February 21 Panther Press

THE PANTHER PRESS
The Voice of Career High School

February 2021 New Haven, CT careerpantherpress.weebly.com

Arrest Made in Connecticut Cold Case

Jessica Turrell

Left: Jessica Rose Keyworth, who was murdered at age 16. (Photo/Family Contributed) Right: 23-25 Pear Street in Wa-
terbury, where Jessica’s body was found in 2004. (Photo/Google Maps)
After 17 years of no justice for his victim, Willie Robinson, now 52 years old, was arrested on January 29th,
2021 for the 2004 murder of 16-year-old Jessica Keyworth. With no suspects or any leads on the case, the case
lost all attention from investigators and was considered a cold case-- a case yet to be solved, not the subject of
recent investigation, but one that could be re-examined in the future if given reason to.
On June 1st, 2004, Jessica Keyworth of Stratford, Connecticut was found strangled to death on a stairwell
leading to the basement of a four story abandoned building on 23-25 Pearl Street in Waterbury, Connecticut.
Her death was caused by asphyxia, also known as suffocation, by strangulation.
In 2004, Keyworth was a student enrolled in a Job Corps program in Massachusetts. She had plans to meet
with a few classmates from Job Corps to head back to Massachusetts together on May 30th, 2004; however,
Keyworth failed to show at her friend's home. She was never seen alive again.
What happened on the day of Keyworth’s disappearance? On May 30th, 2004 Keyworth took two local trains
from Bridgeport to Waterbury, alone. It is unknown what happened between her arrival to Waterbury and
when she was found. There has also yet to be any information as to how or why she was in the building, nor
why she was murdered.

Story continued on page 3

1

New Haven Open Cold Cases

Ashley Armstrong Joseph Zargo Suzanne Jovin
May 16, 2012 December 23, 2011 December 4, 1998
Joseph Zargo was shot to Suzanne Jovin, a talented
Ashley Armstrong was fa- death at 50 Houston Street and popular senior at Yale
tally shot in New Haven on in New Haven on December University, was stabbed to
May 16, 2012. 23, 2011. death near the corner of
The 21-year-old victim was The death has been ruled a Edgehill Road and East
found in a black homicide and is being inves- Rock Road in New Haven
Volkswagen Jetta located tigated by the New Haven on December 4, 1998.
near Shelton Avenue and Police Department.
Munson Street.

Do you have information? Text your tip to "NHPD plus your message" to 274637. Call the Cold Case Unit
tip line at 860-548-0606 or 1-866-623-8058.

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.

2020—2021 Staff Writers

Makayla Bass Moriah Marcano Itzaida Rivera
Nicolas Bello Lizeth Martinez Jennie Rosario
Aiya Chahid Kimora Merritt Arly Saucedo
David Chambasis Nadia Morales Estrada Justin Spell
Angellina Curr Deep Patel Kennedi Stafford
Aylin Galvez Khushi Patel Jessica Turrell
Jevonte Hewitt Roberts Alexandra Perez Ashlyn Vazquez
Amani Maldonado Jimmy Ramirez Devon Wilson

Faculty Advisor: Rose Mur phy

Visit us online at careerpantherpress.weebly.com. Contact us at [email protected]

2

Arrest Made in Connecticut Cold Case, Cont’d

Jessica Turrell

Continued from Page 1

For years, there was no progress in the Keyworth homicide. The case
was featured on a deck of special playing cards that was given to in-
mates in prison. This deck of cards consists of cold cases with infor-
mation that could potentially allow inmates to identify a case.

Robinson, the suspect in custody, has not admitted to the murder that
he allegedly committed in 2004, despite DNA evidence and forensic
science linking him to the homicide. He is being held on a $2 million
bond. Robinson has been charged with one count of murder. However,
investigators are still encouraging people with any information about
the homicide to contact the Waterbury Police.

Cold cases are often left unsolved. Police either find the body of the
victim, or they are never found. Without witnesses or evidence, it's dif-
ficult for law enforcement to pin specific events or cases to someone.

When cold cases are finally solved, communities are rocked by finding
out that a killer may have been hiding in plain sight. In many cases,
such as in Keyworth’s murder, the suspect is someone who often
seems like a person who wouldn’t do such a thing. “I always liked Keyworth’s cold case playing card.
Willie. He was a very nice guy,” says Corrina DeLoughery, 59, who (Photo/CT Division of Criminal Justice)

rented her second floor apartment to Robinson and his family back in
the 1990s . It wasn't until recently, when Robinson was arrested for the crime, that DeLoughery’s family
claimed that they should have known something was off about him. “I didn’t really think much of it before,
but when I look back, he was a bit weird. He was way too nice, but in a creepy way,” says Lisa, DeLoughery’s
youngest daughter. “Now I just think, what if Jessica Keyworth had been one of my friends or a family mem-
ber of mine?”

Finding Jessica Keyworth’s killer is a small victory, but there are so many cases that have yet to be solved.
Most of those cases are “forgotten” because investigators have lost hope. Due to lack of evidence and little
time to investigate, victims and/or the victims' families are left with no answers.

When cold cases are solved, it brings relief to many victims and their families because it shows that justice can
be served. Whether it takes one week or thirty years to solve a case, knowing what truly happened, and know-
ing that the person responsible will be held accountable not only brings a sense of justice for that case, but also
inspires hope that future justice will be served for other cases that have run cold.

In most cases, a large amount of money, provided by the state in which the case takes place, is offered for any-
one who has some sort of information as to what happened or may have happened to the victim of a crime.
Money is usually offered in cases regarding homicides or missing persons because it grabs a person's attention
and gives potential witnesses a reason to share what they know in regards to the case. The information brought
forward must be useful or relevant in solving the case in order to obtain the reward.

In the state of Connecticut, there are thirty-six cold cases that are open to investigation. Twenty-two of the
thirty-six have rewards available for any information regarding those cases, varying from $5,000-$150,000.

To see some local open cold cases, please see page 2. With any information regarding cold cases, call the Cold
Case Unit Tip Line at 1-866-623-8058. All information that you share or bring forward will be confidential
and could potentially help with solving or shining more light on a case.

3

In 2021, Violence Increases in New Haven

Justin Spell

(Photo/City of New Haven CompStat Report)
Angel Rodriguez was murdered on Farnham Avenue. A teacher was held up and carjacked at gunpoint. A Yale
grad student was murdered in East Rock. New Haven assistant superintendent Dr. Paul Whyte had his house
shot up. These are only some of the examples of the increased amount of careless violence this year. The
amount of violent acts and homicides has increased dramatically this year. In the months of January and Feb-
ruary 2021, there has been an increase in homicides, non-fatal shooting victims, and confirmed shots fired.
Mayor Justin Elicker released a public statement addressing the increased violence in New Haven and what he
intends to do going forward to address the issue. After the sixth homicide in 2021 and a lot of gun violence,
Elicker released a public statement addressing the people instigating violence: “You undermine the safety of
our residents and yourselves. You continue to promote fear for our safety in our everyday lives. We, as a com-
munity, will not stand for this and we will be relentless in efforts to provide justice for all of the victims, their
families and loved ones. Addressing and eradicating gun violence takes serious action both in the short-term
and the long-term—and the City of New Haven is committed to that.” Elicker stressed his concern for the
community and his dedication to providing a safe community and environment for everybody to feel comforta-
ble in. New Haven Police Chief Otoniel Reyes also added in a publicly released statement, “Our department is
working around the clock to solve these most recent acts of violence. We will bring all of our resources to bear
to ensure the safety of our city.” They both are working towards a common goal of getting to the bottom of
why this is happening and finding a solution.
There are many possible reasons for the increase in violence and homicides this year. When asked why he
thought the violence was increasing so dramatically, member of the community Joe Baez said, “I believe that
the increase in violence and homicides is directly linked to the unemployment and desperation caused by the
COVID pandemic. Many people were put out of work and didn’t have any means to sustain themselves and
their families. When faced with this situation many people unfortunately think that crime and violence are their
option to survive.” The pandemic has put a lot of people out of work and school, and caused them to lose
some of the activities that previously kept them distracted from making wrong decisions. Not only are people
becoming desperate for money and resources, but people have a lot more free time on their hands which could
be a cause of the increase of violence.

4

New Haven student Jacob Spell said, “Due to the pandem-
ic, many people are out of work or are seeing decreased
wages. This is causing desperation and leading to an uptick
of crime within our communities.” This is one reasonable
explanation for the dramatic increase in violence this year.

The amount of violence is changing things in our commu-
nity; more police are patrolling neighborhoods and inno-
cent people are losing their lives. Jacob said, “I have no-
ticed more community policing in my area as of late. I
think this may have to do with an increase of reported vio-
lent incidents in my neighborhood.” Chief Reyes promised
the community to help lower the violence rates by bringing
all of the resources possible. Jacob noticed this promise
become a reality in his community. The increase of police
presence could make the community feel safer, and dis-
courage people from committing violent acts. Baez took a
different take on the issue of public safety, saying, “The
increase in violence and homicides has a detrimental effect
on the community. While facing a global pandemic that
has killed over half a million people in the United States,
our community doesn’t feel safe in their own neighbor-
hoods. This lack of safety puts such a strain on families,
and especially young people who are in their formative
years. It causes anxiety, depression and long term stress to
those that are exposed to this crime. I also fear that it will
cause an increase in vigilantism, which could add to in-
creased racial tensions in the community.”

