EAGLE’S EYE NEWS
EAGLE’S EYE STAFF
• EDITORS
• Alesia Davis, Newspaper Editor and online co-editor
• Jasmine Shelton, Online Editor and newspaper co-editor
• Jada Burse, Yearbook Editor
• SaRah Al-Basir, Yearbook Co-Editor
• Naysha Boyd, Photo Editor
• Aaliyah Wilcox, Business Manager
• REPORTERS
• Angel Hudson
• Jazlynn Smith
• Marchelle Miller
• Kameron Williams, Sports
• Brandon Holley-Nelson, Sports
• William White, Sports
• Carlo Terrell, Sports
• Photographers
• Maurice Stuckey
• Malcolm Murphy
• Sha’Ron Mitchell
• Ronnell Brown
• Robyn King, ADVISER
• Visit us online at www.RuskinNews.com
On the cover: The Golden Eaglittes’ members sophomore Nadine Rainers, junior Eleshea Banks and senior Aeriona Verge take their place on the bleachers before perfoming at basketball games. Photo Credit: Walter Verge 1
EAGLE’S EYE NEWS
Students record Positive PSA:#KINDKC
by Robyn King
The Principal Advisory Group went on a field trip to Union Station in November, but not to see the newest exhibit on display. Instead the students along with Principal Dawn Smith and Superientendant Dennis Carpenter were participants in a Public Service Announcement for KSHB 41 Action News.
The PSA was about stopping violence in Kansas City called KINDKC.
“Their presence shows that our students are committed to making their community and their school better by saying no to bullying, violence and discrimination,” Smith said.
“We represented our respective areas as a whole, promoting non violence so our future generations will have a chance,” senior Miles Reed said.
The students were surprised that they were going to a commercial shoot and a mannequin challenge.
“I expected some type of surprise but not as big as the one presented,” Reed said.
“We saw lots of cameras around and wondered why they were outside,” junior Destnee Walton said. “As we walked towards the cameras, they were giving lines out and the director told us that we were
Click below to view the PSA!
shooting a commercial of the Kansas City community.”
Also in attendance for the shoot were Mayors, firefighters, police officers, community members, 41 Action News Anchors and Royals General Manager Dayton Moore.
“During the shooting process, everyone was getting to know each other,” Reed said. “I had a decent conversation with the Mayor of Blue Springs, ranging from what it’s like to be in his position and what it means to him, all the way to what the fu-
ture holds for this country.”
“I saw so many different people the Mayor of Kansas City Sly James, police officers, doctors, community activist, and so many more people,” Walton said. The PSA can be seen on TV on NBC Affiliate KSHB Channel 41. In December the students saw the finished product. Not only did the students help the community by creating the positive message they also learned about Broadcasting.
“I really saw the behind scenes of what people have to do on TV to get things done the right way,” Walton said.
41 Action News records Ruskin Eagles with reporters Christa Dubill and Kevin Holmes. The PSA included other schools and individuals which came together to spread a positive message.
“At that time there were no mayors, students, policemen, firefighters or newscast,” Reed said. “We were just people, young and
old having fun with one another. The way it should be.”
“It was an honor for us to represent the Hickman Mills C-1 School District in the KSHB year long effort for all to be KindKC,” Smith said.
41 Action News films Ruskin students for the PSA with executive Frank White, former Royals player. The Ruskin Principal Advisory Group represented Ruskin with positivity.
Ruskin students stand behind reporters Patrick Fazio and Dia Wall as they continue to present the positive message. The PSA was created to bring individuals together and be kind to one another.
Democracy Essay Winners
by Robyn King
The Post winners of the Voice of Democracy contest, sponsored by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, named senior Alicia Palmer for the Grandview VFW and senior Brianna Robinson for the Independence VFW.
“I was suprised I won because I wasn’t expecting to win at all,” Robinson said.
Each student received a
cash award of $100 for winning.
“I had no idea about the banquet until an hour before,” Palmer said. “Fortunately I made it and was able to read my speech.”
Both students are in the dual credit Comparative Politics 220 class with teacher Robert Nellis and prepared the speeches in
class. This year’s topic for the Voice of Democracy was “My Responsibility to America”.
