April 2019

THE PANTHER PRESS
The Voice of Career High School

April 2019 New Haven, CT careerpantherpress.weebly.com

Missing in New Haven

Joanna Wypasek

Left to right: Marquita Lenae Jones, last seen on West Street in 2011; Jose Ortiz, abducted on Poplar Street in 2005; Lisa Ann Cal-
vo, last seen in Fair Haven in 2005.

Imagine: A frigid winter breeze blows upon your goosebump-filled neck and the tiny pebbles of the broken-
down sidewalk shuffle between the soles of your feet. You are alone, and you are just trying to get home. Un-
expectedly, you sense the bright lights of an approaching car on the otherwise barren road, speeding up and
then slowing down, creaking to a stop at your exact location. You urgently whip out your phone in an attempt
to dial for help and begin to quicken your pace at what seems an unprecedented rate. But, before anything can
be done, your stomach quickly drops and your mouth opens in blatant fear as someone forcefully wraps their
arms around you and forces you into the very car you were just going to report to the police. You are no longer
alone. You were just trying to get home. All that is left of your fading name are bits and pieces of information
aimlessly floating around the internet, with dwindling hopes of getting recognized by anyone who could help
find you.

Although this very short story may not exactly fit the conditions of one’s disappearance, it is quite similar to
the situations of many who are now labeled as “missing persons.” Whether it be walking home in the dark or
simply jogging in a wooded area, the stories behind the 85,459 unsolved disappearances in the United States
begin to repeat themselves like some sort of sick play, the show returning night after night. Out of this extreme
amount of cases, there are currently eleven unsolved cases in New Haven alone, with the oldest active case
dating back to March 15th, 1999.

Not only do these moving eleven cases greatly bring about heavy emotions from the general population be-
cause of the traumatic status of being missing, but also because of the fact that one’s dependence and hope on
the authorities for necessary is help most likely diminished due to the lack of information gathered for one’s
profile. With too few details, a missing person becomes just another number in the overfilled system.

See Missing in New Haven, Continued on Page 3

1

Home Remedies for Seasonal Allergies

Tyanna Evans
Many people love spring because of its beautiful flowers and weather. But those who suffer from allergies
may have other feelings. Many people have seasonal allergies, mostly caused by airborne substances like pol-
len. Allergies causes itchy skin, a runny nose, watery and bloodshot eyes, and sneezing. But if you’re like me
and hate taking medicine, you’d rather stick to home remedies. If you need to find a new way to manage your
allergies, here are some tips for you.

1. Apple Cider Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar is most likely in one of your cabinets in the kitchen. It
can clean sinks and showers, remove odors, help heartburn, and get rid of dandruff. But also apple cider
vinegar is also a natural allergy remedy. It can help reduce mucus production and cleanse your lymphatic
system. As gross as it seems, take a tablespoon of vinegar, but for more of a pleasant taste, try adding a
tablespoon to a cup of hot water with a small bit of honey.
2. Exercise: you probably don’t wanna exercise right now, but it’s actually a great way to help your al-
lergies. Exercise produces an anti-inflammatory effect in your nasal passages, helping to reduce symp-
toms.
3. Hydrate: the side effects of being dehydrated ar e not cool. Dehydration can cause you to be
moody, make you hungry, and make it difficult to lose weight. Being dehydrated can make you tired and
make it difficult for you to get sleep. Also, it can cause headaches, breakouts, and bloating. Dehydration is
bad for your health and can make your allergies worse. The more water you drink, the better you’ll feel.
4. Dietary changes: food can help relieve your allergies, believe or not. A change in diet can help with
energy levels, skin, and weight balance. People have said that some foods seem to trigger their seasonal
allergies, like pineapples, cucumbers, sunflower seeds, melons, and zucchini.
5. Immunotherapy: this treatment takes about 5 years to work, but patients who have used this method
says that they are allergy-free.
If you have any questions about allergies, ask the school nurse, the clinic, or your pediatrician.

The Panther Press: The Voice of Career High School

The Panther Press is a team of students dedicated to getting the truth out to the public. We are determined to
give the people of Hill Regional Career High School a respectful voice.

2018-2019 Staff Writers

Adam Ahmad Rizal Tyanna Evans Jervone Myers
Veronica Borowski Kabryah Hamlet Franchezca Pérez
Michelle Browne Anthony Harris Beverly Rodriguez
Emily Cervantes Andy Herrera Angelina Saunders
Stacey Correa Yuliarys LeBron Justin Threet
Justyce Davis Jonazia McKinnie Valeria Torres Romero
Astou Diallo Lesly Mellado Joanna Wypasek

April Contributing Writer: Hasfa Fazl
Faculty Advisor: Rose Mur phy

Visit us online at careerpantherpress.weebly.com. Contact us at careerpantherpress@gmail.com.

2

Missing in New Haven, Continued

One of these eleven, Marquita Jones (otherwise known as MP24178) and her profile, which only displays lim-
ited amounts of needed information not frequently updated since its delayed creation in April 2014, highlights
the severity of this serious situation. Under the circumstances of her disappearance, it is merely written, “She
was last seen by family in the summer of 2011 on or near West Street in New Haven, CT.”

In the Elm City, many who may not even know the names of those missing are still impacted by the awareness
that someone who may have just lived down the street is missing to this day, most likely unable to truly live
out their lives. When asked about her feelings toward this situation, Valeria Torres, a junior at Career High
School, stated, “It makes me concerned, because it is something that happens frequently around the country. If
it was me who had lost a family member, then I would be devastated.”

Although this national and local situation is quite dire, many Americans today only actively spring into action
when a case is recent and fresh or if there has been a huge, newsworthy development to it. Unarguably, with
this many individuals unaccounted for, the local media presence should be amplified around the topic of miss-
ing persons, becoming an open platform for those who want to speak about their missing loved one and call for
action amongst many. Not only would this give those who have grieved over these disappearances an outlet of
their emotions, it may finally lead to the breakthrough of thousands of unsolved cases around the country, es-
pecially those in the tight-knit city of New Haven.

If you have seen, had contact with, or know any information about one of the following missing people from
New Haven, please contact New Haven Detective Dana Martin, Missing Persons Unit, at 203-946-6304 to
bring them home to their loved ones:

Juan Ortiz Lisa Ann Calvo
Andrea Reyes Jose Ortiz
Zelma Ortiz Marquita Jones
Evelyn Frisco Matthew Cheraki
Ande Fan Bryan Gwin
George Smith IV

Also, please go to www.namus.gov for valuable information regarding missing persons, unidentified persons,
and unclaimed persons.

(Photo/National Institute of Justice)

3

Board of Ed Debates Closing Riverside

Andy Herrera

Left: New Haven superintendent Carol Birks (Photo/Peter Hvidzak). Right: Riverside student Rekiyyah speaks against the
proposed closing of Riverside. (Photo/Christopher Peak).

Recently, controversy surrounded Riverside Education Academy as the New Haven Board of Education pro-
posed shutting down the alternative education school. New Haven Public Schools have already shut down the
other two alternative schools in New Haven (New Light and New Horizons) as Riverside teetered on the edge
of being shut down because of budget cuts.
The Board stated that closing Riverside would save money by ending the $332,500 lease on the building.
However, the proposal to close Riverside was met with protests. People who wanted Riverside to remain open
felt that this alternative school was a place where students could feel safe and empowered to know that they
can graduate high school. During a Board of Education meeting, students came in and spoke to the Board.
They delivered statements about how Riverside Education Academy helped them through school and with
their current situations.
Career High School English teacher Colleen Jones first started her teaching career at Riverside High school.
Mrs. Jones really liked the alternative school. She had to adjust to the school at first, because it wasn't like the
schools she grew up in, but later she liked the school a lot. This made it emotional when she had to leave due
to previous budget cuts. She knows the students have the potential and willingness to finish school, even with
all of their obstacles they face. “I've seen what they are capable of ,” she said.
Career English teacher Colleen Jones spent her first two years teaching at Riverside and has seen what the
school can do for students who need a different setting. Riverside has already suffered a lot of changes. Last
spring, NHPS told the teachers at Riverside they might be consolidating the alternative schools or they might
potentially close all three. In the end, they closed down two (New Light and New Horizons) and shuffled stu-
dents and teachers for the three schools into one. Additionally, they decreased the amount of teachers. For ex-
ample, Riverside’s English department went from 6 teachers to 2.
Mrs. Jones felt like the proposed shutdown of Riverside was not smart or necessary because the students at
Riverside need the help Riverside gives. They often have lots of things going on in their lives and they want to
have a high school diploma, they just need extra support.
With all of the protests, Riverside did not close down. The Board of Education members changed their minds
after hearing personal experiences from actual kids who would be affected by this shutdown. The Board ended
up in tears after hearing very personal stories from the students stating why they shouldn't close Riverside
Academy— the place they call home.

4

Tragedy Strikes Sri Lanka

Astou Diallo

(Photo/BBC)

Sunday, April 21. For many, this was Resurrection Day, also known as Easter. Many families spent their
mornings in church before celebrating with their loved ones, surrounded by happy images of bunnies and col-
orful eggs.
Unfortunately, over 250 people were denied their right to peacefully worship that Sunday morning when a
group of terrorists coordinated a series of explosions that hit at least eight churches, hotels, and guest houses
across Sri Lanka on Sunday. ISIS claimed responsibility for these attacks, causing the government to impose
an immediate curfew and shutdown of social media and messaging services. The Sri Lankan government start-
ed with a temporary ban on Facebook, and in a statement, the Sri Lankan Defense Ministry proclaimed that the
internet blockade would remain intact for the duration of the investigation.
In a separate statement, the secretary to the Sri Lankan president Udaya Seneviratne said access to social me-
dia services has been restricted in the wake of the attacks to counter “false news reports.” Many disagreed with
this censorship tactic, including a Sri Lankan student at Career High School, Hafsa Fazl. Fazl said, “It was re-
ally hard to get in touch with my family in Sri Lanka, given that the government shut down internet access.”
Devastatingly, Fazl also disclosed that she lost a family member in the attacks.
As in Fazl’s case, it’s clear that the Sri Lankan attacks touched people around the world. Many, however, no-
ticed the lack of coverage this tragedy has gotten, especially when compared to the coverage received by inci-
dents earlier in the week, such as the April 15 Notre Dame cathedral fire. In addition to the tragedy of the lives
lost in Sri Lanka, the attacks bring back conversations of Black and Brown lives being disregarded by main-
stream media.
The Panther Press stands with the victims of this tragedy and our hearts reside with their families.

