MEADOWDALE HIGH SCHOOL

November 2016
Volume 3, Issue 3

IM NOT LION
...LET ME BE HONEST!

TEEN WRECK
By Unique Mattison
Teens have the highest crash rate of any group in the United States. Why? One may ask this
question because teens are distracted by phones, looking at something going past the vehicle,
reaching for something in the vehicle, singing or moving to music, and grooming.

EDITORS
Mariah Benson
Andrew Caldwell JR
Anduryn Gallimore

About 963,000 drivers, age 16-19, were involved in police reported crashes in 2013, which is the
most recent year with available data. These crashes resulted in 383,000 injuries and 2,865
deaths.

Cheyanne Hardy

Cell phones are the leading cause of car crashes among teens (12%) and the number is skyrocketing in the year 2016. Teen drivers looking at their phones (calling, texting, and taking selfies)
had their eyes completely off the road for an average of 4.1 out of 6 seconds, which nine times
out of ten results in a rear ended crash. AAA recommends that state law prohibits cell phone
use by teen drivers and restricts passengers to one non-family member for six months of driving.

Kaveon Williams

Thirty-three states have laws that prevent cell phone use for teens and 18 states have passenger
restrictions meeting AAAs recommendations. AAA parents teach teens about the dangers of
cell phone use and restrict passengers during the learning-to-drive process. AAAs Lytx
Drivecam program collects video, audio, and accelerometer data when a driver triggers an invehicle device by hard braking, fast cornering, or an impact that exceeds a certain G-force. Each
video is 12 seconds long and provides information from before and after the trigger.
Drivers under the age of 20 have the highest proportion of distraction related fatal crashes.
Accidents are more likely when one teen is driving others in the same car. AAA suggests parents
not allow their teen to drive other teens until they have been on the road for at least a year.
A smartphone is almost constantly absorbing their attention. Dont allow teens to use the phone
while driving. Have them park and finish their calls or texts before getting back on the road. If
teens are into car-tunes, have them make a playlist on a device ahead of time and leave it there.
Also, lower the volume. It helps to hear car horns and emergency vehicles. Anything from spectacular scenery or curious oddity to an attractive member of the opposite sex can divert their
attention from the road. Stay safe teens; dont be distracted.

Savannah Harraway

JOURNALISTS
Mahogany Bankston
Precious Brown
Katelyn Conley
Kaylah Crutcher
Krichonna DeVance
Erick Dominguez
Javon Ferguson

Noelle Freeman
Katelyn Givhan
Jerod Hayes
Unique Mattison
Dawon Smith

TO STAND OR NOT TO STAND

By Kaveon Williams
Colin Kaepernick, a quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, decided to first sit and then to kneel,
rather than to stand during the national anthem before his team's preseason game, which set off an
uproar and a national debate.
The 49ers actually supported his protest against the ritual of standing to the national anthem, and
even other players including athletes in different levels of play joined in his protest. However, there
were some politicians and even other athletes, as well as regular individuals, who took offense to
these protests. The only way to truthfully see who was in the wrong is to look into the most appropriate opinion in the history of the Supreme Court.
Kaepernick refused to stand as a form of political expression, to protest, he stated, The oppression
of African-Americans by the police and others. He spoke to NFL Media and said, I am not going
to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color.
His protest has been stated to be a pivotal movement just because the league actually receives
money from the military to stage its on-field tributes, plus the culture of the NFL has become so
ingrained and the racial makeup of fans in the stands so cemented that one would expect Kaepernick to become the villain of the NFL for the rest of his career. Also, there was a presidential election in progress within this protest, which was more racially polarizing than any election in the last

several decades, even including an African-American candidate. However, Kaepernick understood

the risks and the possible backlash that he would receive during the protest with millions of fans
being opposed to his protest.
The protest also caused some individuals to question the possible chance that the national anthems true meaning could be racist. Journalist Jon Schwarz has even criticized individuals for
attempting to denounce the lyrics, written by Francis Scott Key during the War of 1812, as a celebration of slavery. Schwarz asked, How could black players be expected to stand for a song

whose rarely sung third stanza-- which includes the lines No refuge could save the hireling and
slave/from the terror of flight of the gloom of the grave-- literally celebrates the murder of African- Americans? This argument drew outrage from many news outlets, with all different, yet similar opinions. However, the social context of the anthem does come from the age of slavery, but the
song was not directed toward slavery or to even support segregation. The reference to slavery is
possibly related to the use, and in some aspects the manipulation, of black Americans to fight for
the British, with the promise of freedom.

