THE PANTHER PRESS The Voice of Career High School

May 2018 New Haven, CT careerpantherpress.weebly.com

Memorial Garden a Labor of Love

Marlon Myers

(Photo/Markeshia Ricks)
New Haven will be getting a memorial garden dedicated to victims of gun violence. It was all started started
by Career science teacher Mrs. Pratt, who started this garden because she wanted to raise awareness of gun
violence, create a meeting place for families of victims, and also make a wonderful place for remembering
loved ones.

In beginning this project, Mrs. Pratt had partners and support from the Yale/Urban resources Initiative, local
management teams, the local police force, the City of New Haven, and design partners.

Mrs. Pratt’s driving purpose was in memory of her son, Gary Kyshon Miller, who was murdered in 1998. “I
lost my son to gun violence in the West Hills community,” says Mrs. Pratt. “He grew up in that neighbor-
hood… He was shot in the back while visiting a female in the neighborhood. He was told not to visit the
neighborhood at night by guys who claimed territory.”

After this tragedy, Mrs. Pratt wanted to make sure that every mother has a place for them to go to for their lost
loved ones. “I wanted every mother experiencing the pain I feel to know that the city of New Haven cares for
us and will dedicate an area to erect a garden of tranquility and beauty in honor of all victims slain to gun vio-
lence in the city-- and there are so many lives lost. We have to stop or minimize the number of lives lost
through awareness.”

Mrs. Pratt remembers a powerful moment that made her realize she needed to take action. “One day, I was
driving home and saw yellow tape. I asked what happened, and someone said that another person just got
killed. and I thought-- this cannot become a part of the norm. People cannot look at this as just another victim
and something needs to be done about it, After doing research, I found out that just from 1985 to now, we lost
over 700 young adults to gun violence.”
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Memorial Garden, Continued
Mrs. Pratt’s goal is to make this garden for the moms and
families to mourn and connect to their sons and daughters
lost to gun violence, and to “start a needed movement in
the city that will hopefully bring peace to a tragic era.”
Mrs. Pratt’s objectives for this garden are to help others to
remember slain victims of gun violence, and “to start a
movement to bring real awareness to the youth, violent of-
fenders, and prospective mentors in the city of New Ha-
ven.” Mrs. Pratt states that the supplies she needs to com-
plete this garden are community support and mothers. This
garden could eventually serve many others in the commu-
nity, but providing that respect for the mothers is a priority.

It’s important to remember something Mrs. Pratt says: that

“for every life lost to gun violence, a generation ceases to
exist.” Mrs. Pratt’s garden will give those lives a space to
be remembered, honored, and loved.

Did You Know…

More than one in five U.S. teenagers (ages 14 to 17) report having witnessed
a shooting.
—U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, October 2009

The Panther Press: The Voice of Career High School

The Panther Press is a squad 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.
2017-2018 Staff Writers
Beatriz Cartagena Melanie Velez Jordin Evans Imani Gonzalez
Patrick Henri Jonathan Melendez Solomon Bailey Tajah Menafee
Marlon Myers Shaun Sloley Yaira Roman Alexandra Rosario
Jordan Nieves Thais Saucedo Sidem Yilmaz
Ronnie Echevarria Henry Smith IV Josh Wallace Christian Soarez
Gabby McWilliams Anthony Troche Jayden Sledge Carlos Tafoya
Faculty Advisor: Ms. Murphy

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

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Rest In Paradise, Jeovahny Muñoz
Thais Saucedo

Rest In Paradise, Jeovahny Muñoz. New Haven has

lost another young person full of so much life. It’s
always sorrowful when a person is taken so early in
their life. It makes me so upset because we never
know what can really happen to us. We could be alive
one day and the next be gone. It scares me that we
don’t know that future. This young man was taken in
a way we don’t want anyone to leave. Car crashes
take many lives, sadly.

Jeovahny was born on December 10, 1996. He gradu-

ated from Eli Whitney Technical High School. He
was an outstanding young man who was happy and
living his life. He was also a father to a five-year-old
boy. On Thursday May 10, 2018, Jeovahny was in-
volved in a car accident at the entrance of East Rock
Park. He suffered such traumatic injuries that he
passed away.

It’s grievous when it’s such a young person who pass-

es away. They have their whole life ahead of them
and for it to suddenly be taken away is so unfair, but
that’s just how life works.

We don’t know whether we will be alive tomorrow or not. That’s why we should live our lives to the fullest.
Don’t regret anything you do, because there’s so little life given to us for us to be stressing over the small
things. This is especially true for us young people-- we have so much life ahead of us, but we still have to
make sure we are aware that our lives can literally be taken at any time and we have no idea when it will be.

Do you live your life with no regrets? Can you honestly say you live your life to the fullest? That’s all up to
you. I know I don’t want to live my life without truly being a happy person. There’s a lot out there that you
probably want to do, but you’re too scared to. You should do all those things before you no longer can.

Always be grateful for what you have, because we never know if we will be here tomorrow. Always be grate-
ful for life, because those who pass away didn’t get to have the chances you do. You have the chance to live
your happy life. Never stress over those small little things that won’t affect your future in any way.

I always feel blessed to wake up every morning. I hate how in our community we lose so many young people.
It seems like we are constantly losing young people here in New Haven…

Rest in Paradise, Jeovahny Muñoz. Many blessings to your family and friends.

3
Shooting Victim Makes Recovery
Christian Soarez

On April 1st, a man named Devyn Holmes was shot in the head by Cassandra Damper, a woman who hap-
pened to be in the same car as him. The chilling video of what occured has surfaced the web and many have
seen it across the nation, and many people on various social media are saying that Devyn may have been set up
-- although that is unconfirmed even now. Early in the video, Devyn was showing clear indicators that he was
anxious about the woman waving around a gun in an aggressive manner, saying to “chill” and “you’re making
me nervous.”

In the following moments of the video, a gunshot can be heard. Damper and another man quickly left the car
and left Holmes behind. Damper claims this was an accident. Police say that Cassandra Damper will face
charges for cleaning the residue off of the pistol used in the shooting. That is something law enforcement and
investigators should consider, because as the mother of Devyn said, “You cover up a crime, not an accident.”

Even today, Devyn continues to make recovery at the hospital and apparently every day he is only getting bet-
ter in terms of his condition. Not much is known about what is going on each week, but here is a timeline that
explains the situation from the day of the incident to present.

April 1st: Outside of a Valero gas station, Devyn is on Facebook live with Cassandra Damper and another
man who was sitting in the back of the vehicle. In the video, Cassandra can be heard saying a few things as she
wavered the weapon before firing the shot that nearly killed Devyn. After this, the male in the back and Cas-
sandra flee the scene and a firefighter later comes to Devyn’s rescue.
April 3rd: Damper makes her first appearance in court and an update from the family of Devyn says that he
remains on life support, but with hints of recovery.
April 4th: After 3 days, Devyn now remains in stable condition and a Houston firefighter talks about what
happened when he saved Devyn Holmes. The firefighter describes Devyn slumped over in his seat, apparently
unconscious.
April 5: A GoFundMe was set up and money begins to be donated towards Devyn’s medical costs, including
some from an NFL star and childhood friend of Devyn, Mike Evans.
April 11: Devyn opens his eyes as his condition continues to improve. From that day until now, Devyn is only
improving and is now in physical therapy.