“They move on to the district level in January and hopefully one of them will move on to the state
contest,” Nellis said. Saturday, Jan. 28 Palmer and Robinson will find out the ranks for state. The ceremony is at the VFW post in Lee’s Summit.
Lady Eagles How Does it Feel to win Hy-vee Team of the week?
Deja Brown (10): “It felt good because we put in a lot of work and it paid off.”
Andrea Brown (10): “I felt like we deserve it because we have been working hard.”
Mariah Lewis:(12): “I felt we were finally being recognized for all the hard work and dedication we put into our game.”
Jocelyn Vann (10): “It felt like an honor because I know how hard we work and as a team we can do better things, being team of the week is really good. “
Arrianna Price (10): “It was exciting because I don’t think that we were nominated team of the week last year and we really work well together as a team.”
Senior Alicia Palmer attends banquet for winning the Voice of Democracy contest at the Grandview VFW. Palmer received an award of $100 certificate and medal. Photo Courtesy of Alicia Palmer.
The Lady Eagles and Coach Bryan Austin accept the Hy-Vee Team of the week award on KCTV 5. Click the picture above to see the video that played on KCTV 5 News.
Senior Alicia Palmer, teacher Robert Nellis and senior Brianna Robinson the post winners of the Voice of Democracy contest attend the ceremony. Photo Courtesy of Robert Nellis.
BLACK HISTORY MATTERs
Obama Farewell: the past 8 years
by SaRah Al-Basir
"I have no more campaigns to run, I know because I won both of them," said President Barack Obama at his 2014 State of the Union address. America defied odds and made history by electing the first African American president 8 years ago. Oct. 13, 2016 marked the last 100 days of Obama in office. Let's look back at his accomplishments over these 8 years he has served as the face of country according to WashingtonMonthly. com.
• Passed healthcare reform bill Affordable Care Act. The bill allowed affordable healthcare insurance to everyone.
• Ended the war in Iraq on Dec. 18, 2011 when the last of American troops left Iraq.
• Killed Osama Bin Laden in 2011. Ordered special forces raid of secret compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, in which the terrorist leader was killed.
We have shared so many great memories with the first family. Obama has kept a great sense of humor and made the whole world laugh, and stare in awe at him and first lady Michelle Obama’s relationship. They have proved that you could be in a position of power and still have that everlasting love.
Jan. 20, 2011 at the inauguration Beyonce sung “At Last” with so much compassion the video went viral as relationship goals.
So many people will miss all the great things he has done for America. He believed in so many great things such as equal love. He passed the bill that allowed all same sex couples to get married in all 50 states. June 26, 2015 Obama told America that “Love wins.”
Biden and Obama make the dynamic duo together they took over the world together for 8 years.
“8 years feels like just yesterday, Obama was my favorite president because he was so funny and kept his cool,” sophomore Walter Verge said.
In 2008 he captured our hearts and also our minds. The nation fell in love with his swagger, his wit, sense of humor, the way he treated his wife, the father he was, he was a blueprint for real men, and we loved him so much.
As a nation we have spent so many memorable moments with Obama and his family from him singing “Amazing Grace”, talking highly of his wife and best friend, or laughing at his dad jokes. Remember the time he let his angry translator, comedian Keegan-Michael Key of Key and Peele, translate at the 2015 Correspondents dinner, and we will never forget the best mic drop ever he said, “Obama out,” signaling the end of his 8 year term.
“I'm going to be sad and disappointed because I feel like he’s going to be our first and our last black president,” junior Rashaud Fuqua said.
His bromance with Biden was probably one of the
“Change we can believe in, yes we can,” President Barack Obama
best. Biden is always the one perceived to be quick to lose his cool, while Obama is always telling him to calm down. They took the White House by storm and not being just president and vice president, but being best friends and melting our hearts with humor and charm.
Dear Barack Hussein Obama II, Honolulu’s best, from the bottom of our heart it has been an honor for us to stand behind you, as you lead this beautiful country from the frontline, holding your head up so high and proud, you became an image of excellence and a picture of hope for some that didn’t have any.
