CRIMSON JOURNAL - Houston Independent School District · ments are an official transcript,...
Transcript of CRIMSON JOURNAL - Houston Independent School District · ments are an official transcript,...
By: Wilshaud Harrell
Writer
“Quiet on the set,
quiet on the set,” ex-
claimed Mr. Jeffries. This
is the sound that comes
from the constant hustle
and bustle of our School
o f Co mmunica t io ns
(SOC) media tech teach-
ers, Mr. Jeffries and Mr.
Peters. They work dili-
gently to hone the skills of
students in the SOC pro-
gram.
Peters, who has been
working at Jack Yates for
three years and Jeffries,
who is a veteran, both
work during and after
school to make sure stu-
dents are learning as much
as possible about media.
“I would have never expected to be
on television, but it‟s quite fun,” said
Breasha August, cheerleading captain
and SOC student. “Mr. Peters and Mr.
Jeffries made my years here enjoy-
able.”
Jeffries and Peters took a few stu-
dents to the HISD studio to not only
teach them, but to also allow them the
opportunity to work with the World
Affairs Council by creating a broad-
casting video.
Karina Houston who is the anchor
By: Christopher Flix
Writer
A lion‟s pride without a strong
leader lacks direction and stability, which
could lead to disunity among its occu-
pants. This proverbial pride was descrip-
tive of the Mighty Jack Yates Senior High
School Lions, that is, until January 14,
2011, with
the introduction of Mr. Samuel Coleman
as Principal.
Coleman comes in as the 15th Principal
of the storied third ward area high school
and the third in four years. Coleman takes
over at a time where the legendary high
The Lions’ King
CRIMSON JOURNAL V O L U M E 3 2 I S S U E 2
J A C K Y A T E S S E N I O R H I G H S C H O O L 3 7 0 3 S A M P S O N , H O U S T O N , T X 7 7 0 0 4
J A N U A R Y – F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 1
Yates welcomes new principal
Photo by: K. Hills Mr. Samuel Coleman became principal at Jack Yates Senior High School on January 14, 2011.
By: Wilshaud Harrell
Writer
For Colored Girls provides an inside
look at the lives and thoughts of
women. The purpose of the play is to
provide insight on issues such as spousal
abuse, rape, teen pregnancy and marital
infidelity.
The play allows the audience to get a
personal look at each of the six charac-
ter‟s lives. Each character faces differ-
ent issues throughout the play.
Stacie Richard, a member of the cast
stated “The play is something I can
really relate to.” Some people think the
subject matter is controversial and is too
mature for a high school audience, but it
is real life.
These issues shouldn‟t be swept un-
der the rug and young adults not in-
See SPOTLIGHT page 6
Photo by: Jermanie Ferguson Cast Members (left to right) Lady in Orange- Stacie Richard, Lady in Purple-Arielle Watson,
Lady in Green-Samyra Harris, Gentleman-Savian Nugent
For Colored Girls Encore Presentation
New Year
Resolutions
Page 4
Hall Sweep
Battle
Page 3
Love is
Blind
Page 6
“The Ugly
Kid”
Page 7
INSIDE
THIS
ISSUE
See PRINCIPAL, page 2
Teacher Spotlight
Photo by: K. Hills Mr. Peters and Mr. Jeffries in the SOC Studio discussing a student‟s
broadcasting script.
Spotlighting not one, but
two teachers
See ENCORE, page 6 Photo by: Jermanie Ferguson Lady in Green– Samyra Harris acting out a poem dealing with the vices
of a broken-hearted woman.
Lions’ News PA G E 2
Safety For Students By: Luis Ruiz
News Editor There have been several occasions
across the country where strangers have
entered schools and the safety of students
is put in danger. The absence of student
identification cards has helped with this
matter.
Jack Yates Senior High has imple-
mented a new Student ID rule that en-
sures the safety of students. The IDs
must be visible throughout the day on the
campus and students can get into trouble
if they don‟t have their IDs.
“I feel safer as a student now knowing
that Yates will keep tabs on the people
who come and attend the school,” said a
sophomore who opted to remain as an
anonymous source.
Having student IDs are a plus because
in some cases they can serve as another
form of identification.
“Students need an ID
to take college entrance
exams,” said Mrs. Ap-
plewhite, assistant prin-
cipal. “Student IDs can
also be used to obtain
discounts at the movies
o r r e s t a u r a n t s
[depending on whether
being a student can give
you a discounted
price].”
After some draw
backs, Yates has re-
leased their student ID
badges to the students
and they are being used
as a way of identifying a
student‟s name, grade and identification
number.
“Student IDs were not implemented in
previous years because of software li-
censing and funding issues,” said Mrs.
