Black History Month celebrates past, present

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Rosa L. Parks School of Fine & Performing Arts March 2008Volume 13, Issue 4 www.paterson.k12.nj.us/schools/rphs Beloved Vice Principal reassigned Students say farewell, welcome new family member Black History Month celebrates past, present BLACK HISTORY page 2 Arts News Sports Spotlight / ARIA C. SMITH Mrs.

Robina Puryear- Castro attended the Feb. 5 assembly. Rosa Parks High School 413 12th Avenue Paterson, NJ 07514 Spotlight News......p2 Arts.........p4 Opinion...p6 Sports.....p8 Index NEW VP page 2 Editor-in-Chief Brittany Sumter Colorful kicks for 808 page 4 Drama students donate to local hospital page 3 Rivals or friends?

page 8 The annual Black History Month Celebration at Rosa Parks High School started off with a bang and continued to get better. Reverend Robert Jones and fellow musician cML d helped kick off the month-long celebration by gracing the stage for a musical journey back in time. The duo explored the history of music and instruments and connected it to the music of today.

For example, Reverend Jones explained with his steel body guitar that the drum is originally from West Africa and was used before battle. cAmerican music [is] always changing, d said Reverend Jones. Reverend Jones explained how Nve notes and three chords connect different genres of ... more. less.

music. With reference to notes and chords, he was able to connect Bluegrass, Country, Rock 8n Roll, Blues, and R&B. The Feb. 13 assembly, cCelebrating The Present, Connecting The Past and Embracing The Future, d featured students from the Dance, Drama, Communication Arts, and Instrumental Departments and celebrated the history of African Americans. The Jazz Ensemble performed a variety of musical selections including cMy Funny Valentine d by Sarah Vaughan. Senior Vocal Major Kashima So SGA President David Bartley called Mrs. Castro and asked if she would return to Rosa Parks High School so that the students would have the chance to properly say goodbye. She agreed and returned on February 5. c[I 9m] very saddened, d said Algebra II teacher Mrs. Ivana Willis, cshe helped me out a lot on a personal level. d Mrs. Castro entered a cheering crowd of students and faculty when she returned to the Lou Costello Theatre to receive Nnal farewells from the students. During the emotional ceremony, a group of Vocal Majors performed Mariah Carey 9s cButterOy d accompanied by Senior Instrumental Major Jasmine Motley on the piano. The Jazz Ensemble performed a number of musical pieces inspired by Mrs. Castro 9s journey including cMaiden Voyage. d Principal Sharon Smith presented Mrs. Castro with a few gifts, which included a Rosa Parks High School mouse pad, a personal planner, and an Alpha Kappa Alpha pin which is the sorority Mrs. Castro and Ms. Smith belong to. Editor-in-Chief Brittany Sumter Spotlight / ARIA CORBIN SMITH & MELISSA L. ROLON Dance Major Jazmine Thompson performed during the Feb. 13 assembly. (Top right) Kashima Washington sings the Negro National Anthem (Lift Every Voice and Sing.) (Below) Instrumental Majors play cAll Blues d by Miles Davis. Earlier this school year, Rosa Parks High School 9s Assistant Principal Robina Puryear Castro was transferred to International High School to become acting principal. In a town meeting, students were informed she had already began her journey at International High School. But, Mrs. Castro never received a proper farewell because her transfer was sudden. 2News Spotlight BRIEFS Piano student now teacher Spotlight / ARIA CORBIN SMITH Bernie Visto, a graduate of the Class of 1998, returned to Rosa Parks in January to visit his former piano teacher, Mr. Vladimir Zaitsev. Mr. Visto is now a piano teacher at a college overseas. NEW VP page 1 BLACK HISTORY page 1 Some say what one learns in high school is what he or she takes with them as they go along in life. This was true for former Rosa Parks High School Piano Major Bernie cBJ d Visto. The graduate returned to Rosa Parks in January. Mr. Visto and Piano Major Anastasia Andrej were able to discuss music, which led to discussion about being a high school student at Rosa Parks. cHe told me that no matter what you go to college for, music is forever, d said Anastasia Andrej, SGA Vice President. cIt 9s always with you. d Now Mr. Visto is a music teacher in the Philippines. He is sharing his knowledge and passion for music with his students. Piano Teacher, Mr. Vladimir Zaitsev, was impressed with his former student saying, cI 9m speechless. The whole concept for me [of my student becoming a teacher] is a dream come true. d Special Education Teacher Ms. Jalyn Lyde worked her last day