Health Fair Brings Benefits

Imani Gonzalez

On Friday May 4th, Career held its first Health Occupational Career Fair in the gymnasium. From 9-12 AM,
students were able to walk around different booths and talk to health professionals. At the fair, students were
able to discuss and learn about occupations and fields they were not aware of such as nuclear medicine, diag-
nostic medical sonography, and massage therapy. Also present were representatives from the Al-Anon pro-
gram.

Personally, I first became interested in organizing a health fair for students to get involved and interact with
healthcare professionals. I wanted them to know there are other occupations to learn about during and after
high school. Besides becoming a doctor or a nurse, there are other routes you can embark on.

If you weren’t at the fair you missed out on valuable information, not to mention missing out on a free mas-
sage! Attending the health fair was beneficial for both health and business students. For example, if you take
business classes but are interested in certain health, you can become an account and work for billing for a hos-
pital. Having background knowledge for any major you believe you want to pursue can boost your chances for
a better future. But do not worry, Ms. Zajac is planning to work with two rising seniors (health majors) and
make next year’s health fair even better! 4
College Trips Change Mindsets
Josh Wallace

Sophomore students enjoying a recent college visit to UConn.

Everyone likes to go on college trips, but in reality it’s not all about the fun of going on a field trip to get out
of school. It’s about visiting and seeing if you would fit in well at that college. Even though you learn so
much from all the college fairs, you can learn more to seeing it in person. You will fall in love with the col-
lege trip because you’re actually on campus, getting experience seeing it from your own point of view. When
I go to college fairs I lose interest in schools. I want to see how it really is on campus.

Career Junior Student Jordan Nieves said that he attended the trip to Albertus Magnus College. He also said
his favorite part of the college tour was when he saw the college dorm rooms and he noticed they were very
private. Nieves said that he could tell that Albertus Magnus had everything a student could need and want to
study. In addition, he said that he liked the gym because it was so big.

I looked for some advice from Mr. O, a history teacher at Career, about the college life. Mr. O said he liked
the freedom on the college campus and making his own decisions. There are no teachers that can tell you what
to do, because your grown and you make your own mistakes. That's one of the things you have to learn-- to
try not to make mistakes that affect you. Mr. O also liked the friendships he made in college, and still has
those friendships to this day.

Mr O agreed that students should have trips to see colleges. “The more things you can see, the better off
you’ll be, the more you’re going to want to go to college.” Some other advice Mr O also gave is that kids ap-
plying to college need to research and “be careful, don’t get yourself in a jam paying for a college.” Visiting
colleges can give you more information about affordable schools, programs, and scholarships.

Personally, I, Joshua Wallace, a junior at Career getting ready to become a senior, have a lot on my plate. I
recently went on a trip to CCSU for a class field trip and I can’t even lie, I enjoyed the experience. Before, my
mindset about college was not ready, not motivated to go to college. I was more motivated just to graduate
and get a job. But now since I went on the field trip, I learned that you can actually get a job on campus,
which isn't bad. CCSU tuition is not cheap, but it's cheaper than other schools. In addition, school gives you
more opportunities, which is now a path I have chosen.

I, Joshua Wallace, will try my hardest next year to attend college.

5
Record Number of Students Participate in
National History Day
Jordan Nieves

Left: Seniors Ronnie Echevarria, Sayerah Kennedy, Seth Dalmacio, Dyuthi Tharakan, and Tatiana Criucova. Right: Sophomores Sofia
Soriano and Gabriela Soriano, all with their exhibits at Southern CT State University for National History Day.

National History Day, according to NHD.org, is a year-long program focusing on historical research and cre-
ative expression for students in 6th-12th grade. Participating in NHD helps students become better writers,
filmmakers, web designers, play writers and artists by creating unique expressions of history. The experience
culminates in a series of contests at local, state, and national competitions. Basically, National History Day is
like a science fair-- but it’s for history. Students get to choose their own topic and present it in a way that is
fun, original, and interesting to them.

Students are expected to choose a project category like making a documentary, showing an exhibit, writing a
paper, acting out or singing a performance, or creating a website to be able to compete in National History
Day.

Here at Career, we recently had the largest-ever group of students who participated in National History Day.
Seniors Dyuthi Mathews, Ronnie Echevarria, Tatiana Criucova, Seth Dalmacio, and Sayerah Kennedy worked
together to create an amazing exhibit about the history of sexism at Yale called “Lux et Veritas: The True His-
tory of Sexism at Yale.” Sophomores Gabriela Soriano and Sofia Soriano worked together to make an exhibit
about Cesar Chavez and the resistance of the United Farm Workers called “Sí Se Puede: Cesar Chavez and the
Resistance of the United Farm Workers.” Juniors Sreya Nagumalla and Marc Gonzalez also participated and
both showed amazing effort in their respective individual categories. Sreya created a documentary about
women’s struggle for equality in medicine called “Doctor or Doctress? Women Struggle for Equality in Medi-
cine,” which won an award at the State Competition for Excellence in Medical History. The award was spon-
sored by the Connecticut State Medical Association. Marc created an exhibit about author Radclyffe Hall
called “Radclyffe Hall and the Well of Loneliness: How Refusal to Compromise Sparked International Con-
flict through Censorship.”
6
National History day brings people together and lets friends enjoy a fun time while coming up with creative
projects. “ I definitely enjoyed being surrounded by like-minded intelligent people,” says Senior Ronnie Eche-
varria

Additionally, National History Day brings out the passion in people. “As a junior who won a special award for
an outstanding award in medicine at States, I greatly enjoyed relating the fields of history and science to create
a documentary to show a message. I think it’s amazing to see how many other young students are passionate
about a specific topic in history every year,” says junior Sreya Nagumalla.

National History Day is an interesting program for students who are interested in showing off skills that in-
volve art, creativity, technology, and more. Take it from the students who participated who enjoyed it and had
a passion-- if this is something that really interests you, get involved.

Speak to Ms. Murphy for more info about how to participate in National History Day.

Helping a Friend
Beatriz Cartagena

In life there are ups and downs. We experience them ourselves and so does everyone around us. It can be
tough to know someone is going through a tough situation and not know how to help, but helping someone
when they need it is power. It can turn their whole day-- or even life-- around. Of course, if someone is going
through a very serious situation, never hesitate to seek professional help.

The most powerful thing you can do is show support. The first step is simply saying “I’m here,” which can be
hard depending on your relationship. If the person doesn’t seem like they really understand or is resisting help,
you sometimes have to repeat that you’re there for them by giving them a call to check in or offering to help in
specific ways, like going somewhere with them or staying by their side.

Don’t say you’re there if you’re not-- a friend in need needs a reliable person to count on. It will only make
their situation worse and make them feel more alone if you can’t follow through. Don’t just say “I’m here” for
the sake of making them smile; be willing to go the extra mile for that person, and be fully present, let them
know their feelings are valid. No matter the reason, this person is dealing with complicated emotions. Don’t
judge or tell them they shouldn’t feel a certain way. Not only is it not going to change how they feel, it’s just
going to isolate them, and possibly make them regret coming to you in the first place. Even if you don’t quite
understand why your friend feels the way they do, let them know they have every right to feel that way and
that you are there to listen without judgment.

Sometimes you can help a friend by offering solutions. If they are moving on from a relationship, you might
be able to help them move on more quickly. At the same time, if your friend is in a situation that’s beyond
their control or they feel like they’ve tried everything, offering unwanted advice may just make the problem
worse. Try to be sensitive to your friend’s needs. Sometimes we think we need to offer advice when we really
just need to hold a hand, and that can be just as effective.