Applewhite.
There will be rules and regulations in
which students must follow in regards to
wearing their ID badges. In the event a
student misplaces their ID, another one
can be purchased for five dollars.
Mrs. Applewhite along with the other
administrators, faculty and staff will be
monitoring students and the visibility of
their ID badges.
“All students must wear their student
ID badge each day,” said Mrs. Apple-
white.
By: Amanda Roper
Entertainment Editor
It is almost time for seniors to gradu-
ate and for some that means… College!
College is a pivotal point in a person‟s
life. Whether applying to a university in
Texas or to a university across the na-
tion, it all starts with just a few steps.
Most people don‟t know how to ap-
ply to college. If applying to a college in
Texas, then an Apply Texas Account is
needed. In order to create this account,
visit https://www.applytexas.org and
create an account.
At this stage the following informa-
tion is needed: a social security number,
a mailing address, and a valid e-mail
address.
If applying to a private university or
to colleges outside of Texas, you need to
create a Common Application Profile.
The same information will be needed
that
was provided on www.applytexas.org.
Submit the information to https://
www.commonapp.org.
Most colleges require other docu-
ments that will need to be submitted
along with the application. Such docu-
ments are an official transcript, letter(s)
of recommendation, SAT/ACT scores,
class rank, and an application fee. The
registrar can provide some of the docu-
ments, but obtaining letters of recom-
mendation is the applicant‟s responsibil-
ity.
After submission of proper documen-
tation, your application will be reviewed
by the Office of Admissions and a letter
notifying you if you have been accepted
or not will be sent to you. Remember to
stay in contact with your college of
choice throughout the application proc-
ess to ensure all proper documents have
been received.
Life after high school is just
around the corner
Photo by: Thomas Turner-Mason Student ID badges should display name, grade level, and student ID number.
“All students must wear their student ID
badge each day”- Mrs. Applewhite
Seniors Get Ready
Student Poetry Club
Every Thursday at 7:15 am
Jack Yates Library
Students come to the library to share poetry, art, and music. Ms. Billups, Ms. Dur-
ham, Mr. C. Johnson, and some ELA teachers offer extra credit for participation.
See Mrs. Hunter for more details.
C-Stem Robotics
Meets Thursdays after school in room 1151. Students who are interested in going
green, mural painting, social networking, creative writing, photography, computer
programming, architecture, sculpture, GIS and building robots are welcomed to join.
Next virtual field trip is Saturday, February 12.
College Tours (Project GRAD) for 10th and 11th grade ONLY
March 30– April 1, 2011
Tour #1 (Louisiana)– Southern University, Dillard, Xavier, and Louisiana State Uni-
versity
Tour #2 (Austin/ San Antonio)- St. Edwards, University of Austin, UTSA, Our Lady
of the Lake
College Tours (Project GRAD) for seniors ONLY
Texas State University
February 19, 2011
6am-6pm
Send any JY school/community events to
Oh The Humanity Founders Day
January 26- February 20, 2011 February 8, 2011
Stages Repertory Theatre Jack Yates Senior High
3201 Allen Pkwy; Houston
Tickets are $23-$43
at www.stagestheatre.com
World Affairs Council of Houston
February 9, 2011 3pm-6pm
2225 North Loop West (Boys Scouts of America Building)
Registration: 713-522-7811
Name that Book
Starting January 31, Name That Book Students will meet in the library
during homeroom. We are preparing for our district competition in
March. Mock competition is held on February 4th.
See Ms. Durham, Ms. Hunter, and Ms. Reeves for more details.
Black List Project I,II, and III
February 3-25, 2011
Rice University (Media Center)
Free Admission
SAT Testing
March 12, 2011
register before February 11
PRINCIPAL Continued from front page
and chaos, but he remains optimistic.
“I don‟t think the culture is that far off.
Sometimes people have the propensity to
think in extremes. The students aren‟t
bad, the teachers aren‟t bad, we just need
to pinpoint our focus,” said Mr. Coleman.
Yates is currently in the fourth stage of
Annual Yearly Progress (AYP), meaning
that continued low performance has
brought the school on the brink of District
intervention and a reconstruction; a fate
that has shaken the community and the
passionate alumni corps.
“We hope to make AYP, but we have
to understand there are certain standards
we must be able to reach,” said Intern
Principal, Mr. Pierce. “I do believe we
have students here who can reach those
goals; however, we have to aspire to
higher things as a school, administrators
and teachers.”
Following the controversial resignation
of former principal Ronald Mumphrey,
Yates was led by Dean of Instruction, Tar-
honda Greer, while the search for a leader
persisted for over three months. With Mrs.