As I hold back tears I want to thank you so much for letting me know personally just because my hair is nappy and my skin is black that I can make it.
Love Senior SaRah Al-Basir.
“Change we can believe in, yes we can,” President Barack Obama.
44th President of the United States Barack Obama. Photo Credit: Obamawhitehouse.archives.gov
first African American President Barack Obama
• Birth name: Barack Hussein Obama, Jr.
• The name Barack means “one who is blessed” in Swahili.
• 44th president of the United States.
• Birth date: Aug. 4, 1961
• Birth place: Honolulu, Hawaii
• Wife(first lady): Michelle (Robinson) Obama (Oct. 3, 1992-Jan. 20, 2017)
• Children: Natasha (Sasha), June 10, 2001, and Malia, July 4, 1998
• Education: Columbia University, B.A., 1983, Harvard University, J.D., 1991
• First African-American to be president of the Harvard Law Review.
• 1992-2004 - Practices civil rights law and teaches constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School.
• 2006 - Won a Grammy for Best Spoken Word Album for his reading of “Dreams From My Father.”
• Feb. 10, 2008 - Won second Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for the audio version of his book, “The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the American Dream.”
• Dec. 17, 2008 - Named Time Magazine’s “Person of the Year.”
• Oct. 9, 2009 - Awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
• Dec.19, 2012 - Named Time Magazine's "Person of the Year" for the second time. (CNN.com) Did You
BLACK HISTORY MATTERs:
by Jada Burse
The inspiring new movie ‘Hidden Figures’ was released Dec. 25, 2016 starring Taraji P. Henson playing Katherine Johnson, Octavia Spencer playing Dorothy Vaughan, and Kansas City’s own Janelle Monae playing as Mary Jackson. The three African American women that were told they can’t, discriminated against, and with all odds against them helped bring astronaut John Glenn into space. Set in 1960s the three women worked for NASA in the segregated West Area Computing division along with 17 other African American women. Each of the three women dealt with their own struggles. Jackson wanted to be an engineer, however when she was told that she was not eligible for the position due to her not having the degree necessary to become an engineer she took matters into her own hands. With segregation it was hard for Jackson to get into the all white school that had the classes she needed for her
to pursue her degree. That wasn’t going to stop her, she took the case to court to have a judge rule to allow her to go the school. The judge ruled in her favor and not only was Jackson the first African American to attend and graduate from George P. Phenix Training School with the highest honors, but she was also the first African American woman engineer at NASA.
Vaughan, who was born in Kansas City, Missouri, was overlooked time and time again for a supervisor position in the West Computing division, even though she did the things a supervisor does. When NASA received the new IBM computer Vaughan finds out and goes to the library to get a book on FORTRAN that she takes after her and her son get
put out because of their color, and ends up figuring out how to work the computer. When NASA finds out she knows how to work the machine they have her work with it. However, Vaughan refused to take the job unless ‘her girls’ from the west computing area got to come too. Vaughan was later officially promoted as
supervisor of her new area and named one of the most brilliant woman in NASA. Ever since Johnson was young she has been making milestones skipping grades, graduating high school at 15, and graduating college at 19. With math being her strong suit Johnson was promoted from the West Computing Division to NASA’s Langley Flight Research Division. The transition was everything but smooth. Johnson went from being in a room where woman looked like her, to being in a room with white men that
President Barack Obama meets the cast of Hidden Figures. Actor Kevin Costner, Octavia Spencer and Taraji P. Henson greeted Obama.
Photo Credit: Obamawhitehouse.archives.gov
EAGLE’S EYE NEWS
Exposing the Hidden Figures REVIEWS 13
Mary Jackson
Hometown: Hampton, VA
Education: B.S., Mathematics and Physical Science, Hampton Institute, 1942
Hired by NACA: April 1951
Retired from NASA: 1985
Date of Death: February 11, 2005
wanted nothing to do with her. They even gave her a coffee pot that was labeled colored with no coffee in it. She also had to walk half of a mile to use the colored only restroom since there wasn’t one in her building.
