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Contributing Writers
Alexis Adams
Leydis Aguilera
DAsia Beard
Johnte Brewer
Gia Carney
Terreka Carter
Denzel Dapremont
Natalye Gividen
Tomeikia Gray
JaQuan Hemphill
Darius Howlett
Samantha Hudspeth
Matthew Ison
Sadiyo Khamis
Angel McCoy
Akeeva Marshal
TLauriyon Milliken
Mahad Mohamed
Darion Moore
Jessica Morales
London Nelson
Taylor Owens
Christian Perkins
Shaun Perry
Alex Smith
Dayanis Valdvieso
Asmayt Zeru

Advisor
Anne Rodier

Submissions:

Anne.rodier@jefferson.kyschools.us

Yellow Jacket
Times
Inside this Issue
A Big Welcome
Guide to Surviving Skoo
Change Our Lunch
How to be Cyber Safe
Teen Stress
Friends
Anxiety Attacks
Do Colleges See Color?
Dog Aggression
Be Patient with Stutterers
America Incarcerated
Why Refuse Chemo?
X-rays or Not?
Rehabilitate if Necessary

Thoughts on Legalization of Marijuana

Police Brutality
No Rainbow without Rain
What Should I Do?
Break the Cycle
Patient Confidentiality
SGT Winter
Weynihareg (Beki)
The View from Above
RIP
La Migra
The Helping Hand
She Loves You
Magnet Madness

A Big CHS Welcome to Our New English Teacher

By: Natalye Gividen and De'Asia Beard
Since the retirement of Ms. Paris, Central High School has been patiently awaiting to
welcome a new member of the staff to the English Hall. That teacher is finally here!
His name is Mr. Pettit, and here is what we have learned about him.
Interviewers: How are you enjoying your first week at Central?
Mr. Pettit: I'm enjoying it here. I was a student teacher at Central under Ms. Rodier
and it was a good experience. I actually have some of her students in my class now.
Interviewers: What do you plan to bring as a teacher to Central? How long have you
been teaching?
Mr. Pettit: I've been teaching for a little over a year.
I dont want to give a generic answer, but I really do want to help students improve
on their writing skills. I would like to be a source of guidance for all of my students. I
understand that college is not for everyone and that everyone has a different life
path with different twists and turns.
Interviewers: Thats really interesting. Not a lot of teachers have that opinion. Would you mind telling us where you
attended college?
Mr. Pettit: of course! I attended a small college for my undergraduate work, Western State Colorado University. I also
attended Xavier University, in Ohio.
Interviewers: So how did you end up moving to Louisville?
Mr. Pettit: I am originally from Cincinnati. My friends and I wanted to move closer to one another. Louisville was not the
original place we planned to move to, but one of my friends got an opening for a job in Louisville and the other one was
able to transfer here, so I moved with them.
Interviewers: Its good to have close friends like that. How are you enjoying your time here in Louisville?
Mr. Pettit: Louisville is a nice city and it's very diverse. Now that I live here, I can meet up and do studies with my friends
on the weekends.
Interviewers: We're glad that you've been happy here. What do you enjoy doing? Can you talk about some of your
hobbies?
Mr. Pettit: I'm really into riding motorcycles; I have several. I also enjoy dirt biking, and I used to play a bit of rugby.
Interviewers: You seem like a very athletic person. Speaking of athletics, do you plan on coaching or guiding and extracurricular activities?
Mr. Pettit: Im open to the idea, but I'd like to get my classroom in order before taking on any more responsibilities.
Interviewers: How do you feel about the people you're working with?
Mr. Pettit: I think that Central has awesome teachers and I'm looking forward to working with everyone more.
After interviewing Mr. Pettit, we learned a little about the new teacher in the English hall. He's very easy to converse
with, and the questions flowed much more freely than past interviews. We all genuinely had a great time during this
interview. He is a very nice person and seems like a great teacher. We think that he is going to be a good addition to
Centrals staff.

Guide to Surviving Skoo

OMG! What
am I going to
wear?

My acne is
horrible!

Darius Howlett

Everybody has
those Jordans!

These are probably only some of the thigs you tell yourself on the First Day of High School Eve or the First
Day of Going to College Eve. Cant lie, I was saying some of the same things. Then I started school and saw
that it really wasnt that bad. Was I nervous? Heck yeah, thats normal; especially if you dont know anybody.
Trust me though, after youve been to a couple classes, see a few familiar faces and even some new ones, youll
be alright. Though it never hurts to have a few pointers.
Step 1
Be You!
Dont go in trying to PRETEND like youre the coolest person alive. If youre not, its okay. Im a laid back
person, not really into big groups, and could care less if my jeans are designer or not, and Im having a great
time at in high school. Why would you want to be like everyone else anyway? Its boring! Be unique and I
promise youll find more friends like that; plus, youll be more happy and comfortable in your skin.
Step 2
Be About Your Business!
School is a place you come to learn and prepare for your future. NEVER let anyone or anything keep you from
putting your best foot forward. Im not saying to not have fun; believe me I had my turn up moments. Too much
can have a negative side effect that you might not see coming until its too late. Theres going to be lots of
temptations, but if you dont know your limit and how to balance fun with your school work, DO NOT START!
Bad habits will still be there after you graduate, so dont be stupid.
Step 3
Do Something!
When youve graduated and look back on your high school or college days, what will you be able to say you
did? Dont just go to school because you feel youre being forced to. Actually join a club or even make a club!
You want to be able to make memories, not just exist. Dont be that Senior who tries to remember what was so
special about high school and cant think of anything because you didnt make your mark. What are your
friends going to remember you by?
Dont worry, everyone is nervous about trying new things. Just give it your best and youll be successful and
happy.

Change Our L unch

Akeeva Marshall
The lunch served at Jefferson County Public Schools isnt nearly pleasing or
satisfying to the students, including myself. If I had a magic wand and could change
anything about school, it would be the food served at lunch because it is disgusting. It is
undercooked at times and overcooked at other times. Hot dogs are a weird color and
fries are usually still frozen. The food is boring and redundant and tasteless and
sometimes it tastes too much like awful!
I gathered some ideas from other students in school about cost and time
effective ways to make school lunch better:

Prepare all food to the proper temperature.

Add warming lights so food stays heated.
Include a wider variety of foods; dont repeat the same five entrees every
single week.
Offer relish instead of just ketchup and mustard as toppings for hotdogs.
Serve real hamburgers and cheeseburgers that we can dress ourselves
with a variety of toppings.
Add a salad bar.
Make sure the fruit is fresh.
Set up Qdoba style so people can get food the way they like it.
Taco salad or tacos with a choice of toppings
Fried chicken and chicken fingers
Hot wings
Individual pizzas with real toppings
Meatball subs
Hot sauce
Burritos
Subway sandwiches
Macaroni and cheese
Wider variety of cooked vegetables
Celery sticks

Click below to see recipes for award winning cafeteria recipes that you could make at
home and bring for lunch!

http://kidshealth.org/kid/stay_healthy/food/caf_recipes.html#

How to be Cyber Safe

By: Gia Carney

As you know we are in the 21st century and technology is are big part of our everyday
lives. Even though technology is a good thing, it is still a scary world. You should be aware what
youre doing and who you are talking to on the internet at all times. Here are some ways of how
to be safe online and the dos and donts of the internet.
1. Make sure you change your password frequently and choose a strong password so
no will not be able to get on your stuff without you knowing.
2. Everything on the internet is not true, so you should always check the sources to
make sure they are reliable.
3. Always think before you post; whatever you post can be seen by everyone, and just
always remember that if you dont want your mom to see it, then dont post it.
4. Never cyber bully anyone; watch how you say things to people online.
5. NEVER give your personal information to anyone over online, there are a lot of
creeps in the world, so be aware of who you are talking over the internet.
6. Be aware of viruses; dont click on any links thats you dont know for sure about.
7. When posting pictures of other people, ask them if its ok to post their pictures
online.
Those are my seven tips on how to be safe online, I hope that you use these tips to improve
your online usage. Always remember if someone is bullying you online by threatening or just
saying very weird and unsafe things to you, then speak up and tell someone, such as an adult or
teacher.

Read about the most famous cases of cyber bullying:

http://nobullying.com/six-unforgettable-cyber-bullying-cases/

Cyber Bullying Statistics

1. 32% of online teens say they have been targets of a range of annoying or potentially menacing online
activities. 15% of teens overall say someone has forwarded or posted a private message theyve written, 13% say
someone has spread a rumor about them online, 13% say someone has sent them a threatening or aggressive
message, and 6% say someone has posted embarrassing pictures of them online.
2. 38% of online girls report being bullied, compared with 26% of online boys. In particular, 41% of older girls (15-17)
report being bulliedmore than any other age or gender group.
3. 39% of social network users have been cyber bullied in some way, compared with 22% of online teens who do not
use social networks.
4. 20% of teens (12-17) say people are mostly unkind on online social networks. Younger teenage girls (12-13)
are considerably more likely to say this. One in three (33%) younger teen girls who use social media say that people
their age are mostly unkind to one another on social network sites.
5. 15% of teens on social networks have experienced someone being mean or cruel to them on a social network site.
There are no statistically significant differences by age, gender, race, socioeconomic status, or any other demographic
characteristic.
6. 13% of teens who use social media (12-17) say they have had an experience on a social network that made them feel
nervous about going to school the next day. This is more common among younger teens (20%) than older teens
(11%).
7. 88% of social media-using teens say they have seen someone be mean or cruel to another person on a social
network site. 12% of these say they witness this kind of behavior frequently.
8. When teens see others being mean or cruel on social networks, frequently 55% see other people just ignoring what
is going on, 27% see others defending the victim, 20% see others telling the offender to stop, and 19% see others
join in on the harassment.
9. 36% of teens who have witnessed others being cruel on social networks have looked to someone for advice about
what to do.
10. 67% of all teens say bullying and harassment happens more offline than online.
11. 1 in 6 parents know their child has been bullied over social media. In over half of these cases, their child was a
repeat victim. Over half of parents whose children have social media accounts are concerned about cyberbullying and
more than three-quarters of parents have discussed the issue of online bullying with their children.
12. 11% of middle school students were victims of cyberbullying in the past two months. Girls are more likely than
boys to be victims or bully/victims.
13. Hyper-networking teens (those who spend more than three hours per school day on online social networks)
are110% more likely to be a victim of cyberbullying, compared to those who dont spend as much time on social
networks.
14. 95% of social media-using teens who have witnessed cruel behavior on social networking sites say they have seen
others ignoring the mean behavior; 55% witness this frequently. (Pew Internet Research Center, FOSI, Cable in the
Classroom, 2011)
1. 84% have seen the people defend the person being harassed; 27% report seeing this frequently.
2. 84% have seen the people tell cyberbullies to stop bullying; 20% report seeing this frequently.
15. 66% of teens who have witnessed online cruelty have also witnessed others joining; 21% say they have also joined in
the harassment. (Pew Internet Research Center, FOSI, Cable in the Classroom, 2011)
16. Only 7% of U.S. parents are worried about cyberbullying, even though 33% of teenagers have been victims of
cyberbullying (Pew Internet and American Life Survey, 2011)
17. 85% of parent of youth ages 13-17 report their child has a social networking account. (American Osteopathic
Association, 2011)
18. 52% of parents are worried their child will be bullied via social networking sites. (American Osteopathic Association,
2011)
19. 1 in 6 parents know their child has been bullied via a social networking site. (American Osteopathic Association, 2011)
20. One million children were harassed, threatened or subjected to other forms of cyberbullying on Facebook during the
past year. (Consumer Reports, 2011)
21. 43% of teens aged 13 to 17 report that they have experienced some sort of cyberbulying in the past year.
22. More girls are cyberbullies than boys (59% girls and 41% boys).
23. Cyberbullies spend more time online than other teens overall (38.4 hours compared to 26.8 hours).

http://www.nveee.org/statistics/

Teen Stress

Alexis Adams

Many adults put a lot of pressure on students because they dont understand what teens go through
on a day to day basis. We already have a lot of stress without more added. Adults think teenage life is easy- no
bills, no kids no worries right? Well thats wrong! Teens have many things to stress about, in fact teens often
stress more than adults. There is research showing this. Teens stress begins around the age of 14 and gets
worse over the next few years. Teens stress about their homes and families, about work, school and balancing
a social life.
Often, home life causes stress. When families are not supportive of their teenager emotionally, the
teen feels stressed. Many teens work part time jobs which are stressful, then get home and have to finish their
homework. Staying up late and not getting enough sleep causes even more stress. And then try to fit a social
life into the little free time available. No wonder teens are stressed! But there are ways to make your life less
stressful.