SHAKY PLATES
By Javon Ferguson
Italy has so many earthquakes. Italy sits

Over the past 2,000 years, there have been

on top of two major tectonic plates. One of

400 devastating earthquakes in the coun-

them is an extension of the African tecton-

try Many people have lost their homes

ic plate.
Italys numerous earthquakes date back to
1908. The most recent one took place on
August 24, 2016, killing nearly 247 people.

and even their families to this devastating

event. Italy is accepting donations to help
rebuild from the destruction of the latest
quake.

The magnitude of the earthquake was 6.2

on the Richter Scale, and it struck in central Italy in the early morning. However,
this earthquake doesn't compare to the
one in 1908, which killed between 75,000
and 200,000 people.

SpaceX and Boeing were selected by NASA to transport astronauts to the

orbiting laboratory, scheduled to happen in 2017.

BEYOND EARTH
By Mariah Benson
Elon Musk, founder of SpaceX, wants to colonize Mars by 2030.
On April 27, SpaceX announced on Twitter that they had plans to send a robotic spacecraft to Mars by 2018. The Dragon 2 capsule, Red Dragon, is planned to be launched by
May of 2018, and is designed to land in the solar system. The purpose of this mission is to
test the Dragon 2s Super Draco Descent Landing capability and gather entry, descent
and landing (EDL) data for NASA to use for the official trip to Mars.
Falcon Heavy, the launch vehicle, is close to being completed. The progress being made
on the Falcon Heavy and Dragon 2 is all leading up to the development of the Mars Colonial Transporter. Musk plans on using MCT to create an official settlement on Mars.

Artistic concepts of the Dragon capsule

During a NASA Advisory Council meeting on July 26 in Cleveland, Ohio, NASA estimated
to spend over $300 million on the trip to Mars. SpaceX had recently developed the reusable rockets, which dramatically lowered the cost of space travel. Something as expensive
as traveling to Mars and colonizing it is now more cost friendly, though still expensive. An
assessment was conducted and it was found that there is a reasonable likelihood of the
mission being a success, and with NASAs help, it would have an even higher likelihood of
success.
SpaceX and Boeing were selected by NASA to transport astronauts to the orbiting laboratory, scheduled to happen in 2017. Sending people to Mars isnt scheduled to happen
until the late 2030s, though the plans for it still need to be worked out. The landing site is
currently unknown; SpaceX will decide on the official location of the landing target.

#JUSTICEFORJEREMIAH
By Mahogany Bankston
Infant baby, Jeremiah Hammond, was
found unconscious at the St. Vincent De
Paul Shelter in Dayton, Oh. On September
8, 2016, seven minutes after the ambulance arrived, he was pronounced dead.
Thursday morning, September 8, police
were called to the shelter to report the
death of not one, but two babies that had
died. The babies were twins. The shelter
employees are greatly saddened by this
tragedy. Patrick Wilkerson, the father, was
arrested and taken into custody on charges of assault. Police questioned Wilkerson
and the infants mother separately.

moved in with her mother. However, the

cause of death of baby, Jeremiah Hammond, has yet to be determined.
Later in the investigation it was determined that only one infant had died. Investigators are still proceeding with this
case and the tragedy of baby boy, Jeremiah.

Nakela McGhee, the mother had been

dating Wilkerson since March. She says
the relationship began to turn abusive, so
she quickly ended the relationship and

When students follow school rules, everyone from teachers to students

can achieve their goals.

SMOOTH SAILING
By Cheyanne Hardy
People feel school rules are important. Without school rules why would a school be a
school, right? School rules are important to follow because they enable the class to run
smoothly. When students follow school rules, everyone from teachers to students can
achieve their goals.
Schools like Meadowdale, Thurgood, Dunbar, Belmont, and more all have rules. All
school rules arent the same though; some schools are more strict and some are laid back.
Meadowdale High School has tightened up on there rules. No cellphones or headphones
are allowed in the hallway. Cutting class and too many tardies will get you sent to ISS (in
school suspension). No perfume, sharp combs, hair straighteners or any products that
contain alcohol. Everyone that attends school knows the dos and donts.
Everybody knows about Meadowdale or has heard about Meadowdale. They think kids
can do what they want and have no rules. Some Meadowdale students got interviewed on
how they feel about school rules. Veronica Cox said, I believe theyre stupid, and she
feels theyre not needed because students do what they want, regardless. Dori Smith said,
I believe the cellphone and headphone rule is dumb and it doesnt get followed. Many
other students stated their opinion and they agree with how the other students felt.
School rules keep students, teachers, and principals on track.

