Education in America

It is funny how the government cries up and down that America is behind, yet they refuse to look forward. America needs to wake up and realize that is we, as the American people, who are putting ourselves behind. We are the only ones who can choose to put down the weight that will keep us back. We are so focused on winning “the race” that we cannot see why we are so behind. One of those races the government is concerned about is regarding education. We’ve heard comments such as, ‘China will take over’ and ‘America will be number two.’ Such lines are dreadful and should not be said out the mouth of an American.

While some think education is the main goal in this country,  it is not being focused on. How dare you tell people to  go to pre-school, then go to elementary school, then go to middle school, then go to high school, and you better go to college when we don’t make that path accessible to everyone? Let us all be realistic, everyone is not going to college.  What will you do, America, with these people who are not going to college? Will you keep them in the shadows and gloat to the rest of the world that we are on top? Or are you willing to work with these people to take them from the bottom to the top?

Photo: Archives.gov

America is not only a democracy, but has a government full of hypocrites.  I do not believe these people that received the short end of the stick voted to be placed in that class of society. On the Statue of Liberty, it advertises to other parts of the world, ‘Give me your hungry, and give me your poor.’ How will you tell someone to give their hungry and poor whereas you are here with your hungry and your poor? What about your uneducated and unprepared, your unmotivated and scared, your hopeless and at risk?

Our young people are in need of help and are crying out for it. And yet, we do know that everyone is not going to college. Because of this, we must give these young people an option after school. We must prepare them in high school for the real world and give them hands-on experience so they are sure of what they really want to do for the rest of their lives.

The day America can take the step to move our young people forward is the day that we can move our country forward for eternity. That will be the day our country will remain on top and never have our placement taken away.

Written by Olayemi Olugbuyi

Death of Your Baby…

Photo: emails4lovers.blogspot.com

Death of your baby, right under your nose.

When she is internally crying, slowly dying and nobody knows.

What happens when you’re no longer able to protect her from pervs?

When that man snatches her and takes what you can never replace.

Death of your baby right under your nose, when she is internally bleeding and screaming but no one seems to hear her.

So she goes to that medicine cabinet and reaches for those pills.

It’s the death of your baby right under your nose because while you’re at work she is laying on the floor.

You check for a pulse, you cry all them sorrow cries

The people around you see the sorrow in  your eyes, but little do you know before all of that, your baby had already died – inside.

It’s the death of your baby right under your nose, when you’re screaming, you’re crying, you’re bleeding.

Then daddy says he is leaving

He watches the door close

There it goes

Now he’s helping you wipe your nose

Death Of Your Baby Right Under Your Nose

When you’re strung out on them rocks

When you no longer remember you’re all he’s got

Now your baby’s out on that corner all night

Headed towards that horrible life

It was the death of your baby, after he had no daddy now you’re gone too

He had nothing left but the streets

Not knowing how to treat a lady

Not knowing the elements of  life

But he’s out there having baby’s too

He beats on her, only repeating what he’s seen

She cries. She reaches out to him

He pushes her away and tells her more lies

Death of  your baby right under your nose

When her father rapes her

And you weren’t there too save her

You promised you would always protect

But at the end all you did was neglect

Neglect the problem

NEVER tried to solve it

She’s scared she feels like she’s in this world all alone

Her so called family home is not a home

All of her pain is unknown

None of the family’s love is ever shown

So now she pretends as if she’s grown

Yet she’s internally dying

And on the outside always crying

She meets a boy – he tells her he’s in love with her

And she’s never felt this way before

Death of your baby,

When she’s having sex

After a while it’s unprotected

Now she’s pregnant, and their always fighting

One night he’s out too long

She goes in the closet and gets that gun

BOOOOM! Her and the baby are GONE

That was the death of your baby right under your nose! Pay Attention that way you’ll know.

Written by Dasharrie Davenport

Improving Attitudes in Relationships – a photo essay

My Greatest Fear

My biggest fear is growing up. I think a lot of people are scared to grow up because they’re not prepared. They don’t want to pay taxes or have responsibilities, get married, or get a job, because when you get a job, you have to pay bills. Even thought you have to pay taxes, some people don’t want to pay these taxes – but if you don’t, you will go to jail. That’s a huge responsibility as an adult.

Being an adult requires even more responsibility than paying taxes. When you get married, you have to not cheat on your husband or wife and be loyal. Getting a job is hard, and you have to know everything. You probably have to write a lot as well as an adult. You have to go into interviews to get a real professional job, and that can be very stressful. I’m scared to get a job, though because I’m shy and I definitely don’t want to work at McDonald’s.

Those are the reasons I’m scared of growing up. I know you’re not supposed to be scared, but I am.

by Dajah Campbell

My Greatest Fear

My biggest fear is growing up and becoming an adult, and having to fulfill the responsibility of paying bills. I say that because when I look at my mother and see her paying bills and doing work at home for her job, it just seems so hard. I feel like I might not be able to handle all the responsibility and I might fail in life.

The thing is, though, we all have to grow up some day, I guess. Many of my friends say that it is not so bad to grow up and become an adult. They there are some good thing to growing up, like having your own place and not hearing someone tell you what to do or how to do it. I think one day my fear will go away, but for right now, I’m still not looking forward to growing up at all.

by Danielle Fox

Reach One/Teach One – a photo essay on relationships

by Jabari and India

A peek into relationships through family

In my family, there are some very present examples of healthy and unhealthy relationships that I’ve witnessed or heard about. To me, an unhealthy relationship is when the woman or the man is getting abused or forced to stuff they do not want to do, either through pressure or force. A healthy relationship, however, is the opposite – when the guy or girl is not being pressured to do anything they don’t want to do or being abused.

For example, two of my older cousins (one educated and one not so educated) are both in what I consider to be abusive relationships. They refuse to move on from these guys though, because their biological father is cool with the boyfriends. Therefore, the boyfriends will find out where they are and will beat them for fun.

At times, I feel bad for them because of the situation they are in. But I just try to make sure I don’t get into a similar situation. On the other hand, my sisters are in healthy relationships. One is married with kids and the other one has a boyfriend – but the important part is that they are never pressured or abused. I want the type of relationship my sisters have, not the unhealthy kind.

by Randi Harris

Discipline in School = Success

We all know to accomplish goals you have to set smaller temporary goals. Your temporary goals serve as a stepping stone to reach your overall goal, but how do you accomplish your temporary goal? You need discipline to stay focused on a short term goal. In school you can stay focused in many ways. One way is to stay organized with class work and class schedules. You also have to be prepared for all assignments. Being prepared is also where discipline comes in. Staying organized will help you stay prepared, and in order to stay organized you need to be responsible. Success isn’t just accomplishing your overall goals, its overcoming problems and struggles.

Overcoming problems in small short term goals can prep you for bigger problems as you get closer to your overall goal. In order to successfully accomplish anything you need discipline. Personally I use sports and activities I like to do to keep me motivated and disciplined. I do activities such as gymnastics, all star cheerleading, etc…

by Shannon Mari