FALL 2010

The New York Association of Black Journalists Student Journalism Workshop

CO-SPONSORED BY LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY (BROOKLYN CAMPUS)

NYABJ 23rd ANNUAL WORKSHOP WWW.FIRSTTAKENYC.COM

STAYING SAFE_AND STDS

[ By: Mariah Brown ]
dents in New York City that are sexually active, nearly 40% are not using condoms. And as a result, some sexually transmitted diseases are on the rise among the citys teenagers and young adults. The most common STD among young people is chlamydia trachomatis, commonly known as chlamydia. Hutchinsons neighborhood, Crown Heights, has the 7th highest number of reported cases of chlamydia in the city, according to the health department. Chlamydia is a bacterium that is spread easily through sexual contact and is known as the silent monster because people can be infected with the disease without having any symptoms. Unaware of their infection, they do not seek testing, putting their partner or partners at risk. But when there are symptoms, they can be particularly nasty. In men, the symptoms can include burning, itching and or swelling of the genital area. Women may have lower back pain, nausea and or pain during intercourse. If left untreated Chlamydia can lead to infertility in women or cause irreversible damage to their reproductive system. Being in an altered state can contribute to high rates of infection amongst young adults. Adolescents go through a stage of experimentation, with sex, drugs and alcohol being a dangerous combination, said Dr.. Susan Blank, assistant commissioner for New Yorks Bureau of STD Prevention and Control. Teenagers should stay clean and sober when they are making those decisions so they can make them responsibly.

BROOKLYN TEENS GRAPPLE WITH SEX,

Gray skies over Brooklyn blocked the sun from coming in through the clinics windows, making the waiting room feel dull, cold and empty. Janelle Hutchinson, 17, waited patiently for her number to be called. She sat there in that chilly waiting room at the Crown Heights Family Health Center on a recent afternoon. The center, at 535 Empire Boulevard, is one of hundreds of health clinics across the city devoted to handing out condoms and offering testing to anyone who comes through it doors. Three other young women sat nearby. A video on safe sex played on a television that was mounted on a wall. On another wall, there was a poster with a condom logo and another with a graphic display how to use a condom. Another poster showed the nasty side effects of sexually transmitted diseases. People in my school talk about sex nonstop, said Hutchinson, a high school student from Crown Heights. They feel that everyone should be doing it. Like so many of her peers, Hutchinson is sexually active. And although she said she practices safe sex, she has made her way to the clinic to get tested for the second time in a year. She said that she knows the risks of having unprotected sex, including unwanted pregnancy and disease, and that she tries her best to protect herself. According to the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, many of Hutchinsons peers are not being so careful. Health department officials said that of the 27% of stu-

[ By: Felicia Romain]

DRUG CRIMES OF MOTHERS FORCES TEEN TO GROW UP FAST

Looking at Tanisha Gray, one would never know the battles she faces from day to day. Although her birth certificate says shes 16, the weight of the world she carries on her shoulders might make you think otherwise. After her mother, Denise Gray, was incarcerated for selling drugs, Tanisha was left to take care of herself and her siblings, along with help from her 25-year-old sister, Cherisse Davison. As the saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child. But nowhere does it say what type of village it takes. Many children are affected by the choices their parents make, and Tanisha is no exception. Every day she rises at 6 a.m., takes a shower, and then makes sure her younger sister gets up too. I make sure she gets ready for school, Tanisha says. When I get back home from school I clean the house, help my older sister cook, do my homework and then go to sleep. Before her mom was locked up, Tanisha says life was a breeze. She always had money, wore the latest fashions, and never considered wearing anything that wasnt name brand. That was then.
(continued on page 2)

A DAUGHTERS BURDEN:

FALL 2010 NYABJ STUDENT JOURNALISM WORKSHOP

(continued from page 1)

According to the health department, 18.9% of students have used drugs and alcohol before sex. The decision to drink and use drugs may lead to no use of a contraceptive, she said. Drug and alcohol use can also lead to rape; 7.3% of New York City students have been forced to have sex, according to data from the health department. Blank said that having multiple sexual partners makes sex even riskier. Almost 15% of sexually active teenagers in the five boroughs have four or more partners, data shows. Young women are at particular risk for sexu-

ally transmitted diseases because their cervix is not fully developed, putting them at a higher risk of infection, of being re-infected or infecting others, health experts said. Blank said that sexually active young women should be screened at least once a year. Testing for STDs can be as simple as giving a urine sample, a blood sample or a sample from a swab, she said.