HOLY TOMB
By Anduryn Gallimore
Has National Geographic really found the tomb of Jesus Christ? We sat down with JD
Grigsby to get his input on the findings.
Jesus was born Jewish and lived his life following Jewish customs. At the time of his burial he was following Jewish tradition. Jewish people werent allowed to be buried in cities.
As Jerusalem expanded, it did so over the top of his tomb and multiple places of worship
were built over it.
Jesus was said to be buried just outside of Jerusalem at Golgatha, where he was crucified;
he was crucified around 30 A.D. When they uncovered his burial place they found a marble slab that archeologists believe was put there in the 1500s, to preserve the already
eroding rock. Since Jesus was a middle-class man, the New Testament and the Canonical
Gospels claim he was buried in a pre-made tomb.
The tomb wasnt just a marble slab and crumbling rock; it was compacted with fill. Fill is
a type of earthy material made to fill holes and craters; it took them around 60 hours to
finally get through the fill and to the rock and marble. They put the marble slab covering
the entrance to his last resting place back after getting all the information they believed
they needed.
Though some people may believe otherwise, Grigsby believes this is the actual tomb of
Jesus Christ. He thinks that this will also reaffirm some peoples beliefs. He says, Some
people need to touch or see something to believe its real.
When Grigsby was asked if he thought the world was ever supposed to see Christs last
resting place, he responded, Im going to beat around the bush a bit about this. He says,
People always talk about the cross and never the tomb.

Coach Chastain, left

Reverend JD Grigsby, right

Women praying over the marble slab above the final resting place before they moved
said slab.

One of the most mind challenging games in the United States

BRAIN YOUR GAME

By Andrew Caldwell JR
Video games are now being accused of many things like rotting the brain or loss of social
interaction, but they actually help brain function and improve how the brain reacts.
Over the years, parents have always been concerned about their children staring at the TV
for long periods of time, which is good parenting, but video games give the brain problems and situations that the brain has to figure out. For example, the popular Super Mario Maker is a game that helps improve the brains size. Super Mario Maker is a game
where anyone can make their own levels and anyone can play them. Many people give up
or get frustrated with a level because it challenges their brain more then theyre used to.
Most video games need multitasking, so it challenges how well one can multitask. However, over the past decade, almost 55 percent have improved their skills in virtual situations.
In studies of video game companies, they had healthy volunteers from the ages 60 to 85
to try out video games and from records of Xbox, Play Station, and WiiU, respondents all
increased their abilities in how their brain reacts. In addition to this, people can talk to
other people online, which keeps their social interactivity at a stable level. They can play
with their friends or make new friends just by playing online.
Theres even a league for gamers. Its called the E-League. If one is really into games and
wants to become a professional, join the league. One can get paid and they play with a
team of friends they connect with. People use to say that TV and video games teach nothing and only waste time, but now we live in a world where technology is everywhere; we
cant go anywhere without seeing a TV.
Video games are a part of any kids childhood, boy or girl. One doesnt even have to play
them. One can just watch someone and will learn something from it; theyll be influenced
to play video games on their own. Video games will continue from generation to generation. So to everyone who loves playing video games, keep playing and have fun.

FREE COLLEGE
By Kaylah Crutcher
Many people can agree and say college can be very expensive. Nobody wants to live in
debt their entire life. It seems as if college gets more expensive every decade; along with
that, more students live their life paying off years and years of debt coming straight out of
college. Can you imagine going to college for free? With no debt or stress?
Education throughout most of our lives (K-12) is offered for free; college should be offered for free as well. As an important part of a student's educational cycle, many people
don't have the opportunity to go because of lack of financial support for college. People
don't want to spend their life paying off debt.
Some people might argue that FAFSA usually helps enough by giving money to help pay
for college. FAFSA doesn't pay for everything; there will still be thousands of dollars to
pay that people can not afford.

Protesters from a Bernie Sanders march

Studies show that college produces more economic activity in students. It also shows that
more college students start to smoke less, are involved in less crime and drugs, and have a
higher capability to generate money and taxes. But, it also creates debt. Map out your
future now. Be wise and enter in with a well thought out plan.