Greer at the helm, the Lions continued to
receive the best possible education and
opportunities for advancement. However,
there are some who are ready for even
greater advancement.
A Jack Yates Alum stated, “It‟s a new
millennium. I want to see more progres-
sion in technology and more diversity in
terms of the courses offered, while hold-
ing on to the ideals and traditions that
have somewhat waned over the past few
decades.”
Now under the leadership of Principal
Coleman, Yates High School has begun a
new journey and looking forward to re-
turning to its former lore. The community,
staff, and student body are all rallying in
support of Coleman‟s vision. Coleman
doesn‟t see his vision as an arduous task,
but as a welcomed opportunity to bring
restoration back to third ward and Jack
Yates High School.
Coleman states, “I think the foundation
and the core of what makes Yates great is
still here. We have some work to do, but I
think we need subtle adjustments to get
back to where we need to be.
Hopefully, Principal Coleman‟s vision
will clearly be seen in the eyes of the stu-
dents, those who are affected by it the
most.
“There is no challenge we can‟t meet
with God strengthening us,” stated Mr.
Pierce.
Well put.
By; Christian Armstrong
Writer
J a c k
Y a t e s
H i g h
S c h o o l ,
the jewel
of Third
Ward, has
been trans-
formed from an oasis of edu-
cation, into a jail like institu-
tion with military supple-
ments.
One of the main reasons for
this metamorphosis is the im-
plementation of the hall sweep
policy. This policy is an at-
tempt to curb the amount of
tardiness that happens at
Yates, however, the real ques-
tion should be if the policy is
ethically or morally right and
not if it is necessary or effec-
tive.
If Houston Independent
School District has a tardy
policy that has a specific level
of consequences that directly
correlates with the number of
tardies someone has, HOW
can Yates have a policy that
supersedes it. This shows a
blatant disregard for HISD
policy, and puts Yates at risk
for more negative attention
which we can honestly do
without.
Also, this hall sweep policy
is not an actual policy. Stu-
dents signed the Student Code
of Conduct which says we will
accept the consequences for
certain actions, however we
did not agree to the punish-
ment that comes with being
caught in a hall sweep. It
should be impossible for Yates
administration to legitimately
enforce the consequences of
being caught in a hall sweep
because no student actually
agreed to follow those specific
guidelines.
The only possible benefit to
having these hall sweeps is
that they may decrease the
amount of tardiness at Yates;
however that isn‟t necessarily
the case. If students know they
will be caught in a hall sweep,
what is their motivation for
going to class? They already
know they will be sent to ISS
and some may not even come
to school because of spending
their whole day in ISS. In
other words, it‟s better to be
late than never!
So in turn, hall sweeps only
motivate children to skip
school. The hall sweep policy
may cause the amount of stu-
dents being tardy to decrease,
but the amount of students
skipping would drastically
increase.
Opinion PA G E 3
Opinion PA G E 3
By; Joshua Roberson
Photographer
Senioritis, a condition
that some suffer from
during their senior year of
high school, can affect
each student at some
point. Seniors must over-
come school projects, test
taking and what might seem like the biggest
challenge of all, preparing for college. Seniors
tend to take the easy way out or even choose
to take a break from academics during the
year.
Joseph McGee, a senior, said, “Everyone
gets senioritis, even the top students of your
class and the valedictorian gets it”.
Even though having senioritis may seem to
be cool to some, it can jeopardize your
chances for success later on in college.
“I think [senioritis] may be a rising epi-
demic in high schools nationwide,” said senior
Jordan Hughes.
The main symptoms of senioritis include
procrastinating, lack of motivation, dropping
in academic performance, and coasting in
classes. As a question proposed to the senior
class, is it worth losing all of the hard work
that was put forward since freshman year to
senioritis? Think about it!
Texting
taking
over By: Chelsea Minter Features Editor
It is done late at night
when parents are asleep.
It is done while driving,
while dining at restau-
rants, and while crossing
busy streets. It is done
discreetly with hands
behind backs in the
classroom while instruc-
tion is going on. Matter
of fact, it is done so much that it makes
thumbs hurt. Guessed what it could possibly
be? TEXTING!
Teens might be too old for Dr. Seuss, but
it is a pretty accurate description of teens
and their texting habits. In fact, the average
American teen sends an average of 2,272
texts a month. That‟s 80 texts a day! But
most teens find it cheaper to text throughout
the day.
Why all the texting? “It‟s easier to text
[than talk] because you don‟t have to reply
back when the conversation isn‟t getting
anywhere,” said Brice Buchannan, a senior.
“If you talk on your phone, you‟re wasting
valuable minutes, unlimited texting is
cheaper,” said Chelsea Willis, a senior.
