Category Archives: Academics

Coping with stress

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By Victoria Orellana

In this day and age, a lot of teens deal with and experience stress. Stress is all around us and we all deal with it in different ways. According to the website Cross River Therapy, at least 45% of students in high school admit to being stressed almost every day in school.

It’s important to pace yourself and understand that you as an individual need time for yourself. You can’t always avoid stress. It’s something most of us deal with, but there are ways to manage it.

The website Teens Health lists a bunch of ways to deal with stress. Here are a couple of them:

One strategy is to plan your day using a calendar or planning app to keep track of your daily schedule. Put in all the things you need and make sure to plan time for things you enjoy doing. Planning your day and sticking to the schedule lowers stress.

Another thing you can do to reduce stress is ask for help when you need it. School work grades and tests cause a lot of stress and it’s not always easy to deal with. Ask teachers, tutors, parents or any trusted adult for help with anything. Don’t be afraid to ask for help; When things go south, you’re going to wish you did.

These strategies might not eliminate all your problems, but give them a try–they might help you manage your stress so you can get through high school without feeling weighed down.

Back to School Night: The start of a new year 

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By Thayer Oosterman

Photo by Patterson Press

Paterson High School held its annual Back to School Night on Wednesday, September 20th from 5:00 until 7:00 PM. 

There were many organizations present including Thread, The Y, the U.S Army Recruit and Command, Home Away from Home, Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service, the Mayor’s Office of Employment Development, Coppin State University, and the Baltimore Medical System.  

Patterson has many opportunities for all students, whether they are doing well or struggling academically. One group that helps students who are having a hard time in school is Thread.

 “We are Thread, a relationship building organization, and we enroll students in their 9th grade year based on grades.”, explained a representative from Thread who was at Back to School Night. “We pull the bottom 25% academically and they work with us in their first year and they get matched with a volunteer and we just basically are here to build a stronger community across the city of Baltimore.”

There were also faith-based organizations providing services to the people of Baltimore City.

“We provide services for new immigrants that are taking asylum, refugees, and others.”, explained the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service representative.

Members of the U.S. Army were also present at the Back to School Night.

“We’re just here to promote the Army, talk to the kids about the benefits, if they have any questions”, said a representative of the U.S. Army Recruit and Command.

At Back to School Night, the Patterson High School Marching Band played music. Students and their families had delicious food served after the band performance. In the end, many parents and family members knew more about what was going on in the classrooms and they met their young scholars’ teachers. 

The event was a success and parents and students alike knew more about how to succeed in the coming school year.

(Photos by Patterson Press)

Student Government Association gives students a voice

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By Jayzanay Blessett

SGA members have a discussion at a citywide meeting (Photo: Mr. Frederick)

Student Government Association (SGA) helps students speak up on issues that go on in their schools. They also help plan events and make decisions regarding how the money is spent on the events. Currently, Patterson only has a few students who are interested in participating. I would highly encourage students to join or even check out some of the meetings because if you aren’t satisfied with some of the things that are going on, you can promote change and possibly even fix the issue.“SGA (Student Government Association) offers a forum for students to have a voice in their school and to also offer a as vehicle how they can voice their concerns to the school administration and look for ways to change the school to make it better for everybody–Students and staff–so that everybody can have an enjoyable time while they are in high school.”, explains Mr. Frederick, Patterson’s SGA faculty advisor.The elected positions in SGA are President, Vice President, Secretary, and Treasurer. The president oversees the whole association and focuses on their primary responsibilities. The treasurer focuses on how money is spent on events and the budget we have. The secretary records documents of the SGA and helps with planning and meetings. Lastly, the vice president works with the president, helping with primary issues and solutions. We are currently collaborating with another student group called Catalyst for Change during advisory since we have a small group.

I would also like to mention that students are eligible to run for a city-wide position for the Associated Student Congress of Baltimore City (ASCBC). ASCBC is a city-wide SGA that focuses on bigger issues that impact every student in Baltimore City Public Schools. On October 3rd, Patterson SGA members attended the ASCBC General Assembly, which focused on things that could make our experience as BCPSS students better. We talked about how we could improve high school choice, school lunches, how we could add more robust class courses in our schools, and more.

