THE PANTHER PRESS The Voice of Career High School

February 2018 New Haven, CT careerpantherpress.weebly.com

Black Wall Street: Know the Truth

Ronnie Echevarria

Left: Black Wall Street fires, Tulsa, Oklahoma 1921(photo/tulsahistory.org) Right: A 1921 NY Times article reports violence
against Black citizens in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Black Wall Street holds a special place in many people's’ hearts, especially in New Haven, and at Career High
School. Unfortunately, through, because of racism and systematic oppression, most accounts of Black Wall
Street have been wiped from our mainstream textbooks, and even oral history. With every new generation, less
and less is known of Black Wall Street, and it’s a national injustice.

Black Wall Street is simultaneously one of the most innovative and tragic happenings in all of American histo-
ry. It all started in the early 1900s, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where an affluent Black community settled-- known as
Black Wall Street. Towns weren’t legally segregated, but it ‘naturally’ fell into place as white supremacists
didn’t want to live near African-American folks. Black Wall Street was made for Black people, by Black peo-
ple. Every business was Black-owned, and Black-supported. This was an anomaly; it was the first time this
had ever happened in American history. The town was extremely affluent, and had indoor plumbing and supe-
rior schooling before many other white towns (progressive.org). The opulence of a Black neighborhood
threatened and enraged white supremacists, and unfortunately, Black Wall Street came to a catastrophic end
over the course of two days in 1921.

Hatred in the white communities flourished with the enactment of Jim Crow laws and several accusations
(never proven) of sexual assault on white women by Black men. On May 31st and June 1st of 1921, white riot-
ers burned Black Wall Street to the ground. Airplanes were used to bomb the neighborhood and fire on people
from above. Schools, doctor’s offices, homes, and libraries all went up in flames within 16 hours, and an esti-
mated approximate 55 to 300 people died and 800 were injured. Police detained and arrested 6,000 of the
10,000 African Americans in the town, and 9,000 were left homeless.

Story continues on page 2 (Black Wall Street, Continued)

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Black Wall Street, Cont’d
Thirty-five city blocks were razed. In today’s money, the damages would have been around $30 million. It has
been described as a “race war,” but in reality, this was an act of white terrorism. To this day, even including
the 1985 MOVE bombing in Philadelphia, this remains the single largest massacre of African American citi-
zens in the history of the United States.

Today many honor the travesty of the original Black Wall Street with smaller, modern tributes, where Black-
owned businesses set up shop in areas where people can support them, and Black and Brown folks can again
feel the sense of community that Black Wall Street originally offered. Our own Career High School partici-
pates in Black Wall Street, and the next one is coming up soon.

One person who is always heavily involved is Jay Kemp, the Career Dream Team Director: “[The people of
Black Wall Street] had this mindset to build their own, and that was very threatening to the white suprema-
cists. Since it was destroyed, Black Wall Street models the mindset as one of the only ways for Black and
Brown people to have upward mobility in America that the original Black Wall Street once had.”

Now, Career’s Black Wall Street exemplifies “the mindset of supporting one another, of being ‘OK’ with say-
ing ‘Yeah, I’m going to support a Black-owned business,’” Jay explains. Unfortunately, many in today’s socie-
ty feel that they can’t model this mindset. So our own Career “gives us a time where we can make that ‘look’
happen,” he says. “You can walk in and get a true sense of community. A true sense of support, and a true
sense of entrepreneurship.”

But how can I get involved, you ask? How can I bolster Black Wall Street? Jay Kemp says it’s as simple as
just showing up. “I think people forget that just the presence… just seeing one another outside of the regular
school day [to support Black Wall Street] is so important. It’s so important.”

“The goal of Black Wall Street is to promote young people celebrating entrepreneurship, community, and
Black unity. And of course to celebrate the history of Black Wall Street. It’s important,” says Jay. “I really just
want everyone to leave Black Wall Street with a feeling of community. Because that’s what it’s all about.”

The Panther Press: The Voice of Career High School

The Panther Press is a squad of students dedicated to getting the truth out to the public. We are determined to
give the people of Hill Regional Career High School a respectful voice.
2017-2018 Staff Writers
Beatriz Cartagena Melanie Velez Jordin Evans Imani Gonzalez Patrick Henri
Edilzar Mazariegos Josh Wallace Solomon Bailey Tajah Menafee Marlon Myers
Alexandra Rosario Yaira Roman Jordan Nieves Thais Saucedo Sidem Yilmaz
Ronnie Echevarria Henry Smith IV Christian Soarez Carlos Tafoya Gabby McWilliams
February Contributing Writer
Christa Nuzzo
Faculty Advisor: Ms. Murphy

Visit us online at careerpantherpress.weebly.com. Contact us at careerpantherpress@gmail.com

2
Opinion: No Justice in Negron’s Murder
Alexandra Rosario

On the terrifying day of May 9th,

2017, Connecticut changed and
became another statistic in the hor-
rific history of police brutality that
occurs around the world. Sadly,
Jayson Negron was added to this
list of victims. Bridgeport officer
James Boulay, 30, made the quick
decision to stop a vehicle that was
spotted and reported missing,
which resulted in Officer Boulay
taking action. Mr. Negron was
driving the opposite way he needed
to go. According to Boulay, after
Mr. Negron decided to back up, he
Protesters seeking “Justice for Jayson” march in Bridgeport. (Photo/wtnh) hit Officer Boulay, which “forced”
him to shoot his firearm.

Officer Boulay made the fatal shot, killing 15-year-old Jayson Negron. According to the state’s attorney for
the judicial district, Mr. Negron was hit with a fatal shot in the shoulder/upper back which caused him to lose 2
liters of blood, supported by Paramedic Andrew Levino. With no remorse, Officer Boulay left Jayson dying in
the street, staring in the eyes of death for 20 minutes. Boulay, knowing he was wrong, lied to the press, saying
that Mr.Negron died on the scene.

Cases like this that happen daily all around the world, but Mr.Negron’s case speaks out to me the most. I think
of Connecticut as a place of peace in law; we aren't known for police brutality. Finding out that a heartless
man left a 15-year-old boy to rot on the streets of Fairfield Avenue, I realized there is no place in the world
that's considered “good” nor “peaceful”.

