CABJ Newscast

http://multimedia.jomc.unc.edu/files/CWVideo/CABJ_Newscast_2010.mp4

Photographic Highlights

The students also had the opportunity to participate in a photography session. Here is some of their best work.

By: Lisa Redfearn

 

By: Jateria Pittman

 

By: Tonisha Brown

 

By: Jenna Keith

 

By: Hevvon Barnes

 

By: Ryan Johnson

 

By: Raven Bennett

 

By: Desira McCullough

A modern high school student determined to get into college

Jeteria Pittman

As college tuition shoots up and the competition to get into a great college is getting more difficult, students are trying their hardest in high school to make sure colleges notice them. Students know that furthering their education is the key to a successful life, especially with the economy today. 

A program such as the International Baccalaureate program allows students to experience college courses in high school.  The program also allows students to earn college credit and allows students to shine among regular, honor and even AP students. Along with the courses of IB, comes all of the homework and extra assignments. 

IB juniors and seniors are overloaded with eight classes and at least six must be IB.  An IB student averages about 2.5 hours of homework a night, but as we all know, grades are not the only thing that students need to accomplish to get recognized by colleges. 

Students also are getting involved in sports and clubs. For example, a student at Harding University High School, who is a junior in the IB program, lives the life of a full-time high school student preparing to get into college. 

This student is not only in the IB program, but is also in executive council. The council is an elite club of 12 that plans the majority of the high school’s events. 

The position in the council takes up a lot of time and requires a lot of dedication. This student is also on the newspaper crew. 

This student is always around school looking for a story and snapping pictures. He or she tries to challenge him or herself with classes while also being well rounded by joining clubs and being involved. 

Moreover, this student is also the vice president and co-funder of the school’s Fashion Club. This is a major responsibility — being a major part of a club and keeping it running smoothly. 

Furthermore, this student also is in NHS (Junior Board and Community Service Board) and involved in community service. This student believes all of those things will get her into the college of her dreams.

 Does a student really need to overload themselves with responsibility to get into a good college?

Students are under too much stress to get into college. Tune in next week to see what some students do to get recognized.

Jateria Pittman is  a student at Harding University High School.

We got spirit . . . strength, goals, and discipline too!

Lisa Redfearn

When someone asks you, “What’s your favorite sport?” the image of a football, a golf club, a basketball, a tennis racket, a soccer ball, a baseball, and even a 400 meter track comes to mind. These things are the norm of what the world classifies as a “true sport.”

 But what aggravates me the most about this unfortunate reality is that only a few will picture the image of a pom pom, an arabesque, a toe-touch, a basket toss, and every other term affiliated with the underrated sport of cheerleading.

Yes, I said cheerleading, and it is 100 percent a sport! Despite the stereotypes that cheerleading is a mindless hobby for the athletically challenged, cheerleading is one of the most intense and challenging sports that you could imagine.

I myself can tell you first-hand that cheerleading is not just a hobby. I’ve been a cheerleader since I was four years old, and I know all too well the physical and emotional strain it can have on a person just as any other qualified sport.

Like every other sport, cheerleading can be taken to the level of competition. There are hundreds of organizations that group together annually to host cheerleading conventions, competitions and events.

The competitions consist of cheerleading teams creating an original routine that includes jumps, tumbling, dance choreography, precise cheerleading motions, difficult stunts, and formations.

Not to mention, that while these cheerleaders perform these difficult tasks such as a front handspring round-off double-back handspring full layout, or a full extension twist cradle reload to a full extended scorpion, they must maintain a lovely smile accompanied with entertaining facial expressions.

Half of you probably don’t even understand any of the terms I explained to you. It’s the same as if one didn’t know what a travel was in basketball, or the position of a tight end in football.

The concept is the same. If you don’t even know the basic idea of a sport, there’s no way that you can come to understand it, nonetheless come to respect it.

If you’re still standing strong on the misconception that cheerleading is not a sport, let me briefly educate you on the lifestyle and routine of a cheerleader. Flexibility is a major part of the sport.

To excel in cheerleading you have to be elastic, especially those who are flyers in stunts. To attain this level of flexibility, cheerleaders stretch extensively day-to-day, in conjunction with the rigorous workouts they endure to maintain their physical ability. Not to mention, their body image that they are highly expected to keep prim and fit.

Lisa Redfearn is a student at Harding University High School.

Cheer Wars

Desira McCullough

Let me start off by saying that cheerleading is indeed a SPORT. Do not be fooled and conned by the typical stereotypes that cheerleaders receive. It’s a dog-eat-dog world out there and cheerleading happens to be the fire to the flame.

Cheering for another teams’ lost is such an oxymoron. This once All-American sport has drastically changed. Forget about your team’s victory; once you step foot onto another school’s property, its time to Bring It On.

The glaring eyes, taunting snickers and quick bathroom visits are the start of a perfect cheer rivalry. I have experienced everything from getting booed to getting fired up while being a cheerleader. I am the head captain of my varsity cheer squad and I’ve literally seen things that would leave you in awe.

