Outreach

Nubian News Volume One, Issue Two
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Change Agents at CAEC

By Melissa Crum
OSU-CSTW Summer Outreach Consultant

Greetings readers and thank you for reading the second issue of The Nubians Info summer 2008 e-Newspaper! This newspaper is an artistic literacy outreach effort for students to address the ways in which they can become advocates in their school and communities. We have challenged them to recognize problems and offer solutions, evaluate social perceptions, and take a critical look at the roles they believe their environment plays in the construction of themselves.

This week, the students were asked to describe things they want to change in their communities and/or their school. Addressing a range of issues from violence to dress codes, these young journalists' desires are to inform their audience of their feelings and become change agents in their environment. Now, the same question posed to these journalists will be given to you: Now that you have been informed, what action will YOU take? Read and enjoy!

Things We Learned

By Monika Kearns
OSU-CSTW Summer Outreach Consultant

This week our young journalists learned some basic guidelines for writing good newspaper articles!

Every newspaper article should:

• Get the reader interested by opening with a question or dramatic statement
• Be clear, accurate, and fair
• Always relate directly to the audience.

Most importantly, our young journalists learned how to present themselves professionally through their writing while still ex- pressing their individual creativity.

Thank you all for a stimulating second issue of The Nubians Info!!

Suggestions to Solve Kid Problems

Gabriel Jackson 6th grade

Did you know some kids have problems at home? For example, you could never have met your parents. Your parent could abuse you all the time. Also, your parents could act like you do not exist or never talk to you.

I would like to change the behavior of kids when problems interfere with their school life or could come from home or at school.

Here are some suggestions that could solve your problems. First, you could join a club. Second, you could talk to a guidance counselor. Finally, you could go to tutoring. So I hope these suggestions could change your life.

Concerned About Autism

DeVante Jackson 6th grade

There are many difficulties in our nation. The one that I am most concerned about is autism. Autism is absorption in self-centered subjective mental activity. In 2001, a new scientist said that autism is rare. I question that statement because on Wednesday, January 9, 2008, a scientist now says that rare glitches in genetics are causing more children to be autistic.

I sat down and spoke with Todd Hoover. He said that it's simple to work with Nicole. She has scheduled play dates with other autistic children.

Why Our Uniforms Need To Go!

Treayna Odom 8th grade

Are you tired of all of these rules? I mean have you seen our dress code? We have to wear black, khaki, or purple pants and black, purple, or white shirts. I mean, do they think we are prisoners? And now they are trying to change it and make it even stricter! So strict that we will only be able to wear two specific colors and nothing else!

In order for this to change, I must rise to the occasion and become a change agent. But for this to happen, I will need help from my fellow peers. I plan on getting all the students to sign a petition to change this. We will go to all of the principals and state our facts, and what we think.

I personally think that the way you dress says a lot about yourself, and with uniforms we are not allowed to express any of our creativity. The way you dress can also affect how you act, and that can change the way you act throughout the day. So that's why our uniforms need to go! Now if the principals don't think that they need to change, we will just have to reason with them. Not only do I feel as if they need to change, so does everyone else.

So that's why our uniforms need to go! Now if the principals don't think that they need to change, we will just have to reason with them. Not only do I feel as if they need to change, so does everyone else.

Hater or Hated?

Breonna Sealey 7th grade

A lot needs to change. But what really needs to change is haters. Haters are like germs, and they're everywhere! All of this hate is why so many teens are dying at young ages. Haters are affecting many people's self-esteem. Not only does the hater feel bad but the hated feels bad too.

I am going to be a change agent and help out the haters and the hated. To all of the haters, I just want you to know how you affect everyone around you. If you feel bad about your own insecurity, you should just let it out. Talk to your counselor or even write it down in a diary. Males have diaries too.

Now to all of the hated people, don't change who you are. Try not to sink into peer pressure. If a hater starts to clown you just play along and don't give them any satisfaction in seeing you get embarrassed.

School!

Morgan Yarborugh 7th grade

What are good thing about your school? A good thing about my school is that there are a lot of different things you can do. My school is friendly. This is a good school. It is an early college school.

I think my school needs to change how we go outside. I think that if we do not go outside kids start talking in class. That's why we do not stop talking because we have no time to talk. We do not have recess to socialize so that is why we do it in the classroom.

I plan to be a change agent. Another change agent is my principal Baba Thompson. I think that he might do that. I do not know if I am going to get to talk to the teacher because they would probably dislike what I am saying.

Why Do People Do Things?

David Silver 8th grade

Hi, this is David again, and I got one thing to ask you. Do you leave trash in any building? Well kids in my school do that a lot.

Have you ever seen anybody going over the speed limit in a school zone? I'm also here to talk about that too.

Now about my school... it is kind of cool. It sometimes gets out of hand. Okay, about the cars speeding in the school zone. I don't like how they're going over 60 or 70 mph. I mean the cops do their best to get the cars that are going fast. Also, 60% of United States' kids get hit crossing the street, getting off the bus, and most of all walking in the cross-walk.

What would I do to help this problem? I would go to my principal and ask him to buy some stop signs and some speed bumps. I plan to be a change agent by convincing my principal to buy these things. If he doesn't agree, I will just ask him to do a fundraiser for money.