When you’re trying to empathize with your friend, you should only say that you can relate if you really can.
This is tricky. It’s natural to put yourself in your friend’s shoes and try to tell them you know how they feel
because it seems like the comforting thing to do. But if you haven’t been in their situation, saying “I know how
you feel” can seem like you’re reducing their distress, only causing more problems. On the other hand, if you
strongly relate to their situation, your connection can help. There’s nothing better in the world than a real, au-
thentic connection, and it has unlimited power to strengthen and heal.

7
Spring Activities in New Haven
Jordin Evans

If you live in the beautiful city of New Haven, you’re eli-

gible to participate in a whole lot of activities-- especially
now that it’s spring. It’s starting to feel better outside, the
temperature is rising, which means more fun outdoor ac-
tivities. No one should ever be bored during this season.
But just in case you do happen to lose interest in figuring
out what to do, here are some cool places that are right in
New Haven. You, as well as your family and friends, can
visit these popular spots for a guaranteed enjoyable experi-
ence.

New Haven Museum: At the New Haven Museum, you

can do all kinds of interesting activities, such as viewing the (Photohercampus.com)
beautiful art exhibits that hang from the walls, participating in the variety of hands-on activities that will have
you both taking in knowledge and moving, learning about the background of New Haven and how it used to be
(in a fun way!) as well as buying souvenirs at the beautiful gift shop that will remind you of your visit.

Goodfellas Restaurant: If you’re a big fan of Italian foods, then you should continue reading. Even though this
restaurant is open all year round and seven days a week, you can always come specifically during the spring-
time and enjoy a nice Italian lunch. This 4 ½ star restaurant serves plenty of foods that mainly focus on Italian
culture, such as sausage and peppers, beef tips pizzaiola, seafood risotto, tilapia calabrese, and blackened salm-
on.

East Rock Park: The East Rock Park is probably one of the most fun things to do with friends during the
springtime. This park has many activities. For example, you can hike, rock climb, birdwatch, swim, have a pic-
nic, go boating or bicycling, etc. It’s also a family friendly location, meaning that alcoholic beverages and any
other things that may harm others are prohibited. You can get a feel of the majority of the city if you walk or
drive up to the highest point in the park. You may not want to sit on the edge, but you can to get a few pictures.
In the middle point of the park, you can stop to play football, baseball, soccer, tennis, and basketball. If you
have a younger sibling tagging along, they can play in the playground, which is also located at the midpoint of
the park.

How the Brain Processes Feelings

Jadyn Sledge

Have you ever been in a situation where someone says or does something to you that doesn’t sit with you well,
but the other person feels like what they did wasn’t wrong? It's just like pain, it’s in your head and your emo-
tions are responsible for your intensity. If you were to hit your funny bone, the pain is really in your brain.

Two populations of neurons in the brain take part in this process of developing your emotions. One population
is the Centromedial Amygdala; this creates parallel transmit that brings the information about either satisfying
or unsatisfying occurrences. Another population relies on a Nucleus Accumbens; this determines positive and
negative feelings.

This relates to a common problem many people face: depression. Depression is a feeling is a feeling of severe
despondency and dejection. These emotions come from a region of the brain called the limbic system.

8
“The Limbic System is a complex system and networks in the brain, involving several areas near the edge of
the cortex concerned with instinct and mood”, according to the Oxford English Dictionary. The Limbic Sys-
tem is right under the cerebrum. It is a major system in the brain controlling the underpinning moods that
make you think about your perception of the world. This system does not just pertain to depression, it can per-
tain to other feelings also.

Dopamine and serotonin are neurotransmitters that are used to send your brain a signal in different regions of
the brain. The brain then reads the signal and immediately reacts to the situation.

Different scientists have been doing an increased amount of research on a newer way to understand how the
brain processes feelings and different moods. They’ve found two specific parts of the brain that have shown
the most promise. These two particular parts are the autobiographical memory network and the cognitive con-
trol network.

The autobiographical memory network and cognitive control network are the parts in the brain that receive a
signals when someone is involved with thoughts of themselves. When that certain signal is turned on by the
autobiographical memory network, that then causes the cognitive control network to turn off. This reduces the
ability to finish the thought we were processing, which creates daydreaming.

When two networks of the brain don't function properly to create a feeling, mood, or thought, this can result to
a problems such as mood disorders. If you feel like you may be experiencing depression or a mood disorder,
speak to a counselor or a health professional.

Allergy Season Strikes Again

Yaira Roman

What are allergies? According to the Oxford English Dictionary, an allergy is a damaging immune response
by the body to a substance, especially pollen, fur, a particular food, or dust to which it become hypersensitive.

Do you think you have allergies? Here are some symptoms that involves one of the most common allergies--
pollen allergies. Pollen allergies include sneezing, nasal congestion, runny nose, watery eyes, itchy throat and
eyes, dark circles under your eyes, and wheezing. Pollen can also activate asthma symptoms, including an
enormous amount of coughing and a lot of wheezing. It also may include tighten your chest, give you difficul-
ty breathing, and increase coughing, which may be severe.

Some ways that you can prevent allergies from becoming worse or even starting would be taking your allergy
medication. If you do not have allergy medication, go to your doctor and ask questions about what you should
take specifically. If you know that your allergies get worse at a certain time, be prepared and start taking your
medications before that time comes so that the symptoms don't get worse and progresses to something that
shouldn't happen.

Additionally, your doctor may give you allergy shots. These shots can prevent increased symptoms by build-
ing up your body and stopping it from fighting against the pollen. Another way the doctor may help you is by
giving you tablets that dissolve under your tongue. These tablets help people who are not just allergic to pol-
len, but for those who are allergic to grass and ragweed, a plant with leaves that produce copious amounts of
pollen.

If you are one of those people who do have allergies, please do not ignore the signs and symptoms. People
may think that allergies are just a watery nose and sneezing that will be gone if you ignore them, but that is not
always the case. Allergies can be severe if untreated and not going to the doctors when needed is never a good
idea. If you need to go to the doctor, just go. Do not sit and wait for them to just go away, because they won't.
9
Getting Ready for School in the Morning
Jadyn Sledge

Getting ready for school in the morning is a huge bother to EVERYONE! It takes up a huge and unreasonable
amount of time out of our lives that we will never get back. We wake up early every single day to probably
end up being late. According to yougov.com, “2% people take less than 5 minutes [to get ready in the morn-
ing], 3% of people take over an hour. 21 % of men and 31% of women take a little over 30 minutes. “

Most people consider getting ready in the morning a chore. Some people have the backup of a family line to
make it into the bathroom. This causes a longer time to get dressed. Some women wear makeup; this can cause
a longer time also. Some people have a morning workout they like to complete for the day. Some students eat
breakfast before they leave, which would cause a longer time frame. They say the older you get, the faster it
takes to get dressed. As you get older, you find ways to avoid the unnecessary things and focus on what need
to be done for you to get to school.

Here at Career, I asked 10 students, “How long does it take you to get ready in the morning?”
6 out of 10 students replied that ”it takes a hour or more to get ready.” 3 out of 10 said it takes about half hour.
1 student said it takes about 10-15 minutes. Overall, the average answer was about an hour. The interview was
taken from 3 boys and 7 girls. Every boy answered an hour or more. I was surprised by the outcome because I
thought it always took girls longer to get dressed. However, according to yougov.com, boys/men do take long-
er than girls/ women.

