TUHS Press Summer 2012

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TU

HIGH SCHOOL

Temple University Summer 2012

Vol. 3 Ed. 1

PRESS

Photo By: Dayane Oliveira / Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush

In cooperation with Prime Movers-Philadelphia and The School District of Philadelphia tuhspress2012.wordpress.com

Temple University High School Press | Summer 2012

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Public Affairs organization that Adams feels is a “good way” to get kids off the street.

Founder Dwayne H. Adams wants to recruit younger staff member for his program.

Breaking Barriers Story by: NAJA BUTLER Paul Robeson High School Photo by: KRYSTAL FLOYD Academy at Palumbo

Dwayne H. Adams, a 52- year- old man

from North Philly with a vision disability, founded the Breaking Barriers Rowing Program in July 2005. This is a non-profit

Two things motivated Adams to start Breaking Barriers. One was when he went to Banyoles, Spain to compete as a rower and he was the only person of color. Another motivation was a tragic incident in Camden when three Latino kids who went to play in an abandoned lot were found dead in the trunk of an abandoned car.

Adams thinks he has made a big impact with the young people who come in and train with him. He says the kids can come in and make new friends. The rowers in Adams’ program have respect for one another, they receive discipline from instructors, they have a lot of teamwork, they train together, and they have an opportunity to travel around the world to different countries. “This organization can do a lot for kids from ages 8-12,” Adams said.

Admission for Breaking Barriers is $20 per week per child. Activities in the Breaking Barriers program includes cross -training, learning about nutrition, rowing, fencing, and swimming lessons. In September he expects to have three new schools participating in the program and two returning schools. Adams gets donations and grants from sponsors. The program is located on North 9th Street near Poplar Street in North Philadelphia. “Funding is always a problem, because you have to spend your time showing, people your vision,” said Adams. When he wants funding he has to make the sponsors understand what he does and how it benefits the people who he is trying to reach out to. “Getting more publicity and press, showing more positive things, less negativity,” Adams said is an obstacle that he faces.

State Rep. Thomas: Stop Closing Schools

Story by: SYDNEY GEATHERS Paul Robeson High School Photo by: EMMANUELYNE DARGBEH Academy at Palumbo

“It’s like you’re getting a scholarship Photo by: LISA WILK / TUHS Press Staff

Professor Thomas Eveslage of the Temple University Department of Journalism discussed the first amendment and student press rights with the TUHS Press reporters and staff. 2

Temple University High School Press | Summer 2012

to jail not for school,” State Representative W. Curtis Thomas said.

In North Philadelphia, two schools, William Penn and Wanamaker, were closed in the past and now Harrison. “Something is wrong with that picture, it’s disrespect to poor people,” said Thomas, who filed a lawsuit to stop Harrison from closing.

He was invited to open up his program in Harlem and bring a model of the program to other parts of New York City. Adams also was invited to bring that same model to Cleveland, Ohio. Officials in both states offered to help with funding. “It’s a shame that Philadelphia doesn’t see the same things that these other states see,” he said explaining that if he could tell area supporters anything he would say, “Donate, donate, I need money.” Adams wants to educate the parents on how healthy their kids can be. Through the Breaking Barriers programs, he can improve children’s health, take them around the world, expose them to better people and improve his students’ job opportunities. Adams wants to recruit a younger eager staff to help run Breaking Barriers. Adams said “If Breaking Barriers was not my organization I would recommend it to anyone bring their kids here.”

Thomas, who represents North Philadelphia in the state legislature, echoed the concerns of many Democrats, who have criticized the administration of Governor Tom Corbett for cutting $1 billion from kindergarten through twelfth-grade education. The lawsuit to keep Harrison from Representative Curtis Thomas closing started in March 2012. Parents did not know of the closing strategy of “flooding the area of North and they were told that there was “no Central Philadelphia with charter real location” where former Harrison schools” and described school closings Elementary School was supposed to as a “calculated effort to privatize the go. education of the poorest students.” Twenty-two percent of Harrison students have special needs, and have to go to either Ludlow or Spring Garden Schools. Representative Thomas following negotiations to accommodate the parents’ later dropped the lawsuit which alleged a

“I helped start Charter Schools. They are not there to substitute or compete. I don’t support that,” Thomas said. The school district is supposed to be closing 40 more schools by the year of 2013. “It’s a disgrace, a national disgrace,” Thomas said. tuhspress2012.wordpress.com


Stop Shooting People! Story by: EMMANUEYNE DARGBEH Academy at Palumbo Photo by: SYDNEY GEATHERS Paul Robeson High School

“It’s just as easy as getting weed,” says

Quinzel Tomoney, outreach coordinator and supervisor of Philadelphia Ceasefire, on how easy it is to get a gun in Philly. You may be wondering what is Ceasefire? Ceasefire is a structured, deliberate and disciplined violence intervention that was developed in Chicago based on the premise that violence is a public health issue and can be prevented. The goal is to duplicate the program in Philly. This evidence-based methodology of the Ceasefire Chicago public health model and focus aims its efforts to stop shootings and killings in the 22nd Police District in North Philly. The approach includes efforts to heighten community awareness about gun

Let’s Talk Human Relations Story by: KRYSTAL FLOYD Academy at Palumbo Photo by: NAJA BUTLER Paul Robeson High School

violence and encourage area residents, community, business and faith- based leaders to work together and get involved. How have guns become as American as Apple Pie? It is almost impossible to eliminate guns in Philadelphia. There are just TOO MANY! In 2009, Pennsylvania mayors took aim on illegal guns, supporting sensible gun violence legislation such as limiting handgun sales to one gun per month. Unfortunately that didn’t work. Every day, illegal handguns shatter the lives of too many Pennsylvanians. It is far too easy for criminals to get their hands on guns in this state and to be frank, most likely that is not going to change anytime soon. Giving guns for money was another way the government tried to stop the spread of guns. There are many flaws in that plan and that is maybe why it didn’t work out so well. One of the reasons why it didn’t work is because most people who own guns usually own more than one, which means if they trade in a gun, they will still have another.

The Philadelphia Commission decided to deal with the issues on city-wide divisions. Some groups focused mainly on South Philly High.

Rue Landau, what is your job position

Since the issues of student bullying of immigrant Asian students in South Philly High in January of 2010, how have the victims been since the incidents?

I’m the executive director of the Philadelphia Human Relations Commission and Fair Housing Commission.

Some of the students graduated, went to college, some even transferred to other schools. The students who stayed there said it was a much better place.

exactly?

How did you get to this position? So I was a lawyer for Community Legal Services before I worked for the Human Relations Commission and then I was appointed by Mayor Michael Nutter in 2008. It’s a great job, just a lot of work. What did HRC do to resolve problems that occur in Philadelphia’s public schools? tuhspress2012.wordpress.com

That’s really good news. Are there any other schools in the city with similar issues? Yes, this is a system- wide problem that needs system-wide solutions. We’re creating a School Safety and Climate Summit. I haven’t heard of any schools recently where there’s bullying. The “It Gets Better” campaign has helped to promote change.

Another reason is that most of these guns were used to commit a crime, so giving it away will be getting rid of the evidence. Usually, on the streets, a gun sells for $200 or higher, and the government was offering $80 to $150, which made people less likely to turn in their guns. “We all pay for shootings” says Co-Director of Philadelphia Ceasefire, Marla D. Bellamy. In the 22nd District alone there are 70 to 80 shootings yearly. Some people feel that this should not be happening. Something needs to be done and immediately. “These are your people dying, you don’t have to know someone who has been killed by a gun to get involved,” Tomoney said. In the last three years from 2008 through 2010, Philadelphia recorded a total of 697 homicides by firearms. Last year, 10 percent of the city’s 362 homicides were in the 22nd district in North Philadelphia, an area with less than 2 percent of the city’s population.

Quinzel Tomoney holds Ceasefire’s poster.

No American city better showcases the epidemic of youth violence than Philadelphia, also known as “Killadephia.” Individuals responsible for shootings and killings need to be held accountable to the community for their actions. This is not an end that can be achieved without the involvement of police until the mentality of the community completely changes.

So there’s a lot of change happening in schools? I feel like the work that I’m doing is increasing. The Philadelphia School District is rewriting the Student Code of Conduct. We’ve come to find out that the zero-tolerance policy doesn’t work. That’s good for the schools. Let’s now talk about the discrimination that is outside of schools. As many know, the popular steak place, Geno’s Steaks, now has a sign, by late owner Joey Vento that says, “This Is America. When ordering please speak English.” Has the commission done anything about that issue? The commission filed a complaint against Geno’s Steaks and it’s not right that an establishment dissuades people from eating there. It is not what we want Philadelphia to be known for.

Rue Landau is the first lesbian Executive Director of the Human Relations Commission. Landau is a very lively person and a supporter of LGBTQ rights.

Temple University High School Press | Summer 2012

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few. But there is another problem that is taking over Philly’s streets, one that many people don’t seem to care about. These victims don’t have a voice to speak out with and with no one to turn to, they are left alone. They are the lost animals of Philadelphia.

Customers looking at pets through the window.

Sheltering Our Pets Story by: CORDELIA ROMERO Wayne Valley High School Photo by: ALBERTO ROMERO TUHS Press Staff

There are many problems that have

According to the Animal Care and Control Team of Philadelphia (ACCT), more than 30,000 pets are put into its shelter alone, and one can only imagine the total number throughout the city. It’s practically an epidemic, but it’s an epidemic that we have control over. Although there are plenty of things that we can do to save these animals, volunteerism might be the best choice for the average person because it doesn’t always take money to help these shelters function.

been plaguing Philadelphia recently. Rape, abductions and violence to name a

If you have the money, donating is something you can do. Donating helps

Pop Up Garden Grows

Allen Jaffe, Public Relations Manager for PHS. “Gardens like this,” Jaffe said, “brings up property values.”

Story by: DAYANE OLIVEIRA Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush Photo by: JANIECE OWENS Paul Robeson High School

For the second year, the Pennsylvania

Horticultural Society has opened its popular ‘Pop-up Gardens’ but this year’s garden is at an unusual location. This year the Society selected a location near ritzy Rittenhouse Square in Center City, a place not known for urban gardens. The Garden, located at 1905-15 Walnut Street across from Rittenhouse Square Park, was built on a vacant lot over a twoweek period at a cost somewhere between $16,000 and $19,000. “It has been a vacant lot since 1990,” said 4

Last year’s Pop-up Garden was at 20th and Market Streets. It was a bigger project that cost $80,000 and took two months to be put together. That garden won many awards including an International award from Venice, Italy. Allen Jaffe explained that every annual Popup Garden would be different. One purpose of this program is to bring fresh food to neighborhoods where none is available. That’s not part of this year’s plan since the garden is located in an upper-middle class neighborhood where everyone is constantly in a rush. Jaffe said this garden serves as an escape from the city-life’s daily rushed routine and it creates a more family-like environment.

Temple University High School Press | Summer 2012

pay for food and toys for the animals, as well as funding for special events and veterinary care. Another thing that requires money is adoption. Adoption will help get animals out of the shelters and kennels and give them a good life with an owner that loves them. But before you adopt, you have to realize that taking care of an animal is a big commitment, so if you don’t have the time, maybe adoption isn’t right for you. You can also foster animals, giving them a home until they are fit to be adopted. Fostering is kind of like owning a pet for a short amount of time, from a few days to a few months. You still have to pay for food for the animal, and it takes time just like adoption, but it’s not a lifelong commitment. If you don’t have the money, volunteerism is a wonderful option. It doesn’t cost anything and it helps out in a big way. But not all volunteering jobs take a lot of time, you can do as little as looking at the animals through the window, or you can even help clean out cages or walk dogs. Even going weekly to socialize the animals is helping out.

One woman who visits an animal shelter almost every week said, “We’re here all the time. It’s like a little zoo.” A more serious volunteer is scheduled into the shelters agenda and helps out with the animals; cleans cages and litter boxes, helps socialize the animals, or even takes them to foster homes. Maybe, if you grow attached to the animals and the shelter, you might want to work there, just like Nataly, an employee at Philadelphia Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) who said she had always loved animals. “I volunteered at the PSPCA for a month, and I fostered a Golden Retriever for eight months in college,” she said. “I volunteered at PAWS for a few months before I decided to work here.” These animals need homes and people to care for them, but if no one does anything, they will be left to die. So donate if you can, if you can’t donate, then volunteer. Anything you do helps save these animals, no matter how small it may be.

