URBAN PREP CHARTER ACADEMY FOR YOUNG MEN
THE LION’S ROAR NEWSPAPER February 2022 Volume 2, No. 2
Former Chicago Bulls Player Joakim Noah Visits Urban Prep
Photos: Jessie Mack and Chicago Bulls
Urban Prep Englewood Student Ambassadors pose with Joakim Noah; Mr. Brian Peters, Class of 2022 asking a question during the special Black History assembly at the Englewood Campus
By Brian Peters
Staff Reporter, Englewood Campus On February 17, 2022, Former Chicago Bulls Star Joakim Noah visited Urban Prep Charter Academy For Young Men – Englewood Campus. Noah spoke passionately about how important it is for Black men to be educated and provided us with Knowledge, Wisdom, and Understanding. Noah said “We live in a dangerous city full of crime, hatred, etc. but that shouldn’t define who we are as young men.” In addition, Noah said to us that each and every young man sitting before him has an opportunity to be great. Noah’s words were very inspirational and left several young men realizing their worth and how they have an opportunity to make a change throughout the black community. Some interesting information about Joakim Noah is that he is a former Chicago Bulls star who recently became a Chicago Bulls organization Ambassador. Noah said “It means so much to me that I am now a Bull for life”. Noah was named a Bulls’ ambassador for the franchise ahead of the team’s evening to honor him as the current group faces the New York Knicks. LION’S ROAR
During Joakim Noah’s visit, not only did he inspire us but we inspired him as well. As he entered the auditorium we welcomed him with our morning ritual (The Djembe Drums). Noah was so amazed by the way we represented ourselves and our culture. Noah’s visit was so much appreciated that before he left we gave him an Urban Prep red and gold striped tie; the same tie that seniors at Urban Prep receive when they are accepted into a 4-year college or university. Students were surprised and thankful for an
opportunity to meet Joakim Noah. Mr. Shakkeron Clay, Pride of Accountability, Class of 2022 stated, “Students were surprised and thankful for an opportunity to meet Joakim Noah. From his talk, I was able to learn the perspective of a NBA player.” I also spoke with Mr. Aquiles Hood, Pride of Solidarity, Class of 2022 about his experience and he stated, “ getting to meet a NBA player up close in person was truly amazing and I was able to receive knowledge about Noah’s life as a retired NBA player.” PAGE 1
What’s UP in the world?
O p i n i o n : R u s s i a ’s I n v a s i o n o f U k r a i n e
By Avery Barnes
Staff Reporter, Bronzeville Campus
I am sure you’ve all heard of the Russia and Ukraine situation going on right now, but if you haven’t, here is a short summary of what’s going on. Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24, 2022. The Russo-Ukrainian war has been an ongoing war for 8 years, but in 2021 and early 2022, there was a major buildup around Ukraine’s borders. NATO(North Atlantic Treaty Organization) accused Russia of planning an invasion, which it denied. Russian President Vladimir Putin criticized the enlargement of NATO as a threat to his country and demanded Ukraine be barred from ever joining the military alliance. He also expressed Russian advocate views, questioned Ukraine’s right to exist, and stated Ukraine was wrongfully created by Soviet Russia. On February 21, 2022, Russia officially recognized the two self-proclaimed separatist states in the Donbas, and openly sent troops into the territories. Three days later, Russia invaded Ukraine. Much of the international community has condemned Russia for its actions in post-revolutionary Ukraine, accusing it of breaking international law and violating Ukrainian sovereignty. Many countries implemented economic sanctions against Russia, Russian individuals, or companies, especially after the 2022 invasion. When the invasion started, Ukraine’s airports and military headquarters were immediately attacked, then tanks and troops rolled in from Russia, Russia-annexed Crimea and it’s ally Belarus. Big cities have been under fire, neighborhoods torn down to the ground and millions of Ukrainians have fled their homes. They do this, yet Russia bans the terms war and even invasion, threatening journalists with jail if they do. For President Putin, this is a “special military operation”. Many of his justifications for war were false or irrational. He claimed his goal was to protect people subjected to bullying and genocide and aim for “demilitarisation and de-Nazification” of Ukraine. There has been no genocide in Ukraine. It is a vibrant democracy led by a president who is Jewish. “How could I be a Nazi?” said Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, who pointed out the resemblance of Russia’s onslaught to Nazi Germany’s invasion in World War II. Ukraine’s Chief Rabbi and the Aus2