Officers Boulay lied countless times, saying Jayson “died on scene.” He’s not the first. Corrupt officers will
always make excuses to justify their merciless murders. It's an unending pattern that will continue if voices
don't take action. We must show these overpowered merciless killers that we will not let this continue. Jayson
Negron should never have lost his voice for people like us to not take action, nor should we be a continuation
to the killings of other young people of color.

After all of the testimonies that made Officer Boulay look nothing but guilty, the state of Connecticut still de-
cided that they would not file charges against Boulay. Families who were unable to get justice for Jayson Ne-
gron were all left heartbroken. The police and the state, who were supposed to help those in need, to help cov-
er up the holes in their hearts, were instead the ones who decided to destroy them more.

This incident needs to not only shine light for the justice of others, but should also show us that we must say
no more to violence. What will our world be like if we continue to let the people who supposedly “help” us
hurt us? If we let them break their promises to have our community safe?

This ends in my generation.

#nomoreviolence

3
Newsome Inspires Career Seniors
Christa Nuzzo

On January 24th, 2018, Career High

School joined several other New Haven
high schools to listen to the 2018 MLK
Keynote Address at Yale’s Battell
Chapel given by Bree Newsome, where
she spoke about the role of youth in
civil rights movements. Bree Newsome
is an artist, activist, and community or-
ganizer who drew national attention
when she climbed a flagpole in front of
the South Carolina Capitol building and
took down the confederate battle flag in
2015. The controversy over this flag
was rekindled after the massacre of
nine Black parishioners by a white su-
premacist at Emanuel AME Zion
Church in Charleston.

When Newsome was the age of the students in the audience, she never thought that one day she would be con-
sidered an activist and would end up in jail over an act of rebellion. At the Yale event, she discussed the time
her mother had to fight for her to be in a gifted education program at her school because all the school officials
saw was the color of skin, not the high abilities she possessed. As she grew older, she realized the struggles
that people of color face, and she began taking action to fix the issues present in our society.

Newsome spoke of how Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream has not yet come true—systemic racism and injustice
still must be addressed in order for his dream of racial and economic equality to be met. In some ways, society
is just as segregated as it was back then. Looking at education specifically, there are stark trends in which
schools whites attend and which schools blacks attend.

Students asked many questions about how Newsome felt when she was scaling the flagpole and what hap-
pened afterwards. She explained that she was arrested and could have faced up to five years in prison for de-
facing a monument, but she felt triumphant because it was an act of defiance that symbolizes something. In an
interview with Vox, Newsome said that she felt taking down the flag symbolized the struggle of several gener-
ations of black people to dismantle white supremacy. The flag was put up almost immediately after, but the
impact she made on the modern Movement for Black Lives remained.

One of the major questions among the students was this: How can I make a difference? Newsome answered
this question by explaining that you do not have to put yourself in danger or be arrested to make a difference.
It is nonviolent agitation that has led to many changes in society. Civil Rights advocates had to sit at lunch
counters and boycott public transportation for change to happen, and eventually it did. Many changes occurred
during the Civil Rights Movement because of these activists, but the fight is not over yet. Even though taking
down the confederate flag was a victory, there are still a lot more battles to fight. She emphasized that it is the
youth who have the power to make a difference, and that simply spreading awareness of issues and getting
people together to discuss how to make the world a better place is what will lead to change. Standing up when
you see an injustice rather than sitting silently and letting it happen is what will lead to change. Bree Newsome
is living proof that you can stand up for what you believe in and be noticed. And when issues are noticed,
change can begin to happen.

4
AP Computer Science: How to Prepare
Christian Soarez

Though many Career

students are interested in
computers, many don’t
know that Career actual-
ly offers an AP Comput-
er Science class. The
computer science class is
a course where students
can learn about the vari-
ous principles of how
computers function in
order to achieve their
purpose. Things like bi-
nary, coding, and basic
programming are taught
(Photo/thenextweb) as well. This class is
taught by Mr. Johnson,
who helps students who
are thinking of getting a future job revolving around computers. As days pass and go on, companies are look-
ing for people who specialize in that sort of field. Any business you can picture is in current need of a comput-
er specialist, so who says you shouldn’t be the next worker?

Some people may ask how someone with no computer experience can become interested in such a topic. The
only solution is to give a shot; you can ask many people about their experiences, but you won’t really know if
you like it unless you try it. I, for one, enjoy the class because it is intuitive and I already have prior knowledge
when it comes to basic coding or programming. You have to build up a sort of insight in order to have that sort
of interest. Though, don’t wait until you’re sitting in the actual class in order to learn something; start out on
your own and see if you can figure it via learning tools around the web.

Now, some people feel that the class might be too hard for them. They get nervous seeing the “AP” abbrevia-
tion in the course title. However, it honestly isn’t difficult when you pay attention and you have to test the wa-
ters in order to see if it's difficult. There are times when math up to calculus will be used, especially for algo-
rithms, which can be tough if you aren’t used to them already. These algorithms are steps to solve a problem,
just like how you would follow certain steps in order to find the answer to an equation. But rest assured, the
class starts off with a slow pace with Algebra 2 being what you will use the most. If you’re struggling, simply
ask one of the teachers for guidance and you should be on your way.

Personally speaking, if you are planning to take the course next year, you should study and familiarize yourself
with various things about programming to obtain a head start. Learning about the different computer hardware
and software can lead you into the right direction of being ahead. There is also a club that is offered on Fridays
for students who are interested in the different topics you might not get to go over in the school year from 2:30
-4:00 after school in room 212.

Computers are all around us, so we should all learn how to use them to a higher level at some point in our lives
rather than simply surfing the web, just as a backup. Every industry requires a computer scientist right now,
and in the future, even more of them will be required. It’s never too late-- besides, you can begin by learning
online anytime, which will guarantee you that head start.

5
Reflection: Life is a Puzzle
Gabby McWilliams

High School is only one piece to life's puzzle. My early high school experience helped me to mature into the
young woman I am today. I learned to be independent, accountable, and goal oriented.

I developed into being an independent learner. I had to take control of my own learning both inside and outside
of the classroom. However, there was often be trouble between my intentions and what I actually did on a day-
to-day basis. This led to me being upset because of the failure to properly know whether or not my actions
would lead to the goal I desired. Now, I am ready to start doing things without needing the support of others.

