RamPage The Englewood High School
Volume 52, Issue 2 Feb. 14, 2011
RamPage drug survey reveals boys and girls have mixed usage A RamPage investigative team spent the last nine weeks creating and executing a school-wide survey to see what illegal drugs are an issue on campus. After tallying more than 1,000 surveys, some conclusions were obvious, others a little more shocking. Inside (pages 11-12) is a comprehensive look at the drug use among EHS students. By: Charlotte Wright and Deja Martinez Boys on campus are getting involved in illegal drugs more than girls across all grade levels, but there are spikes in cocaine and over-the-counter drugs usage from class to class that don’t follow this gender trend. At least, this was the finding of a school-wide drug survey given in December. Boys, grade by grade, consistently answered yes to every question more than girls. One exception came on the question where Ram Page reporters asked if students thought marijuana use led to other drugs. Girls, grade by grade, agreed marijuana use leads to other substance abuse more than the boys did. Overall, marijuana is the most used-drug on campus. This is sometimes evident as students walk past the stench coming from the bathrooms. Almost half
of all students in every grade admitted to either be using or having used marijuana. The highest percentage of users was senior boys, with more than 3 out 5 saying they currently use marijuana. Science teacher Cari Verschueren was not surprised by the findings in the survey. “I wouldn’t be surprised if there were more than 3 out of 5 senior boys smoking marijuana,” she said. On the other side, freshmen girls have the lowest numbers of marijuana smokers at 31 percent. Senior girls, most of who can legally buy cigarettes and rolling papers, are the second highest smokers as a group with more than half of the senior females admitting to smoking marijuana. RamPage reporters asked students if they ever used over-the-counter (OTC) medicine to get high, with the highest number of users coming from
sophomore boys at 20 percent. Studies show that abuse of OTC drugs might be prevalent among teens due to the drugs being available at pharmacies and grocery stores. The highest percentage of girls who said they experimented with OTC drugs were senior girls at 10 percent. Alcohol was also popular among students, and consumption was highest among sophomore boys and senior boys. About one in five senior boys drink weekly or more. More than a quarter of sophomore boys admitted to drinking weekly or more. On the female side, 21 percent
of freshmen girls drink weekly, which is 6 percent more than senior and sophomore girls, and 9 percent more than junior girls. - Christopher Cartwright, Addie Crosby and Suzy Sisljagic contributed to this report.
For more coverage on drug use among EHS teens, please see “Losing to meth” below and turn to pages 11 and 12
Wake up, seniors!
More than one-third of EHS seniors at risk of not getting a diploma if they don’t pass the Reading FCAT retakes in April. By: Asija Pasic The pressure is on for the 145 out of 404 seniors who have not yet passed the Reading FCAT. If they don’t pass the retakes in April, they will walk across the graduation stage to receive a certificate of completion instead of a diploma. “Students need to take ownership of their own learning,” said Principal Mr. Corey Wright, adding that sometimes students can be apathetic, or uncaring, about learning until it becomes a requirement for graduation. He hopes the underclassmen will break this trend, and see the signs. Englewood is showing
Picture of Durbin’s Room
growth in the percentage of seniors passing, Wright said, but students need to do a better job of helping each other succeed. The first discipline students can focus on is concentrating on all the practice tests like Benchmarks and FAIR testing. “If the students take pretesting seriously, teachers can know what to teach,” Wright said. Wright said taking tests seriously is like telling a doctor what is wrong with you. A patient would not complain of a headache when he has a stomach ache and expect the proper medicine. Wright said to take advantage of all the opportunities Englewood provides, through tutoring and helping teachers help personal weaknesses.
Mrs. Jessica Durbin’s class practices for the Reading FCAT
For complete FCAT tutoring schedule and tips on how to succeed, please turn to page 16
“If you really know me” visits Englewood ences.
By: Bryanna Cooper and Terry Johnson Laughter filled the gym as teachers and administrators danced like fools to the once popular hit “Walk It Out” by DJ Unk. This was the hilarious kickoff to what became a somber day of reflecting on past pain with the hope of finding some relief. The atmosphere of Challenge Day two weeks ago was a mix of fun, sympathy and trying to understand one another’s daily obstacles. To help ease tension and break the semi-awkwardness, people like brothers Broderick and Ronald Cyler broke out into the Dougie Dance.“By the end of today, someone has to teach me how to Dougie,” said Challenge Day coordinator Chris. Back into their assigned groups of four or five, the students happiness soon turned, as the memories of their past flooded their thoughts and words. Tissues appeared, to help stop the cycle of tears. Yellow and blue lines of tape marked the gym floor to separate students and teachers into two groups. A coordinator asked a series of questions – from suicide attempts, to murder to abuse and a dozen other tragic and question – and students marched from line to line based on their experi-
Losing to Meth
By: Jennifer Clifton My brother, Kyle, shot himself in the head on my 15th birthday last March and at first, I blamed myself. He had started experimenting with meth three years earlier, and by the time he ended his life, he was more than likely taking it every day. Living with our cousin in a home at the beach, he’d turned 21 a few days earlier. I didn’t know he was shooting
meth until he died, but looking back, the warning signs were there years before he pulled the trigger. And I feel awful about how I sometimes treated him when he came around the house high. I wish I had reached out more when I knew he was losing control because of this drug. I wish I had been there for him as sister. Continued on page 11 “SUICIDE”
“Love pages inside”
Amid the despair and sorrow, signs of love and hope rose. Cynthia Sing, a junior, said she went through a mixture of emotions. “In the beginning, you were paranoid and choosing who you’d avoid and you only just sat down, then in the end, you’re ecastic and wanted to hug everyone and give them a smile,” Sing said. Many students commented that they found relief in knowing that so many others shared their experiences. This made them stop feeling alone. “Challenge Day is an experience I think the whole school should do at one time to see what’s taking place in the school they attend and how they are making it worse for others or improving,” said junior De’Borah Israel, 16.
Raising the grade the Wright way By: Michael Adams Sadie Bishop is proud to be going to a C school. She called the move from a D to a C grade last year a step up, and believes the students have to work hard to help maintain the grade so everyone can be proud of Englewood’s continued successes. “I am trying to make all A’s next semester,” the honors freshman said. “Maybe me getting all A’s will influence my friends to get all A’s and help the school grade.” The road to gaining a C was
not easy, according to administrators and teachers. After practice test after practice test last year, the consistent focus lessons in every core subject and an obvious discipline to improve, students and faculty at Englewood have risen to increase the school grade to a C. Principal Corey Wright said the faculty is working hard to keep or increase the grade next year. “I am certainly excited about the progress Englewood is making,” Wright said. Continued on page 5 “EHS C”
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Best of the 2000s Closing out 2010, the RamPage staff opened 2011 with a look back at the past decade.
Greatest patriotic moment September 11, 2001
The nation mourned for months, if not years, after terrorists hijacked and flew commercial airlines in the World Trade Center the morning of Sept. 11, 2001. Despite the tears, Americans were brought closer together as they tried to understand each other’s pain. The patriotism surged, and it seemed as though every car had a flag, and every home had some tribute to those lost. This led to two wars – in Iraq and Afghanistan – and we are still reminded about this day by the ribbon magnets supporting America’s troops as they help defend the freedom the terrorists tried to break down, but failed to destroy on that horrible day. - Renee Venson
Most tragic Heath celebrity death. Ledger
Anyone who loves movies will likely remember hearing of the death of rising movie star Heath Ledger in January 2008. Ledger’s most memorable performances are probably his roles in Brokeback Mountain where he portrayed a homosexual cowboy, and in The Dark Knight, where he took the role of the psychotic Joker. He was nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor for his role in Brokeback Mountain and won Best Supporting Actor for The Dark Knight. After his death, investigators found prescription pills at his bedside and doctors concluded his heart stopped, possibly due to an overdose. His final movie was The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus. -From staff
Best Romance Series of the Decade
Twilight The most popular vampire romance series is Twilight Series, by Stephanie Meyer. Between the sparkling, shirtless vampires and and steaming werewolves running around, the Twilight series seems to capture ALL ages, from little girls to older women. The Twilight series was based on a dream Meyer had in 2003. Her books soon inspired millions of teenage girls to daydream about who would hook up with the main character, Bella. Girls broke into two teams: Team Jacob or Team Edward. The series became an instant hit on its release Nov. 21, 2008, grossing $35 million on its first day and nearly $70 million its first weekend. Based on her books -Twilight, New Moon, Eclipse, and Breaking Dawn – which were all published between 2005 and 2008, the Twilight movie was filmed shortly after. -Quierra Harris
Best Celebrity Putdown Kanye West versus Taylor Swift
On September 13, 2009, Taylor Swift was presented with the Best Female Video Award for “You Belong With Me” at the MTV Video Music Awards beating Beyoncé and Lady Gaga. Moments later, West stormed on stage cutting off the teen singer mid-sentence by grabbing her microphone. “I’m sorry, but Beyoncé had one of the best videos of all time,” he said, as Beyoncé looked bewildered in the crowd. Swift appeared equally shocked, but took it in stride. This stirred up a lot of drama for West as people began talking about it on the internet and news. West finally decided to apologize on his blog and on his Twitter account the next morning. The two eventually wrote songs about each other. -Quierra Harris
Best Athlete
Tim Tebow Besides being one of the best college football athletes of the decade, Florida Gator quarterback Tim Tebow will also be remembered for his giving spirit. Volunteering his time to less advantaged, and living a squeaky-clean career as one of college football’s greatest players. Tebow said his faith, family, friends and education always came before football. “He made a huge impact outside of college football,” says sophomore Noah Frederick, 16. Tebow entered the University of Florida in 2006 and by his sophomore year he became the Florida Gators’ starting quarterback. Tebow went on to rush for 57 touchdowns, breaking the Southeastern Conference (SEC) record. Though he was homeschooled, Tebow inspires states to follow Florida’s law allowing homeschoolers to participate in school sports. He signed up to play at Nease High School in St. Johns County. Some say he was destined for greatness as a kid, where it is reported he could throw a football 50 yards by the time he was 12. Ending his college football career with a Heisman trophy, Tebow is now the starting quarterback for the NFL team Denver Broncos. - Renee Venson
Best Teen Pop Star
Hannah Montana Destiny Hope Jackson, or Miley Cyrus, was born already a famous name. Her father, Billy Ray Cyrus, famous country singer and actor, nicknamed her how we know her for her smiley personality “Miley.” Born on November 23, 1992, in Franklin, Tenn., Miley grew up and received an offer to be in a new hit show on Disney Channel “Hannah Montana.” Hannah Montana, where Miley plays a regular girl named Miley Stewart who is living a double life as Hannah the biggest superstar on television, and Miley a regular girl who attends regular school like everyone else. Cyrus was not only is a big hit on her television show, but she also debuted with an album in 2006 “Meet Miley Cyrus.” Cyrus has a huge impact on kids of all age groups, earning her a RamPage Best Of the 2000’s award. -Renee Venson
Most Shocking Celeberity Death
Michael Jackson Michael Jackson was born to be “The King of Pop.” From being childhood star to a solo artist, Jackson was always loved but of course hated. Although Jackson went through many trials – from his mysteriously changing looks to dangling one of his children off a balcony – his true fans still supported him throughout it all. On June 25, 2009, when Jackson was announced dead, the news shook the world. Dozens of celebrities who were inspired by Michael Jackson performed and spoke at his memorial. Every news and music channel played Michael Jackson’s music, memorial, and biography. Around the time of his death he was planning a new tour “This Is It” which would be his last ever, and his ticket sold out in seconds. Although he couldn’t have this show, the fans still got a piece of what it might have been like, when Sony decided to make it into a documentary of him practicing for his last tour, which was name “This Is It.” Michael Jackson will always be remembered for his music, single glove, white socks and penny toes, the moonwalk, and all of his many fashion styles, and for being a humanitarian. -Quierra Harris
Most Annoying Celebrity She was born on Nov. 28, 1967, as Vickie Lynn Hogan in Houston. She was
Anna Nicole Smith By the time she died on February 8, 2007, from a drug overdose, she was known as a model, actress, and the ditzy, drugged-out woman many loved to hate on television. Anna Nicole Smith had two husbands, two girlfriends, and five boyfriends. But there was a softer side too, as she was the mother of a son and a daughter. Though she lived hard and non-traditionally, she always had the goal of success on her mind, according to quotes from before her death. “I finally feel like I’m becoming somebody,” she said. “I really think I can do something. I just know I’m going to be an actress. I want it so bad.”
raised by her mother Virgie and her aunt. When her mother re-married, Anna Nicole changed her name to Nikki Hart. In 1992, she was chosen to be the March centerfold in Playboy magazine. In 1993, she became Playmate of the Year. By then she changed her name to Anna Nicole Smith. She starred in “The Hudsucker Proxy,” “Naked Gun 33 ½: The Final Insult,” and “Skyscraper.” In 2002, she starred in her reality television show, “The Anna Nicole Show.” - Erin Mayhugh
School News
Most Unpredictable Moment Britney Spears
Whether it be shaving her head in what appeared to be an emotional breakdown, her public indecency, or driving with her baby in her lap, Britney Spears has had ups and downs the past few years. Some people think she’s crazy, some people think she’s amazing. Either way, the Ram Page nominated her as being one of the top celebrities of the decade. Britney Jean Spears was born December 2, 1981, in McComb, Mississippi. She started her career in “The New Mickey Mouse Club.” In the late 90’s she released her debut album “One More Time” and was beloved by teenagers across the world. In time, after her behavior began to deteriorate, (some say it was after she had kids, other after her aunt died) she joined the string of celebrities who ended up in a rehabilitation clinic. Critics say her second to last album, “Blackout” has been “one of her best albums yet.” - Erin Mayhugh
Tsunami in Indonesia Biggest wave The day after Christmas in 2004, the most devastating tsunami in 40 years pummeled the west coast of northern Sumatra Island in Indonesia. The tsunami, which is a giant wave, killed 150,000 and millions more in 11 countries were homeless. - Tracy Nicole Sequiera
Mr. Frank Reid remembers the images of the wounded people – some with body parts missing, others with life-threatening injuries -- laying and waiting to be saved by doctors. “It will never leave my mind,” he said. This was a moment in the life Reid led as a soldier in the National Guard while he helped train the Afghanistan Army before he became a teacher. And before that, he was a police officer. Even when he patrolled the roads, assisting people and helping clean up accidents, Reid always knew he wanted to be a teacher.