Sitting at the Crown Heights center, Hutchinson, who said she has been sexually active for about a year, said that sex among her peers is happening at parties when teenagers are high and too drunk to be aware of their actions. A lot of teenagers in my neighborhood are all sexually active Hutchinson said. They feel that using condoms is pointless, that it feels way better without one. It is very important for me to use condoms and I trust my partner to want to do the same, Hutchinson said. She said she has been fortunate enough to never have contracted a disease. Talik Harden, 15, of Flatbush, Brooklyn, said that he has been having sex since he was 14 years old and that he lost his virginity last year over summer vacation. He said that he has been to the clinic three times since then and that each time he tested negative for any diseases. A teenage cousin of his hasnt been so lucky, he said. My cousin had gonorrhea, Harden said. Harden said that his parents taught him about safe sex so he feels less nervous about going to get tested.

MALES STUDENTS NOT THE ONLY ONES WITH THE SAG SWAG
[ By: Emily Abdill ]
choice, he added. But its not really something I wanna see. DaCosta used to be one of the many guys who wore his pants low, but he took a step in a different fashion direction. He decided it was really dumb after all, he said and admitted that people are really over doing it now. Many of the students at Columbia High School have heard of Sen. Adams Stop The Sag movement. The former New York City cop used $2,000 from his campaign coffers to get the message out there. He had 22-foot-tall billboards installed in heavily-traveled locations throughout Brooklyn. The billboards featured a photo of two male models wearing their jeans loosely around their hips - low enough that their underwear is clearly visible with the words: We are better than this! and Stop the sag! Adams has also made a public service announcement that has been viewed more than 152,000 times on YouTube alone. In this quick clip, he says: This is not a fashion trend... Let us not be the ones to make our communities seem foolish. If we raise our pants, we raise our image. The message has been heard in Brooklyn and as far away as Denmark, where there was at least one radio interview on the subject. The spotlight on the anti-sag campaign has caught momentum, but for many young students they arent pulling up their pants just yet. I heard about the movement, but didnt really care, said Burgess, and her fellow students reacted the same way. The movement wont stop anything. Its like telling girls to stop wearing really short shorts, Ortiz added. They like the way they look, so they wont stop wearing them. The same goes for sagging. Honestly, I dont think [a campaign like Stop the Sag] would make any kind of significant impact, said DeCosta. It might just make itself known (more), but no ones going to care about it. If I could describe sagging in one word: trend. Fashion progresses and varies and like all fashion trends, its gonna (?) end at some point. Weve faced Jheri curls, bell-bottoms and other atrocious movements in fashion. This is just another example of a temporary trend, he said.

PANTS ON THE GROUND:

DRUG CRIMES OF MOTHERS FORCES TEEN TO GROW UP FAST

(continued from page 1)

A DAUGHTERS BURDEN:

On September 25, 2008, life in the Gray household turned upside down. Tanisha remembers it was a gloomy Thursday morning when police burst through the front door of the familys house and demanded Denise come with them. Oldest son Junior, now 34, tried to throw cops off by saying Denise was in Jamaica. But Denise, who had been hiding in an upstairs bathroom, finally gave herself up. That moment changed Tanishas life. Mom was gone, and so were many of lifes amenities. Anything I wanted, all I had to do was ask my mother, Tanisha says. But things changed. Life changed. I wasnt getting as much as I was used to. It was a struggle. Tanisha isnt the only one of Denises nine children who are struggling. A family that once lived comfortably now worries how to pay the light bill. [Mom] was the sole provider and backbone of the house. My life ended when she got locked up, says her son, T.J., 17. Cherisse, who lived in McDonough, Ga., at the time of her mothers arrest, uprooted her life and moved back to Brooklyn to help Tanisha run the house. At first I came for a two-week vacation, but ended up staying for two years, says Davison. I had to quit my job and give up my apartment. I used to come and go as I pleased, but now Im taking care of kids and have little time for myself.