chwitz Memorial have also rejected Russia’s slur. It is already clear Vladimir Putin seeks to take control of Ukraine and overthrow its democratically elected government. President Zelensky said he had been warned, “the enemy has designated me as target number one…my family is target number two”. Russia’s stated goal is that Ukraine be freed from oppression and “cleansed of the Nazis”. Under this false narrative of a Ukraine run by fascists since 2014, Mr. Putin has spoken of bringing to court “those who committed numerous bloody crimes against civilians”. He has denied aiming to occupy Ukraine and he rejected an accusation before the war that he was plotting to install a pro-Kremlin puppet, but then he said there would be no invasion either. One unconfirmed intelligence report says he aims to split the country in two. There is no immediate threat to Russia’s Baltic neighbors, but Nato has bolstered their defenses just in case.
One clue to his war aims came in an editorial published on February 26th then deleted by state news agency Ria-Novosti in which the writer praised a new world order where Russia was restoring its pre-1991 Soviet unity, gathering the so-called Russian world of Russians, Belarusians and Little Russians (Ukrainians). Last year, President Putin wrote a long piece describing Russians and Ukrainians as “one nation”, and he has described the collapse of the Soviet Union in December 1991 as the “disintegration of historical Russia”. A puppet has worked out in Belarus, through long-time authoritarian leader Alexander Lukashenko, but in Ukraine that is quite another matter. To stop the war, Putin wishes for Ukraine to acknowledge Crimea as part of Russia and to acknowledge the independence of the separatist run in Eastern Europe. He also demands that Ukraine changes it’s constitution to guarantee it will not
Black History Month Cartoon
Kevin Velasquez, Cartoonist, Englewood Campus - Class of 2025
LION’S ROAR
R u s s i a a n d U k r a i n e C o n t ’d join NATO or the EU(European Union). These are terrifying times for Ukrainians as shells and bombs have rained down on their cities and more than two million have fled to neighboring countries. Poland, Hungary, Romania, Moldova and Slovakia are dealing with a dramatic influx of refugees and the EU has warned that at least five million more could be displaced. But it is also a decisive moment that threatens to tear up Europe’s post World War II security structure. Russia’s leader has put his nuclear forces on high alert, days after threatening the West with “consequences the likes of which you have never seen” if it stands in his way. Press handouts show Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on the front line. For the families of both armed forces, these are anxious days. Ukrainians have already suffered a grueling eight-year war with Russian proxies. The military has called
up all reservists aged 18 to 60 years old. This is not a war Russia’s population was prepared for, either, as the invasion was approved without actual thought given to it by a highly unusual upper house of parliament. Thousands of anti-war protesters have been detained and independent Russian broadcasters have been taken off the air, in a state whose main opposition leader was poisoned with a nerve agent before being thrown in jail. More than 100,000 Russians have voted through leaving Russia. Throughout this war, there have been at least 13,000 deaths, 1,800 non-fatal injuries, at least 2 and half million displaced, and at least 1,700 buildings destroyed.That brings Ukraine to 119 million dollars in property damage. I believe that this war could end in more tragedy for Ukraine. I believe this will be a huge turning point in the history of Europe. While Europe is changing, America is staying the same. I go on social media and see all these memes about WW3 this, WW3
FORUM that…#WW3. People are playing this off as a joke when they could easily be in the same situation. If this was a war in America, they would be taking it more seriously. That is why instead of joking around about families losing loved ones and cities being destroyed, we should take this more seriously and send our support. Children are lying dead in the streets of Ukraine and Russian families are worried to death, meanwhile Putin is waiting to see how the cookie crumbles. We need to give Putin a new point of view because I believe Putin is planning something even worse than war. Putin is the spitting image of Hitler, not in face, but in his actions and morals, he is. After all, the last time someone proclaimed peace for our time, like Putin is doing now, it resulted in the catastrophe of World War II. I can’t even begin to imagine how Russian and Ukrainian families are feeling right now.