Worst Natural Disaster Hurricane Katrina
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Category five, Hurricane Katrina was one of the five deadliest hurricanes in the history of the United States. In August of 2005 Katrina bashed into parts of Louisiana and Mississipi. At least 1,836 people that lost their lives in New Orleans. Nearly 80% of New Orleans was flooded with 15 feet of water. Hurricane Katrina was one of the top five deadliest hurricanes in the history of the United States. Many houses, buildings, and beaches were destroyed. After this natural disaster struck, many people helped re-construct the demolished buildings. Yet, there are still houses needed to be re-built. - Erin Mayhugh
Tardy or jail?
By: Michael Adams Administrators are disappointed with the increase in tardies and are increasing enforcement of the rules. They say too many students are coming to class late, or worse, don’t come to class at all. Also, there is an increasing number of in-school suspensions (ISSP). Tardy rates have increased at Englewood and more than 1,000 ISSPs have been issued among students throughout the year. The in-school suspension isn’t the least of your problems either as Principal Corey Wright explains some of the consequences of skipping school. • If students miss more than 20 days, their driver’s license can be revoked. • Attendance Contracts will be enforced • You will be reported to a state Truancy officer • If you are under 16 years of age, your parents can be arrested for your absence. • Students can be written up as a truant and the parents notified by the school. Officer F. A. Brooks advises not to skip school, even though it is not technically a crime. “Although skipping school is not a crime, students can be detained and transported to a truancy center or the nearest middle or high school that will accept them.”
HeroBy:of our own Erica Solorzano
He has fulfilled his dream by hanging up his uniform and turning in his badge to help reach the young minds at Englewood. Before coming into the classroom, Reid worked in law enforcement for 10 years, mostly as patrol and probation officer. He remembers a day when he discovered a car accident and a group of people in distress. “There had been a really bad car accident and I went over to them and I said, ‘I’m glad you’re okay.’ It meant a lot to them. It’s not typical for police to show emotions.” He then worked in a program called drug court as a probation officer. The program works with addicted people to help them get clean. Despite the excitement of fighting crime, he was drawn into the field of education where his wife worked. “My wife had been teaching for 15 years,” he said. “I was inspired with the stories she would bring home.” Becoming a teacher gave him a freer schedule
than his days as a police officer. It was always in his plans to become a teacher or a coach because he likes the positivity in education. He was also inspired by the students in Afghanistan. “The most interesting experience was visiting the schools and seeing how extremely motivated the young students were to learn,” he said. Besides those careers, Reid proudly served 20 years in the military as a National Guard. He served a year in Afghanistan as a major working with the Afghanistan Army, training them with the Florida National Guard. “When you come back to America you’re proud for what you have while in other places they have poverty,” he said. He said his background provides him the opportunity to bring life experiences into the classroom. “Experience in military teaches perseverance to never give up,” he said.
Role model speech wins first place
By: Kimberly Trinh honor her hard work and excellence, the Ram Page wanted to run her speech in its By: Staff entirety. “My main inspiration for this essay would be my sister,” Trinh said. “She is Kimberly Trinh said she was shocked when she heard her name called as the my everyday reminder that role models are still wonderful people although they make winner of the Rotary Club Speech Contest in January. mistakes.” “I felt certain that there was no way I would win,” the junior said. “So when The following is the speech that won Trinh first place: the Rotary members chose mine, I was filled with shock and excitement.” Her pockets were also filled with a $500 check for winning the contest. To Everyone knows the clichés “Nobody’s perfect” and “We all make mistakes.” But why do people still beat themselves up when they find out someone they admire has done something wrong? We should not look at the negative side in our role model’s mistakes. We must stay optimistic and find ways to learn from the blunders so we ourselves do not commit them in the future. The people who we respect are not gods and should not be idolized as if they were. Role models would not be humans if they did not slip-up once in a while because the best lessons are learned from our own mistakes. You can not change the past so once the crime is done, there is no way to go back. Instead, we can only learn from our role model’s mistakes and do our best to not go down the same wrong path. I have looked up to my older sister since I was a little girl. I imitated everything she did. From the way she walked to the way she dressed. She was my role model. Unfortunately, she chose a substandard route after graduating high school. She was suppose to the first one in our family to go to college and graduate. Her priorities changed during her last year of high school and she did not apply to a single college. Seeing the consequences of her actions play out the way they did only motivated me to choose a better path for myself. I do not look at the results that followed her actions to bring myself down, but only to
inspire me to become better. My sister still helps me. She encourages the best I can be despite her shortcomings. I am grateful to her. Putting all our hope and faith in one person is not good. We should not live our lives trying to be like someone else. By doing this, we are unable to identify ourselves and be our own person. It is okay to look up to others, but once your life revolves around them, you began to lose yourself. Also, if they make a mistake, you do not want to be disappointed and have your heart put into someone who is only human. Tiger Woods, for instance ,is a great example of a role model who has let down many fans. What we forget to realize is that Woods is a golfer, not god. He is not paid to be a role model, but to golf. His actions may have caused a lot of media attention because of his status, but he is no different than an ordinary man. We are constantly told what is wrong and what is right. Our parents tell us that the stove is hot but we want to touch it anyways to see for ourselves. I, myself learn best from experience. The people we admire are probably the same way. We can not respect and appreciate them only for their accomplishments but also for their slipups because there is no better way to learn. What we also fail to do is recall the good our role model has done
for us. Their encouragement, support, and kindness are why we looked up to them in the first place. Alden Nowlan, a poet, novelist, and playwright once said “The day the child realizes that all adults are imperfect, he becomes an adolescent; the day he forgives them, he becomes an adult; the day he forgives himself, he becomes wise”. In my heart, God is the greatest role model out there. He is the spotless lamb that has never sinned and what better person to admire then someone who has never done anything wrong? Unfortunately, we are human and God is not. As a Christian, I can only do my best to be like Christ. As for our human being role models, we can only hope that they make the right choices and think of their admirers beforehand. Even if they make mistakes, we must stay hopeful and learn from their flawed decisions. Accept that we are all imperfect and if we were to be perfect, imagine how boring we would all be.
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Sports
Editorial: Start of something new
Senior remembers years playing soccer
By: Scharrad Cartwright The Englewood basketball team lost a lot of talent last year when many of the senior players moved on, according to word around campus from some students. So how will they respond? So far they are performing well with a decent win-loss record. With a lot of new players on their junior varsity, the teams are working hard to rebuild and have a great season, this year and next. Though there is laughter in practice, their number one concern is winning. One of the varsity players who lead the team is Melvin Irvin, a sophomore. Asked about the atmosphere in practice and in the locker room he says, “ There is good energy, everybody gets along with each other.” He went on to say, “I love the guys I play with and they love me.” Melvin appears to be humble and hesitant in saying he’s one of the teams leading scorers. Asked how he helps the team, he says, “I come in and I do what the coach tells me.” And he added that the players are striving to become better: going over plays, sprinting up and down the court, lifting weights, pushing each other to be the best they can. The competition is brutal in Duval County with high leapers performing crowd-pleasing dunks and some athletes with high-shooting percentages. The Rams have their work cut out for them. But they seem to be developing good chemistry, seeing that some of them have been playing with each other since the summer. And I think I speak for the whole school when I say we are all hopeful the basketball team will finish strong and have a successful season.
Dear Coach Shultz: I just wanted to thank you for all the memories, all the lessons learned, all the triumphs and defeats we lived through together. It’s been hard this year, in my fourth season on your soccer team, since I tore my ACL, but I believe in my team to do its best against the toughest opponents. It’s been tough sitting on the bench and watching the girls, wanting to get out there to help lead or just get the girls playing a little better than how they have been playing some games. But these memories are built on dozens more that I want you to know I appreciate and will cherish for my lifetime. I remember when I first started out my freshman year I felt scared, nervous, shy, and with butterflies in my stomach trying out for the team. It would be the first time that I was going to play on a high school team. When we first started out in conditioning to be on the team, I remember being so out of shape that I couldn’t even breathe. From running miles and miles and running figure eights, feeling the sweat pouring down my face, I still stood strong day after day. From all the conditioning and what seem like tough work wasn’t nearly as bad as what college athletes do and we have no reason to complain. Then there are the big wins, some selfish because I was the one who scored a big goal, but winning is winning. Two that stand out in my mind were wins against Wolfson my sophomore year and scoring the first goal in the game against the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind game last year. I just wanted to thank you for all the training and tips that you have told me in my four years of being on the team and to never give up. From hollering and shouting at me really gave me that push to score the goals I made and to play my hardest out on the field. I remember you telling the team to give 110% and to play with passion and heart while on the field playing. I’ll take that advice with me when I leave high school. Emerald Painter
One team, one family: girls’By:basketball team never surrenders Aviance Alston
It is a team with heart, soul and mind, always focused on being the best. And they never give up, no matter what. “They never stop,” head coach George McCleod said. “They’re like energy bunnies, they keep going.” McCleod’s philosophy when coaching the Englewood girls’ basketball team is to focus on discipline first to help his girls win. He said his girls are easy to coach because they know how to balance the serious with fun. “This team has a goofy family relationship,” McCleod said. “They play and act like clowns, but play like lions.” Though no one on the team is related, put these girls together and any onlooker will think they have known each other their entire lives. “Our relationship is unbreakable,” said small forward Glennisha Schofield, 16, a junior. “It isn’t just a game for us. It’s something that you do to get away from all your problems. Somewhere you don’t feel alone and by yourself. We always have each other to lean back on.” With a record of final record of 16-10, McCleod said, “It’s not about being in the Final Four of Gateway Conference, or about posting the best record in years. It’s about the journey and enjoying one another through the ups and downs.” The team is full of joy and laughter, McCleod said. Each teammate has her own character, and that’s what makes the team stand out. No matter how tired they are, onlookers will never know. And McCleod said the girls are easy to coach. “That’s the best thing about the team, they listen. Most teams hear but this team listens, ” McCleod said. The family sticks together and never quits. The Lady Rams basketball team hosted the Think Pink Cancer “We never quit because that’s a sign of weakness and that was one of the first lessons coach McCleod taught us,” Schofield said. The team is like a big family and besides playing well together, it shows love and pas- Awareness game in January against Bolles to raise money to fight the disease. The team originally wanted to host to fight breast cancer, but head sion for basketball. McCleod said his girls have unity and work hard. coach George McCleod decided to focus the event against all cancers. “We’re more like sisters,” Schofield said. “We make each other mad and at times everyone doesn’t get He thought the fun raiser would help the girls become leaders. “I along, but somehow we always make it through. When we’re down in a game we don’t give up. Everyone in an was looking for something outside of basketball for the team to help them become more well-rounded,” he said. Englewood Ram jersey just goes harder, from the five players on the court to the rest on the bench.” Though the amount collected is still being counted, McCleod urges McCleod said there might be a standout talent, and academic players, but the team functions as one united anyone who can to help donate to the cause. force. Without all the cogs, the machine would not function properly, McCleod said. The funds will be sent to In The Pink, a boutique for women with “This program is all about training young ladies to become citizens with a focus on helping others and breast cancer. changing the world.” - Bryanna Cooper
Think Pink
Breathing basketball: junior has vision set on WNBA By Aviance Alston
It’s 6 a.m. and Samaria Howard’s alarm buzzes after sleeping for only five hours. She struggles to her feet, body aching from falling, diving, shooting, and crashing all over the basketball court the night before. This is a typical morning that shows the Lady Ram shooting guard’s passion – scrappy, hard play. The bags hanging under her eyes prove it. “I don’t have time to do anything except go home, take a shower, eat and go to sleep,” said Howard, 16, explaining her practice and game routines through the winter months. Still, she makes it to school, sometimes on time, sometimes late, but her mind always in the game from the night before or the practice ahead. She says she’s sometimes still dizzy or lightheaded from the game the night before. She maintains a 2.7 grade-point average. This while juggling a full schedule, including advanced placement classes, with her constant practice refining her game on the court. Her dream is to play for one of the big college teams and make it to the Final Four, then move on to play in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). Her teammates say she has what it takes to be a champion, because she has good sportsmanship and her eye is always on her future in the game. “Samaria is one of the few players in the city who is continously working on her game,” said head coach George McCleod. “She has a habit of going to the court on her own.” Her efforts have made her shine on the court, averaging about 20 points per game. She gives credit to her teammates and head coach as the inspiration she needs to perform her best. “I love being around my team,” Howard said. “I rush through the day to be with them. Just because they’re so goofy, love being with each other, respectful, and there is no drama on the team.” Howard says the team is determined. At the beginning of the season, the play-
ers had to run 500 sprints, and nobody quit. She’s been involved on many teams when girls just walk off, saying they’ve had enough. Not the Lady Rams. “They’ve got a lot of heart,” Howard said. “These girls are different. They try to do the best at everything they do.” Howard began playing when she was 5 years old, for the Tigers at the YMCA. The only girl, she played alongside boys who were 5 and 6. “I was the only girl on that team and they gave me MVP,” Howard remembered. Her early inspiration came from her mother, who is now the head girls basketball coach at Terry Parker High School. She learned her scrappy style of play by practicing with her older brothers for hours at Sandalwood Park while they were growing up. Her brothers played rough and hard, fouling and intimidating her every shot. “They wouldn’t even treat me like I was girl,” Howard said. “They would drive and go in for a lay-up and they used to knock me down. They didn’t take it lightly.” When it came time to play with girls in a competitive league, she realized the hard play helped toughen her up. “Girls don’t hit as hard as boys,” she said with a smile. As her junior year and season year wraps up, the girl who wears number 24 with short locks hanging over her eyes, says she’s ready to finish her high school career strong. For her teammates and herself as she looks forward to playing college ball. “I’m so competitive when it comes to basketball,” Howard said. “It’s way too serious to me. And some people don’t understand sometimes when it comes out of me. I hate losing.”