There’s always going to be tension between girls; but when you add short mini skirts, your school’s insignia and matching ribbons…there’s bound to be trouble. The infamous “smooth and easy” cheer always sets the mood for a cheer battle; everyone gets really aggressive and ready to show the other squad what they’ve got.

If your hair is flying all around and little sweat puddles are slowly growing upon your face, you are clearly BATTLING.

Desira McCullough is a student at Northeast Guilford High School.

Kidney Disease – Raising Awareness in the African American Community

Tonisha Brown

I walk into a dialysis center in Burgaw, NC with my grandmother almost every Saturday and I see mostly African Americans who are on a machine. Kidney disease is prevalent in the African American community because they suffer from the leading causes.  Watching my grandmother suffer from kidney disease is the toughest experience.

My grandmother was diagnosed with kidney disease in her 60s or 70s. For almost 10 years or more she did not have many problems. In the past year or two, she has been hospitalized more than ever because this disease progressed so quickly in a short amount of time. She would pass out regularly and fluid would build up regularly because her kidneys would retain fluid. Eventually, she ended up going on dialysis in the beginning of 2009. There were many surgeries she had to have for her dialysis access because her fistula would become clogged. She even had to have another type of dialysis access inserted into her upper arm.

Some of the surgeries were extremely painful.  I remember very vividly one surgery she had that I will never forget. She was sitting in the living room the day after surgery and I glanced over and I could see her face cringe with pain. My family and I felt the pain she experienced. Surprisingly, there were no tears on her face but we were on the verge of tears.  We wanted to cry for her.

We need to raise awareness about kidney disease in the African American community. Most people do not know they have it until the end stage. The only time people are informed about this “silent killer” is after they have been diagnosed. Raising awareness will help people avoid this painful and emotional journey.

Tonisha Brown is a student at  Pender High School.

2010 NBA All-Star Weekend- Where Were the “All-Stars?”

Jenna Keith

The NBA All-Star weekend is notorious for the close competition in the Shooting Stars and Skills Challenges, the creativity of the Sprite Slam Dunk Contest and the intense East vs. West rivalry in the concluding all-star game. This year, the NBA All-Star Weekend left many people asking, “Where were the all-stars?”

Costumes, windmills, 360s and blowing out birthday candles are only a few of the amazing tricks that past NBA all-stars have come up with to keep fans on the edge of their seats during the Sprite Slam Dunk contest. Dwight Howard shocked plenty of fans with his unexpected Superman costume in 2008, Nate Robinson continued the excitement in 2009 with his “Kryptonite” themed costume to end Dwight Howard’s reign as slam dunk champion.                                             

But all of the excitement came to an end this year as disappointed fans watched the boring and lack luster performances of the 2010 slam dunk competitors. Some of the dunks performed by the “all-stars” were performed during the varsity boys’ basketball game at my high school the night before.  All-stars should not complete “average high school dunks” in a national competition.

The Sunday night All-Star game lacked excitement, as well. The players did not have much energy. The major players that everyone love to see, such as Lebron James, Dwayne Wade and Jason Kidd, made stupid mistakes and turnovers and literally put many people to sleep, until the fourth quarter when the game actually became interesting.

An injured Kobe Bryant sat on the bench during the game, which also disappointed many NBA fans. Rookies, sophomores and other ‘barely known’ players composed the rosters for most of the all-star festivities. As this NBA season winds down and everyone prepares to watch the finals and next year’s all-star game, lifelong NBA fans are asking “When will the real all-stars return?”

Jenna Keith is a student at Pender High School.

Contradictory Controversy

Hevvon Barnes

Our whole lives we are told to do whatever it is that we want. Parents, friends, everyone around us leads us to believe that whatever we want to do in life, is possible, and that whoever we want to be, is obtainable. While this notion is constantly shoved in our faces, there are no guidelines, no rulebook on how it is that you find it, how you get there, and how you know when you are there.

The way that society has hardwired us has made everything that we do a contradiction. They encourage things like individuality and leadership, but then condone things that aren’t conforming to the way they see this utopian society, that obviously doesn’t exist, and never will if they constantly oppress everyone’s dreams, that they encouraged.

I do love America and people, but there are some things that just leave me wondering what they could possibly be thinking. America is idealized to be this big melting pot where everyone is accepted, loved and has an equal opportunity.

But in reality, when things get controversial everyone turns against each other. That is, unless you look the same, act the same, or think the same.

Immigration, sexuality, racism, and religion are just a few of these issues that leave everyone either hiding from the flames of controversy, or throwing fire at anyone with an opposing view.

Immigration seems to be a HUGE problem facing our nation right now, along with others. I’ve heard statements ranging from, “Just put up an electric fence, that will keep them out.” To just letting everyone in. While I’m not supporting either one of these, I’m pretty sure that these aren’t the most logical, or moral solutions.