But beyond sleep issues and sore thumbs,
some think that texting prevents children
from having close contact with people.
“Texting stops kids from studying and
spending time with family,” said Mr.
Jeffries, a School Of Communication
teacher.
Texting brings a lack of social skill and a
lack of direct communication. More teens
are texting and driving and using the spell-
ing that is used for texting as their writing
skills. With new phones and plans designed
to accommodate text messaging, this form
of communication will only grow. While
texting can be convenient and quick, it can
also be dangerous and distracting.
Crimson Journal Staff
Crimson Journal is the student press at Jack Yates Senior High School, 3703 Sampson, Houston, Texas, 77004 Call (713) 748-5400 for ad rates information.
Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the viewpoint or official policies of the school or HISD.
Crimson Journal welcomes readers‟ opinions on all topics. Letters to the editors should not exceed 200 words and must be signed, but names may be with-
held on request and with the concurrence of the editorial board.
The editors reserve the right to reject, edit and condense letters. All letters should be turned into room C-204 to Ms. Hills, newspaper adviser.
Editor-in-Chief
Chelse‟ Arceneaux
News
Luis Ruiz
Opinion
Fredrick Wright
Lions Un-Caged
Chelse‟ Arceneaux
Features
Chelsea Minter
Entertainment
Amanda Roper
Sports
Jalan Batiste
Photography
Samyra Harris
Chris Wong
Joshua Roberson
Jermanie Ferguson
Staff Writers
Christian Armstrong
Christopher Flix
Wilshaud Harrell
Contributor
Jordan Hughes
Thomas Turner-Mason
Ms. Mindi R. Rainey
Adviser
Ms. Kanithia S. Hills
Hall Sweep Dilemma „I like my halls swept‟
By: Chelse‟e Arceneaux
Editor-In-Chief
At Jack
Yates, we
have a very
e f f e c t i v e
system too
keep the stu-
dents in or-
der, reduce skipping, and have
students in class on time. Our
administrators have enforced
daily hall sweeps.
The hall sweeps are necessary
to get students the proper educa-
tion and make the school a great
learning environment for the stu-
dents.
“Hall sweeps are good for the
students because it can relate to
students with jobs who are late,”
said Mr. Dooley, college advisor.
The kids need to be in class on
time so they don‟t miss out on
precious learning time.”
If students are late daily to their
classes they miss out on a lot of
classroom work, procedures and
instruction. When students are
late to school they are marked
tardy and some are sent to ISS.
“These are matters of the stu-
dents‟ control,” said Mr. Dooley.
“There‟s no excuse for students to
be late on the daily basis. Being
late can lead to ISS and the stu-
dents miss out on their assign-
ments.”
When students reach the col-
lege level, the learning environ-
ment will change and students
will get much more knowledge
and skill to help them with their
career aspirations. There are no
hall sweeps in college, so if you
are late you just miss out.
“College will be a rude awak-
ening for some kids who get to
that point, said Calvin Davis, a
Yates alumnae. “They will learn
about the [essence] of time and
how they need to get to class on
time if they want to get a degree
in their area of study.”
Bottom line, hall sweeps can
benefit students not only because
they are very efficient in keeping
the school in order, but they will
ensure the fact that we as students
learn to be on time wherever we
need to go.
After reading the two articles regarding
hall sweeps, who do you think has the
stronger argument? Is it Chelse‟ Ar-
ceneaux or Christian Armstrong? Cast
your vote in Room C204! The winner‟s
name will appear in the next issue!
„Better late than never‟
It‟s an EPIDEMIC!
My “New Year Resolutions”
are….
-Become a very successful
person throughout the year
-Find a job
-Bring up my GPA
- Destiny Smith, 11th
Happy New Year!
Sincerely,
Bria Davis, 12th
My “New Year Resolution” is to…
Take my grades more seriously
-Victoria Harris, 10th
My “New
Year Resolutions” are ...
-Stay more focused on school
and less on boys
-Keep a positive attitude
- Christina Craft, 11th
My “New Year
Resolutions”
are …
-To get my obliga-
tions together,
work on my
health, and be
more consistent
- Julian Ellis, 11th
My “New Year
Resolutions”
are …
To max out
on my physical
peak and re-
main there
throughout
college.