Tanisha feels the same way. But from the time she was a child, she saw things happen that werent meant for someone so young. She remembers being 7 years old and watching her mother stir cocaine in a pot. Mom would tell us to go downstairs when

she was about to make it, but after a while she became used to seeing it that she just started doing it in front of us, she said. Denise, who was arrested once before for selling drugs, has spent 20 months at an upstate New York prison and is scheduled to be released

at the end of November. Shell be deported to her native Jamaica - which also happened after her first jail term. That time, however, she was able to illegally re-enter the country. Her children, sad to lose their mom, hope she wont come back illegally. Its not worth it, says T.J. Tanisha adds solemnly, she plans to live in Jamaica permanently. We dont know whats going to happen after that. Growing up so fast has had one positive effect on Tanisha: her priorities have changed. After Denises arrest, Tanisha initially floundered. I felt like a grown woman because I could do whatever I wanted, she says. If I didnt want to go to school, I didnt have to and nobody could do anything about it. But she soon realized that wasnt a path she wanted to continue. Shes become a very focused young woman. Tanisha, who once gave little thought to school, now maintains an 80 average with expectations of doing even better. I want to go to school because it gets me out of the house, she says. But even more, she plans to go to college and become a psychiatrist so she can be financially stable. I want to be something in life because life is difficult, she says. If I have children, I dont want them to live a difficult life like what I had.
(continued on page 3)

New York State Senator Eric Adams started the Stop The Sag movement earlier this year to try and discourage young men from wearing their pants too low, but guys arent the only ones that have adopted this controversial style. Urban legend has it that sagging pants started in prison when belts and shoelaces became the weapon of choice for inmates - for murders and suicides. So prison officials banned them. Add in prison-issue pants - baggy trousers that were too big, but had to be worn without a belt. Convicts adjusted and then embraced the superloose fit and continued the style of sagging even after they were released from jail. And then in the 1990s, hip hop culture and rap artists, such as Ice-T and Too Short adopted the style. The image was portrayed as a toughguy look and began to influence fans to drop their pants too. Not long after rappers started wearing this inmate fashion flaw, it became the new trend for youth across the nation, both for young men and now women too. I like my pants loose and comfortable, said Christine Ortiz, 17, who is one of many teen girls who sag at Columbia High School in Maplewood, N.J. If I can see ass cheeks its too much. I only sag to feel comfortable. I sometimes wear what some people would consider girl pants, but (I) dont wear it as tight as others do, said C.J. Burgess, another senior at Columbia High. Im not tempted to wear tight pants to impress the guys - just be comfortable with what you wear. But some guys are turned off by the look on girls - even those who sagged themselves. Im all for equality, said Columbia senior Shawn DeCosta. Its gotten to a point where I dont care when guys do it. Its kind of weird seeing girls do it. Hes not one to criticize - at least not aloud. Im not gonna bash a girl for doing it, cause its their

NO PARADE FOR THE PROMENADE:

[ By: Stephen Mondesir ]

FAR ROCKAWAY CONSTRUCTION FRUSTRATES RESIDENTS

The boardwalk has been closed for repairs since June of 2009 to start the $15 million project. The project has affected a wide range of streets: Beach 23-27, Beach 44-60, and Beach 76-81. Because of the Go Green movement, the boardwalk is being reconstructed with more environmentally-friendly substances like concrete. The New York City Department of Parks & Recreations (DPR), efforts could also increase housing and future development in the Rockaways. The levels of tourism and recreation would also be able to stay at their current state. Although this is an improvement to the state of the boardwalk, the reconstruction limits the activities available to the public. The project began in the summer of 2009, inevitably shortening the length of the boardwalk for people to enjoy. I walk around on the boardwalk about two times a summer, says local Far Rockaway resident, Favour Aimifua. Fixing it is taking too long it makes no sense. Like many other people in Far Rockaway and nearby neighborhoods, she comes to enjoy the heat of the sun, the breeze on the boardwalk, and the unique scenery. Due to the construction on the Ocean Promenade, Favours walks from Beach 14th St. the Beach 67th have been shortened to only thirteen blocks. Favour isnt the only one feeling the reduction on activities at the boardwalk. Samantha (continued on page 4)