at Rosa Parks High School on February 7. Ms. Lyde was transferred to School 9. Substance abuse coordinator Helen Babits walked the halls of Rosa Parks for the last time in January. Ms. Babits retired after 41 years of service in the district. STAFF CHANGES - Staff Washington performed cThe Negro National Anthem d and Whitney Houston 9s classic, cThe Greatest Love of All. d Also, Vocal Majors Danneille Galbraith and Ariel Williams graced the stage with their soulful renditions of cMotherless Child d and cA Change Is Gonna Come. d. Freshman Communication Arts Major Jasmine White recited an original poem titled cLiberty d which was accompanied by a dance interpretation by Junior Jazmine Thompson. Also, Piano Major Anastasia Andrej played cMotherless Child d along with the poem. The Dance Repertory performed an African inspired dance to cElijah Rock. d Drama Majors performed cThe Trial of One Short-Sighted Black Woman, d which was about a woman who told her story about slavery. Sophomore Drama Majors Delsheka Palmer and LaTasha Wilson captured the audience with a skit titled cThe Flag Salute d in which a student recited the Pledge of Allegiance, while another girl gave an honest account of this country 9s past. Representatives from Mc Donald 9s presented the program cCelebrating the Faces of Black History d which was a musical journey honoring African American heroes. cBlack History Month is a time where many African Americans can learn about their heritage, d said Xenia Jones, sophomore Communication Arts Major. cShe was sweet, d stated Dance Major Jazmine Thompson, cshe cared about you as an individual. d When one door closes another one opens. On January 30, Mrs. JoAnn Cardillo, school facilitator at P.S. No. 1 discovered she would be the new vice principal. The former Nrst grade teacher and Director of School Choice has spent more than 22 years in the Paterson Public School District. Spotlight will include a feature on the new vice principal in the next issue. Aria Corbin Smith Staff Writer The Dance Major 9s second annual Student Choreographed Show held on February 21 titled cDon 9t Stop The Music d had a successful turnout. From Hip-Hop to Jazz, the Dance Majors created dances to hit songs like Janet Jackson 9s cFeedback d and John Mayer 9s cWaiting On The World To Change. d STUDENT DANCE SHOW - Mark Rivera After graduating high school, Mr. Visto attended Montclair State University as a business major. After earning his degree in 2005, he realized it wasn 9t what he wanted to do. Music and piano were the areas he most wanted to pursue. Although in the Philippines, Mr. Visto will always remain apart of the Rosa Parks High School family. Rosa L. Parks School of Fine & Performing Arts has been selected as one of the country 9s best high schools by the magazine U.S. News & World Report. The analysis was based on 18,769 public high schools in 40 different states. The data was collected during the 2005-2006 school year, in which Drama students give back 3 News Spotlight Spotlight / MELISSA L. ROLON Students walked to Barnert Hospital on January 31 to present hospital workers with a check. (Left) Gianni Perez, Meghan Levy, Drama Teacher George Dearani, Joseph Rosario, and Tah 9Keia Champagne. Donate show proceeds to local hospital patients For Meghan Levy, the Drama Department 9s fall performance cAmerica: Tragedy & Hope d had a larger meaning. cIt was a great opportunity to donate money for a good cause, d Levy said. On January 31, the Drama Department donated all proceeds from selling red ribbons to Barnert Hospital 9s Treatment Assessment Program or (TAP) which taught individuals how to prevent HIV and AIDS disease. The ribbon sell was both Mr. Dearani and the class 9s idea. The Drama Majors visited Lakeshia P. Evans-Fields, a clinician, at the TAP clinic after school. In 1990, Barnert Hospital introduced TAP with the goal to educate people about the AIDS epidemic. TAP also taught sex education and provided counseling to their patients. cI felt like we were giving for a purpose, d Senior Tah 9Keia Champagne said. Levy agreed. cWhen I saw how she reacted, I knew that she was really thankful. d Unfortunately, Barnert Hospital closed its doors just a few days after the school 9s visit. According to the Director of TAP services, Jerry Brennan, the donation will beneNt all patients despite the hospital being closed. Last year 9s cAmerica: Tragedy & Hope d promoted AIDS awareness in addition to other topics that have affected society. cI liked that we were able to inform people, to [teach] them what they didn 9t know about 9/11, Katrina, and AIDS. d Senior Drama Major Joseph Rosario said. cOur hard work paid off, d Levy said. Melissa L. Rolon & Mark