I had to separate myself from others and exclude some things out of my schedule. Being late to class, not do-
ing my homework, failing tests, and getting in trouble at home because I was in the hallways or on the phone
with “friends” all caught up with me in the long run. I’ve made bad decisions because of the fear to enjoy my
own company and it took me a while, but I realized that I am the only one who is responsible for my success.

Accountability is needed in many places such as work, school, and even at home. In school, I had to under-
stand that being accountable applies to little things also. For instance, if I was taking a piece of paper from one
classroom to another, regardless of what happened on the way, I was still responsible for that piece of paper,
its condition, and whether or not it got to its destination. Or in my health class, with bigger things such as tak-
ing personnel from one destination to another, I am responsible for that person’s safety-- and that is a big re-
sponsibility. Now, I am completely aware and I understand that my success is up to me, my choices, and my
behaviors.

I’ve learned that mentally, a goal-oriented approach helps with breaking the barrier that will affect my drive to
start a project because the actual goal seems too far away. My goal-oriented approach is allowing me to be so
focused on smaller tasks and objectives so that even though they are getting closer and closer to my ultimate
ambition, I don’t stop to think about how much further there is to go. I became so engaged with the process
that the pressure from the desire of my goal isn’t there anymore.

Independence, accountability, and staying goal-oriented is very important to my future success because they
force me to start and do something. No matter how small that first goal is, in order to build momentum, I get it
done. I know that college will be a challenge, but by always remembering my experiences in high school, I am
mentally prepared to meet the challenge. By requesting admissions to colleges, I can add a new piece to my
puzzle.

Opportunities Offered Through HOSA

Imani Gonzalez

Have you ever been interested in pursuing a career as future health professional? Then consider joining HO-
SA! HOSA (Health Occupation Students of America) is a organization that specializes in health science ca-
reers.
HOSA was created in 1976 in Arlington, TX. HOSA members consist of middle schoolers, high schoolers,
college students, and even professionals. During HOSA meetings, members discuss upcoming events such as
competitions and ways to raise money for HOSA. At competitions, students debate and discuss different
themes. These themes are all common within the health hield. The type of events include— Health Science
Events, Health Professions Events, Emergency Preparedness Events, Leadership Events, Team Events, and
Recognition Events.
6
Within each of the categories, you are eligible to compete at the local, state, and national levels. If you are suc-
cessful and place top three in your event, you advance to states. If you place top three within the best in the
state, you advance to nationals and compete with people from all around the globe! HOSA conferences can
look great on a transcript, and even a resume.
Not only can HOSA improve your academic skills, but it’s also a fun way to challenge yourself. Think about
traveling half across the world, meeting new and different people, and winning with your peers. But within
HOSA, having fun or meetings isn’t enough: it is up to the students and members to assemble outside of
school as well and involve the community.

If you donate enough hours and time to HOSA within and out of school, then you can receive recognition at
state and nationals events. Some other opportunities can include scholarships and even an internships-- one at
the Office of Surgeon General! There’s no denying that scholarships are something we all need as HOSA
members and students.

Here at Career, we have a HOSA program that is run by Ms. Zajac and our leading president, Mackenize
Ewing. As a member, you are eligible to participate in events and apply for scholarships through HOSA-- it’s
so worth it!

Talk to Ms. Zajac, or check out www.HOSA.com for more information.

SATs: Are You Ready?

Sidem Yilmaz

Listen up, all juniors! We have just over two weeks left to study for the BIG test, the test that will determine
which college we are eligible for. The staff members at Career provide you with helpful websites, classes for
practice and SAT skills. After this process, it is now up to you to work for the score you want.

What should I expect?

The SAT is broken up into two sections-- reading and math. The reading section has 52 article-based multiple
choice questions. It also has 35 writing and language questions. Math is divided into two parts, one with a cal-
culator and one without, consisting of both multiple choice and open-ended questions.

Fees
Schools provide fee waivers for the first test in school on March 21st. Any further tests taken by choice have a
cost. If you live in a household with low income and have trouble paying these costs the state can give you an-
other fee waiver. Apply for FAFSA beginning October 1st. Any applications can be submitted the SAT.org/fee
-waviers.

Useful Resources
Khan Academy: Practice for the SAT
Big Future: Plan for college
YouCanGo (ycg.org): College research
College Board: Keep track of your goals and progress

SAT School Day is March 21st.

7
Student Claims Airline Told her to Kill
Hamster
Yaira Roman

A horrifying decision was made by a young college student named

Belen Aldecosea. According to Aldecosea, a Spirit Airlines em-
ployee told her she could not fly with her hamster, and that she
should either flush down “Pebbles” down the airport bathroom toi-
let or let him loose outside. Aldecosea says she had no choice but to
flush Pebbles down the toilet.

What others do not know is that Pebbles was her emotional support
animal. Aldecosea was ongoing some medical issues, for which she
needed to catch a flight to Florida to her family. She had a benign
(Photo/TheStar) (not harmful) tumor that was growing on her neck and was very
painful. This was the main reason why she was going to Florida; she
was withdrawing from school and needed the neck growth to be treated by a doctor.

Aldecosea was trying to find other ways in order to travel to Florida with her hamster, like renting a car, but
she was too young to do so, which led her to take a flight to Florida. Spirit Airlines denied Aldecosea’s story
that they told her to flush the poor animal down the toilet. They claim they never said or told Aldecosea to
make that horrifying decision. In a statement to NBC, a Spirit Airlines spokesman said, “after researching the
incident we can say confidently that at no point that any of our agents suggest this guest should flush or other-
wise injure an animal.” In in other words, they are stating that Aldecosea is not telling the truth.

The Spirit Airlines website states no snakes, other reptiles, rodents, ferrets, and spiders are allowed, but
Aldecosea says that when she called the airline, an employee said it was okay. This is a horrifying and tragic
event. Aldecosea had to give up not just any animal’s life, but her emotional support animal. The poor hamster
suffered and Aldecosea felt upset. She stated in an NBC interview, “I was, emotional. I was crying, I sat there
for a good 10 minutes crying in the stall.”

This might be something to learn from. If you are planning on taking an animal to an airplane, please make
sure to check there rules about animals, and what types of animals can get on board. This may just save your
animal’s life.