Sports
The Battle“Weplan are becoming one.”
By: David Williams and Eric Montgomery Boys basketball head coach Jerry Battles is excited to have a squad of young men ready to become the best basketball team in Duval County “There are no superstars on this team,” he said, remembering how his athletes last year were more apt to tell each other they suck or were ugly rather than build each other up. “… (We are) more of a team rather than an individual.” And with that attitude, he’s confident his varsity boys have what it takes to go on a “rampage” this season. As of presstime, the boys record was 8-11. “We are having a great season,” Battle said.
Battles said there are many differences from this year to last year. Though they may not have that standout all-star, he named a few players to watch. Players like senior Frank Craig, and prospect Melvin Irvin. Battles said he is excited about Irvin, a sophomore, becoming a potential leader through the next two seasons (see True Fanatic). Craig shows the team how to be a leader, Battles said. And Battles added that Irvin has the skills to become the best player in the city. Battles’ goal for this year is, “to be way better than last year.” He would like to go to the playoffs and win the state championship. He said with the strong newcomers, the team has the potential to go all the way. “We can really make it to the playoffs this season,” he said. He said with the strong newcomers, the team has the potential to go all the way. “We can really make it to the playoffs this season,” he said.
While most four year olds were whining like little babies, Haylee Peavley was at the bowling alley practicing her form. She has bowled ever since her dad’s family moved to Jacksonville from Jackson, N.J., when she was 4 years old. She’s been a competitor ever since. The years on the lanes paid off, as Peavley, 17, was named one of the top bowlers in Duval County. Peavley has been the medalist (top scoring bowler) more often than any other bowler on her team or throughout Duval County. In her freshman and senior year, she made the All Gateway Conference. Then, while representing Duval County in the Florida High School Athletic Association bowling competition in her junior and senior years, Peavley placed 36th out of 218 other bowlers from across the state. “Normally, to win means I performed to the best of my ability,” she said. “When we win, I feel accom-
Big Bowlin’ By: Emerald Painter
plished within myself knowing I did my best. The game in general just means competition, which makes me want to bowl the best of my ability.” Flashing back, she remembers that if she was off her game then Coach Stephanie Jaeger would ask, ‘What’s going on Peavs?” Especially she remembers that every time that she bowled a turkey (three strikes in a row) then she does what the team calls the turkey dance. Her nickname on the team is Ten-Pin Peavley because she is known for getting numerous strikes each game. Her highest game is 247 pins knocked down out of 300. Another memory is Coach Geiger and his favorite quotes, “be the ball,” or “clear the mechanisms.” Her coaches say Peavley is a team player and a pleasure to be around. “She is sweet, caring person,” said Coach Jaeger. “She is respectful and always looking to do the right thing.” With all the hard work, Peavley has earned
Did you know? Softball is a form of baseball that is played nine on each side on an indoor field slightly smaller than a baseball field. The game was invented in 1887 by George Hancock of Chicago’s Farragut Boat Club. Hancock envisioned the popular game of baseball could be played indoors and its popularity caught on. Soon the game went outdoors. Traditional softball is played on turf with a dirt infield the same shape a s a baseball field. Home plate is 46 feet from the pitcher’s mound for men, and 40 feet for women. The bases are 60 feet apart. The object of the game is the same as baseball. - Hala Mohammed
“EHS C” Continued from the front: Wright gives credit to Dr. Alvin Brennan, Englewood’s former principal, for his leadership and teamwork that helped students and teachers keep focus last year. Statistics from the Florida Department of Education show more than half of Englewood’s graduated between 2008 to 2010, showing an annual growth of 2 percent. “It is a team effort from the faculty to help increase student achievement,” Wright said. Englewood’s average grade is a D for the last 10 years, according to statistics. “We are targeting students in each (FCAT) category, encouraging them to attend tutoring and ensuring that the best teachers are teaching them,” Wright says, explaining how he hopes to maintain the C by performing well on all the FCAT tests. Wright has plans to raise the school grade to a B. Higher attendance rates (SEE Tardy or Jail? on page 3) and continued discipline from the students will help Englewood. “The students need to continue to attend school regularly and put forth effort everyday to continue making gains,” he said. Statistics show student performance in writing is outstanding, and the math skills are over half the total percentage of the gains. The school’s grade reflects the student’s grades, and the students have every power to succeed. “As long as the students focus on graduating and put forth effort, everyone will continue to succeed,” Wright
True fanatic
By: David Williams and Eric Montgomery Sixteen years old. 6-foot-3 and weighing 203 pounds. Melvin Irvin might only be a sophomore, but the Englewood guard is turning heads with his physical presence and aggressive play on the court. He’s the kid who made varsity as a freshman. In his second year, he is stepping on the court as a starter when that buzzer sounds. He calls the game his “obsession,” and the next practice or game is always on his mind. His goal when molding himself as a player is “being physical.” He said he is motivated by his desire to be the best, and has been on a basketball court since he could walk. “I love practicing,” he said. “I would cry if I missed a game.” Irvin practices in the gym, at home, and with his team. When he’s alone, he’s thinking about the game. When a ball is close to hand, he is practicing his moves. When he’s near his gaming
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console, he’s playing 2K10 as the Boston Celtics. Through all the positive words from his coaches and parents, Irvin says his goal is to always “prove them right.” In the stands at every game, he always has the support and constructive criticism from his parents watching him. Coach Jerry Battles said even critics praise Irvin for his play. “He’s one of the best sophomores in the city of Jacksonville,” Battles said. When told this, Irvin told the RamPage, “I am very humbled.” In addition to basketball, Irvin also played tight end and receiver on the football team. But basketball is his first passion and is the source of his competitive drive. “I basically just do what I got to do to win,” he said. Although the compliments make him feel good and drive him, he knows he can’t do it alone. “Team work beats out
scholarship money since she was 12 and has raised almost $7,000. She has also won about 35 trophies for first or second place. Besides playing for Englewood’s bowling team, she also plays for the adult leagues outside of school. She hopes to take her love of the sport into her adulthood. “Overall, now that I’m in the adult league, I just want to show the love I have for the sport, share my skills with others, and hopefully one day bowl a 300.” Peavley said that to be a good bowler you have to be dedicated and determined to do better. People always say, “Practice makes perfect.”
Soccer team building By: Hala Mohammed It is well known most schools flourish with sports teams. Each team contains a group of players who have a love for playing the sport. One of these teams on campus is the boy’s soccer team. In his third season, Coach Outman Affaya has some inexperienced players who are in need of training. But he has a core of senior players and all of them have sportsmanship and an ability to build up the younger players. And he loves working with a diverse group of players. “Some of them from Bosnia, some from South America, a couple from Iran and Iraq and a few Jacksonville natives,” he said. “This group of players were like a family. They made me and the school proud of having them play soccer.” The players on the team call Affaya a talented coach with a great love for the game. Affaya has been playing soccer
since he was a young boy. Asked what he likes about soccer, Affaya said confidently, “It was a fun and competitive. A physically and mentally challenging game.” His love also came from going to games. “When I was young, as a family we used to go to the stadium every Sunday.” He cherishes those moments together, and it made him fall in love with the game. He also remembers practicing and going to live matches with his brother, which furthered his interest in soccer. “He was playing with me and we were going to see matches in the stadium so this made me love (the game). Affaya has been a teacher at Englewood for four years and soccer coach for three. He loves training every day. As he looks forward to the future, he has a specific goal in mind. “I am hoping to win some kind of trophy,” he said. “I am hoping that soccer will be as popular as other sports.”
Don’t speak so soon
By: Sydney Brogli Before students even apply for college they assume they will get in, they tell all their friends what college they “plan” to go to. The truth about it is many people who actually graduate won’t attend college.
Love Page
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From friends to love ... to real-life going, why I wanted to even hang out with anyone else. People know me as being outgoing and friendly, but above all, I’m loyal. And faithful. As they grew, his insecurities made me not want to be anymore. Before long, it seemed like we were together out of some obligation, not “love.” If you love me, how could you yell at me, call me ridiculous names, fight me and break me down every single day? Constant aggravation and arguments, every little clash would annoy both of us. It got to the point where I became resentful that I couldn’t go out. He didn’t want me to have friends. It eventually became unbearable. The tears and fights started to make me hate him. I couldn’t be around him. I realized that childhood crush and the perfect kiss evolved into me not even being able to say hello when I saw him. Looking back, I think about all the nights I missed trying to please him by staying in – the dinners and movies, going out dancing and parties. NOTHING. Not alone, not together with him at my side, not at all. And it’s hard to think that after everything we have been through, we can’t be civilized young adults. We’ve tried to be friends, but he just wants to continue the fight. It saddens me. I sometimes wish we could go back to before anything happened and be the great friends we once were. I love who he was and I loved always having someone there, but I couldn’t do it anymore. I’m jaded, but the lesson I learned is that puppy love is a mirage. What’s real is being with someone who wants to share life, not keep it bottled up with jealousy and bossy expectations. The bottom line: know what you want, never settle for less and always follow your heart. If you feel like you’re in an abusive relationship and need to know the signs, get help at www.loveisrespect.org or call the 24-hour national teen dating abuse helpline at 1-866-331-9474.
The Chiciu’s real school love By: Jason Foster Through this year’s season of love, there is a romance dancing around campus. Mr. and Mrs. Chiciu got married in 1997. They make it look easy being in love at the work place. These two lovebirds met at a bus stop in Romania 17 years ago. Both were asked how it felt commuting in together, working together, then having a life outside of school together. “It’s fine,” said Mr. Chicui from his classroom in D107. “I don’t see her much because she’s in one room and I’m in this room. It’s fun.” Mrs. Chicui was a little more animated in her response. “It’s great! He’s helping me a lot, being a new teacher and all. He’s a really big help!” Though some students and faculty have asked how the two never get tired of seeing each other at work and at home, Mr. Chicui responded, “I never get sick of her!”