5

My Sri Lanka

Hasfa Fazl

I have always been proud to call myself a Sri Lankan. Whenever someone asks me where I’m from, my face
brightens and a smile reaches my eyes as I respond, “I’m from Sri Lanka!” Often, people don’t know where
Sri Lanka is. When this happens, I am more than willing to give a quick description of Sri Lanka: an island
country in South Asia, right underneath India. Though it is frustrating at times that many people are not famil-
iar with my homeland, I prefer that frustration to the sinking realization that my homeland is now prominent—
for a bad reason.
On April 21st, a horrific and sickening event took place that put Sri Lanka’s name on every news channel and
in every paper. It saddens me tremendously to think that the next time I get asked about my nationality, I may
not be beaming to eagerly answer the question, but instead contemplating how people will react when they
hear that I am a Sri Lankan— and a Muslim Sri Lankan at that.
However, my tiny, insignificant dilemma is a grain of sand compared to the 11 bombs that took 253 lives, in-
nocent lives, in the terrorist attacks on Easter Sunday-- a day that has now become consumed with panic, fear,
disbelief, and mourning. Easter is the celebration of Christ rising from the dead-- something that these victims
cannot do. That is not right. No one deserves that-- especially not the Christian families and loved ones of the
victims who will now associate a day of celebration with a time of loss and mourning, or the tourists who
came to Sri Lanka looking for beauty and history, and instead went back home with loved ones dead.

It is utterly gut wrenching to think that those who died in the attacks were one second
just going on with their days--
talking, laughing, breathing
—when all of a sudden,
before they had time to even perceive what was happening,
a bomb blasted.
Leaving only flesh and bone behind.

6

April 21, 2019 has become an appalling day that I never thought would come to exist. I still find it incredibly
difficult to grasp the events of that day. To imagine that Sri Lanka would endure such horrific suffering never
crossed my mind in the slightest. What I can truly not understand is how? How could those bombers be so
evil? To be able to go into those churches and hotels and blow off explosives is beyond my level of comprehen-
sion. And why? Why kill so many innocent people when they have done nothing wrong?
Even as I search for answers, I know that I will never find one that would make doing such things comprehen-
sible. I know I will never be able to fathom how some people are able to take such extreme measures when
they do not agree with others or what they believe. The hatred that seeps through them had been so powerful
that they blew themselves up into pieces as well. Realizing that such hatred exists in our world and in our com-
munities makes me shudder to the point of my bones rattling.
Sri Lanka is my home. It has always been my home and it will continue to be my home. But bile rises in my
throat and sadness and fear overtake me when I think that those heartless beings lived in my motherland. They
could have been my neighbors. I may have walked on the same roads that they did. Hell, I may even have
made eye contact or smiled at them without knowing that one day they would kill so many innocent people.
Unfortunately, we are always seeing and hearing about the horrible events that take place around the world.
We get sad, hope the people affected are okay, and then go on with our days-- that is, until it affects us person-
ally. And now, for me, it has. It was my country in which this ghastly event took place. And it was done by
people claiming my religion, and that haunts me every night now. But it also angers me to realize that it had to
affect me personally for me to care so much about it-- for me to be more than simply sad for a day and then
moving on with my life.
Because now I have fear residing in me.

Fear for all of my family that is in Sri Lanka.
Fear for this summer when we will be visiting.
And living in fear is no way to live.
Don’t wait for something completely and utterly atrocious to happen personally before having a reason
to care.
Care now.
Be the voice for the people who no longer have one.

Mother Sri Lanka Old temples and ponds,
And ruins of old palaces,
Isuri Subasinghe, Musaeus College Various shining jewels,
That adorn rings and
In the deep blue ocean, necklaces.
Lies this beautiful land. There are many religions,
Among the other countries, Languages and traditions,
Proudly it stands. But we all live in harmony,
Beautiful lakes, Because we are a proud nation.
Built by great kings,
The environment so peaceful,
Happiness and warmth it brings.

7

Student Marte Hosts US Military Army Re-
cruitment Event

Beverly Rodriguez

On April 12th 2019, Choices Day provided students the
opportunity to attend workshops on a variety of topics
that they were interested in. One of the many workshops
for Choices Day was the US Military Army Recruitment
Event; this workshop also happened to be Jesús Marte’s
capstone project. Private Marte is a current recruit and
the Platoon Sergeant at his office for new recruiters and
future young adult soldiers. He checks in with them and
makes sure they have the qualities required for training
and school if they are still on their way to earning a high
school degree. Marte also helps other people get promot-
ed to obtain higher positions.

In order to qualify to join the military, you have to pass
the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test
(ASVAB). You have to score a minimum of 31, and the
maximum you can obtain is 99. If you fail this test, you
will not be able to join, but you have the opportunity to
retake this test two to three times. If you pass the
ASVAB test, you have to be able to qualify in the physi-
cal exam, such as weight requirement, hearing, vision
etc. You could possibly still join depending on which
part of the exam you fail. For example, if you are over-
Left to right: Staff Sergeant Bromell, Sergeant First class Tole- weight, then you can still join, but you will need to be in
do, Staff Sergeant Al, and Staff Sergeant Vega present materi- process of slimming down to meet at least the maximum
als at Career’s Choices Day. (Photo/Beverly Rodriguez) weight for your age and height.

“Although this medical exam may be awkward, if you really want to join the military then you have to put up
with this part.” explained Jesús Marte. “Ever since I was little I wanted to join the Military… When I was
young, I thought it would only be that I would go to war, fight the bad guys, and then come back as a hero. As
I grew older, this interest of joining the Army expanded, and I learned all the benefits that came with you join-
ing the Military. This has then became my passion.”

Marte decided to create this workshop as his capstone project because he is working on the process of making
the Military his career. He hoped to inform people that the military, specifically the Army, is not just about
war and violence; it is more than that. “We can offer a successful future if you decide to take actions in pursu-
ing this as your career,” expressed Marte. “My outcome and goal of this workshop is to get at least 10 people
to sign the card verifying they would like more information [about the military].”

During this workshop event on Choices Day, students got the chance to learn about the Army, what it is, how
to apply, why is important, and common misconceptions about the military. Students also got the chance to
participate in a variety of physical competitions, such as a push-up competition, standing long jump, seated
power throw, and more. Students who placed first in these competitions got the chance to win a gift card.
At the end of the workshop, many students thanked the presenters and the student that created this workshop,
Jesús Marte. If the army is something that may be an interest to you, please feel free to contact Marte at (860)
637-5519, jesusmarte051@gmail.com, or his Instagram @Jesusmarte08.

8

Left Career students engage in
physical challenges. Right:
Marte and Mrs. DiCocco
(Photos/Beverly Rodriguez)

Choices Day Educates and Enthuses

Joanna Wypasek
On the widely anticipated day before spring break, eager students at Hill Regional Career High School were
given the invaluable opportunity to attend various workshops that not only educated them, but entertained
them as well. These informative workshops were based on a unique range of different topics, varying from a
well-done presentation by the United States Army to a more tame lesson on the basics of knitting. Although
some students were not placed in their first choice workshops, everyone who participated unarguably had an
enjoyable and memorable day!
Thanks to the immense efforts of Ms. Westefeld, Mrs. Grandfield-Schimanski, and her hard-working crew
composed of Peer Connectors and other staff members, Choices Day ran rather smoothly. In the beginning, the
students were sent to first period, with excitement radiating from those eager to learn and experience some-
thing new from their chosen workshops; this evident excitement further carried on to a shortened advisory pe-
riod that led into a school-wide assembly.
Afterwards, the awaited festivities finally began, with the interesting workshops kicking into action. A plethora
of presenters found themselves within the rooms of Hill Regional Career High School, ready to present on var-
ious topics ranging from organ donation, New Haven Farms, life after graduation, drug and alcohol abuse, the
work of an electrician, and more. Gulbahar Erkmen, a junior at Career High School, attended the knitting
workshop sponsored by Career’s very own Ms. Shipley. Erkmen expressed, “I liked how interactive it was; it
was something new and something I’ve never done before. Also, we got to take it [the knitting supplies]
home.” When asked if she continued perfecting her young craft, Erkmen mentioned, “I did it when I went
home.”
In addition, the engaging information behind veterinary sciences and the work of the New Haven Police and
Fire Departments enthralled many, such as juniors Gianna Pressley and Martha May. Gianna Pressley, who
was placed into the unique workshop featuring a veterinary professor from Middlesex Community College,
enthusiastically stated, “I like that the guy was really knowledgeable and touched every base. It was interesting
that he talked about the different animals that you could treat.” On a quite different note, Martha May, who
listened intently to the presentation given by the New Haven Fire Department, insightfully mentioned, “I
learned about determination and that a lot of people are needed to help others-- and although you see a lot of
men as firefighters, that doesn’t mean that women can’t do that job.”
Overall, the unique, informative workshops that fulfilled the school day on April 12th, 2019 were a great suc-
cess! A special thanks to Ms. Westefeld, Mrs. Grandfield-Schimanski, and all who helped out for their diligent
efforts in creating an enjoyable half day that was full of learning and fun. In addition, thank you to all who
took time out of their day, especially Career’s very own faculty and students, to educate Career’s students on
various topics and fields of study.