Rivera Staff Writers Rosa Parks High School gets ranked the majority of Rosa Parks High School 9s graduating seniors continued on to college, whether it be to four-year or two-year institutions. cThis award underscores the effectiveness of our family-centered community, d said Principal Sharon C. Smith. The magazine awarded 1,500 schools with awards. Rosa Parks High School was one of 1,086 high schools to receive the Bronze Award. Rosa Parks was the Nrst school in Paterson to have been ranked by the national magazine. Christine Rodriguez Guest Contributor Bright sneakers are the right kicks in 808 4Arts Spotlight Kicking plain white AirForces out, and tying brighter colors into an outNt is the new trend in footwear. The new sneakers that students prefer to wear are deNnitely eye-catching with their bright reds, yellows, greens, and blues. Students at Rosa Parks High School can surely be seen sporting sneakers with Ouorescent colors. cThe colors stand out more than black and white, d explained Fine Art Major Julian Edwards, a junior. But there 9s a catch 4 these sneakers can 9t be worn with just anything, they have to match. To best sport the new style, people should have an outNt that includes at least one or two of the colors displayed in the sneakers. cI usually get a solid shirt and a hat with the same color in it to match my sneakers. d explained Fine Art Major Julian Edwards. There 9s good reason students go to such lengths to follow the crules d for wearing the Ouorescent sneakers: Individuality. cThey stand out, they 9re different, d said Vocal Major Junior Haughton, a junior. cYou don 9t see many people with the same pair. d Julian Edwards agreed the new sneakers are noticeable, which is why students choose to sport them. cThey 9re bright. You can 9t miss them. d So which sneaker companies are responsible for the trend? Well-known sneaker companies like Nike and Reebok Ice Creams (endorsed by recording artist Pharell) are two of the corporations who put forth the bright sneakers. Among Nike 9s collection of Oaming hot sneakers are the Air Max kicks, which can be seen traveling around the school hallways. Reebok also has made a comeback with its pink, yellow, and green sneakers. But sneaker empires are not completely alone in promoting the new footwear. Music artists and other people in the public eye are also modeling the Oashy sneakers. Recording artist Soulja Boy has shown off his Bathing Apes, also known as cBapes d (from the Reebok Ice Cream collection). Spotlight / ARIA CORBIN SMITH Some of the more colorful sneakers worn by Rosa Parks High School students in recent months. Students like Julian Edwards say cyou can 9t miss them. d Aria Corbin Smith Staff Writer CELEBRITY SPOTTINGS Some of the famous feet sporting the new sneaker trend include: Coloring books for today 9s generation 5 Arts Spotlight Fifty years ago, art kept within its natural boundaries of pencil and paper. Now, with the birth of technology, art has found a companion that has forever changed the way art is viewed, giving birth to a new style of art called cdigital art. d Under the direction of Instructional Assistant Mr. William Ramos, Fine Art students learned how to stretch their artistic talent beyond paintbrushes and color pencils and into the world of technology. By using the software program PhotoShop, students learned how to customize their art. Mr. Ramos, a former Commercial Art student, taught them the basics, well enough to take them out into the world. cWe learn how to alter our pictures and the basics of Photoshop, d said Fine Art major, Julian Edwards, a junior. Michael Stewart, also a junior and a Fine Art Major agreed that his classmates learned a great deal. c[Mr. Ramos] taught us how to crop pictures and add color to our pieces. d Usually coloring in a picture by hand may take hours or even days. But coloring the picture in Photoshop only takes a couple of minutes. The two-week PhotoShop class is used to introduce the students to technology. Spotlight / JOSHUA SEGARRA Fine Art Major Joel Tejada works on his PhotoShop coloring book design in the school library. Pictured right is a design made in PhotoShop by Junior Michael Stewart, also a Fine Art Major. The New Jersey Nets and Amtrak teamed up for the third consecutive year to sponsor a Black History Month project at a local high school. This year, they chose Rosa L. Parks High School of Fine & Performing Arts. The Commercial and Fine Art students had to create an art piece about the historical contributions by African Americans to the rail road system. The contest was judged by the Nets players. cIt 9s a great experience, d said Fine Art Teacher, Ms. Amy Klein. cIt 9s great recognition for them. d