PHS representative, Allen Jaffe graduated from Temple University and worked as a journalist for the Philadelphia Inquirer and other big newspapers on the East Coast before joining the Society seven years ago. The Pennsylvania Horticultural Society is known for helping Pennsylvania residents for more than 180 years. Two Allen Jaffe discuesses the new pop-up garden. years after its founding in 1827, the society established America’s first Additionally, PHS is responsible for taking flower show, now the annual Philadelphia care of Philadelphia’s landscapes and Flower Show. creating gardens at remote locations to bring life, health and beauty to residents. The PHS is involved in many different social Pop-up Gardens will be opened to the public projects, such as the City Harvest. The City until September, for more information visit: Harvest consists of creating green jobs www. pennsylvaniahorticulturalsociety.org/ and feeding about 1,000 per week during pops_up/index.html growing season. tuhspress2012.wordpress.com


Daily News Editor: Is Open to New Ideas

Story by: BRITTANY JACOBS Communications Technology High School Photo by: NYSHADAE’ TAYLOR Paul Robeson High School

with.” When asked what made him want to enter journalism he said, “I was nosey!” Even though Days received his master’s degree from the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism he initially wanted to be an English teacher.

dedicated are four words to describe Michael Days who is the Executive VicePresident and Editor of the Philadelphia Daily News.

Days left the Daily News for a year and a half, working for the Philadelphia Inquirer. Then he came back because he loved the job so much and was offered the Executive V.P. position. He took the job without question.

Days entered the reporting industry 25 years ago. Today, he has a plethora of awards under his belt. Days repeatedly says “I love my job and the people I work

Today Days is running the Daily News successfully. One issue he is trying to overcome is changing the attitudes of many people that news on the Internet should be

Internet Start-Up Gets Set to Go

secrets and put it on the table using Internet marketing CEOs from across the industry.”

Accomplished, admirable, blessed and

Story by: HEIDIE MOJICA Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush Photo by: MADELINE CLAPIER Constitution High School

“Picture an Internet marketing agency

as a magician right?” says Ryan Draving, CEO of the Executive Education Alliance. “They know all the tricks, but you don’t know the tricks, so if you want one of those tricks done for your guest at your house you have to pay the magician $150 an hour to get that to your house.” That is the price a private consultant will charge you to get your small business set up with local Internet advertising. Those who are part of the Executive Education Alliance, an instructional company poised for an end of the summer startup, thought differently when creating their product called Compete Leap. “If the magician reveals to you how to do that trick you can learn the trick really easily and then perform it for your guests and not have to pay anything. All you have to do is take the time to show it to your guests,” Draving said. “That’s what we do; we take the magician’s tuhspress2012.wordpress.com

Members of the Executive Education Alliance strive to find members, talented “magicians,” who are excited and passionate about Internet marketing. So far the search has lead them to gathering a crew of 21 team members and 15 advisors. Toni Mastropieri joined the company at the beginning of the summer at the age of 19, while also studying at Schreyer Honors College at Penn State. She said the company is constantly growing. Emily DeMichele recently joined less than a month ago, at the age of 18, while studying at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Now these two young women are pursuing their careers in Internet marketing and preparing themselves for the future while at the same time preparing a product that is expected to be released by the end of the summer.

free. He and his staff are trying to find something that people will pay for on the Internet. One thing that Days does every day is have ‘”morning news meetings’ with the heads of each Daily News department to makes sure everybody is doing their part to make that day’s newspaper good. Michael Days takes a break during a morning news meeting.

Days is a wonderful outgoing person. He is always open to new ideas.

“One of my main goals for the company is to figure out how to be better for the 21st century!” Days said. The Daily News has recently moved from

its long- time office on Broad and Callowhill Streets to 8th and Market. Days said he “LOVES” the new building and the space. Days advice to high school students: “Do something that fits your passion!”

bankrupt in ten years, so ten years from now 90 percent of local business owners won’t be here, with a new generation trying to survive,” said Draving. Each generation then brings new potential leaders, and it is up to them. Draving said his company offers a step- by- step, five minute video training for every category Toni Mastropieri (left) sits with CEO Ryan Draving (right). to learn by simply “doing.” The method of local business. Draving explains that his produces a 75 percent knowledge retention firm takes everyone: from a personal injury rate, whereas the tell- and- test method lawyer, to a patent lawyer, to every other produces a 20 percent knowledge retention type of lawyer or doctor or other service rate, he said. The company’s videos still provider, and then makes a video series contain assessments; however they deal about how to do local Internet marketing. with real world examples. Overall, the local He said his business takes the power that business owner will be spending a half usually exists with marketing firms only and hour each week taking an action, and that gives it to the local business owners with according to Draving is “the icing on the support from the Compete Leap team. cake.”

Could it be that perhaps it is today’s youth that are the masterminds behind society’s profit?

The typical “how-to” video uses a method called “tell and test,” where you tell the person what you’re going to tell them and then you test the person based on what they remember. On the other hand Compete Leap uses an action- oriented method based on each video that customers watch, rather than just teaching the so called theory of marketing.

“Nine out of ten local businesses go

The videos teach local business owners

“So you’re learning and seeing results right away instead of having to wait, or wait for the Internet marketing company to do it for you. You’re in control,” Mastropieri said. Draving has many exciting ideas but he does not want to go into details and give his ideas away to competitors in the industry. A true magician must never tell...until the end of the summer that is.

Temple University High School Press | Summer 2012

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Exploring Politics Voters Evaluate Our Presidential Candidates Story by: VICTORIA LEE Academy at Palumbo

November 6th, 2012 -- this date will forever

be engraved in our minds. On that day we find out who the future president of the United States of America will be. Whether the current President Barack Obama wins his re- election; or will Mitt Romney become the 45th president. The most nervewracking part of the election is when both candidates did all they can and it falls into the hands of America’s voters - You. This is the time where everyone on TV lets you know that every vote counts. So you vote and hope that your one vote to everyone else’s made a difference. Forward--one word that sums up everything the Obama campaign stands for. President Obama plans to move the economy “forward” if he is re- elected. Since January

20th, 2009 President Obama has made good progress on his promises as the 44th president. For example President Obama brought the war in Iraq to an end and brought the troops home. Another would be improving health care, that way everyone could access it. During his four-year term as the president, he has had accomplishments with the economy, education, national security, health care and the environment. It makes you think on how much more he could accomplish if he wins the next presidential re- election.

Believes in America. Mitt Romney believes in America. By showing to everyone he has a strong leadership and that he believes in America; if elected President he plans to restore the United States to its former glory and says that the difference between a governor and being president is strong leadership. As the former governor of Massachusetts, if elected Romney has plans to do things about lowering taxes, jobs, in the National Union for Hospital and Health Care Employees. As the Executive VP for local District 1199C, Woods manages 13,000 members of this union in Philadelphia and southern New Jersey.

Woods grew up in Chris Woods began his union career as a field organizer. this union, sitting in on meetings throughout his whole childhood. His grandmother was an 1199C vice president who would “drag” him along with her to work. Then, when Woods graduated Story by: ABIGAIL PERLMAN college, he had a job lined up for him Constitution High School whether he liked it or not. He said, “I didn’t Photo by: LISA WILK think I had an option other than being in TUHS Press Staff the Union.”

Young Leader Takes on Large Responsibilities

At only 27-years old, Chris Woods has

climbed the executive ladder to become the youngest Executive Vice President 6

Woods studied Sports Administration at Edinboro University in Erie County, Pa. After graduation his career swayed from

Temple University High School Press | Summer 2012

government spending, free trade, elimination of Chinese government’s from American businesses, the health care reform, and so much more. As a former governor he performed well while in office, for example he balanced the state’s budget without raising taxes. Wonder what else he plans to do if he wins the election. Democrats vs. Republicans. Forward vs. Believes In America. There are questions stirring out there like: who’s voting for whom? The following is an account of an informal survey: When being asked what President Obama’s campaign slogan of “Forward” means in their own words Democrats and even Republicans answered the question similarly. Republican Karen G. responded with “forward means things will get better.” Her vote on November 6th belongs to President Obama, she said. Another the sports direction and toward the union. It was inevitable. Woods began his 1199C career as a field organizer, which he said is “a tough job, because many employers do not want unions.” Why wouldn’t employers want unions if those organizations are helping people? “Well, let me ask you this, would you want someone coming in telling you how to run your business?” Woods said. Woods spoke in detail about the fights employers often put up to keep a union out and citied incidents like employers firing people during union organizing campaigns.

Republican, Ann, says that she’s voting for President Obama and that “forward means making progress.” Democrat Val claimed that to him forward meant “progression.” An anonymous Democrat replied that forward meant to “move out of where we were.” Just as Democrats and Republicans both have positive thoughts about the President’s “forward” slogan. Mitt Romney’s slogan of “Believes in America” also won approval. Richard thought that Romney “sees a brighter future for America he is qualified.” Edna wasn’t too keen on the Romney campaign but when informed of his slogan she responded positively: “Maybe the economy will get better.” Kevin stated, “I think he does believe in America.” While John was previously an Obama supporter and currently is undecided, he said that he believed that Romney is “trying to prove he can get the country back on its feet.” has the most responsibility and power. He commented that, “The more members you have the more powerful you are as a union.” He was recently in contract talks with all of the largest hospitals in Philadelphia, which required an especially delicate negotiation because if a strike occurred it would be catastrophic for both sides. Woods said his union is very active with its members, and is very present at the workplace however, he says not all unions are like that. “Some other unions take your dues and don’t do anything,” Woods said.

While, there is obvious tension between the unions and management, Woods stressed that all unions are not the same.

If his union were like that practically all of the city’s health care employees would have no representation. Which is why with great power comes great responsibility.

Woods thinks that his union is the best. It’s the largest in the city, and therefore

Woods spoke for District 1199C saying, “No one can represent nurses like we can.” tuhspress2012.wordpress.com


Do You Want to Vote? Show Us Your ID Story by: NETERA BRICKLE Paul Robeson High School Photo by: VICTORIA LEE Academy at Palumbo

“The right to vote in America is not dead,

the right to vote in Pennsylvania is not dead, but it’s on life support!” Rawell Andrews the Regional Vice President of the AARP said in a very inspiring speech about the new voter ID law in Pennsylvania that goes fully into effect in November around election time. The listening crowd of AARP members and law petitioners at the July 19 rally started to cheer and chant the new slogan: “Don’t block my vote!” Many people gathered that day in support of banning the new voter ID law, calling it unconstitutional and unfair to senior citizens who couldn’t be “up to par” with the new requirements to vote.

The Pennsylvania voter ID law is being challenged in state court and the U.S. Justice Department is investigating its legality.

Occupy Philly Where Art Thou?

Story by: MADELINE CLAPIER Constitution High School Photo by: HEIDIE MOJICA Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush

There was a buzz in the city of

Philadelphia last October. The Occupy Wall Street movement had finally hit the streets of Philadelphia. However after just a few months, the supporters seemed to

Jessie Davis is a 84-year-old woman who personally knows friends born in the same year she was that will not be able to vote this year because they do not have a proper ID. “I wish it would just go away,” she says while shaking her head. “Republicans made this disappear. So where have they gone? Some may be thinking that nothing has changed since Occupy Philly took over the city. Well, in a sense you may be right. When the movement started there was no clear objective. “The reason emerged from it rather than starting it,” Occupy leader, Gwen Snyder, explained. The movement was a bunch of really pissed off people. Camping out in Dilworth Plaza was planned in only a few days, but then they were kicked out. During the occupation, Richard Negrin on Radio Times stated, “What is happening there at Dilworth cannot happen again.” He explained that while the people involved in Occupy Philly were appropriately exercising their free speech, there were certain variables that could not be duplicated. The city could not afford the movement and the sanitation was becoming a problem.

Gwen Snyder says Occupy lives on. tuhspress2012.wordpress.com

However, Snyder had a different outlook on why it would not be duplicated, “What happened to Dilworth was important....

to keep those who voted for Obama unable to vote this election.” When asked what she thought the outcome of this election would be, she proclaimed confidently “the Republicans will be defeated, this law is unconstitutional.” However Helen Minyard, only a few seats down, had a different view. “I believe that the outcome could be the Republicans could win and will be the ones in power now,” she said, but then also agreed with Davis, saying that it is unfair that people who aren’t able to obtain their birth certificate are now unable to partake in voting. “Molly,” a PennDOT worker, with the new law, stating that “any law preventing people to get to the poles is not a good thing.” She also said that her reason for attending the rally was to inform people on how to get proper photo identification. She said that the only things you need are your social security number, birth certificate, and two documents to serve as proofs of residence.