People against immigration claim that “these people” are coming in for free, not paying taxes and stealing all of the jobs. In reality, most of them pay a big price of leaving behind their families. And the jobs that they are supposedly “stealing” are the jobs most Americans think that are above them anyway.

Why else are they vacant?

While I agree that it might not be fair, I doubt that many people have the money to pay the steep fee that it costs to get into America. I’m not saying that what’s happening is right, but you have to put yourself in their shoes.

What if you had a family, children that you had to provide for? Do you stay where you are and wait, or do you do what you can for the people love in the land claiming to be that of opportunity?

I know I’m just a high school student loaded with homework, complicated decisions, and the stresses of teenage life. But don’t we have to think about the future?

Hevvon Barnes is a student at East Mecklenburg High School.

The Ups and Downs of Being A Blue Devil Fan

Ryan Johnson

“Dang!!!” was what I thought as I saw the North Carolina tar heels men’s basketball team completely give up against my Duke blue devils on February 10^th. It felt so good to finally overcome the abuses of the idiot tar heel fans that thought Roy Williams was a better coach than Mike Krzyzewski  (aka Coach K).

The times of Carolina beating us for the last three or four times were over….. or so I thought. You see earlier that day as I tried to decide whether or not I would even show up at school if Duke lost (of course I would I’m a nerd!!!) and how I would gloat if Duke won, I was thinking of how this rivalry changed in the past decade.

I didn’t become a blue devils fan until 2002 when Jayson Williams and Carlos Boozer where predicted to win the national championship. I will never forget the game against Indiana when Williams missed a critical free throw to tie the game and Carlos Boozer missed the game winning tip in. I will never forget that game.

That year Carolina was 8-28, were dead last in the ACC, yet they beat my blue devils.  It hurt, but not too much. I almost felt happy for the Carolina fans because of the terrible season they where having.  I thought our goal was a national championship, but it was their national championship.

Skip forward to a year later when Roy Williams was hired as the head coach of the “tar holes,” and I still wasn’t scared. I thought he would probably choke under pressure like he did at Kansas.

Williams did just that against my blue devils until the last game of the 2004-2005 regular season. That’s when the tar heels made their run to his first national championship. Yes, I was a little angry, but not too much because they won for the ACC.

Then Tyler “Psycho T” Hansbrough arrived. He was a blue chipper with a real knack for getting under opposing teams’ skin. The fact that he was a great player, plus his “wild man” type nature, made me want to capture and hold him before every Duke game like the movie “Celtic Pride.” I hated especially when he beat my blue devils on J.J. Redick’s last game in Cameron Indoor Stadium.

Sadly, that’s when the tar heels’ domination of this series started again. I was miserable and then they won a national championship in 2009. Duke was getting their butts whooped in every category that counted.

That’s why I was extremely nervous about the February 10^th game. You never really know. Sure the tar heels sucked this year, but I couldn’t stand seeing my blue devils get beat again.

That’s what I kept saying to my dad (a pretty cool tar hole fan) as we yelled louder than experiencing Armageddon first hand. But finally, it was over…. Or so I think.

Ryan Johnson is a student at Harding University High School.

True Passion

Raven Bennett

My whole life I’ve wanted to be a journalist. I like to think that I’ve seen both sides of the lifestyle. My mom is a journalist. My godparents are journalists. I guess my passion comes naturally.

I’ve seen the glamorous side of things. All the lights, the cameras, and the amazing people you meet along the way.

I haven’t been shielded from the challenging aspects of the life, including late nights away from family and temporary seclusion from the outside world.

The summer of my sophomore year of high school, my home was destroyed by fire. As I watched our home burn to the ground, I figured no one cared.  That was until a reporter from ABC11 came walking down the street with camera in tow. Before pulling out the camera, the camera man approached me and made sure I was okay. The reporter hugged me. That was all it took. This is what I was destined to be in life. I wanted to be this person. The future me was staring into my eyes.

I listen to my mother’s stories of her journalism career. The open heart surgeries she reported on, the time she watched a lifeless body recovered from a lake, and even the moments she interviewed journalism royalty.

I remember when Hurricane Fran hit. It was understood that when things like this happened, it was time for mom to go to work. It was okay though. We knew she’d be back. I just thought that this was my mom’s way of helping others. She was keeping them informed.

Because I’ve been around this lifestyle my entire life, I sit back and laugh at how star struck my friends are when someone they’ve seen on TV is all of a sudden sitting in front of them. For me, Ken Smith of WRAL, is just Uncle Ken, a part of the family that my mom was forced to build to help cope with the life of a journalist.

As I approach this career, I’m confident. I’m confident that I can handle the late nights and extended stays in the newsroom that this life may bring. I don’t fear the seclusion, I embrace it. I plan to live the life of a journalist to the fullest, and love every minute of it.

I was able to choose my career path because it was something I was passionate about. It was something that came naturally. Whether your life so far helps to choose your career path, or to make major decisions in life, follow your heart. If you do this, everything else will fall into place.

Raven Bennett is a student at Wake Forest-Rolesville High School.