SAT Tips of the Month

“Writing is a lot easier, you should definitely focus on math and geometry. Membean was a huge help because
a lot of the vocabulary is on it, and try to take the SAT class if you can.” ~Monserrath Xicohtencatl

“Don't leave anything blank, pick one letter if you don't know and just keep bubbling that one letter in.”
~Marrilee May

“Practice on Khan Academy, Listen to your teacher. It's really not that hard, just try. Take all the tests offered
with a fee waiver.” ~ Ronnie Echevarria

8
Opinion: Women Must Stand Together
Beatriz Cartagena

Feminism defined is the theory of the political, economic,

and social equality of the sexes; organized activity on be-
half of women’s rights and interests.

Because men have more power over women in our society,

the world is more in favor to men. Feminism consists of
ideas and beliefs that this culture can and should be differ-
ent, meaning men and women should be treated equally.

Women should be able to do everything men can. This

should be true in all areas-- in the aspect of working, get-
ting the same amount of money for equal work, getting the
same education, and getting the same respect. People tend
to respect men more than women. Women believe that they are at a disadvantage, but still have hope that they
can change the way they are treated. They believe a different culture is possible. Feminists want to make per-
sonal and social changes towards a more desirable culture. If women were able to gain the right to vote and to
work, there is no doubt that they can do and change even more.

Women have a lot of power and sometimes they do not even realize it. If women were to join forces, they
would change everything, change the world even. Some of us are too busy putting each other down and
fighting with one another while men sit in a corner, enjoying it all. It’s time for us to stop doing so. Come to-
gether and plan how we can keep gaining rights, and how we can get more and more men to see how our value
and how much we really matter.

True feminists will never give up on what they believe, which is very admirable. It should teach all girls and
women to not give up on what they want to do to change the world. Something really small, an opinion even,
could have a big impact on someone's life and the future of feminism.

Teacher of the Month: Mr. Cotto

“That’s my favorite teacher in the whole school. I really appreciate him and
what he teaches.” --Dana McEachern

“He’s great because he knows how to ‘get you’ as a teacher.” --Kimberly

Sacaza

“He’s a cool teacher, knows how to work with students, and can control the
classroom.” --Nicole Washington

“Cotto is a very good teacher and has a unique way of teaching.”

--Solomon Bailey

“He’s a great teacher because he knows how to connect with kids”

--Mondre Credle

“Mr. Cotto is one of the coolest teachers here, he’s really down to earth and
funny.” --Lesly Jimenez

9
Becoming An Uber Driver
Yaira Roman

Do you feel safe when a stranger is driving you to places and even dropping you off at home? We do this every day. Ub-
er was founded in the year 2009. However, it started getting popular in 2015.

Some say Uber driving is an opportunity for those who need extra money to make, or even those who do not have a job.
But what are the steps you need to take in order to become a driver? There are many pros and cons to becoming an Uber
driver. You have to follow many steps and rules in order to be an Uber driver. You have standards. You are more like an
owner than just an employee when you’re driving, because you have to provide safety for yourself and the passenger.

If you are considering becoming an Uber driver, you could consult expert Timothy Alexander. On his website, he stated
that a driver would have to have a newer 4 wheel vehicle that passes any required state inspection, provide proof of in-
surance, must have a clean driving record, and most importantly, pass a criminal record background check. Without any
of these requirements, you can not have a job as an Uber driver. Some things that you have to consider would be paying
for plenty of fuel, oil maintenance, vehicle depreciation, and handouts to riders.

Some tips that you may want to consider if you are thinking of becoming an Uber driver is try to find a location that is
constantly asking for an Uber. This is called a hotspot. This opportunity is going to request within 10 minutes of your
driving to the pickup point, as said by Alexander. Another tip would be working the peak times. This will help you work
more hours and earn more money than usual. To earn as much as possible, you would have to work morning and even-
ing, including Saturdays and Sunday, which are “rush hours.” Do not attempt to try and pick up someone who is far
away from the location you are in. This will make the customer mad and they will end up taking it out on you. Another
issue is if you are working only for 1 to 2 hours, do not expect a lot of money. You would have to work consistent hours
in order to gain what you are expecting.

This is some of the general information that you should know if you are thinking on becoming an Uber driver in the fu-
ture. Some of these may sound like it's too much effort, but if you have the time and are looking for fast money, put in
the work and go for this job.

Help Support the Homeless

In today's society, all we know how to do is stare at a screen and call it productive. When we see problems in
the world, we don't try to change them— and that is the problem. Life is about changes and progression, and
we must be those who make the changes. Career High School students Ulyssa Avila, Monev Carson, Zaavia
Ansari, and Sidem Yilmaz are hosting a bake sale fundraiser to support the shelters for the homeless in New
Haven. Every little thing we do makes a bigger change. This bake sale will hopefully raise enough money to
feed one more homeless person.

The amount of homeless people in CT dropped 13% from 2017 to 2018. In 2015, more than 4000 people ages
25 and younger were reported to be homeless. We should be proud of our community for trying to unite and
help other people in need. Now, we can make it possible. This continuous drop is helped by every penny do-
nated to these shelters. In addition, by helping the poor, you may gain happiness and joy.

Support the homeless in your community

Wednesday, March 7th & Friday, March 9th at 2:15
Prices will vary from $0.50 - $2.00
Soda & Juice, Cupcakes, Brownies & Cookies

—Sidem Yilmaz

10
Self-Love on Valentine’s Day
Thais Saucedo

Valentine's Day is full of love. However, before you go off to cel-

ebrate it with somebody else, you should love yourself first. You
should love every inch of yourself. Your appearance, personality,
the type of person you are-- EVERYTHING. Everyone has their
flaws, so you should love yours.

Everyone, of course, feels insecure sometimes, but you shouldn’t

let this get in the way of your happiness. I was so insecure as a
younger girl. As I got older, I realized I shouldn’t and wouldn’t
allow everything to get to me. Life is way too short for you to be
stressing about the little things.

Self-love is the best love you can get. No one will ever love you
more than you love yourself. Having self-love can be helpful in
more than one way. Having confidence is something that people
notice and actually find it quite appealing. A person who seems to
have a lot of confidence can be seen as a very strong person, and confidence will help you love who you are.

There are many things you can do to boost up your self-love. Do something you've always wanted to do be-
cause you were to scared to ever do it. Go for a haircut you’ve always wanted to try. Try new clothes. Wear
bold makeup colors without fear. Keep your mindset positive-- there’s no need to compare yourself to others
when you’re your own person.