What Stresses Teens Out?

Becky Beacom, health education manager for PAMF, surveyed 124 adolescents to explore what they find most stressful. Find out
what gives your peers stress below. http://www.pamf.org/teen/life/stress/7stresstips.html
Issue

Number of times mentioned

Homework/School
Grades/GPA
Tests
College
Finals week

Percent

138

55 %

Parents/Family
Expectations
Pressure to do well
Not achieving/ blowing it

37

15 %

Social Life
Friends
Boyfriends/Girlfriends
Relationships
Extracurriculars
Try outs
Shows
Sex

22

9%

Time

20

8%

Sports

10

4%

Other

22

9%

No time
Deadlines
Keeping up
Lack of sleep
Doing two things at once
Too much going on
Unprepared

Seven Tips to Relieve Stress

1. Allow plenty of time. Being too busy is a big source of stress.
2. Exercise. It's a great stress buster.
3. Get plenty of rest and eat well. You'll be able to handle stress better
when it does come up.
4. Discuss your problems with a friend or family member.
5. When stress hits big, take a time-out. A few minutes away from the
problem can help.
6. Breathe deeply slowly in, slowly out. Think of something pleasant.
7. Ask for help. If you feel like your stress is just too much, talk with
your family, a friend, or a counselor.
http://www.pamf.org/teen/life/stress/7stresstips.html

F- Fun
R- Real
I-Irreplaceable
E- Encouraging
N- Nice
D- Dependable
S- Sincere
H- Honest
I-Intimate

TLauriyon Milliken

A friendship should be based off of the words above. Fun of

course, because who doesnt want to have fun with their
friends. It should be about good times with your friends. A
friend should most defiantly be real, no one wants a fake
friend. Irreplaceable because a true friend should be one of a
kind; someone you will truly miss is life forces you apart.
Friends should also encourage one another to do better for the
sake of their friendship; if you care about that person you
would want them to do right! Your friend should be nice to
you; no one wants to hang out with bullies. You should be able
to depend on your friends to be there for you when you need
them the most. A true friend is sincere; they understand you,
know when youre going through something, and they should
genuinely want you to always be all right! If your friend is a
liar, do not, I repeat DO NOT be friends with them. If a person
cant be honest with you, let them be. Some affectionate
people, like myself, require intimate people because we need
love, and love to feel loved, so sometimes it can be good to
have an intimate friend. Its never good to have an inconsistent
friend. It means they dont know what they want to do; find a
persistent friend instead.

P- Persistent

Most people dont know what friendship is. They think just
talking to you or coming to you when its beneficial to them is
being a friend. No, that is not a friend. A friend is someone
you can
trust, you both are there for each other through hard and
good times, someone that has your best interest at heart.
Betrayal is one of the worst things a person can go
through. You know that a liar going to lie, again. A
cheater is going to cheat, again. A thief is going to steal,
again. A rapist is going to rape again and a murderer is
going to kill again! If a friend betrays you once, you
know that he or she will betray you again!
Some people are meant to be in your life for a reason,
sometimes just a season, others for a lifetime. Whatever
the case is, the very best way to find a very best friend
is to be that person first.

Anxiety Attacks
Natalye Giveden
Anxiety, the monster credited for our failures in life. Whether it be the excuse of test anxiety from an
unprepared student, or the description used for the fear of failure, the term is likely being misused. While
anxiety is technically defined as a feeling of worry, unease, or nervousness, these emotions do not always feed
into anxiousness, and therefore do not make one have anxiety. Worry, uncertainty, and nervousness are
healthy for human beings. Without these emotions there would be no fear, no doubt, no certainty, no
sureness, and no sense of pride. Having these emotions in moderation is undoubtedly a good thing.
The problem with anxiety only occurs when it becomes so crippling that one cannot get out of bed in the
morning, so consuming that one forgets about the things they loved, and so terrifying that panic attacks, and
anxiety attacks are more common than moments of happiness and bliss. It is only when these emotions
overtake us that anxiety becomes a negative thing. But who believes the extent of the issue for some people,
when the rest of the world claims to have anxiety, too.
Because anxiety's true definition is not widely understood, the masses who say they have anxiety, without
fully understanding what that means, have given the disorder a stigma that makes it dismissive. This is
anything but helpful to those who are truly suffering. When a parent tells a child that their problems are
nothing compared to the real world, that parent is dismissing a serious mental health disorder. It is possible
that statements like these only make things worse, bringing up the issue of whether ones emotions are valid in
comparison to the shared beliefs of those surrounding you.
Anxiety is so much more than people seem to believe it is. it means waking up in the middle of the night when
you know you need the sleep because you are studying for a five question quiz that, in your mind, you are
already doomed to fail. Anxiety is going out to eat and ordering far less food or no food at all, because you
dont want your ' friends' to see how much you eat. It is the nagging thought that you dont have friends and
nobody cares if you succeed. Anxiety is calling your adult and begging to be brought home from school
because you are scared of the disappointment, confrontation, and pitying eyes that come from those you
know. Anxiety means crying for no reason, or for every reason, because the world is a beach and you are
nothing more than a grain of sand. Anxiety is picking up a blade or taking pills, because it is the only thing you
can control. But it doesnt matter that this all happens, because you dont share your worries with anybody,
and nobody sees the daily battle between you and fear.
The problem with mental health disorders is that they cannot be seen; you cant see the thousands of
negative thoughts floating around in a depressed persons head; you cant see the jumbled up thoughts of
somebody with ADHD. The self-doubt and fear that causes anxiety cannot be seen with the naked eye. But the
symptoms of mental health disorders, such as anxiety, can be seen. The constant bouncing of ones leg,
crossed arms and hidden hands, the fear in ones eyes, and the spoken doubt can be seen, but not easily
recognized. More often than not these behaviors are considered responses to stress, or as a lack of confidence,
yet that is not always the root of these behaviors.

Do you have an anxiety disorder? Does someone you know?

Read on to find out more.

If you identify with several of the following signs and symptoms, and they just wont go away, you may be
suffering from an anxiety disorder:

Are you constantly tense, worried, or on edge?

Does your anxiety interfere with your work, school, or family responsibilities?
Are you plagued by fears that you know are irrational, but cant shake?
Do you believe that something bad will happen if certain things arent done a certain way?
Do you avoid everyday situations or activities because they cause you anxiety?
Do you experience sudden, unexpected attacks of heart-pounding panic?
Do you feel like danger and catastrophe are around every corner?

Emotional Symptoms of anxiety disorder:

Feelings of apprehension or dread

Trouble concentrating

Feeling tense and jumpy

Anticipating the worst

Irritability

Restlessness

Watching for signs of danger

Feeling like your minds gone blank

Feeling detached or unreal

Surge of overwhelming panic

Feeling of losing control or going crazy

Physical symptoms of anxiety disorder:

Pounding heart
Sweating
Stomach upset or dizziness
Frequent urination or diarrhea
Shortness of breath
Tremors and twitches
Muscle tension
Headaches
Fatigue
Insomnia
Heart palpitations or chest pain
Feeling like youre going to pass out
Trouble breathing or choking sensation
Hyperventilation
Hot flashes or chills
Trembling or shaking
Nausea or stomach cramps

http://www.helpguide.org/articles/anxiety/anxiety-attacks-and-anxiety-disorders.htm

DeAsia Beard
Janesha Hines v. Howard University
In 2014, Janesha Hines, a senior at Central High School MCA, was completely dismayed when she was
denied acceptance into her dream school, Howard University, although some of her Caucasian colleagues
had been accepted. Howard is one of the many colleges in America that have a policy in place called
"race consciousness." This policy was put in place to help create diversity on college campuses. Ms.
Hines believes that her application was denied because of this policy and has sued Howard University on
the grounds that the university violated the 14th Amendment Equal Protection Clause.
Ms. Hines' case has brought attention to the fact that there are thousands of people being denied jobs,
acceptance into college, and many more things in an attempt to create diversity. It is a very well-known
fact that diversity is important, but are policies like race consciousness helping society or causing an even
bigger problem? Is declining students based solely on their race not violating the Affirmative Action
law? Affirmative Action refers to admission policies that provide equal access to education for those groups
that have been historically excluded or underrepresented, such as women and minorities when applying for
higher education institutions.1 This law was passed on March 6, 1961. It was signed by President John F.
Kennedy. This case makes people really think about whether or not Affirmative Action needs to be
considered during the process of accepting or declining college applications. Janesha Hines thinks that
by declining her application, the University of Howard went in the opposite direction of what people like
John F. Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr, and many other people who have fought for equality in
schools around the nation, were trying to achieve.
Hiness was absolutely right about it being wrong to deny people admittance because of their race, but
the University has what it believes to be a very valid reason as to why the race conscious policy is in
affect at Howard. The University of Howard argues that diversity on college campuses helps students so
much in the professional world. Ms. Hines applied to Howard University under a program that
automatically accepts high school seniors that are in the top ten percent of their class. Ms. Hines was not
in the top ten percent of her class, therefore her application was reviewed with the other people who had
applied to the University that had not applied for the same program as Ms. Hines. The University says
that Janesha Hines would not have been accepted to the University even if they did not have a race
conscious policy. The University of Howard is aware of the fact that diversity is important. They
understand that you cannot grow as a person when you surround yourself with the exact same people as
you. You cannot learn new things about different people if there arent different kinds of people around
you. And I believe that it is very important to know more than just what is around you.
Both sides bring attention to two very important things. 1.) How race is sometimes a factor in the
acceptance or rejection of a persons application and how it is unfair, and 2.) How diversity on college
campuses is important. I believe that Ms. Hines application being denied had nothing to do with her
race. I believe that Ms. Hines application was denied because she did not meet the requirements that
would help her get acceptance into the University. I believe that it is 100% true that Ms. Hines would
have been declined even if Howard University did not have a race conscious policy. I believe that the
courts ruling in the Universitys favor was the right thing to do. I am aware of situations where people
are denied opportunities based solely on their race but this is not one of those instances. I believe that the
court recognized that what happened to Ms. Hines was not an action of racism so that is why the decision
to rule in the Universitys favor was upheld.
1

http://www.ncsl.org/research/education/affirmative-action-overview.aspx

Do Colleges See Color?