The frustrating thing is that getting dressed in the morning doesn't seem it takes long, but really time is just
going by quickly. According to yougov.com, “on average a person spends 7.6 days out of the year just getting
ready for school. People who take longer than the average person may spend about 15 days out of the year get-
ting ready.”

What you have to do in the morning to be ready for school will vary. It might take longer if you have more to
do. If you’re getting dressed quickly, you probably take less time than the average person. People take a while
to wake up fully before even moving. The 5 more minutes turns into 20 and that adds time to you getting
dressed.

Teacher of the Month: Mrs. Pratt

“I like Ms. Pratt because she’s helpful and good at giving advice and she’s always there whenever I need her.”
—Taylor Knox

“She’s a mother figure and always there when I need her.”

—Aleece Myers

“You could go to Ms. Pratt for anything.” —Brittany Hernandez

“She’s considerate.” —Tanazia Glass

“She's a cool teacher and very nice and carrying with her students.”
—Beatriz Cartagena

“She's a great teacher and a role model, and a very strong woman after everything she's been through.”
—Giselle De Leon

“One of my favorite teachers. I love her like a relative.” —Marlon Myers

10
Career Spotlight: Building Bridges
Ronnie Echevarria

All over Career High School are fun clubs that inspire kids to
come back and participate and are loaded with opportunities.
How many regular courses at Career can say the same? While
every class is important, very few can say they had a profound
emotional impact on Career kids. One of these very classes is
Career High School’s Building Bridges program. Bob Osborne,
a history teacher at Career High School and the person in charge
of Career’s Building Bridges program, has a lot to say about the
unconventional yet rewarding class.

For those who’ve just heard of this class, Building Bridges is “a

mentoring program in which 11th and 12th grade students from
Career who have the interest in working with young people take
a course which involves going to John S. Martinez School every
day and working with individual students-- 1st, 2nd, and 3rd
grade usually-- for at least a term on a one-to-one basis to im-
prove the reading skills of the child they work with,” says Mr.
Osborne.

But how does Building Bridges help these young children?

“We’re filling a need,” Mr. Osborne explains, “because in clas-
ses of 25 kids, these kids can’t get one-on-one reading time.
Mr. Osborne poses next to the Building
Building Bridges provides this.” In Building Bridges, kids read
Bridges display in the library. (Photo/
books of their choice from their reading level, and then are read to.
Ronnie Echevarria)
“Kids hear the words, and also hear their own words. It builds read-
ing skills and confidence,” Osborne adds.

Building Bridges isn’t just for the students of John S. Martinez, however. This course is also meaningful and
influential for the kids at Career. “Everyone’s learning all the time. The little kids meet people from other cul-
tures, learn to trust older kids, and enjoy that complex relationship,” Mr. Osborne begins. “In the meantime,
the older Career students are learning how to teach, how to deal with young people, and they really establish a
feeling that they’re making a difference,” he asserts.

Mr. Osborne goes on to describe the relationship between the Career and Martinez students. “I would say there
is a sibling aspect to it in the terms of the testing relationship,” Mr. Osborne remarks, “but it’s free from jeal-
ousy, rivalry; it’s purer, in a way, because they don’t know each other before, but almost invariably they want
to continue to get to know each other afterwards.” He recalls the budding relationships of the student pairs in
good humor: “At the beginning, everybody’s a little nervous. They spend a lot of time trying to figure out
what’s happening, what the other person’s like. As soon as they get to know each other, they establish a strong
bond. By the end, everyone feels positive with the experience and also sad that it’s going to end.”

“I remember big, tough senior boys crying their eyes out at the end of this. This matters to them that much,”
Osborne concludes. From experience, the Building Bridges class was one of the most valuable courses I’ve
ever taken at Career High School. Building Bridges is a sentimental experience for everyone involved, and
both Mr. Osborne and myself urge you to give it a try. You never know who you’ll meet.

11
Ask the Panther
Dear Panther,

I am a freshman at Career. I am liking it okay so far, but I am struggling in a lot of subjects, particularly math.
I am in school all the time, I have only missed three days, but I am not doing well at all.

In middle school, math was easier, but now it's a lot more straining. I feel like I have to go home and study
everything we've ever learned because I barely understand it, but then I don't have time to study, and it's too
hard anyway, so what's the point.

I don't know how to fix this because at this point in the year, I'm not even sure if I can make it to next year's
math and be a sophomore. Please help.

Hopeless Freshman

Dear Freshman,

I’ve read your email and the problems you are going through, and let me tell you-- none of what you’re going
through is easy. But with the right help, I believe you can pull through-- without a doubt.

Back when I was a freshman at Career, the whole management thing for my work was hard. It wasn’t easy to
transition from 8th grade work to the new work in subjects such as mathematics. Handing in work on time,
having to constantly study the new material, all while worrying about other subjects and paying attention in
class as well-- it was a struggle. The problems I had are exactly yours and allow me to give you some tips that
worked for me to get over this obstacle.

One of the things that prevents us from doing homework or studying-- besides issues in the house or just gen-
erally outside of the school-- is procrastination. Putting things aside for entertainment or because we’re simply
too lazy falls into the definition of procrastination. It’s a hard habit to get rid of, but when you do, you become
more focused on the work that you have to do. When you stop procrastinating, you end up doing what you’re
supposed to. Math can be really hard to understand, but if you stay focused and study the concepts at home by
watching videos, you can probably learn and catch up on topics a lot better.

Khan Academy and other educational websites are not the only way. You should also stay after school-- with
your math teacher or with any math teacher-- to get extra help and to study in a supportive place. You can defi-
nitely become a sophomore next year. You just have to keep trying your hardest and weigh your decisions; get
rid of the bad habits and play things smart.

One last tip I will give you is to talk to your teachers. One of the most beneficial ways to get your grade up and
receive additional work is to COMMUNICATE. Although you might not get extra work to get your grade
higher, you’re still letting your teacher know where you struggle and how you are struggling. Facial expres-
sions show that you’re having a tough time, but this won’t help unless you communicate.

Good luck,

Panther

We know that high school can be rough. Use the anonymous form at careerpantherpress.weebly.com to ask the Panther
for advice. All questions are completely anonymous. No one, including the Panther Press staff, has access to your name.

This column is not a substitute for professional help. If you're feeling distressed, go to your guidance counselor or a
trusted adult.
12
Spotlight on New Haven: The Weekend on Web
Ronnie Echevarria

From experience, students at Career High School-- especially women

and girls-- often don’t have a place to go for support, whether it be emo-
tional, mental, or just needing someone to talk to or to relate with. Luck-
ily, the Weekend on Web is here to help. Porsha Thelusma-- a 2010 Ca-
reer graduate and the spokeswoman and advocate for the Weekend on
Web-- is a 25-year-old New Haven native who has a lot to say about the
W.o.W. and what it can do to help.

“The Weekend on Web is a safe space focusing on social justice through

mental health, wellness, and creativity,” Thelusma explained in an inter-
view. “We provide low cost services, studio rentals, classes, and events,
because everyone deserves the space!” The Weekend on Web is a place
for anyone and everyone. For kids at Career, this can allow for a new
place outside of school to build knowledge, learn about yourself and
others, and grow. “The goal of the Weekend on Web is to create a safe
space that can help aid in the fight for equality,” Thelusma begins. “It’s
a space that bridges gaps and allows room for growth on all levels for
Porsha Thelusma .(Photo/ everybody.”
weekendonweb.com )
The Weekend on Web also has a strong female core that is a definite
plus for women and girls at Career High School. “The W.o.W. affects women because most of us involved in
it are women, and that means we’re always going to be a pro women, all women kind of brand. We’re provid-
ing safe spaces for all, but being that this all started with women, we will always have that woman core!” says
Thelusma. “I think it [the W.o.W.] will continue to provide a platform for a voice and a safe space for women
to shine.” she adds. If Career needs anything, it needs an empowering, safe place for female students to feel
accepted and feel like they’re making a difference. The Weekend on Web is the group to contact when in need
of a strong, modern, and influential person to speak to.