V-Day best gifts
By: Abegail Canis Valentine’s Day is all about romance, it’s about the legend of cupid flying around and shooting love arrows at people in the rear end. It’s about girls getting dolled up for guys expected to arrive with lots of gifts. So boys, here are some last-minute gift ideas that make memories: TOP Ten Best Gifts for Valentines Day 1. Diamonds, Diamonds, Diamonds. 2. Big, snuggly teddy bears. 3. Roses, daisies, tulips. Flowers are a biggie for the ladies. 4. Chocolate yummy! They come in many shapes and sizes. 5.LOVE CD mix. Find the different songs that show how you feel about that certain
By: Abegail Canis LOVE, LOVE, LOVE. It’s such a big deal around here. There are all different types of people, and everyone probably has to cope with some type of relationship that isn’t a perfect fit. Opposites attractive, but sometimes drive each other nuts. The RamPage did some research and soul searching to consider the many faces of love we all potentially come across day by day. . The Jealous – This is the person who goes crazy when he sees you talking to someone else. They might be suspicious, and begin whining and asking various question like, “Who was that?” and “How do you know them?” There is no particular look to the jealous, but their tone is usually the same, and it sounds like “Wah!” When the relationship ends, the jealous starts whining that he can’t live without you and feels like he has to send roses and chocolates to get you back. The jealous can evolve into a “stalker,” showing up on your cell phone or inbox in the middle of the night begging, crying. They’re emotional and have strong feelings toward you and should be dropped at the first sign of unnecessary tears. The Player - This is the fast-talking guy or girl who claims to have dozens of people from the opposite sex fawning over them. They know exactly what to say and when to say it. They make you feel special, like you’re the only one they want, saying little things that make your heart jump out of your chest. Most likely you can identify the player easily. They’re the type to copy and forward I love you messages to a half dozen possible dates. They’re the person who doesn’t even shed one tear over a break up, and instead moves on to the next one like the Jay Z song. They’re the ones who can’t barely remember your name because they know so many Marys, Annies, and Janes or Seans, Marks and Johns. They’re the ones you can’t usually change. And if you think you can, you’re probably wasting your time. The Secret Crush - This is the person who has always been there for you but you’ve never known they had feelings. It could be a best friend or maybe a stranger, a person who has been
Shocking Stats
By: Suzana Sisljagic “Give me a kiss on the cheek!” That’s when I turned my head and it happened. Our lips touched and my stomach dropped. I was floating, full of happiness, and could literally see my heart beating through my chest. It was perfect, he was perfect, and it seemed life was perfect. But of course, I was 14 then. I remember when a couple years before our first kiss, when his sister was my best friend and my brother was his best friend. We were always together, sneaking up to distract him while he was lost in his favorite videogame, “Runescape.” I also remember tiptoeing into his bedroom while he was asleep to jump on the bed and yell in his face. I didn’t hide the fact that I had a crush on him. It was puppy love and we had no worries. We just hung out and had a great time. Finally, the kiss brought us together. For three years, he was my friend, my valentine, my love, my one and only. We were going to grow old together and live happily ever after. But then, maybe a year into our relationship, he turned into a monster. I would soon be part of the ugly national statistic and become the one in three girls who have experienced a verbally-abusive relationship. It first started when a guy friend would want a hug or say hello. My boyfriend would give me a glare, his eyes saying, “you better not even think about it!” His anger took hold at every turn – when a guy would talk me, when I would stand up for his sister when they were arguing, even when I wore short shorts to Wal-Mart. He wouldn’t let me try out for the cheerleading team. I realized his anger was fueled by jealousy and insecurity. It got worse as the months went on. I’d try to make plans to go out and he would question me, asking me who was
Different loves to consider in several of your classes since the second grade, but they didn’t really ever trigger your interest. This is the person who cared about you more then you know, maybe more than the universe, but they’re too shy or scared to let you know, probably because of a fear of rejection. They might know everything about you; maybe you guys have been friends forever. Is it worth risking a great friendship? Love might not be in the hands of the most popular, the quarterback or cheerleader. Find your secret crush (everybody has one) and see if you have a chance together. The (I love myself) This is the girl or guy who would be better labeled as Mr. and Mrs. Ego. They’re in love with themselves. Confidence is an attractive trait to both guys and girls, but not when the ego outshines the personality. It’s great to stay fancy, like the Drake lyrics say: “Nails done, hair done everything did.” But Mr. and Mrs. Ego tend to spend so much time looking in the mirror, making sure they’re looking fresh, they might as well be dating their reflection. They might have even been hurt so badly they cover it up with vanity. They are egotistical because after they’re dumped and all alone, they’re forced to fall madly in love with themselves. These are easy to spot because they look FLAWLESS, head to toe. They’re the ones you want to be with because they trigger you physically with their clean dress and looks, but the minute they open their mouths, it’s obvious they’re more attracted to themselves than you are. The Best All Around The best all around have a little bit of everything. This makes up the majority of the teens we bump into because they have little characteristics of each but not one that dominates. They have a little bit of player in them and are a tiny bit in love with themselves. Yet, they might be extremely emotional and insecure. Even though they have all these characters in them, they still might like someone secretly. They’re just like a salad, different elements to make up the delicious fulfilling snack that has you aching for more. Whatever their style, they are easiest to deal with because they balance all the others out.
The National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence (NCDSV) says: 20 % of teens have been threatened by their partners, or had partners threaten to hurt themselves if the relationship ended. 33 % of teens (boys included), and 50 percent of teen girls, say they have felt pressured to have sex in a serious relationship. 30 % have worried about their safety in a relationship, and 20 percent have been hit, slapped, or pushed. 64 % have been with a jealous or controlling partner. 55 % have compromised their standards to keep their partner. 25 % have been put down or called names by their partner.
someone. 6. A letter/card/poem expressing exactly what you feel about the person. Don’t hold anything back. 7. Perfume/cologne. There is nothing wrong with smelling good. 8. Gift card to their favorite stores. This isn’t the best gift, but you put just enough thought in it to make it count. 9. Candy/cupcakes/cookies. Anything you can eat is a plus. I mean isn’t there a quote “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach!” 10. Craft something. Anything you can make yourself is special: a scrapbook, gift basket, making a t-shirt. It shows you took your time out just for them and put a lot of thought.
Love Page
Best break-up songs
Looking for love in all the right places
By: Abegail Canis Let’s close our eyes for a moment and imagine true beauty. Forget about the perfect celebrities in the magazines and on the silver screen. I’m talking about the girls with the 105-pound bodies, and 17-inch extensions, and the guys who look like they’re on steroids with bodies cut a hundred different ways. I’m talking about the flashy million-dollar jewelry and styling cars. Instead, focus on love, the way you feel about someone, the reasons on the inside that you care about that person so much. Are the two inseparable? Because let’s be honest, appearances are a big deal in teenage relationships. Maybe we’re worrying about our images based on the thousands of versions of beauty and love thrown at us every day from the media. Is our interpretation of love our own, or is it based on what businesses trying to sell makeup and beverages want us to believe. There are people who really suffer from the false image of love we put on each other. They become insecure about themselves, constantly working out, checking their weight, starving themselves. I walked around putting this love page together and learned about how people think about love and romance. Mostly, I found people are looking at superficial factors when considering love. Only a few seemed to care about the lasting attributes that create the lifelong bonds we see in the movies. One boy said with a smirk, “Red bone, thick, short, pretty eyes, nice legs.” Well, can she speak? Does she know how to read? Heaven forbid she has a goal she wants to accomplish before the end of the
year, like passing her classes. Others concentrated on race, as if love is in the DNA. That’s not how it’s supposed to be, it’s supposed to be love notes with quotes like, “Your eyes are the sweetest stars I’ve ever seen,” from the movie Moulin Rouge, or cute little text messages with the heart symbol “<3” for no reason. Maybe even the lyrics to a song that reminds you of them. You’ve supposed to remember the first kiss, the first time he or she held you, maybe your first date. These are the memories that last a lifetime. So instead of the superficial smiles and petty desires, let’s rethink our opinions on this so-called idea of love and focus on finding someone who can meet romantic standards like: * Someone who understands who you are * Someone who you have a lot in common with * Someone who can engage in conversations * Someone who makes you feel special * Someone who you can bond with * Someone who you deeply care for Please try and not worry about all the false images we are forced to see on television and in magazines. We might think celebrities live the perfect lives, but they don’t. You don’t know what they go through. They have thousands, maybe even millions of people watching them every day. Having rumors spread about them, being all over blogs, having the pressure to maintain a certain weight, a certain image. Don’t judge anybody because you don’t know what they go through. Come on, EHS lets make a CHANGE.
Breaking up is never easy
Did you know alot of couples fight and end relationships on or around Valentine’s Day. If you find yourself to be in this unfortunate situations and need break-up advice, consider these five good ways to break up: Through a mindful letter. In person, coming to an understanding. Through a song that describes what you are going through. Just realizing you guys are meant to be friends and explaining why. Taking a break (needing a little bit) of space but knowing you guys will be back together. *Breaking up is never easy to go through, so be mindful of the other person.
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By: Abegail Canis Usher - Burn, Confessions Alicia Keys - Try Sleeping with Broken Avant- When It Hurts Chris Brown- Changed Man, Crawl, Cry No More, The Dream- Right Side of My Brain Jasmine Sullivan - 10 Seconds Jennifer Hudson - This Isn’t Love Jeremih - Break Up to Make Up Keishia Cole - Let It Go Keri Hilson - Energy, Alienated Mario - Been Thinking About You, I Miss My Friend Neyo - Lie to Me, So Sick Rihanna - Cold Case Love, Rehab, Cry, Unfaithful Shonetelle - Impossible Lil Wayne - Something You Forgot Boosie - Miss Kissin’ on You, 2 way love affair Plies - 1 Mo Time Tank - Please Don’t Go Taylor Swift - Fifteen
One love, one heart, one romance
By: Dariel Williamson It was like walking through warm water on the beach, looking up at the sky to discover the gleaming sun shining down on us. Our palms were hand in hand as we strolled with the rhythm of the waves reaching shore. His kisses and hugs lifted me to my feet. He was like a magician creating love and our romance was a modern version of Romeo and Juliet. Late at night we would stare up at the sparkling stars while eating strawberries and vanilla ice cream. Then we would lay back together in the sand, his arms sheltering me from the cool breeze. I felt safe, like I was living in a perfect dream. But this perfect romance didn’t last. One day the passionate feelings and happy moments ceased. Out of nowhere he wanted to control me and treat me like he owned me. Sometimes I felt as if I was locked away in a castle waiting to be rescued by the person he was in the past. I wanted to be free but couldn’t find a way out. The walls of our once-perfect relationship were closing in. But I decided to hold on to what we had left. The memories of our past together kept my heart open and hoping he’d become the boy I remember that night walking on the beach.
Then he did what I was too afraid to do. I had drifted to sleep and was awakened to him calling. “This is not going to work anymore,” he said. I was still half asleep, but I hung up the phone and stared into space. Though I secretly wished we would break up, I didn’t expect it to hurt so much. I wanted to call him back but knew even if I tried to speak, my words would have come out tongue-tied, my thoughts jumbled. Tears started to flow as my thoughts swirled in disbelief. Where I once felt the walls closing in on us, I now felt I lost the key to my confused heart. I put on my favorite song “In My Mind” by Heather Headley and her words were an inspiration for me to move on. For better, not worse. I realized something about love: it will have you feeling a mix of emotions. Happy, sad, confused. Though I was suffering through the breakup, I realized quickly that the pain was teaching me a lesson. This experience taught me I will never be blinded by “LOVE” again. I told myself next time, I won’t jump in head first and let my emotions carry me away. I’ll wait for a great friendship first, then see if it can build into a romance. And still, I know, he will always have been the perfect romance on the perfect walk on a perfect night.
My soldier After months of waiting, I get to kiss his soft lips, and feel his warm embrace hug. This is the only time I am truly happy, the only time I get a peaceful night’s sleep. When I am in his arms, there are no worries. All my stress and anger from him being away vanishes. Then he’s gone. And all I’m left with is the lies. The smile, laughter, happiness. It’s all an act. The love of my life, Joshua Elkins, is fighting the war in Iraq and I put on makeup every morning to hide the gloominess I carry with me every day. I suffer through sleepless nights as depression deepens, my emotions ticking time bombs ready to explode. Minute after minute passes, waiting for a phone call to tell me he is alive. This is what life was like being in love with a man in the Marines who was deployed into a war zone. We’d been dating a year, but only for short stretches because duty always called him away. The day he told me he was leaving overseas, questions began shuffling in my
By: Jackie Boyd head. When will he be back? Where is he going? What if he gets hurt? Then the big question: what if he doesn’t come back? I tuned into the news every night. Seeing the faces of dead Marines flash across the screen made my heart skip a beat and with each I’d pray I wouldn’t see his face. I realized through those agonizing thoughts how much just knowing he’s alive soothes my soul. Some friends say I am the strongest person they know. But I cried myself to sleep every night those first few months. I isolated myself. I hid from important people in my life so I don’t have to explain what’s wrong. I had to stay strong during those months. If not for myself, then for Josh. We would talk as much as we could. Maybe twice a week for two minutes. Hearing his voice lightened my mood and motivated me to get up in the morning. He’d always reassure me everything would be okay. Finally after seven months, we got to see each other again after Josh returned from war. Hearing we would finally be together again, fireworks ignite inside of me. The thought has every nerve in my body tingling.
When I see his face I realize being miles away from my love is the most exhausting challenge of my life. We’d assured ourselves trust and loyalty could get us through anything. But there is always that thought in the back of my mind: “What if?” We are hundreds of miles away and emotions are always soaring. All of that lifted when I saw him coming up the jet way to be with me. But the visit was short, and this time I had to be the one leaving him. Right as he pulled me in for a kiss goodbye, I began to sob. His shoulder was soaked from my tears. All I could think about was the next time I would see him. Then depression punched me in the face. Sitting in the airport alone, loneliness overcame me. Right when I think I’m okay, I start crying again. Strangers pretended not to notice, or look away when our eyes met. All I want to do is be in his arms. I keep reminding myself that eventually he will be home for good. Then we will not have to worry about leaving each other again. I long for the day when saying goodbye is not for long, but simply means I will see you later.