By: Tomeikia Gray
Many of you have already thought about going to college, Right? Can you
imagine yourself not getting into college because of your skin color? Or
because a racial quota set up by the school? Does that sound fair or right.
Is this justices? Does this not violate some of our constitutional rights? Let
me tell you about a case that deals with this exact issue, and you can decide
what you think. Just remember, this could be something you have to deal
with in the near future. What are you willing to stand for?
Janesha Hines was devastated in 2014 when she received a letter saying that she was not
accepted into Howard University. Like many colleges and universities around the country, Howard
has policies in place to help create diverse student populations. But Janesha Hines felt as though
the university policy violated the Fourteenth Amendment Equal Protection Clause with its raceconscious admission policy, due to the fact that she was African American.
Janesha Hines is a young African American girl, who is very strong minded. All she wanted
was to attend college at the University of Howard; she was wrongly denied, and left heart broken.
She tried desperately to understand why she didnt get in, turning to friends, family, and peers who
agree it is because she is African American. Janesha decided to sue Howard on the grounds that
the university policy violated the Fourteenth Amendment Equal Protection Clause.
Ms. Hines initially applied to a program at Howard that accepts all students who are in the
top 10% of the classes. However, Ms. Hines did not qualify, and was therefore considered on her
other merits: academics, extra-curricular achievements, and race. The university has claimed that
Ms. Hines application would not have been accepted regardless of her race. Ms. Hines points out
that Caucasian peers with lower scores were accepted over her.
Howard should be made to explain to the court how ONE African American and FOUR
Latino applicants with LOWER combined academic and personal achievement scores then Ms.
Hine's were admitted, along with 42 Caucasions who also had lower scores than she had. There
has been no explanations as to why these students who are not even the same caliber of student as
Ms. Hines got accepted into Howard. This shows that Howard has a major issue with the definition
of diversity, because if they were really diverse, they would have not only had only ONE African
American accepted in this application process. These are facts that Howard University cannot
explain to Janesha and the courts. They only say that she was never going to be accepted anyway.
Why? Howard only accepted one African American and only four Latinos compared to 42
Caucasions. This is what diversity looks like at Howard University!
The district court ruled in favor of the school, as did the Circuit Court, so Janesha has
Supreme Court, the highest court of the land. If they will compare Janeshas qualifications to those
of other students who were accepted, they will rule in favor of Janesha, affirming that Howard
needs to reevaluate its Race Conscious admissions. The very facts that they provided prove that
they are unfair. Howard University has violated the Fourteenth Amendment Equal Protection
Clause. They have done so by allowing 42 whites, 4 Latinos, and 1 African American into the
University of Howard.

How others weigh in on Affirmative Action

University of Kentucky Affirmative Action Policy:
The 2009-2014 Strategic Plan also includes metrics that the University will use to
demonstrate achievement of the goals and to show the commitment to equal opportunity.
The Strategic Plan Metrics for Goal 4: Promote Diversity and Inclusion include:

Ensure that all educational and administrative units implement strategies to achieve
inclusive excellence.
Increase the proportion of students from diverse ethnic groups and other
underserved populations.
Achieve the employment goals of UKs annual Affirmative Action Plan.
Improve student, faculty and staff ratings on the extent to which UK is an inclusive
community, according to results of a university-wide survey.
Improve student ratings of curricular and co-curricular effectiveness in promoting
diversity and inclusion, according to results of a university-wide survey.
Increase the number of partnerships with community organizations whose purpose is
to promote diversity and inclusion.

http://www.uky.edu/EVPFA/EEO/pdf/UK_AAP.pdf

One Asian-American group argues that affirmative action penalizes Asian Americans by the
equivalent of hundreds of SAT points at elite schools because Asians are overrepresented
among academic achievers.
Retired military officers told the court that ordering UT and other schools to stop considering
the personal attributes of aspiring students, including race, would seriously disrupt the
military, which needs college-educated recruits from a range of backgrounds. (AfricanAmerican enlisted troops outnumber African-American officers by 2 to 1.)
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/jurisprudence/2012/10/the_supreme_co
urt_affirmative_action_case_what_s_your_take_.html

Affirmative action creates a constitutional paradox, Tummala said. "You do something

unequal to create equality eventually. The constitution says we must treat all people equally,
but affirmative action treats some people unequally, actually more equally. This creates
constitutional tension."
https://www.k-state.edu/media/webzine/0203/aapros&cons.html

Dog Aggression
Matthew Ison

Have you ever had an aggressive dog? Its not fun; you have to watch your every
move around the dog. Its even worse when the owner has no patience with the
dog. It will more than likely end up with the owner or the dog getting injured, or
even with the dog being put down. According to the Cesars way website, Each
year, roughly 4.5 million Americans are bitten by dogs.
There are many different types of dog aggression, but the one most often
diagnosed is common dog aggression - the dog just does not like anyone. With
these dogs,
you can just look
at the dog
and it will go
crazy on you
with no warning.
Another type
of aggressive dog
behavior
comes out at
eating time.
These dogs are
most often
loving, caring,
and basically
a good dog to be
around. Until food comes out and their whole attitude towards you changes.
Sometimes dogs become so aggressive to eat that they end up biting you.
A third type of aggressive behavior is territorial aggression. This aggression is
exhibited as a dog protecting its territory and the residents who live there. Even
the most miniature of dogs can be very territorial, or aggressive, to anyone it may
not know that enters the house.
Some dogs are aggressive because it is part of a dogs nature to fight back if it is
feeling threatened. With proper training and a nurturing environment, you can
raise a calm and loving pet. If you dont know the dog, approach with care or you
could find yourself in a dangerous situation.

Basic Dog Obedience Training

Sit
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Get on your puppys level, either on the floor or in a chair next to him.
Hold a treat close to his nose and let his head follow the treat as you move your hand up.
As his head moves up, his butt will lower.
When his butt hits the floor, release the treat to his mouth. Immediately praise him for his brilliance.
Repeat multiple times every day. Pair the behavior with the word sit.

Come
1.
2.
3.
4.

Clip a light line to your dogs collar and let him drag it around.
After he is accustomed to the line, pick up the end and hold it as you follow him around the yard. As he gets used to
this, hell begin to understand that the two of you are attached.
With your marker word in mindyesand a few treats, walk backward, encouraging him to follow along. When he
twirls around and comes toward you, say Yes! and treat. Tell him that hes the cleverest dog in the world.
Begin to pair the behavior with the word come. Every time he responds correctly, praise and reward him. Make the
come command a game that your puppy wants to play.

Stay
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Put a leash on your dog and have him sit comfortably next to you.
Wave a flat palm toward his muzzle and say Stay.
Step in front of your dog, wait a few seconds, and then step back beside him.
Reward him for not breaking his stay.
If he moves, calmly say Oops or Uh uh and put him back where he was initially. Again, give the stay command
along with the hand signal.
Practice this multiple times every day in different locations.
After rewarding him with praise and a treat for success, teach him a release word, or the word you will say when its
time for him to be released from the stay. A good release word is okay.

Down
1.
2.
3.
4.

Hold a very tasty treat in your closed hand and place it at your dogs muzzle.
When he notices the scent of the treat, move your hand toward the floor. He should follow the hand that hides the
treat.
While the dogs head follows your hand, move your hand along the floor in front of him. His body will follow his head,
and once he stretches out into a down, open your hand to let him eat the treat.
Repeat multiple times daily and pair the behavior with the word down.

Walk Nicely on Leash

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Attach his leash to his buckle collar and say Lets go using your happy voice. Put treats in your left side pocket or a
bait bag.
Encourage his forward motion by patting your left leg. When he is close to your side, pop a treat in his mouth.
Every few steps stop to praise him for being in the correct place.
When he forges ahead or lags behind, stop to let him wander to the end of his leash.
The slight leash tension will cause him to turn around. As soon as you feel the slack in the line, say your verbal praise
marker: Yes! Praise and treat when he bounces back to you.
When he pulls, practice the be a tree principle, stopping all motion. His unwanted behavior will self-correct. Wait him
out if he doesnt come back to your side.

http://www.nylabone.com/dog-101/training-behaviors/obedience-training/

By: Gia Carney

According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics' report about 2.5 million Americans in jail or
prison, America has the most people incarcerated out of any country in the world. About 25,000
people go to jail in a everyday. Prisons cost taxpayers more than $32 billion a year. Every year that
an inmate spends in prison costs $22,000. An individual
sentenced to five years for a $300 theft costs the public
The United States
more than $100,000. The cost of a life term averages
$1.5 million. http://www.bjs.gov/

has less than 5

Why are so many people being incarcerated in the

US? Because, we imprison people that we are mad at
instead of people we are afraid of. This means we lock up
people for misdemeanor crimes, such as public
drunkenness or smoking marijuana. Many sentences are
longer than the seriousness of the crime requires. Instead
of wasting tax payers money to keep people in jail, nonserious crimes should lead to some type of community
work.

percent of the
world's
population. But it
has almost a
quarter of the

People arrested for drug abuse should be put in

world's prisoners.
some type of rehab program so they can get better,
instead of being thrown into jail. Those with mental issues
nytimes.com
should be put in a place where they can get help with their problems, and so they can take their
medicine. When they go to prison, they still have to deal with the demons that they have.
One reason for repeat offenders is that when someone gets out of jail, they only have what
they came in with. For example, I could go to jail with a t-shirt and purse and that is what Im going to
have when I get out. No job, no place to stay, no money, no medicine, nothing. What is a person
going to do when they dont have anything? Get it the only way they know how, and its probably not
the legal way. When a person gets out of prison, they should get a place to stay, a job, and some
clothes so they can start on the right path on a life after jail.
The government should only lock up people who are dangerous and not lock up people who
arent dangerous.

According to Business Insider, the following ten actions

would help reduce the prison population in America:

1. Replace mandatory sentencing laws with more flexible and

individualized guidelines.
2. Strategically reduce three-strikes laws for non-violent
offenders.
3. Relax Truth-in-Sentencing Laws
4. Organize against prison gerrymandering to ensure that lowincome communities receive a fair proportion of federal aid.
5. Make full employment a domestic policy goal.
6. Eliminate the use of for-profit, private prison companies.
7. Establish prison education programs and incentivize inmate
participation.
8. Provide incentives for employers to hire ex-convicts.
9. Eliminate the school-to-prison pipeline.
10. Support community policing efforts.

To read details on what each of these solutions entails and

how they would affect prison numbers, go to:
Business Insider

Be Patient with Stutterers

Akeeva Marshall

Some Famous People Who Stutter

Emily Blunt, James Earl Jones,

There are many people in the world who have a

Bill Walton, John Stossel,
stuttering problem. People often laugh or walk away
Kenyon Martin, Byron Pitts,
from a person who stutters. People need to learn how
to be patient with people who may stutter when
Nicole Kidman, Carly Simon,
speaking. They should realize the person speaking
Mel Tillis, Alan Rabinowitz,
deserves the same amount of respect as any other
Winston Churchill, Marilyn
human being.
Stuttering is when a person talks with continued
Monroe, Ken Venturi, Sophie
involuntary repetition of sounds especially initial
Gustafson,Bob Love, John
consonants. Its important that you are listening, making
Updike, King George VI, Frank
engaging eye contact and being respectful of the person
speaking. Even though they make take a little longer to
Wolf, Nicholas Brendon, Joe
get out what theyre saying, you should respect them
Biden, Annie Glenn, Darren
while they are speaking. Statements like, slow down,
Sproles
Think carefully before you speak, or Take your time,
dont help and often make the situation worse,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_stutterers
especially for children.
People often look surprised when they hear
someone stutter because they dont expect it. A person looks normal so they assume or expect the person to
speak normally, too. Hearing someone stutter can often be uncomfortable to listen to, making people want to
turn their backs or back away from the situation. But, its important that you dont do that because its not
right. People need to be patient and realize that stutterers can communicate quite well.
Listen to the content of the message, rather than to how the message is coming out, keep natural eye
contact to show that you are listening and are interested in what they are saying. Try using a more relaxing
speaking rate yourself. By doing this it might help relieve the feeling of time pressure for the stutterer.
Remember, to be patient with people who stutter. People who stutter should get the same level of
dignity and respect as you give everyone else. Acknowledge that the person is just as human, talented, and
capable of doing anything as other people. Be patient and be respectful to that person, dont feel that you
cant hold a conversation with them, because it is possible.

What causes stuttering? There are four factors most likely to

contribute to the development of stuttering: genetics (approximately
60% of those who stutter have a family member who does also);
child development (children with other speech and language
problems or developmental delays are more likely to stutter);
neurophysiology (recent neurological research has shown that people
who stutter process speech and language slightly differently than
those who do not stutter); and family dynamics (high expectations
and fast-paced lifestyles can contribute to stuttering).
http://www.stutteringhelp.org/faq

Why Refuse Chemotherapy?