NEWS
Urban Prep Bronzeville hosts Career Conference
By Keon Hetherington
Freelance Writer, Bronzeville Campus The Career Conference at the Urban Prep Bronzeville Campus enlightened and encouraged our young men for the benefit of thier potential futures after high school. The event kicked off with a seminar delivered by Corie Luckett, who is the owner of the streetwear store Englewood Branded. The backstory behind the beginning of his fashion chain resonated with me: he had never been to jail, never been haggled, and neither never sold drugs nor shot a gun, so when he saw the media’s negative and stereotypical portrayal of the Englewood neighborhood, he felt the need to counteract it. Thus, Englewood Branded was born! Now, Mr. Luckett feels that he has shifted some of the stigma around Englewood, and now embodies the kid-friendly haven that he felt once represented when he was a kid. I felt that it was a sentiment that struck a chord to all of us within the Bronzeville neighborhood. Afterwards, the Conference broke off into sessions, where students listened URBAN URBAN PREP PREP ACADEMIES CHARTER ACADEMY
Photo: Ian Isbell
Bronzeville Senior Brandon Black interviews one of the guest speakers, Mr. Corie Luckett to various speakers about their own career paths. I personally indulged in the history of Yolanda Bell, who opened a business-to-business ride-hailing company. As an aspiring entrepreneur myself, I was drawn to the conversation, and it felt very reassuring to hear her say that entrepreneurial ambition wasn’t even her original intention— but
an opportunity she stumbled upon then capitalized on. It was just the type of story I needed to hear prepare to become an Urban Prep graduate, who will surely stumble many times in young adulthood, and will have to call upon resilience to rebound from the fall.
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NEWS
Englewood Students celebrate Black History Month
Photos: Jessie Mack/Ibn Brown
Urban Prep staff, who are members of Divine Nine Historically Black Fraternities and Sororities, pose for a photo following the assembly; Paraprofessional Mr. Maniard Easley representing Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.; Seniors dressed in all black duirng the reinactment of the Black Panther Party.
By Prince Hassan
Freelance Writer, Englewood Campus In celebration of Black History Month, Mr. Dorsey took his seniors and allowed us to give honor and thanks to our ancestors and those that were here before us. For our first assembly, we hosted several Divine Nine Greek organizations, who spoke to students about their organizations and provided a showcase. For our second assembly, we gave respect to 4
the Black Panther Party. We gathered in the auditorium by lines and had one hand on each brother shoulder. Mr. Tidwell introduce himself and asked everyone to please be prepared for the Black National Anthem. Then we transitioned from the African Pledge to the red,black,and green flags followed by an inactment of the Black Panther Party with faculty, staff and students dressed in all black. This month, we remember and thank the heroes who paved the way for us.
Without each of them, Black people wouldn’t have certain rights or certain laws wouldn’t have been justified without these brave heroes. Black History Month will forever be remembered and recognized. However, we will always keep in mind Black History Month is everyday. Our people made history for years and will always be recognized.
LION’S ROAR
FEATURES
What Black History Means To Me?