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Horoscopes
By:Bryanna Cooper AQUARIUS (January 20-February 20th ) CAPRICORN (December 20th –January 20th) Friendly and easy to get along with and contrary to your independence, you About as practical as the Virgo, it’s very seldom that you rush into decisions, are never with any one clique or group or attached to one love interest. Call yourselves especially when it comes to romance. Due to your patient and careful nature, you are social butterflies if you will! Though compassionate, you always seem to find a way to also known to be reserved around guys or girls you’re interested in. Though reserved hurt others around you especially your partner, unintentionally because of your unpreand quiet, you can blow the smallest things out of proportion and over exaggerate. dictable nature and refusal to commit. Best compatibility: Pisces, Scorpio, Virgo, Taurus Best compatibility: Sagittarius, Aires, Libra, Gemini Worst compatibility: Aquarius, Sagittarius, Gemini, Aires Worst compatibility: Taurus, Cancer, Scorpio, Pisces Romance: focus on what’s really important in your relationship and work on your comRomance: Try and cater to the needs of your lover and try to be more understanding munication skills instead of over-thinking unimportant drama. toward his feelings. PISCES (February 20th – March 20th) AIRES (March 20th – April 20th ) Quite the dreamers you are, however, all that dreaming and that imagination You are an ambitious and hopeful dreamer and your goals never seem too far leaves you far from reality, which is a definite negative, especially in a relationship! away, or your nest boyfriend/girlfriend. Full of energy, it’s only natural that you are Though charitable as you are, you like to aid those in need and 9 times out of 10, rospontaneous and love adventure and you prefer your interest to be the same way. Howmantic interest take advantage of that fact and you end up hurt. ever, you hate waiting around and your aggressiveness could turn out to be a turn off. Best compatibility: Cancer, Taurus, Scorpio, Pisces Best compatibility: Sagittarius, Gemini, Leo, Libra Worst compatibility: Gemini, Sagittarius Worst: Scorpio, Capricorn, Pisces Romance: You might want to try and focus on yourself for a while so that before you Romance: Slow it down relationship wise this year and stop searching. Sit back for a get into a relationship you won’t have a bad case of identity crisis. while and wait instead because it seems you have been making rushed, irrational deciTAURUS (April 20th-May 20th ) sions, so think through your decisions before you make them, especially relationship You never try to rush into critical decisions due to your practical and laid back wise. nature, however, once you’ve made up your mind on who you want, no one can change GEMINI (May 20th – June 20th ) your stubborn ways. You also have a tendency to be a worry wart, despite being a stable Your moods change as often as your relationships and in some cases, this can person and that you can cause trust issues in a relationship. Business and finance is your be positive or negative. However, you are very adaptable to relationships you are in. strongest suit because you always find a way to make money. In the long run, success is You are one to have lots of friends and love to be a host/hostess. However, you are yours. prone to mental distraction and frustrated by a slow moving relationship, and are known Best compatibility – Pisces, Cancer, Libra, Virgo, Capricorn to put others down in order to make yourself look better. Worst compatibility – Leo, Sagittarius, Aquarius Best compatibility: Aires, Leo, Libra, Aquarius Romance: It’s time for you to take charge in your relationship and learn that it’s not Worst compatibility: Scorpio, Capricorn, Pisces always best to be in the background because undoubtedly, your partner wouldn’t mind. Romance: Be considerate toward the feelings of your partner and try not to forget about CANCER (June 20th - July 20th ) your other priorities, such as school. Sometimes you’re up, and out and other times you keep to yourself staying clear of others. However, a good thing is that when you’re in a relationship you can be LEO (July 20th- August 20th ) very loyal, if you choose to. However, try to open yourself up to your love interest and Naturally confident and ambitious, others draw toward you like bees to honey, your blossoming personality will undoubtedly draw them in. and for some reason positivity surrounds your activities,’ though your love life doesn’t Best compatibility: Taurus, cancer, Pisces, Scorpio seem to be blossoming, you are as a person However, you can become vain and stubWorst compatibility: Aires, Libra, Sagittarius born toward those closest to you to attract other friends or someone you like, a sign of Romance: Open yourself to your partner only if you know you can trust him or her so your need for popularity. that you may avoid hurt. Best Compatibility: Aires, Sagittarius, Gemini, Libra VIRGO (August 20th – September 20th ) Reliable, loyal, honest, logical and practical are only a few words that describe you, especially when you’re in a relationship. You seldom rush into them and if you do, they’re carefully thought out and planned. Sometimes however, you can think too harshly and too much and become overcritical of the one you’re with and others, causing you to push them away from you. Best Compatibility: Pisces, Taurus, Capricorn Worst Compatibility: Aires, Libra, Aquarius Romance: Calm down on your views of your partner or the one you’re interested in and try to learn to be less judgmental and accept them exactly as they are. SCORPIO (October 20th-November 20th) Your mysterious nature intimidates a lot of people and can either draw relationship interest or push them away. Through this tendency, you have a magnetic draw and are very emotional and easily concerned about others, yourself and your partner though you are well practiced at hiding your emotions from the criticizing eyes of the public. However, you can be possessive, and jealous (a definite turn off), a direct result of these would lead to self destruction. Best compatibility: Sagittarius, Capricorn, Pisces, Cancer, Virgo Worst Compatibility: Aquarius, Aires, Gemini, Taurus, Leo Romance: Lately you might have been going through problems with those around you and those who say they want to help really don’t want to, so use your common sense and distance yourself from those who are fake and against your relationship. Remember, only YOU can make yourself happy.
The Willoughbys in love By: Jackie Boyd Mr. Richard Willoughby has been happily married to his wife for 24 years. But his goofy personality made his wife think the proposal was a total joke. While in college they took a trip to England, and he thought that was the perfect opportunity to ask. The first time she laughed and said, “Oh, stop it.” Then he asked 5 more times, and still she denied him. After two years he finally decided to ask her one more time before he lost all hope. He was going to ask three days before Christmas but an unexpected death happened. She was upset, so to cheer her up he told her to open the gift he got her. Little did she know, there was a ring around the doll’s neck. Once she noticed the ring she began to cry. Willoughby got down on one knee and asked for the seventh time. A year and six months later they were married and ready to start their new life. “ I caught her when she was emotionally vulnerable,” Willoughby said.
Worst compatibility: Taurus, Scorpio, Aquarius Romance: Take a break from extracurricular activities, stressing yourself out and over thinking decisions made by others with your honey and just sit back, relax and spend some time with them.
LIBRA (September 20th-October 20th) The phrase brains and beauty is almost always used to describe you. You loved to be fussed over and absolutely adore admiration from others, yet somehow you stay humble. You present a sense of charm to those around you and draw them in, however you can become indecisive and narcissistic. You have an overwhelming need to always be in a steady smooth relationship, whether it’s romantic, domestic or social. Best compatibility: Sagittarius, possibly Gemini, Aquarius, Libra Worst compatibility: Cancer, Capricorn, possibly Aires Romance: The worst thing for you in some occasions is to be left alone, so try to work on dealing with that aspect and being less dependent on your partner, someone you’re interested in or a failed romance. SAGITTARIUS (November 20th – December 20th) You are open and blunt about your opinions about others and preferences in a relationship. Your adventurous nature however may get you in trouble with your partners despite being sensual and enthusiastic. You are a diehard fanatic and tend to be hotheaded. Best compatibility: Sagittarius, Capricorn, Aquarius, Gemini, Aires, Libra Worst compatibility: Virgo, Cancer, Pisces, Taurus Romance: You may have been itching for some adventure this year and also a little romance so take someone you’re interested in or are with to go see some of the city or the world and you just might fall in love!
A way to survive By Addie Crosby The city of Orlando may have physical custody of my boyfriend, but I get visitation every other weekend. It has been like this for almost two years, but we’re going strong. And he’s worth the long-distance because he’s funny, he puts up with my odd ways, he buys me food and I like him. We met at Stanton. We were both on the rowing team -- him a pompous junior, me a budding freshman. It was drama at first sight. It all started with a ride to practice. His on-again, off-again girlfriend ruled over him; she was a big varsity girl with skunk hair (black on bottom, blonde on top) and a posse of even bigger, even scarier varsity girls. I was just a twig. I accepted a ride after they had broken up “for the last time.” Not a big deal, right? Wrong. She and her boat mates made my freshman year difficult, and still don’t like me to this day. But he was worth it. He was sweet and was willing to show me the ropes at crew. Continued on page 14 “LONG-DISTANCE LOVE”
Editorial The RamPage Addie Crosby Editor In Chief, Lead Reporter
Kathleen Hollingsworth Photography/Visual Artist
Bryan Alcala Designer, Assignment Editor
Mr. Bryan Noonan Advisor
Social prejudice By: Kayel Porro Let’s face it, we have all been a victim of high school drama, but why is it that we have this drama? Well, many people know why, but what I’ve heard around the school is all the same. This school is full of fake people, people who talk smack about others because they’re insecure about themselves. High school is a mix of people who think they’re too good, not good enough, or just don’t care. Englewood is full of people who think they’re too good. They judge before they know, they jump to conclusions, or they just don’t care about other people. They’re so blind to the outside world, they can’t see what’s going on right in front of them. In some sense, some do care, a little too much, acting like somebody they’re not in order for people to like them. While pretending to be who they’re NOT day after day, some kids forget who they really are getting lost in a fake persona they’ve created for themselves, losing their identities trying to impress other people. People who where once humble, caring, intelligent people have changed themselves into greedy, ignorant, uncaring people in order to belong. Guys are even fake when it comes to their old ladies. A guy could act like he’s a great boyfriend, then the next thing you know, when she’s not around, he’s hitting on another girl. He thinks he’s hot stuff when his game is as complicated as tic-tac toe, hollering at the girl like he thinks she’s actually going to respond to some lame, “Hey babe wat’s yo name, wat’s yo numba.” I’m tired of this. Another good example is when a new student comes to Englewood not knowing anything or anybody. The kid is nervous, feeling out of place, but few embrace the kid. Instead, many students make it worse by automatically labeling the kid an outsider. It’s as if they feel threatened by the kid, without getting to really know who the kid is. It’s an annoying type of social prejudice that all of us have come across at one time or another. I can give a personal example due to the fact that I am officially labeled a weirdo. But those people who actually take the time to get to know me will find that I am the one who is always true to his nature. At times that’s gotten me in trouble, but I am who I am and believe what I believe and I have no apologies for anyone who doesn’t accept who I am. While others have filters, I’m extremely blunt. I’ll let it all out into your face, it might be dirty, but it’s what’s truly there, no lies straight to your face. To find who has an open mind, you must be open-minded, because our views aren’t always right. An open mind is important, because, at one time every one believed the world was flat, here comes a man who says its round, oh he’s crazy, but what is the world really?
The Big Ticket By: Stephanie Murillo The biggest musical event of 2010 occurred in Metropolitan Park on December 3. Only the biggest bands played, including The Black Keys, Anberlin, The Dirty Heads, Sunbears, Paper Tongues, New Politics, Against Me!, and Switchfoot. For many of the teens in the audience, the most anticipated band seemed to be A Day To Remember. Thousands of screaming fans gathered, slamming each other around in the mosh pit. As soon as the banner fell, the crowd started jumping and screaming in excitement. The band started out with one of its newest songs 2nd Sucks. The first lyric of the song is “FIGHT” and the crowd went ballistic. Fans were crowd surfing, punching and shoving. It was almost a domino effect – whoever got hit fell into the next person. The lead singer, Jeremy McKinnon, was rocking from side to side, playing along with the crowd and making the fans go wild. Singing hit after hit, the band seemed to satisfy fans up until the very last note. Even though it was chilly, the band’s energy made the fans tired, hot and sweaty. Fans screamed for one last song, but the band did not come out for an encore. Nevertheless, fans buzzed with excitement as they walked away from the stage, and the experience seemed to be the one nobody would ever forget. Being as big as it is, Metropolitan Park was still crowded. Concession stands surrounded the stages. The VIP owners had an exclusive Monster Lounge area, not to mention premium viewing of the main stage and access to VIP concession stands. Ashley Howard shared her experience from the show and said it was unforgettable. “When A Day to Remember was playing I popped up next to a group of teens that didn’t know me. So I just started jumping around and when I stopped to catch my breath the guy next to me was like ‘Heck yeah! You rock girl!’”
DaJonah’s babble box
9
By: DaJonah Hall, RamPage Columnist
Watching a 10-year-old whip her hair all over VH1 and MTV has really got me thinking: Why is it that I don’t have a record deal and amazing success? Why have I not been predicted as hip hop’s next Rihanna? Famous child and teen stars are making us feel lousier than our parents do when it comes to being successful in our future. Even President Barak Obama said during his nationwide 2009 speech at Wakefield High School in Arlington, Va., not everyone can be the next Lil Wayne. While this is true, it’s not fair if all the slots are being taken by already wellknown kids who are only famous because of their parents’ fame. For example, rapper Diggy Simmons, whose father is the well-recognized Rev. Run (from Run D.M.C.), is a sensation and growing even more popular by the second. Honestly, a lot of these young up-and-coming entertainers wouldn’t be so accepted if it wasn’t for their parents’ status. It won’t be long before all the dreams of children everywhere are crushed by Suri Cruise and her one woman performance in the Shirley Temple re-make. It really bugs me that these kids get away with dominating pop culture. It’s unjust. They’re no better than you or me, so why are they favored and privileged? As far as these pampered famous kids know, there is no such thing as talent or even drive. To them, fame befalls a per-
son almost like a hobby. Most famous teens with famous parents flop anyway due to their lack of chemistry and poor performances on stage. I can’t wrap my head around the fact that most of these kids have taken etiquette classes and attend high-class social events but have a collection of mug shots and rehab rumors in People Magazine. Bobby Christina, Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown’s 16-year-old daughter is all the buzz because of various photos of her under-age alcohol consumption. Why are these actions glorified on magazine covers and talk shows as juicy gossip? Former child stars would be insulted by this behavior. Do you think Michael Jackson worked so hard dancing and singing his heart out for the love of his fans because it was his hobby, because he could be caught by the paparazzi coming out of nightclubs? I doubt Miley Cyrus is going to Hannah Montana forever, if she’s caught with marijuana in her possession again. What makes it worse is these people know how lucky they are and how many teens would kill to be in their place. Still, they don’t appreciate how good they have it or realize how easily it all can be snatched away from them. Personally, this new era of child stars is a complete disappointment, and being a teenager I should have complete faith in our generation. Instead, I could care less whose guest starring on iCarly, the next twist on Degrassi’s new episode, or who wore it better, Nick or Kevin Jonas.