London Nelson

It is amazing to me that the same people who are diagnosed with cancer and will do anything to get rid
of it will sometimes be the same people who refuse to undergo chemotherapy. It is even more amazing to me
that people have a choice to refuse the chemotherapy that could be the difference between life and death for
some of these people. What about their families? Better yet, what about the patients themselves? They have a
chance to possibly survive and theyre giving up. Something I could never do. Therefore, in my opinion,
something as serious as this should never be up for debate.
In 2014, a teenage girl by the name of Cassandra C., diagnosed with Hodgkins Lymphoma, decided that
she did not want to undergo chemotherapy and no one could make her. Cassandra and her mother refused the
chemotherapy because they wanted to explore more natural alternative treatments. Cassandras mother, Jackie
Fortin, told CBS This Morning that Cassandra does not want the toxins. She does not want people telling her
what to do with her body and how to treat it they are killing her organs. Theyre killing her insides. All the
while the cancer was killing her, too.
After a long and drawn out process, the Department of Children and Families stepped in and a Juvenile
Court judge removed Cassandra from her home and ordered her to undergo chemotherapy. Eventually, the case
went to the Supreme Court where they stood with the state of Connecticut and said that Connecticut was not
violating Cassandras rights. Cassandra was removed from her home and summoned to the Connecticut
Childrens Medical Center. Cassandra underwent six rounds of treatment that doctors said would give her an 85
percent chance of survival.
After almost five months in the hospital, Cassandras doctors told her that her cancer was in remission.
Cassandra was so excited to be able to go home and to see her mom. Cassandra said that the entire situation had
been so stressful for her mom and she was just ready to get home to her mom, her cat, boyfriend, and friends.
Although Cassandra was ready to get back to her normal routine of things she was also very sad about having to
leave the personal care assistants, doctors, and even other patients.
A story that could almost bring you to tears right? But lets not be so quick to forget that it is the same
story that wouldve never been told if things had taken a different turn. I am happy that she survived and is here
to tell her story, but what about the fact that it is a possibility that she might not have had the same happy
ending had her chemotherapy been a choice.
The most common argument for people refusing chemotherapy is the fact that undergoing
chemotherapy can just cause more problems, which doesnt make sense when you have a terminal disease
already. According to www.mayoclinic.com, the common side effects of chemotherapy drugs include nausea,
vomiting, fatigue, fever, loss of appetite, etc. However all of these things can be treated, and the article also says
that many of these side effects go away after treatment ends.
Another argument that people make is that chemotherapy causes your hair to fall out. Not every patient
who undergoes chemotherapy loses their hair, but if it does fall out, it begins within 2 to 3 weeks after the
treatment starts. It is usually a gradual loss rather than a sudden one, and your hair will grow back once your
chemotherapy treatment has finished according to www.cancerresearch.org. I would rather lose my hair during
treatment and let it grow back when I got healthy, than refuse treatment, keep my hair, and have a greater
chance of dying. Chemotherapy is not a treatment that anyone with cancer can afford to refuse.
I understand the arguments made by the opposing side, nevertheless, it is dangerous to allow teens, and
sometimes even adults, to make decisions like that. In general, someone with cancer most likely has a
pessimistic attitude to begin, but its not okay to give up without thinking about their families and others around
them. Chemotherapy may not be anyones number one choice, but chemotherapy is a choice to live. A choice
everyone should make.

Side effects that occur during chemotherapy treatment

Common side effects of chemotherapy drugs include:

Nausea
Vomiting
Diarrhea
Hair loss
Loss of appetite
Fatigue
Fever
Mouth sores
Pain
Constipation
Easy bruising

Many of these side effects can be prevented or treated. Most side effects subside after treatment
ends.

Long-lasting and late-developing side effects

Chemotherapy drugs can also cause side effects that don't become evident until months or years
after treatment. Late side effects vary depending on the chemotherapy drug but can include:

Damage to lung tissue

Heart problems
Infertility
Kidney problems
Nerve damage (peripheral neuropathy)
Risk of a second cancer

http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/chemotherapy/basics/risks/prc-20023578

Why Choose Chemo?

To cure the cancer without other treatments.Chemotherapy can be used as the primary or
sole treatment for cancer.
After other treatments to kill hidden cancer cells.Chemotherapy can be used after other
treatments, such as surgery, to kill any cancer cells that might remain in the body. Doctors call
this adjuvant therapy.
To prepare you for other treatments. Chemotherapy can be used to shrink a tumor so that
other treatments, such as radiation and surgery, are possible. Doctors call this neoadjuvant
therapy.
To ease signs and symptoms. Chemotherapy may help relieve signs and symptoms of
cancer by killing some of the cancer cells. This is called palliative chemotherapy.

X-rays or Not?
Taylor Owens
Dentistry is a field that calls for tough decisions to be made. One of the most common ethical
dilemmas that dentists face, is whether they will work on patients who don't want to be xrayed due to the exposure of radiation. For those who don't know, radiation is the emission of
energy as electromagnetic waves or as moving subatomic particles, especially high-energy
particles that cause ionization and can be extremely harmful to the body if one is exposed to
too much of it.
An X-ray is a common imaging test that
has been used for decades to help
doctors view the inside of the body
without having to make an incision.
Dentists should refuse to work on
anyone who is refusing to be x-rayed.
The first reason dentists should refuse
to work on patients who refuse to be x
rayed is the most obvious; radiographs
provide a clear understanding as to
what needs to be done to a patient. I say
this because, only about one-third of the
actual tooth is able to be seen without
an x-Ray. Radiographs provide valuable
information that can't be seen. Radiographs are extremely important to a proper diagnosis, and
without them there is no way a dentist can provide the proper care that is needed for a patient.
Another reason a dentist should refuse to work on a patient who refuses to be x-rayed is
because it could harm the patient in the long run. Many diseases of the mouth can't be
detected with a simple mouth examination. The x-ray allows the dentist to see the things that
are beyond their viewpoint such as decay, infection, tumors, and bone loss. Without using xrays these diseases will go unknown until it is possibly too late for treatment.
Even though many people will argue that being x-rayed can lead to dangerous diseases because
of the radiation, we expose ourselves to much more radiation everyday than an x-ray does.
While being x-rayed, one is only exposed to the radiation for about .1 to .5 of a second, which is
nothing compared to holding a cell phone against our face for an hour, or sitting in front of a
colored television.
All dentists should refuse to work on patients that refuse to be x-rayed. Without x-raying a
patient, the dentist could be putting that patient in danger.

R
N
Christian Perkins

As human beings increase their population, the constant rivalry that humans make between animals pose
severe threats to the environment. When an animal gets injured, the only reason a human should help
rehabilitate that animal is if the animal was injured by human equipment, such as cars, fences, electric power
lines etc.
The first reason is that natural selection is a major phenomenon in nature. Balanced environments could
become unbalanced if you interrupt this, causing major problems in a habitat. If an animal is getting attacked
by its predator and you intervene, not only have you made the prey suffer a slow death, you also then caused
the predator to starve. That predator could then have young back at its den or nest who will also starve, killing
them and eliminating that predator and causing great unbalance between the animals in that ecosystem.
The second reason is that 5,000 people have been injured or even killed trying to help an animal that was in
no real danger (animal-facts.com), or an animal that could heal on its own. Many amateur rehabilitators think
theres a situation, for instance a juvenile white tailed deer alone, and they think the mother has died and pick
up the deer to save him. In reality, the mother was foraging for food. They raise the deer in captivity, and the
deer can never be released to the wild again, because it doesnt know how to fend for itself because it was
raised by human hands. In this case, you have doomed the creature to human confinement for the rest of its
life. Even though people have good intentions, they just dont know what to look for before interact with a wild
creature to rehabilitate it, thus causing the animal stress. Dealing with wild creatures often backfires when the
animal doesnt know your intention, thinking that youre going to hurt them, causing them to injure those who
are trying to save them.
The final reason is that if we help an animal that we think is injured, we are treating them like a pet; they are
wild animals who can handle themselves. Let nature take the weak and the ones who are energy sources for
their predators. Animals survived for thousands of years before we came along and will survive long after we
are gone.
Humans dont think of the consequences of putting a fence or power line in the middle of a forest or jungle
because we are selfish creatures. We are capable of choosing not to do things that will harm the environment
and the animals who need it to survive. Each year, many animals are injured by human equipment, in which
case its our responsibility to either put that animal out of its misery or help rehabilitate it back into the wild. If
you see an eagle or deer caught in something man-made, or see someone poaching animals, then you should
do everything in your power to help that animal to survive or help put the animal out of its pain and suffering.

Animals should not require our permission to live on earth. Animals were given the right to be here
long before we arrived. Douglas Williams

10 Animals Nearing Extinction

Javan Rhinoceros - No more than 60

remain in Asia
Amur Leopard - Only 40
left in Russias Far East

The Ivory-Billed
Woodpecker - A North
American bird that may
actually be extinct

Chinese Giant Salamander- Human

consumption is making this animal
almost extinct
Northern Sportive Lemur The scarcest of
Madagascars lemur
species

Little Dodo Bird - A

Samoan bird that is
already extinct

Saola Asian Unicorn - Over

poached

Western Lowland Gorilla Disease and illegal

hunting are wiping these
out

Tiger - Worlds biggest cat

Leatherback Sea Turtle - This

population is dropping quickly

PHILOSOPHY OF TRANSCEDENTALISM
By: JaQuan Hemphill

Transcendentalism is the belief that people are at their best when they are truly self-reliant. To show how this
philosophy works, Walden, written by Henry David Thoreau is about the time he spent living off of nature
without relying on society. individualism by him living in the woods to live life to the fullest. The philosophy
states that when self-reliant, man is wise enough to take the ethical path.
Transcendentalism is not practical, because people in our society depend on their families and the government
to help them survive. Homeless people ask random people for money instead of getting cleaned up and
working; people who are too lazy to work, ask their family for everything and never try to help themselves. The
unemployment rate shows that more people are not self-reliant because they lost their job and they must depend
on the government to support them.
Practicing Transcendentalism is not necessarily easy. First, to find yourself in nature, you have to be willing to
be different from other people. Emerson, the father of the philosophy, says, Envy is ignorance; that imitation is
suicide. This means that being jealous of other people is being ignorant and imitating people is killing your
true self. To survive in nature or society, you have to be yourself or you will fall into the trap. To find who you
really are, you have to live both sides - the city and naturally.
Second, self-reliant is being independent and having the ability to make your own decisions. Emerson says,
Self-reliance is its aversion. It loves not realities and creators, but names and customs. This mean that society
doesnt want you to be self-reliant; it wants you to follow its rules and become dependent. Its a stereotype that
is drilled into peoples minds that to be transcendent is go against accepted customs. People want you think the
same as them, because once you get the idea that you should trust your instincts, it will change not only your
surroundings, but others as well. Self-reliance makes you transcendent because you follow what you believe,
and you are confident in the decisions you make.
Third, trust what you believe whenever you need to make a decision; use your knowledge to guide you. Thoreau
says that he went to the woods to see if he could learn what it had to teach. He wanted to get away from the city
and forgot what he had learned from societys expectations, instead living by his own rules. While he lived in
the woods, he trusted his mind and was successful. He let his own knowledge guide him to survive. Always
believe your instinct and knowledge instead of anyone else logic.
Lastly, going against society is not a bad thing; it takes courage to be yourself because you are worried about
others opinions of you. You cant let society corrupt your mind, it will show that youre not strong mentally.
Emerson says, Society everywhere is in conspiracy against the manhood of its members. This mean that
society and transcendence are opposing philosophies. Society is confusing, but going against the customs of
society will show that you are your own person and can be confident in yourself and the decisions you make.

