School itself is not hard for many students here at East High School. The problem is getting students here to learn and do their work. A big part of the problem being that a lot of kids are unmotivated or don’t have the support around them that they need. In some cases students will make it to 11th or 12th grade and start to give up on things. The reason being that by the time students get to those grade levels they start to feel like they have done enough or are just ready to be done. Also some students may get a job and start making money, and they will think that their job is going to support them forever.

Some students can get up every day without anyone telling them to and go to school and get their work done. For others some may need support or just need someone telling them to do the right thing so they can feel good about doing it. In life when we don’t have anybody congratulating us it makes us feel like what we do doesn’t matter. Things aren’t always going to be easy but hard work always pays off. 

Here at East High School we have a lot of good support. All of the adult staff in the building are here to help and really just want to see all the kids in this building succeed. Being that we have these supports it helps kids get on the right track and feel like they have a purpose for being at school. If it weren’t for all of the help and support I have received from this school I would have given up on school a long time ago. It is my hope that the caring adults at East will continue to help students get on the right track for many more years to come.

David Hale

Most high schoolers listen to music, and most who listens to music knows who Ed Sheeran is. The lovable ginger goofball is one of the most talented vocalists and musicians that our era has seen. With his release of his new hit, “Shape of You,” his popularity will only begin to grow.
 
Ed Sheeran’s life was not all that easy. Born in England, Sheeran showed interest in music at an early age. He stated that his early memories of music included Bob Dylan and Eric Clapton. Recently in an interview with Time Magazine, he talked about something that was a major roadblock as a child: his stutter. He states that the stutter was the result of not receiving anesthetic during a surgery to remove a birthmark. The stutter became a huge issue to his self-confidence at his young age. He states that the stutter made it so he was never able to express properly what he had to say.
 
But now as an adult, Sheeran embraces his stutter and speaks out about it freely. He stated that “Stuttering is not a thing that kids should be worried about. You shouldn't necessarily shed light on it and make it a trend, but stress to each other to just be yourself.”  This is great advice to all of us who should embrace and accept ourselves, flaws and all.  With all this said, Ed Sheeran still has his confidence and can-do attitude with him everywhere he goes.  Join him this summer as he does his 2017 tour in the US.

Henry Davis

 
It’s March, which means that it’s Women’s History Month, and what better
 time to talk about… Feminism.
 
What is feminism?
Feminism is the advocacy of women’s rights on the basis of the equality of the sexes.
 
Feminism is also one of the most controversial words on the planet. You could mention the word around almost anyone and it’s often a wildfire that gets started whether someone is against it or for it. Most people associate the word with women wanting special treatment, when in all honesty that’s not what it means. The definition is simply believing that women are equal to men and should be treated that way.
 
Now, don’t get me wrong, women’s rights have improved since the 1900’s, because sure we’re not forced to stay home all day with the kids and we have the right to own our own houses without a man, but that doesn’t mean our fight is over. We got our rights, but we still don’t always receive the respect that we deserve. You hear every day about how women can’t even walk down the street without being catcalled or followed, and then being called names when they don’t respond. Or how turning down a date or a drink can get you attacked in an alley and how we have to wear the “right” clothes so no one has the urge to take them off without our consent. 

Alicia Willie

Unhealthy relationships can happen to the best of us. As teenagers we are still figuring out what we want, figuring out who we are, and what we like in people’s personality. There are good, healthy relationships and unhealthy relationships.

Ms. Derizzio, a social worker at East High School, defines an unhealthy relationship as “one person, or actually both of the people in the relationship are not treating each other right.” This is a sign that the relationship might be going downhill. Relationships aren’t always easy to tell if they are unhealthy if you’re the person in the relationship. “What I usually see when the relationship is unhealthy is when the guy, or the girl is controlling in the relationship,” adds Derizzio.  “If one person is not benefitting, or the person is not happy, for whatever reason, sometimes that person stays, and deals with the unhappiness, and doesn’t speak up, the couple doesn't communicate as they should.” This is why there are so many relationships fail. When communication fails so does the relationship.