By: Addie Crosby We all dream of fame, fortune, or at least creating a life for ourselves that involves more than mooching off parents and depending on someone else. However, how many of us are actually actively forging that path to success? How many of us are actually attempting to put ourselves out there to meet and greet, to make those ties into the real world? Even though we hide behind the masks of being kids, maybe we ought to get out there and get some experience in the areas we think we might like to pursue as careers. Through these experiences, we might find out we don’t actually enjoy these fields. But if we do, it’s a great opportunity to make contacts with people who can help us achieve our goals. That’s what I did over break. It isn’t what you know, it’s who you know – and I know a lot of people who know a lot of other people. Proof? I want to be on TV. I want to read the news and be a local celebrity. I want to know what is going on in my community all the time. So I told my uncle all about my hopes and dreams (so cliché). He gave me a Christmas present I’ll never forget. On New Year’s Eve I got to shadow Channel 12 anchor Joy Purdy, who co-anchors Good Morning Jacksonville on weekdays. As Jason, the video editor, put together the news clips to be
shown during the broadcast – I learned how to edit clips. It really opened my eyes and I couldn’t help but leave with a smile on my face thinking, “This is what I want to do with my life.” I want to make jokes with Tim Deegan, learn about sports from Dan Hicken. I want to have big hair and joke about my beauty queen past, while spreading the word to my city. It may seem superficial, but the job itself is very important. As Joy anchored the show, I was sitting at the nightly news desk eight feet away. The entire team remained composed and professional during broadcasting, but joked and teased during commercial breaks. It was awesome to see the behindthe-scenes actions and watch Joy herself instead of Joy on television. Being able to see more than the people at home made me want to be the one talking to those people at home. The two hours there felt more like 30 minutes. The experience helped me see what it would be like if I pursue broadcast journalism, and I ended up loving it. The extra push it gave me is leading to a hopeful internship with the news station. My advice is to talk to the people you know about your goals in life. See how they can help you. See how you can help the people talking to you. Get your dreams rolling.
Get the ball rolling
Juniors!
By: Sydney Brogli Get a jump-start on your college admissions! Make sure you sign up to take your ACT and SAT tests, and start discussing college with your counselors.
Drug Page
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“METH continued from the front
At first, he would come around amped up, sometimes shaking and talking a mile a minute. Over the next three years, I watched him weaken. Sores started to appear under his chin and his face seemed droopy. His cheeks hung down and the bags under his eyes darkened with each week that passed. Finally, I saw the track marks on his arm. Though I hated asking him about the marks – especially since he had a temper and had recently stopped playing board games and jumping on the trampoline with me after school – he would lie and tell me they were bug bites. I would just give him weird looks and say to myself, “No, they’re not.” But between his temper and the physical changes I saw in him, I knew the answer before I asked. I remember one Saturday night about a year before he killed himself. Kyle and I had set up plans to play the videogame Call of Duty early in the night. At 1 a.m., Kyle walked in, drugged up and slurring. My other two brothers were already asleep and I couldn’t talk to Kyle because I was too upset seeing him high and babbling. I told him goodnight and went to my room. He followed me and I shut the door in his face. If I had been a good sister, I might have gone out and told him I was upset seeing how he was hurting himself and that I was
here to help him stop. Instead, I shut him out, disappointed and disgusted. I can remember him saying, over and over through the door, “What’s wrong?” I told him I didn’t want to talk to him. He started screaming, calling me names, calling me a brat because I wouldn’t talk to him. It was the meth speaking, not him. I told him I had not made plans with friends that night specifically because we were supposed to hang out. I wanted him to know how much he had disappointed me. I wanted him to feel guilty. I started crying and saying things I regret now that he’s gone. I opened the door and yelled in his face, “I’m not the one staying out until 1 o’clock in the morning doing stupid stuff,” and before slamming the door told him, “You’re a lousy brother.” The next morning, I woke up and found him in the living room, sleeping on the couch. I apologized for our fight and he said he didn’t remember what I was talking about. In addition to destroying his body, the meth was making him forget everything. He only lived a year after that fight, and when I found out he died, I blamed myself for not being there for him when he needed me most. Instead, I slammed the door in his face and pushed him away. To this day, I still sometimes wonder if he was
The facts of meth
By: Addie Crosby Did you know methamphetamines, more commonly known as meth, could contain harmful additives such as battery acid, drain cleaner, or anti-freeze? Would you really want to inject or snort battery acid? Did you know meth has been reported to smell like cat urine? Would you want to inject cat urine into your arm? Or snort it? Or eat CAT urine? Meth was created to give strength to soldiers in battle. The Allied Forces during World War II cooked the drug in chemistry labs, according to the website www.meth-kills.com, which chronicles the history and horrors of the drugs and is written by a former meth addict. Similarly, the militaries in Japan and Germany used meth to reduce fatigue, heighten aggression, and diminish human apathy to heighten their power. Once World War II was over, the leftover stockpiles were leaked into the public and sold in Japan as a recreational drug, and in America used again during the Vietnam War. Because of its growing popular-
ity and harmfulness to the human body, the U.S. Congress in 1996 passed the Methamphetamine Control Act establishing new regulations over key ingredients and reinforcing criminal penalties for possession, distribution, and production. This is when people had to start showing identification when buying certain over-the-counter cold and allergy medicine containing ingredients to cook meth. The effects of meth can be irreversible to the brain and cause future problems such as hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, and violent behaviors that may never go away. See front page story, “Losing to meth.” Meth labs are dangerous and there have been hundreds of cases where they have exploded due to combustible ingredients. Even without explosions, meth labs in an area can cause strong odors and (if found) may need to be cleaned up by hazardous waste professionals. These are the people who come in wearing the space suits so they don’t get infected by the toxic chemicals in the air.
Did You Know? Did you know there is a new act called The Marchman Act which legally allows parents or guardians to allow police to take their child into custody if the child appears or is suspected of any signs of drug use? The act says if a child is skipping class, staying out all night, and his parents suspect him of using drugs, they can go to the courthouse, sign a form, and have their child picked up by police. The child will then be taken to a facility where he will be assessed and stabilized. The treatment will not exceed 60 days, according to the act.
National versus Englewood statistics: How EHS fairs in the drug world
By: Staff Englewood students don’t follow all the national trends when it comes to drug use. Searching for studies online, the RamPage sought to discover where and how Englewood students matched up. Here is a breakdown of the national drug averages with Englewood’s overall student body average, and a breakdown based on each grade.
Name of Drug
National EHS Average Overall Average Marijuana 34.3% 45.625% Cocaine 5.3% 5.375% LSD 6.2% 4.5% Ecstasy 2.7% 7.125% Heroin 0.9% 2.375%
9th
10th
11th
12th
31.5% 3.5% 2.5% 7.5% 1.5%
44.5% 8% 10% 8% 5%
47.5% 3% 1% 5.5% 0%
59% 7% 4.5% 7.5% 3%
thinking about me when he pulled the trigger. And I wish I had been there to stop him. I think about how he pushed me to do good to be better in school and how he told me he was looking forward to watching me walk across the stage to get my diploma. He was always positive about my future. And now he’s gone. And I’m haunted by the thought of losing him. He was someone I looked up to. About a month ago, my mother told me she still has the mental image of Kyle walking into her room and saying, “Hey mom. How are you?” She reminds all of us that he was a good kid who just got involved with the wrong people. That is all she will say because it’s still too much for us to all take in. And maybe we’re all feeling we should have been there more for him. In the end, I’m being unfair to myself by carrying the guilt of not being there for my brother, because I always loved him, and would change how I acted if I could turn back time. But despite the pain I’ve felt this year, and the guilt I’ve carried, I realize Kyle left me a gift. He taught me not to do drugs, to choose friends wisely and to stay beside and help anyone I care about who might be using drugs or showing signs of feeling alone.
The Effects ofjuana.marijuana
By: Elizabeth Mills and Courtney Knettel. Hallucinations. Delusions. Impaired memory. Sound like fun? Well, many people say marijuana has few negative effects, but experts say that’s not true. The above affects are what one may expect as a chronic marijuana smoker. The RamPage studied websites that discuss the effects and compiled a list of common side effects. These are also the short-term effects of smoking marijuana, including: distorted perception including sight, sound, time, and touch, trouble with thinking and problem-solving, loss of coordination, and increased heart rate, anxiety, and panic attacks. Within a few minutes of smoking marijuana, the smoker’s heart begins to beat more rapidly (from 20 to 50 beats per minute) and his blood pressure drops. The risk of a heart attack increases by four times within the first hour of smoking marijuana. Ms. Sharon McMullen, the tenth grade guidance counselor, and a drug counselor for teens, talked to us about some of her knowledge on drugs and experiences with drug-addicted teens. At Englewood, because there is no confidentiality policy, she doesn’t get as many teens coming to her to talk about mari-
Still, she said she knows the drug affects many and has health risks. McMullen said most girls don’t understand marijuana attaches itself to fat cells. Female eggs are protected by fat cells. This can contaminate the eggs from marijuana stored in the fat cells. She says that boys like to say “Oh yeah, I smoke pot” falsely believing it’s a form of birth control because marijuana causes sperm to have less mobility. “The lil suckers still swim, and can get to where they’re going. There’s fat protecting the sperm producing areas of males too.” She added that two-thirds of teen suicides occur while they are either drinking or drugging. Marijuana is a depressant, she said. THC, which is the main ingredient in marijuana, weakens the immune system, lowering the body’s ability to fight disease. It also creates an emotional dependence/addiction to the drug. A survey was taken on healthieryou.com and showed fewer than 1 in 5 high school seniors smoke marijuana. A yearly survey was also taken and showed 1 in 6 sophomores have used marijuana within the past month. Despite its popularity, McMullen said teens should consider the health risks before getting involved with the drug.
Did You Know? Sophomore and senior boys on campus claimed to use cocaine at higher rates than the natioal average of 5.3 percent national. More than 10 percent of seniors and 14 percent of sophomores said they’d used the drug.
Tips to getting into your dream college By: Sydney Brogli Remember In order to look better on your applications you should have around 200 hours. Practice makes perfect For free test prep for ACT and SAT, as well as other, visit www.number2.com Financial Aid If you set up an appointment with your guidance counselor, you can get financial aid to help pay for your ACT, SAT, and college applications because they can get very expensive. There are many scholarships available.
Drug Page
12
Dabbling with addiction
Was that regret in her eyes? She asked if I was okay and said it smelled like vomit. By: Anonymous Could she see it in mine? My mom bought my lie, that I had the “stomach flu.” I woke up on my bathroom floor covered in I don’t know if it was God or just good luck, The whole weekend, she nursed me, getting me vomit with no recollection of how I had gotten there. but we made it to my friend’s house safely. I dropped Gatorade and chicken-noodle soup when I asked. I had no idea how long I had been there. My memory my friend off and sped home, perched on the edge of a I wish she hadn’t. I wish she had seen through flashed to hours before, or at least I think it was hours. breakdown. my lies. “Take this, it’ll make you feel better,” I remem My mother and father were asleep inside. It wasn’t the first or the last time. Pharmaceutibered a friend telling me, handing me a pill that looked I leaned against the steering wheel, willing cals had me tight in their grasp, convinced that popping like aspirin. myself to sober up in the driveway. After maybe five pills was the only way to cope with my problems. It was oxycontin, which is basically synthetic minutes, I opened the door and trying to stand up, rolled The grades dwindled into nothingness, friends heroin. stopped calling, my mother told me she was giving up. I’d dabbled with other painkillers in the past and out of the car. My cheeks scraped the gravel and colors flashed Rock bottom comes quickly, and the landing isn’t peaceeven drank cough syrup to get high. But this was about to behind my eyes. ful. And neither is the climb back up. be the scariest night of my life. A night that would open I must have looked like a zombie staggering to But I wanted to be able to look at myself in the my eyes to what I was doing to myself. mirror without feeling shame. My brain vibrated with sensation. A friend I wanted to put my report card up on the refrigand I giggled as the drug danced through our bodies. “I wanted to be able to look at myself in the mirror erator instead of in the trash. Soon, though, it was time for me to take her home. I without feeling shame. I wanted to put my report More than anything, I wanted my relationship drove around in the night. I thought the feeling had passed, then a series of headlights began flashing and card up on the refrigerator instead of in the trash.” with my parents back, the ability to talk to them my house. I thought it was as bad as it could get, but the without having to wonder if I was acting sober. dilating. pill seized control of my body, taking away my legs and I heard it takes 21 days to make a habit, 45 days My whole body was shaking, slipping away. my sight. to break it I didn’t factor in relapse though. It was a daily Then the paranoia set in for good. My car swerved into Next thing I knew, I awoke on the floor in a struggle to walk by the medicine cabinet. the lane beside us, my vision went in and out. Tears pool of vomit. My head was throbbing. I crawled into the One day, in a fit of frustration, I grabbed up leaked out of the corner of my eyes, and bits of my life shower. I just wanted to get the mess off me. empty cardboard pill boxes and notebooks filled with flashed in front of me. I thought it was the end, my heart I turned on the shower. It was freezing. My viinsane ramblings, and took a lighter to it all. The smoke spasming with insane rhythm. My friend gripped her seat sion, though blurry, was improving. I wrapped myself in twisted into my nostrils, and it smelled like redemption. and squealed beside me. a towel and I heard my mother’s voice from the kitchen. I had finally made it. I risked a quick look at her.