I am currently running for the Diversity Committee Chair, which targets issues that minority and LGBTQ+ identifying students face in BCPSS. My goal is to ensure equity in every city school and get rid of the stereotypes Patterson and many other city schools have, while also implementing policies to make sure our schools are as inclusive as possible. As a participant, I’d highly encourage students to take this opportunity because it will help you grow as an individual, build your communication skills, give you a sense of accomplishment, and will help you make a change for you and students. If you feel as though you have no voice to speak on issues at Patterson High, think again and join our SGA!

Drama Club performs unique adaptation of Snow White

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By Deontay Blackwell

The Patterson High School Drama Club, led by Mrs. Ritter, portrayed the story of Snow White on its opening night on April 27 at 7 PM. Mrs. Ritter, the cast, and the stage crew all worked hard over the 3 months of rehearsing. In between times of rehearsing the people behind making props were people from different classes of the art teachers and outside help. Beforehand Patterson had no costume for the play and Mrs. Ritter had to make and buy costumes but with the school help and money coming out of her own pocket to make this incredible play happen. Overall, the people behind the play were mostly Freshmen and Sophomores along with some Juniors and Seniors. For many, it may have been their first time performing in or assisting with a play.

The main character in the play, Snow White, was played by Jazzy Blessett–a sophomore. This play featured a different portrayal of the story of Snow White than the Disney version most people are more familiar with, with comedic aspects ranging from sarcastic new lines to recreating a popular dance from the platform TikTok. With a different portrayal of the story, there comes a new perspective focusing on the Evil Queen from the story with the leading actor Jenny Beanszsz  giving an outstanding performance of this version of the character. A new character not seen in the original was the dancing chicken, a best friend of Snow White played by Salome Birindwa with the stunning costume and eventfully doing a popular dance on Tik Tok, usually to the music “Her Way” with Snow White. The play itself came in two acts with an intermission for selling snacks and drinks with the money from that and the ticket sales to put into future projects next year. 

All of this could not have been possible without the director Mrs. Ritter and Ms. Weygant as co-director both working hard on ensuring that the acting and the technical aspects of the play all went smoothly for the second ever play in the new building. There was an encore performance of the play the following night, which was also a big success. A special thanks to the crew members who were working backstage and the people in the sound booth keeping the lights on this play.

Shout out to the cast:

  • Salome Birindwa (ACTRESS 2/DANCING CHICKEN)
  • Jayzanay Blessett (SNOW WHITE)
  • Jenny Beanszsz (ACTRESS1/WITCH/QUEEN/OLD WOMAN/DOOFY)
  • Re’Mya Spence (ACTOR 1, TREE #1/KING/TEACH)
  • Joy Conde (NARRATOR 1/QUEENS GUARD/TIMID)
  • Maiyia Oliver (ACTOR 2, MIRROR, GROUCHY)
  • Joann Conde (NARRATOR 3/TREE 2/QUEENS GUARD/SNOOZY)
  • Myaira Jones (TREE 3/ GLEEFUL/ HANDSOME/ PRINCE)
  • Nalia Jenkins (GESUNDHEIT)

And the crew:

  • Araya Brinkley (RUNCREW)
  • Kayla Cain (STAGE MANAGER/LIGHT BOARD OPERATOR)
  • Estrella Cardenas (RUNCREW/PROPMASTER)
  • Kaleif Mumford (RUNCREW/PROPMASTER)
  • Kendall Shaw (RUNCREW/PROPS MASTER)
  • Amira Plummer (RUNCREW/CURTAIN OPENER)
  • Salem Garrett (PROPS MASTER/RUN CREW/STAGE MANAGER)
  • Kevin Allen (ASSISTANT DIRECTOR)

Patterson celebrates Culture Day

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by Thayer Oosterman

Patterson High School celebrated Culture Day on On Thursday, April 27, from 4:00 to 6:30 PM. There were many cultural expressions, with food and music from many cultures around the world. They had Latin American, African, Caribbean, and Middle Eastern food. Musicians were playing Latin and West African music. During the playing of the West African music, there was dancing, where people would be in a circle and would go and dance in the circle.