The Big Problem

Michael Hartway 6th grade

The main problem that we need to improve in our school is the behaviors of students.

I see students being disrespectful, inappropriate, and having temper tantrums because their teachers are correcting them.

I want to improve the behaviors because the behaviors might affect the way they do things. For example, if a student fails in a class and the teacher tries to help them, when they get an attitude problem and later on getting an negative grade, they'll blame is on the world.

Change the Uniform Policy

Jaiilyn Alexander 8th grade

Have you ever thought about what changes you would like to make, for your school or environment? I know you thought about it, so why are you keeping quiet? Well, if no one is going to speak about it I guess I will. There are a lot of things I would change about my school, but most importantly I would like to change the uniform policy.

First of all, I don't think that it's fair we have to dress like one another. We have to wear boring colors. Besides if we have to wear uniforms, why can't we switch it up to make it our own style? Also, it is hard to find some of the school colors in the store.

My Thoughts About My Environment

Shaviannia Black 8th grade

Hey!! Do you think we have things in our society and school that we need to change? Well I do. I think we need to change how we keep our environment clean and to start recycling so we could have a safe environment.

I am going to be a change agent about this situation. We need to stop throwing away our bottles, cans, plastic, paper, and glass. We need to help try to keep everything in our society clean to stay healthy.

I think we need to recycle. I think this because when people throw things on the ground they are polluting the earth and water we drink. I think this is a problem we need to CHANGE!!

Cans are very important. They are important because when you collect cans, you can take them to the junkyard and get money. When you give them the cans they use the cans and make them into something useful.

Thank you for reading my article. I hope you have a lot of ideas about how to keep our environment clean!

I Plan To Be A Change Agent

Mykalia Johnson 7th grade

There are some good things about my school. One thing is the program that we are holding. If you graduate from high school, you will earn your associate's degree. My school is also an African-educated school. We learn the African language and principles.

I would like to change the health issues. The administrators could make the food healthier. They can choose healthier foods. There needs to be more fruit. The food can be cooked healthier at the same time.

I plan to be a change agent by changing issues in my school. I can make a change by helping to clean up my school. I can volunteer to pick some healthy foods to cook. My changes can help my whole school with their issues. I care about my school, and that is why I want to be a change agent.

Alert! Alert !

Lanees Moore 7th grade

Hello! My name is Lanees Moore and I am now attending Africentric Early College School. I am 12 years old and in the seventh grade. My basic focus in this article is about communities that are crying out for help. One of these communities is my community. Some things that I would love to change about my community are gang, drug, and shooting violence. Of course I would love to change all these bad habits. I don't want to get hurt or anything, but I need to help my community.

In order for me to help my community, I would need to become a change agent. I would alert the authorities about these things because they are very dangerous. I would also suggest that certain communities be under "block watch." I would be a hero. This way, my community would be safer for other people and a lot quieter too. This is for the safety of other children.

This article is targeted to the school audience. People need to be aware that these things are actually considered dangerous.

Do You Like Our Lunch Food?

Jami Muhammad 8th grade

Are you enjoying what you're eating at lunch? If not, I agree! What are we going to do about it? We're going to change it, and I plan to be the change agent. No offense to the lunch ladies, I thank you all for trying. However, some students are going home hungry because they don't want to eat the food.

It's not just about the taste, it's about the quality and how healthy it is. Although the cafeteria and the food got inspected with a good report, it hasn't passed our inspection. The pizza is too greasy, the salad has brown lettuce, the chicken and hot dogs are not cooked thoroughly, and there's not a lot of variety.

The kind of food that I would like to eat is healthy food. For example, turkey sandwiches with lettuce, tomatoes, onions, etc. Also, good produce, not very sweet, salty, or greasy foods. I understand that it will cost a lot of money, but I am the change agent and I plan to organize fundraisers. The fundraisers that I have in mind will need the help of all the students and teachers. For example, we could have a school play and sell tickets.

World Help

Malaysia Womack 6th grade

One good thing about my school is that we have no limit to learning. Our limit to learning is as high as the sky. The teachers help us reach goals that we make.

One thing I would like to change is the amount of litter on the earth, so we won't have to live in a world of trash and litter. Another thing that I would like to change is the amount of murders and the amount of missing people cases.

Real Men Don't Sag!

LeSandra Simmons 8th grade

Have you ever wondered why our generation of young men today sag? Does it make them feel like they are tough? Today, almost everywhere you go you're sure to observe a young teen with his pants way below his behind. If you really look, you'll notice he may be an African-American male. If there's a male that I know, and they are sagging, I ask them kindly to pull their pants up.

Do you know the history behind sagging? Sagging originated from inmates in PRISON! They would receive clothes that were too big. They called it sagging in jail, and that's where we get the term.

Community and School Problems: "Who You Tellin'?"

Jonetta Parker 8th grade

Do you feel safe in your community? If not, I agree with you. What are we going to do about it? I think we should stand up for what we believe in, and I would like to be the change agent to provide the answers and solutions.

For starters, I'm tired of police riding by after the situations are over. The issues are teenagers disturbing the peace by playing loud music, soliciting in front of your house, using foul language, and most importantly not stopping at stop signs and making Uturns.

My target audience is for all that these issues apply to. The purpose of my article is to make the community safer. Safety is one of the most needed rules in the community.