This dramatic increase in violence is affecting our commu-
nity negatively in more ways than people may think. Kids
are growing up with trauma, seeing their friends die, their Year to Date crime report. 2021 is compared to the

assistant superintendent’s house be shot up, and innocent same point in 2020.
people be harmed. This could influence them to grow up and (Photo/City of New Haven CompStat Report)
do the same, or it could scar them for life. Either way, as a
community we have to decrease and control the impact of
trauma on future generations.

The community and the leaders of the community are all affected by the recent violence, but it is up to the
leaders to really strive for a change. When asked about how community members and leaders should go about
attempting to lower these homicide rates, Baez said. “ I think that community leaders need to consider ful-
filling everyone’s basic needs to stop the increase in violence. If people have the means to provide the necessi-
ties of shelter, food, [and] education to their families, I believe less people would be in the desperate position
of turning to crime.” If the community had more resources and opportunities during a time like this, there
would be less violence because there would be less desperate for their financial needs. Jacob said that lowering
the rates of violence should start by providing “community round tables for constituents to voice their opin-
ions. Implement some type of a relief similar to the federal stimulus checks.” Community voice is extremely
important, and by people working together, ideas can be passed along to help form an outcome that can help
resolve this problem of violence that needs to be controlled urgently-- human lives are at risk.

Every week, there are still new violent acts and homicides on the front page. The problem has not yet been
fixed, and it is still up to our community to come together and formulate an action plan that provides a better
outcome than losing all of these innocent lives.

5

Donald Trump Impeached… Again

Jimmy Ramirez
Former President Donald Trump has now been impeached for the second time.
The first time Donald Trump was impeached was on December 18, 2019. The two reasons given for his im-
peachment then were abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. The first impeachment was unsuccessful in
removing Trump from office; although he was impeached, Trump faced no consequences because the Senate
did not vote to convict him.
Now, Trump's second impeachment is because he encouraged his supporters to raid the Capitol to overturn the
results of the November 2020 election. The attack on the Capitol was on January 6th, 2021. 5 people died--
four rioters and one Capitol police officer. Donald Trump encouraged his supporters to riot and attack the
Capitol by falsely saying that the Presidential election was stolen from him and that the rioters should go to the
Capitol and “demand that Congress do the right thing” by refusing to certify the results of the election.
Bob Osborne, a history teacher who teaches at Hill Regional Career High School, has many things to say about
Trump's second impeachment. The first thing that he stated was how different the second impeachment is from
the first one. “The second impeachment has only one charge: incitement of insurrection, and it happened in
front of the American people on one terrible day in America,” said Osborne. The terrible events at the Capitol,
said Osborne, “reflect what has been happening in our country because of Donald Trump.”
When Donald Trump got impeached for the first time, he was not removed from office because the senate did
not vote to convict him. The second time around, the senate also voted not to convict him. Donald Trump has a
lot of legal problems beyond just the impeachment. The most immediate legal problem is with New York. It is
likely that New York may go forward with an investigation as to whether the Trump organization violated
state laws: in particular, insurance fraud and tax fraud. Osborne stated that Trump “can also be tried for other
federal crimes and also state and local crimes… In my opinion, the impeachment is the first of a number of
legal problems for Trump.”
The second impeachment trial began February 9th, 2021, when he was charged with incitement of insurrec-
tion. The trial concluded February 13, 2021 with Donald Trump being acquitted. Before the trial began, some
of the American people were questioning why the impeachment was even happening if Donald Trump is no
longer President. Osborne stated that the impeachment followed a procedure. “First, the House voted to im-
peach him while he was still in office, and by the Constitution there must then be a trial by the Senate.”
This time, the American people were not as confused about impeachment proceedings as they were during
Trump’s last impeachment, when many people did not understand the terms of being impeached. Many people
had assumptions that being impeached means being fired. Osborne explained that an impeachment doesn’t
mean getting removed from office; instead, it means that there will be a process of bringing charges against a
president. “Only the House of Representatives can impeach a President for high crimes and misdemeanors, and
that is by a simple majority vote,” said Osborne. “That means the impeachment charge has to be sent to the
Senate for a trial to convict the President of the charges by two thirds vote, or 67 votes out of 100.” Only once
a president gets convicted will they be removed from office.
There have been four impeachments in American history: Andrew Johnson in 1868, Bill Clinton in 1998, and
Donald Trump in 2019 and 2021. None of those impeachments have ever resulted in a president being re-
moved from office.
America has faced a lot of problems in the past four years with former president Donald Trump. Now that the
impeachment trial is over, hopefully now America will move on in a more positive direction; however,
Trump’s future is unknown. Will he run again in 2024? Will he face jail time? Will he be prosecuted for
crimes at the state level? Only time will tell.

6

National Honor Society Induction Ceremony
Celebrates Students

Ashlyn Vazquez Congratulations to the
On February 10th, students, families, and teach- following new members
ers logged on to Zoom for a happy reason-- the of the National Honor
National Honor Society (NHS) induction cere- Society.
mony. The National Honor Society looks for
students who show the 4 pillars of NHS values: Juniors:
scholarship, service, character and leadership. Syed Ardhi
In the ceremony, teachers spoke about what Shafiqa Chatak
each pillar means and how each student honored Elisa Cruz
has met or exceeded each pillar. Each student Assata Johnson
inducted showed these values in their hard work Areile Jowers
and dedication to their school, community, fam- Jenna Ligutom
ily, and personal growth. Moriah Marcano
The ceremony was just starting when principal Rahil Patel
Shawn True took the time to honor beloved Ca- Jazlyn Rivera
Seniors:
reer Spanish teacher Ms. Gonzales, who sadly passed away. Students, staff, and Adira Ahmad Rizal
families had a moment of silence in honor of her. Ms. Gonzales was always a Hatice Bozan
thoughtful, kind, humble, and private person. Students and staff spoke about Eliaris Brito
how Ms. Gonzalez impacted them, and this was in keeping with the way Ms. Yashira Colon
Gonzalez lived her life: we have those personal moments and intimate memo- Hasfa Fazl
ries of her close to us, and she was someone who made a big impact on her Christian Guaman
school-- that's all she needed. Myah Hough
After the inductees were named, it was time for the formal recognition of stu- Laysha Lopez
dents’ achievements. Career English teacher Karen Robinson had everyone Suchitha Misra
raise their hands and repeat the National Honor Society pledge. Many proud Aime Mulungula
family members looked on alongside their exceptional children being honored. Hilla Nasruddin
Career senior Hatice Bozan, who was inducted to the National Honor Society, Gina Patel
stated, “I am proud of myself that I have achieved one of my goals. When I was Citlaly Sampedro
first applying, I didn’t think that I would actually get into it because I thought Meshkath Ullaha
there were better people than me, but thankfully, I have made it in. My parents Daiana Vazquez Bracero
were really happy and proud of me too. We celebrated with a small cake that I Jenia Whitney
had made for myself since both my parents work.” Devon Wilson
In our virtual setting, this was a different sort of ceremony, but as Bozan said, it Arturo Xochipiltecatl
was still something to be celebrated. “Of course I would’ve wished for it to be
in person, but I understand that due to the pandemic we couldn’t have an in per-
son event,” said Bozan.
Congratulations to the new members of the National Honors Society! Keep ex-
ceeding everyone's expectations and grow to your fullest potential.