After the music, they gave out food with a lot of delicious food items, like Jamaican rice and beans, Syrian shawarmas and Tandoori food, Libyan kebabs, and many other tasty foods from a variety of cultures. They also had a thick, sweet drink and lemon tea. 

Near the end of the culture event they had a Kahoot game about the flags of the world, with many students and teachers and Principal Myrick playing. The Kahoot game went from 6:15 until around 6:30. After the Kahoot game and the end of the event, many students helped with the clean up or went to wait for the start of the play that was also taking place that night.

Culture Day was organized by a new student organization called Catalyst for Change. This was the group’s first big event and it was a huge success.

Patterson teachers sacrifice their personal time to support students

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By Ekei Obu, Editor-in-chief

Patterson High School is known to be one of the most diverse schools in Baltimore City. The school also offers a lot of after-school activities and different interests in extracurricular activities during and after school hours as well. 

I interviewed a couple of teachers to hear about their sacrifice for the school and why they are so dedicated to the school. All the teachers had one thing in common: they all sacrificed their time for the school and the students. 

Mrs. Torregoza believes that students and young people deserve a bright future. She said, “Students here can decide what they want to be and I believe that there should be people to guide them, and I want to be one of those people.” 

Mrs. T said, “I have faith in the students,” and that’s why she gives up her time after school regardless of not getting paid for the time. Mrs. T expressed her sadness about the students not taking advantage of the resources the school provides because she understands that in other places students don’t have the opportunity and resources for education.

Most teachers go as far as decorating their classrooms to provide a serene environment for their students. Some teachers even provide different options for snacks in their classes. Most teachers I’ve interviewed give up personal time to attend games, musical performances, and other activities because they want to show their support to their students.

Mr. Michael McCormick, better known to his students as “Mr. Mike”, explained that “people don’t become teachers for the salary; it’s a calling,”

Mr. Mike is one of the many teachers that provide not only a safe space for students but also emotional support and snacks. “I believe my unidentified role in Patterson is to provide a safe space. A space where students feel welcomed, safe, and empowered to be their authentic selves. I believe that when students are in a safe environment it allows them to be their greater self,” Mr. Mike said.

Teachers and school staff sometimes stay at school late into the evening, planning and preparing, and in many cases they’re not paid for it. 

Biology teacher, Mr. Antoine, believes that it is his job to build a bridge for students so they don’t have to start from scratch to achieve their goals in life. To prepare for last year’s winter holiday show, teachers spent several days planning and setting up. 

Teachers at Patterson are so passionate about their jobs despite some students’ negative attitudes toward them because they simply want the best for the students. 

Back to School Night brings families together 

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(Photo: Patterson Press)

By Nateshia Anderson

Patterson High School held its annual Back to School Night on September 22 from 5:00-7:00 PM. The purpose of this event was for the parents and families of students to meet the teachers and the community and learn about opportunities that were offered to their children.

The school provided free snowballs for everybody. A lot of people had fun. We talked to teachers at the event to find out how they help the students learn.

Ms. Jones said, “Give them extra attention, adjust my lessons so that each child is able to reach them and able to understand the material, make sure that I also pair them up with a buddy in the classroom… When they need some additional help, I can give them additional resources like…Khan Academy…”

Patterson High School is a place where students can come and talk to teachers and find out who they truly are.

“I can create an environment that feels safe and nurturing”, said Mr. Mike.

Administrators were also there, like Ms. Edler, who explained, “The first thing is I believe in holding students accountable and also supporting them in that accountability. Also, we present opportunities like college visits. However, students must be in full uniforms and they must be in school on time and be able to attend those visits.”

All in all, Back To School Night was a successful event where everybody came out and helped their children’s futures. 

(Photos: Patterson Press)

Senior awards – CLASS OF 2021

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Congratulations to the following graduating seniors who have received awards for their outstanding achievements!

  • Inspiring Student Leader Award: Awarded to the student who has kept a low profile and has toiled behind the scenes to make certain that student programs and organizations are successful. This student has taken the initiative, accepted and carried out responsibility, and completed a task without recognition. 