Thoughts on the Legalization of Marijuana

Johnte Brewer

In the article Why Marijuana Should Not Be Legalized? by Shawna Blake and The Best Reasons to Legalize
Marijuana, by Daniel Parker, two different viewpoints are expressed toward the legalization of marijuana.
The authors show awareness of the issue and the effects on the future, whether it be good or bad.
In the article, The Best Reason to Legalize Marijuana, Parker drops facts about the cost of saving America
debt and expense. He explains how America is wasting its money on non-sense like trying to raid houses and
arresting people for petty marijuana charges. The author further contends that marijuana is not as dangerous
as alcohol. Alcohol abuse kills 75,000 people a year; legal prescription drugs kill 100,000 people a year;
marijuana kills zero. The statics show that other drugs are more likely to kill you than marijuana.
Shawna Blake takes a different side on the subject. The main argument in her article, Its just not healthy or
helpful, is that marijuana use can affect a persons IQ, judgement and problem solving skills. She is convinced
that its not helpful or healthy. Use of marijuana will affect ones education and cause unemployment rates
to rise.
Parkers view is strongly in favor of making a profit and saving money for America. According to Harvard drug
economist Jeffrey Miron: Legalizing drugs would save roughly $41.3 billion per year in government
expenditure on enforcement of prohibition. Of these savings, $25.7 billion would accrue to state and local
governments, while $15.6 billion would accrue to the federal government. Approximately $8.7 billion of the
savings would result from legalization of marijuana and $32.6 billion from legalization of other drugs." He
believes that the use and legalization of marijuana can make a true economic difference in America and its
probably the best thing to do.
Blakes solution is just do not use it because of how harmful it is to the body and how it could affect the
future of teens: It's because it can harm the young people who are the hope and future of human kind.
Marijuana may affect the development of the brain if smoked at a young age. This is not only harming the
future of young people, but also the future of our country and the world. This comes back to the effect on
education due to limiting thinking and brain power; already some states test scores are at an all-time low
such as California.
Parker seems to have a more logical explanation then Blake. He brings attention to how to stop America from
spending so much money on prisons and inmates. He decries the amount of money that is spent annually on
prisons, One in five inmates in state prisons, and half of those in federal prisons are serving time for drug
offenses. That means that federal and state prisons hold 1.6 million prisoners at an average cost of $25,000 a
year per prisoner.
He points out how the sale of legalized marijuana would yield tax revenues of $46.7 billion annually,
assuming legal drugs were taxed at rates comparable to those of alcohol and tobacco. Approximately $8.7
billion of this revenue would result from legalization of marijuana, and continues, Smoking weed wasnt a
problem for the last three presidents, because they smoked and got away with it. If the leader of a free world
can do it, why cant I?
Blake speaks on quality of life, explaining how marijuana affects users differently, but some smokers of
marijuana find themselves unable to look for work due to lack of motivation; and some fail to carry out normal
tasks, such as cleaning the house. This means that they cant support themselves or their families properly.
Some people cant work when they are high. Others have a change in demeanor after they smoke.

Blake argues that, The consumption of drugs always poses the risk of adding burdens to the public funds.
Alcohol alone is believed to cost society fifteen times more than the revenue gained by its taxation. This is due
to the increased chance of road accidents whilst intoxicated. However, she delivers no statistics to support
her claim.
Its obvious that the legalization of marijuana is still be up for debate. In their articles, Parker and Blake have
two different viewpoints on the legalization of marijuana. Parker believes in legalization for the good of the
American economic system; Blake believes legalization will have health repercussions. Over time, Colorado,
Oregon and Washingtons legalization of marijuana for recreational use can provide the rest of the states with
the truth about legalizing marijuana.
Colorado after One Year of Legalized Recreational Marijuana
Arrests and Judicial Savings - According to data from the Colorado Court System, marijuana possession arrests have
dropped 84% since 2010. In 2010, 9,011 people were arrested for marijuana possession. Using the same data we are
projecting 1,464 possession arrests for 2014. Given that arrests such as these cost roughly $300 to adjudicate, it is
reasonable to infer that the state is saving millions in adjudicatory costs for possession cases alone in 2014 compared
to 2010. Over the same period, arrests for cultivating and distributing marijuana have also dropped by more than 90%.
Decrease in Crime Rates - According to data released by the city of Denver, violent crime and property crime in Denver
decreased in 2014.i Violent crime in Denver went down by 2.2% in the first 11 months of 2014, compared with the first
11 months of 2013. In the same period, burglaries in Denver decreased by 9.5% and overall property crime decreased
by 8.9%.
Tax Revenue Data - released by the state Department of Revenue reveal that tax revenue from retail marijuana sales
amounted to $40.9 million between January 2014 and October 2014, not including revenue from medical marijuana
and licenses and fees. Of the marijuana tax revenue already collected, the Colorado joint budget committee set aside
$2.5 million to increase the number of health professionals in Colorado public schools. In November 2014, the state
awarded the first $975,000 in grants to Colorado schools to be used to hire health professionals. The funds help fill a
critical gap in Colorado school districts, which suffer from a shortage of school health workers due to 2011 budget cuts.
Many of the newly hired health workers, including nurses and social workers, will focus on mental health support and
on programs to educate students about drug use.
Decrease in Traffic Fatalities - Traffic fatalities went down in 2014, according to data released by the Colorado
Department of Transportation, challenging claims that the legalization of marijuana would lead to an increase in traffic
fatalities. In the first 11 months of 2014, the state had 436 traffic fatalities, a 3% drop from the 449 fatalities in the first
11 months of 2013. The decline in fatalities in 2014 marks a continuation of a 12- year long downward trend in traffic
fatalities in the state of Colorado.
Economic Benefits - Colorado has the fastest growing economy in the United States, and Colorados unemployment
rate is at a six-year low. According to the Department of Revenue, 16,000 people were licensed to work in the
marijuana industry as of December 31, 2014, though not all those with licenses may be actively working in the industry.
Youth Prevention Efforts - The state has allocated more than $8 million in retail marijuana tax revenue for youth
prevention and education, mental health and community based developmental programs. In addition to the $2.5
million allocated to fund health workers in Colorado schools, $2 million of marijuana tax revenue has been allocated to
help fund community-based youth services programs that offer mentoring and focus on drug prevention and school
retention, and over $4.3 million will fund school-based outreach programs for students using marijuana.

https://www.drugpolicy.org/sites/default/files/Colorado_Marijuana_Legalization_One_Year_Status_Report.pdf

Police Brutality

Fruitvale Station is a movie, based on the

true story of Oscar Grant. Oscar Grant was a
twenty two year old man who was shot and killed by
a police officer in Oakland, California, on New
Year's Day, 2009, at Fruitvale Bart station. In telling this man's story, the argument that is made is that police
are at times careless and their actions have resulted in innocent people getting their lives taken from them
more than once. In 2015 alone, there was an extremely high number of unarmed African American men killed
by police officers. What takes place in the movie is very relevant to what is still happening today. Police
brutality is a big problem.
The movie is an hour and twenty five minutes long, only telling the moments of his life that led up to his
death and occasional flashbacks from when he was in prison. Throughout the time frame of a single day in
which the movie takes place, Oscar, played by Michael B. Jordan, deals with a lot. He is a young man living
with his girlfriend and his child; he recently lost his job and is struggling to take care of his responsibilities, find
a new job and also help out other family members. The movie shows how hard it is for him, but also how he
stays positive and continuously tries to do what's right.
A big point that is being made is that Oscar was a good person, the ethical appeal comes from him
dealing with different situations and him doing what's right. In one scene of the movie, Oscar was getting gas
when a stray dog was hit by a speeding car. Oscar runs into the street and picks the dog up, tries to stop the
bleeding and get the dog help. He did what he felt was right. In another scene, Oscar was in the grocery store
where he was working until he was fired. A woman was in the store trying to figure out what fish to get to cook
for a friend. Oscar sees that she is struggling, so he calls his grandmother and hands the woman the phone so
his grandmother can help her. These scenes show how kind hearted and generous he was, which makes it
even sadder when he is killed by the police, because you immediately feel like he did nothing to deserve being
shot.
On the contrary, the movie also does a good job of making it clear that Oscar was not a saint, but he
was trying very hard to stay on the right path. Oscar lost his job and was going to sell marijuana to get money
for his bills, then he remembered how he promised his girlfriend, also the mother of his child, that he wouldn't
do that anymore, so instead of selling drugs or doing anything illegal, he threw all of it into the river. He was
trying his hardest to stay on the right path. On New Year's Eve, a pregnant woman and her husband are
looking for a bathroom and Oscar finds her one. While the wife is using the restroom, Oscar and the husband
are talking, and because the man sees how generous Oscar is, he gives him his business card and tells him if
he ever needs anything to give him a call.
Oscar Grant had a daughter, Tatiana, 4 years old, who he adored. Throughout the movie, they show
the bond they have. On the night of New Year's Eve, before he goes out, she tells him, Daddy, please stay
home; I'm scared. I hear gunshots outside. He promised her he would be okay and they would go to the park
the next day. So much emotion is shown in that scene.
Oscar, his girlfriend, and 5 friends, are on the train on their way to go out for New Years when a white
man, who Oscar was once incarcerated with, starts an argument and a fight breaks out. The police are called
and Oscar and his friends are taken off the train. The people he was fighting were not taken off. Oscar and his
friend question the police, asking why they're being treated the way they are. Oscar says, Why are we being
arrested; we didn't do anything. Oscar gets into an argument with the officers, and he is thrown to the ground.
One officer pushes his knee into Oscar's head, then Officer Johannes Mehserle stands over him and shoots
him in his back. All his friends begin screaming, people on the train started recording, and Oscar said, You
shot me, I have a daughter, and you shot me. Oscar was alive when the ambulance came, but he had so
much internal bleeding that he lost a lung and didn't survive. The officers involved were fired and the general
manager and chief of BART police stepped down.The officer who shot Oscar was arrested and charged with
first degree murder; he claimed he mistook his gun for his taser, but the jury found him guilty of involuntary
manslaughter. He was sentenced to two years but, released after 11 months.
The police did this in front of everyone who was on the train. This shows that the police can be carless
at times. In this case, an innocent man should not have lost his life to police brutality. The movie is really good
at telling the story through Oscars eyes, making the viewer sympathetic to Oscar and finding the police guilty,
if not of intentionally killing a black man, then of stupidity for confusing his weapons. The argument and topic
are really relevant, as just in 2015, according to http://mappingpoliceviolence.org/unarmed/, more than 100
unarmed black men were killed due to police brutality. Oscar Grant was just one story to be told.
Fruitvale Station. Dir.Ryan Coogler. Elite Film, 2014.
Terreka Carter

No Rainbow without Rain

Leydis Aguilera
Another day has passed, and it is time to make a decision already. I cant keep seeing everything
that is going on around me and not do anything about it. It is hard, very hard actually, to decide on
something that will affect and change my whole life, but something must be done soon, before it gets
worse, before it becomes too late.
**********************************************************
First semester was over, and it had been a year since I came from Cuba. Everyone had high
expectations of me, and they cheered me to become someone in life. Even I cheered myself and said
that I could accomplish anything I set my mind to. My goal from the start was to become a very good
dentist, and believe me, I was working towards it. I was happy at school, happy in my house, and
happy with my friends. Besides the fact that I enjoyed learning, I also enjoyed my social life,
something I should be thankful to my parents for. Life was just marvelous.
Suddenly BOOM! My life made a hundred degree change. I remember coming from school
on a cold Thursday afternoon and seeing my mother and father sitting in the living room. I could only
read the expression on their face and I could smell and feel something wrong.
Lexi, ven, sit with us for a moment, my father said with a very pensive face.
I agreed with my head as I put my backpack down on the floor.
Things arent going very well in the house economically. We arent asking for anything
because you are still a student and we want you to focus on your studies and become someone in life.
That was one of our goals when we decided to come to United States, my mother said.
In that moment, every thought I had, every word I was thinking perished. My mind became
blank as a paper. I couldnt talk in that moment. I did not know what to say. What should I say in a
moment like this? I kept asking myself in my head. I wasnt expecting us to be in a situation like this,
especially when everything was so good some days ago, or at least they appeared to be.
We are thinking about moving in with your sister and her husband. Your dad is currently
unemployed; as you know that job was not permanent, it was only temporary, and what I earn is not
enough to pay all the bills, my mother added.
Money for me wasnt that big of a thing. I know money is important, especially in this country.
For example, back in my country, I remember having to share everything with my sister, and
sometimes even with the neighbors. I learned since I was little to appreciate the few things I had. Now,
being in this country, I still feel and think the same way, but we arent in Cuba anymore. In Cuba you
had no house bills to pay, if you did not have food to eat or money, at least you would have a roof and
a bed. What I did not know was that the situation that we were going through right now was even
worse than what my parents were saying.
Later on I discovered that my dad was really sick. Im not talking about a little bit of coughing
or a little fiber. I am talking about a life threatening situation. The doctor discovered he had a
malignant tumor in his kidney, and the worse part- he had no medical insurance. How was he supposed
to get the medical attention required with no insurance or money to pay? All of these started to hit me
and I really did not know what to do.
My parents tried very hard to keep this from me, but it was very difficult to hide the medical
bills that kept coming in the mail. Medical bills that now we had to pay for only a couple of things that
were done to my father, but did not improve his health. This made me feel upset and mad at the same
time. I started questioning whether staying in Cuba wouldve been better. I did not want my parents to
suffer because of a sacrifice they made for the sake of my future.