On February 11, the art students and their teachers traveled to the Izod Center to present their artwork to the Nets basketball team. There were only three winners. Commercial Art Major Jessica Ramos, a senior, placed Nrst with her art piece and won four VIP Nets game tickets, four Amtrak tickets to travel anywhere in the U.S, and a basketball signed by all the Nets players, and a Vince Carter jersey. cIt was my Nrst big shot, d said Ramos. cI was really, really excited. d Ramos also added that she wanted to win because she felt people thought she was only capable of drawing comics. cI wanted to show that I 9m on the same level, d Ramos said to her art classmates. Senior Andrae Pollard, a Fine Art Major, won second place and Freshman Eliazar Vasquez, a Fine Art Major, placed third. On February 26, the Commercial Art and Fine Art majors were invited back to the Izod Center to watch the Nets against the Orlando Magic. During half time, Jessica Ramos, Andrae Pollard, and Eliazar Vasquez were honored on court. Rosa Parks High School of Fine & Performing Arts also received $2,500 for both of its Arts Departments. Art majors go Nets Staff Writer Tahmina Alom Learning the basics of Photoshop does not entirely mean that the art students will be using the skills that they learned in the future 3 it all depends on the type of art career the students wish to take. The skills acquired in Photoshop beneNt students pursuing digital arts. cIt 9s college level, d said Mr. Ramos. cIt 9s taking their artistic talent to the next stage by incorporating their art with modern technology and to simply enhance their abilities in Photoshop. d For art majors to expand their abilities beyond paper and canvas is a change. Using the computer to draw creates more interaction between the students. Fine Art Teacher Ms. Amy Klein said that the lesson on PhotoShop will help students in the future. cThey need it to succeed in the present artistic world, d she said. cYou have to keep up with the technology. d The extra set of techniques the art students learned will take them further and give them a head start in college art classes. cNow they can do more than [just use] a pencil and paper, d said Mr. Ramos. cThere are no boundaries, they are limitless. d Staff Writer Joshua Segarra Rosa L. Parks High School 413 12th Avenue, Paterson, NJ 07514 www.paterson.k12.nj.us/schools/rphs Mission Statement " To publish news, information and opinion articles for and about student, faculty and administration activities, interests, and policies. " To maintain high ethical standards with regard to fairness, personal and legal rights, responsibilities and accuracy. " To provide a forum for free and responsible expression of student opinion and present well-balanced, locally researched coverage of issues of broader student interest. " To strive for excellence in the technical aspects of writing, including grammar, spelling, clarity and precision. " To welcome diversity and to increase the scope and depth of our coverage to heighten mutual understanding in the school. Editor-in-Chief Brittany Sumter Staff Writers Tahmina Alom Aria Corbin Smith Melissa L. Rolon Joshua Segarra Spotlight welcomes readers 9 feedback. Letters to the Editor are published at the discretion of the staff. Letters may be mailed to the school address above or left in Ms. Kane 9s mailbox. Artists Jessica Ramos Julian Edwards Graphics Assistant Shaina Valdivia Advisers Ms. Tara Kane Mr. William Ramos Connecting the past to the future 6Opinion Spotlight Imagine a world where rest rooms, water fountains, and other public facilities were labeled cWHITES ONLY d or cCOLORED ONLY. d Can you imagine a world where children of different races could not learn within the same classroom but were separated by color? This was our country 50 years ago. But times have changed and the world has progressed. February is Black History Month. A time for remembering. A time for honoring African Americans whose contributions and achievements made an impact on society. How can we honor so many people who have helped shaped the world? A good way to start is to understand their struggles through research and by learning the importance of the achievement. We can remember Rosa Parks for her brave resistance or teach others about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. 