Some people are not able to access that information, noted James Palmquist, State President of the AARP, who has a relative that lives in South Carolina and does not have a birth certificate. This impacts many other senior citizens, he said, because at one point they did not have birth certificates in South Carolina. Palmquist also says “It doesn’t block votes, government wants to prevent the right to exercise votes” which is why he, as well as all the other AARP officials and members officially declared this as a “state of emergency” for voters all over the USA. Later in his speech, Andrews said, “Americans and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania are at the crossroads of freedom.” With an estimated 9.2 percent of the 8 million Pennsylvanians without photo identification some have sought legal action to repeal the law, but for now all the American voter can do is hope.

so unexpected and spontaneous.” The Occupy Philly story may be out of the news, but for some people a seed has been planted in their heads regarding the movement. During the months in which the Occupy movement had the Occupy Philly protestors were camped out in tents in the City people of America mesmerized, there was a lot of Hall courtyard until they were forceably removed. Photo by: MADELINE CLAPIER backlash from news programs around the country. she is badmouthing the movement, she unwittingly is spreading the word. Ann Coulter is a reporter from Fox News and she spoke vociferously about the On July 4, 2012 the movement came back Occupy movement. She likened the rally on 3rd and Chestnut Street, proving that cry of “demolition of capitalism” to the it was not dead. The movement still has rhetoric of pre-French Revolution, the supporters. Justice for Jobs continues to be Russian Revolution, and with only slight modification to what she refers to as, “when a loyal supporter of the Occupy movement. Though, the supporters may not be seen all the Nazis were coming to power.” The the time the movement is very much alive. interesting thing is that while Temple University High School Press | Summer 2012

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Revisiting History It all started on the former cruise ship also known as the USS Dorchester, which was used as an American troop ship in World War II. With over 900 men on board including the four chaplains, a German submarine U-223 fired three torpedoes at it and one hit the midsection. Artifacts on display at the chapel.

Remembering the Chapel of Four Chaplains Story by: IMANI FOREMAN Parkway West High School Photo by: ALEXA HCKLIN Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush

One February day, 77-years ago George

As the ship was sinking at an increasingly fast pace, the four chaplains began handing out life jackets in an attempt to keep the men calm. When the supply of jackets ran out, the four courageous men took their jackets off and gave them out to soldiers without regard to race or faith. According to witnesses, these four men were last seen linking arms and praying, each in their own way, as they went down with the ship.

from those four brave men.

Patricia M. Aversa has been Program Coordinator of Friends of the Chapel of Four Chaplains for nine years. Before becoming the Program Coordinator for this facility located in Philadelphia’s Navy Yard, Aversa worked as a bank teller for 26 years. After her bank was robbed for the fifth time she realized it was time for her to pursue a new career that eventually led her to the Chapel of Four Chaplains. Aversa, who has two uncles in the Navy who fought in World War II, loves her job because she loves dealing with people. The job, she said, “is very close to my heart” and described it as “such a peaceful place.” However, she wishes they had more visitors. According to FourChaplains.org, the vision of the chaplains’ memorial is to impart the principles of selfless service to humanity without regard to race, creed, ethnicity or religious beliefs. Its mission statement is “unity without uniformity” which encourages goodwill and cooperation among all people.

L. Fox, Alexander D. Goode, Clark V. Poling and John P. Washington changed history. Perhaps it’s time to revisit the story of these four chaplains: men who came from different religious backgrounds and are now long forgotten.

Today at the Philadelphia Navy Yard, a former Navy chapel has been designated to show gratitude, honor and appreciation for those four religious men. This small chapel, named The Chapel of Four Chaplains, is filled with pictures, biographies and quotes

Shackled at The President’s House

freedom that America’s first president would not give them.

of the wealth that helped America become a powerful nation.

“Blacks represent the true meaning of freedom. They were always trying to figure out how to get free,” Karen Warrington said.

General George Washington helped

Warrington was a member of the official oversight committee responsible for the erection of the first memorial on federal property recognizing slavery along with the re-creation of America’s first White House here in Philadelphia -- the President’s House.

Those two slaves who escaped President Washington were named Hercules and Oney Judge. Hercules was a famous cook and Oney Judge was the maid of Washington’s wife.

Story by: TANISHA LAMPART Bok Technical High School Photo by: JOVAN LONGS-TUCKER Central High School

America win its freedom from England. But when Washington served as the first president of the United States and lived in Philadelphia, he also held slaves. Washington lived in a mansion located on Market Street near 6th Street now known as the President’s House. Washington held nine slaves in that house while presiding in Philadelphia along with two white indentured servants. Two of those slaves escaped gaining the 8

The enslavement of African Americans was legal in all thirteen of the American colonies before the Revolutionary War. Slavery existed in the United States until the end of the Civil War. Whites had large sums of money invested in getting African Americans into slavery which produced a lot

Temple University High School Press | Summer 2012

Before its current location, the Chapel of

Judge fled when the Washingtons were planning to return to Virginia. She feared being gifted to the First Lady’s granddaughter as a wedding present and thought if she returned to Virginia she would never be free. She escaped to freedom from Philadelphia in late May or June, 1796. She died in Greenland, New Hampshire on February 25, 1848. Hercules escaped to freedom from Washington’s Virginia plantation, Mount Vernon, in 1799.

Four Chaplains was located at the Original Baptist Temple Building on Broad and Berks street in North Philadelphia. Twelve years ago this chapel was permanently moved to the small historical site at the Navy Yard that was initially built in 1942. Although this chapel does not have worship services, people do rent the chapel for different events such as weddings, baptisms and recently a couple came back to take pictures for their anniversary. Other than the occasional events, the chapel gets very few visits these days. However, that may change because the chapel is now an officially registered as a national historic building, a status expected to generate more visits and attention. In the past, The Chapel of Four Chaplains has had multiple programs and even scholarships. The non-profit organization Friends of the Chapel of the the Four Chaplains helps spread the word about cultural harmony and religious tolerance. For more information you can visit: www.fourchaplains.org/newsevents.html.

The stories of Oney Judge, Hercules and the other slaves Washington held in the President’s House are important for both history and inspiring people today said attorney Michael Coard, who led a Philadelphia activists’ organization that helped push the federal government to build the slave’s memorial at the President’s House located next to the Liberty Bell. Coard said now that children visiting the Liberty Bell, particularly black children, can see that blacks always fought for freedom -- a story that rarely gets told. tuhspress2012.wordpress.com


with the aid of the National Archives this process can become much easier and more informative. There is a National Archives branch in Center City Philadelphia near 9th and Chestnut Streets. This facility is formally known as the National Records and Records Administration Mid Atlantic Region branch, it services Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Virginia. Archivist Ellen Mulligan

Uncovering the Past at the National Archives Story by: JOVAN LONGS-TUCKER Central High School Photo by: TANISHA LAMPART Bok Technical High School

Imagine discovering that you are a

descendant of royal lineage or that you are related to a prominent figure that helped shape the course of history. Tracing one’s genealogy can be a very enlightening experience because it provides missing clues about your family background. Tracing one’s genealogy can be difficult but

The Union League: A Visit Through History

Story by: NYSHADAE’ TAYLOR Paul Robeson High School Photo by: BRITTANY JACOBS Communications Technology High School

When you hear the words “Union League” what do you think of? Boring? But once inside, with an opportunity to tour this historic building located on Broad Street about two blocks south of City Hall, the architecture, the charm, the history and the traditions of the Union League are impressive. Inside it looks like a mansion with chandeliers and art work. There are exhibits of artifacts from the Civil War. And tuhspress2012.wordpress.com

A group of Philadelphia area high school students learned more about genealogy through their participation in the Family History Summer Institute at the Philadelphia branch. These students are encouraged to learn more about their family history by conducting in-depth guided genealogical historical research.

National Archives branch in partnership with the Genealogical Society of Pennsylvania. “It makes me respect the people who come before me,” said participant Joy. Tracing genealogy at the National Archives differs from researching on ancestry websites. For instance, ancestry.com requires a subscription fee while research at the National Archives is free. Also, at the National Archives, knowledgeable reference staff and community researchers are available to aid people with their research. Helpful people at the Philadelphia branch include archivist Ellen Mulligan who’s worked there for two years after a career as a television producer assisting on history and science programs.

One participant in this Summer Institute, Dante, said the experience helped him “know a chapter of my life and my role in history.”

“I want to help preserve American History and help make it available to the public,” Mulligan said adding, “I wanted to help people discover history for themselves.”

Participants in this program get the opportunity to visit area libraries and archives learning about the holdings. The students said they really enjoyed the experience at this program directed by the Education Specialist at Philadelphia’s

The director of the NARA (Mid Atlantic region) is Leslie Smith and there are about ten staff members who assist her. The regional liaison is V. Chapman Smith. Smith is involved with preserving history and community relations.

there are a lot of statues of famous U.S. President Abraham Lincoln.

from home for its members. The members come to socialize, dine, and relax in the comfort of a beautiful historic setting. Its private Five Star Platinum Club provides members and their families with a nice dining experience.

Executive Director of the Union League of Philadelphia, John Meko said the things inside the Union League are a part of its purpose. The League was founded in 1862 as a patriotic society to promote loyalty to the Union and support the policies of President Abraham Lincoln. Meko said the League currently has more than 3,300 members. The League, always known for its exclusive members, is more diverse today and includes female members in this once all-male organization. The current League President, Joan Carter, was one of the first five female members admitted in 1986. The Union League has been a home away

NARA branches store a wide variety of federal documents including Revolutionary War records, marriage licenses, military records, birth records, death records, microfilm, census records, land records, ship passenger lists, naturalization orders and federal court records. The Chinese Exclusion Act files, for example, are great resources for people of Chinese heritage because they contain interviews with very specific questions. Congress established the NARA in 1934 requiring it to collect records from different U.S. government archives. These records date back to 1789, which was the year of the founding of the U.S. federal government. All records held by the NARA are paper records that are stored in folders and placed in acid free-boxes in a room with climate control. Records are rarely exposed to light when they are not in use because light can often fade the ink on the pages. So placing them in a box will help prevent that from occurring. In addition, there is pest-management within the room to ensure that pests do not destroy the records. These storage methods allow the records to be kept for such a long time. Meko has worked at the League for seven years. His job includes directing scholarships, youth work and the League’s Abraham Lincoln program.

Although the members of the Union League of Philadelphia are entitled to many exclusive privileges, there’s still lots offered to the public. Nonmembers, for example, can rent rooms for weddings and visit the Heritage Room filled with historic items. Executive Director John Meko offers insight into the League’s history. Temple University High School Press | Summer 2012

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The Arts Some of the WPA artworks on display.

Art For the People

Story by: CARLOS ALICEA Philadelphia Military Academy at Elverson Photo by: OBADIAH FULLER Parkway West High School

Eleven billion dollars ceated one million

is the Federal Arts Project (FAP) which provided work to artists in the areas of art production, art instruction and art research. The work took place in hospitals, schools and government buildings. It also created posters for the WPA. These pieces of art were a huge impact at the time, but in later years have become a forgotten memory. The posters hold huge significance in our society and deserve to be appreciated. Today, the mission to resurrect WPA posters is being lead by Ennis Carter. At 46 years of age, Carter is the founding director of Social Impact Studios, who are currently installing a main exhibit that features the WPA posters.

projects and employed about eight million people through the Work Progress Administration (WPA). This phenomenon occurred from 1935 to 1943 under the presidency of Franklin D. Roosevelt, who is responsible for the creation of the New Deal. The New Deal was a landmark bill that created programs to provide work for Americans. One program created

The goal of the exhibit is to showcase the values and memories that are held in the pieces of art that the government didn’t record or archive. The project that led to the posters was paid for by the taxpayers money, in other words, our money, why shouldn’t they have been recorded? Hundreds of fascinating posters with thousands of magnificent stories are held

Atomic Comics: Survives South Street Annihilation

Gone. All that is left is an empty building. No more Dairy Queen or McDonalds? Gone! But in this desert there is an oasis - Atomic City Comics.