Where to turn for help • National drug and crisis hotlines
National Drug Abuse Hotline 1-800-662-HELP (1-800-662-4357) National Youth Crisis Hotline: 1-800-442-HOPE (4673)
• Local drug and crisis hotlines
- A Drug 24-Hour Help Line & Treatment Center of First Step 10960 Beach Boulevard, Jacksonville, FL 32246 (904) 641-0214 - Prescription Drug Addiction 24-Hour Help Line 7524 Southside Boulevard, Jacksonville, FL 32256 (904) 642-1995
• Drug and alcohol online resources
http://www.teen-drug-abuse.org/resources.htm http://neflaa.org/wiktor/meetings-search (Alcohol Anonymous) http://firstcoastna.org/meetings.htm (Narcotics Anonymous meetings)
Englewood junior struggles with grandmother’s drinking and drug use By: Dana Johnson My family has been through dark times, all thanks to drugs and alcohol. My auntie died in her bed alone from a heroin overdose. Three of my great uncles have been in and out of jail for selling drugs or getting caught as users. But worst of all is my grandmother who I’ve rarely seen sober. While most families talk about good times with their grandmothers, who are always there for holidays and birthdays, I’ve watched my grandma slur, stagger and steal through my childhood. She’s not even invited to family gatherings anymore if she doesn’t come sober. In other words, she’s never around. One of my worst memories was an early summer morning when I was 10. It was still dark outside, and my mother, father and siblings were asleep. All of a sudden I heard someone yelling, “She’s having a seizure! Get up!” My mom wouldn’t allow me in the room. My sister later told me that grandma was shaking violently, her eyes glazed as she thrashed on the floor. All because she had smoked too much crack. We all knew that my grandma did drugs, but we never actually saw her cooking or smoking them. We only sometimes saw the paraphernalia she left behind. When my grandma came out of the seizure, we wanted to call an ambulance to have her hospitalized. But grandma always somehow
got the better of the situation, maybe because she was so stubborn due to her polluted mind. She was staggering when she got to her feet. Her voice sounded like she was choking, raspy. Her voice was this way because of a bar fight in the early 1990s that ended with her getting stabbed in the chest with an ice pick. She was famous for picking fights in the old days, and she was about to pick one with my mom. My mother was on the offensive and looked like a football player squatting down and ready to dodge any open hands trying to hold her back. “No, I’m not going to no hospital,” my grandma mumbled angrily. Then she started yelling incoherently and slamming doors. Her eyes bloodshot and sweat pouring down her face, grandma had already called her mother to pick her up when she went on her rampage. It was scary to see the way she looked. I wanted to scream or run away. My mother was furious, wanting grandma to get checked out in the hospital, but my great-grandma soon arrived. With the police. My great-grandma had called the cops on us, saying we assaulted my grandmother, not that she had a seizure. The police left after some quick questioning, but I realized then that this twisted episode was not normal. Trying to escape Life wasn’t always easy for
grandma. She had five girls, one who died in a house fire as a baby while she was already pregnant with her fifth daughter. Her oldest child, my mother, left at an early age. Her second oldest was taken from her and put into foster care after the Department of Children and Families found her to be an unfit mother. I feel sorry for what she went through. But it’s not an excuse. Everybody goes through struggles. But insecure, emotionally ill people use drugs as a way to escape their problems. And I wish my grandma would get help. I want her to stop. I want to know what’s it’s like to see her sober. She’s whispered in my sister’s ear that she’s going to stop. Then the next day she’s at a block party drinking beer, running around drunk trying to be the center of attention. I would tell her to stop, but she doesn’t listen. It’s like she doesn’t care how her behavior affects everybody. As long as she’s drinking, she’s happy. I just kind of ignore her, like everybody else. It’s not right, I know, because she obviously needs help. But I’ve lost faith. She’s proven to me that she’s not going to stop. Lesson learned the hard way My most recent visit to see my grandma was over the Christmas break. On Christmas Day, my mom, sister and I went to my great-grandma’s house where my grandma was. As soon as we opened the door,
my grandma was standing there wearing a short, red-sequined dress, knee-high silver boots with heels, and a red Michael Jackson 1983 World Tour jacket. She hugged us all and snorted in our ears. You could smell the alcohol all over her body. When my aunt came in, my grandma dramatically dropped to the floor for a reason nobody understood. Everybody just stepped over her on the way to the kitchen. While we sat on the couch, my grandma was staggering back and forth to the kitchen, drinking a beer. Occasionally, she would dance in front of us or mumble something that no one understood. My mom ignored her and I just stared. She was pathetic. Even though she acted happy, I knew inside she wasn’t. I tried to think what could’ve happened to her to make her addicted to drugs. I wondered who might have introduced them to her. I looked at an old picture of my grandma in her 20s, beautiful and drugfree. Then I think on my memories of her, and that I’ve never seen her this way. Despite the horrible images of her burned in my mind, she has given me something. I will never, ever do drugs. Seeing what they can do to someone you love makes you realize that drugs only destroy. Not only the life of the user, but of those who have to watch their life being taken over.
13 Letters to the Editor Dear Editor, Homecoming: a night to remember. What I love about this article is that it’s true. I also love how the person writing this piece captured so much detail that happened that night. I felt like I was there just from reading the first paragraph. Whoever wrote this should keep writing because they are amazing. EHS needs to keep their head up, the whole school believes in ya’ll. -Taylor Bass
Dear Editor, I really enjoyed the piece, Super 7 slams opponents. I haven’t really paid attention to the volleyball team, seeing as how I spend most of my time dealing with the constant homework and my own sport to attend to, but this article showed me inside the team. I had no idea they were that good, to be 164. But I’m proud to know that one of our RamPage writers can make me feel proud of an Englewood sports team. -Shaun McIntosh
Dear Editor, Considering this was the first newspaper of the year, it did really well. I loved how the writers used creative language that was easy for students to understand, which deserves a big kudos. On the downside, I think that the editors should go around and ask students what they want to read so that more students will be interested in reading the paper, other than just writing topics that interest the editor. -Daesjah Benjamin
Dear Editor, “RamPage reporters run through maze of madness” just screamed READ ME! all over it. The article itself is well detailed and exciting, with its chilling thoughts brought in by the ones experiencing it firsthand. It’s so well composed that you practically smell the fear wafting like a constant breeze from the speakers. The ending leaves you in wonder, as to whether these reporters are embellishing the truth on it. -Alyssa Duplessis
Dear Editor, I’m a freshman and I have a lot to say. I mean, high school is supposed to be one of the greatest memories of our life, right? And yet, I really haven’t been that interested in my school and I think about it all the time because I’m the type of person who loves to get involved. We have no school spirit, and I heard that it’s better than last year. Really? School is about learning, our education, so we end up somewhere in life, but it’s also about having fun. Maybe we could have more and better pep rallies, dances and put more involvement in games or athletic events. Put more excitement in them. We could also sell RAM clothing and do more clubs. We can kill the reputation that Englewood has apathy. -Abegail Canis
Dear Editor, “Miss Englewood” was really good and well written. She had many visual details and showed the reader what it was like to be there and how she felt. She didn’t let any of her feelings hide like when she said, “We are real,” talking about the fakeness of the other girls. It was very interesting. -Amanda Welch
Dear Editor, I liked the story by Bryanna Cooper and Terry Johnson, “Doing it the Wright way.” I am honestly fascinated by this passage because it makes me want to fulfill my dream of becoming a nurse since seeing that Mr. Wright achieved his goal and ventured to something greater. -Shakira Edwards
Dear Editor, The story DaJonah Hall wrote was interesting and to me carried false information. This is my first year here and it seemed to me that there was a lot of spirit. I’m not sure how the past pep rallies have been, but I felt that a lot of people showed spirit by coming to school dressed in black and gold, and they brought that spirit to the pep rally. DaJonah is right about the cheerleaders, band and auxiliary or step team sweating out their body mass, but that’s what they are supposed to do. They’re the confidence and boost for spirit. There were a lot of people showing spirit, and chanting at the pep rally so, to me, the spirit wasn’t “dwindling.” -David Roby Dear Editor I disagree with the best off-campus lunch eatery because most of my friends would rather go to Burger King or McDonald’s, or even a Chinese restaurant if able to. (Students) only choose Krystal’s because it is only a 3-minute drive. The food is small. The chili cheese fries are so small that it brings shame to any vendors or people who sell those. It’s like this four Krystal’s could equal one Burger King burger. It is that small … I would never go there because why go to Krystal’s and buy 2 chiks for $6 dollars when you can go on the dollar menu at McDonalds and order 6 McChickens for $6 dollars. I’m sorry, but I disagree with Krystal being the top Best Off Campus Eatery -Thuza Lwin
Dear Editor, I think a problem at Englewood is people skipping. This is causing chaos. School was made to help us learn and people want to mess around. People have the wrong attitude toward school. They won’t realize how important it is until they run out of opportunities in this world. That will lead them to do crimes. Another issue is how clean the school is. Some parts of EHS look terrible. There is hardly any grass and it just looks dull. There are a few things we can do to make EHS look better, like a new paint job or some new grass. -Conrad Graska
Dear Editor, I really enjoyed the “Senior wall controversy.” It was short, sweet and well put together. Of course, this was a big topic here at EHS. Everyone was a critic and I wondered what Kennerly, the artist, thought about it. I was glad to see her thoughts and feelings on everyone criticizing her work. Khadijah Banks
Dear Editor, I think our school could do better on school spirit, because being at school, everyone should be representing it. A good way to get more school spirit is to have more pep rallies and spirit days. -Jessica Akhurst
Fashion Page By: Infiniti Henry
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Whats In?
While this past fall fashion was unlike anything we have seen in the past – conservative glamour, chic looks, and a variety of colors – winter is known for its cold weather, therefore we think of warm clothing. Also you will see people wearing furs, boots, and trench coats. This season’s winter colors are dark purples, crèmes, light pinks, honey yellows, and dark calm blues that would mainly be your jeans. Unfortunately this season is uninspiring due to its “Gray-The-New-Neutral.”
Must Haves...
Nail Polishes
We don’t know about you, but we’re beyond ready to break out the coats, jackets and scarves. A “2010 winter Trend” would be big bangles with flower prints in tan, peach, or crème colors, to set your look off. Other accessories are textured/ printed tights, beret hats and laced up booties. Another fashion winter must have would be big rings, UGG boots, and flower printed skirts and tops. Add a skinny belt which will accent an outfit and give it shape. To make sure you stay in season these are the 2010 winter Fashion Must Haves: • Warm, fitted coat • Snow boots • Pair of peep toe booties • Handbag
Last season the nails were, more metallic, and jeweled. But this season we will be doing burgundies, nudes, taupes which are a soft color mixture of brown and purple, and other shades of browns this winter. Also do soft buttery hues which are elegant and classy.
Jeggings
Statement Necklaces Statement necklaces up the ante and can be worn with anything. Dress them down with a black tee, loose fitting jeans and boots that have a bright jewel tone hue. Statement necklaces are focused on: • Rhinestones • Feathers • Beadings These can be used to counterbalance grey, the season’s color of the moment.
Slouchy Sweaters While a cashmere, cardigan and fleecey maybe pre essential in every fashionista’s closet. A slouchy sweater makes you go a little over the edge. Pair this with the other hot trends like some jeggings and some studded ankle boots.
Jeggings have become super hot in the fashion world. They are super soft and can be worn as jeans, or as leggings which gives them more versatility. In addition to being the trend factor they are seriously comfortable and can be worn with: • Tunics • Long sweaters • Blousy tops
Revamped Tanks We know that everyone owns the basic white, black, and gray tanks. But let’s take a huge step with a revamped cotton tank, constructed with lace (black lace is HOT HOT HOT! As well as Silks and sequined embellishments). For more, check out harpersbazaar.com, which is a website based on fashion. The website lists the clothes, and even tells who it’s by, when will it come out to stores, and how much it cost. It features everything you may need. This website holds the fall shows in it. The website features all over the worlds fashions, also hair and makeup tips, celebrity’s lifestyles. Other fashion websites to look into are: • Lulus.com • Delias.com And for Hot accessories, try girlprops.com
Englewood Fashion
At Englewood High School the students make sure they stay on top of their looks and new trends. At Englewood the most seen shoe a lot are the gladiator shoes. The shoes come in all different designs and range in multi colors to fit any season. As for Havana Joe’s and Bahama Jack’s are commonly seen shoes too because of how the designers make sure their shoe can be worn with any outfit. They designer combined something that was simple, everyday walking shoes, with style. They come in all kind of color combinations; some students have at least two pairs of the shoes.
Fly Kicks
U.S.P.A.
EHS Also has a huge obsession on Jordan Nikes. The students here keep a high in profile on their footwork. Nike blazers are the most common shoes seen around. They come in different colors, prints, and textures which helped them make a name for themselves around the Englewood campus. Jordan Spiz’ike is cute footwear as well made to be fitted well on male and females.
Keeping Up...
Englewood also has a big deal on the fashion line U.S.P.A. which is an association for polo. The fashion line is a lot like the real Polo’s clothing line which is also seen around campus as well.
If you are missing out on all the fashion trends of Englewood, here’s a trendy out fit to get you set. Do a flower printed baby doll dress, and leather jacket, make your shoes pop out by doing some tan peep toe booties with a platform. Do studded earrings, nothing too flashy, a huge ring to go on your ring finger, and a chain strapped tan vintage purse. Other fashion dos would be to have a big designer bag, cut-up skinny jeans, and cute quoted tops and boots. er. He made me laugh when I was down, That didn’t leave us enough time to hang started as friends. taught me how to be a better rower, and with friends or do what we had to do to I see so many couples reading continued from page 8 became my best friend. unwind after long weeks at school. each other’s text messages, accusing each I am now dating my best friend, And maybe this is what’s gotten other of cheating. Dane and I don’t waste He even took me to a Jaguars and have been for almost two years, us through the difficulty of being 100 our time, knowing that if anything ever game. and even though he is in college – we or so miles apart. And though we deal came between us, we would find a way to We would climb into his yellow are still a strong force. We tried seeing with the same jealous insecurities every survive. truck and race to crew; it was on those each other every weekend, but that put couple faces, we’re super open. car rides we really got to know each othtoo much pressure on our relationship. And more importantly, we
“LONG-DISTANCE LOVE”
15 Deck the halls of fame “How do you feel being named in the hall of fame?” Suzana Sisljagic “It’s a great accomplishment for me. I know my teachers are very proud. It is something I wanted to achieve since freshmen year.”