End all toxic relationships. Anyone who treats you less than amazing doesn’t deserve to be a part of your
life. You need to know your worth.

Have fun! Step out of your comfort zone. Get out there and do some life changing things. Enjoy them, enjoy
being you, and enjoy your life.

The next time you are having an amazing day and feeling the happiest, make a list of your accomplishments
and best qualities. It may sound corny, but it can a very helpful reminder when you’re having a bad day and
need a reminder of all your great qualities.

Most importantly, forgive yourself for your mistakes. You can’t change the things you did in the past. You
can control your future. Look at it as a learning experience and believe in your ability to change.

Want to see your name in print? Do you want to gain experience in

journalism?
Want to boost your resume?
Write for the Panther Press!
We need writers to help cover sports at Career, submit opinion articles, send in poetry and art, and anything
else you can think of.
Email careerpantherpress@gmail.com to get started.
11
Claudette Colvin: Remember Her Name
Imani Gonzalez

From New York to California, from Texas to the Canadian border, everyone knows who Rosa Parks is-- or at
least, they’ve heard her name and a brief summary of why she is so famous in the United States. Everyone
will say that Rosa Parks was the first woman to refuse to move her seat for a white man in Montgomery, Ala-
bama. They will defend their statement and could even bring up headlines that say she was the first woman to
refuse. But little do they know a woman named Claudette Colvin was actually the first to do so.

On March 2nd, 1955 (nine months before Rosa Parks’ refusal), Colvin was on the way home from school.
Asked to move her seat to the back for a white person, she refused and was arrested. She was only 15 at the
time, and without her courage many wonder if Rosa Parks would have had the courage to stand up for herself.
This is because Colvin started a ripple in her community that changed humanity forever.

Both Colvin and Parks deserve to be remembered. Claudette Colvin is now 78 years of age. She’s a humble
elder woman who never minds sharing her story. She appreciates those who know of her and are aware she
was the spark in that chain reaction in the south. It took nine months before someone else stepped up and said
no, and those nine long months of hardship took a toll on the black community in 1955.

At the end of the day, Colvin is an American legend who will never be forgotten by those who truly know
American history. Parks was the voice for women in the civil rights movement and her story will live forever
as well.

This Valentine’s Day, Celebrate Friendships

Melanie Velez

Having a friend is like having the other half of you. We have to trust each other to maintain a good friendship.
The most important part of a friendship is to understand and to be understood. It’s always good to have a
friend who you can rely on and someone you can trust to tell you the truth at all times. Trust and honesty play
a big part in a friendship; having that special kind of trust between two people can be beautiful, especially
with someone who you hope will be in your life forever. Honesty is the key to a healthy friendship, because if
you’re friends with someone, you would want them to tell you the truth. You have to stick to your friend and
love them like your own sibling.

Friends can bring out the inner you; if you are having a bad day or going through a situation that is so bad that
you can’t handle it, true friends are there to be someone who you can lean on and show your happiness even
in your most vulnerable moments. If you’ve ever ended up in a bad situation with your friends, just talk about
it and be completely honest on how you feel. As junior Daniel May says, when it comes to your friends, “keep
it a hundred and you should have loyalty even through the hardest times.”

Across the board, it also seems that loyalty is the quality that is most valued in a friendship. Juniors Anayancy
Vazquez, Margarita Ortega, and Jaylyn Council all say that loyalty is what can keep a friendship stable and
healthy. We all know that without any loyalty in a relationship, it can’t be considered a friendship to begin
with.

Junior Anayancy Vazquez also says that in a friendship, it’s important to consider “knowing each others;
boundaries. Just like a relationship you can’t be with each other 24/7-- there need to be times where you have
to be away from each other, and that keeps a healthy friendship.”

12
First Jobs: What to Know
Henry Smith

Mommy and Daddy can’t pay for everything, and there comes a point in our lives as teenagers where we must
get a job-- any job. Sounds easy, right? It really isn’t. There are key elements to having a successful applica-
tion. It’s more than just putting your contact information on a random sheet of paper; there are many other spe-
cifics that must be included as well.

Of course, you have your basic information like your name, address, social security… blah blah blah. But then
there’s the more complex information such as the position you want to apply for, your personal qualities
(which might be further explored in an interview), availability, and work history. As a high schooler, this
would most likely be your first job, so you might not have any work history. Unfortunately, this takes off one
major detail from your application-- but it’s not a permanent setback because you’ll have all your other infor-
mation-- and maybe an interview-- to back you up. In addition, you might even use your volunteer history as a
substitute for a paid work history.

Obviously specifying the position you want to apply for is probably the most important and specific piece of
information on your application. A bit of advice: make sure you research the position that you want to work to
see if you are even qualified to perform it. You don’t want to work in a position that you aren’t capable of
managing. For example, if you want to be a server at a restaurant, Connecticut says that you must be 18 to
serve alcohol to a table. However, you could start as a host or busser.

Do your research and look at the company in general, ranging from the people of the company to the history of
the business. All are important facts to know and will only help you out in the long run. Evaluate the company
and maybe even take notes-- you absolutely want to have some type of basic knowledge or at least awareness
of the company before applying. I recommend going to the “About Us” section on the company’s website to
give you some insight before applying.

After submitting in your basic information, your availability (which hopefully fits the criteria of the job), per-
sonal qualities, and work history (if you have any), you have to wait for your application to be read. It might
take a while for a response, so be patient. You can, however, politely follow up on an application after you
submit it. Still, you might even be rejected-- but don’t take it personally, especially if you applied to multiple
places. When someone does consider hiring you, they will call-- so be prepared to answer the phone and have
a professional voicemail message in case you get a call during school.

When you get a call, the person hiring will give you an interview date and time. The interview process is prob-
ably the most stressful part of getting a job, but don’t let all the pressure get to you. If you practice well
enough, you won’t have much to worry about. Practice in the mirror, use flashcards, and even record yourself.
This will increase your readiness for the interview. Don’t be too relaxed-- you never know what type of ques-
tions they will ask you, so you might want to look up some practice questions online so you have your answers
ready to go. To go even further, you could set up a mock interview with a family member or a friend. I would
try to set it up with someone who has a job already so that you can get firsthand experience about what a real
interview looks like.