After moving in with my sister, things didnt get any better. I could tell how uncomfortable my
parents felt in there. Dont get me wrong, we all love my sister very much, but every married couple
needs their own privacy, and that was something they couldnt have anymore. Everything became a
burden to me. The fact that I had to do homework, but they were watching television and I couldnt go
to my room because it was not even mine, made me so irritated and it made it hard to focus. I started
getting poor grades in school; I didnt feel like I could accomplish my goals anymore. My GPA
dropped very low; I did not even think a college would want me, or the college I wanted to get into.
I can do this, I kept saying, trying to force myself into believing it, but it was not working. I
knew Im wasnt the only one going through a situation like this one, and I knew I wasnt the first one
nor the last one, but in that moment, I was the only one in my world.
***********************************************
At moments like this, I start to question whether I can keep saying that I can do this, because
honestly I feel like I cant, not anymore. As I walk down the street, I notice that is about to start raining
soon, by soon, I mean now, because a rain drop just fell on my nose. I decide to stop and get
somewhere quickly so I dont get wet, although that would not be a bad idea. I remember loving to
dance in the rain when I was younger. It felt fantastic and very peaceful to stand under the rain, it was
as if you had been refreshed and cleansed of every thought, of every sin.
Suddenly, a thought came to my head as I was watching the rain fall. Im young; Ive got
energy, the energy and strength that my poor parents dont have any more. This means that I can work
if I want to and support them. They have done so much good, and there are so many things I can be
thankful for; making this kind of decision for the sake of them would not bother me at all. They took
care of me ever since I was little until now, and I know that they will keep doing it, but maybe it is time
for me to take care of them. Maybe it is my turn.
What about school? Where do school and my education come into all these? If I decide to start
working full time, I wont have time for school. Finding time for everything would be impossible.
Should I drop out then? Dropping out sounds bad, but there are many things that could be
accomplished if I do. I will have less stress in my life and I will just start supporting my family so they
can get out of every problem, at least the financial problems. Would my parents be proud if I do this?
On the other hand, I could stay in school. Focusing on school does not mean I cant have a part
time job or something that provides at least a little bit. A little bit is better than nothing. If I stay in
school, I can become someone in life, thats what my parents wanted from the start and if I do become
someone that means I can end up giving them a good life, the life they tried so hard to give me.
The rain is falling harder, and the silence that I was feeling right here suddenly broke.
Everyone wants happiness, nobody wants pain, but you cannot have a rainbow without a little
bit of rain, said an old man standing next to me while staring at the rain and then turning to me and
smiling warmly. His clothes were ripped and his seemingly endless beard did not let me focus on
anything else. I returned a smile trying to be polite, but the moment I was going to say something, he
walked off swiftly.
His words are now stuck in my head. I keep thinking of every word he said, Everyone wants
happiness, nobody wants pain, but you cannot have a rainbow without a little bit of rain. This actually
makes sense. It is impossible to see a rainbow without rain falling. The way he compared that rainbow
to happiness and the rain with the pain was great. Was he able to read my mind? Did he know what
was going on with me? How did he know the appropriate words to speak? It is not raining inside of me,
there is actually a storm inside, with rain, pain. The heavy rain stopped suddenly and I decided to go
back home before my parents started worrying about me.
The sun is coming out already, I said to myself, surprised at how quickly everything cleared
out and I was hoping the same thing happened to my life and my problems. As I looked ahead, I

couldnt believe what my eyes were seeing. The same old man that said those words to me was sitting
on a bench under a really tall tree reading a newspaper, so I decided to approach him.
Hi sir, do you remember me? I said very nervously.
Hey young lady, of course I remember. You are the girl who was wearing a very stressful face
while it was raining, said the old man as he gave me a wide smile which allowed me to see his
cracked teeth.
In that moment, I could only focus and think about his teeth, and all the ways I could possibly
fix them if I become a dentist. Then I laughed in my head, I couldnt believe I was thinking about that.
Can I sit with you?
The old men gave me a wider smile and said of course. As I sat there, the breeze was hitting
my face and my hair started making ballet moves as the breeze guided it. It felt refreshing, especially
after that heavy rain. I turned to look at the man, and I told him how much I liked his words and how
much sense they made. I explained how, in that moment, those words were just what I needed. He
didnt say a word; he just stood there listening to my words, and smiling. A smiled that reflected so
much sincerity, compassion, and goodness.
It looks like you have gone through a lot; you dont need to tell me what happened to you, but
by the sound of your voice, I can tell. You are very young; you should be enjoying this age that you
will only live once so you dont have regrets when you are my age. Whatever it is you are going
through, just know that the flower that blooms in adversity is the rarest and most beautiful of all. If you
keep this in mind, you will be able to see life in a positive way and you wont let difficulties crush you
or make you fall. If by any chance you do fall, know that what matters is whether you get up again or
not.
I became speechless by the words this man was speaking, and I wondered how is it possible that
such a wonderful man with so much knowledge could be out here in the street dressed the way he is.
Maybe he is living a bad life, maybe hes got his own problems at home, or god knows what. What I
did know is that I wanted to get the most out of this conversation. I wanted to learn from his words and
I make a decision.
You said you had to make a decision, well dont hurry so much. Never cut a tree down in the
wintertime. Never make a negative decision when you are low. Never make your most important
decisions when you are in your worst mood. Just wait. Be patient. The storm will pass just like it did
today and the spring will come, he added.
You are right; thank you for your words, I said while I looked at the time and I saw how late it
was, my parents must be really worried. Cant believe the old man read that expression too and said,
You should go, its late.
I got up, grabbed his hand and he gave me a warm look and a smile. It reminded me of the look I
used to see in my grandfathers eyes; it felt good. I started walking home and somehow I felt at peace
inside. I smiled as I thought about how the old man used the words of great Americans, like Walt
Disney and Robert Schuller, who didnt give up when faced with tough choices. It is so very true that
many Latinos that come to the states end up dropping out of school or not going to college. It is
embarrassing, but it is true. I dont want to become a number. I do not want to become a statistic. I
could not wait to get home. I took my phone, and called my mom.
Mom, everything is going to get better. Lo prometo. Youve got a future dentist right here as a
daughter; I will be home shortly.

What Should I Do?

Samantha Hudspeth
Officer Smith and I are en route to a home invasion. We are in the car laughing and joking about
how excited we are for our boys to start baseball later today. They are going to be on the same team,
they just have different positions. We arrive on scene and he goes around back, while I stay in the front
of the house. I hear him screaming and hollering for me. Hes right here Samantha, hurry up. Come
on, come on! I run around back and I see them. The suspect has my partner in a head lock and has a
pistol pointed to his head. I freeze up, unsure of exactly what to do; my hands begin to shake as the
flashbacks start.
We grew up together; both of our dads were cops. They used to take us to the gun range,
starting when we were about eight years old. As a matter of fact, we both have almost perfect pistol
shooting scores due to our practice at the gun range. Not long ago we were in combat training
together. We both know how and where to shoot somebody if we wanted to kill them fast. Smith and I
probably spend more time together than my husband and I get to, the same with him and his wife. Not
only are we partners, we have been best friends since about second grade. He is like the older brother
that I never had; we have always had each others back and always will.
I ask myself, Should I shoot this idiot or try and talk him down? What if I dont shoot him and
he kills my partner? I will be the one with the guilt, the one having to explain to not only the media, but
to his kids and wife what happened. They are going to ask me why I let the bad guy kill their daddy. Is
this how I want my best friends kids to remember me? The woman who let some idiot kill their daddy.
Or do I want them to know me as the woman who saved their daddys life?
Yes, this suspect might have a family. He might have a mom and dad, kids that are looking
forward to their daddy coming home, or a wife. He might have brothers and sisters and nieces and
nephews just like we do. However, if he is so worried about his family, then he should have thought
about them. He should have thought about them before he went into these peoples home and tried
to rob them. He should have thought about his family before he put my partner in a headlock and put a
gun to his head. What if whoever owns this house was home when he decided to kick the door in to
rob it? We, as in the police officers, would have been here anyway to pick a dead body, his if the
homeowner had shot him.
I stand there shocked, my legs are starting to shake and tremble. Im just staring at them. The
last time something like this happened, officer Foster just tried to talk the suspect down. That was a
huge mistake, the man shot and killed Fosters partner. Another officer had shot and killed the suspect.
It was a horrific scene. Foster regretted it and drove himself to drink. He ended up drinking so much
that his wife and kids left him all alone. He eventually got so tired of dealing with the guilt from his
partners death and his wife and kids leaving him, that he ate his gun so he wouldnt have to deal with
the pain anymore.
I do it. I just shoot the suspect twice in the chest because I dont want to have to live with the
regret if this man kills my partner. I dont want to have to explain to his babies why I didnt want to
shoot the bad guy. Hell, I wouldnt even want to tell my kids why their mommys best friend is dead
now. I would rather my partner and I both live and have to deal with the consequences of me killing
the bad guy. By deal with the consequences, I mean my partner and I will both have to be interrogated
by the local and state police departments. We will have to deal with the criticism from the press. We
will also both have to go to court and testify, give our stories. We will both be put on administrative
leave until both the judge and chief of police make their executive decisions. But it is worth it, and he
would do it for me.

Pigs
Darion Moore
I breathe in all that I can, as I stare down the barrel, it shines and blinds my eyes as it is held by a child. I stare
and wonder what may have happened to this child to make him so corrupt in this world. I can choose to shoot
him down or let him go; he wont listen to my instruction. Theres a chance that if I drop my weapon, he may
shoot me first. If I try to let him go and he doesnt lower his weapon, this could be my last day.
Hours before, I was celebrating my life and all the good that has come my way and that I have done. Its my
birthday; Im just turning 23, fresh on the force, a rookie, and as a test, they let me go into the city for a minor
fight that I was supposed to break up. A fight between two young men from different sides of the city. I know
how these things turn out because Ive seen it before.
I wanted to become an officer to protect and serve my city because I hated seeing young people die. My plan
was to start a program or something that would help the inner-city kids stay out of gangs. I used to be that kid,
no father and a mother whos never home, fighting to protect myself. Soon after, I joined a gang, got jumped a
few times and I realized I needed a crew. I had a really good friend in the crew who I hung with more than the
other members.
We became cool for a long time; we were only sixteen, but always full of energy and moving. When we would
get into it with other gangs, we would protect each other. I had his back; he had mine. One day we were in a
battle against another gang and a policeman showed up. My friend was shooting at the other gang. The police
man broke up the fighting and went after my friend, who ran because he had a gun. I was a block away and
ran to see what happened as they stood with each others gun pointed at one another.
Before I could get there, I heard a gunshot that rang all through the city. I ran faster to the location of the
sound. I stopped when I saw the lifeless body of my friend, my only friend. I left the gang soon after; it just
wasnt the same without him. Later on, I started to feel guilty, as if it was my finger that pulled the trigger. This
is what inspired me to become an officer; this is what inspired me to protect.
In this moment, I relive a piece of that painful moment, but now from a different perspective. Do what I
believe? Lower my weapon and risk this kid shooting me? I dont know what to choose. A thousand thoughts
run around in my mind. This situation could mean I dont go home, or someone else could end up dead if I
cant stop this kid.
I stand in the same position as the officer who shot my friend. This young man keeps resisting my advice,
yelling over me to leave him alone. I yell at him to lower his weapon and we wont be hurt, but he doesnt
listen. I decide to lower the weapon Im holding with my shaking hands. I look back up at the kid. He seems
calmer as he smiles and yells, Stupid pig, and shoots me right in the chest. I cough up blood. I know I wont
make it. My last words to the kid are, Break the cycle.