Black History Month .....Well first and foremost Black history has the most powerful cultural background then any other Ethic group to ever walk this world,yet despite that fact we are the most uneducated about our own history. What black history means to me shouldn’t be the topic of this article. What does Black History Month mean to you is the real question. If you don’t make the decision to educate yourself on your own history why would anyone else care for it. In this day and age they want us to forget when we were powerful kings, pharaohs , and prophets. Just by not knowing them, simple facts make us easier to control. The effect we have on the current world is unmeasurable. European history is taught all year round yet we chose one month, only one month to celebrate the most powerful cultural history ever. So I leave you with these words to think on. “A man without a past has a blurry future “ That quote alone represents current day black power.
Jayden Evans, Class of 2022, Urban Prep Englewood Campus As a black man growing up as a senior in high school at Urban Prep West campus, Black History Month means a lot to me as a person. Without knowing all of the history that has happened throughout the years, all of the struggles and achievements that the African American race has been going through has led up to us as children, who are still growing up to this point. From Mahatma Gandhi all the way up to Former President Barack Obama, all of the “freedom” that we have gained made us Black people feel more alive. From when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. made his “I Have A Dream” speech and “I’ve Been To The Mountaintop” speech, both of them encouraged African Americans that you can achieve freedom as long as you, as the people, believe in it. This is my brief summary on what Black History Month means to me.
Earl Jones, Class of 2022, Urban Prep West Campus Black History to me is the reason behind why we are free today, and it’s more deeper than just Rosa Parks and Dr. Martin Luter King, Jr. It’s also the unsung heroes that we often hear so little about. For example Julian Bond, he was one of the original leaders of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) in the 1960’s. This was one of the major behind the scenes groups that led the sit-ins as well as being a part of the Freedom Rides to desegregate bus systems. He was also the first President of the Southern Poverty Law Center. Another unsung hero is Medgar Evers. According to the NAACP, Medgar Evers heroically spoke out against racism in the deeply divided South, they stated. He gruesomely fought the Jim Crow Laws, protested against segregation in education as well as launched a full blown investigation into the cruel and unjust lynching of our beloved Emmett Till. Sadly Medgar Evans passed away at the tender young age of 37. He was assassinated in Jackson, Mississippi by a white supremacist on June 12 , 1963, he was born on July 2, 1925 in Decatur, IL. Overall, to me Black history means acknowledging all parties and aspects of the civil rights movement, those who were up front and center and those who were silently making a difference. This is what Black History Means to me.
Dominick Williams, Class of 2024, Urban Prep Bronzeville Campus URBAN PREP ACADEMIES
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FEATURES
Class of 2022 On To The Next One UPdate
Photos: Jessie Mack
Urban Prep Englewood and Bronzeville Seniors pose after having their college acceptances announced and recieving their red and gold striped ties during OTTNO.
Students who recieved their ties during the month of February
Englewood Campus Donnell Alexander Stanley Alston Cari Bates Jason Caffey Mystickal Davis Rory Dunn Lionel Eli Jayden Evans Christian Hines Tyron Jackson Shamontez Levy
Aaron Mosley Cordelris Neely Cameron Pryor Antonio Tidwell Teshawn White Bronzeville Campus Nasir Brown Steven Morgan Aoveon Russell Steven Black Jayden Shorter Travon Powell
Harold Stuckey Keonte Peterson Sean Richardson Jamari Roberson Cameron Clark Miles Scott
UP College Counselor receives gold medal
By Dorian Hill
Editor-in-Chief, Bronzeville Campus Ms. Tasia Conway is the College Counselor at Urban Prep Bronzeville and was recently awarded the gold medal by the Illinois Student Assistance Commission for FAFSA Completion. Ms. Conway continues to work diligently in aiding the Bronzeville Campus Class of 2022 in preparing for college. She constantly holds individual meetings with students to make sure they reach their college preparation-related goals each month.
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LION’S ROAR
Students receive gold ties for being exceptional STUDENTS OF THE MONTH
Mr. Jeremy Brown, Class of 2025 - Englewood
Mr. Brown was selected for his steady exceptional academic performance in all of his classes. Assistant Principal Curry stressed “all of his classes” because he was selected by vote by the 9th grade level Team UP members, who instruct him across the spectrum of his core classes to be the student of the month for February. His current weighted GPA (S2) to date is a 4.00.
