Urban Teens Voices

What kind of system takes millions of Black youth and consigns them to segregated run-down neighborhoods and prison-like schools? Offers them lower paying, demeaning jobs—if at all—when they seek employment? Treats their style of dress or way they talk as evidence of criminal behavior? Makes “behind bars” more familiar than “campus classroom”?  Destroys all hopes and dreams, and leaves only desperation? The statistics are staggering: Only 7 percent of black eighth graders perform at grade level in math, there is a 33-percent chance that a black boy born in 2001 will go to prison and 60 percent of black, male, high-school dropouts have spent time in prison.It’s up to us to prepare ourselves through education and adjusting our priorities, training young leaders and activists on how to impact public policy and hold elected officials accountable.�

Fast food and high fructose has become a big issue in the U.S.  Fructose is commonly used in place of sugar.  It is cheap to produce, sweet, easy to store and mixes well in many foods.  Many fast food resturants such as mcdonalds, burger king, taco bell and much more, use high fructose in their food.  This is where the problem begins.  High fructose is very unhealthy for your body.  Approximately 41.5 pounds of high fructose is consumed by Americans per year.  This can cause a lot of harm to the body.  Many people are diagnosed with diabetes or become obese because of the high fructose in their diets.  High fructose puts many people, especially young people, in  life threatening situations.  To stay on the safe side, limiting the amount of sugar and soda intake and eating healthier can be a very effective way to avoid being in a situation where your life is on the line.¼/p>

Swoosh is the symbol of the athletic shoe and clothing manufacturer Nike.The Nike “Swoosh” is a design created in 1971 by Carolyn Davidson, a graphic design student at Portland state university. She met Phil Knight while he was teaching accounting classes and she started doing some freelance work for his company, Blue Ribbon Sports (BRS).BRS needed a new brand for a new line of athletic footwear it was preparing to introduce in 1972. Knight approached Davidson for design ideas, and she agreed to provide them, charging a rate of $2 per hour.In June 1971, Davidson presented a number of design options to Knight and other BRS executives, and they ultimately selected the mark now known globally as the Swoosh. Davidson submitted a bill for $35 for her work.In June 1972, the first running shoes bearing the Swoosh were introduced at the U.S. Nike continues to use the brand today.

Teenagers get involved in relationships. Most of the time, these relationships don’t last very long because it’s hard for many teens to be faithful to one another. Although, you can’t be to serious in a relationship, especially if you’re in your early teenage years. As a young teen, you should be able to be free and experience other relationships. It’s to early in your life to start settling down. In some cases, teens stay with their boyfriends or girlfriends because they feel that they are in love. Many teenagers have no idea what love really is. If that person really loves you, they wouldn’t rush you into doing things you don’t want to do. They should also be with you because they have feelings for you not just for sex or your money. In my opinion, if you are with someone that loves you and that you love too, there shouldn’t be a problem with staying with each other and being in a serious relationship. Love shouldn’t have a limit, it just has to be true and worth your time.

There are campers from the Beacon summer program gettin’ lite and having fun in and out of the halls of I.S 8. They have different activities such as arts and crafts to keep them occupied. One of their many actions includes themes for camp. The campers and counselors chose the theme 70’s and 80’s. They find 2008 to be too violent with all the shootings and killings going on in their areas. Most counselors said that all the kids think about these days are rapping, cursing and other types of profanity. Life is not only about that and that is why the theme was 70-80’s to get the kids out of their usual surroundings and give them a taste of history. Just imagine our world without wars, murders, and sadness. Now thats a world we would like our children’s children to grow up into.

The parents of these amazing young kids wanted their sons and daughters to be taken out of their elements. They thought that all this violence is effecting their children by teaching them that there are other things to life than the rap world which was their main goal. They sent the campers to have fun and to also learn that life doesn’t revolve around hip-hop music and rap. I was mainly inspired by the way the children would come up to reporters just to tell us what they learned in the educational room.