9

Nipsey Hussle’s Legacy

Justin Threet

On March 31, 2019, Ermias Asghedom, better
known as the rapper Nipsey Hussle, was fatal-
ly shot in front of his clothing store on Cren-
shaw and Slauson in Los Angeles, California.
The community has held two vigils for
Nipsey, one in Los Angeles and one in New
York. Numerous notable celebrities have
come out to express their condolences and
regards, too many to count.

A mural of Nipsey at his store, The Marathon. (Photo/Emily Dougdale) Nipsey Hussle was very influential to a lot of
people in the hip hop culture, and also to a lot
of people who identify with where he is from:
the hood. Nipsey promoted a lot of ideologies
that were aimed at empowering people to bet-
ter their communities. Recently, before his
passing, he spent millions of dollars buying a
strip mall near his neighborhood and planned
to completely revitalize it to improve the
community. Nipsey planned to add a 6-story
residential housing unit on top of the commer-
cial plaza.

Nipsey bought a plaza on the corner of Crenshaw and Slauson and filled it with his own businesses. One of
these businesses was his clothing store filled with his clothing line “The Marathon.” Orders for the clothing
skyrocketed after Nipsey's unfortunate passing.

Nipsey was a game-changer when it came to producing and selling music; even the most respected rapper, Jay
-Z, respected what he was doing. Nipsey decided to sell his 2013 mixtape “Crenshaw” independently. He
made only 1000 physical copies and sold them for $100 each. Jay-Z reached out to the rapping entrepreneur
and bought 100 copies. Nipsey made $100,000 in one day.

It’s not like Nipsey was an just average rapper selling his mixtapes at an abnormally high price and profiting--
h was an actual talented rapper. Nipsey Hussle’s debut album, “Victory Lap,” which also happens to be his
last album, was nominated for “Best Rap Album” in the 2019 Grammys. Unfortunately, that award went
home with Cardi B, the first female artist to ever win the award. Nipsey graciously tweeted congratulating
Cardi after she won.

Nipsey was respected by the youth just as much as he was respected by the adults. Platt Tech junior Tyrese
Edwards says, “As far as our youth, his influence is starting to gradually wake younger minds to be aware of
the corruption throughout the world, especially in America.” Nipsey led by example with his actions, and the
youth definitely took notice. Musically, he did things like going against signing with major record labels and
doing things all independently. Being successful independently shows all the upcoming and aspiring rappers
that they don't need to sell their souls in order to be successful. In Nipsey’s old interviews, he talked about not
wasting money on liabilities and instead purchase assets such as properties and investments.

When Nipsey was killed, a lot of people were filled with grief, not just in the hip-hop world. We will continue
to learn from him even after his untimely death. As always, the marathon will continue!

10

Anxiety in Teens

Yuliarys Lebron

Everyone experiences anxiety at some point in their life. To some extent, anxiety is a normal reaction and
sometimes helps us deal with stress and overwhelming situations like public speaking, interviews, or going on
a date. However, for some teens, anxiety can go beyond the typical symptoms and negatively affect friend-
ships, relationships, extracurricular activities, and schoolwork.

Anxiety disorders are mental health conditions that involve excessive amounts of anxiety, fear , nervousness,
or worry. Anxiety that is too constant or too intense can cause a person to feel preoccupied, distracted, tense
and always alert. Anxiety can affect students in various ways. Some signs of anxiety in a teen can be:

Emotional changes Physical changes
 Difficulty concentrating  Frequent headaches
 Feeling nervous  Excessive fatigue
 Irritability  Unexplained aches and pains
 Restlessness  Stomach problems

Social changes Sleep disturbances
 Avoiding interaction with friends  Difficulty falling asleep
 Isolating from peer group  Difficulty staying asleep
 Avoiding social events  Frequent nightmares
 Spending increased time alone  Not feeling refreshed after sleep

In a recent interview at Hill Regional Career High School, social worker Maria Silva spoke about treatment
options for anxiety. She responded, “medications and therapy are the most common way to treat anxiety.” Sil-
va also stated that “keeping a routine” can be a good way of coping with your anxiety such as a consistent bed-
time, working out, etc.
Silva also spoke about how common anxiety is in teens these days. “Students are exposed to way too much at
an early age, and it can be too much to process,” said Silva. She explained that students can be exposed too
many things on social media or the internet that they don't really understand. Spending increased time on the
cellphones can lead to less sleep, which will then be less time for teens to process.
Lastly, Silva spoke about how important it is for teachers to be aware of anxiety in students. She explained that
it's important for teachers to look out for signs and changes behavior. It is important for teachers to get to know
their students in order to notice any changes in behavior or grades .
Anxiety is something that happens, not something you are. It doesn't make you any less. You are smart, with
tons of emotional intelligence, and have a different way of looking at things. People can always count on you
as the one who thinks in ways other people haven't. You may be sensitive, but you're also strong and brave.
You are kind of person everyone loves, and only the lucky ones get to see that. If you feel like you may be
struggling with anxiety, it's important to seek help and get the support you need.

11

Stand Against Stereotyping

Jervone Myers
The unfortunate truth is that though Career’s diversity is known as a strength, many people in Career-- espe-
cially people of color-- have been victims of stereotyping.
Stereotyping exists for a lot of different races and cultures or ethnic groups. Stereotypes can be very obnoxious
because of how unfair the judgement may be. It lets your brain give a judgment from a visual, just based on
race, gender, or age, but today we will talk about racial stereotypes: how people judge you based on what race
you are.
Racial stereotypes are automatic mental pictures that people hold about all people of a particular racial group.
When we stereotype people based on race, we don’t consider individual differences. When we stereotype, we
get blind to any information that does not match with the stereotype that we have developed.
At Career, many people reported experiencing stereotyping. One victim of getting stereotyped, senior Astou
Diallo, says she has been stereotyped based on “being a Black woman in America, and being a Muslim woman
as well, and being African.” Diallo says that people who stereotype her may think that she’s “not smart enough
or good enough, or that I don't have a certain position in a room.”
Stereotyping can make people feel less than, and it can damage how you of yourself. Diallo said, “things like
that can be detrimental to your self confidence and self worth, but I'm a person that's so strong-willed that I can
say that I just seriously don't care. People are going to judge you. I seriously also pray for [people who stereo-
type], because they never took the time to research or experience and see that people are different.”
The root of stereotyping comes from ignorance and lack of knowledge. Diallo agreed, saying that “a lot of
people are ignorant and no one cares to go ahead and do more research. The media also has a lot of impact on
that because people look at headlines and comment, but never go into doing more research on cultures or a cer-
tain religion.”
Stereotyping is everywhere, but what we need to do is stand up for each other when we see it happening. If we
don’t, we’re part of the ignorance. We are all humans, we all live on this world, and we are all the same. You
cannot judge a books by its cover.

Want to see your name in print? Do you want to gain experience in
journalism? Want to boost your resume?

Write for the Panther Press!

We need writers to help cover sports at Career, submit opinion articles, send in poetry and art, and anything
else you can think of.

Email careerpantherpress@gmail.com to get started
OR

speak with your counselor about signing up for Journalism, an English elective, during your junior or senior
year! Freshmen and sophomores are welcome to join as after-school members on Thursdays in the library.

12

Melanated Me: Do I Really Need Sunscreen?

Michelle Browne
There are a lot of misconceptions regarding whether or not melanated individuals need sunscreen. Sunscreen’s
sole purpose is to protect your skin from the sun's UV rays, but highly pigmented individuals have melanin,
which initially absorbs the sun's UV rays. How does this work?
Sunscreen contains physical and chemical properties that protect the skin from harsh UV rays, such as zinc ox-
ide and titanium, which reflect the rays off of the skin. Not only can the sun give the skin a little painful burn, it
can also reduce skin elasticity, which can cause the skin to age prematurely. Most importantly, UV rays can
cause people to develop skin cancer.
The question commonly asked: do African-Americans, as well as highly-melanated individuals of other races,
need sunscreen? Nothing is as simple as black and white. There are many factors to consider. For example:
how much melanin is enough melanin? The argument that because African-Americans already have melanin
and therefore do not need sunscreen is not valid. African-American skin tones fall across a very wide spectrum,
especially if we are going to incorporate races not from African decent. The question of how much melanin is
enough, even though it is very important, is not something that students seem to think much about. Many Afri-
can-Americans, no matter where they stand on the spectrum of color, feel that they are safe from sun damage
simply because they are of African descent.
Career senior Astou Diallo shared her own ideas about the necessity of sunscreen. Diallo, who considers her-
self a highly melanated individual, stated she does not use sunscreen because she feels that since she has mela-
nin she simply doesn't need it. She did, however, state that possibly some African-Americans might need sun-
screen, since not everyone has the same skin tone. She also believed that the need for sunscreen depends on the
individual's skin sensitivity as well. Where did Diallo’s ideas about sun care for skin come from? Diallo stated
that her parents never enforced her using sunscreen because their parents probably didn't educate them on the
importance of it. She feels this may have ties to slavery in a way, because melanated individuals were not of-
fered nor educated on what their bodies needed like Caucasians were. So throughout history, said Diallo, we
were denied information that should've been offered to us from the start.
This education about sun care needs to be more known in our community. The risk of skin cancer is too great
to ignore. One website, blackgirlsunscreen.com, is dedicated to educating individuals about the importance of
sunscreen within the melanated community. Within the website, they explain that the sun does not in any way
discriminate when it comes to skin cancer. Melanated individuals are actually more likely to die from skin can-
cer than lighter pigmented individuals, because melanated people do not take necessary precautions when
heading into the summer season.
Blackgirlsunscreen.com is also a business of African-American women who have dedicated their lives to
spreading education of the sun's effects on melanin. They have also created a sunscreen product of their own
that is specifically designed for African-American individuals. As a child, when putting on sunscreen, it was
obviously not designed for someone of my skin tone. It left my skin looking white, ashy, and pasty. This sun-
screen by Black Girl Sunscreen is completely ultra sheer, which will take care of the ashy effect. In addition,
avocados, jojoba oil, cacao, carrot juice, sunflower oil, and other natural ingredients do wonders for the skin
such as treating sun burns naturally, moisturizing the skin, evening out skin complexion, and preventing skin
irritation.
Your skin is highly important. It is your hello before your hello. You want to preserve it as much as your can so
that you may age gracefully and stay healthy. When going into these heated summer months, remember to be
protected no matter how much melanin you’re blessed with, so that 40 years from now you can look as youth-
ful as you do at 18.