-To begin my
enlightment journey; To be a better fa-
ther - Fred Wright
My “New
Year Reso-
lutions”
are …
-Become a
better me
and pass
Mrs. Bo-
card class
- Lindsey Ealy, 11th
My “
New Year
Resolu-
tions” are …
-Go to state in track
-Work on my attitude
-Become a better person
- Kiante Lamb, 12th
My “New Year
Resolutions”
are …
-To go to five
proms
-Go to LSU
-Become a nicer
person
- Jailen Palmer, 12th
My
“New
Year
Resolutions” are …
-To be nice to everyone and
stop cursing - Eric Johnson
My “New Year Reso-
lutions” are …
-Stay out of trouble,
get better grades,
and
bring up my GPA
PA G E 6 Features
By: Chelsea Minter
Features Editor
The teenage years can be considered
the time where living your life to the
fullest is a national creed. This includes
going to parties, hanging with friends,
having fun, and possibly dating. But as
most teens grow deeper in relationships,
they may not know if they are trapped in
an abusive relationship.
“Fighting, verbal abuse and things
like that,” said Brian Mosley, a senior
who describes signs of domestic vio-
lence. “They don‟t know if they‟re being
abused, they don‟t think anything of it, I
see it all the time”.
A common characteristic of an un-
healthy and abusive relationship is the
control that the abusive partner seeks to
maintain in the relationship. This in-
cludes telling someone what to wear,
where to go, who to hang out with, call-
ing them names, and humiliating them in
front of others.
“If its physical abuse, leave because
they will do it again,” said Shaunice
Morgan, a senior whose close relative
was once in an abusive relationship. “It‟s
just not healthy; it could end your life
before you even really start it.”
Parents are rarely aware of such con-
trolling tactics as these occur insidiously
over time, and a teen, may not recognize
the controlling, possessive behaviors as
unhealthy. Need Help? Call anytime at 1-
866-331-9474 or start a live chat with a
t r a i n e d p e e r - a d v o c a t e a t
www.loveisrespect.org
Photo by: Christopher Wong “I can be changed by what happens to me, but I
refuse to be reduced by it.” - Maya Angelou
By: Chelse‟ Arceneaux
Editor-in chief
No Child Left Behind (NCLB) is a
mandate that supports standard-based
education reform and is based on the
belief that setting high standards and
establishing measurable goals can im-
prove individual outcomes in education.
The Houston Independent School Dis-
trict (HISD) adopted this creed and cre-
ated the 21st Century Program. The goal
of the program is to provide resources for
successful completion of graduation re-
quirements in preparation for post-
secondary education.
According to Mrs. Barnes, the 21st
Century coordinator at Jack Yates High
School, the program, implemented the
Fall of 2009, was also designed to “help
kids stay out of the streets after school. It
improves academics, attendance, behav-
ior, promotion rates, and graduation
rates.”
This program offers a plethora of
appealing activities for both students and
parents. For students, homework assis-
tance, daily tutorial sessions and Teens
on the Front Line sessions. In addition,
classes in nutritional cooking, sewing and
prop creations, jewelry/purse creations,
and digital video media are available.
Computer and board gaming, chess, aero-
bic Hip Hop workout adds another flavor
to the program. For college bound stu-
dents, the SAT/ACT Prep course is ideal.
Parents can enroll in computer courses,
ESL, and GED classes offered from 3:00
p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Since 21st Century allows students
and parents to take educational courses,
some feel scholarships should be pro-
vided. “21st Century should add a schol-
arship program to help the unfortunate
kids in the program,” asserted Freshman
Kelsey Williams.
The 21st Century Community Learn-
ing Centers serves as a supplementary
program to enhance local and state re-
form efforts by providing out-of-state
services to students.
Brianna Barnes best summarized the
program when she stated; “This program
has been very helpful and given me a
chance to broaden my horizons.”
If you are interested in joining such a
dynamic program, you can sign-up with
Ms. Barnes in the counselors‟ suite. It‟s
never too late! Snacks are provided!
B y : J o s h u a
Roberson
Photographer
Mr. Yates is
more than a title
placed around your
neck for a year.
This year, Mr.
Yates is doing great
things for Jack
Yates Senior High
School.
Dana Woodfork,
senior, was voted
by faculty and stu-
dents to become
Mr. Yates for the
2010-2011 school
year.
“As Mr. Yates, I feel that it is my duty
to set examples for other students,” said
Woodfork.
Mr. Yates along with Jaylen Harris,
who is Ms. Yates, have many projects
planned for the
school.
“W e r e -
cently just held
a toy drive in
December to
help the less
fortunate for
C h r i s t m a s , ”
said Woodfork.
Mr. Yates
takes great
pride in every-
thing he does
for the school.
“If no one
has pride for
Jack Yates, I
wi l l , ” sa id
Woodfork.
Mr. Yates would like for juniors who
are planning on running for the Mr. Yates
position to know that it is a great way to
show leadership and to give back to the
Mighty Lions family.
An Accomplished King
After School Achievement
Love is blind
Photo by: Harold Richard Dana Woodfork, Mr. Jack Yates 2010-2011
21st Century offers a plethora of appealing activities for both students and parents
Photo by: Samyra Harris A student who is a member of 21st Century cuts out fabric in the Sewing and Prop Creations class.