2 FALL 2010 NYABJ STUDENT JOURNALISM WORKSHOP

FALL 2010 NYABJ STUDENT JOURNALISM WORKSHOP 3

Sandoval, 15, goes to the boardwalk often to ride her bike and spend time with friends. However, Beach 50th is in the construction zone, preventing Sandoval and her friends from going to their favorite places on the Rockaway boardwalk. I just got a bike

so when I went to ride on the boardwalk, but when I saw that it was blocked off I got pretty annoyed, says Sandoval Several stores, including a Dunkin Donuts, a Chinese food restaurant, and several community support businesses, are included in this construction range. Rockaway Park is also in the radius. Luckily, the construction workers under the DPR are ahead of schedule and have been making repairs to the walk at a consistent rate. The construction zone spanning from Beach 76th St. to Beach 81st has already been fixed. The 20s are going to be completed by the next season while Beach 44th to 60th Streets are next on the priority list. Jill Weber, Rockaway Parks Administrator, says that the project should be completed in the next six months

six clubs. Some business owners, though, are taking a wait and see attitude on how exactly the Barclays Center will impact the community. The owners of a nearly two-year-old familystyle Italian restaurant called Cataldos are hopeful, especially since they are located just a block away from the new stadium. They hope that the potential they saw in

Prospect Heights will not be thwarted by the Barclays Stadium. People always have to eat, said Cecilia Cataldo. She and her husband Sal said it all depends on who comes to the games and if theyll stop by and dine with them. Still the Centers critics have garnered plenty of media attention. Prospect Heights residents have been outspoken about the heavy

traffic the stadium will create. According to the environmental impact statement, this project was going to improve traffic around here. I dont think thats going to happen, Raul Paul told NY1. I live here! You dont live here! said an angry resident from Dean Street to ny.curbed.com at a Barclays Center protest - just one of many protests against the rising Barclays Center.

BROOKLYN STORE OWNERS WORRY ABOUT IMPACT OF

[ By: SHA-NICE SMITH ]