FAFSA doesn't pay for everything; there will still be thousands of dollars
to pay that people can not afford.

LIFE IN A WARM WORLD

By Erick Dominguez
No human knows when global warming
began. It is estimated that it began in
1975.
It has become a problem where people are
finally realizing that it can become very
serious. Many Americans fail to see it as
an issue, but the rest of the world recognizes the problem. This may be because
America is less affected than many other
places that have less money.

That will affect everyone in the world that

drinks water. Aquatic life will vastly
change, affecting fish, crab, birds, dolphins and many other animals. Don't
care? Well, humans will also be affected
because we are all interconnected in the
web of life.

What is causing global warming to happen

is Y-O-U! According to National Geographic, scientists have spent years trying
to find the reason. They have come to the
conclusion that it was created by humans
and they call it the greenhouse effect. The
greenhouse effect is caused because the
heat of the sun is supposed to leave, but
gets stuck in the atmosphere.
What will happen if we continue on this
path? Well, say goodbye to fresh air because if we continue, pollution in the air
will rise, which will cause the air to be
filled with toxins that can affect the health
of humans making them breathe in the
toxic air.
You like that cold fresh water? Well, no
cold drink for you, because water is continually being polluted by chemicals that
are being dumped into the water we enjoy.

Photo Credit: The Farrell File

TEAMWORK MAKES DREAMWORK

By Dawon Smith
Mr. Magill was interviewed about the art
projects, asking him why he started doing
them. Taking time to catch a look at art
being put up around the school, and digging deeper to learn more about the process and techniques of the art being made
gives us insight into art technique.
Knowing from the beginning of him starting this project, he wanted to do a lion
because it is the school mascot. He said, I
wanted a project that the students could
work on together, bringing the stronger
artist to help the weak artist to better
themselves in their work.
Altogether Mr. Magill had five classes
working on this project; two of the five
classes didnt suit up to the challenge.
When asked why it was just an animal
being drawn, he responded, It would be
interesting to the students and wouldnt
cause argument in the groups. Students

in the classes chose their own groups and

selected the animal that they wanted to
do. Asking him why color was not included, he said, Color isnt being put in because it was to create a base for a bigger
project to come.
This project is called grid enlargement.
The process was to select an animal to
draw, dividing the animal into a grid, then
in the groups, choose what part of the
animal they wanted to do. Every other day
the students would put their parts together to see how the picture was going, and
discuss what needed to be changed.
It took the students about three weeks to
finish the project. Altogether they used 16
pieces of paper, cut into 8x24 inches, dividing the paper into a smaller grid.

CTRL-ALT-DEL
By Precious Brown
In the U.S multiple cyber attacks have been reported. Recently, there was a widespread
attack causing online disruptions on both sides of the country.
Homeland security did some investigations into the Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS)
attack. The incident blocked some of the most popular sites such as Netflix, Twitter,
Spotify, Reddit, CNN, PayPal, Pinterest, Fox News, etc.
Sources say that DDoS attacks are becoming more common. Also, no one has claimed
responsibility for the attacks taking place. The attacks had something to do with how the
Internet functioned. One of the attacks were aimed at the Internet infrastructure company headquartered in New Hampshire. The situation shows how fragile the web is.

There is no system in place to prevent the attacks from happening. But there are ways to
protect your own network and devices. Keep up with your firewall and antivirus software,
which provides a great amount of defense. They detect issues that are happening to your
device. So, please be aware and protect your device from all bugs.

PRE-ORDER YOUR YEARBOOK NOW

Order your yearbooks now (currently $45).

Yearbooks are on sale at www.jostens.com/yearbooks

The journalists have already decided on a cover design.

Look for the journalists and Mrs. Godbey to be taking photos for the yearbook. You
never know when you might be caught in the moment of a great yearbook photo.

You may also submit your yearbook photos for consideration online. We are always
looking for great photos.

Go to imnotlion.weebly.com and submit your photos under the Yearbook Update

tab. You can sign up for ReplayIt to submit your photos to be considered for the
yearbook.

Don't worry. It doesn't mean theyre damaged, but it could mean that
they have a problem.