13

I Survived: SAT Edition

Stacey Correa
Junior year: the year that underclassmen transform into upperclassmen, the halfway mark of their high school careers.
There is excitement because the students can’t wait until they can open a new chapter in their lives-- but in order to do
so, they must do something they wish they could avoid. The thing they must conquer, defeat, and potentially face multi-
ple times is…
The SATs.
“I opened my eyes and felt dread slap me in the face” commented Michelle Cortes, an 11th grader at Career. As the stu-
dents were preparing to take the test, Michelle Cortes could be seen with a blanket draped over her head while she blank-
ly stared at the board. It seemed that this test might never leave her the same. “I don't think I can do this,”said Cortes.
“I’m struggling to stay focused and the test hasn’t even started!” She completed the SAT to the best of her ability and
was proud she was able to go through with it.
Junior Evelyn Espinosa was also in the same testing room as Cortes. “I feel like I just want to get this over with and put
it past behind me for another couple of months. Leave it somewhere far in my mind because this doesn’t need to be re-
membered… .no need to be traumatized.” It seems Espinosa has a different approach and mindset, and would much ra-
ther bury this experience somewhere far and deep. Like Cortes, Espinosa completed the SAT and managed to get this
obstacle over with. She stated that she could now only go up from here.
Different people cope with stress in unusual ways. Junior and SAT survivor Edwin Rivera had a much different reaction
than expected. “I was excited to take it,” said Rivera, “because once I took it, I wouldn’t have to take it again.” It seemed
he was trying to get it over with, like Espinosa, but what seemed to motivate him was the fact that he wouldn’t ever have
to endure this again. He had done test prep, so he was confident he would do well. He completed the SATs with confi-
dence and felt “1,000x happier” with each section that he conquered.
Those are just a few of the courageous souls who survived the SATs and were brave enough to speak about their experi-
ence. They tackled something difficult, something terrifying, and still tried their hardest. It was something that had to be
done and that is now just one less thing to worry about.
Congratulations to all the juniors who completed their SAT test! Keep hustling, and best wishes!

Featured Country: Mexico

Valeria Torres
Mexico is known its for its beautiful music, traditions, and food. Mexico is located in North America and is
bordered by the United States on the north, the Gulf of Mexico on the east, the Pacific ocean on the west, and
by Guatemala and Belize to the south. People from all around the world visit Mexico and fall in love with eve-
rything it has to offer-- starting with ones of Mexico's well-known icons, its food.
Mexico’s dishes, drinks, and desserts are known around the world as something almost everybody tries to rec-
reate. In New Haven, many traditional Mexican restaurants and stores are open to bring some of Mexico’s rich
food culture to the public. Career junior Emily Cervantes said, “I've been to Mexico and have had Mexican
food there, and I would say that when compared to the food here, food in Mexico is more authentic since the
ingredients are fresh and less produced. But they don't do too bad of a job here in New Haven.” Traditional
delicious food from Mexico include its famous variety of tacos, such as with carnitas (diced pork), asada
(grilled steak), chorizo, and more.
Mexico doesn't slack when it comes to its incredible desserts such as the famous tres leches cake. Career junior
Lesley Mellado said, “tres leches cake is very known at Hispanic parties! If made correctly, it is a very good
cake.” Between this and many other iconic plates such as elotes, tostadas, enchiladas and more, it is safe to say
Mexican cuisine is something everybody should familiarize themselves with.

14

Mexican traditions are among one of the most unique in North America. Many of them, such as the Day of the
Dead (Dia de los Muertos), revolve around family. Dia de los Muertos takes place on November 2nd, when
families go and visit the graves of their deceased loved ones, as
well as cooking their favorite foods and celebrating who that
person was and what that person meant to them. Another
unique tradition is the very special Cinco de Mayo (May 5th).
This celebration is meant to commemorate the victory of Mexi-
co over France in 1862. Everybody celebrates this day in dif-
ferent ways, doing crafts, parties, and celebrations that involve
Mexico’s amazing food and music.
No matter where you are from, or what you like, Mexico has
something for everybody. From its beautiful beaches, to its dif-
ferent types of delicious food, plus all the activities and cele-
brations Mexico has to offer, it's safe to say everybody should
visit Mexico at least once in their life.

Teacher of the Month: Mrs. Grandfield-
Schimanski

Joanna Wypasek
At Hill Regional Career High School, junior students are given the val-
uable opportunity to take an English Advanced Placement course, AP
English Language and Composition, English 3, and a preparatory SAT
class with Mrs. Grandfield-Schimanski. Not only does she make the
classes quite enjoyable, but she brings a needed radiance of positivity
into the halls of Career daily with her cheerful, unique personality.
And, in addition to her teaching duties, she is the mentor of both the
mighty Peer Connectors and Student Government, two influential stu-
dent bodies at Career who sponsor many activities under her brilliant
advisory.

When asked about Mrs. Grandfield-Schimanski, many students responded:
Junior Gulbahar Erkmen stated, “She is funny, and she gives good advice.”
Junior Gianna Pressley said, “I am thankful for the various opportunities that she gives us, such as the oppor-
tunity to go to Newport or to go see Hamilton.”
Junior Sofia Soriano mentioned, “She is a good motivator.”
Junior Julius Pugh stated, “I like how she is here to welcome us with open arms. She is very non-judgemental
and very amicable.”
Junior Brittney Hernandez said, “I like her energy and how she takes care of us.”
Junior Gabriela Soriano mentioned, “She is always excited about school and her classroom is very open. She is
always open to talk to and she is very motivating.”
A big, warm thank you to Mrs. Grandfield-Schimanski for all she does inside and outside of her vibrant class-
room!

15

Prom Safety

Beverly Rodriguez
Prom is right around the corner-- Thursday May 23rd, to be exact. Prom is the biggest formal dance of the year
for high school students celebrating the end of the academic school year-- and, for seniors, the end of their ad-
olescence. With this transition marking the beginning of adulthood, many people may be trying to make new,
more adult decisions. One of these big decisions that may have a big impact in your life is the decision about
whether to begin a sexual relationship. In case this is what you may be thinking, you need to be empowered
with the knowledge about how to do so in a safe manner.
Here at Hill Regional Career High School, we have an in-school Yale clinic on the first floor, next to the nurs-
es office. The clinic provides many different kinds of help for all aspects of your health-- including education
and safety nets when it comes to sex.
A clinic is a primary care for outpatients, just like a doctor’s office. Here at Career, the school-based clinic of-
fers a variety of services. Some of these services include physicals, sick visits, and STD testing. Some exam-
ples of the STD tests done in the clinic include urine screening for gonorrhea and chlamydia, blood tests for
HIV, and more. Additionally, the clinic can help students get access to condoms and birth control.
The services provided at the clinic are separate
from the school nurse. Although they work together
at times, what happens in the clinic is confidential,
meaning it’s between the patient and the clinician,
such as the social worker or the nurse practitioner.
Everything is also kept in a computerized medical
record. In order to use the clinic provided here at
Hill Regional Career High School, you do need to
be signed up with a parent or guardian’s permis-
sion.
On the topic of being safe during prom, you should
also remember to never get into a car with someone
who may be under the influence of alcohol. Make
any excuse you need to and call a family member or
a friend, or use an Uber. Nothing is worth the risk
of a horrible and life-changing-- or life-ending--
accident.
In terms of alcohol safety, you might not want to
drink any alcohol to start with. That may result in
you not remembering this special night, possibly
making a fool of yourself in front of people, or get-
ting sick-- or worse.
Enjoy prom, but make a plan to be safe, and be
ready to stand up for friends if they are making un-
safe choices. Have a plan for your group to get
home safely, and have a plan for what to do if a sit-
uation escalates out of your control. It’s the adult
thing to do.

(Photo/MADD)

16

Senior Profile: Franki’s Plans for the Future

Stacey Correa
For many students, life after high school automatically means college. It’s
all about moving out of your parents house and starting to live your own
life on your own. But that's not how all students envision it. For Franki Ve-
lasquez, a 12th grader at Hill Regional Career High School, graduation
means more responsibility and a major change. Velasquez is planning to
work for a year before beginning community college. The reason for doing
this is because he wants to save up enough money to be able to pay off his
education without going into debt.
Velasquez hopes to find a job and be able to save up some money to be
able to afford most of his education, since his parents aren’t helping him
financially. “After high school, I'm going to get a job because I want to be
able to afford things for college.” Velasquez has applied for scholarships
and financial aid, but even with the grants, college is still expensive.
Although he is putting college on hold for a year, this isn't uncommon and
can be a small break from school after attending it for so many years. And
putting college on hold for now does not mean Velasquez doesn’t have big
goals. He has already decided what he wants to do and plans on making it happen. Velasquez wants to work in
medicine and hopes to become a general practitioner (GP). Once he becomes a GP, he wants to create his own
clinic out of the country, most likely in Guatemala, to give medical care to those who need it.
Velasquez’s passion in life is to help people. He wants to be able to contribute to poverty-stricken communi-
ties, and his main focus is to help those who “really need help and can’t find help.” He discovered this passion
through experiences from when he visited family in Guatemala two summers ago.
“When I went there… I saw a lot of kids and a lot of adults laying out on the streets, all bruised and dead look-
ing. They can’t really get that much help… especially since there aren’t that many [certified health practition-
ers] that can help them,” explained Velasquez as he recalled his trip to Guatemala. He further went on to ex-
plain that that memory left an imprint on him and made him realize just how much he wants to help those who
are in desperate need. Velasquez hopes to at least make a small impact in an impoverished community and as-
pires to make a difference in someone's world.

Panther PRIDE Shout-Out!