Story by: OBADIAH FULLER Parkway West High School Photo by: CARLOS ALICEA Philadelphia Military Academy at Elverson

The dry surroundings of wood boards criss-

crossed on doors. Yellow caution tape and orange shut- down notices. When did this become the new South Street? All the stores that we are so used to seeing on South Street are now gone or boarded up. South Street is where most people go when they “wanna” just walk around or just take some time to relax and spend money. Due to many different reasons, some our favorite shops and “eats” are closing down, causing a dry desert of very few stores. Where is footlocker? Gone. Where is Payless? Gone. What happened to Pearl Art Supplies? 10

Atomic City Comics has been up and running for over twenty years, and has been on South Street since 1998. The store has a very friendly environment with table, chairs and an overall warm, inviting feel when you walk in. The store is organized and has labels almost everywhere. Whether you’re going in to play some video games, buy some comics or just sit, drink some coffee and relax, the five staff members keep people coming back to the comic book store for comics, conversation and relaxing. Joe Turner the store manager is not the caricature fat guy running a comic shop -not married, bald headed and really lonely. Joe is the complete opposite. He isn’t skinny, has long dreads down his back. He

Temple University High School Press | Summer 2012

in the artwork. “Keeping it alive is a huge part of my work,” Carter told me as she explained her goal with the exhibit. Artwork is part of our culture, history and society. These WPA posters are a type of visual art which gives off a more symbolic and emotional image. The importance of these posters is greater than what it seems. “These posters are old but the values still exist today,” she said. Carter’s passion about her work is evident in all she says. The values portrayed in the work were those of health, conservation and education. The health care expanded by creating more hospitals and doctors. They stressed to conserve the environment with recycling, reforestation and preserving national parks. Education spread by creating more schools and programs to educate kids and adults. These values are still prevalent today with healthcare benefits, pollution and educational cash cuts. These posters bring all of this to life with silk-screening images that show the relevance of American issues from yesterday and today.

One of the posters contains an image of burning books with a Nazi symbol in the flames. On the bottom of the image it stated, “We Read Books Instead of Burning Them.” This poster was a favorite because not only did it oppose the Nazi’s and their actions but supported the conservation of books. Another poster contained an image of two rams standing on a mountaintop with the sun setting behind them. The caption read “National Parks Preserve Wild Life” which I found to be great. Americans would slaughter beautiful creatures, but with the posters and conservation laws the creatures were able to be saved and preserved. If you would like to see the images for yourself look it up under ‘WPA posters” on any search engine and they all should appear. The government’s choice to create the FAP project was a great one. Its choice to not keep an archive of it was not fair to the people. Carter’s choice to create an archive is a noble one. The posters are a great way to learn of our past, our hardships and our triumphs.

is engaged to marry the love of his life. He likes to rant and rave about what he likes and dislikes in the comic book world, which earned him the nickname “Ha-Tor.” He was very friendly and inviting during the interview and responded to questions truthfully. What’s kept Atomic City from becoming a South Street used-to-be? Most stores on South Street consist of the same old thing, he said,. There are so many stores with “jewelry or jeans.” Atomic City is successful because they have regular customers who have been coming in for years and years. The only reason for them to stop is if they have to move. Other than that, their customer is basically a customer for life . That’s what stores that don’t make it don’t have- they don’t have consistency. South Street is a tourist spot and people will always be visiting during the summer months, but when winter hits, why should

A display at Atomic Comics.

people travel out of their way to get a pair of jeans or pair of earrings? However, people who are in love with comics will travel out of their way to get the newest thing or feed their comic addiction. Another reason why the comic book store business might be so popular right now is because there are a lot of movies recently depicting lots of characters who are in comics, including the likes of Spiderman, the Avengers, and Batman. tuhspress2012.wordpress.com


Fabric Workshop: From Thread to Finish Story by: JANIECE OWENS Paul Robeson High School Photo by: DAYANE OLIVEIRA Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush

Founded in 1977 as a workshop to

print fabrics, The Fabric Workshop and Museum is a highlight of Philadelphia. This “diamond in the rough” is located at 1214 Arch Street and works with everything from paper to bio-engineering to create beautiful masterpieces. It includes the work of well-known artists and designers such as Marie Watt and Bill Smith. This musem and workshop is really unique and original. “I don’t think there is a museum like this in the country, or even the world” says Jennifer McTague, who also works at the workshop and museum. Funded by grants and public funding, the museum has amazing art exhibits that have been created in days and some that have taken months and even years. The exhibits include samples and ideas from places like New Zealand and Alaska. However, these artists do not just walk in and throw their pieces down. Artists are invited by the Board of Art Advisory and are paid by the museum to show their work

Art Is Her Sanctuary Story by: ALEXA HICKLIN Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush Photo by: IMANI FOREMAN Parkway West High School

Valerie Gay recently took a big career step

moving from being Director of Development & Alumni Affairs at Temple University to Executive Director at the Art Sanctuary, a multi-faceted facility located on the corner of 16th and Bainbridge Streets.

in the museum. It is very hard to find a favorite collection in this large building, according to museum worker Cary Zhao, 24, who has been working at the museum for two years. “It is important to work with the artists and have their input,” said Zhao. “I can’t say which is my favorite, it’s hard to say because I’ve gotten to know all of them.” Zhao works in just about everything from education, tours and helping put up shows. Do not think that there is not much to see here just because the building looks so small from the outside, inside it is very large. The Fabric Workshop and Museum actually has an exhibit coming in late September showing all exhibitions and is going to be a really large show with a lot to show. The museum and workshop do not have just art though, there is a little shop where you can buy things that were handmade by the workshop’s printing masters who print yards and yards of fabric for people to look at or work with. This place is really unique because their art is of a personal nature. Sometimes with dark humor that takes a while to understand but when you do, its like another world has opened up. The museum actually came after the University.” But as she began to learn more about the organization using art and education to transform people’s lives, Gay had a change of heart. “As a performer, I’m a singer,” she said. “All of my degrees are in music, so I know the importance of art and the world and in people’s lives. All of this is really close to my heart.”

“Any new job can be scary,” Gay said. “It’s a little nerve wracking.”

As the new Executive Director of Art Sanctuary, Gay hopes to contribute her years of experience and potentially help Art Sanctuary, which was founded by author Lorene Cary in 1998, grow.

When recruiters called Gay to offer her the Arts Sanctuary job, she quickly turned it down. “I initially said this is not really for me, I wasn’t looking. I was very happy at Temple

Throughout the year a large number of composers and artists from around the Delaware Valley region take part in events at the Art Sanctuary.

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workshop. It includes printing on pig skin and fabric made for chairs and wallpapers. Also, there are works made with horse hair and wool. Those things help the artists come up with ideas to make art never seen before or thought of yet. Inside the Fabric Workshop and Museum visitors have a lot of art to enjoy. There is also an educational side of the workshop and museum too. There is an apprenticeship program that pays college and high school students to work there and learn the whole extended printing process. The students actually get to see their work hanging in the workshop. They get to work with drawing the patterns, printing them and also working with production printing. Seeing behind the scenes of the artwork being created is almost like seeing the evolution of artwork. The works start from string and organic natural dyes, then move to print pictures, patterns then move to whole exhibitions. It is a really interesting sight and is recommended as a place to

visit. There is so much to take in. People can be part of the museum and workshop by purchasing a membership which includes invitations and first looks at all the events happening at the museum. For more information visit the website at: www.fabricworkshopandmuseum.org. This museum has everything to offer and will not disappoint. They have nice, friendly staff and breathtaking art from electronic art to sculptures; and larger than life exhibits that will make visitors feel like ants. This museum is fun, whimsical and entertaining, but has a very deep meaning and every piece of fabric tells its own story and each story is well worth reading.

“We pride ourselves on paying artists because we value the art and we want to make sure that the artists know that they are valued,” Gay stated. The Sanctuary’s instructional events include a program for teaching artists called Class Acts, which brings writers and artists of color into workshops, lectures and performance matinees. Recently, Art Sanctuary celebrated the 28th Annual Celebration of Black Writing. Many writers from Philadelphia and other parts of the U.S came out to showcase their talents. Poets Nikki Giovanni and Sonia Sanchez and Pulitzer -prize winning playwright Charles Fuller were among the people who have attended this event and have been honored with the Sanctuary’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

Valerie Gay: “I know the importance of art and the world and in people’s lives. All of this is really close to my heart.”

Temple University High School Press | Summer 2012

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Center City Sights

Photo By: Janiece Owens / Paul Robeson High School

Photo By: Carlos Alicea / Military Academy at Elverson

Photo By: Sydney Geathers / Paul Robeson High School

Photo By: Krystal Floyd / Academy at Palumbo

Photo By: Jovan Longs-Tucker / Central High School

Photo By: Tanisha Lampart / Bok Technical High School

Photo By: Netera Brickle / Paul Robeson High School

Photo By: Alexa Hicklin / Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush

Photo By: Emmanuelyne Dargbeh / Academy at Palumbo

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Temple University High School Press | Summer 2012

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Photo By: Abigail Perlman / Constitution High School

Photo By: Heidie Mojica / Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush

Photo By: Victoria Lee / Academy at Palumbo

Photo By: Alexa Hicklin / Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush

Photo By: Brittany Jacobs / Communications Technology H.S.

Photo By: Cordelia Romero / Wayne Valley High School

Photo By: Nyshadae’ Taylor / Paul Robeson High School

Photo By: Imani Foreman / Parkway West High School

Photo By: Obadiah Fuller / Parkway West High School

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Temple University High School Press | Summer 2012

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O u r Vo i c e s Discovering Your Past

Story by: BRITTANY JACOBS Communications Technology High School

Who am I? Where do I come from? These are some questions that teenagers today struggle with during their transition from childhood to adulthood. When someone says this, they don’t mean the battle with just finding their identity but also with finding out about their history. For example finding out who are their actual birth mother and father, and whether or not there are brothers or sisters?

Same-Sex Marriage Helps the Economy Story by: NYSHADAE’ TAYLOR Paul Robeson High School

Identity is a very deep feeling and parents are an important part of identity. Not knowing who your parents are is like having a feeling that something is missing. It is also about finding out what happened because teenagers seeking their identity want to be reassured that they were not abandoned. Teens need to know that their mother “giving them away” was an act of love or of distress rather than an act of hatred. It also helps fill a missing part in the life of someone wondering who they look like and get their personality from. A lot of teens are raised by one birth parent and a step-parent; some people are older when they find out about their second birthparent. Sometimes finding/meeting that birth -parent isn’t as joyful as the teen thought it would be. Sometimes meeting makes it worst. But the teen has to just think positive and make the best of it. sex marriage could give the economy a much needed boost in these times of great economic downturn. Weddings create all sorts of revenue that governments and the economy can benefit from. Chapels are booked for the ceremonies, cakes are ordered, dresses and tuxes are fitted, rings are purchased and flowers are delivered. This spending puts money into the economy.

What if you fell in love with the person of your dreams only to be told you couldn’t marry them due to your sexuality?

Unfortunately, gays are called just about every name in the book and are not treated with respect or treated equally. Whether it’s a bride and groom, two brides, or two grooms, shouldn’t they be able to share their love as we’re all meant to do? Because of mistreatment gays receive it is hard for many people to see that same14

An average American wedding costs almost $29,000 according to the Wedding Report, a market research publication. That’s $29,000, which is tons of money! Now think of how much more money our country will bring in yearly if same sex marriage were legalized. If gay marriage were legalized nationwide, it’s estimated it would add $9.5 billion a year to the economy. Same-sex marriages aren’t recognized in most states but Target stores nationwide are now selling greeting cards to celebrate them. The company says that its greeting card addition reflects an emphasis on “diversity” and inclusiviness. It also reflects

Temple University High School Press | Summer 2012

Don’t get me wrong, not all teenagers want to find out who their birth parents are. What I am saying is that it runs through each teen’s mind at least one time.

meet them wasn’t as pleasant as you’d liked it to be.

Teenagers look to their parents as someone they can go to when they need someone to trust. Teenagers expect for parents to be there when they cry for help. Not all kids have this so when they have problems they often just hold it in. This brings a lot of depression and anger in a teenager.

1. If it weren’t for the birth parents you wouldn’t be here today.

My point is that having that connection with your mother, father or just having someone to talk to is much needed in a teen’s life.

