "ultra violent" games. Some measures have been taken to try to ban the sale of violent video games to minors. However, many argue that that action violates the 1st amendment, freedom of speech. Violent video games do not create violence. If they did, I would be running around attacking people with a giant sword muttering stuffabout needing more souls. People like Senator John Lieberman have been treating violent video games like they are responsible for the Columbine shootings. It seems like every time a person commits a crime similar to a video game, they have to blame the video game makers for the crime. In one case of "video game violence", a 14-year-old boy, named Stefan Pakeerah was brutally murdered by his 17-year-old friend, Leblanc, in the United Kingdom. Leblanc, of Braunstone Frith, Leicester, admitted to sneaking behind the victim and killing him in a similar fashion to the violent computer game, called Manhunt.Congressman Joe Baca has created a bill that he feels will stop the sale of video games to minors. The Protect Children From Video Game Sex and Violence Act of 2003 is a bill that, if passed, will prohibit the sale of video games to minor 17 and younger. It also states that if some one is caught selling a violent video game to a minor, the person will be imposed penalties for doing so. But, if this were to be passed, this would be violating the 1st amendment rights of video games. There is a self -regulating system that video game companies must submit their games to be able to sell them to retailers. This system is called the Entertainment Software Ratings Board (ESRB). This system is used to rate every game that is published in order to give people the heads up on what is in the game, The ratings go from Early Childhood (EC), Everyone (E), Teen (T), Mature (M), and Adult (AO). If this system is still in effect, why does it seem that we need more legislation on the sale of violent video games? Many people have a problem with the game Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. It contains killing, car jacking, maiming and prostitution. Several Haitian civil-rights groups have filed a lawsuit against Rockstar Games, creators of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City. In the lawsuit, they the groups are saying that one of the sequences in the game encourages the killing of Haitians. What do they these groups want, you ask? They want a ban on the sale of the game and $15,000 in "damages". What damages are they talking about? I haven't seen any Haitian people being attacked by killer Grand Theft Auto Game discs. Sex and violence sell in our society, so as long as those things prevail, there will always be violence and sexual innuendo. There will also be people to complain about it and try to ban it. Steve Kent said ""As long as you have that 'M' or that 'AO' or that T' on there, and you've done everything you can, when some parent screws up, which they sure seem to have a great proclivity for doing, you can say, 'You know what? We did everything we could possibly have done.'"

The Executive Board The New York Association Of Black Journalists

Congratulates the student journalists of the Fall 2004 NYABJ High School Journalism Workshop

of

PRESIDENT MATTHEW SCOTT IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT ERROL COCKFIELD SECRETARY IKIMULISA LIVINGSTON TREASURER CURTIS SIMMONS PARLIAMENTARIAN ROBERT ANTHONY
NEW YORK ASSOCIATION OF BLACK JOURNALISTS BOX 107, MAILBOXES OF PARK SLOPE 328 FLATBUSH AVENUE BROOKLYN, NEW YORK 11238 (212) 608-7340 [email protected] www.nyabj.org

Warren Leblanc, an imprisoned British teen, has the rest of his life to ponder why he killed his friend Stefan Pakeerah. But he admits his motivation was a video game. One day in February 2004 Leblanc, 17, sneaked behind Pakeerah, 14, and stabbed and beat him to death, emulating a move he saw in the popular game "Manhunt." Pakeerah's parents accused Leblanc of being obsessed with the game and are lobbying to get the game removed from retail shelves. In the game, you are given points for killing your opponents in the sickest way possible, which include sneaking up behind people to kill them. The parents of the victim said outside of the courts that the accused was "obsessed" with the game. It's not the fault of the video game makers that the accused person bought the game, played the game, and got the idea to commit a crime. Video games don't tell people to go kill people; people make the decision to carry these tasks through their own experiences and mind set. We don't know if the accused went insane or if he had a grudge against the victim. Let us remember the time of Atari. A time when Tron was the coolest movie ever and 16-bit games were the wave of the future. Back then, video game violence was nonexistent and was barely controversial. Over the years, the way video games are made begun to help to create more breathe-taking and wonderful gaming experiences. But, with Now, let us step into the present and see how much has changed. Video games are a form of entertainment and art. It allows gamers to become different people and do things they may never do in their lives. In addition, some games are on par or even greater than Hollywood's movies. But, they there are some

Workshop Coordinating Staff

Coordinator/Print Director Angela Pruitt
Broadcast Director Mara Schiavocampo Broadcast Producer Alturo Ryhmes

Thanks To Those Who Make It Work

Students from throughout the New York Metropolitian area participated in NYABJS 14th annual high school journalism workshop. Some of the students work can be seen in this publication and in a news broadcast written and taped at LIUS Brooklyn Campus Media Arts Studio.

Co Broadcast Producer Layout Designer Jesse Logan Jadalia Britto Publishing S&S Graphics

Contributing Editors and Mentors: Joe Madison, Tamara Horn, Natasha Haynes-Smith, James Dunn, Togi Smith, Brianna Kelar, and Errol Hazelwood.

Untitled-1 4

2/1/05 5:34:40 PM