7

Back To (In-Person) School

Jennie Rosario
After 10 months of remote learning, the return of students back to school has been concerning for many par-
ents, students, and teachers. The district of New Haven is currently trying their best to make sure that students
are slowly and safely returning back to normal. On January 19, grades pre-K to 5 returned for in-person learn-
ing. Later, the district announced that grades 6-8 would return for in-person learning on March 4th. The deci-
sion whether to send their children back to school has been something many families have struggled with.
For parents keeping their children home, some worry about their children missing out on learning, while others
worry about them being at home all day. Those parents can't be judged; keeping their child at home is a com-
plicated decision. Many parents have to work in order to provide for their families, leaving them with a diffi-
cult choice: leave their kids at home by themselves, or leave their jobs to ensure that their kids are doing what
they are supposed to.
Jennifer Cruz, a parent of a child attending Ross Woodward School, says that her concerns are mainly about
making sure that her child is prepared and has the adequate knowledge to successfully move on from her cur-
rent grade. “As a single parent, my worry is to make sure that my child has all of the resources that she needs
to succeed while also staying safe,” said Cruz. Although Cruz was very scared to send her child back to school
due to the pandemic, she made sure to provide her daughter with masks, sanitizer, and disinfecting wipes in
order to prevent transmission of the virus. “At some point, we have to go back to normal, and my duty as a
parent is to make sure that my daughter continues her normal activities and lifestyle while also protecting her-
self,” said Cruz. This is a mentality that many parents have already embraced, specifically with younger kids
who aren't as technologically advanced as the older kids are and can’t learn online as easily.
Career library media specialist Marilyn Wilson says that her main concern about returning to school in the fu-
ture was not having enough information as to the class size, cohorts, issues such as air flow, and assurances of
distancing between the students. “Studies seem to show that elementary- aged children are fairly safe from vi-
rus transmission. I am certain that all students learn better in the classroom— but at what price?” Wilson
seems to be very concerned for the safety of the teachers as well as the safety of other students. “I am also con-
cerned that many of our students live in multigenerational homes, and going back to school would put those at
home at risk.” That issue of vulnerable older family members living with students is something that hasn't real-
ly been brought up, and is important to take into consideration as students return back to school.
Additionally, many teachers who are older or who have health problems can be put at risk by a lack of a safe
and efficient plan before returning back to school. “I believe that all teachers should have had the vaccine be-
fore returning to school and feel that our state should prioritize them,” said Wilson. Clearly, Wilson is con-
cerned and worried about this process of returning back to school. Though she hopes of soon returning back to
school, she also needs to feel confident that everyone will be safe.
On the other hand, Coordinator Of Parent Engagement of New Haven Schools Daniel Diaz says that he has no
concerns regarding the return back to school, saying that things have seemed to work out very well so far.
“The main concerns that I get from parents are regarding masks, schooling, supplies… and safety.” According
to Diaz , parents seem to be concerned about electronic devices and supplies for their children's schooling.
This is a very reasonable concern; not all parents have the money or opportunity to get their children supplies
which tend to be very expensive especially if they have more than one child. Diaz also wanted to get a mes-
sage out to those students who are still in remote learning. “I would like to tell students to please log in every
morning to your classes.” Logging in to classes has been an obstacle, but having kids connect on a daily basis
could definitely help them to not miss out on any learning.
It’s still unknown when high schoolers will return to in-person classes. Teachers have not yet been vaccinated,
and the vaccine isn’t yet approved for children under 16. Learning is as important as staying safe; therefore,
we all look forward to returning while taking the necessary and proper precautions to stay safe.

8

Flex Day: Is It Useful?

Alexandra Perez The clubs below
Here at Career High School, many students have school work piled up for the weekend be- meet virtually!
cause they have no other time to work on it. Some students are very busy during the week, DECA
and their only time to work on homework is the weekend. Especially during this pandemic, National Busi-
when many students have added family responsibilities, it’s been hard for some students to ness Honor
keep up with work. Recently, Career has adjusted schedules so that students have a day to Society
work on assignments and visit teachers for extra help. This day occurs each Wednesday
and it is known as Flex Day.

During Flex Day, students can work on assignments on their own or they can go to a teach- Feminism Club
er to ask for extra help. They have from 8:15 AM to 11 AM to see teachers for extra help.
After 11 AM, students can go to their clubs. There are various clubs to choose from, and if GSA (Gay
you don’t feel like the club you’re in is right for you, then you can always try out a differ- Straight Alli-
ent one or start your own. ance)

ONE Club Inter-
Flex Day was introduced because students were saying that there was no time for them to national
do homework or get extra help. Once Flex Day officially started, many students used this
opportunity to finish work. “What I normally do is finish work that may be due the next National Honor
day, if I am having trouble in any class I would go to the teacher for help,” said Career Society

sophomore Melisa Chillogallo. She enjoys the idea of Flex Day. “I like Flex Day because I Robotics
get to go to my clubs, and they relieve me of any stress that I have since they’re very fun!”
“I think [Flex Day] is a great opportunity for students to access extra help during the week Book Club
from teachers because now we can’t really raise our hands and ask for help, so I think it’s
really great,” says Career sophomore Marveya Velasquez. She uses this day to finish up Computer Pro-
work independently. Students have the freedom to pick and choose what they want to fo- gramming Club
cus on. “On Flex Day, I do my work independently or go to certain classes that I need
help in,” says Career sophomore Nitda Chanthinith. “It’s a good way for students to get the Art Club

help they need, and plus it makes it easier to complete work when most teachers give HOSA
heavy work regularly.”
Environmental
The consensus seems to be that students enjoy Flex Day, but how do the teachers feel? Ca- Club
reer business teacher Mr. Schneider feels that “Flex Day is great. I think that is it vitally
important to the students now who need some extra time to do work and to get away from Debate Club
the computers for a while.” He also thinks that Flex Day is a way to reconnect with stu-
dents, especially during remote learning. “I enjoy when former students just stop by into Russian Club

my Meet just to chat. We are all missing those types of interactions, and Flex Days are an- Capstone Expo
other chance to reconnect with some students.”
However, not everyone attends Flex Day. This is a problem because teachers can’t force Yearbook
students to attend or ask for help. “The teachers really want to help the students, but cannot
do much if they do not seek out the help themselves,” says Schneider. Mr. Schneider said Anime Club

that he wants to help his students, but ultimately, they have to be the ones to go to him for Film Club
help. “There are definitely students that should be visiting teachers during office hours who
are not, and this can be frustrating.” PTSO (Students
For many teachers and students, Flex Day has been helpful. It has helped many students and famililes
finish their work with no problem because they can ask for help, and has helped them so- welcome!)
cialize during club time. Once remote learning is behind us, it would be difficult to keep
this in our schedules. However, hopefully the flexibility and extra help offered during Flex
Day are things that are here to stay.

9

Feminism Club Teaches and Inspires

Amani Maldonado
At Career, Feminism Club is a supportive space with the goal of challenging sexism. It’s a place where all
members have a voice. Career English teacher Karen Robinson, who advises the Feminism Club, says that it is
important to support and encourage all women in their goals for equality and appreciation. This is the idea be-
hind Feminism Club.
Robinson advises the Feminism Club because she knows that feminism is an important issue. She believes
that women are treated differently than men “because of an archaic belief that women are weak (emotionally,
physically, and mentally) and need to be taken care of and protected by men. There was a time when a woman
was nothing without a man by her side.” In history, expectations of women were set low. Over time, and more
and more as of late, it has become clear that women are capable of just about anything. For Robinson, she de-
scribes Feminism Club as the best thing she has ever started with a student. Robinson said that the club was
originally a student’s idea. “I was actually approached three years ago by a student who wanted to start the
Feminism Club after she was sent home because she was wearing a tank top that the administration thought
was inappropriate,” says Robinson.
That student felt that she should be able to dress however she was comfortable. She felt like it was the admin-
istrators' type of thinking that encouraged rape culture. She was impassioned. She asked Robinson if she’d be
the advisor because throughout the year, she highlighted women's strength in the literature they were reading
in class and she thought Robinson would be "the perfect teacher for the job." The Feminism Club has run eve-
ry year since. Robinson has always allowed students to approach her about ideas for running the club. This
year, junior Elisa Cruz approached her with a lot of enthusiasm.
“Cruz’s passion was clear immediately. She has taken this club and ran with it!” said Robinson. “She has defi-
nitely brought the club to a new level.” Robinson and Cruz both enjoy the Feminism Club. “It’s the best,” says
Robinson. “I love to see and hear these young women support each other. In a society where it's so common
for women (especially teenagers) to feel jealous, threatened, and insecure about other women, it's so refresh-
ing. Life isn't a competition. We should all be straightening each other's crowns and propping each other up to
be the women and humans we can be.” The one disappointment to Robinson is that there are no young men in
the club.
Elisa Cruz also enjoys Feminism Club. She says the things she especially finds valuable are her club mem-
bers’ company, the positive and supportive environment, and creating the curriculum of issues to discuss. The
club members are willing to speak freely and engage in tough issues, and she admires that about her peers. Stu-
dents’ willingness to listen to other opinions or new ideas contributes to the safe environment Cruz says that
the club provides.
Cruz also just loves researching about feminism, whether it’s about the lives of feminist icons or learning new
perspectives, so making the curriculum is enjoyable. Cruz says she thinks the most vital factor as to why wom-
en are treated differently than men is “the social norms upheld within our status quo. We live in a society that
has always favored men, on the basis of their sex, as illustrated by the fact that women (with an emphasis on
women of color) had to fight for the right to vote, or just the indisputable fact that ‘women only belong in the
home’ narrative has been continuously pushed.”
Though the school year has so far been remote, that has not stopped Feminism Club. They still meet virtually
to learn, discuss, and bond. Feminism Club meets every other Wednesday at 11:30, and you can find the link
to join in the Flex Day sheet. All are welcome!