Winner: Mohamad Al Raghed & Meylin Diaz Hernandez 

  • Student Leadership Award: Awarded to the student who has provided outstanding leadership in activities (such as student government, social services, cultural development, etc.) This person has also been a spokesperson and role model for multicultural students. 

Winner: Meylin Diaz Hernandez 

  • Resilient Student Award: Awarded to the student who has demonstrated initiative, perseverance, and the ability to overcome significant obstacles in attaining his/her degree. This student has improved his/her grade-point average as he/she progresses toward graduation.  

Winner: Mohamad Al Raghed 

  • Artfully Creative Award: Awarded to the students who have displayed imagination and creativity especially in Art, Graphic design, or technological inventions. 

Winner: Khalil Green- Bey & Mnbongya Wilondia 

  • Citizenship Award: Awarded to the students who exemplify superior honor and discipline within the classroom environment. Who has significantly contributed to campus climate and culture! 

Winner: Jernard Roberts; Lucy Hernandez Paz 

  • Excellent Effort Award: Awarded to the students who continue to give extraordinary effort, despite difficulties. The focus of the award is to recognize those students that keep trying their best, no matter what. 

Winner: De’Asia Eberhart 

  • Outstanding Improvement Award: Awarded to the students who have made the most improvement during their high school career and have gone the extra mile to continuously improve all aspects of personal development while encouraging their peers to do the same. 

Winner: De’Asia Eberhart & Edilberto Melara-Erazo 

  • Student of the Year: Awarded to the students who have demonstrated excellence in all of the following areas: leadership, citizenship, academic and/or career, and technical achievement.  This student exemplifies the best of the Class of 2021 and our school community.   

Winners: Meylin Diaz Hernandez & Makhi Jordan 

  • Student of Integrity Award: Awarded to the students with strong ethical and moral principles who take responsibility for their actions and exhibit a fearless commitment to the fundamental values of academic integrity. (Responsibility. Respect.  Fairness. Trustworthiness and Honesty). 

Winner: Solina Abrham 

Top CTE Pathway Awards:  Awarded to the top-performing seniors in each CTE pathway.  These students exhibit a commitment to the fundamental values of Career and Technical Education that prepare them for high-skill, high-demand careers with a depth of learning that builds real-world skills.   (Note: This question is for CTE teachers only!  Please select your top-performing senior for your pathway). 

Winners: 

Graphic communications:       

Mnbongya Xavier Wilondja 

Cosmetic Services:       

Ariell Hayes &   

Meylin Diaz Hernandez 

Pharmacy Tech:       

Dalaa Obaid 

Emergency Medical Technician:       

Jazz Beach 

Accounting & Finance:  

David Pugh &  

Yesli Guerra Valle 

Administrative Services:        

Bosco Bembereza 

Nursing Assistant:       

Eleftheria Kountouratzoglou 

Early Childhood Education/Childcare:        

Azyrria Thompson 

Computer Science:        

Joana Niombo 

Engineering:  

Mahki Jordan 

Homeland Security& Emergency Prep/Criminal Justice:   

Jakelin Duran 

JROTC:  

Lucy D. Hernandez PAZ 

Band:   

Demetrius Stokes 

Construction & Development:   

Rodriguez Izaguirre, Jeysel A+ Work Always*************/& 

De’Asia Eberhart – Most Improved 

students share their dreams for essay contest

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Patterson students are participating in the fourth “Dream Big” essay contest, hosted by the Model Lyric. In honor of President Barack Obama, the Modell Lyric is asking students to share the important dreams they have for their lives, communities, and families. Students in grades 5th-12th living in Baltimore City and Baltimore County are eligible to enter the contest with either a 300-word essay, a one-page poem, or a 60-second edited video. Between 5-10 selected finalists will have the opportunity to share their work and receive a $100 honorarium.

Here are some of the essays Patterson students have submitted so far:

DeJanae Moore

“We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is something good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.” – Martin Luther King, Jr.

In Baltimore, Maryland, our murder rate is very high. People in Baltimore kill over dumb things. Bullets have no names at all. I believe everyone should learn how to forgive and forget and not hold grudges. Families lose someone they love very much, because people hold grudges over others, but “there is evil in the best of us and good in the worst of us” (Martin Luther King, Jr.).