HIGH SCHOOL FEMALE ATHLETES STRUGGLE FOR EQUAL SUPPORT FROM FANS
Shanta Holloway, 16, is an avid attendee of the Boys High Kangaroos Football games of Boys and Girls High School in Brooklyn. In the fall of 2010, the Kangaroos had a 5-4 record and were on their way to the playoffs. I love to watch the boys play because they always win, Hollaway said. When I attended homecoming, for the first time, I saw how packed the games were. The fans cheered and applauded as the team secured another victory. It made me wonder if the female sports teams within the school get the same type of support. The female basketball season was about to start in three weeks and the coaches were already looking for new players for team. The team created banners around the school and made frequent announcements. Folashade Frazier, 16, is an excellent example of a progressive athlete as well as an exceptional student. Frazier is a small forward on the basketball team and a third base player on the softball team. She is more into basketball because it has been her passion from a child. She wishes more girls shared her interest in sports. I like to see females get involved on basketball teams but most dont continue the sport as a career, said the Brooklyn teen. Some are committed but others just do it for fun, and I think that is why there are a lack of supporters because the teammates are not putting in their all to win a game, she said. On the other hand when we do win games there are still not enough supporters because some people feel that the game wont be as competitive as the boys, and it all actuality they are people. The Lady Kangaroos were ranked third in the city, and every year they go to the playoffs. But they have yet to win a championship. Most people think that a championship will make them complete but it is just the art and love for the sport whether is it the highest achievement or not, said Frazier. The Boys High Kangaroos Basketball team is no stranger to excellence: They have been to Madison Square Garden, where the city championships are held, in the last four years. They worked hard and they won their first championship earlier this year. It is hard work for even the boys. The boys get sponsored and news press and you cant get mad because they handle their business and so the girls just have to win more games, Frazier said. Jobsi Reyes, 18, a shooting guard on the Boys High basketball team, says he is an avid supporter of the Girls High team. I like seeing girls become motivated to play what is considered a male sport and dominate it the way that they do, it is inspiring to me that females have came a long way, he said. Reyes goes to the majority of the female games: He sees that the girls support his team so he thinks he should at least do the same. But he thinks he knows why more people want to see the boys play than the girls. The reason that the males are more popular than the females is because boys have more so of a greater ability to do things that the females cant do, such as dunking, and they are more competitive, he said. I think the boys have a greater drive. Ruth Lovelace, 40, has played basketball in high school and at Seton Hall University. She is currently in her 17th season as the coach of the Boys High Kangaroos basketball team, and is also coach of the girls handball team. Lovelace was named Brooklyn Sports Person of the Year by the Daily News in 2007, and has worked her to send her team to the playoffs every year. When she looks back at her own basketball career and that of young girls coming up, she sees greater opportunities for women. There are way more girls that participate in the sport now then when I went to school and the sport has grown. The exposure is at a higher level and from a marketing perspective there are more press and media, and organizations that are involved. said the humble coach. Lovelace grew into sports and has been playing since she was young. While things have improved for female athletes, she still sees room for growth. There is a lack of support for the female sport because not enough girls play the game well enough on a high school level, and I dont know if some of the girls even love the sport or just play for fun. That is why there is a lack of scholarships given, said Lovelace. The Womens Sports Foundation is among one the organizations that support female athletes in the country. It was founded in 1974 by tennis legend Billie Jean King, Its mission is to reward female athletes with scholarships so they can continue their athletic dreams. The foundation also encourages females to become more active and have more self-esteem. Khaliq Little, 17, is a student athlete at Boys and Girls High School, plans to be among those encouraging the girl athletes this year. I look forward to attending more female games this year because I think it is long overdue for their teams at this school to be recognized, said Little.

BARCLAYS CENTER ON BUSINESSES

[ By: Tia Robinson ]

Some Brooklyn restaurant owners are fearful that when the doors of the controversial Barclays Center open, the doors of their own businesses may close. The new home for the New Jersey Nets already has its neighbors riled up after a years worth of traffic jams and inconvenient sign changes due to construction. I think itll dramatically change the neighborhood, if it hasnt already changed enough, said Bryan Gluck, a local business owner. Theres a lot of smoke and mirrors on the money. Even though the center isnt slated to open until 2011, residents are already noticing a change in their neighborhood. More young families are being attracted to the once quiet and aging community. Business owners already hurting from the recession are anxious - theyre wondering if the new Center will enhance their businesses or perhaps destroy them. Mike and Johnny Halkias, owners of The Usual Restaurant in Prospect Heights, are not fans of the Barclays Center. The pair opened the eatery 16 years ago and they know their customers by name. Theyre more like family than customers, said Mike Halkias. They dont think any good will come out of the Center. They have witnessed all the changes the Prospect Heights neighborhood has gone through but this is not a change they want to see. The brothers have watched the neighborhood develop into what it is today and they do not want it to revert back to the way it used to be with rowdy kids hanging out during the day and zero foot traffic at night. The Halkiases had older clients, but now the customer base is transitioning to a younger crowd. Supporters of the Center said it will be a great addition to Brooklyn marking the boroughs reinvention. According to Barclays Center website, the $4 billion stadium will generate 16,000 temporary jobs and over 8,000 permanent positions.

The Center will also bring in $5.6 billion in tax revenue over the next thirty years. Eton Chan, owner of Eton Restaurant, said the stadium will be great for business, but bad for traffic and that could be good for him. People walking around looking for parking would stumble across our restaurant and have a bite to eat, Chan said optimistically. Chans business opened in late 2010 and is thriving, he said. He chose to open his business in Prospect Heights because he saw great potential. He liked the environment and the people reminded him of those in Carroll Gardens. He is hopeful that the stadium will bring more patrons to his restaurant, which is described by some customers as Hipster Asian Food. He said it would be great highlighting this part of Brooklyn, adding it will help small businesses rise out of the recession. In addition to hosting Nets basketball games, the Barclays Centers 20 acres at Atlantic and Flatbush avenues will include a 180-room hotel and residential lofts and apartments. The Barclays Center will have the latest technology. A large portal will be placed so that those outside can see the large LED lit scoreboard inside. There will also be suites for business meetings and other public spaces, a restaurant and
(continued on page 5)