10

Quarantine Inspires Creativity

Khushi Patel
Due to COVID-19, we’ve been in quarantine for a very long time.
Though this time has been difficult, many people have made an effort
to spend their time in positive ways, like trying new things. Many peo-
ple have picked up new hobbies during the quarantine, such as making
whipped coffee, baking new things like cloud bread, cooking new reci-
pes, painting Spotify glass frames, making daily vlogs about what they
are doing to pass time, and exercising to help stay fit or lose weight.
People even started dancing on TikTok. People found ways to help
them stay creative and defeat boredom. The quarantine helped give
people time to figure out what they enjoyed doing and what they didn’t
enjoy, and helped inspire people to try new things.
Jessica Turrell is currently a junior at Hill Regional Career High
school. During the quarantine, she has taken up a new hobby-- clean-
ing. “I enjoy cleaning because sometimes it clears my mind when I'm
stressed or upset, while other times it helps me think.” She uses clean-
ing as a way to distract herself from other things. She enjoys cleaning
alone; she does not like when people help her clean. While cleaning,
she listens to some music, specifically Taylor Swift. She starts with
washing dishes, then cleaning the floors, and finishes it off by organiz-
ing everything else. Cleaning was a hobby many people picked up
during this quarantine because they finally had a lot of time to do it.
Ayah Elrefaei is another Career junior. She started an art business ac-
count during the quarantine. She likes to make art every once in a
while but got more serious about it during the past year. She makes
paintings with quotes or Arabic calligraphy. She enjoys doing this be-
cause it puts two of her favorite things together. “I learned about this
hobby through many Instagram accounts dedicated to the Islamic reli-
gion, and I love how Arabic calligraphy looks so regal.” This hobby
only requires one person, so she does it herself. She wants others to
have these paintings in their houses, which is why she started her own
business selling Arabic calligraphic art. Her business account is
@ayahsasthetics on Instagram.
Junior Lizbeth Zelocuatecatl started a new hobby that bloomed into a Above: A chocolate strawberry bouquet
business during the quarantine. Her new hobby was making chocolate- by Lizbeth Zelocuatecatl (Photo/
covered strawberries. “I do it whenever people want to order from me @liz.sweets) Below: Calligraphy art by
and sometimes when I don't work because I like to create new designs Ayah Elrefaei (Photo/@ayahsasthetics)
and practice my skills.” Zelocuatecatl started this hobby because she
constantly saw many videos of chocolate-covered strawberries all over her TikTok FYP (For You Page) and
because she loves strawberries. She thought it was a sign for her to start doing it, so she did-- and she ended up
loving it. She makes chocolate-covered strawberries by herself, but when there are holidays such as Mother’s
Day or Valentine’s Day, her friends and family usually come and help her because there are a lot of orders that
come in. She was self-taught, and she continues to learn, creating new designs and mastering them. Her busi-
ness account is @liz.ssweets on Instagram.
Everyone found a way to help defeat boredom during quarantine, and some even found new hobbies that they
will continue to do even after the quarantine has ended. These newly found hobbies allow these creative peo-
ple to feel at ease and encourage them to develop their new skills or interests.

11

Spotlight: Black Authors

Kimora Merritt
It’s Black History Month. Though for some people, that means that they’ll pay special attention to Black histo-
ry and Black authors, in reality, many people use this as an excuse to only focus on Black contributions during
the month of February.
Black history needs to be celebrated year round. As the Career English department discussed, Black American
authors have made invaluable contributions to literature. The literature that Black people write has the power
to change people’s perspectives from the tired stereotypes-- slavery, segregation, and discrimination. Rather
than simply the things that we’re taught in elementary school, Black literature brings life and light to people’s
stories. Yes, Black literature should be taught and learned-- but beyond that, it should be enthusiastically cele-
brated for what it is. Black authors have changed and continue to change our nation and our world.

Career junior English teacher Karen Robinson named Toni Morrison, Nobel
and Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist, editor, professor, and the author of Sula
as one of her favorite authors. “I love [Sula] because it really gets to the root
of women, but it also takes it to another level as well being that two main
characters are women of color. Both are kind of strong in their own way but
clearly struggling with who they are in society,” said Robinson. Toni Morri-
son, originally named Chloe Anthony Wofford, began her love for literature
after she graduated from Howard University to continue to learn at Cornell
University. Later in her life, Morrison taught English back at Howard Uni-
versity and eventually travelled to Europe with her family. After her first
novel The Bluest Eye (1970) didn’t sell well, Morrison continued to look
into African-American experiences in her next novel Sula (1973), which
soon was nominated for the American Book Award. Mrs. Robinson loves
the book Sula so much that she even tried reading it with her students. “I
tried four years out of my career to read Sula with students. Either they
loved it or hated it, because Toni Morrison’s language can be somewhat dif-
ficult and nonlinear,” stated Mrs. Robinson. That didn’t dampen her enthusi-
asm for the book: “If anybody wants to read [Sula] and they need help mak-
ing sense of it, they can always come to me,” says Robinson. Unfortunately,
Toni Morrison passed away on August 5, 2019. Morrison leaves behind ten
novels and was known for writing about Black experiences.
Career English teacher Colleen Jones named Jason Reynold’s Long W ay
Down as one of her favorite books. This book is written in poetic verse.
Jones said that “The beauty of the language really struck me and stayed with
me.” Author Jason Reynolds is a New York Times best-selling author who
was inspired by rap and began to write poetry at the age of nine. For two
decades, he only worked on poetry. After moving his focus to writing nov-
els, Reynolds published Long W ay Down (2017). Afterwards, Reynolds
won the Mystery Writers of America’s Edgar Award. Jones, who strongly
likes the work of Jason Reynolds, says “I am always drawn in by Jason
Reynolds’ point of view on why young people sometimes do awful things.
People may do the wrong thing when trying to do the right thing.” Jones was
also delighted that many of her students enjoy reading Reynolds’ work: “I
love to share [Long W ay Down] because I am so excited about reading the
book every year, the students are willing to give it a chance. They get
hooked in the first few pages. I love to see them get excited.”

12

Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison is the favorite book of senior English teacher John Donahue. “[Invisible Man]
is still one of the most insightful books I have ever read about American politics and the role ideas about race
play in politics and everyday life. It is also a beautifully written and profound work of art. I’ve read it many
times and discover new things every time.” Before his bestselling first novel,
author Ralph Ellison studied music at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama in
hopes of becoming a symphony composer until he took a trip to New York
and ended up working as a researcher and writer for the New York Writer
Program. There, he met writers Richard Wright, Langston Hughes, and Alain
Locke. Also at that time, Ellison proceeded to publish his essays and short
stories. After Ellison enlisted as a Merchant Marine cook during World War
ll, he wrote Invisible Man, which was then published in 1952 and won a Na-
tional Book Award. Donahue explained that after reading Invisible Man for
the first time, he wanted to read many more books like it. “I ended up read-
ing a lot of Toni Morrison novels. She surpassed Ellison in a lot of ways, es-
pecially because she was able to write multiple novels, but while I love her
books as well, none has the same effect on me that Invisible Man did.” Be-
cause of his love of Invisible Man, Donahue learned that, “We cannot escape
the complexities and contradictions of our own individual lives. Politics and
history can help us to better understand the world and most of the time all
you have is yourself.” Even though Ralph Ellison passed away in 1994 with
one novel, Ellison worked on another novel before his death called
Juneteenth that his literary executor John Callahan published on his behalf.
To this day, Invisible Man is the most influential book that still inspires peo-
ple like John Donahue.
“Ships at a distance have every man’s wish on board. For some they come
in with the tide...” are the opening lines from Their Eyes W ere W atching
God by author, anthropologist, and filmmaker Zora Neale Hurston. This is
the favorite book of both junior and sophomore English teachers Kristen
Grandfield-Schimanski and Rose Murphy. “I read it years ago when I first
started teaching, and it struck me as a book so many women could relate
to,” said Grandfield. Murphy enjoys Their Eyes W atching God because the
novel “is beautifully written, but it is also a book that has a lot of plot and
action to it— and the characters are really developed and complicated peo-
ple. I think it’s rare to have a book that has all three of those things.” A pro-
lific writer, Zora Neale Hurston's writing career took off during the Harlem
Renaissance. Hurston wrote short stories, articles, and the novels like Jo-
nah’s Gourd Vine (1934) and Mules and Men (1935) and many more. Two
years later, Hurston published Their Eyes W ere W atching God. In 1978,
according to the University of Illinois Press, Their Eyes W ere W atching
God became “the most widely read and highly acclaimed novel in the canon
of African-American literature.” Zora Neale Hurston passed away in 1960,
leaving behind five novels and fifty short stories, plays, and essays. Zora
Neale Hurston is one of the most successful Black writers in the 20th centu-
ry. To anybody who’s thinking about reading Their Eyes W ere W atching
God, Murphy says, “Read it! It’s such a different kind of book. It’s something that I think if you don’t look for
the experience of reading [Their Eyes W ere W atching God], it may not come up in your English classes, but
reading the book will change the way you think about people and it’ll change the way you see the world.”
These unapologetic authors have the power to influence young writers to express their truths and create relata-
ble experiences to readers. As the questions rolled into the Career’s English department, no one held back in
expressing their love for the novel of their choice. Black literature has the authenticity that everyone can relate
to, and removes the idealization of what it’s like to be Black in America.