But how can one get involved and contribute their individual skills and passions? It’s not as difficult as you
think, Thelusma expresses: “Anyone can be in the W.o.W. if you have any skills that can contribute to the
W.o.W. community or if you’d like to join one of our classes or simply hang out just call or DM us! We’re
always available to be around.”

Thelusma understands the struggles of being a Career Panther and has a point of advice for everyone reading
this article: “I will just tell all of my fellow Panthers,” she begins, “Give this thing your best shot! It’s your
one shot and you owe your older self that has to live through bills, responsibilities, and children, because that
happens!. You owe it to your older self and all the people that made a way for you, good or bad, to do right!”

“The things you worry about today are going to be nothing when you’re like me, 10 years later with loads of
responsibility. I know it’s cliché but trust me! I wish I knew then what I know now.” Thelusma adds, “Don’t
waste time, give everything 100%.”

Thelusma finalizes one point of wisdom for kids at Career: “Be mindful of the choices you make and how that
affects you in the long run and those that love, care, and want the best for you. Have healthy fun! Enjoy your
youth and the freedom to do as you please-- just be responsible with that freedom!” If you’re ever looking for
someone to talk to, someone who understands, contact Porsha Thelusma of the Weekend on Web. Get in-
volved, and make a difference. You can find Thelusma at “thewowoffice” on Instagram or
www.weekendonweb.com to find her blog, where you can message her. Don’t be afraid to reach out!
13
Finals Prep 101
Jordin Evans

As you know, final exam season is com-

ing up-- which means that it’s time to
get on your grind, and most importantly,
STUDY. A lot of students stress out dur-
ing the week of finals, mainly because
they aren't prepared mentally or physi-
cally. A good time to start studying for
finals is two to three weeks before test-
ing begins. Here’s some ways to prepare
that will actually work.

If you know you have a difficult time

studying alone, make sure you find a
study partner in advance. Partnering up
with a friend isn’t necessarily the best
thing to do. It’s distracting, and you may
Photo/niutoday.com
never be able to study because you and
your friend are to busy talking about things that are way off topic. If you think you and your friend can actual-
ly work it out and focus, then it may be the best thing to do. Some people study better when it’s with a person
that they feel comfortable with. But at the end of the day, most people believe that a tutor would help the most
out of all options. Why? Because with a tutor, students are able to be more focused and do more than just
study (for example, they might complete review sheets, short quizzes, etc.)

If you’re the type to study alone, then the best thing to do is focus on creating tools that will help you. Home-
made flashcards and study guides help you more than anything, simply because you can focus on questions
you really don’t understand. If you don’t think you put enough effort into your homemade study essentials,
then you can bring it to school and get it approved by a teacher. After that, you’re ready to study.

PSA: Do NOT study every day. According to some sources, studying every day can actually make you forget
things. If you quickly try to cram everything into your head in less than a week, you will definitely forget a lot
of things during the week of finals. A good thing to do is chop it up. For example: study two topics for 60
minutes on Monday, take a break on Tuesday, study for two more topics on Wednesday, take a break on
Thursday, and so on.

If you follow these simple steps on the road to finals, you will do amazing. You will remember more, stress
less, and most importantly, ace all of your tests!

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

journalism? Want to boost your resume?
Write for the Panther Press!
We need writers to help cover sports at Career, submit opinion articles, send in poetry and art, and anything
else you can think of.
Email careerpantherpress@gmail.com to get started.

14
How to Keep Yourself Positive
Melanie Velez

Always being negative or not staying in touch with your own emotions can cause you to fall into a state where
you feel useless. You need to keep yourself positive and active in order to not pay too much attention to
where you may be failing in life, but instead put more attention towards what you can achieve from it.

There are times where you need to have a seat and reevaluate moments in your life. “I try to do things that
will keep me occupied so I won’t think about the negative things. I also write all the negative feelings that I
have on a piece of paper, and when I’m done, I crumple it up and throw it away and try not to think about the
problem for the rest of the day,” says junior Beatriz Cartagena. Distraction can be a benefit when you don’t
want to think about what you’re going through at the moment or when you need a little break from thinking
but it can also be destructive-- if you rely on distracting yourself too much and not coming to reality, then
you’ll stay in your distraction and not overcome what’s really happening.

Talking to someone or doing things that make you happy can be a big help in trying to stay positive. Receiv-
ing positive messages from about anyone-- or even listening to inspirational music or videos-- can be helpful
to positivity. “Music is a big thing that I use to keep me positive about the day, and sometimes writing poetry
helps me put out my emotions,” junior Alexandra Rosario says. Not only trying to think of positive thoughts,
but also trying to write out your feelings can help. Letting your feelings go, regardless of what method you
use, is a good thing.

People think that sometimes their feelings are too much for other people to handle, or they could be scared of
letting other people see their vulnerability. Sharing feelings can be a big stop sign for them. “Try to talk to a
close friend who will listen,” junior Yaira Roman says. Talk to anyone who you know will be useful and be a
good listener all together-- someone is always out to listen to other people. If you are struggling to stay in a
positive mindset, and if you don’t trust anyone, then talk to a therapist. All of what you say is confidential, so
it cannot leave the room.

Whoever you hang around with, make sure they are the type of people who will make you happy all the time
because it’s very important to be able to rely on friends. “Don't go it alone! Everything is easier with friends
and family members supporting you,” science teacher Mr. McTague says.

Always try to maintain yourself at a positive level, because life is too short for all the negativity. Trust, let go,
and just be happy.

15
Dear Freshmen…
Henry Smith IV

Okay freshmen, you are almost there-- finally, the end of your freshman year-- but it isn't over yet. You still
have three more years of drama, heartbreak, learning, and (hopefully) growth. Believe it or not, the easy part is
over and the hard part is just beginning. You'll faced with career decisions, college, and big tests like the SAT.
I’m sure you have many fears, but I’m here to help you out with your worries.

The high school movies we all watch don’t always get it right, but there have been many things that are right.
Social groups are definitely a thing in high school. They might not be depicted the way the movies have it, but
it's semi-accurate. Like anywhere, Career has its jocks, nerds, deviants, “popular” kids, and many others. Fit-
ting in is hard to do in high school. We are so used to the friends that we have or had in middle school that we
don’t think we need to meet anybody new. Some people are just too afraid, and I get that-- high school can be
very undermining. But high school is pretty much middle school 2.0. Believe it or not, there are people with
the same interests as you-- but you have to get out of your comfort zone. Taking that big step will benefit you
a lot more than staying stuck in your ways. It will help you find some really good friends. I remember my
freshman year I gained a lot of new friends, so much so that my inner circle grew to twice the number of peo-
ple I came in with. By my sophomore year, I had a table and a half full of friends.

You also find your fake friends too, the people who will pave the way for how you evaluate your friends for
the rest of your life. My advice on this is try to involve yourself in different groups-- you’d be surprised who
you might actually connect with.