We can never repay our parents or the people that raised us for the values they infuse in us and giving us the personality that forms our identity. It is through our parents’ love, care and struggles that we ever survived. They will always remain with us in our hearts and in every drop of the blood that runs in our veins even if we don’t know it.

In my opinion kids who meet their birth parents one day whether they’re a teenager or adult should never forget who raised them and should always be grateful to that person. But at the same time be grateful to your birth parents, even if the first time you customers who are young and accepting. OK, lets say that same-sex marriage is legalized. Then 21,000 same-sex couples will finally tie the knot statewide, four million nationwide over the next three years. This will mean many millions of dollars in wedding related revenues from engagements to honeymoons. With this kind of spending now. Our country is sitting on buckets of money. So, what could governments do with all the new money made from same-sex marriages? Create new jobs, offer better affordable health care, keep more schools open, there’s several things that can be done. And how about just being happy? The gays are. And then with gays being equal to the next married couple there probably is a list of problems to go with it, right? Maybe their same-sex marriage isn’t working. Marriage counseling couldn’t hurt. So they attend these marriage-counseling classes for quite some time before realizing

I say this for two reasons. . .

2. Some kids don’t get to meet their parents at all. (Some kids don’t know that their birth parents exist because all they know is their parents that raised them.)

that it really wasn’t helping. So then they file for a divorce. One doesn’t want to sign the divorce papers, the couple will have to pay for lawyers, go to court. But what about the couples that have no problems? What are they up to? They are buying a new house, a new car and what ever else their hearts desire. All of that brings in more money to help the economy. Why let the economy suffer much longer when all you have to do is legalize same-sex marriage? If two people love each other and wish to spend the rest of their lives together, they should not be hindered in doing so. There’s not any history that determines whether or not same-sex marriage is right or wrong. Same-sex marriage is an economic issue. So go ahead -- legalize it already. Now since this same-sex marriage situation is behind us, what’s next? Polygamy or polyandry? tuhspress2012.wordpress.com


Voiding Constitutional Rights Story by: NETERA BRICKLE Paul Robeson High School

Why do so many people not know that their rights are being violated here in the lovely U-S of A? While you ponder on that, here is some background information on the Constitution. In 1791 the U.S. Constitution fully went into effect and was used as a proper guide to keep American government from turning into a dictatorship. The Constitution set the boundaries for natural rights and non-natural rights that are given under federal law, and stated that only certain powers are given to the legislative branch, the judicial branch, and the executive branch.

Do you know your constitutional rights?

Really, just take the time to sit and think to yourself “what are some of my rights that I am ENTITLED to. Then, once you think of some rights you have, think of some laws that go AGAINST them. Recently, I went out to Love Park in Center City to see if people could answer some general questions (i.e. What are some of your constitutional rights? Do you know what laws void them? ect.) One man said, “probably... I don’t know.”

Let’s Kill the Kill List Story by: MADELINE CLAPIER Constitution High School

When does the president get the power

to take a life? America is in a war. The war allows President Obama to have more powers than a president is usually allowed. Since the birth of America the President has been given special right if there was a war going on, but when does that right expire? President Obama, like many other presidents, is leading a country during a tuhspress2012.wordpress.com

This was established to keep the “American dream” alive as well as keep order within the states, while also providing an equal opportunity for all citizens. To ensure that no government official shall go against the Constitution, but instead protect it, they swear under oath. And as a consequence for violating their oath they are charged with treason and can be punished with death or imprisonment. A brief summary of our rights that are protected by government are: The right not to be killed, the right not to be injured or abused, the right to assemble war. His top priority is to his country, but that does not mean that there isn’t a fine line between defense and just pure aggression. How President Obama treats his power at this point in the war is aggression. According to published reports, he has a day dedicated to picking out what terrorists would die that week. Terror Tuesdays is now the wicked term for Obama’s meetings. Once he decides which of the terrorists will face their deaths, they are bombed, putting all people around in danger. Once the bomb is dropped it does not care who it kills. America is called the land of the free. This country is known as free because of the many amendments to the U.S. Constitution designed to protect our liberties. This country was created as a melting pot. People came from all over to get a taste of freedom. The foundation of America was

peaceably, to keep and bear arms, to express or publish opinions, to not have unreasonable searches, to be tried (in court) by an impartial jury from the state and district in which the events took place, to vote in elections that are conducted fairly and honestly, by secret ballot. However, in 21st century America, our government has created laws and bills that go against our constitutional rights, and it seems as though Americans aren’t really concerned or doing anything about it. Why you may ask? Well one reason is because the actions were taken without informing the public first. One prime example of this is when President Barack Obama signed the National Defense Authorization Act or as most people call it, the NDAA. Mike Adams, the editor of the Natural News website, calls it “the most traitorous executive signing ever committed against the American people,” in his article entitled, R.I.P. Bill of Rights 1789 - 2011.” NDAA grants US military power to imprison and capture a citizen without any of proof of a crime, without a trial. This not only violates our constitutional right to a speedy and fair trial (in court), but also violates our right not to be tortured or killed. So, how did our built upon the backs of immigrants from all over the world and because of that the mindset of many people around the country is their rights. Why then could we allow our President to murder people around the world? We as Americans originate from hundreds of countries from around the world. Why do we kill our neighbors? This nation was built on preserving different cultures in one place, so how can we justify killing innocent people who are in the wrong place at the wrong time? What has started as a good defense has down-spiraled into a terrible aggression. At first Obama was being perfectly legal. His plan of having Terror Tuesdays was immoral, but it was not illegal. “The president has to do anything he can to prevent the U.S. from a terrorist attack,” said Carl Ackerman, A.P. Government teacher at

government get to pass this law without a major uproar from its citizens? Well, most Americans were out celebrating the New Year at that time. On December 31 on New Year’s Eve, President Barack Obama signed the NDAA without a word or warning to celebrating (and probably intoxicated) Americans. Another good example would be the new “Anti protest law,” more formally known as H.R. 347. This law states that if a person protests at a place that may hold political “significance” you can be arrested. This outrageous law goes against our right to assemble peaceably, and it goes against our right to expression and freedom of speech. Ask the Occupy Movement people about that! Now that you know of two laws that are prohibiting you from certain things you are entitled to, what are you going to do about it? You can fight for what you deserve. Inform people, get together and take a stand on what you KNOW is right! Your mind is truly your strongest weapon, and when people stand together as a unit and use their MINDS, much can be accomplished with the help of patience and endurance. Constitution High School. As the President continues to have the terrorists killed, American citizens are becoming the victims. Now the families of Samir Khan and Anwar al-Awlaki are avenging their lives in a federal lawsuit. “The court in similar decisions has always sided with the president because the president’s right supersedes all others right, so the 8th amendment would not apply,” Ackerman continued. The 8th amendment prohibits the government from enforcing cruel and unusual punishment and sadly no other Constitutional right would have saved the Americans. The kill list is legal, so the barbaric system will continue to affect lives all over the world. Sadly...

Temple University High School Press | Summer 2012

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Talent Needs Respect Story by: IMANI FOREMAN Parkway West High School

Kim Kardashian and Nicki Minaj are

celebrities. However, people like Liza Minnelli and Susan Sarandon are stars. The definition of a celebrity is a famous or well-known person, the definition of a star is a person who is highly celebrated in a field or profession. There is a thin line between a star and a celebrity and it’s just wrong to see some of today’s “celebrities” praised for their looks, their sex tapes or the amount of plastic surgery they have. Hollywood’s twisted ways have society

Treat Homosexuals How You Want to be Treated Story by: NAJA BUTLER Paul Robeson High School

What if you couldn’t get married, get an

education, or buy a house just because of your height, your weight or the color of your skin? How would you feel? That’s how homosexuals feel because they don’t have the same rights as heterosexuals. These rights include: getting married, visiting loved ones in hospitals, adopting children, finding employment, buying houses, getting an education, expecting protection from hate 16

celebrating people for just being famous. Half of the time the celebrity is not being celebrated for their talent, but celebrated for things that don’t matter or are just sensational.

who’s spent half of his life learning how to act and sacrificing to learn his craft but isn’t going to get his opportunity ... because of some actor who’s been created -- and you can use the word ‘actor’ loosely.”

An aspect to this problem with Hollywood and the entertainment business is that experienced actors over forty years old often get replaced by younger rappers and singers.

A perfect example is Vivica Fox, an actress with a very wide range. For years Fox has shared that her dream role is to play Whitney Houston’s sex- drugs- and- rockand- roll life. Now that Houston is dead, Willow Smith and Rihanna are being tossed around for the role.

Samuel L. Jackson said it best, “To take people from the music world and give them the same kind of credibility and weight that you give me, Morgan Freeman, Laurence Fishburne, Forest Whitaker -- that’s like an aberration to me; you just can’t do that.’’ He says, ‘’It’s not my job to lend credibility to so-and-so rapper who’s just coming into the business.’’ Jackson is 100 percent correct. Singers and actors should stay in their own lanes. Jackson also states, ‘’I know there’s some young actor sitting in New York or in L.A. crimes. The states that gave homosexuals their rights are: Iowa, Vermont, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Washington, Maryland, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and the District of Columbia. In this state, Pennsylvania, homosexuals can only adopt, BUT only if that person is single. Only 10 out of 50 states (and D.C.) give homosexuals their rights. Something is very wrong, shouldn’t it be 50 -out- of- 50 states that give homosexuals their rights? Out of all these states Rhode Island and New Jersey only allow civil unions. New York, New Hampshire, and Maryland allow employment discrimination based on sexual orientation. Those same two states allow sexual orientation to be a factor when people purchase houses. In Iowa, Rhode Island, New York, and New Hampshire people are protected against hate crimes due to their sexual orientation. Everybody who dislikes homosexuals are just childish. Don’t judge somebody just because of his or

Temple University High School Press | Summer 2012

Smith and Rihanna are singers as was Houston, but they don’t have the range that Vivica Fox has. It’s been done. Actress Angela Bassett was great as as singer Tina Turner in the two-time Oscar nominated film “What’s Love Got To Do With It.” The phrase “They make you to break you” has been used over a million times when it comes to Hollywood and it’s true and it plays into the celebrity debate. Houston is one of the greatest voices of all time. She received her sexual orientation. You should really get to know that person first; you never know what you might have a lot in common with a homosexual. Homosexuals are people just like you and me On May 9, 2012, President Barack Obama told reporters at ABC News that he supports same-sex marriage. Obama even told them that his daughters, Malia and Sasha, have friends whose parents are same-sex couples. In his interview, he said, “I’ve always been adamant that gay and lesbian Americans should be treated fairly and equally.” He is correct. Some celebrities who are homosexual are Boy George, Neil Patrick Harris, Stephen Fry, Sir Elton John, Sir Ian McKellen, Ricky Martin, Lance Bass, George Michael, Alexander McQueen; the list goes on and on. Just because they are famous they don’t get criticized for their sexual orientation, whereas regular, everyday people get criticized for their orientation. The famous have a wide audience and a lot of people respect them. Regular everyday people

562 total award nominations, 415 awards overall, 170 million albums, singles and videos sold worldwide proves her talent. But her “crack is whack” interview and her tumultuous marriage with Bobby Brown, are widely remembered. Oprah Winfrey, a women who deserves much more credit and respect than she already receives, recently talked about how out of the millions of articles that were written about her, the only one she saved was from USA Today newspaper titled “The World Is Oprah’s Classroom.” Four years later USA Today published an article titled “Oprah Not Quite Standing on Her Own,” which deeply offended and confused Winfrey. That the same newspaper that made her so happy also spoke about her so negatively is just proof that the same people who bowing at your feet during your success are the same ones who are emphasizing your failures. should get the same respect as celebrities. In 2010, some 1,528 victims were targeted by for their sexual orientation-- 57.3 percent were victims of anti-male homosexual bias, 27.5 percent were victims of bias against all homosexuals, 11.8 percent were victims of anti-female homosexual bias, 1.4 percent of these people were victims of anti-heterosexual bias, and 1.9 percent of the victims were the targets of anti-bisexual bias. It doesn’t make any sense to target someone because of his or her sexual orientation. Just imagine if you were in their place, if a person wants to be homosexual, bisexual, or if they want to be heterosexual, just LEAVE THEM ALONE. Let them be who they want to be. Most importantly TREAT THEM HOW YOU WOULD WANT TO BE TREATED. Innocent people are being beaten down because of whom THEY chose to love or whom they want to be with. It is such a shame that Americans feel this way about homosexuals. Isn’t America supposed to be a place where people can be free? tuhspress2012.wordpress.com


The Generation Y is Generation WHY Story by: ABIGAIL PERLMAN Constitution High School

Generation X is the product of the baby

boomers. The product of Generation X = the current youth in the nation, also known as Generation Y. Maybe we should be called Generation “WHY?” because we are not afraid to question society. Our openmindedness makes us crave a change in society. Because we were all born between 1980 and 2000, we were never in segregated schools, we have always been exposed to technology, our mothers didn’t have to be a house mom, sex has never been a sacred thing, you were always supposed to go to

Video Games Have Value Don’t Sell Them Short! Story by: CARLOS ALICEA Philadelphia Military Academy at Elverson

Video gaming is said to have a negative impact on kids and society. I disagree.