Break the Cycle

Darion Moore

I breathe in all that I can, as I stare down the barrel, it shines and blinds
my eyes as it is held by a child. I stare and wonder what may have
happened to this child to make him so corrupt in this world. I can
choose to shoot him down or let him go; he wont listen to my
instruction. Theres a chance that if I drop my weapon, he may shoot
me first. If I try to let him go and he doesnt lower his weapon, this
could be my last day.
Hours before, I was celebrating my life and all the good that has come my way and that I have done. Its my
birthday; Im just turning 23, fresh on the force, a rookie, and as a test, they let me go into the city for a minor
fight that I was supposed to break up. A fight between two young men from different sides of the city. I know
how these things turn out because Ive seen it before.
I wanted to become an officer to protect and serve my city because I hated seeing young people die. My plan
was to start a program or something that would help the inner-city kids stay out of gangs. I used to be that kid,
no father and a mother whos never home, fighting to protect myself. Soon after, I joined a gang, got jumped a
few times and I realized I needed a crew. I had a really good friend in the crew who I hung with more than the
other members.
We became cool for a long time; we were only sixteen, but always full of energy and moving. When we would
get into it with other gangs, we would protect each other. I had his back; he had mine. One day we were in a
battle against another gang and a policeman showed up. My friend was shooting at the other gang. The police
man broke up the fighting and went after my friend, who ran because he had a gun. I was a block away and
ran to see what happened as they stood with each others gun pointed at one another.
Before I could get there, I heard a gunshot that rang all through the city. I ran faster to the location of the
sound. I stopped when I saw the lifeless body of my friend, my only friend. I left the gang soon after; it just
wasnt the same without him. Later on, I started to feel guilty, as if it was my finger that pulled the trigger. This
is what inspired me to become an officer; this is what inspired me to protect.
In this moment, I relive a piece of that painful moment, but now from a different perspective. Do what I
believe? Lower my weapon and risk this kid shooting me? I dont know what to choose. A thousand thoughts
run around in my mind. This situation could mean I dont go home, or someone else could end up dead if I
cant stop this kid.
I stand in the same position as the officer who shot my friend. This young man keeps resisting my advice,
yelling over me to leave him alone. I yell at him to lower his weapon and we wont be hurt, but he doesnt
listen. I decide to lower the weapon Im holding with my shaking hands. I look back up at the kid. He seems
calmer as he smiles and yells, Stupid pig, and shoots me right in the chest. I cough up blood. I know I wont
make it. My last words to the kid are, Break the cycle.

Patient Confidentiality
Dayanis Valdivieso

I killed her. Those three words will never leave my mind. David killed his ex-girlfriend and I didnt know what to do, I
know that as a psychiatrist I am supposed to keep my mouth shut no matter what the patient tells me, but this was too big
of a secret. If this secret was burning David inside, it was sweltering inside of me. I had to choose between losing my
patients confidentially and maybe even a reprimand to the point of losing my job, or doing the right and ethical thing. I
knew that his ex-girlfriends family was worried still searching for her after three months. I was surprised the police still
didnt have suspicion of David, but he was very smart; for weeks he watched documentaries of old serial killers and got
ideas on how to not leave a trace or clue. No one wouldve thought he did it because he was such an educated, nice man.
Even the parents didnt suspect anything; they thought their daughter just decided to get up and leave without telling
anyone. She was like that, a risk taker that loved travelling to see new things.
Ever since I was a teenager, friends came to me for advice, mainly because everything that was said to me was
kept as a secret. I enjoyed listening to other peoples problems and I still do. It made me feel good about myself because I
knew that I was helping the person by letting them vent to me and possibly coming up with a solution to whatever
problem they had. It also made me forget about the problems I had going on in my life. I never really liked to talk to
people about my problems; I usually kept to myself. Taking a psychology class in High School made me realize I wanted
to be a psychiatrist. Once I got to college as an aspiring psychiatrist, I took the necessary classes which were biology,
chemistry, math and physics. Once I was done with my four years of college, I met the medical school requirements. As a
medical student, I was introduced to basic anatomy. As a medical student, I was introduced to basic anatomy, physiology,
ethics and medical laws. I learned the fundamental skills, behaviors, and practices to become a physician.
When David was admitted to the hospital, he was thirty-five and had become severely suicidal and drinking
heavily. The doctor recommended that he see a psychiatrist and he came to me. David had an older half-sister; his father
was her mothers second husband. His father was an alcoholic, and an abusive disciplinarian. He left when David was
twelve, and David never saw him again. He was glad; .Mom was not. David eventually went off to college to become a
teacher. It was during college that he realized that his mother was responsible for much of Davids suffering. When she
developed Alzheimer's disease soon after he got out of school, he had her placed in an old people's home. When she failed
to recognize him, he broke off all contact with both her and his elder sister
David was an interesting guy; I liked talking to him and trying to make him stop thinking about suicide and
eventually he did. Every time he came in for a session, he trusted me more and more, telling me secrets he never told
anyone. Then one day, he started to talk about his ex girlfriend of four years. For some reason, every time he talked to me
about her, he would cry then all of the sudden he would get this rage and start to yell. I began to suspect a bipolar
disorder. I LOVED HER SO MUCH, I GAVE HER ALL OF ME he would yell. He wouldnt fully talk about her;
every other day it was a small detail about her, until he finally came out and told me why they broke up. She cheated on
him during the holidays when he had to work long hours, sometimes grading papers, or tutoring children. When he
confessed to killing her, it really caught me by surprise. Maybe this is why he wanted to commit suicide; the guilt was
eating him up inside because he couldnt tell anyone and he wanted to take the easy way out.
For days I couldnt sleep; I kept thinking about David and how he murdered his wife and all the details he gave
me on how he did it. I would pick up the phone dial 911 and put it back down. I knew I didnt have enough evidence.
Although he confessed to me, the police didnt even have the slightest suspicion about him. The next day I had another
session with David and he could tell I felt uncomfortable because he kept asking if I was okay. I kept reassuring him I was
and he continued to talk. This time about his father and how he had abused him and how he had had a very painful
childhood. It all made sense now; he needed love. He thought he finally found someone and he felt relieved and very
happy, but once she cheated on him, he took all that aggravation from his childhood and took it out on her.
David stop coming for sessions, I felt much relived. I couldnt bear to listen to any more details of his ex. I
decided to stay quiet. I knew it was wrong; this will always stay inside of me, but hopefully time will work in my favor
and help me forget. Listening and staying quiet was my job as a psychiatrist and I couldnt risk my career. I couldnt risk
those years of studying and long nights of no sleep, for a murder that had no valid evidence.

SGT. Winter
Shaun Perry

Just as Sgt. Winter's hand slips from the

railing on the helicopter, Mr. Stewart grabs onto
his wrist. I got you, says Stewart. He pulls
Winters up into the helicopter.
Thanks for the- he tries to say before
an RPG rips through the side of the helicopter.
As the helicopter is going down, Winters thinks
about the events that led him up to this moment.
Some weeks earlier, Cpl. Sanders was debriefing his team on an important mission. The
target is Amir Dieng who was last seen at a warehouse off the coast of Angola. As we know, he stays
with a lot of guards and they are heavily armed. They have about 20 to 25 crates of high powered
assault rifles hes trying to smuggle into his homeland, Nigeria. This is important because he is going
to attack some city this week. We need to intercept the packages before he reaches his destination
when we will be forced to fight his army, as well.
Winters stood next to Sanders. Winters, you are going be point on this. Im going to have you
and Stewart get to the package once we get him down.
Yes, sir, say the two almost in unison.
Ok, good; everybody get ready to head out at 0100 hours.
As everybody is leaving, Sanders tells Winters and Stewart to stay back. You all know this is
one of the most ruthless guys we have seen in a long time. He will not hesitate to kill, so be on your
Ps and Qs. They both nod. Alright now go get ready.
As the helicopter is closing in on Amir and his crew, the team gets ready. They can see trucks
next to the building. OK good, were early, said Sanders.
They repel down and surround the building. As they do, there are two watchmen on the far
side. I got him, Stewart points at the guards. He walks around the building then back about a minute
later. It's done.
Ok let's get inside and try to get this over with quickly. says Sanders. They surround the
building and set up to breach each of the doors.
They count it down on the walkie-talkie,3..2..1.
The men kick the doors in at the same time with pistols and shotguns drawn. Everybody down
on the ground! yells one of the newer guys, Lucas. As he rushes in, he gets blown right back out the
door by one of Amirs guards with a shotgun. Of the eight men in the room, four of them are Amirs.
Winters shoots the guy in the head, and it becomes an all out gunfight. Winters quickly deescalates
the situation and takes all of Amirs men out. Just as the fire ceases, Amir hops out of the back room
with a AK-47 and starts spraying randomly. Everybody takes cover and fires back hitting Amir in the
chest.
As Amir lays there, Cpl. Sanders walks up to him and holds him down while everybody
searches the room.
Nothing but some maps sir.
Give them to me.
The maps have ten places circled. All nearby. Shit, maybe we were too early and got here
before they got the drop. said Winters.
Where are the weapons? Sanders asks Amir.
I have nothing to say to you.
Sanders pistol whips him a couple of times. Now in going to ask you again.

Before he can get it out Amir spits into his face. Sanders punches him and then he shoots him
in the knee and sticks the hot barrel into Amirs chest wounds.
Aaaahhhh!! screams Amir in pain. Still nothing about the weapons.
Ok, I got you. Sanders says through a smirk. He pulls a wrench off of one of the tables and
opens up Amir's mouth. Just look at me as a neighborhood dentist. says Sanders as begins. Now
point to me where the weapons are on the map.
He pointed to Zambia and they start to pack up to get ready to go. Youre coming with us just
i'm case. Winters grabs Amir and puts him in cuffs and calls in a helo.
En route to Zambia, Winters gets word that Amirs men know theyre on their way. They
prepare to go in on the defense. Ok were going to get dropped off about a mile away from the actual
site. It has some hills that we can use for cover.
What about him. Stewart points at Amir.
He can stay with Rogers in the helicopter. If we need him well let you know.
Roger that, responds Rogers.
They began the mile trek to the destination. As they come up to the hilly area, they get some
snipers to support them. They set up and give them the rundown.
There is a main warehouse building with two people at each door. One door in the front and
one on the side. Then it looks like a hangar with a plane. There are two people loading something
onto the plane, three others by the plane. Total of seven people.
Ok thanks. Stay for support. Winters and Stewart, you go and take down the people at the
warehouse, and me and Roke will take on the people at the hangar.
As they come down the hill, they split off. First Winters and Stewart go take out the guards at
the doors of the warehouse, then they set up at the door. Winters goes through first and lays down
the first two people he sees. Stewart hears the gunshots and comes in and lays down the other guy
he sees. They regroup in the middle and look around, but see no boxes of weapons.
Sanders approaches the first guy by the airplane and takes him out stealthily. Then Roke
comes around the plane and lays down fire. He hits two people without them firing back. Sanders
finishes the rest of them with his AR-15. They look around and see a few crates of weapons on the
ground.
Sanders, Stewart regroup by the hangar. We found what we need.
Roger that. said Stewart as he puts his walkie-talkie back.
Sanders and Roke take crates off the plane. They're all here. Roke says as they finish.
Sanders calls in the helicopter. We found the packages. Call in a cargo plane for extraction.
They have a nice stretch of runway here.
Winters wonders why there arent any reinforcements, but tries not to let it bother him too
much.
Theres no more room in the cargo plane. Roke, you and Winters can wait here until the
helicopter comes back.
The cargo plane take off, and Roke and Winters go back to the warehouse to wait on the
helicopter. About ten minutes later, they hear some shuffling outside. Come on let's go check it out.
Might be reinforcement, Winters said.
They both ready their guns and go towards the noise. When they get outside, they dont see
anything. When they walk around the back, they see one of Amirs injured men calling for backup.
Roke instantly kills him and smashes the phone.
We have to watch out now. Ill go into the hangar and see if I can find any more weapons to
help us. says Winters as he starts off for the hangar.
Roke checks the man to make sure hes out of sight, before he goes to meet Winters at the
hangar. In the distance, he hears an incoming vehicle. Soon, three trucks full of Amirs men are
headed his way.
Theyre coming, lets go.

