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

jysoclions@gmail.com

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.