Al Harrison, director of the Space Task Force played by Kevin Costner, found out what was taking her so long and tore down the colored only sign as the African American women looked on and stated they could use any restroom at NASA. Harrison also allowed Johnson to enter meetings that normally men were only allowed.
Johnson struggled day
to day to show that she was more than worthy for the position that she was granted, even if she was a black woman. Little by little she made her mark on the department and proved to her colleagues that she was an important asset to the team.
As Black history month approaches these three women are being more and more recognized for their achievements at NASA. No longer will they be unheard of. No longer will they take the backseat to these major accomplishments. They are out of the shadows for the world to see, and no longer ‘Hidden Figures’.
DorothyVaughan
Hometown: Kansas City, MO
Education: B.A., Mathematics, Wilberforce University, 1929
Hired by NACA: December 1943
Retired from NASA: 1971
Date of Death: November 10, 2008
Katherine Johnson
Hometown: White Sulphur Springs, WV
Education: B.S., Mathematics and French, West Virginia State College, 1937
Hired by NACA: June 1953
Retired from NASA: 1986
What is Love?
by SaRah Al-Basir
“I grew up seeing my daddy beat my momma, my house not a home, I raised in that jungle traumatized by the violence and the drama, I told myself I would never be like my father. I’m sorry I didn’t mean to hit you like that, you put your hands on me, reflex they hit you right back,” said Poodieville from the song “Apologize.”
According to Huffington Post nearly 60 percent of all young women have experienced abuse: 29 percent of women surveyed said they’d been in an abusive relationship. 62 percent of those women have been hit, shoved or slapped.
EAGLE’S EYE NEWS
Helplines:
MOCSA Crisis Line: (816) 531-0233 or (913) 642-0233 http://mocsa.org
National Domestic Violence Hotline 1-800-799-7233 http://www.thehotline.org
11 percent of those who say their partner is currently abusive predict he “will seriously hurt or kill me.” Why stay?
Abuse is such a touchy subject that often times get swept under the rug and put away. Other women judge women who stay in abusive relationships but never stop and think how would it feel to be in their position.
Abuse is sometimes a control mechanism, or sometimes they just can’t get out of that situation, or the person honest-
ly loves the person no one ever knows the real details.
“Men beat women to feel more of a man,” senior Jasmine Shelton.
Or like Poodieville suggested in his lyrics “I grew up seeing my daddy beat my momma.” He grew up seeing his mom abused by his dad, it became normal to him and he turned out to be his dad. He explained that the only reason he beat her was because he couldn’t help it, he kept apologizing that he couldn’t be a man that she needed. At the end of the song she flipped the script, explaining she understood his pain, and what he had been through, she would always be there for him but she had to leave.
“I told myself I would never be my momma,” Poodieville said.
She understood what he was going through because she saw her mom being abused but she couldn’t stay.
According to Loveisrespect.org nearly 1.5 million high school students nationwide experience physical abuse from a dating partner in a single year. One in three ado-
lescents in the U.S. is a victim of physical, sexual, emotional or verbal abuse from a dating partner, a figure that far exceeds rates of other types of youth violence.
The real question is why at age 17 do you feel like you have to commit your heart, and all your time to one person. You have not lived, or experienced enough to commit to one person, high school isn’t forever.
“I was with this guy my sixth grade year all the way up to my sophomore year in highschool it was
leave because if he hits you once he will continue to do it, it will never change. “
Verbal abuse will mess with your mind it takes longer for that wound to heal other than a scar. The pain and the memory will always be there. Words hurt and once you say them you can never take the words back.
“The scars from mental cruelty can be as deep and long-lasting as wounds from punches or slaps but are often not as obvious. In fact, even among women who have experienced
never a healthy relationship, it was actually toxic,” said a Ruskin senior student. “This guy would mentally and physically abuse me, sometimes I would get mad at him and hit him, but when he hit me back it would be 10 times harder than I’d hit him, so for years I dealt with being hit on, or talked bad too. Dealing with him gave me low self esteem then I already had. If I knew a girl that was an abusive relationship,
violence from a partner, half or more report that the man’s emotional abuse is what is causing them the greatest harm,” said author of “Why Does He Do That?: Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men” Lundy Bancroft.