Now it’s the time for the interview: all your hard work will pay off here. This is your moment to show that
manager why they should hire you. Dress appropriately-- aka business formal. Pretty much dress like you were
going to dress for church or a formal event. Show up early, depending on your mode of transportation. Take an
early bus, whatever you need to do-- try leave at least half an hour of spare time. Practice before getting there
a few more times to make sure you have your nerves under control and your pitch memorized. Speak clearly,
be professional, and take a deep breath-- your first job opportunity is on the way!

13
Opinion: True Beauty is Natural
Yaira Roman

What does makeup mean to you? Really, everyone has different opinions about why they wear or don’t wear
makeup, and what makeup means to them. Some people don't feel comfortable in their own skin and use
makeup as a cover-up. Others use it as a boost of confidence or an expression of art.

Wearing makeup is a choice people can make. I personally think that makeup is not necessary all the time. For
example, you could put on makeup when you are going to special events to look more decent or to impress
other people. But that's not the case nowadays. Some people choose to wear makeup wherever they go-- to a
doctor’s appointment, to the mall, to school, or staying home.

I believe that a natural look is the key to beauty. Some women do not understand the beauty that they carry
within them when they do not wear any makeup. Going out naturally reveals confidence. Career junior Lathda
Chanthinith says, “makeup can be defined many ways, but I think that females wear makeup because they do
not feel comfortable in their own skin.” Makeup can also be a boost of confidence for women so that they can
feel secure when they walk out the door.

In my opinion, makeup is a mask. It covers up how you truly look. A natural look without makeup is beyond
beauty. However, this generation is packed with makeup-- eyeshadow, contour, highlights, eyebrow filler,
blush, concealer, eyeliner, etc. When women wear these, they cover up all that natural beauty.

When women wear makeup, it does not always mean that they are insecure about the way they look, but just to
have that boost of confidence can be what they need. However, do not let yourself get to used to wearing
makeup all the time, because than you would not want to leave the house without at least a little makeup on.
Natural is never bad thing-- it's good. When you were born, you were born natural, so maybe it should stay
that way.

The History Behind Valentine’s Day

Jordin Evans

As you all know, Valentine's day is a holiday that occurs on every 14th in the month of February. Some people
celebrate it and some people don’t, because it isn’t a required holiday. But what some of you may not know, is
that Valentine’s Day actually has a lot of important background information behind it that you may want to
find out about.

In today’s world, when we think of Valentine’s day, candy, cards, and paper hearts. Honestly, that's all we
know. But there’s more to it than just that. Valentine’s day has been around for 1,523 years.

On February 15, 495, the Romans had a festival called Lupercalia- a holiday that took place in the middle of
February to represent the start of their springtime. During Lupercalia, boys would stick their hand in a box full
of girl names written on slips of paper. Whatever girl they randomly chose, they would have to date her during
the festival. If they began to like each other after the festival, marriage would be considered.

A day before this festival approached again on February 13, 496, a Pope Gelasius decided that February 14
would now be considered Valentine’s day, a day of romance. The holiday— through it looks different— con-
tinues today.

14
Opinion: Teens Need Later Starts
Carlos Tafoya

The average teenager should get 8-10 hours

of sleep, but this is not the case for many peo-
ple in high school. Teenagers often stay up
late and have to get up very early for school
to get ready and get to school.

According to Nationwide Children’s Hospi-

tal, when kids hit puberty, there is a biologi-
cal shift in their internal clocks or circadian
rhythm that is altered by around 2 hours.
They will now sleep naturally about 2 hours
later then they did before. It is also necessary
for teens to sleep more than adults. On aver-
age, teens go to sleep around 11 PM. The av-
erage startup time for high schools across
America is 7:59 AM, but students must wake
up 1-2 hours before to get ready and arrive at
school. As a result, they only get around 7
hours of sleep. This is why schools should
start later-- 8:30 at least.

The side effects for not getting enough sleep

can be more than unpleasant-- they can even
be dangerous. If teens do not get enough
sleep, this could lead to a buildup of stress
and drowsiness, which is not healthy for
school work or paying attention in class. If
teens don't meet these needs, then they could
get lower grades and struggle with learning.
Another health risk in teens who don’t get
enough sleep is a higher chance of obesity and diabetes; teenagers have no energy, they are tired all the time,
and would rather go to sleep. Teenagers with sleep deprivation can even have a higher chance of having de-
pression and thinking about or attempting suicide.

In addition, teenage years are when people start to be more independent. They often drive to school or work,
and driving while tired is a dangerous situation. Studies have shown that teen drivers who sleep less than 8
hours each night are one-third more likely to crash than those who sleep 8 or more hours nightly.

To get more sleep, try to make your bedroom a quiet place and stop using electronics 30 minutes before sleep-
ing. This helps because when our eyes sense light, it reduces the amount of melatonin we create. Melatonin is
a hormone that controls our sleep cycle. Having an electronic-free room is also recommended by many sources
and doctors. Having a quiet room is helpful too, for obvious reasons. Even if you like to listen to music to fall
asleep, it can actually affect the quality of your sleep because it keeps your mind more awake. Until schools
catch up to science, all we can do is try to get as much sleep as possible.

15
 Entertainment
Netflix’s The End of the F***ing World and
Why You Should Watch It
Ronnie Echevarria

Netflix’s gritty and hilarious show The End of the F***ing World, based off of Charles Forsman’s original
comic, premiered internationally on January 5th, 2018 - and this is why you should definitely watch it. All
around Career High School, students are ranting and raving about this show, and here is why.

The End of the F***ing World follows two 17-year-olds: Alyssa, who sees her classmate, James, as an escape
from her home life, and James himself, a self-proclaimed psychopath who plans to kill Alyssa as soon as the
opportunity arises. Alyssa is tired of the modern world’s apathy and James doesn’t care about anything one
way or the other, as long as he can kill something-- but not for long. Things aren’t as they seem as the more
time James spends with Alyssa, the more he comes to enjoy her presence, instead of loathe it.

This show is an emotional rollercoaster from start to finish. It deeply describes teen love under extreme duress,
and is self-aware of the grueling and unhealthy nature of the psyches of its two main characters. This show
knows what it is. A romantic murder mystery has no need for filler episodes or frivolities, and The End of the
F***ing World takes time for neither. Amidst the hilarity, important things like issues of consent, several
forms of abuse, mental illness, deadbeat dads, and LGBT+ themes arise in the show, and each is dealt with re-
spectfully and interestingly. Each new hurdle is a thrill for the audience. Every turn is an unseen one. Nothing
is expected, and everything is artfully executed (pun intended).