13

Constance Baker Motley: New Haven Hero

Arly Saucedo

Left: Constance Baker Motley (on the right) speaks with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King. Right: Con-
stance Baker Motley Street, located across from Career and Legion Avenue (Photo/Google Maps).
Across the street from Career High School, sandwiched in between Waverly Street and Day Street, there is a
tiny street. Looking at the street-- so small that most people don’t realize it’s not part of Day Street or Waverly
Street-- you’d never guess it’s actually named after one of the most important figures ever born in Connecticut:
Judge Constance Baker Motley.
Motley was born here in New Haven, Connecticut in 1921. She attended Hillhouse High School, which was an
integrated school. To further her education, she attended Fisk University, an HBCU. This education was finan-
cially supported with the help of Clarence Blakeslee, a New Haven philanthropist. Blakeslee had been im-
pressed by Motley after she delivered a speech at a New Haven community center. She then went on to attend
New York University, where she received her Bachelor of Arts in 1943. In 1946, she graduated from Colum-
bia Law School. During her studies, in 1945, she started working for the National Association For The Ad-
vancement Of Colored People (NAACP) under her boss, Thurgood Marshall, future Supreme Court Justice.
As a lawyer, one of the biggest cases Motley worked on was Brown vs Board of Education, the 1954 Supreme
Court Ruling that declared segregation in public schools was unconstitutional. Motley was the sole female at-
torney that worked for the NAACP team during this case. She was additionally the one that wrote the original
legal brief. She would also take on cases of segregation in higher education. The one that is most well-known
is the case against the University of Mississippi, where she represented James Meredith and was able to help
him gain enrollment at the university in 1962. Motley helped with the desegregation of many schools and pub-
lic areas during the time of the civil rights movement.

14

Career High School history teacher Gary Aurora says, “[Motley] was the first Black woman to argue before
the U.S. Supreme Court, winning 9 out of the 10 cases she argued. All this was done while risking her life in
the face of racial hatred that did not want the status quo disturbed.” She never stopped fighting; she fought for
people who wanted significant change, like the Freedom Riders and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
In 1964, Motley left the NAACP and soon after went into New York politics. During this time, she became the
first Black woman elected in the New York state senate. A year after this accomplishment, she became the
first woman and Black woman to become Manhattan Borough President. She was truly amazing, working her
way up in a short amount of time. Finally, in 1966, she was appointed as the first Black federal judge by Presi-
dent Lyndon B. Johnson. In 1982, she was chief judge of the district and in 1986, she was senior judge.
For a woman with such an amazing legacy, it doesn’t seem like New Haven has recognized or celebrated her.
“I do believe New Haven should honor her... maybe the renaming of an existing school, the renaming of a
main street, requiring New Haven social studies teachers to attend a workshop about her accomplishments…”
says Aurora on the lack of memorialization of Motley. There is only a small street name and an apartment
building in her honor, when there should be much more. Not many people know her name and her amazing
story. Aurora reminisced on one amazing moment in his class: “About 20 years ago, I remember bringing up
Constance Baker Motley's name in class, and then a shy, studious young lady proudly told me, ‘She is my
aunt.’ The next day she brought me in the family copy of Constance Baker Motley's biography.” As to wheth-
er more people should teach and learn about Motley, Aurora mentioned, “I do talk about [Motley] to my stu-
dents but, after reflecting on her underrated accomplishments and special connection to New Haven (she was
raised here), I could do a better job.”
Motley sadly passed on September 21, 2005. Motley was a tough woman in everything that she took on. She
was a vital legal strategist during the civil rights movement. Truly a trailblazer that no one could stop. She was
so phenomenal. In an article she wrote for the Duke Law School, Judge Ann Claire Williams describes her
fondly. “Judge Motley’s ability to make others feel at ease was one of her many strengths. She was a person of
compassion, kindness, and thoughtfulness.”
Thank you, Judge Constance Baker Motley.

Want to see your name in print? Do you want to gain experience in
journalism? Want to boost your resume AND get free college credit?

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 [email protected] to get started
OR

speak with your counselor about signing up for Journalism, an English elective with college credit, during
your junior or senior year!

15

PositivePromotions

16

Black History Month Needs a Year-Round
Mentality

Makayla N. Bass
Many people know that February is Black History Month. However, how much do people really honor and
celebrate this month? Not everyone knows the history of Black History Month, and unfortunately, not every-
one makes the effort to celebrate it.
People should celebrate the spirit of Black History Month all year. Black people did and continue to do so
much for the world, and need way more recognition than only during February-- but even so, people don’t put
the effort to celebrate the month enough.
Black History Month is an important way of remembering important people and events in history. Hill Region-
al Career High School English teacher Colleen Jones says, “Black History Month can be an amazing way to
showcase the many contributions that Black people have made to this country and to the world. Too many of
the sources that we use to learn about history ignore their contributions. People shouldn’t ignore the im-
portance of Black History Month and embrace the African-American culture. Some African Americans sacri-
ficed a lot.” Career business teacher William Cotto agrees, saying, “There are so many important and influen-
tial people throughout our history who were Black, and they should be celebrated and their achievements rec-
ognized.”
Cotto says, “I believe Black History Month should be in January. I say this because one of the most influential
Black men in our history, Martin Luther King Jr., has his day in January. Having Black History Month in Jan-
uary would have been a great salute to him and all of the great Black men and women who came before and
after him.”
Even though there is a designated month, Black history isn’t talked about enough in schools. In my own expe-
rience, I barely learned anything about Black History Month in school. It was talked about enough as if it was-
n't an important topic for students to learn about, and some teachers glossed over it or didn’t acknowledge the
realities of Black peoples’ experiences. Cotto says, “I do not believe many non-Black people in our society
want to truly acknowledge the harsh realities of what Blacks were put through and how much they had to en-
dure in order to fight for their basic human rights. We still are not at a point where we can say Black and
Brown people are treated as equals. It is almost like some feel that by educating our youth about these injustic-
es will in some way admit guilt and admit that our society is flawed, and so they rather just sweep everything
under the rug.” Jones agrees, saying, “I think that whether [Black History] is talked about enough depends on
the makeup of the school district. I have been reading about some districts that are allowing students to ‘opt
out’ of Black History Month.”
Teaching young kids accurate Black history can be a difficult thing, but it’s very important. African Americans
have been through so much hardship. This can be a very hard topic to teach young children. However, in this
country, African Americans fought so hard to get where they are. If teachers don’t explain this to younger stu-
dents, they won’t really understand why Black History Month is so important. Jones says, “I worry about the
message that is sent to the students. I understand that discussing past injustice can be uncomfortable, but it is
an important thing to do if we want to stop the same injustice from occurring in the present and the future.”
Black History Month should be celebrated in society and education to acknowledge African Americans for all
they’ve done, and to carry on their legacy for a lifetime— not only in the month of February.

17

Outdoor Adventures in CT

Nadia Morales
Being stuck at home has become very difficult and stressful for many of us. With COVID still a risk, one re-
source we can take advantage of is the many walking trails near us to take fun trips and discover mother na-
ture. Spring is around the corner, and brings nice weather to be able to visit local trails and parks such as
Sleeping Giant (Hamden), Lighthouse Point Park (New Haven), East Rock (New Haven), and many more.
There are a huge amount of parks to choose from here in Connecticut, and Career science teacher Mr.
McTague has several favorite parks to visit. One of these is Lighthouse Point Park in New Haven. “This park
is really big, and it actually connects to other parks if you're in the mood for a longer walk. I think it's nice to
see Long Island Sound any time of year,” says McTague.
Mr. McTague also enjoys visiting East Rock Park. “I like the trails along the Mill River. I like to start around
Wilbur Cross and hike along the river until I get to the Eli Whitney Museum. You can also hike to the monu-
ment at the top if you want to get some fresh air and exercise!”
As the weather gets nicer, Mr. McTague recommends Edgewood Park. “Edgewood is my favorite park in the
Spring! This park was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the same person that designed Central Park in
NYC! Similar to Central Park, Edgewood is full of benches and quiet areas to relax, each with a unique, inten-
tional vibe.”
English teacher Ms. Murphy enjoys “Sleeping Giant in Hamden. There's a variety of trails, more than 20, so no
matter how much time you have or how experienced you are, you'll be able to find a trail that fits your needs.
The views are beautiful no matter which trail you pick. When it’s clear, you can see Long Island Sound.”
If you’re not sure about where to find trails, or if you want to find some new ones, Ms. Murphy suggests using
the AllTrails app. “It's a free app that lets you search areas for trails. It's great-- you can sort by the trail's
length, level of difficulty, and by features like waterfalls or rivers. I learned about so many trails that I never
knew existed. This summer, I made it a goal to explore new Connecticut trails every week, and found some
that I'll definitely return to.”
Is hiking safe during COVID? What precautions should people be taking if they’re thinking of hiking or walk-
ing? McTague stays safe while he hikes. “It's not crowded when I go hiking, but I wear a mask just in case. If
I don't see any other people, then I take my mask off and let my dog off the leash. Otherwise, I try to be con-
siderate of others!”
Murphy is also thoughtful about safety during the pandemic. “I try not to go hiking at times where I think it
might be really crowded. This summer, I did more hiking on weekdays, when not as many people would be
using trails. I also try to pick less crowded trails-- like forest paths as opposed to walking trails in parks. If I'm
hiking, I usually don't encounter people, so I feel like it's a really safe activity to pursue during COVID. I keep
a mask just in case I run into someone. If I'm walking in a park where there are more people, I do wear a mask.
I make sure to stick to one side of the path to make sure I'm staying a safe distance from anyone I cross paths
with.”
Walking or hiking is something safe, easy, and fun that anyone can do, no matter where you live. There are
parks and trails everywhere that can help you get exercise and get out of the house, and explore a new area you
might never have known about.

18

Unique New Haven Spots to Explore

Deep Patel
Normal cafes and parks are all great, but sometimes you want to explore something a little different. Maybe
you want a park beyond just a grass field with a couple of benches, or a cafe where you’re not waiting for a
table just like any other. Here are some new places to explore in New Haven!