Devon Hagans “It feels like a great accomplishment. “
Emerald Painter “ It’s a great feeling to leave behind (a legacy) when I leave Englewood High forever.”
Frank Craig “Just like what Julie said, “It’s AWESOME,” and working hard for years paid off.”
Ashanti Broxey “I feel like I accomplished something and I feel that now I could accomplish anything. I feel great about being in the hall of fame.
Devin Hagans “I feel like I stand out as an important figure at Englewood High School.”
Sebria Miltun “I feel like it says I accomplished goals while in high school, that all the hard work I did in high school paid off.”
Michaela Donohue “Being on the hall of fame is a great accomplishment. I’ve wanted to be in the hall of fame since 9th grade when I saw peoples’ pictures on the bulletin board.”
Haley Wofford “It caught me completely off gaurd but I feel like I accomplished something big.”
Julie Tran “It’s really great! I can’t say much about it!!! But it’s awesome.”
Roderica Johnson “I was surprised that I made it out of all the seniors here. I feel very honored and it comes to show that hardwork pays off.”
Cheyanne Kauffman “It is a really cool experience and honor. I was pretty excited about it and I thought it was pretty cool because you had to be selected out of a few hundred students.”
FCAT Page
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Toughen up for FCAT Reading
By: Asija Pasic and Jennifer Clifton Ten minutes into the reading FCAT, the boredom sets in as the yearning to lie back in bed rises. This is when students need to toughen up or suffer the consequences, said Dequila Lang, senior class president. She’s on her fourth round of the Reading FCAT and wants to advise students that they will be forced to take classes they don’t want to if they don’t pass. “The first couple times it was just that I didn’t put all my effort into it,” she admitted. “I didn’t know that it was something that you had to pass.” Because she failed, she was placed in Intensive Reading for her junior and senior years. She said the FCAT test is a few hours of concentration. Christmas tree or lose focus on the test and students can expect mandatory reading classes for the year, which costs students 270 hours. She said she could name a halfdozen elective classes she would have enjoyed taking instead of reading. “I’d rather have any class other than Intensive Reading,” Lang said. And since passing is a graduation requirement, Lang says she has the added pressure of having to pass if she hopes to walk across the stage to get her diploma.
FCAT Tutoring Schedules
Mrs. Kay Dudley, a reading coach, said students need to trust what they’ve learned in class and relax before the test. Of course, everyone must try, she added. Dudley explained the reason students have been focusing on main idea, compare and contrast, reference and research and words and phrases every day of the year in their English classes is to prepare them for success on the test. In addition to studying in class Dudley said the best way to improve reading is to read as much as possible. She hopes students read outside school – magazines on their favorites sports or hobbies, or books that interest them. She said the best way to improve reading skills is to read. Also, there is no way students will improve if they aren’t in the classroom. “Kids need to come to school,” she said. Lang reminds students to try their best, relax and stay focused on what they know. She said it’s an easy test if you follow these rules, but too often students make excuses and don’t try. “Do your best, focus,” Lang said. “When you first go in, don’t worry about having to pass it. Take your test as you were taking a normal test.”
Subject Days Tutoring Hours Tutoring Where Math M & W 2 - 3:30 p.m. D108 Math/Science M & W 2 - 3:30 p.m. D102 Math/Science M & W 2 - 3:30 p.m. C103 Math/Science T &Th 2 - 3:30 p.m. C101 ELA/Reading T &Th 2 - 3:30 p.m. B102 CPT/SAT/ACT T &Th 2 - 3:30 p.m. B107 Social Studies T &Th 2 - 3:30 p.m. C104 Science T &Th 2 - 3:30 p.m. Media Center ESOL ELA M/T/Th 2 - 4 p.m. Media Center Subject Days Tutoring Hours Tutoring Where Reading T &Th 2 - 3:30 p.m. A102 Reading M & W 2 - 3:30 p.m. F102 Math M & W 2 - 3:30 p.m. B105 Subject Days Tutoring Hours Tutoring Where Math M & W 2 - 4:30 p.m. X112 ELA M 2 - 4:30 p.m. X111 ELA M - Th 2 - 4:30 p.m. X111 Subject Days Tutoring Hours Tutoring Where SAT/ACT Saturday 9 - 11 a.m. X111 Reading Saturday 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. X112 Reading Saturday 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. Rotational Reading Saturday 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. X110 Math Saturday 8 a.m. - 12 p.m. X113 SAT/ACT Saturday 9 - 11 a.m. X111 Subject Days Tutoring Hours Tutoring Where ELA Wednesday 5:30 - 7 p.m. A103
Reading is key to becoming a successful young adult By: Eric Westocott Terry Byassee, a junior, agrees with Durbin, saying he couldn’t wait to get the FCAT over with. The Detroit native was introduced to the FCAT when he arrived in Jacksonville this year, and said he looks forward to passing it so he can take woodshop instead of Intensive Reading. And while many of his peers complain about the test and having to take classes to prepare, he sees how the test is an important gauge to students’ futures. “People can’t make it through life without being able to read,” said Byassee, 17. He added that everyday life demands that we read constantly. Those who can’t read will struggle doing everyday tasks, he said. Nevertheless, he said his peers only want to do what is necessary to barely get by. “They don’t want to strive to become a more skilled reader,” Byassee said. He said this is unfortunate, since students who don’t know how to really comprehend words will possibly be tricked at some point in their lives. “It’s possible that they will be manipulated,” Byassee said. “If they’re reading a contract and they’re not understanding what they’re reading and they sign it, it could be harmful.” He said students want to read book they’re interested in based on their
hobbies and outside interests. “I don’t think students necessarily dislike reading,” Byassee said. “I think they don’t like reading what teachers put in front of them. Because typically what we like to read are magazines or things about your favorite band, sports. We’re not really interested in some of the stories from a long time ago that we read.” He added that most students read blogs and social networking updates online. He said his peers are more interested in checking their Facebook than studying for a chapter quiz in a book that’s putting them to sleep. “I think teachers should find a way to figure out what the students enjoy, what will keep their attention, and try to add that so it will fit in their lesson plans.” “Most of the reading is done online. Even when you’re on Facebook, you’re reading statuses.” Students in his Intensive Reading class making lots of excuses, such as, “It’s long, boring and it’s just hard to stay focused that early in the morning,” said Byassee. And this is why many don’t take the time to read the text. Instead of falling into that trap, Byassee did his best. “I (told myself) I might as well do it and read it, or else I’m going to be taking it again next year,” Byassee said.
Did You Know? Do you ever wonder why you are always being tested? The endless benchmarks, focus lessons, FAIR testing, Scholastic Reading Inventory in Read 180 and assessments in class. Mrs. Kay Dudley, Englewood’s reading coach, said the tests are designed to make sure you and your teachers are on track to improve your performance as you get ready to take FCATs. “If you want to make a comparison to an athlete trying to improve his importance, you’re trying to see that what you’re doing is making a difference. You take evaluations to see if your workout is increasing your performance, and if not, do you need to do it more often, do you need to change approaches?”
Mrs. Jessica Durbin said her students need to suck it up, stop being lazy and concentrate on reading, because illiterate people fail. “Students today have shorter attention spans than any generation before,” said Durbin, 26, who has been teaching intensive reading for four years. She works with 11th and 12th graders who need to retake the test. “Reading is a part of day-to-day life. You can’t ‘skate by’ and be a successful adult without learning to read. It’s essential to success.” Durbin said kids make every kind of excuse, adding that she mostly hears
the FCAT is boring to them. Still, every student in Florida is taking the test, so it’s better to focus on what needs to get done rather than whine about the difficulties in doing so. Students have a low reading comprehension, Durbin said. The only way to raise comprehension is to read as much as possible, she added. But students are too lazy to pick up a book. “Struggling readers are often reluctant readers and when they struggle understanding what the text means they get frustrated and give up,” Durbin said. Durbin herself loves reading and wants to instill a love of reading in her students, saying the use of computers and other resources in her class make the subject fun for students. But successful readers must practice and she pushes her students to never give up. “I want to help students be successful adults and reading is essential to success.”
Did You Know? During the 2010-11 school year, students reading at or above grade level dropped in 82 schools in Duval County. Though students are always complaining they do not have enough electives, there is a direct connection to this statistic. Those students who don’t pass will have to pass up classes like drama, woodshop, art, journalism, choir and others to take year-long reading classes that will help them pass the test. Intensive Reading teacher Jessica Durbin said students should concentrate this time so you can take the classes you want. “The majority of kids can pass but don’t try hard enough,” she said.
Hannah’s socks warms 500 feet By: Sydney Brogli The results are in and for the second year running, the seniors stole the title for the Hannah’s Socks competition. Mrs. Gail Berzins was happy with the turn out and said, “Though we didn’t reach the goal we set (of 800 socks) the sock drive was still a success, the people served by Trinity Mission are so grateful to have warm socks, especially during the cold weather.” For the efforts of Englewood students, 501 people have warm feet this winter. This year will most likely be remembered for the parody video “No Socks” that Terrence Owens based on the song, “No Hands.” He said his most memorable moment was the teamwork that the students put out to finish the video in one day.
Fun Page
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Word searchBy:Semir of famous Artists Karic
DidBy:Carmen you Castillo know?
Eating bananas will attract mosquitoes to you. Donkeys kill more people than plane crashes. The king of hearts is the only king without a mustache. Marilyn Monroe had six toes. Pearls melt in vinegar. Turtles can breathe through their butts. Walt Disney was afraid of mice. Barbie’s full name is Barbra Millicent Roberts. Cats pee glows under black light. On average Americans eat 18 acres of pizza per day. Coca cola would have been green if the company didn’t use coloring. If you keep your eyes open by force they will pop out.
Top 10 Songs of Summer 2010 By:Rukhsar Daulathussain 1) Katy Perry ft. Snoop Dogg – California Gurls 2) Usher ft. will.i.am – OMG 3) Taio Cruz – Dynamite 4) David Guetta ft. Fergie, Chris Willis & LMFAO – Getting Over You 5) Travie McCoy ft. Bruno Mars – Billionaire 6) Buckcherry – All Night Long 7) Mike Posner – Cooler Than Me 8) Ke$ha –Your Love is My Drug 9) Train¬ – Hey Soul Sister 10) Taio Cruz ft. Ke$ha – Dirty Picture
Drake vs. Eminem: Who’s really the best?
The RamPage went around interviewing and collecting the opinions from 20 students on campus on who was better, Eminem or Drake Eminem: A veteran in this game since 1995, This rap icon shows no hint of stopping!
Drake: The newest rookie on the scene, came about by blowing up this charts with his charming looks and smooth croons.
11 votes
9 votes
Some of you are thinking in your head, why?? Who?? Well here are your answers from your peers Eminem-“Because he is black on the inside but white on the outside” Zerek Dupree Eminem –“Better lyrics” Anonymous Eminem-“He is awesome”-Anonymous Eminem-“Lyrically better” Devon Reese Eminem, “It makes me hungry, m&m’s mmmm…- Kaitlyn Alba Eminem- “White and so hot” – Jasmine Bennitt Eminem- “He been in the game longer”- Mercedes Barnen Eminem “Because he go hard” – Harvey Townsed Eminem-“Drake can’t rap, but he can sing, Eminem can do both better”- Anonymous Eminem, “Best rapper alive” – Victor Jimenez
Drake, “He’s black” Richard Bowmen Drake, “Cute” – Mrs. Height Drake, “Eminem is booboo” – Mike Owen Drake, “Drake is a good rapper/ singer”- Effic Hairston Drake, “The music sends a message out to the listeners”-Quaniesha Owens Drake- “He beast”-Matthew King Drake, “Cute” - Shereen Ali Drake, “Looks, also with Young Money records” – Braelyn Harvell
Interact Club: Fun serving the community
By: Erica Solorzano Catharina Ly said joining Interact changed her life. The club on campus that meets every Tuesday has helped her develop leadership and teamwork, as well as a better understanding of the world. The club has participated in many activities, including going every Tuesday to tutor and taking part in various charities. Basically, the club interacts with the community. “It enhances my communication skills,” Ly said. “It gives me an opportunity to open doors for my future.” Another of the leaders, Taneshia Mitchell, felt it helped change her on a personal level.
“It changed me because it made me realize the things I have and to never take anything for granted,” Mitchell said. Senior Frank Craig has enjoyed the experience because he made a positive change. “It changed me because it made me feel like I made a difference in a child’s life that wasn’t in the best environment,” he said. Senior Kortney Wrice joined Interact and also attended a summer leadership camp that helped her build a useful learning experience that will follow her throughout her future. “It taught me to care about other people other than myself, it taught me to be a leader,” she said.
Despite its many successes and the appreciation of its members, many Englewood students are unaware of Interact Club. The club is great for any student who likes making a difference in his community and would like to get community hours for the Bright Futures scholarship. Club sponsors hope to build the program next year and are open to discuss the club with any student who is interested. Stop by to see Mrs. Raney Hite or Mrs. Gail Hubbard in X112, or Mrs. Flemming in A109 for details.
2010 Top 10 video games By: Trevor Overman 1. HALO: REACH 2. FALLOUT: NEW VEGAS 3. ASSASSIAN’S CREED: BROTHERHOOD 4. CALL OF DUTY: BLACK OPS 5. FABLE 3 6. GOD OF WAR 3 7. BIOSHOCK 3 8. RED DEAD REDEMPTION 9. BATTLEFIELD: BAD COMPANY 2 10. CALL OF DUTY MODERNWARFARE2 SOURCE: www.digitaltrends.com