Congratulations to the Health Career Pathways II students, who have passed the MedCa Medical
Assisting Certification!

Well done Ulyssa Avila, Catalina Gaviria, Kanai Hailey, Brittany Hernandez, Taylor Knox,
Destyne Moorning, Margarita Ortega, Magaly Perez, Alejandra Quiñones, Beverly Rodriguez,

Deja Rodriguez, Yaira Roman, Kimberly Sacaza, and proud teacher Ms. Zajac!

17

Skin Care with Michelle: Summer Skin

Michelle Browne
As we finish up the year, the temperature begins to increase. As the sun comes out more, it is important to pro-
tect your skin from dehydration. Yes, the sun is a very important source of vitamin D, but you still need to be
cautious-- for the sun can cause many negative outcomes. Keep into consideration that 1. the sun can dry out
your skin immensely, 2. the sun causes perspiration, which can clog your pores, resulting in pimples, and 3.
excess exposure to the sun's UV rays without protection can cause accelerated aging in the skin. With all this
in mind, I will now introduce some products that will keep your skin hydrated through the treacherous heat-
filled days ahead of us.
As the last step in your skin care routine, a moisturizer’s job is to not only, of course, lock in all of the prod-
ucts you have just put on your face, but most importantly, to provide your skin with moisture all day long.

1. The first product I will introduce is the Hydraguard Silicone Cream by Medline Remedy for sensitive
skin ($7.95). I love this product, particularly for moisturization, because you can instantly feel that your
skin is intensely moisturized. This feeling does not leave throughout the day. This is a putty-like substance
that you have to really work into your face. It is important to keep into consideration that a little goes a
long way with this product. The layer it provides on your skin is very breathable as well as water-resistant,
which is important for those hot days where you are sweating a lot. It is important to use a moisturizer that
won't be washed away with perspiration. This cream is also paraben-free, hypoallergenic, and pediatrician
tested.
2. The next moisturizer is Vaseline Intensive Care Cocoa Radiant ($6.77). As you can tell by the title of
the product, its sole mission is to provide your skin with intensive care as well as provide it with radiance.
Vaseline is a very prestigious brand that is known for providing moisture. I have been using this product
since I was a baby, and it has just gotten better over the years. This specific product is one you can use not
only on your face, but your whole body as well. It leaves your skin feeling silky soft and smelling like the
lovely smell of cocoa butter all day.
3. The last moisturizer is a product that I have brought up before, which is The Egyptian Magic Cream
($14.75.) Just as the product aforementioned, this cream is multipurpose. You can use it as a face cream,
body cream, and even a lip balm. This product is one of my favorite moisturizers because it is specifically
made of all organic moisturizing products, such as olive oil, beeswax, honey, bee pollen, etc. This moistur-
izer is free of any dyes or perfumes, but leaves your skin shiny with a slight scent of honey.
Skin care aside, the most important thing you can do for your skin when dealing with hot weather is drinking
large amounts of water. Yes, this is easier said than done, but drinking large amounts of water does help you
from the inside out. It will clean out your system resulting in clearer, more moisturized skin. Stay away from
alcohol and caffeine as studies show they intensely dry out skin.

(Photo/nomakenolife)
18

Senior Spotlight: Ashely Lizondro, Coast
Guard

Angelina Saunders
Next year, Career senior Ashely Lizondro will be join-
ing the military as a member of the US Coast Guard.
Lizondro was interested in going into the military from a
very young age. “One day when I was little, I was look-
ing at this [military] photo. I asked my dad who that per-
son was, and he said it was my brother. My other broth-
ers started going into the military too, so that’s what
gained my interest,” said Lizondro.
When the time was coming for Lizondro to decide
which branch of the military to go into, she always
thought it would be the Marines or Air Force. One day,
her oldest brother took her out for pizza. As she told him
about her plans to go into the Air Force, her brother
spoke about his own experience in the Coast Guard. “He
was trying to persuade me because the majority of our
family is in the Coast Guard and not in the Air Force,”
said Lizondro. At the end of a great conversation with
her brother, she took what he told her into consideration,
and ended up being convinced. She felt confident about
going into the Coast Guard.
Getting into the Coast Guard is like getting into any oth-
er military branch. You start off by meeting with recruit-
ers to gain more information about the military, the pro-
cess, and any other information you and your family
want to know. Then, you go through the MEPS (United
States Military Entrance Processing Station). At MEPS, you take a combination of a written test and physical
test. “I was so anxious because you have to get a certain score to get certain jobs that you want to pick,” said
Lizondro. “Basically, your score is everything!”
After you have gone through the MEPS, there are background checks done, and you have to get all of your
bank accounts in order for how you will be paid. Afterwards, you get your shipment package ready and choose
whether you want to go into the Reserves or active duty. The Reserves is like having a part-time job where you
can go every weekend or every other week. Active duty is like a full-time job, in which you may live on a mil-
itary base and can be deployed at any time.
For Lizondro, the worst part about this process was the MEPS because she didn’t know her score on the
ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) until a few hours after she took the test. The second
day was the best day for her because she was able to take her physical test. “If you didn't take the physical on
the second day, then you didn't pass the ASVAB,” said Lizondro. After all of the hard work she put in for the
MEPS, Lizondro is now successfully “following generations of family into the Coast Guard.”

Congratulations Ashely, and good luck on the rest of your journey with the Coast Guard!

19

Opinion: What Can I Wear?

Kabryah Hamlet

Summer is just around the corner, and people can’t wait
for the warm weather. With such sunny days comes
clothing fit for the climate. Males pull out the shorts
and tanks, and females put on their sundresses and san-
dals-- but what are the restrictions this year? I often find
that a female’s clothing is inspected much more closely
than that of a male, ostensibly to protect us or to uphold
a certain standard, which only solidifies the negative
idea that what a woman wears should reflect how she
wants to be treated.

(Photo/Lindsey Stocker) As a female who has been pulled aside on dress code
concerns before, I have felt like the expectations set for
girls were much higher than those for boys. At Career,
girls are chastised for crop tops, off-the-shoulder shirts,
shorts and skirts being above a certain length on the leg,
and more. It doesn’t seem to matter that the girl is com-
fortable in her clothing or that it’s an outfit she might
wear outside of school. What matters is the possibility
that she could distract her male counterparts. I don’t
remember a time before the issue of people “being at-
tracted” to shoulders that I wasn’t allowed to wear spe-
cific clothing.

This gender-biased dress code is being recognized all over the country causing students to take a stand against
administration to force some change. One district’s administration of the Santa Fe school district in New Mexi-
co simplified their requirements, stating that students need to wear “pants, dresses, or an equivalent,” making it
very clear what they are willing to accept. Reconfiguring dress code policies isn’t hard, seeing as students just
want to be comfortable at school without the possibility of being scolded for something others have gotten
away with. The size, color, or gender of a student should play no part in who gets coded, but it often does--
and what Santa Fe did decreases those opportunities.

For those who have never read Career’s official dress code in the student handbook, administration has the
right to send a student home if they are not “well-dressed and well-groomed at all times.” What does this
mean, you might ask? In my opinion, it means be careful when you pick out your clothes in the morning, be-
cause the outfit that looks cute on one person may get you in trouble. Junior Sofia Mazzacane has witnessed
this on many occasions when she had to have a conversation with admin for wearing an outfit because, she
states, she has “meat on her bones.” However, her friend often wears minimal clothing to school with little
problem. Despite the fact that weight was never stated as a reason for her to change her clothes, Mazzacane
feels like administration actually pays more attention to the body type of a student rather than their type of
clothing.

No one should feel like they are being picked on just because their clothing may fit them a certain way, and
clothing definitely shouldn’t be used as an excuse for unwanted attention from other people. If anything, cor-
rect those without self-control and this “problem” of dress coding will eventually be null and void.

20

Opinion: Help Save the Dream Space!

Justin Threet

In Career, there is a space (Photo/Jay Kemp)
known as the “Dream Space”
that we Dream Team mem-
bers go to hang out and so-
cialize in during lunch and
after school. This space is
now being threatened. Origi-
nally, this space was occupied
by dream director Jay Kemp
of The Future Project.
Kemp’s future role at Career
is now unknown due to finan-
cial complications within The
Future Project, so Career’s
administration is planning to
strip the space away from the
students in order to give a
space for tutors to use. The
worst part is that many of the
students who frequented the
space were completely una-
ware of the school’s decisions.

When asked about Career’s plans for the Dream Space, Career administrator Steve Ciarcia says,
“As far as I know, the only thing I know we are going to do is we have a mentor coming in to work with kids,
and that [Dream Space] is going to be the spot where they are going to work with kids” Of course, everyone
needs a place to go for extra help in their classes. However, completely erasing the creative energy of the
Dream Space is counterintuitive to fostering a positive school environment.

The Dream Space is a space that gives the students a sense of ownership and individuality. Therefore, strip-
ping this away from students causes them to lose something they value and control, suppressing creativity,
individuality, and freedom. One wall inside of the dream space is filled with names and signatures from past
alumni who were valued in our hearts. Career administrator Steve Ciarcia has this to say when asked if the
walls will be repainted: “I doubt it! No one is looking to repaint it.”

Sophomore Brianna Jones says, “The Dream Team space is really the only place I feel where I can truly be
alone.” She also says that the space is “the only space I’m able to cry or just take a break when I feel I have
too much on my plate.” Many of us students go to the Dream Space when we don't feel well or when we just
need to be around familiar faces who we know will help us with what we’re going through. Being around stu-
dents who are familiar and relatable to us adds a sense of comfort that we can escape to when we are feeling
upset, stressed, or in need of help.

Students have come together to develop a petition that allows students to remain inside of the Dream Space
regardless of Kemp’s presence at Career. These students are Taliah Ramirez, Brianna Jones, Teyonna
Holmes, and myself, Justin Threet. We propose that we students get control of the space from 10:45 to 12:45,
from the time the lunches start to the time the lunches end. We hope that the administration grants our reason-
able request for students staying inside of the Dream Space.