Though not the most important from an adult standpoint, love is definitely something to worry about from as a
teen. Heartbreak can be a fear in high school. There are too many hopeless romantics, too many breakups, too
much immaturity. Come on now, it's high school, of course we’re going to get into relationships. But a lot of
relationships started in high school usually end and don’t last long. It’s honestly scary, especially with this
generation, where relationships are not always our strong suit. Most of time, when young people get into a re-
lationship, they’re usually looked at as not knowing what they’re doing. We don’t possess the same judgement
or wit as adults to know if a person is really right for us, but that’s what makes the mystery of high school re-
lationships more enticing. But the biggest fear is heartbreak-- it's the worst feeling ever! But break-ups are
beneficial. They teach you the do's and don'ts of relationships; this is what defines your criteria in what you
look for in a person, and it will eventually help you meet that special person. My advice on this-- have rela-
tionships if you feel ready! You’ll learn a lot, be more independent, and definitely more confident.

Drama is definitely something you’ll face for the rest of your high school experience. There’s always someone
that knows something about you. I don't have to preach to you because I'm pretty sure you’ve seen it middle
school. The only thing is with high school is the when rumors or secrets start to fly, they spread like wildfire.
You can tell two people and at least 30 will know by tomorrow. You have to be careful with the information
you proceed to pass on; not everyone is as trustworthy as they seem, and unfortunately you’re going to meet
people exactly like that. Rumors start and trust me, you will feel foolish if you pass them on. Take it as a les-
son to be more cautious with what you tell people. Also, if you’re the one spreading the rumor, karma will
come back to bite you. If you have a really good best friend who you tell your secrets to, keep it between you
guys-- sometimes three’s a crowd.

Adjusting from middle school to high school is huge. Sometimes you’re not prepared for it. When it comes to
academics, there’s a big difference. Block scheduling is one of those adjustments and can get pretty intimidat-
ing, regardless of your grade. Get to school a little early on your first few days to be sure you can find all your
classes-- corresponding room numbers like 207-209 aren’t necessarily next door to each other. .It isn't just the
classroom numbers; high school academics have similar aspects to middle school academics, but they’re also a
lot harder. Some teachers in high school teach like college professor, while some teach like middle school
teachers. 16
Regardless of how they teach, you should be on point and ready. Expect packets of work, projects,and reading
assignments. My advice on this is to stay focused in school and try to get the homework done as a first priority.
Staying after with teachers will help.

Good luck in your first year of high school!

Senior Year: What Should I Know?

Tajah Menafee

Finally, Senior year is here and you feel so excited because it's your last year. But, before you can get too ex-
cited for graduation, there’s still a long list of things to do.

1) Making your college list should be your number one priority because you have to know where you want to
go and at least be thinking about what you want to major in. You should have at least 8-10 colleges on your list
-- you can narrow it down later-- and start applying for as many scholarships as you can.

2) Be prepared to take on the responsibility to do everything by yourself. The school counselors will provide a
checklist for you to follow throughout the year.

3) Make sure you know who you want to write your recommendation letters ahead of time-- ASK THEM
EARLY-- and make sure you complete all the To-Do Tasks in Naviance.

4) Community Service should be done way before senior year, because it's crunch time if you haven't done so
already.
 New Haven Promise = 40 hrs
 In order to graduate = 20hr
 To keep track of your community service you will have to record it in https://servo.city.

5) Get involved with your class government-- even if you aren’t on student government. Go to meetings with
your class president to help plan things out with them before the school year is over, check in with them often,
and make sure you guys are organized.

6)Always be on time to school so you will not have to serve long hours of detention.

7) Senioritis will try to get the best of you, but try to work through it. It’ll hit you more than once.

8) Capstone! So Capstone is a project you’ll work on-- usually in a class you will take either first or second
semester. Though it is a project to reflect what you’ve learned throughout your 4 years of high school, you can
do any topic. For example, I did my capstone on self confidence and how it affects the different genders, age
groups, etc., in different ways. For Capstone you’ll do a lot of research about your topic. To share your topic
with the community, you might choose to host an event such as a discussion, show, or game, or you might
want to have volunteers come in to talk to a class. Capstone is not as bad as you think it’s going to be, but you
need to put in a lot of research and thought into it.

9) MAKE SURE YOU FILL OUT THE FAFSA FORM AS SOON AS IT COMES OUT. MAKE SURE YOU
FILL OUT THE FAFSA FORM AS SOON AS IT COMES OUT. It’s very important for you to get as much
money as possible.

10) Last but not least, enjoy your senior year. Manage your stress, because stressing yourself out isn’t going to
make anything better. Don’t worry too much, because you’re going to do just fine!!!

17
 What Are My Core Classes?
A Simple Guide for All Rising Freshmen

Note: You need 29 credits in total to graduate; 1 credit comes from Advisory, which is .25 credit per year.

*This is a sample schedule of core classes only.

I’m on the Health Track.

You are required to take 6 science credits (this includes your 3 core science classes), 2 years of a world lan-
guage (but 3 years are strongly suggested for college applications), 2 years of Latin, and 2 credits for electives.
All students are required to take Computer Applications and Personal Finance, as well 2 credits of P.E/Health
and one year of fine arts.

I’m on the Business Track.

You are required to take 4 business credits (not including the required Computer Applications and Personal
Finance classes), two years of a foreign language (but 3 years are strongly suggested for college applications),
one year of Latin, and 2 credits for electives. All students will need to take 2 credits of P.E/Health and one
year of fine arts.

Good luck!

—Sidem Yilmaz

18
Why So Many Credits?
Alexandra Rodriguez

For students who have transferred to Career from, for example, Hillhouse, they will immediately notice that
Career requires more credits to graduate. Why is it that schools like Career and Co-Op have more credit re-
quirements needed to graduate? Comparing Career High School and Co-Op to other New Haven schools
shows that the students who are attending these schools might need to put more effort into their academics
than students in other schools with fewer credit requirements.

Other high schools-- for example, Wilbur Cross and James Hillhouse-- have requirements that specify fewer
credits for their students. According to their respective student handbooks, Cross has an amount of 25 credits
required in order for their students to graduate while James Hillhouse requires 26 credits. Co-Op and Career
High School, however, have a total amount of 29 credits in order for students to graduate. Why is it that Career
and Co-Op have so many requirements, despite also being New Haven public schools? Is it because Career
and CO-OP are magnet schools with themes?

School counselor Ms. Chanel Rice explained the differences between the requirements that schools like Career
and Co-Op hold. “Every school in New Haven has different graduation requirements. Hillhouse and Cross are
traditional comprehensive high schools, so they do not have specified subject requirements such as a magnet
schools like Career, Co-Op or New Haven Academy. Due to our health or business concentrations, it is re-
quired to take a specified number of courses in those subjects in addition to the state graduation requirements.”
Rice also went on to explain why our school in particular requires many credits. “The school has particular
identified requirements as a result of being a magnet school with different graduation requirements.”

Overall, having a perspective as a high school student, sometimes these requirements are hard to accomplish. I
sometimes feel as though if I don't have perfect grades, it'll be impossible in the future to bring myself back
up. Rice says, “I think that although it is sometimes overwhelming for students to have such [specific] gradua-
tion requirements, I think that it helps students to learn accountability and responsibility.”