Winters runs over to the door and sees the trucks coming. He pulls out an RPG and takes out
two of them. As the third truck gets closer, the helicopter shows up. Winters starts to run to the
helicopter, but Roke is still firing.
Come on hurry up! yells Winters.
Winters see Roke get up to run when bullets rip through his chest and neck. He tries to hold
his neck together as a hollow tip bullet tears through his head, leaving him just a lifeless clump.
Winters has seen many men get lost at war, so he just keeps running to the chopper. The helicopter
is forced to start raising quickly as bullets fly by. Winters has to jump to catch his flight out of there.
He manages to reach the bar when he jumps, but cant get a good grip. Just as he thought is sure he
is going to fall, Stewart reaches and grabs his wrist. He pulls him up and Winters can finally breathe a
sigh of relief.
Thanks for the- he tries to say before an RPG rips through the side of the helicopter. The
helicopter starts to whip out of control and Stewart ends up flying out of the helicopter in a blur. Thats
the last thing Winters sees before he blacks out.
He awakes to fire and rubble everywhere. Hes a few feet from the helicopter and can see the
pilot slumped over the controls. The only weapon he has is the pistol on his leg. He pulls it out and
starts to search for Sanders. He searches the wreckage for anything he can use to help. He checks
the radio in the helicopter. He hears some static and pulls the mic out and calls out for help. No
response. He calls out again, and finally somebody responds. It's one of the commanders from
another platoon about three miles out.
Were in route. Try to look for survivors and weapons or any rations.
Got you. said Winters.
He looks around and finds a shotgun. He sets up to defend himself because he knows that
Amirs men heard the crash and they are probably going to be on the way to the crash site. As trucks
pull up, he hides behind some of the crash debris so he can take the first one by surprise and grab
his weapon. As the man walked by, he blew his head off with the shotgun and used his headless
body as cover. Hiding behind dead body, he started firing sporadically to scare the enemy off. They
fell back into cover as he managed to take some of them out. There were more of them than there
was of him. Just in time, the helicopter arrives around to get him, shooting and forcing the enemy
back. Winters jumps onto the helicopter and they pull up firing.
Thanks for that.
No problem. We have get those containers so they dont attack that city. They might give
some resistance, but we have innocent lives at stake here so we need to do whatever it takes.
Amirs men had moved forward, had taken over the hangar and were loading the crates onto
their trucks. Winters and the others would have to risk it.
We can either blow everything up, or take them on and take the supplies away safely. said
their leader Cpl. Adams. If we blow everything up then we will lose everything and the higher ups will
be mad at us, but we cant guarantee the safety of the city unless all of the weapons are destroyed.
I got into this to save innocent lives, Winters said as he took his position at the door, ready to
aim.

Weynihareg (Beki)

I am lost, no words
I am lost, not anything
Your smile shines as bright sun
Your laughter vibrates everyone
I am lost, no words
I am lost, not anything
They said you are gone from this world
From the world you loved to live
From the world you raised your kids
From the world you give hope as
A mother, as a friend, as a comedian.
I couldnt believe the news of Monday morning
Announcing your death.
I was waiting for this summer full of hopes
To see you and your beautiful kids.
Amoy, what happened to that beautiful laughter
The laughter that brings the whole family with love together
What happened to you my loving and caring aunt.
You are gone, Amoy, without leaving your most loved laughter.
It cant be true the moon of art is gone
You was a valuable resource to our family.
I am with full of hopes to hear your voice again.
If it is possible to live again come back please
Say good day to your loved ones for just seconds.
I still feel the love you left behind
I still feel the comfort you shared with us.
I dont think things will be the same from now on.
Dont you remember when you advised as to put love first
I dont think you were a normal person.
You were a moon that lights the night without electric power.
I cant believe we buried you on Friday with your
Passion. Return if possible Amoy Shikor.
By: Asmayt Zeru

The View from Above

By: Mahad Mohamed

The smell of his potential kept him motivated.

He kept cooking and cooking until
the aroma was strong and stronger.

When he finally built it, the excitement

Was like eating for the first time
In days. His tongue was filled
With the sweetness
Of his fruit.

The monster blew its big mouth for the

First time. Its breath was headed from
A long distance like a hungry lion.

He ran his fingers across his

Creation with pride filling his heart
He thought of the long way he came which in turn
Made his fingers and later his whole body tingle.

Finally, the bird took off instantly without

flapping its wide wings. Its sole mission, to
watch over her own.

RIP
Your very first one
It helps you carry all your weight
Regardless of how heavy or how light
Your backpack withstands and perseveres
Helping you throughout high school
Making you feel as if all you carry
is nothing
Rip

After a while you start to notice its a little worn,

A few Irish pennants here
A couple of small holes there
But its fine
Because recently you've been to a close one's funeral right after school.
To always remember them you keep one of the pamphlets
and placed it inside of your backpack
Storing physical and emotional memories
along with a couple of tears that fall inside as you zip it closed
Rip

Denzel Dapremont

Lets play La Migra.

Ill be the border patrol
You be the Mexican maid.
I grab my small, shiny badge,
You can run and hide.
But you cant get away, since I have a jeep.
The smell of sweat coming from you
Doesnt bother me because
You are still coming with me.
Dont ask questions because
I dont speak Spanish.

Jessica Morales

Kissed sleeping wife and children

Not knowing when I will see them again.
Walking for days in the
Sweltering desert, swam across
A river, shivering like a wet dog.
Traveled North on foot.
Got picked up, then got dropped in
A strange place with a weird stench
Where I had to room with eleven other people.
Work from sun to night, blood and
Tears just so my wife and children,
Can have a better life than me.

Jessica Morales

The Helping Hand By: Sadiyo Khamis

Darkness is what some people call home.
They dont want to come out
because of what they are experiencing in life.
Some people dont like others because of who they are.
The people in the darkness
are trying to avoid the nasty and mean comments
others are throwing at them.
They are either being attacked with the evil eye
or spread rumors into the media and the atmosphere
of bad things like they are a disease.
No one really wants to see who they truly are
and what they want to become.
If they dont look like everyone else in the world,
they are considered a disgrace to human kind.
But NO!
No ones understanding,
if youre thinking like that then youre wrong
because differences make up everything in this world.
Without them, no one will be able to teach one another anything.
If its meant for everyone to be alike
why are there people from different places all over the world
in worlds they didnt originate in?
Everyone should let others in.
Think about yourself honestly
before speaking in a harmful way about others.
What if you were that one person in the dark
taking all the abuse.
Whats wrong with this world is its hatred crimes.
All it takes is a little thinking, a lot of planning,
and a solution to change the world.
Dont be the one to bully, humiliate, abuse,
or do all sorts of harmful things to others.
Be the one to step into the game.
Youll find yourself being a HERO!
Youll make a lot of life changes for a lot of people suffering
the problem you just solved.
You will be happy about yourself if you do this.
But if you take the wrong turn
and be the evil person that theyre running from,
later on in life, youll be way more miserable than they were.
Just do well for yourself and help one another,
I promise you this world will be better than it is now.
Everyone needs help once in their life, so will you.
If you give in, no one will hesitate to help you
because theyll remember you as that one GREAT person.

She Loves You

Alexandra Smith

She looks up to you because

she doesn't have anyone else.
Sometimes she tells her friends she can't go out with them
because you don't want her to.
People tell her that she can do better
but she doesn't listen.
She spent years on you even when she had the chance to escape,
but its okay because she loves you.
You did some things that made her feel uncomfortable
and she ignored them.
She witnessed you flirt with another girl
thinking they're just friends, right?
She dealt with and continued to ignore your
careless acts as if they never bothered her.
She began to not feel good enough,
so she changed herself and not on purpose,
but it's okay because she loves you.
She slowly lost everything that defined her personality,
trying to satisfy your wants - but she did it.
When she finally built enough courage to move on,
she found a best friend that
made her feel like she was on top of the world,
only to leave him and be drawn back to you.
She became torn between reality and her perfect visions
that didn't seem so far away,
causing her to believe all the wrong things
but its okay because she loves you.
Now, second thoughts are driving her insane
because she loves you,
but what if she doesn't know what love is?
It doesn't matter because it's...no, its not okay because that's not love.

Magnet Madness

by Matt Ison

Across

Down

1.
5.

2.

7.
8.
9.

11.
12.
14.
18.
19.

How is one supposed to be dressed in the work place.

The assignment of urgency to decide the order of
treatment of a large number of patients or casualties.
Grinding tooth found in the back of the mouth.
Action or business of selling products or services.
An emergency lifesaving procedure done when
someones heart has stopped beating or breathing has
stopped.
Branch of medicine dealing with fitness.
Term for horses.
The power to make legal decisions.
A person who is qualified to treat certain medical
conditions but is not a doctor.
The person or animal getting looked at by the doctor.

3.
4.
6.
10.
12.
13.
15.
16.
17.

A person who organizes and operates a

business.
Number one disinfectant.
Person buying the products or services.
Term for cows.
A financial gain.
Test that checks the problems with the electrical
activity with the heart.
A person creating the products or services.
How much a entity is worth.
Where animals are housed at animal hospitals.
People who decide your fate in a courtroom.

J E F F E R S O N

C O U N T Y

P U B L I C

S C H O O L S

Equal Opportunity Policies

Equal Employment Opportunity

Employees/Applicants
The Jefferson County Public School District shall not discriminate in recruitment
or employment on the basis of age, color, creed, disability, marital or parental status,
national origin, race, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, religion, or political opinion or affiliation. The District shall promote equal opportunities through a vigorous
affirmative action program as an integral part of personnel policy and practice in the
employment, development, advancement, and treatment of employees of the Jefferson
County Public Schools.
In the Event of Questions
Employees or applicants, report to immediate superior, appropriate personnel
administrator, the Compliance and Investigations Office, or the appropriate enforcement agency if you believe you have experienced harassment/discrimination.

Equal Educational Opportunity

Students/Parents or Guardians
No student shall be denied equal educational opportunity for any reason by the
Jefferson County Board of Education because of his or her age, color, disability, parental status, marital status, national origin, race, religion, sex, or veteran status.
Harassment/Discrimination of any type is not permitted. A student has the right
to attend school free from harassment and should not be subjected to discrimination
for any reason. Schools will strive to ensure that these rights are protected and that
appropriate consequences are provided to offenders.
In the Event of Questions
Students and parents/guardians, report to principal, the Compliance and Investigations Office, or the appropriate government agency if you believe you have experienced harassment/discrimination.
Noncompliance with the above policy and procedures may result in disciplinary
action.

Discrimination Grievance Procedure

The Jefferson County Public Schools Discrimination Grievance Procedure is available at local schools, on the Jefferson County Public Schools Web site at www.jcpsky
.net, or in the Compliance and Investigations Office, C. B. Young Jr. Service Center,
3001 Crittenden Drive, Louisville, KY 40209. Contact Cheryl Walker, Compliance and
Investigations director, at 485-3341, or call or write one of the following enforcement
agencies:
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
600 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Place, Suite 268
Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 582-6082
www.eeoc.gov
U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights
Wanamaker Building, Suite 515
100 Penn Square East
Philadelphia, PA 19107
(215) 656-8541
www.ed.gov
Kentucky Commission on Human Rights
The Heyburn Building, Suite 700
332 West Broadway
Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 595-4024
http://kchr.ky.gov
Louisville Metro
Human Relations Commission
410 West Chestnut Street, Suite 300A
Louisville, KY 40202
(502) 574-3631
www.louisvilleky.gov/HumanRelations

www.jcpsky.net

Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action

Employer Offering Equal Educational Opportunities