The worse types of unhealthy relationship is when there is physical abuse. When a man hits a women they’re too afraid to speak up. Another type of unhealthy would be emotionally or verbally abusive relationships. When a man tells a woman things such as “I am the only one that will care about you” or “No one will love you,” these are things the man says to make a woman stay in the relationship. Women stay because they believe that these things are true, and that the abuse that they are encountering is normal and healthy, when in reality it’s not.

If you think you might be in an unhealthy relationship, find someone to talk to who can help you through it.  At East High, we have counselors and social workers at every grade level who can help you figure things out.  People are here to listen and to help. Remember, you're not alone.

Saranne Kaufman

lPresidents’ Day is celebrated every year on the third Monday of the month of February. This is an American tradition that has been passed on from generation and that keeps bringing people together since the day of its enactment in 1885 by the U.S Congress. We all know it as Presidents’ Day but it's officially Washington's birthday, according to the federal government.  

Originally, Presidents’ Day was celebrated on February 22, on the George Washington’s actual birthday. Currently, it is a day to celebrate all presidents. This holiday was moved to become part of the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, in an attempt to give the nation’s worker more three days weekend. However, many states have different days to celebrate this special day that does not just celebrates former and current presidents but the great contributions of their service to the this great nation.

Presidents’ Day is a day to remember to be patriotic and proud to be part of our nation and to remind every one of us that the office held by the president is one of immense responsibility. It is a day that goes beyond the rivalry of any political stance.  Happy Presidents' Day!!!

Hanzell Carrillo

Everyone knows that Martin Luther King Jr. fought for a world where everyone should be judged by their character, regardless of the color of their skin. His efforts were rewarded with a national holiday in which we have off school so we can remember his words. He wanted the different races to be able to come together, instead of continuously separating themselves like under the Jim Crow laws. However, just like in the Jim Crow days, schools are still segregated.

One big discrepancy is the racial separation between city and suburban schools. According to the data of the US Department of Education, African American students make up 75% of high poverty schools, and Caucasian students make up only 6%. In low poverty schools, African American students make up a remarkably low 5%, while Caucasian students are 5 times more likely to attend a low poverty school than high. According to data reports posted on Urban.org, “Poor, segregated schools are a symptom of a broader array of racial equity issues that flow from neighborhood segregation and housing discrimination, legal barriers to school desegregation…” Is this what Martin Luther King dreamed of?
Finding a solution to ensure students of all races have the same educational opportunities would honor his legacy but is a very complex issue.

One way this problem can be solved would be for next generation schools focus on recruiting a more diverse student population. Furthermore, suburban teachers may not have the experience of working with students in poverty, so a multicultural training would benefit all educators, not limiting them to the experiences with the students they have taught so far.

Dr. King’s vision was to unite the races and move beyond color lines.  While we’ve made some progress in the country, there is still a problem with segregation in urban schools.  We as the next generation are responsible for developing a solution and moving toward truly realizing Dr. King’s vision

​Tyjhan June

The election season is over and we -the people- have elected a new president. We all know the divisiveness that was going on during our election process but that is politics and it is not the first time it happened. Our job as Americans is to respect the democratic process and the transitions to a new administration.
 
We have to give the upcoming president a chance to prove to the American people that he can do a good job. For those who are scared of the statements made by the president-elect- don’t be. He is an inexperienced politician, and we have to remember that he is a businessman not a politician which is why he is making broad statements. Many believe his concerns are the same as the people’s. He wants a country that is working at its full potential and so do we. Once again, let's give president-elect Trump a chance and don't forget that his success is our success and we should be bathing him in prayer so that WE can accomplish our goals as a united country.
 
Remember, if you have concerns, you can write to your representatives so that they give a voice to your concerns.  You can contact the office of Representative Louise Slaughter, Senator Charles Schumer, or Senator Kirsten Gillibrand to voice your concerns.  Find complete contact information and finding other representatives in your district, visit www.whoismyrepresentative.com.