ENCORE Continued from front page
Photo by: Jermanie Ferguson Stacie Richard, Lady in Orange , displays her acting skills to this is not a
love poem.
Photo by: Jermanie Ferguson (L-to-R) Lady in Brown- Iesha Huff, Lady in Blue– Shandrekya Simpson,
Lady in Red– Amanda Roper.
formed of what happens in the real world. Cast member
Amanda Roper said, “Every woman can relate to at least one
character in the play in one way or another.”
After having a great turnout on December 4, there was an
encore performance on January 7. If you missed the encore
presentation and/or would like to add the DVD to your home
collection, please contact the Magnet School of Communi-
cations (SOC) to purchase a copy.
for the show said, “It was very interesting
and I liked how Mr. Peters and Mr. Jeffries
showed us what to do then let us do it by
ourselves.”
Mr. Jeffries and Mr. Peters are constantly
doing things for the school and the district
from running the JumboTron at Delmar Sta-
dium during the football season, to recording,
editing and setting up media equipment for
events around the school.
Mr. Jeffries and Mr. Peters work very
hard with the SOC students to make sure
they will go far in life and be successful. We
would like to spotlight not one teacher, but
two. Thank you Mr. Jeffries and Mr. Peters
from the JY staff and students.
SPOTLIGHT Continued from
front page
Entertainment PA G E 7
By: Jalan Batiste
Sports Editor
There are a lot of musically inclined
students at Jack Yates whether they sing
in the choir, rap in a studio, or play an
instrument.
Some people know that there are
plenty of talented musicians at Jack
Yates High School, but they also wonder
why they play musical instruments, sing,
or rap.
“Music is my life! Playing any instru-
ment of percussion makes chills run
down my spine,” said Yates drum section
leader Larry Ar-
doin.
Most musicians
find their inspira-
tion from different
sources like family
members, friends,
pets, or things they
m i g h t h a v e
seen. “What
inspires me the
most in the songs I produce are the many
people that say I cannot rap or I need to
find something better to do,” said rising
teen artist Rashad
Sabree a.k.a rap
artist “Black”.
Many dream of
becoming great
musicians and in-
spiring rap/R&B
artists, but most do
not know how to
plan for it.
“You need work
-ethic as well as dedication to be success-
ful in any field of music,” said Ardoin.
To get a sense of musical talent there
needs to be a certain musical artist that he
or she looks up to for
inspiration.
“Band Director, Professor Gibson of
Texas Southern University is a great
mentor to me who makes me want to get
better everyday,” said Ardoin.
Music is a great source for one to release
and just be themselves. Whether you play
an instrument, or sing or rap, the question
still remains, who will be the next rising
artist at Yates?
Young and Talented
Photo by: Chris Wong Rashad Sabree aka Black
Photo by: Chris Wong Larry Ardoin
By: Jalan Batiste
Sports Editor
Devin and Scott are knuckle heads
who make fun of everybody. Ashley,
Tracy, and Monique are three girls who
like to standup for people. This story
starts off as your typical day at Yates
High School in the courtyard. Students
are laughing and joking about other kids,
and then all of a sudden, an unfamiliar
kid arrives that catches everyone‟s atten-
tion.
Devin: OOOh…boy… “I‟m about to get
to going on this boy!‟‟
Scott: “Look at this boy kicks. Who still
wears K-Swiss?‟‟
Everyone begins to laugh and join in
on making fun of the kid, but it doesn't
seem to affect the kid, so he continues
walking. The school bell rings and every-
one proceeds to first period.
Group of Students: “Did yawl see the
new boy? Man, people are talking bad
about that kid.”
Devin: “Duh! People are talking about
him. Did you not see his clothes and his
shoes? The kid is freaking poo cheese!”
The crowd begins to laugh again, all
except three girls who don‟t think that
making fun of the kid is funny. When the
three girls arrive in first period they see
that the kid is sitting down in their class,
so they go over to talk to him.
Ashley: “Hey! I‟m Ashley. Welcome to
Yates.”
Kid: “Doesn‟t feel like a welcome from
the rest of the kids here.”
Ashley: “Well don‟t worry about them.
Where are you from?.
Kid: “I‟m from the northside of Houston.
It‟s like the ghetto poor part.”
Ashley: “Dang.”
Kid: “It‟s cool.”
The next bell rings to move to 2nd
period. Everyone clutters the hallway to
see the new kid and they begin to talk
about him once again.
Devin: Dang boy where do you get your
clothes from…? The Salvation army.