21

Opinion: Legalize the Mary Jane

Jonazia McKinnie
All around the world, people are going to jail for years, with a couple even facing life-- all for a plant, while
violent get probation. However, marijuana is on an ongoing march to legalization! In my opinion, this should
have happened already. Marijuana isn’t nearly as bad as smoking cigarettes, which are legal in the US and
pretty much everywhere else. Alcohol is another terrible substance that America made legal. It is hurting lives
all around the world, whereas as marijuana doesn’t have many negative effects if it is consumed safely.
Marijuana is scientifically proven to help people with PTSD, anxiety, chronic pain, nausea, and stress. One
anonymous junior at Career says marijuana “has been an essential plus to my daily routine. When I don’t feel
like doing something, it gets me up and running, and once it kicks in, I’m unstoppable.”
Marijuana is not as harmful as many people think it is. Many studies have shown that breathing in a city with
poor air quality does more damage than smoking marijuana for a week. Traffic deaths and arrests for DUIs
would not increase, and may even decrease, when marijuana is legalized.
In all reality crime, goes down when marijuana is legalized. This statement is backed up with research in Can-
ada, where marijuana is now legal for recreational use. There are real crimes that police need to working on
and paying attention to, but instead police can not because they’re too busy “busting” someone for smoking
marijuana. An anonymous senior at Career says, “having to sneak around and run from cops because I have
marijuana really sucks. I hate being paranoid and it all seems pretty dumb to me.” In addition, courts would be
allowed to focus on real crimes.
Marijuana may help people with al-
cohol or opioid dependencies to fight
their addictions. Legalization could
really bring families back together.
One anonymous teacher at Career
related to this statement, saying,
“when I was little my father was ter-
rible, he was always drunk and it
made going home every day after
school pretty dreadful. I would have
much rather my father stayed clean,
but when it all came down to it, I
would’ve just been fine if my dad
smoked some pot.”
Keep watching Connecticut’s law-
makers to see if recreational marijua-
na comes closer to being legalized.
The opinions in this article are my
own opinions, and it is advised that
you consult with a doctor before try-
ing to self-prescribe or before engag-
ing in the use of any type of drugs.

22

Sports @ Career

Accomplishments, Events, and Features

April Sprinters Bring May Championships

Adam Ahmad-Rizal

Left: Career sprinter Umarr Lahun surges ahead of the competition. Right: Adam Ahmad-Rizal competes in the long jump.
(Photos/Adira Ahmad-Rizal)

April has been quite a slow, cold, and windy month for the Panthers. In the rainy days of April, the Panthers
have been looking to place high in the leaderboards for each track meet and qualify for State Championships.
So far, the Panthers are doing impressively, with each meet going by with runners placing well. Many runners
have already qualified for many different events this month.
The girls relay have consistently placed high in the leaderboards for each meet, though they have had their re-
lays fluctuate for much of the month of April. The 4x100m relay consists of TayJana Greene, Shania Jackson,
Jenia “Tiny” Whitney, and Johnae Jones. These girls have lived up to their high expectations so far, carrying
them to qualifications. Both the 4x100m girls relay and the 4x400m girls relay have qualified for Class M state
championships, and will be looking to perform consistently in order to reach State Open.
Panther superstar Johnae Jones qualified for the 400m dash and the 200m dash. Former Creed prospects Jenia
“Tiny” Whitney and TayJana Greene qualified for their events, including the 100m dash, 200m dash, and the
long jump. The girls have a number of jumpers looking to compete at SCC championships and state champion-
ships, mainly focusing on triple jump and long jump. Five other girls— Shania Jackson, Maya Joyner, Janiah
Jowers, Amaje Freeman, and Sian Smellie— have qualified for state championships in their events already.
The boys received a new addition to the team: Umarr Lahun. Umarr has been absorbed into the boys 4x100m
relay, with the line-up of Umarr Lahun, Adam Ahmad-Rizal, Marcus Golett/Shiv Patel, and Anthony Harris.
Lahun has thrived in both the 200m dash and 400m dash, averaging 3rd and 2nd place in each meet. Lahun is
also taking a trip to Willowbrook Park in New Britain for the Class S State Championships for his events on
May 30th. Adam Ahmad-Rizal will be tagging along with Lahun for the 100m dash and 200m dash, and An-
thony Harris for the long jump. Unfortunately, the boys have only competed twice in the 4x100m relay, result-
ing in less experience. At this rate, the relay team may not be able to qualify for State Championships.
The Panthers are still looking to have more runners qualify for SCC Conference Championships and States
Championships. With a few exciting prospects still working extremely hard for both the boys and the girls,
they will be looking to break some personal records in order to achieve competing in championships. They still
have time. With 4 meets left to go until West Sectional, they will need to shine in the next month.

23

March Madness Review

Anthony Harris

First Round Upsets
It’s that time of the month where college
basketball again takes center stage. In this
year’s March Madness, there are several
teams that are hungry for a championship.
In the first round for the 2019 NCAA tour-
nament, there were a few upsets. In the
East Region, No. 12 Liberty upset No. 5
Mississippi State 80-76, and No.10 Min-
nesota upset No.7 Louisville 86-76. In the
South, No.12 Oregon advanced to the sec-
ond round with a huge victory over No. 5
Wisconsin, 72-54. No.13 UC Irvine upset heavy favorite Kansas State to advance to the second round to face
12th seed Oregon. The No. 10 Iowa Hawkeyes advanced to the second round with an upset victory over No.7
Cincinnati Bearcats to advance to the second round, facing No. 2 Tennessee.
For the West section, No. 12 seed Murray State beat No. 5 Marquette 83-64 to move on to the second round to
face No. 4 Florida State. The No. 10 Florida Gators advanced to the second round to face No.2 Michigan, with
a shocking upset over No. 7 Nevada: 70-61.
In the Midwest section, No. 11 Ohio State shocked No. 6 Iowa State to advance to the second round to face
No. 3 Houston.
Second Round
East Section 2nd Round
No. 1 Duke, the favorite to win the tournament, beat No. 9 UCF thanks to Zion Williamson (Fr) who dropped
32 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 assists and (Fr) RJ Barrett, who dropped 16 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assist. Final
score:77-76. They moved on to The Sweet 16 to face either Virginia Tech No. 4 or Liberty, No. 12.
No. 4 Virginia Tech defeated No. 12 Liberty to advance to the Sweet 16 for the second time. Kerry Blackshear
(Jr) helped the team by scoring 19 points, with 9 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block.
Virginia Tech went on to face Duke during the next round.
No. 3 Louisiana State University defeated No. 6 Maryland with a last-second layup attempt by Tremont Wa-
ters to help advance LSU to the Sweet 16 to face either No.10 Minnesota or Michigan State. Final score: 69-
67.
No. 2 Michigan State blew out Minnesota (70-50) with the help of sophomore Xavier Tillman, who posted 14
points, 1 assist, and 6 rebounds to advance to the next round. Michigan State went on to face No. 6 LSU.

South Section 2nd Round:
No. 1 Virginia, favorites to win the tournament, defeated No. 9 Oklahoma, thanks to junior Mamadi Diakite.
Diakite scored 14 points and grabbed 9 rebounds while playing 28 minutes. Virginia moved on to the Sweet 16
to face either No. 12 Oregon or No. 13 UC Irvine.
No. 12 Oregon easily got by No. 13 UC Irvine, 73-54. Oregon had 4 players that scored more than 10 points.
Oregon went on to face No. 1 seed Virginia to have a chance to make it to the Elite 8.
No. 3 Purdue defeated last year’s winners of the tournament, No. 6 Villanova 87-61 to move to the Sweet 16.

24

No. 2 Tennessee defeated No. 10 Iowa in a good game that was decided in overtime, 83-77. Junior small for-
ward Grant Williams scored 19 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists to help contribute to the team victory. No. 3
Purdue will face No. 2 Tennessee in a highly anticipated match up.
West Section 2nd Round:
Gonzaga No.1 defeated Baylor (83-71) to advance to the Sweet 16. Junior Brandon Clarke, small forward and
power forward, had a great performance scoring 36 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 5 blocks. Gonzaga will
face No. 12 Murray State or No. 4 Florida State next round.
No. 4 Florida State defeated No. 12 Murray State (90-62) easily to move on to the next round to face No. 1
Gonzaga in the Sweet 16. Sophomore forward Mfiondu Kabengele scored 22 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 blocks.
No. 3 Texas Tech defeated No. 6 Buffalo in a blowout (78-58). Texas Tech sophomore guard Jarrett Culver
scored 16 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and recorded 2 steals and 3 blocks. Texas Tech will face either No.
10 Florida or No. 2 Michigan.
No. 2 Michigan defeated No. 10 Florida, 64-49. Michigan guard Jordan Poole helped contribute by dropping
19 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 assist. Michigan’s next matchup will be No. 3 Texas Tech to decide who will
move on to the Elite Eight.
Midwest Section 2nd Round:
No. 1 North Carolina defeated No.9 Washington (81-59) to move on to the Sweet 16. North Carolina freshman
forward Nassir Little scored 20 points, and recorded 7 rebounds and 1 block. North Carolina will either face
No. 4 Kansas or No. 5 Auburn.
No. 5 Auburn moved on to the Sweet 16 to face No. 1 North Carolina after defeating Kansas (89-75) in a game
that wasn't that close at all. Senior Auburn guard Bryce Brown had a great game, putting up 25 points, 3 re-
bounds, and 2 assists. The next matchup will be No. 1 North Carolina vs No. 5 Auburn.
No. 3 Houston got past No. 11 Ohio State (74-59) to finally make it to the Sweet 16 for the first time in 35
years. Senior guard Corey Davis Jr. helped Houston get by Ohio State by scoring 21 points, 6 rebounds, 2 as-
sist, and 3 steals. Houston will either face No. 2 Kentucky or No. 7 Wofford.
No. 2 Kentucky took down No. 7 Wofford (62-56) to punch in their ticket to the Sweet 16, Kentucky senior
forward Reid Travis had 14 points, 11 rebounds, and 1 steal. Kentucky’s next matchup will be against No. 3
Houston.
East Section Sweet 16:
No. 1 Duke vs No. 4 Virginia Tech: Duke avoided an upset by edging out Virginia Tech (75-73). Virginia
Tech had a couple of chances to tie or take the lead but would fail to hit the key shots. Duke’s freshman for-
ward Zion Williamson would record 23 points, 6 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 1 steal to help push past Virginia
Tech to advance to the Elite 8.
No. 2 Michigan St vs No.3 LSU: In this matchup, Michigan State freshmen Gabe Brown and Aaron Henry
helped Michigan State push past LSU (80-63) to advance to the next round and face No.1 Duke. Freshman for-
ward Gabe Brown dropped 15 points. Aaron Henry also put up 20 points to help get the W.
South Section Sweet 16:
No. 1 Virginia vs No. 12 Oregon: In this close matchup, the Virginia Cavaliers outlasted the Oregon Ducks (53
-49) to advance to the next round the Elite 8. Virginia Guard Ty Jerome scored 13 points, 6 rebounds, and 6
assists. Virginia will face the winner between No. 2 Tennessee or No. 3 Purdue.
No.2 Tennessee vs No.3 Purdue: Purdue held off Tennessee in this close game that would be settled in over-
time, 99-94. Guard Carsen Edwards dropped 29 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists to help push Purdue to the
next round to face No.1 Virginia to have a chance at winning a title.