The dialogue is sharp and witty, and since the show lets you in on both Alyssa’s and James’ personal thoughts
and internal dialogue, the comedy isn’t tacky, as it doesn’t interrupt
the seriousness of a scene. The characters are convincing and relata-
ble. Even though both characters are deeply flawed, they are both
immensely likeable. The cinematography is to die for; every camera
angle and screencap is beautiful enough to go into the art gallery
down the street. The dark humor and disregard of authority is appeal-
ing to anyone, especially teens.

The soundtrack deserves a mention and a salute all on its own. With
perfect timing, and a cut of audio during serious moments and reve-
lations, the show’s audio and soundtrack is a work of art alone. Gen-
res of 60’s swing, 80’s pop, 90’s rock, and modern tunes all blend
effortlessly to immerse you into a timeless story. Songs like Berna-
dette Carroll’s Laughing on the Outside and Hank Williams’ Settin’
The Woods on Fire make for an engaging yet unobtrusive musical
background.

The End of the F***ing World is an odd love story, and it isn’t for
the faint of heart, but it’s a great watch, and it leaves you seeing the
world a little differently than when you started. It’s a work of art and
I implore you to see it.

16
Review: Revival
Anthony Troche

There are very few rappers who bring such a bi-

zarre but legendary style that Marshall Mathers--
Eminem-- was able to bring to the table during
his rise to fame. You might think that his rise to
fame started with his debut album, Infinite, re-
leased in 1996, but this was largely considered a
failure because of people’s refusal to allowing
his whiteness into a mostly African-American
genre of music. With claims of Eminem sound-
ing too much like the legendary Nas and AZ, the
criticism burned an internal fire that sparked an
alter ego who Eminem would eventually be
known for today: Slim Shady.

This alter ego served as a way for Mathers to write anything to comes to his mind in a dark, violent, but ani-
mated style with a boldness that was never seen or heard of at the time. This style would separate him miles
apart from his inspirations. His boldness combined with his new and refreshed style is what caught the atten-
tion of Dr. Dre and made Mathers into one of the most electrifying MC’s to grace the mic.

Within the ongoing years, Eminem would eventually fall into a deeper slump that he could not get out of… Or
is that just what Em wants you to think? Since the Slim Shady LP in 1996, he has sold countless amounts of
records that broke charts that were unseen. Slim Shady LP was certified triple platinum, followed by The Mar-
shall Mathers LP and The Eminem Show which were both certified diamond (selling 10,000,000 copies).
Eminem himself has reached a career high-- and arguably set the bar so high for himself that not even he can
reach that point anymore. The only person that Em can often compare to is himself. This is the setup for the
his 8th studio album: Revival.

On the first track, “Walk on Water,” Eminem states exactly how he feels about the critics having underesti-
mated his abilities during the later half of his career. Ever since his comeback in 2009, fans have always been
underestimating and showing disinterest in him. But Eminem sees the situation as himself setting the bar so
high that not even he can climb over it. The only person that he can compare to is himself. “Walk on Water”
is a segue for the political album that tries to prove that he still has what it takes to join the conversation as
one of the best.

The album has been one of the most controversial albums in regards to his lyrics mixed with his attempt at
writing his views on the political issues going on in America today. Songs like “Untouchable,” where
Eminem is giving two points of views of the social issues between blacks and whites, “Like Home ft Alicia
Keys,” an anthem of the United States in response to Donald Trump’s remarks on the current state of the U.S,
and “Framed,” which discusses the issue of false accusations that lead to incarceration in the United States,
make Eminem’s work more relevant than ever.

Besides Eminem’s touch of his opinion on the current state of the United States, he also wants to satisfy those
remaining fans who want the satisfaction of Eminem going back to his reminisive style from the ear-
ly 2000’s. This can be found on the track “Offended”, a bold and explosive song that ties back to his true
roots that shot him to fame. Making clever remarks to celebrities, mentioning his “criticizers” with wordplay
and punchlines makes this one of the most enjoyable songs on the album.

17
Overwatch eSports
Shaun Sloley

The Overwatch League regular season kicked off on January 10th with a bang. It had a total viewing on open-
ing night at 400,000 viewers. The Overwatch league is an eSport. An eSport is the correct term to use for pro-
fessional gaming, where pro gamers play a video game in a LAN (local area network) tournament setting in
front of a crowd for money. This is the start of a truly global league that has been anticipated for a while now.
However, no one expected it to pull in this many viewers on its opening day.

Overwatch is a 6 vs 6 team game, where various characters battle to capture an objective, ranging from 4 dif-
ferent objective types. The teams play on a range of different maps, on the different objective types, such as
two capture points, escort the payload, hybrid between capture point and payload, and control types. There are
a total of 12 teams in the Overwatch league with a roster ranging from 6-12 players.

The Overwatch league has a total of four five-week-long stages. At the end of each stage, there are the
playoffs. In each week of a stage, there are three matches held a day from Wednesday to Sunday. The playoffs
for each stage showcase two matches, where the top 3 teams of that stage battle to win a prize pool. First, the
number 2 and 3 ranked teams battle to fight the number 1 team. The team in first place in playoffs wins a
$100,000 prize and the number 2 team gets $25,000.

The 12 teams that play in the Overwatch league have a name and logo. The 12 teams are the Seoul Dynasty,
the Los Angeles Gladiators, the Dallas Fuel, the Houston Outlaws, the New York Excelsiors, the Shanghai
Dragons, the Florida Mayhem, the San Francisco Shock, the London Spitfire, the Boston Uprising, the Los
Angeles Valiant, and the Philadelphia Fusion.

With the success of the Overwatch league’s regular season Stage One, which ended on February 11th, we are
expecting many interesting changes to come for the start of Stage Two, which starts February 21st. The teams
will be practicing for Stage Two, trading and picking new or different players. The meta (or which heroes in
the game are viable or are best to use in a team composition) will be changing to either benefit or hurt certain
teams.

There were many surprises and upsets that happened with how we expected some teams to perform and how
they actually performed in Stage One, with some teams performing below their own standards from where we
previously saw them, and some teams just completely exceeding expectations and performing beyond what
everyone was expecting. The changes for Stage Two will be interesting and many people are excited to see
what each of the teams have to offer this time around going into it.