9s quest for peace and equality during the Civil Rights Movement. Without the courageous spirit of Rosa Parks, Dr. King, and countless others, America would still be infected with the sting that was segregation. Luckily, segregation laws are not a reality for our generation. But in order for history not to repeat itself, we must learn to treat one another fairly. Our ancestors could only dream of the world we live in today. Now, within the same century that segregation laws prohibited children from learning together, there are now schools, colleges, and universities across the world that encourage diverse classrooms. Within the same century that African Americans were attacked by vicious dogs during protests, Sen. Barack Obama is running for president. We will have a great story to tell our grandchildren because of the history we are witnessing in this year 9s primary election. Hopefully, our recollections of an African American and a female senator running for President will set the example for our grandchildren of the racial equality our ancestors dreamed of. As the future leaders of tomorrow it is our duty to continue to strive for excellence and peace to follow in the footsteps of our ancestors. We must also remember and learn from their journeys in order to understand our future. One idea we can take from past heroes is to always try our best. And by doing this we are honoring our ancestors not just for Black History Month, but all year long. QUOTE OF THE MONTH cEach person must live their life as a model for others. d Rosa L. Parks, Mother of the Civil Rights Movement Paying respect to MLK through volunteer efforts 7 Opinion Spotlight When online, watch your post Is browsing through someone 9s proNle is an invasion of privacy? Staff Writer Tahmina Alom When one thinks of volunteering, certain things come to mind: helping out at the local Salvation Army center or assisting a senior citizen. But volunteering can also be viewed as another way of honoring someone for their achievements to society. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for example, was a civil rights activist as well as a member of society, working tirelessly towards a dream of equality and peace. On Martin Luther King Jr. Day, celebrations are held throughout the nation on his behalf and his accomplishments. However, Martin Luther King Jr. Day is not only a day where we commemorate his legacy; it is also a day of service. As volunteers, we are not only giving back to the community but to Dr. King as he did in his loyalty, dedication, and trust. In 1994, Congress marked the holiday as not only a day off from school or work, but as a national day of volunteer service by approving the King Holiday and Service Act. Since then there has been an increase in volunteering participation. According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, a federal government organization that promotes awareness about Martin Luther King Jr,, the number of groups involved in projects concerning Martin Luther King Jr. doubled from 862 groups to 2,197 this year. Dr. King 9s legacy helped inspire Americans to think beyond themselves, look past their differences by coming together as one to work towards equality. Every year on January 21st, thousands of people throughout the nation Oock to their churches where ceremonies and food drives are held in memory of Dr. King. Right now there are various commemorative projects people can get involved with, such as building homes, reading books to children, participating in a food drive, or possibly even helping out in local shelters and schools. By helping a neighbor or by reaching out to someone who is hurt, we can help bridge racial barriers and other differences between people to show us that in the end, we are similar. Working side by side on volunteer projects can also help an individual emotionally and mentally. It helps one to be assertive in their community and can make one feel good about them selves once they 9ve learned that they have made a positive impact in someone 9s life. Melissa L. Rolon Staff Writer Calling all aspiring college students: an inappropriate picture on popular web sites like Myspace or Facebook, may result in rejection to a university. According to National Association for College Admissions Counseling or NACAC, students can avoid this interaction by taking the cGrandma Test d 4 if students do not want their grandmothers 9 to see racy pictures or obscene expressions, then they should not post them. Some may feel that browsing through someone 9s web proNle is an invasion of privacy. But anything on the Internet is public information. So college-bound students and job applicants should keep their proNle, pictures, and comments private because everyone can read them. An online proNle is a reOection of a person. Students with a high grade point average may thinks that their social life should be considered separate from their academics. But a website may be viewed by college admission ofNcers. If something catches their attention such as vulgar language or obscene pictures, then