Quotes:

” Live long and prosper.” Patrick

“Follow your dreams and never give up!” Shenel

Teenagers put themselves in different groups, also known as cliques. A clique is a group of people who, most of the time, share similar interests. Sometimes similarity isn’t the case. People may join cliques just to be popular or to be accepted. They might start acting differently than they did before because they want to fit in and don’t want to be one of the people who are left out and teased. Cliques make the members in it feel wanted and could boost their self esteem. There are different types of cliques in high school. There are the popular clique, which are mainly people who are in a sport or who have money. There are stoner’s who are people who do drugs and wear baggy clothes. There are also people called drifters, who get along with just about everyone and are pretty much normal. Then you have the geeks and nerds, the people who don’t look so hot most of the time and that do really well in school. Most of the time these are the people who get picked on and teased because people like to hate on others who are smarter than themselves. The reason why teens separate themselves in different cliques is obviously clear. Everyone wants to fit in and we all feel comfortable with people who are like us.

In this generation, it’s all about the new materialistic things. Teens want all the new and hot technology, like i-pods, i-phones and sidekicks. Having these things may be the style for teens, but they are also very expensive. Teens spend all their money trying to fit into today’s pricey society. The real question is why do teens spend their money on one thing they like, when another new product will come out that they are going to want. Although the answer to this isn’t quite clear, i think it’s just because teens let their wants get in the way of their needs.

Tattoos and piercings are a way that people can express themselves. They are also stylish and cool. Piercings and tattoos are body decorations or art that go back to ancient times. Piercings involve making a hole in the skin in order to insert jewelry. Piercings are often on earlobes but may also be on other various parts of the body. Tattoos are designs on the skin that are made using needles and colored ink. Although tattoos and piercings are nice they may also be dangerous. Many risks come with getting a piercing or tattoo. They may cause skin infections, allergic reactions and in some cases diseases such as hepatitis. Many teens think it’s cool to get tattoos and body piercings. Personally, i love piercings. I’m not so hot about tattoos, but i really love body piercings. Piercings are my way of showing my style and what i like. I think piercings are the most beautiful body art in the world. Most people may not feel the same way, but everyone is different.�

There is a constant battle between teens and adults working in the schools they go to. The teachers and principals try to take away teenagers cell phones. That does not stop teens from cursing out teachers, principals, and any other adult figure working in a high school. We as teens think that it is not right for our cell phones to be taken away at school, let alone at home. Taking away our cell phone is almost like taking away our freedom.

The war between adults and teens has become a serious issue. Adults tell us how we shouldn’t have cell phones in school because we are “text messaging” and “calling” each other during “precious” class time. But the real thing is that they don’t know that teens don’t do that stuff during class. We would wait until lunch time, after school, and sometimes in between classroom changes. Some do have their phones taken away because they are doing something they aren’t supposed to be doing but hey, it’s their fault isn’t it?

Why should other teens have to suffer for what some of them are silly enough to do? If they get in trouble bring only them down is probably what you suggest. Well too bad… adults don’t care if one goes down they all have to. It sucks, I know. I myself have had a thing or two to say to my teachers but we have to learn to respect adults while still demanding for the things we want and need. The arguments have to stop, especially the cursing. This is not going to help us with our situation.

FIZZ OF ENERGY

ENERGY DRINKS SUCH AS RED BULL, BAWLS ENERGY, AND WHO’S YOUR DADDY ARE RECEIVING TOP NOTCH HONORS FOR ITS TASTE AND ITS KICK! WITH ACID-FRUIT LIKE TASTE THEY ALL PROMISE TO BOOST YOUR ENERGY AND FOCUS. WITH EITHER A PERSUASIVE POSTER OR A COMMERCIAL WITH PROPAGANDA. THEY MANAGE TO ACQUIRE MONEY FOR THE PEOPLE’S ACQUIRING TASTE. IF THEY NEEDED A NAME TO ATTACT TEENS WHAT WOULD YOU NAME IT?