People hold grudges and take people’s loved ones’ lives away. How is that fair? How is that right? People are like this, because of the bad childhoods they have. They get upset and take it out on anybody – shooting bullets with no names!!! Earlier this year, I lost a close friend to gun violence, because some boys held a grudge towards him instead of forgiving and handling it correctly. They took his life and it all starts at a young age. I really wish everyone knew how to forgive. I lost a very close friend because of it and it hurts me the most. If everyone in the city would squash their problems and childish beefs, the murder rate wouldn’t be how they are now honestly. People wouldn’t have to lose their loved ones if everyone learned how to forgive.

Our problems aren’t all about violence we had a presidential election and our former president held a grudge towards our new one. Many people know this story. Donald Trump, our former president, did things that could have led to WW3 – many supported him and many did not support him. When election time came around, Trump lost to Joe Biden and Kamala Harris. Trump refused to accept defeat.

He is holding a grudge towards Biden for winning the election and becoming our next president. Political problems and violence are not the only problems in America today. There are many more – racism, human rights, etc. Everyone knows blacks were once slaves; some blacks still have not forgiven the whites which can cause much violence, etc. For example, white cops killing young black men and young black children, because of the past with blacks and whites. If they were able to forgive and forget, all of these things that are happening today would not be happening.

In conclusion, I agree 100% with what Martin Luther King, Jr. said about forgiveness. There are so many problems with the world today, because people don’t know how to forgive and forget. There are some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. This quote is so true. There are many bad people in this world with so many good intentions; there are so many good people with bad intentions. It shouldn’t be like this in this society.

Hailey Guerin

“We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best
of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.” -Martin Luther King, Jr.

ln the quote above, Martin Luther King Jr. explains how we should learn to accept the failure of others and see more good in people. I think accepting others and realizing that no matter how bad we may have messed up, there is still good in everyone.

I believe it’s important to have the ability to realize that we all make mistakes and shouldn’t be held accountable forever. Forgiving others doesn’t mean we are pushing aside what they may have done, however it means that we are accepting the fact that something conflicting happened, and if we don’t move on from it, we’ll never grow or find the good in things. Finding the good in people and things can be really hard sometimes” And there are
some circumstances where that person is too evil to see good in, but that doesn’t mean you betray them, instead you portray kindness to them. Although they may have done something horrible to you, that doesn’t give you the right to do the same to them. “Two wrongs don’t make one right. Two wrongs won’t right a wrong.” Said by Benjamin Rush. When we’re seeking revenge, we’re making a mistake, because it’s only going to make you feel better in that
moment. Not in the long run. ln my city, Baltimore, Maryland, we have an extremely high murder rate. lt’s like everyone’s out to kill each other for no reason. Just the other day, someone got shot on the corner of my street. When I was little, I could play outside with my friends, feeling safe, secured, home. Now, I can’t even go on my porch without seeing some kind of suspicious activity. lt’s really sad to see the city I grew up in go downhill so fast. Why is everyone so angry at one another? Why do people think that murdering someone is going ta solve the problem? lnstead, it’s going to make it worse.”

We all deserve love no matter our skin color, religion, etc. Under no circumstance should anyone be treated differently for something they can’t control. When the election was going on, there was a lot of protesting. The two main debates that were being protested were Trump or Biden, but with these names came along with lots of stereotypes. For example, voting for Trump basically meant you were racist, against LGBTQ+, Trans rights, and the BLM movement. And voting for Biden basically meant you supported LGBTQ+, Trans rights, and the BLM movement. I’m not saying that these stereotypes are true nor false, however, I believe that everyone has a voice. Everyone deserves to be heard. Why is it that we can’t have our own opinion, without having to protest? Around my neighborhood, protesting turns into rioting, and killing. lt turns dangerous. I don’t think we should have to protest about basic rights, or even politics. We as
individuals need to learn how to accept the fact that no one is perfect. Even the most put-together people aren’t quite put together all the time.

ln conclusion, learning to seek good in the worse is so important for many aspects of not only your life, but others too. lf we all take our time and slowly learn, we will come together as a better community.