Mew Haven Cat Cafe
Mew Haven Cat Cafe is loved by many who live in New Haven. The special
thing about this place is that there are cats inside that you can interact with! Peo-
ple like college student Andre Smith love the Cat Cafe. Smith says, “I love this
place!. It has very nice staff, the cats are very friendly, the cats are very healthy
and, the food is very good!”
Some people may like this place for just the cats, but others like it for the food.
Anderson Morales, student at Eli Whitney High School, says, “I love the place
for its morning snacks. The Pumpkin Press Au Lait it is very sweet and it has a
nice pumpkin spice taste that I love!”
Another great thing about Mew Haven Cat Cafe is that the cats are all available
for adoption. “I adopted Boomer because he is exactly like me, very energetic
(Photo/Mewhavencatcafe.com) and active,” says George Green, a custodian at John S. Martinez Magnet School.
Edgerton Park
Edgerton Park is a nice and clean park that is situated at 75 Cliff St, New Haven. It is loved by many people.
House of Naan waiter Jay Ace said “When I have a lot of free time, I go to this park. It calms me down when I
am not in the right mood because of all the lovely views and all of the lovely people that go there.”
Even though Edgerton Park is a calm park to go to, there are events there every once in a while. “I go to the
park when the events happen like Shakespeare, even though that is an annual thing in the park. I love to go to
in my spare time,” said Ethan Velez, a student at Common Ground High School.
Something many people don’t know is that there is a greenhouse in Edgerton Park that is open to the public.
Brandon Para, a student at West Haven High, can’t live without gardening. Para says, “I love the greenhouse. I
was very awkward on the first day I went there, but the people there are so friendly. The next day I was there
and I was acting like I had been there for years. Now, it has been about a year since I first went there and I still
go to this day, even if there is a pandemic.”
The Study
The Study is a place where you can study and chill in. The place is in the middle of Yale, and the people who
go there mainly consist of adults. Michael Mena, a college student who loves to learn and study new things
says, “I love to stay at the Study for things like finals or when I have a project due in a couple of days. I power
through the work with my coffee, and that is what makes this place so special. It is pretty quiet so I can focus
on my work.”
The Study is a very unique place. It has a cafe and a living room in the same place so people can hang out or
study. Andrew Wood, who can’t live without his morning coffee, says, “I like to sit in the ‘living room’ with
my friends and talk about our weekend or a memory that we all loved. It brings happiness to my day or week.”
Try checking out these three local places if you’re looking for something new. Stay safe, and enjoy!

19

Astrology: Is It Truly Helpful?

Devon Wilson
When people think about astrology, they may think about predicting the future and horoscopes. They may
think about astrology being a black and white issue-- either you believe in it or you don't, like religion. How-
ever, it is nothing like a religion; in reality, it is closer to a guide that you use when and if you deem it neces-
sary. There are many things people do not know about astrology; it’s not simply the sun signs. For example,
your natal chart is the position of the planets and Sun at the time of your birth.
Many people find astrology valuable because it can be relatable and it can also be an interesting tool to exam-
ine different aspects of yourself. Astrology can be considered a belief to some and more like a personality quiz
to others; ultimately, astrology is what you want it to be, whether that is a belief or something to look at for
fun. Amy Nguyen is an astrology enthusiast who runs an Instagram page dedicated to astrology called
“realastrology.” For Nguyen, she has a strong belief in astrology. “Astrology is more than just ‘how does this
affect my personality?’ You can use astrology to predict when it’s a good time to apply for a job/school, to
leave your job, a good place to move, and general life events. A few astrologers predicted that there would be a
pandemic in 2020, and well… they were right,” said Nguyen.
On the other hand, astrology enthusiast Carly, who also runs an astrology-inspired Instagram page called
“astrodiacology,” believes in astrology but believes it does have its limitations. “I believe in astrology to a cer-
tain extent,” said Carly. “I wouldn’t necessarily base every single decision in my life around the stars, but I do
think that they have a tendency to be very accurate and it’s something that I find nice to be able to ground my-
self with. I believe that it’s something that gets me through the day and gives me hope when nothing else is
able to.”
Astrology can be influential in the lives of those who believe in it. Nguyen, who studies astrology, felt that as-
trology was influential to herself. “Astrology is a great influence on my life. I know I just said astrology is
more than personality, but it really helps me understand people! It helps me read people a lot better and helps
people and give them advice or support,” said Nguyen. “Astrology transits also help me understand what’s
happening in the world, whether it's between me and some close friends or if it’s a general observation.”
Astrology can be a guiding force that gives you advice when you need it. Carly has found astrology to be a
helpful guide in her life in periods of confusion. “Astrology influences my life because, as stated before, it
gives me something to look to. More often than not, the advice given by astrological placements and horo-
scopes are still helpful and nice to hear. Additionally, I think that it’s just a pretty cool thing to study! Regard-
less of whether or not astrology is ‘real,’ it has been studied for ages, so there are rules and many things to
study. For me, it’s very interesting to learn about all of the different aspects.”
Even though there are many varying opinions and information on astrology, there are always some misconcep-
tions that affect the way people look at astrology. Misconceptions about astrology are constantly seen by Ngu-
yen. “Your sun sign is what typically people think of when they ask ‘what’s your sign?’ It’s an important part
of your chart, but I think your rising sign is even more important because it dictates the rest of your chart. Your
rising/ascendant is always the first house, so say your rising sign is Gemini. That means Gemini is in your first
cusp, Cancer in your second, Leo in your third and so on.”
Misconceptions often happen due to the lack of knowledge on the topic and preconceived notions. Carly has
dispelled a few notions that are often brought up. “There’s a lot of misconceptions that I think people have
about astrology. Firstly, a lot of people tend to think it is much more shallow than it actually is and only look
at their sun sign. This is fine, for the most part, and only becomes harmful when people begin to use it as a
way to judge others (ex. ‘I hate Aquarius!’) I think that people need to understand that they are more than just
their sun sign because it can quickly become harmful.”

20

In the same vein, said Carly, “A can quickly be used to determine ‘bad’ traits about people and it seems that
when some learn about said traits they begin to see them more and more in people and more often than not it’s
used for bad reasons. Astrology has been extremely oversimplified and while it is good for something to be
accessible to all levels, I think that people aren’t ever allowing themselves to understand a deeper version of
it.”
There are a lot of fun aspects to astrology as well, and Nguyen has some that she often shares. “If you were
born around a sunrise, your ascendant will be the same as your sun sign (for example, Gemini sun and Gemini
rising). If your moon sign is the same as your sun sign, you were born during a New Moon (for example, Scor-
pio sun and Scorpio moon). If your moon sign is the opposite of your sun sign, you were born during a Full
Moon (for example, Scorpio sun and Taurus moon). Because of the rotational pull of Mercury and Venus,
your Mercury sign can never be the one sign away from your sun (meaning if you’re a Libra sun, your only
possible Mercury signs can be Virgo, Libra, or Scorpio-- unless if Mercury went retrograde, then there are
more possibilities) and your Venus sign can never be more than two signs away from your sun (meaning if
you’re a Libra sun, your only possible Venus signs can be Leo, Virgo, Libra, Scorpio, Sagittarius).”
Carly also had some fun facts of
her own that she thought fellow
people interested in astrology
would like. “I think something
that’s super interesting is look-
ing into the Houses in astrolo-
gy! Each house rules a different
part of you (ex. the ninth house
of spirituality) and it allows one
to look at their natal chart in a
deeper way. It specifically tells
you where a sign in your chart
is. For example, two people
may have an Aries sun, but may
act completely different due to
the house that it is in.”
Astrology can really be any-
thing that you want it to be. It is
versatile and can teach the peo-
ple interested in it a lot about
themselves or others. Often-
times, it can also be a fun hobby
to have and can give that extra
advice if needed. Both Carly
and Nguyen make it clear that
astrology has a lot to offer,
regardless of how you want to
use it.

21

Opinion: Free Speech and Social Media’s
Responsibility

Moriah Marcano
The First Amendment, along with nine other
amendments, was adopted in 1791. Those ten
amendments construct the Bill of Rights – a writ-
ten document protecting civil liberties under U.S.
law. The meaning of the First Amendment has been
the subject of continuing interpretation and debate
over the years. The First Amendment guarantees
freedoms concerning religion, expression, assem-
bly, press, and the right to petition. It is neither for
the “left wing’ or the “right-wing;” the First
Amendment is for everyone. While it protects citi-
zens from the government limiting their freedom of
expression, it does not prevent a private employer
from setting their own rules and policies.