Classic Movies Deserve Recognition

Jordan Nieves

Nowadays, most of the kids who grew up in the 2000’s will think of “classics” as movies like Fast and the Fu-
rious or Batman Begins. They’ll think of movies like The Breakfast Club or Pretty in Pink as “old” rather than
classic. However, growing up with a father who is in love with movies pretty much changed my view on what
should be counted as a “classic” rather than just something old to be forgotten. Though we weren’t alive dur-
ing these films, they’re great movies that deserve to be watched by today’s generation.

Gremlins- Back in the 80s, the horror genre was slowly growing. Movies like The Nightmare on Elm St and
Halloween were giving people all types of scars and nightmares. Warner Brothers tried to capitalize on the
horror genre by releasing Gremlins, which gave the horror genre a new twist with comedy. Most horror come-
dies now don't compare to Gremlins whatsoever— movies like A Haunted House or Scary Movie are funny,
18
but Gremlins gave people the fear of having a pet-- and definitely not feeding it
after 12 AM or getting it wet.

Back To The Future- A movie that sparked a trilogy, “Great Scott!” a classic
line that many people have heard either on popular TV shows or parodies of
Back to the Future, but many surprisingly don’t know where it comes from. In
1985, Back To The Future was released to a barrage of fans all over the world.
The sequels gave a new look at the series, time traveling to the future and Wild
West, always with a twist.

Superman- In 1978, Superman finally hit the big screen in a 3 hour film that
made history for DC Comics. Christopher Reeve donned the cape and tights
and flew across Metropolis. It made history by being one of the first big screen
superhero movies since the Adam West Batman era back in the 60’s. To this
day, Christopher Reeve is still just so different compared to Brandon Routh or
Henry Cavill because he gave Superman that Clark Kent comic look and feel
that everyone loved. Christopher truly made Superman historic with his por-
trayal, and nobody to this day will ever take the throne from him.

Friday The 13th- When I think of horror icons, Chucky, Freddy Krueger, and Michael Myers come to mind--
but truly everyone knows that Jason Voorhees is the horror icon. From the quiet tone to the machete slashing,
complete with chilling music, Jason gave everyone a scare from the mid-80’s to the late 2000’s. Whether it
was in space or against another horror character, any time you saw a hockey goalie’s mask or heard the name
“Jason,” you had chills running down your spine. Jason-- and Friday the 13th in general-- became historic be-
cause of their influence in mainstream culture. Even though Friday the 13th was not the first slasher film, it's
one that truly terrified people and pushed horror to new levels.

Recap: Celtics vs Raptors

Carlos Tafoya

With Kyrie Irving back this game after missing three games from a quad injury, the Celtics felt confident that
they would win. Unfortunately, Irving did not really help win the game. It looked like he was not trying his
hardest. Since Irving was not at his best, Kyle Lowry was able to outscore Irving by 6 points, with his total
points being 23 with 8 rebounds and 4 assists. Irving’s teammates also helped out; notably, DeMar DeRozan
had 15 points. Irving only had 17 points with 3 assists, even though he played for 22 minutes. Marcus Morris
also returned from a back injury, but only had 12 points to add on. One player who really helped the Celtics
was Terry Rozier, who had 18 points.

The end score was 91-111, with the Raptors winning. Early in the game, the Raptors had more points than the
Celtics, which was a sign that they would be taking the win. The only quarter that the Celtics had more was the
4th, where they scored 31 points. They attempted to come back, but just couldn’t pull through in time. It was
an overall good game for the Raptors, especially since they had home court advantage. They had more re-
bounds and a higher field goal percentage with fewer fouls and turnovers. Surprisingly, though, the Raptors
missed more free throws.

This game was an important game to the Raptors because it helped them get to number one in the Eastern Con-
ference with 39-16, while the Celtics have 40-18. At the end of the game, Irving admitted he "didn't feel as
good as I wanted to" coming back from his injury. Kyrie should work on his leadership skills to help the team,
because their wins and losses have been inconsistent. After all, at the beginning of the season, the Celtics had a
16 game winning streak. Hopefully Kyrie can come back in the next couple of games to help redeem the
Celtics.
19
The Panthers Are Biting: The Fight to the
Playoffs
Patrick Henri

The Career Panthers Boys Basketball is at its best as they hold an 11-5 record overall. The boys are winning
on the regular and their only losses have come at the hands of 4 teams which are Fairfield Prep, who are 5-11
and number 72 in the state, Hillhouse, who are 11-5 and are number 13 in the state, Hamden High, who are 14-
1 and are number 2 in the state, and Wilbur Cross, who are 14-2 and number 7 in the state. Our Panthers are
ranked number 22 in the state. The Panthers are likely to have a good place in the playoff picture. They stand
at number four in the Class 2 division.

Leading the way for the Panthers is Coach Larry Kelly. In his 21 years of coaching, he has won many titles
over the years. According to the New Haven Independent, the Connecticut High School Coaches Association
named Coach Kelley as its 2018 coach of the year. Congratulations to Coach Kelly on a prestigious accom-
plishment! Coach Kelly is working with these young men night in and night out.

Leading the way on the court is Tamar Williams, Captain, Senior, Honor Roll student, and PG/G. Tamar is an
all-around scorer. His leadership is strong and his and work ethic is tenacious. Williams says “My role is to be
a leader, guard top players, get my teammates going, and put the ball in the basket.” Career is chasing a cham-
pionship. Williams says, “our goal for this year is to go on a deep playoff run and compete for a champion-
ship.” Williams when asked about how the Panthers are able to go into each game confidently- “We handle
each team we face with the same mindset of winning and taking care of business but different game plans de-
pendent on team personnel.” Let's chase the ring boys!

All the competitors beware and bring your all, because it's not going to be easy against our Panthers. Fortu-
nately, the Panthers are a strong and young team with depth and chemistry. Williams supports his team, stat-
ing, “Some things we've done well is never quitting on each other after a loss. We improved on our team
chemistry.”

Career is even better than its previous years. The playoffs are in Career’s sights. Be prepared to cheer and go
nuts, because the Panthers have to fight and compete to the end. They are driven to be the best, but in order to
accomplish this, they must beat the best!
20