Games are said to lead to aggression in kids who play violent games like Mortal Kombat tuhspress2012.wordpress.com

school, everybody has a gay friend, we learned what marijuana was by the time we were ten, and divorce was a part of life. We’re out to change the world that fossil fuels are destroying, we’re going to try anyway. The way we think could change the world.

Budget cuts to education seems like the most idiotic idea ever. Everybody needed to be taught everything they know. Conservatives complain about people not knowing how to speak English, but they don’t want their taxes to pay to educate immigrants. So the solution is to not let anybody in? It’s just racism.

Unfortunately for us, we’re pretty screwed. The job market has gone to crap, limiting our potential careers. You basically have three options:

Why do people care where people come from? Generation Y-ers don’t care. We judge based on what you have to offer as a person.

○Be 8 feet tall and put a ball in a basket

We ask why, WHY do people care where somebody is from? Why do people believe in religion? We don’t hold religion sacred, so the fear of going to hell for breaking the rules doesn’t have the same impact. Sex is a casual thing.

○Have unnatural good looks and starve yourself for the camera ○Or go to college. Considering most of us are not mutants, despite whatever drugs our parents did in the 70s, we are stuck with getting an education. With the economy in the toilet everybody needs help from the government to go to school. We were all promised equal opportunity in 1783 when the Constitution was written.

I know many people who don’t even believe in God. Because of this, it’s a good thing that a separation of church and state is a major founding principle in the Constitution. Unfortunately, conservatives are trying to change that.

or Battle Field. I play these games and no one sees these issues in me.

“Stop playing Xbox and pay attention to me!!!” sound familiar? That would be my girlfriend speaking and possibly a thousand others all over the world.

Have a girlfriendboyfriend? Gaming is also said to impact friendships, relationships and even your sex life. Games don’t just affect those areas though; some games are productive and help increase brain functions to help people. Different impacts occur from gaming, but most of the impacts are positive. Video games are said to lead to violent acts. I say not. In fact a study from researchers at the University of Gothenburg in Sweden found that violent gaming actually leads to cooperation. According to Henry Jenkins at PBS.org, “the quality of home and not the media” is what triggers aggression and violent acts in children and gamers. If anything video games are a way to keep kids from committing violence, the games help keep kids off the street and in their safe, comfy homes.

Why can’t a woman have an abortion? The

Did you know that in 2010 the pregnancy rate of teenage girls went down by a huge amount? Good thing? I think so. The release of Call Of Duty: Black Ops was said to be the leading cause of this statistic. The decrease is “50 percent in the first four months of its release,” according to Casey Flowers from Oucampus.org. At the same time thousands maybe millions of relationships ended as well. I expect this to happen once again since the sequel to Call Of Duty: Black Ops is being released this year in November, maybe the affect will be even larger this time around. Small bad thing, big good thing. Games can be a whole new world, a culture within a culture. Xbox Live and the

thing is, it’s already been decided, Roe vs. Wade already said that an abortion is within a woman’s rights. Conservatives complain about all the single mothers and how much government money that’s taking through welfare, yet if it wasn’t so difficult to have an abortion and people weren’t ostracized for it there wouldn’t be as big of a problem. Bottom line: what a woman does with her body is nobody’s business but her own. Why can’t two men get married? Religious activists campaign against gay marriage. Tattoos are against some religious rules, but nobody is trying to make that illegal. “Because God said so” has absolutely no reign on the Constitution whatsoever. Not all Generation Y-ers feel the way I do, but I think that many agree. Generation Y thinks very differently from past generations, but the normal evolution of society is being blocked by conservatives. It’s not going to die down, it’ll burst. We have the potential to make a great society. But we can’t even go to college.

Playstation Network are two types of social networks created for the ability to play video with people all around the world. It’s a way to become more sociable and learn things about other countries. In fact not all video games are made to entertain. The army and other organizations use video games to train pilots! Some games help teach languages. Scientists create and use games to find cures for diseases while also having some fun. The world of gaming is one of the best things to happen with technology. Whether it’s to find a cure to a major disease, pass time when you’re bored, or even to learn something new. Games are and have been the way to go for years and have an extremely positive effect on society. It’s helpful in unlimited ways that most people don’t know about.

Temple University High School Press | Summer 2012

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Keep Art in Schools Story by: ALEXA HCKLIN Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush

Coming from a high school that integrated

art in every core subject, I find myself questioning how some institutions across the nation can simply cut the arts from their students. The economy can be tough at times, but I don’t believe anyone should have to choose between having math and reading support or having access to the arts. To me, those are all the basics of an education. First Lady Michelle Obama said

Reptiles Can They Be Your New Best Friend? Story by: CORDELIA ROMERO Wayne Valley High School

herself that the “arts are not just a nice thing to have...Rather, paintings and poetry, music and fashion, design and dialogue, they all define who we are as a people and provide an account of history for the next generation.” Art is sometimes looked at as something that takes up money and distracts the student from the more important subjects like math, reading and science. Math and science were my worst subjects throughout my whole academic career. I had a hard time passing tests and was considered to be an “at-risk” student. But once I moved onto high school I noticed how my teachers integrated art in class. And I found myself becoming much more engaged in the lessons. I was actually learning and applying my knowledge outside of the classroom. With this big improvement, came higher test scores and better critical and creative thinking skills. experienced firsthand the hate that they can inspire. But contrary to popular belief, most of them are very calm, docile creatures when cared for properly. A common misconception people have when discussing reptiles is that they’re dangerous, which is true. They can be dangerous when they feel threatened or stressed. Just like humans, they need to be treated with respect, and when that respect is no longer there, they go into defense mode. But if you know how to treat humans, you know how to treat reptiles. If you give them the things they need and are kind to them, they can be some of the nicest pets out there.

Herpetology is the study of reptiles and

amphibians, neither of which are very popular with today’s society. But if you take the time to look and listen, you will see that reptiles can make wonderful pets for people of all ages, despite their flaws. They may not be cuddly, and they may not be playful, but when you choose one to care for, they immediately grow on you.

Another thing people think of when they hear the word “reptile” is “slimy,” or “gross,” neither of which is true. Reptiles are often covered in scales, or have a rough skin that is speckled with little bumps. More often than not, these coverings can sport beautiful colors, as evidenced in the rare Rainbow Leopard Gecko morph and the Panther Chameleon.

As the owner of several reptiles, I have

But you shouldn’t get a reptile just to

18

Temple University High School Press | Summer 2012

In a recent news headline it said that the Upper Darby School Board made plans to cut art and music along with gym, the library and technology programs from elementary and middle schools to save $4 million dollars. Residents from the community and Upper Darby students have already started petitions like “Save Upper Darby Arts” to stop the School Board from making this decision.

if these schools do fundraisers and get donations from the community the arts can stay alive.

When I first heard about this story I had no idea where Upper Darby was and I didn’t know much about its school district. But I did my research and I found out that its performing arts programs are what it is known for. If its art and music programs define the school district, why should they be cut first from the curriculum?

All in all, art is a part of our world and shouldn’t be excluded from any educational program. With a rough economy, tough decisions have to be made. But I do not believe anyone should have to choose between math and reading or art.

I believe these cuts will not only affect the students but also result in teachers losing their jobs. The Board says money is needed to help fund these programs, but I believe use it as a centerpiece of sorts. You still need to take care of it. Lucky for you, they are relatively easy to care for. They are low-maintenance and don’t require much interaction. They are calm, smart, independent animals that can take care of themselves if needed. When it comes to cleaning, they are very neat animals. No fur, no shedding. The only shedding they do is shedding their skin, but cleaning that is just a matter of picking it up and tossing it out, some species even eat their own skin! But as easy as they are to care for, they’re not always cheap. The animal itself usually is, but the provisions are quite costly. First, you need a tank; 10 gallon, 20 gallon, 50 gallon, depending on what reptile you get. Then you need a heat source; either a UTH (Under Tank Heater) or an RH (Radiant Heat). As you may know, reptiles are ectothermic, also known as cold-blooded, which means they can’t regulate their body heat. For your pet to be healthy you need to spend money on a heat source. But don’t let prices deter you from owning a scaly friend. Speaking of friends, you need to find the reptile that is right for you. If you are a

My high school was on a very strict budget and we didn’t have a lot money to update our arts supplies, but we were very passionate about our craft so we did everything we could to raise money for our art.

The arts improve academic achievement and help students with critical and creative thinking and insight into potential careers. If it weren’t for art, I don’t think I would be where I am today.

more hands-on person, then you should stick with something that likes to be held, like a Bearded Dragon, Leopard Gecko or Fat-Tailed Gecko. Another good thing to take into mind is the fact that those animals are all arboreal, which means they are ground dwellers. Arboreal species are easier to care for than others because they prefer to stay low, unlike some lizards that can climb vertical walls, like Day Geckos and Anoles. Due to their calm disposition, they are very popular starter pets and most people begin with them. If you don’t care to touch your reptile, you might want to consider a Chameleon or Iguana. They don’t like to be handled; it can get them stressed and make them sick. Reptiles have personalities, attitudes, likes and dislikes, and I’m sure you do too. You have to watch your reptile to figure out how they feel and what they want. You have to be prepared before you take on the responsibility of taking care of anything, let alone a reptile, and if you do your research, you and your new friend can be together for a long time. tuhspress2012.wordpress.com


Cows Deserve Care

Story by: JOVAN LONGS-TUCKER Central High School

Animals are often subjected to harsh

conditions and barbarous treatment for a quick profit. Animals should be managed properly and provided adequate nutrition. For instance, data shows that corn-fed cows have relatively poor health compared to grass-fed cows. In fact, James B. Russell of the Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture in Ithaca, New York said, “When cattle are fed grain, productivity is increased, but fiberdeficient rations can disrupt physiological mechanisms.” Furthermore, ill-fed animals

Will Drive-In Theaters Drive the Future? Story by: HEIDIE MOJICA Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush

I know I don’t like routines, so hanging out at the same spot and doing the same old thing goes against the whole idea of going out to do something new.

However, oddly enough, what I have discovered is that if you want to do something new and different you have to bring back the old. From what I’ve seen, people from every generation are looking for ways to “go back in time.” tuhspress2012.wordpress.com

are more prone to disease, which results in an increased chance that humans may potentially become sick from consuming the animal by-products.

from drinking milk from diseased cows. The milk contains the bacteria Mycobacteria paratuberculosis, which can cause stomach flu and diarrhea.

About sixty-seven percent of all cows used for beef consumption and twenty-two percent of all cows used for dairy products in the United States are injected with artificial growth hormones. In particular, the chemical rBGh (Recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone) is given to a widespread number of cows to increase their milk production.

Dr. Carl Berkley, a research scientist at the Animals Research Institute, cautioned people to not consume the meat byproducts of sickly cows. He noted that diseases such as anthrax that infect cows can easily be transmitted to human via meat consumption. Eating meat infected with anthrax may result in infertility.

The more milk that an animal can produce results in higher profit. Another side effect of ingesting rBGh is the cows reaching a faster slaughter weight. These malnourished cows are often prone to diseases like mastitis, an udder infection that causes the cows to secrete blood and pus in their milk. In addition, consuming excessive amounts of corn can cause ulcers in the animals, and E.Coli may form in the digestion tract of the animals. E.Coli can cause bloody diarrhea, and it can result in kidney failure in children. Getting Crohn’s disease is another effect

Evidence shows that large corporations continue to prosper from animal malnutrition. It is important to note that most beef products today come from cows that are about fourteen or sixteen months old. These cows are fed a diet of protein supplements, corn, antibiotics and other drugs, including growth hormones. In fact, a properly nourished cow requires about one thousand two hundred pounds of grass for at least two years to be healthy. Since low quality diets require

For the health of the animal and the consumer, it is important to respect the cows and manage them with proper care.