Amari Dukes

An important dream I have for myself is to become a doctor and help many kids and adults with cancer. I’ve always had this dream ever since I was a little kid. I always wanted to help sick patients, sick people that have a disease, and sick people that have a disease that may or can kill them. The reason why this dream stuck with me is because I’ve seen many kids suffer in hospitals, because of cancer – especially babies. Babies can’t do anything when they’re sick. They can’t talk to tell you what’s wrong so it’s really sad. They have to sit and suffer until someone who can help them really helps them.

I want to become the first African-American female doctor to ever find and make a cure for cancer. The reason why I want to become the first female doctor to ever find and make a cure for cancer is because the kids won’t have to suffer anymore. Those doctors who fight for their own lives or risk their own lives just to help sick patients won’t have to worry about it anymore. I personally don’t like seeing people suffer even if they did something bad in their
past life. That still doesn’t give them the right to suffer. At a time like this, we don’t need the
extra pressure.

This is my dream. I hope everyone takes my words and use them as an inspiration to others in different cities and in different countries around the world. My dream for my family is to get them out of this cruel world once and for all. When I get my money from being a doctor, I will buy a big house for all of us. I will make sure that the area that we live in is a better place and more importantly a better environment for all of us. It will be more peaceful, no drama, no violence, and most importantly no gun violence. Hopefully, I will inspire others with my words and my dreams.

Satrina Thomas

I have many big dreams in my life and for my family. First off I hope in the future I become wealthy and very successful in life. I want my family and me to be in good health. I wish for the future to be better than today. I wont to hove a nice house, a kid, and be married to the love of my life.

My dream job is to be a veterinarian and for that to happen I need to do hard work for thot to come true. Hard work always pays off. There is this vet show I watch and its called Dr. Pol and he inspired me to help animals and show animals that they con hove a second chance in life. I used to walk my dog every day until she got this lump on her pow and I don’t want her to walk so much. I hove a strong connection with animals and I toke core of my dog every day but I do not toke core of other people’s dogs. I don’t wont my dog to suffer as much.

I want to be able to provide for my family for whatever they need. I want to help out the poor and to just be a good person. I want to make a change in the future and be a role model for anyone and for kids to look up to me and be like “Dang, I wont to be like her one day!” l just want to be the best person I hove ever been before. I want to make the world as peaceful as it con ever be. I want love all around the world and to show people who they truly are. That there is always a person that truly loves them and never gives up. This is my big dream for me and the future.

Alpha Camara

A dream I have for myself is to be able to buy anything I want for myself as a teen. I want to have a car and an apartment for myself. I’m going to do this by investing, getting a job, and managing my money in a responsible manner. I want to have my own car by the time I am 19-21 and I want to have my own house by 20-22. I want to have a job that pays me well so I will live comfortably as an adult.

I dream of buying my mother a house and car as well. I want to invest in the stock market and one day get a job in it. I want to be able to vacation like a cruise in the Caribbean, the tropics, Mexico, Japan, and/or some cool place in Europe. As an adult, I want to live somewhere in the US where there are palm trees like Florida and Arizona. I also want to live somewhere where it is hot, there is a beach, and where I can buy a nice house/condo for myself.

I dream of donating a lot of money to a legitimate charity. I want to get one of my dream cars “a foreign” and I want to have a dog, probably a pit bull, a German shepherd, or a Rottweiler. I want an overall comfortable, chill life as an adult. What I need to do right now at 14 years old is focus on school, starting to make money, and learning how to manage my money. My plan right now is to start a bank account, try my hand at stocks, buy things that I want/need during my high school career, and upgrade to making this a job.

Overall, I want to have a successful adulthood. My main goal is to be happy and comfortable as my life goes on. I plan to make this dream reality within a few years, and not to have to worry about being broke or depressed.

Ivyanna Anderson

Dreams don’t always come true in the world unless you push yourself to work hard and study hard for what you want to do in life.  My father loves to work with cars.  He had to work hard in school for it.  He had to work hard, study, and push through all the hard, difficult times in life just to become what he wanted to do without college.  A huge dream of my stepmother was to be in a medical field.  She had to study hard, get good grades, and go to college getting her degrees to be in the medical field.