25

West Section Sweet 16:
No. 1 Gonzaga vs No. 4 Florida State: Gonzaga ran through Florida State to advance to the next round the Elite
8. Junior guard Trent Forrest scored 20 points, 3 steals, 4 assist, and 5 rebounds to face either No. 2 Michigan
or No. 3 Texas Tech.
No. 2 Michigan vs No. 3 Texas Tech: In this matchup, Texas Tech shut down Michigan to take over the game
and move on the next round. Texas Tech’s defense only allowed 44 points, outscoring them by 19 points. Tex-
as Tech’s Jarrett Culver scored 22 points and David Moretti put up 15 points to help Texas Tech to win this
game.
Midwest Section Sweet 16:
No.1 North Carolina vs No.5 Auburn: In this matchup, Auburn advanced to the next round after winning an
upset over favorites North Carolina in a game that wasn’t close (97-80). Auburn's Chuma Okeke, Malik Dun-
bar, Samir Daughty, J’Von McCormick, and Danjel Purifoy all helped Auburn to go to the next round.
No. 2 Kentucky vs No. 3 Houston: Kentucky beat Houston thanks to Tyler Herro, who dropped 19 points and
made a late 3-pointer to guarantee Kentucky a victory. Kentucky will face No.5 Auburn next round.
Elite 8:
No. 1 Duke vs No. 2 Michigan State: This game was a very close matchup, but Michigan State eliminated
Duke from the tournament, 68-67. Michigan's Cassius Winston dropped 20 points, 10 assists, and 4 steals to
help push Michigan past Duke.
No. 1 Virginia vs No. 3 Purdue: Virginia continued with the hot streak, shaking off Purdue (80-75) in overtime
to win the game. Virginia will go to the next round and face either No. 2 Kentucky or No. 5 Auburn.
No. 1 Gonzaga vs No. 3 Texas Tech: Texas Tech defeated Gonzaga to earn their first Final Four trip (75-69).
Once again, Jarrett Culver helped Texas Tech earn a victory by scoring 19 points and 3 steals. Matt Mooney
also helped by adding 17 points, 5 assists, and 2 rebounds. Texas Tech will face No. 2 Michigan State in the
Final Four.
No. 2 Kentucky vs No. 5 Auburn: Auburn continued to shock everyone when they defeated No. 2 Kentucky
during overtime to earn their first trip to the Final Four (77-71). Auburn's Bryce Brown dropped 24 points, and
Jared Harper also added 26 points to push the school to win the game. Auburn will face No. 1 Virginia in the
Final Four.
Final Four:
No. 2 Michigan State vs No. 3 Texas Tech: Matt Mooney scored 22 points to help push Texas Tech past Mich-
igan State to move on to the Final to have a chance to win the March Madness Championship. Texas Tech will
either face No.1 Virginia or No.5 Auburn-- which, no matter what, will not be an easy victory.
No. 1 Virginia vs No. 5 Auburn: This matchup was very close and intense, but Virgina beat Auburn (63-62)
with late free throws by Kyle Guy to win the game and move on to the Finals to go against No. 3 Texas Tech
to have a chance at winning the title.
Finals:
No. 1 Virginia vs No. 3 Texas Tech: The Virginia Cavaliers won the title after Texas Tech came back and
forced overtime after outscoring Virginia 39-36 points in the 2nd quarter, but Virginia proved to be too much
for Texas Tech after outscoring them 17-8 points in overtime to beat them. Virginia’s De’Andre Hunter and
and Kyle Guy were especially huge factors in helping Virginia win. De’Andre Hunter scored 27 points and
Kyle Guy scored 24 points. After 3 appearances in the Final Four, this is Virginia’s first time winning a title.

26

Racism in Sports: Enough is Enough

Adam Ahmad Rizal
If you haven’t read the title of this article, believe it or
not, racism is rampant among European soccer today.
This happens in the best European soccer leagues in
the world, including the English Premier League,
Spanish La Liga, French Ligue 1, Italian Serie A, and
many more. This is an obvious problem, not just with-
in sports, but across society as a whole.
One notorious incident this year involved a player of
Ivorian descent playing for Italian Serie A club Ju-
ventus FC. During a match vs Cagliari FC, Moise
Kean was racially abused by the Cagliari fans during
the match at the Sardegna Arena, home to Cagliari. Moise Kean (Photo/CNN)
The fans shouted monkey chants towards Moise Kean
throughout the game. Kean scored for Juventus FC at the 84th minute, then confronted the Cagliari fans by
standing in front of them with his hands out.
This incident gained a lot of social media attention, especially from other current footballers. Danny Rose, a
Black Englishman playing for Tottenham Hotspur, said he “cannot wait to see the back of football” in re-
sponse to the racism rampant in European soccer. Rose himself has survived racist abuse. During an interna-
tional match against Montenegro, the Montenegro fans chanted monkey noises towards Rose. He indicated
that he would retire sooner rather than later in an attempt to see the end of the racist abuse.
Manchester City winger and Danny Rose’s England teammate, Raheem Sterling, also faced racial abuse and
revealed that he has for many years. Sterling is a Black English soccer player who recently has been in the
news for his outstanding performances and his stand against racist comments made towards him during match-
es, particularly the recent incident vs Chelsea FC. Sterling has taken a different approach to the racial abuse,
stating that “at the end of the day, I would rather go and win the game because that would hurt them even
more. They’re trying to get you down, if you do walk off the pitch as a group then that makes them win. ”
In recent weeks, it was reported that Chelsea FC fans racially abused Mohamed Salah, who plays for Liverpool
FC. Salah is an Egyptian Muslim winger who formerly played for Chelsea. Before the Liverpool vs Chelsea
game, a video broke out of Chelsea fans singing, “Salah is a bomber.” Mohamed Salah responded to the com-
ments by scoring a wonder goal against them two days later. Chelsea FC representatives responded to this by
stating that “such individuals are an embarrassment to the vast majority of Chelsea supporters who won't toler-
ate them in their club.”
On April 23rd, Raheem Sterling proposed a potential solution. Sterling said he’d “call for an automatic nine-
point deduction for racist abuse… Which fan will risk racist behaviour if it might relegate their team or ruin
their title bid?” Recently, soccer fans, soccer players, and soccer teams themselves have been bringing this is-
sue to social media attention. They have started a movement, using #enough. This was a call to the Union of
European Football Associations by the Professional Footballers’ Association to take action against fans and
clubs that are associated with racist acts. Players like Son Heung Min of Tottenham, Raheem Sterling of Man
City, Chris Smalling of Man United, and Troy Deeney of Watford boycotted social media to help urge social
media outlets and football authorities to take real action against racism.
It is quite unfathomable to imagine how acts of racism still happens in the world. Being taunted for your race
is one of the most unforgivable things that can happen to a person. This hurts, especially for young and profes-
sional athletes, due to possibly being racially abused all their life when moving around the world for the sport
they love. Racism is something that this world can live without, and needs to be stopped.
Enough is enough.

27

Tennis Team Highlights

Veronica Borowski
The tennis season has started, and the tennis team has started practicing and playing games with dedication.
The tennis team is run by Coach Bostic, and the team captains consist of seniors Denise Morallon, Danielle
Morallon, Marwa Abdelati, Diamond Humes, and Angelina Saunders. They practice Monday through Friday
and have typically 2-3 games a week, depending on the weather. The team consists of 16-18 girls, including
captains.
Tennis might not be the best known sport offered at Career, but Captain Danielle Morallon said she “wanted
to try something new and ended up loving tennis.” Captain Denise Morallon joined “because my brother
played in high school, and he got me interested in the sport.” Both Morallon sisters have been part of the ten-
nis team since their freshman year.
When asked about difficulties the tennis team has faced, both Denise and Danielle agreed that it can be a chal-
lenge to find girls on the team who are dedicated to the sport. Even though so many girls are part of the team,
only a certain amount of girls show up to practice and not enough girls show up to games, when it really
counts. There have been games where the team had to forfeit because not enough girls showed up.
Only recently, on April 24 has the Career girls tennis team won their first match. Evelyn Espinosa and Johan-
na Cando, both juniors, won 2 out of the 3 sets against the West Haven girls tennis team. They played second
doubles, and have officially won the first match of the season. Hopefully, this trend continues and the team
finds more success in the future.
Another highlight came on April 29, when junior Esmeralda Gutierrez came very close to winning the team’s
second match this season. Unfortunately, she lost but it was a tough and very close match. Gutierrez won the
first set 7-5. She lost the second match 4-6, so it came down to a tiebreaker. She was very close, but she ended
up losing 6-9. The team supported her, and hopes for her continued growth and success.
True, tennis isn't the easiest sport to learn, but the tennis
team is growing together. The tennis team has been slowly
but surely improving, and now they are winning matches.
Hopefully, Career will be able to see more highlights and
achievements in the future from this exciting team.