Films have been a part of American culture for many decades and since history has a way of repeating itself, Americans have rediscovered a favored pastime of the 50s and 60s: the drive-in theater. Richard M. Hollingshead invented the drive-in in 1933 in Camden, N.J. By 1958 there were 5,000 different drive-ins in America. Now less than 400 remain.

Mom to take me to the closest drive-in near us, which is down in South Jersey. The hour ride was definitely worth it although I wish a drive-in were closer to us so others from this area could get a blast from the past like I did.

We drove in and parked our car in front of screen two and walked around until our films started. Drive-ins always offer a double feature for the price of one ticket and occasionally triple features.

I remember watching Rugrats as a kid and I thought it was “cool” when they watched Reptar on the huge screen outside. Later on, I saw The Outsiders, which had scenes in a drive-in, but I thought drive-ins didn’t exist anymore. Zoom in a bit more into the future and here’s me at the Temple University Summer Journalism program for high school students looking for something to base my editorial on. After hours of research I said I have to go to a drive-in. Now considering that I actually had a legitimate reason to go, I convinced my

The Delsea Drive-In is located in Vineland, N.J. and is now the only remaining drive-in in New Jersey. It originally opened in 1949, and closed in 1987. But thanks to John DeLeonardis, and wife Jude, it reopened on July 23, 2004. The DeLeonardis’ were originally looking for a place to open an indoor skate park so kids in that area could have more to do, but their plans took a different direction. This drive-in shows films on two different screens one of which has survived since 1940. The drive-in sells food, novelties and T-shirts. Our tickets were $9 for adults and for kids eleven and under like my little sister it was $4 (kids under three enter for free).

less money, this remains to be the status quo. Cows that have a dietary deficiency are in a state of poor physical condition. They are often weak, have a rough dry coat, a humped back and protruding bones. Other features include shriveled muscles and organs and sunken eyes. Additional symptoms include lethargy, swelling gums, and neurotic behavior. Statistics can only describe the inhumane treatment of the animals, but one single picture of these mistreated animals is truly horrifying. What are the stakes? While it may seem profitable to feed poor diets and growth hormones to farm animals, it is not. Typically, malnourished cattle have a short lifespan because they live stressful lives. Furthermore, sickly animals produce foul odors and are more difficult to manage.

The Delsea has come a long way since its opening. “I always want to improve,” says Jude. “There’s been a numerous amount of improvements made here since July 23, 2004. We started with nothing. We started with a tent out here, and added the outdoor freezer and refrigerator.” The Delsea projects films from two separate booths, but Jude said they plan to convert to digital as soon as possible. “Everybody wants to improve and improvements take what? Money!” In comparison to the boardwalk, and even to an indoor complex, the drive-in theater is a much cheaper alternative to enjoying a fun night out.

Temple University High School Press | Summer 2012

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The Psychological Effects from Abuse

lot of stress and pain. You can get so much stress that you will end up in a hospital or worse – dead.

Bok Technical High School

With mental abuse you tend to start losing your mind and that can cause long term harm. When anybody is making fun of you over and over again you tend to internalize that and begin believing what they are saying.

Story by: TANISHA LAMPART

Mental abuse is something very harmful to your life. Many things can occur when you are getting abused mentally by loved ones, friends and even strangers. When you are getting abused mentally, you come under a

Why Do Teenagers Spend So Much Time On Social Networks? Story by: OBADIAH FULLER Parkway West High School

Some teenagers spend three to five hours a day on social network sites. Why? Some say that they do this in order to escape.

There is so much that teenagers go through and sometimes it feels like no one is ready to listen. So teenagers feeling kind of sad or lonely turn to the computer and post how they feel. When you’re posting something where a bunch a people can see it, you’re bound to get some people who understand how you 20

People who abuse mentally tend to say that it’s always your fault and they will put the blame on you at all times. Then you start to believe the abuser more than you believe in yourself. You start getting brainwashed and you will stop trusting in your own judgment. The person who is brainwashing you can take over your life now. Mental abuse is a form of mental disorders that are common in America and in other countries. It is estimated by the National just need to escape it all. Sometimes that’s why people do some crazy stuff. They have no one to talk to who believes them or is really listening. When you express yourself through the web you don’t always have to worry about being judged. You never know if you’ll meet that person who’s behind the screen which makes opening up much easier. Then that person becomes like your confidante and then you always go online to talk to that person.

Institute of Mental Health that an average of 26.2 percent of all Americans over the age of 18 suffers from some kind of mental disorder in any given year.

Psychological abuse can be done to men, women and teens. It’s widely accepted and tolerated because no one can understand what is going on including the victims.

Psychological abuse is messing with your mind. It’s one of the MOST lethal forms of emotional abuse. Psychological abuse can produce suicides. Suicides are the third leading cause of deaths for young persons aged 15-24 according to TeenHelp.com.

Self esteem primarily depends on our feelings about ourselves but it is bolstered when we are surrounded by those with whom we feel, appreciated, admired, loved, supported, respected, valued and understood, especially from someone who is supposed to love you.

Psychological abuse also destroys your confidence, creativity and individuality. You start to believe there is something wrong with you because of the way you feel. Abusers also attack and undermine all the things you do. But when they invalidate our feelings about it all a person can figuratively, if not literally drive you crazy and that’s why we feel crazy. and gaining power and all that ability to do things that you know you would never really do. When you take on the role of someone you escape your problems. Sometimes your mind can be a dangerous thing especially if you’re being picked on or bullied you can’t control you’re thinking. Also escaping can help you to clear your mind and to think and even help you forget the stuff you’re going through.

Opening up to someone that you don’t have to see all the time, or not at all, makes their opinion easier to digest; also because it isn’t going to be biased. The person will just give it to you straight and not something sugar- coated because they’re your friend. When you have someone giving you the information straight you tend to see what you did wrong also and you can’t play the victim.

Another reason people spend so much time online is because going outside isn’t the thing anymore. A couple of years before all these social medias, most teenagers would spend their time outside hanging with friends or jumping rope -- doing something that takes more than your hands. No one wants to be outside all alone, so now they jump on the computer, get out of the fresh air and start moving nothing but their hands; for hours at a time. This has become the new way of interacting with people, from behind a computer screen and not real actual contact.

Online you never have to be yourself; you can be anybody. On a site like Facebook or Teenspot you can be someone different. It’s like a video game and going into that virtual world and becoming a different character

Good and bad things can come from this but we teenagers really don’t care, most times we focus ons what’s popular, and that gets us to the real reason why teenagers spend so much time online. Everybody’s doing

Temple University High School Press | Summer 2012

So how can you fight to avoid psychological abuse? One easy way is to eliminate the people from your life who are causing the mental abuse. Another way is to be stronger and believe in yourself. And getting therapy is always helpful. it, and everyone wants to be in the “knowloop.” Everything that’s going on in their world is on social networks. No teenager wants to be out of the loop on what’s the trending topic on Twitter, or what’s going on in their friend’s life giving them insight into basically everything that they’re doing and how they are feeling. That’s the thing now, plus you have so many ways to stay up on the information other than a computer. You have the cell phone, iPod, iPad, Ps2 & 3, Wii and DS, all of these devices go onto the Internet and give you some type of connection onto Facebook or Twitter. This is another reason why teenagers spend so much time online -everything connects to the Internet. There’s no escaping it or getting around it. The Internet has become too prominent and very accessible, which is more reason to get on and stay on. Little- to- no thought really has to be put in when you’re writing statuses or trying to post as many tweets as you want without getting put in Twitter jail. There are many reasons why teens spend so much time on social networks, and now that you know a couple, let me go post this article online. tuhspress2012.wordpress.com


Experts’ Opinions Confuse Autism Issues Story by: DAYANE OLIVEIRA Arts Academy at Benjamin Rush

Some claim Autism cases have grown from 1 in every 2,000 Americans to 1 in every 88. Some claim that now it’s easier to diagnose but others disagree. They argue that doctors are misdiagnosing and sometimes even mistaking Autism with other medical conditions. Different people take differing positions on Autism.

With the subject of Autism a variety of

information is available on the Internet. However that variety of information can be both positive and negative. It’s positive to be able to analyze all sides of a subject but when there is a variety of inconsistent information about a medical condition, it can have a negative effect; especially for a parent whose child is taking medicine and receiving treatment that may not be necessary. Autism is now considered an epidemic but many professionals don’t agree with that.

LGBTQ History Needs to Come Out of the Closet Story by: KRYSTAL FLOYD Academy at Palumbo

There are homosexuals all over the

world who come from every racial and religious background. For centuries, many LGBTQ people (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning) have been reprimanded for who they choose to love as tuhspress2012.wordpress.com

For example, a 2009 study published by the American Academy of Pediatrics showing the prevalence of autism diagnosis produced reactions claiming that over a third of such diagnoses were wrong and the claims of a big “epidemic” were also wrong. On the other hand, Indiana Congressman Dan Burton feels there is an Autism epidemic, placing the blame on a mercurybased preservative found in vaccines given to children. Burton said his opinion comes from his very complex research including closely watching the condition of an autistic grandson who received seven vaccines containing the mercury preservative in one day shortly before the child was diagnosed with autism. Others argue that Autism is now easier to part of the long history of discrimination they endure. There have been rumors that James Buchanan, a 19th Century U.S. President, had a partner by the name of Rufus King to whom he shared his home with but a homosexual relationship between them was never confirmed. Famed writer Langston Hughes was gay although his homosexuality was downplayed and often ignored in his plays. In his poems, Hughes would mention having intercourse with other men and once said ironically, “There are some things I don’t tell nobody, not even God. He might know about them, but it ain’t because I told him.” In the early 1950s, a 24-year-old former GI born with the name George William Jorgensen came home after being honorably discharged and decided to have sex-reassignment surgery in order to

recognize following the introduction of new diagnostic subcategories like Asperger’s Syndrome. All of this can be quite confusing for an ordinary person who looks up Autism and realizes that there is a big inconsistency in the information about it. People are exposed to all different types of information and eventually have to decide which side seems more reasonable and fits better to their personal case. It’s not an easy chore and people shouldn’t have the responsibility of making such a risky decision especially when it involves their loved one’s future. It’s difficult to understand the whole concept behind the identification of autism because the symptoms can collide with other medical conditions’ symptoms. A cousin of mine, who is 10-years-old now, was diagnosed with Autism at age four and later when he was 8-years-old he wasn’t “qualified” for it anymore. Another cousin of mine was diagnosed with Autism due to her different behavior. She was given prescription medication and become a woman. While visiting relatives out of the country, Jorgensen met Danish Dr. Christian Hamburger who would give Jorgensen the surgery in Demark. Jorgensen gave herself the name Christine to honor Dr. Hamburger. When Jorgensen returned to the United States, she was an instant celebrity. Unfortunately, Jorgensen didn’t have much luck with love. She was engaged twice to different men but was denied a marriage license because she was born male. On May third of 1989, Christine Jorgensen died of lung and bladder cancer at the age of 62. Matthew Shepard was a 21-year-old homosexual male and a student at the University of Wyoming. As a young man, Matthew was described as very helpful and a well-liked person. He was glad that when he came out of the closet with his sexual orientation that his parents were not

therapy but years later it was found that in reality she had hearing hyperacusis (oversensitivity to certain frequency ranges of sound). This condition caused her to behave the way she did. All she really needed was a hearing device to help her with her hearing problem. People develop differently at different pace. We can’t all be the same. Some of us are better with language, some with mathematics and logic, while others are better athletes. There are even the ones who are good at everything. We should all be free to be the three dimensional creatures that we are even if that is not being as social as the majority. The human craving for control has gotten out of hand leading to the creation of various medical conditions that can’t be treated and serve only to segregate of the minority that behaves differently. Certainly there are many people who really have Autism and need the treatment. But the expansion of the Autism Spectrum has led to many cases of misdiagnosis that will surely affect not only those individuals’ lives but the lives of people who have severe autism that needs to be treated. outraged. One night, on October 6 of 1998, Matthew was at a bar where he met two men telling them he was gay. The pair planned to rob Matthew, driving to the outskirts in Laramie, Wyoming, where they beat Matthew with a pistol, tortured and tied Matthew to a fence, leaving him for dead. Matthew spent 18-hours out in the cold dying later in a hospital. His killers received life sentences. Eleven years after Shepard death, the Matthew Shepard Act was passed in October 2009 making it a federal crime to assault someone based on gender identity or sexual orientation. LGBTQ people should never face discrimination. Millions of LGBTQ people have been murdered, bullied and assaulted for who they are and this needs to stop.