One such private employer setting its own regulations is Facebook. Social media has become a second world
for many of us. It provides us the ability to access people that we normally wouldn't be able to reach. For ex-
ample, when starting a business, you can promote it on the media’s website or have it solely on the app (the
customers being the followers). Many have found lost relatives or friends just by searching a name. It has be-
come a new form of community, accelerated with the current pandemic. We communicate virtually by posting
the lunch of the day or a meme we saw for the world to see. People can also post their opinions-- and that’s
where it can get messy because of course, not everyone will agree.
Facebook and other social media companies have the power to block, take down, or shadowban anyone’s pro-
file (shadowbanning: blocking a user from the social media site without their knowledge by making their posts
and comments no longer visible to other users). Actor Kevin Sorbo’s profile was taken down recently without
warning by Facebook and for the past year, he has been shadowbanned. Facebook stated, “We removed Kev-
in’s page for repeatedly sharing debunked claims about the coronavirus or vaccine.”
In a Fox News interview with news anchor Cheryl Casone, Sorbo said, “I post things that usually come from
what doctors are saying about the virus or I send postings on what other people are saying about voter fraud.”
Brian Brenberg, one of Sorbo’s interviewers, argued that “a lot of people look at the debunking and fact-
checking and say it’s not really fact-checking at all. It’s somebody’s opinion.” According to Brenberg, what
one person considers a fact could just be an opinion to another because they both believe different infor-
mation. Many other people have also gone through this experience of being censored with social media such
as Twitter, Instagram, etc. for simply expressing their opinions.
Before the 2021 inauguration, former president Donald Trump, known to be polarizing, was banned from the
following social media: Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, Amazon Web Services, Snapchat, Reddit,
Twitch, LiquidWeb, and Shopify. Twitter said, “After a close review of recent Tweets from the
@realDonaldTrump account and the context around them we have permanently suspended the account due to
the risk of further incitement of violence.” The incitement of violence was referring to the Capitol riots.
At the “Save America” rally, former President Trump said to his rally audience, “I know that everyone here
will soon be marching over to the Capitol building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard,”
and “If you don't fight like hell you're not going to have a country anymore.”

22

Did the words used by Former President Trump incite the riots on Twitter’s Glorification of Violence
January 6? He asked his constituents to march peacefully and patri- Policy
otically. However, he also mentioned “fight like hell.” Twitter’s rea-
sons for terminating his profile align with their terms and conditions. You may not threaten violence against
Twitter stated: “We assessed the two Tweets referenced above under an individual or a group of people. We
our Glorification of Violence policy, which aims to prevent the glori- also prohibit the glorification of vio-
fication of violence that could inspire others to replicate violent acts lence.
and determined that they were highly likely to encourage and inspire
people to replicate the criminal acts that took place at the U.S. Capi- Glorifying violent acts could inspire
tol on January 6, 2021.” others to take part in similar acts of vio-
In other cases, however, social media companies need to be more lence. Additionally, glorifying violent
active in restricting violent and dangerous speech on their platforms. events where people were targeted on
For example, the country of Myanmar in Asia has been a victim of the basis of their protected characteris-
Facebook’s negligence. A Myanmar military personnel turned Face- tics (including: race, ethnicity, national
book into a tool for ethnic cleansing, according to former military origin, sexual orientation, gender, gen-
officials, researchers, and civilian officials in the country. One per- der identity, religious affiliation, age,
son said that Islam was a global threat to Buddhism. Another shared disability, or serious disease) could in-
a false story about the rape of a Buddhist woman by a Muslim man. cite or lead to further violence motivat-
“The military has gotten a lot of benefit from Facebook,” said Thet ed by hatred and intolerance. For these
Swe Win, founder of Synergy, in an interview for the New York reasons, we have a policy against con-
Times. He also said, “I wouldn’t say Facebook is directly involved tent that glorifies acts of violence in a
in the ethnic cleansing, but there is a responsibility they had to take way that may inspire others to replicate
proper actions to avoid becoming an instigator of genocide.” Face- those violent acts and cause real offline
book executive Alex Warofka then apologized, saying, “We agree harm, or events where members of a
that we can and should do more.” protected group were the primary tar-
Facebook employees missed a multitude of posts and misinformation gets or victims.
that helped to fuel modern ethnic cleansing in Myanmar. Facebook
could not have known that this would be a possibility on their app, What is in violation of this policy?
but this should be regulated and would not have happened if they Under this policy, you can’t glorify,
were more aware and made responsibly. More than 24,000 people celebrate, praise or condone violent
died and are still dying from this genocide in Myanmar, Asia. Face- crimes, violent events where people
book had the time to probe Kevin Sorbo for spreading “false truths,” were targeted because of their member-
but doesn't have the resources or time to find countries using their ship in a protected group, or the perpe-
platform as a tool to target their citizens for mass genocide. trators of such acts. We define glorifi-
Though the First Amendment does not apply to private social media cation to include praising, celebrating,
companies like Twitter and Facebook, there should be more attention or condoning statements, such as “I’m
to the restrictions enforced by private companies. Truths can be glad this happened”, “This person is my
blurred and opinions could be taken as truth. Because of this new hero”, “I wish more people did things
generation's way of living, social media is essential and many can’t like this”, or “I hope this inspires others
live without it. This fosters a toxic social media environment, which to act”.
will affect users everywhere because this new society depends on
social media platforms for information and current events. Social Violations of this policy include, but
media is not all bad, but can be used to stir the people, censor infor- are not limited to, glorifying, praising,
mation, and manipulate thinking; therefore “we the people” have to condoning, or celebrating:
be cognizant of the power social media has to change our politics,  violent acts committed by civilians
change the truth, change history, change our way of life, and most that resulted in death or serious physi-
importantly change our freedoms. If social media can decide who cal injury, e.g., murders, mass shoot-
has the right to speak, then maybe these platforms should be held to ings;
a much higher standard.  attacks carried out by terrorist or-
ganizations or violent extremist groups
(as defined by our terrorism and violent
extremism policy); and
 violent events that targeted protect-
ed groups, e.g., the Holocaust, Rwan-
dan genocide.

23

Opinion: Unfair Taxes Require a Solution

Itzaida Rivera
Taxes have been a big source of conflict in today's society. Many people agree with taxes and how they are
spent; many others do not. Our government is in debt with trillions upon trillions of dollars...but what do they
spend this money on? Well clearly, they spend money on streets, libraries, police officers, firefighters, teachers
-- the list does go on and on. Now, the real question is: are we getting what we pay for?
Mr. Malafronte is a teacher at Career High School who teaches several different history courses including civ-
ics. Malafronte believes that the American people do not get a good return on their taxes. “Roads are terrible.
Police are not well trained. Our public schools do not do a very good job educating children. I could go on and
on. Either way, what I am saying is that it is not how much I pay in taxes, but how the tax money is used that
upsets me.” Tax money has indeed been wasted on many things that are pointless. For example, in 2010 just
under $100,000 dollars was wasted on promoting onions. $168,000 was spent on studying monkeys throwing
their poop at each other. Malafronte says, “The real issue in the U.S. isn't that the government can't get enough
tax money. The problem is that it spends our money foolishly, or in ways that seem unfair to tens of millions
of people.”
What our taxes pay is not the only problem here. It's also how much of the money the government is tak-
ing. According to Malafronte, “almost a third of my pay is taken in taxes. This means that the average person
in the U.S. works from January 1st until almost May 1st just to pay their taxes each year.” Malafronte believes
that the government takes too much money from him. He also says that the average politician makes a signifi-
cant amount more than the average working American. “The politicians are paid with our taxes, it is not fair.
When you take money from people, you are taking part of life, we spend our time working for money. If the
government is wasting that time they took, or gives part of your life to another person, it creates a situation
where there is bound to be envy or jealousy, or anger.”
The amount of money being taken per person is also not fair. Each person pays a different percentage of taxes
according to their salary. Malafronte says, “I do not believe that successful, ambitious people should be pun-
ished, or have to pay a higher percentage than others. If we want wealthy people to pay more, then it can be
done through Value Added Sales Taxes. I like the freedom to choose...Most wealthy people would choose to
buy more expensive things regardless of the taxes. It just seems more in line with American values: freedom
of choice” he said. Mr. Malafronte points out since everyone receives the same services from the same govern-
ment, “everyone should pay the same percentage [in taxes]. Not the same amount, but everyone should con-
tribute.”
You may be asking what is the solution for fixing unfair taxes. Malafronte said that he believes taxes are still
really necessary. He likes having roads to drive on, and police and firefighters to protect him. However,
Malafronte would like to see a more fair tax system in which every American pays something towards the sys-
tem. “Politicians spend a great deal of time arguing about taxes, and how to spend our money. Who should pay
more? How much should people pay? What should we spend the money on? Maybe they should spend more
time thinking about how hard most Americans work for that money, and how it can be spent more wisely and
put to better use.”
Taxes are a contentious argument. Taxes provide us with so many resources, but those aren't worth what eve-
ryone pays for. Taxes are not fair, and our government has to keep in mind that the money they take is also
your time, your hard work and dedication. Taxes need fixing to solve problems of taxes being based on salary
and many other issues.