4 FALL 2010 NYABJ STUDENT JOURNALISM WORKSHOP

FALL 2010 NYABJ STUDENT JOURNALISM WORKSHOP 5

TEENS EMBRACE HIPSTER FASHION, MOVE AWAY FROM GANGSTER GARB

Around the turn of the century, teens began adopting the gangster look, like baggy pants pulled to their hips, doo-rags and oversized jackets. But in the new decade, more and more teens are embracing a new culture: The Hipster. Why? The style of dress seems to be the big drawskinny, straight-leg pants, retro T-shirts, tight hoodie sweatshirts. I have always been attracted to the style of dress associated with hipsters, and when I realized that there were more people who like the same things as I do around me, I dove head first into the culture, said Florence Ngala, a ninthgrader at the Horace Mann school in the Bronx. Florence and her friends often blog about the culture, posting pictures of friends dressed

[ By: Farouk Oni ]

in their newfound style. The freedom to express themselves and standout from the gangster and hip hop fashion holds a tremendous appeal. Being part of the culture makes me an individual in my own right, said a boy with Florence who didnt want his name used. There are still many people, however, who arent fans of hipster cultureespecially teens. Hipsters, who have been around in one form or another since the beatniks in the 1950s, have often been young adults in their 20s. Some of the older hipsters dont like teens claiming the culture. I dont appreciate the way that they are taking the culture and filing it down from what it is meant to be to and I dont think that is the way to go with the idea of a hipster, said an NYU

student who didnt want to give her name. But Henry Williams, who frequents a bar in Williamsburg where adult hipsters often hang out, said he welcomed the newcomersto a degree. I find nothing wrong with hipsters, whatever that means, he said. Then he added, But Ive been in this neighborhood for most of my life and I feel like all the places that my friends and I get together are being taken over by these kids who have no where else to spend their Saturdays. Regardless, as teens embrace this look, many of them hope the gangster look fades away. As former British Prime Minister Harold Wilson once said, He who rejects change is the architect of decay, and even many teens agree it is time for a change in their culture.

edy Central. The Mitchells echoed a viewpoint that was prevalent throughout the rally: that the Tea Party was scaring Americans into insanity. The fear was driven through the spreading of false information on Muslims, gays, immigrants and the president, Stewart said. This rally is for those Americans who are not insane when it comes to reality said Stew-

art during the rally. The Mitchells, who drove to the rally from Hartford, are a politically savvy couple who said the Tea Party movement has forced them to attempt to counteract views that people may have about Americans. To them, the battle against the Tea Party pitted one side that allowed itself to be influenced by fears about the economy and the

American way of life against forward-thinking Americans. We are here to show America that there is a group of people who are completely different from those insane Tea Party people, Troy Mitchell said. He added that he was telling vulnerable Americans to become fully aware of the rising hatred against Muslims and gays.

HAS SERIOUS UNDERTONES

[ By: Khadim Niang ]
Troy and Moriah Mitchell have seen this cycle before. Poor economy, weak job market and suddenly everyone goes crazy. When our economy goes bad, we tend to blame it on immigrants and, yes, socialists, said Troy Mitchell, 50. So the Mitchells found only one outlet for their frustration and fear about public sentiment and the direction the country was headed: a rally in Washington held by the comedians John Stewart and Steven Colbert. The rally, which took place on October 30, was a direct rebuke of the Tea Party movement, a storm of conservatives led by people like Sarah Palin and Glenn Beck who have refuted President Barack Obamas policies at every turn, often with incendiary language and rhetoric. People like the Mitchells, who live in Hartford, Conn., could be considered foot soldiers of this counterattack. Troy Mitchell held a sign that read, Dont Tea Bag Me. The more tea we get, the more rotten things become, Mitchell chanted. An estimated 150,000 people attended the so-called Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear. The program included musical performances, comedic stand ups and speeches from Stewart and Colbert, who have all but monopolized the satirical news genre with their shows on Com(continued on page 7)