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Navigating the Rocky Road to Stardom Story by: VICTORIA LEE Academy at Palumbo

“Congratulations you have won this year’s Mall Model Search of 2011.” Anxiety; disbelief were definitely the first two things I felt when I received the one year contract with Model Productions. Finally thinking this was my opportunity to be somebody, however I never expected for this contract

Human Trafficking

Story by: EMMANUEYNE DARGBEH Academy at Palumbo

to affect so much of my life. You’re already informed upfront on the risks of what it means to have a contract. But what you really need to know are things that the companies think really don’t matter. What everyone should know before they decide they want to go down this “road to stardom” are five things: 1. Patience: So let’s say you just got a contract for modeling or acting. A few days go by and you are patiently waiting to hear from your agent. The same agent who told you she was going to call and let you know when an audition would come up; so be prepared. You practice your walk every day like today is the day before you walk on the runway. You stand in front of the mirror for the different poses you’re going to need for your photo shoot with Teen magazine. You have your monologue memorized frontwards and backwards. Time goes by and not one single email or phone call was made by your agent. The best thing to do when this happens is to continue practicing and make sure your “gift” (whether it’s acting or seldom the rescuer. However, we should be careful not to deny male survivors of trafficking their status of victims. Human trafficking is an issue that harms both sexes. It’s not simply a women’s issue, it’s everyone’s.

what is the first thing that comes to mind? Most likely it will be a stereotypical Hollywood imagery of an international young woman trafficked across borders as in, Taken, a group of malnourished children forced to harvest distant crops as in Blood Diamond, or an inner city brothel exposed as exploiting dozens of young girls and women.

While women and children are believed to be the main victims of human- trafficking, given their increased vulnerability in many countries, men make up a significant percentage of victims as well. However as men are mostly trafficked into labor positions, also they are harder to discover and rescue. This leads to under-reporting. Some countries do not even have laws in place against labor trafficking, making it virtually impossible to find, prosecute or record these cases. Alarming statistics produced by the U.S. State Department report that between 2006 and 2008, the percentage of adult male victims of human trafficking jumped from 6 percent to 45 percent.

The usual place men occupy in these stories is that of the “bad guy,” rarely the victims,

According to the Trafficking in Persons: Global patterns report, “It is men especially

When you think about human trafficking

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Temple University High School Press | Summer 2012

modeling) is really perfect. 2. It’s not the end of the world: Stay calm and don’t panic. It’s not the end the world that you didn’t make the cut. There will always be times when you don’t get the call back or pass the audition. So you didn’t get the call back, what are you planning to do now? Ask yourself, how long did it take for your agent to get you that one audition that you didn’t even get? About a few weeks, maybe even a few months? By that time you gotten your first audition your one year contract could be almost over. At this point what you should do if you hadn’t already, find auditions online yourself because it may help you in the long run. 3. Parents’ approval: Finally you have another shot at another audition the agency found you. The next step you need to complete before you go to the audition is talk to your parents about it. See if they can take you to the audition and if they have any concerns on what’s going to happen if you pass the audition. Sometimes your parents who might be expected to be trafficked for forced labor.” However, forced labor is not the only facet of human trafficking in which males become trapped. A group at risk for exploitation is homosexual young men. They are at an increased risk of becoming homeless by being kicked out of their homes or running away to escape abuse and harassment either from school or home. More than one study has indicated that homeless and runaway youths are among the easiest targets for traffickers and pimps. Often these young men, forced to engage in “survival sex,” are swept up into trafficking, and there’s not much said or done about it because the world’s mindset cannot accept the fact that males are indeed victims. Now, don’t go thinking that only homosexual males are affected by this horrible situation because that would be completely FALSE. Straight males are also sexually exploited, they just seem to be harder targets. One of the many problems that render male victims invisible is that abuse occurs secretly, making it difficult to document and track.

might not agree with the steps you need to take in order to pass this particular audition. Parental disapproval can cause you to miss out on a lot of auditions. 4. Friends: Remember your friends are the ones who are always there for you. Don’t keep blowing your friends off for work because the first few times they will be supportive and understanding but the next time they might not be. True friends and family should always come first because you never know when you may need to lean on them. 5. School: Don’t forget about school! School is very important; more important than acting or modeling. You never want to fail in school or skip out on assignments just because of auditions. Your school work is always your top priority because if acting or modeling doesn’t work out, you need a safety net to fall back on. That safety net is your education so you can get a stable job. So pay attention in school you never know if you may need it. Despite the under-reporting and the general lack of government interest in male victims, there is information showing that men and boys are victims of multiple forms of human trafficking, including of course, prostitution. The “bacha bereesh,” the dancing boys in northern Afghanistan, are kidnapped, raped and traded among the wealthy war lords. The worst part is this has been going on for generations, it is part of their culture, lifestyle and religion. The boys ages range from 11 to 18 years of age. They are poor, which makes them easy prey because they get bribed with money. The reason why people think boys and men are not victims of sex trafficking is because no one bothers to look for them. No one bothers to ask about them. No one bothers to reach out to them. And because no one reaches out to male victims, trafficked boys and men will not reach out for help. They live under the same threats that female victims do, and the only way to break fear’s grip on them is to offer them the acknowledgment and support they need to break free. tuhspress2012.wordpress.com


Prisons vs. Schools: How Should the Government Spend Our Money? Story by: JANIECE OWENS Paul Robeson High School

now is, why do they need so much money for prisons? The cost of one inmate could pay for two students to go to Penn State. Something else that is affected by this is the fact that prison inmates have no higher than an 8th grade reading level and 42.8 percent have less than a 12th grade reading level. Prisons should not get most of the state’s or country’s funding. If Governor Tom Corbett and his administration had succeeded with their “Master Plan” for higher education, they would spend about twice as much on prisons than on colleges. In 2009-10, the state had a budget of $1.8 billion on corrections and college funding was $1.5 billion. If the Governor had done what he pleased, they would spend $1.9 billion on corrections and $980 million on colleges in 2012-13.

Prisons over Universities is the issue now.

The annual cost per inmate in 1980 was $11,447 but in 2012 the cost of an inmate is now $32,986 according to the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections. This shows a dramatic increase in the cost of keeping one inmate. Little do people know that one student could attend Penn State University for $15,562 or Temple University for $13,006. The question

Fight Teen Violence Story by: SYDNEY GEATHERS Paul Robeson High School

It is real -- shootings, fights and suicides.

Teenage violence is a big issue in news today. Hundreds and hundreds of dollars are spent to enforce curfews. There are budget cuts with teachers losing jobs, kids not finding jobs, schools cutting off some tuhspress2012.wordpress.com

Truth be told, in 2011-12 it costs way more to keep a prisoner than to educate a student. Pennsylvania will have 49,000 inmates at a cost of $35,188 per inmate and spend $9.3 billion to eduicate 1.8 million students at a cost of $5,305 per child. That speaks for itself. State funded colleges in Pennsylvania have been cut by one-third since the recession. This budget says that in 2013 the state will be spending twice as much on prisons than extracurricular activities, etc. All of the plans are not good for teens and might lead to violence. Teens are angry and will take their anger out on others. We need teachers. Teachers give good advice and with less teachers at school and an increase amount of students in one class, it’s hard to talk- out issues, ask questions or even have that one- on- one conversation. Then you have people skipping class, leaving school, coming late or not coming at all, and you wonder why. Cutting off some extracurricular activities is not going to help either. The activities keep kids off the street and let them do something with their lives. By having kids participating they’ll have fun. It’ll help with getting into good colleges, it’s good for fitness, and the

on colleges. That makes me question the government’s ideas and budget plans. To make matters worse the prisoners aren’t even getting their hands on the money, it’s going to the states so they can keep the prisons up and running while colleges are going into debt. In 2009-10 corrections was $1,766 and higher education was $1,487, now in 2013-13 corrections is $1,867 and higher education is $977. The money should be going to colleges. The students probably have no idea how much money they could have. I don’t think we have enough supporters. If it was up to me I would cut half the budget on prisons and give it to colleges. It don’t make any sense to spend that much money on prisons when your saving money by spending it on students going to college. However, there are many people who support more money for schools like Professor Prudence Carter of the Standford School of Education. She says that “in some districts less than 50 percent of students are not graduating, we need to stop this trend of drop-outs feeding the prisons systems.”

should know these things because their children are missing out and losing money that could give them higher education and possibly pay for it all. This idea of less money to colleges and universities is crazy. Putting more of the states money into prisons than into schools is insane. What is the government thinking now? They are defeating the purpose of having universities in America to better student’s education instead of putting more prisons into action. The students will also lose books, supplies and most important, grant money to get to college. College is really expensive and they should be using that money and giving it to students. Giving us less prisons by closing them down and opening up more colleges and universities. They can even send prisoners to colleges. Its almost like they want students to go to drop out and head on a one-way ticket to prison.

Once again they should invest their money into scholarships for students or grants for students. The more prisons we have the bigger influence it will have on students dropping out and going to prison. People

Parents and students should protest at the fact that prisoners are getting more money than college students. It is almost like prisons are taking over and the citizens don’t even know it yet. The states talk about how they want to send their students to college, but to me the prisons are taking over. From the look of this, they might as well build a prison in a college.

kids will do better in school because they know they won’t be on the team unless their grades are right so there will be better attendance in school and more people graduating.

Curfews, is that still happening? If so don’t punish the people who aren’t doing wrong instead of the people who are. It only makes the people who weren’t doing wrong mad and so they then want to start trouble.

No jobs, no money, more problems. Teens need jobs; it also keeps them from doing wrong and off the streets. Having jobs helps them to have experience. Jobs don’t always have to be places like fast food restaurants or clothing stores but it is a good start.

What Mayor Nutter doesn’t think about is the effect of everything; he just thinks of one thing and says other stuff once his plans backfire. Curfews worked at first but now it seems like there are no curfews and violence is still here. Curfews only work for keeping teens or kids getting out of the street but does it really help with drug use, pregnancies, drinking and hanging with the wrong people? No, not really.

But teens need experience, there is a competition with adults and teens when getting jobs with people getting laid off they claim that teens have “lower skills, reduced labor force attachment and rising inequality” but we’re the future and we need help too.

There’s not really a single cause or solution for teen violence but all you need to do is try and help or just care enough to listen.

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Photo By: Naja Butler Paul Robeson High School

About the Program

The Temple University High School Press, now in its third year, is a summer enrichment program operated by the Journalism Department of Temple University’s School of Media and Communication in cooperation with The School District of Philadelphia and Prime Movers-Philadelphia, an affiliate of the Prime Movers Media Program in Washington, D.C. The Philadelphia Daily News printed this publication – free of charge -- to display the work of the 20 students who wrote articles and blogs, took photographs and created video works over four weeks during July and August. More of their work is accessible at tuhspress2012.wordpress.com. Students were provided this opportunity through the Career and Technical Education Summer Employment Program of the school district’s Office of High School Reform. Participants received a stipend through The WorkReady Program, which is managed by The Philadelphia Youth Network. This program was also supported by The Dow Jones News Fund and the Wyncote Foundation. The student journalists were Carlos Alicea, Netera Brickle, Naja Butler, Madeline Clapier, Emmanuelyne Dargbeh, Krystal Floyd, Imani Foreman, Obadiah Fuller, Sydney Geathers, Alexa Hicklin, Brittany Jacobs, Tanisha Lampart, Victorie Lee, Jovan Longs-Tucker, Heidie Mojica, Dayane Oliveira, Janiece Owens, Abigail Perlman, Cordelia Romero, and Nyshadae’ Taylor. Maida Odom, Reginald Moton, Kenisha Pinckney, Alberto Romero, Linn Washington and Lisa Wilk served as supervising staff. 24

Temple University High School Press | Summer 2012

Photos by Andrew Mendelson tuhspress2012.wordpress.com


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