problems may occur. Online proNles are a trend and many universities realize that. But, since the last two college shootings, i.e. Virginia Tech and Northern Illinois University, admissions ofNcers may be more cautious about admitting certain students. Creating a proNle for a social-networking web site is not all bad. Students can use them to post their positive qualities, achievements, and goals. But those same web sites allow users to upload photos and insert personal information. Students should be careful. Of course, not all universities are searching for students on Myspace. There 9s not enough time in the world to do that. But if an outrageous proNle is brought to their attention, then colleges could decide to make such searches the norm. Martin Luther King Jr. Day is not only a day where we commemorate his legacy; it is also a day of service. 8Sports Spotlight Staff Writer Tahmina Alom Spotlight / TAHMINA ALOM Sophomore Communication Arts Majors Leah Johnson and Venesha Hunter share a friendship during the school day, but play for Silk City 9s rival basketball teams: the Eastside Ghosts and the John F. Kennedy Knights Off-court friendship Sophomores Leah Johnson and Venesha Hunter share a special friendship. They share the same schedules and major. They attend the same school in the same grade. They have the same tastes in music and fashion. Both girls even made the honor roll, which they admitted eagerly and proudly. However, the irony of it all is that even though the girls are best friends; they play on rival Silk City basketball teams. Leah Johnson is captain of the Eastside Ghosts, while Venesha Hunter plays for the Kennedy Knights. Both girls play as point guards. So how exactly do they handle all the hype whenever a Kennedy- Eastside game approaches? cOn the court, the only thing that matters is the game, not the friendship, d Johnson said. Their friendship started at the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), which consists of a group of competitive basketball players from across the nation competing in divisions and teams. For Johnson, her interest in basketball started when her family took a trip to the park. She recalled that her Nrst time picking up a ball and actually playing was against her father at the age of 3. cMy sister ran to the swings and I just wanted to play basketball, d joked Johnson. Before moving to Paterson, Johnson played basketball at the local YMCA in Pennsylvania. Then she joined the Notre Dame League and the Amateur Athletic Union before moving to New Jersey at the age of 13. Hunter 9s inspiration for playing basketball comes from her brothers. At the age of 5, Hunter would watch her brothers play basketball and she would attempt to imitate their dribbling techniques. For the girls, juggling both school work and basketball practice is not easy. cIt 9s tiring at times because your whole life is about basketball, d Hunter explained. cThen you have to squeeze in school work. d The Silk City Rivals Kennedy and Eastside played their Nrst game of the season on February 7, where the Knights came out victorious in a 61-42 win. Pegasus, the Rosa L. Parks School of Fine & Performing Arts Intramural Basketball Team, returned this year with a new attitude: determined to win their Nrst championship. And on February 29, in a 42-30 victory over Garret Morgan Academy, they did just that. cIt 9s all or nothing. We have to win, d Senior Freddy Mancebo stated before the game. But for Mancebo and fellow seniors Manny Tejada and Dashawn Godbalt, the win was bittersweet. It was their last game of playing together as a team. cI 9m kind of sad due to the fact that it 9s my last year playing with these guys and it 9s the last year of [Mr.] Fulmore coaching us, d said Tejada. The championship was the team 9s Nrst appearance in the Nnals. Last year, the Pegasus team was booted from Round 1 by MPACT Academy and since then the team has had major changes to its roster. Part of the change were the old faces departing and newer ones joining, which had a big impact on the team 9s chemistry. cIt seems that more people are playing their part well, d observed Godbalt. The win was also the Nrst for Freshmen Nayshon Royster, and Markell Reid who plans on playing for the Pegasus next year. cIt felt so good to have everyone behind us, d said Reid. Royster agreed. cIt was a great experience to play. Many of the upperclassmen didn 9t get a chance to play freshmen year. d The key to this year 9s win seemed to be the team 9s defense and effort in winning a championship. Rosa Parks HS Basketball Team Staff Writer Tahmina Alom IN OUR NEXT ISSUE: Coverage of the RPHS Volleyball Team!

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