Scott: Boy is your daddy the Notorious
Bum that be rapping around here?”
Once again laughter breaks out
amongst the students. The Kid begins to
feel as if he‟s surrounded by everybody
and the room is spinning.
Devin & Scott: I think the ugly dirty
little boy is about to cry. Go cry to your
toothless baldheaded momma.
The kid runs off and is no longer seen
at school for the rest of the day, but the
three girls, Ashley, Tracy, and Monique
go off to search for him after school.
Time began to fly by quickly. Finally
they gave up their search and started to
slowly make their way to the bus stop.
As they arrive at the bus stop they see
someone covered in old dirty sheets
sleeping on the bench, so they stood and
waited for the bus. All of a sudden they
hear a deep, groggy voice.
Kid: “A…Ash…Ash”
Ashley: “Huh?! What was that?
Monique and Tracy both look around
searching for the sound and then the
sheets began to rise and the face from the
person under the sheets is revealed.
Monique and Tracy: “OMG!”
Ashley: “Wow, it‟s ….”
Monique: (Lol) “This dude is sleeping at
the bus stop.”
Tracy: “Stop laughing Monique”
Kid: “I don‟t have anywhere else to go.”
Tracy: “Where are your mother and fa-
ther?”
Kid: “When I was around fourteen years
old, I witnessed my mother being raped
and killed by my father. He came home
drunk and there was no food prepared for
him.”
Monique: “OMG, that‟s sad. What hap-
pened to your dad?”
Kid: “He killed himself because he did-
n‟t want to be alone.
Ashley: “But you were there for him.”
Kid: “I was a nobody to my father. He
never showed me that he loved me or
cared about me. My father showed his
affection by coming home after work and
beating me up. Nobody would care if I
was dead or alive. Heck, I could die to-
morrow and nobody would care.”
Tracy: “That‟s not true!”
Kid: (sigh) “We‟ll see.”
The girls get on the bus to go home.
The next morning at school, everything is
normal. The kids are running around
laughing and joking. After school every-
one goes home there is a news report on
the television.
News Reporter: “Breaking news! To-
day, police found a dead body in the port
of Houston, in the Ship Channel. Police
recognized the child as a student that
attended Jack Yates Senior High. He
was a new student and was occasionally
picked on by other students. It appears
that he jumped to his death around
2:15pm this evening. Unfortunately, this
is another case of bullying that ended in a
student taking his life.
One week later: A number of students
from Jack Yates attended the young
man‟s funeral service, including the
young men who made cruel jokes about
him.
The Ugly Kid A must read FICTIONAL story. Be careful how you treat others.
“Support my family”- Jeanpear Reyes 12th grade
Help my community, school, family-Courtney Lewis 11th grade
“Pay my mother back for everything she continues
to do for me”- Chelsea Brantley 12th grade
Buy some clothes and shoes then donate the rest
to the salvation army”- Micah Harris 9th grade
“Buy my mama a house and buy me a hummer”
- Bobbie Leonard 12th grade
“Buy everything that I want such as clothes, cars, and put
some money in a business” (invest) - Dana Doyle 12th grade
“I would get me a big house, cars, and clothes, and start me
an investment in a business”- Desmond Clark 12th grade
“I would get the school rebuild, help out some homeless children
and help out my community”- Manisha Wygal 9th grade
“Donate some money to the homeless children
and adults- Kendall Curry”- 9th grade
“Get the stuff I‟ve never had for my family.”
-Neumann Collins 12th grade
By: Chelse‟ Arecenaux
Editor-in-chief
While at school, some students have what may be
called an „image to protect‟ and because of this, some
insight will be given on what‟s hot and what‟s not in
the 2010-2011 school year.
Fashion is no exception! Every year there are some
old favorites, along with some new looks that are both
adored and frowned upon. Also, there are some trends
that need to be rid of in its entirety.
Here‟s a look at what‟s in and what‟s out!
At Yates, hair is a big thing for girls! If your hair is
„JANK‟, then you will be frowned upon. Ladies who
wear quick weaves, sew ins, lace fronts, and wraps
must remember, “If you can‟t achieve it, weave it, if
you can‟t grow it, sew it, if you can‟t do it, then glue
it!” –JY Cheerleaders.
As for the men of JY, shoes are the biggest thing for
them. But they must remember not to get caught in the
wrong shoes. Sperry‟s are hot! KSWISS are not! And
we cannot forget about those „Jays‟!
Jordan tennis shoes are some of the hottest shoes
around. Last month, the Cool Greys came out. The hall-
ways were lit up with these shoes when they first hit
the scene. The last pair of Jordans that came out was
the French Blues, but the shoes that were highly antici-
pated were the Cool Greys.