My dream is to spend at least one day with my father as a daughter Daddy date with no interruptions.  For my dream, I just want to be able to be a teenager, go out, have fun, and do stupid stuff as teenagers should.  I don’t want anything more but to be a physical therapist and to be free in the world.  A big dream is to have a family and be happy with a loving husband.  My dream is for all the bad memories and nightmares to go away.  I wish for no financial problems and no health issues in my future.  My dream is to have a job with good pay, a home with no problems, and a family with no broken pieces.

Where do I start with my dream for my community?  Let’s start with how people should stop killing people over stupid stuff such as a dollar.  An example of a real life situation: my best friend Ty’quoin Jones died from gunshots over a few dollars at the age of 14.  I dream for kids to be able to play outside – for kids to be kids and not want to be gangsters.  I don’t want these girls growing up being “thots” and used for their bodies.  What many people call life is not life at all.  Where is the happiness?  Where are the hard working people?  I’m tired of people dying, because they’re smart or because of nothing.  I’m tired of kids not able to be kids, because of all the killing, robbing, sex trafficking, and abuse.  When do kids live?  When do kids have fun in life?  I dream for racism to go away.  I wish for black culture to be able to be free and live their life till they can’t anymore.

A dream poem: I dream for a world with love, hope, and care.  I dream for a world we all can share.  I dream for love, peace, and harmony for a world you can live and be free.  I dream for highs to be goals and lows to be nos.  I dream for people to see with their eyes but all I see is people don’t care that other people die. We scream, we shout save our lives but no one hears our suffering cries.

Jabria Allen

Hey, my name is Jabria Allen and I want to talk about more of what I want to do and what I do. I have been doing hair since I was 10 with my mom but I really started taking this seriously when I turned 12. I have been receiving clients from then to now I still have the clients from then. I want to say that I’m very thankful for my clients and that I’m proud of myself and my braiding skills.

So let me tell you about braiding: you would have to make sure the parts are straight in neat and when you get clients you have to make them feel comfortable have nice conversation make them give you good reviews because of how you treat them and how you did their hair. Also, when you do hair you can’t like do it when you feel like it so when you start you are going to have people coming to you DMing you saying they need you to do their hair.

More about my business: when I get older I will build a hair studio and have good workers in my shop that do good hair and I’m planning on working on my my business with my mother since she does good hair and she’s been doing this for over 13 years, so I really look forward to doing this with my mom. If there are any girls that would like to do braiding class with me, I could show you how to do it. And not only that–starting this year I will also have books that you can look through and it will help. I’m also looking forward to start everything starting in 2021: new year and new beginnings.

Because of the pandemic it has been a little hard for me to reach and achieve my goals, but no matter what the situation is, I’ll never stop what I am doing. I dream that one day I will wake up and say “I made it–my dream came true!” I will never let down my supporters who been with me from the start. This is something I look forward to. I’m going to make my mom and dad proud, make them feel like I’m not just growing up to do anything. I want to achieve my goals and I dream that one day I’ll have best clientele.

Jordan Blair

My name is Jordan Blair.  My dream is to become a police officer, have a family, and be happy.  I want to live in California, go to the beach, enjoy life, have fun with my family, take care of my Mom, teach my kids right from wrong, and go out and chill with my friends.  I want to be something important in life, give back to my community, and the homeless people.  My community is bad.  Every day someone gets shot or killed for nothing.  You can’t walk outside in peace.  It’s always someone trying to hurt you, when you leave your house.  You got to watch your back, don’t tell strangers where you live, and don’t let people know you have money.  That’s the reason I go to school – to get an education to make my family proud and have a better life.

Becoming a police officer gives me an opportunity to help to uphold the law and help the community to become a better place.  Watching the news every day and seeing all of the crime in the community I’m always thinking of ways to help in the community – going to outreach centers and community centers and showing the young people there is a better way than committing crimes.  One of the hardest things is getting people to trust you and understand.  Corruption is very high in the police department and the only way that will change is hiring people that are honest, committed, and faithful that will help to change the police department.  We have to come up with homicide strategies by keeping recently arrested felons from returning to the streets.

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