STEWART-COLBERT RALLY

TEEN SMOKING STILL A PROBLEM

[ By: Joseph Bartlett ]
doing more? One student at the school who wanted to remain anonymous says he started smoking in the eighth grade because he saw all his friends trying it and he wanted to fit in. He began smoking off and on until he recently quit. One way to stop kids from smoking is disciplinary action. The consequence of a student being caught with a lighter or cigarettes is suspension and a parent-teacher conference in New York City schools. A repeated offense could lead to suspension. But as long students arent smoking in or on school grounds, they cannot receive a punishment. Tricia Frey, principal of Gaynor McCown Expeditionary Learning School in Staten Island, said the coordinator of student activities is planning to have someone come and talk to students about the effects of smoking soon. When asked about kids smoking in the bathroom, she said: We are moving to put a person(s) outside the bathroom to log in and out of when a student goes into the bathroom, so we have a better chance on catching the people(s) who are smoking inside the bathroom. Gaynor McCown school counselor Tiffany Reingold says the school does not consider teenage smoking to be a big issue. She added that she was not aware of a problem with the students smoking outside, and as a guidance counselor, it is not her place to tell the school what to do in terms of discipline issues. However, because smoking is looked at as a health issue, the school has to prioritize in terms of what they doing with time and addressing different needs, she said.

Smoking among adults is an epidemic in the United States, and teenagers arent immune to its dangers. According to a 2009 Centers for Disease Control study, nearly 1 in 5 high school students, or 20%, smoked cigarettes. In New York City, the teen smoking rate has improved, dropping from 17.6% in 2001 to 8.5 percent in 2007, or about 1 out of every 12 students. Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg is serious about halting smoking among adults. He won passage of a ban on smoking in bars and restaurants in 2002 and is now seeking to ban smoking at public parks and plazas. But getting adults to stop smoking is only part of the fight against smoking. Not only do most adults start smoking in their teens, but the American Lung Association cites a study showing that nicotine, the addictive part of cigarettes, has a greater effect on the adolescent brain than the adult one. New York high schools have long had programs to make teens aware of the scars smoking can leave on the body. But should they be

6 FALL 2010 NYABJ STUDENT JOURNALISM WORKSHOP

FALL 2010 NYABJ STUDENT JOURNALISM WORKSHOP 7

NEW YORK PUBLIC SCHOOLS

(continued from page 8)

COMBAT OBESITY
[ By: Kaitlyn Kalloo ]
smart eating choices. To combat the growing obesity epidemic among children, New York Citys public schools have radically changed its menus. Lunch trays at Bard High now include more organic ingredients and cooking techniques that are more healthful. Jose Rodriguez, who works in the cafeteria says, We try to make foods kids want to eat, but also a little healthy at the same time. James Carter, a gym teacher at Bard High School believes supports the menu changes, calling them a good start for addressing this problem, but he emphasizes that requiring physical education is also helpful in combating obesity. You need to maintain a healthy diet too. A 2005 study by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and

Obesity can cause diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure plus sleeping and breathing problems, according to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), but for teenagers, obesity can also play a major role in low self-esteem. Health is an important topic that affects everybody, said Amy Miller, a Health Teacher at Bard High School Early College in New York City, who agrees that the trend can be reversed with better choices. The more kids know, the better equipped they are to make

the warmest places to nest. Exterminators have been constantly on the job to dispose of these bugs but Geraldine, an employee of Dial Pest Control in New Jersey claims that there are no pesticides that will phase these bugs and no actual clean way of disposing of them. After losing faith in such pest control services, some people have begun to figure out their own ways of exterminating these pests, such as

sucking them up in the vacuum and throwing away the bag. To simply shoo them outside has proven to be the worst thing to do because once outside, they multiply and grow more and return in greater numbers. Americans may have to adapt and deal with stink bugs. They will stay here as long as the climate continues to worsen with global warming.