Overall, fashion is a way for all to express their indi-
viduality. Students should not be forced to follow the
norm. Being an individual is the key because the next
„what is hot and what is not‟ may be coming from your
wardrobe.
If I Had A Million Dollars I would...
Photo by: Joshua Roberson
Jeanpear Reyes, senior
Photo by; Joshua Roberson
Neumann Collins, senior
Sports
Date Location Opponent Result
1/15 home Lee 88-14 (W)
1/17 home Sterling 89-24 (W)
1/21 home Austin 81-18 (W)
1/24 away Davis 78-26 (W)
Boys Basketball Schedule
PURE SPEED
By: Jalan Batiste
Sports Editor
Jack Yates High School has
been known for their athletics in
football and basketball, but few
know about the skill of the track
and field team.
Spectators and supporters of
Yates‟ track team are excited
about the upcoming season and
can‟t wait to see it unfold.
“The upcoming season should
be very surprising because we
have several seniors who have
been in the program for awhile
and know what has to be accom-
plished,” said Leroy Harris, a
senior on the track team.
Last year, the team made it to
the state meet but couldn‟t quite
put everything together to get the
job done. It was said by support-
ers that the team needed to build
on their losses in certain events to reach
their goal.
“We really need to build upon our
work-ethic at practice and cohesiveness,”
said Xavier Morris, a junior on the track
team.
Leadership from the seniors is a key
component, but the boys have plenty of
underclassmen teammates who know
what it takes to get where they want to
be.
“We have plenty of seniors who are
great leaders and motivate me and the
rest of the underclassmen to do better,”
said junior teammate, Edmund Christian.
“We look up to Jalan Batiste, Cornelius
Mayes, and Tradarius Limbrick
because they have the most
knowledge and experience.”
The boys should be quite
amazing to watch. They have
depth in their underclassmen
that can help greatly on relays
as well as open events for
points.
“We have some talented
underclassmen, such as junior
300m hurdler Xavier Morris
(39.63), and Sophomore Arthur
Lockett who can fill in on re-
lays. Those two guys could
possibly help us on some relays
as well,” said senior teammate,
Cedric Washington.
The boys‟ track and field
team hopes to have a magnifi-
cent year! They have the poten-
tial and talent to get to Austin
for the state track meet. The
boys have a few upcoming indoor track
meets, and the first one was held at the
University of Houston indoor facility on
January 15, and the next one on February
5, 2011. Come out and support the track
team as they embark on their first journey
of the season. GO LIONS!
Photo by: K. Hills
(Left to right) Jalan Batiste, Brenton McDaniel, Cornelius Mayes, Edmond
Christian, and Joshua Simmons jogs a lap around the track field during practice.
By: Jalan Ba-
tiste
Sports Editor
When the
words Jack Yates
and basketball
appear, the first
thing that pops
into one‟s head
has to be the
b a c k - t o - b a c k
state champions
of the past two
years.
This season,
the boys‟ bas-
ketball team are focusing more on team
effort and relying on each other skills to
win each game they play.
“Some people talk positive about us
and some talk negative, but either way it
goes, we play our game,” said senior
guard Ronnie Lewis. “We are not trying
to be a two-man game. We are an all five
[team] on the court.”
According to some spectators, Yates
basketball can possibly be seen again in
Austin for a „3peat‟ at the state game.
“I feel good about the season mostly
because I missed last year‟s season, but
I‟m ready to get it on the way,” said sen-
ior Charles Lewis.
There are
many people
who have dif-
ferent views
about the cur-
rent basketball
season, but
currently the
boys have 17
wins and 3
losses.
Many ques-
tion if they
will live up to
the challenge
and do what
some believe they can‟t do and become
State Champions for the 2010-2011 sea-
son.
“If we stay healthy, play hard as we
can, and work together as a team, we can
do the unthinkable and pull out another
state championship,” said Ronnie Lewis.
Student Athletes
of the Month
Photo by: Roderick Harris
Recent Commit To
Weber State University
We want a „3peat‟ #5 Senior SG
Shai Fields
#4 Senior PG/SG Jaeisha Johnson
Photo by: Chris Wong
SEASON STATS
Patiently awaiting for a track to explode on
Girls Basketball Schedule
Points
per game
12.7
Assists
per game
3.3
Blocks
per game
1
Rebounds
per game
2.5
Steals
per game
3.9
Total season
points
191
Date Location Opponent Result
1/15 home Waltrip 101-77 (W)
1/17 home Sterling 96-78 (W)
2/2 home Reagan 113-55 (W)
2/10 home Waltrip
Photo by: Ray Carrington
Jack Yates Mighty Lions Varsity Basketball Team and Coaching Staff.