Even though at times it is difficult, Rice always helps students achieve to reach where they want to be. Rice
also says that the requirements Career requires are “realistic and achievable.” Knowing that students can get
up to 8 credits per year, plus one additional credit for advisory, there should be no problem achieving your fu-
ture goals if you work hard. She acknowledges that the requirements can be challenging, but says, “I think that
although it is sometimes overwhelming for students to have such specific graduation requirements, I think that
it helps students to learn accountability and responsibility.” Additionally, says Rice, since students take 8 clas-
ses per year, students should actually be earning more than 29 credits by the end of their high school career. “If
a student obtains all of their credits, they will end up with 33 credits total. Therefore, it will allow for students
who may not earn all of their credits to still remain on track for graduation-- in other words, catch up on any
failed credits to still graduate in four years/on time,” says Rice.

Rice also states how these high expectations teach students to be more accountable for their actions and to pre-
pare them of the reality of college. “I think that it is also a positive proactive experience to prepare for college,
which typically requires 120 credits in four years/8 semesters,” says Rice. “So while it may be frustrating and
slightly scary initially to have restrictive requirements, I strongly feel like it is attainable if students stay on top
of their schoolwork and work to the best of their ability.”

19
Career Profile: Nikia Bigard, Freshman On-
Track Coordinator
Yaira Roman

So Career has a freshman “On-Track Coordinator?” What does this mean for our freshmen? Nikia Bigard
takes on this role to help out the freshmen and freshmores with their grades, keeping them on track so that they
won't fall from success and go the opposite direction. “The program is designed to give additional support to a
caseload, and I think I have 49 students right now,” says Bigard. Currently, Bigard has mostly freshmen, but
also some freshmores.

Bigard has a wide array of students in her program. “I do have students who are ranging in grades from
straight A’s from some who do have more F’s than we'd like,” says Bigard. It doesn't matter if you have low
grades or high grades, students who are freshmen and freshmores have a chance to get help from this program.
“I am here to provide support and get them to put together a plan, and just keep them on track or get them on
track with their grades and their attendance.”

The way that Bigard helps with one of her students is by meeting with them one at a time. She has a sheet that
she calls “The Three P’s.” Each category stands for a different area of focus for each student. “First,” says
Bigard, “it stands for progress, so it's whatever progress you have made in the last week or two. The second
part of it is priorities-- what two or three classes you know we need to focus on based on your grades. So if a
student is failing English or has a D in science than we would usually focus on those classes. The last part,
which is planning, is where I ask them, what do you think you need to do to get those grades up? Whether it's
studying or turning in more homework, or ask for makeup work if the teacher allows it, planning is for those
little things like that.”

Bigard will also ask questions to see why students might be getting bad grades in a particular class, whether
it's an out-of-school issue at home or anything that may cause you to fall into a certain pattern. “I try to get in-
to you know figure out whether there's things going on at home or outside of school that's affecting [a student],
and sometimes it can get a little harder to crack that egg, says Bigard. She will also encourage the student to
stay after school for tutoring with teachers for subjects that they obviously need help on.

Some advice that Bigard has for all students is to figure out why you are not on the right path and try to figure
out to do to fix it. “Find out the reason why you’re off track and struggling, and fix that issue. Focus more in
on that issue. If it's organization, try to figure out ways that you can organize better. If it's just not going to that
class, then obviously the answer would be you would have to motivate yourself to go to that class.”

Bigard’s job is challenging, but yes, she loves her job. “I love it, I love it. Anything that I can do to help the
student. I came here to the district rather just in hopes to help kids be a little more prepared for college.”

One of Bigard’s favorite quotes is that “education is the most powerful weapon in which you can use to
change the world,” by Nelson Mandela. Bigard knows that learning is powerful, and with help, all students can
succeed.

Are You
On Track?

20
Bullying Must End
Sidem Yilmaz

Bullying comes in all sorts of shapes and sizes.

It can be verbal, physical, or even nonverbal--
like the faces you may make or the things you
may write about someone online. We are so
quick to judge others before ourselves, which
makes it impossible to be a better person. So
how can everyone keep their head up high
when bullying and insecurity are everywhere?
In my 3 years of being at Career High School,
I have met those who complain about bullying
and yet do it to others. Bullying may some-
times result in people wanting to do it to others
because they are themselves going through it.

Maybe you don't want to look like a fool, but

as bystanders we also have a voice. We can
prevent bullying through our choices. I can say
I think it's wrong, but my opinion doesn't make
any change until I stand up for it. I have a
friend who has been bullied and fell into de-
pression due to the ignorance of others simply
standing by.

One anonymous student from Career states that her experience brought about an overwhelming feeling that
always lingered in her mind, developed from low self-esteem due to bullying. For her, it all began with nega-
tive things people said about her. She began to feel depressed and have low self esteem. “My coping mecha-
nism was to draw, listen to music and avoid writing it out, it's a bad idea because it makes you think about it
more that you should. 80% of the time people who have been bullied, who are jealous or who have low self-
esteem themselves, are the bullies.” Her advice? “Look at the people that surround you, look at the people that
care about you and want you to be better.”

You may not know the true effects of bullying, which is why you do not worry about it-- however, it can be
the at the cost of someones life. Would you have ever thought that what you said would make him do such
things? Would you have ever known that she would kill herself because of how you treated her? We are all
human, and no matter how much you say you don't care about what people say or think, we all really do deep
inside. We are bullies to each other, and one thing I’ve learned growing up is that we bully to make ourselves
feel better.

If you need help with bullying-- whether someone is bullying you or you want to stop your own bullying be-
havior-- reach out to your counselor, social worker, or clinician.

21
 Entertainment
Review: Infinity War
Jordan Nieves

Finally, the movie people have been waiting for for a decade for has finally arrived-- and boy, did it deliver.
Avengers: Infinity War finally hit theaters on April 27th, 2018 and wow-- was this movie just absolutely amaz-
ing. It hits all the right spots that a superhero team-up should hit.

The movie is the accumulation of 18 other Marvel movies throughout the last 10 years, from Iron Man to
Black Panther, with every movie revealing a small detail of what’s to come in Infinity War. Infinity War fea-
tures over 25 heroes we've seen in the last decade finally take on the mad titan Thanos in a serious and emo-
tional battle to save the universe.

In this movie, not only do we see the team-ups we dreamed of --like the Guardians and the Avengers-- but we
also see interactions like Tony Stark and the Star-Lord or Spiderman and Doctor Strange. This movie was
made to have these moments and it's what makes the movie feel so real because of the interactions and emo-
tions it conveys. Speaking of emotion, this movie gives so much emotion that it doesn’t even feel like a Marvel
movie. It leaves you trying to figure what's next for all the characters after what happens.

SPOILERS!!! DON'T READ ON WITHOUT RISK.

Infinity War breaks all the limits that no other movie would by doing the unbelievable and killing off not just
important characters, but then letting the villain have a victory for the first time in a superhero film. Thanos is
like no other villain in that he is more like the hero if you think about it. He doesn’t want to just kill these he-
roes because he wants to take over the world; he wants to kill half of the universe because he believes that a
world with half its population will free itself from chaos and war.

Infinity War is really different to Captain America: The First Avenger or Iron Man; it touches a deeper story
while still being funny like every other movie. I would say this movie is not only for the die-hard fans of Mar-
vel, but also can entertain people who have been watching since Iron Man or since Civil War. To enjoy this
movie, all you need to have a knowledge of who everybody is and how much it means for them to finally be
on the big screen together.