OBSESSING PUP
By Noelle Freeman
Have you ever had a dog that scratches,
bites their nails, or does anything excessively? That may mean that your loving
animal has OCD.
Studies from The Whole Dog Journal
show that dogs have a tendency to exhibit
human qualities, such as diabetes, OCD,
and anxiety. Don't worry. It doesn't mean
theyre damaged, but it could mean that
they have a problem. Take your pet to the
vet to see how serious the situation may
be.
What to modify concerning your dog's
OCD behavior:
Increase their exercise

net. If one looks closely, one can see how

this is actually an alarming example of
OCD in dogs.
OCD is a mental disease that can cause
problems in a dog's life as well as the owner's. Most people will never notice the
symptoms of this until they have them
checked. One symptom that most people
overlook is Pica.
Pica is when a dog (or other pet) chews or
tries to eat something inedible. Most dogs
have these symptoms but don't have the
disease, so it is hard to determine if the
symptoms are signs of OCD.

Reduce stress
Remove reinforcements
Reinforce an incompatible behavior
Explore behavior modification drugs
if necessary

These may help your dog, but chances are,

if you keep up with regular treatment,
along with these tips, your dog will do
well.
OCD in dogs can be dangerously detrimental to their health. According to the
Dog Treat, a blog by Rover.com, there is a
video of a dog biting his leg, which has
become a hit on television and the Inter-

SIMMONS ON TOP
By Krichonna DeVance
In an interview with the one and only Kimberly Simmons, better known as Aunt Kim,
some insight was gained into what is so special about this lovely lady. Simmons is a
para-professional at Meadowdale High School.
Simmons is a very interesting individual, who stands for equality for everyone and so
much more. When asked what ideas she has for this school year, she responded, The
ideas I have consist of empowering young minds with knowledge, because the information the generations before us have to pass down to them is very valuable. We are
not a movement. We are a monument. People won't remember you for what you drove,
but for what you said or did.
When the question came across concerning the election and how it could possibly discourage a lot of people, Simmons stated, We are Americans that are divided and a
house that is divided cannot stand. We're so divided as a nation. We are fighting each
other and who wins? No one. Americans have come so far in history but the American
foundation was started on slavery. The foundation was built wrong, so unless we magically correct all the wrongs, we won't be great or move on without troubles.
Simmons is a very headstrong individual who says what she means and means what
she says, so when she replied to a question regarding what she stands for as an African
American woman, it was breathtaking and mind-blowing. She stated, I stand for
many things including righteousness, self-love, self-respect, and self motivation.
Simmons also stated that things in life that have shaped her into the woman she is
today would have to be God, good experience, and bad ones (i.e.; ups and downs).
She then stated that her biggest fear would have to be large bodies of water, such as the
ocean. She isn't afraid to fall out of a plane, but for a ship to tip over and leave her
stranded and helpless, thats a different story.
When the question came about asking what animal would she use to describe her spirit, she paused before answering and then stated, A lion because they are leaders. They
do what has to be done, even if it's a big risk. They protect their family and last but not
least, they have courage.

PRESIDENT-ELECT TRUMP
By Katelyn Givhan
Many people are upset about the surprising turn in the election and Donald J. Trump
becoming our new president-elect. Some say Trump will be a terrible president; others
say he will be an amazing president. What do you think?
With Trump's famous slogan, Make America Great Again, some feel he will do just
that, while others feel he will do the opposite. Jimmy McDonald (from Virginia coal
country) believes Theres still some good in America. McDonald also feels that
Trump is going to bring back jobs, that hes going to bring back faith in America. However, 68-year-old democrat Terry Zee Lee feels something far different. She fears for
our country; she cannot believe that her fellow Americans have that much hate and
misogyny.
Trump has a contract to the American voter that proposes a 100-day action plan to
Make America Great Again. His 100-day plan includes the following:
Six Measures to Clean Up the Corruption and Special Interest Collusion in
Washington D.C.
Five Actions to Restore Security and Constitutional Rate of Law
Seven actions to protect American workers
Middle Class Tax Relief and Simplification
Affordable Childcare and Eldercare Act
End the Offshoring Act
End Illegal Immigration Act
American Energy and Infrastructure Act
Restoring Community Safety Act
School Choice and Education Opportunity Act
Restoring National Security Act
Repeal and replace Obama Care
Clean Up Corruption in Washington Act
Trump has good intentions with his plans, even though some say he built his platform
off of hate and racism. There were situations where Trump was out of character and
had a few statements that could be looked upon as racist. Trump stated that
transgender people should have the freedom to chose whichever bathroom they please
and his proposed Muslim ban has disappeared from his website. Some say the biggest
scam in U.S. history will not be Trump becoming president, but if self-proclaimed
racism played White America.