24

Entertainment

Laugh With Us: Favorite Comedy Films

Aiya Chahid
From the Shrek series to “Scary Movie 5,” millions of movie watchers love a
good laugh. With all the free time most people have because of the worldwide
quarantines, movie watching became a popular hobby over the last year. Statis-
tics actually show that the company Netflix gained about 16 million subscrib-
ers within the first three months of 2020. Let’s focus on the comedies people
can always rely on when they’re looking for a good time-- or a distraction from
reality.
In an online survey where teenagers were asked which film platform they pre-
ferred for watching comedy movies, 100 percent of the votes went to Netflix.
“Netflix has the best selection [of comedic films]. You can find some great
stand-up comedy, action comedy, rom-coms, all that,” says Ansonia High
School student Justin Davis. “Sometimes it feels like once you get Netflix and
watch a few movies, there’s nothing else to watch, but there is always going to
be a good funny movie up there,” he adds. Many teens seem to have come to
the conclusion that Netflix is the spot to get your comedic relief.
When thinking of the term comedy, you might automatically tend to think of just laughter and jokes; however,
there is more to the term than just a good laugh. “For me to consider a movie a comedy, it has to be really fun-
ny and have a good plot,” Derby High School student Jazmine Ordunez says. “Some comedies are really bad
because all they do is make corny jokes. There has to be a storyline for me to follow so the jokes make sense
and I can enjoy it.” For Ordunez, the movie “White Chicks” is a good example of having a great storyline and
set up for comedic relief. Two African American FBI agents, who already tend to get in trouble in the field, get
into a situation where they must go undercover as twin white heiresses to bait a kidnapper all for the sake of
keeping their job. “‘White Chicks’ is a movie you can never get tired of. I’ve been watching it since I was a
kid and it still cracks me up,” says Ordunez. Shelton High School student Joshua Vega favors parody movies
over regular comedies. “‘A Haunted House’ is my favorite comedy if I have to pick one, but I will never get
tired of watching ‘Step Brothers.’ That movie is too funny!” he says.
Some people prefer stand-up comedy, and others enjoy the occasional parody comedy, but in the month of
love it’s only right that romantic comedies get some attention. Movies like “My Best Friend’s Wedding,” di-
rected by P.J. Hogan, and “The Wedding Planner,’ directed by Adam Shankman are considered to be “oldies
but goodies,” according to Dover High School student Maria Guzman. “Those are my go-to favorite movies.
Honestly, anything with J-Lo or Julia Roberts is good, but these are on the top of my list.” Guzman is not the
only one. About 57 percent of surveyed teenagers who prefer romantic comedies claimed that The Wedding
Planner was their favorite.
In times like these, people want to find an escape and find that feeling of normalcy. Watching movies, in gen-
eral, will take your mind off things, but watching a comedy will lift your spirits. Movie director Tim Burton
once said, “Movies are like an expensive form of therapy to me.” Well, the standard subscription for Netflix is
$13.99 monthly, so Burton might say that’s some cheap therapy someone could take advantage of.

25

Sports @ Career

Accomplishments, Events, and Features

Super Bowl LV: Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs
Kansas City Chiefs

On February 7, the biggest game of the year was held. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers took on the Kansas City
Chiefs in Super Bowl LV. This was the first time in NFL history that a team that is playing in the super Bowl
hosted in their home stadium— in this case it was the Tampa Bay Bucs. The story before the game was the
G.O.A.T (Tom Brady) vs Baby G.O.A.T (Patrick Mahomes). This game was very important; would Tom
Brady cement his legacy as the greatest football player of all time and win his 7th SuperBowl ring?” Would
Tom Brady Prove all the doubters wrong and show that at age 43 he can still compete and win the biggest
game in the highest level of football? Or would this game be the passing of the torch from Brady to Ma-
homes?
Daniel James, a Kansas City Chiefs fan, had a problem with how the game went. “The referees were giving a
lot of calls in favor of the Bucs. Some of the calls were fair but there were some that should have been called
on Kansas City. I thought the Chiefs would make it a good game and it would be a blowout in favor of the
Chiefs, not the other way around-- but once the game started it wasnt looking good for us. Our 2 offensive
lineman were out for the game with injuries. I knew it would come into play, but I didn't know it would affect
the team so much and be so much of a problem for Patrick Mahomes. It was going to be to hard for Mahomes
to win the game, but I thought Mahomes was so good that he would put on his Superman cap and pull the
Chiefs to another Super Bowl win, but with the pressure it was too much and the Chiefs lost. It was Mahomes’
worst loss in a long time and it was so bad he didn't even score a touchdown, but I know next year when we’re
all back healthy, we will be in the Super Bowl again and it will be different. We will always be a Super Bowl
contender because of Patrick Mahomes.” James is keeping his hopes up for next season despite the difficulties
of this Super Bowl game. “There were a lot of questionable calls, but without our two starting offensive line-
men there was no way they could have stopped Tampa Bay. If we had them, it would have been a completely
different game and I'm sure we would have won. But what can you do? Can’t wait for next season!”
On the other hand, Bucs fan Miguel Hernandez was happy and excited about the end result of the game.
“When the game started, I was nervous like any fan would be. But I had faith in my team and in Tom Brady
that he would get the job done in the biggest game in the biggest moment with the world watching him. The
game was close in the beginning, and Kansas City striked first with a field goal, but I wasn't worried. Our de-
fense was doing good and only held them with a field goal.” As the game progressed, “The first touchdown
was scored by Tampa Bay-- Brady to Gronk-- and we were on the board with the lead 7-3. With that touch-
down pass, they became the duo with the most touchdown passes in Super Bowls, surpassing Jerry Rice and
Joe Montana. After that, the game was never close. I thought Kansas City would bring a better fight than this,
but our defense was too much for KC, and they never had a chance to win.”
Hernandez was thrilled with the outcome of this year’s Super Bowl. “I like that all the young players on the
team won a ring, and that the organization and culture in Tampa is changed forever.” He is also happy that
Tom Brady had his moment to prove himself. “Tom Brady won his 7th ring and proved wrong all the haters
who said he was too old to play anymore and that he won’t beat Mahomes and that he should just retire. I’m
happy for [the Buccaneers] and can’t wait to see what they do on the offseason and see their team next year.”

26

Pro Athletes Influence and Inspire

Jevonte Hewitt Roberts
Every high school athlete has some kind of inspiration-- someone who made them want to play the sport that
they are pursuing. Although professional athletes might never know how they have impacted a lot of people,
including high school athletes, many people look up to pro athletes like father figures. It doesn’t matter if you
are young or old, tall or short-- if you play sports, you look up to those who do it best.
Senior Aldo Barragen, who attends West Haven High School, is the captain of the varsity soccer team. Bar-
ragen said, “My biggest influence would have to be Cristiano Ronaldo, the best soccer player in the world.''
Regardless of if you play soccer, you can admire and be influenced by Cristiano Ronaldo. He has broken and
set so many records, and has helped his team win a number of titles. For Barragen, he sees himself in
Ronaldo. “To me, me and Cristino are the same. We want to be the best in the world. seeing ronaldo on and
off the field is inspiring, considering his hard background is similar to mine.” Barragen explained that he was-
n't born in the US. He moved here to play soccer and to pursue better opportunities; Ronaldo also moved at an
even younger age. Barragen continued to say, “[Ronaldo] has impacted me so much that it feels like I know
him on a personal level-- and I've never even met him. I get my haircut just like him, and buy all of his soccer
cleats.'' Ronaldo definitely has a big impact on soccer players and athletes in general. He currently has the
most Instagram followers out of any athlete in the world, with 265 million followers.As an athlete, that's a big
accomplishment. Clearly, people admire Ronaldo; he is a soccer player, but also an inspiration.
Taylor Scott, who plays for the Hill Regional Career High School girls basketball team, said that LeBron
James is her biggest influence in life-- both on and off the court. Scott said that “as everyone knows, LeBron
is the best basketball player to ever do it. He has changed the game forever. He influenced me in a major way.”
She also said, “LeBron really influenced me to take care of my body. In an interview, he had said he spends
about 1 million dollars on keeping his body healthy and in shape. Me being a basketball player, he helped me
realize that I wasn't doing anything to stay healthy besides going to practice-- and that really influenced me”
James seems to be a big influence on and off the court for many; he’s even been giving the title G.O.A.T
( greatest of all time) by many professional sports writers. James is for sure one of the world’s biggest influ-
encers, and a lot of teams look up to him and want to be just like him and follow in his footsteps.
Kimani Thomas, a junior at West Haven High School, plays football and soccer. Thomas said, “I strive to be
the fastest athlete the world has ever seen, and there's only one athlete in the world that's the fastest. That's the
one and only Usain Bolt.” Thomas explained that being from the same country as Bolt played a big role in his
admiration. Like Bolt, Thomas was born and raised in Jamaica, but recently moved to the USA. “Usain Bolt
has influenced me in a major way because being from the same place and the conditions we lived in makes me
believe I can do anything.” Thomas explained that, like Usain Bolt, he wants to be noticed for his speed-- but
not on a track. Instead, he wants his speed to be noticed on the field playing football or soccer. Thomas stated
that he wouldn’t have this dream without Bolt being as great as he is. “Usain Bolt has influenced me to keep
on working, no matter what. Anything can happen, no matter where you come from.”
Professional athletes, whether they know it or not, influence young people around the world. Athletes inspire
people who don’t even play sports. Their lives and their actions on and off the court are very important to a lot
of people. Kids look up to athletes like a parent-- or even a superhero. Pro athletes make everyone want to
strive for greatness.

27

Panthers: Good luck with your

COURSE SELECTIONS!

Review your requirements, and reach out to your advisor or counselor with
questions!

SPECIAL THANKS to seniors

Eliaris Brito and Alex Vasquez

for building the Scheduling Central online system. Your legacy will help
future Career students for years to come!

28