Gaming Trends: PUBG and Fortnite

Carlos Tafoya

Player Unknown Battlegrounds (also known as PUBG) is a popular game out now and is played on PC, Xbox,
and mobile. This is a type of game genre called battle royale, which is a very popular type of game out right
now. Battle royale-style games are when usually 100 players or more drop onto a map and have to collect
weapons and healables to survive. As the game goes along, the playable area gets smaller to force players to
move around and be the last one standing. If playing with friends, then last squad alive wins the game.

Many game companies are trying to create a somewhat similar game to PUBG or its competition Fortnite.
Right now, Fortnite has the most fans, becoming the more popular of the two games with celebrities like
Drake, Juju Smith Schuster, and Travis Scott also playing the game. Recently, one of the best Fortnite players
in the world made the game even more popular by streaming a game live to over 600,000 people. The game is
played on a variety of consoles, which is one of the reasons why so many people play it.
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There are many differences between PUBG and Fortnite. Even though they share the same game concept,
Fortnite is the more “cartoonish,” and people who don't like the game bash on it for that reason. PUBG, in
contrast, has more of a realistic style. It also has vehicles to get around since the map is much bigger; Fortnite
has not done this. The thing that makes Fortnite iconic is the building you have to do to survive in the game.
This takes skill to do because in Fortnite, the gameplay is a lot faster, with people running around and jumping
all the time. However, this is still not enough to avoid shots, so players need to build walls.

Fortnite also has buyable character dances in the game, along with other stuff to buy. For example, players can
also buy a battle pass. This is something you buy and get more items as you level up; you get more out of the
game to show off to friends or other players. PUBG also has buyable skins.

Both PUBG and Fortnite are free to play, making money through their in-game purchases. What many people
do not know, though, is that Fortnite has another gamemode that costs money-- as a result, the majority of peo-
ple play Fortnite in the battle royale game mode.

Album Review: KOD

Shaun Sloley

The album KOD was released by J. Cole on April 20, 2018. The al-
bum concept was supposed to show how bad habits can ultimately
harm our mental state in life, and how it negatively can affect those
around us. J. Cole intended the album to have multiple meanings and
left it up to interpretation for listeners to be able decide what each
song-- and what the title’s initialism KOD-- means. He suggests dif-
ferent meanings for the album’s title such as Kids On Drugs, King
Overdose, and Kill Our Demons.

The album tackles multiple subjects about addiction-- the different

situations and hardships that can cause addiction, and also what some
solutions and alternatives are that we can work on to help cure addic-
tion. By giving his own story throughout the album, Cole allows for the listener to relate to his own struggles
and the struggles of the people in his life. He talks about different types of addictions, mental disorders, and
other subjects that can be harmful to us, such as addiction to social media in the song Photograph. He discusses
addiction to drugs in multiple songs, love for money in ATM, anxiety and depression in FRIENDS, and the
lifestyles of mainstream rappers today in the song 1985 - intro to his next album, “The Fall Off.”

In the album, J. Cole uses many metaphors to compare how all of these addictions can affect people in the
same way. In other words, all of these things that we go to for comfort are just escape mechanisms that are
harmful in the long run. Examples of this are found in ATM, where Cole talks about how we do anything to
get money and place value on materialistic things so much that we don’t focus on the things that are actually
important to us like friends, family, and personal relationships. He says that “you can’t take money with you
when you die, but you can’t live without it,” showing that we chase money for our whole life and sometimes
forget about what’s actually important. Another example is in the song FRIENDS. Cole talks about how peo-
ple just use pharmaceutical and illegal drugs to try to hide from trauma instead of going to therapy or finding
other real solutions. He offers a solution in the song by stating, “I understand this message is not the coolest to
say, but if you down to try it I know of a better way, meditate, don’t medicate.”

Overall, J. Cole uses this album to speak to the younger generation, giving advice based on his own struggles
with different types of escape mechanisms using his own experiences. He gives them a message to “choose
wisely” or make better choices in life instead of going to other things that can affect you and those around you.
He also gives a message to other influencers to be careful what they rap about-- because their messages also
have a big influence on the younger generation. 23
Recap: Celtics v Cavs
Carlos Tafoya

The Celtics took the first win in game one of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cavaliers on May 13.
This was an important game for the Celtics, who are underrated to win, because it showed what damage they
can do even without Kyrie Irving or Gordon Hayward. The Celtics scored 108 points and the Cavaliers only
scored 83 points. This score was close to the Cavaliers’ season low, which was 79 against the Miami Heat.

The Cavaliers now know that they’ll have to put up a fight to defeat the Celtics and that they aren't just some
opponent they will breeze by. During the game, it seemed as if LeBron was struggling to score along with his
teammates. They became frustrated, which played a factor in why they lost; because they did not enough con-
centration, they made bad plays. The Cavs defense was not the greatest either; the Celtics would just blow past
them and make easy layups or a quick two-pointer. Because of the bad defense, the Celtics made 36 points in
the 1st quarter alone. For the first ten minutes, the Cavs only had 9 points, while the Celtics kept scoring.

If the Cavaliers expect to beat the Celtics, they need to really give it their all. The Celtics are determined, and it
looks like they could make it out of the East as of now. LeBron seemed as if he was not himself, only scoring 15
points and missing most of his shots. Leading scorer Kevin Love only made 17 points. On the Celtics side,
Jaylen Brown scored the most with 23 points, but Marcus Morris and Al Horford both made above 20 points.
Jason Tatum also made some good plays, making 16 points and 3 assists.

LeBron's legacy is on the line, and if he keeps playing like this, then people will remember a time when he did-
n’t dominate the court and make nice plays. This year, the Celtics have a pretty good chance at winning a cham-
pionship if they keep it up with the good offense and defense that they showed during the game. Home court
advantage also helped the Celtics; with the fans cheering for every point, the players were determined to win.

UFC 225: Fights To Watch

Solomon Bailey

The arguably most important fight on the card is the second match up: Robert Whittaker vs. Yoel Romero in the
Middleweight Division on June 9th, due to it being the only title fight on the card. The last time these men bat-
tled, Robert Whittaker won a dominant victory with a badly damaged leg. It was a close contest with both men
showcasing heart, technical striking, and defensive wrestling vs explosive power and takedown skills. Since
Robert Whittaker took the victory last time, I would give him the edge in this fight, even though Yoel looked
very good against Luke Rockhold, knocking him out cold. This is going to be a banger.

Next up on the card is Rafael Dos Anjos vs Colby Covington in the Welterweight Division. This is a very inter-
esting match due to the huge amount of trash that Colby Covington has talked. The disrespectful comments to
Brazil and to many of R.D.A’s countrymen may lead to R.D.A fighting with more aggression in this bout. Or,
possibly, a calm R.D.A will show up to defend his country’s honor. RDA is a great striker and a powerful grap-
pler, and Colby Covington is a top-notch wrestler with ok boxing. Colby will probably be looking for the
takedown from early, and RDA will try to keep it standing to use his superior striking

An enticing match-up is C.M. Punk vs Mike Jackson in the Welterweight Division. C.M. Punk, former W.W.E
Superstar, has previously been in the octagon and has been finished very early in the first round by a rear naked
choke from Mickey Gall, just like Mike Jackson. Now, both victims to Gall’s choking ability will face off. Let’s
see how these two go at it.

My personal favorite bout on the card is Clay Guida vs Bobby Green. The reasons for this? Everybody who has
seen a Clay Guida fight knows that he goes for the knockouts. Another reason is that Bobby’s striking is high
level. The combination of aggressive, good strikers is a recipe for a great exciting fight. Action is sure to follow.
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