​Hanzell Carrillo

It’s the New Year so we’re leaving 2016 behind, and starting anew with 2017! If 2016 did not go as well as you hoped, then 2017 can be your year. New Year’s resolutions can be an important part of improving your life.
 
When you choose a goal for the year do your best to stick with it and achieve it. Your New Year’s resolution can be anything. Some common examples are: exercising more, doing your homework on time, no skipping class, passing a regents in January to graduate, or maybe in June if you’re not a senior. Create a study group, because the people in your group can keep you on track.  If the group you hang out with influenced you to skip class, maybe it’s time to reevaluate your peer group.
 
Noah, an 11th grader at East made a New Year’s Resolution.  “I want to get honor roll, because it proves that I am working hard, for myself, and shows that I am working in school, and not slacking off.” Resolutions such as this are easy to achieve if you don’t slack and do as you’re to do. If outside situations happen that is understandable, but don’t forget the goal.
 
Persevere and anything can be completed. With the goals don’t just put everything into it, slowly ease into it so that it becomes easier, not harder. It’s hard to stick with a goal, and finish it, but with enough hope it can be done.  Don’t allow anything get in the way of that goal.  Make a plan.  Yes sometimes it’s hard to keep up, but don’t give up.

Saranne Kaufman 

The second semester is almost over and for senior this is a very critical and stressful time.  Not only are there midterms and Regents exams, but colleges are approaching their deadlines. Many colleges have even ended their deadlines. Some colleges don't have a deadline, so some scholars think “well I’ll just got a community college” which is not bad but is it the best choice for you?  Are you going to miss opportunities because you didn’t make a deadline?
 
There are a lot of questions you should ask yourself as a senior. The first question you should ask yourself is “Do I have all my college essays and applications done?” If you don't is it because you are having trouble getting to a computer or can't figure out the college website?  You can get help from the College Prep Center. The second question is “Are you keeping up with your school assignments?” If not, is it because of a job? If so you should really change your work schedule to balance your schoolwork and work life, even if that means working only weekends. For a senior you should be studying 4 hours a night. 
 
Last but not least you should ask yourself, “Do I really want to go to college?” If you don't want to go to college there are other options like trade school, military, army, marines and multiple other options. Maybe you're not ready for college right after school and you want to focus on work. These options are perfectly fine but you have to think if it's the right choice for you and have a plan. By the end of the third marking period you should have a plan for yourself for after you graduate. 

D'Brina Pitts

Do you find yourself unable to focus in class? Ever nod off and start to daydream in the middle of a conversation? Well, maybe you have Attention Deficit Disorder or ADD. A condition that can affect anyone, ADD can begin in the early childhood and last throughout life. According to the Mayo Clinic, there are around 3 million cases of ADD being reported annually. It requires a medical diagnosis from a licensed doctor. As a student in high school, I was one of those people diagnosed.

The common symptoms of ADD consist of attention difficulty, hyperactivity, and impulsivity, but symptoms can differ from person to person and age to age. ADD cannot be cured, but should also never be ignored. Different types of therapy and medication are highly recommended by most doctors. According to Wikipedia, ADD and its counterpart ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder) are commonly found in connection to various other associated disorders. These can include OCD, bipolar disorder, restless leg disorder, and more. But just because you may have ADD, it doesn't necessarily mean you have any of these other disorders as well.

Despite lack of attention, ADD is found in some of the greatest artistic minds, such as Jamie Oliver and Justin Timberlake. People with ADD aren’t limited to their disability, much like other various conditions such as OCD and Bipolar Disorder. ADD helps the mind run constantly and extends levels of creativity, which may not be such a bad thing.

In the long run, people with ADD are just normal people like everyone else. People should not be labeled by what they can and can’t do.  It is important to accept people for all their complexity.

​Henry Davis