BEHIND THE SCENES

@ BCAT

Development (OECD) reports that more than 30 percent of Americans are obese, which ranks the United States as the worlds fattest country. The findings state that excess weight isnt just unhealthy - its deadly. Fatty diets and a lack of regular exercise can contribute to a host of medical illnesses as well as depression. Over the last 20 years obesity rates have increased by 60 percent.

NEW JERSEY BATTLES THE PUTRID STINK BUG

[ By: Marlon Brown ]
schools, workplaces and even cars because they are very loud when they fly and have a way of startling people. These bugs are impossible! complained a custodian at the school. I almost broke my neck trying to get this guy! Experts say stink bugs have appeared recently is because of gradually changing temperature due to climate change. Theyre generally tropical insects and originally resided in parts of Asia. However, in 2000 one was discovered in the United States. Then by 2010 they were found in groups of up to 15 at a time. Because of their tropical nature, they try to stay in darker and warmer areas, which is why they will hide in the corners of the ceilings. Apparently, the bugs are trying to stay out of the cold, so schools, homes and workplaces are
(continued on page 9)

In Montclair High School, students complain about a bug that has remained high against the wall of a stairwell in the school. Every attempt to kill or shoo it away has failed. Most would think that it was dead, until you get too near it, then it spreads its wings and flees to a higher position to stay away. It is a Euschistus servus, or stink bug as it has come to be called. These pests have a dark brown tank-like exterior and creep up into top corners of rooms as if they are hiding. Far less harmful than mosquitos, bees or even bed bugs, stink bugs dont spread diseases or sting or get into mattresses, but as a defense, they produce an odor that can make a closed space unbearable. Beginning in 2010, the East Coast was invaded by small stink bugs. They worried hundreds of people as they crept into their homes,

8 FALL 2010 NYABJ STUDENT JOURNALISM WORKSHOP

FALL 2010 NYABJ STUDENT JOURNALISM WORKSHOP 9

JOURNALISM WORKSHOP STUDENTS

PRESS
2010

PRESS
2010

PRESS
2010

PRESS
2010

ANNECIA STEINIGER

EMILY ABDILL

ETISYAI POLLARD

STEPHEN MONDESIR

PRESS
2010

PRESS
2010

PRESS
2010

PRESS
2010

FAROUK ONI

FELICIA ROMAIN

JOSEPH BARTLETT

TAYLOR ROCHESTER

PRESS
2010

PRESS
2010

PRESS
2010

PRESS
2010

TIA ROBINSON

KAITLYN KALLOO

KHADIM NIANG

MARIAH BROWN

PRESS
2010

PRESS
2010

PRESS
2010

BEHIND THE SCENES

@ BCAT

MARLON BROWN
10 FALL 2010 NYABJ STUDENT JOURNALISM WORKSHOP

NADYA STEVENS

SHA-NICE SMITH

FALL 2010 NYABJ STUDENT JOURNALISM WORKSHOP 11

WORKSHOP COORDINATING STAFF

PROGRAM DIRECTOR: Nekesa Mumbi Moody BROADCAST DIRECTOR: Catherine McKenzie WEB PRODUCER: Malik Singleton ART DIRECTOR: Jada Britto TECHNICAL COORDINATOR: Dameon Mills MENTORS: Mesfin Fekadu, Lashawn Cisse, John Eligon, Chantee Lans, Gabrielle Maple Lee, Trymaine Lee, Angela Johnson Meadows, Bob Meadows, Ikimulisa Livingston, Michael Feeney, Alicia Quarles and Dwight Oestricher VOLUNTEERS: Katti Gray and Mike Humphries SPECIAL THANKS: THE BCAT STUDIO CREW CO-SPONSORED BY LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY (BROOKLYN CAMPUS) Ralph Engelman Chair, Journalism Department

NEW YORK ASSOCIATION OF BLACK JOURNALIST

PRESIDENT: Gary Anthony Ramsey VICE PRESIDENT PRINT: Zachary R. Dowdy VICE PRESIDENT BROADCAST: Catherine McKenzie SECRETARY: Dante Higgins TREASURER: Curtis Simmons PARLIAMENTARIAN: Robert S. Anthony