Tennis Vocabulary Quiz Yourself!

ACE
BASELINE
DEUCE
GAME
MATCHPOINT
RECEIVER
VOLLEY
ADVANTAGE
BREAK
DOUBLES
LOB
NET
SET
CROSSCOURT
FAULT
LOVE
RALLY
TIEBREAKER

28

Entertainment

Homecoming: Black Empowerment to the
Thousandth Degree

Kabryah Hamlet

On April 17th, Netflix released Home-
coming, the Beyoncė Knowles documen-
tary, which was filmed over the course of
her preparation for Coachella 2018. As
we all know, Beychella was epic in more
ways than one as Beyoncė stole the show
with her HBCU-inspired project. People
couldn’t be happier with the performance,
and now they got to learn the story behind
the project.

In the two hour film, a great deal of time
was devoted to showing the preparation
for the two performances. Everything
from the dancers’ rehearsals to Beyoncė’s
diet was put on blast. According to the
docu, the entire production took approxi-
mately eight months before the big two
weeks came to prepare the soundtracks,
choreography, live band, background
singers, and the set up of the stage. There
was clearly great motivation and leader-
ship skills from Beyoncė, and everyone
built on that energy through the long
days, tiresome work, and beautiful en- Beyoncė Knowles (Photo/NPR)

sembles. The work didn’t stop there, though, because a few days after the film was released, Beyoncė released
her album Lemonade and an album of all the lives from Coachella on Apple Music for fans to enjoy on their
own time.

As a fan, some of the glimpses into Beyoncė’s personal life were what fueled me to keep watching. Between
seeing her interactions with her family to the frequent meetings that she would hold to improve the show, I can
appreciate the effort and dedication that was put into Coachella. Specifically, I can appreciate Beyoncė’s point
to include African Americans and draw attention to the HBCU experience for a meer few hours.

I can only imagine what the experience was like in real life, but even behind a screen I was moved by the
sweet story of a young Beyoncė wanting to go to an HBCU, but having to tour the world with Destiny’s Child.
Showing this kind of appreciation for her people and what we’ve created as a culture made me feel really
good. There have been quite of few memes and reaction videos released since people viewed Homecoming
that keep me laughing as well. If you haven’t watched Homecoming yet, you are missing out on something
great.

29

Book Review: Los Niños del Tren

What would you do to be able to follow your dreams? Natural-
ly, when people want something, they take risks until they get
it, but at what point would you give in? The protagonists of
Los Niños del Tren (Train Kids) risk their lives in despair to
head north with their families and leave poverty behind.

The story begins with Miguel, 14 years old, from Guatemala.
After deciding to go and look for his mother, who left him
years ago with his sister Juana to go to work in the United
States. With the pain of his soul, he leaves his sister Juana and
is heading north on the train of La Bestia: a freight train that
travels from the south to the north of Mexico.

The protagonist, Miguel, tells the story and introduces the other
characters that accompany him on this trip: 16-year-old Fer-
nando is the oldest of this group. He has more experience and
is very mysterious. Jaz, the only woman in this group, goes
dressed as a man. Jaz comes from El Salvador like Fernando.
Emilio is a very taciturn person who travels from Honduras,
and Ángel, the youngest of this group at 11 years old, is from
Guatemala.

Miguel meets the other characters in a hostel for migrants on
the border between Mexico and Guatemala. Each character has
their own story and they share the same dream: to live a life
without poverty and be with their families.

Los Niños del Tren (Photo/Goodreads) When travelling to the north, great dangers wait for them. A
false step when jumping to the train, a neglected dream during
the night, an oversight on the roof of the train and their lives
can be over.

Children, in one way or another, are involved in several events that endanger everything: gangs of thieves, cor-
rupt police, drugs, violence, abuse of power, prostitution, extortion, thirst, hunger, cold in the mountains, and
heat in the jungle and the desert. Despite all this, the children are united and intertwine a friendship. They find
help and gratitude where one least expects it, even though they know that they can not trust anyone except
themselves.

As the story progresses, each character encounters obstacles that prevent them from reaching their goals and
they question whether it is really worth moving on.

The author, Dirk Reinhardt, said in an interview that he was inspired to write this book when he first saw in
2003 a report about young migrants in Mexico. He said that history "touched him deeply about all the courage
with which they resist their destinies.” Reinhardt traveled to Mexico to learn more about the issue, but the real-
ity is quite bitter. "Nowhere is the situation as extreme as in Central America, where poverty and wealth coex-
ist so closely," writes Reinhart in the book. "You can hardly expect help from the authorities. On the contrary,
many police officers are responsible for inspecting trains. They improve their scarce salary by removing mon-
ey from migrants - who carry with them everything they have been able to save for a year for the trip, as a re-
ward for not stopping them.”

30

Reinhardt believes that the solution is not to block borders and persecute migrants, but "in the long term it makes
more sense to strengthen the economy in Central American countries and fight poverty.”
Behind the characters in the book are the stories of four real children: Felipe, Catarina, José, and León, whom
Reinhard met in Mexico while they were sitting under the freight train. Their stories and that of other migrants
are, in one way or another, in this book. Reinhard never saw any of those four children again.
I give this book 5 out of 5 stars. Personally, I felt a certain empathy and I got to connect with the characters. Mi-
gration is a subject with which I have lived very closely. I know very hard stories and I know what people like
the characters are going through. "While walking through the desert, I found people dead and alive. One of them
told me to kill him and said 'please,'" said one anonymous immigrant who crossed the desert from Mexico to the
United States.
I think that this story, whether you read often or not, is essential. Migration is an issue that is currently happen-
ing and there is still no solution. Unfortunately, the book is not translated into English, only in German and
Spanish; however, it is a story that should be shared across all languages and across borders.

Review: Captain Marvel

Jonazia McKinnie
On March 8, Captain Marvel came to theaters. Millions of people rushed to the movies with their friends, fami-
lies, and other loved ones. Captain Marvel tells the story of a Kree warrior who finds herself in a battle between
her people (the Krees) and the Skrulls. Over time, she continues to have flashbacks from her past life. She sees
planes and runways, and though she soon finds she was a pilot, she can’t seem to remember anything exactly or
even know who she truly is. With lots of help from Nick Fury, Captain Marvel tries to figure out and uncover
the secrets of her past-- all while controlling her powers to end the war.
Junior Ahmad Gidden commented, “the movie was great! It was very action-packed and I would definitely see it
again.” Gidden also added, “I usually get bored when watching movies, but when I saw Captain Marvel, I was
alert and focused the whole time.” Reviews agree with Gidden, calling Captain Marvel “funny, epic, a must-
watch, and action packed.”
Marvel Studios is said to be trying to repair how they have come off as biased in the past. They have now re-
leased their first female hero movie and their first majority African-American film with Black Panther last year.
This is the first Marvel movie where a female superhero gets her own film based solely around her.
To me, the movie was fun and exciting. I really enjoyed all the suspense. Even if it is not the best MCU movie, it
is very rewarding to finally see a woman superhero get her time.

Upcoming Movies Horoscope

Dark Phoenix (June 7) 12th installment in the X-Men film series and Gemini (May 21- June 21)
the sequel to X-Men: Apocalypse. Symbol: The Twins
Men in Black: International (June 14) Agent H and Agent M employ Polarity: Positive
high-tech weaponry to battle mischievous aliens on Earth. Traits: Curious, Kind, Expressive, Versa-
Toy Story 4 (June 21) Fourth movie in the Toy Story Franchise. tile
Spider-Man: Far from Home (July 5) Peter Parker and his friends go Ruling planet: Mercury
on summer vacation to Europe, where Peter finds himself trying to Element: Air
save his friends against a villain known as Mysterio. Spirit Color: Yellow
The Lion King (July 19) Live action of the well loved Disney animat- Lucky Gem: Tiger's Eye & Emerald
ed film. Flower: Lavender & Lily of the Valley
Ruling House: Third

31

Panther pride

Congratulations to the first inductees of Career’s new Science National Honor Soci-
ety: Alexandra Queen, Poorna Balakumar, Hazel Kurak, Ahmed Al Dulaimi,
Brittney Hernandez, Nadia Sauffian, Sofia Soriano, Joanna Wypasek, and Gabriela
Soriano.

Shout out to the JUNIOR CLASS for successfully taking the SAT for the first time!

Shout out to all AP STUDENTS who worked hard and took an AP Test this year,
and to MR. AURORA for making sure everything ran smoothly!

Congratulations to the sophomore graduates of the YALE SIMULATION ACADE-
MY program: Saima Anayat, Xavier Burgos, Hasfa Fazl, Yashira Colon, Lastrianna
Haynes, Hilla Nasruddin, Gina Patel, Citlaly Sampedro, Ashlyn Vazquez, Jospin
Baheneka, Jalen Chandler, Richard Comshaw, Melanie Garcia-Flores, Christian
Guaman, Abnel Martinez, Stephany Ocotitla, Elysmarie Quinones, Meshkath Ul-
laha, Cristina Vallejo, Daiana Vazquez-Bracero, and Tyler Wilson. Congratulations
to mentors Cielo Asitimbay, Michelle Barranco, Mikayla Piascik, Magaly Perez, and
Joshua Smith, and THANK YOU to Mr. McTague for giving us this opportunity!

Shout out to all SPRING ATHLETES balancing academic requirements and athlet-
ic schedules!

Congratulations to all seniors who presented their CAPSTONE PROJECTS on
May 17th!

Send in your shout outs! CAREERPANTHERPRESS@GMAIL.COM or
IG@CAREERPANTHERPRESS

SHOUT OUTs

32