Mr. Orlandítae Smoot, Class of 2025 - West
Mr. Smoot is always ready and willing to learn by being very attentive. Using his intelligence, he masters the material then takes on the opportunity to help classmates with concepts and classwork. In addition, he is always prepared for class, even when it is uncertain if a class activity will happen. For example, we planned an outdoor class activity and most students did not dress for it because the weather seemed like rain, but he came dressed and brought materials even though, and encouraged us to continue with the lesson and everything worked out well because it just drizzled. Socially, he respects others and gets along well with his peers and elders. Overall, he displays the 8 Core Values of Resilience, Integrity, Selflessness, Exceptionality, Solidarity, Faith, Accountability, and Relentless on a daily basis.
Mr. Jermaine Robinson, Class of 2022 - Bronzeville
Mr. Robinson recieved his gold tie in the month of Feburary. He’s teacher wrote: “This student very respectful. He always turns his work in on-time and is willing to help his peers. He steps up to the plate when he is needed in class and even on the basketball court. He will not falter in the face of any obstacle placed before him. He is dedicated, committed and focused on his future. He never succumbs to mediocrity, uncertainty or fear. He never fails because he never give up and he make no excuses.”
Teachers of The Month: Urban Prep Students speak!
Ms. Latisha Emery is a African American, Civics & Social Activism and AP US History Teacher at the Urban Prep Englewood Campus. Students said “she strives for us to be better young men by the minute, if anything comes to confusion about us having difficulties with women, she is the first person to come forward to tell us why we are in the wrong and how to correct ourselves.”
Ms. Luree Ward is a Physics, Chemistry and Biology Teacher at the Urban Prep West Campus. Ms. Ward was selected by students because she is an amazing teacher. She helps us anytime we need it she is there anytime we need her to be there, not just as a teacher but to some as a mother figure and that’s why we love and appreciate Ms. Ward.
*Students at each campus are polled by the Lion’s Roar staff to idenitfy their campus’ Teacher of The Month
URBAN PREP ACADEMIES
Ms. Evadne Smith is a Chemistry and Biology teacher at the Urban Prep Bronzeville Campus. Ms. Smith has been a teacher at Urban Prep since 2018. Since her start here, she has been one of the most renowned teachers at Bronzeville and none of her hard work and dedication goes unnoticed. She makes sure that each and every one of her students can grasp the concept of the subject of which she is teaching. One of her students from her biology class stated that “she keeps us active and engaged and is excellent at breaking down harder topics.” 7
Ur ban Prep West and Bronz eville Basketball Co verage
Urban Prep West Campus Varsity Basketball Team Game against Downers Grove North Highschool (Feb. 5th). [Score: 39 UP - 69 DGN]
Photos: Ian Isbell/ Jessie Mack
UP Bronzeville Campus Varsity Basketball Team Games against Kenwood (Feb. 3rd) [Score: 42 UP - 72 Kenwood], Kennedy (Feb. 4th) [Score: UP 64 - 60 Kennedy], and Solorio (Feb. 7th) [Score: 47 UP - 54 Solorio] during the Varsity City Championship Play-In Consolation Bracket.
Next Month’s Issue Baseball Lacrosse Track & Field Teachers of the Month Students of the Month Women History Month On To The Next One Ceremony
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The Lion’s Roar Staff Dorian Hill Avery Barnes Brandon Black Ian Isbell Daquavion King Jaylen Laster Brian Peters Jamari Roberson Kevin Velasquez Dominick Williams
Editor-in-Chief Staff Reporter Staff Writer Photographer Staff Reporter Photographer Staff Reporter Staff Reporter Cartoonist Staff Reporter LION’S ROAR